Twitter/@Ben_RA(NEW YORK) -- A grandmother's hilarious interaction with a new Google Home she addresses as "Goo Goo" was filmed by her software-engineer grandson, Ben Actis, and posted on YouTube.



"My 85-year-old Italian grandmother learns to use Google Home," Actis wrote. The video, as of midday Saturday, had more than 534,000 views.



The grandmother addresses the contraption in front of her on a kitchen table as "Goo Goo," telling it, "I'm glad to meet you."



She asks the device what the weather will be tomorrow, and when it answers in a woman's voice, the grandmother is apparently startled.



She stands up and backs away from the Google Home.



After she returns to sitting at the table, she asks "Goo Goo" to play her an Italian song.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
 Flash

Up to 45 militants of the Shiite Houthi group were killed as Saudi-led airstrikes hit their locations in two provinces of Yemen over the past 24 hours, a Yemeni government official told Xinhua.

"In the past 24 hours, about 20 Houthi rebels were killed when aerial bombardment hit their locations in the central province of al-Bayda, where fighting is still going on," the local government official said on condition of anonymity.

Elsewhere in Yemen, more than 25 Houthi rebels were killed and nearly 15 others injured when intensified air raids targeted their sites in the country's western coast areas near Hodeidah province.

The Saudi-led warplanes also destroyed weapons and armored vehicles belonging to the armed Houthi militants during the air raids in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, a medical source told Xinhua that Aljumhuriah public hospital in Aden "received scores of injured soldiers loyal to the Saudi-backed Yemeni government coming from the battlefield with Houthis on the western coast."

He added that "some of the injured soldiers are in critical conditions and need urgent transfer to receive treatment abroad and the government hospitals in Aden are unable to receive more injured soldiers."

Earlier this month, the Houthis lost control over key areas including the Bayhan district of oil-producing Shabwa province during an all-out campaign launched by Saudi-backed troops.

The Saudi-led military coalition has intensified military air campaign against Houthi positions in and around the Houthi rebels-held capital Sanaa and other northern provinces since the Houthis killed former President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Dec. 4.

The coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 to roll back Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels, and backed internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi whom Houthis forced into exile in Saudi Arabia.

The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis, mostly children, displaced 3 million, and triggered the world's most humanitarian catastrophe.

Tensions have escalated in Sanaa and other northern provinces after Houthis killed their top ally strongman Saleh after he changed alliance and backed the anti-Houthi coalition.




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
courtesy of father

The father of a special-needs son who was tied up during an armed robbery at his business earlier this week said the child is still recovering from the incident.



Roberto Hinojosa, owner of E-Z Tax Service in the 1200 block of Highway 146, suffered an armed robbery at his business Tuesday. During the incident, his 14-year-old son was tied up in zip ties. Hinojosa said his son was scared and tried to run away. One of the two suspects then tied him up.



"If you see him, he looks like he's 6 to 8 years old," Hinojosa said. "He doesn't speak."

The tax preparation worker of six years said his son is suffering as a result of the robbery.



"When he sees people with a hoodie, he's scared," he said.



Hinojosa said the the robbers took roughly $13,000. The coin collector said he is most saddened by the theft of his 1893 silver dollar.



Police arrested Chandrick Benefield, 27. As of Friday, an unidentified male suspect is still at large.



Authorities are asking anyone with related information to call 281-334-5414.



Dana Burke, digital reporter at Chron.com, contributed to this story.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

He tinkered with cars and told jokes. He'd found a wife to settle down with and a job he loved.

But on Friday, a disgruntled former employee burst into the mechanic shop on South Post Oak and gunned down Kendric Wade and one of his co-workers before going after the business owner and ultimately turning the weapon on himself.

Two days later, authorities finally identified the alleged gunman as Daniel Ferraretto. The second victim, Mary McGehee, was a five-year employee at the high-end mechanic.

As news of the slayings spread online, Wade's friends and family began pouring out their grief for the lifelong fix-it man from Mississippi.

"He never had a bad word with anyone," said brother-in-law Martin Cameron who grew up one street over from the mechanic.

Now Playing: Around 4:00pm an Ex-Employee of Bemer Plus, went to the Auto Repair business with a gun and went inside and opened fire, shooting two employees, who died there inside the shop. The suspect then went outside and shot himself. He died as well. Video: Metro Video

Gunfire broke out just before 4 p.m. at the Bemer Plus near West Orem. The shooter - who Wade's family described as a friendly acquaintance - showed up during business hours, while there were multiple employees and customers inside the shop, according to police.

He may have been targeting the owner who dove out the window, according to Cameron. But ultimately it was Wade, who'd worked there roughly two decades, and a secretary who caught the brunt of the gunman's wrath.

"Early indicator this is senseless workplace violence," Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted afterward.

The 45-year-old mechanic learned to fix cars as a teen in Cleveland, Mississippi. One friend described him as the "neighborhood car repairman" for the town of 12,000.

After attending community college, he moved to Houston and started working at Bemer.

"He loved it there," Cameron said. "Every time he would come home and visit, I'd ask and he'd say, 'Man, I'm not going anywhere.'"

Cameron described him as a "joyful person" who was well-known because of his willingness to pitch in as a handyman.

A few years ago, he met the love of his life while on vacation in Jamaica.

"It was love at first sight," Cameron said. The two kept up their relationship through phone calls and visits, finally tying the knot two years ago, on Dec. 27, 2015.

His wife was headed back to Houston to celebrate New Year's Eve.

"Can't believe you're really gone," one friend wrote on Facebook as word of the killing spread. "You didn't deserve to die that way."

Bemer launched a GoFundMe page, as did one of Wade's cousins.

"He was a good man," the page notes. "What a sad way for a good person to die."
A man was shot in the cheek near an Energy Corridor hotel in what police say may have been a drug deal gone wrong.

Gunfire broke out near the Homewood Suites on Park Row near Highway 6 just after midnight, according to police.
Funded and founded by evangelicals, the new Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., sticks out for something its leaders clearly wanted to emphasize: Jews.

The eight-story, cutting-edge $500 million institution, which opened last month and already is one of the world's largest Bible museums, devotes more space to stories of the Hebrew Bible (Jewish texts) than to the New Testament (the part of the Christian canon featuring Jesus and his teachings), highlights a special permanent exhibit on Israeli antiquities, sells Jewish items in its gift shop like menorahs and mezzuzahs, and pipes the sound of people praying in Hebrew through its speakers. A real, live yarmulke-wearing rabbi from Israel is seated at the end of the final major exhibit, writing the letters of a Torah scroll, deliberately there to emphasize museum leaders' perspective that "God started with the Jewish people, and he is still with the Jewish people," said Cary Summers, the museum's president.

Then why do some Jews express skepticism about the museum?

The answer blends politics, culture, theology and the question of whether it's possible for disparate groups to ever share the Bible in a meaningful way. While modern liberal rhetoric aspires to religious pluralism, the reality is that Christians and Jews see the Bible in fundamentally different ways - from what counts as "the Bible" to how to read and understand it.

Shmuel Herzfeld, a modern Orthodox rabbi who leads the Ohev Sholom synagogue in Washington, wanted to go weeks ago, when the museum opened, but members of his study group weren't willing. He finally went alone last week and said he felt awed and a bit weird walking through a bustling museum that to him seemed more about Jews than for them.

He noticed a stack of Star of Davids placed in the gift shop next to statues of a girl in what appear to be God's hands - which was jarring to Herzfeld since Jews avoid statues, idols or images of anything Godlike. He felt uncomfortable watching the experiential, Disneylike "Jewish Bible" show, much of which is told through impressionistic video. That it was presented without noting the post-biblical Talmud and other rabbinical commentary Jews consider crucial parts of their canon seemed to him to imply that God's story continues through Christianity - not Judaism. He shook his head as the show depicted Abraham kneeling before God - an image much more in keeping with Christian than Jewish prayer.

"You're seeing the Bible the way Christians do," he said of the museum.

"I don't want to sound cranky because they went out of their way to be nice, and certainly we're not opposed to teaching what Judaism is about. But there is an uneasy feeling that we're part of this marketing campaign where the point is to convince people of the prophetic message of Christianity," he said.

A panel at this month's annual Association for Jewish Studies conference, entitled "the Museum of the Bible As Mediator of Judaism," included panelists who all agreed that the museum's "self-description as religiously neutral" was inaccurate, said Mark Leuchter, professor of Hebrew Bible at Temple University and a participant in the panel.

However, while some Jewish visitors said they felt like props, or felt they were being proselytized to, or had concerns about the legality and authenticity of some items (Hobby Lobby, a craft chain whose owners founded the museum, paid a $3 million fine this summer for smuggling ancient Iraqi artifacts), other Jews are happy with the museum.

The museum collaborated with a number of paid Jewish consultants - including Bible scholars, community advocates and rabbis. The consultants sit on an international advisory board or are expert guides. The Museum's director of content, Seth Pollinger, said 35 to 40 percent of the academic advisors are Jewish, a dramatic number when you consider Jews are less than 2 percent of the adult U.S. population, according to the Pew Research Center (and less than a half of 1 percent, worldwide, Pew says).

The consultants lean to the more Orthodox side (which represent about 10 percent of U.S. Jews), but the list also includes people from across the religious and ideological spectrum.

"We are pursuing exhibits that present balanced descriptions that highlight broad consensus views ... without taking up causes for the 'religious right' or the 'political left.' Although this is our goal, we will need to constantly host discussions that are open to critical and constructive suggestions on points to improve so we can advance a more 'centrist' presentation," Pollinger wrote in an email.

Among the consultants was prominent Brandeis University historian Jonathan Sarna, whose specialty is American Judaism. He hasn't yet toured it but reviewed the museum exhibit wording in detail for curators.

Sarna said museum officials did the best they could, but there's no escaping that the Christian Bible is organized in a way that anticipates the coming of Jesus, while the Hebrew Bible (the older part, often called the Old Testament by non-Jews) is organized differently and does not. Some Jewish visitors felt the museum's main storytelling exhibit - the "narrative" floor - emphasized the Christian version of the shared stories, such as highlighting Ruth - someone Christians see as a foremother of Jesus - and not Sinai, an essential spot for Jewish understanding of the Bible.

"The Bible is really almost a Rorschach test, people see different things in it. At its best the museum does reflect that. In other places it more reflects the Bible as seen by the funders of the museum," Sarna said.

There are endless ways to see both the Jewish and Christian traditions, but one core difference is that many Christians see the Bible itself as the highest authority. Jews typically see the Bible as a starting point, to be read and translated through the lens of centuries of rabbinical commentary. This is one reason Sarna thinks most Jews aren't rushing to the museum - they don't focus on the Bible.

"When someone from my congregation says: 'I'm reading the Bible,' I get worried," half-joked Stuart Weinblatt, a rabbi from Potomac, Md., who spoke at the museum's dedication and who thinks it's wonderful. "I say: 'Just make sure you read it with a Jewish commentary.' That's the filter that makes it Jewish."

Weinblatt said the museum is an opportunity for Jews to engage with biblical texts and to find a common ground with others.

Many Jews are wary of evangelical interest, Weinblatt said, because they think it's motivated primarily by a desire to convert them. While the need for conversion to Christ remains a basic tenet of evangelicalism, many evangelicals today express a more general commitment to the idea that God in the Bible promised to "bless those who bless Israel," and interpret that in various ways.

"There has been a radical change over the past 20, 25 years and the Jewish community hasn't woken up," Weinblatt said.

Weinblatt is touching on a reality: There are key cultural and political challenges in making evangelical Christians and Jews genuine partners. While Orthodox Jews work often with conservative evangelicals on social issues like opposing same-sex marriage, securing public funding for religious private schools and on their shared idea of how to support Israel, the typical American evangelical and the typical American Jew are on opposing sides of many issues in America.

In research released earlier this year, Pew analyzed religious groups' feelings toward one another. White evangelicals ranked Jews more "warmly" than they did almost any other group, while Jews ranked white evangelicals near the bottom.

American Jews are far more liberal than the American public, particularly on social issues and on the ideal size of government. The museum's board is almost entirely evangelical, a group that falls on the opposite side of such issues. Evangelicals' tendency to view scripture as orthodox and unchanging clashes with the perspective of most Jews. Pew Research Center found 55 percent of evangelical Protestants said scripture should be taken literally, compared with 11 percent of Jews who said the same.

There are points where museum staff sought to accommodate beliefs shared by the museum's conservative Christian leaders and their Orthodox Jewish advisers - beliefs not necessarily widely shared by Jews, said Gordon Campbell, an expert on the King James Bible who is on the museum's advisory board. For example, there is an exhibit about early writing, he said, which is meant in part to honor the perspective of more literal believers that the Torah was written very early - perhaps, one could say, by Moses, inspired by God. Academics date it nearly a millennium later, he said.

The museum worked hard to make Jews comfortable in the museum, Campbell said - for example, taking care to focus on major Protestant figure Martin Luther - a raging anti-Semite - as a Bible translator rather than as a hero.

Summers, the museum president, disagreed with the premise that Jews are staying away and said staff reports hearing that visitors regularly include Jews. He said the museum's main challenge is the months of articles in the run-up to the opening expressing skepticism about the intentions of the institution. The initial mission statement of the museum talked about promoting the literal word of God.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A sheriff's deputy gunned down early Sunday during an ambush-style shooting of officers in Colorado was a young father with deep Houston roots.

The family of the slain deputy, Zackari Parrish III, worships with Second Baptist Church, where he attended the private Second Baptist School before heading to Dallas Baptist University and then moving to Colorado.

Parrish, 29, is survived by his wife and their two young daughters, as well as his parents and sisters, who still live in the Houston area. His mother works at the church and his father leads Bible studies, a pastor said.

FIRED UPON IMMEDIATELY: Suspect holed up in an apartment

The deputy graduated in 2006 from the church's school, where he played on the baseball team as an infielder.

Reagan Reynolds, a pastor at the church, was a classmate and teammate of Parrish's. He remembers a gregarious young man who moved to Houston early in high school and quickly found a tight-knit group of friends.

"He was extremely friendly and charming," Reynolds said. "It was impossible not to like him."

Parrish had been a deputy for about seven months with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, serving an area south of Denver. He was on duty at about 5 a.m. Sunday when he responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex.

A man fired more than 100 rounds before being fatally shot himself. Along with Parrish's death, three other deputies and a police officer were wounded, as well as two civilians. The four injured officers, who range in age from 28 to 41, were in stable condition, and the two civilians' injuries were not life-threatening.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately after entering the suspect's apartment and trying to talk with the him as he was holed up in a bedroom.

"They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there."

The Douglas County coroner identified the suspect as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl.

A YouTube user named Matthew Riehl posted a YouTube video Dec. 13, saying he wanted to replace Spurlock and railing against the sheriff and other officers in profane, highly personal terms.

'He died a hero'

Parrish's death devastated the local community and police departments in the region, said Rick Derbyshire, a pastor at Parrish's church in Colorado and a chaplain with two local law enforcement agencies.

Derbyshire said he met Sunday afternoon with Parrish's wife, Gracie, and several of the couple's other family members and friends. Together, they recalled Parrish's love for police work and helping his community.

"Even with the depth of their grief and sorrow, they are taking solace in the fact that he died a hero and the fact that he was doing exactly what he wanted to do," Derbyshire said.

After graduating from Dallas Baptist University, Parrish initially worked in business before switching to law enforcement.

His friend Nathan Rees, who also went from Second Baptist School to Dallas Baptist University, remembered Parrish as a goofy guy who was serious about protecting others, from his sisters to his wife to the public.

Rees lived with Parrish for a year during college. He remembered playing acoustic guitar together and falling into serious conversations with his normally light-hearted housemate.

"There were definitely times when the two of us would sit and talk - about faith, or about doubt, or love," Rees said.

"When we weren't goofing off," he added quickly.

But Parrish grew focused when he met his future wife, who was from Colorado.

"Really quickly after they started dating, he was very serious about it," Reynolds said. "He told me and some of his other friends how much liked her and how confident he was (about the relationship.)"

Rees remembers talking with Parrish about each of their girlfriends, who soon became their wives.

"We had one of those dude conversations," Rees said. "He had this look in his eyes. He was ready and knew that she was the one."

Parrish took on more coursework so he could finish college early and marry Gracie, Reynolds said. The couple moved to Colorado, her home state. In recent years they had two daughters.

Parrish worked at the Castle Rock Police Department south of Denver before joining the Douglas County Sheriff's Office earlier in 2017, working the overnight shift.

Parrish's friends think his desire to work in law enforcement came from his lifelong habit of watching out for his sisters.

"Growing up, he really did love and care about his sisters," Rees remembered. "He so much wanted to be a protector, and I think that's why he eventually left the thought of doing business. ... He was wanting to go to business school at one time. But he wanted to protect people."

Now Playing: The Douglas County Sheriffs Office says that a deputy has died following a shooting in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Video: Time

Sunday's shooting occurred at a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver.

Authorities had left the home barely an hour earlier in response to a complaint of a "verbal disturbance" involving two men, the sheriff's office said. One of the men told them the suspect "was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown" but the deputies found no evidence of a crime.

When deputies were called back, a man who had left came by to give them a key and granted permission to enter the home, leaving again before shots were fired.

A memorial service for Parrish has been set for 10 a.m. Friday at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. A member of the family's church set up a fundraising page for the family: www.gofundme.com/ZParrish

Parrish was a devoted Christian whose faith would carry his family through tragedy, Derbyshire said. "We all know that he would have told his wife, 'If anything happens to me, Gracie, it's my time. I'm going to miss you, but it's my time, and this is the job that God called me to do.'"

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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.
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
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.
Press issues delay delivery of todays Chronicle Times Due to press issues, print subscribers will not receive the Nov. 16 issue of the Cherokee Chronicle Times in the...

Galva man charged with his brothers murder A Galva man with an extensive criminal history in Storm Lake was arrested on Sunday night for allegedly killing his...

Cherokee enrollment up 10% over 7 years Enrollment at most of Buena Vista and Cherokee Countys school districts increased across-the-board, according to estimates submitted to the Iowa...

Book Basket Project underway at library The 23rd-annual Book Basket Project is up and running at Cherokee Public Library. This silent auction launched on Monday and...
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.
Vacations are risky. For every pampered, life-changing, Julia-Roberts-style soulful romp, there's a Memorial Day weekend Greyhound to Jacksonville. And if the exorbitant airfare and crappy weather don't manage to spoil your holiday experience, let us ruin it for you first. At least we'll save you a couple hundred bucks you can blow someplace classier, like Amsterdam's red light district or the Corn Palace.

5 Time Square's New Year's Eve Ball Drop Is Full Of Pee

No real New Yorker would be caught dead anywhere near Times Square on New Year's Eve, and being caught dead is the most likely scenario. If the inch-thick layer of germs coating every surface doesn't get you, the crowds will. New Year's Eve is the culmination of New York City's tourist shitshow, where "shit" does indeed become the star of the show, thanks to the lack of bathroom access.

Time Square on New Year's Eve is like David Bowie's Labyrinth: Once you're inside, there's no getting out until you've seen it through, and there will be suspect bulges. First, all visitors have to be screened, and only after camping out all day are they allowed into the "pens" -- a few precious closed-off square blocks that they can't leave unless they want to go through the whole hours-long ordeal all over again. That's a big problem, because the organizers of the event refuse to provide Port-a-Potties, for no discernible reason besides "Fuck you, that's why."

As always, capitalism has stepped in to save the day: Restaurants in the square, like Applebee's, offer bathroom access to revelers ... as long as they buy a meal ... at $375 a plate. Literally flushing the equivalent of three whole Times Square souvenirs down a toilet isn't an attractive option to many people, so some have reportedly resorted to wearing adult diapers or bringing plastic bottles to pee in. Although you haven't really experienced NYC until you urinate in public, anyway.
There is a broader question here, that some in the press are already asking, which is whether, at some point soon, Polands (and perhaps Hungarys) refusals to act consistently with EU values can constitute enough of a justification for the rest of the EU to expel them? As I explain below, an argument can be made that no member of the EU can ever be expelled, given that there is no explicit process contemplated in any of the EU treaties for expulsion. But can that really be the case?

The European Commission, the EUs principal administrative body, viewing these latest actions as inconsistent with basic democratic commitments of all EU nations to rule of law principles (independence of the judiciary and so on), has recommended that Article 7 proceedings be initiated . That could end up stripping Poland of its voting rights in EU matters; something that would be unprecedented in EU history. As a practical matter this is not likely to happen, because the removal of voting rights requires a unanimous vote of the remaining 27 members of the EU, and Hungary (with a government of similar inclinations to the Polish one) is one the members. But in a community that values collegiality and cooperation to a very high degree, this is a big deal (at least to this outsider).

Poland has been thumbing its nose at key European Union norms for some time now (refusal to comply with environmental commitments , unwillingness to take refugees , and so on). The most recent and egregious norm violation being the reforms of the judiciary being pushed by the current right-wing ruling party that will (in the view of critics) enable it to stack the judiciary with judges favoring it. These were signed into law by President Duda roughly ten days ago.

This question of expulsion from the EU has come up before; specifically, with respect to Greece in 2011-2014 when Greece was viewed by many of its fellow Euro area members as having dragged the entire Euro area into a deep crisis thanks to a combination of fiscal mismanagement and unwillingness to embrace the necessary austerity measures. During the crisis, because of the widespread resentment in some corners of the Euro area to providing financial assistance to Greece, there were numerous calls for Greece to be given the boot (more polite versions of the argument suggested that Greece take a temporary vacation from its membership of the union). So, the question was posed: Can fiscal irresponsibility and an unsustainable debt stock (okay, plus a little fudging of the accounting numbers) justify expulsion?

Some took the strong view that expulsion from the EU was simply not allowed (see here, here and here). Once one was in, exit could only occur voluntarily; Brexit, being a case of voluntary exit. The legal rationale being that the treaty does not describe a procedure for expulsion, and that must therefore mean that expulsion is off the table. Thats a teensy bit too formalist for my liking. There are often good reasons to avoid putting in clauses about expulsion or ejection in a contract, even if everyone involves knows that it might need to occur. Some things are just too hard to talk about  especially during euphoric times when all the parties involved are trying to show each other how much they trust and love one another. The question surely is: What are the implied terms?

Jens Damann has a super piece on this, and disagrees with the formalist view articulated above. Joseph Blocher, Larry Helfer and I come to roughly the same conclusion as Jens, albeit via a somewhat different route. None of us thought, at the time, that Greeces debt crisis justified expulsion. But the questions raised by the Greek situation got us arguing hypotheticals (the most fun of these were over bourbon at the Washington Duke). And the question we inevitably ended up with was: Surely, at some point, a country could behave in a manner so very inconsistent with the basic commitments of the union that expulsion could be said to be justified by the implicit terms of the joint enterprise? Poland looks to be testing those boundaries - For example, let us say some hypothetical EU country decides that it wants to summarily curtail the rights of all non-white citizens in obvious violation of the basic human rights commitments of all EU members. Could the rest of the EU not decide that this action was a bridge too far, and decide to vote to expel this country?
Last week, we talked about the 9,048 charities rated by Charity Navigator. Those organizations depend on support from individual contributors and foundations. Others, such as those that provide services, are not rated.

Leaving ratings aside, let me share some additional thoughts on how to pick a charity that you can believe in and stand behind for a long time.

The quotes below are directly from Charity Navigators Questions To Ask Charities Before Donating at https:// tinyurl.com/y8eu6oqr. My comments are based on my experiences on a few nonprofit boards over the years and a three-year volunteer stint as the state of Connecticuts representative to the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, the federal advisory committee charged with providing taxpayer suggestions to improve IRS customer service.

1. What is your organizations mission? If a charity struggles in explaining its mission and its programs, it will probably struggle in delivering those programs. Healthy organizations know exactly who they are, what they do, and why they are needed.

Very well said. This insight applies to any venture, including for-profit businesses.

2. What are your organizations goals? Goals are a necessary tool to measure success. Without establishing clear goals, its challenging to measure success. If a charity cannot communicate its goals, both short and long term, it is difficult for a donor to know what the charity is working towards.

Again, who can disagree? Occasionally, serendipity can lead to a successful outcome. But you cant run an organization that routinely delivers good outcomes without goals and metrics. Once more, this rule applies to all ventures.

3. What progress is your organization making toward its goals? Ask your organization what it has done to make the issue it confronts better. Can the organization demonstrate how their actions have impacted their progress?

Actions speak louder than words.

4. What sources are available to increase my confidence in your work? Our research has shown that [the] majority of charities are responsible, honest, and well-managed. Healthy charities demonstrate transparency. Documents such as the organizations form 990 and audited financial statement should be readily available for donors to review.

Good advice. It is essential for a donor to understand how the organization will use his or her funds.

While Im not an expert on charities by any means, getting answers to some big-picture questions will certainly help identify whether you believe in the organizations mission and how it intends to execute it with the help of your donation.

Before leaving the discussion of resources, let me give you one more: the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (BBB WGA), found at www. give.org.

BBB WGA reports on 1,300 national charities. About half of the 112 Better Business Bureaus in the U.S. and Canada also report on about 10,000 local charities.

Give.org lists 20 standards in these categories: governance and oversight, measuring effectiveness, finances, and solicitations and informational materials. Then the site concludes: Meets Standards, Standards Not Met, Did Not Disclose, Unable to Verify or Review in Progress.

An example is the American Red Cross, earning a Meets Standards on all 20 elements. The site also lists four Complaints processed by the BBB in the last 36 months, each of which is categorized by type and shown as addressed.

Finally, let me add a comment from a physician who chaired major gifts for almost three decades for a Connecticut hospital: Ask yourself if you are diluting your efforts by donating to multiple charities. Could you accomplish more by focusing on just a few? If you believe the latter is a better option, research of the type weve been discussing over the past two weeks will help you concentrate on causes you can support with confidence and passion.

A worthwhile consideration indeed.

Julie Jason, JD, LLM, a personal money manager (Jackson, Grant of Stamford) and award-winning author, welcomes your questions/comments (readers@juliejason.com). To hear Julie speak, visit www.juliejason.com/events.
Contributed / Contributed

DERBY  Griffin Hospitals annual Holiday Wonderland of Trees fundraiser collected more than $9,300 for Spooner House in Shelton to help feed and shelter area families in need this winter.

As part of Griffins Planetree Person-Centered Care Philosophy, the Holiday Wonderland of Trees calls on hospital departments to decorate three-foot artificial evergreen trees that are raffled off. The fundraiser aims to help improve health the community by supporting the Spooner Houses services.
Angie Jackson and Michael Majchrowicz

Post and Courier

December 30, 2017





Sixteen years after she moved out of Overcomer Ministry's secluded Christian compound, one former follower of self-proclaimed prophet Ralph Gordon Stair has a hard time attending church services.





For another woman, wearing pants felt foreign after more than a decade of living under Stairs dress code for the ministry, where about 70 people live on a rural commune near Walterboro as they await the return of Jesus Christ.





And one young woman who grew up attending school at Overcomer Ministry feels she was robbed of an education. Her schooling there didnt include science courses, and she doesnt have a high school diploma.





Some defectors like these women say they consider Stair's group a cult, a term the 84-year-old preacher has rejected. They describe a place where residents surrender their possessions and financial assets and are largely stripped of their free thinking in exchange for rules set by Stair, who founded the ministry in the early 1980s.





Congregants are told to cut ties with people outside the compound, a swath of farmland in the unincorporated community of Canadys. Stair's end-times message has, up until recently, reached an international following of radio listeners.





Law enforcement over the years has fielded calls from relatives of residents at Overcomer concerned about whether the ministry is a cult, according to Colleton County Sheriffs Office reports. One of those calls came during a recent criminal investigation into Stair, which culminated earlier this month with the preachers arrest.





Stair remains in jail on eight criminal charges, including three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, after multiple parishioners  girls and women  said he had sexually assaulted them in incidents dating back to 1992. The allegations bear similarities to charges leveled against Stair in 2002, when he was arrested on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery.





Several of Stairs accusers in the latest investigation said he would coerce them into sex acts, telling them it was Gods will. One woman who reported she was raped at least 35 times said Stair told her shed made the Man of God happy, investigators wrote in an affidavit.





What we thought was normal wasnt really normal, said Shannel Robinson, 31, who lived at Overcomer as a child with her family until 2001 and was not a victim of sexual abuse. He didn't (kill) us with Kool-Aid, but it was probably the same thing.





Educators who study cults and similar groups say there are likely thousands of religious and political sects in the United States, though an exact count is impossible because many such groups are small and not widely known.





Janja Lalich, professor emerita of sociology at California State University, Chico, said a cult begins with a charismatic leader who trumpets a transcendent belief system and a recipe for change.





They tell you exactly how you need to change in order to be on the path to salvation, resolution or whatever it may be, she said.





Lalich said sexual exploitation is prevalent among cults.





The cult leaders thrive on money, sex or power, or a combination of all three, she said. Sex is, of course, a very deep and intimate way of controlling someone.





At Overcomer Ministry, Stair is accused of committing some of his alleged crimes before scores of witnesses. His accusers told investigators he groped underage girls from the pulpit while on camera, and a video posted to YouTube earlier this year showed Stair touching a 12-year-old girls breast during a worship service. In other cases, women said alleged assaults occurred as Stair strolled the grounds of the compound in broad daylight.





Gisele Bennett, who worked at the ministry as a teacher before leaving Overcomer in 2001, said she tried to look out for young women. Once, Bennett said, she confronted Stair about his conduct and was brushed off.





I said, Hey yall, hes messing around with these women on his farm who dont wanna be messed with, these single women,  Bennett said. He said I had the devil in me.





Steve Eichel, a psychologist in Delaware and president of the International Cultic Studies Association, a nonprofit based in Florida, said its common for cults to teach adherents to bury and reframe their doubts, a practice known as "thought stopping," because questioning the leader is viewed as a demonic or satanic or an evil thing to do.





For these reasons, its difficult for deeply indoctrinated followers to speak out or leave in light of perceived misconduct, said Eichel, who is familiar with Stairs ministry. Additionally, there are what he calls exit costs.





In a group like Stairs, for example, you've got whole families involved, so to leave may very well mean losing your family, he said. Thats a pretty serious cost.





Bill Goldberg, a clinical social worker in New Jersey, has also tried to understand why members of cults fail to intervene when they witness wrongdoings. He and his wife specialize in working with individuals who have defected from cults.





Speaking generally, Goldberg said a majority of these types of defectors have what he calls unconscious doubts.





Every former cult member Ive worked with has told me they had doubts when in the group that they learned to suppress, he said.





Often, Goldberg said, members of cults become fixated with idealism and desire a deeper connection with the group leader who touts a direct relationship with God or the truth.





This was the case for Laura Johnston Kohl of San Diego, who was part of the Peoples Temple for most of the 1970s. The sociopolitical cult was headed by Jim Jones, who infamously compelled more than 900 followers to commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Flavor Aid at his South American compound, popularly known as Jonestown, in Guyana in 1978.





Who could even believe it when it happened? said Kohl, 70, who was not at the settlement when the suicides occurred. It just kind of stopped the world.





Jonestown historians, academics and former members alike say Jones was a master manipulator who used charisma and coercive sex to control those who felt obligated to him.





From Kohl's perspective, the community largely lived in peace. She relished the idea of living on a compound among diverse residents with a common goal of creating a utopia of sorts.





But it was that devotion to idealism, Kohl added, that blinded her to the larger problems in Jonestown, including the coercive tactics Jones employed to keep order.





Bennett, the former teacher at Overcomer, said she saw a similar dynamic play out at Stair's ministry. The prospect of living among fellow Christians drew her and her family to the compound. She expected people to adhere to moral principles.





It was like were all Christians, we dont have nobody lying, cheating, stealing, doing stuff like that, she said. We fell in love with the place.





https://www.postandcourier.com/news/community-or-cult-experts-share-why-people-join-overcomer-ministry/article_f2930d60-ec04-11e7-a439-53620a3e5259.html
For many, it's the biggest celebration of the year, and for some, the booziest.

But by sticking to certain types of alcohol, you give yourself a better chance of starting the year without a thumping headache, a nutritionist has revealed.

Speaking to FEMAIL, Australian holistic chef, Lee Holmes, from Supercharged Food, unveiled what alcoholic drinks are most likely to give you a regrettable hangover.

By sticking to certain types of alcohol, you give yourself a better chance of starting the year without a thumping headache, Australian nutritionist Lee Holmes (pictured) revealed to FEMAIL

Ms Holmes said the additional ingredients in alcoholic beverages are often to blame more than the alcohol itself (stock image)

Ms Holmes said the additional ingredients in alcoholic beverages are often to blame more than the alcohol itself.

'Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is the chemical used in different types of alcohol and can be taxing on the liver,' she said.

'However when it comes to the dreaded next day hangover, this is mostly due to the extra ingredients that are added to alcohol to create a specific taste, such as sugar and other preservatives also known as sulfites.'

Drinks containing the substance congeners - such as red wine and darker spirits like bourbon - are considered the 'biggest hangover culprits', Ms Holmes said.

A congener is a chemical compound which is a by-product of fermentation processes, and is also used as a flavour enhancer or artificial colour in spirits.

Drinks containing the substance congeners - such as red wine and darker spirits like bourbon (pictured) - are considered the 'biggest hangover culprits', Ms Holmes said

Ms Holmes suggested sticking to lighter varieties of alcohol such as higher quality and preservative-free white wines and clear-coloured spirits like gin or vodka (stock image)

'It's a good choice to not mix varieties of alcohol, as it will be much easier on the body, resulting in less of a hangover,' Ms Holmes (pictured) said

'Congeners can affect the way you process alcohol,' Ms Holmes said.

'Its best to steer away higher concentrations of congeners, which are found more readily in red wine and darker spirits.'

Ms Holmes suggested sticking to lighter varieties of alcohol such as higher quality and preservative-free white wines and clear-coloured spirits like gin or vodka.

She added: 'It's a good choice to not mix varieties of alcohol, as it will be much easier on the body, resulting in less of a hangover.

'It's also helpful to drink water in between each glass of alcohol to help the digestion process, and to watch out for sugar-filled mixers too.'

Sage advice for this December 31...
Julie Lamberg-Burnet is the founder of the Sydney School of Protocol

Thousands of excited revellers are already making their way to bars, clubs and harboursides around Australia ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations.

And while many will wake up tomorrow feeling refreshed and thrilled with their night, others will no doubt be suffering a little embarrassment and regret.

So, to help party goers make the most of their night without getting carried away, etiquette expert and Sydney School of Protocol founder, Julie Lamberg-Burnet, has shared her top tips for how to behave and some etiquette goals to consider for 2018.

ETIQUETTE TIPS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE

DRESS TO IMPRESS

'Have a dash of elegance - smart evening - use this as an opportunity to be glamorous,' Ms Lamberg-Burnet told FEMAIL.

'As tempting as it might be, don't disrobe yourself of shoes or clothing items as the day or evening progresses.

'Women do not take off high heels and walk barefooted.'

If you are unsure of the dress code, Ms Lamberg-Burnet suggests checking in with the host.

'As tempting as it might be, don't disrobe yourself of shoes or clothing items as the day or evening progresses. 'Women do not take off high heels and walk barefooted,' Ms Lamberg-Burnet said

TEMPER YOUR DRINKING

Water is key on party nights like this as many know all to well the effects dehydration can have on the body the following morning.

'Remember the focus of the night is midnight so retain your composure for the "after party",' Ms Lamberg-Burnet said.

While a gift of Champagne would be well received by your host on New Year, a drunken show of debauchery would not.

Water is key on party nights like this as many know all to well the effects dehydration can have on the body the following morning

DITCH YOUR GLASS IN PHOTOS

Ms Lamberg-Burnet said your glass and food should be put to one side when posing for the camera.

To ensure a flattering shot, put on your best smile and stand straight to the camera, that captures the best silhouette.

Additionally, she suggests always asking permission before taking photos of others and posting them on social media.

Ms Lamberg-Burnet said your glass and food should be put to one side when posing for the camera

KEEP YOUR MIDNIGHT KISS POLITE

Ms Lamberg-Burnet suggests opting for a polite kiss on the cheek rather than a drunken midnight pash.

'If you have brought a date or partner to the party, a kiss is the best way to ring in the New Year,' Ms Lamberg-Burnet said.

''If you are out with friends, you should feel most comfortable with either a New Years hug or light kiss on the cheek.

'If it looks like someone is coming straight for the lips, you can politely turn your ahead and accept the kiss on the cheek.

'Simply wish them a Happy New Year and choose to move on to another friend.'
I lost my house in January. I gave up my car. I lost my pony, my old dog Sam, a cat, a man, and Ive sold everything I own. The day a man arrived to collect my 40-year collection of British Vogue was a dark one. I lost my identity, too. Being dynamic and successful, living in a Georgian house, driving a nice car and wearing expensive clothes was who I was. I became no one when I was declared bankrupt in May 2017. I now have a personal grooming allowance of 20 a month. Lets just say Im not looking good, but how am I feeling?

Upstairs in the wardrobe is a small white box. It contains the antidepressant Citalopram, prescribed when I could no longer breathe. But despite the losses (and unlike a record number of people in the UK: we take more pills than almost anyone else in the world), I havent burst a single blister. Ive gazed at the box from time to time. Ironically, I was too anxious to take the anti-anxiety medication, so I resisted, and thank the Lord I did. I understand people need a crutch but if you can resist imbibing something that alters the chemistry of your brain, you should. I made it through the worst year I could have imagined. And this is how.

2017 was the year Liz Jones (pictured with an abandoned mare in Avonmouth) lost her house, car, pony, dog, cat and man, but she has realised it's not her who is broken after all. It's the world

Ive been lucky enough to have therapy (see Page 44 of todays You magazine): just being in a room with someone on your side helps. Ive compartmentalised: just deal with today. I know this sounds crazy, but Ive got into astronomy: it helps to know youre a tiny speck on a small blue dot. I make sure Im physically tired, though I do love a Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (expensive unguent habits die hard). I no longer allow anyone negative near me: depression is catching. And the best prescription of all: the knowledge that even bad feelings can be helpful, and appropriate. When I lost my dog, how disrespectful would it have been to his memory to have dulled the agony? I was supposed to feel bad. Im supposed to grieve for my old life, too. But that emotion, painful though it is, motivates me.

Through therapy, astronomy and self care, Liz Jones has found motivation to find her strength

There was no place for a drug in what happened to me. The night before a scary meeting with HMRC, I coped with a hot bath, a glass of Cremant and Frasier.

The best piece of advice I got all year was to make my bed every day: easy but effective. I dont over-moan: if you say it out loud, you believe it. Im trying to eat (nobodys perfect. That reminds me: Some Like It Hot is crucial!). As a recovering anorexic, inhabiting a new life where I struggle to afford food has been a revelation. What was I thinking, turning my nose up at free canapes? Ive gobbled self-help books by the dozen: Johann Haris Lost Connections is brilliant. He started taking antidepressants aged 18, but they didnt help. In Vietnam, he was poisoned by an apple covered in pesticides. He went to the hospital, and begged for something to alleviate the nausea. You need your nausea, the doctor told him. Its a message. Depression and anxiety are a symptom. You arent a machine with broken parts, writes Hari. Youre an animal whose needs are not being met.

Bingo. Maybe its not me whos broken after all. Its the world.
As the New Year rolls around many of us will be looking for ways to carve out a happier and more fulfilling life in 2018, and sisters Nadia and Katia Narain believe they have the answer.

The London-based siblings' new book Self-Care for the Real World, which is released this week, details how prioritising loving and looking after yourself is the only way you'll truly be able to do the same for anyone else.

Yoga teacher Nadia, 44, whose clients include Jools Oliver and Jimmy Carr and raw food chef Katia, 42, recommend quick and easy rituals such as taking a shower with peppermint oil or dancing to a favourite song as more fulfilling ways to spend time than half an hour online shopping or mindlessly watching reality TV.

And they insist that not taking care of yourself, is actually a selfish act.

'We believe if you feel you are the best version of yourself, you will have more to give and to contribute to the world,' their book explains.

Katia Narain Phillips and her sister Nadia Narain (right) are releasing their new book Self-Care for the Real World this week, endorsed by Kate Moss and Reese Witherspoon

Nadia (right) having a revitalising vitamin drip with director Sam Taylor-Johnson

'When we feel good about ourselves we do better, kinder things for ourselves and for others, and we naturally let the good things in our lives grow. When we feel bad, we become more selfish and self-absorbed and we don't have the energy to give to other people or to the things and causes we care about.

'Self care is not selfish. It is all about learning self-love, self-respcet, self-compassion and seeing the impact that all of these have on your own wellbeing, and the wellbeing of those around you.'

Their book has been endorsed by an impressive roll call of celebrities, including Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Jools Oliver, Daisy Lowe and Lily Cole.

Kate is an old friend of former model Nadia and has said that her 'spirituality awakes my body and soul'.

Nadia and Katia's self-care list Making sure we get to bed by 10.30pm most nights Taking a relaxing bath or shower before bed Preparing healthy food in advance Being around friends and family Dancing Going to a yoga class Meditating every day Doing our gratitude journals daily Being honest to ourselves about ourselves Treating ourselves like a dear friend Taking naps and rest when needed Walking in nature Swimming in the sea Having quiet time Changing self-critical thoughts into more positive ones Advertisement

Nadia and Katia's non- self-care list Too many late nights in a row Thinking we should be somewhere other than where we are Pretending to be anything other than ourselves Comparing ourselves to other people Not paying attention to our bodies Eating too much sugar Eating junk food Working too much Choosing Instagram over meditation Zoning out to box sets TV in general Social media in general Not taking a day off when we need to Missing meals Not being around friends and family Being around too many people for too long Advertisement

'Through practising yoga with her it enables me to connect with my inner self,' she added.

The sisters' book teaches techniques such as getting in tune with your body to find out what it is you really need.

'Do you have a tendency to try something that's popular - like giving up sugar perhaps - then insist on everyone else trying it too?' they ask. 'There is no one prescription and different things work for different people at different times.

'If you just do the things that other people tell you to, they may not give you the energy or the relaxation you crave. Do you really want to do a spin class after work, or are you going because you think you should.

'Why are you eating that family-sized chocolate bar - for pleasure? Or did you get in a fight with someone and now there's a big empty feeling inside that you're trying to fill?'

The sisters' book says that taking time for yourself is not a selfish act as it revitalises you so that you can take care of others

Yoga teacher Nadia counts Rachel Weisz, Jools Oliver and Lisa Faulkner among her celebrity clients

Former model Nadia has been friends with Kate Moss since she was 19-years-old. The supermodel has credited Nadia with spirituality that 'awakens' her body and soul

They also recommend embracing your flaws by realising that it's imperfections that make you unique and interesting to other people.

Making mealtimes and sacred and eating mindfully rather than in front of the TV and practicing gratitude journalling are among their other tips.

And they recommend that when you do get a spare 30 minutes to yourself, you dance, practice deep breatihing, take an invigorating shower with peppermint oil or get outdoors rather than scrolling through Instagram or watching TV.

Self-Care for the Real World by Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips is available from Amazon from 4.99
People across the country are still making the most of the Christmas break by spending time with family - and the Queen is no exception.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh were joined at church in Sandringham this morning by family members including Sophie and her husband Edward and Princess Anne.

The monarch, 91, brightened up a dull morning in a teal coat with black collar and a matching hat as she was chauffeured to church with her daughter-in-law Sophie Wessex, 52, who looked smart in a checked coat.

Her husband Edward joined his father the Duke of Edinburgh, 96, on foot who chatted to Princess Anne as they made their way to the service.

However, there was no sign of younger family members such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge or Prince Harry's fiancee Meghan Markle who attended church at Sandringham for the first time on Christmas Day.

The Queen was resplendent in a teal hat and coat as she was driven to church at Sandringham this morning with her daughter-in-law the Countess of Wessex

The Countess of Wessex looked impeccably smart in a checked coat teamed with a black feathered hat

Like her mother, Princess Anne opted for a green coat and hat, which she teamed with black knee high boots

The Suits star looked a little nervous as she was pictured with other members of the royal family, including the Duchess of Cambridge, for the first time.

And she appeared to wobble slightly as she gave her first cursty to the Queen after the service.

However, earlier this week, Prince Harry told the Today programme that her first royal family Christmas had been a resounding success.

When the fifth in line to the throne was quizzed by presenter Sarah Montague at the end of guest editing the three-hour show he replied: 'It was fantastic, she really enjoyed it.'

As is customary, Prince Philip, 96, made his way to the church service on foot with his daughter Princess Anne

Prince Edward also walked with his father, while his wife Sophie accompanied the Queen

Prince Philip, 86, looked smart as ever in a grey overcoat as he walked to church

Her Majesty arriving at church service at Sandringham - the final Sunday service of the year

Speaking about his fiancee, he said: 'The family loved having her there.

'There's always that family part of Christmas (where) there's always that work element there as well, and I think together we had an amazing time.

'We had great fun staying with my brother and sister-in-law and running round with the kids. 'Christmas was fantastic.'

The presenter asked the prince if there were any family traditions that had to be explained to Ms Markle and he replied: 'Oh plenty, I think we've got one of the biggest families that I know of, and every family is complex as well.

'No look, she's done an absolutely amazing job. She's getting in there and it's the family I suppose that she's never had.'

There was no sign today of Meghan Markle who joined the royals for Christmas for the first time last week
It took blood, toil, tears and sweat... not to mention some Grinch-style prosthetics, a foam fat suit and hours practising those speeches in front of a mirror to turn Gary Oldman into the most authentic screen Churchill ever  as the stars of Darkest Hour tell Event

When the cast of Darkest Hour gathered for an initial read-through of the script, they were in for a surprise. Everyone was in the standard dress-down code of jeans and T-shirts, ready to sit round a table and speak their lines for the first time. It was a relaxed, informal gathering, albeit with a serious purpose. Then the door opened  and in walked Winston Churchill. Or rather, in walked Gary Oldman, in full prosthetics, three-piece suit complete with fob watch and brandishing a cigar. As he walked, slowly and slightly stooped, to his place at the head of the table, everyone stood up, as if to attention.

Gary Oldman's depiction of Winston Churchill is markedly different from the caricature we have grown used to over the decades

It was spine-tingling, recalls screenwriter Anthony McCarten, the Oscar-nominated author of The Theory Of Everything. And from that moment I never really saw Gary Oldman at all. For the next three months while we were shooting, I worked with Winston Churchill.

McCarten is not the only person to be mesmerised by Oldmans nuanced rendition. It has been hailed by members of the Churchill family as the finest-ever screen characterisation of their formidable ancestor. Churchills granddaughter, Emma Soames, insists no one has ever before captured the complexity of the man with such adroitness. I watch so many portrayals of him with dread, she says. But Oldman was quite magnificent. It was like watching a familiar Shakespeare soliloquy. You knew the words, but this was the actor who brought a whole new meaning to them.

Winston Churchill was prone to self-doubt and was not the man of iron resolve he is often portrayed as being

For her, she added, this was definitive. It was Grandpapa born again on screen.

Oldmans depiction is markedly different from the caricature we have grown used to over the decades. Churchill in Darkest Hour is not the resolute, unswerving man of common assumption. Nor is he a grumbly, grouchy curmudgeon. This Churchill is witty, romantic, quixotic, prone to giggles as much as to bursts of anger. And he is plagued with self-doubt.

The film focuses solely on his first month as Prime Minister in May 1940, when the odds were stacked against Britain and the only certainty appeared to be defeat to the grim forces of oppression gathering on the other side of the Channel, and our collective nerve was frayed apparently beyond recovery. Churchill, with a long history of political and strategic errors behind him, including planning the disastrous Gallipoli campaign some 25 years before, hardly seemed the man equipped to galvanise the nation. Indeed, there were many in his own Cabinet who regarded him as an empty vessel capable only of a lot of noise. He arrived at the top with few expecting him to last long. In truth, he was among the doubters.

At the point we meet him he was quite fragile in many ways, says McCarten. Because of what happened later, he is always given to us as a man who never wavered. What is always thought to be his great strength as a leader is that this was a man who knew what he was doing from day one. I disagree. To my mind what made him great was that he was a man capable of changing his mind.

Churchill in Darkest Hour is not the resolute, unswerving man of common assumption. Nor is he a grumbly, grouchy curmudgeon

A crucial scene in the film which was invented by the creators to convey Churchill's understanding of public will on the subject of war with the Nazi machine

Ben Mendelsohn as King George VI; Lily James as Elizabeth Layton

Kazuhiro Tsuji is the man behind the prosthetics in How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Planet Of The Apes, among many others. He was crucial in helping Oldman bring the great man to life

A scene from the film. The movie's creators have carefully recreated life in London in 1940

In order properly to project this interpretation, McCarten and the films director Joe Wright knew everything depended on the casting. The whole point of this project was to give a different Winston to those we had seen before, says Wright. Gary was at the top of the list of those who we felt could surprise us.

It was a bold idea. While he may have been physically perfect for the role of Sid Vicious in Sid And Nancy in 1986, the slim, wiry Oldman does not exactly appear born to play the rotund, booming, upper-crust Churchill. Indeed, ten years previously he had turned down the chance to take on the role in another film, convinced he did not have the requisite dimensions.

I had always been fascinated by Churchill, says Oldman. Yet he wasnt someone who I was looking to play. It wasnt the psychological or the intellectual challenge that was the hurdle, it was the physical component. You need only look at me and look at Churchill

But once Wright had persuaded Oldman that he was, in fact, the only candidate equipped to play the great man, the actor set about working out how to do it.

It all starts with the voice. I had to convince myself that I could sound like him, he says. So I got one of his speeches and a phone recorder and started to experiment.

But to help him properly locate the Churchill larynx, Oldman needed more than just a few recordings. I had to be able to look in the mirror and see him, or at least the spirit of him, looking back at me, he adds. I felt that Kazuhiro Tsuji was the only person who could help me get there.

Clemmie (Kristin Scott Thomas) comforts her husband (Oldman) in Darkest Hour. Churchill said later that he would not have made it through the war without his wife

A scene from the film. The film focuses solely on Churchill's first month as Prime Minister in May 1940

Oldman as Sid Vicious in the 1986 movie Sid And Nancy. This role was one Oldman was naturally physically right for

Tsuji is the man behind the prosthetics in How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Planet Of The Apes, among many others. It was daunting, the idea of creating a likeness that everyone has their own image of already, admits Tsuji, whom Oldman had to talk out of retirement to work on Darkest Hour. The hardest part was that Gary has an oval head shape, while Churchill had a more compressed, round face. Garys eyes are close to each other, Churchills are totally opposite. Their proportions and head sizes were completely different.

Tsuji took dozens of casts of Oldman to create not only a face, but a foam body suit that enabled the actor to find a Churchillian posture. Each morning, ahead of shooting, the disguise took four hours to apply; then, after the cameras had stopped rolling, two hours to remove. In between, Oldman spent the day carrying his own body weight in prosthetics and padding.

Alongside Oldmans Churchill, simmering under a Thirties coiffure is Kristin Scott Thomas, playing his wife of 56 years, Clemmie. The great woman behind the great man.

She was his pillar, says Scott Thomas. They completely adored each other  and they had the most fantastic rows. Churchill says in one of his letters that he wouldnt have been able to live through the war without Clemmie by his side. It was clear that she was very supportive yet had very strong ideas about politics and about what should be done in the world and how things should be run  and she would tell Winston so.

There is a scene early in the movie that speaks loudly of their relationship. Churchill has just been summoned to Buckingham Palace for an audience with the King. He knows what this means: he is about to become Prime Minister. It is a position he has craved since the nursery, yet he is stricken with fear that he may not be up to the job. As she fusses with his collar, Clemmie attempts to bolster his ego, listing his unique strengths. But he shoots down her every insistence.

You have such a sense of humour, she says.

Ho, ho, ho, he replies, infusing each ho with a weary self-deprecation.

Close, but no cigar: the men whove been Churchill before IAN MCNEICE When, for the 2010 series of Doctor Who, Matt Smith landed his Tardis in wartime Britain, naturally he met Churchill. It was not McNeices first appearance as the PM  he had played the role in the stage play of The Kings Speech, among others  which was perhaps no surprise given his close physical resemblance. Ian McNeice (left) and Timothy Spall (right) Richard Burton (left) and John Lithgow (right) RICHARD BURTON The finest actor of his generation was not at his best in the 1972 television series The Gathering Storm: too slim, too gruff, too Welsh. When it was remade in 2002, however, Albert Finney produced what many then reckoned the finest-ever characterisation. JOHN LITHGOW At 6ft 4in and an American, Lithgow might not be the most obvious candidate to play Churchill. But his turn as the post-war Churchill in the 2016 Netflix series The Crown is full of subtlety and with a fine rendition of the voice. TIMOTHY SPALL In the 2010 movie The Kings Speech, Timothy Spall looks the part but produces a performance so caricatured and wooden he appears to have misjudged the movie as a comedy. ROBERT HARDY He inhabited the part of Churchill so completely in the 1981 TV series The Wilderness Years that Hardy spent much of the rest of his life dressed and talking like the great man. Robert Hardy as Winston Churchill speaking to the House of Commons in 'Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years' Advertisement

Scott Thomas says: How he managed in those weeks in May to instil a sense of bravery and pride in Britain was extraordinary. And the film does a fine job in locating exactly how he did it. According to McCarten, Churchills trick was to weaponise the English language. This is a film devoted to the writers proposition that words can make a difference, he says.

Whatever his political shortcomings up to this point, there was no denying that Churchill had long been a master of English. A journalist before he was a politician, a Nobel Prize-winning historian before he was a statesman, he published more words than William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens combined. Strung through the film are three of his finest verbal moments, the trio of grand, rallying speeches he made in those early days of his premiership. How he set about writing and delivering them is the core of the piece. And Churchills way of doing things  dictating to his secretary Elizabeth Layton (played by Lily James) while in bed with a whisky and soda for breakfast, or in the bath, or in a broiling temper  is beautifully realised.

His speeches were a team effort, says McCarten. It was just the rest of his team were dead! Repetition, crescendo, the final appeal to the emotions all his rhetorical devices were invented by the Greeks, perfected by the Romans. And he stole lines shamelessly. Georges Clemenceau [French prime minister during WWI] said we will fight before Paris, we will fight in Paris, we will fight behind Paris. Blood, toil, tears and sweat was lifted from John Donne. The plagiarist in Winston was alive and well.

Collective efforts, perhaps, but it was his delivery that made the words sing. Churchills speeches are some of the greatest in the English language, says Oldman. He was remarkable because he didnt go in for purple prose, or overload with metaphor or imagery. He understood the people he was speaking directly to, and made sure that what he said went right to the heart of the nation.

However compelling the language might be, merely delivering three familiar, historic speeches would not make much of a film. What Wright does so successfully is contextualise them, to wrap them in their place and time.

And what a time. Churchill came to power after Neville Chamberlain resigned. He was not the choice of many in his own party and his appointment seemed to surprise the King, who wanted his old friend Lord Halifax to take the reins. With invasion assumed to be imminent, Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, was particularly keen on negotiating a way out.

Churchill, vehemently against any idea of giving in to the monstrous Nazi machine, felt at this point very much alone. To reinforce his sense of beleaguerment, much of the film was shot in the claustrophobic confines of the War Rooms under The Mall in London. Across five years, 115 Cabinet meetings took place there. It was the heart of planning and strategy. Unchanged since August 1945, the bunker provides an unequivocally authentic backdrop to the movie. This is not a set, this is where it happened. And the backdrop is indicative of Wrights quest for authenticity, which ran from having Churchills own tailors make Oldmans suit to buying the same brand of Cuban cigar he puffed.

Yet for all the historical detail, for all the scenes shot at the real 10 Downing Street (We had to do so many takes I reckon I walked through the front door more often than Churchill did, says Oldman), one of the most significant scenes came entirely from McCartens head. It involves Churchill, teetering on the brink of accepting that the only way forward is to seek a settlement, taking a ride on the London Underground. Here he enters into conversation with the ordinary British public and assiduously seeks their views. After being told that they are united in a desire to fight on, he heads off to Cabinet to inform his appeasing colleagues that there will be no surrender. It is powerful drama. But there is no evidence Churchill ever went anywhere near the Tube.

Gary Oldman had doubts that he could play the legendary Prime Minister, but director Joe Wright was convinced he was the only actor who could pull it off

We needed to show how, at this critical moment when he was wavering, the opinion polls showed the public will, particularly among the working class, was to fight, says McCarten. Now, we could have done it with a secretary coming in to the room with the poll returns. That may have been true, but it is dramatically boring. We somehow had to render that thought in a dramatic way.

It undoubtedly works. And as he goes to the House of Commons to deliver the most sublime of all parliamentary speeches, produced to perfection by Oldman in surely Oscar-winning form, we see the first proper suggestion of what Churchill went on to become: the greatest Prime Minister of them all.

All great leaders need luck, says McCarten. And the biggest luck Winston had was that the times were commensurate with his talents. He was not the right leader for every time. But he was absolutely right for that time.

Though the truth is that the greatest luck was ours: the world was lucky that Churchill was there.

Darkest Hour is released on January 12
Drunken violence, racist abuse, flagrant drug-taking and disgusting behaviour. Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars is not your usual brand-bolstering music movie.

In one of many shocking confessions in the film, Clapton admits, The only reason I didnt commit suicide was the fact that I wouldnt be able to drink any more if I was dead.

Anyone expecting a whitewash should look away now.

Stripped of the customary talking heads and cosy in-studio reminiscing, the feature-length documentary simply tells the superstars shadow-strewn story, often in Claptons own gruff voice, and in doing so may have forged a new movie genre: rock-star noir.

Life In 12 Bars delves into Eric Claptons addiction, insecurity and jealousy, even his brief flirtation with racist buffoonery in the mid-Seventies

The unflinching film examines the dark and turbulent times of the legendary British guitarist, and it goes deep. Rarely has a national institution been so fearlessly explored, and all with the musicians full co-operation.

Director Lili Fini Zanuck, Claptons friend of 25 years, has created such a frank account of her subjects drinking, drug abuse, grief, deceit, fear and confusion that her film could almost be a blues song.

I think it was a deeply cathartic process for Eric, says Zanuck, who conducted hours of extraordinary, exhilarating audio interviews with Clapton. He is a very private person, but part of his nature is that hes also extremely interested in the truth and has no problems in exposing his own foibles. Eric had to put a lot of trust in me, adds the Oscar-winning producer of Driving Miss Daisy. He knew I wasnt going to sugar-coat anything.

Fans will be enchanted by the quality of the footage unearthed but Life In 12 Bars also shines a light on the sadness at the heart of the music and into the soul of the man.

Clapton was born with the blues, the trouble starting with his mother. He grew up in a house of secrets, believing that his grandparents Rose and Jack Clapp, Claptons birth name, were his mum and dad and that his real mother, Pat, was his older sister.

This would ultimately affect all his future relationships, from wives to girlfriends  Clapton famously stole Beatle George Harrisons wife Pattie Boyd  and his own family.

Life In 12 Bars delves into Claptons addiction, insecurity and jealousy, even his brief flirtation with racist buffoonery in the mid-Seventies, flaws that would have had most controlling rock stars frantically fumbling for the edit button.

Clapton playing with Cream. Fans will be enchanted by the quality of the footage unearthed but Life In 12 Bars also shines a light on the sadness at the heart of the music

Clapton with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Clapton was born with the blues, the trouble starting with his mother

Clapton with The Yardbirds. The band and Clapton are members of the rock 'n' roll Hall of Fame

Not Clapton. For all his failings as a man  his achievements as a musician are inarguable: Jimi Hendrix called him the fairest soul brother in England  you cant question his courage in endorsing such a raw and revelatory project. But this clear-eyed study of the 72-year-old virtuoso begs one big question: how the hell is Clapton still alive? As Zanuck notes: This man was doing everything he could to kill himself.

I once asked the reclusive bluesman how hed managed to avoid such a grim finale.

The mystery is, why havent I died? he chuckled, and in person Clapton is remarkably cheery company. Ive certainly walked through a lot of fire.

Later he added, By rights I should have kicked the bucket a long time ago. For some reason I was plucked from the jaws of hell and given another chance.

Claptons soulful sound has spoken to successive generations since his discovery as a 17-year-old electric guitar prodigy in 1963.

A clutch of Clapton classics SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE Creams acid-rock wig-out from the Disraeli Gears album. Brilliant British psychedelia with a riff inspired by Jimi Hendrix. BADGE Co-written with love-rival George Harrison. A Beatles-esque pop song until Clapton lets fly with an unforgettable solo. LAYLA Erics lyrical attempt to win the heart of Pattie Boyd (then Mrs George Harrison). The deathless guitar duel with Duane Allman on the original recording defies the decades. I SHOT THE SHERIFF Languid take on the Bob Marley anti-authority anthem that fired Clapton to No 1 in the US and helped catapult the Jamaican singer to superstar status. LAY DOWN SALLY Seductive shuffle with an infectious chorus sees Clapton at his breezily effortless best. Big hit and FM radio staple Stateside. WONDERFUL TONIGHT Drunken, grumpy but still somehow lovable. Claptons silky Stratocaster transforms a cynical, arent-you-ready-yet? moan into a tender love song. TEARS IN HEAVEN Written after the tragic death of his young son Conor in 1991. The saddest song of them all. OLD LOVE Imperial modern blues from the old master. Romantic regret elegantly expressed through taut songwriting and peerless guitar expertise. Advertisement

He was a legend by the age of 20, having forged a reputation as a fearsome player and a surly blues purist to boot. I was very scholarly about the music, he recalls of his early days. At 25 he made what is widely considered the best blues-rock album of all time as Derek And The Dominoes, Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs.

Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame, as a solo artist and as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream, and is estimated to be worth in the region of 150 million.

Having overcome some serious health scares, firstly with peripheral neuropathy, a condition that causes shooting pain and numbness in the extremities, then a chronic skin condition that required him to wear cotton gloves (its all part of getting old, man), Clapton has returned to live work and plans to play a homecoming show at Hyde Park this summer.

It is little wonder that the excitable slogan Clapton Is God, daubed on walls in London during the late Sixties, has begun to re-appear around town. When I met him in the mid-Nineties for a lengthy interview, he expressed a preference for the nickname Slowhand. The conversation veered between hilarious and harrowing.

Hed been sober six years (because one drink is too many and a thousand isnt enough) and off the cigarettes for three months, which he had quit using hypnotherapy.

Clapton and Boyd had divorced in 1988 after a short-lived marriage and since then he had so many glamorous girlfriends, including models Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni and Marie Helvin, it was difficult to keep up.

The one thing that was always glaringly obvious to everyone else apart from me is that I dont do very well in relationships, he said.

It was just three years after the death of his four-year-old son Conor, who had fallen from the window of a Manhattan skyscraper in 1991 and the subject was still too raw to dwell on. When I lost my son, I didnt run off and hide, Clapton said softly. I wrote a song [Tears In Heaven] and gave it to the world, and I think people respected that.

Its like a prayer. I wrote three or four lines of prose and I knew that other people would immediately recognise the feeling within those lines.

The segment of Life In 12 Bars that covers the tragedy is devastating. I felt as if I had stepped backwards out of myself, says Clapton in voiceover. I could not grasp it. Had he lived, Conor Clapton would have been 32 this year.

In a curious twist of fate, Claptons 1992 Unplugged album, which featured Tears In Heaven, went on to sell 26 million copies and receive three Grammys, becoming his most commercially successful recording and the best-selling live album ever, making him a global superstar all over again.

But once you find out that money and fame and success doesnt do it, where do you go then? Clapton pondered that afternoon.

Clapton with his son Conor who fell to his death from the window of a Manhattan skyscraper in 1991. Clapton wrote Tears In Heaven to process the grief

Life In 12 Bars moves briskly through the depressed drinking days. Clapton guesses that he was consuming up to three bottles of brandy a day, holed up in his Hurtwood Edge mansion in Surrey, but cant remember much other than being in that alcoholic tunnel.

I once had the good fortune to travel on Concorde alongside a non-drinking Clapton as he returned from an awards show in New York in the late Eighties.

While jetting in supersonic splendour, the thrifty riff-meister made a surprise purchase of 400 duty-free cigarettes. Kind of sums me up, doesnt it? he hooted, when reminded of the money-saving move, years later. I was probably in between my working-class bloke and international playboy phases.

All those years when I was being a drunk I wore second-hand clothes and ate fish and chips and baked beans. So right up until my 40s I was living out this phoney working-class ethic. It was part of that drunken prejudice, like a hardline bigot.

This might partially explain Claptons notorious Enoch Powell speech at a Birmingham concert on his 1976 UK tour. Using unacceptable language, the guitarist declared his support for the controversial former Conservative minister, and insulted immigrants, stating that Britain had become a black colony.

Clapton agonised over including printed excerpts from the racist rant in Life In 12 Bars, before deciding to take full ownership of his past behaviour.

Clapton pictured with model Carla Bruni in 1989

Clapton takes a break from recording his album "No Reason To Cry" at Shangri La recording studio in 1975

When I realised what I had said, Clapton confesses in the film, I was just so disgusted with myself. It was shocking and unforgivable and I was so ashamed of who I was, a kind of semi-racist, which didnt make sense.

The racism thing was very hard for him, adds Zanuck. Because he doesnt even know who that person is. It was the only part he even mentioned to me, but he didnt ask me to take it out.

He says in the movie, even listening back to some of his old music is tough, because I can hear how drunk I am.

But he has also said to me that when youre an alcoholic or drug addict, that it is just suppressing something. That a**hole is in there somewhere.

Clapton cleaned up his act, got sober and lived to tell the tale, invariably through his eloquent guitar playing. His influence can still be heard today. On Jools Hollands Hootenanny this evening, long-time Clapton devotee Ed Sheeran will play a rendition of Layla. In turn, the older musician has taken an interest in Sheeran. The two sang together on Claptons I Will Be There last year.

Clapton pictured with with his 'soulmate' Melia McEnery, 41, his wife of 16 years

Life In 12 Bars ends on an upbeat note. We join Clapton, the contented husband and father, larking around with my soulmate Melia McEnery, 41, his wife of 16 years, and their three daughters, Julie, Ella and Sophie.

I finally found the family I always wanted, and always needed, and now here they are and Im one of them, my life is completely full, Clapton says, revealing that the man we called God was only human after all.

Life In 12 Bars will be broadcast live in cinemas on Jan 10 followed by a Q&A with Eric Clapton and Lili Fini Zanuck hosted by Jools Holland. The film is released nationwide on January 12
It is the summer of 2007 and I wake up shivering on a thin mattress. My head against a concrete wall. A bare lightbulb above me.

A police officer peers in at me through a cell porthole.

Where am I?

Brixton Police Station. You were arrested last night for being drunk and disorderly. I pause as the blood-freezing horror of my predicament chills me. I recall snatches of talking to a nice but weary doctor who asked me how much Id drunk and tried to get me to walk in a straight line.

2010, age 30, three years before I quit. At a friend's wedding in Wales. I got drunk on the train on the way down the night before

Can I leave now?

Nope. The doctor says youll be sober enough to leave at 9am.

But I have to be at work at 9.30!

Sorry, thats just not how it is. You seem like a nice-enough girl  why did you drink so much?

I have no response. The truth is that I dont know, because Ive never felt as though I had a choice. Once I start drinking, 99 per cent of the time I get trashed.

Ill gather your belongings, the officer says when it is time for me to leave. Well, at least I still have my handbag. Small mercies. He hands me a plastic evidence bag. Inside, theres a childs glittery pink hairbrush. Thats it. Ive never seen it before. No handbag. No keys. No phone. No money. No cards. I redden with shame.

* * * * *

The first time I got drunk I felt like Id unzipped my wrong skin and slipped into a slinky new one. One without the spiky inhibitions that felt ridiculously right. It was like taking off chainmail and slipping into a heavenly silk gown.

The bonuses of sobriety I smell nice  and not like a barmaids apron

I get letters offering me credit cards instead of court order threats

I check out of hotels early rather than being ousted by the cleaner

birthday cards arent always alcohol related

No more lost coats, bags, phones, bank cards and returning to the scene of boozing with my tail between my legs

My handwriting is legible

I order milkshakes in boutique cinemas  and enjoy the film

No more unexplained bruises

food tastes better (my taste buds are sharper)

I meet friends without feeling paranoid about my past behaviour Advertisement

I was 12 when I started drinking alcohol. As an incredibly nervous kid, I began to believe that relief resided in bottles. That great stories were at the bottom of glasses. That booze was an anaesthetic for my ever-present anxiety. When I was sober, life was too sharp, too painful, too real and too loud. Drinking softened the edges and blurred the clarity. It turned an intimidating Andy Warhol pop-art world into a misty Monet watercolour. Blackouts were common. I thought everyone experienced lost hours from nights out. I thought everyone felt jangly nerved until they had a drink. It turns out they dont.

The partying took its physical toll. Calling in sick to work became a regular occurrence. I told myself that because I was hardly ever ill I deserved a few hangover sickies  for the paralysing ones. The times when I literally could not move from my bed for the entire day. Or when I woke up wearing last nights clothes on the other side of London from my flat, at 10am (which was often).

Alcohol unlocked my true self, I thought. I was willing to pay for that luxury. Sober, I just felt wrong. What I didnt know was how terribly high the price was going to be. It was going to cost me friends, familial love, many boyfriends, the respect of my colleagues and all of my self-esteem. It was going to place me in dangerous situations  scenarios in which it was amazing I wasnt killed.

2015, age 34, seventeen months sober. I went to the Philippines to do my PADI open-water diving course

(Left) 2015, age 35, twenty months sober. I still love sitting on pretty summer terraces and having a drink; (right) 2017, age 37, 3.5 years sober. I'm really close to my niece and nephew

The pace was glacial over the next 21 years. When I first started drinking the scary times were one in 100. Then they were one in ten. Then every other time. Then every time. But Id long forgotten there was an alternative. For me, addiction manifested itself in the breaking of hundreds of tiny rules. The rules of normal drinking. I never thought Id use my last grocery money to buy wine  until I did. I never thought Id drink in the morning  until I did. And once youve broken a rule once, it becomes very easy to break it again and again.

I was only perhaps a six on the addiction spectrum when I first tried to moderate my alcohol intake and failed. I would find success in the short term and then my binges would slalom out of control. In June 2010, a couple of months after my 30th birthday, I was dumped by my beloved boyfriend of three years. Well get married if we stay together, because I do love you, but I dont think well be happy, he said. I didnt know it at the time but he was absolutely right. Its like you look for things to be unhappy about, he would say. And I did  because they were great excuses to drink.

2015, age 35, nineteen months sober. I moved to Bruges for most of 2015, even though I knew no one. Why? Because I loved it there and fancied an adventure.

2015, age 35, twenty-two months sober. Being outside among beautiful landscapes makes me happier than nightclubs ever did

I was utterly heartbroken. In the wake of the break-up I started hosting my own pity parties. On the guest list: me and alcohol. I isolated myself and stayed at home. Going out had lost its allure. I told myself I was too tired. But the reality was I didnt want to socialise; to drink with other people. I began hiding bottles in the bathroom. Tucking beer behind the cistern. Or vodka behind the claw-foot bath. It made more sense keeping the bottles in there as that was where I did most of my drinking.

When my parents realised what was happening and locked away the booze, I drank peppermint tea topped up with [a high alcohol] mouthwash. Clever, eh? I thought my pepperminty breath would put them off the scent. When my stomach twisted painfully, I googled is mouthwash dangerous to drink? Article after article said not only was mouthwash toxic, but it could kill you if you consumed enough of it. How much had I drunk? I realised that if I continued, I would die prematurely. And I didnt want to die. I wanted to live.

* * * * *

When I first tried to be sober, my brain felt like a foe. I didnt want to drink and yet my brain kept suggesting I reach for alcohol. It was utterly confounding. I didnt understand why my brain and my intentions were at odds. But like so many aspects of sobriety, once you whip back the curtain and see the wizard, what was once mythical, all powerful and intimidating shrinks to become a little old man in a waistcoat.

Alcohol is extremely addictive primarily because of the way it affects the brain, says Dr Julia Lewis, a psychiatrist who has worked in addiction for 12 years. Alcohol resets the brain, hijacking its basic circuitry so that it becomes alcohols biggest fan. Dr Alex Korb, a neuroscientist, agrees. The more you drink to soothe anxiety, the more drinking as the solution becomes encoded in the habit centre of the brain.

Way back in my first sober month I read an academic paper that said neural pathways in the brain, including addictive ones, are formed in a similar way to hiking trails. The more a route is used, the smoother and wider it gets. It becomes the default easiest route. So when you need to forge a new (sober) path through the forest, it will feel arduous at first.

The beauty of being alcohol-free Sparkly eyes For years, every morning I would lie back with a bag of frozen peas over my eyes to turn them from bloodshot to sparkly. When I stopped drinking, my eyes got bigger and clearer. Then they got smiley again

Fewer spider veins In the final year of drinking the skin on my cheeks and chest turned scarlet and blotchy. Alcohol causes the blood vessels to swell, increasing blood flow. While I still have traces of spider veins, they have faded

A clearer complexion When I was a teenager I had perfect porcelain skin. With heavy drinking I started getting cystic acne  marble-sized lumps, deep within my face. While my skin isnt perfect now, it is dramatically better and I havent had a cyst since 2013

Thicker hair Drinking can cause hair loss because alcohol depletes the body of zinc and iron, minerals important for healthy hair. Also, dehydration can lead to dry, brittle hair. Now my hair is thicker and stronger

Skin that tans Alcohol leaches the skin of vitamin B which helps promote tanning. My skin used to burn in the sun but now that I am sober it tans

Defined cheekbones Drinking made my face bloated and puffy  a friend once told me that I looked like a hamster. These days, its less doughy; my jaw has become more defined and my cheekbones have re-emerged

More energy I remember hangover days when making my bed seemed on a par with scaling K2. Now chores are automatic; I dont have to scrape together the energy to do them

Healthy nails I used to bite my nails and the skin around them and had to cover them under plasters. They were an outward sign of my wounded mind. Now my nails are decent, clean and I dont need to hide them

Better sleep Going to sleep is now a pleasure  I put my head on the pillow and wake up eight hours later. Alcohol prevents us from getting enough deep REM sleep. I know I will wake up feeling infinitely better, rather than infinitely worse Advertisement

It turns out my body hated my drinking. Were not meant to put alcohol into our bodies. Its like putting diesel into a petrol engine. And our bodies have to work extremely hard to clean out the neurotoxins. I found this out when I quit because I felt spectacular. I began springing out of bed at 6am and running 12km  for fun. My unexpected joy at being sober felt like a stroke of serendipity, a beautiful accident  but really it was just science. When you stop putting toxins into your brain and body you start to feel brighter.

I also started to look better. After six months of sobriety, I went to a party and ran into people who hadnt seen me for a year. They werent just complimentary about how well I looked; they were gobsmacked. I must have looked really unwell before.

In the last year of drinking, I hid. I had this deerstalker hat and wore it all the time because it covered most of my face. I would pair it with a voluminous parka to cover as much of my body as possible. When I had been sober for a year, I took great pleasure in chucking out that hat.

For 20 years I thought that being sober meant: Not affected by alcohol, being serious, sensible and solemn, and muted in colour. To my astonishment I discovered that the actual definition should read something like this: Not affected by alcohol, bright, joyful and serene, dazzling in colour.

When I stopped drinking, my eyes got bigger and clearer. Then they got smiley again

I found that sober, I was about a million times happier than I had ever been while drinking. As were the dozens of other sober pals I picked up along the way. I found myself with more hours in the week, heaps more energy, 23,000 more money over four years, deepened friendships, revived family relationships, better skin, a tighter body, the ability to sleep for eight uninterrupted hours, a bone-deep sense of wellbeing, a positive outlook and an infinitely more successful career. Whats not to like about that?
Marguerite Ridgeway's gravestone has an epitaph that reads: 'She supported priest sexual abuse victims'

A man who wanted to install a gravestone at a suburban Chicago cemetery that proclaimed his late mother's support for victims of 'rapist' priests has reached a resolution with a Roman Catholic diocese.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet refused to allow the proposed marker for Marguerite Ridgeway because it included what the diocese called 'explicit language'.

The diocese owns the Assumption Cemetery in suburban Wheaton where Ridgeway is buried.

But The Chicago Tribune reports Ridgeway's son, Jack Ruhl of Kalamazoo, Michigan, recently compromised with diocese officials on an alternate epitaph that reads: 'She supported priest sexual abuse victims.'

Ruhl's previous version had the word 'rapist' in place of 'sexual abuse'. The Diocese said the word 'rapist' was 'graphic, offensive and shocking to the senses'.

He said that he preferred the unaltered version but was nonetheless OK with the outcome.

'I thoughtfully and specifically chose those words because my mother was never one to candy-coat the truth or mince words,' he told the Tribune in reference to the use of the word 'rapist'.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Illinois initially rejected the epitaph because it used the word 'rapist' in place of 'sexual abuse'. The church considered the word 'graphic, offensive and shocking to the senses'

The marker was installed December 22 for the west suburban Lisle woman, who died in 2015.

The Tribune reports that Ridgeway had been a devout Catholic until reports of sexual abuse by Catholic priests emerged.

One victim was her own daughter-in-law, Diane Ruhl, who eventually received a monetary settlement from the Jesuit religious order with regard to the abuse.

The Diocese of Joliet reached a $4million settlement with 14 men due to sexual abuse by priests.

Diocese spokesman Edward Flavin says church officials are pleased with the resolution and have no further comment.

Attorneys for the Diocese had argued that the cemetery must be a place that is 'peaceful, tranquil and free of stress and anxiety'.
Theresa May faced a new Brexit rift with David Davis last night after claims that he has raised private doubts that the UK is certain to leave the EU.

The Prime Minister used her official New Year message to restate her determination to deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum vote.

She vowed to 'keep up progress in 2018' on the next stage of the EU exit talks, declaring: 'Making a success of Brexit is crucial.'

The Prime Minister (pictured) used her official New Year message to restate her determination to deliver on the result of the 2016 referendum vote

The vast majority of voters 'just want the Government to get on and deliver a good Brexit  and that's exactly what we are doing', she added.

But her defiant message was undermined by reports that Mr Davis told a private meeting it was still possible the decision to leave the EU could be reversed.

It follows a seminar hosted by Mr Davis at his Whitehall department shortly before Christmas, when he invited members of leading think-tanks to discuss the Government's success in getting an agreement with Brussels on moving to the next phase of Brexit talks.

Sources say Mr Davis told the policy wonks: 'My view is that it means there is less chance of no deal  and less chance of no Brexit.'

Some of those present expressed surprise at Mr Davis's remarks.

'For the Brexit Secretary to express the thought that the whole thing might never happen was not what I expected  even behind closed doors,' one source said.

'Nor was I the only person who reacted like that. It didn't square with the Prime Minister's mantra of 'Brexit means Brexit'.'

Mr Davis claimed his remarks had been misinterpreted.

A spokesman said: 'He was simply repeating the PM's point that the deal is good for people who supported Leave and who fear Brexit isn't going to happen, and Remain supporters who fear no deal.'

The row comes after a series of damaging reports in recent weeks about Mr Davis's handling of the Brexit negotiations, including claims that he has been sidelined by No 10.

But her defiant message was undermined by reports that David Davis (pictured) told a private meeting it was still possible the decision to leave the EU could be reversed

He was accused of going back on a pledge to publish dozens of detailed reports showing how Brexit would affect the economy; said 'you don't have to be clever' to handle Brexit talks; and suggested leaving the EU could have as much impact on the UK as the 2008 credit crash.

WEB GIANTS FACE TAX TERROR THREAT Internet giants were last night threatened with a multi-million-pound tax penalty unless they agreed to help combat the terrorist threat to Britain. Security Minister Ben Wallace branded internet firms 'ruthless profiteers' that cost the Government millions of pounds by failing to help security services identify terrorists and crack down on extremism online. 'If they continue to be less than co-operative, we should look at things like tax as a way of incentivising them or compensating for their inaction,' he added in an interview. 'Because content is not taken down as quickly as they could do, we're having to de-radicalise people who have been radicalised. 'That's costing millions,' he added. Advertisement

In her New Year message, Mrs May made no reference to a series of setbacks in 2017 which threatened her hold on power, including the botched Election and losing three Cabinet Ministers in a spate of scandals.

But she dismissed claims that she was losing her grip.

'The real test is not whether challenges come; it's how you face them, whether you allow a task to overcome you, or tackle it head-on with purpose and resolve,' she said.

In his New Year message, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was on the brink of ousting Mrs May from No 10.

'We are a government in waiting,' he said. 'The hope of a new Britain is closer than ever.'

Mr Corbyn added: 'Now the Establishment's secret is out: they're not as strong as they appear. Let's face it, they have no idea how to fix their broken system or upgrade our stagnant economy.

'In 2018, Labour's mission is to give our people support and security and use their talents, unleash their creativity and fulfil their hopes.'
High flyer: Civil servant Antonia Romeo blew thousands on flights and accommodation

Eyebrows must have been raised when it emerged that the diplomat appointed to draw up Britains post-Brexit trade deals would be commuting to Whitehall  from New York.

Now The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Antonia Romeo, who took up her role as Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade (DIT) in March, spent tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money on flights to and from London.

The civil servant took up the role while continuing her job as HM Consul-General in New York until the summer.

It meant the 43-year-old stayed in New York at her grace-and-favour residence until her three children finished the school year.

She clocked up a bill of more than 31,000 on flights  some of which were business class  and accommodation for eight 7,000-mile round trips for meetings in London from April to the end of July, according to official figures.

Mrs Romeo, 43, stated on Twitter that her last day as HM Consul-General was June 30.

But in July she took a further three trips to London at a cost of more than 8,000.

Labour's Ian Murray has said that many people would find Mrs Romeo's costs 'unreasonable and avoidable'

Asked why she charged for these after she had finished her job in New York, the DIT said there was an ongoing handover between the roles.

Last night, Labour MP Ian Murray said many people would see the costs as unreasonable and avoidable.

It is not known exactly how much the civil servant  who only received one salary while carrying out both jobs  is paid but the Permanent Secretary role was advertised at 160,000 a year.

The DIT said all her expenses were within civil service rules.
US President Donald Trump weighed in on protests in Iran Saturday, warning that the country's people want change and 'oppressive regimes cannot endure forever.'

Trump posted on Twitter two clips of his speech to the UN General Assembly in September in which he took aim at the Iranian regime, which Washington has held out as its top adversary in the Middle East.

'Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching!' he tweeted, quoting from the speech.

President Trump is a vocal critic of Iran and the landmark nuclear deal with the country

He continued: 'The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Irans people are what their leaders fear the most....'

Trump's post was his second time addressing the subject in as many days,

On Friday he tweeted Trump tweeted on Friday night in support of protests against Iran's economic problems that had spread to several towns and cities in Iran.

'Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regime's corruption & its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad,' he wrote.

President Trump delivering his speech about Iran to the United Nations in September

The President used his usual means of communication to send his message to the Iranian regime

'Iranian govt should respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching! #IranProtests.'

State media quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi as saying in response to an earlier Trump tweet criticising the arrests: 'The Iranian people see no value in the opportunistic claims by American officials and Mr. Trump.'

In October President Trump has condemned Iran as a 'fanatical regime' and refused to continue signing off on the landmark international nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic.

In a combative speech, Mr Trump accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism and proposed new sanctions.

He said Iran had already violated the 2015 deal, which imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear capability in return for easing international embargoes.




British businessman Michael Smith, 51, who was due to be freed from a Dubai prison two months ago has had another ten years added to his sentence  after being tried three times for the same alleged crime

A British businessman who was due to be freed from a Dubai prison two months ago has had another ten years added to his sentence  after being tried three times for the same alleged crime.

Michael Smith, 51, was first arrested on charges of stealing from a property firm owned by the emirates ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in 2009 and was tried two years later.

Last year, the authorities in Dubai told Smith that his latest possible release date was October 23, 2017. But in April this year he heard that he would serve the extra ten years, despite being pardoned by Sheikh Mohammed in 2014.

By the time I get out  if I get out, that is  I will have spent 18 years behind bars for supposedly embezzling 550,000, Smith said last week in a phone call from his cell after his seventh Christmas in prison.

Thats longer than most murderers. I had been counting the days to my freedom. To have that snatched away and face a term longer than the time Ive already served has brought me close to despair.

The MoS has revealed how, even before the latest twist, the Britons case suggests that normal legal rules do not apply to expatriates in Dubai.

It began in 2007, when Smith, from West London, took a job with Limitless  part of Sheikh Mohammeds property empire, Dubai World  on a tax-free salary of 150,000. In 2008, shortly before the firm went bust in the global financial crash with debts of 40 billion, he resigned. He left Dubai for Thailand with his wife, Ning, planning to open a restaurant.

The following year he was arrested by Thai police, acting on a Dubai warrant, and accused of stealing 100 million from the Sheikh  a charge he has always denied. Eventually, this was reduced to 550,000.

Legal papers seen by the MoS show that Smith  who was detained in the notorious Bangkok Hilton jail  only agreed to drop his fight against extradition after Dubai prosecutors told him he faced a maximum three-year term  and that his 748 days in the Thai prison would count towards it. Continuing to resist extradition would have meant at least two more years in the Hilton while the Thai courts considered the case.

But soon after reaching Dubais Central Prison, a sunbaked fortress in the desert, he was sentenced not to three but 12 years, reduced to six on appeal, and found that his time in jail in Bangkok was not being counted.

Last year, the authorities in Dubai told Smith that his latest possible release date was October 23, 2017. But in April this year he heard that he would serve the extra ten years, despite being pardoned by Sheikh Mohammed in 2014

In June 2014, the Sheikh pardoned him as part of an amnesty marking the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Smith watched other pardoned inmates leave, but he was not released. Eventually he discovered that he had been tried a second time, without his knowledge, by a civil court in 2012.

This had ruled he would stay in jail unless he paid back the 550,000 he had been convicted of stealing. However, by this time he was penniless.

Even so, he should have been freed in October. But then came the third trial in April  on civil charges identical to those ruled on in 2012.

Smith said: I protested. I said the court had already dealt with this, that I had been sentenced and done my time. Surely, the same case cannot be tried three times. Yet nobody will take any notice.

The Foreign Office sends officials to visit Smith in prison regularly, but has repeatedly stated that it cannot intervene in Dubais legal system. A spokesman said: Staff are providing assistance to a British man who is detained in the United Arab Emirates, and are in contact with the UAE authorities.
Police have issued an appeal for a teenager who went missing on Christmas Day.

Alexandra Zurawaska, 16, was last seen at 7pm on Monday but has not been heard from since.

The Metropolitan Police asked for help to find the teenager, who is believed to be in the area of Sutton, south west London.

Alexandra Zurawaska, 16, was last seen at 7pm on Monday but has not been heard from since, and is believed to be in the area of Sutton, London

In an appeal on Facebook, police said she is white, five feet tall, with a medium build and brown hair.

When last seen, Alexandra was wearing a khaki knee-length coat with a fur rimmed hood, khaki tracksuit trousers and timberland-style boots, the Facebook post said, adding: She was also in possession of a Land Rover Bicycle.

She is said to have links to the London boroughs of Brent, Hounslow, Twickenham and Enfield areas.

Separately, police in Lincolnshire are appealing for information about a 13-year-old who was reported missing on December 10.

The police say they have concerns about teenager Denon Youngs safety and have urged anyone with information to make contact.
The man who shot dead a fellow attorney and wounded another before turning the gun on himself Friday at a Southern California holiday party has been identified.

A coroner named 58-year-old family man John Mendoza responsible in the murder-suicide at Bixby Knolls Law office in Long Beach around 2:25pm, according to the Press Telegram.

Mendoza killed 75-year-old Major A Langer - a veteran attorney who worked with celebrities like Pamela Anderson - during the office Christmas party.

It has been revealed that Langer attempted to fire Mendoza right before the deadly events occurred.

Mendoza also injured Ronald Beck, who runs day-to-day operations at the firm.

Beck is currently in serious but stable condition and was rushed to the hospital by his son after the shooting.

Long Beach police responded to Bixby Knolls amid reports of an active shooter, but realized after it was actually a 'workplace violence incident'.

Scroll down for video

John Mendoza (pictured) an expert in workplace legal issues, has been named as the disgruntled law firm partner who shot and killed another partner in Long Beach, California

Mendoza is seen on Facebook smiling with his son, Matt Mendoza, back in June, just months before the Friday tragedy

A buff Mendoza is pictured in August with his dog on social media. He opened fire at the law firm holiday party after he reportedly got fired

Mendoza shot dead Major A Langer (shown left) at Bixby Knolls Law office in Long Beach around 2.25pm. He also injured Ronald Beck, (right) who runs day-to-day operations at the firm

Long Beach police responded to the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach, amid reports of an active shooter around 2.25pm. They have now clarified it was actually a 'workplace violence incident'

There were three men involved, two of whom were killed, including Mendoza, according to police. Pictured is the building, believed to house law offices, with windows covered in Christmas displays featuring candy canes and Santa Clause

Mendoza is pictured on Facebook smiling with his family and dog in the months prior to the deadly events.

His biography said he studied political science at the University of California, Los Angeles and studied law at Pepperdine University.

The late Langer's friend described the lawyer as 'the most caring, sincere man I probably ever met'.

Jim Hall said: 'He just had a heart of gold and really cared for everybody who works at the firm and considers them members of his family ... He certainly didn't deserve this.'

Langer has practiced law for 51 years and represented Anderson in a breach of contract lawsuit, according to the Orange County Register.

Langer (right) has practiced law for 51 years and represented notable people such as Pamela Anderson (shown at a press conference in 1997 in Beverly Hills, California)

Langer (left) 'represented actress Pamela Anderson in a breach of contract lawsuit and won numerous six-to seven-figure verdicts,' the Orange County Register reports

'Langer was well-known in legal circles, having tried 75 civil and criminal cases to verdict,' the firm's website said.

'He handled Weber vs. the city of Rolling Hills, a 14-month trial that is believed to be the longest trial in the history of California, represented actress Pamela Anderson in a breach of contract lawsuit and won numerous six-to seven-figure verdicts.'

A murder investigation is currently underway at the scene and a handgun was found in the office, according to the Long Beach Post. No officers were involved in the shooting.

Sgt Brad Johnson said the shooter died from a self-inflicted gun would, and didn't engage with any officers. It's not clear if he was dead before they got to the scene.

Video showed people running from an unmarked building shouting about a shooting inside.

A woman is escorted away from the Bixby Knolls law office after Friday afternoon's shooting

Video of the incident show lines of police cars blocking the street and workers at neighboring office buildings coming out to watch the scene unfold

A murder investigation is currently underway at the scene and a handgun was found in the office, according to the Long Beach Post

No officers were involved in the shooting, and it's not clear if the gunman shot himself before or after they entered the building

The two-story building, with windows decorated with Christmas displays featuring candy canes and Santa Clause, is home to several law offices.

Dozens of police officers, including members of a SWAT team, surrounded the building and blocked off surrounding streets. Multiple ambulances arrived to the scene.

Police later confirmed that it wasn't an active shooter situation, despite initial reports, but instead a 'workplace violence incident.'

'They did so with the understanding that the suspect was alive and lying in wait to shoot them inside,' a source told the Press Telegram about why the incident was first marked an active shooter.

Officers searched the firm room to room to be sure everyone was accounted for and there were no other gunmen, police said.

Sgt Brad Johnson said Mendoza died from a self-inflicted gun would, and didn't engage with any officers. It's not clear if he was dead before they got to the scene. A video shows police cars lining the street outside the office building

Long Beach City Councilman Al Austin told the Times that the shooter was a former employee and that he shot and killed one person before turning the gun on himself. Austin represents the Bixby Knolls area and was briefed by police

Dozens of police officers, including members of a SWAT team, surrounded the building and blocked off surrounding streets

Joy Wilson told the Times she heard police sirens near her home and walked outside to see nearly two dozen people running 'like they were trying to get away.'

'They were definitely panicking,' she said. 'Something bad was happening, they were moving.'

Agnes, a 40-year-old who lives in the area said neighbors are shocked by the violence, describing it as a 'very safe area.'

'Everything was always fine,' she said. 'We have good neighbors. That is why I am in shock.'

Long Beach is about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles on the southern tip of LA county and has about 460,000 people.

For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255
I realised I had caught the complaining bug after an incident involving a cereal bar, a set of kitchen scales and Twitter. On opening a box of Nature Valley cereal bars, I noticed one was suspiciously light in my hand, to the extent that I weighed the snack to see if it really did contain, as the packet claimed, 42 grams of crunchy oats and honey. It did not. It weighed a mere 32g.

Outraged at being diddled out of 24 per cent of my mid-morning snack, I took a picture of the offending item on the scales  displaying the weight  and tweeted the company. The tweet soon started attracting attention, with various wags asking if the company was a cereal offender while others suggested I should get a life.

But within 24 hours Nature Valley had responded, apologised and sent me vouchers for the princely sum of 4. The victory was sweeter than anything involving oats and honey.

TV's Victor Meldrew (Richard Wilson) with screen wife Margaret (Annette Crosbie)

It turns out that I have become one of millions of Brits no longer ashamed about complaining. The UK may long have been a nation of grumblers, always prepared to grouch about the terrible sandwiches on British Rail or another power cut ruining teatime TV, but never quite prepared to make enough of a fuss to make things better. But things have changed. A nation of consumers, empowered by the internet, has finally snapped about late deliveries, PPI, or sky-high utility bills. They are as mad as hell and not going to take it any more.

OUR TOP 10 GRUMBLES: Things Brits most complain about 1. PPI - 284,654 2. Flights - 57,125 3. Banks/finance - 45,154 4. In-store shopping -21,082 5. Online shopping - 20,268 6. Dining/restaurants - 11,702 7. Takeaway meals - 8,225 8. Mobile phones - 7,680 9. Broadband - 4,887 10. Travel agents - 4,587 Source: Resolver, April-September 2017. Complaints lodged by 579,000 customers seeking redress using Resolver. Advertisement

Figures from the Ombudsman Services suggest that 55 million complaints were made in 2016, up from 38 million in 2013. These range from anything from a whinge on Facebook all the way to a formal lawsuit that ends up in a small claims court.

A company called Resolver, which takes on complaints on behalf of consumers, dealt with 579,309 grievances in the six months to September this year, up from 205,318 in the same period in 2016  an increase of 182 per cent.

Jasper Griegson is a lawyer by day but professional irritant by night and author of The Joys Of Complaining. He says: There used to be a real stiff-upper-lip, Dunkirk spirit. Lets soldier on. Weve shaken that off. The good news is people are a little bit more fearless and no longer scared of authority. We feel we can email anyone we like.

Many Brits no longer feel toe-curling embarrassment about sending a meal back to the kitchen, or insisting on talking to the manager.

The financial crisis and a series of banking scandals have eroded trust in not just the banks, but all big institutions. Appealing against parking tickets has now become a default response.

We also live in a climate where we demand things at a click of a button, even takeaway meals, something that is responsible for our increased expectations and anger when those expectations are not met.

Many Brits no longer feel toe-curling embarrassment about sending a meal back to the kitchen, or insisting on talking to the manager (file photo)

When Griegson started complaining in the 1990s, the only option was to write a letter, find an envelope, buy a stamp  and most importantly track down to whom to send it. You had to go to the library to look up the names of the directors. Now, its so much easier.

Online, there is a wealth of information, not least a website called ceoemail.com, which lists the email addresses of bosses of nearly all companies and public services. The CEO is unlikely to respond personally, explains Helen Dewdney, author How To Complain and who runs a website called The Complaining Cow, but the matter will be escalated to his or her team.

But though it has become much easier to rant at a company  especially online  it is more difficult than ever to get problems sorted in the real world. I discovered this while making a TV programme, The Department Of Complaints, which aims to help ordinary Brits who have been fobbed off after buying faulty goods, from glass tables that spontaneously shattered to silent pulse washing machines that were noisier than a power drill.

A nation of consumers, empowered by the internet, has finally snapped about late deliveries, PPI, or sky-high utility bills. They are as mad as hell and not going to take it any more (file photo)

The financial crisis and a series of banking scandals have eroded trust in not just the banks, but all big institutions. Appealing against parking tickets has now become a default response (file photo)

All the consumers had tales of woe of being stuck on hold for hours, of retailers blaming manufacturers, manufacturers blaming retailers and companies hiding behind legalese rather than admit theyd made a mistake.

Griegson says the outsourcing of a customer services is partly to blame: I remember the days when you had a bank manager who knew who you were. Now, its a computer in Birmingham.

Dewdney, who once took Tesco to the small claims court and successfully won 50  it felt very good  says: We are complaining more, but it is taking more effort to get a resolution. You have to take it further. It helps if you know what the law is and what you are entitled to under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. It shows them that you should be taken seriously.

THE FIVE BEST WAYS TO GET RESULTS If you're going to take the trouble to complain, then you want to get results. Here are our top tips on how to do just that: 1. Do it in writing, be it email or letter, not over the phone. Then you have the paper trail, which is crucial if you want to take it further to an ombudsman or a small claims court, says Helen Dewdney, author of How To Complain. 2. Take photographs of any poor meal/hotel room/broken product. Take a photo, collect evidence. Its a brilliant way to prove your point, says Jasper Griegson, author of The Joys Of Complaining. 3. If you are complaining about deliveries  Christmas presents that did not arrive on time or in one piece  complain to the retailer, not the delivery company. Dont rant at Yodel or Hermes. Its the retailer with whom you have a contract, says Dewdney. 4. Give a company a deadline to respond to you by. In this age of emails, seven days is plenty, says Dewdney. 5. Be clear about what you want. Do you want a refund, a replacement, some money to cover your out-of-pocket expenses that you have incurred? says Dewdney. Whatever it is, state it politely and firmly. Advertisement

These rights  that goods should be satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described  apply only if you bought the item in the UK or EU, however. As we increasingly shop from websites based in America or China, you can find yourself very exposed.

You need to be clear about what you want, says Dewdney. For a lot of people its no more than an apology. If thats what you want, you have to ask for it. If you dont ask for it, you wont get it.
A halal businessman who suggested Australia's white race will die out in 40 years now says all bigots are white Australians.

Mohomed Elmouelhy was slammed in August by Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane after he told his Facebook followers Muslim men needed to 'fertilise Australian women' and 'keep them surrounded by Muslim babies'.

He later clarified his 'larrikin' remarks about Australian men being too busy smoking, drinking beer and injecting drugs to procreate, saying his comments were only directed at those who hated Muslims.

Scroll down for video

Mohamed Elmouelhy says he was being a larrikin when he said Australia's white race will die out in 40 years

However, he has posted a new inflammatory social media message suggesting only white Australians harboured prejudice.

'After all the campaigns directed at me I find that not all white skips are bigots but all bigots are white skips,' he said.

'However, I appreciate them all, they contribute to my fortune despite themselves.'

The Halal Certification Authority founder, who lives on Sydney's North Shore, bragged that ingredients in alcoholic beverages, which are forbidden in Islam, contained halal-certified ingredients.

Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane (pictured) has expressed his concern to Mohamed Elmouelhy about his racially provocative remarks

'On the day of celebrating the end of the year I celebrate my entrepreneurial prowess and good fortune while my detractors cry in their cups about the fees they pay on their food and drink,' he said.

'They are oblivious to the fact that the malt used in their beers are halal certified, ditto the yeast used in wine making.

'Maybe they drink to forget that despite all their efforts I end the year a winner.'

Dr Soutphommasane in August slammed Mr Elmouelhy for possibly breaching section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which makes it illegal to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate a race of people.

'Our society is diminished by provocations based on race,' Dr Soutphommasane told Daily Mail Australia.

'I have expressed my concern to Mr Elmouelhy.

'There is no place for any expression of racial hatred or hostility in our public debate.'

Mr Elmouelhy in August told Sydney radio presenter Chris Smith he was just being a 'larrikin'.

'I'm an Australian, Australians are known for being a larrikin,' he told 2GB's afternoon show.

Mr Elmouelhy said his Facebook post was all tongue in cheek 'from beginning to end'.

Mohamed Elmouelhy's provocative new Facebook post says only white Australians are bigots

The halal boss told 2GB his post was only aimed at 'Australian bigots', not all Australians.

'I'm only calling certain Australians bigots,' he said.

'I am writing to specific people who are bigots ... the thousands of people who assault me on a daily basis, insult my religion, insult Muslims, derogatory things are said every day.'

Mr Elmouelhy's Facebook post was in response to Hebrew University in Jerusalem which published research showing sperm counts in men from Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe had declined by more than 50 per cent in less than 40 years.

'Your men are a dying breed, Australian women need us to fertilise them and keep them surrounded by Muslim babies while beer swilling, cigarette smoking, drug injecting can only dream of what Muslim men are capable of,' he said.

Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed Elmouelhy had weighed into sperm findings

Halal Certification Authority boss defended his comments (pictured) about Australian women needing Muslim men to fertilise them, saying it was all tongue in cheek

Mohamed Elmouelhy says Australian men are too busy drinking beer to be future fathers

'Muslims have a duty to make your women happy.'

Mr Elmouelhy said Australia's white race 'will be extinct in another 40 years' if the country is 'left to bigots'.

The Muslim businessman called on these 'bigots' to kill themselves or plan to die.

'Because you are declining, better go choose a plot for yourself at your local cemetery,' he said.

'If you can't afford it, commit suicide. It is a cheaper alternative for bigots.'

The Muslim businessman said drug use among Australian men would see white race die out

The Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine in Jerusalem found male fertility had sharply declined by 52 per cent, between 1973 and 2011.

Mr Elmouelhy's post was written just days after he predicted more non-Muslims in Australia would be eating more halal food than ever.

The 74-year-old businessman, who moved to Australia in 1975, declines to say where his profits go.

However other halal groups such as the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils fund mosques and schools with their proceeds from certifying that products are fit for Muslims to consume.

The 2016 Census revealed that Muslims made up 2.6 per cent of the Australian population, up from 2.2 per cent in 2011.

Australia's Muslim population soared to more than 604,000 people, overtaking Buddhism as the most popular non-Christian religion, and marking a significant jump from 341,000 a decade earlier.
Theresa May has been warned that business chiefs' patience over Brexit is 'wearing thin' and Westminster must get to grips with the challenge.

British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) director general Adam Marshall said firms want clarity and results from the Government and suggested industry was dismayed by 'division and disorganisation' across Westminster.

The BCC represents firms employing more than five million people across the country and Mr Marshall is the latest senior business figure to demand a clearer picture of what a Brexit deal will involve.

Adam Marshall said firms want clarity and results from the Government but have been dismayed by 'division and disorganisation' across Westminster

Patient with Theresa May 'is now wearing thin' says the British Chambers of Commerce chief

'Some very big decisions lie ahead,' Mr Marshall told The Observer.

'Getting the twin challenges of Brexit and the economic fundamentals right will require leadership, consistency and clarity - after a year in which business has been dismayed by what it sees as division and disorganisation across Westminster.'

He added: 'Businesses have been very patient in waiting for clarity on Brexit in the 18 months since the referendum.

'That patience is now wearing thin. Businesses want answers, they want clarity and they want results.'

The BCC, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Institute of Directors (IoD) and EEF, which represents manufacturers, have all called for the terms of a transition period after the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 to be agreed as soon as possible, to give firms time to plan for the new relationship with Brussels.

The longer the process drags on, the less value a transitional deal will have as firms will already have been forced to implement contingency plans which could see them shift work and jobs to one of the 27 other European Union members.
Advertisement

Britain and Ireland could be battered by winds of up to 80 mph as Storm Dylan looks to welcome 2018 with a wet and windy beginning.

An amber wind weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for Northern Ireland, parts of southern and western Scotland for tomorrow morning and parts of the afternoon.

Weather experts have warned Britons there is the potential for 'injuries and danger to life from flying debris'.

Luckily most new year celebrations are expected to escape the worst of the weather, with wet and windier conditions expected earlier in the day.

Despite a squally start, conditions are expected to ease by the time people head out to see in the new year (pictured: Portleven, Cornwall)

In Ireland there is an orange wind warning in place from Met Eireann for nine counties, with warnings of gusts reaching 78mph (125kph) from late on Saturday into Sunday morning. The Met Office warned of similar gusts hitting parts of the UK (pictured: Portleven, Cornwall)

Met Office chief Steve Ramsdale added: 'In many places, there is a good chance of dry weather for outdoor celebrations seeing in the new year.

'New Year's Day will feature wintry showers in the north and the unsettled weather looks likely to continue through the first week of January, with further bouts of wet and windy weather.

'In particular some very strong and gusty winds, together with thundery downpours, are likely on Wednesday and may cause some disruption.'

A orange wind warning has been issues in Ireland by Met Eireann for nine counties, with winds predicted to reach 78 mph.

The Met Office warning warned there would be similar gusts hitting northern parts of the UK.

Porthleven's coast in Cornwall took a battering as the UK braces itself for Storm Dylan's arrival

Heavy rain is expected in Wales and southern England as warm, wetter weather moves across the nation.

Mr Ramsdale added: 'While the strongest winds from Storm Dylan will be over the Republic of Ireland, very strong winds will also affect Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England.

'Travel disruption is likely, as well as power cuts and the chance of tiles being blown off roofs.

'Large waves and coastal debris may also be another hazard in coastal districts.'

Heavy snow, rain, thunderstorms and wind caused severe disruption across the UK on Friday, although there were much milder weather on Saturday.

Fallow deer roam in the 200-acre grounds of Raby Castle in County Durham on Saturday morning. Heavy rain is expected in Wales and southern England as warm, wetter weather moves across the nation on Sunday

A woman walks in snowy conditions in Hutton-le-Hole part of the North York Moors National Park this morning

Jessica Morley sledging near Church Houses in the North York Moors National Park which has been completely blanketed in snow

By midnight it is expected that temperatures across the UK will be quite mild. Organisers at Edinburgh's Hogmanay event said they expected the event to run without any complications

Organisers at Edinburgh's Hogmanay event said they expected the event to run without any complications.

A spokesman said: 'Edinburgh's Hogmanay is, as always, in constant contact with the Met Office, receiving regular forecast updates specific to Edinburgh.

'Forecasters are predicting that Storm Dylan will hit Scotland's central belt between midnight and 3pm on December 31, happening after the torchlight procession on December 30 and passing before the Hogmanay celebrations on December 31.'
Housebuilding boss Jeff Fairburn is to receive a staggering 132 million bonus after his firm profited from the Help to Buy scheme

A housebuilding boss given a staggering 132 million bonus after his firm made vast profits from the Help to Buy scheme saw the payout swell by another 1 million in just three days last week.

Jeff Fairburn, chief executive of Persimmon, receives the first 53 million chunk of the bonus today and has now learned he will pocket the extra 1 million after a rise in Persimmons share value.

Critics argue his bonus has been massively inflated by Help to Buy  the Government scheme launched in 2013 which uses taxpayers money to help first-time buyers get on the housing ladder.

More than 50 per cent of Persimmons sales are through Help to Buy. Its share price has soared by more than 200 per cent since 2013.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable has branded Fairburns bonus obscene, while former Tory Minister Steve Norris said it was hard-pressed taxpayers who had made Fairburn and other housebuilding bosses so rich.

Polly Neate, chief executive of homeless charity Shelter, meanwhile, said housebuilding companies were taking huge profits from a housing crisis hurting millions.

The Mail on Sunday revealed in November that Fairburn, 51, who left school at 17 to go into construction, was to collect the first part of his huge bonus this month.

The coverage prompted the resignations of two Persimmon directors, including chairman Nicholas Wrigley, who is understood to have asked Fairburn to give some of his bonus to a housing charity.
Sir Nicholas Soames believes everybody over 40 should have to pay into a national insurance scheme

A leading Tory has called for a ring-fenced tax on the over-40s to pay for elderly care.

Sir Nicholas Soames believes everybody over 40 should have to pay into a national insurance scheme, with the funds raised being used solely to meet the costs of care for the elderly.

Many Britons end up paying tens of thousands of pounds for home help and care home places, some spending over 100,000.

Sir Nicholas said: Every day I see families who are desperately anxious about the provision of care for their elderly relatives. It isnt good enough for this to go on and on.

He claimed the whole system of adult social care was creaking at the seams, adding that the social care crisis is the UKs greatest single problem outside Brexit.

In a parliamentary question, the Mid Sussex MP said that in Japan, a compulsory insurance scheme for over-40s to fund social care commands near universal support and seems to work very well.

Junior Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price said the Government would be looking to experiences in other countries for a Green Paper next summer.
Left infiltrators for a quarter of a century has fallen victim to a revenge mission by Jeremy Corbyns Momentum activists, it was claimed last night

A Labour politician who has fought hard-Left infiltrators for a quarter of a century has fallen victim to a revenge mission by Jeremy Corbyns Momentum activists, it was claimed last night.

Lord Kennedy has been forced to quit as a councillor after a campaign by the Left-wing Momentum group to deselect him in its battle to seize control of Labour town halls.

His removal comes 25 years after the then plain Roy Kennedy ousted Labour rebel turned Militant Tendency MP Dave Nellist from the Commons.

As a Labour organiser, Kennedy plotted the defeat in the 1992 Election of Mr Nellist, who had been kicked out of the party by former leader Neil Kinnock and stood under Militant colours.

Kennedys purge of the hard-Left earned him rapid promotion at Labour HQ from Tony Blair  with Gordon Brown giving him a peerage in 2010.

But Momentum, seen by some as a new version of Militant Tendency, has turned the tables on Lord Kennedy, 55, by forcing him to stand down as a councillor in Lewisham, South London.

A Labour source told The Mail on Sunday that some Momentum activists see Kennedys forced resignation as revenge for his role in the downfall of Mr Nellist, who is now a prominent cheerleader for Mr Corbyn. They are well aware of Roys record in fighting the hard-Left and wanted him out, said the source.

Lord Kennedys decision to stand down came after hundreds of Momentum supporters joined his local party and insisted he went through a new selection process before council elections in May.

A Labour insider said: Momentum has taken over the local party in recent months and made it clear they want Roy out and one of their people in. There is nothing he can do about it. He is appalled by their behaviour. They shout and abuse people and are more concerned about what happens in Palestine than Lewisham. It is a disgrace. Roy is a born-and-bred South Londoner and has dedicated himself to the local community for over 30 years.

Mr Nellist, the former Coventry South East MP, was expelled by Labour in 1991 over his Militant Tendency activities.

Trotskyist Mr Nellist, 65, urged voters to back Mr Corbyn in the June Election, saying: I support his anti-austerity policies and his call for four more bank holidays. I want him elected as PM.

Jeremy Corbyn Left wing Labour MP with David Nellist outside the Home Office

Some Labour MPs have called for Momentum to be banned from Labour on the same grounds used to get rid of Militant Tendency  for operating as a party within a party. Momentum supporters dispute this, saying that they are 100 per cent loyal to party leader Mr Corbyn.

In its attempt to take control of the party, Momentum is campaigning to deselect moderate Labour MPs and take over some of the partys town halls in London including Haringey and Lewisham. It has faced claims of dirty tricks, including social media abuse.

Lord Kennedys resignation could heighten tensions between Mr Corbyn and deputy Tom Watson, of whom Lord Kennedy is a close ally. His wife Baroness Kennedy ran Mr Watsons 2015 campaign to become the Labour leaders lieutenant.

However, Lord Kennedy could have the last word in his battle with the Corbynistas. He is a front runner for the vacant post of Labour Chief Whip in the Lords.

Unlike in the Commons, Mr Corbyn has no say over Labour appointments in the Lords.
With only hours left to go before Sydney's iconic New Year's Eve fireworks display, eager spectators have rushed to secure prime positions on the waterfront.

Thousands of people flocked to the city's waterfront before the dazzling display is set to light up the harbour.

Some spectators have been camping out for 48 hours in an effort to keep their positions for this year's display.

Tighter security measures have been put in place during this year's celebrations, amid fears of terror attacks.

Scroll down for video

Huge crowds were in line the Domain to enter the viewing area at Mrs Macquarie's Chair on Sunday

This year's celebrations will be enjoyed by a significant number of tourists in Sydney, and by millions on television

Some were spotted running barefoot as they joined the rush of people fighting for the best spot

Crowds around the Sydney Opera House start camping out hours before the midnight fireworks

Tighter security measures have been put in place during this year's celebrations, amid fears of terror attacks

Guards and bollards have been set up at Mrs Macquarie's Point, as people were queuing to gain access to the area before the line closed around 3.20pm.

With security performing bag checks and a heavy police presence, punters were doing everything they can to stay in a celebratory mood.

'We've been singing and drinking,' a group of English tourists told Daily Mail Australia.

'We've been in the queue for about three hours.'

Thousands of people flocked to the city's waterfront before the dazzling display is set to light up the harbour

Groups were seen setting up camp with picnic blankets as they settled in before the display

Some spectators have been camping out for 48 hours in an effort to keep their positions for this year's display

At Mrs Macquarie's Chair, hundreds of people were spotted running towards the water in a bid to snare the closest view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

With picnic blankets and food supplies in tow, mad spectators dashed towards the designated areas.

Some were spotted running barefoot as they joined the rush of people fighting for the best spot.

Punters have been lining up for several hours in the dreary weather, armed with snacks and music to keep their spirits up.

German tourists Rebecca and Ian are spending their last day in Australia at the waterfront, waiting to watch the firework display.

The couple said they would be heading to the airport after midnight.

German tourists Rebecca and Ian are spending their last day in Australia waiting for the midnight fireworks

Crowds were lining up to gain access to Mrs Macquarie's Chair hours before the firework display, with lines stretching back several hundred metres

Despite the overcast conditions, people were prepared with blankets and raincoats as they lined up

Friends Maddie, 24 and Sarah, 23, had been lining up to get into Mrs Macquarie's Point since 12.30pm on Sunday.

It's the first time the pair have been to the Sydney fireworks and they're hoping to get in before 5pm.

'We're moving a little bit but not actually getting anywhere,' they said.

Families arriving to bring in the New Year together made sure to pack plenty of supplies.

For Eleanor and her family, from Norway, they hope to catch their first Australian fireworks to bring in the New Year.

Norweigan tourists, Eleanor and her family, are spending their first trip in Australia watching the Sydney fireworks

Friends Maddie, 24 (right) and Sarah, 23, (left) had been lining up to get into Mrs Macquarie's Point since 12.30pm on Sunday

Punters have lining up for several hours in the dreary weather, armed with snacks and music to keep their spirits up

With picnic blankets and food supplies in tow, mad spectators dashed towards the designated areas

While thousands of people were expected to crowd the city's iconic waterfront, it seems event planners did not anticipate the large numbers.

Only one food van, an ice cream truck, was seen at the line to get into Mrs Macquarie's Chair on Sunday.

However, most punters were savvy enough to bring their own snacks and drinks.

Despite the line closing after 3pm, those who were rejected seemed to be in great spirits.

Irish tourists Mika, Anna and Clodagh and their friends were lining up from 10.30am to score a prime position at Mrs Macquarie's Chair.

The girls, who are in Australia to study, spent the hours chatting and catching up.

Irish tourists Mika (in red), Anna (wearing blue polka dots) and Clodagh (behind, in the flowery dress) and their friends were lining up from 10.30am

Only one food van, an ice cream truck, was seen at the line to get into Mrs Macquarie's Chair on Sunday

Italian tourists Emma and Simone, who drove 900km from Brisbane to watch the fireworks, said they would find another spot somewhere else.

'I was thinking we needed another bottle (of wine) for the line, but now I think we need two,' Emma said.

Police patrolled the forecourt at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday afternoon as thousands of punters packed the area.

Crowds could be seen setting up camp, rolling out towels and mats to take up their place in front of the Harbour Bridge.

Italian tourists Emma and Simone drove 900km from Brisbane to watch the fireworks

Campsites were set up under the Harbour Bridge and around the city's waterfront to capture the dazzling firework display

Police patrolled the forecourt at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday afternoon as thousands of punters packed the area

Crowds could be seen setting up camp, rolling out towels and mats to take up their place in front of the Harbour Bridge

Punters took the opportunity to catch some sunshine outside the Opera House as they set up camp before the New Year's Eve fireworks

English couple Trish and Kev, who only arrived in Australia on Sunday morning, faced a four-hour wait in line at Mrs Macquarie's Chair.

Despite having no food or water, the pair seemed excited to witness their first Australian fireworks while on holiday.

Another couple, Kim and Rob, drove up from Ballarat in Victoria on Sunday to witness the fireworks.

The couple, who had only joined the queue at 3pm, came prepared with food platters and sushi.

Victorian couple Kim and Rob drove up from Ballarat on Sunday to witness the fireworks

English couple Trish and Kev, who arrived in Australia on Sunday morning, faced a four-hour wait in line at Mrs Macquarie's Chair

Already celebrating the festive season, these friends giggle their way to Mrs Macquarie's Chair

Thousands of other people will celebrate at suburban spots such as Parramatta Park or at the beach in Botany Bay, where fireworks are expected from 9pm.

Roads will be closed throughout the city and suburbs on Sunday.

An extra 1000 train services will be running, while another 3500 buses will be in action.

Ferries will stop at 8pm before resuming at 12.45am with limited services.

One man appears to struggle with his luggage as he makes a run for the best spot at Mrs Macquarie's Chair

Armed with bags, blankets and supplies, crowds of people made their way to New Year's Eve hot spots in Sydney on Sunday
The owner of a bakery linked to more than a dozen cases of salmonella poisoning has boldly opened his doors again with the rallying support of loyal customers.

Nathan Assender, who operates Gawler South Bakery in north Adelaide, made an emotional apology after chicken from his shop infected 17 people and hospitalised three over the Christmas period.

Despite the disastrous salmonella outbreak, Mr Assender has re-opened the bakery in an last-ditch effort to save the 50-year-old business from shutting down.

Scroll down for video

Nathan Assender, (pictured) who operates Gawler South Bakery in north Adelaide, made an emotional apology after chicken from his shop infected 17 people and hospitalised three over the Christmas period

Despite the disastrous salmonella outbreak, Mr Assender has re-opened the bakery (Pictured) in an last-ditch effort to save the 50-year-old business from shutting down

'Everybody here's really distressed about the whole situation. We're still unclear where it's come from and how this has happened,' Mr Assender told 7 News.

The business owner has pleaded with his former customers to put their faith in his bakery produce and said he is worried about the fate of his 40 employees.

'Hopefully the community get behind us and we can keep the 40 people we employ in jobs and keep our doors open.'

However it appears most of Mr Assender's customers are unperturbed by the salmonella breakout.

However it appears most of Mr Assender's customers are unperturbed by the salmonella breakout

'It's a family business and you hope for the best for them, it's an unfortunate thing to happen,' one man told the publication.

South Australia Health believes chicken served from Gawler South Bakery's sandwich bar caused 17 cases of salmonella poisoning between December 14 and 22.

One mother took to Facebook to slam the store, claiming she and two of her kids spent Christmas in bed suffering from salmonella.

'I couldn't get out of bed to enjoy my kids opening their presents,' she wrote.

The number of salmonella cases originating from the popular bakery is expected to grow.

It is the second time in 12 months the Adelaide business has been investigated.

'It's a family business and you hope for the best for them, it's an unfortunate thing to happen,' one man said

Chicken sandwiches and wraps from Gawler South Bakery have been linked to 17 confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning in the past fortnight

Gawler South Bakery apologised for the disaster online.

'It has come to our attention that a number of people have fallen ill with Salmonella poisoning after consuming fresh roast chicken meals from our bakery recently,' they wrote.

'It is with sincere compassion and genuine sorrow that we apologise to all the people and their families affected by this. '

SA Health's public health director Dr Kevin Buckett was concerned by the outbreak given how sick the illness makes people.

Gawler South Bakery apologised for the disaster online, explaining they had voluntarily shut down their salad bar and stopped serving fresh roast chicken meals

'Three patients have been so severely ill they needed to be hospitalised,' he said.

Dr Buckett urged all food handlers and restaurants to be mindful of food safety during this busy and warm time of year.

'Like most food-borne illness, (salmonella) is preventable through good hygiene and food handling practices.'

He advised food handlers to chill food quickly, keep it cool until it's eaten, and separate raw food from cooked and ready-to-eat items.

Salmonella symptoms include fever, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea.
A Louisiana man was arrested for helping scam thousands of dollars out of people using a 'Nigerian prince' scheme.

Michael Neu, 67, was charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering after the Slidell Police Department's Financial Crime Division following an 18-month investigation.

On Thursday, police said that Neu is suspected of being the 'middle man' in hundreds of scams.

Michael Neu, 67, was charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering after the Slidell Police Department's Financial Crime Division

The scam consist of an email from a representative of a Nigerian prince claiming the recipient is a beneficiary of millions of dollars. They just have to share their bank account number and other personal financial information.

'Most people laugh at the thought of falling for such a fraud, but law enforcement officials report annual losses of millions of dollars to these schemes,' Slidell police said in a news release, according to the Times Picayune.

Specifics were not included about the scam or the case against Neu but authorities did say that some of the money was wired to a third party in Nigeria.

The scam consist of an email from a representative of a Nigerian Prince claiming the recipient is a beneficiary of millions of dollars

The investigation is still pending and has an added layer of complications due to its international scope.

Neu's arrest is serving as a reminder to people in the area not to fall prey to scams, explaied Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal.

'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,'' Fandal said. 'Never give out personal information over the phone, through email, cash checks for other individuals or wire large amounts of money to someone you don't know.''
Advertisement

Bitterly cold weather will usher in for New Year's Eve celebrations across the Northeast and Midwest United States, bringing record low temperatures and making traveling difficult.

The mercury in New York City's Times Square is expected to drop to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 Celsius),' according to the National Weather Service.

The wind chill is estimated at nearly 0 F (minus 18C) during the final hours of 2017, and will test the willpower of hundreds of thousands of New Year's Eve revelers.

In the heartland, next week could bring low temperatures last recorded 130 years ago to parts of Nebraska, said David Eastlack, a meteorologist with the weather service.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Freezing weather will usher in for New Year's Eve celebrations across the Northeast and Midwest United States this weekend

About 220 million Americans will see morning low temperatures in the single digits or below zero heading into New Year's weekend

The bitter temperatures have already been blamed for a handful of deaths and cancelled in long list of weekend celebrations

Timothy Gigone, 51, of Erie, Pennsylvania skis south on Sassafras Street near the intersection of West 14th Street on Saturday

Kevin Deiner of Erie digs out his Ford Escape buried on West Sixth Street also on Saturday

A frozen fountain is shown amid the freezing temperatures in Bryant Park in New York, New York Saturday afternoon

People are bundled up as they walk in Washington Square Park in New York, New York during the Artic blast

That includes a record low for the date of minus 22F (minus 30C) for Tuesday.

'The bitter cold is going to be dangerous,' Eastlack said in a phone interview, warning residents of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa to avoid venturing outside or taking a car trip.

He said that the wind chills will be near minus 35F (minus 37C), a level when frostbite could set in within 10 minutes.

The weather service predicted lows would hit minus 20F to minus 30F (minus 7C to -34C) from Montana into the Dakotas and Minnesota, well below average.

Several individuals are seen snapping pictures next to a frozen fountain in Bryant Park in New York, New York

A couple of weights are covered in snow in West 4 St basketball courts in New York, New York

Wind chill advisories or warnings were in effect for much of New England, northern Pennsylvania and New York (Pictured, people walk through a frigid Manhattan on Thursday)

Atop Mount Washington, the Northeast's highest peak, the temperature has hit negative 34 degrees, with a negative 89 degree wind chill as boiling water turns into 'snow' (pictured)

Adam Gill, of the Mount Washington Observatory (pictured, Friday), said the previous record of -31 degrees was set in 1933

Temperatures could drop to around 0 F (minus 18C) as far south as the northern border of Oklahoma on New Year's Day.

They will stoop into the minus 30s near the Canadian border on Sunday and Monday, the service said.

The arctic air from Canada will also bring subfreezing temperatures to U.S. Gulf Coast cities such as Biloxi, Mississippi.

Icy roads will make travel difficult over much of the United States, from the south-central states of Texas and Oklahoma and eastward over Arkansas.

The National Weather Service reported International Falls, Minnesota, the self-proclaimed Icebox of the Nation, plunged to 37 degrees below zero, breaking the old record of 32 below set in 1924 (Pictured, New Yorkers brave the cold on Thursday)

Frank Necci clears snow from St Andrews Catholic Church on Friday in Erie, Pennsylvania after a massive snow storm

Workers clear streets on Friday in downtown Erie. Sixty-five inches of snow fell on the city over the course of four days

A man walks with his groceries in a cart on Friday in Erie. The cold weather pattern is expected to continue through the holiday weekend and likely longer

Frankie Lafuente, 11, lays in the snow after a crash with his brother while sledding down a hill on Friday in Des Moines, Iowa

Also, into northern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through the New Year's weekend, the private AccuWeather forecasting service said.

Weather was expected to remain much more mild on the West Coast, with temperatures forecast in the low 70s in Los Angeles over the next few days.

Officials have issued warnings about possible hypothermia and frostbite and cautioned revelers to wear extra layers and stay indoors if possible.

Extra police and fire personnel will be around Times Square to monitor weather conditions and the safety of those in attendance to outdoor events.

Jason Goldstein (left) and Jon Ross, slide across the ice to check the raised flag on an ice fishing tip up in Ledyard, Connecticut on Friday

The cold snap continues as a man walks on the pier along side a frozen section of the harbor at Fort Taber Park in the south end of New Bedford, Massachusetts on Friday

A small child bundles up as cold temperatures hit New York City on Friday, preparing for a very cold holiday weekend

Residents and tourists alike bare the freezing temperatures in puffy coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots on Friday

Three friends huddle together in Manhattan on Friday. New York City saw a high of 23 degrees with a wind chill of 14 degrees

Some events have been cancelled due to the frigid weather, such as the New Year's Eve gathering at the village of Orchard Park near Buffalo.

'With frigid weather, the chance of a water line break is higher, and I'd rather have my public works crew fixing it than hoisting a ball up to drop,' Mayor Jo Ann Litwin Clinton said in a statement.

But president of the Times Square Alliance, Tim Tompkins, confirmed a cancellation will certainly not be the case for the big ball drop.

'Hundreds of thousands have withstood very cold weather over the years for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we expect this year to be no different,' Tompkins said in a statement of the famous annual Times Square bash.
An American shot dead in a Mexican beach resort, in a string of violent crimes across the country, has been identified as an official from a Southern California city.

The city of Imperial Beach says in a statement that its Administrative Services Director Doug Bradley was killed Thursday while vacationing in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. The township includes the neighboring resort of Ixtapa. The death came the day before Bradley's 50th birthday.

Guerrero state security officials had reported Bradley's death Friday without identifying him.

The city of Imperial Beach's Administrative Services Director Doug Bradley was killed Thursday while vacationing in Zihuatanejo, Mexico

The city's statement said Bradley lived in Mexico and commuted to Imperial Beach. An avid surfer, he had travelled much of the Mexican coast.

'Doug Bradley was loved by all that knew him,' said Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina to Fox News.

'He was always positive, loved to surf, and had helped to turn around the City of Imperial Beach's financial management as well as restructure city administration to make it more efficient and resident-friendly.'

Witnesses claimed to have seen the man being chased by his attackers with nine-millimeter guns at 4am, the Mexico Daily News reported

The city's statement said Bradley lived in Mexico and commuted to Imperial Beach. An avid surfer, he had travelled much of the Mexican coast

Witnesses claimed to have seen the man being chased by his attackers with nine-millimeter guns at 4am, the Mexico Daily News reported.

But a police report wouldn't be filed for another four hours after his body had lain in a parking lot.

The city is working with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico to repatriate Bradley's body.

He did not have children and was not said to be married.

But a police report wouldn't be filed for another four hours after his body had lain in a parking lot

Meanwhile, distressful photos show bodies hanging from bridges in the popular Mexican tourist hub of Baja California Sur on December 20 - marking the spread of inter-cartel violence.

The bodies of six men hung alongside banners called narcomantas for the first time in the northwestern Mexican state - where violence between different drug cartels has grown deadly in the past three years.

Guerrero state's security coordinating group said in a statement the American tourist was shot three times. Gang violence has increased in the country over the past decade, and has started seeping into tourist states that previously didn't see the deadly behavior.

The bodies of six men hung alongside banners called narcomantas for the first time in the northwestern Mexican state - where violence between different drug cartels has grown deadly in the past three years

Gang violence has increased in the country over the past decade, and has started seeping into tourist states that previously didn't see the deadly behavior

The increase prompted the US State Department to issue a travel warning for Baja California Sur towards the end of August. Also on the warning was Quintana Roo - home to tourist-laden Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Most of Mexico has been listed as dangerous for tourist travel for many years - but the August notice was the first time those two states were included. At the time of the notice Mexican officials said there were areas of concern but believed the timing was related to political maneuvers in Washington.

The December 20 photos of men hanging from bridges show the true horror of the drug wars overtaking the countries.

Between hours of 4.30 and 6am the bodies of six men were found hung on three different bridges in the state of Baja California Sur, according to

They hung alongside banners known as narcomantes, according to My San Antonio, which were attributed to the Guzmanes y Tegoripenos gang.

'This is what will happen to anyone who does not fall into line with us,' one of the banners read.

'It has been made more clear that we hold all the power and that Baja north and south are ours.'

The six bodies hung alongside banners known as narcomantes, according to My San Antonio , which were attributed to the Guzmanes y Tegoripenos gang

A few days before the December 20 incident a body was found hanging on a bridge in the neighboring state Nayarit. Pictured is one of the six bodies found on December 20

Similar incidents have occurred in other parts of Mexico, and have only gotten more frequent in recent years. The killings that are accompanied by narcomantas are often attributed to the gang Guzmanes y Tegoripenos, which brags about 'cleansing' and killing government officials in the signs

The signs have been hung by the gang frequently in the past few months - and regularly reference threatening government officials and 'cleansing' the area.

In 2016 there were 49 homicide cases in Cabo San Lucas, a number which has more than quadrupled to 286 in just the first 11 months of 2017

The gang's name seems to refer to Tegoripa, a small town in the state Sinaloa and municipality Badiraguato, where the infamed drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman was born.

The name Guzman is thought to be the inspiration for the other half of the gang's name.

Similar signs were hung around Tijuana, another popular tourist city, in the last few months of 2016.

A few days before the December 20 incident a body was found hanging on a bridge in the neighboring state Nayarit.

That killing was part of a wave in the state thought to be linked to organized crime. Narcomantas were at the scene of many of those murders, including the bridge hanging.

For decades tourist hubs such as Los Cabos avoided the deadly violence present in the rest of the country during the past decade's drug war. But in recent months violence has picked up, and homicides in Cabo San Lucas has seen a spike.

In 2016 there were 49 homicide cases in Cabo San Lucas, a number which has more than quadrupled to 286 in just the first 11 months of 2017.

There were 650 homicides in the state between January and November, marking 223 and 284 percent increases over the same periods in 2015 and 2015, respectively, according to MySA.

The incidents on December 20 were the first time anyone has hung bodies from bridges in the area.
Some will do just about anything to get their hands on some liquor.

And the same could clearly be said about a raccoon who bravely broke into a Tennessee liquor store in recently released video of a 2016 incident.

Surveillance video shows the pesky critter saunter in and cause approximately $250 worth in damages.

A raccoon who bravely broke into a Tennessee liquor store in recently released video of a 2016 incident

The raccoon climbs up the shelves inside the store and begins knocking bottles over to the floor.

It seems intent on grabbing the best liquor for itself as more bottles fall to the ground.

Surveillance video shows the pesky critter saunter in and cause approximately $250 worth in damages

The raccoon climbs up the shelves inside the store and begins knocking bottles over to the floor

All in all, the raccoon chooses a selection of the best drinks for about 90 minutes of tape.

As the clip ends, the animal climbs back down and seeks out its prizes.

At least the raccoon will have a thirst-quenching night.
Niall O'Shaughnessy, 40, jumped into the Hudson River on Saturday in order to save a man from drowning

A New York City medic jumped into the Hudson River in freezing temperatures in order to save a mentally unstable man's life.

Paramedic Niall O'Shaughnessy, of the Fire Department of New York, stumbled upon a crime scene off a pier in Tribeca, Manhattan Saturday afternoon with his partner Mingze Wu, the New York Daily News reports.

O'Shaughnessy, 40, who is originally from Ireland, saw police officers using a life ring in an effort to rescue a man who had escaped from a nearby hospital.

The Irishman, despite the 24-degree, snowy weather, jumped into the frigid river and rescued him.

The 11-year veteran of the department successfully wrapped his arms around the man, who he said was 'definitely hypothermic,' and the pair was brought back to land.

O'Shaughnessy was treated at a hospital for a 'warm up'. The man he saved is listed as being in stable condition.

Pictured is a scene from the rescue. The 11-year veteran of the department successfully wrapped his arms around the man, who he said was 'definitely hypothermic,' and the pair was brought back to land

It takes courage to do what Niall did today, placing his life on the line to save others,' the EMS Local 2507 president said

'It takes courage to do what Niall did today, placing his life on the line to save others,' the EMS Local 2507 president told the New York Daily News.

NYPD Special Ops tweeted: 'Great Job by #NYPD Harbor & @FDNY rescuing a male that jumped into the Hudson River. A FDNY Paramedic jumped in after seeing the male in the water. Responding NYPD Harbor launch #452 assisted in removing the male from the water.'

The man O'Shaughnessy saved was identified as Stephen Fantozzi, 50, the Tribeca Trib reports.

This is, in fact, the second time that the Irishman has saved someone by jumping into the Hudson River.

In July 2015, he rescued a woman who had jumped into the river near Pier 25.

Of course, the water was much warmer then.

And one year prior, he jumped onto subway tracks in an effort to save a drunken Irish woman who had fallen onto them.

NYPD Special Ops tweeted: 'Great Job by #NYPD Harbor & @FDNY rescuing a male that jumped into the Hudson River. A FDNY Paramedic jumped in after seeing the male in the water. Responding NYPD Harbor launch #452 assisted in removing the male from the water'

The outside temperature was only 24 degrees was O'Shaughnessy dove in to save the man
Residents are furious at the mother whose toddler started the deadly blaze in the Bronx Thursday that killed 12 people. They say she could have warned them as she ran out of the burning building.

One resident, Shevon Stewart, 45, told the New York Post the 25-year-old mother could be faintly heard saying 'fire,'fire,' as she escaped with her two children, but she says the mom should have done much more to help her neighbors in peril.

'Her apartment is right behind mine. You don't call for help? From the moment you see fire, call somebody. And if you don't have a phone, knock on doors, do something,' Stewart said.

Stewart added once the 25-year-old mother had escaped her burning apartment with her two children she sat down on the curb across the street.

'Nobody called us. Nobody tried to find us,' claimed Stewart. Her brother-in-law is on life support at Jacobi Hospital.

Tragic: Officials say the youngest victim in the fire that destroyed the apartment building near the Bronx Zoo is eight-month-old Amora Serenity Vidal (center) who died in a bathtub while being held by her 56-year-old grandmother, Maria Batiz (left), who also perished in the blaze. The child's mother, Christine (right), is distraught by the tragedy

Heartbreaking: A three-year-old boy playing with the gas burner on the stove inside of a first-floor apartment started the deadly Bronx building fire that killed 12 people left more than 15 injured Thursday night. A relative at the scene identified two- and seven-year-old sisters, Kylie (left) and Kelesha (right) Francis, as victims of the fire

The girls' mother, 37-year-old Karen Francis (left) also died in the historic blaze on Thursday night. Shawntay Young (right), aged 19, has also been identified as a victim in the fire

Emmanuel Mensah's, 28, family originally wasn't able to locate him, on Saturday he was confirmed among the 12 people who died in the tragic blaze

Solomon Donkor, 49 (left) his 17-old-daughter Hannah Adoma Donkor (right) and his 12-year-old son William Donkor were found dead inside their apartment

She quickly grabbed him and a two-year-old child before running out of the first-floor apartment

Nigro (above on Friday) said that she left the door open, which caused the fire to quickly spread up the open stairs like a chimney to the fifth floor in the building

Of the 12 who perished, Nigro said seven women and five men are among the dead from the horrific blaze. He also said that in those numbers, five of the victims are children

The five-alarm fire broke out a little before 7pm on the first floor of a brick building at East 185th Street and Prospect Avenue. Above people react near the scene of the blaze

Maria Batiz , 56, was one of the 12 people killed in New York's deadliest blaze in 25 years, which was started by a three-year-old boy playing with a stove in his apartment.

Batiz, who lived on the third-floor in a studio, called her 26-year-old daughter Christine as the flames rapidly engulfed the building from the first-floor and said, 'We're going to die in here!', the New York Daily News reported.

Batiz's brother, Fernando, recalled his last conversation between Christine and his frantic sister, who was caring for eight-month-old Amora Serenity Vidal.

'My niece was telling her, 'Get out! What are you doing?' Fernando Batiz told the Daily News. 'I guess (Maria) was hysterical, and she got trapped. She was scared. She said, 'We're going to die in here!' She was frantic. I guess the smoke overcame her.'

Two-year-old Kylie Francis, seven-year-old Kelesha Francis, 37-year-old Karen Francis and 19-year-old Shawntay Young are also among the 12 victims who died in the fire.

More victim's names were released by police Saturday: Gabriel Yaw Sarkookie, 48; Justice Opoku, 54; Solomon Donkor, 49 and William Donkor.

If unfortunately you do have a fire in your apartment, you must close the door when you exit. Daniel Nigro, Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department

A 28-year-old solider who was thought to be missing, was confirmed on Saturday as a fatality in the fire. US Army soldier Emmanuel Mensah who lived in the building, was home on leave for the holidays and was last seen by his roommate.

'He was telling the roommate to not come out of the apartment because there was smoke,' his father told the New York Daily News.

'But when they rescued everyone from the windows, we couldn't find him.'

The boy's mother was not in the same room as him when the fire started but was alerted to it by his screams and she quickly grabbed him and another two-year-old child, Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department Daniel Nigro said.

While fleeing, she left the door open to the first-floor apartment, which caused the fire to then immediately spread up the stairs to the fifth floor in the building. She didn't warn any of her neighbors as she fled the burning building.

Nigro said, 'the stairway acted like a chimney.'

'It took the fire so quickly upstairs that people had very little time to react. They couldn't get back down the stairs. Of those that tried, a few perished. Others were helped out onto the fire escapes, taken down by our members,' he added.

Of the 12 who perished, Nigro said seven women and five men are among the dead. He also said that in those numbers, five of the victims are children.

'This tragedy is, without question, historic in its magnitude,' Nigro said. 'Our hearts go out to every family who lost a loved one here and everyone fighting for their lives.'

Officials say the youngest victim in the fire that destroyed the apartment building near the Bronx Zoo is a one-year-old girl who died in a bathtub being held by her mother, who also perished in the blaze

Nigro said that everyone has been accounted for and stressed the importance of closing doors to help contain fires

Christine has created a GoFundMe to raise money for the funeral costs for her mother and her baby girl.

Another distraught relative, Elain Williams, identified four of her family members who all tragically perished in the blaze.

She told the New York Post that her two nieces Kylie Francis, aged two, and Kelesha Francis, aged seven, died, along with their 37-year-old mother, Karen Francis, who is her sister. She said she also lost her 19-year-old daughter Shawntay Young.

Williams said that she lived in a basement apartment at 2363 Prospect Avenue. She was heading home from work when she got a phone call saying the building was on fire and she rushed to the scene.

'I was calling my daughter to see where she is  accidentally she [was] upstairs at her aunt's. She got caught in the fire too,' Williams told the Post.

She explained that when she went to Jacobi Medical Center, she found out the four family members were all dead.

'I feel so empty so lost,' she said. 'Standing right here my soul is gone. Four [victims], one family? Come on now  I don't wish that on my worst enemy.'

Williams said that her brother-in-law, Francis Holt, is recovering in a hospital from his injuries.

Police and fire officials revealed on Friday:

An unidentified boy died in the blaze along with two other women aged 19 and 63

Five alarm Bronx blaze that killed 12 and injured 15 started just before 7pm on Thursday night

Boy, aged 3, was playing with gas stove and ignited fire on first-floor; his mom fled apartment with him leaving the door open, which caused blaze to rapidly spread up to the fifth floor like a chimney

It took an estimated 170 firefighters working in just 15 degrees to rescue people from the building

Howard Alkoff's D & E Equities purchased the building with 26 apartments from the city in 1984 for $31,029

The building, which has no elevator, had at least six open building code violations, according to city records

Fire commissioner advises people to shut the door when exiting apartment fire to stop flames from spreading

Anyone who needs to check on loved ones or relatives who may have been in the building are asked to call 311

The five-alarm fire broke out a little before 7pm at the building at East 185th Street and Prospect Avenue. Investigators said a natural gas line may have helped to fuel the flames of the blaze that is the city's deadliest in at least a quarter of a century.

Nigro said that everyone has been accounted for and stressed the importance of closing doors to help contain fires.

'If unfortunately you do have a fire in your apartment, you must close the door when you exit,' Nigro said. FDNY officials across the city have set-up stands to share fire safety information and their Juvenile Fire-Setters Intervention Program.

According to the New York City Housing Preservation and Development, there building owned by owned by D&A Equities had at least six open building code violations. Pictured above officials inspect the burned out building

Howard Alkoff's D & E Equities purchased the five-story building from the city in 1984 for $31,029, and there is no indication that any construction work has been done at the building since

Ronn Torossian, a spokesperson for the landlord said: 'We are shocked and saddened at the loss of life and injuries which occurred. Our prayers and thoughts are with the families that were affected.'

According to the New York City Housing Preservation and Development, the building owned by D&A Equities had at least six open building code violations.

Two violations reported in August 2017 were for a broken smoke detector and for a defective carbon monoxide detector in the same apartment on the first floor. It was not clear if the detector had been fixed or replaced or whether it had played any role in the fire.

Howard Alkoff's D & E Equities purchased the five-story building that was built in 1916 from the city in 1984 for $31,029.

There is no indication that any construction work has been done at the building since, The Real Deal reported. The residential apartment building did not have an elevator and fire escapes were visible on the facade of the building.

'We are shocked and saddened at the loss of life and injuries which occurred,' Ronn Torossian, a spokesperson for the landlord said.

'Our prayers and thoughts are with the families that were affected.

'The landlord is communicating with the City of New York and associated agencies.'

It took an estimated 170 firefighters working in just 15 degrees to rescue people from the building as water sprayed from hoses froze into ice on the street.

De Blasio confirmed that four of the 15 injured are in critical condition and fighting for their lives at a local hospital.

'This is the worst fire tragedy we have seen in this city in at least a quarter century,' de Blasio said, adding that the fire will rank as one of the 'worst losses of life to a fire' in many years for the city.

The mayor said at least 12 people were rescued and will survive thanks to the FDNY's quick response to the scene.

'But the search of the building continues,' the mayor said, adding that 'we may lose others as well' in this 'unspeakable tragedy'.

Photographs and video of the building located at 2363 Prospect Avenue in the Belmont section, showed the fire that occurred just one block from the Bronx Zoo. The blaze appeared to be under control by the time the mayor spoke at 10pm.

About 170 firefighters worked in bone-chilling cold, just 15 degrees, to rescue people from the building. Water sprayed from hoses froze into ice on the street

Emergency workers wheel away a body from the site of an apartment fire where at least a dozen people died

Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed during a press conference that four of the 15 injured are in critical condition and fighting for their lives at a local hospital

'I want to offer my prayers to all of the families who have lost their loved ones this evening,' de Blasio said.

'I ask all New Yorkers to keep them in your prayers.'

Nigro said that fire crews received the fire alarm at 6.51pm and the department responded within three minutes.

'In a department that is certainly no stranger to tragedy, we are shocked by this loss,' Nigro said.

'People died on various floors' of the apartment building Nigro said, adding that their ages range from one-year-old to over 60.

Nigro called the fire, 'historic in its magnitude,' because of the number of lives lost.

City Department of Buildings records show the building is a walk-up apartment house. City officials advised people in the area to close their windows to keep out the smoke.

Saved: Some of the dozens of people evacuated during the fire shelter from the freezing cold under Red Cross blankets

Police also say an unidentified boy died in the blaze along with two other women aged 19 and 63

FDNY photos show ladders stretched to the roof of the five-story building that's near the Bronx Zoo

'This is the worst fire tragedy we have seen in this city in at least a quarter of a century,' de Blasio said, adding that the fire will rank as one of the 'worst losses of life to a fire' in many years for the city

City Department of Buildings records show the building is a walk-up apartment house. According to city records, the building had no elevator. Fire escapes were visible on the facade of the building

Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro said that crews (pictured) received the fire alarm at 6.51pm and the department responded within three minutes

'In a department that is certainly no stranger to tragedy, we are shocked by this loss,' Nigro said. Nigro confirmed that the fire started on the first floor and quickly spread to the fifth floor of the building

Witness, Xanral Collins, told the New York Post that heard a father screaming for his children at the scene.

'A father ran into the building, he couldn't get in,' said Collins. 'I saw him screaming, 'My babies are dead! My babies are dead!''

Video of the scene showed numerous firefighters wheeling victims out on stretchers. An EMT was seen administering chest compressions to one victim as two other firefighters wheeled them to a rescue unit nearby.

Luz Hernandez, a resident of the building, told the New York Times that she realized something was wrong when the smell of burned rubber filled her apartment on the fourth floor.

She said the smell was followed by smoke so thick that it made the room pitch-black.

Nigro called the fire, 'historic in its magnitude,' because of the number of lives lost. Firefighters are seen working the scene of the tragic fire

Members of the FDNY work at the scene of a five-alarm fire at an apartment building where at least 12 people were tragically killed

She was able to get to her husband and two sons, 11 and 16, to the window, and they climbed down the front fire escape.

Hernandez said once she and her family were safe, she saw the charred bodies of two women who lived together and their two young daughters being carried away on stretchers.

Thierno Diallo, 59, a security guard originally from Conakry, Guinea, said he was asleep in his ground floor apartment when he heard banging on the door.

Diallo said it took him a moment to realize what was happening. He said he heard people screaming: 'There's a fire in the building!' He then ran out in his bathrobe, jacket and sandals.

Video of the scene showed firefighters wheeling out victims of the horrific fire on stretchers (pictured)

An EMT was seen performing chest compressions on one victim as firefighters pushed the stretcher

Firefighters were seen prepping victims of the horrific fire for transport to local hospitals

Neighborhood resident Robert Gonzalez, who has a friend who lives in the building, said the woman was able to get out on a fire escape.

'When I got here, she was crying,' Gonzalez said.

One witness, Rafael Gonzalez, who lives across the street from the building, told WCBS-TV, that he saw some youths on a fire escape of the burning building as the fire raged.

'What woke me up was the smoke, because I thought it was my building,' he said.

A tenant in an adjoining building, Ana Santiago, told the Times that she fled when she smelled the smoke and saw young girls who had escaped the burning building on the fire escape standing barefoot outside with no coats on.

Firefighters were able to rescue several people by climbing up ladders to reach them and bringing them back down to safety

Firefighters continued to search the apartment building late Thursday night and early Friday morning for more victims

Evacuees wear American Red Cross blankets as they stand outside after a fire at the apartment building in the Bronx on Thursday night

The American Red Cross will also provide housing for displaced families from the devastating Bronx fire. Anyone who needs to check on loved ones or relatives who may have been in the building are asked to call 311

City officials said nearby Crotona International High School will be opened as a reception center for those displaced families who may need housing.

The American Red Cross will also provide housing for displaced families.

The 12 confirmed fatalities made the fire the deadliest since the inferno at the Happy Land social club in 1990 that killed 87 people.

It also surpassed one of the deadliest fires in recent city memory that happened elsewhere in the Bronx in 2007. Nine children and one adult died in that blaze that was sparked by a space heater.

Anyone who needs to check on loved ones or relatives who may have been in the building are asked to call 311.
Advertisement

Police and aviation experts hope today to start looking for clues as to why the seaplane with British passengers on board crashed into a river.

Six people died after aircraft crashed into a river north of Sydney on New Year's eve, with four Britons including an 11-year-old boy reported to be among the dead.

It was hoped the aircraft could be raised from the waters of Jerusalem Bay giving air accident investigators early indications about what might have gone wrong.

Scroll down for video

Six people have been killed after a tourist plane crashed into a river near Sydney on Sunday afternoon, with four of the victims believed to be British. Pictured is a plane believed to be the doomed aircraft spotted moments before it crashed

One theory is that the sea planes pilot - who was among the total of six people who were killed - was trying to make an emergency landing.

Witnesses enjoying New Years Eve in boats on the river said they saw the aircraft make a sharp turn before nosediving ino the water. One witness said it appeared a wing hit the water first.

It is understood authorities were early today still trying to contact families of the four UK victims, although it is not clear whether an 11-year-old boy is among the four the UK.

Police Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman, on the banks of the river, said he did not have details of the victims and was unable to provide the names or ages of those who died.

Four Britons, including an 11-year-old boy, are believed to have been on board the Sydney Seaplanes Cessna aircraft when it came down. Pictured are police officers gathering evidence at the scene

It is early in the investigation and we are working with the plane company, getting investigators here to confirm the identities and investigate why the plane crashed into the water, he said.

Video taken from a nearby boat shows what is believed to be the doomed aircraft just moments before it plunged into the Hawkesbury River around 3pm local time.

Police say the wreckage of the plane, operated by Sydney Seaplanes, was eventually found on the bottom of Cowan Creek under 42ft of water with the bodies inside.

All of the victims have now been pulled from the water and emergency services are now working to retrieve the plane. Police have not yet identified the dead, and say they do not know what caused the crash.

The passengers are believed to have been enjoying a 'wine and dine' sightseeing tour and were flying from Cottage Point to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour when the plane came down around 3pm local time

The remains of all six victims have now been taken from the water and emergency services are now working to retrieve the plane from 42ft below the surface

An officer carries a piece of debris recovered from a seaplane that crashed into the Hawkesbury River

Witness Myles Baptiste said he saw the plane crash. He told 9News: 'It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water.'

'For reasons that are not known at this stage, the plane has hit the water and it has subsequently sunk,' said a police spokesperson.

'At the time of the collision, there was a pilot and five passengers on board. I can confirm the six people on the plane are deceased.'

The plane crashed while flying a party of five from Cottage Point to Rose Bay on Sydney Harbour ahead of the New Year's Eve fireworks display.

Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw confirmed that the aircraft was one of theirs and said they were working with police on the scene.

He said: 'All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life.

'We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed. We do not yet know the cause of the accident.

'We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident.'

Emergency services were called to Cowan Creek on Sunday with reports of a light plane crash

Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw confirmed that the aircraft was one of theirs

Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters tweeted an update just after the crash around 3.15pm

Divers are searching Cowan Creek near Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River east of Cowan

He added: 'Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now.

'The safety of our passengers and staff is our absolute primary and highest priority.

'Our aircraft are professionally maintained to manufacturer's specifications and our seaplane pilots are some of the most experienced in the world.'

The company has suspended all operations until further notice, Mr Shaw said.

For 309 per person, the company's website boats that guests will 'indulge in an exceptional three-course lunch before flying over the magnificent icons of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.'

Emergency services including the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter were called to Cowan Creek in Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River east of Cowan after reports of a crash involving a six-seater de Havilland Beaverat around 3.15pm.

'It is in deep water and police divers are en route to try to determine if there are any survivors,' Stephen Leahy from the Westpac Lifesaver helicopter told ABC.

A fellow Sydney Seaplanes pilot took to Facebook to write: 'Thoughts are with the guys from Sydney Seaplanes this afternoon, hope they are all well and things have a positive outcome. Top bunch of guys working there.'

Debris and oil slick have been found on the surface of Cowan Creek where the plane crashed

A large search and rescue operation is underway to locate the plane which was submerged

The group had enjoyed the same four-hour tour package enjoyed by Pippa Middleton in May during her honeymoon with husband James Matthews

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau have sent three vehicles to investigate the incident and Daily Mail Australia has reached out to them for more information.

In a statement, the ATSB said investigators were en route from Canberra to the crash site to investigate 'the ditching of a single-engine seaplane'.

The bureau is expected to release a preliminary report in just under a month, according to The Australian. Forensic police are also on their way to the scene.

The route the seaplane took is a popular choice for tourists who want to experience Sydney's beauty from the air.

Those who have enjoyed the same flight include Kate Middleton's sister Pippa and popular TV host Jeremy Clarkson.

Other A-listers to take to the skies over scenic New South Wales with the company Sydney Seaplanes include Ed Sheeran, Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates.

Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. actually chose the sea planes to travel around Sydney earlier this month to film commercials for a phone company.
A Minnesota family is reeling over the sudden, unexplained death of their 18-year-old son who was on a flight home from school for the Christmas break after he took a nap on the plane, but never woke up.

Griffin Gutwa called his family before boarding a Delta Airlines flight from San Diego to Minneapolis-St. Paul on December 22, according to his father Gideon Gutwa. He asked for some warm water and leaned his head against the window and fell asleep, but the passenger next to him noticed his breathing pattern changed.

According to the Bemidji Pioneer, the passenger alerted the attendant, who realized something was wrong with the University of San Diego student and asked for medical professional help.

Griffin Gutwa was excited to go home for the Christmas break after finishing finals at the University of San Diego. He took a nap on the plane ride home and never woke up

The passenger seated next to Griffin noticed his breathing pattern had changed and alerted the flight crew

CPR was performed on Griffin and the pilot started looking for a place to make an emergency landing.

The plane ended up landing in Sioux Falls, S.D., where paramedics were waiting. They were unable to revive Griffin, and he was pronounced dead.

The body was left in Sioux Falls while the plane left to drop the rest of the passengers off in Minnesota, which caused the plane to be delayed by two hours.

Gideon says he arrived to pick his son up at the airport and was told the flight was delayed, so he left to pick up more family to greet their son.

He says when he returned back to the airport two hours later- Gideon hadn't gotten out of his car when airport security approached him asking if he was Griffin's father.

'How come they know my son?' he said.

The officer brought him and the family to an office where they told them Griffin was dead, according to the Pioneer.

'I thought I was dreaming. I could not believe it,' Gideon said. 'He was very healthy. He had just been here for Thanksgiving. We were expecting him to arrive safe.'

A family friend said that the shocked father went 'berserk' and ran from the office.

Devastated: Mom Gladys Makori and dad Gideon Gutwa were shocked to learn their son with a promising future had died suddenly at the age of 18

The family has been visited by friends and church members, and will continue to get visits until the January 7 funeral.

'It helps,' Gideon said, of the visitors. 'I have so many questions why, but there are no answers.'

Griffin wanted to use his medical degree to return to Kenya, where he is from, to start nonprofit organizations to help alleviate poverty.

'He loved serving the Lord,' Gideon said.

The cause of the young man's death is still under investigation by the Sioux Falls medical examiner.

He leaves behind his father, his mother Gladys Makori, his sister Wendy, 15, and brothers Brian, 12, and Garvin, 9.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family.
A former Marine who was a vocal opponent of physician-assisted suicide and suffered from brain cancer died on Saturday.

J.J. Hanson died at the age of 36, according to the New York Catholic Conference, who worked closely with him fighting the Death with Dignity bill that seeks to legalize physician-assisted suicide in New York.

'JJ lived his motto: 'Every day is a gift, and you can't ever let that go,' said Kathleen Gallagher, director of pro-life activities for the Catholic Conference, to New York Daily News.

J.J. Hanson died at the age of 36, according to the New York Catholic Conference, who worked closely with him fighting the Death with Dignity bill

'He and (his wife) Kristen are a true testament to living their faith through adversity, and JJ's death is a loving example of an authentic 'death with dignity.'

Hanson was once a former aide to both Governor Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson.

He became the president of the Patient Rights Action Fund, a group that despised assisted suicide, in 2015.

Hanson was once a former aide to both Governor Eliot Spitzer (center) and David Paterson (right)

Hanson shared with the publication in 2015 that he once supported the bill but then in his final years, he dedicated a lot of his efforts fighting physician-assisted-suicide.

A bill to legalize the practice died in New York.

'New York is a key area where we're going to fight and try to defend and not allow this to become the social norm,' Hanson said.

The father-of-two was given four months to live after he was diagnosed with brain cancer but beat those odds by three more years

Gallagher added: ' (Hanson) reached out to doctors, veterans groups and other organizations, persuaded lawmakers and journalists, raised funds for cancer research, traveled to Albany, Washington, D.C., and states all across the country, and took every opportunity to promote compassionate life-affirming care for persons facing disease and disability.

'And he did that while facing tremendous health hurdles, undergoing surgeries and treatments, and caring for his family.'

The father-of-two was given four months to live after he was diagnosed with brain cancer but beat those odds by three more years.

He became the president of the Patient Rights Action Fund, a group that despised physician-assisted suicide, in 2015. Hanson leaves behind a wife and two kids

'Like few do, he understood that time is a precious and measured commodity,' added Reverend Jason McGuire, executive director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, an evangelical Christian group against physician-assisted suicide.

'He didn't want to waste one bit of it. J.J. loved people in the moment, and through his example, he challenged us to do the same.'

The Hudson Valley Native leaves behind a wife, as well.

Senator Diane Savino, a Democrat from Staten Island who supports the Senate bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide, refrained from saying that Hanson's death had swayed her sponsorship of the bill.

She said: 'J.J. had his say. He wanted to fight it out to the very end and, God bless him, he did. Other people don't necessarily want to take that road. That's really the question: do we give people the right to decide which road they choose.'
A once-liberal Oregon college town has been overcome with crime and emboldened groups of white supremacists.

The Oregonian spoke recently with several residents in the city of Eugene about the shocking and not-so-secret neo-Nazi extremists who have made their name known across the community.

Some of the individuals include two who are said to be the 'most prominent' men - Jacob Laskey and Jimmy Marr.

'Those guys have been hanging around the movement for years,' Carla Hill, investigative researcher for the Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism told the local newspaper.

Along with other supporters, she said Laskey and Marr see an 'opportunity to make changes they dream of.'

Jimmy Marr, who goes by @genocideJimmy on Twitter, is shown inside his home in December. He told the Oregonian/OregonLive that he is 'interested in the counter-extermination of the Jews'

Marr spoke about the evolution of his ideas from his home in Springfield (pictured above)

Jacob Laskey (pictured in December) was sent to federal prison for 11 years after throwing rocks etched with swastikas into a synagogue in Eugene. He was released in 2015

During Laskey's time in prison, he wrote books, and one of them about his theory that the 'Holocaust was a hoax'

Now, Laskey said he has moved past the incidents, but hasn't denied his support of the groups

'They see this as this is their time,' Hill explained, while adding that Marr has been deemed 'Genocide Jimmy' by other white supremacy supporters.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day in January, supporters gathered outside Marr's home, where swastika flags flew near an elementary school, along with sign that said, 'The Holocaust is Hokum,' The Oregonian reports.

'I'll tell you this right now ... I'm interested in the counter-extermination of the Jews,' Marr told the newspaper during an interview inside his home.

As for Laskey, he was released from jail in 2015 after 11 years behind bars for tossing 'swastika-etched bricks through Temple Beth Israel' synagogue in the city.

During his time in prison, he wrote books, and one of them about his theory that the 'Holocaust was a hoax.'

Marr's address has long been public knowledge. On Holocaust Remembrance Day in January, swastika flags were flown near an elementary school, along with sign that said, 'The Holocaust is Hokum'

Now, Laskey said he has moved on from his past, but hasn't denied his support.

'Yes, I'm proud of my race. Yes, I'm proud of my heritage,' Laskey said. 'I'm not a fascist. I'm an American. Why can't we put America first?'

A woman working in the cannabis industry in the area, Bethany Sherman, was also accused of having a role in the racist group.

In honor of Adolf Hitler's birthday, one resident alleged Sherman baked 'cookies in the shape of swastikas,' the newspaper said.

Laskey previously praised Sherman on his YouTube channel and said she 'is a hero because she doesn't have white guilt.'

Shortly after the allegations, Sherman was forced to close down her marijuana testing lab after she was reproved by customers and other community members.

Bethany Sherman sits in the window of her mother, Sue Sherman's hospital room. Sue was diagnosed a year ago with pancreatic cancer. Sherman has been forced to close down her marijuana testing lab after she was accused of taking part in white supremacy groups

Owners of OG Analytical, a cannabis testing lab in Eugene, were alleged by Eugene activist to have participate in neo-Nazi activities

Another local business owner, who does not associate with the group, said she has been a target of hate and vandalism after she banned a group of individuals who openly expressed the white supremacist views from her bar.

Old Nick's Pub owner, Emily Nyman, told the newspaper that a swastika was painted outside her business with a message that said: 'We're watching you.'

Nyman, a supporter of the anti-fascist movement, said she was forced to hire a lawyer and contact the FBI after she was harassed online.

Along with her own protection, Nyman said she wishes to help others in Eugene - particularly ethnic minority groups.

'As a white businesswoman who has less to fear I feel like I owe it to the people in my community who can't speak out,' Nyman said.

Hate crimes in the city of Eugene went up by 44 since 2016 - as city officials recorded a total of 60 in 2017.

'Vandalism and graffiti made up 20 percent of the hate crimes reported between January and October,' The Oregonian reports.

'This year has seen a flurry of racist and anti-Semitic activity across the city. Vandals have struck cars, storefronts and public property with painted swastikas.

'Repugnant messages and symbols have defaced schools, churches and the federal courthouse.'

A local business owner, who does not associate with the group, said she has been a target of hate as well as vandalism
Advertisement

The countdown to 2018 has given revellers even more reason to celebrate at Falls Festival in Byron Bay.

Over 25,000 people began arriving at North Byron Parklands on Friday for the three-day festival.

With temperatures reaching over 30C on Sunday party-goers were seen in short skirts, tank tops and bikinis as they danced to the likes of Flume and Lorde.

Scroll down for video

Don't Falls Festival: Hundreds of people were seen dancing on friends' shoulders at the festival on Sunday night

Hello 2018: Over 25,000 people began arriving at North Byron Parklands on Friday for the three-day festival

That looks relaxing! One party-goer was seen cooling off in the water on a giant blow-up flamingo

Looking the part: One attendee wore a black two piece with matching fishnets

X marks the spot: A woman with tape over her nipples and love hearts drawn on her face attends Falls with her friend who is wearing a white dress and black belt to match her boots

The countdown to 2018 has given revellers even more reason to celebrate at Falls Festival in Byron Bay

With temperatures reaching over 30C party-goers were seen in short skirts, tank tops and bikinis as they danced to the likes of Flume and Lorne

Don't have a cow man! The countdown to 2018 has given revellers even more reason to celebrate at Falls Festival in Byron Bay

Yaaaaaaaaaas! This woman was seen STANDING on a friend's shoulders with no doubt the best view of the live acts

One attendee wore a black two piece with matching fishnets. Another was seen cooling off in the water on a giant blow-up flamingo.

A teenager has reported being sexually assaulted in a Falls Festival mosh pit, despite police warnings after the event was marred by similar attacks last year.

The 19-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by an unknown man during a set by The Jungle Giants at the Marion Bay music festival at 9:30pm on Friday.

Detective Constable Damien McVilly said Tasmania police want to hear from two women who helped the victim leave the mosh pit after the alleged assault.

'We want patrons to feel safe and enjoy the event so we urge anyone witnessing this kind of behaviour to report it immediately,' he said, ABC News reported.

'Although the mosh pit itself is designed for close contact, any form of touching without the other person's consent is not okay.'

Is that water? It was all smiles at Falls Festival in Byron Bay as party-goers rang in 2018

With temperatures reaching over 30C punters cooled off at Falls Festival

Cops are tops: Well at least this festival-goer seemed to think so

In the words of Fatman Scoop, 'If you got long hair, get your hands up': Over 25,000 people arrived in Bryon Bay on Sunday for Falls Festival

Over 25,000 people began arriving at North Byron Parklands on Friday for the three-day festival

This festival-goer was seen in high spirits as she partied away 2017

Bring on 2018: Revellers will party 2017 away at Falls Festival in Byron Bay

Heads and shoulders above the rest: This woman had the best view of live acts on Sunday night

He said police and event organisers condemned the behaviour, which came despite police warnings about a repeat of last year's incidents.

At the 2016 Falls Festival three women reported being attacked - two said they were sexually assaulted in mosh pits, and one at the Marion Bay camping site.

Tasmania Police last week promised to have plain-clothed officers joining cops in uniform patrolling mosh pits to prevent attacks on women.

Stickers saying 'Enjoy the festival, don't assault anyone' were seen at the festival, some stuck on the backs of toilet doors.

Police urged anyone feeling isolated or unsafe to seek help from police or festival security staff.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Falls Festival for comment.

Sweatbox: Temperatures reached 30C in Byron Bay on Sunday for Falls Festival

Pyjama party? These punters were seen rocking up in their PJs

Anything goes: This man was seen wearing a matching shirt and shorts with a friend taking a ride on his back

This woman was seen rolling out of 2017 and into 2018 with style

Girlg gang: Revellers bring in NYE at Falls Festival in Byron Bay

Gal pals: Two women seen entering Falls on Sunday afternoon for the first day of the festival

Getting into the Falls spirit: This punter was seen getting some body art painted on his back at the festival on Sunday

Topsie turvie: This bloke was seen posing upside down in front of a giant 'I heart Falls sign'

Falls Festival in Byron Bay was a hit with party-goers ringing in the New Year on Sunday
The Iranian regime has warned protesters will 'pay the price' after demonstrators burned flags, attacked government buildings and set fire to pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a third night of unrest.

Officials promised to use an 'iron fist' to crush dissent, raising fears of widespread bloodshed after two activists were shot dead in the city of Dorud overnight.

The government has confirmed the deaths, but said the men were killed by 'foreign agents' and not the security forces.

Video posted on social media showed two young men lying on the ground and covered with blood as a voice over said they had been shot dead by police.

A video appeared to show the bodies of two protesters who it was claimed had been shot dead by protesters in the city of Dorud

Protesters set fire to a government office in the city of Khorramabad as the protests continued into the night

Demonstrators burnt cars in Tehran after violent clashes earlier in the day at the city's universit

'A number of people took to the streets responding to calls from hostile groups,' Lorestan province deputy governor Habibollah Khojastehpour told state television.

'Unfortunately in these clashes two citizens from Dorud were killed. No bullets were fired by the police, military or security forces towards the people,' he said.

Videos on social media overnight showed demonstrations in Isfahan, Mashhad and many smaller cities but travel restrictions and limited coverage by official media made it difficult to confirm reports.

Instagram and anonymous messaging app Telegram, which was used to spread news of the protests, also appeared to have been shut down by authorities.

Semi-official conservative outlets confirmed an evening attack on a town hall in Tehran and showed protesters attacking banks and municipal buildings in other parts of the country.

'Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price,' Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television early on Sunday.

'The spreading of violence, fear and terror will definitely be confronted,' he added.

US President Donald Trump weighed in, saying 'oppressive regimes cannot endure forever'.

In one of the few official reports, an official in Arak, around 300 kilometres (190 miles) southwest of Tehran, said 80 people had been arrested overnight.

'Some intended to enter and damage some government places but the attackers did not manage to achieve their goals... and the town is under control,' the unidentified official told the ILNA news agency.

Iranian authorities said the majority of social media reports were emanating from regional rival Saudi Arabia and exile groups based in Europe.

Internet was temporarily cut on mobile phones on Saturday night but was restored not long after.

President Hassan Rouhani, who came to power in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, has so far not made any statement since the unrest started in second city Mashhad on Thursday.

The protests began in Mashhad against high living costs and the struggling economy before spreading quickly to other areas and turning against the Islamic regime as a whole.

A large crowd took to the streets of Tehran to protest against the government for a third day

A crowd tore down a banner depicting the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been the focus for much of the Iranian protesters anger

The demonstrations are the largest in Iran since those that took place after the disputed presidential election of 2009

Protesters set fire to a police motorbike in the city of Mashhad, in the north-east of Iran

Donald Trump tweeted his support for the protesters in Iran saying 'oppressive regimes cannot endure for ever'

Slogans such as 'Death to the dictator' have been heard throughout the protests.

There have been reminders of the regime's continued support among conservative sections of society, with pro-regime students outnumbering protesters at the University of Tehran on Saturday.

Pre-planned rallies to mark the defeat of a 2009 protest movement also saw thousands of regime supporters out on the streets across the country on Saturday morning.

But the anti-government protests appear to have been driven in large part by poorer sections of society, angry over high unemployment, soaring prices and financial scandals.

'These protests are driven by the lower levels of society who have been hit by major economic problems, particularly losing their money when credit institutions collapsed,' said Payam Parhiz, editor in chief of reformist media network Nazar, which first broke news of the Mashhad protests.

'These economic protests are not something that has started overnight, it's been at least a year since these people lost their money in credit institutions and have been protesting at various places,' he told AFP.

Unemployment is particularly high among young people, who have grown up in a less restrictive environment and are generally considered less deferential to authority.

Since the 2009 protests against a disputed presidential election that gave hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term were ruthlessly put down, many middle-class Iranians have abandoned hope of securing change from the streets.

But low-level strikes and demonstrations have continued, with bus drivers, teachers and factory workers protesting against unpaid wages and poor conditions.
Naomi Oni was left with horrific burns after she was attacked with acid by friend Mary Konye who she had known from school. She is pictured on This Morning in 2014

A woman who was scarred for life after having acid thrown in her face by a friend has spoken out for the first time about being 'betrayed'.

Naomi Oni suffered horrific burns and was nearly blinded by the attack when she was ambushed by a jealous friend as she stepped off a bus, just after Christmas in 2012.

The 25-year-old was attacked by Mary Konye  who disguised herself by wearing an Islamic niqab and followed her home from Westfield shopping centre, in Stratford, East London.

Now, five years on since horrific attack, courageous Ms Oni has spoken out for the first time of how it changed her life forever.

A new BBC3 documentary on acid attacks has revealed Konye sent sympathetic messages with Ms Oni immediately after the attack while police were still hunting the perpetrator.

She even attended a birthday party for the victim.

'I thought she was my friend and I couldn't understand why she did what she did,' Ms Oni tells the programme.

Attacker Mary Konye (far left with victim Ms Oni and right) disguised herself in an Islamic niqab and followed Ms Oni home from Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, East London

Ms Oni was so badly burned that she had to have facial reconstruction surgery twice. Doctors used skin from her leg to reconstruct her face and skin from behind her ear to recreate her eyelids

'To be betrayed - for someone to lead you to your own destruction - I was heartbroken.'

It comes amid a spate of acid attacks in the capital.

On Wednesday, a 26-year-old woman suffered life-changing burns to her face and leg when she was sprayed with acid while walking in East London.

No arrests have been made and the Metropolitan Police are reviewing CCTV images.

Ms Oni was so badly burned that she had to have facial reconstruction surgery twice.

Doctors had to use skin from her thighs to rebuild her face as well as skin from behind her ears to create new eyelids.

The attacker disguised herself in an Islamic niqab and followed the victim home from an East London shopping centre before attacking her with acid

Speaking of the attack, she said: 'I looked to the side of me and I remember seeing someone in just black and the person's face being covered.

'There was a very cold stare and I remember thinking, "Whoah, OK, just cross the road and go to your house".

'Before I knew it I felt a huge splash and I immediately screamed.

'I was running down my road. I remember banging on the door, screaming "It's burning, it's burning, acid, acid, acid."'

A new BBC Three documentary, Acid Attack: My Story, reveals how Ms Oni feared her skin was 'dissolving' and she would 'just corrode away'. She is pictured outside Snaresbrook Crown Court in 2014 during her attacker's trial

The door was opened by Ms Oni's horrified mother, who froze with shock.

She added: 'I thought my skin was dissolving like I was going to - I don't know - just corrode away.'

Konye was eventually jailed for 12 years for the horrific attack, after police reviewed CCTV footage showed a woman in a niqab following Ms Oni.

She had known her attacker since school and believes she may have carried out the assault out of jealousy over her fair-skinned complexion  which can be regarded as more beautiful in some African and Asian cultures.

'I don't think it's true but that was probably a big thing for her,' Ms Oni added.
Advertisement

Photographs have revealed the devastated remains of homes after a raging inferno spread across several floors thanks to the high rise's wooden balconies.

Flames and smoke spread to several flats of the building in Manchester's Northern Quarter and a 23-year-old was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

At the height of the blaze, twelve engines were deployed and a firefighter was seen leaping from one balcony to another after being pictured outside a burning apartment.

Residents of the block revealed how they were told to stay inside their flats by firefighters as a wall of deadly smoke had filled the block's staircase.

An investigation has now begun into what caused the tower block fire, which comes six months after a blaze at Grenfell Tower in London killed 71 people.

The fire service said it had been spread by the block's wooden balconies, while external cladding was ruled out as an accelerant.

The devastation caused by yesterday's fire shows several flats gutted out after the blaze was spread by the block's wooden balconies

Hundreds of tower block residents cheated death after the huge inferno broke out and spread across three floors due to the high rise's wooden balconies

Forensics survey the aftermath of the fire as an investigation into how the fire started and spread rapidly between homes is conducted

Police, forensics and fire investigators survey the aftermath of the fire as an investigation is launched into what caused the blaze to star

An investigation has now begun into what caused the tower block fire, which comes six months after a blaze at Grenfell Tower in London killed 71 people

Flames and smoke spread to several flats of the building in Manchester's Northern Quarter and a 23-year-old was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation

A firefighter is pictured on a balcony at the tower block (left) and according to an eyewitness was seen leaping onto another burning balcony shortly after. Shown right, a block resident filmed the blaze from their flat

Rescuers were seen appearing to tackle the fire in Manchester's Northern Quarter as it appeared to engulf several of the tower block's floors

People were seen trying to bring the blaze under control at the 12-storey building in Manchester's city centre

One of the building's rooms is pictured after fire raged through the tower block in Manchester's Northern Quarter

As the blaze raged, Manchester Fire and Rescue Service tweeted: 'We still have 12 fire appliances tackling the blaze in the Northern Quarter over a number of floors.

'Firefighting in still ongoing and one casualty has been taken to hospital suffer by smoke inhalation. Please avoid the area as roads are still shut.'

In a statement, the service also said: 'We're currently tackling a fire on the 9th floor of a 12 storey building on Joiner Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter.'

Second floor resident Megan Baxter told the Manchester Evening News: 'I heard a knock on the door, but I thought it was just a postman so I didn't answer at first.

'Then I could hear people shouting in the hallway. About five or ten minutes later, next door came and knocked on the door and I answered.

'He said: "There's a fire, you need to get out."

'I was only in a dressing gown, so I threw some pyjamas on and slippers.

'I tried to get my hamster out of her cage, but she wouldn't get out so I had to leave her.

'I came downstairs and looked up and the sky was covered in smoke, with fire engine. Six or seven fire engines pulled up, there was firemen running everywhere, and about a hundred people in the street.'

A fire has broken out on the ninth floor of a 12 storey block in Manchester's Northern Quarter

One witness describing the blaze, pictured, said: 'It looks like a very big fire. 'There are police and ambulances and fire engines everywhere'

Paramedics along with 12 teams of firefighters have been deployed at the scene of the blaze in the Northern Quarter of Manchester

Meghan Baxter told how she fled the burning 12-storey tower block, leaving her hamster behind as she raced to safety

Damian Butters and his wife Irena, from Russia, were staying on the 13th floor of the apartment block during a visit to Manchester for the New Year.

They were told by a firefighter not to leave the building as there was too much smoke on the stairs.

It was pretty scary, my wifes first reaction was it the same sort of building as the one in London [Grenfell Tower], Mr Butters told the Manchester Evening News.

Reception told us to stay in the room until we waited for further information. Eventually a fireman came in and reassured us all was OK but we were not allowed to leave the hotel.

They told us there was too much smoke on the stairs. Weve been waiting for more than an hour so far.

A total of 12 fire engines were deployed to the scene in Manchester's Northern Quarter as the fire seemed to engulf several floors of a 12-storey block

Drone footage shows damage to the tower block, where fire spread to several floors in Manchester's Northern Quarter

It is also understood that external balconies on the building were also on fire.

Manchester Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the fire is now under control in a tweet saying: The fire had spread to multiple floors but we have things well under control here.

Firefighters along with colleagues from the Police and Ambulance service have done an amazing job to tackle this difficult incident.

Onlookers broke into spontaneous applause as firefighters doused the flames, which appear to be reducing in ferocity. The service also flew a drone around the block afterwards showing the devastation wrought by the fire.

A witness told the BBC: The fire has now been doused. A big hose on some kind of crane got it under control.

The crowd has been applauding the firefighters as they are doing a heroic job.

Lucy Powell, Labour and Cooperative MP for Manchester Central, quoted a witness on the ground who claimed the fire had been put out.

She also said officials would ensure that everyone who was evacuated from the block of flats would have somewhere to stay.

Referencing local councillor Pat Karney, Ms Powell said: Pat is at the scene and tells me the fire has been put out.

He and the council will ensure that everyone evacuated will have somewhere to stay. All fire and response procedures have kicked in.

Again, please stay away from the area to allow services access.

Just after 6pm she tweeted: I have spoken with the Manchester fire service. The #manchesterfire is under control and the building is being safely evacuated.

Paramedics & others are at the scene to triage all those affected but no serious injuries known. Thank you our brilliant firefighters & paramedics.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn praised emergency services for their swift response.

He tweeted: 'Thank you to @manchesterfire for their heroic work bringing the blaze in Manchester's Northern Quarter under control, and to the swift response of @gmpolice and paramedics.'

A number of roads were sealed off by police as the fire raged in shocking footage captured here.

Lucy Powell MP praised the 'brilliant' work of Manchester's firefighters, who have now brought the blaze under control in the Northern Quarter

Emergency services continue to deal with the aftermath of the blaze and the block is now being evacuated

Crowds of people gathered on nearby streets to watch smoke and flames pouring from the block of flats

Manchester Fire Service said the ninth and 10th floors of the 12-storey block on Joiner Street, pictured here from a nearby road, were on fire

There are 12 fire engines fighting the fire in Manchester's Northern Quarter, and several nearby roads have been sealed off by police

Witness Andrew Hirst said crowds could be heard cheering as the fire was extinguished.

'You could hear the crowd's cheers as it was going down and you could see the torches from the firemen searching the burned out apartments right next door to the other apartments that were still frighteningly ablaze,' the 36-year-old said.

A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said resources are at the scene as shocking footage showed the spread of the fire here.

One witness told the Manchester Evening News: 'It looks like a very big fire.

'There are police and ambulances and fire engines everywhere.

'The fire is about half way up the building - it looks serious.'

Footage posted on social media showed residents of the block of flats walking away from the fire after being evacuated by emergency services.

A woman can be heard saying: 'We decided to spend a night in Manchester and the room below us set on fire, mental.'

People have been advised to stay away from the area as several floors appear to have been affected by the fire

Images posted on social media show smoke billowing out of the building on Joiner Street in the city's Northern Quarter, while crowds of people watch on from below

The blaze appears to have affected several floors at the 12-storey tower block in Manchester's Northern Quarter

People have been advised to stay away from the scene of a fire that broke out in a tower block in Manchester

The 12-storey block, which is located in Manchester's Northern Quarter, is pictured before today's blaze broke out and affected several floors

Church Street has been closed eastbound due to the incident between High Street and Tib Street's junction with Dale Street.

The incident comes seven months after the Grenfell Tower disaster, where 71 people died in a huge blaze that engulfed the 27-storey tower block in Kensington, West London.

The fire broke out as Manchester United prepared to face off against Southampton at Old Trafford, which is less than four miles away.
Major security measures are in place as millions around the country flood into capital cities to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Less than a fortnight after the shocking attack in Flinders Street, police in Melbourne remain on high alert throughout the CBD.

Forklifts were being used by council workers to lay concrete bollards to protect the major roads in the city where large crowds are expected to gather.

In Sydney police are also out in force, using large trucks and buses to secure roads that will be walked by millions of excited revellers throughout the night.

Less than a fortnight after the shocking attack in Flinders Street, police in Melbourne remain on high alert and concrete bollards have been placed on roads throughout the CBD (pictured)

In Sydney police are also out in force, using large trucks and buses to secure roads that will be walked by millions of revellers

Many of the top vantage points around Sydney harbour are already full of excited partygoers

The extra security measures come after police last month foiled a plot to launch an attack in Melbourne on New Year's Eve.

Ali Khalif Shire Ali allegedly planned to arm himself with an automatic rifle and shoot as many people as possible in Federation Square before midnight.

He was arrested by police in November and faces multiple terror related charges.

With many of the prime spots on Sydney harbour full by the early afternoon, police are being forced to patrol not only on land but also out on the water.

Thousands of boats who have taken up prime position on the harbour were joined by sea police, checking .

Of the major vantage points looking on to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Blues Point, Milsons Point, Circular Quay, Mrs Macquarie's Point and the Opera House are full.

Police control crowds in Sydney's packed CBD, where millions will venture to watch fireworks

A large bus is parked across a road near Blues Point, one of the most popular vantage points, to protect crowds

Of the major vantage points looking on to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Blues Point, Milsons Point, Circular Quay, Mrs Macquarie's Point and the Opera House are full

The potential for rain has done little to deter crowds in Sydney, while Melbourne has been bathed in sunshine in the lead up to 2018.

Brisbane is expected to be hit hardest in the lead up to the new year, with heavy rain and even hail forecast.

Severe thunderstorm warnings are in place for parts of Queensland, but its expected the worst of the weather should pass by the time the clock strikes midnight.
The mother of a British woman jailed for taking painkillers into Egypt says her daughter is struggling to cope with life behind bars.

Roberta Synclair said when she visited daughter Laura Plummer at the notorious jail in Qena, 'she kept saying, 'I can't do this, I can't do this.''

Miss Plummer, a shop assistant from Hull, was sentenced to three years after arriving at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada with 290 Tramadol pills in her luggage.

Roberta Synclair (left), the mother of jailed Briton Laura Plummer, says her daughter is struggling to cope with 'horrendous' conditions inside Egyptian jail

Miss Plummer (left) was sentenced to three years for bringing 290 Tramadol tablets - which are legal in the UK but banned in Egypt - into the country for boyfriend Omar Azim (right)

Miss Synclair said: 'I'm so frightened for her. We are hoping for a miracle  that she doesn't get three years after appeal.

'She was devastated when I saw her, but I'm so proud of her. I kept saying, 'You've already done three months  if you can do that you can do anything'.

'She kept saying 'I can't, I can't', but she seems to have pulled herself together a bit more now.'

Miss Synclair said Laura described prison conditions as 'horrendous.'

Since then she has been transferred to a police station holding room in Hugharda just five minutes from where she was staying.

Her family have now been told they must wait at least two months before they can begin the appeal process - and it could take another 10 months to be heard.

Sister Rachel Plummer said they are not pinning much hope on an appeal but added: 'If she can cope the last three months she will do this - she's stronger then we think.

'I'm just scared for her - I'm so sorry for her.

'It kills me that we can't do anything to help her and she's on my mind every second.

'I hate waking up in a morning to feel the way I feel again - it's horrible feeling so helpless not knowing what my sister is going through every day.'

Laura's mum Roberta Synclair visited Laura at the police station on Thursday.

Rachel said: 'She (Laura) was coping Ok - she's obviously frightened but she's Ok.

'The room she was in was better then the previous well and the police very good with Laura and my mum - very professional.

'It was fine - there was a bed and Laura had a blanket and a cushion that we had brought her on a previous trip.

'Mum took her plenty of food but her husband Omar will take her food and our lawyer will.

'Mum is distraught and heartbroken but if Laura can cope she can cope - Laura's strength gives my mum and all of us strength.

'We say we are living a nightmare but it will be nothing compared to Laura's nightmare.

'But my mum could see Laura was coping Ok she just wants to get her head down and do her time and get it over with now.

'The sooner it's done the sooner she can come home and get back to work which is all Laura wants - to be back to normality.'

Laura has been clutching a rabbit toy to help her with her ordeal, her mother said

The notorious Qena Prison, where Laura was initially held before she was moved to a police station in Hurghada due to a lack of room

However Laura's family, from Hull, East Yorks., still face an agonising wait as they still do not know which prison she will be transferred to permanently.

Rachel said: 'We're just so disappointed we didn't get her home on Boxing Day.

'It's horrible - we've not had a Christmas because of it and we won't be celebrating New Year.

'We did the presents and put the tree up for this kids but the family didn't do presents for each other.

'My dad wished me a happy Christmas but then went on to say 'I know none of us are going to have a happy Christmas but it's the thing to say'.

'We just wanted Laura back - we said we'll celebrate when she comes home.'

Miss Plummer said she brought the pills for her boyfriend Omar Azim, who claims to suffer from back pain following a car crash.

Tramadol is legal in the UK on prescription but is illegal in Egypt.

Mr Azim has a wife and two children, and Miss Plummer was aware of the other relationship. He and Miss Plummer had an Orfi marriage two years ago, which is not registered with the state but lets them share a hotel room.

He has admitted he is responsible for her plight, but insists he did not know which type of painkiller she would be bringing.

Speaking to the Mail from his home in Beni Suef near Cairo, Mr Azim, said: 'My heart is absolutely broken  I'm missing her so much.

'I did not want her to violate her life and I had no idea she would bring tramadol  I would have told her 'don't bring it to Egypt'.'

He added that he is campaigning for her release and is looking for a 'better lawyer' to help.

Mr Azim said of Miss Plummer: 'She's my wife and I love her. I have been depressed. I was wordless [at the court verdict].'

They met four years ago at the Hilton hotel in Sharks Bay, near Sharm el-Sheikh, where he was working as a lifeguard and Miss Plummer was on holiday.

Mr Azim said: 'From the first meeting it was love. Afterwards, she came to Egypt just for me and I took vacations so we could spend them together.'

He added: 'I will wait for her to come out.'
A British schoolgirl was left fighting for her life and permanently scarred after she got a near-fatal electric shock while playing in a hotel swimming pool.

Jade Miller, nine, knelt on electric wiring in a water feature and was instantly knocked unconscious at the resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The shock initially paralysed her from the neck down and left her unable to see or speak.

It also disrupted her heartbeat, damaged the cardiac muscle and left her with deep burns on her left leg where the electricity entered and exited her body.

Jade Miller, nine, pictured with her parents Meredith, 48, and Simon, 59, knelt on electric wiring in a water feature and was instantly knocked unconscious

Jade had to be treated in hospital with electric burn injuries on her leg with doctors saying she was lucky to be alive

Her parents Meredith, 48, and Simon, 59, had to find around 20,000 overnight to charter a flight to airlift Jade from to a better hospital in Thailand.

Staff at the Golden Temple Hotel claim she was merely burned by the heat of the lamp, despite hospital documents diagnosing an electric shock.

The schoolgirl has been left with lifelong scars where the skin was removed from her back and stomach to patch up the burns on her legs.

Jade, who suffers flashbacks and night terrors, has written a heartbreaking letter to the hotel's bosses begging them to be more careful.

Her handwritten note says: 'I'm sad that happened to me. I feel angry.

'I nearly died and you don't even say sorry or care about people.

'I feel deeply sorry and so should you.'

The shock Jade suffered at the swimming pool at the Golden Temple Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia, left her temporarily paralysed

Jade's father Simon, pictured here with his daughter, and mother Meredith had to find 20,000 for Jade to be airlifted to a better hospital in Thailand

American-born Jade was on holiday with her mum, family friend Danielle Connolly and her daughter, Rafa, six, when the incident happened in July this year.

The girls were jumping in and out of the pool at the hotel in Siem Reap when Jade suddenly collapsed while climbing out onto a ledge.

Meredith, a forensic scientist, thought she was larking about until Rafa got an electric shock when she touched Jade's leg.

Distraught Meredith felt a jolt of electricity herself when she scooped unconscious Jade from the waterfall and lay her limp body on a poolside sunbed.

She had huge burns on her legs but they found a faint pulse and rushed her to Royal Angkor International Hospital in the back of a van.

Jade was initially taken to Royal Angkor International Hospital in the back of a van but was airlifted for treatment with pediatric cardiologists in Bangkok, Thailand

Medics advised she be moved to pediatric cardiologists in Bangkok - and the family had to find the money to fly her there in a private plane the next day.

'They said that she was lucky to be alive and that the next 48 hours were critical,' said Meredith, who lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

'Her heart condition was so severe they were unable at that point to carry out any treatment to her burns. It was appalling.'

Dad Simon added: 'Meredith will never forget the sound of her screams.'

The family claim the hotel paid for her first night in hospital but refused to pay for the rest of her medical costs - an estimated 30,000.

'If we hadn't got together the money for the plane we don't know if she would be dead or not,' said Simon.

The water feature in the swimming pool where Jade was hurt. Hotel staff said it was the heat of the lamp which had injured her but hospital documents diagnosed an electric shock

Jade spent just under a week in hospital so doctors could stabilise her heart, before returning three weeks later for skin grafts.

Medical reports from the Royal Angkor International Hospital mention 'effects of electric current' and 'patient got electric shock then burn on left leg.'

Documents from Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre described 'electrical injury in swimming pool'.

'We're just happy she's still with us - it really was touch and go at one point,' said Simon.

'She still has to speak to a psychologist once a week to get through the trauma.

Jade spent just under a week in hospital so doctors could stabilise her heart, before returning three weeks later for skin grafts

'She relieves the moment she woke up in the van and couldn't speak. She is angry with the hotel. She wants to go back and confront them and tell them what she thinks of them.

'We just want to make sure that people know about the lack of safety measures in these places. It really is abysmal.

'We don't want anyone else to go through what we went through.'

Luon Thea, general manager of the Golden Temple Hotel, said Jade was playing on a 'restricted area' of the pool 15 minutes after it closed, and the injury was caused by the heat from the lamps and not a shock.

Dad Simon said Jade's mother Meredith would 'never forget the sound of her screams' after her daughter narrowly escaped death

He said they were not willing to pay the plane transfer fee - but did pay initial hospital costs of 1,306 and waived all accommodation costs.

He said: 'The doctor said the injury of the patient was irritated by the heat of lamps, not the electric shock.

'If the electric shock had been electrocuted, the victim would not live.'

He added: 'On behalf of my whole team and owner, I'm so sorry to see the incident happening to Ms. Jade Miller while she was playing at the poolside who got electric burn on her left leg touching the lamp at the water fall where is a restricted area not allow to climb on.'
Millions of revellers crammed around Sydney harbour have had an early taste of the spectacular that is to come at midnight, with the early fireworks display.

For close to eight minutes the night sky was alight with all the colours of the rainbow as thousands of fireworks exploded on both sides of the Harbour Bridge at 9pm.

The entree to the midnight main course is built as a kids and family spectacular, with many parents now set to put their kids to bed and enjoy seeing in the end to 2018.

Scroll down for video

Millions of revellers crammed around Sydney harbour have had an early taste of the fireworks spectacular that is to come at midnight, with the 9pm display (pictured)

For close to eight minutes the night sky was alightas thousands of fireworks exploded on both sides of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Many of the best vantage points around the harbour were full of people by the early afternoon.

Thousands of boats also crammed onto the water to snag unbeatable views looking directly onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Come midnight the sky above the harbour will light up for close to 15 minutes with close to 1 billion people around the world expected to watch.

For the first time ever, the final 10 second countdown for 2018 will be written in the sky with fireworks.

Many of the top vantage points around Sydney harbour are already full of excited partygoers

Less than a fortnight after the shocking attack in Flinders Street, police in Melbourne remain on high alert and concrete bollards have been placed on roads throughout the CBD (pictured)

In Sydney police are also out in force, using large trucks and buses to secure roads that will be walked by millions of revellers

Major security measures are in place as millions around the country flood into capital cities to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Less than a fortnight after the shocking attack in Flinders Street, police in Melbourne remain on high alert throughout the CBD.

Forklifts were being used by council workers to lay concrete bollards to protect the major roads in the city where large crowds are expected to gather.

In Sydney police are also out in force, using large trucks and buses to secure roads that will be walked by millions of excited revellers throughout the night.
Omar Bakri Mohammed holds Syrian and Lebanese citizenship and lived in Britain for 20 years.

He moved to the UK in 1986 and while living here he claimed benefits for himself, his wife and his seven children.

During this time he received notoriety for his outspoken support of various jihad groups and attacks, and labeling the London 7/7 bombers as the 'fantastic four'.

He said the British people were to blame for the terror attacks on the capital because they 'did not make enough effort to stop its own government committing its own atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan'.

The Syrian-born radical suffered injuries to his back and head during the brawl between Shias and Sunnis in Roumieh prison, Lebanon. Formerly, he tried to board (pictured) a British Navy ship evacuating Brits fleeing the war struck country but was refused

Known as the 'Tottenham Ayatollah', he has also been blamed for radicalising several young extremists, including the killers of Lee Rigby, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.

However, in the wake of the London attacks, he fled Britain concerned about being pursued by British authorities under rarely-used treason laws.

Although he never faced charges, after he left he was banned from ever returning to the country by the Home Office after they deemed his presence was not conducive to the 'public good'.

Speaking to journalists in 2005 from Beirut, Bakri claimed he would never return to Britain as the government refused to accept his support of Osama Bin Laden and the need for jihad.

The cleric has been repeatedly linked with Al Qaeda but has denied the claims.

Around 2005 he surfaced in Tripoli, Lebanon.
A boat loaded with fireworks has exploded in front of shocked onlookers, forcing the many families watching on a beach just metres away to evacuate.

Thousands had packed the foreshore at Terrigal, on the NSW central coast, to watch the 9pm spectacular when the boat suddenly caught alight.

Two fireworks technicians on the boat were forced to jump into the water and swim for their lives as the fireworks began to explode.

Shocking video taken by an onlooker caught the moment a large bang erupted from the boat, drawing scared screams from the crowd and forcing people to evacuate.

A barge loaded with fireworks has exploded in front of shocked onlookers at Terrigal, on the NSW central coast, forcing those gathered to watch the display to evacuate

Fireworks began exploding at random, with some even shooting out in the direction of the beach and coming perilously close to those gathered.

Within seconds of the display starting the boat was covered in smoke as fireworks began firing out at random.

Witnesses reported some fireworks shooting horizontally across the water towards those who had gathered on the sand. There have been no reports of injuries.

'Barge on fire and fireworks going everywhere,' tweeted one shocked local who was watching the display.

Scared children who had taken up a vantage point close to the waters edge could be seen running in the opposite direction to the fireworks.

Screams reverberated around the beach as the thousands gathered began running for safety.

The fire brigade was called to put out the blaze, with others at the scene describing it as 'chaotic'.

Thousands had packed the foreshore at Terrigal, on the NSW central coast, to watch the 9pm spectacular when disaster struck
A woman who asked to be seen by a female nurse when she went for a smear test was 'embarrassed' when she was allocated a person with 'stubble and a beard'.

Upon being called in for the procedure, the patient said she was 'distressed' to discover that the nurse was biologically male.

When she pointed out the mistake, the nurse responded that their gender was not male and that they were transsexual.

In the end, the patient decided not to go ahead with the intimate procedure and complained to the NHS.

Upon being called in for the procedure, the patient said she was 'distressed' to discover that the nurse was biologically male

The woman received an apology from the NHS following the incident at a clinic in North West London NHS Foundation on September 16 last year. Pictured: The trust's headquarters at Stephenson House, London

She told The Sunday Times that it was 'weird where somebody says to you "my gender is not male" and you think: "well, what does that even mean? You're clearly a man!"'

The patient described the nurse as having an 'obviously male appearance...close-cropped hair, a male facial appearance and voice, large number of tattoos and facial stubble.'

The woman received an apology from the NHS following the incident at a clinic in North West London NHS Foundation on September 16 last year.

In her letter of complaint she wrote that, when booking the appointment, she had requested a female nurse or practitioner.

Justine Greening said she was considering proposals that would allow people to legally change their gender without being diagnosed by a doctor

She added: 'People who are not comfortable about this are presented as bigots and this is kind of how I was made to feel about it.'

The patient emphasised that her complaint was not in relation to the nurse's appearance or gender status.

It comes as equalities minister and education secretary Justine Greening said she was considering proposals that would allow people to legally change their gender without being diagnosed by a doctor.

Ms Greening was last week said to be getting cold feet about self-certification after a consultation on changes to the Gender Recognition Act was delayed.

James Caspian, a psychotherapist who works specialises in working with transgender people, said scenarios similar to that the patient who went for a smear test experienced would become more common is self-certification went ahead.

He argued that politicians had not thought through the implications of such a move.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust said: 'We apologised to this patient for the recording error and because the staff member accepted they didnt manage the situation appropriately or professionally; the patient needed to feel listened to.

'Trust policy for all services is to consider seriously all requests for clinicians of a particular gender; it allows patients to feel more supported; we will deny a request if we believe it to be sexually motivated or where there might be a risk to a member of staff, but we will always explain ourselves.'

NHS guidelines say its transgender employees receive equal treatment and protection from discrimination at work but does not go into specifics about procedures.

The national census will ask every home in England and Wales if a transgender person lives there.

The question, likely to be in the 2021 census, will be the first official attempt to count people who say they were born in the wrong sex.
Advertisement

Millions of people around the world have celebrated the start of the new year with a series of spectacular fireworks displays.

Huge crowds braved arctic conditions to usher in 2018 in New York while revellers in Rio de Janeiro partied on the beach for the countdown to midnight.

In London, more than 100,000 ticket-holders gazed up at stunning fireworks from the banks of the River Thames, before dancing to 'Auld Lang Syne.'

Keeping with tradition, Big Ben in the Houses of Parliament rang in Britain's new year. Although the clock tower is undergoing renovations, the chimes were turned back on especially for the celebrations.

Greece was one of the first nations in Europe to welcome the new year, with the bells for 2018 ringing at 22:00 GMT.

France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other nations across Western Europe saw 2018 in an hour later, with partygoers braving wet conditions to make the most of their night. Revellers in Paris took to the streets around the Champs-Elysees, where thousands gathered for a light show and a fireworks display at the Arc de Triomphe.

Rio de Janerio's display commenced at 02:00 GMT with millions of Brazilians crowding on to Copacabana Beach, while New York's display kicked off at 05:00 GMT.

Thousands braved the second coldest New Year's Eve ever in New York as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling -12C while revelers watched the glittering ball drop in Times Square.

Brazil: Up to three million residents and tourists crowded on to Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the world's biggest party as they counted down to midnight

Brazil: A couple hug each other as they watch fireworks exploding over Copacabana beach during New Year Eve's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro

Carnival: Revellers cooled off in the ocean as they watched a spectacular fireworks display at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Millions had gathered on the beach to watch not just the traditional pyrotechnics, but also singer Anitta, who gained worldwide recognition through her viral video performance of 'Vai Malandra' ('Come on bad girl') in a mini-bikini.

Rio de Janeiro's main party was celebrated with fireworks erupting on Copacabana beach after the clock struck midnight to usher in the new year. After 17 minutes of a multicolored show in the skies, singer Anitta led the party on stage

New Mayor Marcelo Crivella said he believed the celebrations would bring 3 million people to the iconic beach, which would mean nearly half of Rio's population. But locals said Brazil's economic crisis is still impacting one of the city's biggest parties. In 2017, 2 million people showed up at Copacabana beach, a number that hasn't changed much over the years

Almost 2,000 policemen patrolled the Copacabana region after yet another violent year on the streets. Rio's hotel association said occupation is nearly total, but mostly by Brazilian tourists.

Cooling off: Two women join revellers in the sea off Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as fireworks explode overhead

Newlyweds Alison and Kenny Finchum, of Tulsa, Okla., kiss just after midnight during a New Year's party at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas

New Year's fireworks are seen along the Strip from the top of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas as tens of thousands welcomed the new year

Fireworks illuminate the sky during the New Year celebrations in San Francisco, California as thousands took to the streets

Greece: Fireworks explode by the Ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Year celebrations to mark the beginning of 2018. The famous ruins are lit up with a red tinge as the fireworks explode

The ancient Greek temple of the Parthenon atop Athens' Acropolis hill was in the shadow of fireworks during New Year celebrations in Greece

The Quadriga sculpture atop the Brandenburg gate was illuminated by the fireworks display in the German capital of Berlin for New Year's Eve

Las Vegas welcomed 2018 with fireworks, big-ticket musical acts and unprecedented security in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. modern history just three months ago.

Law enforcement officers kept a close eye Monday on the estimated 330,000 people who traveled from all over the U.S. and beyond to pack in the Las Vegas Strip and downtown's Fremont Street. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had every officer working throughout the weekend and was aided by the Nevada National Guard and federal agents.

Dubai's New Year's Eve celebrations got underway four hours earlier at 20:00 GMT, although the UAE city opted for a world record-breaking lights show on the Burj Khalifa as opposed to fireworks due to 'security reasons'.

Moscow celebrated the new year at an hour later than Dubai, with a spectacular fireworks display over the capital near the Kremlin.

President Vladimir Putin called on Russians to be considerate with one another in the new year.

In his New Year's message, he said: 'Say the most cherished words to each other, forgive mistakes and resentment, admit love, warm up with care and attention. Let the trust and mutual understanding always accompany us.'

Auckland, in New Zealand , was the first major world city to kick off the party followed by Sydney where 1million people were thought to have watched the display over the city's harbour.

Germany@ The New City Hall in the northern German city of Hanover is illuminated by fireworks to usher in the New Year

Holland: There was a spectacular fireworks display as large crowds came out to celebrate the New Year at the Binnenhof in The Hague

Belgium: The Atomium Monument in Brussels is lit up with a backdrop of fireworks at 23:00 GMT for its New Year's Eve

France: Images were projected onto the Arc de Triomphe monument as fireworks explode during a laser and 3D video mapping show as part of the New Year celebrations in Paris

Thousands of New Year revellers line the streets along the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris ahead of the display in the French capital

North Korea: Fireworks are seen during New Year celebrations in the capital Pyongyang in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency

North Korea's regime laid on fireworks over the capital Pyongyang with thousands turning our for the festivities

A rainbow waterfall plunged off the Harbour Bridge to celebrate recently passed legislation legalizing gay marriage in Australia.

Not to be outdone, Melbourne boasted that it had splashed out to ensure the city's own fireworks display would not be beaten by Sydney.

Thousands of revellers took to the streets near Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, where an impressive fireworks display lit up the night sky.

And in Edinburgh, Scotland's Hogmanay celebrations were also accompanied by hundreds of security staff.

Armed police were seen on the streets of the Scottish capital as tens of thousands of people celebrated the final day of 2017.

Princes Street, where celebrations are taking place were temporarily closed due to 'weather-related debris' but opened again for Sunday evening's street party.

Organisers have promised the 'best party ever' for the 75,000 people attending, with live music, DJs, street entertainment and the ' ultimate fireworks display' from Edinburgh Castle .

London has welcomed in the New Year in style with a spectacular fireworks display that lit up the River Thames

London's iconic Big Ben chimed to mark the turn of the New Year, despite being in the process of serious renovation work which has kept it out of action for several months

Fireworks explode around the London Eye during New Year's celebrations in central London just after midnight on January 1

America: Fireworks erupt as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square, New York

Thousands braved the second coldest New Year's Eve ever as temperatures to watch the glittering ball drop in Times Square

The clock of Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) welcomes the New Year in a celebration that gathered thousands of people in the popular square, which this year and for the second time is accompanied by a firework display, streamers and confetti in the colors of the Community of Madrid

Spain: The clock of Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) welcomes the New Year in a celebration that gathered thousands of people in Madrid

Spain: Partygoers take to the streets of Madrid to welcome in the New Year in style, wearing tinsel wigs and fake glasses for part of the fun

Malta: The capital city of Valletta held its own fireworks display, with crackers going off over the ancient city

Austria: Fireworks explode around Familienkirche church during New Year celebrations in Vienna

Lithuania: Cathedral Square in Vilnius was lit up by a stunning fireworks to mark the turn of the year last night as thousands watched on

Dubai ushered in the New Year although it did not opt for the conventional fireworks display due to 'security reasons', instead opting for an impressive world-record breaking laser show

The world's tallest building was emblazoned with the 'Year of Zayed', who was the former president of the United Arab Emirates. He held onto the post for 33 years and passed away in 2004

There have been fireworks displays on the Burj Khalifa in previous years to mark the turn of the New Year. Fireworks were also blasted from the side of the building to mark the opening of the world's tallest building on January 4, 2010 (right). This year there was an impressive fireworks display which took a team of hundreds of experts months to prepare (left, centre)

The lights show from the Burj Khalifa was watched by thousands from the ground. The lights and sound show was called 'Light Up 2018' and was announced by the developer of the iconic building, Emaar Properties

Smoke and fire billowed from the Address Downtown Hotel, near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower in Dubai, on December 31, 2015, after a huge fire ripped through the luxury Dubai hotel as people gathered to watch New Year's Eve celebrations. The fireworks displays, which were taken place only a few hundred feet away, continued despite the building continuing to burn

Russia: Thousands gathered on the streets of Moscow for the fireworks display which lit up the sky near to the Kremlin and other famous buildings

Fireworks light the sky over the Bolshoy Kamenny bridge where Red Square and Kremlin Palace are seen on background during the New Year's celebrations in Moscow

Kenya: Fireworks explode over the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) square during the New Year's Eve celebrations in Nairobi, (left). There are also fireworks which went off over the UAP Old Mutual Tower (right)

New Year celebrations in Russia went badly wrong when a Christmas tree erupted in spectacular flames in front of thousands of revellers. The 80ft illuminated tree in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk turned into a blazing inferno and was destroyed in minute (pictured)

Abu Dhabi, the UAE's capital city, went for a more traditional approach and used fireworks to celebrate the New Year unlike Dubai, which saw in the New Year with a spectacular light show

Not to be outdone by Dubai, Abu Dhabi (pictured) held its own New Year's Eve celebrations, as did Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah in the UAE

Australia: Sydney kicked off 2018 with a bang with a rainbow themed firework display over the Harbour Bridge to celebrate recently-legalised gay marriage

Fireworks light up the sky as part of new year celebrations in Baku, Azerbaijan. Baku celebrated the New Year at 20:00 GMT and went for a traditional fireworks display to say goodbye to 2017

Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong on January. The year 2018 was lit up on the side of one of the buildings as fireworks lit up the sky

An aerial shot of the fireworks display from Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, which has already welcomed in the New Year. The display was witnessed by thousands of onlookers who lined the streets of the city

Fireworks explode over Victoria harbour during New Year's Eve celebrations. The impressive display saw a number of red fireworks light up the skyline

Dozens of boats floated in Sydney's iconic harbour to get the best possible view of the fireworks on New Year's eve

There were pyrotechnic displays to accompany the firework display across the Victoria Harbour as Hong Kong saw in the New Year

Hong Kong: There is a focal point where the countdown is displayed, but fireworks can be watched from both sides of the Harbour. The display lasts around 10 minutes and is watched by thousands of people

Australia: Celebrations also took place in Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra at the same time as Sydney launched its fireworks

Millions of dollars were spent on pyrotechnics for the display, though Melbourne had bragged that it's show would be bigger

Fireworks explode over the Yarra River as celebrations get underway in Melbourne, Australia. The fireworks light up the sky from the building rooftops and thousands of people gather along the bridge and banks of the river

A group of partygoers make 2018 with sparklers art Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration gets underway as thousands of revellers from across the globe descend on the Scottish Capital to see the New Years fireworks

Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party fireworks light up the sky in the Scottish capital during the Hogmanay New Year celebrations

Despite the New Year being a number of hours away, dozens of fireworks were released over Edinburgh Castle for the annual Hogmanay celebrations

Green and red fireworks explode over the Scottish capital hours before the New Year is officially seen in

Newcastle New Years Eve Celebrations get underway with a Firework display on the Town Moor at 6pm this evening which was visible from all over Tyneside as 2018 draws near. The display lasts for 10 minutes and the structure which kept up the fireworks collapsed, which is what it was designed to do

New Zealand kicked off worldwide celebrations for the start of 2018 as more than 3,000 fireworks were launched into the sky above Auckland as the clock struck midnight

The Sky Tower was the focus of celebrations in Auckland (pictured), while fireworks displays also took place in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin

Ferry passengers watch the fireworks from Auckland's harbour as the world welcomes in the new year

Residents light fireworks to welcome 2018 during New Year celebrations in Paranaque city, metro Manila, Philippines

More than 85 injured after firecracker incident in the Philippines just hours before New Year's Eve party At least 86 people were injured by celebratory firecrackers in the Philippines just hours before New Year's Eve celebrations. Some of those who were injured in the incident were wheeled to a Government hospital in Manila where they were treated for their injuries. Pictures of those injured have emerged, with one man holding his bloodied head as he is wheeled into the hospital, while another younger man on a hospital bed cries in agony. Despite a reduction in the number of injuries from last year, due to a struggling economy and a government scare campaign, the figures remain alarming. President Rodrigo Duterte signed an order in June confining the use of firecrackers to community-designated areas, such as near shopping malls and parks. A man holds his head as he is wheeled through a hospital in Manila following a firecracker incident in the Filipino capital. He is one of at least 86 people injured in the accident A young-looking man with tissue shoved up his nostrils grimaces as he is wheeled through a hospital in Manila. It is believed he was injured in a firecracker incident shortly before the New Year Advertisement

Dozens of people gathered at an amusement park in Pasay, Manila, to take pictures of the fireworks lighting up the night sky as the Philippines enters 2018

Fireworks were let off over a residential area in the city of Omsk, in Russia, during New Year celebrations. The city saw in the New Year three hours before Moscow due to the different time differences

Confetti in the shape of stars (left) and balloons (right) rain down on Filipinos enjoying the New Year's Eve celebrations in Manila, the country's capital city

Clowns entertain the crowd during a New Year's eve countdown party at Eastwood mall in Quezon City, Manila. The Filpino capital is the world's most densely populated capital city and thousands of partygoers took to the streets to welcome in the New Year

The night sky over Seoul is lit up with fireworks during South Korea's celebrations to mark the start of 2017

The top of the Lotte World Tower is lit up with explosions as South Koreans herald the start of 2018

Crowds brave the rains in Singapore in order to mark New Year at Marina Bay. People resorted to covering themselves with umbrellas and wearing ponchos to avoid the worst of the weather

Fireworks explode over Marina Bay in Singapore as the clock strikes midnight

People wait to watch the New Year fireworks in the rain at Marina Bay in Singapore

Fireworks light up the night sky at Marina Bay for the New Year celebration in Singapore

Fireworks illuminate the sky near Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers during New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers were the focal point of where the fireworks display is, with people choosing to watch the display at a number of vantage points across the city, including Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, as it gives onlookers unobstructed views of the fireworks overlooking the lake

Visitors watch the fireworks display during a New Year event at an amusement park south of Tokyo, in Japan

Balloons are released in central Tokyo as people say goodbye to 2017 amid celebrations around the world

People watch as fireworks explode over Copacabana beach during New Year celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A woman swims in the water at Copacabana beach during New Year's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A brave Londoner braves the rain ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations in the capital, where at least 250,000 people are expected to be out on the streets

Children don 2018 glasses in Hong Kong as they wait for the clock to strike midnight

People walk along the popular Istiklal Street near Istabbul's main Taksim Square as people remember the victims of a deadly New Year's attack a year ago. A gunman entered the Reina nightclub in Istanbul during New Year's Eve celebrations last year and killed at least 39 people and injured 70 others

Fireworks are launched in Pyongyang, North Korea, as the Kim regime rings in the New Year. People living under the oppressive regime were seen gathering out on the streets (right)

Despite new heavy sanctions being imposed on North Korea, the communist nation refused to let that hamper its New Year's Eve celebrations

Fireworks are seen during New Year celebrations in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, KCNA

Crowds of people were filmed waving and cheering as celebrations took place in North Korea

Fireworks explode from the Taipei 101 building during the New Year's celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taipei 101 tower displays a dog and the word 'GO' and the Chinese name of a man called Wu Jian-sheng who wishes Taiwan happiness before setting off firework to welcome 2018

Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations just after midnight on January 1, 2018 in Taipei. It was previously known as the world's tallest building in 2004 but was dethroned upon the completion of the Burj Khalifa in 2010

Filipino revelers watch as fireworks light up the sky to welcome the New Year Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 at the seaside Mall of Asia in suburban Pasay city south of Manila, Philippines. Hours before midnight, authorities had already reported dozens have been injured by celebratory firecrackers in the Philippines, which has some of the most raucous New Year celebrations in Asia

Revellers take to the streets to celebrate the New Year countdown on the streets of Taiwan to see in the New Year in style

Iraqis watch fireworks explode during the New Year celebrations in Baghdad, Iraq. A number of streets in the city were closed as preparations were made ahead of the celebrations

Best of the rest: Weird and wonderful New Year traditions around the world

Meanwhile parts of Germany marked the evening of December 30th with a bizarre parade involving Perchten, a god figure derived from pagan religions that is similar to Krampus

Perchten is said to visit homes in the days after Christmas, especially on Twelfth Night, when she will reward children who have been good or disembowel those who have misbehaved

Folklore says that Perchten will cut open the stomachs of children who have misbehaved and fill them with straw and pebbles

In a tradition dating back centuries locals dressed as Perchten, witches, devils and other demonic figures parade through the streets during the darkest week of winter, which such spirits were said to be most active

The annual Joburg Carnival takes place in in Johannesburg, South Africa, to mark the arrival of the New Year

In Brazil the period between New Year and the Rio carnival, which will take place in early February, is treated as a prolonged holiday filled with parades and partying (pictured, celebrations in Johannesburg)

In Sao Paulo, an estimated 30,000 people took part in the annual Sao Silvestre international race

Hundreds of people also participated in the San Silvestre Swim at La Comandancia beach in northern Spain

An Indonesian bride waits for her turn to get married during a mass wedding ceremony as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Nearly 450 couples gathered in a large tent in the city center just hours before midnight to pray with their families before signing marriage certificates

A bride has her headdress adjusted while taking part in a mass wedding organised by the city government as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia

Neni, 55 (left) and Cek Lie (right), 68, pose for photographs during a mass wedding ceremony as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia. Many couples wore matching colors and colorful traditional Indonesian outfits, with some brides donning elaborate headdresses and grooms carrying traditional daggers called keris

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan congratulated those taking the plunge and said the city would now host the event every New Years Eve

Relatives take pictures with a newly wedd couple during the mass wedding ceremony. The city government raised donation funds to pay for token gold dowries for the couples to exchange

An Indonesian groom reacts as his bride put on his finger the wedding ring during the mass wedding ceremony. Grooms in Indonesia traditionally present gold jewelry or money to brides on the wedding day
People heading out to enjoy New Year's Eve celebrations tonight will be met with 80mph winds and travel chaos as rail workers stage a mass walk-out.

The Met Office has issued four weather warnings with conditions expected to cause disruption across Britain's roads and train lines.

While Britons prepare for a windy and wet evening, a strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will leave many stranded or forced to fork out on taxis.

People heading out to enjoy New Year's Eve celebrations tonight will be met with 80mph winds and travel chaos as rail workers stage a mass walk-out

Tourists take shelter under umbrellas near Leicester Square ahead of a big night of New Year celebrations in the capital

A man talks a walk with his two dogs in Blackpool as Britain braces itself for 80mph winds

Waves crash against the Blackpool coast as storm Dylan heads for Britain this New Year's Eve

Heavy rain is expected in parts of southern England and Wales, while Northern Ireland has been warned to brace itself as Storm Dylan is set to batter its coastline.

Issuing an amber warning, Met Office forecasters said there is the potential for 'injuries or danger to life' from flying debris in Northern Ireland and western Scotland, while a yellow warning extends into northern England and across to the Lothians.

However, organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations have said they expect the event to go ahead unaffected by Storm Dylan.

While the fireworks taking place in central London are also expected to go ahead without a hitch.

South Western Railway (SWT) and CrossCountry workers have have joined RMT members in taking industrial action today.

The strikes will effect services coming to and from London Waterloo, the capital's busiest station, while passengers in Scotland will also be effected.

A kite surfer makes the most of the strong winds on the Irish sea, with Northern Ireland set to be battered by Storm Dylan this evening

Temperatures stay mild as Storm Dylan brings a risk of gales to many northern areas this evening

Cross Country will be running a reduced service between New and Edinburgh and there will be no trains running between Glasgow and Aberdeen.

LONE WALKER RESCUED FROM 3,000FT MOUNTAIN A lone walker was rescued from a steep gully on the west face of a snow-covered 3,000ft peak in Snowdonia today. Because of a poor mobile phone signal he was unable to give a good description of his location on Tryfan but luckily the light of his torch was spotted from the roadside and members of Ogwen mountain rescue team climbed to him. Owing to his precarious position and limited daylight hours left the coastguard helicopter was then deployed to lift him to safety unharmed. Advertisement

The RMT claimed there were 141 unstaffed SWT stations which would become 'crime hot spots and no-go areas for vulnerable and disabled passengers' if there are no guards.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: 'No staff on trains, combined with no staff on the stations, will be a toxic mix for passengers at the locations we have identified which will increasingly become crime hot spots and no-go areas for vulnerable passengers, while drivers will also be alone and exposed.

'Our members are striking today on South Western Railway over these fundamental issues of public safety, security and access.

'There will be also be disadvantages for disabled and older passengers who require assistance because there will be no one there to help them on and off the train or provide assistance during their journey.

Strikes by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, South Western Railway (SWT) and CrossCountry workers will leave many stranded or forced to fork out on taxis

'These are yet another set of reasons why we will keep up the fight for a safe, secure and accessible railway with properly staffed stations and a guard on every train. These are the basic safety principles our members are striking for today on South Western Railway.'

However, the government has slammed the strike and accused the unions of causing misery for passengers.

Rail minister Paul Maynard said: 'It is disgraceful that the RMT is seeking to cause misery to paying customers trying to get home to family and friends for the new year.

'Rail companies are working hard to keep passengers moving, and plan to run the majority of services, but we call on the RMT to show some decency and call off these strikes.

Dramatic skies are pictured across Clayfield Copse in Berkshire as night fell this evening

Clouds swirl across a dusky sky in Berkshire this evening against the silhouette of a tree
The Pope has ordered cards be printed and distributed depicting victims of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki  captioned 'the fruit of war'.

The harrowing image shows a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while waiting in line at a crematorium.

It was captured by US Marine photographer Joe O'Donnell after the nuclear bombs were dropped at the end of World War II.

Pope Francis requested that 'the fruit of war' be written on the back of the card, accompanied by his signature.

The harrowing image shows a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while waiting in line at a crematorium

Pope Francis requested that 'the fruit of war' be written on the back of the card, accompanied by his signature

'A boy waiting for his turn in the crematorium for his dead brother on his back. It is the photo taken by an American photographer Joseph Roger O'Donnell after the atomic bombing in Nagasaki. The sadness of the child is expressed only in his bitten lips and blood oozing'

A caption adds: 'The young boy's sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood.'

After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Japan's subsequent surrender ended World War II.

Photographer O'Donnell then spent a further four years recording the aftermath of the bombings in the two cities, according to Library of Congress records.

Smoke billows over the Japanese city of Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped on the city August 9, 1945

A scene of devastation in Nagasaki four years after the US dropped an atomic bomb on the city

The US's nuclear strike against Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, came three days after a similar bomb was dropped on Hiroshima

The striking images were published in Japan 1945: A US Marine's Photographs from Ground Zero.

Pope Francis has previously condemned the nuclear weapons and highlighted the plight of children in war zones.

The US's nuclear strike against Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, came three days after a similar bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

These attacks resulted in the deaths of around 120,000 people. Japan surrendered six days later.
A wakeboarder has been seriously injured after being hit by a boat on the Hawkesbury River in NSW.

The 29-year-old woman was struck after crashing from her wakeboard at Pitt Town shortly before 6pm on Sunday, CareFlight says.

She was helped from the water by onlookers and flown to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition with hip and back injuries.

A wakeboarder has been seriously injured after being hit by a boat on the Hawkesbury River in NSW

The 29-year-old woman was struck after crashing from her wakeboard at Pitt Town shortly before 6pm on Sunday, CareFlight says

This comes as a Sydney Seaplanes aircraft carrying a pilot and five passengers crashed at Cowan Creek, Jerusalem Bay east of Cowan about 3pm on Sunday.

Police divers recovered six bodies soon after.

The operator, Sydney Seaplanes, said it was 'deeply shocked' by the tragic accident and had suspended all operations until further notice.

'We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed,' managing director Aaron Shaw said in a statement.

This comes as A Sydney Seaplanes aircraft carrying a pilot and five passengers crashed at Cowan Creek, Jerusalem Bay east of Cowan about 3pm on Sunday

'We do not yet know the cause of the accident.

'We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident.'

The British Foreign office was in touch with Australian officials amid reports that UK nationals died in the crash.

The company, which has been operating since 2005, provides flights above and around some of Sydney's most popular tourist sites including the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Pittwater and the Hawkesbury River region.
A brave Perth teenager has been told that she is 'lucky not to be paralysed' after a shock trampoline accident fractured her spine.

Tarlia Soulsby, 16, was doing back-flips on her trampoline as she had done countless times before when she landed on her head instead of on her feet.

'From my ribs all the way down to my ankles it's really sore, and I can't move,' Tarlia told Channel 7 from her hospital bed on Sunday night.

'It's really hard to sleep and I can't do anything.'

Scroll down for video

Tarlia Soulsby (left) is 'lucky not to be paralysed' after a backflip on a trampoline went wrong

Tarlia was rushed to hospital with a fractured spine after paramedics got her off the trampoline

She will now have to spend six weeks flat on her back in hospital, and a further six weeks in a back brace.

But the good news, doctors told the teen's parents, is that she will walk again, as she had broken six vertebrae but there was no damage to the spinal cord.

It took two crews of paramedics to manoeuvre the teen safely off the trampoline.

'She was doing a backflip and she decided to try for two, which she had done confidently before,' her father Chris Gliddon said.

'And after a second one she landed on her head, obliviously compressing her spine.'

He added that she 'started screaming' in pain almost the second she landed, and she knew she was in trouble.

Tarlia is unable to move anything from her ribs to her feet and says it is difficult to fall asleep

Tarlia was doing a backflip (above) as she had done countless times before when she was hurt

'The doctors said if it was about another inch further in the whole movement together, it would have been paralysing,' Mr Giddon told Perth Now.

The accident will most likely delay Tarlia starting Year 11 in 2018, but her parents and friends are determined to spend as much time as possible by her side as she recovers.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Tarlia and her family with medical and rehabilitation costs which as so far raised $525.
Advertisement

Australia has welcomed in 2018 in style, with millions of dollars of fireworks bursting into the night sky on the stroke of midnight.

In Sydney celebrations centred around the harbour where millions had gathered on land and water to see in the New Year with a bang.

Fireworks of all colours flew from the Sydney Harbour Bridge before finishing with a flowing rainbow river, a tribute to Australia's historic same sex marriage vote.

In what has become an annual feature, Australia's biggest city came to a standstill at midnight as it became one of the first in the world to welcome in the New Year.

Scroll down for video

Australia has welcomed in 2018 in style, with millions of dollars of fireworks bursting into the night sky on the stroke of midnight

In Sydney celebrations centred around the harbour where millions had gathered on land and water to see in the New Year with a bang

A rainbow river spews from the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the end of the fireworks display in a nod to Australia's legalisation of same-sex marriage

In what has become an annual feature, Australia's biggest city came to a standstill at midnight

By early afternoon on Sunday, many of the most popular vantage points around the harbour were completely full

While millions of people crammed into vantage points around the harbour, many thousands of boats took prime position on the water

Eager partygoers camped out at around the harbour for days to ensure they had prime viewing

Eager partygoers camped out at spots around the harbour for days to ensure they had prime viewing for the enormous annual celebration.

By early afternoon on Sunday, many of the most popular vantage points around the harbour were completely full.

Melbourne, which boasted about having more fireworks than Sydney this year, also partied in the New Year with a flurry of fireworks exploding from its skyscrapers.

Despite terror threats, locals crammed into Federation Square and along the Yarra River to catch a glimpse of Victoria's midnight fireworks.

An estimated 1.5 billion people watched the east coast cities celebrate the start of a new calendar year, with Australia one of the first places in the world to do so.

Hobart and Canberra were the other east coast cities to see in 2018, with Brisbane an hour behind.

Looking the part: One attendee wore a black two piece with matching fishnets

X marks the spot: A woman with tape over her nipples and love hearts drawn on her face attends Falls with her friend who is wearing a white dress and black belt to match her boots

Cops are tops: Well at least this festival-goer seemed to think so

In the words of Fatman Scoop, 'If you got long hair, get your hands up': Over 25,000 people arrived in Bryon Bay on Friday for Falls Festival

Topsie turvie: This bloke was seen posing upside down in front of a giant 'I heart Falls sign'

Girlg gang: Revellers bring in NYE at Falls Festival in Byron Bay

Gal pals: Two women seen entering Falls on Friday afternoon for the first day of the festival

While millions crammed into capital cities to enjoy fireworks, thousands of others saw in 2017 at music festivals around the country.

Despite the dozens of people being trampled at Falls Festival in Lorne on Friday, there were no dampened spirits at the sister event in Byron Bay on Saturday.

With temperatures reaching over 30C party-goers were seen in short skirts, tank tops and bikinis as they danced to the likes of Flume and Lorde.

A teenager was reportedly sexually assaulted in a Falls Festival mosh pit, despite police warnings after the event was marred by similar attacks last year.

With temperatures reaching over 30C party-goers were seen in short skirts, tank tops and bikinis as they danced to the likes of Flume and Lorne

This woman was seen rolling out of 2017 and into 2018 with style

Pyjama party? These punters were seen rocking up in their PJs

Bring on 2018: Revellers will party 2017 away at Falls Festival in Byron Bay

The countdown to 2018 has given revellers even more reason to celebrate at Falls Festival in Byron Bay

Getting into the Falls spirit: This punter was seen getting some body art painted on his back at the festival on Friday

The 19-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by an unknown man during a set by The Jungle Giants at the Marion Bay music festival at 9:30pm on Friday.

Others partygoers drove to Warragul, in south-eastern Victoria, to attend Beyond the Valley.

While it was largely a day of celebration, the fireworks came just hours after a horror plane crash north of Sydney which claimed the lives of six people.
Many proud parents like to follow the career of their offspring, lending support in any way they can.

For some, such as the father of rising star James Norton, this means travelling the world and even landing roles in his son's TV dramas.

Hugh Norton will once again feature alongside James, 32, in the new BBC drama McMafia, having appeared in several of the actor's shows in recent years.

The retired academic will play a sugar daddy in the show, which follows the antics of the British-born son of an exiled Russian mobster and airs tomorrow night.

Hugh Norton will once again feature alongside James in the new BBC drama McMafia, having appeared in several of the actor's shows in recent years, including War and Peace (pictured)

The retired academic has featured alongside his son in several shows, including Lady Chatterleys Lover (circled) and Death Comes to Pemberley

Mr Norton has featured alongside his son in several shows, including War and Peace, Lady Chatterleys Lover and Death Comes to Pemberley.

Mr Norton's wife Lavinia also made her acting debut in her son's show, appearing in the background of ITV's Grantchester alongside her husband.

James, who has been tipped to take over from Daniel Craig as 007, says cast and crews became so familiar with his father that they call him Papa Norton.

Speaking to BBC Radio 2, James said he enjoys bringing his parents with him on shoots around the world, including Lithuania, where he filmed War and Peace.

Mr Norton's wife Lavinia (middle) also made her acting debut in her son's show, appearing in the background of ITV's Grantchester alongside her husband (top left)

On his fathers appearances, James said: He is in pretty much every show I do. My family have nothing to do with this industry.

'They stand on the sidelines bemused and very supportive, but have no idea whats going on.

My dad is recently retired from working as a lecturer at a college near Hull, and its a really great way for him and my mum to see the world.

So my dad comes and dresses up as these mad characters, and my mum sits of the sidelines and just laughs at him. And they love it.
Trains were today halted from entering Berlin Zoo's railway station after smoke began billowing from the building.

German media reported that 15 people had to be rescued from the station after witnesses described seeing huge plumes of smoke.

Police and fire crews are on site after a fire reportedly broke out at noon, which took hold of a false ceiling on a construction site in the station area, according to morgenpost.

German federal police say they have now allowed long-distance rail traffic to resume at the station.

Witness described huge plumes of smoke emanating from Berlin Zoo's railway station

German media reported that 15 people had to be rescued from the station after witnesses described seeing huge plumes of smoke

The cause of the smoke was said to have been a blaze at a construction site in the train station area

Emergency services were also reported to be using large fans to channel smoke out of the railway station.

A fire department spokesman told broadcaster N24 that 15 people had been rescued from the smoke-filled platform, and one was being treated for light injuries.

He had no details on the cause of the fire.

Germany remains on high alert for potential Islamist attacks a year after a failed Tunisian asylum seeker killed 12 people in an attack on a Berlin Christmas market located a short distance from the Zoo train station.
These chilling photos of the Ku Klux Klan in their early 1920s heyday feature in a new book by a historian who fears a 'Klannish spirit' is enjoying a resurgence in Donald Trump's America.

In one of the photos a baby has been forced to wear a traditional Ku Klux Klan hood during a Klan 'christening'.

Another bizarre image shows a group of Klan members posing while stood on top of a plane.

Klan members can be seen taking part in elaborate secret rituals and mass 'naturalisations', or initiation ceremonies, held in front of fiery crosses.

Chilling photos of the Ku Klux Klan at its peak have been featured in a new book, such as this 'naturalisation' ceremony for female members in Long Island, New York

A group of hooded KKK members form the shape of a cross. Author Linda Gordon fears a 'Klannish spirit' is enjoying a resurgence in America

Other photos show prominent Klan figures including the initiator of the second Klan, Colonel William J Simmons, the man who ousted him as head of the movement, Imperial Wizard Hiram Evans, and the Pillar of Fire Church Bishop Alma White.

In the early 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan boasted six million members - many of them women and children - and spoke out against the number of immigrants entering the country.

Their attacks on Irish, Italian, Jewish and Oriental immigrants resonated with large swathes of the population.

The white supremacists also condemned alcohol, prostitution, movies and jazz music.

However, the Klan's popularity collapsed amid revelations of sordid sexual scandals and financial embezzlement.

In this photo a baby has been forced to wear one of the emblematic Ku Klux Klan hoods as Klansmen conduct a christening

Hiram Wesley Evans, who was Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, walking in the mass Klan march in Washington, D.C., in 1924

The final straw was Indiana Grand Dragon David Stephenson's conviction for kidnapping, raping and murdering his secretary in 1925.

Historian Linda Gordon has charted the rise and fall of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s in her new book.

She says she sees worrying parallels between the America of the 1920s and America today under the presidency of Donald Trump.

She said: 'Racism and bigotry has had a long tradition in the USA, sometimes it is subterranean and sometimes it is loud and shouty.

These Klan members took their post-First World War resurgence to new heights as they are pictured here with an aeroplane

A well-attended Ku Klux Klan meeting from the 1920s. The historian sees parallels between the Klan's nativism and the era of President Donald Trump

'But what is new is the vociferousness of the bigotry where every grievance is blamed on immigrants.

'The political elite are selling an explanation for people's problems which is entirely bigoted.

'They direct fear and hatred against certain groups and this deflects people from trying to understand what really is the source of their problems.

'The Klannish spirit - fearful, angry, gullible to sensationalist falsehoods, in thrall to demagogic leaders and abusive language, hostile to science and intellectuals, committed to the dream that everyone can be a success in business if they only try - lives on.'

A 'mass naturalisation' for Klan members in 1922. Their attacks on Irish, Italian, Jewish and Oriental immigrants resonated with large swathes of the population

A cartoon from the time shows the KKK as the champion of Prohibition, a ban on the sale of alcohol which had been enacted by the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

The original Ku Klux Klan emerged in the southern states in the late 1860s and were notorious for committing violent acts against African Americans before dying out in the 1870s after a government crackdown.

Members made their own robes, masks and conical hats which were designed to elicit fear while concealing their identities.

The second incarnation of the Klan was founded in 1915 and flourished nationwide in the early 1920s.

The third, present, version of the Klan sprung up after the Second World War to oppose the Civil Rights Movement and have been implicated in the murders of numerous civil rights activists.

Threat To Democracy - the rise of the Klu Klux Klan in the 1920s: A warning from history, by Linda Gordon, is published by Amberley Books and costs 18

Alma Bridwell White (left) was a bishop of the Pillar of Fire Church, which supported the Klan, while William J. Simmons (right) was the initiator of the second Ku Klux Klan
A 16-year-old boy was shot dead at friend's sweet sixteen birthday party in the Bronx after 300 people crashed it when word spread over social media.

Sincear 'Sin' Williams, 16, died after being shot in the neck at the event at Maestro's Caterers on Bronxdale Avenue.

A 17-year-old boy, named by friends as Trey Neverson, was shot in the arm and taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.

Sincear 'Sin' Williams, 16, died after being shot in the neck at a friend's sweet sixteenth

A 17-year-old boy, named by friends as Trey Neverson (pictured) was shot in the arm and taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition

Red stains which appear to be blood mark the scene of the shooting on Thursday

A bloodstained coat lies on the ground under police tape near where Williams was shot

The trouble reportedly began when word of the unnamed teen's party spread like wildfire on messaging apps and social media.

Hundreds of uninvited guests began arriving at the venue, and their arrival soon sparked a fight at around 12.20am Thursday, outside Maestro's, New York Daily News reports.

Police say that during the fight, one of the party crashers climbed into a black Honda, grabbed a gun and opened fire on the crowd before speeding away.

Williams was rushed to the nearby Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition after he was shot in the neck. He died a short time later.

Neverson was also rushed to the same hospital where he is in a stable condition.

Friends have been paying tribute to Williams - known as Sin to those close to him

Williams (left and right) was rushed to the nearby Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition after he was shot in the neck. He died a short time later

Neverson was also rushed to the same hospital where he is in a stable condition

Police have not yet arrested the shooter.

Both Williams and Neverson were both invited to the party.

Williams' family and friends have since created a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral.

Within one day, donors helped raise more than $7,000.

A viewing for Williams will be held on January 8 and 9 at Eternity Funeral Services in the Bronx.

Wandy Lugo said she'd picked up her daughter, 15, just 20 minutes before the shooter opened fire.

The trouble reportedly began when word of the unnamed teen's party spread like wildfire on messaging apps and social media. Hundreds of uninvited guests began arriving at the venue, and their arrival soon sparked a fight at around 12.20am Thursday, outside Maestro's (pictured)

Police at the scene of the fatal shooting of the 16-year-old boy

'It's a very close call,' Lugo said. 'It's almost surreal.'

'My daughter's 15 years old. She's going to celebrate her 16th birthday next summer. It could've been her,' said Lugo.

Friends have paid tribute to Williams, known as Sin to those close to him, on social media.

Layy Lani wrote on Facebook: 'I swear s**t don't even feel real. The thought that (we) was just together & 2 minutes later you gone ?? (I) can't believe that.'

'That could've been me dead,' added Jio Stazz, who was also at the party. 'Why it gotta be you? Wish I could change spot with Sincear Williams.

Scores of messages from friends and family are left for the popular teen

Dozens of candles were lit in memory of Williams after the shooting

One friend has even created a t-shirt to remember Williams by

Facebook user Kay Bzz added: 'BALL IN PEACE. Rest Easy Sin. The Real Stay Alive Bro #SinCity.'

Dior Banks, who shared pictures of the deceased, added: 'Even tho you gone your not gone your in our hearts. Everyone misses you.

'Like you have so much love in these streets bro, even n****s that we don't f**k with came out in cold to light a candle for you bro. LOVE YOU SINCEAR EVERYTHING WE DO IS FOR YOU CUZ YOU WANTED TO DO IT WITH US.'

It is not yet clear whose party the teens were attending.

The incident occurred despite a 13 per cent drop in fatal shootings in New York City in 2017, down from 333 last year to 289.
Matthew Riehl, 37, was identified as the gunman who allegedly killed one deputy and injured four others in the Sunday shooting

The gunman, who allegedly killed a deputy and injured four other officers after firing 100 rounds in an 'ambush attack' in Colorado, was an Iraq War veteran who posted a YouTube video earlier this month claiming he was trying to unseat his local sheriff.

Matthew Riehl, 37, was identified as the gunman by local news station Denver 7, which cited 'two informed law enforcement sources'.

During the Sunday morning attack deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, was shot dead while responding to a verbal disturbance call around 5.15am.

Deputy Mike Doyle, 28, Deputy Taylor Davis, 30, Deputy Jeffrey Pelle, 32, - all of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office - and 41-year-old Castle Rock Police Officer Tom O'Donnell were injured.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock revealed at a press conference Sunday afternoon that all of the officers are in stable condition.

Authorities publicly identified Riehl, who was shot dead by a joint task force unit, on S.

Just two weeks ago, Riehl, recorded himself ranting about one of the Douglas County Sheriff's deputies, Brian Briggs.

Scroll down for video

Just two weeks ago, Riehl (left and right), recorded himself ranting about one of the Douglas County Sheriff's deputies, Brian Briggs. In the bizarre YouTube video, Riehl can be seen holding up Briggs' business card as he calls him a 'pimp' multiple times

Riehl was deployed to Iraq from 2009-2010. He was honorably discharged in 2012 after nine years of service in the Army Reserve

In the bizarre YouTube video, Riehl can be seen holding up Briggs' business card as he calls him a 'pimp' multiple times.

Riehl then goes on to lash out at Sheriff Spurlock, calling him and his deputies 'clowns'.

'We're going to fire all these bums come next year,' Riehl is heard saying as he promotes his 'Libertarian' candidacy for the sheriff of Douglas County.

Riehl was deployed to Iraq from 2009-2010. He was honorably discharged in 2012 after nine years of service in the Army Reserve.

According to News 9, the YouTube video wasn't the first time Riehl lashed out at the sheriff's office.

He also reportedly exchanged a series of angry tweets with the Douglas Sheriff's Office.

During Sheriff Spurlock's press conference Sunday afternoon, he did say that officers 'are familiar with him [the suspect]'.

Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29 (pictured) was shot and killed while responding to a verbal disturbance at an apartment complex near Denver. He is survived by his wife and two young daughters

Four other deputies were shot. They include 28-year-old Deputy Mike Doyle (left), 30-year-old Deputy Taylor Davis, 32-year-old Deputy Jeffrey Pelle - all of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office - and 41-year-old Castle Rock Police Officer Tom O'Donnell (right)

Deputy Jeffrey Pelle (left), son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, was confirmed as one of the deputies shot this morning, according to the Boulder County Sheriffs Office

After the tragic shooting, a motorcade was held for fallen deputy Parrish.

A line of police cars left Littleton Adventist Hospital and traveled along Colorado State Highway 470 led by two officers on motorcycles.

Deputy Taylor Davis, 30, is also among the officers who were injured in the shooting

Some stood and saluted as the hearse passed by while others held up American flags in honor of the deceased deputy.

Parrish was one of five deputies who was shot while responding to a verbal disturbance call between two roommates around 5.15am on Sunday at the Copper Canyon Apartments on the 3400 block County Line Road between Colorado and University Boulevards.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office tweeted that it was during the investigation at the building in Highlands Ranch that shots were fired with a rifle - nearly 100 rounds in an ambush-style attack.

Two civilians were also shot by the suspect, but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

They have not been identified.

On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump sent a message of sympathy, tweeting: 'My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families.

'We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM,' the president tweeted.

A motorcade (pictured) was held for a Parrish after he was shot and killed in the line of duty

A line of police cars left Littleton Adventist Hospital (pictured) and traveled along Colorado State Highway 470 led by two officers on motorcycles

A procession of police vehicles escorts the hearse carrying the body of Parrish, who was killed on Sunday morning.

Members of the fire department salute as the motorcade drives by (pictured). Parrish was one of five who were shot at an apartment complex near Denver

Sheriff Spurlock said the officers responded to a call that came in as a domestic dispute but was quickly revealed to be a verbal dispute between the shooter and his roommate.

It was the second time deputies had gone to the apartment Sunday.

There was another call at about 1.30am but there was no noise when deputies arrived.

After being let in, and confronting the suspect, who had barricaded himself in a bedroom, the officers were almost immediately met with fire.

The sheriff said there is no timeline available yet as to who was shot first but that all of them were shot 'very very quickly and all went down within seconds of other'.

David Morgan of Highlands Ranch, holds an American flag as a procession of law enforcement vehicles accompany a hearse carrying Parrish's body

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said the deputies were responding to a domestic disturbance call around 5.15am Sunday at the Copper Canyon Apartments on the 3400 block County Line Road between Colorado and University Boulevards

It was during the investigation at the Highlands Ranch building that shots were fired and several deputies were injured, the sheriff's office tweeted (scene above)

On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump sent a message of sympathy to the victims of the shooting

The four were able to crawl to safety while a separate joint task force unit entered the apartment and eventually shot and killed Riehl.

Authorities said the roommate, who was home, was not injured and the two civilians were not in the apartment.

Parrish is survived by his wife and two young daughters and a GoFundMe account has been set up to help support them.

So far, $123,126 has been raised.

According to WBPF, a sheriff's office spokesperson confirmed that a SWAT team arrived at the home where the shooting occurred around 7.15am.

Sheriff Spurlock said the officers responded to a call that came in as a domestic dispute but was quickly revealed to be a verbal dispute between the shooter and his roommate (Pictured, Mike Doyle)

After being let in, and confronting the suspect, who had barricaded himself in a bedroom, the officers were almost immediately met with fire (Pictured, Tom O'Donnell)

The sheriff said there is no timeline available yet as to who was shot first but that all of them were shot 'very very quickly and all went down within seconds of other' (Pictured, Jeffrey Pelle)

The four - aside from Parrish (pictured with and two young daughters) - were able to crawl to safety while a separate joint task force unit entered the apartment and eventually shot and killed the suspect

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help support Parrish's family (pictured with his two daughters in August 2016)

Video broadcast by Denver 7 showed an Arapahoe County Sheriff Bomb Squad truck at the scene.

The sheriff's office earlier issued a 'Code Red' on Twitter, instructing residents in the area to shelter in place.

'A Code Red was sent out regarding this incident. Any citizens in the affected area are instructed to shelter in place, avoid windows and stay away from exterior walls,' read the post sent out around 6.15am local time.

Much remains unclear about Riehls life and his actions leading up to the shooting, but he did have an interest in guns.

Photos on Riehl's Facebook page show him posing with a few weapons. According to the New York Times, Riehl took an introductory course in carbine rifles in June.

The course was run a company called Kenaz Tactical Group, according to Robert Butler, the companys owner and lead instructor.

Butler said Riehl seemed like 'just the ordinary student' and did not seem unstable or violent.

Much remains unclear about Riehls life and his actions leading up to the shooting, but he did have an interest in guns. Photos on Riehl's Facebook page show him posing with a few weapons

According to the New York Times, Riehl took an introductory course in carbine rifles in June

Linda Watson, a spokesperson for Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lonetree, told The New York Times that the hospital received three patients who are all in non-critical condition.

However, she did not specify whether these were law enforcement officers or civilians.

Another four were taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital in Littleton, Alyssa Parker, a hospital spokeswoman, told the newspaper. She did not specify how serious the injuries were.

In updating its Facebook and Twitter pages with the news of the deputys death, the Sheriffs Office changed its profile images to a badge with a black band across it.

In updating its Facebook and Twitter pages with the news of the deputys death, the Sheriffs Office changed its profile images to a badge with a black band (pictured) across it

Two civilians were also shot by the suspect. Pictured is a map of where the shooting took place

Video also showed a Arapahoe County Sheriff Bomb Squad truck outside the complex (scene above)

The office had reported 'multiple deputies down' after the shooting, which happened in Highlands Ranch, about 15 miles south of Denver

The sheriff's office has issued a 'Code Red' on Twitter, instructing residents in the area to shelter in place

Linda Watson, a spokesperson for Sky Ridge Medical Center, told The New York Times that the hospital received three patients all in non-critical condition but she did not specify whether these were law enforcement officers or civilians (Pictured, aerial map of the shooting location)

Denver7's Meghan Lopez arrived on scene and reported hearing gunshots ring out in the distance.

She also noted several roads were closed in the area due to the police response and that at least eight ambulances were at the scene earlier Sunday.

The Sheriff's Office also issued a tweet stating that Douglas County, Parker Police Department, Lone Tree Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department and Colorado State Patrol were all agencies on 'accident alert'.

Four of the victims - including the deceased deputy - were taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital in Littleton, Alyssa Parker, a hospital spokeswoman, said. First responders at the scene early Sunday morning

The Copper Canyon Apartments website describes its homes (pictured) as some of the 'friendliest apartments in Highlands Ranch,' minutes away from shopping, dining and entertainment in Denver

Around 9am, an emergency shelter was set up at the Highlands Ranch Recreation Center at Eastridge at 9568 University Boulevard for anyone displaced from their home during the investigation.

The Copper Canyon Apartments website describes its homes as some of the 'friendliest apartments in Highlands Ranch,' minutes away from shopping, dining and entertainment in Denver.

Highlands Ranch is an affluent neighborhood in Colorado with the median income for a household at $104,411, and the median income for a family at $113,944.

Only about one per cent of families in the area live below the poverty line.
While millions around the country celebrated New Year's Eve in style, it hasn't been a good start to 2018 for all.

Things can surely only improve for some of the partygoers who packed into Sydney harbour, with boozy behaviour and even broken legs marring their New Year's Eve.

A long day of festivities appeared to take a toll on some as police made arrests in the CBD even before the fireworks display lit up the sky at midnight.

And while many revellers will be waking up with sore heads, one man will be feeling worse than most after badly breaking his leg following a fall from a temporary fence.

Scroll down for video

This man is set to wake up feeling worse than most on New Year's Day after suffering a severly broken leg while celebrating the start of 2018

Another man who had been arrested was pictured hunched over in a gutted after seemingly having a very merry festive season

He was later led into the back of a police van, missing his chance to see the fireworks display

One tired couple appeared to call it a night, enjoying a quick nap on a hill near the harbour

Napping was the order of the night once the clock had struck midnight, with this woman even finding a concrete bollard comfortable

Others just needed a moment to compose themselves after what was undoubtedly a long day on their feet

The graphic photo appears to show the man suffering from a compound fracture in his left leg.

As officers stand over him a woman can be seen rushing to his aid, while blood pools on the ground around his feet.

Another man who had been arrested was pictured hunched over in a gutted after seemingly enjoying a very merry festive season.

He was later walked into the back of a police van and driven away, missing a chance to see the fireworks display.

As millions looked on in awe at the fireworks this couple started 2018 with a passionate kiss

This woman looked rapt to start her New Year's Eve by scoring a high-five from a police officer

While some had camped out for days to secure a great vantage point, this spot was not as sought after

A pair of mischief makers realise they're on camera as they appear to go about climbing a tree

Colourful hats were the order of the night for many including this very enthusiastic reveller

The celebrations weren't just for people with one couple deciding their much loved pets would enjoy the fireworks

Love was in the air for these couples who shared a kiss as the clock hit midnight

While some had crashed, other partygoers looked set to party on well into the night

Some charged glasses as the clock struck midnight, while others began the year by sharing a kiss.

The celebrations weren't reserved only for people either, with one couple deciding their much loved pets should accompany them.

While dogs are not normally fond of fireworks, this couple's pooches appeared to be coping well with the loud explosions.

For 12 minutes fireworks spectacularly exploded into the sky above Sydney harbour, but many must have wondered if it was worth it as they queued for trains after.

Before: Crowds of people decided to get out early and leave after the 9pm fireworks

After: But that was nothing compared to the massive throngs of people who flooded out of the CBD after midnight

Many must have wondered if the fireworks were worth it as they queued for trains afterwards

Wynyard station at the heart of the CBD was packed with commuters eager to make their way home after a long day

A rainbow river spews from the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the end of the fireworks display in a nod to Australia's legalisation of same-sex marriage

The incredible fireworks display centred around Sydney harbour, where millions had gathered on land and water to see in the New Year with a bang.

Fireworks of all colours flew from the Sydney Harbour Bridge before finishing with a flowing rainbow river, a tribute to Australia's historic same sex marriage vote.

In what has become an annual feature, Australia's biggest city came to a standstill at midnight as it became one of the first in the world to welcome in the New Year.

Melbourne, which boasted about having more fireworks than Sydney this year, also partied in the New Year with a flurry of fireworks exploding from its skyscrapers.

Despite terror threats, locals crammed into Federation Square and along the Yarra River to catch a glimpse of Victoria's midnight fireworks.

In Sydney celebrations centred around the harbour where millions had gathered on land and water to see in the New Year with a bang

Australia has welcomed in 2018 in style, with millions of dollars of fireworks bursting into the night sky on the stroke of midnight

Eager partygoers camped out at around the harbour for days to ensure they had prime viewing

While millions of people crammed into vantage points around the harbour, many thousands of boats took prime position on the water

Hobart and Canberra also saw in 2018 first with Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth all set to follow.

While millions crammed into capital cities to enjoy fireworks, thousands of others saw in 2017 at music festivals around the country.

With temperatures reaching over 30C party-goers were seen in short skirts, tank tops and bikinis as they danced to the likes of Flume and Lorde.

While it was largely a day of celebration, the fireworks came just hours after a horror seaplane crash north of Sydney which claimed the lives of six people.
On the last day of 2017, President Trump was already looking toward 2018  November, to be specific  wondering why voters would throw Republicans out of office in the midterms.

'Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election when their policies will totally kill the great wealth created during the months since the Election,' Trump wrote Sunday morning. 'People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA, Judges, Strong Border, 2nd A, Tax Cuts & more?'

The president also suggested that is 'Crooked' Hillary Clinton had been elected last year 'your stocks would be down 50% from values on Election Day.'

On New Year's Eve, President Trump had turned his attention to November 2018, wondering why voters would want to put Democrats in power

President Trump tweeted Sunday morning saying that electing Democrats would 'totally kill the great wealth' that has come to Americans under a Trump presidency and Republican majorities in Congress

The president suggested that if Hillary Clinton would have won the presidency last year the stock market wouldn't be doing anywhere near as well

'Now they have a great future  and just beginning!' Trump wrote.

While the strong economy may blunt some damage to the Republican majorities in next year's midterms, the GOP is bracing for bad returns.

Historically, the president's party gets a thumping two years into his tenure.

Most recently, Democrats lost control of the House of Representatives in 2010, two years after the election of President Barack Obama.

Republicans in Congress in 2002 were aided in the midterms by the election's proximity to the September 11 terror attacks, which also boosted President George W. Bush's approval rating for many months.

President Trump's historically low approval ratings have Republicans worried that they're in for a massacre next year.

Rasmussen, however, provided a glimmer of hope on Thursday with a poll that showed Trump with a 46 per cent approval rating and a 53 per cent disapproval rating.

Those numbers matched how the public perceived Obama at the end of his first year.

Obama, however, went on to see the House Democrats lose 63 seats and the Speaker's gavel get handed from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, to Rep. John Boehner, an Ohio Republican.

And most polling shows Trump have an approval rating in the 30s.

The Real Clear Politics polling average, which included the friendly Rasmussen survey, puts Trump at a 39.8 per cent approval rating, while 56 per cent of the country disapproves of the job he has done.

Trump will hit his year mark in office on January 20, 2018.
This is the astonishing moment two large alligators are found tied up alive in the trunk of a poacher's car following an undercover operation filmed by police in Brazil.

The reptiles, one measuring about a metre long and the other around two metres, had a narrow escape from a New Year's Eve dinner table as they were due to be killed and barbecued, according to agents.

Both gators had allegedly been poached from Lake Novo in Tartarugalzinho, in northern Brazil, on Thursday night.

Environmental police caught the suspect with his illegal cargo at dawn as they stopped him to inspect his car in the upland marshy area.

Lieutenant Bryan Fonseca said: 'The driver tried to circumvent the surveillance by saying he wasn't carrying anything in the back of his vehicle.

'However, when we opened the trunk, we found two alligators. They were tied up and wrapped in plastic bags.

'We told him to take them out and place them on the ground. The creatures looked like they were in a state of shock after being trapped and thrown into a dark boot because they didn't fight, struggle or react.

'The suspect told us he was on his way to Macapa where the animals would be consumed at a supper at the turn of the year.'

Two large alligators were found tied up but still alive in the back of a poachers car, in footage filmed by undercover police in Brazil

According to officers, Macapa, the capital of Amapa state, is a 203km (130 mile) journey and it is unlikely the helpless beasts would have survived the distance.

Lt Fonseca said: 'The driver has been charged with an environmental crime, which prohibits hunting, catching, transporting and killing any wildlife species without the permission or knowledge of the competent authorities.'

The unnamed suspect faces a prison term of up to a year if found guilty.

After inspecting the beasts, environmental agents found the gators had experienced no serious injury. Both were released back into their natural habitat.

The reptiles, one measuring about a metre long and the other around two metres, had a narrow escape from a New Year's Eve dinner table as they were due to be killed and barbecued
David Latchman, master of Birkbeck, University of London, has been named as the worst offender - being paid almost 400,000 per year despite his institution being ranked 122nd in the country

Vice-chancellors at some of Britain's poorest performing universities are receiving the largest pay packets, a new study has shown.

David Latchman, master of Birkbeck, University of London, has been named as the worst offender - being paid almost 400,000 per year despite his institution being ranked 122nd in the country.

While Dame Glynis Breakwell, of Bath, is the highest paid vice-chancellor in the country with a package worth 468,000, the relative good performance of her university sees her avoid the bottom 10.

Professor David Green, of Worcester University, who is paid 319,000 a year, and Professor Iain Martin, at Anglia Ruskin University, who earns 303,00 annually, are ranked second and third worst.

And Professor Christina Slade, formerly of Bath Spa University, is ranked 24 for pay with 333,000 but her university was only 94 in The Sunday Times Good University Guide, published in September. She received 808,000 in her final year including a 429,000 severance payment, her salary and other payments.

In comparison, Robert Allison, vice-chancellor of Loughborough University, is paid 259,780, giving him a pay ranking of 88, but his university is considered one of the best in the country and ranked joint seventh in the table.

Similarly Doctor David Llewellyn, of Harper Adams University, earns the comparatively modest sum of 182,000 despite the school being ranked far higher than some of those paid more than him.

The table was complied by The Sunday Times, which listed vice-chancellors from highest to lowest paid according to 2015-16 data.

That number was then compared to the ranking of their universities taken from the 2018 Good University Guide.

The discrepancy between those two numbers was then used to create the final ranking, showing which vice-chancellors provided best and worst value for money.

Vice-chancellors at some of Britain's poorest performing universities are receiving the largest pay packets, a new study has shown

It comes after universities minister Jo Johnson demanded that universities deliver 'value for money for students and taxpayers'.

Lord Adonis, a former education minister, said universities were being 'run by vice-chancellors who have become latter-day prince-bishops paid up to 500,000 a year'. He has called for limits to top pay.

Dame Glynis Breakwell, the highest paid vice chancellor in the country on 468,000, faced calls to resign and the university was criticised by the spending watchdog over her pay.

Last month, she said she would leave her 468,000-a-year post in February 2019 but the last six months will be spent on paid sabbatical.

Professor David Green (left), of Worcester University, who is paid 319,000 a year, and Professor Ian Martin (right), at Anglia Ruskin University, who earns 303,00 annually, are ranked second and third worst

As she will take her full salary until retiring, this means she will pocket 234,000 after stepping down from her official duties.

The vice chancellor  who earns three times more than the Prime Minister  was accused of 'milking' the University of Bath by ex-Labour education minister Lord Adonis.

Dame Glynis will also have a 31,489 car loan written off by the university she has headed for 17 years.

She lives in a 2million grace-and-favour townhouse and last year claimed 20,000 in expenses.

Critics have said it is wrong to enjoy such largesse when student fees have risen again to 9,250 a year and staff wages have been stagnant.

Doctor David Llewellyn, of Harper Adams University, who earns the comparatively modest sum of 182,000 despite the school being ranked far higher than some of those paid more than him

New watchdog able to crack down on vice-chancellors' salaries

A new higher education watchdog will come into force today to crackdown on the bloated salaries of vice-chancellors.

The Office for Students will also have powers to fine or even de-register universities that fail to protect free speech.

Its establishment marks the most significant shake-up of the higher education sector in 25 years.

The regulator will have new powers to ensure universities are held to account and promote student interests.

One of its major tasks will be to hold universities to account on their spending on senior pay.

It will take a series of measures to curb pay rises, including publishing the number of staff who earn over 100,000.

Universities will also have to provide a 'clear justification' for paying any employee more than 150,000 or risk a fine.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students (OfS), has said vice-chancellors' salaries should be linked to the size of the universities they run and their performance.

The crackdown follows fury over inflation-busting pay increases being awarded to university heads despite demands for restraint from the government.

In one a scandal which saw one of the country's smaller institutions  Bath  paying its vice chancellor the highest salary of any in the country.

Dame Glynis Breakwell was paid 468,000 in 2016, a pay rise of 18,000 on the previous year.

Education Secretary Justine Greening said: 'The higher education sector is one of our nation's greatest assets, and the OfS will play a vital role in ensuring our universities retain their world-class reputation for years to come.

'I welcome the new OfS board members to their important new roles. Their experience and skill will be key in ensuring the OfS achieves its ambitions.'

The OfS will replace the Higher Education Funding Council for England as the main regulator of higher education.

It will also hold universities to account for the quality of teaching they provide.

Miss Greening also announced the final six appointments to the OfS' 15-strong board.

OfS Chair Sir Michael Barber said: 'I am confident that the OfS has a board in place that is well-placed to successfully oversee the creation and guide the operation of a new organisation which will be shaping our brilliant higher education sector in the interests of students, short, medium and long term.'

Minister for Universities Jo Johnson said: 'The OfS will introduce a truly modern approach to regulation  one that will further enhance the reputation of our university sector.

'I welcome today's appointments, and I am confident that the OfS has a board that will champion choice and competition, and put the interests of students at the heart of regulation.'

Newly appointed board members including Toby Young, a co-founder of a Free School, and Ruth Carlson, a student at Surrey University.
Sen. Lindsey Graham was a bit doom-and-gloom during his appearance on Face the Nation Sunday, suggesting that 2018 will be a year of 'opportunity and extreme danger.'

'We've got a chance to deliver fatal blows to bad actors in 2018, but if we blink, God help us all,' Graham warned.

The South Carolina Republican was mainly worried about Iran and North Korea.

Sen. Lindsey Graham predicted 2018 could be a year of 'extreme danger,' pointing to the country's two biggest threats: North Korea and Iran

Sen. Lindsey Graham (right) talked to CBS News' Major Garrett (left) and gave him some ideas for how President Trump should deal with both North Korea and Iran

With protesters hitting the streets in Iran, Graham suggested President Trump should do the 'exact opposite' of what President Obama did.

'Obama said, I don't want to get involved, I don't want to mess up the chance of a deal with Iran,' Graham said, characterizing Obama's actions. 'Well, the deal with Iran has not worked.'

The South Carolina senator suggested Trump give a major address to the American people on the subject of Iran and use that address to outline why the Iran deal hasn't worked.

'The people are not getting the benefit of sanctions relief,' Graham pointed out. 'They are more upset with their oppressors than ever, the money from sanctions relief is going to rebuilding the Iranian military and is destabilizing the Middle East.'

President Trump tweeted support for the protests Sunday morning, before Graham came on-air.

'The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism,' Trump said after marveling over the 'big protests.'

'Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!' the president added.

Graham pointed out that the president's involvement needed to go deeper than a tweet.

'But you just can't tweet here. You have to lay out a plan,' he said.

Graham also noted that, 'the Iranians are watching us in North Korea,' while the 'North Koreans are watching us in Iran.'

Graham, a 'hawk' in the Senate, predicted that there was a 70 per cent chance the U.S. would use military action against North Korea, should the rogue regime test another nuclear weapon.

Graham put that at 30 per cent if North Korea, instead, chose to test another ballistic missile.

CBS News' Major Garrett, who was filling in for host John Dickerson, asked if Graham meant that 2018 would be a year of 'preemptive strikes.'

'2018 is going to be the year to deny North Korea the capability to hit the homeland,' Graham said. 'Sanctions will never work completely without the threat of credible military force.'

'How do you change a man's behavior who's willing to kill his own family, torture his own people, to stay in power?' Graham mused, speaking of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. 'He's living large, and he could care less about his people.'

The only way he'll change, Graham believed, was if 'he believes Donald Trump would use military force to destroy his regime.'

'And the Iranians are watching how Trump deals with North Korea,' Graham said again.

The South Carolina senator also talked about his about-face when it came to Trump.

'It's evolved because he is president of the United States, he beat me like a drum and I want to help him where I can because there's a lot on this man's plate and we should all want to help him,' Graham said.

Running for president in 2016, Graham called candidate Trump a number of things including a 'kook' and an individual 'unfit for office.'

'Yeah, I said everything,' Graham acknowledged to Garrett. 'I said he was a xenophobic, race-baiting religious bigot. I ran out of adjectives.'

'Well, the American people spoke, they rejected my analysis and he is now my president,' Graham said.

The Republican noted he worked with Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush too, despite the fact that Obama came from the opposing party and Bush beat out Graham's best Senate friend, Sen. John McCain, in the 2000 GOP primary.

As for Trump, 'I've got to know him better, he asked a lot of good questions,' Graham said.

'I think he's made good foreign policy choices,' the Republican senator added.
Iran's president Hassan Rouhani has hit back at Donald Trump, saying the U.S President has no right sympathise with Iranians after calling them terrorists.

In his first public comments since the wave of anti-government protests began on Thursday, he also said people are free to criticise the government but their protests should not lead to violence.

The authorties in Iran have now blocked access to Instagram and the popular Telegram messaging app used by activists to organize and publicize the protests.

Police have used water cannon to disperse protesters who had gathered in Ferdowsi Square, Tehran

Crowds continued to gather in Iran despite the government blacking out the Telegram messaging app and Instagram

Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian President, issued his first statement since the crisis began, making an address to his cabinet

President Rouhani said the Iranian people had a right to protest but violence would not be tolerated

The Iranian regime has cut access to anonymous messaging app Telegram and Instagram 'to maintain security' amid protests gripping the country (file image)

President Trump has regularly been tweeting his support for protesters in Iran, most recently saying: 'The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism.'

Trump tweeted Sunday that it looks like the Iranians 'will not take it any longer'

But Rouhani hit back saying: 'This man in America who is sympathising today with our people has forgotten that he called the Iranian nation terrorists a few months ago. This man who is against the Iranian nation to his core has no right to sympathise with Iranians.'

President Rouhani, comments come as a security deputy for Tehran's governor raid that 200 people had been arrested after protests on Saturday nightincluding 40 'leaders'.

An official in Arak, around 300 kilometres (190 miles) southwest of Tehran, said 80 people had been detained there overnight.

A fourth day of demonstrations saw crowds take to the streets to light fires on the streets and shout 'death to the dictator' with water cannon used on a crowd in Tehran.

The regime has also promised activists will 'pay the price' of dissent and vowed to crush their movement with an 'iron fist'

Telegram, used by around half of Iran's population, was being used to spread videos of protests along with times and locations of upcoming marches

In an address to his cabinet, the Iranian president said: ''People are absolutely free to criticise the government and protest but their protests should be in such a way as to improve the situation in the country and their life.

'Criticism is different from violence and damaging public properties.

'Resolving the problems is not easy and would take time. The government and people should help each other to resolve the issues.

'The government will definitely not tolerate those groups who are after the destruction of public property or disrupting the public order or spark riots in the society.'

The demonstrations were fanned in part by messages sent on the Telegram messaging app, which authorities blocked Sunday along with the photo-sharing app Instagram, which is owned by tech giant Facebook.

Telegram in particular is very popular in Iran, with more than 50 per cent of the country's 80m population said to be active on the app.

Iran state TV website reported the decision citing an anonymous source who said it was 'in line with maintaining peace and security of the citizens.'

The source said: 'With a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, activities of Telegram and Instagram are temporarily limited.

Despite the online crackdown more footage emerged on Sunday showing demonstrations spreading to the cities of Sanandaj and Urmye in Kurdistan Province.

Police reportedly used water cannon against demonstrators who had gathered in Ferdowsi Square in Tehran.

Video posted online also showed a clash between protesters and police in the city of Khoramdareh in Zanjan province in the country's northwest and Kermanshah in western Iran.

The protests began in the north-east on Thursday over the country's flagging economy, but have since spread to encompass fury at the regime.

Iran has accused 'foreign agents' of fanning the flames of dissent.

Crowds lit fires on the streets as the anti-government protests carried on for a fourth day

Among those accused is Roohallah Zam, who runs a Telegram channel spreading news of protests as well as times and locations of upcoming marches.

The Iranian government accuses Zam of inciting violence, though he denies this.

Also weighing in on the unfolding crisis was Nikki Haley, America's representative at the UN, who said the country is 'being tested by its own citizens'.

'We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day,' she said in a statement.

Haley's comments echoed those of US President Donald Trump, who earlier Sunday said the United States was watching closely for human rights violations.

Marchers also gathered outside the Iranian embassy in west London on Sunday to call for an end to the regime

The demonstrations started on Thursday over the country's flagging economy, but have since spread (pictured, marchers in west London)

Opponents of President Hassan Rouhani gathered in London to make their voices heard

'Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer,' Trump tweeted.

Iran has promised to use an 'iron fist' to crush dissent, raising fears of widespread bloodshed after two activists were shot dead in the city of Dorud overnight.

The government has confirmed the deaths, but said the men were killed by 'foreign agents' and not the security forces.

Video posted on social media showed two young men lying on the ground and covered with blood as a voice over said they had been shot dead by police.
The City of Seattle has settled a lawsuit filed by a man who claimed former Mayor Ed Murray sexually abused him when he was a teenager.

City Attorney Pete Holmes announced late on Saturday that the city will pay Delvonn Heckard $150,000 to resolve the lawsuit, which led to Murray's resignation.

The lawsuit claimed Murray raped and molested Heckard as a teen and blamed the city for enabling Murray to use his political office to slander Heckard and others for months.

The City of Seattle has settled a lawsuit filed by a man who claimed former Mayor Ed Murray (pictured) sexually abused him when he was a teenager

The City of Seattle has settled a lawsuit filed by a man Delvonn Heckard who claimed former Mayor Ed Murray sexually abused him when he was a teenager.

Holmes says the settlement is an important step in putting a sad chapter behind the city.

Murray continues to deny the allegations and in a statement said the relief of resolving the case is bittersweet.

Heckard's lawyer, Lincoln Beauregard, said Sunday that the funds will help Heckard in his recovery.

In September, Murray resigned as Seattle's mayor after a fifth victim came forward accusing him of sexual abuse.

Despite that decision, the embattled politician insisted that the slew of current and previous assault claims against him are false.

'While the allegations against me are not true, it is important that my personal issues do not affect the ability of our City government to conduct the public's business,' Murray said in a public statement in September.

The fifth man, said to be a younger cousin of Murray, alleged the abuse happened decades ago, according to The Seattle Times.

Joseph Dyer, now 54, is Murray's first cousin once removed. He is a dialysis technician and Air Force veteran.

Dyer told the newspaper he was 13 and that Murray was in his early 20's when Murray came to live with Dyer's family in Medford, New York and the alleged abuse happened.

Murray since blamed Dyer for bad relations between their families.

The Associated Press does not typically name alleged victims of sex abuse, but Dyer gave an extensive interview to the newspaper.

Murray, 62, says the slew of current and previous assault claims against him are false

Four other men previously accused Murray of sexual abuse.

Lloyd Anderson, another accuser, said in Tuesday statement back in September that he feels 'victory' but is 'saddened that it required another victim to come forward for him to resign,' the newspaper reports.

'I wonder how many other victims are out there,' Anderson added.

Politician and mayoral candidate, Jenny Durkan, endorsed Murray's decision to resign from his position, while questioning his background.

'It is time for Mayor Murray to step down,' Durkan said in a new statement.

'It's clear that it is in everybody's best interest for him to resign. As a parent, former public official and openly gay woman, these allegations are beyond sad and tragic; no official is above the law.'

Before being elected mayor in 2013, Murray was a long-time Democrat state lawmaker who led the campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington state.

As mayor, he pushed to raise the city's minimum hourly wage to $15.
Police are exploring whether an Amazon Echo could be used by victims to report crimes

It is the voice-activated device that millions of Britons use to play music, order groceries or check on the weather.

Now police are exploring whether an Amazon Echo could be used by victims and witnesses to report crimes without getting off their sofa.

They want to use the technology to deliver daily crime bulletins direct to householders about offences being committed in their area, wanted suspects, missing people and even the whereabouts of the force helicopter.

Lancashire Police is set to be the first force to launch news briefings through voice-activated smart speakers so local residents can 'Ask Alexa' what is happening in their street or ward.

The force plans to use the technology for internal 'flash briefings' updating officers on anything from a major terrorist attack to reading out a crime log to an officer coming on duty.

Police are also exploring whether the device  connected to a voice-controlled intelligent personal assistant service, which responds to the name Alexa  could be used by victims and witnesses to report crimes to police without leaving their sofa.

Rob Flanagan, Lancashire's innovation lead, came up with the idea after experimenting with the digital voice assistant to read nursery rhymes to his daughter.

Lancashire Police will start by launching the first police public-facing app this month to deliver daily news through Amazon Echo (file picture)

The officer, who spent 16 years on the beat, predicts that the public will be using smart machines to fill out crime reports by the end of 2018.

The force will start by launching the first police public-facing app this month to deliver daily news through Amazon Echo.

Information such as images of missing people, murder appeals and even the number of officers on duty in the area will also be sent to user's smart phones which automatically synch with the device.

He told the College of Policing conference: 'The first stage is just providing information from Lancashire Police that will be updated daily.

'The next stage will be something we can do very quickly, I'm talking February or March, essentially once we have got the authority, is to set up a skill to provide information to the public on specific things such as a response to questions like 'how do I report this?' or 'what do I do with this lost property?'

'If we can reduce demand into our call centres via the use of voice recognition or voice enabled technology and actually give the community the information they need without them needing to ring in to police then that's massive.'

Mr Flanagan said: 'If we can give officers and leaders the information that is needed in the quickest time possible, in the easiest way then I think we will see real efficiencies.

'I would like to be the first force to use this for crime reporting. We are a long way off from that, but the technology is there. We would definitely be there by the end of 2018.'

Chief Constable Andy Rhodes has praised the scheme, although he admits he doesn't own a smart speaker.

He said: 'I think it is a really interesting piece of technology, there is a real opportunity for people to get information.'

'Officers working staggered shifts could load up our version of Alexa and get their daily briefings as long as the information is held securely.

'First and foremost it will be an information source for people rather than them ringing us.

'We think there is quite a lot of information people may prefer to get by asking Alexa.

'For our staff it's great for internal messaging, say there has been a serious incident like the attack on the Manchester Evening News Arena.'

Mr Rhodes said he would have concerns about using Amazon Echo currently for crime reporting, but stressed: 'It's very early days, we are just starting to use this.'

He said: 'You could do crime reports, but where the information is stored is the issue.

'It would not be stored on the police system so I would have concerns about whether that was appropriate.

'I would not want police to be sending a message to a victim of crime, speak to Alexa.'

By 2018, it is estimated that almost a third of our interactions will be through conversations with smart machines and by 2021 there will be 1.3billion voice assistants to enable us to talk to our household appliances.

Between September 2015 and November this year there has been a 350 per cent growth in the use of Amazon Echo.

Voice recognition traffic occupies more than 10 per cent of all search traffic, carrying out 40,000 searches per second.

Amazon Echo works by constantly listening for the 'wake word' - 'Alexa' or 'Amazon' by default - and then records your voice and transfers it to a processor for analysis so that it can fulfil requests or answer questions.

The recordings are streamed and stored remotely which means any call through the device would be the property of Amazon raising privacy concerns.

Millie Graham Wood, legal officer at Privacy International said: 'This raises so many problems. If police are using Amazon that is potentially a third party sharing their data.

'If it is being used internally by officers how secure is that information and should police briefing be based on algorithms?

'Police want to improve communication with the public but is this really the most appropriate mechanism?

'If you are asking people to report crime via Amazon and give personal details it would raise a whole raft of problems.'
President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers offered implicit support on Sunday to tens of thousands of Iranians protesting against the Islamic Republic's unelected clerical elite and Iranian foreign policy in the Middle East.

'Big protests in Iran,' Trump said in a tweet from his private club in Palm Beach, Florida. 'The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism.

'Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!'

President Trump took the side of the protesters in Tehran, who took to the streets to express frustration about the sluggish Iranian economy

President Trump tweeted Sunday morning about the protests, telling Iranian that their 'wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism'

On Saturday, these female protesters took to the streets of Tehran to express frustration over the country's ailing economy

Iranian protesters took to the streets of Tehran on Saturday to draw attention to the high cost of living in the city

The president later criticized the Iranian government for limiting protesters' access to the internet.

'Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate,' he wrote. 'Not good!'

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement: 'The Iranian government is being tested by its own citizens. We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day.'

The protests, which initially focused on economic hardships but now include anti-government messages, appeared to resume for a fourth day on Sunday despite Tehran's warnings of a crackdown and restrictions on messaging apps used by the demonstrators.

The protests are the biggest since unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Trump's endorsement of some of the protesters' aims differs from how his predecessor, Barack Obama, initially reacted to the widespread 'Green Movement' demonstrations that rocked Iran in 2009.

Protesters in Tehran expressed anger over Iran's sluggish economy during protest marches on Saturday, which President Trump has expressed support for

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said on Face the Nation Sunday that President Trump needed to do more than tweet. 'You have to lay out a plan,' Graham said in regards to Iran

Obama at first muted his response, fearing that support from Washington could backfire and allow the Iranian government to paint the protesters as tools of the United States.

Some Iranian officials already are blaming 'foreign agents' for the latest unrest.

Trump has taken a more hawkish line with Tehran than Obama. In October, he refused to certify that Iran was complying with its 2015 nuclear deal, even though international weapons inspectors said it was.

He also has pledged to work with Gulf Arab states and Israel to curb what they say are Iran's attempts to extend its influence in the region.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said Trump should give a nationwide address, laying out the terms of an improved nuclear agreement with Iran.

'President Trump is tweeting - very sympathetically to the Iranian people,' Graham said on CBS News' 'Face the Nation' program.

'But you just can't tweet here. You have to lay out a plan.'

On the same program, Republic Representative Will Hurd of Texas said the United States should support peaceful protests in Iran.

If Iran cracks down, he said, 'that's where we should be talking about sanctions because these are human rights abuses.'

Ivanka Trump, a senior adviser to the president and the first daughter, also expressed her support of the protesters in a Sunday afternoon tweet.

'Inspired by the heroism & bravery of the peaceful protesters in #Iran,' she wrote. 'We must stand by the Iranian people as they seek freedom from tyranny.'
Five members of a Washington family including two children died in a car crash and subsequent fire which killed 10 in Mexico on Friday.

The relatives who lost their lives are husband and wife Gaspar Gomez Gomez, 46, and Maria De Los Angel Gonzalez Gomez, 45; their daughter, Denisse Gomez Gonzalez, 26; and their grandchildren David Zuniga Gomez, six, and Alexa Zuniga Gomez, one, The Seattle Times reports.

The family from Tacoma were in a rented van when the crash involving a motorbike and two other vehicles occurred on the highway between tourist hot spot Acapulco and beach city Zihuatanejo in the state of Guerrero, according to authorities.

Denisse Gomez Gonzalez, 26, died alongside her mother and father and two children

Husband and wife Gaspar Gomez Gomez, 46, and Maria De Los Angel Gonzalez Gomez, 45, are pictured here with their son Geovany Gomez Gonzalez, 18, who survived

David Zuniga Gomez (right), six, and Alexa Zuniga Gomez (left), one, were killed in the crash. Luis Angel Zuniga Gomez (center), eight, was injured

Gaspar and Marias son Geovany Gomez Gonzalez, 18, and Luis Angel Zuniga Gomez, 8, a grandchild were injured in the crash.

Denisse was Luis, David and Alexa's mother.

The highway along the Pacific Coast is typically busier than usual at year-end, when tourists flock to beaches for vacations.

Last week a dozen tourists, including U.S., Brazilian, Canadian and Swedish citizens, were killed when their bus crashed and flipped over on a highway in the Yucatan Peninsula state of Quintana Roo, where many popular tourist sites are located.

A three-vehicle collision left at least 10 people dead, five of them residents of the United States
Judge Judith Rowe (pictured) has approved a care plan put forward by council social services bosses with responsibility for an autistic 11-year-old boy

An autistic 11-year-old boy, whose behaviour is 'extreme', can now be physically restrained for his own good by staff at a specialist unit, a family court judge has rule.

Judge Judith Rowe has approved a care plan put forward by council social services bosses with responsibility for the youngster.

Details of the case have been outlined in a written ruling following a hearing at a family court in London.

The judge described the restrictions as 'draconian' but necessary to ensure his safety.

She has not identified anyone involved.

Judge Rowe said the boy has been temporarily taken from his parent's care with long-term decisions on his future being left pending.

She said he exhibited 'extreme behaviour' including 'verbal aggression and physical violence'.

The boy was living at a specialist unit where he was subject to 'significant restrictions'.

The judge said he was supervised from a distance, not left alone with another child at the unit, always accompanied when in the community and at times barred from using a computer and Xbox.

She said staff used 'specialist methods' to deal with his behaviour, including 'physical restraint'.
A right-wing conspiracy theorist has been stripped of her Twitter verification after she posted photos of Chrissy Teigen and John Legend's daughter and accused them of being part of a celebrity pedophile ring.

Liz Crokin, who has 50,000 Twitter followers and says she is an investigative journalist, posted the photos last week of 20-month-old Luna dressed in various costumes including a pineapple, hotdog and Alice in Wonderland.

Crokin also pointed out that Teigen had used a pizza emoji on one of her Snapchat photos of her daughter, linking her to the Pizzagate conspiracy theory that claimed Hillary Clinton was using a Washington pizza restaurant to run a child sex trafficking ring.

A right-wing conspiracy theorist has been stripped of her Twitter verification after she posted photos of Chrissy Teigen's daughter Luna and accused her of being part of a pedophile ring

An outraged Teigen took to social media on Saturday to share screenshots of some of Crokin's tweets and to slam Twitter for verifying the alt-right user's account.

Liz Crokin, who has 50,000 Twitter followers, posted photos of the star's daughter last week and accused Tiegen and John Legend of being part of a celebrity pedophile ring

After a series of fiery tweets from Teigen and her husband John Legend - including some that threatened legal action - a disgruntled Crokin revealed on Saturday night that Twitter had removed her coveted blue verification tick.

'Twitter just unverified my account thanks to @chrissyteigen. That's OK cuz I care more about saving kids than I do about a blue checkmark!' Crokin tweeted.

Teigen responded to the news by tweeting: 'Praise the Twitter lords.'

'1000 people will tell you not to give them attention, to ignore it, who cares they're crazy, etc. Don't ignore it. Tired of letting these people get away with this s**t. Thank you, @Twitter.'

Earlier on Saturday, Tiegen had called out the social media giant for allowing Crokin to be verified - a sign a source can be trusted - and questioned how she could have so many followers.

'Thank you, Twitter, for verifying somebody who is essentially accusing me (with pictures of my daughter) of child abuse and pedophilia to their 50,000 followers,' Tiegen wrote.

After a series of fiery tweets from Teigen -including some that threatened legal action - Crokin revealed on Saturday night that Twitter had removed her coveted blue verification tick

Crokin suggested that Teigen's use of a pizza emoji on a Snapchat of her daughter linked her to the Pizzagate conspiracy theory that claimed Hillary Clinton was using a Washington pizza restaurant named Comet (pictured above) to run a child sex trafficking ring

An outraged Teigen took to social media on Saturday to share screenshots (above) of some of Crokin's tweets about her daughter Luna and linking the model to the Pizzagate theory

The entire ordeal was sparked when Tiegen first drew attention to Crokin's tweets, saying she was disturbed by the conspiracy theorist's thoughts related to her family.

'Alright. I debated saying something about this but I'm pretty disturbed over here. The fact that there are people with these...thoughts...is really scary,' her first tweet on the issue read.

'...apparently dressing my daughter as Alice in Wonderland and a hot dog and having a pizza emoji on Snapchat has to do with pizzagate and being uhhhh darksided. Holy s**t That thread is wild. Enjoy.

'Yeah yeah it's 'just Twitter' but I'm pretty sure this *sick* person is saying we are darksided pizzagate pedophiles who traffic our daughter. Ummmmm this is really scary s**t.'

The Pizzagate theory is a widely discredited allegation that high-ranking Democrat officials were involved in human trafficking - including a child sex abuse ring - via a Washington DC pizza establishment called Comet Ping Pong.

The theory compelled a North Carolina man to show up at the pizza shop armed with a gun and fire off three shots as searched for the so-called abuse ring.

Tiegen then added: 'But if I dressed Luna up as Alice, wouldn't I be on their side and 'following the white rabbit'?? Why would I post it? What does a hot dog symbolize? Why would I willingly choose a pizza if I were in a secret pizza cult? Why am I trying to even make sense of this still please help.'

The pregnant model demanded an apology from Crokin and threatened to sue after the conspiracy theorist started trying to justify her claims.

'Chrissy you run in circle with people who rape, torture & traffic kids. This is a fact, I expose sex trafficking for a living,' Crokin tweeted.

'What's not OK is trafficking kids as sex slaves which is rampant in Hollywood. Why don't you use your platform to educate people?' she said in a follow up tweet.

The conspiracy theorist had taken issue with these photos that Tiegen had posted of her 20-month-old daughter Luna dressed up in costumes

The pregnant model demanded an apology from Crokin and threatened to sue after the conspiracy theorist started trying to justify her claims

Legend also weighed in on the very public fight telling Crokin: 'You need to take my family's name out of your mouth before you get sued.'

The Twitter spat sparked a response from former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton who reached out to Tiegen on Saturday to offer words of support.

'Chrissy, sending you & beautiful Luna a huge hug. It is awful & never ok when people threaten or demean any child. Ive lost count of the Twitter accounts whove threatened Charlotte with #FGM (female genital mutilation). While I never bother to report threats against me, I now report every one against her,' Clinton tweeted.

Teigen tweeted back in response: 'I feel silly even worrying about this in comparison to the magnitude of slander and threats you and your family have dealt with for decades. These people are truly sick and scary. Love to you, Charlotte and Marc!!'

John Legend also weighed in on the very public fight telling Crokin they would sue her. The singer and Tiegen, who already have daughter Luna, are pregnant with their second child
Boris Johnson could be offered a new Brexit 'super-ministry' as part of Theresa May's New Year reshuffle.

The Prime Minister is expected to offer him a role encompassing parts of the Business Department and major infrastructure decisions to prepare Britain for leaving the EU.

But last night allies of the Foreign Secretary said he would refuse to accept anything that looked like a demotion.

The Mail understands the long-awaited reshuffle could begin as early as next week. Senior sources said it was 'looking very likely'.

Scroll down for video

Boris Johnson (left) could be moving to a new Brexit role as part of the Prime Minister's (right) New Year reshuffle

Mrs May will also embark on a domestic policy blitz in the coming weeks, with major speeches on education and the environment. A third major Brexit speech is pencilled in for February.

But first the PM will stamp her authority on the government, and inject fresh energy into the senior ministerial ranks.

Sir Patrick McLoughlin, who is seen as having underperformed as party chairman, is likely to be sacked, while Jeremy Hunt is in line for a promotion.

The Health Secretary, who has been in his job for nearly eight years, is regarded as a 'safe pair of hands' by No10. He has become their go-to minister for difficult media interviews.

Despite backing Remain, he has wholeheartedly endorsed Brexit since the referendum.

Sir Patrick McLoughlin (left), who is seen as having underperformed as party chairman, is likely to be sacked, while Jeremy Hunt (centre) is in line for a promotion. He could be joining Home Secretary Amber Rudd (right) in the Home Office as First Secretary of State

Greg Clark (pictured left) and Justine Greening (centre) are facing the sack, while Anne Milton (right), a minister of state in the Department for Education could be promoted to the Cabinet

Mr Hunt could be offered Damian Green's role in the Cabinet Office, or be moved to the Home Office with Amber Rudd becoming First Secretary of State.

After months of mounting speculation he would be sacked Chancellor Philip Hammond is likely to keep his job having got through the Budget without incident.

Other ministers thought to be facing sack or demotion include Education Secretary Justine Greening, Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom and Business Secretary Greg Clark.

Anne Milton, a minister of state in the Department for Education could be promoted to the Cabinet, alongside Justice minister Dominic Raab.

Justice minister Dominic Raab (pictured left) is set to get a promotion, while Immigration minister Brandon Lewis (right) is widely tipped to take over as party chairman

Immigration minister Brandon Lewis is widely tipped to take over as party chairman.

The offer to Mr Johnson could include stewardship of Business and elements of transport. It would give him a platform to speak about the opportunities offered by Brexit.

However allies said he is happy at the Foreign Office and would fight a demotion from one of the great offices of State. David Davis would stay as Brexit Secretary.

A new Secretary of State post would be created solely to deal with housing. Mrs May has pledged to build more homes to appeal to under 40s struggling to get on the housing ladder.

No10 are keen to capitalise on Michael Gove's success at the Department for the Environment, where he has announced major initiatives including cutting plastic waste and combatting animal cruelty.

A more radical reshuffle is likely in the junior ranks, as Mrs May seeks to promote talented younger MPs.

In her New Year message, the PM said most people just wanted the government to 'get on and deliver a good Brexit' however they voted in the referendum.

But she said that would not be the 'limit of our ambitions'.

'We also have to carry on making a difference here and now on the issues that matter to people's daily lives.'

'The first step to a better future is getting a place at a good school. It's what every parent expects and it's what every child deserves.'

'We will protect and enhance natural environment for the next generation.

And she will pledge, in the year the NHS turns 70, to 'ensure it can deliver a world-class service now and for generations to come.'

She added: 'I believe 2018 can be a year of renewed confidence and pride in our country. A year in which we continue to make good progress towards a successful Brexit deal, an economy that's fit for the future, and a stronger and fairer society for everyone.'
Minsters are preparing to take foreign students out of the immigration figures, despite opposition from Theresa May.

The Prime Minister has blocked the move for years, arguing it would undermine confidence in the UKs immigration statistics.

But Home Secretary Amber Rudd has warned Mrs May that growing support for the measure in Parliament means it is now inevitable. The Home Office believes there is no way of preventing MPs from forcing a parliamentary vote on the issue when the new Immigration Bill is brought forward this year.

Prime Minister Theresa May has blocked the move for years, saying it would undermine confidence in the UK's immigration statistics

A Government source said: It is inevitable that someone will bring forward an amendment on this, and it is very difficult to see how we could defeat it.

Ministers were braced for defeat on the issue last year after an amendment to the Higher Education Bill was passed by the Lords.

The bid was killed off by Junes snap election. But, with the Tories having lost their Commons majority, ministers fear there is no prospect of avoiding defeat now and are urging the PM to back down.

British ambassadors have also been lobbying Mrs May to abandon her red line on the issue. A Whitehall source said: If we are going to make a success of Brexit and make a reality of the idea of Global Britain, then we have to be more open to the world. That is the message the PM is getting from ambassadors.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd (pictured) has warned Mrs May that growing support for the measure in Parliament means it is now inevitable

About 438,000 foreign students are currently studying here. Removing them from the statistics could make a significant difference to headline immigration figures.

Mrs May resisted the move for years as home secretary, warning that it would be seen by voters as an attempt to fiddle the figures. She said keeping foreign students in the statistics would maintain pressure on universities to root out bogus students.

Mrs May also cited research suggesting up to 100,000 foreign students a year failed to return home after graduating. But supporters of the change argue that exit checks show the vast majority of foreign students do not overstay.

The PM is under pressure from fellow Cabinet ministers to back down over the issue. In a rare alliance, Boris Johnson (pictured) has joined forces with Miss Rudd and Chancellor Philip Hammond to urge her to reconsider her stance

A Home Office study last year found that 97 per cent either left when their visa expired or were allowed to stay.

Miss Rudd is now asking the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to back a change in the definition of immigration, which would exclude most foreign students.

The PM is under pressure from fellow Cabinet ministers to back down over the issue. In a rare alliance, Boris Johnson has joined forces with Miss Rudd and Chancellor Philip Hammond to urge her to reconsider her stance. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid and Business Secretary Greg Clark are also said to be in favour of the change.

One Cabinet source said Mrs May was in a minority of one in resisting the move, but added: It is quite an important minority.
Advertisement

More than one million people braved the second coldest New Year's Eve ever as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling 10F while revelers watched the glittering ball drop with a burst of confetti and spectacular fireworks in Times Square.

Earlier on Sunday, New York police warned revelers to suit up in thermals, hats and gloves or risk frostbite and hypothermia.

Thousands of people had already started gathering more than 12 hours before the midnight countdown to 2018 to see the glittering crystal ball drop in Times Square.

It ended up being one of the coldest celebrations on record, held under tight security after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds, including one in Times Square itself last spring.

Scroll down for video

Happy New Year! More than a million people braved the frigid temperatures of New York City just to see firsthand the spectacular display in Times Square

Sunday night turned out to be the second coldest New Year's Eve ever as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling 10F while revelers watched the glittering ball drop in Times Square

Earlier on Sunday, New York police warned revelers to suit up in thermals, hats and gloves or risk frostbite and hypothermia

People had already started gathering more than 12 hours before the midnight countdown to 2018 to see the glittering crystal ball drop in Times Square. A New York police officer shared a kiss with his wife during the New Year's Eve celebrations

It ended up being one of the coldest celebrations on record, held under tight security after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds, including one in Times Square itself last spring

Several revelers wore huge 2018 glasses and large Planet Fitness hats as they brought in the New Year

A woman celebrated the New Year by taking a selfie in Times Square as she braved the cold

Partygoers were warned they would be penned in place for hours and to bundle up in preparation.

The National Weather Service predicted temperatures in the mid teens in Times Square at midnight Sunday, with wind chill values that could make it feel like minus 5F (-15 Celsius).

It was only 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius) in the city by late afternoon - already making it one of the coldest celebrations on record.

The event rivaled some of the coldest New Year's celebrations on record.

In 1962 it was just 11 degrees Fahrenheit (-11.67 Celsius) outside, and in 1939 and 2008 it was 18 degrees Fahrenheit (-7.78 Celsius).

At least it won't be as cold as the frostiest ball drop on record: 1 degree Fahrenheit (-17.22 Celsius) in 1917.

Remle Scott, 22, and her boyfriend Brad Whittaker, 22, of San Diego, arrived shortly after 9am, saying they were trying to keep a positive attitude as temperatures hovered in the teens. Each wore several layers of clothing.

Meanwhile, in Los Vegas, newlyweds Alison and Kenny Finchum, lower left, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, kiss just after midnight during a New Year's party at the Fremont Street Experience

A New Year's fireworks display are seen along the Las Vegas Strip - above Treasure Island and the Venetian - from the top of the Trump International

New Year's fireworks are seen along the Las Vegas Strip, where security and police presence were increased ahead of New Year's celebrations

Thousands of people turned out for the fireworks display in Las Vegas for New Year's, just months after a gunman killed more than 50 people at a concert in the city

In San Francisco, firework display attendees had far milder weather than those in Times Square. Temperatures were in the 50s for New Year's eve celebrations in the northern California city

The arrival of the new year in California brings with it broad legalization of marijuana. Pictured above, fireworks in San Francisco during New Year celebrations

'Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing.' Scott said.

Some wore red scarfs that read 'Happy New Year' and others donned yellow and purple hats as a pizza deliveryman sold pies to the hungry crowd.

In a prime viewing spot near 42nd Street, Alexander Ebrahim grinned as he looked around at the flashing lights of Times Square.

'I always saw it on TV, so I thought why not come out and see it in person,' said the 19-year-old from Orange County, California. 'It's an experience you can never forget.'

Michael Waller, 45, made a snap decision on Saturday evening to drive straight from Columbus, Ohio. He made it to Times Square at 8am and waited all day in front of the ball.

'I didn't want to stay home for this, by myself,' he said.

The NYPD tweeted out a checklist for partygoers, including hand warmers, wool socks, thermals and more thermals.

The glittering crystal ball dropped with a burst of confetti and dazzling fireworks as revelers rang in 2018 in frigid Times Square

Confetti dropped over the crowd as the clock struck midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York

This year, the ball was 12 feet in diameter, weighed 11,875 pounds and was covered with 2,688 triangles that changed colors like a kaleidoscope, illuminated by 32,256 LED lights

Several people became more and more excited as it inched closer and closer to the New Year

Confetti falls in Times Square just after midnight during New Year celebrations in Manhattan

Revelers kiss as confetti falls in Times Square just after midnight during New Year celebrations in Manhattan

Andrew Bocchino and his fiancee Michelle Ash kiss after midnight in Times Square during a New Year's celebration

Fireworks erupted as the clock struck midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis

Extra police and fire personnel monitored weather conditions and the safety of those in attendance to outdoor events in Times Square.

After two terrorist attacks and a rampaging SUV driver who plowed into a crowd on the very spot where the party took place Sunday night, police didn't take any chances.

The police department estimated that it costs $7.5 million to protect the event - with security being tighter than ever before.

Garages in the area were emptied of cars and sealed off and detectives were stationed at area hotels working with security officials to prevent sniper attacks.

Thousands of uniformed officers lined the streets, while cement blocks and sanitation trucks blocked vehicles from entering the secure area where spectators gathered.

Revelers were required to pass through one of a dozen checkpoints where they were screened and then screened again before they were able to make their way to the main event.

At the corner of 48th Street and 7th Avenue, Chris Garcia, his girlfriend Zayra Velazquez and her brother Edgar Valdez stood rigidly, having waited in the cold for almost six hours. Valdez, 19, said he felt 'pretty safe' at the event.

Earlier on Sunday, thousands gathered to prepare for the ball drop in temperatures that reached 14F at the time

Revelers (pictured earlier on Sunday) attempted to stay warm by huddling up on the ground as they waited for the festivities to begin

Thousands of people had already started gathering more than 12 hours before the midnight countdown to 2018 to see the glittering crystal ball drop in Times Square

The celebrations were held under tight security after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds, including one in Times Square itself last spring

The National Weather Service predicted temperatures in the middle teens in Times Square at midnight Sunday, with wind chill values that could make it feel like minus 5F (-15 Celsius)

Several people donned hooded jackets, hats and scarves as they braved the cold ahead of New Year's celebrations in Times Square

Partygoers were warned they would be penned in place for hours and to bundle up in preparation

'They checked us pretty good,' he said. 'Police checked what we had, and another scanned us with metal detectors.'

And New York wasn't the only large city in the US to amp up its security during Sunday's festivities.

In Las Vegas, the Nevada Army National Guard members were seen taking their positions as buses were parked to block all vehicle traffic on Tropicana Avenue near the Las Vegas Strip.

The amped-up security comes just a few months after the October mass shooting that left 58 concertgoers dead and dozens more injured.

State officials said they more than doubled the normal number of National Guard personnel working on New Year's Eve to 360 to join a total of 1,500 on-duty Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers along with spotters, snipers and other federal resources.

Mariah Carey performed again on 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve,' hosted by Ryan Seacrest, after a bungled performance last year in which she stumbled through her short set, failing to sing for most of it despite a pre-recorded track of her songs playing in the background.

People got excited as they listened to singer Nick Jonas, also seen on a screen, in Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebrations

Revelers wearing purple and yellow Planet Fitness hats gather in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations on Sunday

Some wore red scarfs that read 'Happy New Year' as they tried to keep warm while waiting for the ball to drop

Others donned yellow and purple hats as a pizza deliveryman sold pies to the hungry crowd

The event rivaled some of the coldest New Year's celebrations on record: In 1962 it was just 11 degrees outside, and in 1939 and 2008 it was 18 degrees. The frostiest ball drop on record was back in 1917 when temperatures dropped to 1 degree

Revelers wait for midnight during the new year celebrations in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York on Sunday

At the time, Carey was visibly upset during the performance and she blamed the show's production team, but they ultimately buried the hatchet.

She posted an advertisement featuring herself for the show on December 22 that said: 'Take 2.'

And Carey rocked the stage Sunday night donning a shimmering, crystal covered gown. She belted out some of her biggest hits, including her 1993 hit Hero, which she dedicated to 'everyone who speaks out for justice and tries to make the world a better place; a more united planet'.

'You are the true heroes,' she said before her melodic voice rang out in Times Square.

Carey also performed her song, So Faithfully, and jokingly demanded some hot tea right after she finished. 'Well just have to rough it,' Carey quipped. 'Im gonna be just like everybody else with no hot tea,' she added.

Tarana Burke, an activist who started a 'Me Too' campaign a decade ago to raise awareness about sexual violence, started this year's ceremonial ball drop.

She pushed the crystal button that officially began the 60-second countdown to the new year.

Mariah Carey was spotted rehearsing in the freezing cold ahead of her performance in Times Square on New Year's Eve

And Carey rocked the stage Sunday night donning a shimmering, crystal covered gown. She belted out some of her biggest hits, including her 1993 hit Hero, which she dedicated to 'everyone who speaks out for justice and tries to make the world a better place; a more united planet'

'You are the true heroes,' she said before her melodic voice rang out in Times Square. Carey also performed her song, So Faithfully, and jokingly demanded some hot tea right after she finished. 'Well just have to rough it,' she quipped. 'Im gonna be just like everybody else with no hot tea,' she added

Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland performed during New Year's eve celebrations in Times Square. Social activist Tarana Burke (right), who started a 'Me Too' campaign a decade ago to raise awareness about sexual violence, started this year's ceremonial ball drop

USO entertainers performed as part in New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square

Revelers gather in Times Square as a cold weather front hits the region ahead of New Year's celebrations on Sunday night

Elena Barduniotis from Colorado waits in Times Square during a cold weather front ahead of New Year's celebrations

Spectators gather ahead of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York

New York police were seen waiting for instructions in Times Square ahead of the festivities

Thousands of uniformed officers lined the streets, while cement blocks and sanitation trucks blocked vehicles from entering the secure area where spectators were gathered

Revelers gathered in Times Square in freezing conditions on Sunday afternoon - well before the midnight ball drop

A flurry of tweets, Instagram and Facebook posts ensued after actress-activist Alyssa Milano urged victims to respond with the phrase 'me too.'

Milano initially wasn't aware of Burke's earlier campaign and has since publicly credited her. Burke said she hopes the new year will bring 'new momentum to fuel this work and we won't stop anytime soon'.

The dazzling finale of the show was the traditional drop of the Waterford Crystal ball down a pole atop One Times Square.

This year, the ball was 12 feet in diameter, weighed 11,875 pounds and was covered with 2,688 triangles that changed colors like a kaleidoscope, illuminated by 32,256 LED lights.

When the first ball drop happened in 1907, it was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. The first celebration in the area was in 1904, the same year the city's first subway line started running.

Just minutes after midnight, partygoers started to drain from the area as if a giant tub stopper has been pulled up.

And the cleanup began, led by a small army of city employees including more than 200 sanitation workers, dozens of police officers who started to clear the area of confetti and other garbage. Crews removed more than 44 tons of debris last year.

Leading up to the main event, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen hosted CNN's coverage of New Year's Eve festivities in New York City.

Many folks were seen sitting on the ground and huddled together as they arrived early on Sunday ahead of the main event

Toby Townsend (left) and Stacey Wilson (right), both of Manchester, England, tried to keep each other warm during New Year's celebration in Times Square

The police department estimated that it costs $7.5 million to protect the event - with security being tighter than ever before

New York wasn't the only big city to request more security during the New Year's Eve celebrations. In Las Vegas, the Nevada Army National Guard members were seen taking their positions as buses were parked to block all vehicle traffic on Tropicana Avenue near the Las Vegas Strip

The amped-up security comes just a few months after the October mass shooting. State officials said they more than doubled the normal number of National Guard personnel working on New Year's Eve to 360 to join 1,500 on-duty Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers along with spotters, snipers and federal resources

An estimated 330,000 people are celebrating New Year's Eve on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. Pictured are Nevada Army National Guard members speaking with Las Vegas police

In the Florida Keys, Duval Street was jammed with New Year's Eve revelers as female impersonator Gary Marion, known as 'Sushi,' was lowered during the Red Shoe Drop

The Red Shoe Drop was one of the six distinct 'drops' for Key West to celebrate the beginning of 2018. While many US New Year's Eve festivities were staged in frigid conditions, Sunday's midnight air temperature at Key West International Airport was 69 degrees Fahrenheit

Cohen, a talk show host on Bravo, was brought in as a replacement for Kathy Griffin, who was dismissed by CNN last spring after posting a video of herself online in which she was holding a mask styled to look like the severed head of President Donald Trump.

The pair sported matching black turtlenecks at their wintry Manhattan filming location.

Cohen, 49, announced at one point during the broadcast that the evening marks 'the first AC and AC, in case you were wondering'.

Meanwhile, Steve Harvey got roasted on Twitter after he started trending online because of his outfit.

e comedian hosted his own New Year's Eve television special live on Fox from Times Square. It was his first time hosting a New Year's Eve show after musician Pitbull hosted Fox's special for the last three years.

Because of the record-low temperatures in New York, Harvey wore a large white coat, black gloves and a white hat to keep warm.

Twitter immediately weighed in on the comedian's fashion sense. Some compared his outfit to one that Kerry Washington's character Olivia Pope wore on Scandal, while one person said he resembled Frosty the Snowman.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen hosted CNN's coverage of New Year's Eve festivities in New York City. Cohen was brought in as a replacement for Kathy Griffin, who was dismissed by CNN last spring. The pair sported matching black turtlenecks at their wintry Manhattan filming location

Meanwhile, Steve Harvey got roasted on Twitter because of his outfit. Because of the record-low temperatures in New York, Harvey is wearing a large white coat, black gloves and a white hat to keep warm. Twitter immediately weighed in on the comedian's fashion sense. Some compared his outfit to one from Kerry Washington's character Olivia Pope on Scandal (right)

Harvey also officiated the wedding of Maria Menounos on New Year's Eve.

TV personality Menounos, 39, exchanged vows with her longtime love Keven Undergaro in a ceremony officiated by Harvey and broadcast on a Fox New Year's Eve special that she and Harvey co-hosted in Times Square.

NEW YEAR'S EVE WEATHER: TOP FIVE COLDEST 1. The coldest New Years Eve on record in New York City was 1917, when the mercury dropped to 7 below zero, according to National Weather Service data. 2. December 31, 2017, marked the second coldest New Year's Eve for the city. 3. In 1962 it was just 11 degrees in 1962 4. In 1976 and 1996 it was 15 degrees 5. And in 1997 it was 17 degrees Advertisement

Meanwhile in Florida, the Trump family looked flashy while dressed to the nines in preparation for their annual New Year's Eve bash at Mar-a-Lago.

The President, Melania and 11-year-old Barron made a serious statement as they arrived to the gala taking place inside the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom Sunday evening.

Melania donned a gorgeous $4,000 Emery floral-embroidered sequin ERDEM gown, while the guys sported black tie suits.

Ivanka, Jared and their two children, Arabella, 6, and Joseph, 4, smiled for the camera in a cute Instagram snapshot that shows the group in suits and dresses.

Lara Trump also took to social media to share a sweet photo of herself and Eric on the red carpet and the two were later seen holding hands as they entered the event.

'Thank you, 2017! Hello 2018,' Lara said. She chose a Chiara Boni La Petite Robe plunging black bodysuit, and Eric, a black suit and white bow tie.

The pricey tickets for the President's lavish New Year's Eve bash rose this year, and cost a whopping $750 per guest, according to The Washington Post.

Freezing cold weather ushered in New Year's Eve celebrations across the Northeast and Midwest as well.

Elsewhere in Florida, the Trump family looked flashy while dressed to the nines in preparation for their annual New Year's Eve bash at Mar-a-Lago. The President, Melania and 11-year-old Barron made a serious statement as they arrived to the gala taking place inside the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom Sunday evening

Ivanka, Jared and their two children, Arabella, 6, and Joseph, 4, were also seen entering the party in suits and dresses

Lara Trump chose a Chiara Boni La Petite Robe plunging black bodysuit, and Eric, a black suit and white bow tie

Some events were cancelled due to the frigid weather, including the New Year's Eve gathering at the village of Orchard Park near Buffalo in upstate New York.

The weather service predicted lows would hit minus 20 degrees to minus 30 degrees (minus 7C to -34C) from Montana into the Dakotas and Minnesota, which is well below average.

Temperatures could drop to around zero (minus 18 C) as far south as the northern border of Oklahoma on New Year's Day.

They will stoop into the minus 30s near the Canadian border over the next few days.

Icy roads will make travel difficult over much of the United States, from the south-central states of Texas and Oklahoma and eastward over Arkansas.

In other parts of the world, millions brought in the New Year with spectacular firework displays, including the ancient Greek temple of the Parthenon atop Athens' Acropolis hill, the Binnenhof in The Hague, the Netherlands and the Atomium Monument in Brussels.

Fireworks explode around the London Eye during New Year's celebrations in central London just after midnight on January 1

London's iconic Big Ben chimed to mark the turn of the New Year, despite being in the process of serious renovation work which has kept it out of action for several months

The ancient Greek temple of the Parthenon atop Athens' Acropolis hill was in the shadow of fireworks during New Year celebrations in Greece

The Quadriga sculpture atop the Brandenburg gate was illuminated by the fireworks display in the German capital of Berlin for New Year's Eve

The New City Hall in the northern German city is illuminated by fireworks to usher in the New Year

People celebrate the New Year with a firework show at the Binnenhof in The Hague, the Netherlands

The Atomium Monument in Brussels is lit up with a backdrop of fireworks at 23:00 GMT for its New Year's Eve
Mustard sock wearers are perceived as homely types known for witty one-liners

Country Life have published a guide for men on what their socks mean

Typically black and overwashed, mens socks are generally considered an afterthought to an outfit.

But thats all changed, according to Country Life, who have said they are now officially an accessory due to the number of colourful designs being worn.

The magazine has published a guide advising men on what different coloured socks mean and how their choice of sock may have influence the way they are perceived.

Country Life has published a guide advising men on what different coloured socks mean and how their choice of sock may have influence the way they are perceived

They suggest mustard sock wearers are perceived as homely types known for their witty one-liners, while red socks give off the impression that the man is a challenger to Casanova.

In 2015, the magazine revealed its 39 steps to being a modern gentleman, which said that lilac socks should be avoided and are bad taste.

However, in its latest guide, the magazine says that lilac socks signal a man who is adventurous and daring.

The likes of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British actor Tom Hiddleston have been credited for the brightly coloured garments increase in popularity.

In September last year Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore a pair of Chewbacca socks while attending the Bloomberg Global Business Forum

The Canadian leader is well known for his arsenal of patterned fun socks

Hiddleston, 36, pulled off wearing three patterns at once in 2016 when he matched polka dot socks by Nice Laundry with a tartan suit and stripped shirt at a New York Times panel talk.

Mr Trudeau has an arsenal of patterned fun socks. In September last year he wore a pair of Chewbacca socks while attending the Bloomberg Global Business Forum.

In May, the 46-year-old wore a pair of mismatched R2D2 and C3PO Star Wars socks to meet with the Prime Minister of Ireland. Later that same month he showed off a pair of Nato branded socks to German chancellor Angela Merkel.

And when Ukraines trade representative, Nataliya Mykolska, visited Mr Trudeau in November she tweeted a photo of her special delivery from Ukraines PM Volodymyr Groysman, intended for Mr Trudeau as part of a promotion of trade relations between the two countries.

Mustard sock wearers are perceived as homely types known for their 'witty one-liners' according to the advice given by Country Life

Ryan Palmer, from the London Sock Company, told the Sunday Telegraph: Theres something about colourful, stylish socks that puts people at ease.

Customers may start with a traditional black or navy before getting a little more adventurous, perhaps choosing the routemaster red or midnight blue.

Then the positive comments start flowing in and the next thing you know theyre proudly showing off their East India saffron.

A study by Harvard University last year revealed that people who wear eccentric socks tend to be more successful.

The theory is that people who choose to wear bold, unusual patterns and colours are nonconformists who live life their own way and are thought to be more ambitious, able and successful.

The Gentlemans Journal magazine have also a how to on colourful socks. They said the sock game, however, can be daunting, but added: Its also often your only chance in a working day to inject a bit of your personality and style into an outfit that could otherwise be bland.
Retailers are planning to introduce new charges to sneak around a ban on rip-off credit card fees, it is claimed.

New rules from January 13 are to prohibit the addition of extra charges, which have been levied at up to three per cent, when customers pay by credit card.

Firms often have to pay for collecting payments via credit card, but only at a tiny percentage rate, and many have been making a fortune out of customers by billing them excessively for the privilege of paying with plastic.

According to a report yesterday, unscrupulous companies are planning to simply increase their prices or introduce new supposed service charges to ensure they get the same amount of cash

It seemed new legislation would stop it  but according to a report yesterday, unscrupulous companies are planning to simply increase their prices or introduce new supposed service charges to ensure they get the same amount of cash. And customers will keep paying it.

To make matters worse, some of the price rises will be across the board, affecting cash payers as well as those using credit cards.

The new rules were brought in to protect consumers, because so many shops, holiday firms and even councils and other public bodies have been making customers using credit cards pay fees amounting to up to three per cent extra.

Takeaway meal giant Just Eat is complying with the new law by scrapping a 50 card surcharge  but is introducing a new service charge of 50p for every customer, including those using cash, because it ensures fairness for all'

The fees have been said to be necessary to cover costs  but for two years the EU has limited charges firms pay for accepting credit cards have been limited to just 0.3 per cent.

Even though the rule change is imminent, Ryanair was still charging customers two per cent for paying with credit card, and EasyJet one per cent, well into December.

Local authorities including Warwick district, Buckinghamshire county, and Derby City councils were all still charging one per cent.

According to the newspaper, the source said: We agreed to increase all our prices by whatever amount we calculate will cover the cost of the fees we are charged by Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

We estimate that removing the surcharge will result in a significant shift away from payments by debit card and bank transfer so the increase [in extra costs] will be greater than the current credit card surcharge.

HMRC has also said it is stopping accepting credit cards because it cannot afford to pay the fees without charging for them. Other large bodies could follow

Takeaway meal giant Just Eat is complying with the new law by scrapping a 50 card surcharge  but is introducing a new service charge of 50p for every customer, including those using cash, because it ensures fairness for all.

HMRC has also said it is stopping accepting credit cards because it cannot afford to pay the fees without charging for them. Other large bodies could follow.

Which? Consumer expert Gareth Shaw said: These new rules should finally put an end to consumers paying excessive surcharges and additional fees just for using their cards.

Trading Standards must make sure this ban is enforced across the board and that businesses cant find sneaky ways around it.

And spokesman for the Fairer Finance campaign group James Daley said of the coming change: It will mean prices will go up for customers and those who pay in cash will be worse off as a result.

However, the new system will be fairer and more transparent and is still a victory to consumers.

A spokesman for the Treasury said: Banning surcharging will help protect consumers from rip-off charges.

Pricing is a commercial decision for individual businesses and the ban will make it easier for consumers to compare prices and choose the right deal for them.

A spokesperson for Just Eat said: "At Just Eat, we always ensure we comply with all relevant legislation.

We were already reviewing our approach to charging for the services we provide to customers on behalf of our restaurants. As of 8 January 2018 we are making a change to the way restaurants are charged to process Just Eat orders - a 50p service charge will be implemented for all orders."
Police in Tennessee say a 12-year-old girl fatally shot another girl and is being charged with criminal homicide.

A statement from the Nashville Police Department says officers were called to Falcon View Apartments on East Palestine Avenue early Sunday on a report of a shooting.

According to a preliminary investigation, the girls were part of a group of juveniles who left the Nashville apartment and stole a gun from a vehicle in a nearby parking lot.

Criminal homicide: A police car sits outside the apartment block where a girl, 12, allegedly killed another girl aged 16.

Police say the girls brought the gun back to the apartment and the 12-year-old allegedly was handling it and pointing it at the others when it went off.

The 12-year-old faces charges in juvenile court. Her name was not released. Police say 16-year-old Brentrice Wilson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police continue to investigate.
Britain's bloated foreign aid budget will be funnelled into projects that promote the countrys interests, Boris Johnson has declared.

The foreign secretary said the cash will be more sensibly distributed to support Britains policy goals rather than only helping the worlds poor.

He said some of the 13billion budget would be diverted to places where it will support British efforts to deny safe havens to Islamist extremists. These could include countries in Africa and others in the Middle East such as Yemen.

The old jam jars are being smashed': he foreign secretary said the cash will be more sensibly distributed to support Britains policy goals rather than only helping the worlds poor

The old jam jars are being smashed, Mr Johnson said.

The cash will be more sensibly distributed with a view to supporting British foreign policy.

You are going to see a lot of progress there on ODA (official development assistance) funding, supporting diplomatic activity in Africa, which is entirely sensible.

Cash will also be sent to refugee camps for Rohingya Muslims fleeing across the Burmese border into Bangladesh.

Last week, the Mail revealed that UK aid to corrupt countries soared by 10 per cent last year. Almost 1.39 billion was sent to the worlds 20 most crooked states last year  up from 1.26 billion in 2015.

Mr Johnsons comments to the Sunday Times came as International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said the UK will provide a 21 million boost to an emergency aid fund.

The declaration came amid warnings 2018 could be even bleaker than the past 12 months.

Mr Johnsons comments to the Sunday Times came as International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said the UK will provide a 21 million boost to an emergency aid fund

The Government is committed to spending 0.7per cent of national income on overseas development assistance.

Mr Johnson said Brexit would give the UK more control over how aid funding currently handed to European Union projects is spent.

He added: We are 25 per cent of EU aid spending.

Were a massive player in these things. In spite of our bulk and our overseas aid projection, we never got the influence in the (European) Commission that we needed, he said.

Meanwhile Miss Mordaunt confirmed extra support for the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

The money is expected to help provide food, critical health services, clean water and sanitation to millions of people, according to Dfid.

She said: While 2017 was a year of harrowing humanitarian crises, the truth is 2018 could be even bleaker.

When we see suffering, we instinctively want to help. Britons are big-hearted, open-minded and far-sighted - qualities that define a great nation.

This year, through UK aid and further public donations, we helped avert famines in Nigeria and Somalia, gave emergency help to the survivors of the Caribbean hurricanes and provided a vital lifeline to people suffering from conflict in Syria and Yemen.

Dfid said the UK provided 55 million as part of its CERF core funding in 2017, with the additional 21 million available from January 1.
TWO in three workers are planning on quitting in 2018, a study shows.

A poll found 67 per cent were devising 'an exit route' this year.

Some 68 per cent of the 5,000 polled had not received a pay rise or promotion in the past year and 63 per cent 'moan' about their jobs to family and friends

With just over 32m workers in the UK, that means more than 21m people will be on the lookout for a new job in the New Year.

A poll by totaljobs has found that 67 per cent of workers are devising an 'exit route' from their jobs in 2018 (stock image)

The majority of those looking to quit said they were looking to move to another firm in the same sector, get a promotion out of their current department in the same firm or look for a 'completely different job'.

The research, by leading online jobs board totaljobs, found that many workers were 'disenchanted' with their current jobs and were on the hunt for 'something better', with 50 per cent admitting searching online for new jobs while at work.

A total of 54 per cent confessed to 'obsessive clock watching' and said they had their jackets on and were 'out the door' at 5pm, with 67 per cent saying they didn't feel 'valued' by their bosses and 58 per cent said they had not got any extra training in the past year.

Just 12 per cent of those polled said they enjoyed and were 'fully engaged' in their current job.

Craig, an accounts worker who did not want to be identified, said that he had been in the same job for the past five years.

The majority of those looking to quit said they were looking to move to another firm in the same sector, get a promotion o or look for a 'completely different job'(stock image)

The 31-year-old, of Hastings, East Sussex, said: 'I'm desperate to leave my job, but I'm struggling to find anything at the moment.

'I've applied for more than 50 jobs in the past six months, but have only got five interviews and not landed any of them.

'I've not had a pay rise for two years and I don't see myself getting promoted, so I've no real choice other than to stagnate here or leave.'

David Clift, of totaljobs, said: 'It is clear from this research that 2017 has been a gruelling year for millions of UK workers.

With just over 32m workers in the UK, that means more than 21m people will be on the lookout for a new job in the New Year

'2018 promises to be another year of economic uncertainty, so employers need to be alive to the threat of losing their best talent.

'Financial pressures may make considerable pay rises and promotions difficult to implement, but employers need to consider other ways that they can keep their workforce happy.

'Offering training, staff socials and other soft touches are ways that employers can keep their best and brightest within the business.

'Business will face challenging conditions into 2018, so they need to be aware of the widespread dissatisfaction that appears to be present across the UK workforce.

'Recruitment is a real cost to any business, so businesses should do all they realistically can to maximise staff retention.'
Move over Pamela Anderson, there is a new red swimsuit-donning stunner in town!

Ophelia actress Naomi Watts wowed beachgoers in Byron Bay when she hit the sand with her sons Alexander, 10, and Samuel, nine.

The 49-year-old looked effortlessly chic in a bright red, Baywatch-esque one piece - as she sauntered along the beach.

Scroll down for video

Baywatch babe! Naomi Watts, 49, shows off her incredible figure in a tiny red swimsuit as she enjoys a holiday in Byron Bay with her two sons

She paired the understated look with a simple necklace, a khaki hat and thick black sunglasses - clever given the rising centigrade in the region.

Naomi was seen embracing her son Alexander, who was as tall as his superstar mother while he balanced on a rainbow-coloured ball, and even held him upright as he began to topple over.

She paid equal amounts of attention to Samuel, who sweetly rubbed sunscreen on his mother's back before attempting a handstand.

Fashion forward: She paired the understated look with a khaki hat and thick black sunglasses

Running into the future! Naomi pulled a Pamela Anderson-style run across a Byron Bay beach

Quick snap! Naomi took a picture of her son Samuel as he frolicked in the waves

All smiles! Naomi reached for a cover up as the day wore on to protect her skin

Looking good! The 49-year-old looked effortlessly chic in her bright red one piece and necklace as she sauntered down the beach

Showing them she's still got a few tricks up her sleeve, Naomi did her own version of a handstand in the sand, joyfully smiling as she did so.

The family were joined by Naomi's brother Ben Watts, who is an internationally acclaimed photographer, and his girlfriend, stylist Gabriela Langone.

The young girl who can be seen with them appears to be Ben's daughter Ruby, who frequently appears on his Instagram account, Wattsupphoto.

Ready, set, go! Naomi stopped to play some ball with her children

Out for a kick! The brunette beauty made like David Beckham while on the sand

Balancing act! Naomi was seen embracing her son Alexander, who was as tall as his superstar mother while he balanced on a rainbow-coloured ball

Woah, don't fall: She even held him upright as he began to topple over

Bliss! The mother and son duo shared a loving hug on the beach

The outing comes just days after the King Kong star shared a festive picture with her two sons to her Instagram account.

The image, shared to the site last Thursday, saw Naomi and Alexander and Samuel donning striped onesie pyjamas as they posed in front of a tree with their beloved pooch Bob.

Naomi's onesie matched her eldest son's, while Samuel wore a bright red and white set.

Family fun! The family were joined by Naomi's brother Ben Watts (right), who is an internationally acclaimed photographer, and his girlfriend, stylist Gabriela Langone

Watching on! Ben's girlfriend could be seen lying on the beach grabbing a tan

She's a good sport! The close knit family kicked the soccer ball around to each other

Talk about cute! She paid equal amounts of attention to Samuel, her youngest son

Little gymnast! Samuel was more than happy to show off his tricks on the beach

In the caption Naomi wished her fans a Merry Christmas.

'HAPPY, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to everyone!! Wishing for a fantastic 2018,' Naomi wrote.

Last Friday, Naomi returned to Australia for the holidays, flying into Brisbane airport with her two sons.

He's got her back! Samuel lended his famous mother a helping hand and applied sunscreen to her back

Attempt number one: Samuel shows his mother how to do a cartwheel

But she already knows! Naomi showed off her talents beside a crashing wave

And now for the dismount... The 49-year-old didn't even lose her hat when she came out of the handstand

The actress shares her children with her ex partner Liev Schreiber, 50, whom she split with in 2016 after 11 years together.

Despite their breakup, the former couple have remained on friendly terms and are committed to co-parenting their two children.

'Routine is a big part of it,' she told the Australian Womens Weekly in August.

Wedgie! Naomi handed a hat to one of the smaller children in attendance

The group! A number of extra friends to the family decided to join the afternoon soiree

Strike a pose: Sitting next to a box of Shapes, Naomi pulled a half-smile for the camera

Leaving the beach: She donned a pair of denim shorts to leave the beach in

'Obviously Liev and I are actors - there is some moving - but we've really tried to keep the boys in the same school. Give them structure, boundaries.'

Naomi has since been romantically linked to her Gypsy co-star Billy Crudup while Liev is rumoured to be dating Miss South Dakota, Taylor Niesen, 26.

She will turn 50 in September next year.
Its been a long-running drama all of its own: will there, or wont there be a big screen version of Downton Abbey?

Now one of the shows most popular stars, Phyllis Logan, has put speculation to bed  with the same dependable efficiency as her character, the housekeeper Mrs Hughes.

The actress revealed to The Mail on Sunday that a new script has been completed and filming dates arranged for 2018.

Fond memories: Phyllis as Mrs Hughes weds butler Mr Carson (Jim Carter) in Downton

Theres a potential script coming our way, slightly rewritten, said Ms Logan. And she revealed the cast have been consulted about when they are available.

Everyones been asked whats going on between this date and that date, she continued. So we just hope that all the elements  because there are so many  come together. To have a last hurrah with all the characters, going back to the castle and seeing all the old muckers will be fantastic. Im certainly up for it.

It is understood Highclere Castle, near Newbury in Berkshire, where the original series was filmed, will be closed to visitors from May 30 to July 7, thought to be for exterior and interior filming.

It was a great show to do and a great character to play and I will forever think fondly of Mrs Hughes, said Ms Logan, 61. In fact, it was one of the best gigs of my life and opened up so many other avenues and put a different spin on my career.

Downton Abbey shut its doors for the last time on Christmas Day 2015, but millions of fans have been hoping for a movie version of the drama.

NBC Universal International Studios had hoped to start filming in 2017 with 20 of the original cast members, including Hugh Bonneville, who played Lord Grantham, and Michelle Dockery, who played Lady Mary Crawley.

NEW ROLE: Ms Logan with Zoe Wanamaker and Miranda Richardson in her new ITV show Girlfriends

All were asked to keep their diaries open but the project never got under way, leaving many wondering if the film would happen at all.

There was further disappointment when it emerged that Dame Maggie Smith, 83, who played the Dowager Countess of Grantham, had ruled out taking part, saying she was too old.

Such is the popularity of Downton that Mrs Hughes has fans around the world, including a woman from Boston, Massachusetts, who had the household keys to Downton Abbey tattooed on one hip. I kid you not, said Ms Logan. Though, unfortunately, she has them on the wrong hip. She also had the wig and the full outfit.

For now, Ms Logan is appearing in a new comedy drama about women of a certain age.

Girlfriends, from Bafta-winning writer Kay Mellor, starts on Wednesday and also stars Miranda Richardson and Zoe Wanamaker. We are like the musketeers  three post-middle age women taking on everyone and everything, said Ms Logan.

Girlfriends is on ITV on Wednesday, January 3, at 9pm.
I hope the New Year celebrations tonight bring romance for Samantha Barks after the broken-hearted actress had to swap her boyfriend for her pet dog over Christmas.

I am sorry to reveal Les Miserables star Samantha, 27, recently split up with boyfriend Jack Fox, of the acting dynasty, and spent the holidays with her cute pet dog Rosie, putting pictures of her online  and fielding jokes about her surname Barks and the mutt.

I am sorry to reveal Les Miserables star Samantha, 27, recently split up with boyfriend Jack Fox

Samantha and Jack, 32, dated for a year.

They were often spotted kissing and cuddling in public at showbiz dos and moved in together in London.

This spring Samantha heads to Chicago for the world premiere of the US musical version of Pretty Woman.

She plays the Julia Roberts character Vivian in the show. I hope she finds her Richard Gere...
Ant McPartlin has reportedly told his wife, Lisa Armstrong that he wants a divorce, despite her allegedly 'clinging on to hope that they can work things out'.

Insiders tell The Sun, the presenter is preparing to end his marriage having not been been pictured with his wife of 11 years in four months and is seeing in the New Year with his mum Christine and sister Sarah.

It was claimed that Ant, 42, who checked into rehab for prescription painkiller addiction over the summer, has asked Lisa, 41, for the split but that she would not agree to putting out an official statement.

Scroll down for video

Claim: It has been claimed that Ant McPartlin has told wife Lisa Armstrong he wants a divorce, despite her reportedly hoping the pair could work things out, reports The Sun .

The claims came as Ant was seen returning to his rented home in London with his sister Sarah on Saturday ahead of New Year's Eve.

The source said: 'Ant and Lisa are definitely over. He sees no way back for their marriage. Lisa has been struggling to accept it is the end.

'It is all very sad, especially with all she has gone through this year. She was clinging to the hope they could work things out.'

The insider added that the pair were both 'devastated' but are still on friendly terms, and that no-one else is involved in the split. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Ant and Lisa for comment.

Heading home: The claims came as Ant was seen returning to his rented home in London with his sister Sarah on Saturday ahead of New Year's Eve

Over: Married: It was alleged that Ant, 42, who checked into rehab for prescription painkiller addiction over the summer, had told Lisa, 41, the marriage was over but that she would not agree to putting out an official statement

The claim comes amid reports Ant spent Christmas away from Lisa, fuelling further speculation over their marital status.

The Sun reports that a source close to him said: 'Ant knows he and Lisa have to make a decision about their future.

'Ant doesnt feel there is any future in the marriage, and while Lisa is hoping theres a chance they can turn things around, he doesnt see how they can.'

The couple have reportedly been living apart, with Ant moving out of their 6million property earlier this year to attend rehab for an addiction to super-strong painkillers.

Over: The source said:'Ant and Lisa are definitely over. He sees no way back for their marriage. 'Lisa has been struggling to accept it is the end. It is all very sad, especially with all she has gone through this year'

He had spent the last two months filming Down Under for ITV reality show I'm A Celebrity, but make-up artist Lisa was unable to join him overseas, owing to her commitments to BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing.

At the time, Lisa dismissed claims that this made her 'estranged' from husband Ant, explaining that she had not been out to Australia with him for 10 years.

However, a contradicting source has now told the Sunday Mirror that Lisa reportedly felt more 'independent, happier and stronger' while Ant was in Oz.

A source told the publication: 'Ant has had a dreadful year, but Lisa has been through hell too.

'The intense pressure of the situation has left her emotionally drained and was really taking its toll. Back in October she was terribly stressed and worried and seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.'

It was continued: 'It was clear those close to her she was heartbroken. But it's been so much happier since they've been living apart - especially when he flew to Australia to film I'm A Celebrity.'

In late August, Lisa was spotted puffing on a cigarette at London's Gatwick Airport as she waited for a taxi to take him home following his rehab stint.

Ant and Lisa were seen briefly reuniting out their 6m home the weekend of his return, but they have not been pictured together since.

Alleged: The source added that the pair were both 'devastated' but are still on friendly terms, and that no-one else is involved in the split

Lisa has previously taken to social media to defend their union, when a Twitter troll accused her of 'throwing away her marriage'.

The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist told a social media user to 'get their facts right' when they reportedly begged her to understand Ant's recovery from an addiction to pain medication.

Lisa entered into the Twitter spat amid claims husband Ant had moved into a rented home during the Christmas period.

A post on Lisa's Twitter account read: 'Educate yourself first love and get your facts rights. You dont know!! Sorry for your pain x'

According to the Daily Star, she was replying to a user who wrote: 'Can't believe your throwing your marriage away after all them years. (sic)

Moved out? The couple have reportedly been living apart, with Ant moving out of their 6m property earlier this year to attend rehab for an addiction to super-strong painkillers

Denial: Last month Lisa hit out on Twitter and denied she was estranged from Ant

'I've been addicted to codeine and unless you have been there you wouldn't understand waking up in morning kidneys hurting for the habit to be fed educate yourself about it first @LisaAmakeup.'

Last month, Lisa finally broke her silence on reports of the marital woes. She took to Twitter to hit back at the long-running reports that the duo have separated, as she penned on the micro-blogging site: 'I'm not estranged thank you'.

She added that she hadn't been to Australia for 10 years so it wasn't a surprise that she hadn't joined Ant in the jungle during his stint on I'm A Celebrity.

Instead, she stayed in the UK for her work with BBC One's Strictly and Ant returned to England from Australia last week, but it's claimed that he did not return to their marital home.
Nick Cassavetes has regained custody of his daughter.

The Notebook director was pictured with 13-year-old Barbie on Saturday after a judge granted him physical custody over his ex Heather Wahlquist.

The girl's mother had attempted to get an emergency custody petition in Oklahoma on Friday, but was rejected, TMZ reported.

Reunited: Notebook director Nick Cassavetes and his 13-year-old daughter Barbie were pictured reunited for the first time on Saturday

During the week, Cassavetes claimed Wahlquist broke their custody agreement by refusing to return their daughter, and taking her out of California.

An Oklahoma judge spoke with Barbie privately in his chambers for half an hour, before emerging and granting her father custody.

The teen returned to LA with her dad; the two were pictured heading to lunch at Jerry's Famous Deli in Studio City the following day.

The parents are now due back in a California family law court on January 18.

Custody: The two were pictured heading to lunch at Jerry's Famous Deli in Studio City, after he won custody from ex Heather Wahlquist whom he accused of kidnapping the child

Nick recently claimed Heather kidnapped their 13-year-old daughter Barbie and took her to Norman, Oklahoma; he asked fans for help locating the child who he said he had not seen for a month.

Heather signed an agreement that she would hand over Barbie on December 18 to Nick in Los Angeles and have custody of her until January 8.

But when she didn't turn Barbie over to her dad per the custody agreement, he sought for the courts to penalize Heather.

Heather has said the child is better with her and added she 'wants 100% custody' of their daughter until 'Nick can get a grip.'

Broken: During the week, Cassavetes claimed Wahlquist broke their custody agreement by refusing to return their daughter, and taking her out of California

Trouble: Nick recently claimed Heather kidnapped their 13-year-old daughter Barbie and took her to Norman, Oklahoma; he asked fans for help locating the child who he said he had not seen for a month (Nick and Heather pictured 2012)

During her video interview with TMZ, she said: 'This came out of the blue. I think it's because maybe Nick had said something or maybe somebody asked Nick in a drunken night or something "where's Barbie" and "oh she's in Oklahoma" and it turned into I kidnapped her and now he can't go back on it. There's no other explanation.'

Heather told the website that at the time of the stipulation: 'Nick had taken my child and he wouldn't let me have her until I signed at.'

She claimed to TMZ in the video: 'He walked out of our mediation in the middle while I went down to feed my car's meter and snuck off and rushed to get my kid and he wouldn't give her back to me until he finished the stipulation, 100% written by him, and made me sign it or I wouldn't get her back.'

While she said her daughter misses her dad and wants them to have a relationship, she thinks he needs to go to an 'adult baby/parenting school.'

Bad times: An Oklahoma judge spoke with Barbie privately in his chambers for half an hour, before emerging and granting her father custody (the former couple pictured in 2006)

Back home: The teen re turned to LA with her dad

She claims that Nick must have done this as 'an attack because he's p****d.'

According to Heather's mother Linda Massad, Nick reportedly 'wants revenge' against estranged wife Heather.

Linda fears for her life and said the film director is 'evil' during a tearful FaceTime interview shared on TMZ Wednesday morning.

During the emotional interview, Linda told the website, 'You don't know what he's done; you have no idea what he's done.'

Done: She also told TMZ that she split from Nick five years ago and he is trying to get 'revenge'; seen in 2012

She then claimed to have witnessed the director beating her daughter, saying, 'My sister saw it too cause she was with me.'

Linda detailed an incident where a stranger was banging on her door at her home in Oklahoma at 11:30 p.m., claiming she's 'afraid he's got some hitman after my kid and me and my sister.'

Massad said that Nick 'wants revenge against my daughter' for leaving him, and reportedly told Heather when she left, 'I will make your life a living hell.'

Cassavetes' filed a crime report on Dec. 25 claiming Heather violated their custody arrangement and stole their daughter, according to TMZ.

Difficult situation: She added that he has been pretty much stalking her and Barbie as he has been waiting outside their apartment

Her side: The website also spoke to Heather, who 'wants 100% custody' of their daughter until 'Nick can get a grip,' she said in another report; seen here in 2009

The star has even called in his pal Charlie Sheen for support.

But on Tuesday the actress told TMZ that she has not seen her ex because he's a 'bully' who has done 'shocking' things recently causing her to go 'underground.'

She added that he has been pretty much stalking her and Barbie as he has been waiting outside their apartment.

And the site added she was 'terrified' because he wants 'revenge' against her.

Wahlquist added that he has sent their daughter some alarming messages.

His parents: Nick is the son of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands (above in the 1975)

Heather told the site Nick sent a picture to their daughter 'showcasing his exposed a**.'

She added that Nick 'posted a meme of Kevin Spacey along with several games with the caption, "Who remembers having to blow these as a kid." The words are followed by emojis of women raising their hands.'

The two split five years ago and Heather told the site he never really got over it, so now he wants 'revenge.'

Wahlquist also sent a note to Twitter. When asked a question about how she would describe her 2017, she responded: '#UnlawfullyUnderAttack.'

Nick is the son of director Nick Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands.
Offset has sent a legal warning to the woman claiming to be pregnant with his child.

The rapper recruited law firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips to send a cease and desist to Celina Powell, who have accused her of attempted extortion.

The letter, TMZ reported, reveals that Powell has demanded $50k in return for an abortion.

Fighting back: Offset has sent a legal warning to the woman claiming to be pregnant with his child (pictured with fiancee Cardi B in October)

The document claims her allegations Offset impregnated her are false, and accuses her of similar false claims against other celebrities.

The lawyers claim the accusers social media rants have caused Offest financial harm.

Powell previously posted an Instagram snap of a sonogram that has since been removed with the caption: 'I hope Offset & I work this out for the sake of Karma Lee Cephus' on Thursday.

But both the Migos star and his fiancee Cardi B say the story is made up and that 'he doesn't even know her' according to TMZ.

Expecting: Celine Powell posted an Instagram snap of a sonogram that has since been removed with the caption: 'I hope Offset & I work this out for the sake of Karma Lee Cephus' on Thursday

While Celine, 22, admits to faking pregnancies in the past, she insists this time is the real deal.

'These past few months have been a complete mess,' she began her caption, 'but I finally found enough strength to open up about whats going on.

'Yes I am expecting & yes shes a GIRL, my whole life is changing and right now its definitely for the better.

'I know yall like "this b***h done faked hella pregnancies," but this time theres NOOO doubt. I cant wait to meet you my angel.'

Fame hungry? And naysayers claiming Celine is only making up stories for her 15 minutes of fame may be on the right track as Celine tweeted about the TMZ article

Sources close to TMZ say Offset and Celine never met, although there is a video going viral of the two during a FaceTime call.

However, according to the insiders, that was a prank call 'after she somehow got his personal number.'

And naysayers claiming Celine is only making up stories for her 15 minutes of fame may be on the right track as Celine tweeted about the TMZ article.

Loved up: Cardi B and Offset met in New York last February while working on a single together and have been in a relationship ever since

With a link to the story, Celine wrote: 'Say my name say my name...'

Cardi B and Offset met in New York last February while working on a single together and have been in a relationship ever since.

On October 27, Offset proposed to Cardi B on stage in Philadelphia.
He's always had a unique style.

And Joaquin Phoenix proved on trend as he was spotted in an eclectic ensemble leaving karate class in Beverly Hills on Saturday.

The 43-year-old actor rocked a grey tee and white bottoms as he kept a safety pin clipped on his sunglasses to keep them together.

Style icon: Joaquin Phoenix, 43, proved on trend as he was spotted in an eclectic ensemble leaving karate class in Beverly Hills on Saturday

The Oscar winner looked invigorated after his workout as he carried his karate uniform in a bundle.

He managed to easily fit a bottle of water, a belt, and a cellular phone in the cache he carried.

With his trademark salt and pepper hair tucked behind his ears, Joaquin sported the retro shades to frame his handsome face.

The safety pin was a flash of genius as it held together the arm of the glasses to the broken lenses.

Genius: He rocked a grey tee and white pants as he kept a safety pin clipped on his sunglasses to keep them together

Carry-all: The Oscar winner looked invigorated after his workout as he carried his karate uniform in a bundle

Meanwhile, the actor recently was seen portraying Jesus in a new trailer for the upcoming biopic Mary Magdalene.

Joaquin's real-life girlfriend Rooney Mara, 32, stars opposite him in the title role.

The trailer followed the outcast young woman as she searched for a new way of living.

Bundle: He managed to easily fit a bottle of water, a belt, and a cellular phone in the cache he carried

Tresses: With his trademark salt and pepper hair tucked behind his ears, Joaquin sported the retro shades to frame his handsome face

Mary Magdalene will be released in the UK on March 16 and the US on March 30 to coincide with Easter.

Joaquin and Rooney also starred together in the 2013 science-fiction drama Her.

Their romance reportedly started last year while they were filming Mary Magdalene.

Film festival: The three-time Oscar nominee, shown in May in France, stars in Mary Magdalene opposite girlfriend Rooney Mara in the title role

They took their relationship public in May when they stepped out as a couple at the Cannes Film Festival.

Joaquin won rave reviews at the French film festival for his upcoming thriller You Were Never Really Here and took home the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor.

The drama directed by Lynne Ramsay and also starring Ekaterina Samsonov is scheduled for release on April 6, 2018 in the US.
He's Carlton's star player and she's a glamorous model.

And on Saturday, Marc, 30, and Jessie Murphy, 28 - who are about to become first-time parents - paid tribute to each other on their first wedding anniversary.

The blonde beauty was the first to start, she shared a stunning image of the couple on their wedding day to Instagram.

Scroll down for video

Milestone! AFL player Marc Murphy, 30, has posted a gushing tribute to his model wife, Jessie, 28, on their first wedding anniversary together, the pair were married in a lavish ceremony in Melbourne

'Happy one year anniversary to the most incredible man @marcmurphy3,' the model wrote next to the picture which showed her custom Oglia-Loro wedding gown in all its glory.

Mark was a little more playful in his touching tribute to his wife and shared a black-and-white image of the pair dancing.

'1 year & 1 day with this glamour,' he wrote.

The lovebirds drew an instant reaction from their more than 270,000 Instagram followers (combined), with a number of well-wishers offering congratulations.

Elegant! The couple regularly take to Instagram to post happy memories from their wedding, the pair were married in a lavish ceremony in south Melbourne

'Happy anniversary guys ... xxx Stunning pic,' one user wrote, 'Now we wait for baby! Arriving tomorrow is my guess ... such a beautiful bride.'

Another added, 'they kill me they're so perfect.'

However, others had a laugh with Marc, convinced his caption meant he forgot the all-important date, '1 year and 1 day .... Forget the anniversary mate hahaha,' one user wrote.

The couple tied-the-knot in a lavish, no-expense-spared Melbourne wedding, Jessie wore an haute couture gown that featured '200 metres of tulle'.

Happy couple: High profile Melbourne couple Marc and Jessie Murphy have taken to Instagram to write gushing tributes about each other on their first wedding anniversary

In a surprise twist, the happy couple skipped romantic ballads and chose a Jay Z and Kanye West hip-hop anthem as their entrance song.

The blushing bride later slipped into a second gown by the same designer, which, like her wedding gown, also took four months to make.

Bianca and Bridgett, aka melbournestylists on Instagram, were the creative force behind the entire wedding.

Baby bump: Model Jessie, 28, is current pregnant with the pair's first child, despite the pair's busy schedules, they took time to share gushing tributes on their first anniversary together

Speaking about Jessie's dresses, the team told Daily Mail Australia: 'She wanted something traditional and elegant'.

'The first was a custom Oglia-Loro Couture dress featuring a full bodice and pearl hand beaded detailing... it took four months to make.'

The ceremony was held at a ritzy rooftop venue, Luminare, in South Melbourne which offers sweeping views of Melbourne city.

With child! Model Jessie, 28, has kept fans regularly updated about the couple's pregnancy, with the pair's son due any day now

More recently, the couple have been planning for the birth of their son, who is due any day now.

On Christmas Eve, heavily pregnant Jessie took to Instagram to post an image of herself cradling her baby bump.

While recently, she told the Herald Sun, she was excited to see her new husband as a father.

'I can't wait to see him as a father,' Jessie said.

'He (Marc) is going to be amazing. He has so much patience,' Jessie said.

Hitched! Jessie Habermaan, 28, and Marc Murphy, 30, were married in a lavish celebrity in Melbourne last year
They jetted off to Aspen on Friday for a snowy holiday.

And one day later, Sofia Richie and boyfriend Scott Disick stepped out in the Colorado city for a stroll hand in hand.

The 19-year-old donned in a grey furry coat with leggings while her father of three beau, 34, donned a parka and jeans on Saturday.

So happy: Sofia Richie and boyfriend Scott Disick stepped out in Aspen, Colorado for a stroll hand in hand on Saturday

Sofia, a five-foot-six model, chose an oversized charcoal coat, adding black spandex and snow boots.

The aspiring runway star added a small black handbag with sunglasses, although it was evening time.

Sofia pulled her dark brunette locks back into a severe ponytail, opting to leave her face makeup free.

Meanwhile, Scott wore a parka with a fur lined hood.

Quite the team: The 19-year-old donned in a grey furry coat with leggings while her father of three beau, 34, donned a parka and jeans on Saturday

The ex of Kourtney Kardashian paired the piece with a navy top, light wash jeans and white sneakers.

The father of three wore a black beanie and a pair of sunglasses as well.

The duo went public with their romance in September, although they were linked as far back as May.

They have been spotted together in Miami, Puerto Vallarta, Milan and Venice, Italy and Los Cabos since going public with their relationship.

What a couple: They took to social media on Friday to reveal they were headed skiing
Who else would have access to the best stocked pantry in the world but Martha Stewart?

The lifestyle guru is inviting a member of the public to join her on the first ever expedition to the 'doomsday' Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the Arctic.

Buried beneath the world's northernmost town on an island in the icy reaches of Norway, the vault contains around half a billion seeds of just about every type of crop on the planet.

Scroll down for video

That's a well stocked pantry! Martha Stewart is inviting a member of the public to join her on first ever expedition to the 'Doomsday' Svalbard Global Seed Vault

The facility is run by the Crop Trust, whose goal is building a global system to conserve the worlds crop diversity forever.

Normally closed to the public, Martha is leading the inaugural trip to the vault which is carved deep into the side of a mountain on Spitsbergen Island, and closely resembles a James Bond villain's lair.

The location was chosen because of its lack of tectonic activity, and its remoteness protects against interference, while the permafrost ensures the seeds are preserved even if electricity fails.

The contents are handled like a safe deposit box in a bank; While Norway owns the facility itself, the governments of the individual countries who donated the seeds retain ownership of each deposit.

Bond villain lair: Buried beneath the world's northernmost town on an island in the icy reaches of Norway, the vault contains around half a billion seeds of just about every type of crop on the planet

The Global Seed Vault houses nearly one million samples and is the world's biggest collection of agricultural biodiversity

The Trust is attempting to raise money to make the vault sustainable forever.

It needs $850million in total from public and private sources for its Crop Diversity Endowment Fund, part of which goes toward maintaining the vault; Bill and Melinda Gates for example have already donated $30million.

'Their sole mission is to ensure the future of food security,' Martha said.

Remote: The location was chosen because of its lack of tectonic activity, and its remoteness protects against interference, while the permafrost ensures the seeds are preserved even if electricity fails

The vault is situated on the island of Spitsbergen, in Norways Svalbard archipelago, and opened nearly a decade ago

Global Seed Vault designed to preserve worlds food supply in case of a 'doomsday' event

DOOMSDAY VAULT

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is buried on an island off of Norway's northern coast. It already stores nearly one million samples of seeds, which represent 13,000 years of agricultural history. The vault provides a last resort back-up to a network of seed banks around the world, which store seeds but can be threatened by war, accidents and natural disasters. Permafrost and thick rock ensure seed samples remain frozen even without power. The vault aims to secure millions of seeds representing every important crop variety available in the world today. Advertisement

According to the Trust, in the last 100 years, 93 per cent of the known fruit and vegetable varieties in the US have already become extinct.

As part of the fundraiser, a donation of just $10 to the campaign is in with a chance of a place on the expedition, which includes flights, accommodation, a champagne reception to view the Northern Lights, a polar bear tour, dog sledding, glacial cave exploration, and an unprecedented private tour of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault itself.

The winner will also get to share an intimate dinner discussion with leading food scientists and global policy makers  and of course Martha.

First: Normally closed to the public, Martha is leading the inaugural trip to the vault which is carved deep into the side of a mountain on Spitsbergen Island (right)
She first found fame representing her native Sweden at the 1993 Miss World pageant.

And Victoria Silvstedt proved that her beauty queen figure is still extremely impressive as she soaked up the sun with a glass of wine in St Barts on Saturday.

The 43-year-old beauty looked incredibly toned, as she sprawled out on the sun lounger wearing a flower embroidered white bikini and a stylish straw hat to protect her face from the sun.

Scroll down for video

Beach babe: Victoria Silvstedt proved that her beauty queen figure is still perfect as she soaked up the sun in a white bikini while sipping on a glass of wine in St Barts on Saturday

The youthful model finished her beach babe look with a pair of huge sunglasses and her trademark blonde locks loosely cascading around her shoulders.

Victoria looked blissfully happy chatting to friends on the beach, before going for a dip in the sea.

The Swedish model later slipped her famed physique into a tight black vest top and a short beige skirt to display her long, tanned legs.

Life's a beach: The 43-year-old beauty looked incredibly toned, as she sprawled out on the sun lounger wearing a flower embroidered white bikini and a stylish straw hat

The star wore light makeup to showcase her natural good looks and a simple gold watch to accessorise her boho beach look.

The TV personality was clutching hold of her phone, as she prepared to update her 371K Instagram followers with glamorous pictures of her opulent lifestyle.

Victoria has been at the top of her game for more than two decades and it's no wonder considering she ages like a fine wine.

Long legs: The Swedish model later slipped her famed physique into a tight black vest top and a short beige skirt to display her long, tanned legs as she happily went for a dip in the sea

Tanned and toned: The Swedish model displays her long, tanned legs in her beige short skirt and black vest top with her long blonde beach babe hair flowing in the tropical breeze

Ever since winning the Miss Sweden pageant she has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino.

After her pageant days, the Scandinavian babe was spotted by Hugh Hefner and became a Playboy Playmate.

The pin-up is often spotted on the beach, having already holidayed in St Tropez, Cannes and St Barts already this year.
She's the footy WAG best known as the other half of NRL star Beau Ryan.

But it appears Kara Ryan has some famous (and very unlikely) friends.

On New Year's Eve, the 31-year-old took to Instagram to share a snap showing her hanging out with top Australian model Jordan Barrett.

A very unusual catch-up! Kara Ryan looked happy to catch-up with Jordan Barrett in a Sydney sushi restaurant on Sunday

In the picture, the blonde beauty beams as she cosies up to the 21-year-old fashion powerhouse who walks runways right around the world.

The picture was snapped inside a sushi restaurant in Sydney, with Kara's caption suggesting both her husband Beau and Jordan's BFF, model Cheyenne Tozzi, were also there for the reunion.

She wrote: 'The moment before either @realbeauryan or @cheyennetozzi knocked a massive display off the shop counter. We did come in like a whirlwind'.

From Sofia to Kara! Jordan is usually seen hobnobbing with more internationally A-List stars, such as pal Sofia Richie

While their exact location wasn't detailed, it appeared the famous faces met up in the city's south, with Jordan seen earlier in the day with Cheyenne in the suburb of Kurnell.

The male model, who is known for his friendships with more internationally famous stars such as Paris Hilton,Sofia Richie and Bella Hadid, jetted back into Australia late on Saturday.

It's unclear where the star - who is known for being the life of the party - will ring in the New Year.

'2017 was unreal. Loved it': Meanwhile, Beau took to Instagram to share a post ahead of New Year

Meanwhile, Kara's husband reflected on the couple's huge 2017, which included the birth of their second child, son Jesse.

Sharing a family photo, Beau wrote: '2017 was unreal. Loved it. Can't wait to see what 2018 has got for us. We are ready.'

He added: 'Life is good. Stay safe people. Sending nothing but love. xx'
2017 has been a successful year both personally and professionally for Roxy Jacenko, with business booming and husband Oliver Curtis released from prison.

But the PR powerhouse is looking forward to 2018.

On Saturday, the 37-year-old led the Australia's A-list as she geared up to celebrate the New Year, taking to Instagram to share a stunning selfie.

Stunner! Roxy Jacenko looked ravishing as she led the Australian A-listers preparing to ring in 2018

Currently holidaying at the ritzy Sheraton Grand Mirage on the Gold Coast, Roxy turned up the glam as she shared a snap from her hotel suite before heading out to party.

Looking simply sensational, the business titan had her make-up done by Erica Coffey and her trademark blonde locks coiffed by Toni and Guy Broadbeach.

The beauty's brows were also on fleek thanks to Amy Jean Eye Couture as she gave a pout for the camera.

'Dear 2017, suck a d**k': Busty Mel Grieg seemed happy to farewell the year as she took to Instagram

Meanwhile, a thousand kilometres south in Wollongong, Mel Grieg was also ready to party- despite having a slightly less successful year.

Also sharing a selfie, the royal prank DJ bluntly captioned: 'Dear 2017, suck a d**k. 2018 let's nail this'.

The bubbly blonde- who candidly revealed she was scammed by a man for money after their fist fate- hosted a star-studded bash at her beachfront apartment.

Pals Heather Maltman and Dan Ewing were in attendance, with the social media snaps giving a glimpse into Mel's lavish bachelorette pad.

Hostess with the mostess: Mel Grieg hosted a star-studded bash at her Wollongong apartment with Heather Matman and Dan Ewing in attendance

Bachelor beauty: Former reality star Heather Maltman looked ready to celebrate at Mel's bachelorette pad

It appeared to be a less festive occasion for pregnant Erin Molan, who also took to social media before the stroke of midnight.

The 35-year-old Footy Show starlet looked less than impressed with her New Year's Eve plans, frowning for the camera as she was marooned on the couch unable to drink alcohol.

'Peanut butter roll and no alcohol... happy new year' the beauty wrote accompanied by a frowning emoji.
She enjoyed a festive day out with Cara Delevingne after spending Christmas with her brothers Prince, 20, and Blanket, 15, in Hawaii.

But Paris Jackson, 19, was riding solo when she was spotted on her skateboard on the way to meet a friend at Venice Beach Boardwalk, California on Saturday.

The daughter of the late pop star Michael Jackson showed off her toned midriff and a glimpse of her sun-kissed skin from her getaway in a turquoise blue crop top.

Scroll down for video

She's got style: Paris Jackson showed off her toned midriff in a crop top as she climbed on a skateboard to meet a friend amid claims she's 'growing close' to Cara Delevingne

Paris highlighted her petite waist with distressed jeans worn on her hips while she went about town on her skateboard.

The Rolling Stones cover girl teased a glimpse of her impressive inkings on her arms, which are just a few of her 50 colourful tattoos, as she wore a three-quarter length shirt open over the top of her sporty top.

Pulling her golden tresses off her face with sunglasses, the King of Pop's daughter showcased her youthful features highlighted with deftly touches of make-up.

Fabulous figure: Paris highlighted her incredibly petite waist with low rise distressed jeans worn on her hips while she zoomed around on her skateboard

Rumours are swirling in recent weeks that Paris has struck up a blossoming friendship with fashionista-turn-actress Cara.

Most recently the pair enjoyed a festive meet-up when they posed for snaps with doves at a market lit up in all its glory with Christmas trees adorned with fairy lights.

The famous offspring jetted off to Italy and the Czech Republic where Cara was filming her latest TV series Carnival Row, according to The Sun.

Good pals: Rumours are swirling in recent weeks that Paris has struck up a blossoming friendship with fashionista-turn-actress Cara

They are said to have initially bonded over their love of music, with the supermodel fascinated by Paris' father Michael.

A source told the publication: 'They really hit it off at the MTV Movie and TV Awards in LA in May and have been hanging out since.

'It's early days, and Cara doesn't really have time for a proper relationship due to her non-stop filming commitments with Carnival Row, but there's no denying there's a spark.'

Merry Christmas! Most recently the pair enjoyed a festive meet-up when they posed for snaps with doves at a market lit up in all its glory with trees adorned with fairy lights

MailOnline previously contacted Cara and Paris for comment.

Life in a Year star Cara broke up from St Vincent in September 2016 after the pair spent almost two years romancing.

Meanwhile, Paris went her separate ways from her former flame Michael Snoddy in February earlier this year.
Danniella Westbrook has sent her 'stalker' a chilling threat in a now-deleted video uploaded to her Twitter account on Sunday.

The former EastEnders star, 44, proved to be on the phone as she filmed herself driving at night while confidently challenging the 'troll' to come over to her house where she would be 'ready and waiting.'

The mother-of-two - who has previously offered a 5K reward for anyone who could forward with information on her tormentor - didn't hold back as she attempted to end her 'two years of hell' with a face to face showdown.

Scroll down for video

'I'm ready and waiting': Danniella Westbrook, 44, has sent her 'stalker' a chilling threat in a now-deleted video uploaded to her Twitter account on Sunday

Taking to Twitter, Danniella captioned the short clip: 'Message to the troll/stalker/sick spineless bully keyboard warrior with zero life... I'm right here... So what you saying now B*****... happy new year love you!'

The video showed her driving down residential streets with the radio blaring in the background.

While she couldn't be seen, Danniella could be heard saying: 'Right stalker if you're out there, you little troll, right stalker troll, and you're watching, I'll make sure I'm home when you come to beat me up, like you say you're gonna

'Fill your boots princess, because let me tell ya, I'm ready and I'm waiting for ya.

Threat: The former EastEnders star, 44, proved to be on the phone as she filmed herself driving at night while confidently challenging the 'troll' to come over to her house where she would be 'ready and waiting'

'Don't mess around love!' The mother-of-two didn't hold back as she attempted to end her 'two years of hell' with a face to face showdown

'I've waited two years for this so don't mess around love. Anytime you're ready, I'm right here waiting for ya,' she concluded.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Danniella for further comment.

Back in October, Danniella showcased her determination to have her jailed as she took to Twitter to ask for help.

'I will personally pay a 5k reward to anyone who comes forward to @metpolice or me with info on the stalker.'

Earlier this year Danniella opened up about her online stalker hell to The Sun, claiming that she recently blocked 43 fake accounts in one day.

'People who hate on me are making me money. Because you make me work harder, you're making me get up in the morning and try even harder every single day,' she told the publication.

'Sick, spineless bully': Taking to Twitter, Danniella also offered a ruthless caption to the short clip

'I've waited two years for this': While she couldn't be seen in the clip, Danniella could be heard

The former soap star continued: 'So you can keep hating all you want, I don't care. I'm me, I've made mistakes, everybody in this world has made mistakes but I own mine and I only them publicly.

'So the day you can walk in my shoes is the day I can give you some respect, until then leave me alone. (sic)'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Danniella for further comment.

Danniella has previously spoken of her difficultly in dealing with the stalker over the past 12 years, previously telling MailOnline that she wanted the culprit jailed.

She said: 'It's not nice to think they are fixated on pretending to be me and getting access to all my private emails.

'I will pay a 5K reward': Back In October, Danniella showcased her determination to have her jailed as she took to Twitter to ask for help

'It's not nice!' Danniella has previously spoken of her difficultly in dealing with the stalker over the past 12 years, previously telling MailOnline that she wanted the culprit jailed

'To be honest, I'm going to go away and try and rest and relax. This whole thing is very frightening and draining.

'It's like this stalker won't give up until I'm run into the ground.'

Danniella has endured a tumultuous few months, after suffering a miscarriage and reportedly splitting from her Spanish fiance Alan.

She previously hinted at a split from Alan in a cryptic tweet about 'hurting' and 'walking away' in late September.

Seemingly hinting at a break up, she wrote on Twitter: 'Hurting from my loss. The hotel wasn't the only thing he destroyed that day. I never knew him at all! Walking away #EnoughisEnough #Catfish.'

Referring to a 'hotel', the tweet also seemed to address recent claims Danniella had been billed 800 worth of damages, after trashing a hotel room in Benidorm following an alleged row with her fiance.

Over: Danniella has endured a tumultuous few months, after suffering a miscarriage and reportedly splitting from her Spanish fiance Alan

Formerly smitten: Speaking on ITV's Lorraine earlier this year, she had gushed that her Spanish boyfriend Alan was 'gorgeous' and the only man who could 'tame' her

The incident reportedly took place on September 8 - with onlookers claiming they had overheard the actress moaning at a bar about an argument with her 'bloke', which had resulted in a trashed room and a 900 euro charge.

Speaking on ITV's Lorraine just weeks before, she had also gushed that her Spanish boyfriend Alan was 'gorgeous' and the only man who could 'tame' her.

Discussing the prospect that she might even have twins, she told Lorraine: 'I don't know if I'm having two, because I'm huge!

'Every time I stand up I think 'God, I'm huge'. It may well be twins but I don't have a scan for another four or five weeks.

Danniella later confirmed that she suffered a miscarriage. She simultaneously revealed that she will never be able to have another baby following the trauma.
She celebrated turning 53 in style this week, posting a racy snap of herself lounging poolside in Florida in a bikini.

And on Sunday, Pettifleur Berenger treated her fans and followers to a close up of her age-defying figure and thanked them for their support this year.

The Real Housewives of Melbourne star shared a picture of herself in lingerie to Instagram that gave her 39,000 followers an uninterrupted view of her very pert bottom.

Happy new rear! Pettifleur Berenger flaunts her VERY pert derriere and she bid a cheeky farewell to 2017

'Happy to see the rear end of 2017,' began the caption for the image.

It's been a busy year for Pettifleur, who quit Real Housewives in April.

After handing her notice in on the reality show she went on to star in Hell's Kitchen and then popped up at Melbourne Racing Carnival, before seeing out the year with holidays in Mexico, New York and LA.

'Wishing you all a splendid New Year filled with love, laughter, happiness and mostly great health' Age-defying Pettifleur thanked her fans for their support this year

But instead of revelling in her highlights, Pettifleur took the opportunity to show her gratitude to her fans.

'I want to thank you all for the love, support, comments and private messages. I love hearing from you all and hope you will continue with me in 2018,' she wrote in the caption.

'Wishing you all a splendid New Year filled with love, laughter, happiness and mostly great health.

'Sending you love and big hugs from Los Angeles.'

'Who said summer bodies are made in winter? I werk my body all year round!' Pettifleur often posts short videos of herself working out

Pettifleur is no stranger to flaunting her incredible figure.

And she has let fans in on the secret behind it too - gruelling, regular workouts.

Often posting short videos of herself working out, she has been known to share her opinion that 'Strong is sexy'.

In a caption for a video shared last week the star wrote: 'Who said summer bodies are made in winter? I werk my body all year round!' (sic)
She's the former Australian Idol winner who skyrocketed back to fame in 2017 after years of public obscurity.

And Casey Donovan capped off a stellar twelve months with a performance on ABC's New Year's Eve broadcast.

The former Uber driver, 29, belted out a cover of the popular nursery rhyme Incy Wincy Spider for kids watching at home, which was met with rave reviews on social media.

Seeing out the year in style! Casey Donovan earned rave reviews for her performance of Incy Wincy Spider on ABC'S New Year's Eve broadcast on Sunday night

The pre-recorded performance began with Casey sitting at a piano accompanied by Hoot, a cartoon owl who appears on ABC's popular Giggle and Hoot program.

She stated: "At the end of the year it's hard not to think about the struggles and the obstacles but we have to remember the sun will shine again'.

The Blacktown-born babe then belted out the track, which was applauded by Twitter users.

Wowing audiences! Casey's cover of the nursery rhyme came after a stellar year

That's impressive! One user even went as far as describing Casey's cover as 'genius'

'Mate. Most moving rendition of Incy Wincy Spider Ive ever heard. Amazing. Hehe best way to start the night,' one fan gushed over Casey's performance.

Another fawned that the act was 'awesome', while a third even went as far as describing Casey's cover as 'genius'.

'Just saw @CaseyDonovan do Incy Wincy Spider on @ABCTV she killed it. Genius. Now 2017 you can rack off. I'm done with you ', a user cooed.

Praise: Impressed viewers couldn't help but tweet about the powerful performance

Casey became a national sweetheart after her return to the spotlight as contestant on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! early in the year.

The star went on to win the series, catapulting her back onto the A-List.

The popular crooner has showed off her vocal chops at events including Carols By Candlelight.

She was also behind the catchy Coles jingle 'Prices Are Down'.
Rugby league player Brenton Lawrence may have turned 33 on December 29, but the day also presented him with another reason to celebrate.

The sportstar's wife Casey gave birth to their daughter on the same day, with the couple sharing the exciting news on Sunday.

Taking to their respective Instagram accounts, the duo posted adorable snaps of the newborn along with the birth announcement.

'Absolute perfection': On Sunday, NRL WAG Casey Lawrence and husband Brenton announced the birth of daughter Ivy May, who came into on December 29 - her dad's birthday

'Our beautiful baby girl Ivy May Lawrence,' former news producer Casey wrote.

The post featured a series of images that included both Casey and her partner holding the bundle of joy in their arms.

She added: 'Born on the 29th of December, her Dad's birthday, weighing in at 4.06kg. Beej is besotted with his birthday present, our Ivy is absolute perfection.'

'Beej is besotted with his birthday present': Casey (pictured) announced the news with a series of sweet snaps

' I havent stopped looking at her since!' NRL star Brenton is smitten with his daughter

Not to be outdone, Brenton posted his own heartwarming message on his social media to celebration the new addition to the brood.

'Birthday Buddies,' he sweetly wrote, referencing the shared date.

Continuing he wrote: 'My beautiful wife Casey gave me the best gift in the world on Friday morning. Ivy May was born 9:07am, I havent stopped looking at her since!'

Bumping along: Former news producer Casey has been sharing her pregnancy journey on social media

The genetically blessed couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in 2016.

Since Casey and Brenton discovered she was expecting, the couple has been documenting the WAG's pregnancy journey on social media.

Casey once worked for Channel Nine as a news producer while Brenton shot to fame playing for the Manly Sea Eagles.
She is excited to become a mother for the first time in 2018.

But Casey Batchelor celebrated her last New Year's before becoming a mother on a glorious babymoon in Lanzarote.

The expectant star, 33, showed pregnancy suited her down to the ground when she placed her hand delicately under her blossoming bump on Saturday.

Scroll down for video

She's gorgeous! Pregnant Casey Batchelor cradled her 'beautiful bump' in a tiny string bikini on Saturday during her sun-drenched babymoon in Lanzarote over the festive period

Despite her gravity-defying cleavage threatening to spill out of her bra top, the former glamour model was the picture of confidence after she voiced her insecurities on Instagram about her 'boobs growing out of control'.

The Essex born beauty rested her sunglasses on her head as she pulled her loose raven curls off her face.

Casey looked utterly relaxed when she lapped up the sizzling Spanish rays in her skimpy two-piece on her glorious getaway.

Busty display: Despite her gravity-defying cleavage threatening to spill out of her bikini bra, the former glamour model was the picture of confidence

The yoga guru kept her romance with her boyfriend Dane Goodson private before she announced the news she was expecting their baby in recent months.

Ever since then, Casey has been treating her 271,000 Instagram followers to updates throughout her pregnancy journey.

In December, she wrote: 'The butterflies he use to give me have turned into tiny flutters of little feet. Embracing the pregnant life, no filter, no edit just a pregnant lady.'

The mum-to-be also revealed her body is going through a lot of 'new changes' as she confessed she has an 'extremely large bump' and her cleavage is 'out of control'.

Secret: The yoga guru kept her romance with her boyfriend Dane Goodson private before she announced the news she was expecting their baby in recent months

Bumping along: Ever since then, Casey has been treating her 271,000 Instagram followers to updates throughout her pregnancy journey

In late November, she wrote: 'I have an extremely large bump for so early on, my boobs are growing out of control, Im beginning to get lumps and bumps in places Ive never had before and my skin from all the hormones is not very happy aside from the constant nausea and tiredness.

'Ive always worked hard on eating healthy and keeping fit especially with my yoga, so the changing of my body I am learning to embrace and love every part of you and YES including my BACK FAT!

'My beautiful bump, my stupidly forever growing boobs and my back fat I Love you all, I welcome all the new changes to come throughout my pregnancy.'
The final episode aired 13 years ago, but the British public's appetite for US sitcom Friends has been lost.

Fans of the cult Nineties series went wild on Saturday when streaming service Netflix hinted that it was acquiring the show.

Posting a cryptic message from the Official Twitter account, the service-provider prompted speculation that they would be the new outlet in 2018.

Scroll down for video

Making a comeback? (From left) Chandler, Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Ross and Monica could be making a comeback after Netflix hinted that Friends will be available to stream in the UK in 2018 (pictured, stars Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Courteney Cox)

The tweet read: 'The One with the Show Everyone's Been Asking Us to Add' and provided no other explanation to the 41k followers.

Avid fans picked up on the not-so subtle reference to episode naming, which was consistently prefixed 'The One With' - the most famous of which included The One With Ross's Wedding, The One With The Proposal and The Last One (Parts 1 and 2).

'Friends at last?' asked one fan. 'Its like Netflix knows that its been missing the greatest!!!' said another enthused fan on Saturday.

Another said: 'Yippppeee .. but when is it available?' and another replied: 'Yes yes yes!!!!!! They are going to add friends!!!! I am dying'

Could it be? Netflix prompted a flurry of speculation on Saturday when they posted this cryptic message about 'The One with'

Yipee: Friends fans commented in their droves, even sharing jubilant memes about the news

The Last One: As in the final episode, Friends episodes were consistently prefixed with 'The One with'

Some skeptical readers questionned it at first, asking: 'Is this a drill?' and another said: 'OMFG you better not be playing us.'

'OH MY GOD PLEASE DONT PLAY WITH ME. ARE YOU FINALLY DOING IT?!' said another fan.

The show - set around their local coffee shop Central Perk - followed the lives of six New York-based pals, Ross and Monica Gellar, Chandler Bing, Joey Tribbiani, Rachel Green and Phoebe Buffay.

Delighted: Even though it's been over a decade since the final episode aired, the appetite for Friends episodes has not ceased

Precious moments: Over 10 series, Friends fans shared the exploits of six friends in New York - from love to work and marriage to babies

Gripping: There were 236 episodes of Friends and they were repeated on Channel 4 and E4 until 2011

Over 10 series, fans were gripped by Joey, Rachel and Ross' love triangle as well as the unexpected relationship between Monica and Chandler and the six friends' journeys into parenthood, as well as - reluctantly for some - their thirties.

But more than a decade after the final season wrapped, on its 236th episode, fans are still switching on in their droves.

As some social media users pointed out, the sitcom is currently shown on Comedy Central in the UK.

Is it on too much? Some fans pointed out that Friends can already be viewed in the UK on Comedy Central, however not on free-to-view channels

However free-TV users, such as those with Freeview or formerly terrestrial TV, have not been able to watch the show since it left Channel 4 in 2011.

One fan said: 'No. Seriously? I fricking LOVE Friends, BUT it is literally on UK tv every single day. There is absolutely no need for this monstrosity. BRING. BACK. THE. OFFICE. ASAP. AS. POSSIBLE.'

Another user replied: 'Everyone's saying "but Friends is on TV every day" y'all clearly don't know the struggle of only having freeview'

The original home of Friends in the UK, Channel 4 lost the rights to show the sitcom six years ago, having shown repeats on E4 since 2001 and premiered some of the original episodes.

Friends launched the careers of actors Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Courteney Cox (Monica) and David Schwimmer (Ross), who have gone on to star in Hollywood hits.

More recently, Matt LeBlanc (Joey) has crossed the pond to star in British motoring show Top Gear and Matthew Perry (Chandler) has been on the West End stage.

Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe) has also just joined Netflix elsewhere as a new character on the popular show Grace And Frankie, which will debut its fourth season in 2018.
She recently admitted that she had not expected to live past her 30th birthday.

Yet Jane Fonda was looking in incredible shape shortly after turning 80 as she treated herself to a pampering session in Beverly Hills on Saturday.

Joined by her pet pooch, Tulea as she enjoyed a mani-pedi, the Hollywood legend looked effortlessly chic and remarkably youthful on the outing.

Scroll down for video

Taking it easy: Jane Fonda was looking in incredible shape shortly after turning 80 as she treated herself to a pampering session in Beverly Hills on Saturday

Dressed down, the Grace and Frankie star donned a black and white checkered dress teamed with leggings.

Upping the glamour, Jane wore a pair of knee high leather boots and accessorised with a black tribly hat.

In true diva style, the Oscar-winner finished off the look with oversized shades and carried a small quilted black handbag.

Chic and cheerful: Joined by her pet pooch, Tulea as she enjoyed a mani-pedi, the Hollywood legend looked effortlessly chic and remarkably youthful on the outing

The outing came after Jane - who turned 80 on December 21 - revealed to People that as a young woman she 'never pictured 30.'

The Barbarella star added: 'I assumed I wouldnt live very long and that I would die lonely and an addict of some sort.'

'I didnt think if I did live this long, that I would be vibrant and healthy and still working. Im grateful,' said the Monster-In-Law star.

Legs eleven! Dressed down, the Grace and Frankie star donned a black and white checkered shirt dress teamed with black leggings and thigh high leather boots

Jane dished about her 'fraught adolescence' filled with insecurity and loneliness after mother Francis committed suicide when she was 12, leaving her and her brother, actor Peter, nine, with their 'emotionally cold' film star father, Henry Fonda.

She battled bulimia for years as she rose to stardom in films including Barbarella and Barefoot In The Park, winning Oscars for her role in Klute in 1971 and Coming Home in 1978.

However, Jane famously discovered health and fitness in the 1980s persuading millions of women to 'feel the burn' in her workout out videos.
She gave birth to her first child on Thursday.

And on Sunday, The Bachelor's Bec Chin revealed that she and her adorable baby daughter were home from hospital in time to ring in the New Year.

Feeling blessed, the 30-year-old - who is engaged to partner Dean Vee - took to Instagram before the stroke of midnight to share a snap of her 'perfect little family'.

Ready for 2018! Bec Chin took to Instagram on Sunday to announce that she was home from the hospital with her newborn daughter, Savannah Rose

The precious black and white picture was taken just minutes after Bec gave birth, and showed her and Dean beaming as they held newborn Savannah while wearing surgical caps.

'2017 was made the best year yet with the delivery of our beautiful baby girl. Headed home just in time for new year today and cant wait to see what 2018 brings with our perfect little family' the beauty captioned.

The starlet first shot to fame on the third season of The Bachelor, where she pursued Sam Wood, who, coincidentally, also welcomed his first child into the world in 2017.

Dream come true! Bec announced the safe delivery of little Savannah on Instagram shortly after her arrival, with an adorable snap.

Bec announced the safe delivery of little Savannah on Instagram shortly after her arrival, with an adorable snap.

'Welcome to the world Savannah Rose Vicelich. Out of our dreams and into our lives 28.12.17,' Bec wrote beneath the picture of the sleeping beauty.

The stunner gave birth at 39 weeks, and recently flaunted her burgeoning belly in a T-shirt and shorts as she kissed Dean under the Christmas tree, days before giving birth.

Ready to pop: Bec gave birth at 39 weeks, and recently flaunted her burgeoning belly in a T-shirt and shorts as she kissed Dean under the Christmas tree, days before giving birth

Fans and friends and family were quick to congratulate the couple on their new arrival.

Last week, Bec enjoyed a day at the beach with Dean, and shared a snap of herself in a bikini, cradling her baby bump.

'Calm before the storm,' one hashtag read.

Bumping along nicely! Last week, Bec enjoyed a day at the beach with Dean, and shared a snap of herself in a bikini, cradling her baby bump

The couple have been dating since 2015 and became engaged in August.

Dean popped the question when the pair were enjoying a 'baby moon' in New Zealand.

'A thousand yes',' Bec captioned a snap on Instagram from their engagement.

'Because I want you. I want all of you. Forever. You and me, everyday,' she added.
ADS ADS

After two difficult years spent in Switzerland in the immediate aftermath of the French Revolution, Abraham-Louis Breguet returned to Paris in the spring of 1795. His company, established on the Quai de lHorloge on the Ile de La Cite, required complete reconstruction and he spared no effort in reorganizing his workshops and winning over a new clientele. The following year, brimming with new projects and innovative ideas, he began introducing creations that are powerfully echoed in the Tradition line launched in 2005

The masterpiece of simplicity behind the Tradition line: the souscription caliber (1796)

Known for having created the most complicated watches of his era, Abraham-Louis Breguet was also the man who created the simplest watch ever made, dubbing it souscription.

The name of this watch is explained by Breguet himself in the brochure he had printed in 1797: The price of the watches will be 600 livres; one-quarter of this sum will be paid when subscribing; the construction will not suffer any delay and deliveries will be made by order of subscription ().

Recorded as souscription watches in the production and sales registers, they are still referred to and studied under that name by all Breguet collectors and connoisseurs.

Distinguished by its large central barrel and a going train symmetrically arranged on either side of the barrel, the souscription caliber powers a single hand serving to read off both the hours and minutes and its sparing, yet surprisingly edgy design, remains as striking today as ever.

One can well imagine that Breguet was proud of this type of watch and keen to see how it would match the tastes of his contemporaries. It was, indeed, the only product for which he had a document specifically printed to outline his intentions, his motivations, and his technical choices. It is fascinating to observe how Breguet puts himself in the place of his followers, meaning his customers. This introduction took place in the wake of the French Revolution and, having spent the past two years in the safe haven of Switzerland, he had doubtless realized how much society and, thus, his potential customers had changed

The first general statement of this text notes that the accurate watches were intended  for Astronomy and the Navy, and that watches designed for everyday use had two main flaws: they were generally of poor quality and their price was not within reach of a majority of citizens. The challenge, therefore, lay in offering a model that was affordable yet endowed with a degree of robustness and precision comparable or even superior to that of watches made for scientific purposes. Breguet described these watches, based upon what he, himself, referred to as a new construction, in these terms: They are distinguished by their simplicity and by a layout that protects the escapement from serious incidents, even if the watch were to be dropped. The going train, escapement, and regulator, the heat and cold compensator are so openly positioned and so easy to grasp that the attentive observer can see at a glance () the harmonious workman- ship and the reliability of its functions. After describing the regulating components and announcing a 36-hour power reserve, Breguet also wrote that these watches would have a respectable diameter of 25 lignes (meaning 61 mm) and, surprisingly enough, only one hand  immediately adding, as if to reassure readers: This dial size ensures sufficient distance between one hour and the next so as to mark out 12 divisions that the hand sweeps past every five minutes, and which are placed in such a way that it is easy to estimate the time to the nearest minute.. After a very short period of time for the owner to become accustomed to the dial and hand, these watches certainly do display the time in a readable way.

Movement of the Breguet No. 1287, subscription watch sold on 5th August 1803 to  Breguet

The secret signature, a response to fakes

In parallel with the souscription watch, Breguet introduced another practice: that of the secret signature which the master-watchmaker  faced with a broad-scale counterfeit trade  justified in these terms. To ensure the public is not deceived by works in which I have no part, I will put a distinctive mark on the dial, executed by a machine whose effects are extremely difficult to imitate. The machine in question was a drypoint pantograph of which the Breguet Museum has recently acquired an historical example.

Following the French Revolution, counterfeits began to afflict the House of Breguet, a phenomenon that some may see as a reflection of an already impressive reputation, but which become more and more acute over the subsequent decades and which proved anything but a minor issue for the company at the time. The gravity of the situation is conveyed through an article written by H. Reymond in an issue of the French Journal des arts, des sciences, de litterature et de politique dated October 6th, 1809: One cannot speak of horology without mentioning Breguet in the same breath. This artist has pushed the limits of the art to the extent that he can no longer be surpassed. (). It is astonishing to see the quantity of watches circulating under his name, yet barely one in a thousand is actually made by him.

The souscription watch proved a commercial success and the firm sold around 700 of them, mostly between 1798 and 1805, thereby gaining new clients who subsequently purchased more complicated models. This supremely simplified watch enjoys a rightfully earned place in the study of Breguets work and the maestro, in an unfinished treatise he was planning to publish, wrote at length about it in the first chapter in terms that reveal an unmistakable sense of pride. One should, however, point out that the above-mentioned total figure includes another type of model, the tact watch, that was called a souscription a tact timepiece during its early years.

An evolved version of the souscription caliber: the tact watch (1799)

Three years after developing his souscription watch, Breguet introduced his tact watches that provided the possibility of reading the time by touch using an outer hand and two raised markers placed around the case. In keeping with the customs of the house, these tact watches were interpreted through all kinds of variations, with cases that were engine-turned or enameled (in gray, blue...) and featured touch studs in gold or composed of pearls or diamonds. In his draft treatise, he explained the idea behind them. When we imagined the one-hand watch () we merely aimed to build a simple, solid, accurate model at an extremely modest price; but it could not provide a service that custom and habit have rendered almost indispensable: that of audibly repeating the time, a function that was extremely useful for telling the time in the dark.. While this read-off mode was indeed valuable when there was no light available, it also enabled the wearer to check the time discreetly without removing the watch from his pocket, thus giving a further figurative meaning to the word tact. These watches were also sometimes more prosaically referred to as watches for the blind.

Above all, Breguet saw in this new touch-based read-off system a genuine alternative to repeater watches that were both complex and expensive to produce, even going so far as to use the expression repeating by touch.

Breguet no. 2627  Breguet

Tact watches picked up the souscription caliber in a slightly evolved form. Fitted with a mobile outer hand, some of these tact watches also had an extremely small dial featuring one or two hands, visible on the opposite side to that of the external arrow. It was precisely this arrangement that enabled both conventional reading of the time and a chance to admire the movement, a possibility that Breguet regarded as highly desirable and is reflected in todays Tradition watches.

In 2005, drawing upon the inexhaustible wellspring of inspiration represented by Breguets heritage composed of both archives and historical pieces, Nicolas G. Hayek and the design team became convinced that this layout  possible to see from a single side that which can normally be viewed only by turning the watch over  would appeal to connoisseurs of mechanical watchmaking. That is how a contemporary wristwatch came to reprise the beautiful positioning of the central barrel as well as the symmetry of the gear trains and balance, all designed more than two centuries earlier by a brilliant pioneer of both techniques and design.

Tradition no. 7067 with second time zone  Breguet

Over its first ten years of existence, the Tradition line has asserted itself through its powerful originality and has been enriched by various models, ranging from simple hand-wound or self-winding models to others with dual-time or retrograde seconds, tourbillon with fusee, independent chronograph or minute repeater functions. In each case, the effortless simultaneous view of the dial and the vital components of the timepiece proves as strongly appealing today as it did historically, especially since the gray or pink color of the movement mainplate and bridges along with the silvered or black shade of the guilloche dial heightens the contrasts and endows these models with an amazingly modern touch.

This avant-garde esthetic continues to surprise and appeal to this day through a combination of this timeless design with the constant progress being made in the domain of horology as well as sometimes daring choices. Might it not be true to say that the watches of the Tradition line, inspired by the finest possible sources, are to be regarded as brilliantly apt illustrations of the extraordinarily subtle alchemy inherent in contemporary Breguet watches.
They've been attached at the hip since they were first spotted together in the summer, confirming an end to his eight-year marriage to Melissa Meeks.

But Topshop Heiress Chloe Green, 26, rang in her first New Year with beauJeremy Meeks, 33, on Sunday, even celebrating with his son Jeremy Meeks Jr.

Following on from sharing all about their first Christmas together, the daughter of Sir Philip posted a holiday snap of the beaming pair sunning it up with the caption 'Without you my year wouldnt be complete. I love you'.

Scroll down for video

Happy: Chloe Green, 26, isn't slowing down her affections for beau Jeremy Meeks, 33, as she continued to cosy up to her love on Instagram on Sunday

The brunette beauty looked stunning in a daringly low-cut bikini top adorned with an eye-catching tropical print, while her model boyfriend smiled while he showed off his chiseled physique.

Despite the backlash from some fans, Chloe indicated that there was no stopping her relationship with Jeremy, hash-tagging the post with '#goodbye2017hello2018' '#newyear #love #happy.'

She later posted a picture of their kiss inside a '2018' frame, writing: 'First picture of 2018 with my one and only.. Happy New Year!!!! Lets make it the most amazing one!'

The inmate-turned-model followed suit and posted his own tribute to his lady, sharing a picture of the cute couple and others featuring his son.

It was captioned: 'With the ones I love the most' in a not-so subtle jibe at his estranged wife Melissa, Jeremy Jr's mother.

Kisses for the mrs: Chloe was celebrating her first New Year with boyfriend Jeremy

'With the ones I love the most': Jeremy shared pictures with his son Jeremy Jr, who has joined the duo on their trip

Special memories: Chloe was pictured in one family picture with the hunk and his son

In love: The inmate-turned-model followed suit and posted his own tribute to his lady, sharing a picture of the cute couple on what appeared to be a chilled-out date night

Looking ever-so glam with a sparkling diamond necklace, the former Made in Chelsea starlet looked happier than ever alongside her dashing boyfriend.

The heiress draped her gorgeous brown locks over her shoulders as she cosied up to beau Jeremy, who looked chilled and comfortable in a white jumper.

In his loving post, Jeremy went all in with the sentiment, captioning his post with: 'Happy New Years Eve. This year has been amazing. &. 2018 is our year. Me N You Baby. I love you'

The happy couple are no stranger to showing off their affection on social media, and have been eagerly posting in celebration of their first Christmas as a couple.

Chloe couldn't have looked more thrilled while cosying up to her other half as she wished her Instagram followers well on Christmas.

She sported her best duck face, while Jeremy grinned to the camera - proving that their controversial romance was going from strength to strength.

'Love from the 2 of us!' Chloe Green couldn't have looked more thrilled while cosying up to her beau Jeremy Meeks for their first Christmas together

The loved-up image was heavily filtered and superimposed with images of a Christmas tree, presents and mistletoe.

Clearly besotted, the British beauty captioned the smitten snap: 'Merry Christmas. With love from the 2 of us.'

On Sunday, the pair enjoyed yet another romantic evening in Southern Californian as they took to Instagram once again.

'Counting down the days till Christmas!!' the heiress wrote, adding the hashtags '#8daystogo' and '#ourfirstchristmas' while tagging Meeks into the shot.

Winter wonderland: On Sunday, the pair enjoyed yet another romantic evening in Southern Californian as they took to Instagram once again

'Counting down the days till Christmas!!' The heiress wrote, adding the hashtags '#8daystogo' and '#ourfirstchristmas' while tagging Meeks into the shot

The image was filtered with two candy canes arranged in the shape of a heart, with Green puckering up and turning her head toward Meeks' cheek.

The Stockton, California native was wearing a collared denim shirt as he winked toward the camera.

The couple, who began dating this past summer, was also spotted dining at the luxe Southern California eatery Nobu in Malibu on Sunday.

Stylish: The lanky Meeks wore a sporty ensemble as he arrived at the upscale restaurant

Keeping warm: Both Chloe and Jeremy warded off the cool winter weather in sweaters

The catwalk model wore a black sweater with the Adidas logo and brand name splashed across the front, with light blue jeans with tears up the front, and black Vans sneakers. He sported a shaved head and multiple necklaces.

Green wore a creme turtleneck sweater with brown sunglasses and earrings, with her long locks parted to the right, again wearing a huge diamond ring that has spurred speculation of an engagement between the two.

As he enjoys his romance with Green, Meeks is also embroiled in ongoing divorce proceedings with estranged wife Melissa Meeks, who's seeking court-ordered child support for their eight-year-old son, Jeremy Jr.

Holiday cheer: The hunk looked to be in a jolly mood as he was snapped at the establishment

Estranged: Meeks is embroiled in ongoing divorce proceedings with estranged wife Melissa Meeks, who's seeking court-ordered child support for their eight-year-old son, Jeremy Jr

Melissa said that Jeremy ditched the family for his modelling career, has only seen their son a total of 30 days in more than four months since they separated, and has not sent her any money to help take care of the boy, TMZ reported earlier this month.

Meeks shot to fame in 2014 when his mug shot was posted by the Stockton Police Department after he was arrested on weapons charges amid a gang sweep, later getting a prison sentence of 27 months in connection with the incident.

The image went viral on Facebook and Twitter, with plenty of admirers gushing over his chiselled face and bright blue eyes.
Charlie Pickering has been forced to apologise after a shocking 'slip of the tongue' while hosting ABC's live New Year's Eve countdown.

The 40-year-old host of The Weekly surprised viewers seconds before midnight on Sunday, when he said it is 'OK to kill a police officer'.

'We're getting it ready to count it down to the magical moment, the only time it's OK to kill a police officer... to kiss a police officer without asking,' Charlie said, correcting himself.

'Absolutely disgusting': Charlie Pickering was forced to apologise after a shocking 'slip of the tongue' about police during ABC's live New Year's Eve countdown on Sunday

After the incident, Charlie took to Twitter to apologise to his 313,000-plus followers for the unfortunate mistake.

'Thanks to everyone for watching #NYEABC tonight. Apologies for the slip of the tongue at the end. And a big shout out to all of the police keeping us safe tonight.'

Meanwhile, viewers who saw the slip-up flocked to social media to express anger.

Awkward: 'We're getting it ready to count it down to the magical moment, the only time it's OK to kill a police officer... to kiss a police officer without asking,' Charlie said, correcting himself

'Big shout out to the police out there': After the incident, Charlie took to Twitter to apologise to his 313,000-plus followers for the unfortunate mistake

'@ABCTV that's absolutely disgusting from Pickering it's ok to kill a police officer your broadcast is s**t,' one viewer tweeted.

Another added: 'So the ABC think the countdown to the New Year is ok TO KILL A POLICE OFFICER????? F**k you ABC!'

However, some came to the defence of the Charlie.

'Live TV. Slip of the tongue. There is no way lovely Charlie would think that was funny. Why do people always assume the worst. Let's all be kinder. Happy 2018,' read a sympathetic tweet.

Unimpressed: '@ABCTV that's absolutely disgusting from Pickering it's ok to kill a police officer your broadcast is s**t,' one viewer wrote

Not holding back: Another added: 'So the ABC think the countdown to the New Year is ok TO KILL A POLICE OFFICER????? F**k you ABC!'

Another supporter wrote: 'Feeling bad for Charlie Pickering right now. Maybe the worst gaffe of 2017, with 10 seconds to go. Happy New Year Charlie.'

Despite this, many viewers were impressed with the performers at the ABC concert, with the likes of Jimmy Barnes, Casey Donovan and Marcia Hines taking to the stage.

'Casey Donovan and Marcia Hines were AMAZING!!! More more more,' one viewer tweeted from their living room.

Awkward: It comes after the ABC's New Year's Eve telecast was slammed last year after hosts Jeremy Fernandez and Ella Hooper (pictured) almost forgot to start the midnight countdown

Having their say: However, some came to the defence of the media personality

Charlie's gaffe comes after the ABC's New Year's Eve telecast was slammed last year after presenters Jeremy Fernandez and Ella Hooper almost forgot to start the midnight countdown.

Ahead of the broadcast, Charlie said he'd try his best not to mess up.

'I'll do my best (to avoid criticism) aided by the awesome Countdown concert,' he previously told The Daily Telegraph.

'2017 has been a total mess  a chaotic cluster-farce and laughter is the only medicine  our only hope,' he added.
It's the biggest night of the year, New Year's Eve.

And a number of Australian celebrities and personalities made sure to have fun as they marked the occasion.

Sharing their night with fans, the likes of reality TV hopefuls Nadia Stamp and Simone Ormesher kissed, while Shanina Shaik said how much she couldn't wait for her wedding, while Hugh Jackman watched fireworks in Sydney.

Scroll down for video

'Kiss me!' Simone Ormesher (R) and Nadia Stamp (L) smooch while Shanina Shaik counts down her wedding and Hugh Jackman watches fireworks...How celebrities celebrated New Year's Eve

Simone took to her Instagram story to share a video of their night out in Melbourne, stunning in a silk green dress.

The Bachelor star shared a video and captioned it 'kiss me Nadia,' before the girls playfully peck each other.

They enjoyed a night out of dancing, with another Bachelor reject, Leah Costa, dancing seductively with a DJ on her night out.

Girl's night! They enjoyed a night out of dancing

Living it up! Bachelor reject, Leah Costa, danced seductively with a DJ on her night out

Weddng countdown: Meanwhile Australian model Shanina Shaik enjoyed a party that her fiance, DJ Ruckus was playing at

Meanwhile Australian model Shanina Shaik enjoyed a party that her fiance, DJ Ruckus was playing at.

Shanina stood in the DJ booth as she took a video, kissing her man.

She captioned the video saying she was looking forward to their wedding this year.

'Happy New Year!!! 2018!!! We getting married this year!!!!'

Hugh Jackman celebrated New Year's Eve in Sydney, and shared to Instagram a video of himself watching fireworks on Sydney Harbour.

Excited: Hugh Jackman celebrated New Year's Eve in Sydney, and shared to Instagram a video of himself watching fireworks on Sydney Harbour

Hugh wished his followers a Happy New Year's Eve, as the fireworks went off.

Another huge celebrity watching the fireworks on the bridge was Kylie Minogue, who posted shots of the landmark all lit up.

'#lovers, wishing one and all a new year full of joy, compassion, discovery, peace, music and love,' Kylie wrote.

Some stars enjoyed a relaxing night in to celebrate New Year's Eve, with Lindy Klim dancing at home with her children.

Bachelor stars Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski enjoyed time at home with their children, with Sam gushing over his family on Instagram.

Celebrate: Another huge celebrity watching the fireworks on the bridge was Kylie Minogue, who posted shots of the landmark all lit up

Low key: Some stars enjoyed a relaxing night in to celebrate New Year's Eve, with Lindy Klim dancing at home with her children

Sharing a sweet family snap, he wrote: '2015 - hmmm I might go on this reality show. End of 2017 - take a chance, discover who you are and what is truly important in life. Ive ended up with my world full of three beautiful girls that fill my heart every waking minute and my dreams every moment I sleep. Love you Snez, Eve and Willow now and always.'

Jesinta Campbell and husband Buddy Franklin enjoyed wine and a cheese platter at home, with Jesinta gushing: 'Wouldn't have it any other way.'

Just the four of us! Bachelor stars Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski enjoyed time at home with their children, with Sam gushing over his family on Instagram

Night in: Jesinta Campbell and husband Buddy Franklin enjoyed wine and a cheese platter at home, with Jesinta gushing: 'Wouldn't have it any other way'

Jennifer Hawkins enjoyed a pizza night at home, making pizzas with her woodfire oven.

Pia Miller meanwhile, spent the night in Hawaii, where she's holidaying with her fiance Tyson Mullane and her sons.

Chrissie Swan took to Instagram and said she was happily on her couch for New Year's Eve.

'I *could* post pics from a cool NYE party but the fact is I am on my couch eating potato chips watching the countdown thing on SBS,' the quote read.

Relaxing: Pia Miller meanwhile, spent the night in Hawaii, where she's holidaying with her fiance Tyson Mullane and her sons

Model Laura Dundovic was seen partying with former Bachelor star Lana Jeavons-Fellows, with the pair sporting near matching outfits.

The former Miss Universe Australia showed off her fit physique in a denim skirt paired with a white crop top.

Lana wore a similar outfit, pairing a cleavage-baring netted top with a thigh-skimming skirt.

Twinning! Model Laura Dundovic was seen partying with former Bachelor star Lana Jeavons-Fellows, with the pair sporting near matching outfits

Busty! Former radio personality Mel Grieg put on a busty display in a plunging gold dress as she sipped champagne with former Bachelor star Heather Maltman at a party

Former radio personality Mel Grieg put on a busty display in a plunging gold dress as she sipped champagne with former Bachelor star Heather Maltman at a party.

Georgia Love and Lee Elliot gazed adoringly into each other's eyes at Circa in Melbourne.

Still going strong! The Bachelorette's Georgia Love and Lee Elliot gazed adoringly into each other's eyes at Circa in Melbourne

Ricki-Lee Coulter performed on stage at Fluffy nightclub in Brisbane.

The following morning she took to Instagram to gush about the night.

'LAST NIGHT was so much fun!!!!! I love that I got to bring in the new year with my faves!' she wrote.
A man has been hit by a car during a fight between two groups outside a shopping centre in Melbourne's south west.

Police said it is understood a car carrying four people was approached by a group of eight to 10 people known to them at Hoppers Crossing about 9.40pm, Saturday.

The man hit, a 22-year-old from Werribee, suffered serious but non-life threatening leg injuries. Police deployed capsicum spray when males, not believed to be known to the parties, approached police aggressively.
More than 1000 police officers will be deployed throughout Perth for New Year's Eve, with a firm warning for revellers to drink sensibly.

Police Minister Michelle Roberts said there would be a strong police presence for New Year's Eve in Perth despite the city not celebrating as spectacularly as Sydney with its major fireworks display.

"Our major fireworks event is on Australia Day rather than New Year's Eve," she told reporters on Sunday.

"But police will be vigilant, they will be out there in force and hopefully helping everyone have a good time."

Ms Roberts urged people to drink sensibly, plan in advance how to get home, and not get behind the wheel with drugs or alcohol in their systems.

"Unfortunately, there's always those in the community that do the wrong thing, those that sadly utilise drugs like methamphetamine and do some pretty crazy things," she said.

"People need to take care, not just to protect other people but also to protect themselves."

Acting Road Safety Commissioner Iain Cameron has also warned people not to be complacent on WA roads, with 156 fatalities recorded so far this year.

"That is 156 families and circles of friends that have been affected by trauma," he said.

"It is a low result so far, but we can't afford to be complacent."

Mr Cameron said there were 196 road deaths last year, which showed driver behaviour was a significant factor.

"Our vehicles are getting safer, our roads are getting safer, the public are slowing down, and we are drinking and driving less," he said.

"We are doing more of the right thing. We need to keep that up. Those variations show that we can't be complacent."
A man has been caught speeding at over 150km/h while more than three times the blood-alcohol limit in South Australia.

The 60-year-old blew 0.161 after being pulled over at Wangolina, on the state's southeast coast, for travelling at 154km/h in a 110km/h zone shortly before 10pm on Sunday, police say.

The man was reported for drink-driving, lost his licence for a year, had his car impounded for a month and is expected to be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
In 1995 France resumed letting off atomic bombs in the Pacific, with the ensuing stink spreading across the region and leading to marches, boycotting of French products and the arrest of protesters who sought access to the test area.

Cabinet documents for 1995, released on Monday by the National Archives of Australia, show the Labor government of Paul Keating had a good idea France was about to end its test moratorium and conduct a series of underground nuclear tests.

And once tests were concluded, President Jacques Chirac would reaffirm France's commitment to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996.

In their submission to cabinet in June 1995, Foreign Minister Gareth Evans and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Gordon Bilney said France fully expected a test resumption would attract international opprobrium.

"Australia and New Zealand have repeatedly warned that there would be a strong regional reaction," they said.

And so there was. In all there were six French bomb tests with the first on September 5, 1995 and the last on January 27, 1996.

This followed eight earlier test series conducted on Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls in French Polynesia, most recently in 1989-91.

The problem was that, beyond loud protests, there wasn't much Australia could do.

Sales of Australian uranium to France were already banned until it signed the test ban treaty.

The embargo on uranium exports to France had proved unsuccessful in halting earlier tests.

In the 1980s Australian unions had taken some punitive action against French interests.

France had responded with great indignation and though it took no specific trade-related action, Australian commercial interests were affected and relations deteriorated.

Evans and Bilney said as a supporter of the test ban and of a South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, Australia needed to respond to new French tests in a credible manner.

That needed to be weighed against the benefits of maintaining good relations with France and keeping it engaged in the South Pacific.

Evans and Bilney said as chair of the South Pacific Forum, regional nations would expect Australia to play a prominent role in a regional response. For their part, those regional nations would probably not want to react in such a manner as to provoke French retaliation, such as halting development assistance.

New Zealand, with its strong anti-nuclear stance and memories of the Rainbow Warrior affair - when French agents blew up a Greenpeace protest boat in Auckland Harbour in 1985 - was likely to respond vigorously.

They proposed three options: "strong declaratory statements" and diplomatic protests; suspension of some defence contacts; and limiting some cultural relations programs.

President Chirac duly announced the test resumption on June 13, 1995.

The government made loud protests in a number of forums but decided it needed to go further, recalling the ambassador in Paris for consultations, extending the curtailment of defence contacts to include halting ship and senior officer visits, and withdrawing the senior defence representative in France.

At the time, the RAAF was looking for a new jet trainer aircraft and Defence Minister Robert Ray disqualified the French company Dassault Aviation from contention.

Across Australia, polling showed opposition to French nuclear testing exceeded 90 per cent.

French restaurants, cafes and products were boycotted and cultural events cancelled.

Two Greenpeace vessels, one successor to the vessel sunk in 1985, approached the test area and were promptly seized by French commandos. Among those detained were a number of Australians including NSW Greens MP Ian Cohen.

With the test series completed, France, as anticipated, promptly signed the test ban treaty, ending the prospect of any future tests. Relations speedily returned to normal and two decades on are stronger than ever.
The week before Christmas 1995, Paul Keating jetted off to Jakarta for the signing of a security treaty - a considerable surprise to senior figures in both Indonesia and Australia.

This was one of the prime minister's signature big-picture achievements, a watershed agreement between two nations whose relations had seldom been smooth and at one time even sank to a murky shooting war in the jungles of Borneo.

Cabinet documents for 1995, released on Monday by the National Archives of Australia, show Keating believed this agreement would deliver important benefits to both nations, reassuring each of a common interest in each other's security.

But Indonesia did insist that the articles of the agreement did not use the word "defence" because of sensitivity to it being seen as a military pact, inconsistent with its non-aligned principles and national self-reliance.

Then-deputy prime minister Kim Beazley, special guest speaker at the December launch of the 1994 and 1995 cabinet papers, recounts his part in the signing ceremony.

He said the agreement came as a complete surprise. Only when he boarded the VIP aircraft in Darwin and set off for Indonesia did Keating reveal what he was up to.

"We arrived up there and obviously Suharto had been about as frank with his team as we had been with ours. All these Indonesian generals are standing with the sort of thousand-yard stare around the corners of the room," he said.

And so the agreement was duly signed.

"I remember going over to the Indonesia generals and saying 'hello allies'," he said.

On the return trip to Australia, Keating revealed another motivation for the security agreement.

He confided to his deputy that he thought Labor would lose the upcoming election, due for early 1996, and that his opponents - the coalition led by John Howard - knew little about the region.

"I want to put in place as much ballast that they can live on while they bring themselves up to speed," Beazley recalled Keating saying.

"They will bring themselves up to speed but they have been 13 years out of office and they are not in touch with anything that is going on in the zone now or how relationships have changed."

Beazley said it was the only occasion that Keating acknowledged the prospects of defeat.

The agreement was negotiated by former defence force chief General Peter Gration over the previous 18 months.

In his submission to cabinet, dated December 14, 1995, Keating said there was no country more important to Australia than Indonesia and the agreement would provide reassurance that each recognised the fundamental security interests of the other.

Australia and Indonesia would be committed to co-operating to ensure their own security and that of the region.

"It will have, therefore, an important and positive effect on the attitudes of the public in each country towards the other. Through the agreement Indonesia is making a clear statement that it is not a threat to Australia and is committing itself to cooperating with us," he said.

As well as his own potential election defeat, Keating had another concern he believed the treaty could address. That was the departure of President Suharto, in power since 1968.

Keating said it was difficult to predict whether or not the succession would proceed smoothly and what direction Indonesia's policies would take.

"While this agreement will not in itself obviate problems for us, it could well help us deal with that period," he said.

Keating acknowledged sensitivities, specifically human rights and East Timor.

As it turned out, it was East Timor which brought relations to their lowest point since Australia and Indonesian troops fought an undeclared war in Borneo in the mid-60s.

That occurred under new leaders - John Howard in Australia and BJ Habibie in Jakarta - with East Timor opting for independence and Australia leading the UN military intervention in September 1999.

Indonesia abrogated the treaty, declaring Australia's action inconsistent with the letter and the spirit of Keating's agreement.

Relations remained strained for the next few years but steadily improved, especially following Australia's generous response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami which devastated Indonesian province of Aceh.
In a thoughtful and compelling submission to the Keating Labor government in 1994, the Republic Advisory Committee put their case for minimal change in the move to an Australian head of state.

The only problem was that polling showed this had no chance at all of winning over voters.

Cabinet documents for 1994, released on Monday by the National Archives of Australia, show this polling, only obliquely acknowledged in the submission to cabinet, put support for direct election of the president as high as 91 per cent.

Public backing for the favoured model - appointment or removal of the president by a two-thirds majority of a joint sitting of both houses of parliament - had support as low as three per cent and 16 per cent at its highest.

That model was endorsed by the Republic Convention in February 1998 and went to a national referendum in November 1999. It was defeated 54.87 per cent to 45.13 per cent.

Defeat was attributed to divisions within the republic camp, between those who favoured direct election and those supporting the minimal change model. Most of Labor and some on the coalition side favoured the change but then-prime minister John Howard didn't.

During the campaign, those backing parliamentary appointment argued that this would produce the best possible candidates while direct election would create a US model, with victory as likely to go to a wealthy populist.

With a Labor government in power and supportive of the move to an Australian head of state, the Australian Republic Movement was founded in July 1991, with novelist Thomas Keneally as chairman and Malcolm Turnbull as a founding member. Mr Turnbull became chairman in 1993.

Former Labor deputy prime minister and opposition leader Kim Beazley, guest speaker at the December launch of the cabinet documents, said Bob Hawke appointed Turnbull to head the national advisory committee, which put up the model that cabinet subsequently accepted.

Beazley described the Turnbull submission as an "absolute gem" for its concise exposition of the issues.

But he said there was no chance the public would accept it without having a say on who would be president.

"At the end of the day that's a killer. I just felt we did not have a show of getting the republic through without the directly elected model."

The submission said appointment of an Australian head of state was likely to be one of the most contentious issues which would need to be resolved for a republic referendum to succeed.

It said the first challenge was to preserve historical legitimacy of the head of state and his or her viceroy, the governor-general. The second was to do that while preserving primacy of the elected government over the head of state.

Popular election could lead to the head of state being seen as more important than the actual government.

Central to this were the powers of the head of state.

There are ordinary powers conferred by constitution which include calling elections and summoning parliament, exercised on advice of the government.

Then there are so-called reserve powers, generally thought to be exercisable at the governor-general's discretion. That includes the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and therefore the government.

In November 1975, then governor-general John Kerr sacked Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam, an exercise of power which produced national turmoil.

Beazley said Hawke's successor Paul Keating was totally focused on the problem of a possible dual mandate, pitting the future president against the prime minister.

"It was Paul's ultimate big-picture position, designed to produce an outcome which if he won the subsequent election, would be almost the signature effort of the new government," he said.

Beazley said direct election and the codification of head of state powers was the only way a republic could be achieved post-2018.

"I don't think it has a snowball's chance in hell without that," he said.
Today's Birthday, January 1: Peter Gilmore, Australian chef (1968-).

Highly awarded chef Peter Gilmore heads one of Australia's most celebrated fine dining restaurants, Quay.

A three-time winner of best restaurant in Australasia, Quay and Gilmore's signature snow-egg dessert - made-famous on TV cooking show Masterchef - exemplifies his finesse in balancing texture and flavour.

Growing up Gilmore recalls helping his mum cook in the kitchen, enjoying the sense of satisfaction she had sharing her food with love.

He grew up in Sydney and left high school in year 10 to start his cooking apprenticeship at The Manor House restaurant in Balmain.

Following this, Gilmore worked in various kitchens in rural NSW before heading to England to gain a broader knowledge about food and different styles of cooking.

After arriving back in Australia in 1990 Gilmore worked across kitchens in Sydney as well as running a guesthouse in the Blue Mountains with his wife Kath.

In 2000 he moved into his first head chef role at De Beers Restaurant at Whale Beach.

"De Beers houses a young chef with a real talent for sending out beautifully structured food with innate simplicity," influential food reviewer Terry Durack wrote in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Having described his food as "nature-based cuisine" Gilmore penned two books of a similar theme titled Quay: Food Inspired by Nature (2010) and Organum: Nature, Texture, Intensity, and Purity (2014).

Since 2010 Gilmore has appeared as a celebrity chef on Masterchef, proposing what has been touted as one of the hardest challenges for the contestants - having to recreate his famous snow egg - a poached meringue with an ice cream centre on granita.

In 2014 Gilmore won the tender for arguably the most prized dining real estate in Australia, the Bennelong restaurant site at the Sydney Opera House.

"Bennelong may be the Holy Grail of Australian restaurants," The New York Times wrote in 2015.

In 2017 Gilmore's restaurant Quay won the coveted 2017 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Restaurant of the Year.












Second world war SS officers at Auschwitz in 1944. From left: Richard Baer, who became the commandant of Auschwitz in May 1944, Josef Mengele, commandant of Birkenau Josef Kramer, hidden, and the former commandant of Auschwitz Rudolf Hoss, foreground; the man on the right is unidentified. Photograph: AP



Red Cross and Vatican helped thousands of Nazis to escape



Research shows how travel documents ended up in hands of the likes of Adolf Eichmann, Josef Mengele and Klaus Barbie in the postwar chaos





Dalya Alberge



Wed 25 May 11 10.31 EDT First published on Wed 25 May 11 10.31 EDT





The Red Cross and the



The Red Cross



Gerald Steinacher, a research fellow at Harvard University, was given access to thousands of internal documents in the archives of the Research shows how travel documents ended up in hands of the likes of Adolf Eichmann, Josef Mengele and Klaus Barbie in the postwar chaosWed 25 May 11 10.31 EDT First published on Wed 25 May 11 10.31 EDTThe Red Cross and the Vatican both helped thousands of Nazi war criminals and collaborators to escape after the second world war, according to a book that pulls together evidence from unpublished documents.The Red Cross has previously acknowledged that its efforts to help refugees were used by Nazis because administrators were overwhelmed, but the research suggests the numbers were much higher than thought.Gerald Steinacher, a research fellow at Harvard University, was given access to thousands of internal documents in the archives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The documents include Red Cross travel documents issued mistakenly to Nazis in the postwar chaos.



They throw light on how and why mass murderers such as Adolf Eichmann, Josef Mengele and Klaus Barbie and thousands of others evaded capture by the allies.



By comparing lists of wanted war criminals to travel documents, Steinacher says Britain and Canada alone inadvertently took in around 8,000 former Waffen-SS members in 1947, many on the basis of valid documents issued mistakenly.



The documents  which are discussed in Steinacher's book Nazis on the Run: How Hitler's henchmen fled justice  offer a significant insight into Vatican thinking, particularly, because its own archives beyond 1939 are still closed. The Vatican has consistently refused to comment.



Steinacher believes the Vatican's help was based on a hoped-for revival of European Christianity and dread of the Soviet Union. But through the Vatican Refugee Commission, war criminals were knowingly provided with false identities.



The Red Cross, overwhelmed by millions of refugees, relied substantially on Vatican references and the often cursory Allied military checks in issuing travel papers, known as 10.100s.



It believed it was primarily helping innocent refugees although correspondence between Red Cross delegations in Genoa, Rome and Geneva shows it was aware Nazis were getting through.



"Although the ICRC has publicly apologised, its action went well beyond helping a few people," said Steinacher.



Steinacher says the documents indicate that the Red Cross, mostly in Rome or Genoa, issued at least 120,000 of the 10.100s, and that 90% of ex-Nazis fled via Italy, mostly to Spain, and North and South America  notably Argentina.



Former SS members often mixed with genuine refugees and presented themselves as stateless ethnic Germans to gain transit papers. Jews trying to get to Palestine via Italy were sometimes smuggled over the border with escaping Nazis.



Steinacher says that individual Red Cross delegations issued war criminals with 10.100s "out of sympathy for individuals  political attitude, or simply because they were overburdened". Stolen documents were also used to whisk Nazis to safety. He said: "They were really in a dilemma. It was difficult. It wanted to get rid of the job. Nobody wanted to do it."



The Red Cross refused to comment directly on Steinacher's findings but the organisation says on its website: "The ICRC has previously deplored the fact that Eichmann and other Nazi criminals misused its travel documents to cover their tracks."
















The clocked has ticked over to 2018 and Sydney has done what it does best with a dazzling pyrotechnics display that drew cheers and gasps from the estimated one million people who crowded vantage points around the harbour.

Some eight tonnes of fireworks produced 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects as the sky exploded in a riot of colour and light, with the centrepiece a rainbow tribute to the nation's historic same sex marriage vote and the upcoming 40th anniversary of Mardi Gras.

For the first time, there was a countdown to midnight, with fireworks forming the numerals 10 to one on the Harbour Bridge.

The word "Sydney" then spread across the arch before a multi-coloured waterfall of fireworks cascaded down from the world famous structure.

In Sydney all harbour vantage points were full two hours before the 9 pm family fireworks lit up the harbour, building excitement for the main event which cost $7 million and lasted 12 minutes.

The show also included a section of fireworks designed by actor Hugh Jackman.

Almost 45 per cent of those watching around the harbour were international tourists. Guides are written in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish and German.

A threat of thunderstorms had threatened to dampen New Year's Eve celebrations in Brisbane but the city dodged the worst of the severe weather that hit other areas, and revellers on the city's foreshores enjoyed two stunning pyrotechnic displays at 8.30 pm and midnight.

Revellers in Ipswich weren't so lucky, with the council posting on social media that organisers had been forced to cancel its New Year's Eve celebrations because of the weather.

In Adelaide, revellers in Glenelg and the CBD were treated to fireworks displays at 9pm and midnight.

But the night wasn't completely without mishap - two pyrotechnicians were forced to jump off a fireworks barge on the NSW Central Coast and suffered minor injuries after a NYE display went horribly wrong.

Crowds were evacuated from the Terrigal beach after the barge caught fire just minutes into the New Year's Eve fireworks show shortly after 9pm on Sunday.

NSW Fire and Rescue said the two technicians were helped by onlookers before being treated by paramedics.
THE FINAL MONTHS OF THE BJELKE-PETERSEN ERA, 1987

JANUARY 12 - First article by Phil Dickie published in The Courier-Mail focusing on two main groups running Queensland's illegal sex industry.

JANUARY 31 - Bjelke-Petersen launches the "Joh for PM" campaign.

APRIL 13 - The Courier-Mail publishes second Dickie article focusing on illegal casinos.

APRIL 18 - The Courier-Mail publishes third Dickie article focusing on prostitution.

MAY 11 - ABC program Four Corners airs special report The Moonlight State looking into organised crime and police corruption in Queensland.

MAY 18 - Queensland cabinet meets in Roma where it's agreed Tony Fitzgerald will head inquiry into corruption. Bjelke-Petersen is in Disneyland at the time.

MAY 27 - Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke calls an early federal election.

JUNE 3 - Bjelke-Petersen backs down from the "Joh for PM" bid, ruling out a run for a federal seat.

JULY 11 - Labor wins the federal election with an increased majority.

JULY 27 - Public hearings of the Fitzgerald Inquiry begin.

AUGUST 31 - Local Government Minister Russ Hinze introduces proposal for special legislation relating to the "world's tallest building" proposal for Brisbane. Minister Mike Ahern would later attribute this cabinet discussion as the "beginning of the end" for Bjelke-Petersen's premiership.

SEPTEMBER 17 - Assistant Police Commissioner Graeme Parker resigns after admitting corruption to Fitzgerald investigators.

SEPTEMBER 21 - Bjelke-Petersen stands aside Police Commissioner Terry Lewis following allegations raised during the Fitzgerald Inquiry.

NOVEMBER 3 - Transport Minister and former Special Branch officer Don Lane named as corrupt during Fitzgerald hearings.

NOVEMBER 5 - There is a public breakdown in the relationship between Bjelke-Petersen and senior ministers at the National Party Conference in Townsville.

NOVEMBER 23 - Bjelke Petersen writes to Governor Sir Walter Campbell, requesting he sack around a quarter of his ministers, which the governor refused. Bjelke-Petersen then demands five of his ministers resign. They refuse.

NOVEMBER 24 - Bjelke-Petersen writes to governor again, requesting three senior ministers - Mike Ahern, Brian Austin and Peter McKechnie - have their commissions withdrawn, this time governor agrees.

NOVEMBER 26 - Bjelke-Petersen refuses to attend meeting of National Party Management Committee, which dumps him as party leader and replaces him with Ahern.

NOVEMBER 30 - Bjelke-Petersen chairs his last cabinet meeting

DECEMBER 1 - Bjelke-Petersen resigns as premier of Queensland.
An unconventional trade proposal from a Romanian communist leader and plans for a Queensland spaceport were just some of the matters Queensland's cabinet considered during 1987.

The 30-year release of state cabinet documents reveal the last stages of the Bjelke-Petersen era were peppered with pie-in-the-sky suggestions coupled with the relentless grind of mountains of busywork.

Cabinet considered 2811 submissions throughout the year, often making decisions on more than 50 submissions in a single sitting, many presented with no warning.

In February cabinet considered plans for an international space port to be based in Cape York. $300,000 was set aside for a feasibility study, which gave the go-ahead for the project.

However, the project became mired in an indigenous land rights claim, and failed to attract any major business interest, leading to it being quietly shelved in the early 1990s.

Many of the year's cabinet meetings touched on the state of the Queensland economy, which was in a worse position than many remember, with unemployment at 11 per cent.

For the first time, Queensland's stance of being the "low tax state" was questioned, and proposals for public sector training and support programs were put forward.

A proposal to build world's tallest building continued to be considered, after being first put forward the previous year.

The proposal proved contentious in cabinet, and was a constant distraction for Bjelke-Petersen in the final months of his time in office before also being shelved once he was ousted.

Cabinet routinely discussed multiple defamation suits and other legal action being conducted on behalf of the Bjelke-Petersen government against political opponents and media outlets.

And the cabinet discussed a proposal to sell two million tonnes of coal to Romania, following a trade mission led by Bjelke-Petersen to the country, which was ruled at the time by communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu.

The Romanians did not have the money to pay for the coal but offered to barter for it with goods including fertiliser, steel and trains.

Cabinet rejected the offer, but only because it couldn't find companies willing to take the goods in lieu of cash.

Ceausescu and his wife ended up taking up Bjelke-Petersen's offer to visit Expo 88 the following year and were guests of honour, in one of their final public appearances before being executed by firing squad following a coup in Romania in 1989.
Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen started 1987 on a hubristic high, launching an audacious bid to become prime minister; and finished it on an ignominious low, ousted from the helm of the government he'd led for almost two decades.

Now, 30 years later, newly released cabinet documents have cast fresh light on that tumultuous final 12 months for Queensland's longest-serving premier.

The documents, made publicly available by the state archives, show the National Party leader preoccupied with the Joh-for-PM campaign, ongoing development deals and an ill-timed holiday, allowing tensions within his cabinet to reach breaking point.

The year was also the one in which widespread police corruption came to light, through a series of reports in The Courier-Mail, followed by the landmark Four Corners report 'The Moonlight State'.

Several days after that report aired, Deputy Premier Bill Gunn made a secret submission to cabinet to appoint Tony Fitzgerald to head an inquiry into the corruption allegations that had been raised.

Bjelke-Petersen may have blocked the move, but he was on holiday in Disneyland with his family at the time, and the inquiry was in motion by the time he arrived home.

Griffith University researcher Jennifer Menzies said by 1987 Bjelke-Petersen had become a "man out of time", pursuing policies which didn't reflect the modern state Queensland was rapidly becoming.

"Queensland had changed, there was a lot of interstate migration, you had the first cohort of the Whitlam-era professionals who had gone through university for free; they had transformed themselves," Ms Menzies said.

"For me what was surprising was how the whole system was falling apart behind the scenes, which the public didn't see."

Digital Technology Minister Mick de Brenni said the Queensland government was still propping up the agriculture sector which was its base, with half the cabinet graziers or farmers, compared to around 80 per cent of Queenslanders who lived in cities at the time.

"These cabinet minutes show the chaotic agenda of the cabinet, with the premier forcing his ministers to regularly make decisions on more than 50 submissions at each cabinet meeting," Mr de Brenni said.

Bjelke-Petersen was both premier and treasurer by 1987, meaning almost all the levers of power rested in his office, and he reserved access to department briefings to his inner circle of trusted ministers.

Tensions boiled over in November when he effectively stopped speaking to most of his executive team and wrote to Governor Walter Campbell, requesting he sack a quarter of his ministers, which the governor refused.

The premier was eventually successful in getting three ministers sacked, including his eventual successor Mike Ahern, but his victory would be short lived. Mr Ahern took leadership of the National Party days later, and Bjelke-Petersen resigned as premier on December 1.

Ms Menzies says even without the distractions of the federal tilt and the Fitzgerald Inquiry, Joh's time was up.

"The National Party had kept going on the narrow interests which had kept it propped up for a long time, but the world had moved on around them."
Police are searching for a man who exposed himself to a mother and daughter during AFL grand final celebrations attended by tens of thousands of Richmond Tigers fans in Melbourne.

The man was seated behind the woman and her 14-year-old daughter at Punt Road Oval on October 1 - Richmond's family day - when he exposed himself and began masturbating, Victoria Police said on Monday.

Police have released a facial composite of the man, who is described as being his 60s, tall with a pale complexion and moles on his legs, dressed in a navy jumper and shorts and carrying a Richmond Tigers scarf.
New York firefighters work at the scene of a deadly apartment building fire in the Bronx -- the worst in at least 25 years, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio

A three-year-old boy playing with stove burners accidentally ignited the fire that ripped through a New York apartment building, killing 12 people including four children, the city's fire department chief said Friday.

The blaze broke out Thursday evening in a 25-apartment building near the Bronx Zoo, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the US financial capital.

Four people remain in a critical condition following the inferno, which Mayor Bill de Blasio called the "worst fire tragedy we have seen in this city in at least a quarter century."

"We found that this fire started in a kitchen on the first floor," fire commissioner Daniel Nigro told reporters.

"It started from a young boy, three-and-a-half years old, playing with the burners on the stove. The fire got started, the mother was not aware of it -- she was alerted by the young man screaming."

Fatal blaze in NY

The boy's mother fled with her two children, leaving the door to the apartment open -- allowing the flames to shoot up the stairway and quickly spread in the building, as desperate residents fled to fire escapes, seeking rescue.

"The stairway acted like a chimney," Nigro said. "It took the fire so quickly upstairs that people had very little time to react."

Firefighters were on the scene in just over three minutes, but for some, it was already too late. Five people died at the scene, and seven others were pronounced dead at local hospitals.

- 'It was very tough' -

"It seems like a horrible, tragic accident," De Blasio said Friday.

More than 160 firefighters rushed to the scene and worked for about three hours to control the inferno. In the bitter cold, water leaking from the hoses froze on the pavement.

A mother and her two daughters -- aged two and seven -- as well as a one-year-old girl and an unidentified boy were among the dead, according to police.

Emergency personnel handed out blankets to panic-stricken victims of the Bronx fire, many of whom fled into the frigid night with just the clothes on their backs

Tearful residents said they heard cries of "fire, fire" in the building followed by a mad rush to exit the smoke-filled building.

Many fled into the frigid night with just the clothes on their backs, and authorities called for those who wanted to donate clothes to do so at a local church.

"It was very tough," said Joel Rodriguez, 40, who escaped from his ground floor apartment through "pitch black" corridors.

"I still have the images in my mind. I can't erase them," he added, his eyes masked by dark glasses.

The building -- cordoned off with yellow security tape -- "is a memorial site now," he said.

- 'We grieve with them' -

Two of the dead were discovered in a bathtub full of water, where they had apparently sheltered from the blaze, US media reported.

"This tragedy is, without question, historic in its magnitude," said Nigro.

"It's the time of year where people celebrate and certainly here, we have people who have lost their lives, lost their homes, lost everything, and we grieve with them."

The plaster and brick structure, built in 1916, had six open violations including for a defective smoke detector, The New York Times reported, though De Blasio said there was nothing problematic "as far as we can see."

Nigro told reporters that investigators were still determining the condition of smoke detectors at the scene.

Following the blaze, the fire department set up stands offering fire prevention information in the city.

It was the second deadly residential blaze in New York, a city of 8.5 million people, in less than two weeks. A mother and three children were killed when a fire tore through their Brooklyn home on December 18.

Thursday's fire was New York's deadliest since 87 people were killed in a 1990 inferno at a Bronx social club, The Times said.

"Parents, please keep watch over your children around fire," De Blasio said Friday on Twitter.
The John Portman-designed Yintai Center, an office-hotel-residential complex, rises behind construction workers crossing a footbridge in Beijing, China, in March, 2006

John Portman, who pioneered modern hotel design and whose reach spanned from his native United States to Asia, has died aged 93, his firm said on Saturday.

"A pioneering architect, entrepreneur, artist and philanthropist, Mr Portman changed the skylines of cities around the world and impacted the lives of many in Atlanta and abroad," John Portman & Associates said on its website.

Portman made history in 1967 with the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, whose 22-storey sky-lit atrium marked a break from the "confining environment" of traditional city hotels, the firm's biographical website on the architect said.

The hotel is one of three anchoring the convention district in his home city of Atlanta, Georgia, where Portman's 14-block Peachtree Center, which opened in 1961, helped establish Atlanta as one of the nation's leading convention cities, the site said.

It added that he designed and developed the center without any public funds.

"By acting as both architect and real estate developer on many of his projects, Mr Portman forged a career that was unique among his contemporaries: half artist, half savvy businessman," The New York Times wrote in a 2011 profile and interview with him.

Among Portman's other works were the mixed-use Embarcadero Center, which spanned four blocks and redeveloped the San Francisco waterfront starting in 1968, and Detroit's Renaissance Center, another mixed-use project that was an effort to transform a battered city in the 1970s.

In Asia, Portman designed Marina Square, a complex of convention hotels and retail space in Singapore.

China and India are home to some of his other projects.

The biographical site says Portman "drew on a philosophy of self-reliance which was strongly influenced by the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. His architecture was impacted by the teachings of Frank Lloyd Wright," one of the 20th century's most influential building designers.

Portman's firm said that despite the loss of their founder, "we are honored to continue in his legacy and memory."
More than 1,000 people were killed in August when a mountainside collapsed after torrential rains in Sierra Leone's capital

Four months after the landslides that killed her husband and more than a thousand others, Mariama Kamara has returned to the mountainside that collapsed onto their home to live in an unfinished building.

Kamara is one of hundreds of Sierra Leoneans recently kicked out of three government camps set up in the wake of the August 14 disaster, when heavy rains caused the partial disintegration of Sugar Loaf mountain, now a red rock scar looming over the country's capital.

That day, heavy rains lashed the slopes left bare by chronic deforestation in Freetown, and huge boulders suddenly detached, rolling onto informal settlements, crushing shacks and enveloping entire households in the Regent district in red mud.

"We are back again at Regent, trying to pick up what is left after the disaster," Kamara told AFP, breastfeeding her eight-month-old son while sitting on a cinder block.

Handed $280 (235 euros) by the British government and the World Food Programme to start a new life as a widow with three young children, the 27-year-old felt she had little choice but to return to the danger zone she had fled.

"I sold some of the handouts to pay transport fare for my two children to go to my mother, until I find a suitable place," she explained, describing how she ended up living in one of four unrecognised settlements in the Regent area.

There are fears another landslide could strike Regent when the next rainy season rolls around.

- The school with no roof -

Despite the lack of sanitation and shelter, a school still operates in the ruined mountain district, with around 300 children learning to read and write in a building with no roof, doors or windows. Many of the students were orphaned in August.

Francis Abu Sankoh, a community leader, said the government had told him everyone eking out a precarious living had to get out by mid-November, but he refused to co-operate.

"We will not force these people to leave while they still have nowhere else to stay," he told AFP, saying he knew of nearly 200 households living in half-finished structures in Regent.

Relief workers are meanwhile exhausted after four months filling in for a government that is too under-resourced to carry out basic disaster management, with the Red Cross handing out its own payments of $300 to 1,000 people in late December.

Many of those affected by the landslide have been forced to move back to the area even though their homes were destroyed

"We have played our part to respond to the emergency, and it is time to release the affected victims," said Father George Crisafulli, Country Director for Don Bosco Fambul, an orphanage turned halfway house for homeless Sierra Leoneans.

"It is the responsibility of government to provide financial support and housing for them," Crisafulli added, as he prepared for the imminent departure of around 100 pregnant women and new mothers.

He noted that the government had promised to give financial assistance to child victims via a mobile money wallet, but they were yet to receive anything. Children who lost their parents would remain at the centre, he said.

Some orphaned children were taken in by families, but many are too poor to feed another mouth while facing their own dire straits, said Cecelia Mansaray a project officer for British charity Street Child.

"People are still suffering months after the disaster," she said. "We have cases of people in unfinished buildings around Regent, Kaningo and Kamayama who had no place to go after they had left the emergency camps."

- Long road to Mile Six -

In the last 15 years, four major floods have affected more than 220,000 people in Sierra Leone and caused severe economic damage, according to a World Bank report issued in September.

This summer's was the deadliest yet: 1,141 people were declared dead or unaccounted for, according to official figures.

The World Bank estimates that $82.41 million is needed over the next three years for the recovery, or about 2.2 percent of GDP, including rebuilding the six health centres and 59 schools affected. Access to clean drinking water is also a serious problem.

Efforts to resettle flood victims in previous years have failed, as the government has directed them to Mile Six, an area without transport links, running water or electricity -- even if it is safe from the weather -- meaning residents soon drift back to dangerous neighbourhoods that have easier commutes.

Ismail Tarawali, Head Coordinator of the Office of National Security (ONS) which oversaw relief efforts, has accused some families of making "fake claims" for survivor packages.

In the medium to long term, Tarawali said affected households would be given extra relief -- if there was money to pay for it.

Meanwhile 52 affordable houses with basic facilities are also under construction at Mile Six, and a mortgage scheme will be developed for survivors who had valid land permits for their damaged houses, he said.

But eligibility will likely only apply to a tiny fraction of the victims, while the rest will find themselves back where they already were, living on the edges of society with everything to lose from next year's floods.
Skyline, on the 45th floor of a skyscraper overlooking Singapore's glittering waterfront, is promising partygoers a luxury-filled night out, at the cost of a whole bitcoin

A Singapore bar that bills itself as the world's highest cryptocurrency club is offering a New Year's Eve package that includes a limousine pick-up and butler service -- but it'll cost you a whole bitcoin.

Skyline, on the 45th floor of a skyscraper overlooking the city-state's glittering waterfront, is promising partygoers a luxury-filled night out, with champagne and oysters and caviar.

But it won't come cheap, with the price of bitcoin -- which has surged dramatically in recent months -- hovering around $13,000 on Sunday.

The party at Skyline is called "Bianco", with revellers dressed in white enjoying a night of drinking and dancing before watching the New Year's fireworks display over the waterfront.

While the club has run the night before, it is the first time they are offering a bitcoin deal, and customers can also pay in regular cash.

Manager Subaish Rajamanickam said they had received a lot of inquiries about the package -- but no one had yet signed up for it.

The New Year idea came after the bar ran other successful virtual currency-themed nights for people in the financial technology sector, which is booming in the city-state.

Skyline was the first club in Singapore to accept cryptocurrencies when it started taking payments in Ethereum, a bitcoin rival.

"We had a couple of cryptocurrency after-parties here, and we have also themed a night ... called Crypto Thursdays," Rajamanickam told AFP.

"So that basically got the ball rolling for cryptocurrency acceptance here at Skyline."

But most transactions are still in regular cash and there was scepticism among some customers about using bitcoin, due to its surging price and recent volatility.

Guests at the Skyline bar in Singapore that bills itself as the world's highest cryptocurrency club

"It's too expensive to buy alcohol or (conduct) any transaction using cryptocurrency in today's environment," said Spencer Campbell, a 47-year-old financial consultant.

Created in 2009 as a piece of encrypted software, bitcoin has been used to buy everything from pizza to cars, and is increasingly accepted by major companies such as online travel giant Expedia.

It has surged more than 25-fold this year and hit a record of around $19,500 earlier in December. Analysts have put the recent increases down to a decision by US regulators to allow bitcoin futures to trade on major exchanges.

But bitcoin has slipped back after a series of warnings from governments -- including Singapore -- and analysts about the risk and volatility associated with cryptocurrencies.

It fell more than 11 percent after South Korea -- a hotbed for cryptocurrency trading -- announced curbs on anonymous trading of virtual currencies on Thursday.
Members of Congolese associations held a rally in Brussels on Saturday urging President Kabila to step down

Crisis-wracked Democratic Republic of Congo was bracing for fresh unrest Sunday after the country's influential Catholic church vowed to defy a protest ban and hold a "peaceful march" to urge implementation of a deal for President Joseph Kabila to leave office.

Kabila, who march organisers are calling on to say he will not stand for a third term, has been in power since 2001 when he succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila.

He refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown. Demonstrations have been banned or else widely repressed since September 2016 but several have nonetheless gone ahead since with many ending in bloodshed.

The church's call for a new rally despite authorities bluntly saying it should not proceed saw some observers warn of renewed unrest.

"The demonstrations tomorrow (Sunday) in the Congo could be the largest since last year," tweeted analyst Jason Stearns, a DR Congo expert at New York University's Center on International Cooperation.

"All major opposition parties, civil society, youth movements, and the Catholic Church have all backed peaceful demonstrations," Stearns added.

Elections were due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal aimed at avoiding more violence in a vast, mineral-rich country which has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

After multiple postponements -- officially due to violence in the Kasai region -- the delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year.

- Bibles in hand -

About 150 Catholic churches have urged believers to heed their call to protest, bibles and crucifixes in hand, Sunday in the capital Kinshasa to demand implementation of a deal signed exactly a year ago and designed to restore stability with Kabila stepping down.

Neither the National Episcopal Conference nor the country's Vatican representative have commented on the planned rally.

But the governor of the city of 10 million Saturday stated the unauthorised march cannot proceed.

"The city does not have sufficient numbers of police officers to supervise this march," Andre Kimbuta said. "Therefore, I do not recognise the authorisation requested."

March spokeswoman Leonie Kandolo insisted, however, that "lay people will march tomorrow (and) the city authority and the police must fulfil their role of protecting people and property."

- 'Destiny' -

March organisers have asked worshippers to gather after morning mass and "take our destiny in hand -- our beautiful country is suffering."

Clinging on to power, Kabila is banned by the constitution from running for a third term, but the deal allows him to stay on until the next poll is held.

The opposition has complained in recent days that new electoral reforms "automatically" ban certain hopefuls from next year's poll by setting a minimum vote share threshold a candidate must win to obtain a seat as well as demanding a deposit equivalent to several hundred dollars.

Recent days have seen three pro-democracy activists released after spending five months in prison for organising "an anarchic march" in the country's second-largest city Lubumbashi.

But another dozen anti-Kabila activists from the Struggle for Change movement were arrested Friday after a sit-down protest near the southern city of Kananga.
Investigators are seeking further details on the terrorist attack on Friday that left nine people dead just one week ahead of Coptic Christmas celebrations

Egypts High State Security Prosecution will question a suspect in Friday's terrorist attack on a Coptic church in Helwan, south of Cairo, as soon as his health stabilises, the general prosecutors office said in a statement.

The suspect, whom the ministry identified as Ibrahim Ismail Mostafa, opened fire at Mar Mina Church on Friday, killing a total of nine people and injuring four before he was shot and captured.

The ministry said the suspect is currently in recovery.

Police revealed that Mostafa has carried out multiple terrorist attacks against civilians and policemen since 2016.

Investigators say he shot two people dead at a shop on Friday before heading to the church, where he shot dead another seven people, including a lower-ranking policeman.

According to Sunday's statement, investigators are also gathering the testimony of eyewitnesses to the attack in Helwan, with a view to determining how it was conducted.

The High State Security Prosecution has ordered the retrieval and examination of CCTV footage from both the church and the shop.

The general prosecution also ordered ballistics experts to inspect shell casings of bullets found in the vicinity of the attack in an attempt to match them with a machine gun used by the suspect. They will also be seeking to determine whether the same weapon used by Mostafa to attack Mar Mina was used in other terrorist attacks.

Friday's attack took place as Egyptian Coptic Christians, who make up 10 percent of the country's 93 million population, prepare to celebrate Christmas on 7 January.

Police have deployed 230,000 personnel nationwide to secure churches, parks and vital public institutions during Christmas celebrations.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


African ivory is highly sought after in China, where it is seen as a status symbol

China's complete ban on ivory trade went into effect Sunday, officials said, a major step forward in Beijing's efforts to rein in what was once the world's largest market for illegal ivory.

"From today... the buying and selling of elephant ivory and goods by any market, shop or vendor is against the law!" the forestry ministry said on its official account on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

"From now on, if a merchant tells you 'this is a state-approved ivory dealer'... he is duping you and knowingly violating the law."

The ministry added that the ban also applied to online sales and souvenirs purchased abroad.

According to the Xinhua state news agency, a partial ban had already resulted in an 80 percent decline in seizures of ivory entering China. Domestic prices for raw ivory are down 65 percent, it said.

The total domestic ban was announced at the end of last year.

By this March, Xinhua reported, 67 factories and shops involved in China's ivory trade had closed.

The remaining 105 were expected to close Sunday.

China had previously banned imports of all ivory and ivory products acquired before 1975, after pressure to restrict a trade that sees thousands of elephants slaughtered every year.

African ivory is highly sought after in China, where it is seen as a status symbol, and used to fetch as much as $1,100 a kilogramme.

Poaching in Africa has seen the elephant population fall by 110,000 over the last 10 years to just 415,000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Despite an overall fall in poaching, Africa's elephant population has declined in part because of continued illegal killing, said a report this year by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
A woman raises her fist amid tear gas at the University of Tehran during a protest on December 30, 2017

Some 200 protesters marched through central Tehran Sunday as authorities braced for a possible fourth night of unrest and cut access to social media after days of unrest that saw two people killed.

A security deputy for Tehran's governor told the ILNA news agency that 200 people had been arrested after protests on Saturday night -- including 40 "leaders".

The interior minister warned that protesters will "pay the price" as footage on social media showed thousands marching across the country overnight in the biggest test for the Islamic republic since mass demonstrations in 2009.

The demonstrations began in second city Mashhad on Thursday over high living costs, but quickly spread and turned against the Islamic system as a whole, with slogans such as "Death to the dictator".

Lorestan province deputy governor Habibollah Khojastehpour told state television that two people were killed in clashes in the small western town of Dorud late Saturday, but denied security forces were responsible.

In an apparent attempt to stave off more unrest, the authorities began blocking access to photo sharing and online messaging services on mobile phones, including Telegram, which the government accused of being used to foment violence, local media and Telegram's CEO said.

Iranian cities hit by protests

The conservative-linked Fars news agency said around 200 people were taking part in the latest protest in Tehran.

"Contrary to rumours from hostile media, most parts of Tehran are calm. Around 200 people are occasionally chanting here and there," it said.

Fars said shops closed early Sunday "for fear of damage to their shops by rioters".

- 'Pay the price' -

After initial silence, state media has shown footage of unrest, focusing on young men violently targeting banks and vehicles, an attack on a town hall in Tehran, and images of a man burning the Iranian flag.

"Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price," Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television.

Iranians chant slogans in support of the regime as they march in Tehran on December 30, 2017, after two days of desmonstrations against the country's religious rulers

"The spreading of violence, fear and terror will definitely be confronted," he added.

US President Donald Trump said the "big protests" showed people "were getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism".

"Looks like they will not take it any longer," he wrote on Twitter, warning that Washington is "watching very closely for human rights violations!"

Trump's ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said Iran's government was "being tested by its own citizens".

Iranian authorities have sought to distinguish anti-regime protesters from what they see as legitimate economic grievances.

"Do not get excited," parliament director for international affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian wrote in a tweet directed at Trump.

"Sedition, unrest and chaos are different from gatherings and peaceful protests to pursue people's livelihoods," he said.

But there have been reminders of the continued support for the regime among conservative sections of society, with pro-regime students holding another day of demonstrations at the University of Tehran.

They had outnumbered protesters at the university on Saturday.

- Dozens arrested -

The total number of arrests from the protests around the country remained unclear.

Several hundred people were shown gathering in the western city of Kermanshah Sunday, according to footage shared online by a group linked to the powerful Revolutionary Guards.

An official in Arak, around 300 kilometres (190 miles) southwest of Tehran, said 80 people had been detained there overnight.

Police have so far taken a relatively soft approach to the unrest.

Iranian students scuffle with police at the University of Tehran during a protest against economic problems on December 30, 2017

The authorities have blamed external forces for fomenting the protests, saying the majority of social media reports were emanating from regional rival Saudi Arabia or exile groups based in Europe.

President Hassan Rouhani has not yet made any statement since the protests started.

He came to power in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, but anger over high living costs and a 12-percent unemployment rate have left many feeling that progress is too slow.

Unemployment is particularly high among young people, who have grown up in a less restrictive environment and are generally considered less deferential to authority.

"Rouhani has run an austerity budget since 2013 with the idea that it's a tough but necessary pill to swallow to manage inflation and currency problems and try to improve Iran's attractiveness for investment," said Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Europe-Iran Forum.

"But choosing years of austerity immediately after a very tough period of sanctions is bound to test people's patience," he told AFP.

Since the ruthless repression of the 2009 protests against a disputed presidential election that gave hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term, many middle-class Iranians have abandoned hope of securing change from the streets.

But low-level strikes and demonstrations have continued, with bus drivers, teachers and factory workers protesting against unpaid wages and poor conditions.
Emergency workers stand near the wreckage of a bus and a lorry that crashed in a head-on collision, killing 30 people near Nakuru, Kenya

Thirty people were killed and 16 injured early Sunday morning in a head-on collision between a bus and a lorry on a road in central Kenya, police said.

"We have 30 dead," said Rift Valley traffic police chief Zero Arome of the 3am (00.00 GMT) accident close to Nakuru town. "All the bodies have been removed from the wreckage and injured people taken to hospital."

The accident occurred close to a notorious stretch on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway when a bus travelling from Busia, in western Kenya, collided with a truck coming from Nakuru. Police said the death toll for that stretch of road has now reached 100 this month alone.

Arome said the drivers of both vehicles were among the dead, as well as a three-year-old child, while the injured had been taken to a Nakuru hospital.

One survivor, speaking from his hospital bed, said he had been asleep at the back of the bus when the collision happened.

"All I heard was a loud bang and screams from all over," he said. "I was seated at the back and was helped out after some time because my legs were stuck. It is by the grace of God that I am alive. I saw many people dead and their bodies mutilated."

Official statistics show that around 3,000 people die annually in road accidents in Kenya.
A police armored personnel carrier patrols in Kinshasa during a day of protest called by the opposition parties

Security forces fired shots in the air and dispersed a mass with tear gas Sunday in the Congolese capital Kinshasa, where the Catholic church had called banned marches against President Joseph Kabila staying in power.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church" where the mass was being held, a worshipper in the parish of St. Michael in the central municipality of Bandalungwa told AFP. "They dispersed us," he added.

All the Democratic Republic of Congo's opposition and civil society groups joined in the march to demand Kabila leave office immediately and to promise he will not seek to further extend his time in power.

"People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen, but the priest has not stopped saying mass, which continues with Christians who have not fled," said another parishioner who identified herself as Chantal.

At the Notre-Dame of Congo Cathedral in Gombe, north Kinshasa, security forces also fired tear gas as opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi arrived, AFP journalists saw.

The soldiers then entered the compound of the main church of the capital, asking people to leave the premises. The parish priest asked worshippers to "return to their homes in peace because there is a heavy presence of soldiers and police ready to fire".

In Kinshasa, Catholics of the "Lay Coordinating Committee" invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass on Sunday morning.

They want Kabila to declare publicly that he will not run for another term as president.

Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal aimed at avoiding more violence in a vast, mineral-rich country which has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

The delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year, heightening tensions in the restive nation.

Congolese authorities cut off internet access "for reasons of state security" before the planned march, and security forces were deployed in Kinshasa, AFP journalists saw.

The army and the police deployed in large numbers overnight at churches across Kinshasa, the capital of around 10 million people.

Security forces also set up roadblocks in several parts in the city. The army and the police were stopping and searching vehicles.
Saeed addresses an anti-US and Israel rally in Lahore on December 17

The Palestinians have recalled their ambassador to Pakistan following a Indian protest over his appearance at a rally also attended by a radical preacher linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Ambassador Walid Abu Ali came under fire for attending Friday's rally in Rawalpindi in protest at the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The rally was organised by the Defence of Pakistan Council, an alliance of Islamist groups including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) headed by Hafiz Saeed.

Jamaat-ud-Dawa is believed to be a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group that battles Indian troops in disputed Kashmir and was blamed for the Mumbai attacks which killed 166 people.

The Palestinian foreign ministry said in a statement the envoy's attendance at the mass rally "in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism is an unintended mistake, but not justified".

Accordingly, it said the ambassador was being recalled immediately.

Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said the rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life and more than 50 speakers addressed the meeting, including Saeed.

India's foreign ministry said it had told the Palestinians that their ambassador's association with "terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations... is unacceptable".

It said in a statement the Palestinian side had expressed "deep regrets" over the incident and "will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India".

Jamaat-ud-Dawa is listed by the UN as a terrorist group and Saeed has a $10 million bounty on his head. He was held under house arrest from January to November following a Pakistani government crackdown.

Saeed denies involvement in the Mumbai attacks and Pakistan says there is not enough evidence to charge him.

Islamabad denies US accusations that it harbours militants.

Six Americans were among 166 people killed during the three-day siege in Mumbai, when gunmen who arrived by sea sparked battles with Indian commandos.

The drama brought nuclear-armed India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

Saeed's party says he has no links to terrorism, and his spokesman said he was placed under house arrest for speaking about the rights of people in the disputed Kashmir region.
Afghan security personnel inspect the scene of a suicide attack that targeted a funeral ceremony in Jalalabad, on December 31, 2017

An explosion at a funeral in Afghanistan's restive east on Sunday killed at least 18 mourners and wounded another 13, officials said, capping a deadly year for ordinary Afghans.

There was no immediate claim of responsiblity for the blast which authorities initially said was caused by a suicide attacker but now believe was triggered by explosives attached to a motorcycle.

The Taliban said on Twitter they had nothing to do with the incident -- the latest violence to claim the lives of civilians in the war-torn country.

"The explosion was caused by a motorcycle bomb our investigation has concluded," Nangarhar governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP.

The governor's office put the death toll from the attack near the provincial capital Jalalabad at 18, with 13 wounded.

Provincial health director Najib Kamawal confirmed the new toll.

The explosion happened during the funeral ceremony for a former governor of Haska Mina district who died recently of natural causes, a statement from the governor's office said.

- Deadly year for civilians -

The twisted wreckage of a motorcycle -- a popular mode of transport in impoverished Afghanistan -- lay in the dirt at the cemetery.

Pools of blood, clothes, shoes and hats were scattered on the ground.

Photos posted on social media purportedly of the scene showed bodies lying in blood and a plume of black smoke rising into the sky. Terrified mourners, mostly elderly men, could be seen running from the scene.

While the Taliban is still responsible for the majority of attacks and casualties across Afghanistan, Islamic State militants have been on a rampage this month.

The incident in Nangarhar, a volatile province bordering Pakistan and a stronghold for IS, comes days after the group claimed an assault on a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul that left 41 people dead and more than 80 wounded.

Map of Afghanistan locating Nangarhar, where a suicide attacker blew himself up at a funeral

That followed a Christmas Day attack, also claimed by IS, near an Afghan intelligence agency compound in the Afghan capital that left six civilians dead.

On December 18 militants from the group stormed an intelligence training compound in Kabul, triggering an intense gunfight with police, two of whom were wounded.

The Middle Eastern jihadist outfit has gained ground in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015, and has scaled up its attacks in Kabul and elsewhere, including on security installations and the country's Shiite minority.

The latest news comes at the end of a particularly deadly year for Afghans, with the number of civilian casualties on track to be one of the highest on record since the US invasion in 2001.

More than 8,000 civilians were killed or wounded in conflict-related violence in the first nine months of this year, according to data compiled by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

Last year's civilian casualty toll of 11,418 was the highest for a single year since the UN began systematically documenting civilian deaths and injuries in 2009.
According to observers, Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is preparing for the presidential campaign and is seeking better control of the situation in the north

Mali's president has appointed the government of the country's new prime minister, as he prepares for a presidential campaign amid an ongoing threat from jihadists.

According to a decree published Sunday, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita installed 36 ministers for Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga's government.

Six new members are entering the government, formed hours after 63-year-old Maiga's appointment on Saturday following the unexpected resignation of Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga on Friday.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdoulaye Diop has been replaced by Tieman Hubert Coulibaly, former Minister of Territorial Administration.

The new prime minister is considered close to Keita, despite having resigned as defence minister in 2014 after the Malian army suffered a string of setbacks against Tuareg rebel groups in the country's restive northern region.

According to observers, the Malian head of state is preparing for the presidential campaign and is seeking better control of the situation in the north.

The region is still a theatre of unrest almost six years after a French-led military operation chased Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda from a region they had taken control of in early 2012.

Mali's army, French soldiers and a UN mission (MINUSMA) still have little control over large tracts of the country, which regularly come under attack in spite of a peace accord signed with Tuareg leaders in May and June 2015 with the aim of isolating the jihadists.

The spread of the unrest this year prompted the G5 regional forum, which also includes Mauritania and Chad, to step up peace efforts with French support.

Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga is the fifth Prime Minister appointed by President Keita, elected in August 2013 for five years and likely to be re-elected in 2018.
A little girl and her family are among hundreds to flee violence in northwestern Central African Republic, according to Medecins Sans Frontieres

Hundreds of people in northwest Central African Republic have fled their villages following fresh violence between armed groups, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Sunday.

Villagers fled gunfire and machete attacks to arrive in the small town of Paoua, where thousands of people have already sought refuge since fighting erupted in the region in November.

"There are clashes at almost every point all around Paoua. We have seen hundreds of people flee their villages to take refuge in Paoua" since Wednesday, said Jean Hospital, MSF's project coordinator in the region.

"We received civilians who were directly targeted by gunfire or were attacked with machetes, while others are collateral victims of the clashes," he added.

Rival armed groups the National Movement for the Liberation of the Central African Republic (MNLC) and Revolution and Justice (RJ) began fighting on the outskirts of Paoua on Wednesday, following renewed violence in the region since November, sources said.

- 'We risk being raped' -

A young man wounded by gunshot is treated at hospital in Paoua, now home to between 15,000 and 17,000 displaced people

"The RJ told the population to flee and leave the roads open in case of an attack," pastor Roy-Rodrigue Doutoumbaye told AFP on Wednesday at Paoua Hospital, where he accompanied a relative shot in the head.

"They really wanted to kill me but because I had 110,000 francs (190 euros) on me they took the money and left me alive," 52-year-old Jope, who suffers from tuberculosis, told AFP.

"If we stay alone in the city we risk being raped. Our husbands have left to take care of the crops," said Marie-Angele Dembaye, as she fled to Paoua, adding that armed men began looking for women.

"The situation will become complicated very quickly because some of these people do not have any family to welcome them to Paoua," said MSF coordinator Hospital added.

According to the latest reports from the UN and the international Red Cross, there were already between 15,000 and 17,000 displaced people in Paoua by mid-December.

Mired in poverty but rich in minerals, the former French colony has been battered by a five-year conflict between rival militias that began after then-president Francois Bozize was overthrown.

Thousands of people have been killed in the fighting. According to the UN, more than a million people have fled their homes and 2.4 million people -- more than half of the Central African population -- are in need of humanitarian aid.

The country has seen an upsurge in violence since France shut down its Sangaris mission there last year, but the UN Security Council agreed in November to extend a peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, for a year and beef up the mission with 900 extra troops.
US President Donald Trump, seen here at Trump International Golf Course in Florida during his Christmas break, looked to the 2018 mid-term elections in his latest tweets

US President Donald Trump tweeted right to the end of 2017 Sunday, boasting of his accomplishments in his turbulent first year in office and throwing down the gauntlet for the US midterm elections.

He highlighted his tax cut and a surging stock market in a series of New Year's Eve tweets that seemed to set the table for next year's fight for control of the US Congress.

"Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election when their policies will totally kill the great wealth created during the months since the Election," he said.

"People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA, Judges, Strong Border, 2nd A, Tax Cuts & more?"

"2nd A" appears to refer to the constitutional right under the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms -- though it was unclear what action, if any, Trump has taken in that regard.

- Low ratings -

Trump is ringing in the New Year at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida before returning to Washington.

"As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year," he tweeted, repeating his often-used term for well-established news outlets which have issued investigative reports that cast him in a negative light.

"2018 will be a great year for America!" Trump said.

He goes into 2018 with the lowest approval ratings of any modern first-year US president, after a year during which he shattered political expectations, strained long-standing alliances and courted controversy on race and immigration.

In a tweet late Thursday, Trump addressed criticism of his often incendiary use of social media.

"I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair 'press,' now often referred to as Fake News Media.

"Phony and non-existent 'sources' are being used more often than ever. Many stories & reports a pure fiction!"

Still continuing is a deepening federal probe into whether Trump campaign aides and associates colluded with a covert Russian effort to sway the 2016 US presidential election in the Republican's favor.

But Trump, who told The New York Times this week that the investigation makes "the country look very bad," stuck to the good economic news on Sunday.

"If the Dems (Crooked Hillary) got elected, your stocks would be down 50% from values on Election Day. Now they have a great future - and just beginning!" he tweeted, referring to his defeated Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton.

Despite passage of a major tax overhaul before Christmas and stock markets ending the year at record highs, Republicans have proved vulnerable in recent elections.

Republicans now hold a slender one-seat majority in the US Senate after a Trump-endorsed candidate -- accused of preying on teenage girls -- lost a special election in traditionally Republican Alabama.

A poll average compiled by website RealClearPolitics.com finds that 55.6 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's performance in office and 40 percent approve.

That represents a notable deterioration on both measures since he took office in January, after a divisive campaign that featured attacks on immigration and free trade deals, and in which he promised to bring back jobs to depressed parts of the country.

The US economy is growing at 3.2 percent and unemployment is at a two decade low of 4.1 percent.

In his most significant legislative victory to date, Trump succeeded in slashing corporate tax rates from a top rate of 35 to 21 percent, but at an expected cost of soaring federal deficits.

- 'Closer' to war -

Internationally, nerves have been set on edge and some have questioned Trump's global leadership.

Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, said Sunday that Trump's unpredictability and the disruptive nature of his presidency have created "an incredibly dangerous climate."

"We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," he said on ABC's "This Week."

"I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point," he said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a foreign policy hawk who has grown close to Trump, called 2018 "a year of opportunity and extreme danger."

"We've got a chance here to deliver some fatal blows to really bad actors in 2018. But if we blink, God help us all," he said on CBS's "Face the Nation."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the December 31, 2017 cabinet meeting

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday that government bodies must provide "space for criticism" as he sought to head off days of unrest, but warned protesters that violence was unacceptable.

"Criticism is different to violence and destroying public property," he said in a cabinet meeting, according to the state broadcaster.

"Government bodies should provide space for legal criticism and protest," Rouhani said in his first public comments since the protests began on Thursday.

He also said US President Donald Trump had "no right" to sympathise with Iranian protesters who he has previously called terrorists.

"This man who today in America wants to sympathise with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the nation of Iran terrorist," Rouhani told the cabinet meeting.

"This person whose whole being is against the nation of Iran has no right to feel pity for the people of Iran."

Protests against economic conditions began in second city Mashhad on Thursday before quickly spreading across the country and turning against the Islamic regime as a whole.

"The point should be made clear to everyone that we are a free nation and according to the constitution... the people are absolutely free in expressing their criticisms and even protests," he said.

"At the same time we should not allow for an atmosphere to be created in which the supporters of the revolution and the people are worried about their lives and security."

Several hundred people gathered in Tehran and the western city of Khorramabad on Sunday evening in the fourth day of demonstrations.

Unconfirmed videos on social media showed protests in other parts of the country, with people shouting "Death to the dictator".

Rouhani, who was re-elected in May on promises of boosting the economy and improving civil liberties, said people were demanding more transparency.

He said state broadcaster IRIB should better reflect different opinions after criticism in recent days that the media has been stifled.

"The resolving of some issues is not easy and it will take time and the government and the nation must join hands to solve them," Rouhani said.
Egypt's public prosecutor ordered on Sunday the detention of 10 suspects from a cell reportedly affiliated with the Hasm terrorist group for a duration of 15 days pending investigations.

The High State Security Prosecution accused the 10 of joining an illegal group that calls for the suspension of law and constitution, obstructing duties of state institutions, and attacking personal freedoms.

The suspects are also accused of attacks against state institutions and inciting violence against Christian citizens, their properties and worship houses; they are also accused of using terrorism as a tool to disrupt public order and of endangering society.

The 10 detainees were captured during three simultaneous raids on Saturday on terrorist hideouts in the governorates of Fayoum, Giza and Qaloubiya, and found in possession of weapons and ammunition.

The arrests come one day after a gunman killed several people in a terrorist attack on a Coptic church in Helwan, south of Cairo, which left nine killed and four injured, before the attacker was shot and captured by police.

Friday's attacker in Helwan attempted to drive through a security checkpoint outside the Mar Mina church while armed with a machine gun, ammunition and a bomb that he intended to detonate in the church. Before heading to the church where he shot dead seven people, including a policeman, the assailant killed two people when he opened fire on a shop.

On Saturday Egypt's interior ministry said it had killed three Hasm members during the raid on the terrorist hideout in Giza, explaining that the ministry uncovered a plot "to commit hostile actions that target touristic and other vital facilities, as well as police and armed forces, during Christmas celebrations in an attempt to cause instability and portray a negative image of the security situation in Egypt."

The ministry said the 10 suspects apprehended on Saturday were also involved in a July 2017 attack on security forces in Fayoum, 60 km (40 miles) south of Cairo, which left one security personnel killed and another injured.

"Information revealed that those [10] arrested received training on using arms and manufacturing explosives at a location in Egypt's Western Desert in the Fayoum governorate, where plotters had listed a number of touristic and security spots in preparation for a planned Christmas attack, following the orders of a fugitive Muslim Brotherhood figure in Turkey," Saturday's statement reads.

Hasm was founded in 2016 and has carried out a number of deadly attacks on security forces.

Police have deployed 230,000 personnel to protect churches, parks and other vital public institutions during the Christmas season, as Egyptian Coptic Christians, who make up around 10 percent of the country's 93 million population, prepare for Christmas on 7 January.

Dozens of Christians have been killed in terrorist attacks on churches and congregations in recent years.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Israeli security forces restrain a Palestinian on December 30, 2017 in Arab east Jerusalem protesting against the US recognition of the holy city as Israel's capital

The Palestinians said Sunday they were recalling their envoy to the United States for consultations in a move that follows US President Donald Trump's designation of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Malki decided to recall PLO envoy to Washington Husam Zomlot to consult, official Palestinian news agency WAFA said, without providing further details.

Trump's December 6 announcement regarding the disputed city deeply angered the Palestinians and led to unrest.

Palestinian officials had earlier said president Mahmud Abbas would refuse to meet US Vice President Mike Pence during a visit to the region that had been planned for December but which was later cancelled.

Abbas has also said he would accept no further role for the United States in the Middle East peace process.

Violence since Trump's announcement has left 13 Palestinians dead, with most killed in clashes with Israeli forces.

Supporters of the Fatah movement hold up a portrait of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during a rally in Gaza City on December 31, 2017

On Sunday, while marking the 53rd anniversary of his Fatah movement, Abbas called Jerusalem "the eternal capital of the Palestinian people".

Jerusalem's status is perhaps the most sensitive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel sees the entire city as its capital, while the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.

Israel has hailed Trump's decision as historic and urged other countries to follow suit.

Guatemala is so far the only country to do so, saying it planned to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

No countries currently have their embassies in Jerusalem, instead keeping them in the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv.

- Damaged ties -

Trump's declaration upended decades of precedent and broke with international consensus, drawing global condemnation.

He noted in his decision that Jerusalem's final status would have to be decided in negotiations between the two sides, but the Palestinians are not convinced.

Many analysts have questioned how a fair peace process could be possible after such a major concession was made without seeming to demand anything in return.

The White House has been working on ways to restart long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, but the Jerusalem declaration has threatened to end any such attempt if ties cannot be repaired.

Relations between the Palestinians and Washington had already taken a hit in November when the United States threatened to close the Palestine Liberation Organisation's office in Washington.

Trump has a 90-day window to avert the closure if he deems progress has been made.

Under long-standing US law, permission for the PLO to maintain its mission in Washington must be renewed every six months.

US officials say that by calling for Israeli officials to be prosecuted at the International Criminal Court, Palestinian leaders have breached the terms of the arrangement.

While Palestinian leaders have been outraged by Trump's move, they also face difficult choices in how to respond since they rely on US aid and would like to salvage remaining hopes of a two-state solution to the conflict.
Gabon's President Ali Bongo has ruled the country of some two million since his father Omar Bongo, who took office in 1967, died in 2009 after 41 years in power

Gabon's President Ali Bongo vowed "radical change in governance" in the coming year and pledged to foster social cohesion among his citizens in his televised end-of-year speech on Sunday.

"I am determined to do everything possible to strengthen our unity, regain our cohesion," he said. "Cohesion is my ambition for Gabon".

"I intend to implement radical change in governance, which will be based on a fundamentally different approach," he added, describing measures of "immediate impact" he wants to put forward.

Some of them include a temporary exemption from social security contributions for all net job creation, free delivery fees, building wells with water pumps in villages and improving education conditions.

Gabon has large oil, mineral and tropical timber resources, and its per-capita national income is four times greater than that of most sub-Saharan nations.

But about a third of its population of 1.8 million still live below the poverty line -- the result, say specialists, of inequality, poor governance and corruption.

Bongo has ruled the country of some two million since his father Omar Bongo, who took office in 1967, died in 2009 after 41 years in power.

But the country has been in crisis since August 2016, following Bongo's re-election in which he defeated opposition leader Jean Ping by just a few thousand votes.

Ping, a 74-year-old career diplomat, accused the administration of electoral fraud and maintains he was the winner of the poll, in defiance of Gabon's Constitutional Court, which upheld Bongo's victory.

Violence broke out days after the vote, and opposition figures say more than 50 people were killed in clashes. The official toll was only three dead.

Bongo insisted Sunday that "legislative elections will be organised" -- they are due before the end of April 2018 -- because "in a democracy, competition takes place not in the streets, but at the ballot box, of which we must always respect the verdict".

Bongo acknowledged that citizens "are not satisfied with their administration" and invited them to "express" themselves by voting, saying he wanted to "build a society of the meritocracy".
On a spring day in 1994, a retired German couple who'd traveled to California to see their daughter were sightseeing in the San Jacinto Mountains when they were robbed and shot by three young men. Gisela Pfleger, 64, died in the attack. Her husband, 62-year-old Klaus, was severely injured.

One of the assailants pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years to life. The two others received life with no chance for release, and the Pfleger family believed justice had been done. Then a U.S. Supreme Court ruling changed things.

Almost two years ago now, the high court issued a decision that made more than 2,000 inmates serving life without parole for crimes committed as juveniles eligible for possible resentencing and release. In that ruling and others , the court said that mandatory life-without-parole sentences are unconstitutionally cruel and unusual for offenders under 18 and that all but the rare irredeemable offender should have a chance at parole. The justices pointed to brain science research that finds teens lack impulse control and may engage in reckless behavior without fully understanding the consequences.

In this Dec. 14, 2017, photo in Long Beach, Calif., Birte Pfleger holds a photo of her mother, Gisela Pfleger, she made in 1994, two days before her mother was killed. Pfleger's retired parents were visiting from Germany, when her mother was killed and her father was severely wounded in an attack by three young men in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California. As Pfleger faces the re-sentencing of a man who was 17 when he was ordered to serve life without parole for her mother's death, she says she knows juveniles make stupid mistakes and deserve a second chance. But not in this case. "When is the crime too horrendous to count as a mistake?" she asks. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

While inmates and their supporters have celebrated this opportunity, the decision has revived painful memories for victims' families. Some have already returned to court to face those who killed their loved ones and to oppose their release.

Thongxay Nilakout, who at 17 was the gunman in the Pflegers' shooting, is among those getting a chance at freedom. Birte Pfleger, the couple's daughter, plans to testify against him at his resentencing hearing, likely to take place in 2018.

Pfleger, a history professor at California State University, Los Angeles, reached out to The Associated Press after reading its coverage of the Supreme Court ruling and its aftermath, and shared her story of a loved one left behind to pick up the pieces. In an essay she wrote for the AP, Pfleger talks about her perspective on the ruling, the impact of the crime on her family and what she thinks about the prospect of the shooter one day going free. The following are excerpts. Nilakout's public defender declined comment.

___

THE EFFECT OF THIS CRIME ON HER FAMILY:

"My father lives with the scars of the events every day of his life, both literally and figuratively. It still amazes me that he managed to get help after being shot twice in the face and once in the back. He got into his car, drove down the hill and found someone with a mobile phone - still pretty unusual in 1994. Surgeons saved his life and his ability to eat and speak ... but to this day the lower left side of his jaw is numb, he drools when he eats, drinks or speaks and always carries a cloth napkin to wipe his mouth. ...

"More than his physical injuries, his soul has never recovered from losing his wife of nearly 30 years - from watching how she was shot, unable to help her. For more than 20 years, he has been asking himself why. Today, my father is 85 years old, lonelier than ever. He still misses his wife, and he has no answers. My sister and I lost our mom when we were in our 20s. We both celebrated our weddings and the birth of our children without her. My two young children do not have a grandmother. My 5-year old daughter was named after the grandmother she will never know. My 7-year old son often asks me about her and why she died. I don't know what to say. How do you explain to a child that his grandmother was murdered?"

ON PREVIOUSLY TESTIFYING AGAINST PAROLE:

"In 2010 ... I spoke at a hearing against granting parole (for offender Xou Yang). I had that same gut-wrenching feeling, almost numbness, profound sadness, desperation, and helplessness that I felt for years after my mother's death. The hearing was straightforward with the parole board commissioner summarizing the crime and asking the prisoner what he had to say for himself. Parole was denied primarily because of the gravity of the offense. A notice for a second hearing arrived four years later and was scheduled for June 2015. This time I drove 200 miles to Avenal State Prison in rural central California. Unfortunately, my presence and my statement were utterly pointless. A federal mandate to reduce the number of inmates in California prisons - as well as court rulings demanding that parole boards must consider the continued danger to society rather than the crime committed - made my victim impact statement meaningless. (Yang) was released from prison in (November) 2015. I have to hope that he is using this undeserved second chance well."

ON THE 2016 SUPREME COURT RULING THAT SET OUT THE POSSIBLITY OF NEW SENTENCES AND PAROLE FOR FORMER JUVENILE OFFENDERS:

"Some people argue that juveniles make stupid mistakes and that they deserve a second chance. I agree. But when is the crime too horrendous to count as a mistake? In my view, shooting someone in cold blood is not a stupid mistake. Dropping out of high school, getting involved in drugs, or stealing designer sunglasses are actions that qualify as stupid mistakes. Robbing my parents, stealing their car, and pushing them to the ground would have been a stupid mistake. Conspiring to commit robbery and taking a loaded gun to use as a tool during that robbery is not a mistake. It shows planning and intent to use deadly force. Killing a 64-year old, 4-foot-11, 110-pound cancer survivor and leaving her husband for dead are unforgivable crimes that had and continue to have irreparable and irrevocable consequences."

HOW THE RULING IS RESONATING WITH HER PERSONALLY:

"After the criminal proceedings ended sometime in spring 1996, I believed we could move on. I was wrong. Every time I moved, I registered anew with the California Department of Corrections as the next of kin to be notified if the prisoners were relocated, died or were eligible for parole. For years I participated in, attended or heard about events commemorating National Crime Victims' Rights Week every April. In 2010 I touched my mom's name engraved on the Victims Memorial Wall in Riverside. Now, I am confronted with the very real possibility that another man incarcerated for my mom's death and my dad's lifetime of suffering will be released. It is more painful than I can put into words."

This May 15, 1994, photo by Klaus Pfleger shows his wife, Gisela, right, and daughter, Birte, at the Getty Villa in Malibu, Calif. Birte's retired parents were visiting her from Germany when her mother was killed and her father severely wounded by three young men in a robbery. (Klaus Pfleger via AP)

Birte Pfleger poses for a photo in her home in Long Beach, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017. Pfleger, a history professor, reached out to The Associated Press after reading its coverage of the 2016 Supreme Court ruling on juvenile lifers and its aftermath, and shared her story of the pain she has endured after her mother was killed and father was severely in a robbery attempt by three young men. "Some people argue that juveniles make stupid mistakes and that they deserve a second chance," she says. "I agree. But when is the crime too horrendous to count as a mistake? In my view, shooting someone in cold blood is not a stupid mistake." (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
NEW YORK (AP) - The latest on New York City's deadliest residential fire in decades (all times local):

7 p.m.

A New York City spokesman says a building in which a fire raced through an open door and up a stairwell, killing a dozen people, was required to have self-closing doors.

Firefighters respond to a building fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. The Fire Department of New York says a blaze raging in the Bronx apartment building has seriously injured more than a dozen of people. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Department of Housing Preservation and Development spokesman Matthew Creegan says investigators will look at why the door did not close in Thursday night's Bronx fire.

A fire commissioner Friday said the fire started on a stove and raced through a door and up five floors. Mayor Bill de Blasio says "nothing problematic about the building ... contributed to this tragedy."

Creegan says the city takes seriously the issue of self-closing doors, required in all dwellings with more than three units. He says the city cited landlords over 7,752 times in the last year for violations of the self-closing-door requirement.

___

5:40 p.m.

A New York City spokesman says a building in which a fire raced through an open door and up a stairwell, killing a dozen people, was required to have self-closing doors.

Department of Housing Preservation and Development spokesman Matthew Creegan says investigators will look at whether the door was defective or an obstruction prevented it from closing in Thursday night's Bronx fire.

A fire commissioner Friday said a mother and her two young children fled the first-floor apartment after a 3-year-old boy ignited the fire by turning on a stove.

Creegan says the city takes seriously the issue of self-closing doors, required in all dwellings with more than three units. He says the city cited landlords over 7,752 times in the last year for violations of the self-closing-door requirement.

___

4:40 p.m.

The company that owns the New York City apartment building where a dozen people died in a fire says it is "shocked and saddened" by the tragedy.

D&E Equities said through spokesman Ronn Torossian that it is communicating with the city about the Thursday fire in the Bronx. D&E Equities has owned the five-story building since 1984.

Torossian also said the company's prayers and thoughts are with the families.

City officials say the fire swept through the building after a 3-year-old boy in a first-floor apartment turned on a stove burner.

A spokesman for the city's Department of Housing Preservation & Development said the 26-unit building has a "relatively low history of repair violations."

It was the city's deadliest fire in decades, excluding the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

___

2:30 p.m.

A woman, her two daughters and a niece are among the dozen victims of a fire that raced through a century-old New York City apartment building.

Officials have not released the identities of the victims of the Thursday night blaze, but Ambrozia Stewart told several news outlets they include her youngest daughter and three granddaughters. Stewart moved to the United States from Jamaica in the 1980s.

A fire official said the fire started when a 3-year-old boy played with burners on a stove. Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro (NY'-groh) said the fire raced through an open apartment door and up the five-story building's stairwell, chasing residents as they fled.

Thirteen members of the family lived in the building.

___

1:25 p.m.

A family is still waiting to find out what became of a relative who was staying in a New York City apartment building where a fast-moving fire killed 12 people.

Twum Bredu (BREH'-doo) said Friday he hasn't yet gotten news of his 28-year-old brother, Emmanuel Mensah. Mensah was staying with a family that escaped safely from Thursday night's fire in a five-story Bronx building.

But no one could find Mensah. His family checked four hospitals.

Bredu says the family's still looking and hoping for word of him. He says: "That's my prayer."

Commissioner Daniel Nigro (NY'-groh) says the blaze was accidentally ignited by a 3 -year-old boy playing with the burners on his mother's stove.

It was the city's deadliest fire in decades, excluding the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

___

10:50 a.m.

New York City's fire commissioner says a stairwell acted like a chimney and quickly spread a deadly fire that was started by a child playing with a stove.

Commissioner Daniel Nigro (NY'-groh) said Friday that the 3 -year-old boy had a history of playing with stove burners.

Twelve people, including four children, were killed in the Bronx apartment building fire Thursday night. Four people are still fighting for their lives. He says everyone has been accounted for.

Nigro stresses the importance of closing doors to help contain fires.

___

10:10 a.m.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (dih BLAH'-zee-oh) says investigators believe a Bronx fire that killed 12 was caused by a child playing with a stove.

De Blasio said Friday on WNYC that four people are still fighting for their lives following the fire Thursday night in the Bronx.

The New York Police Department says those who died include girls ages 1, 2 and 7, and a boy. His age was not given.

Some residents made it down fire escapes. But the flames moved so fast that many never made it out of their apartments.

Witnesses describe seeing burned bodies being carried away on stretchers and young girls who had escaped standing barefoot outside with no coats.

___

8 a.m.

Police say four children are among the 12 people killed in New York City's deadliest residential fire in decades.

Mayor Bill de Blasio (dih BLAH'-zee-oh) said Friday on CNN that other people are still fighting for their lives. The Democrat says first responders saved at least 12 lives.

The New York Police Department says those who died in the Bronx fire Thursday night include girls ages 1, 2 and 7, and a boy. His age was not given.

Some residents made it down fire escapes. But the flames moved so fast that many never made it out of their apartments.

Witnesses describe seeing burned bodies being carried away on stretchers and young girls who had escaped standing barefoot outside with no coats.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

___

2:35 a.m.

Officials say New York City's deadliest residential fire in decades spread through every floor of a Bronx apartment building within a matter of minutes, killing 12 people and sending other residents scrambling down fire escapes to safety.

The blaze broke out Thursday night on the first floor of a five-story building.

Mayor Bill de Blasio (dih BLAH'-zee-oh) says the dead include a child around a year old, while four more people are fighting for their lives.

Some tenants of the building climbed down fire escapes. But the flames moved so fast that many never made it out of their apartments.

Witnesses describe seeing burned bodies being carried away on stretchers and young girls who had escaped standing barefoot outside with no coats.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters respond to a building fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. The Fire Department of New York says a blaze raging in a Bronx apartment building has seriously injured more than a dozen of people. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Firefighters respond to a deadly fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. The New York City mayor's press secretary says several people have died in the blaze on a frigid night, and several more have been injured. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Firefighters respond to a deadly fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. The New York City mayor's press secretary says several people have died in the blaze on a frigid night, and several more have been injured. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Firefighters respond to a building fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. The Fire Department of New York says a blaze raging in the Bronx apartment building has seriously injured more than a dozen of people. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ASPEN, Colo. (AP) - Neighbors of the home where Vice President Mike Pence has been staying in Colorado this week have a message.

They've placed a rainbow-colored banner on a stone pillar at the end of the driveways to both homes near the posh ski resort of Aspen. The banner reads "Make America Gay Again" - a play on President Donald Trump's campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."

Pitkin County sheriff's deputy Michael Buglione tells the Aspen Times that Secret Service agents weren't bothered by the sign.

Pence has described himself as a "Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." He has opposed legislation prohibiting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in the workplace.

Pence and his family arrived in the Aspen area Tuesday and plan to leave Monday.

___

Information from: The Aspen Times, http://www.aspentimes.com/
STERLING, Va. (AP) - Federal authorities say they have arrested a Virginia man and charged him with attempting to obstruct a terrorism investigation.

The Washington Post reports that according to records filed in federal court, Sean Andrew Duncan, of Sterling, Virginia, owned a phone that revealed research into materials relating to the Islamic State, terrorist attacks, weapons, surveillance tactics and body armor.

Duncan was arrested Friday on charges that he allegedly destroyed a thumb drive that authorities say may have contained evidence of criminal activity.

Federal investigators first became aware of Duncan's activities in February 2016 after a relative reported to the FBI that he had converted to Islam and had possibly become radicalized.

It was not immediately known if Duncan has an attorney.

Sterling is 35 miles (56 kilometers) northwest of Alexandria.
SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Five Indian soldiers and three suspected militants were killed Sunday after rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in disputed Kashmir, triggering a daylong battle, officials said.

Separately, Indian and Pakistani soldiers traded gunfire along the highly militarized line dividing Kashmir between the two rivals, killing an Indian soldier, India's army said.

In the incident at the paramilitary camp, gunmen in combat dress entered the camp near southern Lethpora village early Sunday firing guns and grenades at the sentry, said paramilitary spokesman Rajesh Yadav. He said soldiers inside the camp responded to the attack, which left at least three soldiers wounded.

An Indian paramilitary force soldier takes cover behind a tree at the site where suspected rebels stormed a paramilitary camp at southern Lethpora village, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, Dec. 31, 2017. A number of Indian soldiers and suspected militants were killed Sunday after rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in disputed Kashmir, officials said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

The camp is located along the strategic highway connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India and close to the chain of plateaus famed for Kashmir's saffron fields. Besides counterinsurgency operations, the camp also serves as a training center for soldiers.

The Jash-e-Mohammed militant group, which is fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the English-language Greater Kashmir newspaper. The paper quoted the group as saying that "such attacks will continue till the last Indian soldier leaves Kashmir."

The initial assault on the camp left one paramilitary soldier dead and two others wounded. Police said reinforcements of army soldiers and counterinsurgency police encircled the camp and exchanged gunfire with the assailants.

In the subsequent fighting, three more paramilitary soldiers and two suspected rebels were killed. Another soldier died of cardiac arrest while being evacuated along with many others who were trapped in the camp's residential buildings.

Police said the fighting stopped Sunday night with the killing of a third militant, and that troops were searching the camp area.

Anti-India unrest has simmered in Kashmir since a popular rebel leader was killed over a year ago. Apart from mass anti-India protests and clashes often leading to the deaths of protesters since the leader's killing, dozens of young Kashmiri men have joined rebel groups, leading to a surge in attacks. The Indian government responded by stepping up anti-rebel operations.

Over 200 militants, 78 police officers and soldiers, and at least 57 civilians have died in the violence this year, the deadliest since 2010.

Also on Sunday, the Indian army said one soldier was killed after Pakistani troops fired at forward posts in Nowshera sector along the highly militarized Line of Control dividing Kashmir between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

Col. Nitin Joshi, an Indian military spokesman, called it an "unprovoked violation" of the 2003 cease-fire accord between the two countries, and said the Indian army "retaliated strongly and effectively."

There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan.

India and Pakistan have a long history of bitter relations over the Himalayan territory of Kashmir. They have fought two of their three wars over the region since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

Rebel groups demand that Kashmir be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Kashmir's mostly Muslim population and most people support the rebels' cause against Indian rule. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown since 1989. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, which Pakistan denies.

A Kashmiri man with a child walks past Indian paramilitary soldiers guarding outside a camp where suspected rebels stormed a paramilitary camp at southern Lethpora village in Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. A number of Indian soldiers and suspected militants were killed Sunday after rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in disputed Kashmir, officials said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

Indian paramilitary force soldiers take position at the site where suspected rebels stormed a paramilitary camp at southern Lethpora village in Indian controlled Kashmir, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. A number of Indian soldiers and suspected militants were killed Sunday after rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in disputed Kashmir, officials said. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)
SLIDELL, La. (AP) - Police in New Orleans have arrested a 67-year-old man after they say he helped swindle people out of thousands of dollars as a middleman in a "Nigerian prince" internet scam.

The New Orleans Advocate reports that Michael Neu, of Slidell, is facing 269 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

The phishing scam involves getting an email from a Nigerian official who claims the recipient has been named a beneficiary in a will and will inherit at least $1 million. The victim is then asked to send personal information which is used to con them out of their money.

Neu has allegedly participated in hundreds of scams and has wired money to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

The investigation is ongoing.

Slidell is 33 miles (53 kilometers) northeast of New Orleans.
Extreme cold to test New Year's revelers; some events iced

Dress in layers, lay off the booze and bring some hand warmers. Those are some of the tips offered for the huge crowd of revelers expected in Times Square for what could be one of the coldest New Year's Eve ball drops on record.

Brutal weather has iced plans for scores of events in the Northeast from New Year's Eve through New Year's Day, but not in New York City, where people will start gathering in Times Square up to nine hours before the famous ball drop.

"Hundreds of thousands have withstood very cold weather over the years for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we expect this year to be no different," said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance which puts on the event.

The coldest New Year's Eve in Times Square came in 1917, when it was 1 degree at midnight. This year, the forecast is for 11 degrees with a wind chill around zero, which would tie for second with 1962.

City and state health officials are advising people to cover all exposed skin, and wear a hat, scarf and gloves. Drinking alcohol is discouraged because it causes the body to lose heat faster.

___

Ruling but no resolution on which teen killers merit parole

Nearly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prison inmates who killed as teenagers are capable of change and may deserve eventual freedom, the question remains unresolved: Which ones should get a second chance?

Now the ruling - which came in the case of a 71-year-old Louisiana inmate still awaiting a parole hearing - is being tested again in that same state, where prosecutors have moved in recent months to keep about 1 in 3 former juvenile offenders locked up for the rest of their lives.

"There is no possible way to square these numbers with the directive of the Supreme Court," said Jill Pasquarella, supervising attorney with the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights, which found that district attorneys are seeking to deny parole eligibility to 84 of 255 juvenile life inmates whose cases are up for review.

Some prosecutors countered that the heinousness of some of the crimes makes these inmates the rare teen offenders the court said could still be punished with life behind bars.

"In this community, some of the most violent crimes we've had have been committed by juveniles," said Ricky Babin, district attorney for Ascension, Assumption and St. James parishes, who has filed motions seeking new life-without-parole sentences in four of five cases.

___

Report: 2 protesters in western Iran killed at night rally

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Two protesters taking part in demonstrations roiling Iran were killed at a rally overnight, a semi-official news agency reported Sunday, the first deaths attributed to the ongoing protests.

The demonstrations, which began Thursday over the economic woes plaguing Iran, appear to be the largest to strike the Islamic Republic since the protests that followed the country's disputed 2009 presidential election.

In Doroud, a city some 325 kilometers (200 miles) southwest of Tehran, in Iran's western Lorestan province, protesters gathered for an unauthorized rally that lasted into the night Saturday, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

Mehr quoted Habibollah Khojastepour, the security deputy of Lorestan's governor, as saying the illegal gathering ignited clashes. The two protesters were killed in the clashes, he said.

"The gathering was to be ended peacefully, but due to the presence of the (agitators), unfortunately, this happened," Khojastepour was quoted as saying.

___

Erica Garner dies; fought police brutality after dad's death

NEW YORK (AP) - The daughter of key Black Lives Matter figure Eric Garner died Saturday after a weeklong hospital stay following a heart attack.

"She was a warrior to the end. She stood up for justice for her father," the Rev. Al Sharpton said in announcing the death of Garner, 27, at a New York hospital.

Garner's official Twitter account, run by her family and friends since she became ill, asked that she be remembered as a mother, daughter, sister and aunt with a heart "bigger than the world."

In 2014, her father, Eric Garner, who was black, was stopped on Staten Island for selling untaxed cigarettes and died after a white police officer subdued him with a chokehold. A grand jury declined to indict the officer; the city agreed to pay a $6 million civil settlement.

Garner's last words, "I can't breathe," became a slogan for activists.

___

Brother-in-law of Martin Luther King Jr. dies at 83

ATLANTA (AP) - The brother-in-law of Martin Luther King Jr. and a founding member of The Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change has died.

Isaac Newton Farris Sr., who suffered from prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease, died at his Atlanta home on Saturday morning, his daughter Angela Farris-Watkins told The Associated Press. He was 83.

Farris married Christine King in a ceremony performed by Martin Luther King Jr. and their brother A.D. King on Aug. 19, 1960.

"He wasn't caught up marrying into a prominent family," Farris-Watkins said by phone. "He was secure in his own right."

Farris was a successful entrepreneur and founder of Farris Color Visions. He also served a project manager for the construction of The King Center.

___

Thousands remain missing after Iraq's victories against IS

MOSUL, Iraq (AP) - In 2014, Abdulrahman Saad was taken from his home in Mosul by Islamic State fighters, leaving his family in limbo.

They asked IS security offices and judges: Where is our husband and father? No answer. When the operation to retake Mosul began, they heard he was being held in the western part of the city, with hundreds of other prisoners. But when the area was liberated, they found no trace of Saad, the 59-year-old owner of a wholesale food store.

"Life without my father is difficult," says his son, Rami. Without him, the Saads struggle to get by, and his wife pines for her spouse.

In their misery, they have company. Since Mosul was declared liberated in July, residents have submitted more than 3,000 missing-persons reports to Nineveh's provincial council, according to council member Ali Khoudier. Most of them are men or teenage boys. Some were arrested by IS during the group's extremist rule; others were detained by Iraqi forces on suspicion of extremist ties.

Regardless, Iraqi government bureaucracy, inefficiency and neglect have left thousands of families across Iraq hanging as the country's leadership celebrates the defeat of IS.

___

Merkel sees Germany split over pace of social change

BERLIN (AP) - Germans have rarely been so divided about the changes taking place in their society, the country's long-time leader Angela Merkel said Sunday, adding in her New Year's address that she is committed to helping tackle the challenges of the future by swiftly forming a new government.

Germany has been in political limbo since elections in September, which saw heavy losses for the centrist 'grand coalition' that's run the country since 2013. Merkel's attempt to forge a new government with two smaller parties failed, forcing her to reach out to her erstwhile partners, the Social Democrats, again.

Merkel acknowledged the concerns some in Germany have about the pace of social change, including the influx of asylum-seekers that saw many conservatives question her leadership. But she noted that others in Europe's biggest economy, which has seen rapid growth and a continued fall in unemployment, are optimistic about the future.

"Some are even talking about a split that goes through our society," she said of the differing views she's heard over the past year.

Merkel said she took seriously the voters' mandate "especially when it comes to working on swiftly forming a stable government for Germany in the new year," citing among her priorities the need to safeguard prosperity, improve education and the use of digital technology, strengthen families and elderly care, even out regional imbalances and ensure security.

___

2 men charged in deaths of women, children found in home

TROY, N.Y. (AP) - Two men were arrested Saturday on murder charges in the deaths of two women and two children who were found dead in their upstate New York apartment.

Justin Mann and James White were arrested in their hometown, Schenectady, and pleaded not guilty in Troy City Court.

According to the Times Union , Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said one of the defendants knew one of the victims. He declined to elaborate.

Information given in court said the killings took place at about 9 p.m., Dec. 21. It wasn't until Tuesday, five days later, that a property manager found 36-year-old Shanta Myers; her children, 11-year-old Jeremiah Myers and 5-year-old Shanise Myers; and 22-year-old Brandi Mells in a basement apartment along the Hudson River, just north of Albany. Meyers and Mells became engaged earlier this year, Mells' cousin, Sharonda Bennett, told the newspaper.

Tedesco and District Attorney Joel Abelove, who appeared at a press conference, declined to answer questions about a possible motive and the method of the killings.

___

'Make America Gay Again' sign greets Pence in Colorado

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) - Neighbors of the home where Vice President Mike Pence has been staying in Colorado this week have a message.

They've placed a rainbow-colored banner on a stone pillar at the end of the driveways to both homes near the posh ski resort of Aspen. The banner reads "Make America Gay Again" - a play on President Donald Trump's campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."

Pitkin County sheriff's deputy Michael Buglione tells the Aspen Times that Secret Service agents weren't bothered by the sign.

Pence has described himself as a "Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." He has opposed legislation prohibiting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in the workplace.

Pence and his family arrived in the Aspen area Tuesday and plan to leave Monday.

___

Ray of hope, then deep hostility between US and North Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) - In the first month of Donald Trump's presidency, an American scholar quietly met with North Korean officials and relayed a message: The new administration in Washington appreciated an extended halt in the North's nuclear and ballistic missile tests. It might just offer a ray of hope.

North Korean officials responded defiantly. The nearly four-month period of quiet wasn't a sign of conciliation, they retorted, insisting supreme leader Kim Jong Un would order tests whenever he wanted. As if to ram the point home, North Korea only two days later launched a new type of medium-range missile that ended Trump's brief honeymoon.

The February launch heralded a year of escalating tensions that have left the U.S. and North Korea closer to hostilities than at any time since the Korean War ended in 1953. The North is now at the brink of realizing its decades-old goal of being able to strike anywhere in America with a nuclear weapon. And two leaders untested in the delicate diplomacy of deterrence have exchanged personal insults and warned of the other nation's annihilation.

"Pyongyang and Washington are caught in a vicious cycle of action and reaction," Korea expert Duyeon Kim wrote in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. "If nothing happens to break the cycle, it will continue until one side either stands down, which is very unlikely, or, far worse, takes military action."

The exchanges at the unofficial U.S.-North Korean talks 10 months ago hadn't been reported before. They were recounted to The Associated Press by a participant who requested anonymity to describe them. No U.S. government officials took part.
A North Cairo military court issued preliminary death sentences to seven people on Sunday over the 2015 assassination of police Colonel Wael Tahoun in Helmiyat El-Zeitoun, east Cairo.

The courts preliminary verdict is scheduled to be referred to the countrys grand mufti for a consultative non-binding opinion, as per Egypts penal code.

The court will issue its final verdict on 17 January.

The sentencing applied to four defendants in presence and three in absentia.

The case, which includes a total of 52 defendants, dates back to the April 2015 attack in which Tahoun was gunned down in a car next to his house. Another policeman and one civilian were also killed.

Tahoun was serving at the public security department of the ministry of interior at the time of his assasination. He had previously served as the commander of the Matariya police station in east Cairo.

The list of defendants in the case include Youssef Al-Qaradawy, the spiritual leader of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, Mahmoud Ghozlan, a member of the MB guidance bureau, and Abdel-Rahman Al-Bar, the Muslim Brotherhood's mufti.

The defendants are facing charges of joining an illegal group which calls for the suspension of law and constitution, and obstructing state institutions from carrying out their duties, and attacking personal freedoms and rights of citizens.

The defendants are also accused of inciting the murder of Tahoun and two others, destroying public and private properties, as well as committing hostile actions.

Authorities have repeatedly accused the Brotherhood of being behind violent incidents and terrorist attacks since the ouster of president Morsi in 2013.

The government designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group in late 2013.

Many of the Brotherhoods leaders, including Morsi and the group's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, have been facing various criminal and espionage trials.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


NEW DELHI (AP) - Movie superstar Rajinikanth is entering politics in his southern Indian state with a plan to launch his own party, calling it his duty.

The 67-year-old said Sunday to his cheering supporters that his objective is to change the system and bring good governance to Tamil Nadu. He called for political change and appealed to his fans to bring all sections of society into the fold.

"I do not want cadres. I want watchdogs," New Delhi Television channel quoted Rajinikanth as saying.

Indian movie superstar Rajinikanth, center, gives thumbs up sign to his fans after announcement to launch his own political party, in Chennai, India, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Rajinikanth is entering politics in his southern Indian state with a plan to launch his own party, calling it his duty. The 67-year-old told his cheering supporters that his objective is to change the system and bring good governance to Tamil Nadu. (AP Photo/R.Parthibhan)

Rajinikanth is one of India's most popular stars and many of his 175-plus films since 1975 have broken box-office records, mostly in the Tamil and Telugu languages.

His political prospects appear bright following a huge political vacuum created by the death of Jayaram Jayalalithaa, an iconic political figure, and the near-retirement of 93-year-old Muthuvel Karunanidhi, the leader of the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party.

Cinema has always influenced Tamil politics by turning actors into popular politicians.

C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi were both scriptwriters who went on to become chief ministers. M.G. Ramachandran, a top actor-turned-politician, also had a strong screen presence and following among the masses.

Born Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, Rajinikanth worked as a bus conductor for three years before joining an acting school. He started in small roles as a villain in Tamil cinema and worked his way up, landing roles in Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai.

The Indian government honored him with top national awards - the Padma Bhushan in 2000, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016 - for his contributions to the arts. At the 45th International Film Festival of India in 2014, he was conferred the Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan also tried his hand in politics as a member of India's Parliament, representing the Congress party in support of his friend, then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in the 1980s. He resigned after three years following allegations that he accepted bribes in the purchase of artillery guns. His name was later cleared from the scandal.

Indian movie superstar Rajinikanth fans burn firecrackers and hold his photograph after his announcement to launch his own political party, in Chennai, India, Sunday, Dec.31, 2017. Rajinikanth is entering politics in his southern Indian state with a plan to launch his own party, calling it his duty. The 67-year-old told his cheering supporters that his objective is to change the system and bring good governance to Tamil Nadu. (AP Photo/R.Parthibhan)

FILE - In this March 31, 2012, file photo, Indian actor Rajinikanth poses at a photo call for "Kochadaiyaan: The Legend" at a west London hotel. Movie superstar Rajinikanth, 67, said Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, he plans to launch his own party, calling it his duty. The actor said to his cheering supporters his objective is to change the system and bring good governance to his native state of Tamil Nadu. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)
ISLAMABAD (AP) - The Palestinians have withdrawn their envoy to Pakistan after he appeared at a rally with a radical cleric linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Palestinian envoy Walid Abu Ali shared the stage with Hafiz Saeed, the head of the hard-line Jamaat-ud-Dawa movement, at Friday's rally, which was held to protest U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The rally in Rawalpindi, attended by thousands, was organized by the Defense of Pakistan Council, an alliance of religious parties dominated by Saeed's group. Jamaat-ud-Dawa is believed to be a front for Lashker-e-Taiba, a militant group that fights Indian troops in the disputed region of Kashmir, and which was blamed for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people.

In this Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, photo, Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali, left, sits next to Hafiz Saeed, the head of the hard-line Jamaat-ud-Dawa, during an anti-U.S. rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The Palestinians have withdrawn their envoy to Pakistan, Ali, after he appeared at a rally with a radical cleric linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. (AP Photo/A.H. Chaudary)

Saeed, the founder of Lashker-e-Taiba, is wanted by the United States, which has offered a $10 million reward for his arrest, but Pakistan has refused extradition requests and allows him to operate relatively freely. He was recently placed under house arrest for 11 months but was released after a court ruled in his favor.

Saeed denies involvement in the 2008 attacks, and Pakistan says India has not provided enough evidence to charge him. U.S. officials have long accused Pakistan of harboring extremists, allegations denied by Islamabad.

In a statement Saturday addressed to India, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the envoy's participation "in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism" was "an unintended mistake, but not justified." It said the envoy has been recalled.

India had lodged a protest with the Palestinians earlier Saturday, calling the envoy's association with Saeed "unacceptable."

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry defended the envoy, saying it welcomed his "active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine."

Near-daily rallies have been held in Pakistan and elsewhere in the Muslim world since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital earlier this month, a move seen as siding with the Jewish state against the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

___

Associated Press reporter Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed to this report

In this Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, photo, Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali, second left, raises jointly hands with Hafiz Saeed, second right, the head of the hard-line Jamaat-ud-Dawa, and others during an anti-U.S. rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The Palestinians have withdrawn their envoy to Pakistan, Ali, after he appeared at a rally with a radical cleric linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. (AP Photo/A.H. Chaudary)
YOLA, Nigeria (AP) - The Adamawa State chapter of Nigeria's Muslim Council says at least 5,247 Muslims have been killed in the past four years in the northern state because of Boko Haram.

A report presented Sunday adds that more than 5,100 Muslims in the state have been injured since 2013. The report was presented to the Adamawa governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Bindow, calling for more support for victims and reconstruction of places of worship and schools.

It also recommends increasing security and financial support to local defense groups assisting the military in the fight against Boko Haram.

The report says more than 12,700 properties, including houses, mosques, livestock and farm produce worth $220 million have been destroyed in the state.

The Nigeria-based Islamic extremists have killed more than 20,000 people in an eight-year insurgency.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Latest on the war in Afghanistan (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

A bombing has targeted the funeral of a local official in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people.

Noor Ahmad Habibi, deputy spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, said a rickshaw rigged with explosives went off Sunday among people gathered in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, to mourn a former district chief. He said around 13 other people were wounded.

Habibi said initial reports were that a suicide bomber was behind the attack, but that authorities now believe it was a remotely-detonated explosion.

No one immediately claimed the attack. The Taliban denied any involvement. An Islamic State affiliate is active in Nangarhar province and has targeted officials and security forces in the past.

___

3:30 p.m.

An Afghan official says a suicide bomber targeting the funeral of a local official has killed at least 12 people.

Noor Ahmad Habibi, deputy spokesman for the governor of the eastern Nangarhar province, says the bomber set off his explosives vest among people gathered in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, to mourn a former district chief. Inamullah Miakhial, spokesman for the local hospital, said the attack killed 12 people and wounded another 14.

No one immediately claimed the attack. The Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in Nangarhar and routinely target security forces and local officials.
MADRID (AP) - Spain's maritime rescue service says it has saved 66 migrants from two boats in the Mediterranean Sea.

The service says that one boat carrying 58 migrants was intercepted by rescue craft in the Strait of Gibraltar before sunrise on Sunday. A further eight migrants were pulled from a second boat in waters east of the strait.

Spain saved 177 migrants traveling in six boats on Saturday.

Thousands of refugees and other migrants attempt the perilous crossing from Africa in hopes of reaching European shores each year. They are often packed by human traffickers into small boats unfit for the open sea.
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Congolese security forces killed at least seven people and at least one policeman died amid violence as more than a thousand people demonstrated in the capital against President Kabila's refusal to step down from power, the United Nations mission in Congo and police said Sunday.

U.N. Congo mission spokeswoman Florence Marchal said at least 82 people have been arrested across the country in connection with Sunday's protests. She condemned the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and suppression of rights.

Human Rights Watch Central Africa director Ida Sawyer said Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside St. Alphonse church in the Matete district.

Congolese boys take part in a protest against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside a church on Sunday while dispersing demonstrators protesting in the country's capital against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power, according to Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/John Bompengo)

Congo police spokesman Col. Pierrot Mwanamputu, however, said the two were killed after an altercation with police. He said a police officer also died.

Leonie Kandolo, spokeswoman for one of the groups that organized the demonstrations, said more than 10 people were killed and several injured. She also said that dozens, including some priests, have been detained.

Catholic churches and activists had called for peaceful demonstrations after Sunday mass, one year after the Catholic Church oversaw the signing of an accord that set a new election date to ease tensions in the mineral-rich country.

Kabila, whose mandate ended December 2016, had agreed to set an election by the end of 2017. Congo's election commission says the vote cannot be held until December 2018. Critics accuse Kabila of postponing elections to maintain his grip on power, causing tensions to increase and provoking violence and deadly street demonstrations across the country since the end of 2016.

The government refused permits for the demonstrations Sunday, and shut down internet and SMS services countrywide ahead of the planned anti-government protests for what it called security reasons.

More than 160 churches participated in the call. Police responded with tear gas in some areas of Kinshasa.

Protests had calmed by midday, though barricades remained erected ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations.

Congo's election commission has set new presidential and legislative elections for Dec. 23, 2018, though the opposition has said it would only agree to delay the vote until June 2018.

Kabila can remain in power until the next election is held, although he is barred by the Constitution from seeking another term in office.

___

Petesch reported from Dakar, Senegal.

Congolese security forces chase people during a protest, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside a church on Sunday while dispersing demonstrators protesting in the country's capital against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power, according to Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/John Bompengo)

Congolese security forces chase people during a protest, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside a church on Sunday while dispersing demonstrators protesting in the country's capital against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power, according to Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/John Bompengo)

Congolese protest against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside a church on Sunday while dispersing demonstrators protesting in the country's capital against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power, according to Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/John Bompengo)

A Congolese boy protests against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside a church on Sunday while dispersing demonstrators protesting in the country's capital against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power, according to Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/John Bompengo)

Policemen walk past burning debris during protests in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside a church on Sunday while dispersing demonstrators protesting in the country's capital against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power, according to Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/John Bompengo)

Congolese protest against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. Congolese security forces shot dead two men outside a church on Sunday while dispersing demonstrators protesting in the country's capital against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from power, according to Human Rights Watch. (AP Photo/John Bompengo)
WEST BROMWICH, England (AP) - Arsenal conceded an 89th-minute goal from a disputed penalty to draw 1-1 at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, spoiling Arsene Wenger's record 811th Premier League game in charge of the Gunners.

Jay Rodriguez converted the equalizer from the spot after Calum Chambers was adjudged to have deliberately handled a cross from barely two meters away from former Arsenal player Kieran Gibbs.

Alexis Sanchez's free kick, which deflected in off the leg of James McClean as he turned his back in a defensive wall, put Arsenal ahead in the 83rd minute of a match that only sparked to life in the final stages at The Hawthorns.

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere reacts, during the English Premier League soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal, at The Hawthorns, in West Bromwich, England, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Arsenal heads into the new year in fifth place, three points off the Champions League qualification positions. West Brom stayed in the relegation zone, in 19th place, and is without a victory since August.

Wenger overtook former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson's mark of 810 games in the Premier League. Ferguson also managed in England's top division for six years before the inaugural Premier League in 1992.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger stands on the sidelines, during the English Premier League soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal, at The Hawthorns, in West Bromwich, England, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game, during the English Premier League soccer match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal, at The Hawthorns, in West Bromwich, England, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the New Year's Eve celebration in New York's Times Square (all times local):

12:20 a.m.

New Year's reveler Colleen Keenan says the celebration in frigid Times Square is "a beautiful experience" and "there's nothing like it."

Fireworks erupt as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Kennan and her son braved temperatures of only 10 degrees (minus 12 degrees Celsius) to ring in 2018 in Times Square.

With a burst of confetti and fireworks, throngs of revelers celebrated the arrival of 2018 as the glittering crystal ball dropped.

___

Midnight

With a burst of confetti and fireworks, throngs of revelers have ushered in 2018 in a frigid Times Square as the glittering crystal ball dropped.

It was the second-coldest on record. The temperature was only 10 degrees (minus 12 degrees Celsius) in New York City at midnight. The coldest ball drop celebration was in 1917, when it was only 1 degree (minus 17 degrees Celsius).

Partygoers bundled up in extra layers, wearing warm hats and face masks, dancing and jogging in place to ward off the cold.

There was also tighter security than ever after two terrorist attacks and a rampaging SUV driver who plowed into a crowd on the very spot where the party takes place. The party went off with no major problems.

"Auld Lang Syne" and "New York, New York" played as the crowds cheered.

___

11:50 p.m.

Mariah Carey has made it through her set on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" this year after bungling it last year.

Carey had technical difficulties during a live performance of her hit song "Emotions" on the ABC show in Times Square last year. She stopped singing, paced the stage and told the audience to finish the lyrics for her.

This year, she made it through cleanly despite frigid temperatures - and despite asking for hot tea that wasn't there. She joked it was a "disaster." Carey performed her hits 1990s "Vision of Love" and "Hero."

It was the second-coldest Times Square New Year's Eve on record. The temperature was only 10 degrees (minus 12 degrees Celsius) close to midnight. The coldest ball drop celebration was in 1917, when it was only 1 degree (minus 17 degrees Celsius).

___

10 p.m.

The metal pens holding revelers waiting for the ball drop in frigid Times Square aren't all packed with people.

It's one of the coldest New Year's Eves on record in Times Square, just 10 degrees (minus 12 degrees Celsius) at 10 p.m. The coldest on record was in 1917, when it was only 1 degree (minus 17 degrees Celsius) outside.

People are jogging around to stay warm or bouncing and dancing in place. Others are standing and shivering.

It's New York City resident Corinne Bird's third time in Times Square for the New Year. She's there with a friend from North Carolina who hadn't been before. They say they're already cold - and they've been waiting only about a half-hour.

When midnight hits, the glittering crystal ball will drop, confetti will rain down and fireworks will light up the sky to ring in 2018.

___

9:25 p.m.

Ohio resident Michael Waller says he made a snap decision Saturday evening and drove overnight from Columbus to New York City so he could ring in the New Year in Times Square.

Waller says he arrived at about 8 a.m. Sunday and has been standing in frigid temperatures in a metal pen with a front-row view of the glittering Waterford Crystal ball. It's one of the coldest Times Square New Year's Eve celebrations on record.

Waller says he didn't want to stay home. It was on his bucket list so he decided to make the trip.

Waller is among thousands of people who have been waiting for hours for the midnight ball drop to usher in 2018.

Mariah Carey will perform again on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," hosted by Ryan Seacrest. She bungled her performance last year.

___

5:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service is reporting it is only 14 degrees in New York City, making the New Year's celebration in Times Square among the coldest on record.

The coldest-ever ball drop was in 1917, when it was only 1 degree outside. In 1962, it was 11 degrees. And in 2008, it was 18 degrees.

Revelers were already lined up hours before the celebration Sunday, braving the cold to catch a glimpse of the glittering crystal ball that falls at midnight.

Mariah Carey will perform again on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," hosted by Ryan Seacrest, after a bungled performance last year.

___

1:45 p.m.

Several thousand revelers are already gathering in New York City's Times Square to celebrate a frigid New Year's Eve.

People assembled at the so-called "Crossroads of the World" more than 12 hours before the midnight countdown to 2018. Security was extremely tight throughout Manhattan after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds.

It could be one of the coldest celebrations on record. The temperature is expected to be in the teens with wind chills dipping below zero.

Mariah Carey will perform again on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," hosted by Ryan Seacrest, after a bungled performance last year.

___

9:30 a.m.

New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world will pack into Times Square Sunday for what's expected to be a flashy but frigid start to the new year.

Revelers are expected to begin lining up in the bitter cold in the early afternoon, hours ahead of when the city will mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and fireworks.

It could be one of the coldest celebrations on record, held under tight security after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds.

The temperature is expected to be in the teens.

Mariah Carey will perform again on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," hosted by Ryan Seacrest, after a bungled performance last year.

Confetti drops over the crowd as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, file photo, Mariah Carey poses for photographers during her hand and footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Carey will perform again Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," hosted by Ryan Seacrest, after a bungled performance last year in which she stumbled through her short set, failing to sing for most of it despite a pre-recorded track of her songs playing in the background. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

FILE- In this Dec. 31, 2016, file photo, Mariah Carey performs at the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York. Carey will perform again Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," hosted by Ryan Seacrest, after a bungled performance last year in which she stumbled through her short set, failing to sing for most of it despite a pre-recorded track of her songs playing in the background. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP, File)

Revelers gathered on Times Square in New York reach for promotional hats as they are handed out Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, during New Year's Eve celebrations. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Revelers gathered on Times Square in New York watch the ceremonial ball rise to the top of a pole high above the street Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in preparation for the ball drop during New Year's Eve celebrations. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Revelers wait for midnight during the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriot Marquis in New York, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Revelers wait for midnight during the new year celebrations in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

People gather in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Go Nakamura)

New York City police officers gather at Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Go Nakamura)

Elena Bardunniotis, left, Dominic Manshadi, middle, and Sarah Thompson, right, who all came from Long Beach, Calif., pose for a photo in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Go Nakamura)

NYPD officers patrol in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Go Nakamura)

A New York City police canine officer patrols in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Go Nakamura)

People waiting for midnight try to keep warm in Times Square as they gather to celebrate New Year's Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Revelers watch rehearsals of New Year's celebrations as they gather on New Year's Eve in Times Square, New York, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

People grab for scarves being handed out in Times Square as they gather for a New Year's celebration in New York, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Helen Kim's glasses are fogged up as she tries to keep warm during the New Year's celebration in Times Square, New York, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

People waiting for midnight try to keep warm in Times Square as they gather to celebrate New Year's Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

People waiting for midnight try to keep warm in Times Square as they gather to celebrate New Year's Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in New York. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world are packing into a frigid Times Square Sunday to mark the start of 2018 with a glittering crystal ball drop, a burst of more than a ton of confetti and midnight fireworks. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Spectators gather ahead of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York, on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world will pack into Times Square for what's expected to be a flashy but frigid celebration marking the start to the new year. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

Spectators gather ahead of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York, on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world will pack into Times Square for what's expected to be a flashy but frigid celebration marking the start to the new year. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

Spectators pass through security screening ahead of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York, on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. New Yorkers, celebrity entertainers and tourists from around the world will pack into Times Square for what's expected to be a flashy but frigid celebration marking the start to the new year. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)
A gunman has opened fire on a fast food restaurant, injuring two boys.

Shots were fired at the takeaway in east London on Friday night, the Metropolitan Police said.

Two 16-year-old boys were hit by the bullets, with one suffering an injury to his back and the other boy a leg wound.

(Nick Ansell/PA)

Appeal for witnesses to Plaistow shooting https://t.co/8QUhTIdbpc pic.twitter.com/Jy5ZvqgsFF  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) December 30, 2017

Both were taken to an east London hospital, where they were described as being in a stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

So far no-one has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

Police said they were called to the scene in Terrace Road, Plaistow, at 8.38pm and have urged witnesses to come forward.

Anyone who witnessed the incident but has not yet come forward is asked to call the Trident incident room on 020 8201 2713 or dial 101.

To remain anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Jonny Bairstow has given his unequivocal backing to under-fire England all-rounder Moeen Ali.

As England seek to break their 2017/18 Ashes duck in the final Test of five in Sydney, from 3-0 down, Moeens place in the team is being questioned after his miserable tour so far.

Moeen has mustered just three wickets at the alarming cost of 135 runs each, and hit 136 runs at an average of under 20 an innings.

Moeen Ali has failed to perform in Australia

They are woeful statistics for a player who arrived in Australia as an inked-in selection but has been unable to recover his form after a side strain ruled him out of Englands first two warm-up matches and then a finger injury on his bowling hand curtailed the effectiveness of his off-breaks in the opening two Tests.

After the fourth Test was drawn in Melbourne on Saturday, captain Joe Root predicted Moeen will do more great things for England in the future, but did not specify whether they may begin in the new-year Test at the SCG.

On his arrival in Sydney, however, wicketkeeper Bairstow appeared confident he will be taking the field with Moeen this week.

Asked if the 30-year-old all-rounder is still in Englands best team, Bairstow said: Absolutely, yes. The guy is second-fastest (England player) ever to 2,000 Test runs and 100 Test wickets.

Its unquestionable to even think hes not in that best XI. He wouldnt have played the first four Test matches if hes not in that first XI.

Moeens paltry returns with the ball contrast with the success of his opposite number Nathan Lyon, who has taken 17 wickets. They include dismissing Moeen six times, every time Lyon has bowled at him in this series.

Bairstow added: There arent many finger spinners who will come to Australia and bowl teams out. Its very important we get behind Moeen - he can take a game away from you.

Whether it be this next game, whether it be the first Test match in New Zealand, the talent and capabilities of Moeen Ali are unquestionable.
In his last public appearance of 2017, Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church prayed on Sunday for the victims of the terrorist attack against an Egyptian Coptic church in the Cairo suburb of Helwan on Friday which left 10 dead, state-run news agency MENA reported.

"I express my closeness to the Coptic Orthodox brothers of Egypt who were struck two days ago by an attack on a church and a business on the outskirts of Cairo," said the Catholic pope in front of a crowd at Saint Peter's Square.

"May the Lord convert the heart of the violent," Francis, who visited Egypt in April 2017, said, praying for the souls of the victims and the recovery of the injured.

Nine people were killed and four others were injured when two gunmen opened fire outside the Mar Mina church after firing on a shop owned by a Christian citizen. The attack comes as Egypt's Christian population prepares to celebrate Orthodox Christmas next week on 7 January.

The terrorist organization Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack and released a video message allegedly directed towards one of the attackers.

The Daesh-affiliated and Egypt-based terror group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis has claimed responsibility for many attacks against Egyptian Christians as well against security forces in Egypt over the past four years.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Help in the fight against terrorism or face higher taxes, internet giants have been warned by a Government minister in one Sunday paper.

A Dads Army of volunteers could be created to protect Britains vulnerable ports from jihadists and smugglers, according to another report.

Meanwhile, a further parting volley from Lord Adonis, who quit as the Governments infrastructure tsar, and credit card charges also make the front pages.

What the papers say

Internet giants could face higher taxes if they fail to assist the Government in its fight against terrorism, Home Office minister Ben Wallace has told the Sunday Times. The newspaper also reports on changes to marriage certificates that will see mothers names and occupations included and author Jilly Coopers decision to give her CBE to her dog.

Tomorrow's Sunday Times front page: 'Tech titans told: join terror fight or face tax blitz' pic.twitter.com/mwvbgEOGiO  Times Politics (@timespolitics) December 30, 2017

A Government ban on rip-off credit card charges have back-fired as businesses are planning on increasing prices to sneak around the prohibition, the Sunday Telegraph reports. The newspaper also says New Year revellers face stormy weather and rail strikes.

The front page of Sundays Daily Telegraph: Credit card fees ban to backfire on shoppers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/DTXXnKYy12  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) December 30, 2017

Transport Secretary Chis Grayling should resign over his alleged mishandling of rail franchises that cost the taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds, Lord Adonis has told The Observer. The Government has also been criticised by businesses for splits over its Brexit policy, the paper reports.

THE OBSERVER: Gratling must quit says Adonis as he slams broken Brexit government #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/EWMgJkILJE  Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 30, 2017

A Dads Army of volunteers has been planned to act as a first line of defence against smugglers and jihadists by protecting Britains isolated ports of entry, such as remote harbours and airfields, the Mail on Sunday reports.

Manchester Arena bombing victim Lauren Lees, whose mother Lisa died in the attack, has given birth to a baby boy called Dylan, the Sunday Mirror reports, beneath the headline: Birth of hope.

Some child abuse victims may be unable to sue councils for compensation in cases of negligence after a court ruled out claims against local authorities by survivors who were not put into full-time care by the state, the Sunday People reports.

A new flu vaccine will be rolled out in the UK next year after the jab currently in use was found to have little effect in the elderly, the Sunday Expressreports.

According to The Independent, nurses are to respond to some 999 calls involving pensioners, instead of paramedics, if ambulances are delayed in order to relieve pressure on resources.

SAS snipers will be deployed in major cities to protect New Years revellers, the Daily Star Sunday reports.

And The Sun on Sunday reports that a soap actress has called in police after an intimate video was allegedly stolen from her phone by hackers.
Five Indian soldiers and three suspected militants have been killed after rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in disputed Kashmir, officials said.

Gunmen in combat dress entered the camp near southern Lethpora village, firing guns and grenades at the sentry, said paramilitary spokesman Rajesh Yadav.

He said soldiers in the camp responded to the attack, which left at least three soldiers wounded.

The camp is on the strategic highway connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India and close to the chain of plateaus famed for Kashmirs saffron fields.

Indian paramilitary force soldiers at the site where suspected rebels stormed a camp (Mukhtar Khan/AP)

Besides counter-insurgency operations, the camp also serves as a training centre for soldiers.

The Jash-e-Mohammed militant group, which is fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir, claimed the attack, according to the English-language Greater Kashmir newspaper.

The paper quoted the group as saying: Such attacks will continue till the last Indian soldier leaves Kashmir.

Elsewhere, Indian and Pakistani soldiers traded gunfire along the highly militarised line dividing Kashmir between the two rivals, killing an Indian soldier, Indias army said.

The initial assault on the paramilitary camp left one soldier dead and two wounded. Police said reinforcements of army soldiers and counter-insurgency police encircled the camp and exchanged gunfire with the assailants.

In the subsequent fighting, three more paramilitary soldiers were killed and another died of cardiac arrest while being evacuated with many others who were trapped in the camps residential buildings.

Mr Yadav said troops recovered the bodies of two suspected militants and were searching a building in the camp for another.

Anti-Indian unrest has simmered in Kashmir since a popular rebel leader was killed over a year ago.

Apart from mass anti-India protests and clashes often leading to the deaths of protesters since the leaders killing, dozens of young Kashmiri men have joined rebel groups, leading to a surge in attacks.

The Indian government has responded by stepping up anti-rebel operations.

More than 200 militants, 78 police officers and soldiers, and at least 57 civilians have died in the violence this year, the deadliest since 2010.
People around the world have been ringing in 2018.

Fireworks lit up the sky above Sydney Harbour while tens of thousands of New Zealanders took to streets and beaches as they became among the first in the world to usher in the new year.

Fireworks explode over the Opera House during New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia (David Moir/AAP Image via AP)

A woman prays in front of lanterns to celebrate the new year at a Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Children from a slum area play as the sun sets for the last time in 2017, on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan (Anjum Naveed/AP)

Hong Kong residents wear 2018 glasses (Kin Cheung/AP)

Visitors watch the fireworks at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium-amusement park complex in Yokohama, Japan (Shizuo Kambayashi/AP)

Fireworks explode above Singapore (Wong Maye-E/AP)

Couples wait for their turn to get married during a mass wedding held in celebration of the New Year in Jakarta, Indonesia (Dita Alangkara/AP)

New year celebrations in Beijing, China (Ng Han Guan/AP)

Revellers watch as fireworks light up the sky at the seaside Mall of Asia south of Manila, Philippines (Bullit Marquez/AP)

Members of Flyboard Ireland take part in the Liffey Lights Moment - Matinee in Dublin's city centre (Brian Lawless/PA)

An LED light show illuminates the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, to celebrate the New Year in Dubai (Jon Gambrell/AP)

Fireworks explode over the Kremlin (Denis Tyrin/AP)
LONDON, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Police in Tehran fired water cannon on Sunday to try to disperse demonstrators gathering in Ferdowsi Square in the centre of the capital, according to video footage posted on social media.

Video posted online also showed a clash between protesters and police in the city of Khoramdareh in Zanjan province in the country's northwest. There were also reports of protests in Sanandaj and Kermanshah cities in western Iran.

Reuters was unable immediately to verify the footage. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, Editing by William Maclean)
Duruthu Poya celebrates Buddhas significant first visit to Sri Lanka two thousand five hundred years ago and nine months after his Enlightenment: it marks the countrys commencement of teachings of Buddhism.

When the full moon radiates its light over the land of Sri Lanka, followers of the Buddhist teachings engage in meditation and meritorious deeds. Duruthu is the first full moon Poya of the year, in the month of January. This year there are two full moon poya days in the month of January this year, the second known as Adhi Duruthu falls on 31st.

Mahavamsa, the ancient chronicle records the splendid saga which took place of nine months after Buddhas Enlightenment was to restore peace and dispel war and violence, his visit to Mahiyangana had a noble purpose. It was to free the land from the evil doing Yakkhas. Hostility with the two main tribes the Yakkhas and Nagas who were in constant confrontation. The Enlightened One arrived at the Mahanaga Grove Mahiyangana on a Duruthu Full Moon Poya day.

Buddha stood before the congregation of Yakkhas radiating an aura of rainbow-hued rays from his body. The Yakkhas were conquered. Then the Buddha preached the message of non-violent coexistence to those who assembled to hear his words. Sumana Saman was one of them who attained Sovan, the first of the four stages leading to Nirvana. A few locks of Buddhas hair (Kesa Dhathu) were deposited in a casket which Sumana enshrined in a small dagoba built at the site where all this transpired; it is now known as the Mahiyangana Raja Maha Vihara. This is countrys first stupa. The collar bone relic or Greeva Dhathu, which was recovered from the funeral pyre of the Buddha too was brought to the island by Arahant Sarabha Thera. It was enshrined in the dagoba reconstructed by The Prince Uddachulabhaya, brother of King Devanampiyatissa at Mahiyangana Maha Vihara.

However, the focus of Duruthu is centred round Kelaniya, where the annual Duruthu Perahera is conducted by the Raja Maha Viharaya which stands on a small mount just by the Southern Bank of Kelani river.

When the full moon radiates its light over the land of Sri Lanka, followers of the Buddhist teachings engage in meditation and meritorious deeds. Duruthu is the first full moon Poya of the year, in the month of January

Merit Transferin Milindapanha

The King Milinda in Milindapanha conveys the idea that if the beneficiary is not mindful of a gift of merit being offered, the giver gets no advantage thereby. Naagasena quotes a few examples to prove that is wrong. The disparity is that the act of transfer is an act of unselfishness and the feedback of the action on oneself has a purification effect, as well as on the person to whom the act is aimed at. Naagasena says, Milinda, If a person transfers merit, that merit expands and grows more and more, during the process of transferring it, and the merit of that presentation he is able toshare out it to whomsoever he will.

Buddha says that in a society exploited by differences and disagreements, a person called Mahasammata chosen from among them should maintain and preserve peace through laws of virtue. He should stick to standards of transparency, authority, and accountability. In Maha Sudassana and the Chakkavatti Sihanada Suttas Buddha detailed this when he talk about the Dhasaraja Dhamma.

Acts of merit bring Joy and happiness to the doer in this world and in the next.

As a stream must flow and reach and fill the far-away main,

what is given here will reach and consecrate the spirits.

Water poured on mountain top would soon tumble down and fill the plain

like what is given here will get to and bless the feelings there.

- Nidhikanda Sutra

Punna in Pali is a notion in Buddhism and Hinduism. As a result of good deeds Merit is accumulated and carries over through the life and the subsequent births. There are a number of ways in which merit can be gained. The Sutra suggests ten different ways in which it can occur. According to The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutta of Mahayana one can transfer one-seventh of the merit of an act to a loved one who is no more, to lessen the deceases misery in their new lives.

Mahyana or Theravada Concept?

Some Western scholars of Buddhism, thought that the transfer of merit was a Mahayana concept developed at a late era and that it was rather harsh with Buddhist perceptions of karma hypothesis. Heinz Bechert, believes the doctrine in its developed form to a period between the 5th and 7th centuries. However, Anthony Barber differs in his viewsmerit transfer was an essential part of Buddhism practised from Buddhas times. Buddhism teaches that the accrued merit can be transferred, can be shared with others; it is reversible and the persons who receive can be either living or dead.

The method of transfer is quite simple; the doer has only to wish that the merit he has gained accumulate to an important person in particular, or to all beings, a desire purely mental or expressed by words. All actions, according to the Buddha, what really matters is thought. Transference is mainly an act of the mind. Tirokuddha Sutta  Khuddakanipatha says, there is no use in lamenting, weeping, feeling sorry and bewailing; such approaches are of no effect to the departed ones. Some simply waste on hollow rituals and performances in commemoration of departed ones. They do not realize that it is not possible to assist the dead simply by constructing graveyards, Monuments, tombs, and other paraphernalia; instead performing some meritorious acts like building temples, orphanages, schools, libraries, hospitals, or distributing Dhamma books and other many related charitable activities.

MAY ALL BEINGS BE HAPPY!
The time stipulated for a Unity Government between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) has been elapsed today.

The SLFP and the UNP extended its MoU until December 31 when it came to an end in last September. The initial two-year agreement period for unity government came to an end in September.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Deputy General Secretary of the UNP Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said so far it had not been discussed in the party of removing or continuing as a Unity Government. Minister said the Party leaders would come to a final decision over the matter after the conclusion of Local Government Elections. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
Thirteen Indian fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for engaging in illegal fishing in the Sri Lankan territorial waters in the seas off Katchativu Island this morning.

Navy said a fast attack craft attached to the Northern Naval Command arrested the fishermen along with two trawlers.

The arrested fishermen were brought to the naval base SLNS Uththara in Kankesanthurai while the trawlers had been taken to SLNS Elara in Kareinagar.

They were handed over to the Jaffna fisheries officials for onward legal action.

Earlier on December, 27 Indian fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy with five boats near Delft Island.
Street protests hit Iran for a third day running on Saturday, spreading to the capital Tehran with crowds confronting police and attacking some state buildings, and a social media report said two demonstrators had been shot dead in a provincial town.

The wave of anti-government demonstrations, prompted in part by discontent over economic hardship and alleged corruption, are the most serious since months of unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Saturday's protests, in fact, coincided with state-sponsored rallies staged across the Islamic Republic to mark the final suppression of the 2009 unrest by security forces, with mass pro-government events in Tehran and Mashhad, Iran's second city.

Pro-government rallies were held in some 1,200 cities and towns in all, state television reported.

At the same time, anti-government demonstrations broke out anew in a string of cities and in Tehran for the first time where protesters confronted and stoned riot police around the main university, with pro-government crowds nearby.

Videos posted on social media from the western town of Dorud showed two young men lying motionless on the ground, covered with blood, and a voiceover said they had been shot dead by riot police firing on protesters.

Other protesters in the video chanted, "I will kill whoever killed my brother!" The video, like others posted during the current protest wave, could not be immediately authenticated.

In earlier footage, marchers in Dorud shouted, "Death to the dictator," referring to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Social media video from Mashhad showed protesters overturning a riot police car and police motorcycles set ablaze.

In Tehran, the semi-official news agency Fars said up to 70 students gathered in front of its main university and hurled rocks at police, also chanting, "Death to the dictator."

Social media footage showed riot police using clubs to disperse more protesters marching in nearby streets, and arresting some of them. The student news agency ISNA said police shut two metro stations to prevent more protesters arriving.

In Tehran and Karaj west of the capital, protesters smashed windows on state buildings and set fires in the streets.

Images carried by the semi-official news agency Tasnim showed burning garbage bins and smashed-up bus shelters in the street lining the university after the protests subsided.

Brigadier-General Esmail Kowsari, the Revolutionary Guards' deputy security chief in Tehran, said the situation in the capital was under control and warned protesters would face "the nation's iron fist" if unrest persisted.

"If people came into the streets over high prices, they should not have chanted those (anti-government) slogans and burned public property and cars," Kowsari told ISNA.

The United States condemned the scores of arrests of protesters reported by Iranian media since Thursday.

President Donald Trump tweeted, "The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most."

State media quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi as saying in response to an earlier Trump tweet criticising the arrests: "The Iranian people see no value in the opportunistic claims by American officials and Mr. Trump."

The Telegram messaging app, with 40 million users in Iran, on Saturday blocked a channel that Iran's telecommunications minister had accused of encouraging violence in the unrest, its Chief Executive Officer Pavel Durov said on Twitter.

Iranian media and social media also reported protests in the cities of Kashan, Arak, Ahvaz, Zanjan, Bandar Abbas and Kerman.

The elite Revolutionary Guards and its Basij militia, which spearheaded the security crackdown that crushed the protests of 2009, said in a statement carried by state media: "The Iranian nation ... will not allow the country to be hurt."

Discontent

Openly political protests are rare in the Islamic Republic, where security services are omnipresent.

But there is considerable discontent over high unemployment, inflation and alleged graft. Some of the new protests have turned political over issues including Iran's costly involvement in regional conflicts such as those in Syria and Iraq.

Joblessness has risen and annual inflation is running at about 8 percent, with shortages of some foods contributing to higher prices and hardship for many families.

Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli warned against attempts to promote protests via social media.

"We ask people not to take part in unlawful gatherings. If they plan a gathering they should apply (for a permit)," he told the Young Journalists Club news website.

On Thursday, hundreds of people took to the streets in Mashhad, one of the holiest places in Shi'ite Islam, to protest against high prices, shouting anti-government slogans. Police arrested 52 people, according to a judicial official.

State broadcaster IRIB said on its website it had not covered the protests after being told by authorities that "the issue should not be reflected on state radio and television".

Most Detainees Freed

Most of those arrested in the last two days had been released, state television said, without giving details.

"Enemy websites and foreign media continue to try to exploit economic hardships and the legitimate demands of the people...to launch illegal gatherings and possible unrest," it said.

Though purely political protests are seldom seen in Iran, demonstrations are often held by workers over lay-offs or non-payment of salaries and by people who hold deposits in non-regulated, bankrupt financial institutions.

President Hassan Rouhanis leading achievement, a 2015 deal with world powers that curbed Irans nuclear program in return for a lifting of most international sanctions, has yet to bring the broad economic benefits the government says are coming.

Unemployment has risen to 12.4 percent this fiscal year, according to the Statistical Centre of Iran, up 1.4 percentage points and leaving about 3.2 million Iranians jobless.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Israeli forces made the arrests as protests continue following US President Donald Trump's announcement earlier this month that the US embassy would be moving to Jerusalem

Israeli occupation forces detained 20 Palestinians in early-morning raids on Sunday, as clashes continue following the United States' recent recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

According to local sources, 10 people were detained in East Jerusalem and another ten in the West Bank.

Among those arrested were nine Palestinians from Issawiya in East Jerusalem and a young man from town of Biddu, north-west of Jerusalem.

Israeli forces also raided several houses in the northern West Bank city of Nablus and detained two Palestinians from their homes in Sufian Street and Al-Ain refugee camp.

Meanwhile, in Jenin, two men from the village of Jaba were detained at a military checkpoint, with another two arrested at their homes during a raid in Al-Manshiyeh village in Bethlehem.

A man who had recently been released from custody was rearrested in al-Arroub refugee camp north of Hebron.

Sunday's detentions bring to more than 600 the number of Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces since protests started in response to US President Trump's announcement in early December that the US embassy would be moved to Jerusalem.

Israeli forces have killed at least 11 and injured 3000 Palestinians during ensuing clashes.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said Sunday Iran's government is "being tested by its own citizens" after three days of protests against the clerical regime.

"We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said in a statement.

Haley's comments echoed those of US President Donald Trump, who earlier Sunday said the United States was watching closely for human rights violations.

"Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer," Trump tweeted.

Over the past year, Trump has held out Iran as Washington's top adversary in the Middle East, disavowing a 2015 accord that curbed its nuclear program and accusing it of destabilizing activities in the region.

At least two people have been killed and dozens arrested since protests broke out Thursday in the city of Masshad and spread to Tehran and other cities.

Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli on Sunday warned that protesters will "pay the price" for disrupting order.

Haley singled out Iran in a New Year's message that also denounced "oppressive governments" in North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba.

"The long-repressed Iranian people are now finding their voice," she said. "The Iranian government is being tested by its own citizens."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Related Puigdemont mulls whether to return to Catalonia after win

Catalonia's former president has called for Spanish authorities to open negotiations regarding the restitution of what he calls his "legitimate government."

Carlos Puigdemont said via social media channels from Brussels on Saturday that Spain should "recognize the election results of Dec. 21 and start negotiating politically with the legitimate government of Catalonia."

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy deposed Puigdemont and his cabinet after Catalonia's regional parliament voted in favor of a declaration of independence from the rest of the country in October.

But pro-secession parties, including one led by Puigdemont, won the most seats in elections last week.

Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid a judicial investigation into suspicions of rebellion by him and his government. He did not say Saturday if he plans to return to Spain, where an arrest warrants awaits him.

Rajoy said on Friday that he plans to convene Catalonia's newly elected parliament on Jan. 17.

In-house rules of Catalonia's parliament require that a candidate to form a government be present.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egyptian diplomats spent the last 12 months establishing new relations and boosting old ones, reviving neglected partnerships and soothing those that have become overly strained, Doaa El-Bey reports

This year ended with two important meetings being held in Cairo, testimony to the work Cairo has put in to broadening its network of foreign relations.

The first meeting saw the launch of an initiative to establish a cooperative framework between Arab and African countries bordering the Red Sea.

Addressing the conference - entitled Peace, Security and Prosperity in the Red Sea: Towards an Arab-African Regional Cooperation Framework  held on 11and 12 December  Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri said Cairo was launching the initiative in order to strengthen the sovereignty of Red Sea states and to allow them to coordinate in the face of the challenges posed by the war in Yemen, terrorism and illegal immigration.

The conference brought together senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti.

The second meeting was the Joint Retreat of Permanent Representatives Committee and the African Union Commission. During the closing session Shoukri stressed Cairos eagerness to reinforce the working methods of the AUs Permanent Representatives Committee in a manner that would help bridge the gap in member states positions and allow them to endorse decrees and follow up on the implementation of pan-African policies.

Joint Retreat meetings aim to review and evaluate working methods and strategic partnerships within the AU with the goal of improving the AUs performance in fulfilling the interests of member states.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said hosting the Joint Retreat meeting reflected Egypts determination to boost relations. Among the subjects discussed were ways to strengthen the AUs partnerships with the European Union, Arab countries, China, India and South Korea.

RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA: NEW OPPORTUNITIES: Among the most important developments of the last 12 months is the strengthening of relations with Russia.

Under a $30 billion deal signed earlier this month by Russias state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom and Egypts Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy (MERE) a nuclear power plant will be built at Al-Dabaa, on the coast of Marsa Matrouh governorate, 295 kilometres from Cairo. The plant will comprise four nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts.

A protocol to resume Moscow-Cairo flights starting February 2018 has also been signed, with both sides agreeing to hold further meetings in April to discuss the resumption of flights from Russia to Egyptian Red Sea tourist resorts, said Minister of Aviation Sherif Fathi. Russia had been a major market for Egyptian tourism before direct flights were cancelled in the wake of the downing of a Russian airliner over Sinai. The 2015 disaster killed all 224 people on board.

Russian Minister of Aviation Maxim Sokolov said Cairo International Airport had implemented all of Moscows requests for enhanced security.

The decision to resume flights to Cairo followed Decembers visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Cairo during which the agreement to construct the Dabaa nuclear power plant was signed.

EGYPT AND THE US: DRAMATIC END TO THE YEAR: US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel left the Arab world reeling.

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement pointing to the negative impacts the decision will have on the future of the peace process, especially efforts exerted to resume negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The year had begun with a thaw in Egyptian-American relations. President Al-Sisi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on an election win which officials in Cairo confidently expected to breathe a new warmth into bilateral ties.

Al-Sisi visited the US in May and held what Trump described as very, very important talks. The two leaders met again on the sidelines of the 72nd UN General Assembly in September. I appreciate everything that youve done, Trump told Al-Sisi.

Trump praised Egypts efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and asked if he would resume military aid to Egypt, told reporters, were going to certainly consider it.

A portion of the $1.3 billion annual military aid Washington provides Cairo was withheld in August over human rights concerns. At the time the Foreign Ministry described Washingtons decision as a misjudgement of the nature of strategic relations between the two allies which reflected a lack of understanding of the importance of supporting the stability and success of Egypt.

EGYPT AND ITALY: A RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMACY: In a meeting on the periphery of the Mediterranean Dialogue in Rome at end of November Shoukri told his Italian counterpart that Cairo was looking forward to boosting mutual relations.

The Mediterranean Dialogue, which began in 2015, seeks to establish a positive agenda for the Mediterranean region by stimulating debate, rethinking traditional approaches and addressing common challenges at a regional and international level.

Relations between Egypt and Italy suffered a blow when the body of Giulio Regeni, an Italian researcher and student in Cairo, was found in February 2016 in Cairo, bearing marks of sustained torture. In the wake of the discovery Rome withdrew its ambassador.

Shoukri underlined the importance of cooperation between the two states in the ongoing investigation into Regenis brutal murder and warned of the dangers of politicising that issue in a way that negatively affects mutual relations.

Diplomatic representation between Italy and Cairo was renewed in September 2017.

Italy is among the most important tourism markets for Egypt, its the second largest partner in terms of trade volume and the fifth largest foreign investor in Egypt. The two countries cooperate closely on regional issues, including the conflict in Libya and combating illegal migration from north Africa to Europe.

EGYPT AND THE EU: The end of 2017 saw the initiation of the first round of dialogue between Egypt and the EU on migration.

It is the first forum for dialogue, constructive interaction and exchange of visions and experiences on how to stop the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean, said Abu Zeid.

The most important development in relations with the EU over the past year was Julys endorsing of the EU-Egypt partnership priorities for 2017-2020.

The partnership priorities establish the basis for further cooperation, covering areas such as economic reform, good governance, the rule of law and human rights, migration and security/counterterrorism. The endorsing was followed by a visit to Egypt by EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn to discuss ways the priorities might be implemented.

During that visit the EU granted 60 million to help Egypt deal with the pressures of hosting immigrants and refugees.

The EU is Egypts biggest donor. Ongoing grant commitments are more than 1.3 billion. When member states funding and European financial institutions grants, loans and debt swaps are taken into account the figure rises to 11 billion.

EGYPT-GREECE-CYPRUS: STRATEGIC COOPERATION: In December Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi and his Cypriot and Greek counterparts agreed to initiate tripartite military training to counterterrorism. During his visit to Cyprus Sobhi also discussed joint search and rescue exercises and strategies to secure maritime trade routes and energy and navigation lines.

Sobhis visit came a month after President Al-Sisi attended the Fifth Tripartite Summit with his Greek and Cypriot counterparts. The summit focused on enhancing political, economic, trade and security cooperation. The three leaders also agreed to work more closely with the EU to tackle illegal migration.

Al-Sisi described the tripartite cooperation as a model for successful cooperation between countries.

The Fourth Tripartite summit, held in Cairo in October, had focused on reinforcing joint cooperation in the energy and military fields as well as combating extremism and terrorism.

On the sidelines of the US General Assembly in September, Shoukri held a trilateral meeting with his Cypriot and Greek counterparts during which they agreed to bolster ties and facilitate dialogue between young people from the three countries. Shoukri also extended an invitation to representatives of young people in Cyprus and Greece to attend Novembers World Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh.

EGYPT AND THE UN: In his address to the 72nd UN General Assembly Al-Sisi urged the Palestinians to overcome their differences and be ready to co-exist with each other and with Israelis in safety and security.

Addressing Israel he pointed to an excellent experience in Egypt in peace with you for longer than 40 years.

NILE BASIN STATES: SEEKING A WIN-WIN SITUATION: At the end of the last tripartite meeting in Cairo, Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel-Ati expressed concern over the future of tripartite technical meetings between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan on the Renaissance Dam.

Constant delays have raised concerns in Cairo about the ability of the three states to agree to work together to ensure Egypts water security, he said.

The technical meetings 17 of which have been held in the last two years are supposed to discuss the preliminary report submitted by the French consultancy firms Artelia and BRL and reach agreement on methodology to assess the environmental and economic impacts of the dam on Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia announced in October that 62 per cent of the dam was now complete and filling its reservoir would start by the middle of 2018.

Egypt has long been worried over the tripartite technical committees lack of progress. Shoukri expressed Cairos concerns to his Ethiopian counterpart Workineh Gebeyehu on the sidelines of the African Unions preparatory meetings in June and at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Addis Ababa has said repeatedly it is committed to the 2015 declaration of principles signed by Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia which states that Ethiopia will not begin filling the reservoir until all studies are completed yet the year ended with no agreement on when the studies will begin.

Cairo has hinted it might request the mediation of other Nile Basin countries to resolve the current deadlock over the proper management of Nile water. In May, Shoukri visited Uganda for talks with President Yoweri Museveni and discussed the possibility of holding a summit between Nile Basin states in a bid to bridge the differences between them.

Shoukris visit to Uganda came within the framework of ongoing coordination between the two countries. Uganda currently holds the chair of the Nile Council of Ministers (Nile-Com), the policy arm of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI).

During a three-day state visit by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to Uganda earlier this year, Museveni proposed a summit between the heads of NBI states to address Nile water issue.

In March, Irrigation Minister Abdel-Ati attended the extraordinary Nile-Com meeting in Entebbe. The meeting was convened to facilitate the resumption of Egypts full participation in NBI activities which had been frozen in 2010.

The year ends without a breakthrough on the technical tripartite talks and no agreement on convening an NBI summit or on Egypts full participation in NBI activities.



*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Jaipur: Hours after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approved the release of the movie 'Padmavati' with some changes, Rajput Karni Sena President Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi on Saturday threatened to vandalise all the cinema halls showing the flick.

Claiming that the release of the movie is against the interest of the country, Gogamedi said that the CBFC, under the pressure of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, agreed to certify it.

"The release of 'Padmavati' is only going to create chaos in the country. The government would be responsible for any loss of life and property following the release of this movie. Every theatre, where this movie would be released would be vandalised", the Rajput Karni Sena chief told ANI.

"The censor board is taking this decision under the pressure of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, and are destroying Hindutva from the country," he added.

Earlier in the day, the CBFC suggested few modifications in the controversial movie 'Padmavati', which include changing of the film's title to 'Padmavat', after which it would be given a U/A certificate.

The decision came after an examining committee meeting by the CBFC was held on December 28. It consisted of the regular committee members, along with CBFC officials and a special advisory panel in the presence of Chairman Prasoon Joshi.

The other key modifications suggested in the meeting include those of the disclaimers, pertinently adding one regarding not glorifying the practice of Sati and also relevant modifications in the song 'Ghoomar' to befit the character portrayed.

The special panel consisted of Arvind Singh from Udaipur, Dr Chandramani Singh and Prof KK Singh of the Jaipur University.
Mumbai: Former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahalaj Nihalani has raised questions about the censor board's role in the controversy surrounding 'Padmavati', claiming that the film was sidelined by it.

Nihalani, on Saturday, was commenting on the recent developments, wherein the CBFC suggested few modifications in the controversial movie, including changing of the film's title to 'Padmavat', after which it would be given a UA certificate.

"The film faced so many controversies even before people saw it. This decision could have been taken before the film was opposed by the people and the political parties in several states", Nihalani told ANI.

"This film was sidelined by the CBFC and it raises the question on the Censor Board. Producers suffered such huge losses because of the cuts. Vote bank politics has obviously been done, the film is being seen after elections. Chairman Prasoon Joshi faced pressure from the ministry", he added.

Speaking on the development, former Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chief Gajendra Chauhan has expressed delight that the controversy is about to get resolved.

"I would like to congratulate the censor board and Bhansali who amicably tried to solve the matter. And I think the issue should now finally end", Chauhan told ANI.

Meanwhile, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said that it will be a great day for the entire film industry and film lovers when the film will be on the screens.

"I congratulate and compliment Sanjay Leela Bhansali that finally after so much of uproar, the film will see the light of the day," Pandit told ANI.

For those unversed, the decision came after an examining committee meeting by the CBFC was held on December 28. It consisted of the regular committee members, along with the CBFC officials and a special advisory panel in the presence of Chairman Prasoon Joshi.

The other key modifications suggested in the meeting include those of the disclaimers, pertinently adding one regarding not glorifying the practice of Sati and also relevant modifications in the song 'Ghoomar' to befit the character portrayed.
The actor, Rajashekar, 48, a resident of Mahalakshmi Layout, is playing her fathers role in the film, while she is playing the lead.

Bengaluru: A 23-year-old Sandalwood actress has filed a complaint against the co-actor Rajashekar alleging that he had been sending her indecent messages.

The actress filed a complaint with the Magadi Road police on Tuesday and the actor was arrested and released on bail.

The actor, Rajashekar, 48, a resident of Mahalakshmi Layout, is playing her fathers role in the film, while she is playing the lead.

She also alleged that the actor asked her to take virginity test to disprove the rumours which linked her and the films hero.

The actress, Keerthi, is a professional Bharathanatyam dancer and is playing a lead female role in the film Ice Mahal with Kishore C Naik, who is the lead male actor and the director.

According to the police, last week Rajashekar had called Kishore and they had an argument over the film posters they soon began abusing each other.

Rajashekar accused him of having an affair with Keerthi and threatened him.

Kishore told the actress about the accusations made by Rajashekar. The actress called up Rajashekar and he allegedly told her to go through a virginity test to prove him wrong.

This statement angered the actress and a heated argument ensued. Rajashekar allegedly threatened and abused her. The actress then approached the police.
Taapsee Pannu

2017 has been very satisfying. It helped me reaffirm my belief that I am headed in the right direction so I know what to plan for 2018. New year is just a brief break with my sister in Goa. Just two days off and then I am off to work.

Adivi Sesh

I am heading to the US soon for the shooting of Goodachari after the new year. Its being readied for a summer release. I cant wait for people to see a years worth of my hard work. You wont believe this, but we are busy editing our previous schedules footage, today! Then Ive got a completely romantic film which would be nicely different to what Im doing in Goodachari. In many ways, this is the year of new paths for me, work-wise, in terms of the kind of stories Im going to be telling. On a personal note, I grew up in California, my parents are still there. I'm trying to convince them to move to India so I can be closer to them! Its my new year resolution!

Shalini Pandey

2017 was a roller coaster ride for me in terms of emotions. Arjun Reddy took me to a high while there were some emotional setbacks. And I dont know how or why but in the whole process, over this year, I have lost my core nature of taking life as it comes. I started to think too much about whats going to happen next. So 2018 is going to be all about rediscovering the old Shalini who lived in the moment! Because life is good and will always be good, except you might have a bumpy ride.

Rakul Preet Singh

2017 was most definitely an important year for me . My Tamil film Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru and my Telugu film Jaya Janaki Nayaka got me some wonderful recognition. And I got the chance do a Hindi film Aiyaary with a brilliant director Neeraj Pandey. What more can I ask for?
Hyderabad: Rachakonda police on Saturday busted an interstate gutka supplying racket and arrested three persons. The police also seized gutka worth about Rs 4 lakh from their possession.

Police said that the gang was involved in the activity for long, which would be probed thoroughly. The arrested persons were identified as Prathapani Venkataramana, 41, Banda Prasad Reddy, 34, and Alakuntla Naveen, 21. Among those absconding were Srinu Bhai and Sharma, handlers from Bidar in Karnataka, and Srinivas, a receiver from Hyderabad. The police intercepted a pickup van on Friday afternoon based on a tip-off. On checking, police found banned gutka packed in 180 bags. Some 1,250 gutka sachets were seized.

Talking about how the accused operated, LB Nagar DCP M. Venkateswar Rao said, They purchased sachets in Bidar for `4 a piece and sold it in the city for upto Rs 20 a sachet.

During inquiry, the arrested persons admitted that this was the second time they brought gutka into the city.

However police suspects that the gang was involved for a long time, and plans to probe the details and the receivers of the material in the city. In all, material worth over Rs 10 lakh was seized from the gang.
In Kampala this month Egyptian mediators brought together conflicting factions of Sudans Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA). The objective of the mission, led by senior General Intelligence officer Khaled Fawzi, was to contain the deadly civil war that has raged in South Sudan four years ago.

This is the second round of announced Egyptian mediation. The first session was held in November in Cairo and managed to prepare the ground for a possible reconciliation.

Officials working on the file are fully aware this is one of the toughest mediation jobs. The warring factions have shown themselves resilient and their appetite to continue a war which has left seven million people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance appears unabated.

Cairo established close links with the leaders of the SPLA, the movement which spearheaded the South Sudan independence drive, more than a decade before the separation of Sudan into two states. Following independence Egypt established stable political contacts with Juba and has provided development assistance.

East Africa, especially the Nile Basin, is one of our security priorities. We already have tension with several countries over the management of Nile water resources and their support for Ethiopian plans which undermine Egypts historic right to Nile water, says a leading concerned diplomat. It is within this context, he added, that ending the civil war in South Sudan is seen as a key goal in Cairo.

The war can only hamper attempts to foster water cooperation or develop projects that might help Egypt compensate for the likely loss of its water share when Ethiopia begins filling the reservoir of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which it has said it will start next summer.

The same diplomat also spoke of Cairos growing concern over the refugee problem that is being fuelled by the war in South Sudan. We have already taken a vast number of refugees and we cannot afford to take more, he said.

The South Sudan mediation attempt has had its ups and downs and has still to yield tangible results, say international humanitarian organisations. They all agree, though, that efforts to put a lid on a simmering conflict and contain its potential for further destabalisation as South Sudans neighbours vie for control over the various factions must continue.

EYE ON THE RED SEA: Cairos mediation on South Sudan has been accompanied by growing engagement in managing the turbulent situation in Somalia where Egypt now provides police and military training as well as development assistance.

Somali President Abdullahi Faramjo was in Sharm El-Sheikh for the Africa Economic Cooperation Conference held in the second week of December. During a meeting on the sidelines of the conference, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi promised Faramjo Egypts support for efforts to stabilise Somalia. The Sisi-Faramjo talks also addressed the growing military cooperation that is bringing Egypt and Somalia closer, together with the UAE, one of Cairos closest Gulf partners.

This is all about Red Sea security, says a diplomatic source.

Cairo is particularly worried about the way the war in Yemen has allowed for unprecedented manifestation of conflicting influences on the stability of this strategic area.

In the face of Saudi disappointment we refrained from joining direct military combat in Yemen. Instead, we have opted to build political bridges with all the leading Yemeni groups, including moderate elements within the Iran-supported Houthis, in the hope this will help us to someday bring stability to Yemen, he says.

Egypt has been working quite closely with the UAE and Somalia to limit the influence of terrorist groups which have a strong presence in Somalia given long years of havoc, says the same Egyptian diplomat, adding this work also includes Eritrea.

As Cairo seeks to consolidate its influence in the neighbourhood of states that are the focus of major strategic concern it has opened mediation channels between the ruling regimes and opposition groups in both countries. The concerned diplomat explains this is not just about Khartoum and Addis Ababa but also Djibouti. Djiboutis military cooperation with Turkey and Qatar could not have simply been overlooked by Egypt, he says.

It is perfectly legitimate for Egypt to want to calm civil unrest in its immediate neighbourhood. We are not claiming full success but we have managed to have a positive impact.

STABILISING LIBYA: A positive impact is how Ghassan Salame, the UN secretary-generals envoy to Libya, qualified Cairos year-long attempt to unify the leading military factions in Libya under the umbrella of a national Libyan army which Egypt would like to see led by Khalifa Haftar.

Haftar, supported first by Cairo and later by Abu Dhabi and Moscow, is seen as a key figure in stabilising the eastern part of Libya, one of Egypts most urgent national security goals.

Egyptian officials have repeatedly expressed concern over the smuggling of arms and militants from Libya into Egypt and the way the chaos across Egypts eastern border has fuelled terrorist attacks on Egyptian soil.

In the summer of 2017 Egypt began pushing for a meeting bringing Haftar together with Fayez Al-Sarraj, chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya. The push led to indirect talks and culminated when the two men met head to head in the UAE.

Al-Sarraj, however, was far from sympathetic to Cairos wish to see Haftar as the head of the Libyan state and army.

There has been a basic flaw in Egyptian mediation in Libya which otherwise has been relatively successful in promoting a process of unification among leading military factions which is a prerequisite for any political reconciliation, says a Cairo-based European diplomat.

Now Cairo realises it needs to be less ambitious in its expectations of what Libyan groups will accept in relation to Haftar.

According to the same diplomat a recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Al-Sarraj persuaded Cairo to be more open about the chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya.

The way Egypt had snubbed Al-Sarraj over his openness to some Islamist political groups in Libya obstructed its otherwise influential mediation. As the year comes to a close I think it is fair to say Egypt now realises Libya is not Egypt and Haftar cannot be Al-Sisi, says the same Cairo-based European diplomat.

Al-Sarraj met with President Al-Sisi in Cairo earlier this month. And according to press statements made by Salame during his recent visit to Cairo, Egypts intervention is helping his drive to unify Libyas factions in the hope of being able to hold presidential elections by September 2018.

Egyptian officials say that there are no illusions in Cairo about a resolution to the Libyan crisis being just around the corner. But they also note that as 2017 draws to a close the situation in Libya, in terms of security management and reconciliation possibilities, is much better that it was a year ago.

In the words of one official, Egyptian mediation has been essential in getting to this position.

It is true we had financial support from the UAE and political support from Russia but it was our determined mediation that has opened up the possibility of greater stability in Libya and, hopefully, the eventual coming to power of a sympathetic regime, says the same official.

SYRIA AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES  UNAPOLOGETIC CHOICES: The year saw growing openness towards Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad on the part of Cairo despite the fact that Saudi Arabia, Cairos close ally, continues to demand Al-Assad be toppled, and regardless of the undeniable brutality of Al-Assads crackdown on peaceful protesters in 2011, kick-starting the process that would evolve into a civil /regional and international proxy war.

According to an informed Egyptian government source, Cairo began formulating its current Syria policy in late 2014 and it has been executed gradually in the years that followed, though with increased openness this year. The whole world now realises what is happening in Syria  it is a civil war, says the source, and the reality is that Al-Assad will be around for a while.

It was Russias direct military intervention, he says, that managed to defeat previously strong militant groups like IS in Syria, tipping the balance in Al-Assads favour and encouraging Egypt to be more open about its unannounced  I would not call them secretive relations with the Al-Assad regime.

It is an open secret that we have had high level talks and we are discussing security and intelligence cooperation, says the source.

Another factor in the decision to be more open about ties with the Al-Assad regime is the decline in faith in the Arab Spring and growing recognition of the importance of the stability and the territorial unity of states in defeating terrorist groups like IS.

We are not willing to see Syria divided. Our position is that Syrian territorial sovereignty must be maintained. It is the same position we adopted towards Kurdish calls for independence in Iraq. Despite our good relations with the Kurds and reservations over the Iraqi government we opted to support the territorial unity of Iraq.

According to the same source, Cairo maintains communication channels not only with the Al-Assad regime but with opposition groups who share our keenness on territorial unity and central government power.

These are not things we can compromise on. They are the pillars on which stability rests. All talk about democracy and human rights takes a back seat, he says.

In tandem with hosting Syrian opposition figures and cooperating with Russia to create conflict free zones in order to staunch the flow of refugees Cairo has been supportive of the UN secretary-generals envoy to Syria and the Geneva talks.

A similar pattern of intervention/mediation saw Cairo promote the role of former Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) member Mohamed Dahlan on the Palestinian scene.

Egyptian officials say the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the dwindling influence of PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas there following a decade-long political battle with Hamas had rendered the situation explosive on Egypts eastern border.

The officials say that while Dahlan is not someone Abbas likes he is a figure Egypts security bodies could work with if, in cooperation with Hamas, he has a role in managing Gaza. They stress that nobody in Cairo has any illusions about the extent of his popularity in Gaza which has been suffocating under the siege imposed when Hamas took over the Strip in 2007 following its massive legislative electoral victory.

Gaza has long been the focus of national security worries, not least because of its impact on the volatile situation in Sinai. Cairo recognised it has no choice but to deal with Hamas, and opted to do so with Dahlan as a partner. This created a new situation Abbas had to deal with, allowing Cairo to push for reconciliation between Hamas and the Abbas-led Fattah. The push bore some fruit in 2017 but much more work remains to be done in 2018.

With Trumps recent decision to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel there is no telling how things will develop. But for now at least, Cairo seems determined to pursue its mediation efforts on the Palestinian front in the hope that 2018 brings a breakthrough.



*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

Search Keywords:

Short link:


As per the official statistics, the highest numbers of deaths this year took place in July when 10 civilians, 27 militants and security personnel were killed. (Photo: File)

Srinagar: Another year of mayhem for Jammu and Kashmir has just passed. As many as 400 people were killed in militancy-related violence in the State in 2017. Among the slain were 218 militants and 86 security forces personnel and the rest were civilians.

The authorities have termed the killing of such large number of militants as a major breakthrough in the security forces fight against what they call is terrorism abetted by Pakistan. They, however, also said while the militancy-related incidents were at the highest in past nearly one decade, the casualties including among the civilians and the security forces have shown an upward trend in 2017.

A report prepared by Mirwaiz Umar-led Hurriyat Conference released in Srinagar said out of 97 civilians 36 were killed by the security forces in clashes or during counterinsurgency operations whereas 29 including 8 Amarnath pilgrims were killed by militants. The other civilians were killed in grenade blasts, shooting incidents and other violent acts involving security forces and suspected militants.

Among the civilians who were killed during 2017 were nine of those who fell prey during firing incidents along the Line of Control (LoC).

As per the official statistics, the highest numbers of deaths this year took place in July when 10 civilians, 27 militants and security personnel were killed. 34 persons were killed in March and 9 civilians, 6 security forces personnel and 19 militants in April.

Director General of Police, Shesh Paul Vaid, while addressing a press conference here on Sunday, however, said that 206 militants, 85 of them locals and 121 foreigners were killed in 2017. Two more militants were neutralized following a fidayeen attack at a CRPF camp in southern Pulwama district on Sunday itself. Five CRPF personnel including an inspector also lost their lives in this attack.

The police chief said that Operation All-Out launched jointly by the J&K police, the Army, the CRPF and other central forces earlier this year has been a great success. He, however, also said that there was a misconception there over this operation. I want to make it clear that this operation is not only about killing militants, but also to bring them back into the mainstream, he said.

He added that while 206 militants were killed 75 youth were brought back who had either joined or were about to join the militancy. Apart from this seven youth, who had picked up arms, were brought back due to the support their families, shown to us, he said. He claimed that there was a downward trend of local youth joining the militants ranks.

He said that stone-throwing cases registered in 2016 and 2017 against at least 5,500 youth are under review after government announced amnesty scheme for first time stone-throwers recently.
Bengaluru: A 27-year-old man recorded a video before committing suicide and blamed his estranged wife for the extreme step. The deceased has been identified as Bharath and incident happened at his residence in Srirampura on Thursdsay night.

In the video Bharath claimed that his wife, who currently lives with her parents, and the police had forced him to give up the custody of his one-year-old son, and he cannot live without him.

Bharath got married to Manjeshwari two years ago and the couple was living with Bharath's parents.

According to the police, Manjeshwari wanted to work, but Bharath was opposed to the idea and wanted her to take care of their son and his parents.

The couple frequently fought over the issue and Manjeshwari wanted to move out of the house with her son, but Bharath did not allow her.

She went to her parent's house and later took the help of Rajajinagar police to get her son's custody.

A disappointed Bharath then decided to commit suicide after recording a video.

In the video he said that his wife and in-laws have troubled him a lot and he could not take it anymore. He blamed the police for separating him and his son. He also said his mother recently had a stroke and he had asked his wife to take care of her, but she didn't want to do so.

Bharath's parents have filed a complaint against Manjeshwari and her family for his death. Srirampura police have registered a case.
Bengaluru: CBSE and ICSE schools are readying to introduce Kannada in their curriculum as a compulsory subject with the state government all set to make the language mandatory in all schools from the academic year 2018-19. Every school, irrespective of its affiliation, will have to introduce Kannada from class I in its curriculum.

The procedure will take time , but they have informed us well in advance to give us time to prepare, said the administrative officer of Euro School, Likith Raj.

Setting at rest fears about the language being thrust upon out of state students in high school, Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Tanveer Sait clarified on Friday that an exception would be made for those from other states joining schools in Karnataka after class VI.

For 2018-19, Kannada will be introduced as an introductory language in class I and then gradually introduced till class X, he added.

Although private schools went to court on the issue, they were unsuccessful in stalling the governments move and now with a legislation backing the introduction of Kannada as a mandatory subject in all institutions, they have little choice but to prepare for the inevitable.

"We tried to stop this, but now we don't really have an option but to give in," said Secretary of the Soundarya Central School, Keerthan.

Welcoming the move, president of the Kannada Development Authority (KDA), prof. S G Siddaramaiah recalled that it had requested the government to make Kannada mandatory in schools from the last academic year itself.

But for various reasons, it did not happen. We are happy that the education department is going ahead with it now," he added.

Although the Kannada Language Learning Act , making Kannada compulsory in all schools was passed in 2015, it was notified in June 2017.

Meanwhile, the Minister revealed the government was considering setting up a separate examination board for SSLC and PUC to ease the burden of setting question papers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers the inaugural address for the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, Kerala via video conference, in New Delhi on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged youths, who turn 18 on New Year day, to register as electors and said their votes would prove to be the bedrock of New India.

In his last Mann ki Baat address of the year, Mr Modi also urged people to work towards all-round development of the nation in 2018 as his government pushes for reforms measures to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and the evils of casteism and terrorism.

He said that the mantra for the New Year should be reform, perform, transform and called for Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (together with development for all).

He also suggested that a mock Parliament be organised around August 15 in Delhi, comprising a young representative selected from every district, to deliberate on how a new India can be formed in the next five years. Mr Modi said in the New Year, people should take concrete steps to make a progressive India and also recounted an inspirational story of Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak, the topper of the Kashmir Administrative Service examination.

He actually extricated himself from the sting of terrorism and hatred and topped in the Kashmir administrative examination. You will be surprised to know that terrorists had set his ancestral home on fire in 1990, Mr Modi said.

The PM also recalled his meeting with young girls from the state and said that he was amazed at the spirit that they had, the enthusiasm that was there in their hearts and the dreams they nurtured.

The Indian democracy welcomes the voters of the 21st Century, the New India voters. I congratulate our youth and urge them to register themselves as voters... The entire nation is eager to welcome you as voters of the 21st Century...Your vote will prove to be the bedrock of new India, he said.
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the instant triple talaq bill that criminalises the practice of instant divorce among the Muslim community, with up to three years in jail for the husband.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, was passed after the House rejected a string of amendments moved by various opposition members.

MPs from the RJD, AIMIM, BJD, AIADMK and All India Muslim League opposed the bill, calling it arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal.

Two amendments moved by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Asaduddin Owaisi and one by BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab were negated in the Lok Sabha. Congress leader Sushmita Dev and CPIM's A Sampath were also negated in the Lower House.

The bill would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e-biddat'. It gives power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking "subsistence allowance" for herself and minor children. A victim can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate.

Under the law, instant triple talaq in any form  spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp  would be illegal and void.

The bill will now be sent to the Rajya Sabha for passage before it is forwarded to the President for signing it into law.

The bill is likely to sail through the Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks majority, given the Congress's stated support to the legislation.

The move comes months after the Supreme Court set aside by a majority verdict the practice of triple talaq, saying the practice was void, illegal and unconstitutional. The apex court held that triple talaq is against the basic tenets of the Quran.

As the Lok Sabha passed the bill, Muslim women hailed it as victory. They have fought for this for long. This will act as deterrence, Noorjahan, a victim of triple talaq.

Earlier on Thursday, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, calling it a "historic day" amid opposition by members of different parties, including RJD, AIMIM, BJD and All India Muslim League.

Prasad exhorted the Lok Sabha to not link triple talaq bill with religion, politics or vote bank.
Mysuru city police commissioner, Dr A Subramanyeswar Rao has promised to take action against her husband for selling their children and harassing her.

Mysuru: A pregnant woman braved the cold for two nights starting Thursday to take shelter in a park in Saraswathipuram here along with her 11-month-old baby girl to save her from being sold by her husband.

Some good Samaritans, who spotted the woman who is seven months pregnant, contacted Deccan Chronicle, and in turn, we alerted the Mysuru city police that rescued her on Saturday. She was later taken to Shakthidhama, a rehabilitation centre for destitute women.

Fatima, 30, wife of Manjunath, a painter in Vasanthnagar had erected a small tent over a borewell pump in the park behind Kamakshi Hospital in Saraswathipuram. She neither spoke to people in the neighbourhood nor took any food from them, but bought milk and boiled it on a makeshift three-stone cooking stove for her little girl.

Moved by her plight, a couple living near the park, V. Murali and M. Girija, called Deccan Chronicle over the phone Saturday morning.

This correspondent then got in touch with Mysuru DC D. Randeep and the superintendent of Shakthidhama, and rushed to Saraswathipuram park along with a team of police officers to rescue her.

Fatima told Deccan Chronicle that her husband had sold their first two children, one male and one female, and was harassing her to give up her third child too so he could sell her to a couple in Bengaluru. Soon after her third child was born she wanted to undergo a tubectomy, but was told to wait as she was anaemic. "But I got pregnant within three months. So this time I decided to leave. Although my mother is in Kyathamaranahalli here, I didn't want to go to her, as I feared my husband would come for me there,"

She recounted,.

Fatima said she had taken shelter in Shakthidhama in the past, but her husband had come for her there and pretending to apologise, taken her back home, where he continued to harass her. "I have even approached the women's police station, but this too did not help. So this time I left home and took shelter in this park," she explained.

The woman stood firm in her decision although the temperature dipped to 11 degree Celsius on Thursday night and 13 degree Celsius on Friday night. At Shakthidhama, the superintendent has promised to keep her and her daughter safe and take care of her delivery. Mr Randeep has also appealed to the deputy director of the department of women and child development, Ms Radha to help with her care.

Mysuru city police commissioner, Dr A Subramanyeswar Rao has promised to take action against her husband for selling their children and harassing her.
Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev says the Congress expected the Modi government to have 'consistency' in its foreign policy. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday slammed the government over a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said here that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

"During elections, Modi says India is a strong nation. But the number of casualties in ceasefire violations was going up", Dev said at a press conference.

"It is a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy," she said, adding the Congress wanted him to take strong steps to deter India's external and internal enemies. Modi had claimed he had a 56-inch chest and that he would teach Pakistan a lesson, Dev said.

"What that lesson could be he should decide. The Congress will support him if he takes any step in the interest of the nation. But he must do something immediately," she added.

Citing a report on a "secret dialogue" between national security advisers of India and Pakistan, she said the government should inform Parliament about the dialogue it was engaging in concerning defence and foreign policy.

"You have a talk after Christmas and an attack happened today in Pulwama. We are unable to accept these two. We do not oppose dialogue (with Pakistan) but what is the result of this if an attack dampens the image of the country in the

world," Dev said.

She said the Congress expected the Modi government to have "consistency" in its foreign policy.

"We have been repeatedly saying India is coming across as a nation with a wishy-washy foreign policy. India is being increasingly taken more and more lightly," she said.

The government, by taking the Opposition along, should give a message to the world at large that "India cannot be taken lightly", she said and added such incidents put the country in a "weak light".

Two heavily armed militants stormed the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora in Pulwama around 2 am, killing a personnel and leaving two others injured.
The Centre has for the first time decided to allow women pilgrims over the age of 45 to undertake the pilgrimage in groups of at least four sans 'Mehram', a decision hailed as 'historic'. (Photo: AP/Representational)

New Delhi: On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Sunday assured those women who have applied to go for Haj without 'Mehram' that they will be exempted from the lottery system and would be allowed to proceed for the annual pilgrimage.

Around 1,300 women have applied to undertake the journey next year to Saudi Arabia without 'Mehram', minority affairs minister Naqvi said.

The Centre has for the first time decided to allow women pilgrims over the age of 45 to undertake the pilgrimage in groups of at least four sans 'Mehram', a decision hailed by the minister as "historic".

The term Mehram refers to a male, a woman cannot marry in her life (i.e. father, brother or son etc). Till now, women pilgrims would be required to be accompanied by their husbands or 'Mehrams' during the annual pilgrimage.

Haj pilgrims are shortlisted every year through the computerised lottery system.

"After PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji's suggestion, I assure that those about 1,300 women, who have applied to go for Haj without 'Mehram', will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to proceed on Haj," Naqvi tweeted.

He also thanked PM Modi for mentioning the ministry's decision to lift the ban on women going for Haj without 'Mehram' on his radio programme.
Bengaluru: President Ram Nath Kovind's visit threw traffic out of gear across the city, especially in the Central Business District, with roads blocked off for hours, on all connecting roads off Old Airport Road and around Nimhans where he was delivering a lecture on Saturday.

"I was on my way to office when I got stuck near Palace Road and waited for almost an hour for the traffic to clear. The police should have provided alternative routes instead of stopping all vehicles," said Srinath, an engineer at a private company.
Bengaluru: Taking a dig at CM Siddaramaiah, former prime minister, H. D. Deve Gowda on Saturday dared him to a public debate on contributions made by various Chief Ministers of the state.

Mr Gowda is miffed with Mr Siddarmaiah over repeatedly "claiming the credit for developing New Karnataka" and boasting that the state was progressing in an unprecedented manner under his leadership when compared with the tenure of previous Chief Ministers.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Gowada challenged Mr Siddaramaiah to a public debate on the issue saying Mr Siddaramaiah was not just trying to paint his predecessors in a bad light but also debunking their contributions to the state.

"Let Mr Siddaramaiah remember his old days, when he was finance minister under me. Though he was finance minister, he didn't even knew how to borrow funds and utilise them for people's welfare. It is I who took the initiative to borrow from Pearless Finance to fund irrigation projects in the state. I am speaking with utmost patience today. Let Mr Siddaramaiah not test my patience anymore on these kind of issues. These are sensitive issues, everyone knows what the contribution of Devraj Urs and Nijalingappa was," he snapped.

Training his guns at Mr Siddaramaiah, Mr Gowda charged that the former often says those who have taken bail or gone to jail cannot be chief ministers. "I know he is hinting at Mr Kumarswamy and Mr Yeddyurappa. This is too much. Let him not take people of this state lightly. I dare AICC president, Rahul Gandhi to declare Mr Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister candidate of this state. Then certainly there will be upheaval within the Congress itself, so, let him not daydream about coming back to power for a second term," he warned.

He said that he had never spoken lightly or arrogantly about anyone including PM Narendra Modi or Congress UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi or AICC president, Rahul Gandhi. Answering a question, Mr Gowda declared that he would shortly meet Prime Minister Modi to appeal him to intervene in the Mahadayi river dispute.
Since his appearance on the scene in the 1960s, Salah Eissa was among Egypt's most controversial and prolific writers, tackling historical events and current affairs right up to his death

Writer and journalist Salah Eissa died on Monday, 25 December at the age of 78 following a battle with illness.

Among the most notable facts surrounding Eissa's passing is that his last article  published on 15 December  was published just a few days before his death. This shows that he was following current affairs until the very last moment, as evidenced by the headline: "Where did the draft laws on regulating journalism and media disappear to?"

This was one of the most prominent characteristics of the writer, journalist, historian and public-affairs figure, and his continued efforts over several decades enabled him to construct grand historical murals.

Born on 14 October 1939, Eissa graduated from the Higher Institute of Social Work, Cairo, in 1961. He was among the students of the great sociologist Sayed Owais, along with Dr. Sabry Hafez, the famous literary critic.

In 1965, Eissa took the initiative and wrote a number of articles under the title "The July Revolution's progress and destiny" in the Lebanese magazine Al-Hurria, which was published by the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). Egyptian security bodies considered these articles to be expressing viewpoints of an underground communist organisation. Several writers, poets and critics were arrested and accused of founding this underground organisation, including Abdel-Rahaman Al-Abnoudi, Sayed Hegab, Sabry Hafez and, of course, Salah Eissa.

From that point on, Eissa would be detained many times, sometimes escaping. However, he never stopped opposing and criticising the regime.

What is astonishing is that degree of diversity and energy he put into his work. For instance, he worked for many newspapers and magazines, including his appointment to Al-Gomhuria newspaper in the early seventies, where he became famous for his daily column Al-Maqrizi Marginalia.

Later on, together with the late writer Sayed Khamis, he founded the Arab Journalism Agency, which would buy articles from Egyptian journalists, edit them and sell them to Arab newspapers and magazines.

Eissa worked as managing director of the leftist Al-Ahali newspaper when it was at its peak  before the 1977 bread uprising. The newspaper's circulation soared to levels that were unprecedented and have never been achieved since.

During the late seventies and early eighties, he worked at a Palestinian publishing house called Dar Al-Fata Al-Arabi, where he issued a considerable number of historical books dealing with the Palestinian cause, both as an editor and a supervisor. In the late nineties, he worked as the editor-in-chief of Al-Qahira magazine, then as chairman of the board of directors.

While he focused a huge amount of energy on journalistic work, this didnt prevent him from constructing grand historical murals. Under the title of Stories from the Homelands Notebook, he wrote four tomes, including The Men of Marj Dabiq, The Men of Raya and Sakina, and The Princess and the Effendi.

Each of his murals covered an entire historical era. For instance, his account of the serial killers Raya and Sakina, as well as The Princess and the Effendi (a real-life royal murder-suicide case), were 700 folio-size pages in length, complete with pictures, documents and appendices.

In writing these books, he relied on diverse sources, both official and oral, along with the minutes of meetings, in a way that evoked a whole period.

Eissa also participated in the public sphere through his membership in the Committee for the Defence of National Culture, which sought to resist normalisation with Israel.

He was also elected several times to the Journalists Syndicate Board.

The last post he held was as General Secretary of the Higher Council for Journalism.

Since 1972, he published a number of historical and political books: The Orabi Revolution, Stories from Egypt, The Egyptian Bourgeoisie and the Style of Negotiation, The Trial of Fouad Serag-Eddin, A Constitution in the Dustbin, The Disturbing the Peace Poet  Court Files of the Poet Ahmed Fouad Negm, Wondrous Personalities, and The Intellectuals and the Military, among others.

There are other books that Eissa never found the time to edit and that never appeared in book form, but which were serialised in newspapers and magazines. These include: The Communist Movement Documents, Mouths and Rifles, The Assassination of Mostafa Khamis, and The Myth of Farajallah El-Helou.

This legacy should be edited and published by a committee of young historians.

Finally, the initiative taken by the Cabinet to issue a statement officially mourning the late writer is truly meaningful, for it is unusual for the Cabinet to make such a good gesture towards writers and intellectuals  especially those who spent decades in the ranks of the opposition.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


On May 24, 2017 Kerala High Court ruled the marriage between Hadiya and Shafeen Jahan null and void condemning it as love jihad. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: In 2014, India ushered into a new government with the hopes of a better tomorrow which we colloquially referred to as achche din and of vikas. But what we got was love jihad and cow vigilantism.

It is hard to believe that a country that rose up from the ashes left behind by the British colonial government -- a country which had come way past being under-developed and was well into the process of becoming a developed nation, a country which contains in its essence, its constitution, a tenet that attributes to it, its democratic character, secularism -- would fare so badly in terms of religious violence and yet, it isnt.

According to Human Rights Watch World Report 2017, limitations on free speech and violence against religious minorities, led by vigilante groups which claimed allegiance to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, have been gnawing issues for the country this year.

In 2016, students were accused of sedition for expressing their views; people who raised concerns over challenges to civil liberties were deemed anti-Indians; Dalits and Muslims were attacked on suspicion they had killed, stolen, or sold cows for beef; and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) came under pressure due to Indias restrictive foreign funding regulations, the report said.

Keeping this in mind, it isnt surprising that Love Jihad was back in the news after creating a storm in 2015 and lying dormant till it made a resounding comeback right where it all started  Kerala.

Love Jihad is a phenomenon (the existence and extent of which remains disputed even after two years into the controversy) which entails the marrying of men and women from other communities, feigning love and using it as a pretext for forced or manipulated conversions into Islam.

Touted mostly by the saffron brigade, most allegations of 'love jihad' in the country have failed to corroborate with conclusive evidence. Notwithstanding this, love jihad and insinuations related to the same have led to many incidents of violence, often spiralling out into something way worse.

Here are the two major cases that rocked the very core of India:

Kerala Love Jihad:

Hadiya herself had denied the allegations, accusing her parents of wrongful separation from her husband. (Photo: File)

On May 24, 2017 Kerala High Court ruled the marriage between Akhila Ashokan (alias Hadiya) and Shafeen Jahan null and void condemning it as love jihad. Jahan moved the Supreme Court against the arbitrary annulment of his marriage to Hadiya and her confinement in her parents home. Following this, the Supreme court ordered a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the matter. The NIA said that it was not an isolated incident and that it depicted a pattern gaining currency in Kerala. Hadiya herself had denied the allegations, accusing her parents of wrongful separation from her husband.

Hadiya, a homeopathy student has returned to college and been freed from her parents captivity. Her college has allowed her to meet Jahan. The questions surrounding the legality and status of their marriage remain shrouded by clouds of confusion.

Rajasthan Love Jihad:

Afrazul Khan, a migrant labourer from West Bengals Malda district who was working as a mason in Rajasthan. Khan was hacked and burnt alive by one Shambhulal Regar at Rajasamand in Rajasthan. The brutal murder was captured on camera by Shambhulals teenaged nephew. (Photo: File)

On 6th December, Mohammad Afrazul, a labourer was mercilessly killed in what can be called one of Indias most gruesome hate crimes -- amid a spate of religiously motivated killings -- in Rajsamand, Rajasthan. After killing him, Afrazuls assailant, identified as Shambhulal Regar circulated on social media a video in which he hacks Afrazul to death with a cleaver, and then sets him on fire. This is followed by Regars incendiary speech wherein he justifies the act, claiming that he was saving a Hindu sister, and warns Muslims saying, This is what will happen to you if you do love jihad in our country.

An analysis conducted by Pew Research Center, looking into 198 countries, ranked India as fourth worst in the world for religious intolerance, after Syria, Nigeria and Iraq, where sectarian violence is widespread, Quartz reported.

According to this analysis, religiously motivated crimes and socially hostile incidents increased in 2015 for the first time in 2015 after 3 years. Hate crimes, mob violence, communal violence, fundamentalist terror and subjugation of women on the pretext of religion have been on a steady rise across the globe.

Hate crimes in US, minority lynchings and killings in India and the Rohingya crisis all point toward a nerve-racking truth  the world has been more volatile and less tolerant through 2017.
According to the police, a pickup van carrying vegetables was proceeding towards Hyderabad from Maal

Hyderabad: Two persons were killed in an accident on Sagar highway on Saturday night. The accident happened when the car in which they were travelling crashed into a pickup van under the Manchal police station limits.

According to the police, a pickup van carrying vegetables was proceeding towards Hyderabad from Maal. When the vehicle reached Agapally, the driver noticed an RTC bus in the front and stopped suddenly to avoid crashing into the RTC bus.

Another car was behind the pickup van. The car driver could not control the vehicle and crashed into the van from the rear. Two persons in the car were trapped and died on the spot. Passersby and the police recovered the bodies from the mangled vehicles.
BRD hospital in Uttar Pradesh, where hundreds of children died due to lack of oxygen (left) and victims of stampede at Elphinstone Road railway station in Mumbai (right). (Photos: PTI)

Mumbai: The year 2017, which witnessed several deaths in accidents or due to negligence, ended with another fatal tragedy. In the latest calamity, 14 people suffocated to death late on Thursday night when a massive fire gutted three rooftop restaurants in the Kamala Mills Compound in central Mumbai.

This was the fifth fatal incident that took place since August, reportedly due to negligence of the authorities. Close to 500 people, mostly infants were killed in the incidents ranging from building collapse to explosion at power plant to a stampede on a footbridge.

The deaths of children, mostly infants, at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh could be accounted the most unfortunate incident this year. Serious lapses on part of the hospital and civic authorities were responsible for the misfortune.

All the mishaps could have been avoided had people in power acted on time, suggest the news reports on the tragedies.

The latest of the six calamities was the fire at the rooftop restaurant in a building at the Kamala Mills Compound.

Massive fire gutted rooftop restaurant, killed 14

A little after 12:30 am on Friday, a fire broke out at 1Above restaurant located on the rooftop of four-storeyed Kamala Trade House in the Kamala Mills Compound at Lower Parel area of Mumbai.

At least 14 people, including 11 women, died of suffocation and 21 others were injured at 1Above even as the fire spread to Mojo pub on the third floor, one level below.

While the Congress alleged corruption in the Shiv Sena-run Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the tragedy, Mangesh Kasalkar of the MNS said he had written to the BMC about the deadly violations in the Kamala Trade House but the civic body in response said it did not find anything illegal at the site.

"I complained on October 10. I gave names. The BMC respond by saying that they had inspected the building and there was nothing illegal," NDTV quoted Kasalkar.

The Mumbai police later accused '1 Above' of flouting safety norms and violating regulations on encroachment with obstructions blocking its emergency exit. The BMC also suspended five of its officials, attached to the fire brigade and the G South Ward.

Boiler explosion at NTPC plant in Raebareli, UP, killed 36

An explosion at the NTPC plant in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, on November 1 killed as many as 34 people and injured close to 100 others. This was the countrys worst industrial disaster in the past eight years.

The Power Ministry set up a committee to investigate the cause of the explosion at Feroze Gandhi Thermal Power Plant of NTPC Ltd at Unchahar in Raebareli.

Although an investigation report from the panel is still pending, the probe team of Uttar Pradesh labour department had accused NTPC of gross negligence in operating the Unchahar plant.

We have found the formation and accumulation of clinker in the boiler duct and the lack of its poking as the main reason for the explosion, deputy director, labour, Jagmohan told Hindustan Times.

The operating staff showed utter carelessness by not poking the clinker when it was formed, allowing the deposit to accumulate that choked the space for fluid gas to come out, leading to the blast in the boiler duct, he explained.

A rumour led to stampede Mumbai railway station, killing 23 people

On the morning of September 29, the commuters, rushing to work, were crossing the Elphinstone Road railway station (renamed as Prabhadevi Railway Station) when through the foot overbridge (FOB) when rumours of the footbridge collapsing led to a deadly stampede.

A total of 23 people were killed in the incident and dozens others were injured. According to eyewitnesses, the stampede was triggered by rumours of the FOB collapsing, a short-circuit, and broken stairs, at a time when approximately 9,000 commuters were using the bridge.

Several warnings of possibility of a disaster occurring at the 30-year-old footbridge were issued, but no step was taken. In the past one year, many commuters had taken to Twitter to voice their concerns about the FOB, tagging both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then railway minister Suresh Prabhu.

Last year, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant even wrote to Prabhu calling for repairs on the bridge. Replying to his letter, Prabhu had given his assurance that the FOB would be extended and widened and even sanctioned Rs 11.86 crore for the same. Ironically, the Railways uploaded tenders for extension of the FOB on the day of the accident.

While the locals blamed the Railways for the deadly accident, the five-member inquiry panel led by Western Railway's Chief Safety Officer SK Singla claimed that unexpected heavy rain caused the stampede.

20-day-old child, 33 others died when 117-yr-old building collapsed in Mumbai

As many as 34 people died when a 117-year-old building collapsed in congested Bhendi Bazaar area in south Mumbai on August 31. The dead included 24 men, nine women and a 20-day-old child, police said.

The three-storey Husaini building was among the 791 structures listed as dangerous in Mumbais municipal corporation. The building was declared unsafe in 2011, according to an NDTV report.

A housing trust, which was looking to redevelop the area, had offered alternative accommodation to people residing in the Husaini building. However, not all vacated their homes as they were not provided details of the new housing, a resident had said.

Over 200 children, mostly infants, died at BRD Medical College in UP

As of September, as many as 1,317 children, mostly infants, died at state-run Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. According to hospital records, in January 152 children died, in February 122, March 159, April 123, May 139, June 137, July 128 and August 325, besides in September 32 children have died so far.

Most of the deaths occurred due to alleged disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen. There was disruption in oxygen supply as bills were not paid to the supplier Pushpa Sales. The supplier had written several letters to BRD medical college warning to cut off oxygen supply if dues were not cleared.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had blamed the former college principal, Dr Rajiv Mishra, for laxity in performing his duty.

Mishra, however, said he had written at least three or four letters to the Uttar Pradesh medical education department in July, seeking the release of Rs 2 crore allocated to the college. He said the delay in clearance of funds from the government led to the deaths in the hospital.
Bengaluru: Taking a dig at BJP president Amit Shah's visit to the city, CM Siddaramaiah on Sunday said that the ruling party knows how to extinguish communal fires lit up by Shah.

After receiving the Person of the Year award from the Bengaluru Press Club, he said, Shah's brand of politics is known to all. He is known for making deliberate attempts to light communal fires in the state. The government knows how to scuttle his attempts.

He said that Karnataka is a land of Sufi saints and sharanas who have propounded secular philosophy through their preaching. Our government too is working on similar lines. We will surely uphold secular values and fight communal forces with renewed vigour to stop them from succeeding," he thundered.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, he dismissed the BJP's challenge for the upcoming assembly polls next year. He claimed that the ways and methods of Amit Shah will not work in the state. Shah's magic will not work here," he said.

Earlier in the day, training his guns on BJP leaders, the chief minister slammed that those who do not have faith in the Constitution should not hold high offices. "Dr B.R. Ambedkar has given us one of the best Constitutions in the world. Entire world hails it. However, there are some elements who often claim that they do not have faith in such a great Constitution, which is nothing but irony of this country," he said.

Appealing to his supporters not to equate him with Dr Ambedkar or late chief minister Devraj Urs, he said, We are living in different eras and do not compare with such great personalities. I am Siddarmaiah. Let me be known and remembered only as Siddarmaiah.

Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy charged that the BJP leaders are deliberately making attempts to fan communal disturbances across the state.

We are also Hindus and we will not allow them to hijack Hindutva. Hindutva isn't a private property and the BJP leaders are indulging in political gimmicks by talking unabashedly about Hindutva, he said.

He said that BJP leaders, like Shobha Karandlaje and Union minister of state for skill development Anant Kumar Hegde, are doing politics over dead bodies. Wherever they see a dead body, they indulge in politics, he alleged.
Hyderabad: Congress leader Shabbir Ali released a list of 43 empty promises and the governments failure to deliver benefits to the poor people.

Mr Shabbir Ali, leader of Opposition in the Council, said he would be writing to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to reply to the charges.

It is a shame that the government has the money to spend on events like Global Entrepreneurship Summit and World Telugu Conference but not for social welfare pensions, which are pe-nding for three mon-ths, he said.

He said that the National Council of Applied Economic Research survey report had ranked TS at No. 12 in corruption. The TRS government was made a laughing stock in courts of law for a number of wrong and lopsided notifications issued by incompetent authorities, he said.

The TRS government has cheated even the poor Dalit farmers after announcing that it would 1.5 lakh acres, he claimed. He said the government had so far given 8,000 acres.

Same was the case with 2BHK houses, 12 per cent Muslim reservation, 10 per cent reservations for Scheduled Tribes, KG to PG education, separate High Court, he said.

The Congress leader also added to the list the slow pace of work on irrigation projects, Mission Kakatiya and Bhagiratha, Bayyaram steel plant, jobs for youth, Pavala Vaddi loans to poor farmers and tuition fee reimbursements.

Mr Shabbir Ali said the CID reports on scams including Ayyapa Society, Bodhan fake challans, Miyapur land, Eamcet paper leak, drugs racket were lying in the Secretariat without follow-up action.

Most of the inquries have been halted midway, the reasons are unknown. he alleged.
Samsung is reportedly planning to unveil its next flagship smartphone in February. People associated to the matter say, the company plans to release the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ as early as March.

Samsung has confirmed the launch of its next-generation Exynos chip. The company took it Twitter to announce the January 4 launch, just days ahead of CES 2018 in Las Vegas.

The tweet reads, Discover #TheNextExynos that goes beyond a component. Stay tuned.

Discover #TheNextExynos that goes beyond a component. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/542sWnQ7EZ  Samsung Exynos (@SamsungExynos) December 28, 2017

There isnt much information revealed apart from the company has plans to unveil the next-gen Exynos chipset on January 4. The company announced the Exynos 9810 in November.

The new processor will come with significant upgrades over its predecessor, the Exynos 8895, which powered the Galaxy S8, S8+, and Note 8. The new processor will power the upcoming Galaxy S9, S9+ and the Note 9.

Samsung is reportedly planning to unveil its next flagship smartphone in February. People associated to the matter say, the company plans to release the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ as early as March.

The company launched the previous generation Galaxy S smartphones in March and were made available weeks later. The Galaxy S9 is said to have 4GB of RAM whereas the S9 + will sport 6GB of RAM.

The S9 will retain the design of the S8 but have completely new innards. It will retain the 5.8-inch Infinity Display panels from the present S8 lineup. However, it will have a completely new processor, new set of cameras and other new features.

Optics wise, the smartphone is expected to borrow the dual camera setup from the Galaxy Note 8, but will be placed vertically. All rumours will be put to rest when the company will announce the devices in February.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Pakistan has also defended JuD chief Hafiz Saeed's participation in the rally held in support of Palestinians. (Photo: Twitter | @PakMNAOfficial)

Islamabad: Pakistan has defended Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's participation in the rally held in support of Palestinians.

Pakistan also came out in support of Palestinian ambassador to Islamabad, Waleed Abu Ali, who attended the event held in Rawalpindi, after he was recalled from his post.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesperson said in a statement: "Contrary to the impression being created, United Nations (UN) proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression. The people and the Government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian Ambassadors active participation in events organised to express solidarity with the people of Palestine."

Citing that Pakistan had always supported the two-state solution, the statement added that the Ambassador of Palestine has participated in many of the meetings held in the country and that the public meeting, in question, was 'yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause.'

"The rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder chief Hafiz Saeed," the statement added.

Pakistan's defence has come after the Government of India said the Palestinian envoy's association with Saeed was "unacceptable".

Palestine on Saturday called back its Ambassador in Pakistan after he was seen in the company of Saeed.

Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Al Haija, after India objected to Waleed Abu Ali's attending the event, said, "We are supporting India in its fight against terrorism and because of that my government decided to directly call our Ambassador to go back home and not to be a Palestine ambassador to Pakistan anymore."

He also assured India that Palestine would deal with the matter appropriately.
Despite regaining consciousness, the incident devastated Barmina, who lost 30 kilos and never spoke again, remaining in the hospital for the last two years of her life. (Photo: File/Representational)

Anna Barminas two year long and brave fight in Russia came to an end as she succumbed to her injuries from a traumatic attack.

33-year-old Barmina, an Oriflame cosmetic representative, had been the victim of repeat rapist Gizar Ziyangareev.

In 2015, Ziyangareev dragged Barmina into bushes, attacked her with a knife and then raped her using a broken tree branch.

The court that heard Barminas case had sentenced Ziyangareev to 23 years in jail for the crime and for raping three other women in the same week  shortly after serving a sentence for sexually attacking a neighbour and a minor girl, Dailymail reported.

The gruesome attack led to multiple-organ failure and a heart attack jolting Barmina into a year long coma.

Despite regaining consciousness, the incident devastated Barmina, who lost 30 kilos and never spoke again, remaining in the hospital for the last two years of her life.

Barminas family grieved her loss, even as the wounds from Ziyangareev's sentence reduction remain fresh.

Ziyangareev appealed to the court for his sentence to be reduced arguing that he had three children and an elderly mother depending on him, following which it was shortened by a month, inviting furious censure from Barminas family.

Anna's mother called the dad-of-three an inhuman monster, The Mirror reported.

"I just cannot understand how the court could give such a lenient term. Anna will never get up, she will never speak. And he will get out of jail one day and continue to rape," she said.

Adel Galiev, Anna's cousin, told reporters How does he dare, after all that he did, ask for some kind of mitigation of his punishment while covering himself with his children and mother? Especially since he is a repeat rapist.

A police investigator who detained Ziyangareev said, He told me he does not regret anything he did.

Anna Barminas friends and family mourned her death in Ufa on Thursday.
Tehran: The Iranian government warned people against further protests on Saturday after two days of demonstrations sparked by anger over an array of economic problems. We urge all those who receive these calls to protest not to participate in these illegal gatherings as they will create problems for themselves and others, said interior minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli.

State news channel IRINN said it had been banned from covering the protests that spread from second city Mashhad on Thursday to hit several towns and cities. The protests initially targeted economic problems, but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole. US President Donald Trump warned the world is watching after dozens of demonstrators were arrested. Media coverage inside Iran focused almost exclusively on pro-regime rallies held on Saturday.

The timing was coincidental, since the rallies are held every year on this day, but offered a handy show of strength to the regime as huge crowds of black-clad supporters gathered across the country. The enemy wants once again to create a new plot and use social media and economic issues to foment a new sedition, Ayatollah Mohsen Araki told a crowd in Tehran, according to the conservative Fars news agency.

Video footage on social media showed hundreds marching through the holy city of Qom on Friday evening, with people chanting Death to the dictator and Free political prisoners. There were even chants in favour of the monarchy toppled by the Islamic revolution of 1979, while others criticised the regime for supporting the Palestinians and other regional movements. Footage showed thousands gathered in the cities of Rasht, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Qazvin and elsewhere, with police responding with water cannons.
The demise of Yemen's former president has clearly changed the situation on the ground. But are the Houthi forces now more exposed or more entrenched than ever?

Will the death of Ali Abdullah Saleh lead to a cooling of Yemen's civil war or launch a new round of conflict? And if the conflict continues, will the coalition forces find themselves closer to achieving military victory?

Finding answers to these questions requires knowledge of the latest developments regarding the Houthis and the balance of power inside Sanaa in recent months.

It is a big mistake to view former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his supporters  both within the Congress Party and the army  as fixed elements, from the seizure of Sanaa in September 2014 until now.

Over that three-year period, the balance of power changed, and Saleh became the weaker party in his relationship with the Houthis. Indeed, he became more of a hostage in the hands of the Houthis, who captured all his sources of power.

Those evaluations that point to the likelihood of a big war between the Houthis and the Congress Party, along with wide-scale tribal confrontations in Sanaa, fail to take into account the whole picture. In particular, they fail to consider how the Houthis finished off Salehs power base in the regular army, the special forces and the Republican Guard.

As a pragmatic man, Saleh had no reason to suddenly announce his recent change in goals and loyalties  siding with the Arab coalition and the forces of legitimacy  unless he had already lost most of his power base, becoming a burned card.

This situation was a reflection of his serious weakness, along with his desire in the final days of his rule to suggest to the coalition that he was a hard nut to crack.

This point was illustrated by the propaganda accompanying his change of heart, siding with the powers of legitimacy and the coalition, and terminating his alliance with the Houthis.

It is true that Salehs move and change of heart would have given a big moral boost to the coalition and powers of legitimacy. It would also have denied the Houthis as an important card, as he had acted as their international and political facade for the previous three years. This, in turn, offered the Houthis certain benefits and shielded them from various dangers they would have faced had they been alone.

Most likely, his move would have contributed to rallying the remnants of his supporters. However, his murder eliminated an important opportunity regarding the rearrangement of the power equation in favour of the coalition.

Prior to his death, many factors played a role in eliminating Salehs influence, robbing him of any actual power.

First, he allowed the Houthis to control various institutions and power centres in Sanaa in a way that enabled them to be engaged in the tribal fabric. This engagement allowed the Houthis to acquire experience that permitted them to devise a formula with the tribes, the provinces and the power centres, deepening their involvement in Sanaa society.

In addition, the Houthis seized the former armys depots of heavy weapons and missiles, some of which they launched at Saudi Arabia. These weapons will be the means by which the Houthis can raise the stakes of the war and add more regional dimensions to it. Some international reports state that the Houthis did not possess missile capabilities before 2011, and others point to Iranian manufacturing marks on the remains of exploded missiles put on display by Saudi Arabia.

Second, three years of war have created a societal mood of retaliation within a tribal society. Some of this has been advantageous to the Houthis and some has worked against their interests. We can say that the war has boosted a kind of political and military doctrine within the country, after the death toll reached 10,000, with around 40,000 injured, combined with catastrophes, disasters, diseases, extreme human anguish and a high human cost.

This situation will ingrain a kind of internal division, perhaps being totally to the Houthis advantage and further entrenching the mood of vengeance and war.

While Saleh was preoccupied with endorsing the international facade of his political position and that of the Houthis, the Houthis were engaged in Houthinising their political and military doctrine, pulling the rug out from under the feet of Saleh and his supporters and inheriting his influence among civil and military institutions.

Thus, reports point to the fact that there is actually no longer a Republican Guard, with its former members having joined the Houthi army and absorbed its doctrine. These reports enjoy some degree of credibility.

The latest news points to the Houthis attempts to transform the armys military doctrine into a sectarian doctrine that is loyal to them. It seems that the most recent batches of military recruits comply with the Shia creed, which is instilled in the Iranian army and the Revolutionary Guard. One example is a military unit that has been trained in Sanaa named the Karbala unit.

The ministry of defence  which is controlled by the Houthi militia  has announced that all military colleges are open for those wishing to enrol for the year 2018, while there are two military batches that have not yet graduated. These colleges serve the army, navy, air force and the air defence battalion.

Through this step, the Houthi militia seeks to create a regular military built along sectarian lines, just like the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Generally speaking  in light of the death of Saleh and the control that the Houthi's exert  the north of Yemen is actually closer to being a satellite within the Iranian orbit. The statements issued from Tehran suggest the link between the Houthis and Iran is about to be declared an official alliance. Iranian newspapers welcomed the killing of Saleh and military leaders and political officials have taken the same line.

To some degree, the killing of Saleh created a status of official Iranian rapprochement with the Houthis and strengthened the Iranian feeling of being responsible for them and the organic link between them. Here, the main danger lies in Yemen being transformed into a grand front for Iranian regional expansionism.

It is likely that it will differ quantitatively and qualitatively from Hezbollahs front in Lebanon. For the Houthi front, a sectarian state is being built under the rule of a political party to the south of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is in total contrast with the model of Hezbollah, which was absorbed within the political and civil equation in Lebanon. At the same time, the Houthi state will be mobilised against Saudi Arabia through the founding of a purely Shia state in the Arab world for the first time.

The recent coming together of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia was noticeable in relations with Yemen's Al-Islah Party. Prince Mohamed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu-Dhabi, and Prince Mohamed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, met with Al-Islah Party leaders in Riyadh.

This indicated that the Arab coalition was seeking to reactivate hitherto ignored Yemeni players, or that there was no consensus on the issue, in light of the Emirates' strategy of refusing to ally with or employ the Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood.

It also seems that Saudi Arabia had recently been convinced of the possibility of allying with the followers of Saleh and the possibility of understanding the future role of his son, Ahmed Ali, along with the rest of his supporters in the armed forces.

Certainly, this would give a moral and material boost to the coalition and the forces of legitimacy. However, this will hardly cause an overall change in the military map unless the option of civil disobedience is developed, encouraging and creating the conditions that will incite the spirit of uprising inside Sanaa and popular disobedience to Houthi rule.

It seems that this is what the nations of the coalition are aiming to achieve.

The writer is a senior researcher at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Heavily armed militants today launched a pre-dawn suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, killing three personnel of the force and injuring four others.



CRPF officials said two militants holed up in a building block in the camp were killed in the subsequent operation to neutralise the ultras.

"Two heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," CRPF officials said,

CRPF Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rajesh Yadav told PTI that the militants fired indiscriminately injuring three CRPF personnel.

The injured personnel later succumbed to injuries. One of the injured personnel was identified as Saifuddin, a resident of Nowgam here, officials said.

Director General of Police S P Vaid said security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

Terming the attack as "unfortunate", Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying.They probably could not get a place and time earlier.So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters here.

The CRPF camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley.

A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.
The Union Home Ministry has asked all chief ministers not to make surprise visits to other states, saying these might pose a security risk to the visiting dignitary.



In a communication to all chief secretaries, the ministry conveyed that it has come to know that sometimes chief minister of a state travels to another state without informing the host government.



"This is not only compromises the security of the visiting chief ministers, it can lead to potential embarrassing situations where the security detail accompanying the visiting chief minister is told that it has no jurisdiction outside the home state," it said.



The Home Ministry told the chief secretaries to convey to the respective chief ministers the need to inform the host state when he or she visits another state in the interests of security.



All chief ministers are 'Z' or 'Z-plus' protectees and as per the laid down procedure, when a chief minister travels to another state, it is the duty of the host state to provide adequate security to the visiting chief minister.



"It is therefore, necessary that when the chief minister visits other states, they should intimate to the host state their detailed programme so that adequate arrangements of security as well as other arrangements such as accommodation etc. if required, can be made. Even otherwise, it is normal to inform the host," the home ministry told the chief secretaries.
An army soldier was killed as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.



An army official said Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling and firing on Indian forward areas and border hamlets in Rumli Dhara from 1.20 am on Sunday, which was strongly and effectively retaliated by the Indian army.

"In the exchange of fire, one army jawan of 19 Punjab regiment was killed," he said.

Ceasefire violations and sniper attacks along the LoC and the International Border (IB) by Pakistani troops have been on the rise over the last few months.

On December 23, four army personnel, including a major, were killed as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Keri sector of the same district.

According to official figures over 880 violations of the 2003 ceasefire accord have taken place along the LoC and the IB in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017, killing 35 people.

More than 80 civilians and 70 security personnel were also injured in the firing.

The latest violation came less than 24 hours after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, visited forward posts in Rajouri district and exhorted the troops to "remain vigilant and ever-ready."

The Indian and Pakistani armies had agreed on a ceasefire along the LoC, the IB and along Actual Ground Position Line at Siachen glacier in November 2003.
Today, Rajinikanth announced that he intends to join politics. While he refrained from providing any more concrete details, he said that he plans to contest from all 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly via his as-yet-unnamed party.



In the line of this, here's a small look back at Indian film personalities who created their own political parties:



1. NTR:



Arguably the most famous of them all, NT Rama Rao, or NTR as he was popularly known, was a multiple award-winning actor, producer and director in the Indian film industry.



Well-known for films such as Raju Peda, which won him the erstwhile Rashtrapati Award, NTR soon made his foray into politics and created the Telugu Desam Party, driven by the vision of Andhra's distinct identity, separate from the Madras state of old. In his time as the head of the party and went on to serve three terms as CM of Andhra Pradesh, even beating Rajiv Gandhi in the local assembly elections that followed after Indira Gandhi's assassination.



2. MGR:



Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran was another South Indian film personality who dabbled in the world of politics. Famed across Tamil Nadu for his works, he was something of a cultural icon of the state, and was revered as the 'Makkal Thilagam' or 'People's King'.



MGR made his foray into politics by joining the Indian National Congress, which he then left for the DMK, where he rapidly rose through the ranks, propelled by his popularity among the people. After the death of death of CN Annadurai, the founder of DMK, MGR left the party and used his vast experience and popularity to build his own political party, the AIADMK.



MGR served as the CM of Tamil Nadu for 10 years between 1977 and 1987, barring a half-year period when the President's rule was enforced in Tamil Nadu.



3. Upendra:



Upendra is one of the most popular actor-directors in Karnataka, with a large number of films under his belt.



Starting his career as an assistant director and writer, Upendra has since gone on to act in and direct multiple films across the Kannada, Tamil and Telugu film industries. His works include the multilingual Super, A, Preethse and Super Star.



Earlier this year, Upendra announced his entry into politics with his own political party. Named Karnataka Pragnyavanta Janata Paksha, the party says that it believes in skill-driven leadership and puts people at the centre.



4. Vijayakanth:



Yet another popular South Indian actor, Vijayakanth acted exclusively in Tamil films, though they were dubbed into other languages. Having seen both high and low in his career as an actor, Vijayakanth currently commands a sizeable fan following in Tamil Nadu.



Vijayakanth formed the centre-left leaning DMDK in 2006 and went on to ally himself with the AIADMK in the 2011 Tamil Nadu assembly polls, winning 29 of the 41 seats. Surprisingly, the DMDK won more seats than even the DMK. However, in 2016, the party lost much of its sheen, managing only a distant third with a large margin between his votes and the DMK's, which placed second.



5. Pawan Kalyan:



Pawan Kalyan, another Telugu film personality, started his acting career in 1996. Since then, he has acted in several films including Attarintiki Daredi, which is one of the highest-grossing films of Telugu cinema.



Kalyan has been included in the Forbes India list of Top 100 Celebrities in 2013 and was listed by Google as the most searched Indian celebrity in 2014. In that same year, he began his own political party, Jana Sena Party. The party aims to fight the local body elections in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, alongside the general elections, in 2019.
Six people were killed when a seaplane crashed into a river in Australia on Sunday, police said, with divers recovering three bodies so far.



The plane went down in the Hawkesbury River near the suburb of Cowan 50 km north of Sydney, said the police in New South Wales state.

Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman told reporters the single-engine aircraft was lying in 13 metres (43 feet) of water.

"Police divers are on scene and three bodies have so far been recovered," police added in a statement.

There were no details on the identity of the occupants and investigators did not yet know why the plane crashed.

Debris and an oil slick was spotted by a rescue helicopter after the crash, with local media reporting the aircraft was from scenic flight company Sydney Seaplanes.

Sydney Seaplanes is popular with celebrities and recent passengers have included Pippa Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and husband James Matthews during their honeymoon in Australia.

A spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the aircraft was believed to be a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane on a return flight to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour.

The accident came just hours before Sydney Harbour was set to be lit up in a spectacular fireworks display to welcome in the New Year.
China's complete ban on ivory trade went into effect Sunday, officials said, a major step forward in Beijing's efforts to rein in what was once the world's largest market for illegal ivory.



"From today... the buying and selling of elephant ivory and goods by any market, shop or vendor is against the law!" the forestry ministry said on its official account on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

"From now on, if a merchant tells you 'this is a state- approved ivory dealer'... he is duping you and knowingly violating the law."

The ministry added that the ban also applied to online sales and souvenirs purchased abroad.

According to the Xinhua state news agency, a partial ban had already resulted in an 80 percent decline in seizures of ivory entering China. Domestic prices for raw ivory are down 65 per cent, it said.

The total domestic ban was announced at the end of last year.

By this March, Xinhua reported, 67 factories and shops involved in China's ivory trade had closed.

The remaining 105 were expected to close Sunday.

China had previously banned imports of all ivory and ivory products acquired before 1975, after pressure to restrict a trade that sees thousands of elephants slaughtered every year.

African ivory is highly sought after in China, where it is seen as a status symbol, and used to fetch as much as USD 1,100 a kilogramme.

Poaching in Africa has seen the elephant population fall by 110,000 over the last 10 years to just 415,000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Despite an overall fall in poaching, Africa's elephant population has declined in part because of continued illegal killing, said a report this year by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
It was legitimate to be outraged when some Arab officials issued statements speaking of normalisation with Israel while Netanyahu was celebrating the impulsive US presidents recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

It is totally unacceptable that some international officials continue saying that the situation in Palestine is but a dispute or a conflict between two parties whose responsibilities are equal and that some of them repeat Trump's sin in considering that the Palestinians' rights in freedom and independence is conditional to Israel's acceptance.

The Palestinian people's cause has made big strides through 151 countries refusing Trump's decision and the European Union's firm stand against it and the Palestinian, Arab and international great popular reaction, although some governments' official stands were unable to keep up with.

It is impermissible after all what has happened to continue talking about a certain settlement between the two parties when Israel infringes the International Law om daily basis, literally demolishes through its settlements and measures every chance for a political solution and when it firmly establishes every moment in impertinent persistence the worst racist apartheid system in history.

After 25 years of failed peace process we have to an alternative and different approach that returns to the essence and root of the problem that is the Palestinian cause. It is a cause of a people who are struggling against injustice, oppression, aggression and racial discrimination. It is imperative that the Palestinian peoples struggle against Israel's mighty force be backed.

We have no need for a mediator between us as Palestinians and our oppressor. But we need that our struggle against him be backed and supported in order to change the balance of power to force him to retreat like other several colonial powers were compelled to retreat and respect the will of peoples who are struggling for their freedom.

There is no Arab or Islamic country which believes in Jerusalem's standing and its holy sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque the first Qiblah and the third holiest site in Islam, can be slack in performing its duties in standing with the Palestinian people and taking punitive measures against Israel instead of searching for means of normalising and establishing formal relations with her.

The European countries, which confirmed their acknowledgement of the Palestinians rights in Jerusalem, wont be true to themselves and to their policies unless they acknowledge immediately the state of Palestine and did not take concrete actions against the Israeli violations.

Palestinians do not ask anybody to send armies to fight Israel because they know the limits of power of many countries. But it is their right to ask all the world countries, first and foremost Arab Islamic countries, to sever their relations with Israel, close its embassies if they existed and join the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.

These moves are to be done in order to force Israel to abide by the International Law and human law and stop its incessant crime it started seventy years ago against the Palestinian people.

There are several countries that suffered from international sanctions, often unjustly so, only because the USA ordered this. This has happened with the Sudan, North Korea, Cuba and Russia.

There is a noble and a unique case, when the peoples weight and will were capable of obliging countries and governments to boycott the apartheid regime in South Africa until it was overthrown. When Nelson Mandela was elected president to this country said his famous sentence Our freedom wont be complete except with the freedom of the Palestinian people.

As of today, we cannot be silent about injustice. As for us Palestinians, we cannot endure the silence of others towards it. As of today, it is impermissible for us to accept that anybody deceive us by talking about mediation, settlements, co-existing with occupation and racial persecution after all what happened. After all those years were lost in the darkness of an unending peace process which was used every time to give Israel rulers time and cover to expand their settlements activities and their Judaising operations, to distort the narrative and poison the worlds intellects through media deception.

There is only one right way: to say to the world there is a legitimate right for the Palestinian people, that is to be with it or against it. If you are with it is inevitable to confront Israel through practical and concrete measures, the most important one is imposing sanctions on it and boycotting its occupation and racist regime. Whoever does not want to stand with the right will find himself accused of collusion with violating the International Law and with obnoxious injustice that the time has come to end it.

The writer is Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The Congress on Sunday denounced the government over a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was a sign of the failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.



Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said here that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

During elections, Modi says India is a strong nation. But the number of casualties in ceasefire violations was going up, Sushmita said at a press conference.

"It is a sign of the failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy," she said, adding the Congress wanted him to take strong steps to deter India's external and internal enemies.

The Congress, Sushmita said, will support him in steps he takes for safety and security of the country.
At least 12 people were killed and 14 others wounded when a suicide attacker blew himself up at a funeral in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said.



"The latest death toll has jumped to 12 and 14 wounded," said Nangarhar governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani.

An earlier statement from the governor's office said six people had been killed and 11 wounded.

The attacker struck during the funeral ceremony for a former governor of Haska Mina district who died recently of natural causes, the statement said.

Provincial health director Najib Kamawal confirmed the toll.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar where the Islamic State group has a stronghold.

It comes days after the IS claimed an assault on a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul that left 41 people dead and more than 80 wounded.
A dance teacher was arrested under POCSO Act for reportedly abducting and raping one of his minor students after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials, police said on Sunday.



According to a complaint lodged by the minor's parents, the dance teacher, Azad, had taken their 15-year-old daughter to Mumbai on December 23 after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials.

The police said when the family members of the girl were unable to contact her, they lodged a complaint against Azad.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pankaj Pandey said, "A case has been registered against the accused under the POCSO Act, for committing rape (section 376 of the IPC) and cheating (section 420 of the IPC)."

"The accused had carried out some illegal changes in his Aadhaar card. Charges have also been slapped against the accused under various other sections of the IPC, which include kidnapping (363), forgery of valuable security (467) and forgery for purpose of cheating (468)," he said.

"Charges have also been slapped under section 367 of the IPC (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage)," Pandey said.

The girl was reportedly in Delhi since December 23. She was found on Saturday in Delhi, Circle Officer Omkar Singh said.

Meanwhile, a Hindu organisation claimed that this was a case of "love jihad".

"This seems to be a case of love jihad, and the district administration and police must act tough in this case," said Kapil Dewana, the regional convener of Hindu Jagran Manch.
A police constable killed his two children by feeding them poison before consuming it himself at PWD Colony, Mangalpet in the city on Saturday.

The deceased are Vinod, 38, his son Edson, 10, and daughter Jennifer, 7.

Vinod, a constable of the internal security division of the Bengaluru police, had come home for Christmas. He killed his children and committed suicide when his wife had been to the market.



Vinod and his children were rushed to the district hospital in a serious condition and breathed their last as they failed to respond to treatment.

The reason for the suicide pact is yet to be ascertained. The Market police have registered a case and are investigating.
The management of the school in Thiruvananthapuram that courted controversy over the expulsion of two students after they shared a hug has decided to reinstate them.



Administrators at the St Thomas Central School have been in talks with the families of both the students - a Class XII boy student and a Class XI girl - over the past week.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor had intervened seeking the withdrawal of their expulsion. A formal agreement in this connection was reached on Sunday.

The students were expelled after the boy hugged the girl following a singing performance of hers on July 21.

The school authorities were in the line of fire after the boy stated that he was verbally abused for what was a friendly, congratulatory hug and photographs from his Instagram account were accessed and circulated in an attempt to establish his "indecent" behaviour.

The boy had earlier told DH that he was denied his right to education and privacy.

A member of the expelled girl student's family told reporters on Sunday that the girl would start attending classes from Wednesday.

The expelled boy student has also been cleared to appear for an examination scheduled this week.

It has been reported that, as part of the agreement, the boy would withdraw a petition filed against his expulsion with the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

The commission had backed the students' right to continue his education but the school successfully challenged its order at the high court.

Negotiations involving the families commenced amid outrage over the expulsion and after the boy student stated that he would approach the division bench of the high court against its earlier order.

The alumni of the school had also launched an online petition demanding that the expulsion be revoked.
India reported more than 1.5 lakh cases of dengue this year and 250 people died of the mosquito-borne disease, while over 60,000 cases of chikungunya were reported across the country, official data showed.



The data, compiled till December 24 from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) under the Union Health Ministry - showed that there have been 250 dengue deaths, while 1,57,220 cases have been reported across the country.

The maximum dengue deaths were reported from Tamil Nadu, where the disease claimed 63 lives out of the total 23,035 cases reported.

Tamil Nadu was followed by Maharashtra, where 41 people died from dengue out of the total 7,442 cases reported.

As many as 37 deaths were reported from Kerala while the disease claimed the lives of 28 people in Uttar Pradesh.

Last year, during the same time period, the disease claimed 245 lives, while 1,29,166 cases were reported.

In Delhi, the NVBDCP data showed that the disease claimed nine lives, while 9,232 dengue cases were reported.

For chikungunya, the data showed that 62,268 cases were reported across the country compared to 64,057 cases last year.

As many as 31,644 chikungunya cases were reported in Karnataka this year, while 934 cases in the national capital.

The government has said that it has initiated a multi- centric cross-sectional study spanning five geographical regions to estimate the seroprevalence of the dengue infections in the country.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda in a written reply to the Lok Sabha recently said that the study was being coordinated by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh today condemned the terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district which left four personnel dead.



Terming the attack as "dastardly", the chief minister said violence had taken a heavy toll in the state in terms of death and destruction, tearing apart of the social fabric, inflicting massive economic, academic and social losses besides the irreparable loss of human lives.

She paid rich tributes to the jawans including an officer, killed in the post-midnight attack on the training centre at Lethpora in south Kashmir.

Mufti also conveyed her sympathies to the bereaved families.

Deputy Chief Minister Singh expressed grief and sorrow over the killing of the CRPF personnel and prayed for an early recovery of the two jawans who suffered bullet injuries.

Singh said the attack was a despicable act which needed to be condemned by every section of the society. He expressed his solidarity with the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
Dakshina Kannada SP Sudhir Kumar Reddy C H, said that disciplinary action will be initiated against the constable, head constable and also ASI in charge of Subrahmanya police station for allegedly harassing a Muslim boy who was found moving with a girl known to him, at Subrahmanya.



The incident had occurred on December 20. The said girl in a video posted on social media had alleged that the police had assaulted them, which has now gone viral.

Reacting to it, the SP said that the girl in the video was found in the company of a boy who happened to be a Muslim, on December 20, near Subramanya temple. In the night she was found moving alone. Based on a public complaint she was brought to the station for an enquiry. During the enquiry, it was found that she had left home without the knowledge of anyone at home on December 18. Also, another missing case was registered earlier when she left home similarly in August.

The boy was brought to the station on December 21 morning and the constables who attended to the case had acted in an inappropriate manner with the boy, said the SP. Later, the parents/guardians of both were called to the station and the girl was sent with her father and the boy with her uncle. A detailed enquiry will be conducted, said the SP.
Alleging "illegality" in provisions of the bill that criminalises instant triple talaq, an IUML leader today said Muslim bodies would challenge it in the Supreme Court if the Rajya Sabha also passes it.



The Lok Sabha had last week passed the bill that makes triple talaq punishable by up to three years imprisonment for the husband.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader in the Lok Sabha PK Kunjalikutty alleged there were many "lacunae" and "contradictions" in the bill passed by the Lower House last week.

IUML national general secretary said various Muslim bodies in the country would move the Supreme Court if the bill was also passed by the Rajya Sabha. "We will challenge it in the Supreme Court. We will move the apex court if the Rajya Sabha also passes the bill. The IUML will be a party to it," Kunhalikutty told PTI.

Hitting out at the BJP government, he alleged the ruling party's move to "criminalize a family problem is completely politically motivated".

"It is a bid (by the Centre) to interfere in the personal law," the IUML leader said.

Alleging there were lacunae in the bill, he said it does not answer many fundamental questions, including protection of the wife and children if the husband goes to jail for uttering "talaq" three times.

He also claimed that the practise of triple talaq does not exist in the country.

The Lok Sabha had passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill last week by a voice vote after rejecting a string of amendments moved by opposition members. The bill will now be sent to the Rajya Sabha for passage before it is forwarded to the President for signing it into law.



Given the Congress's stated support, the bill is likely to be passed by the Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks a majority. The Supreme Court had outlawed instant triple talaq in August and asked the government to frame a law within six months.

Ending the controversial divorce practice was one of the ruling BJP's electoral promises.

Members from RJD, AIMIM, BJD, AIADMK and All India Muslim League had opposed the bill, saying it was arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal.

ET Mohammed Basheer of the IUML and Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM had alleged that through the bill the government was trying to bring in a Uniform Civil Code.
Anyone could enter politics in a democracy, but none could vanquish the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu's ruling party said after superstar Rajinikanth announced his decision to throw his hat into the political ring.



The AIADMK asserted that the people of Tamil Nadu would always vote for the party's founder, M G Ramachandran, and its late chief, J Jayalalithaa, and added that its vote bank could not be split.

"I am yet to read his (Rajinikanth's) statement. It is his decision. He has only announced to enter politics...Nobody is born nor will be born in the future to vanquish the AIADMK," Chief Minister K Palaniswami said, reacting to the development.

He asserted that the AIADMK, which was created by two tall leaders (MGR and Jayalalithaa) was "alive and kicking" and that no one would be able to vanquish it.

Earlier in the day, announcing the decision to launch his own party before the next Tamil Nadu Assembly polls (in 2021), Rajinikanth had expressed anguish at some political developments over the last one year.

He had said these developments had "made every Tamilian hang his head in shame" and that the people of all other states were "laughing at us" -- an apparent reference to the internal bickering in the AIADMK after Jayalalithaa's death in December, 2016.

In his brief reaction to the superstar's decision to take the political plunge, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said every citizen of the country had a right to launch a political outfit.

While fellow filmstar Kamal Hassan and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, among others, wished Rajinikanth success in his new innings, opposition DMK greeted him for honouring the expectations of his fans.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and DMK working president M K Stalin congratulated the actor.

Asked what Rajinikanth's decision meant for his party, Stalin said the DMK would continue to march on the path of its ideology.

Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan also greeted the actor.

"I extend my greetings to brother Rajinikanth who has bravely announced his decision to enter politics," she wrote on Twitter.

Bachchan congratulated Rajinikanth for entering politics and wished him success.

"My dear friend, my colleague and a humble considerate human, Rajnikanth announces his decision to enter politics .. my best wishes to him for his success!! (sic)," he tweeted.

Hassan, who has also been hinting at taking the political plunge, too welcomed Rajinikanth's decision.

"I wish him all the best for social thinking and entering politics. Welcome," he tweeted.

Responding to it, Rajinikanth tweeted, "Thank you very much for your kind wishes dear Kamal."

In another tweet, he thanked his fans for wishing him and extended his new year greetings to them.

Reacting to the development, senior AIADMK leader and state minister D Jayakumar said anybody could contest elections in a democratic country.

"None, including Rajinikanth, can split the votes of the AIADMK as the votes will always be for Amma (Jayalalithaa) and Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR)," he added.

Responding to a query, Jayakumar said the actor's statement was "too general" and added that he could comment on it only after the "schemes and principles" of the party, proposed to be launched by Rajinikanth, were made known.

"Politics is like an ocean. Anybody can come. We are welcoming (the decision). There is no second thought about it. But we can comment only after we get to know about his party's principles and schemes," he said.

Newly-elected MLA and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran said he was happy that Rajinikanth was entering politics.

"I have already answered this query. In a democratic country, anyone can enter politics. (I am) Really happy. I also welcome him," he told reporters.

Expelled DMK leader and the elder brother of Stalin, M K Alagiri, too welcomed Rajinikanth's decision and wished him all the success.

"Rajini's entry into Tamil Nadu politics will bring about several political changes in the state," he said.

"I wish him success for whatever good he wants to do for the people. I will soon meet Rajinikanth," Alagiri told reporters at Madurai.
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is carrying out additional inquiries into the case against defunct Kingfisher Airlines (KFA), which was owned by defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya.



The white collar crime probe agency, which comes under the Corporate Affairs Ministry, in a report has flagged various violations by individuals, including Mallya, and entities related to Kingfisher Airlines.

When asked about the status of probe into the Kingfisher matter, Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said that one report has been submitted.

"One report has been submitted. Some more additional inquiries are taking place," he said.

Last month, sources had said that the ministry has given its approval for the SFIO to file prosecution cases against Mallya and others in the Kingfisher Airlines matter. Specific details about the matter could not be immediately ascertained.

The SFIO had red-flagged a slew of violations of companies law by Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and officials, including serious corporate governance lapses, sources had said.

Among others, the probe agency had recommended examining the role of some banks as well as bank officials in sanctioning credit facilities to the airline apart from action against promoter directors, they had said.
State BJP leaders on Sunday welcomed the decision of actor Rajinikanth to enter politics.



BJP state general secretary Shobha Karandlaje, while welcoming Rajinikanth's decision, said the actor could go in for a tie-up with the BJP and it would be in the interest of the country. "Rajinikanth's entry will give a new thrust to politics in Tamil Nadu due to his immense fan following," she said.

Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D V Sadananda Gowda was not very specific on BJP having a tie-up with Rajinikanth's political party. "We will wait and see", he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar said Rajinikanth's entry into politics would have no bearing on Karnataka. "He is trying to fill the vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics, following the death of Jayalalitha," Shettar said.

Former deputy chief minister R Ashoka said Rajinikanth was chief minister material. "I wish him well. He is one of us. I wish he becomes chief minister of Tamil Nadu," Ashoka said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also welcomed Rajinikanth's decision to enter politics. "If Rajinikanth is keen on entering politics, he should do so. He has good intentions. We need people with good intentions in politics," Siddaramaiah said.

Reddy to return to politics?

Mining baron and former minister B Janaradhan Reddy may soon return to active politics, his close associate and Ballari MP B Sriramulu indicated on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters, Sriramulu said party workers were keen that Reddy return to active politics. "He (Reddy) may contest the Assembly polls, if he is given a ticket by the party" Sriramulu said and added that he would speak to BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa and Karnataka election incharge Prakash Javadekar in this regard.

Reddy has been in political hibernation after the CBI filed cases of illegal mining against him.
Their wait & his wait



BJP national president Amit Shah's arrival at a private resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru, the venue of the day-long meeting of the party to review Assembly poll preparations, was delayed by five hours due to fog at the New Delhi airport.



The media waiting at the resort sough a byte from Shah on the recent political developments in the country in general and Karnataka in particular, but to no avail. "We have been waiting for five hours for your byte," the media told Shah, to which the BJP chief shot back, "I too was waiting inside the plane for five hours."

Rabble rousers turn backbenchers

Union Minister of State for Skill Development Anantkumar Hegde, who recently courted controversy for his remarks on the Constitution and Pratap Simha, the BJP yuva morcha president and Mysore-Kodagu MP, were seen sitting in the back rows. Simha had taken on the police during a recent protest rally in Hunsur, Mysuru district. They remained to themselves and did not interact much. Sources said the duo have been told by the party's central leadership not to take an aggressive stand on issues.

Prasad absent

Senior party leader V Srinivas Prasad, who on Saturday called Hegde and BJP leader G Madhusudan fanatics and idiots for their remarks on the Constitution, stayed away from Sunday's meeting. Prasad, who had quit the Congress and joined the BJP, had unsuccessfully contested the bypoll from the Nanjangund Assembly constituency. Prasad, it is learnt, is feeling sidelined in the party.
An NRI groom died after being hit by a bullet during celebratory firing at his wedding function in Gulha town in Kaithal district of Haryana, police said on Sunday.



The celebrations turned tragic as the groom, said to be in his mid 30s, was declared brought dead at a hospital in Patiala.

The incident took place on Saturday night, said investigating officer Sumer Singh of Kaithal police.

"Vikram, an NRI based in Switzerland, was hit by a bullet fired during wedding celebrations. Preliminary probe showed that a close relative of the groom was firing shots in the air while everyone around was dancing. Someone accidentally brushed against the relative, resulting in the misfire," the officer said.

A case has been registered, police said.
Tight security dampened the celebrations on New Year's eve in the city on Sunday as the police imposed strict curbs on the revellers.

With the high court keeping a close eye on their preparedness to deal with the year-end frenzy, the police had stepped up monitoring. Along with 500 CCTV cameras, there were 10 drones deployed to monitor the partygoers.

While the footpaths on Brigade Road were reserved for women, a small portion of the stretch was barricaded to allow police movement. The police regularly issued directions over loudspeakers, asking the public not to stall anywhere for long periods.

Despite all the precautions, two instances of groping were reported from the Cauvery Emporium junction, according to a local TV news channel. But the police have denied that any complaints were filed. "The New Year's Eve went on without any untoward incidents. We have neither received any complaints nor detained/arrested anybody this night," said T Suneel Kumar, City police commissioner.

Cops vs crowds

On prominent locations such as MG Road, Church Street and Trinity Circle, the police outnumbered the crowd.

Revellers who stood in serpentine queues to catch a glimpse of the action on Brigade Road, bedecked with colourful lights, were disappointed as they were herded out within minutes.

"The security is reassuring. But the police are directing the crowd to move out instead of monitoring them. All these years, we stood amid the crowd and welcomed the new year with loud cheers," said Abhishek Kashyap, who along with his family watched the celebrations from the Opera House.
The popular notion of gold smugglers being from impoverished backgrounds is quickly changing. Individuals entering the murky world of smuggling are well-educated, qualified and would never be on the radar under normal circumstances.

According to customs officials at the Kempegowda International Airport, the profiles of gold smugglers have changed significantly in the past year.

Earlier, the typical carriers/mules who smuggled the yellow metal were either uneducated/unemployed individuals or people from unskilled trades with low incomes. They were hired by actual smugglers for a commission or a fee.

But in 2017, educated individuals are entering the arena, customs officials say. "In 2017, we apprehended carriers who were engineers, entrepreneurs, businessmen and in some cases, even students, engineering and pharmaceutical graduates. These people confessed to the crime when questioned and reasoned that they did it to supplement their incomes," said Harsh Vardhan Umre, Additional Commissioner, Customs. With this new trend, profiling the passengers has become a challenge for customs officials.

"Earlier, during the profiling, we would get a hunch if the passenger is a prospective smuggler. It was either based on the countries they departed from or by their frequent travel history along with their professions, which would be usually low-income ones. "But now, it is a challenge to identify smugglers when well-educated and qualified people are involved. In at least three cases, the smugglers were engineering graduates, and in one case, a woman smuggler was the owner of a start-up in Mysuru," said Umre.

In a medicinal drugs smuggling case, pharmaceutical students from Iraq were involved, he added.

The quantity of gold seized by the KIA customs in 2017 was 56 kg worth Rs 17 crore, up from 48 kg worth Rs 14 crore in 2016.
As the city prepared to welcome the New Year on Sunday evening, Indiranagar residents gathered to pay tribute to the victims of the rooftop pub fire in Kamala Mills Compound, Mumbai, that killed 14 people.



Joined by a few residents from Koramangala, they gathered in front of 'The Humming Tree', on 12th main, Indiranagar with black ribbons, candles, and placards. They demanded that rooftop pubs and other establishments in the city should have necessary fire safety norms in place to prevent a Mumbai-like tragedy in the city.

On Saturday, the department of fire issued notices to six rooftop pubs in Indiranagar and in Koramangala each. They risk closure if they do not comply with the fire safety requirements in 15 days.

The residents had submitted a list of rooftops resto-bars that violated the safety norms, to M N Reddi, DGP of Police, Department of Fire and Emergency services just days before the fire in Kamala Mills.

While fighting for fire safety measures in rooftop establishments, the residents say they will also continue their effort to get all pubs and bars in residential areas closed for good.

Going for fire-safety norm compliance is one strategy. Aruna expressed confidence that the pubs which received notices on Saturday won't be able to comply with safety norms. "It is more than just having fire extinguishers. They will have to make structural changes," she said.

Uday Vijayan of Beyond Carlton (a citizen group advocating fire safety) said they would conduct a pilot project with 'I Change Indiranagar' to make Bengaluru fire-safe. "We intend to go from street to street to ensure that all establishments follow the fire safety norms. We can increase our reach with the resident welfare associations' help. Our work with the Fire department will facilitate the process," he said.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine 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
India has not taken kindly to the attendance of Palestine's ambassador to Pakistan at a rally involving Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed on Friday, particularly as it comes just days after New Delhi sided with the Palestinians to back United Nations resolution denouncing the US recognition of Jerusalem Israel's capital. "We have seen reports in this regard. We are taking up the matter strongly with the Palestinian ambassador in New Delhi and with the Palestinian authorities," external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Friday, answering a query on reports and photographs of the Palestinian ambassador participating in the rally organised by the 26 / 11 Mumbai attacks mastermind. Photos of the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, sharing the stage with Saeed and addressing the rally organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council at Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi were circulated on social media on Friday. The rally was organised to condemn the US move on Jerusalem. A report in the Hindustan Times quoted officials as saying India would issue a "strongly worded demarche" to Palestine. According to reports, Palestinian ambassador in Islamabad Walid Abu Ali attended a large rally organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan (Defence of Pakistan) Council on Friday morning. The DPC is an alliance of Islamist groups in Pakistan, including Hafiz Saeed's outfit. One of the images posted on social media showed Walid Abu Ali sitting next to Hafiz Saeed. The report said "several speakers at the gathering, including Saeed, also referred to the Kashmir issue and made anti-India remarks". The external affairs ministry noted that the Palestinian envoy had been seen at the rally ''organised by the JuD chief and mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack Hafiz Saeed''. The external affairs ministry was particularly incensed as the development came less than 10 days after India joined 127 other members of the United Nations to back a resolution criticising US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The countries disregarded Trump's threat to cut aid to countries that voted for the resolution. India and Palestine are also discussing a possible visit to Ramallah by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February  seen by some here as a conciliatory gesture in connection with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to India in January. If Modi's visit goes ahead, it will be his first to Palestine. Officials here also noted that the Palestinian envoy was present when Saeed used the ''Tahafuz Baitul Maqdas'' rally to launch a broadside against India and to rake up the Kashmir issue by linking it to Palestine. ''We consider it our prime responsibility to liberate Kashmir from India. We will free Kashmir in fulfilment of Jinnah's dream,'' Saeed said, speaking in Urdu. Saeed also referred to the controversial meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national sentenced to death for alleged involvement in spying, and his wife and mother in Islamabad on 25 December. ''Pakistan let the family of Kulbhushan meet him out of kindness and goodwill, but India sent them with spy devices,'' he claimed. The rally in Rawalpindi featured several jihadi leaders such as Saifullah Khalid of the Milli Muslim League, a political party formed by Saeed and Abdul Rehman Makki of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), who condemned the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The event was attended by thousands. The DPC is a grouping of some 40 extremist and jihadi groups that was formed by Hafiz Saeed and other extremists in 2012. It has campaigned for long for snapping ties with India and the US.








The killing of a Finner Camp based Defence Forces corporal serving with the United Nations in January 1987 prompted the Irish government to consider withdrawing from their Lebanon mission, state papers opened under the 30-year rule have revealed.

Cpl Dermot McLaughlin (33), from Sligo, who served with the 28th Infantry Battalion, which is otherwise based at Finner Camp in Donegal, was on duty in a UN observation post near the town of Brashit in southern Lebanon at 8.49pm on Saturday, January 10th, 1987.

He was killed when an Israeli tank shell hit the Unifil (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) post. Defence Forces sources have long viewed the incident as a deliberate, and unprovoked, attack by the Israelis, a view supported by a 19-page memorandum presented to government on January 19th, 1987, entitled Review of Irish Participation in Unifil.

The Irish Times reports that the Israeli tank that fired the fatal round was inside what was known as Charlie Compound, a place controlled by the so-called South Lebanon Army (SLA), an Israeli proxy inside Lebanon.

There were no reports of hostile fire aimed at the compound and the Army does not believe that there were armed elements (ie Hizbullah or Amal guerrillas) in the vicinity when the attack occurred, says the review.

It notes that about an hour before the post was attacked, an Israeli defence forces liaison officer had contacted Unifil claiming to have seen suspicious movement close to the Irish Unifil post.

The Irish Unifil post indicated that there was no such movement near their post, the review continues. Despite this, firing subsequently commenced from the compound at the town of Brashit in the course of which one tank round hit the Irish Unifil position.

Subsequently, a second tank round hit the Unifil post and detonated as a result of which Corporal McLaughlin received multiple injuries and died before being evacuated to hospital. The UN post was struck at the time of the incident by a third tank round; no casualties were caused as a consequence of this round.

The review characterises the Israeli action as a new departure and charges the indications are, moreover, that it was a deliberate and unprovoked attack.

In support of this, the review says that the existence of the UN post was well established and well known, flared alerting the attacking tank were fired, the post was the only properly lit building in the area and the UN flag itself was illuminated by spotlight, the attacking tank was a highly sophisticated one and was manned by Israeli personnel, not untrained SLA members, and finally there was no hostile fire at the time of the incident.
As 2017 draws to a close, Alabamians have an opportunity to look back over the last 12 months with the advantage of hindsight, and perhaps allow the experiences of this tumultuous year to inform the decisions to be made individually and collectively in the coming year.

Much of the talk in barbershops and around the dinner table centered on politics  likely to the chagrin of everyone within earshot. Political discourse in 2017 has been divisive in measure likely not seen since the days of the Vietnam War. The first year of President Donald Trumps administration has done little to bring the nation together, as those who supported him and those who opposed him have simply become more entrenched as the administration has moved forward to accomplish its agenda.

Many Alabamians are satisfied, as the president carried the deeply red state easily. However, state politics have provided significant drama, upstaging the national goings-on.

Former Gov. Robert Bentleys Peyton Place romantic scandal unfolded before us like a soap opera, ending with his resignation and guilty plea to some misdemeanor on the heels of a snowballing impeachment movement in the Legislature, an attorney generals investigation, and a strong possibility of prosecution for various potential violations.

One of his final acts as governor was to appoint then-Attorney General Luther Strange to fill the unexpired U.S. Senate term of Jeff Sessions, whod been confirmed as Trumps U.S. Attorney General. Strange would have been in charge of the Bentley investigation had he not been appointed to the Senate seat. The questionable circumstances of Stranges appointment haunted his campaign to succeed in the GOP primary in a bid to win the seat outright, resulting in the unlikely success of challenger Roy Moore, twice removed from Alabamas Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court position.

A rough-and-tumble campaign run-up to an early December election saw Moore accused of sexual improprieties some 40 years ago, leading to an upset by Democrat Doug Jones.

Party officials from both camps should take a lesson from the embarrassment of the past year, particularly on the heels of 2016, which saw the conviction of House Speaker Mike Hubbard on a raft of ethics charges. Alabama voters deserve better candidates, men and women with unimpeachable character and strong leadership qualities, so that elections become contests to choose between two strong possibilities rather than a mechanism to keep the worst of the two out of political power.
The reviews are in!

The GOP went too far to help corporations in its new tax bill, says Marco Rubio, who voted for the bill after winning concessions that deliver $0.00 to $6.25 a month to some of Americas poorest families.

If I were king for a day, this tax bill would have looked different. I thought we probably went too far on (helping) corporations, Rubio told the News-Press of Fort Myers. By and large, youre going to see a lot of these multinationals buy back shares to drive up the price. Some of them will be forced, because theyre sitting on historic levels of cash, to pay out dividends to shareholders.

My favorite critic of Marco Rubios moral failings is Marco Rubio.

Where Paul Ryan and Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham have surrendered completely to Donald Trump in exchange for Donald Trump enacting Mike Pences agenda, or other more desperate reasons, Rubio pretends to be pained by the moral failings of his partys agenda, as he crumbles to them. Just as he crumbled by endorsing Trump a man Rubio still wont say he trusts with nuclear weapons.

Its only when Rubio is criticizing Rubio that Rubio makes decent points.

Corporate tax cuts, especially ones that are happening when corporations have historic stockpiles of cash, primarily help the rich, as the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has noted all year.

You can argue that these cuts, like cuts for the richest Americans who have never been richer, only help the rich because the GOP is planning to pay for them by cutting benefits working Americans have earned  starting with Medicaid.

The reviews are in and this bill, which gives 82 of its benefit to the richest 1 percent while eventually raising taxes on most Americans, is bad.

And these are reviews are from Republicans, as Jon Favreau pointed out:

Susan Collins: The increased premiums would be more than the tax reduction some people get from this bill.

Lindsay Graham: Financial contributions will stop if we dont pass this.

Trump, to Mar-a-Lago members: You all just got richer.

Its important to remember that this bill kept getting more and more and more slanted to the Trumps pals at Maralago, sustaining loopholes for Wall Street bankers and expanding them beyond recognition while even cutting the top tax rate. This was after the White House, especially when Steve Bannon was working there, pretended that it might even add a new bracket for the richest Americans.

How did Republicans end up with a bill that appears to be designed by Trumps kids accountants?

Behind the scenes, according to aides, lobbyists and fellow lawmakers, [Pat] Toomey played a major role in shaping the Republican tax overhaul  pushing not only for a cut in the top individual rate but also helping slash rates for corporations and repeal a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, the Washington Post reported.

Toomey is a former investment banker who previously headed Club for Growth, a DC conservative 501(c)(4) that pushes the kind of tax cuts and elimination of corporate protections that led to the last Republican financial crisis.

If youre in Michigan, you might recognize the Club for Growth as the group that gave Tim Walberg more than half a million dollars to win his first GOP primary back when Toomey was running the group.

Walberg just voted for a law that could give Trump $30,000 A DAY in tax cuts, which is about 16 times what the average family can expect from this law IN A YEAR before its benefits fade away.

Imagine backing bill designed to help the rich game the system with massive, unfunded tax cuts after a decade of pretending to stay up nights crying over the deficit.

We know what investment bankers like Pat Toomey got from Tim Walberg. But what did he get you?

[Image Photo by Gage Skidmore | Flickr]
Gwen Stefani and her three sons aren't exactly country folk but earlier this week, the family headed to Oklahoma to spend time with Blake Shelton.

Shelton owns a large ranch in the area and according to a new report, Stefani shared a number of videos and images with her fans and followers on Instagram throughout their outdoor adventure. Most of these featured her kids, Kingston, 11, Zuma, 9, and Apollo, 3.

On Dec. 29, Us Weekly magazine revealed that the boys were all smiles as they played together, roasted marshmallows, and, of course, sported matching camouflage outfits. Then, after their outdoor adventure came to an end, the boys and their mother, who was wearing an elf hat, sat in front of a Christmas tree with Shelton, who was wearing a Santa hat.

Earlier this month, Stefani spoke to host Ryan Seacrest about her plans for the holidays.

I have the kids [this year]. We were gonna go to Oklahoma first and then come here and go back and forth, but now it looks like were going to be here [in L.A.], she told Seacrest at that time.

As fans will recall, Shelton was busy filming live episodes of The Voice Season 13 up until earlier this month. Since then, he has been enjoying his time off with his girlfriend of two years. Although Stefani often stars alongside Shelton on the show, she didn't appear on Season 13 and won't be seen in Season 14.

While Stefani and Shelton have been facing rumors regarding their alleged plans to start a family, they have yet to confirm any baby news and don't appear to be engaged quite yet. That said, their lack of a confirmation hasn't stopped the rumor mill from speculating about a possible pregnancy and back in October, a source told Hollywood Life that the couple's dreams of starting a family have brought them closer.

Blake and Gwens excitement over becoming parents has made their relationship rock solid, an insider shared. Its even an inside joke between them  like if any disagreement starts brewing, they just start talking about having kids. Blake has this amazing sense of humor and hes able to diffuse any tension by just making Gwen laugh.

Shelton doesn't yet have any children of his own despite having been married twice.
Erica Garner, an activist and the daughter of Eric Garner, has passed away at the age of 27. Garner was placed in a coma after suffering from a heart attack.

Erica, the eldest child of the Garners, was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering a massive heart attack. She suffered from the effects of having an enlarged heart, a defect she has since she was born.

"The only thing I can say is that she was a warrior. She fought the good fight. This is just the first fight in 27 years she lost," stated Garner's mother.

Erica the world loves you. I love you. I am glad you came into our lives. May you find the peace in the next life that you deserved while you were here. I will always love you my sister. love you  officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 30, 2017

She passed away this morning. The reports are real. We didn't deserve her.  officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 30, 2017

Numerous politics figures such as former President Barack Obama, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Rev. Al Sharpton, have offered their condolences via social media.

"If anything, (what) she would want us to do in memory of her is keep fighting for justice, and keep fighting for families," Rev. Al Sharpton stated.

A Daughter's Battle

Erica was a key factor in the leading protest against police brutality in America.

Her father, Eric, was murdered in July 2014 after his attempted arrest outside a convenience store for illegally selling cigarettes. The Staten Island native's death was captured on video, as New York Police Officer, Daniel Pantaleo, tackled the 43-year-old from behind on the ground and put him in a chokehold.

His last words were "I can't breathe", a statement that was used during marches and protests from angry civilians who demanded justice. Though Garner's death was ruled a homicide, the grand jury did not indict Pantaleo and the city of New York settled with Garner's estate for $5.9 million.

Erica is survived by her two children, a daughter and a son, her mother, two sisters, two brothers, and her grandmother.
Thanks to all for your input, differing views with lots of thoughts and info, again thanks.

Dave (hogrider) many of our power tools and kitchen appliances are rated 220-240 volts 50/60 cycles, to me it looks good for shipping, what are your thoughts?

Boxes seem like a good way to go especially if I can avail the tax/duty free side with an SRRV.

I know from experience setting up our condo cost PHP 250K plus without beds etc , that was only an 85M2 unit with 2 bedrooms and a maids quarters,,,,,,, our junk room at 6ft x 8ft.

My research with shipping to date: Purchase an in service 20ft container (to be kept for storage) load myself, manifest myself, delivery/pickup/insurance landed in nth Luzon, includes crane for placement on our property, does not include brown paper bags though. AU 14K app. about PHP 520K.

We would still need to sell lots of stuff in OZ as one 20ft container holds little, have done this before with 2 containers but only internally in OZ. and half the price including buying, freight and cranes, 18 tons last time.

Selling most things second hand hold little value/fire sale, better prices if one has all day/months to get rid of it, we certainly don't at this time. Our thoughts at this stage is trying to sell our junk, get what we can, lose I am sure, spend AU 2, 3, 4K sending boxes then spend, I estimate AU 20 to 25k buying what suits our needs/wants, perhaps we are extravagant but why retire with less comforts and wants. At the end of the day most will be new and as the old saying goes "a change is as good as a holiday".

Out with the old in with the new,,,,,, mostly.



Certainly living is simpler and cheaper in PH. Unfortunately I have perhaps expensive tastes and needs, we are all different. Perhaps lazy/sentimental to offload all our junk in OZ. Time will tell, stay tuned.



Cheers, Steve.
Happy new year to all forum members

From myself Bob, the little woman Mely, and our sister Bunso

We hope all your plans and dreams for 2018 happen as you want them to





HAPPY NEW YEAR
Your article in the Jan. 15, 2017, Express-News (reminded me that) a late friend, Herman Herbsleb (1909-2002), who was a window-dresser at Joskes department store for a number of years related several stories about Joskes events. He said (store owner) Mr. (Alexander) Joske liked to use live animals and birds in the large display window that faced Alamo Plaza. When the circus was in town, he borrowed a baby elephant from the circus and put it in the display window. The elephants trainer stepped away from the showcase to get a cup of coffee and just at that time, the circus parade came around the corner of the store. The baby elephant, having marched in parades, heard the bass drum and started swaying to the music and used his trunk to sniff for outside air so he could join the parade. The baby stepped out of the showcase and headed down the aisle toward the street. The exterior double doors had a post in the middle, and the baby got stuck in the door frame. About this time the trainer returned to take charge of all the commotion.

Mr. Herbsleb also stated that one day, the chief of police and the fire chief were in an auto collision at the corner of the store, Commerce and Alamo streets, while they were both driving to a fire. If memory serves, I believe one of them was either injured or killed. Could you research that incident to learn if that really happened?

 Ivan D. Schultz

Well take your second question first because its timely: It was 100 years ago Sunday when a New Years Eve car accident at Alamo and Water streets claimed four lives, including that of Fire Chief William P. Bishop and Robert W. Kopplin, acting head of Fire Station No. 7. At 9:05 p.m., Dec. 31, 1917, firefighters responded to an alarm for a house fire. Bishop and his chauffeur Claude E. Ratterree jumped into the chiefs car, an open-cab Locomobile considered one of the best fire cars in service in the United States, reported the San Antonio Light, Jan. 1, 1918; while a crew from Station 7 boarded a motorized combination pumping engine/hose wagon.

Unknown to each other, the engine was speeding north on Alamo Street, and the chiefs car was rapidly approaching from the west on Commerce Street  a course dangerously lined with holiday merrymakers.

A crowd already had assembled in the heart of downtown to celebrate the holiday  so many cars and pedestrians that the San Antonio Police Department had traffic officers at the intersection of Alamo and Commerce. When Officer Fred Workman heard the siren from the engine, which came into view around South Street (subsumed by the HemisFair 68 fairgrounds) on Alamo Street, he stopped traffic in all directions, including an unusually large crowd of people on foot at the corner where Joskes department store was located (now the Shops at Rivercenter mall).

When the corner was absolutely clear, Workman gave the highball signal to the engine crew to come ahead. In the next instant, he heard another siren and saw the chiefs car barreling toward him. Workman and another patrolman tried to stop both fire vehicles  the only vehicles moving  but it was too late: Both were bearing down on the same spot at a high rate of speed. When they hit, slightly to the northeast of the center of the intersection of East Commerce and Alamo streets, the heavy vehicles collided with such violence that the chiefs car, reduced to a mass of wreckage, was hurled into the corner of Joskes store, shattering two large plate-glass windows and tearing up a portion of the framework of the display window  (Both) were piled in a heap against the Joske building, the Light reported.

A bystander  from the throngs of merrymakers who witnessed the accident  said that just before the crash, he saw the chief throw his hands up over his head as though he realized that the end had come. It had. According to an SAFD line-of-duty death report provided by the San Antonio Fire Museum, Bishop, 47, was sitting in the front passenger side of the vehicle, where he was crushed by the truck when it struck his car. The veteran firefighter, who had served 11 years as chief, was pronounced dead at the scene.

His chauffeur, Ratterree, 22, was ejected from the car and suffered a fractured skull; he died early the next morning. A 10-year-old boy, M.D. George, was trapped under the wreckage of both vehicles and died the next day. From the engine, Kopplin, 31, who was riding on its rear tailboard, was tossed over the top of the apparatus, hurled as high as the trolley (streetcar) wire and killed when his body struck the pavement. He was also pronounced dead at the scene

Nine others, mostly from the Station 7 engine, were seriously hurt, and half a dozen civilians  were injured but so slightly their wounds needed little or no attention, the paper reported.

The traffic officers on the scene turned in an emergency alarm to central police headquarters that brought out every available officer and automobile and ambulance. At the same time, an off-duty firefighter who witnessed the crash just as he was about to enter the Grand Opera House to see a show, called headquarters to rush more firefighters to the scene.

A mix of firefighters, police officers and civilians sorted out the casualties. Some were taken to a nearby drugstore for first aid, and the more seriously injured went to hospitals. The dead were taken to funeral homes.

Another fire company was routed to the source of the original alarm, for a fire at the home of Charles M. Clark, 817 N. Palmetto St., where a kerosene lamp had exploded and ignited the building. The blaze was quickly extinguished, reported the Light, (with) damage not exceeding $5 or $10.

It was the worst emergency-vehicle accident on record in the city. There had been only four previous deaths in the line of duty since the citys fire department had been professionalized in the early 1890s.

Herbsleb was nine years old at the time of the accident; a city directory lists 1015 E. Commerce St.  a few blocks from the collision site  as the residence of his parents, Bertha and Herman Herbsleb Sr., so the family probably heard about the crash, which was front-page news the next day. He also may have heard of it at Joskes from older employees who remembered coming in to clear up the wreckage.

Because of the anniversary, this column focuses on Herbslebs accident story  but I havent forgotten the elephant.

Next week: Downtown trunk shows

historycolumn@yahoo.com | Twitter: @sahistorycolumn | Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumn
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Homicides declined in San Antonios city limits in 2017, while such crimes also trended downward in the unincorporated areas of Bexar County.

The San Antonio Police Department reported 126 people had been victims of homicides in its jurisdiction as of Saturday  a 15 percent drop from last years total of 149.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said homicides also declined in his jurisdiction this year. As of Saturday, 14 people had been victims of homicides in the countys unincorporated areas, down from a total of 21 in the 2016 calendar year, he said.

The 2017 numbers are preliminary and could change slightly.

Annual homicide counts provided by both law enforcement agencies must meet the FBI Uniform Crime Reports Programs definition, which dont include justified homicides or officer-involved killings.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus will discuss the latest annual homicide count in mid-January, once those numbers become official, SAPD Sgt. Michelle Ramos said Friday.

Ten of the citys homicide victims were immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala who perished in July after they were smuggled into Texas in a packed, overcrowded tractor trailer. They were discovered as the big rig was parked near a Walmart on the Southwest Side. Federal prosecutors charged two people in connection with those deaths. One of the defendants pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

SAPDs year-end count for 2017 still ranks as its second-highest since 1995. But its an improvement from 2016, which proved to be the citys deadliest year in more than two decades.

The high homicide numbers recorded last year were not unique to San Antonio, but mirrored a trend seen in many major cities, including Dallas, Houston, Chicago, St. Louis and Phoenix.

In response to that uptick, McManus unveiled a Violent Crime Task Force in January, which aims to combat a spike in homicides and other violent crimes.

McManus has said its too soon to tell if that intelligence-driven initiative has been effective, but expressed hopes for its success. In the task forces first 10 months of operation, participating agencies made 4,175 arrests  a figure equating to about 14 arrests a day.

Salazar, whos closing in on his first anniversary as Bexar County sheriff and who previously served with SAPD for 23 years, said crime goes in cycles, spiking sometimes for no obvious, apparent reason. Law enforcement agencies can try to have a positive effect on such activity, he said.

Im pleased that we seem to be headed in the right direction, Salazar said Friday of the countys declining homicide numbers. Were happy with the way its going. But, of course, we are preparing ourselves for what might be a spike, or it may be a further decline next year.

Most violent crimes are not random  victims usually know those who commit such acts against them, Salazar said.

If youre involved in a high-risk lifestyle  gangs, drugs, things like that  youre going to, of course, dramatically increase your chances of becoming a victim of violent crime, possibly even a homicide, the sheriff said.

The Sheriffs Office periodically conducts directed patrols to prevent retaliatory crimes after violence has occurred in an area.

After 15-year-old Noel Reyna was shot to death in November outside a Whataburger restaurant on FM 78, the Sheriffs Office set up a highly visible mobile substation in the area and stepped up patrols to prevent further spates of violence, Salazar said.

One weekend in particular, I talked to Chief McManus, and we brought the whole Violent Crime Task Force to that area, Salazar said. So it was just teeming with law enforcement officers. We were out there. I think (Texas Department of Public Safety) sent like 50 troopers.  So we just saturated the area.

On one occasion after Reynas death, sheriffs officials learned there was going to be a party in the same area of northeastern Bexar County and there was potential for violence. Deputies in plainclothes followed people to that party, and when everyone at the gathering dispersed, deputies found guns left behind in the grass and took custody of those weapons, Salazar said.

We were getting guns off the street just by being proactive, being in the area, talking to area residents. And we may well have prevented another murder that night  or a couple of murders, he said.

Four victims slain in the Sheriffs Offices jurisdiction in 2017 were killed by someone who then killed themselves, Salazar said. While law enforcement officers cant prevent every such case, he believes his agency can help drive down homicide numbers by assisting domestic violence victims before their situation turns deadly.

If we can at least convince some of these victims to get some help, get out of that situation, help them make the plans, help them come up with an exit strategy, maybe we can prevent that person from becoming a victim of a murder-suicide, Salazar said.

Peggy O'Hare is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | pohare@express-news.net | @Peggy_OHare
North Eastern Carrying Corporation (NECC) is on an expansion drive with an aim to reach 500 locations across India in the next three to four years. The logistic firm with a strong base in the east and north east part of the country is now planning to spread its roots wider across the region, adding more trucks to its fleet in next two years.

Having reorganised their operational structure this year, NECC is now developing profitable routes and reworking the existing, less profitable routes by deploying their own vehicles and increasing wallet share of the profitable accounts, the company said in a press release.

The company is also looking to leverage its proven capabilities in critical sectors like textile, mining, FMCG, automobiles and pharmaceuticals. From a digital infrastructure perspective too, NECC is well equipped. The operations are all IT-enabled, while all the owned and attached fleet are GPS-enabled, to enable tracking at any given point.

North Eastern Carrying Corporation (NECC) is on an expansion drive with an aim to reach 500 locations across India in the next three to four years. The logistic firm with a strong base in the east and north east part of the country is now planning to spread its roots wider across the region, adding more trucks to its fleet in next two years.#

NECC is also considering entry in the air logistics segment. "It may happen by the end of 2018 or early 2019. This is a segment which is currently underserved. There will not be any requirement for major investments and can be successfully implemented with the existing infrastructure, as we already have presence in all major cities," NECC director, Utkarsh Jain said on widening of NECC's services.

Currently, NECC has 250 offices across India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Its current warehousing space of 1.5 million sq. feet includes owned and leased under management facilities. Having an established operational set up across the country, NECC has even expanded beyond the borders to Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, as an integrated logistics solutions firm.

Terming GST as a game changer for the logistics industry, Jain said, "We believe this is an extremely positive step for the economy. From a logistics point of view it will result in significant time and cost savings in the actual movement of vehicles that will translate into saving of fuel consumption and better turnaround time which would indirectly impact the overall cost."

In 2016-17, the company posted revenues of Rs 548.69 crore as compared to Rs 539.75 crore in 2015-16, up 1.66 per cent. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
More than 400 international exhibitors will display their creations in various segments including textiles and fashion at the 4th edition of Morocco Style. The four-day exhibition is a platform for national and international companies of different sectors to show and promote their skills, meet partners and collaborate with brands from several countries.

The Morocco international fashion, textile and accessories fair is scheduled to be held during March 28-31 in Casablanca.

"Morocco Style is the best platform to enter into this market and participants will be able to take a advantage of all these opportunities with the buyer delegations and professional visitors from more than 18 countries mainly from neighbouring countries such as, Tunisia, Algeria, Portugal, Spain. "The gateway of Africa" Morocco, which has free trade agreements with the European Union and United States, provides great advantages to textile exporters," said the website of Morocco Style.

The 3rd Morocco Style hosted 312 exhibitors from 11 countries such as, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, France, Portugal, France, China, India, Italy, Pakistan, Tunisia along with 1,2443 professional visitors from Morocco and 37 foreign countries from West and South Africa, North Africa, Middle East and Gulf countries, European countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Greece, Netherlands, England and America. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
HON PM BAINIMARAMA 2018 NEW YEAR MESSAGE





My Fellow Fijians, Bula vinaka and a very Happy New Year to you all.What a year it has been for Fiji, and what a year to be a Fijian.We began this past year with steadfast resolve and great ambition, as we prepared to take the lead on two global causes that are critical to our future: climate action and the preservation and protection of our oceans.But we also knew that despite these global challenges, our work at home had to continue  we had to keep growing the Fijian economy, bringing greater opportunity into the lives of our people and caring for those Fijians who are most vulnerable in our society.My fellow Fijians, in 2017, we have succeeded  at home and abroad  in meeting those great expectations.During our co-chairing of the first-ever United Nations Conference on Oceans, the world made 1,400 voluntary commitments to help improve the health of our oceans and the sustainability of marine life and ecosystems. And then, during our Presidency of COP23, we made great progress confronting the root causes of climate change  the harmful emissions warming our atmosphere. Vulnerable nations also gained greater access to finance and frameworks to adapt to climate impacts  the rising seas, severe weather events and changing weather patterns that threaten our environment, our future development and our very wellbeing.We believed when we took on these challenges, and we believe now, that Fijis leadership and moral authority on the global stage as a small island state, would help move humanity to rise up and take the action that we all know we must take. And our success has made 2017 a landmark year in Fijian history, all because we did not shrink from the challenge. We did not leave our fate in the hands of bigger and more powerful and developed nations. We showed once again that a small-island nation can provide mature and responsible leadership to drive the world to action.But, my fellow Fijians, even in a year of unprecedented success abroad, I am most proud of what we have accomplished at home.The Fijian economy has soared to its eighth straight year of economic growth--thanks to the winning recipe of consistent economic policies, bold and modern ideas, sound fiscal management, investment in infrastructure and the effort and energy of ordinary Fijians.And I am happy to say that there are nothing but positive projections for our growth in the years ahead.We must stick with that game plan in 2018 and beyond. My Government will continue to find innovative ways to ensure that every Fijian shares in our development and our economic growth--Fijians from all walks of life, all levels of society and every corner of the country. We will continue to make merit-based achievement the foundation of our development. And we will continue the programmes and initiatives that are the cornerstone of my Governments agenda: free education; new and resilient infrastructure; access to clean water, electricity, telecommunications and Government services; support to our entrepreneurs; and special efforts to bring those on the margins into the economic fold, including our women, young people, the disabled and those in the remote maritime and rural areas.As Prime Minister, what has stood out to me this past year, above all, is the tremendous good that weve achieved because we have been united in our vision for a better nation. We have shown our love for our country in our concern and respect for each other, in our inclusiveness and in our willingness to work with each other. As united fellow Fijians, we have shown there is nothing we cannot overcome.I see that spirit in our peacekeepers, who sacrifice their own safety abroad in the defence of those who cannot defend themselves. I see it in our teachers, who dedicate themselves every day to preparing our young people to be tomorrows leaders, and tomorrows parents, employees and entrepreneurs. I see it in our doctors and nurses who dedicate themselves every day and night to ensure our health and well-being. And I see it in all of our hard-working people, supporting their families and helping to build the new Fiji.I know that the next generation of Fijians will look back on this time in our history as the years we began to realise our potential as a nation. They will be proud of what we have achieved and they will be inspired by what we have set in motion. That legacy of work must continue in 2018. We must renew our commitment to the things that unite us as a people, to continue to make life better for the Fijian people, and to keep engaging and speaking out on the issues that matter to every Fijian.In 2018, we will hold our second national elections under the truly democratic system set out in the Fijian Constitution. Again, you will need to make a choice: to remain united in our steady, unrelenting journey forward or risk all of the great progress weve made the last decade, and drag our nation backwards into the past.As always, I stand ready to take Fiji into the future. I stand ready to keep Fiji atop the world, a leading nation among nations. And I stand ready to bring even greater opportunity and prosperity into the lives of every Fijian.As we approach the elections, I ask that we focus on real issues that matter to real people, and rise above the personal attacks and pettiness. We must be wary of any who seek to divide us, on the basis of gender, ethnicity, religion, location or socio-economic status, or any who seek to exploit ordinary people for their own political gain. The elections should be conducted on the basis of honesty and facts and each partys vision for the country. That is what the Fijian people demand, and that is what they deserve.I urge every Fijian to vote on election day. Your vote is your voice, and an election is no time for complacency. It is the clearest way for you to shape your future and the future of Fiji.Together, we will keep Fiji moving forward, as one nation and one people, united in our common purpose and our belief in what this great nation can achieve.My fellow Fijians, I ask that you all remain safe and responsible in the New Year, and that we all make special efforts to care for all those who need a helping hand. So, together, we can help make for a more kind and compassionate society in Fiji.I wish you all and your families a very healthy and happy 2018.Vinaka Vakalevu, Thank You.
This article is part of our 2017: A Year In Review series

Disclaimer: This piece may or may not be satirical.

Have you seen the latest tweet from Akki? Hes such a nice man, I tell you! He not only does movies around toilets and period and all, but also talking about how good ancient Ayurveda is and asking people to donate money to the Indian Army on Twitter. Conscience he has. Like every good Indian, he clearly loves Bharat a lot.

Arre look at the next tweet! SRK has put up a pic of AbRam pouting sooooooo chhhwweeeeet!! That boy na ufff, he will be much better looking than Shah Rukh, you mark my words.

See, these news sites have also written stories about it  AbRam pouting that is. And here is picture of Taimur on Kareenas lap. Oh my gawwwdd! Cutie pie or what? Wait, here is Shahid Kapoors Misha learning to swim. I think I will start a Twitter poll on who is cuter  Taimur or Misha.

Waise do you really think Kareena lost all that pregnancy weight just by working out? Or did she go in for some knife-work here and there? She works out of course I look at the pictures everyday na she goes to the gym with BFF Amrita Arora.

But how much parties she does also! I love these inside pics that these websites post  KJo and Alia and Ranbir and Deepika all take so much selfies and pout. They look so shiny. Roz morning mein uth ke first thing I check out these pictures  week mein 3-4 times toh they party only. Then my friends and I look at them together again later. Bada mazaa aata hai!

Otherwise toh these Bollywood stars are always travelling. So I check out their airport looks. I like to see what shoes and jackets and tops these stars are wearing. Its much more trendy than what they print in fashion mags na! I like what Kangana Ranaut wears  arre, did you see that interview of hers yesterday? Itna jam ke she spoke against Hrithik and Karan Johar and nepotism and all again. Full feminist she is! Hrithik is toh chup only, but Sussanne is defending him. Why she divorced him God only knows!

Virushka, Baahubali, Dangal, Padmavati: A complete A-Z glossary for everything Bollywood got up to in 2017

I read all the articles that came out about them  Kangana and Hrithik and Kanagana and KJo that is. Must have read at least 50. Its really difficult to understand who is lying really.

All the stars today are feminists  like me only. They are always tweeting about how women are equal in everything to men and that no means no. I always like and share their posts. My friends do too. Twinkle Khanna is so clever also, makes so much fun about karva chauth on her FB posts. But then also everyone attacked her for supporting her husband about Mallika Duas ghanti bajao thing. So much hungama there was, I read so many articles on that also.

Sonam is also always tweeting about feminist things. When Abhay Deol talked about how fairness cream ads make dark people feel bad, she pointed out how his sister Esha also did such ads. She is always dressed so well, no? I toh keep picking style trends from her. Her Instagram is toh full of fashion pictures and her travel photos with that cute boyfriend of hers.

Waise talking about big news, did you see now Karan and Kajol are friends again? So sad I felt when they fought, nearly cried watching their interview on that old talk show, Simi Garewal wala. I re-watched Kuch Kuch Hota Hai also! Chalo, now with Karans children here, they are making up. Have you seen the twins pictures?

I toh follow all these stars on Insta. Ranveer posts such crazy videos and Deepika always comments, saying clown and you are mad and what not. They are so in love that reminds me, have you seen how everyone wants to ban Padmavati? I toh didnt know what its all about only. Then read these stories about how Sanjay Bhansali has insulted Rajputs in the film. Arre, why you do such things? Deepika is looking soooo pretty in that 'Ghoomar' song and Ranveer and she always looks so hot together, no? They should just make a nice picture. I toh cant wait to watch it.

There was also some hungama about that IFFI festival or something. These serious films some 20 people watch only uske liye itna kya? But did you see how Salman and Katrina stuck to each others side in the closing ceremony? I think they are getting back together only now that Ranbir is out of the picture. But then Iulia is also seen coming in and out of Salmans house  the paps (I picked up that word from Kareena; its short for paparazzi, silly) always click her there. Kuch kuch locha hai, bhai!

Waise with Nihalani ji gone, CBFC has become much nicer, dont you think? God only knows why that man created so much jhamela about everything. I went to watch Lipstick Under My Burkha after it released after so much fight and everyone wrote so much about it. Kuch nahi tha usme! Same old story of women fighting against evil men and that one embarrassing scene of Ratna Pathak Shahs. Kaun dekhta hai yeh sab!

Talking about useless controversy, there are two people who are always shouting about something or the other on social media. One is Sonu Nigam, who quit Twitter after yelling uselessly about azaan and getting a free haircut in return. And the other is Kamaal R Khan, who Twitter has blocked. All he does is say bad things about everyone. I knowI followed him na!

But talking about good news, did you check out the Virushka (Virat and Anushka baba) wedding and reception pictures? So amazing they look together no? Full made for each other they are. So many pics with each other they put on Insta  there was even one of them meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Oh wait #MilindSoman is trending right now. Let me check when he is getting married.
Editor's note: In a prolific career spanning nearly four decades, Satyajit Ray directed 36 films, including feature films, documentaries and shorts. His films have received worldwide critical acclaim and won him several awards, honours and recognition  both in India and elsewhere. In this column starting 25 June 2017, we discuss and dissect the films of Satyajit Ray (whose 96th birth anniversary was this May), in a bid to understand what really makes him one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century.

In his long filmmaking career, Satyajit Ray had mostly adapted the literary works of others. In other words, for most part, he had interpreted the works of other writers. It was not until 1962 that Ray plunged headlong into his first act of pure creation, for which he wrote an original screenplay right from scratch and then went ahead to make it into a film. The background to the writing of this screenplay is interesting. Ray was initially toying with the idea of a film in which a family goes on a picnic. He had thought of the beginning of the film, and the ending  both revolving around a family photograph but with different interpretations, as revealed through the events and interactions in the body of the film. When this idea did not materialise for logistical reasons, Ray converted the seed of the idea into another story set in the hill station of Darjeeling, where a large family gathers for a holiday. That film, which went on to become perhaps the most unique film of Rays career, was Kanchenjungha.

The events of the film take place in real time, in a late afternoon near the Observatory Hill road of Darjeeling. Rai Bahadur Indranath Roy Chaudhuris family has come to the Himalayan hill station for a holiday, and they are supposed to head back to Kolkata the next day. Indranath himself is a highly successful and affluent man  chairman of as many as five companies. But he is not without his faults. He is vain, brash and a British-sympathizer, who has the tendency of looking down upon people and sealing their fates with his own judgements, decisions and proclamations. His wife Labanya is a docile and submissive woman  quite aware of her husbands nature, and yet unable to vocalise her protests. The elderly couple have three children. The eldest is Anil  a hopeless and incorrigible womaniser who talks too much and thinks too little. Theres the elder daughter Anima, who is married to a reticent man named Shankar. This couple are going through a failed marriage and are barely holding on to it for the sake of their daughter. The youngest of Indranaths children is the beautiful Monisha  a young woman of independent spirit and thought. Also in the family is Jagadish  Labanyas widower brother, and an ornithologist by passion. Other than the family, three other people converge at the misty hill station. Theres a young, affluent and eligible bachelor named Banerjee  a suitor for Monisha, armed with the blessings of her autocratic father. Then theres an old man who used to be Anils private tutor several years ago. And finally, theres this old mans nephew  a young unemployed man named Ashok. As the film progresses, the paths of all these characters cross, and through their interactions and conversations, the fragmented narrative moves forward.

Quite early on in the film, we realise that Banerjee is about to propose marriage to Monisha, and that the patriarch of the family is viewing this arrangement as a matter of great social and financial benefit to himself. We also realize that Monisha, who has seen the outcome of such loveless marriages in as many as two instances right there in her own family (one of her mother, the other of her elder sister), is hesitant to accept the impending proposal. In fact, she takes refuge in the company of Ashoke, who she knows is poor and timid, just to escape from the barrage of hints that her suitor keeps throwing at her throughout the afternoon. Anima, in turn, is torn between her lover and the husband she does not love. Shankar has recently found out about his wifes affair, and is calmly transactional and perfectly willing to discuss an amicable divorce. Labanya has remained voiceless in the face of her husbands fury all her life, but after she has seen her elder daughters home crumbling in front of her eyes, she is understandably worried about the fate of her younger one. Unable to voice her opinion, she seeks support from her brother Jagadish, who promises to help her. Ashoke finds himself in a decidedly uncomfortable position amidst all this. He knows that the Rai Bahadur can get him that coveted job that has been eluding him for months. But his self-esteem does not allow him to suck up to the vain old man, who wears his love for the British on his sleeves, and does not hesitate to discount the contributions of our freedom fighters.

Kanchenjungha is a film that is far ahead of its time. For one, it is an experiment in filmmaking within the limited confines of both time and space. Secondly, it is a film in which the mood changes with the change in the weather. The film begins when the sun is shining brightly upon Darjeeling  everything seems in place, everyone seems happy and calm. Then comes the clouds, and ugly secrets keep tumbling out of the proverbial closet, one after the other. Finally, the mist rolls in, covering the quaint little town, and we begin to witness unmistakable hints of doubt in every single characters mind. Finally, when the mist clears, those doubts turn into decisions of various kinds, which finally culminate into a happy ending as the sun begins to shine brightly once again  this time revealing the majestic Kanchenjunga before our eyes.

It is almost impossible to believe that Ray wrote the screenplay of Kanchenjungha in ten days, and even more so to believe that he wrapped up the shooting of the film (his first colour film, no less) in as few as 24 days. A master of thrift  both in the making of the film and in its content itself  Satyajit Ray created a motion picture whose technical brilliance, layered messages and superlative performances had no match anywhere in the world. One wonders how he did that, and perhaps the answer lies partially in his creative genius and partially in what he saw as the core source of his inspiration  the Himalayas. For it was the terrace of the Windermere in Darjeeling where he wrote the screenplay of Kanchenjungha, and although he makes one of the characters in his film say the following words, we know, by a fair estimate, that it is, in fact, Satyajit Ray describing how he came around to pulling off the greatest creative stunt of his career 

Maybe it is this place that has got something to do with it I have never seen anything like this before. The majestic Himalayas, these silent pine-trees, this strange play of sunlight, clouds and mist. Its so unreal, almost like a dream state. My head was in a whirl, and everything seemed to change before my eyes. As if I wasnt myself anymore, as if I was someone special. A hero! A giant! As if I was full of couragecarelessundaunted. And as if no one could stop me anymore."

*

Bhaskar Chattopadhyay is an author and translator. His translations include 14: Stories That Inspired Satyajit Ray, and his original works include the mystery novels Patang, Penumbra and Here Falls The Shadow.
Superstar Rajinikanth, who has been meeting his fans from various districts of Tamil Nadu since 26 December, reminisced about his early days of the career in Madras in his speech on 30 December.

Ardent fans of the superstar from North Chennai, South Chennai and Central Chennai attended today's meeting in Raghavendra Mandapam to take pictures with their demi-god.

"Karnataka people were in awe of Madras Presidency in the '60s": Rajinikanth.

"In the '60s, the people of Karnataka had an excellent impression about the then Madras Presidency. They were in awe of its exemplary policemen, lawyers, universities, transport facilities and government. Like how we rave about Singapore's growth, services and living now. I came to Madras in 1973. I belonged to a lower-middle-class family. My elder brother (Satyanarayana Rao) was a mason in the corporation and his monthly income was Rs 70. He had five children but still, he managed to shell out 50 percent of his monthly pay for me to fulfill my dream to join the film institute. He believed in me, and he is my deity," Rajinikanth harked back.

Talking about his long-standing friendship with Raj Bahadur, Rajinikanth said, "After my brother, the one who was instrumental in my career growth was Raj Bahadur. He was the one who explored the acting skill in me. He also wanted to join the film industry and undoubtedly, he had the perfect makeover and style. He took me to all the stage dramas he performed. In one such visit to the theatre, he desired to do the Duryodhana role but the drama master gave him Bheeshmar character and cast me in the Duryodhana character.

"K Balachander treated me as his third son after Kailasam and Prasanna": Rajinikanth.

Expressing his gratitude to all the important filmmakers who have worked with him, Rajinikanth recalled his initial meeting with his mentor, the late veteran filmmaker K Balachander. "When I came to Madras, I stayed with Panagal Rao family in Murali Prasad's home. They treated me as their family member. Finally, a day came when I went to meet Balachander sir. When he asked me to perform something, I told him that I don't know Tamil. He asked me to use English but I was a person who studied in Karnataka Corporation school, and I said I was not comfortable with English. So he asked me to use my mother tongue Kannada," he remembered.

"After I enacted something, he told me to wait. He kept staring at the ceiling and me and started scratching his chin for a few minutes. It gave me cold sweats, and I was sure he is going to give me an earful. After a few minutes, he said he is going to book me for three of his films. Then, he said, 'I'm going to give you a role in Apoorva Ragangal and a proper introduction as an antagonist in Moondru Mudichu in which Kamal Haasan was doing a guest role.'

He also told me that I would reprise the role of Jai Ganesh in the Telugu remake of Aval Oru Thodarkadhai. And he gave one final piece of advice. 'You have to do one thing  learn Tamil and see where I'm going to take you.' He treated me as his third son after Kailasam and Prasanna. He prepared me for the industry and then came others like Panju Arunachalam sir who gave me character roles and moulded me. Muthuraman sir, Rajasekhar, and P Vasu followed suit. They made me a star. Suresh Krishna and Mani Ratnam made me a superstar," he added.

"2.0 will release on 14 April, followed by Kaala in another two months": Rajinikanth.

Rajinikanth also revealed that his highly-anticipated magnum-opus, 2.0, will hit screens on 14 April for the Tamil New Year festival instead of the previously-announced 27 April. Popular Telugu producers, who were up in arms against the makers of 2.0 due to a clash with Mahesh Babu and Allu Arjun's films on the same date, are reportedly happy with the 2.0 team's decision now.

"Director Shankar gave me nationwide fame. The humongous amount of money they invest in me is all because of you (fans). They trust in me, and my fans and 2.0 is the result of that trust. I don't know if a film like that will ever be made again. How we all celebrate Chandralekha as a classic, 2.0 will also stand out. The film is delayed because of the extensive CG work. And (AR) Rahman can start the re-recording only after the entire visuals are ready. So the film's release is postponed to 14 April," said Rajinikanth.

Talking about Kaala, which marks his second collaboration with director Pa Ranjith after Kabali, Rajinikanth said, "Director Ranjith has presented a different Rajinikanth in Kaala. I felt really happy doing my role in the film, and it will also be released two months after 2.0."

(Also read Rajinikanth confirms political entry: Tamil superstar to float his own party; will contest in all 234 seats)
New Delhi: A 30-year-old man was shot at inside a pub in south Delhi's Greater Kailash following an argument apparently over parking space, police said on Sunday.

The district police will be writing to licensing branch for the cancellation of the pub's licence, they said.

The police suspect that the accused, Umesh, and the victim had an argument over parking space last night, following which he shot at Vinay.

After receiving information about the incident, the police reached the spot to find that Vinay had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre with a bullet injury near the collarbone, they added.

Vinay is out of danger now. Umesh was beaten up by the public and handed over to the police who seized the firearm.

Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) said the exact time of the incident will be ascertained only after going through the CCTV footage.

"Allowing anti-social elements into the bar is a violation of licence terms and conditions. Local police will write to licensing branch for cancellation of licence of the bar where the incident happened," the DCP said.

The officer said all police stations in south district have been instructed to keep a watch on pubs, bars and restaurants and sensitise the security staff of the places to prevent such incidents.
Srinagar: Opposition National Conference (NC) expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in a militant attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of South Kashmir and called it a reminder of how bad things were in the Valley.

"As the year draws to a close we get a terrible reminder of how bad things are in the valley. My condolences to the families of the CRPF personnel killed in the attack," NC

working president Omar Abdullah wrote in a Twitter post.

Meanwhile, a party statement said NC president Farooq Abdullah and working president Omar have expressed profound grief and sorrow over the loss of lives in the attack.

The statement said the NC leaders, while extending their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the slain CRPF personnel, expressed solidarity with them in their moment of inconsolable loss.

Heavily armed terrorists launched a pre-dawn attack on the CRPF camp, killing four personnel and injuring three others.
New Delhi: The central government's plan to launch mobile air dispensary services  helicopters with equipment and doctors  for medical emergencies in remote and hilly areas of the North East region may be a reality soon.

Informed sources told IANS that the government has agreed to allocate Rs 80-Rs 100 crore for the proposed launch of two air dispensaries in the region.

The sources said the two air dispensaries will operate from Shillong and Imphal for six states. The services will cater to six northeastern states, barring Assam.

According to official documents, accessed by IANS, three central ministries have decided to rope in national helicopter carrier Pawan Hans for the services. "During the first meeting on the proposed scheme Pawan Hans was also present which appreciated the idea and were told to cater their services for the Mobile Air Ambulance Services," reads an official note on the project.

The project report prepared by Pawan Hans estimates that Rs 1.87 crore cost per month will be incurred for the operation of two helicopters in the six states.

The project was stuck for some time following a tussle between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry. The Health Ministry had refused to run the initiative alone because it said it was not feasible.

However, now it has been decided that the project will be a joint venture of the Health, DoNER and Civil Aviation ministries.

The DoNER Ministry had stated that the initiative should come from the Health Ministry with the help of the Northeastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEGRIMS) in Shillong for medical, paramedical assistance.

However, in an inter-ministerial meeting on 5 May, 2017, it was finalised that the project would be a joint venture.

For financial resources, the Health Ministry can seek the help of the DoNER Ministry while the Civil Aviation Ministry will provide the chopper and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will focus on providing the medics and paramedics apart from setting up the medical units for emergency cases, the note reads.

Apart from providing emergency medical help for trauma cases due to accidents, landslides, earthquakes and floods the helicopters will also act as air ambulances to shift patients to city hospitals for specialised treatment.

According to official figures, the North East recorded over 3,000 deaths due to road accidents in 2016. Many lives were also lost in floods and landslides.
New Delhi: Six people were arrested for allegedly abducting cab drivers and looting them, and stealing their vehicles near Kalindi Kunj area, police said on Sunday.

Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended gang leader Dharamvir (21), Ravi (26), Mohd Sahib, Vicky, Raju and Heera (all aged 19 years) on Friday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast district) Chinmoy Biswal said.

Three cars, a Swift Dzire running for online cab aggregator Ola, a Renault Lodgy and a WagonR, a dummy pistol, two knives and identity proofs stolen from victims were recovered from their possession, he added.

During interrogation, Dharamvir admitted to hailing cabs during late evenings at dark stretches of the city posing as a passengers and then overpowering the driver and looting him at knife point once the vehicle arrived, DCP Biswal added.

The accused would then leave the vehicle at a deserted area to be disposed of later, he said.

Three separate FIRs were lodged at police stations of Sarita Vihar and Amar Colony against the gang over alleged offences of abduction, robbery and causing hurt while committing robbery, the DCP added.
Washington: US president Donald Trump weighed in on protests in Iran on Saturday, warning that the country's people want change and "oppressive regimes cannot endure forever".

Trump posted on Twitter two clips of his speech to the UN General Assembly in September in which he took aim at the Iranian regime, which Washington has held out as its top adversary in West Asia.

"Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice," he tweeted, quoting from the speech.

"The world is watching!"

Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Irans people are what their leaders fear the most.... pic.twitter.com/W8rKN9B6RT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Trump's posts, his second time addressing the subject in as many days, came as several hundred anti-government demonstrators clashed with police at the University of Tehran in a third straight day of protests.

Hundreds of counter-protesters also massed outside the entrance to the university, chanting "Death to the seditionists" in a show of support for the regime.

Videos shared by social media users outside Iran but which could not be independently verified claimed to show thousands marching peacefully against the regime in several cities including Khorramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz, with chants of "Death to the dictator."

"The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most," Trump said, again quoting from the UN speech.

Trump also tweeted in support of the protesters late Friday, prompting Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahran Ghasemi to dismiss his remarks as "opportunistic."
Mangaluru: Keeping up with their habit of harassing youths who look for opportunities to celebrate life, the Hindu fringe groups in Mangaluru have issued threats to the police and the district administration, warning them to wrap up New Year celebrations in the coastal city by 11 pm. Groups like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have openly threatened that they will take the matter into their own hands if the police fail to respond to their demands.

These threats, quite similar to the fatwa issued by Islamic preachers, are likely to find resonance outside the coastal region too, in cities like Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubbali-Dharwad and Belagavi. Mangaluru has witnessed vigilantism from these fringe groups on previous occasions of New Years eve and Valentines Day. VHPs district working president Jagdish Shenava led a delegation to the Mangaluru police commissioner TR Suresh with a warning that they will take matters into their own hands if the police do not stop parties in open spaces.

This is the first time we are officially issuing a warning to the police and the administration. During the last few years, we had taken action ourselves, which led to untoward incidents. We want to give one chance to the police to take our appeal seriously and see that we are a well-meaning organisation committed to stop social aberrations that give rise to open consumption of alcohol, drugs and other narcotic substances, Shenava said.

The letter submitted to the police commissioner states that if any untoward incident occurs on account of these parties, police will be directly responsible, implying that the fringe groups are prepared to forcibly shut parties after 11 pm. That girls do not have to pay an entry charge at most such events is a scheme to lure college students to the parties, according to the popular belief among VHP functionaries.

No hanky-panky business

Sharan Pumpwell, state president of Bajrang Dal, told Firstpost, We respect an individuals rights, but at the same time we will also not allow the civic modesty to be ravaged by these parties. The police have promised us that everything will be kept in check, but we have learnt that they too have their compulsions. We will be on alert. We are watching the places where these parties are being held on New Years eve. If we find any 'hanky-panky' business, we will be there if the police does not take action to restore order."

We are experiencing many incidents of 'love jihad' in the region and our research establishes that it is events such as weekend parties, New Year parties and Valentines Day celebrations that are triggering events of 'love jihad', he added.

District units of Bajrang Dal and VHP in Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, too, have issued notices to the police and the district administration on similar lines, but the police chiefs of these districts have not confirmed receiving such a warning. Despite a brief history of incidents involving attacks on party-goers, Mangaluru hotels are reporting good business in the last weekend of the year.

A banquet manager at a hotel known for its parties, seeking anonymity, said that most rooms are booked and there have been no cancellations so far. Customers have confirmed with us if we will have a DJ on 31st night before booking rooms. There might be some cancellations when news of fringe groups threat gets out, he said.

Event organiser Rakesh Shetty has a group of 50 guests, including foreigners, coming from Calangute and Colva in Goa. We just hope that everything goes well. If it doesnt, I will end up in a big mess and face financial loss, Shetty said.



Goa on alert

The fear of fringe groups has travelled across the border as well. According to South Goa police, security has been tightened around all beaches and party zones, including Panaji, Calangute, Margao, Vasco and Biana. The Goa Police is not taking any chances as these parties will have foreigners in attendance and an incident in such a scenario may draw infamy and international criticism.

Tighter arrangements in Goa often see revellers making way to Gokarna in Uttara Kannada district, which has several beaches and a less crowded atmosphere to offer on the New Years eve. Jose Luis Carlos Almeida, MLA of Vasco da Gama, and chairman of the state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation, allayed the fears of vigilante attacks in Goa.

We respect every culture and our people are highly enlightened. There are hardly any incidents of vigilantism. We do have strong security ring around the places where large number of people gather for partying on New Years eve, but presence of police is never felt unless law and order is disturbed. They are briefed to keep distance from the crowds, Almeida said.

Keralas gain

In the last decade, Mangaluru has witnessed repeated incidents of vigilantism. Attack on Amnesia Pub in 2009 and on a homestay in 2012, among other incidents of vigilantism targeting youths, have impacted Mangalurus image of a coastal paradise for tourists.

Amid an overcrowded Goa and the opposition to late night partying from fringe groups in Mangaluru, it is resorts in Kerala that are gaining new visitors from Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mangaluru. Kasargod and Kannur happen to be decent places to ring in the New Year, but finding alcohol is not very easy. You have to stay in a 3-star place that has stocked booze. It may be costlier than normal, but keeps us in check, said Sushi Vaidya, a Bengaluru-based techie.

While Bajrang Dal and VHP consider it their responsibility to thrash people in order to give a glimpse of the perfect culture they own, a few other Hindu organisations and Mahila Mandalis have begun holding events to depict devotion and nationalism on 31 December every year. Vinayak Bhat, a Hindu activist, said he has already distributed flyers inviting other groups to take part in New Year events.

At these satsang events, we distribute thirtha prasadam and light refreshments, light diyas, listen to devotional music and even partake in a Yakshagana episode depicting tales from the epics, Bhat said.

(M Raghuram is a Mangaluru - based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
Uttarkashi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at the ITBP camp in Matli on the Indo-China border this evening to spend the new year with jawans who brave sub-zero temperatures during the winter as they secure the country's frontiers.

The home minister was given a guard of honour by the 12th battalion of the ITBP and accorded a warm welcome by BJP leaders including Gangotri MLA Gopal Singh Rawat and a host of

senior officials as he arrived.

The Union minister took stock of the ITBP's establishment there and took part in a function organised to mark the end of 2017.

After spending the night with the border bravehearts, the minister will proceed on the new year's day to the Nelang valley about 120 kilometers from here.

He will meet soldiers and take stock of the situation at about ten border posts located in the Nelang valley including the Naga and PDA posts before returning to Delhi, an official said.
Hyderabad: An engineering student was found dead at his residence Saturday morning with his head covered with a polythene bag that was tied around his neck with a rope, police said.

The student, identified as Varun, had come home from his hostel for a week and spent most of his time alone playing games on his laptop, said police.

However, officials added that it was not known what games he was playing on his laptop.

Based on a complaint by the deceased's father, a case of suicide was registered, said police.

Officials added that it seems as if Varun, studying in the second year of a city-based engineering college, died of suffocation.
Srinagar: A total of 206 militants were killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir and 75 others persuaded to shun violence in 2017, state police chief SP Vaid said on Sunday.

Addressing a media conference in Srinagar, director general of police Vaid said there were many misconceptions about "Operation All Out" started by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir during 2017.

"I want to make it clear that this operation is not only about killing militants, but also to bring them back into the mainstream."

"This year, while we killed 206 militants, we brought 75 youth back who had either joined or were about to join the militancy. Apart from this seven youth, who had picked up arms, were brought back due to the support their families showed to us," he said.

Vaid also said that the state police also achieved major successes in curbing drug abuse by booking 34 persons under Public Safety Act.
In the last edition of this year's monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed Christmas greetings and talked about the teachings of Jesus Christ and his commitment to the service of mankind. He also paid tributes to Guru Gobind Singh and said that his extraordinary life of courage inspires us all. He urged the people to shape their lives according to the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh, who fought against oppression and injustice.

Guru Gobind Singh ji fought against oppression & injustice. His teachings to people focused on breaking the cordons of caste and religion. In this endeavour, he stood to lose a lot on his personal front. But he never let antagonism raise its ugly head in his path. PM: #MannKiBaat  ALL INDIA RADIO (@AkashvaniAIR) December 31, 2017

While talking about 1 January, 2018, Modi said that this day is particularly special because those born in the 21st century will become eligible to vote. He urged all the people born in the 21st century to register themselves as voters and said that their vote will become the basis for a 'new India'. "A vote is the biggest power in a democracy. It can transform our nation," he said.

The prime minister specifically addressed the youth between 18-25 years of age and urged them to fulfil the dream of a 'new India'. He called them the 'new India youth' and said that a new India must be free of corruption and casteism. It should also provide equal opportunities for all.

He also talked about organising mock parliaments for the youth. "We can have mock parliaments in all our districts where we discuss how to make development a mass movement and transform India," Modi said. The movement, he said, will be to make a strong and capable India. He also expressed his wish that a mock parliament be organised in New Delhi around 15 August to discuss how the dream of a 'new India' can be fulfilled by 2022.

Modi also referred to his last Mann Ki Baat address, where he had talked about the importance of positivity. He said that a person full of enthusiasm can overcome all hurdles. He gave an example of Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak, who excelled in the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) exam. Khattak's ancestral home, Modi said, was burnt by terrorists in the 1990s but he never lost hope. "He chose to serve the people of the country," he said.

Modi also urged the people of India to take a vow of cleanliness. He said that he wants to gift a 'swachh Bharat' to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary. He also said that a cleanliness survey will be conducted from 4 January to 10 march to evaluate achievements in the cleanliness of urban areas.

The prime minister also talked about the rights of Muslim women in India. He said that he noticed a Muslim woman cannot go for Haj without a male guardian. "And when I asked about it, I came to know that it was we who have restricted them for going alone for the Haj. This practice is not followed in many of the Islamic countries," he said.

Modi added that the minority affairs ministry has removed this restriction and will now allow Muslim women to travel to Haj without a male attendant.

"Till date, 1,300 women have applied to travel for Haj without any mahram (male guardian)," the prime minister said, adding that "they should get equal opportunity". He also urged that Muslim women are exempted from the lottery system for Haj.

The prime minister also said that 26 January, 2018, will be remembered by all because the leaders of all ASEAN nations will be the guests for the Republic Day celebrations.

With inputs from IANS
Kochi: Alleging "illegality" in provisions of the bill that criminalises instant triple talaq, an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader said Muslim bodies would challenge it in the Supreme Court if the Rajya Sabha also passes it.

The Lok Sabha had last week passed the bill that makes triple talaq punishable by up to three years imprisonment for the husband. The IUML leader in the Lok Sabha PK Kunjalikutty alleged there were many "lacunae" and "contradictions" in the bill passed by the Lower House last week.

IUML national general secretary said various Muslim bodies in the country would move the Supreme Court if the bill was also passed by the Rajya Sabha.

"We will challenge it in the Supreme Court. We will move the apex court if the Rajya Sabha also passes the bill. The IUML will be a party to it," Kunhalikutty told PTI. Hitting out at the BJP government, he alleged the ruling party's move to "criminalise a family problem is completely politically motivated". "It is a bid (by the Centre) to interfere in the personal law," the IUML leader said.

Alleging there were lacunae in the bill, he said it does not answer many fundamental questions, including protection of the wife and children if the husband goes to jail for uttering "talaq" three times. He also claimed that the practise of triple talaq does not exist in the country. The Lok Sabha had passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill last week by a voice vote after rejecting a string of amendments moved by opposition members.

The bill will now be sent to the Rajya Sabha for passage before it is forwarded to the president for signing it into law. Given the Congress's stated support, the bill is likely to be passed by the Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks a majority. The Supreme Court had outlawed instant triple talaq in August and asked the government to frame a law within six months.

Ending the controversial divorce practice was one of the ruling BJP's electoral promises. Members from RJD, AIMIM, BJD, AIADMK and All India Muslim League had opposed the bill, saying it was arbitrary in nature and a faulty proposal.

ET Mohammed Basheer of the IUML and Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM had alleged that through the bill the government was trying to bring in a Uniform Civil Code.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged youths, who turn 18, to register as electors and said their votes would prove to be the bedrock of New India.

In his last 'Mann ki Baat' address of the year, he suggested that 'mock Parliament' be organised around 15 August in Delhi, comprising a young representative selected from every district of the country who would deliberate on how a new India could be formed in the next five years.

He said mock parliaments should be organised in every district before the proposed event in August in the national capital.

He said in the new year, people should take concrete steps to make a "progressive India" and also recounted an inspirational story of Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak, the topper of the Kashmir Administrative Service examination.

"He actually extricated himself from the sting of terrorism and hatred and topped in the Kashmir Administrative Examination. You will be surprised to know that terrorists had set his ancestral home on fire in 1990," Modi said.

He said terrorism and violence were so widespread there that his family had to leave their ancestral land and flee.

For a young child, such an atmosphere of violence could easily create darkness and bitterness in heart, but Anjum did not let it be so and he never gave up hope. He chose a different path, a path of serving the people, he said.

He also recalled his meeting with young girls from the state and said he was amazed at the spirit that they had, the enthusiasm that was there in their hearts and the dreams they nurtured.

He said people born in the year 2000 or later would gradually begin to become eligible voters from 1 January, 2018.

"The Indian democracy welcomes the voters of the 21st century, the 'new India voters'. I congratulate our youth and urge them to register themselves as voters.

"The entire nation is eager to welcome you as voters of the 21st century...your vote will prove to be the bedrock of new India. The power of the vote is the greatest strength of a democracy. It is the most effective tool in bringing about a positive change in the lives of millions of people," he said.

According to the Election Commission, 13,430,193 people who were 18-19 years of age voted in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

"...new India will be free from the poison of casteism, communalism, terrorism and corruption; free from filth and poverty. In the New India everyone will have equal opportunity and aspirations and wishes of everyone will be fulfilled. New India will be a place where peace, unity and amity will be our guiding force," Modi said in his broadcast.

On cleanliness, Modi said a change can now be seen in the form of public participation in rural and urban areas alike.

He said Cleanliness Survey 2018, the largest in the world, will be conducted from 4 January to March 10 to evaluate the achievements of the mission in urban areas. This survey will cover a population of more than 40 crore in over 4,000 cities.

He said this Republic Day, not one but ten chief guests would grace the 26 January parade at Rajpath.

"...26 January, 2018 will especially be remembered through the ages. The Republic Day will be celebrated with leaders of all ten ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries coming to India as chief guests...this is unprecedented in India's history," he said.

He said, 2017 has been special for both ASEAN and India. While, ASEAN completed 50 years of formation and India's partnership with ASEAN also completed 25 years.

"On 26 January, the arrival of great leaders of 10 nations of the world as a unit is a matter of pride for all Indians," Modi said.
Srinagar: Heavily armed terrorists launched a pre-dawn attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of South Kashmir, killing five personnel of the force and injuring three others, a security forces spokesperson said.

CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav said the bodies of two terrorists have also been recovered while one more is believed to have been killed. "Five CRPF jawans have been martyred and others are injured. The bodies of two terrorists have also been recovered. We believe another terrorist has also been killed," Yadav told PTI.

He said intermittent firing was still on and one terrorist is believed to be holed up in building block. A CRPF official said the "heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries."

Yadav told PTI the terrorists fired indiscriminately and injured three CRPF personnel. One of the injured personnel was identified as Saifuddin, a resident of Nowgam, officials said.

Director General of Police S P Vaid said security forces had inputs about an impending militant strike in the Valley for the past three days.

Terming the attack as "unfortunate", Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night," Vaid told reporters. The CRPF camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir.

A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.
After years of speculations over his political ambitions, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday confirmed his entry into Tamil Nadu's fractured politics. This was for the first time that the charismatic actor, who enjoys a cult status in the Tamil film industry, has clarified his stand on taking a political plunge.

Addressing a gathering of fans on the valedictory of a six-day-long meet at Raghavendra Mandapam in Chennai, Rajinikanth said that his entry into politics is "definite". Rajinikanth said that he will start his own political party prior to the Assembly elections. He also added that his party will be contesting in all the 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Chennai: #Rajinikanth greets fans outside Raghvendra Mandapam after announcing his political entry pic.twitter.com/as4pWgMm7C  ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

'Other states making fun of Tamil Nadu'

While spelling out his plans on entering the political arena, the veteran actor sought a structural change in politics of Tamil Nadu.

"Democracy is in bad shape right now, all other states have been making fun of us (Tamil Nadu), I will feel guilty if I don't take this decision now," the Tamil superstar told his supporters on Sunday.

Quoting a shloka from the Bhagavad Gita which stresses on the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the rest to the Lord, he said that his decision was a "compulsion of time".

"It's time for a truthful, transparent political party. That is my desire and no one can stand in my way. To start and contest an election with a new party is going to be difficult but the love and support of my Tamil people will prove my decision right," the Tamil superstar said.

Rajinikanth said he was not getting into politics for power. He said at the age of 45 he was not interested in political power and now at the age of 68 one cannot say he was power crazy.

What's the game plan?

Rajinikanth said that the policies of his upcoming party will be taken to the people while adding that truthfulness, hard work and growth will be the slogan of his party. "Do good, speak good, and then only good will happen," will be the guiding slogan, he said.

The Kabali actor also said that he does not need "cadres" in his upcoming parties but guardians who will make sure that Tamil men and women get whatever they need without bowing to corrupt leaders.

The actor told the gathering that he is likely to convert his fan club associations into a support base. "I have thousands of fan clubs in the state. Their strength is more than the total strength of political parties. I will take their help initially. From villages to cities, our guardians must be present," Rajinikanth said. He added that his first task was to get many of his unregistered fan clubs registered with the parent body.

He however, also threw few words of caution to his supporters. "Before starting the party, we need to be disciplined first, it's only then that we can decide our electoral policy. Whenever the Assembly election is announced, we will be ready for it," Rajini said while concluding his short speech. It is to be noted that the Assembly elections are due in 2021.

The actor also said his party would resign if it was not able to fulfil the electoral promises within three years of coming into power.

Keeping the guessing game on over his much-awaited political plunge, the 67-year-old actor had on 26 December said that he would announce his decision on 31 December.

In a Firstpost article, Rajinikanth was quoted as saying: "I had earlier mentioned that let us face the war when it comes. By war, of course, I meant the election. I'm not new to politics. I have been a witness to it since 1996. I have been hesitant about my plunge since I thoroughly know the dynamics of politics and its depth. If we step on the battlefield, we should win the war. "

The actor had also said that in politics, more than courage, one needs prudence and proper strategy to rise in triumph. "Everyone keeps saying that I'm procrastinating needlessly. So, I will announce my political stance on 31 December. I'm not saying that I will come to politics (smiles). I said I would announce my decision on 31 December," said Rajinikanth, putting an end to all speculations.

Rajinikanth has been holding a six-day meeting with his fans for many years now.

With inputs from agencies
Uttarkashi: Home minister Rajnath Singh will ring in the New Year with Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops in Uttarakhand's Nelong valley along the China border.

This visit comes days after Chinese military said India should "strictly control" its troops.

This would be the home minister's second visit to the Sino-Indian border area in Uttarakhand after his four-day tour of the region in September. It was one of the firsts by a senior minister in the Narendra Modi-led government to China border after the resolution of the stand-off in Doka La.

Singh would celebrate the New Year on Monday with ITBP personnel at Nelong Border Outpost (BoP) situated at the height of 11,700 feet. The border outpost is in Nelong valley which is surrounded by high mountains and where temperature dips upto minus 15 degrees Celsius.

The home minister is expected to reach ITBP's 12th battalion headquarters on Sunday in picturesque Matli, located at 3,400 feet on the banks of Bhagirathi river, where he will attend a cultural programme by jawans and their family members.

He will also visit PDA or Pulam Sumdha (altitude 14,200 feet), Kopang (8,700 feet) and Bhairon Ghati (9,150 feet), and will interact with jawans of the ITBP.

The home minister would be accompanied by ITBP Director General (DG) RK Pachnanda during his visit.

The Doka La standoff began on 16 June after the People's Liberation Army (PLA) began building a road in the area claimed by Bhutan.

The standoff ended on 28 August following a mutual agreement under which China stopped the construction of the road and India withdrew its troops.

The about 90,000-personnel strong ITBP is tasked with guarding the 3,488 kilometre long China-India border that stretches through Jammu and Kashmir (1,597 kilometre), Himachal Pradesh (200 kilometre), Uttarakhand (345 kilometre), Sikkim (220 kilometre) and Arunachal Pradesh (1,126 kilometre).

Asked how the Chinese military viewed its relations with its Indian counterpart in 2018 in the backdrop of the Doka La standoff, Chinese defence spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang on Thursday had said India should implement the border agreements and control its troops.
Heavily armed militants launched a pre-dawn suicide attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Pulwama district of South Kashmir, killing three personnel and injuring four others. CRPF officials said two militants holed up in a building block in the camp were killed in the subsequent operation to neutralise the ultras.

The Pakistan based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack. Police sources said around 2 am, two heavily armed militants attacked the 185 battalion CRPF camp at Lethpora, some 18 kilometres south of Srinagar.

The militants lobbed grenades and resorted to heavy firing on security guards. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," CRPF officials said. "They manage to enter under cover of darkness, but security forces isolated them into one of its buildings," a source added.

The attack comes nearly a week after the outfit threatened to carry out an attack to avenge the killing of its top militant Noor Mohammad Tantray, alias Noor Trali. Mohammad, 47, who was barely four feet tall, recently took over as JeM's divisional commander in South Kashmir. He was called as the 'merchant of death' by a special court in Delhi and was looking to revive JeM in South Kashmir.

The attack has raised several questions about the alertness of security agencies as the militants have, once again, managed to strike near the busy Srinagar Jammu National Highway. Until now, the security forces had upper hand and the number of militants killed this year crossed 200, the highest in the past seven years. Internet services were suspended in Pulwama and traffic on Srinagar Jammu National Highway was halted.

However, SP Vaid, Director General of Police, said security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Valley for the past three days. Terming the attack as "unfortunate", Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days. They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters. The CRPF camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir. A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.

With inputs from PTI
Editor's note: From May 2017, Firstpost is featuring a fortnightly column by Mridula Ramesh, titled 'Climate Conversations'. In this column, we take a look at pressing issues pertaining to climate change  in an accessible way.

As 2017 draws to a close, I will borrow from Confucius: There are three ways to learn wisdom; first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; third, by experience, which is bitterest.

What happened in 2017?

A cataclysmic start

The year began dramatically with the swearing in of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States of America. Trump, in his own words, believes that The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive."

Trumps scepticism about climate change is well known  one journalist has found that Trump has tweeted sceptically about climate change more than 115 times!

Scepticism can be healthy, but animosity isnt. Trumps apparent animosity towards science in general, and climate change in particular, has taken many forms.

The changing sands

The first is erasing the evidence.

The New York Times reported in October that the EPA had scrubbed off several links which talked about climate change. The EPA, or the Environmental Protection Agency, is Americas environment ministry. When I searched the EPA landing page in early December, there was not a single mention of the phrase climate change. Compare this to the content of landing page of the same EPA on the day before Trump was sworn in  there were three mentions of climate change, including a full section devoted to the subject.

The censorship goes deeper.

For some of the research in my book on climate change, I had used information from the official website of The White House. In the process of reviewing and rechecking my references this year, I found that those pages had disappeared, replaced by An America First Energy Plan which proudly stated: President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan.

I have many friends who sit proudly on the right end of the political spectrum (including being sceptical about climate change). But our discussions (and disagreements) revolve around a wonderful combination of data and logic which strengthens conclusions on both ends. No one resorts to denial.

Denial is the last refuge of the insecure  it doesnt care about solutions.

The second manifestation of Trumps animosity is a change of leadership. In February 2017, Trump appointed Scott Pruitt as the head of the Environment Protection Agency. The irony would be hilarious if it were not so tragic; Pruitt is an outright climate change denialist and has sued the agency (that he now runs) 14 times!

Its like giving the fox the keys to the henhouse.

Naturally, this has led to funding and job cuts of a very serious nature. Even the American senate balked when faced with approving 30 percent cuts.

The third manifestation was more symbolic  withdrawing from the world stage. On 2 June, Trump caused America to formally withdraw from the Paris agreement on climate change. America could have done more harm by staying and undermining the agreement from within, so this symbol may yet offer some blessings. Indeed, many within the fossil fuel industry have urged their President publicly to stay within the agreement.

But the symbolism is clear: you, the rest of the world, are unimportant to me.

So what?

America, despite some dissenting voices, is, to use an American phrase, not going to play ball on climate change action.

For the worlds largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases to do this means climate change action is severely compromised. There is no way to sugar coat this. As Bill McKibben, a noted American environmentalist recently wrote, Climate change... is a negotiation between people on the one hand and physics on the other. And physics doesn't do compromise.

Cutting Indias emissions will not stem the tide, which means the world will continue to shift to a profoundly different place  climatically.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are at the highest level they have been in several million years. The Keeling Curve, which graphs carbon dioxide concentrations in our air, shows we have crossed the psychological 400 ppm of mark emphatically.

The last time atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were this high was about three million years ago, when temperatures were 1-2 degrees Celsius warmer and the sea levels were 15-25 metres higher than they are now.

The thought of losing Mumbai and New York to the sea in the next 100 years should make us, at the very least, pause. Yet, were not.

Carbon emissions are still climbing. After a couple of years of pausing, global carbon dioxide emissions were projected to rise by 2 percent in 2017, mainly due to a growing Chinese economy.

There is no place to hide

Why should India care?

Because our country will be hit very very hard by climate change. An IMF report from September 2017 stated that India is among the worst hit countries, losing about 1.3 percent of its per capita output for a 1 degree Celsius temperature increase. Thats undeniably believable given the events of the past year.

The first half of the year saw south India reeling under the worst drought in the last 140 years! Every section of society  rich and poor, farmer and city-dweller  was affected.

Farmers suffered; they did not have enough water to flood their fields in order to grow their paddy. They protested in an attention-provoking style  naked in front of the Prime Ministers office, with shaven heads, holding the skulls of diseased comrades.

City-dwellers paid private parties handsomely to get dubious-quality drinking-water.

Industries faced a backlash. A power plant in southern Tamil Nadu had to shut down when free water was unavailable. Embedded in this closure was the message that the plant is profitable only

if water is free  a dangerous assumption to make as the climate changes. Public anger against Coca-Cola and Pepsi for tapping into the already scarce ground water levels resulted in a trade organisation boycotting the products, a vivid lesson that sustainability needs to take centrestage while formulating corporate strategies.

There were the heat waves in May in several parts of the country, as temperatures reached levels that are fatal to the human body.

Then as the monsoons  thankfully normal this year  cooled the country, the problem of plenty began to surface. The fractures in our urban management and in our farms began to be exposed. Fires burned in the fields of Madhya Pradesh, which is one of the best managed states as far as agriculture is concerned. As yields soared, the shortcomings in market dynamics and storage manifested themselves.

The link between climate change and farmers lives is well understood. In a hot country, increases in temperature can cause yields to plummet, and in dry states, that problem is worsened by the lack of water. One study estimated that when temperatures are above 20 degrees Celsius, a one-degree Celsius temperature increase on one day in the growing period lead to as many as 70 farmer suicides across the country.

Floods overtook one city after the next in India  Gujarat, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai. City life was predictably paralysed. With warmer temperatures accelerating virus multiplication in mosquitoes and the supportive waste-created nurseries for mosquito larvae, dengue incidence soared. The dengue epidemic that came in the aftermath of the rains has been one of the worst ever.

The message is coming through, loud and clear: there is no place to hide from a warming climate, and we cannot expect the emissions to slow down fast enough.

This is the wisdom we have learned from the bitterest of teachers  experience.

Easier lessons

But there are easier lessons we can learn from others. There are countries in the world thriving during drought. There are farmers in the world who have made their fields weather independent and are able to cope with drought economically. There are cities which are resilient to floods, springing back with minimal loss to life or property. There are countries which have seen the incidence of dengue fall dramatically, even in a warmer, stormier climate.

Reflection teaches that our choices, urban and rural, have a big role in how we experience the ravages of a warmer climate. How we manage our waste, how we use our water, how we decide upon our transport system, how we subsidise our farmers, and most importantly, how we choose and engage with our elected leaders  all these (and more) determine our resilience. To that extent, the warmer climate has a silver lining  it is exposing the cracks within our social contract.

What do our reflections and our experiences tell us of what we should do in the new year?

They tell us that the climate is going to warm the planet and increasingly take centrestage in our lives. And in the backdrop of a Trump-led America, we need to adapt.

They tell us to be mindful of choices we make as a society and how we elect and engage with our leaders  not just during elections, but continually.

They tell us to adopt a solutions mindset  to consider good-quality data and consider the economic consequences of actions.

They tell us, there have been successes, so not to lose hope.

The writer is the founder of the Sundaram Climate Institute, cleantech angel investor, teacher and author of a forthcoming book on Climate Change and India. Follow her work on her website; on Twitter; or write to her at cc@climaction.net
New Delhi: The Congress said on Sunday that it will raise issues related to ex-servicemen in the current session of Parliament, as the military veterans rued the "dilution" of their post-retirement benefits.

Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev expressed concern over the "hike" in the premium of ex-servicemen's contributory health scheme.

"As the primary opposition party, it is our duty to raise the issues concerning ex-servicemen," she told reporters at a press conference, adding that the Congress will raise the matter in Parliament.

A group of ex-servicemen, including retired Major General Satbir Singh, chairman of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement, was also present at the press conference with Dev.

The ex-servicemen said that they felt like "victims" as their post-retirement benefits had been "diluted and downgraded" in the past three years.

"We have assurances of the government on our issues but the situation has not changed for the better. We got our pensions increased but the one rank one pension issue is still unresolved," Singh said.

He said that the contributions of ex-servicemen including retired soldiers, junior commissioned officers and commissioned officers to the health scheme have been "doubled" posing problems for them.

"We recently met the defence minister but no solution has been found. We have also sought a meeting with the Prime Minister but our letter is yet to be acknowledged," Singh claimed.

Other members of the ex-servicemen community raised issues of widow pension, education of martyrs' children, ration and health services schemes, alleging that the facilities were being "diluted".

"We do not ask for extra, we want what is just and fair," Singh said.
Gujarat Chief Secretary JN Singh recently ruffled a few feathers when he was quoted in a national daily that farmer distress and lack of employment among youth were two factors that came out very strongly during the recently-concluded assembly elections in the state and these sections expressed their distress, their anger by voting against the ruling party.

Though the BJP won the Gujarat assembly election consecutively for the sixth time, its seats declined to 99 from 115 in the last election in 2012. Congress posed a tough challenge to the ruling party and won 77 seats. The electoral losses especially in Saurashtra region have been attributed to farmer distress and unemployment.

Singh, a 1983-batch Gujarat cadre IAS officer, was quoted from his speech during the inauguration of Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) branch office in Ahmedabad.

In an interview to Firstpost, Singh denied that he attributed the ruling partys loss of seats to challenges that came during election, adding that things had to be seen in context and not in isolation.

He added that the newly formed Gujarat government is working towards a model that could provide best remunerative prices to farmers for their produce.

Excerpts:

A national daily has quoted you as saying in an event of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) that during the elections two factors came out very, very strongly...farmer distress and employment...expressed anger by voting against the ruling party. How far is it true that due to these two factors mentioned by you, the rural people voted against the ruling BJP government in the recently held Gujarat assembly election?

No, not at all. Its not true that the two factors I had mentioned affected the voting pattern; I didnt say that. Things have to be seen in context rather than selectively or in isolation. I was speaking during the inauguration of a regional office of AEPC in Ahmedabad. I said certainly two challenges came up before the government during the election time  one, issues related to rural and agrarian sector and the other was employment.

I referred to these two areas in context of the opening of the AEPC office, as the AEPCs role is to boost garment sector, which will help in creating employment. Second, it leads to utilisation of cotton, which is one of the major cash crops in Gujarat. The entire value chain in the textiles sector would get completed as AEPC deals with garments manufacturing and exports. This will lead to actualisation of our Prime Minister Narendra Modis slogan of Farm-to-fibre-to-fabric-to-fashion and ultimately to foreign.

As a top government functionary, should you have referred to election and voting pattern while making your statement?

The discussion wasnt on the election per se. I had referred to the election to point out the challenges that the government has been facing. The Gujarat government has been dealing with these challenges successfully, like procuring groundnut at minimum support price (MSP).

Do you think that due to the agrarian crisis and rising unemployment, the BJP failed to get the number of seats it had aimed for?

No. Had that been the case, the ruling party wouldnt have won for the sixth time in a row. The win shows the reaffirmation of peoples faith in the policies of Narendra Modi. There are several factors and electoral arithmetic that takes place at such times; more so for a party which has been in power for over two decades.

What plan does the Gujarat government have in order to address the challenges before it?

In the farm sector, the Gujarat government has already procured various crops like groundnut and cotton on MSPs. Nearly 90 lakh quintals of groundnut have been procured at MSP. The issue is of providing remunerative prices to farmers, which has now improved in Gujarat. The state government has increased cold storage capacities to ensure safe storage to perishable crops during bumper production.

The government is working towards having a model similar to the Haryana government to provide MSP to farmers. Were expanding irrigation facilities.

There is tremendous focus on the hospitality industry. Gujarat is emerging as a health tourism destination. Were coming up with policies to boost these sectors.

The newly formed government is giving a thrust to employment generation. Garment industry is a key area, which were expanding and this will help in generating large-scale employment.

Finally, what is the Gujarat model of development that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP often refer to?

It is about good development of large industries along with ancillaries and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on one hand and double-digit growth in agriculture by increasing farm produce on the other. The government has been providing 24 hours electricity and irrigation facility to farmers. The focus has been on best utilisation of resources. Along with this, an emphasis is also placed on aspects of the social sector like health, education and drinking water supply to provide best services to the urban and rural people.
Narendra Modi is the most talented politician of our times, not just in India but also farther afield. It is not easy to come up with names of elected leaders who are as popular as him. I can think of Russian president Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of Turkey, who are somewhat similar. I do not understand the politics of those nations to any great extent, but I do know that the support enjoyed by them is similar to Modi's in one sense. The leader in each of three instances is more popular than the party because he has broadened the traditional base.

Modi regularly polls an approval rating of over 70 percent. I recognise that such polls are inaccurate and to a large extent unscientific, but even so, the consistency with which he achieves this is remarkable given that his party has only ever got 31 percent of the all-India votes at its peak, which was in 2014. Anecdotal evidence, meaning the people I speak to about this, also confirms that he is a popular leader.

If we examine the case of Modi, we can discern the following types of people who are attracted to him and his style of politics. The most important is his base of the upper caste, middle class, and urban voters. The way BJP swept the cities in Gujarat confirms this analysis: even when the party's policies are failing in the rural and semi-rural areas, it is this base that remains firmly behind BJP, and to a larger extent, Modi personally.

The reasons for this support are several. The middle class is convinced that this country is run poorly and needs to be straightened out through radical actions. The idea of a strongman coming in to do this has always found appeal in this section, and as someone who is almost 50-years-old, I can report that this has been the case for at least three decades. This perspective, of course, is reductionist and simplistic, but I don't want to discuss that today.

The anti-reservations stance of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its Brahminised view of culture are in alignment with how this group broadly sees the world around them. This community is highly nationalistic (they are the people who flock to the events that Modi holds with the Indian immigrants when he's abroad), which fits in with the posture of BJP. The powerful nationalism means that they are almost totally brainwashed on issues related to Pakistan and China. Fortunately, this missing ability to engage with complexity also falls into place with BJP's outlook.

Economically, this is the community that depends on high GDP growth, an expansion of white collar jobs, investments in modern infrastructure (for example, bullet train over rural roads and airports over state transport buses).

It is not easy to generalise on the matter of minority rights. However, while accepting that the dislike for minorities is something all South Asian communities have, an excess of violence will trouble this community, if only it clashes with their perceptions about India. The pure idea of 'secularism' does not appeal to them to any large extent and this is essentially a construct. Not many Indians vote for secularism.

Being middle class, and therefore, salaried for the most part, this group sets great store by 'merit' and is attracted to Modi because he is self-made unlike dynastic Rahul. The second category of Modi supporter is the regular BJP supporter, who gravitates towards the party because he comes from the dominant caste that supports the party, like the Lingayat in Karnataka, the Patidar in Gujarat and the Rajput in Rajasthan. The third one is the Indian who is attracted to Hindutva and believes that the enemy is internal and needs to be sorted out before India progresses.

I dont think either of the latter two categories is particularly important or interesting for this argument because they will remain with BJP no matter who the party is led by, whether it's Modi or someone else. They support BJP now and will continue doing so in the future as well. It is the charisma and belief in Modi as an individual with the ability to deliver that separates the first category from the others.

We have all of 2018 before us, the last full year before the General Elections to Lok Sabha. The data is in on Modi's economic performance: he's a flop. Manmohan Singh has pointed out that Modi will be unable to match the average rate of growth delivered by Singh over a decade. In the corporate world (which loves Modi), where the chief executive is judged by quarterly results, Modi would have been fired. To me, the important data point is this: in 2009 the world's economy contracted because of the financial crisis. Today it is booming and growing at 3 percent. But even in this environment, India's growth has declined. This is because of the deliberate slowing down induced by eccentric actions like demonetisation.

This failure will influence Modi and BJP negatively when they prepare the pitch for the 2019 elections. There is no economic achievement to speak of (when was the last time you heard the 'fastest growing nation' line?) and I don't think there will be a positive campaign like the Achche Din type of 2014. It will be vicious and divisive. As an Indian, it will be depressing. As a writer and observer of our society, it will be utterly fascinating to see how the first category, to me the most important pillar of Modi's personal support, reacts to it.
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday slammed the government over a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said in New Delhi that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

During elections, Modi says India is a strong nation. But the number of casualties in ceasefire violations was going up, Dev said at a press conference.

"It is a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy," she said, adding the Congress wanted him to take strong steps to deter India's external and internal enemies.

Modi had claimed he had a 56-inch chest and that he would teach Pakistan a lesson, Dev said.

"What that lesson could be he should decide. The Congress will support him if he takes any step in the interest of the nation. But he must do something immediately."

Citing a report on a "secret dialogue" between national security advisers of India and Pakistan, she said the government should inform Parliament about the dialogue it was engaging in concerning defence and foreign policy.

"You have a talk after Christmas and an attack happened today in Pulwama. We are unable to accept these two. We do not oppose dialogue (with Pakistan) but what is the result of this if an attack dampens the image of the country in the world," Dev said.

She said the Congress expected the Modi government to have "consistency" in its foreign policy.

"We have been repeatedly saying India is coming across as a nation with a wishy-washy foreign policy. India is being increasingly taken more and more lightly," she said.

The government, by taking the Opposition along, should give a message to the world at large that "India cannot be taken lightly", she said and added such incidents put the country in a "weak light".

Two heavily armed militants stormed the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora in Pulwama around 2 am, killing a personnel and leaving two others injured.
Chennai: Political leaders in Tamil Nadu on Sunday welcomed actor Rajinikanth's entry into politics and his decision to contest the next Assembly elections.

DMK leader MK Stalin said Rajinikanth had finally put a full stop to the expectations of his fans but asserted that the DMK was not bothered by the actor's political plunge.

Chief Minister K Palaniswamy, whose ruling faction suffered a shock defeat in the RK Nagar Assembly constituency, said anyone was free to enter politics in a democracy.

Palaniswami's rival TTV Dhinakaran (his name is also spelt as Dinakaran), who was elected from RK Nagar by a whopping margin, also hailed Rajinikanth's decision.

On Sunday, Rajinikanth said he would practice "spiritual politics" and contest all the 234 Assembly seats in the next elections. He said his entry into politics was a "compulsion of time".

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan welcomed Rajinikanth's decision and hoped he would support the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

State Congress President S Thirunavukkarasar pointed out that the actor had not come into politics fully and his comment that the system was rotten was aimed at the ruling AIADMK.

Political analyst Jhon Arokiasamy told IANS: "Urging his fans not to comment on the political situation till the party is floated shows that Rajinikanth wants to see through safely his two upcoming movies.

"His main task now is to set up the party infrastructure across the state, reactivating many of his fan clubs and converting them into a political force."

Arokiasamy added: "What Rajinikanth's announcement will be doing is to increase the perception that the influence of two Dravidian parties  AIADMK and DMK  in Tamil Nadu is on the decline."
1. The era of stalwarts in Tamil politics is over. The death of J Jayalalithaa and the virtual eclipse of M Karunanidhi due to old age left a void in Tamil political leadership. Neither Stalin nor E Palaniswami (EPS)/ O Panneerselvam (OPS) can match the charisma of Rajinikanth. VK Sasikala, despite the thumping mandate from RK Nagar voters giving legitimacy to her claims of inheriting Jayalalithaa's legacy, cannot match Thalaivar's charisma. But, can this charisma automatically translate into a grass roots political organisation and massive electoral support? History tells us there is no definite 'yes' or 'no' to this question.

2. The BJP has been wooing Rajinikanth with a hope to create a footprint in Dravidian politics. At best, the party hopes to piggyback on Rajinikanth. Earlier, the BJP tried OPS. When the OPS faction failed to deliver any formidable split in AIADMK, the saffron brigade shifted its goal post.

The central BJP directed the political spectacle of the merger of OPS and EPS factions. But, the people of Tamil Nadu, through the RK Nagar verdict decisively rejected the claims of OPS-EPS group to the legacy of Amma. Thus, the BJP would be desperate to have Rajinikanth in the fold. The Tamil Nadu state BJP president has already described Rajinikanth as a natural ally of saffron politics.

The spiritual and nationalist symbolism seen in Rajinikanth's announcement gives credence to BJP's claims. Such symbolism is quite uncharacteristic to Dravidian politics. While Kamal Haasan, his friend in films and a co-passenger in Tamil politics, has categorically declared that saffron is not his colour, Rajinikanth neither denied the speculation nor was willing to respond.

The Hindi-Hindu saffron political narrative has always been an antithesis to Tamil identity and Dravidian political discourse despite the Tamil regional parties conveniently switching loyalties to the party in power at Centre. Will the Tamil people favour Rajinikanth's possible bonhomie with BJP?

3. Rajini has a large and structured fan base. But, most of them are over 40 years old. He has to invent a formula to connect with the youth. He is 66 years old. His advancing age may also work against him. When NT Rama Rao (NTR) created history, he was at least seven years younger than Rajinikanth. His political entry marks millennials becoming voters. His success in politics greatly depends on how best he connects with these young and aspiring voters.

4. Rajini is talking about strategy to win the elections which he likened to war. The superstar has entered war. But he is yet to define his friends and foes on the battlefield. The political pavilion in Tamil Nadu is too crowded and awaiting clarity from Rajinikanth.

5. He has not even properly defined the cause of the war. He calls his political foray as a war for dharma and nyaaya (justice). But these words mean different things to different people. The dharma and nyaaya differs even across the Cauvery river. Rajinikanth should call a spade a spade if he wants to make a mark in politics. This requires polemics devoid of abstract ideas and phrases.

6. Politics bring both bouquet and brickbats. But these days, Rajinikanth prefers to sit on the fence and barring few exceptions, avoid controversy. Will he shed his diplomacy to become a striking force in politics?

7. Converting fan base into votes is not always assured. There are conflicting experiences. MGR and NTR succeeded. Vijayakanth and Chiranjeevi failed. Has the superstar learnt from these contrasting experiences?

8. Rajinikanth's abilities to articulate from a public platform are yet to be tested. There is a difference in delivering dialogues in films and in politics. NTR was ambidextrous. But for Chiranjeevi, this was a major limitation.

9. The situation in Tamil Nadu can at best be described as volatile. The ruling AIADMK is rudderless after the demise of Jayalalithaa, prompting Rajinikanth and Kamal to test their political fortunes. But the recent RK Nagar electoral verdict reveals that the ruling AIADMK might be facing a bitter fight between warring factions for inheritance of Jayalalithaa's political legacy. Yet, the party has not yielded ground to the Opposition.

Dhinakaran's (also spelt as Dinakaran) victory revealed Jayalalithaa's political legacy is still alive and kicking in Tamil Nadu. Rajinikanth's political acumen will be put to the test. He has to convert this political volatility into a political vacuum to find a place for himself. The DMK might have lost, but it still remains a potent force across the state. The Opposition space is not vacant and waiting for someone to fill the gap.

10. Rajinikanth has a formidable fan following. His non-Tamil identity may not so seriously matter in a state like Tamil Nadu which worshipped MGR and Jayalalithaa. But MGR was steeled in the fiery furnace of Dravidian identity politics and NTR vociferously stood for Telugu pride. Rajinikanth is yet to invent his political idiom.
IANS

The Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a digital kiosk intended to facilitate the processing of transactions and services offered to taxi drivers in the country.

It also avails them access to efficient and speedy services through using smart technologies that nurture an advanced and interactive business environment, the report said on Friday.

"The digital kiosk is operated through a smart app on smartphones. It enables the taxi driver to apply for leave, salary certificate, insurance details, test results, and Dubai map in addition to reporting a traffic accident and other applications related to travel or driving licence," said Ammar Al Buraiki, Director of Resources and Support, DTC.

The applications can be retrieved from the digital kiosk in the head office of the DTC. The app has an early distress call feature linking the cab driver with the Control Centre during emergencies and crises, and enabling the positioning of the vehicle in order to deliver the required assistance," Al Buraiki said.

He further said that the launch of the digital kiosk "is part of the efforts in support of the Smart City initiative of our government to rank Dubai as the smartest and happiest city worldwide".
IANS

Google has blocked YouTube on Amazon's Fire TV earlier than expected amid growing rivalry between the two tech giants as their businesses continue to overlap.

The move is in retaliation for Amazon's refusal to sell some Google products that compete with the retailer's gadgets, and Fire TV devices now encourage people to access YouTube via one of the gadget's web browsers instead, the Dailymail reported.

"YouTube and millions of other websites are accessible by using a web browser like Firefox or Silk on Fire TV," Amazon was quoted as saying.

Earlier this month, Google had warned Amazon that it would pull the YouTube app from Fire TV devices on 1 January, if the two firms could not come to an agreement on the access of Google's apps on Fire TV devices.

"We've been trying to reach agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each other's products and services. But Amazon doesn't carry Google products like Chromecast, and Google Home doesn't make Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of Nest's latest products," The Verge quoted a YouTube spokesperson as saying.

"Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and FireTV. We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon," the spokesperson added.

Amazon pointed towards the unfair nature of Google of effectively blocking access to the YouTube web site based on the type of device being used to access it, Engadget reported.

"Google is setting a disappointing precedent by selectively blocking customer access to an open website. We hope to resolve this with Google as soon as possible," Amazon was quoted as saying.
Jalalabad: At least 12 people were killed and 14 others wounded when a suicide attacker blew himself up at a funeral in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said.

"The latest death toll has jumped to 12 and 14 have been wounded," Nangarhar governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said.

An earlier statement from the governor's office said six people had been killed and 11 wounded.

The attacker struck during the funeral ceremony for a former governor of Haska Mina district who died recently of natural causes, the statement said.

Provincial health director Najib Kamawal confirmed the toll.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar where the Islamic State group has a stronghold.

It comes days after IS claimed an assault on a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul that left 41 people dead and more than 80 wounded.
Yaounde: A female suicide bomber blew herself up in a cafe in Cameroon's far north region Sunday, killing at least one person and wounding 28 others, witnesses told AFP.

Witnesses said the woman entered the cafe around 7:00 am before detonating her explosive vest in Bia, a village close to the border with Nigeria.

The area has seen frequent attacks by the Boko Haram jihadist group in recent years.

Those hurt in the blast were taken to a nearby hospital, witnesses said.

Since 2014, when Cameroon began its fight against Boko Haram, the group has killed at least 2,000 civilians and military personnel and kidnapped a thousand more in the country's far north, according to the International Crisis Group.

Since the group emerged eight years ago, it has launched attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad  the nations bordering Lake Chad  and caused the deaths of at least 20,000 people and the displacement of more than 2.6 million.
Kinshasa: Congolese security forces shot dead a man and injured several others Sunday in a bloody crackdown on Catholic worshippers who gathered at churches across the country to demand that president Joseph Kabila leave power.

AFP reporters witnessed the latest of several recent outbreaks of bloodshed in the vast, mineral-rich central African country, wracked by tension over delayed elections.

An AFP reporter at a demonstration in the central city of Kananga saw a man shot in the chest by soldiers who opened fire on worshippers gathered for what church leaders said would be a peaceful protest.

Elsewhere, troops fired tear gas and bullets in the air to break up gatherings at Catholic masses across the capital Kinshasa, in one case arresting 12 altar boys who were leading a protest.

Protests banned

Church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations.

The protesters were demanding that Kabila promise he will not seek to further extend his time in power in DR Congo, a mostly Catholic former Belgian colony.

Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018.

The United Nations says dozens of people have been killed during anti-government protests this year.

Impatience boiled over on Sunday, with all the vast central African country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests.

Priest, woman hurt

In Kinshasa, AFP counted about 10 people hurt including a priest with an injury to the face and a woman in her sixties with a gash on her forehead after police broke up church gatherings.

One army officer threatened a team of AFP reporters covering the crackdown at St Michael's church in Kinshasa.

"If you don't clear out of here, I'll order that you be shot at," he said.

"Press, or not, no one is allowed inside. What's more, you have a white man with you -- that's a race that causes us problems."

A journalist for French radio station RFI was briefly detained, AFP reporters saw.

Soldiers storm church

A churchgoer who asked not to be named described to AFP how officers dispersed worshippers from one mass.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church," he said.

Another parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen"  but added that the priest carried on saying mass.

Officers later detained 12 altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes outside one church as they led a protest march.

Other protesters went back inside the church grounds and started singing for the Virgin Mary to "make Kabila go".

Elections delayed

In Kinshasa, Catholics of the "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass on Sunday.

They want Kabila, 46, to declare publicly that he will not run for another term as president.

The country has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001 and refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown.

Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal.

The delayed poll is now scheduled for 23 December next year, further angering Kabila's opponents.

'Insurrection' plan alleged

Government spokesman Lambert Mende alleged in televised comments that "weapons of war have been distributed" by opponents of the government.

"These destabilising acts of agitation aim to create an atmosphere of insurrection which would enable them to seize power in our country by undemocratic means," he said, citing a government report.

International powers such as the United Nations have called on the Congolese authorities to allow peaceful protests.
Work permits granted by the Obama administration to H4 dependents of H1B workers hang by a fragile thread on the other side of the New Year as a crucial case challenging employment authorisation for H4 visa holders comes up for hearing in a Washington D.C courthouse January 2, 2018 after a bruising year of anti-immigrant sentiment sweeping across America.

The case in focus is Save Jobs USA versus Department of Homeland Security. Save Jobs USA - a clutch of of IT workers who claim they lost their jobs to H1B workers - wants to overturn the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that allows certain H-4 spouses to apply for and gain work authorization. Although Save Jobs USA met with initial failure, the gale force of a Trump presidency has given the organisation fresh resolve.

H4 visa holders are dependents of H1B workers in America. H1B visas allow foreign workers, generally with bachelor's degrees or higher, to work for three years at a time, often in the technology, healthcare and education sectors. Foreign fashion models also qualify under the H1B category although the present retaliation in the first year of Trumps presidency has been entirely focused on tech workers.

The possible scrapping of the H4 visa employment authorisation ties in neatly with the anti-immigrant agenda that has put Trump in the White House.

Since January 2017, The Trump administration has chipped away methodically at making H1B paperwork the most tangled of all work visa categories in the United States, challenging applications more often than at nearly any point in the Obama era.

Latest numbers available from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services show that the United States has so far given employment authorisation documents to 104,750 H4 visa holders (spouses/ dependents of H1B workers) since 2015 when the floodgates first opened.

These raw numbers dont reflect the usage pattern of these visas. For instance, not all 104,750 H4 EAD holders actually work in paid jobs. Many of them are H1B workers who shifted to H4 EAD during say, a maternity break or any other family related need that put them out of the work loop for an extended period. Rather than have a plain vanilla H4, they applied for and took the H4 EAD because it offers a modicum of safety for career relaunchers.

The essential nature of the H1B visa that it gives primacy to the H1B worker and puts dependents into a visa category that had zero working rights in the US has long been a pain point. In the wider arc of the 27 years that the H1B has existed, the EAD rule change that Obama bequeathed is a bright spot that had barely one year in peace and quiet before the resentment agenda which fuelled the Trump presidency ran roughshod over it.

Although employment based visa categories are not in the line of fire per se, any visa that allows for lateral entry of family (into the American workforce) certainly is on the DHS radar. Based on that singular criterion of extended family connections the EAD for H4 visa holders stands out starkly in its present form.

The Department of Homeland Security recently put out an note signalling the possible dead end that looms: DHS is proposing to remove from its regulations certain H-4 spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants as a class of aliens eligible for employment authorization, it said in a note marked economically significant.

DHS anticipates that there would be two primary impacts that DHS can estimate: the cost-savings accruing to forgone future filings by H-4 spouses, and labor turnover costs that employers of H-4 workers could incur, says Americas foremost border control agency.

Stakes are high on both sides of the aisle - Save Jobs USA is hoping for a Trump style putdown of the H4 visa's elevated status among spouse visas and acknowledgement that the original employment authorization itself was against the law.

For H4 visa holders who took up paid work on the strength of the Obama era rule, a negative decision will be a body blow. Unlike the commonly quoted figure of 85,000 visas per year in H1B stories, the cumulative numbers of H1B workers in the US and therefore, spouses on H4s, are in a different league. That's because H1Bs can be rolled over after a 3 year period and with every influx of new H1Bs each year, the earlier batch does not go away. Basis this layering, USCIS can approve more than 330,000 H-1B petitions each year, which includes extensions and amendments. As of April 2017, USCIS reported more than 680,000 approved and valid H-1B petitions.

After a quarter century of waiting, the H4 spouse in America got some respite in 2015. Today, given all that we know and the signals from the Trump administration, the outlook for the H4 looks bleak, save for an unexpected turn of events.

Related link: A guide to the rule making process in America
Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday defended Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's participation in a pro-Palestine rally, saying the JuD chief's UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression.

Saeed and Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali participated in the rally in garrison city of Rawalpindi on Friday.

India took strong exception to Ambassador Ali sharing stage with Saeed, who founded the Lashkar-e-Taiba which is responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attack.

Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) in statement said the country's unambiguous and steadfast support to the Palestinian cause was well known and several rallies had been held since the US announced to recognise Jerusalem as capital of Israel.

"The Ambassador of Palestine has participated in many of these meetings. The public meeting held yesterday was yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause," it said.

"This public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Hafiz Saeed. Contrary to the impression being created, UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression," the FO said.

It said Pakistan has always supported the two state solution.

"The people and Government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian Ambassadors active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine," it said.

Saeed, who was among the speakers, accused Jewish, Zionists and Hindu leadership of destroying the world peace. He urged the Muslim countries to send their armies if the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem.
Tehran: Iran on Sunday warned that protesters will "pay the price" after a third night of unrest saw mass demonstrations across the country in which dozens were arrested and official buildings attacked.

Videos shared on social media showed thousands marching in towns and cities throughout Iran overnight.

Travel restrictions and a near-total media blackout from official agencies made it very difficult to confirm the swirl of rumours spreading through social media.

Semi-official conservative outlets confirmed an evening attack on a town hall in Tehran and showed protesters attacking banks and municipal buildings in other parts of the country.

"Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price," Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television early on Sunday.

US president Donald Trump weighed in on the protests, saying "oppressive regimes cannot endure forever".

There was no confirmation of widespread reports that at least two people had been shot dead in the small western town of Dorud.

In one of the few official reports, an official in Arak, around 300 kilometres southwest of Tehran, said 80 people had been arrested overnight.

"Some intended to enter and damage some government places but the attackers did not manage to achieve their goals... and the town is under control," the unidentified official told the ILNA news agency.

Iranian authorities said the majority of social media reports were emanating from regional rival Saudi Arabia and exile groups based in Europe.

Internet was temporarily cut on mobile phones last night but was restored not long after.

President Hassan Rouhani, who came to power in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, has so far not made any statement since the unrest started in second city Mashhad on Thursday.

The protests began in Mashhad against high living costs and the struggling economy before spreading quickly to other areas and turning against the Islamic regime as a whole.

Slogans such as "Death to the dictator" have been heard throughout the protests.

There have been reminders of the regime's continued support among conservative sections of society, with pro-regime students outnumbering protesters at the University of Tehran on Saturday.

Pre-planned rallies to mark the defeat of a 2009 protest movement also saw thousands of regime supporters out on the streets across the country on Saturday morning.

But the anti-government protests appear to have been driven in large part by poorer sections of society, angry over high unemployment, soaring prices and financial scandals.

"These protests are driven by the lower levels of society who have been hit by major economic problems, particularly losing their money when credit institutions collapsed," said Payam Parhiz, editor in chief of reformist media network Nazar, which first broke news of the Mashhad protests.

"These economic protests are not something that has started overnight, it's been at least a year since these people lost their money in credit institutions and have been protesting at various places," he told AFP.

Unemployment is particularly high among young people, who have grown up in a less restrictive environment and are generally considered less deferential to authority.

Since the 2009 protests against a disputed presidential election that gave hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term were ruthlessly put down, many middle-class Iranians have abandoned hope of securing change from the streets.

But low-level strikes and demonstrations have continued, with bus drivers, teachers and factory workers protesting against unpaid wages and poor conditions.
London: An Iranian official said two protesters previously reported killed in the city of Dorud on Saturday night during anti-government demonstrations were targeted by foreign agents and not the police.

"Violent clashes broke out in the illegal demonstration in Dorud on Saturday and unfortunately two people were killed," Habibollah Khojastehpour, the deputy governor of Lorestan province, said in an interview on state television on Sunday.

"No shots were fired by the police and security forces. We have found evidence of enemies of the revolution, Takfiri groups and foreign agents in this clash," he added. Takfiri is a term for Sunni militants especially the Islamic State.
Sydney: Six people were killed when a seaplane crashed into a river in Australia on Sunday, police said, with divers recovering three bodies so far.

The plane went down in the Hawkesbury River near the suburb of Cowan 50 km north of Sydney, said police in New South Wales state.

Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman told reporters the single-engine aircraft was lying in 13 metres (43 feet) of water.

"Police divers are on scene and three bodies have so far been recovered," police added in a statement. "The recovery operation continues."

There were no details on the identity of the occupants and investigators did not yet know why the plane crashed.

Debris and an oil slick was spotted by a rescue helicopter after the crash, with local media reporting the aircraft was from scenic flight company Sydney Seaplanes.

Sydney Seaplanes is popular with celebrities and recent passengers have included Pippa Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and husband James Matthews during their honeymoon in Australia.

A spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau told AFP the aircraft was believed to be a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane on a return flight to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour.

The accident came just hours before Sydney Harbour was set to be lit up in a spectacular fireworks display to welcome in the new year
Moscow: A person suspected of being involved in an explosion at St Petersburg supermarket that took place on Wednesday has been detained, Russian authorities said.

An explosive device placed in a locker went off at a supermarket in a shopping centre in St Petersburg on Wednesday, injuring at least 13 people.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said in a statement on Saturday that it had identified and detained the organiser and direct executor of the bombing and handed over the suspect to the Russian Investigative Committee for further investigation, Xinhua reported.

Anna Mityanina, vice governor of Saint Petersburg, which is Russia's second city, said on Twitter on Wednesday that of the 13 wounded eight remained in hospital care.

Five people declined to be hospitalised, she added. The explosion occurred at around 18:45 local time as Russians geared up to celebrate the New Year - the country's biggest holiday - followed by Russian Orthodox Christmas, which falls on 7 January.

In a sign of the severity of the situation, the case was overseen by Russia's National Anti-Terror Committee even though authorities initially opened a probe into attempted murder.

The committee said the explosion went off after "a criminal placed an unidentified explosive device in a storage locker."

Russian investigators immediately began to work with the suspect, who is currently being interrogated, according to a separate statement by the Investigative Committee.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the bombing was an act of terrorism. "As you know, an act of terror took place in Saint Petersburg yesterday," he said on Thursday at a meeting of military officers in the Kremlin.

With inputs from agencies
Over the next 25 years, a revolutionary technology will transform our world. It will save us money, boost production of goods fivefold, and make our lives more comfortable. But it will crater wages by 90%, drive whole swaths of skilled workers to starvation, destroy families, and cause wide-scale political and social upheaval, sparking mobs, riots, and armed rebellion.

The year is 1804. The invention: The Jacquard loom.

The Jacquard loom is a wooden contraption that fits to the head of a regular loom. You feed it punch cards, and it controls the weaving patterns for you. It's efficient, cost-effective, and anyone can operate it. No more need for well-paid cotton and silk weavers.

While plunging prices of textiles made 19th-century consumers better off, skilled weavers went from comfortable three-day workweeks to being too poor to own bedding. Many became "Luddites," machine smashers and arsonists, named for their fictional leader, Ned Ludd of Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest.

The Luddites are no longer with us. What remains is the posterity of their hated looms. For, improbably enough, those very looms draw a straight line to our own modern world of artificial intelligence (AI).

For we do live in a world run by AI. It flies our aircraft, allocates financial resources, and decides what news we read.

Soon it will drive our cars, care for our old, and fight wars.

It will make our lives longer, healthier, and more comfortable while destroying millions of jobs.

And all of that is coming sooner than we think.

Banks, customer service departments, and healthcare are already spending billions of dollars each year on AI tools. Growth estimates vary, but within five to 10 years, annual worldwide spending on AI is projected to reach $30 billion to $100 billion.

This time, it's different

After reading story after story about AI's rapid advances, it's hard not to imagine that this technology will transform our world. But AI's abilities are so hyped, its promised benefits so vast, its dangers so dystopian, its direction so hard to predict, and its mechanisms so technical, that we lack a clear view of what's going on. Our understanding lags our awe.

Why is AI transforming our world? What gives it such power to move, inspire, and terrify us?

From the infancy of written history, we've defined ourselves by our ability to guide our actions through reason and organize the world around us.

Aristotle, the first great taxonomist, classified humanity by our intelligence 24 centuries ago. He did so by emphasizing the distinctiveness of our capacity for reason: "Life," we hold in common with mere plants, perception we share with "the horse, the ox, and every animal." But the unique purpose of humans -- what makes us special -- is activity which "follows ... a rational principle."

That view hasn't fundamentally changed since ancient times. Two millennia later, Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish biologist who invented modern biological taxonomy, named our species Homo sapiens -- "wise man." In the preface to his 1758 work Systema Naturae, Linnaeus characterized our species as "always curious and inquisitive, and ever desirous of adding to his useful knowledge."

Modern paleontologists have essentially confirmed what earlier philosophers and scientists said. Indeed, the most up-to-date fossil and archaeological evidence tells us that characteristics of human intelligence -- especially adaptability and large-scale cooperation -- were responsible for our species' survival and eventual dominance.

We learn new things. We understand complex ideas. We transmit knowledge and cooperate through language and culture. And we fashion a multitude of tools to solve a variety of problems.

Human intelligence is wrapped up with our species' success and is interwoven with our understanding of who we are.

And so, artificial intelligence cuts right to the heart of what it is to be human.

AI has the capacity to augment our most distinctive qualities -- rationality, adaptability, ingenuity, mastery over our environment -- and, in the minds of many, to supplant us as the most sapient residents of this world.

This is what makes AI unlike any other revolutionary technology: In principle, it can do everything we do -- and possibly do it better.

The essence of intelligence

Computers have long made us question who we are and the nature of our relationship with machines.

During the 1830s, England entered into the Industrial Revolution's era of big data. Its government began producing vast troves of statistical information about everything from the cost of "pease and beans" to the export of hats. Processing all that information was time-consuming. Its civil service had to employ an army of clerks to read handwritten census records from every single parish, tabulate the data on large sheets of paper, make tick marks, count the ticks, fold the pages over, and convert everything into new tables, over and over again for every statistic the government wanted to know. They were known as "computers." Many suffered nervous breakdowns from all the ticking and counting.

Charles Babbage, a strange polymath who we know was interested in obscure statistics such as the speeds at which men could saw various kinds of wood, the skeletal weights of different mammals, and the burning rate of potash, designed a mechanical computer he called the "Analytical Engine." It would have been a 2-ton contraption comprised of hundreds of metal gears, pulleys, and switches, programmed with the same punch-card technology that revolutionized spinning looms.

Whereas Babbage only meant to replace human clerks with perfect, lifeless counting gears, his friend, Countess Ada Lovelace, could see what a mechanical computer was capable of.

Lady Lovelace helped to popularize Babbage's proposed Analytical Engine and is often credited with being the first computer programmer. But at the same time, she wrote in a memoir that Babbage's machine could never truly be intelligent (emphasis original):

What later came to be called "Lady Lovelace's objection" was the idea that machines can't be intelligent because they are preprogrammed, and so can't come up with anything on their own or surprise us.

Of course, today's computers come up with things on their own all the time. Waze and Google Maps create navigational routes, Netflix suggests movies to watch, and Siri interprets our questions and provides answers. How do they do it?

AI may have come a long way since the era of cotton mills, high-pressure steam power, and laudanum, but it's not as though researchers have discovered some philosopher's stone or Powder of Life. Computers are not conscious, nor do they have minds which can literally think, understand, and desire things. How can a machine, programmed by humans, be capable of doing such things on its own -- things we never told it explicitly to do, and which we might never even have imagined?

Here's how it all works. Computers run on algorithms. An algorithm is a set of instructions for doing something. For instance, an algorithm for finding a lost remote control might be:

Ask yourself where was the last place you remember using it. Walk to that place and see if it's there. If it is, congratulations -- you're done. If not, repeat steps 1 through 3 with the next last place you remember using it.

The key to AI is algorithms that don't merely tell a machine what to do but tell the machine how to decide what to do.

Suppose you're not using your feet to find a missing remote control, but rather Google Maps to find the best route from Duluth, Minnesota, to Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Google could use an unsophisticated algorithm: Check every city neighboring Duluth, check every city neighboring those, and so forth until it finds Eau Claire. But checking that many paths (16 quadrillion) would take a typical computer 350 years and require an amount of memory equivalent to 1% of all the world's data.

A cleverer algorithm can do things much quicker. One such algorithm, known as A*, works like this:

Start in Duluth. Check every neighboring city, in order of their actual distance from Duluth plus the estimated distance to Eau Claire (based, say, on GPS coordinates). If the city you're checking is Eau Claire, you're done. If not, repeat steps 2 and 3.

This time, we'll get an answer almost instantaneously.

A* was originally devised to help Shakey the Robot avoid bumping into things, but you can use A* to search for the solution to other problems, too. Many researchers program computers to search grammatical combinations with A* when designing software that can understand human language and speak with us.

These examples may seem simple. But algorithms such as A* form the building blocks of machine intelligence. The sophisticated AI tools that we use every day are made up of many such algorithms, embodied in thousands of lines of computer code. It quickly gets complicated.

Making sense of it all

AI has a unique potential to refashion our world. But ironically, despite everything that AI-based programs know about us, most of us know little about it.

So I went looking for answers.

To better understand AI's inner workings and possible future, I enrolled as a part-time student at Georgetown University to study AI computer science and programming. I also reviewed hundreds of books, industry reports, and academic papers. I studied thousands of moves by AlphaGo, a state-of-the-art Go-playing AI program that's been among the most surprising advancements of the past few years. Separately from my research for this series, I spent over 1,000 hours developing my own AI-powered stock-picking system (and corollary coffee dependency).

Luckily, I didn't have to do all this from a knowledge base of zero because I had some useful background experience. I've been programming since I was 11, playing Go since 19, and analyzing stocks for The Motley Fool for a decade. Knowing something about each of these fields helped me to put all the pieces of the story together.

Here's what I found: AI is magical. And it's not sorcery.

AI relies on extremely clever instructions whose basic principles anyone can grasp. It's only when you see the outcome of this elegance that its grandeur comes into view.

And so, no matter how much or how little you know about computer science concepts, you too can understand what lies behind AI and see a glimpse of our future.

Next: Artificial Intelligence's "Holy Grail" Victory

Ilan Moscovitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Beginning on January 1, workers in a large number of cities and states across the nation should expect a pay bump as new minimum wage policies go into effect.

Eighteen states and 20 cities are scheduled to raise minimum wages on the first day of the New Year, according to the National Employment Law Project (NELP), a worker advocacy group.

As of January 1, Californias minimum wage will increase to $11 per hour from the current level of $10.50 per hour for businesses with 26 employees or more. In New York City, larger employers will be required to pay employees a minimum wage of $13 per hour as of Dec. 31, while minimum wage in the state as a whole will rise to $10.40 on the same date.

In Rhode Island and Hawaii, where campaigns have already been proposed to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next few years, the minimum wage will be raised to $10.10 during 2018. In New Jersey, the minimum wage will rise to $8.60, and in Vermont to$10.50.

Later in 2018, three additional states will implement a wage hike, according to NELP.

The campaign for a $15 minimum wage, and rising wages overall, has been divisive. Earlier this year, a study conducted by the Employment Policies Institute (EPI), which analyzed employment trends from 1990 through 2017, found that each 10% increase in the minimum wage in California has resulted in a corresponding 2% decline in employment for affected employees. The impact was larger, 5%, for lower-paid workers. By those estimates, the EPI projects that the pending $15 minimum wage hike would cost California 400,000 private sector jobs, with heavy losses in both the foodservice and retail sectors.

On the flip side, the Institute for Research on Labor & Employment (IRLE) at U.C. Berkeley, found that a higher minimum wage would actually add a small amount of jobs to the state economy by 2023. Without the increase, IRLE forecasts employment would grow 1.4% annually. The minimum wage increase would raise employment by 0.1%, equal to about 13,000 jobs, by 2023, according to the groups study.

The Republican Party, which passed sweeping tax reform in late-December, is hopeful that its new law will spur companies to increase wages for workers on their own accord.
A New York Times photo received backlash from Twitter over the inclusion of chopsticks.

The Times was reporting on yet-to-be opened Asian-inspired steak house, Jade Sixty, which features classic steaks and traditional Asian cuisine.

In the photo for the digital article, there are typical Chinese dishes like beef and broccoli and steamed buns placed next to a hefty New York-style steak and tall beer.

D.C. RESTAURANT CHANGES DRESS CODE AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF 'RACISM'

Though the issue Twitter has isnt necessarily with the cuisine  its with the presentation, which showcases chopsticks sitting under the steak and perched in the beef and broccoli.

Twitter users have been quick to accuse the newspaper for cultural insensitivity over the use of the chopsticks, which many have been saying are placed in an upright manner -- a chopsticks etiquette faux pas. In Japanese culture, upright chopsticks indicate death or suggest a funeral offering.

One user wrote, So, who died? Or was your menu inspired by a part of Asia that uses wooden sticks as decor?

I'm glad the chopsticks are placed like offerings to the dead. I'm sure my ancestors will be excited to eat steak with chopsticks, another wrote.

In the photo the Times used, the chopsticks appear to be leaning against the side of the dish.

The chopstick placement was not the only issue those on social media had with the photo. Some suggested incorporating the small chopsticks with a large, uncut steak seemed awkward.

One user sarcastically wrote, Asians stick chopsticks under steaks as levers to catapult the meat into their mouths. Tres traditional.

One user asked, am I supposed to eat the whole steak w/chopsticks??

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

In addition to the photo critique, Twitter users took issue with the Asian label since it did not identify what specific Asian cuisine the restaurant was inspired by.

Inspired by, like, ALL of Asia? I dont see any Indian or Malaysian food on that table. Oh, I forgot. All of Asia is basically the same, a Twitter user tweeted.

Another weighed in on two issues, writing, 1. Which ancestors is this table for 2. Ah, a steakhouse inspired by 48 countries.

The New York Times has since replaced the photo with one without chopsticks.
An Australian familys vacation turned treacherous when an uninvited great white shark showed up.

WARNING: Video contains explicit language

On Tuesday, Jodie Brown and her family of seven took a small boat out to enjoy the warm day just outside Port Victoria, Mashable reports.

The family had planned to swim, fish and enjoy each others company when the 16-foot shark slowly swam up to the 19-foot boat and started circling.

GREAT WHITE SHARK SURPRISES, CIRCLES FISHING BOAT

"It just swam up to the boat from behind and it was just circling us for about 20 minutes, it would just go round and come back again," Brown told The Advertiser.

Brown surmises the shark might have been lured to the boat by the fish they were catching.

As the huge predator menacingly swims around the vessel, one of the girls in the group makes an over three-minute recording of the shark from the side of the ship. In the background, viewers can hear another woman warning her to be careful on the side of the boat.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

However, some aboard the boat got too scared and the family had to pack it in early.

We had to leave in the end to take two girls back to shore because they were freaked out, but the whole time it was just amazing," Brown told The Advertiser.

"We were all in shock really because of the size and width of it ... it was an incredible experience because it's not often you're in the presence of something bigger and more powerful than yourself," Gemma Brown told Sunrise.
Supporters say President Trump accomplished a great deal in his first year of office: helping to pass a massive tax overhaul, putting Neil Gorsuch on the court, snuffing out President Obamas regulatory excesses, signaling a more robust foreign policy and damping illegal immigration, for starters.

It is also important to note what Trump didnt do: he didnt start World War III, he didnt deport 11 million people in the country illegally, he didnt eliminate guarantees of equal status for women, he did not toss the Iran nuclear deal, he did not fire Special Counsel Mueller or Attorney General Sessions, he didnt cause the stock market to crash or upend our monetary policy, he failed to greenlight Putins mischief-making in Eastern Europe, he hasnt reinstated the use of torture, and also hasnt ignited a trade war. And, he didnt plunge the country into recession.

Trumps hysteria-prone critics, who repeatedly warned he was about to do all or any of the above, are no doubt gravely disappointed. But also unrepentant. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi continue to sound grave warnings, hinting that Trumps dangerous policies are leading the ship of state aground. The GOP tax policy is Armageddon, said Pelosi, and Schumer said it would skewer the middle class. Other Democrats have insisted that axing ObamaCares individual mandate kicks 13 million people off health care insurance.

The mainstream media has played nicely with Democrats all year, repeating their preposterous claims. And yet, Americans have greater confidence in their circumstances than at any time in the past 17 years. The recent tick lower in consumer sentiment came while Democrats sounded apocalyptic warnings about the tax rewrite; no surprise that some people were a bit shaken.

A realistic assessment of Trumps first year would note a transition to a smoother and more disciplined White House, better coordination with Congressional allies and a more integrated messaging on foreign policy.

But the country remains more upbeat than they did during the Obama years, tuning out the most ominous warnings from the Left. Good for them, because some of the predictions were downright scary.

The night Trump trounced Hillary Clinton, Paul Krugman predicted the stock market, which initially sold off on the unexpected outcome, would never recover from the blow. The next day, the Dow soared 257 points, and has barely paused for breath ever since. In the same column, written in the wee hours of Election night, a despondent Krugman said Trump would plunge the country into a terrible recession.

Paul Krugman followed that mistaken call with dire warnings about everything Trump for the past year. Among other alarums, he warned that the president would recklessly choose a partisan hack to fill Janet Yellens shoes  Trumpifying the Fed --as he described it. How disappointed he must have been when the White House picked mainstream Fed board member Jay Powell to fill the role.

Krugman has had plenty of company conjuring up frightening visions of our Trumpian future. Columnist David Brooks, who fancies himself a moderate, said Trump would probably resign or be impeached within a year.

The New Yorkers David Remnick, wrote a piece the day after the election entitled An American Tragedy. Remnick saw End of Days horrors spilling out from the Trump presidency, calling the election a sickening event in the history of the United States and liberal democracy. That the country elected Trump as a Democratic exercise was apparently immaterial to Remnick. The New Yorker editor said Trump would not only set markets tumbling but will strike fear into the hearts of the vulnerable

Critics of the president might argue that Trump himself has brought on some of the concerns, by campaigning on stark promises to tear up the Iran deal or deport undocumented people. The president took strong stances during the election, as does every candidate (did we really think Bernie would make colleges free for all?) and has certainly shaken up establishment thinking on a variety of fronts, including our relationship with NATO, the UN and respect for the Iran deal.

Moreover, the president surprised many by following through on his threat to withdraw from the TPP trade deal (a promise also made by Hillary Clinton), his disavowal of the Paris climate accord and, most recently, by declaring Jerusalem the capital of Israel. There is nothing incoherent or reckless in these decisions however; they are compatible with Trumps focus on jobs, and applauded by his supporters. While 66 percent of Democrats worry about climate change a great deal, for example, only 18 percent of Republicans are so concerned. Trump voters, like the president, see the Paris deal as bad for our economy.

A realistic assessment of Trumps first year would note a transition to a smoother and more disciplined White House, better coordination with Congressional allies and a more integrated messaging on foreign policy. Soon, people may start to talk of a learning curve, and credit neophyte Trump with a better appreciation of what it takes to be a successful president.

That will be bad news for his opponents. He does, after all, like to win.

As we move into 2018, Democrats will hope that talk of impeachment motivates their supporters to take back control of the House. They will try to scare Americans with continued visions of gloom and doom. If the economy continues its steady climb, wages move higher (as is almost certain), and the stock market follows suit, they will need new talking points. Judging from surveys of consumer and business sentiment, Americans do not think the world is coming to an end.
U.N. sanctions against commerce with North Korea are proving toothless. In the last few days we have learned via open sourced U.S. and Western intelligence that both China and Russia are selling oil and petro chemicals to North Korea. The sales are in violation of U.N. Security Council sanctions. The sales permit continued development of the rogue nations nuclear weapons program.

Existing U.N. sanctions simply stop the Kim regime sourcing oil on the open market. The U.S. can publically castigate countries like Russia and China for violating the sanctions, to no effect. Even with concrete proof the White House could do little, given we are dealing with a feckless U.N.

Publically, there is no smoking gun tying the governments of China and Russia directly to the illegal oil sales. In practical terms, it is unlikely that state level smuggling, worth tens of millions of dollars would go unnoticed or unsanctioned by two centrally controlled regimes.

It is more likely the Chinese and Russian governments are complicit in the illicit oil sales. The two governments, both longtime backers of Kim Jong Un, are relying on plausible deniability. The oil transfers are made, ship transponders off, on the open sea, outside the territorial waters of China or Russia. One can almost hear 1960s televisions Sargent Schultz refrain, I know nothing.

So, what options does the White House have? Despite U.N. sanctions and international condemnation, the oil and money continues to flow into North Korea. Kim Jung Un has continued to develop nuclear weapons capable of reaching the United States and our Pacific allies. The Trump Administration seemingly has two potential responses, both bad. Option one is in latter stages of planning and development, namely; direct kinetic military action. Option two is learn to live with a nuclear-armed despotic regime.

Like sanctions, blockades are designed to slowly choke the recalcitrant nation to submission.

A third middle option with significant historical precedent exists - a physical naval blockade of North Korea. Short of a naval blockade, where every ship in the vicinity of North Korea is boarded, searched, and if necessary impounded, it will be impossible to entirely close the oil lifeline spigot.

Like sanctions, blockades are designed to slowly choke the recalcitrant nation to submission. Unlike sanctions, a blockade provides the capability to monitor, intercept and enforce restrictions on what can go in and out of the target nation while providing a powerful psychological and diplomatic instrument. A naval blockade in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea would prevent North Korea from obtaining essential raw materials and equipment, including refined petroleum and military spare parts. A naval blockade also serves to choke export income, in this case the lucrative coal and iron exports the regime needs to quite literally keep the lights on.

The United States need not act unilaterally and carry the entire weight of a blockade of North Korea. U.S. allies in the region would support the initiative. Key players in this effort would be Japan and Australia, with support likely from Singapore, South Korea, India, Taiwan and potentially NATO forces.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, (JMSDF) boasts the fifth most powerful navy in the world with one of the largest economic exclusion zones to patrol. Their destroyers and frigates are modern and equipped with the Aegis combat system.

Australia, another island nation in the Pacific, is the only country to have supported the United States in every military conflict since World War One. The RAN is built for coastal operations, with shallow water diesel-electric submarines, helicopter landing ships, frigates, and the Armidale class patrol boat, one of the most effective littoral combat platforms in the world. I served with the RAN during the early 2000s blockade of illegal alien vessels. It proved a tremendously effective reverse blockade of the Australian coast.

The naval blockade is not a new concept, and historically has enjoyed significant success. From the British Royal Navy blockade of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic war to the 1962 U.S. blockade of Cuba, which effectively ended Soviet attempts to establish missile bases on the Caribbean island, blockades have proven effective. Short of direct military action, a multi-national naval blockade of North Korea is not only palatable; it may be the only alternative.
The fashion search engine Lyst has compiled the Top 10 most-used words in the fashion world for 2017. The top three terms, in order, were power, woke and statement.

Interesting. I would have guessed it would be words such as stylish, chic and elegant, but none of those even made the Top 10. Apparently, the world of fashion has moved beyond these things.

Looking around, its clear what became fashionable in 2017 are blatant political statements.

For instance, in the fall New York Fashion Week show, designer Prabal Gurung had models walk down the runway wearing T-shirts with messages such as Our Minds Our Bodies Our Power and We Will Not Be Silenced. Gurung himself wore a T-shirt stating This Is What A Feminist Looks Like.

In Milans 2017 Fashion Week, Italian fashion leader Donatella Versace also used her models to make a statement. They had writing on their hats, scarves and shirts, with words like Unified, Courage, Strength and Loyalty.

Versace said she was making a comment on the power of women, noting the world is a strange place at the moment. Indeed.

I have to believe that people who care about fashion dont go to shows to be nagged or lectured or screamed at.

In London, British designer Vivienne Westwood, whos known for being political, even handed out notes to explain what the symbols on her clothes meant. A diamond symbolized greed, rot$, propaganda, a phallus meant war and a triangle stood for giants like Shell and Monsanto who rape the Earth. A pretty heavy message for such thin models.

Even the symbols on Westwoods own T-shirt meant something. As she explained, We are f------ the Earth. This is NASA information, its official information but the world is ignoring it. There will only be one billion people left by the end of this century, because the Earth will be mostly uninhabitable.

Now please buy this $1,800 cocktail dress.

Fashion designers are allowed to express themselves. In fact, thats in their job description. But shouldnt that expression be made through, say, lovely, imaginative designs? Or is lovely a bad word now? I notice it didnt make the Top 10 list, while ugly did (at number nine, just below cult and above vegan).

Of course, the designers arent saying anything their audience doesnt already agree with. In that, theyre playing it safe. With so many people who they know taking part in the resistance against todays political atmosphere, why not join in?

I am, however, not sure why the designers are so troubled by the ascendance of Donald Trump to the presidency. If nothing else, it means theyve got a real fashion model living in the White House.

My point is not that designers dont have something to say. My point is they should use their talents for better purposes. Every day, everywhere, were faced with politics. Theres more than enough out there. Whats missing is beauty.

In the long run, I have to believe that people who care about fashion dont go to shows to be nagged or lectured or screamed at. I think they want to be thrilled by the artistry and imagination of the designer.

Thats a statement with power I wish these woke designers would understand.
Congress returns next week facing several looming challenges leading with President Trumps call to strike an infrastructure deal promptly, and agreeing to a temporary spending deal to avoid a government shutdown.

Other key issues facing the GOP-controlled Congress include immigration reform and whether to fund Trumps promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Trump is scheduled to meet early next week with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to set legislative priorities on Capitol Hill. But few if any major initiatives are likely to pass without Democratic support, especially in the Senate where Republicans now have just a 51-49 majority.

To be sure, Trump has made clear that he wants Congress to pass a trillion-dollar spending bill to fix the countrys crumbing roads, bridges, ports and other infrastructure.

Political analysts predicted Trump would try to broker an infrastructure deal at the start of his presidency, considering the idea, which would result in at least some short-term jobs, appeared to have bipartisan support.

However, at least some congressional Republicans seemed unwilling to spend at least $1 trillion on such an initiative. And the situation now appears further complicated by the recently passed, GOP-led tax reform bill that is projected to add roughly $1.5 trillion to the federal debt over the next 10 years.

Infrastructure is by far the easiest of Trump's priorities, the president said a couple of weeks ago, after signing into law the tax reform bill. People want it -- Republicans and Democrats. We're going to have tremendous Democrat support on infrastructure as you know. I could've started with infrastructure -- I actually wanted to save the easy one for the one down the road. So we'll be having that done pretty quickly.

The White House reportedly is working on a roughly 70-page infrastructure proposal to be released in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, agreeing to another temporary spending bill by January 19 to avoid a government shutdown is seen as Congress most immediate concern.

The media routinely play up the drama of a potential standoff resulting in a shutdown. But that situation has been avoided since 2013, considering how politically disastrous it could be for either party, especially in a midterm election year such as 2018.

Still, a demand by Trump to include border wall funding or Democrats demanding a fix to the soon-to-expire Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program easily could complicate budget negotiations.

Trump earlier this year shuttered the Obama-era DACA program that protected millions of young illegal immigrants from deportation. The program officially expires in March. Trump also has signaled his desire for a permanent, congressionally-approved fix, as have Capitol Hill Democrats and many Republicans.

However, the related partisan horse trading -- including possible attempts to package the legislation with other initiatives -- could turn into a sticking point.

Trump and other top officials publicly have gone back and forth on whether funding to complete the border wall must be included in any spending or immigration deal.

Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, recently told Fox News Sunday that Trump still intends to fulfill his campaign promise to build the wall, as part of an overall national security plan. But Short also suggested the president wouldnt insist on wall funding at the expense of larger U.S. interests, with the potential government shutdown looming.

Its absolutely something the president has promised, he said. Its not that its non-negotiable; Its what American needs. Its in our national security interest to prevent drug cartels, to prevent MS-13 and secure our border.

However, Trump on Friday tweeted: The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border  We must protect our Country at all cost!

Trump, in the tweet, also made clear that he wants immigration reform to include an end to so-called chain migration," a part of U.S. immigration law that allows illegal immigrants to bring distant relatives into the country, and the United States visa lottery program as it currently exists.

The system, created by Congress, attempts to diversity the mix of immigrants into the U.S. by establishing a lottery for countries from which few immigrants come.

However, Trump says the system is ridiculous because some of the included countries are state sponsors of terrorism.

Trump likely will have to shore up his off-and-on-again relationship with Congress top two Democrats -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California -- if he indeed wants to strike any major deals, particularly on immigration reform.

Meanwhile, Ryan and McConnell appear split on whether Congress will attempt so-called entitlement reform, which could include changes to Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare or food stamps.

Ryan has expressed a desire to address the issue, while McConnell appears to think it would hit a dead end in the Senate.

I think Democrats are not going to be interested, McConnell recently said. I would not expect to see that on the agenda.

Washington Republicans also appear divided over how to approach special counsel Robert Muellers Justice Department investigation into whether Trump associates colluded with Russia during the 2016 elections.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., recently blasted the department and the FBI for its failure to fully produce documents related to the so-called anti-Trump dossier, which is related to federal probes, while other Republicans suggest such an approach is politically dangerous.

Trump wants the probe to end soon but has dismissed rumors that he will fire Mueller. He told The New York Times several days ago that he thinks Mueller will be fair.
An Obama-era plan to have the federal government finance half of a $13 billion rail tunnel project ran into a red light Friday from the Trump administration.

The plan, proposed under President Barack Obama in 2015, includes revitalizing a deteriorating Amtrak tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York City, repairing damage to a dual-tunnel conduit, and reconstructing the New Jersey railroad networks aging Portal Bridge, Crains New York Business reported.

Amtrak, which owns most of the rail tunnels and tracks between Boston and Washington, D.C., contends that the existing tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York City is damaged and could fail within 10 to 15 years, threatening daily rail transportation in the Northeast.

The original Obama-era plan called for costs to be split among New York state, New Jersey and the federal government.

'A local project'

But in a letter Friday, the Trump administration notified New York and New Jersey that the Obama-era deal was now "non-existent" because the states recently requested that their portions be covered by loans from the federal government -- meaning Washington would supply all of the initial funding for what the Trump White House is calling "a local project."

"Your letter also references a non-existent '50/50' agreement between USDOT, New York, and New Jersey. There is no such agreement," wrote K. Jane Williams, deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. "We consider it unhelpful to reference a non-existent 'agreement' rather than directly address the responsibility for funding a local project where nine out of 10 passengers are local transit riders."

"We consider it unhelpful to reference a non-existent 'agreement' rather than directly address the responsibility for funding a local project where nine out of 10 passengers are local transit riders."  K. Jane Williams, deputy administrator, Federal Transit Administration

The letter raises questions about whether the so-called Gateway project will be included in a $1 trillion national infrastructure plan that President Donald Trump is expected to unveil in January.

Gateway Development Corp., the project overseer composed of representatives of New York, New Jersey and Amtrak, dismissed Williams' letter as "posturing," adding in a statement Friday that "we are confident that the Trump Administration will engage with us as the President turns to infrastructure in 2018."

Tens of thousands of commuters

Proponents view Gateway as crucial for revitalizing rail service in the New York City metro area, where multiple lines, including Amtrak, carry tens of thousands of commuters into the city each day -- in one of the nation's key economic regions.

They also note that having states borrow from the federal government to finance infrastructure projects is not unprecedented. Some allege that the Trump administration's action is simply a political maneuver to put pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., a key supporter of the plan, Crain's reported.

New York business leaders have been adamant about the project's importance, on account of the regions economy, which provides a large chunk of the U.S. GDP and sends hundreds of billions of tax dollars to the federal government every year.

On Saturday, Crain's noted that a "senior [Trump] administration official" clarified that the project's importance was not in dispute. The administration mostly objected to the federal government being relied upon to supply funds for New York and New Jersey's shares of the costs.

The official noted that for other projects underway in Hawaii and Maryland, federal loans compose only a fraction of the capital investment, Crain's reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Democrats' policies would kill the prosperity the U.S. has enjoyed this year if they win the 2018 midtern elections, President Trump tweeted Sunday.

Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election when their policies will totally kill the great wealth created during the months since the Election. People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA, Judges, Strong Border, 2nd A, Tax Cuts & more? the president tweeted.

Next years elections are indeed a concern for Trump. Presidents ability to pass legislation is easier when their political party controls the House and Senate. However, the party in the White House historically loses House and Senate seats in midterm elections.

The roughly 32 House seats and more than two Senate seats a president typically losses during a midterm election is enough to give Democrats control of both chambers. (Democrats would need to win a total of 24 seats to win the House and three to end Republicans 51-49 majority in the Senate.)

Bruce Mehlman, a former assistant secretary of Commerce and co-chairman of Internet Innovation Alliance, suggested on Fox News Sunday that earlier predictions are difficult, considering both sides have advantages.

TRUMP STAYS FOCUSED ON IRAN PROTESTS, SAYS US WATCHING 'VERY CLOSELY'

He pointed out that most House Republicans are seeking reelection in districts with a majority of conservative-leaning voters and that midterm turnout is typically made up of older, more conservative and more white voters.

However, he also argued the single best predictor for such elections is a presidents popularity, with Trumps at a flat 39 percent.

And Democrats have a massive enthusiasm advantage, he said, while arguing their 13-point lead over Republicans in generic Democrat vs. Republican polls is epic.

To be sure, Republicans control of Congress has given the president a major legislative win in passing a massive tax-reform bill and has put right-leaning Trump nominees on federal benches.

Trumps success in defeating the Islamic State terror group, or ISIS, can be attributed to his more aggressive military and foreign policy, which has essentially destroyed the groups so-called caliphate and reduced the groups control to a small holding in Syria.

Building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is also one of Trumps major campaign promises, though it remains more elusive, and will likely continue to be, considering Democrats oppose it, and some Republicans are wary of the idea, particularly over cost.

Trump has at times been noncommittal about whether Congress appropriating billions for a border wall must be part of 2018 efforts on immigration reform, including congressional efforts to extend protections for young illegal immigrants under the Obama-era program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border  .We must protect our Country at all cost! Trump tweeted last week.

However, such a warning could be much tougher to enforce after November 2018 if Democrats take control of the House of Representatives or the Senate.
Former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen on Sunday gave a dire predication about U.S.-North Korea relations, suggesting the countries are closer than ever to a nuclear war with no diplomatic solution.

We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we've ever been, Mullen, a retired Navy admiral, told ABC News' This Week. I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point.

Relations between the countries certainly have gotten worse -- even threatening -- in recent months, analysts have pointed out, as President Trump and world leaders call for North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un to end his pursuit and testing of a nuclear warhead and inter-continental missiles on which to launch the weapon.

The United Nations Security Council recently imposed more economic sanctions on the rogue nation to curtail such testing. And the Trump administration has sought help from neighboring China, Japan and South Korea to reach a diplomatic solution.

But Trump has also confronted Kim with the threat of U.S. military action and has taken personal jabs, even calling Kim Little Rocket Man.

In September, Trump, in his first U.N. speech, vowed to totally destroy North Korea if it continues to threaten the U.S. and its allies with its actions.

A few weeks later Trump tweeted: I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man...

Kim has in turn called Trump old and a mentally deranged U.S. dotard.

Pyongyang called the recent U.N. vote act of war.

Mullen also suggested Sunday that Trump has created an incredibly dangerous (international) climate with North Korea at the top of the list.
Tech giants like Google and Facebook, already under fire for not doing enough to combat extremism and fake news, could face new taxes in the United Kingdom if a government official has his way.

Britain may impose new taxes on tech companies unless they do more to fight online extremism by removing material that radicalizes people or helps them to prepare attacks, Conservative Party security minister Ben Wallace said.

Wallace claimed tech firms were happy to sell peoples data but not to give it to the government, which is spending vast sums on de-radicalization programs, surveillance and other counter-terrorism measures.

If they continue to be less than cooperative, we should look at things like tax as a way of incentivizing them or compensating for their inaction, Wallace told the Sunday Times newspaper in an interview.

FACEBOOK, COCAINE, OPIODS: HOW ADDICTIVE IS THE SOCIAL NETWORK?

The newspaper reported that any demand would take the form of a windfall tax similar to one imposed on privatized utilities in 1997.

Wallace accused the tech giants of putting private profit before public safety.

We should stop pretending that because they sit on beanbags in T-shirts they are not ruthless profiteers, he said. They will ruthlessly sell our details to loans and soft-porn companies but not give it to our democratically elected government.

Facebook policy director Simon Milner rejected the criticisms in a statement to Reuters.

Mr. Wallace is wrong to say that we put profit before safety, especially in the fight against terrorism, he said in an emailed statement. Weve invested millions of pounds in people and technology to identify and remove terrorist content.

YouTube, which is owned by Google, said it was doing more every day to tackle violent extremism.

Over the course of 2017 we have made significant progress through investing in machine learning technology, recruiting more reviewers, building partnerships with experts and collaboration with other companies, a YouTube spokeswoman said.

TWITTER SUSPENDS OUTSPOKEN EX-WSU COLLEGE REPUBLICANS HEAD

Britain suffered a series of attacks by Islamic extremists this year that killed a total of 36 people, not including the attackers. Two involved vehicles ramming people on bridges in London, followed by attackers stabbing people. The deadliest, a bombing at a concert in Manchester, killed 22 people and injured 119 others.

We are more vulnerable than at any point in the last 100 years, said Wallace, citing extremist material on social media and encrypted messaging services.

Because content is not being taken down as quickly as they could do, were having to de-radicalize people who have been radicalized. Thats costing millions," Wallace said. "They cant get away with that and we should look at all the options, including tax.

However, Facebook said it removed 83 percent of uploaded copies of terrorist content within one hour of its being found.

Facebook, which is being scrutinized by regulators in Germany and France for how it handles privacy and monetizes users' data, has said it would double the number of people working in its safety and security teams to 20,000 by the end of 2018.
A Michigan man decided to leave it all behind and see the world, one step at a time.

Chris Lemanski, 26, who was born in Santa Rosa, Calif., but now resides in Traverse City, Mich., made the brash decision to walk, not run, across Europe. Lemanski told Fox News he made the journey after going through a tough time.

I was going through a pretty bad depression, he said. I was kind of ready to give up and say the hell with it."

The young man asked his cousin for advice on how to clear his head and he told him to take a long walk. Lemanski did just that.

In April 2016, Lemanski decided on the journey after looking up trails and saw one that went from Istanbul, Turkey to Portugal. The traveler said everything appeared to shift into place after he purchased a cheap ticket to Istanbul.

Lemanski made the trek in 18 months, three of those months he was stuck in Morocco after he overstayed his visa for about three months. However, he was able to sneak out of the country and catch a boat to Germany where he continued his journey.

As for how much money he spent in 18 months, Lemanski said he saved and people were generous.

I saved money, I bought a ukulele and played on the streets, Lemanski said. I also accepted money through donations from my blog.

He also said people bought him beers and dinners.

Lemanski said people were generous throughout his whole journey except Luxembourg, but he explained he was smelling pretty bad at that point and was pretty hairy.

The worldly traveler reflected on what he learned on his journey.

You realize youre much stronger than you think you are, Lemanski said.

He explained the walking made helped his anxiety and made him peaceful.

"You learn to tolerate the pain and discomfort, Lemanski said. You learn to enjoy it after a while.

As for his next journey?

Who knows? Maybe Ill go to the Peace Corp. Maybe Ill go to Germany to get my masters or teach English in China, he said.

Lemanski said he was sure he wanted to travel the world and was not comfortable with being in one place.

Fox News asked the traveler if he sang songs such as The Proclaimers Im Gonna Be (500 miles) or Vanessa Carltons A Thousand Miles during his trek.

Lemanski laughed and said yes but Aquas Barbie Girl was sung many times along the way.
Police are investigating the apparent electrocution of two people early Friday at a Detroit Public Lighting Authority building, Fox 2 reported on Saturday.

A worker reportedly told Fox 2 he found the bodies just after 6:30 a.m. when he went to the substation to investigate a power outage. The pair are suspected of breaking in the front door of the substation, and, according to Fox 2, they were in the process of stealing copper wiring when they were electrocuted.

Police confirmed to the news organization that two men pried open the front door of a Public Lighting substation, and once inside made contact with 24,000 volts of electricity.

According to the police, the electricity caused their bodies to be fused together, and they were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have not yet given the names of the men.

The substation is located on the city's east side.
Police in New Orleans have arrested a 67-year-old man after they say he helped swindle people out of thousands of dollars as a middleman in a "Nigerian prince" internet scam.

The New Orleans Advocate reports that Michael Neu, of Slidell, is facing 269 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

The phishing scam involves getting an email from a Nigerian official who claims the recipient has been named a beneficiary in a will and will inherit at least $1 million. The victim is then asked to send personal information which is used to con them out of their money.

Neu has allegedly participated in hundreds of scams and has wired money to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

The investigation is ongoing.

Slidell is 33 miles (53 kilometers) northeast of New Orleans.
next Image 1 of 3

prev next Image 2 of 3

prev Image 3 of 3

The Arctic temperatures blanketing most of the United States have turned Niagara Falls into a massive ice sculpture, prompted warnings Sunday about hypothermia and frostbite and led to the death of two sharks off the coast of Massachusetts.

According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, its so frigid along the shoreline of Cape Code that two thresher sharks found dead Wednesday were likely stranded due to cold shock.

A huge swath of the U.S. is facing a bone-chilling New Years Eve as forecasters warn revelers from Memphis to Maine can expect freezing conditions on Sunday.

The Humane Society in Toledo was looking into the death of a dog found "frozen solid" on a porch, a cruelty investigator told The Blade.

FOX NEWS WEATHER CENTER

Multiple car crashes forced the shutdown of I-76 near Philadelphia on Saturday. Another pileup involving 20 vehicles in Montgomery County, Pa. closed the highway for about three hours, according to Weather.com.

In these wintry conditions, the extremities, such as fingers, toes and ears, are at greatest risk [of frostbite], says AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.



Consuming alcoholic beverages increases the risk of hypothermia, if not alert and properly dressed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Forecasters advise that if you must be outdoors, you should wear multiple layers of clothing as well as mittens, scarves, hats and warm shoes.

The National Weather Service expects temperatures in the middle teens in Times Square at midnight Sunday, with wind chill values that could make it feel like minus 5.

The annaul event, expected to attract 2 million revelers, could rival some of the coldest New Year's celebrations on record: In 1962 it was just 11 degrees outside, and in 1939 and 2008 it was 18 degrees. At least it won't be as cold as the frostiest ball drop on record: 1 degree in 1907.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
New York City firefighters have released startling footage of the insides of an apartment building ravaged by a deadly fire last week that killed a dozen people.

Icicles and dripping water from melting snow now fill the charred hallways of 2363 Prospect Ave in the Bronx, where a young child playing with a stove ignited the blaze Thursday.

In the footage, firefighters holding flashlights shined them around to reveal debris littering the blackened-out hallways of the building.

Daniel Nigro, the FDNYs commissioner, told reporters Friday that a 3 1/2-year-old child was fiddling around with a stove on the first floor when the fire broke out around 7 p.m.

The mother of the child left the apartment with her two children, leaving the door open which allowed the blaze to spread quickly, he said.

Nigro said the incident was the worst loss of life caused by fires in the city, excluding the September 11 terror attacks, since 87 people were killed at a social club fire in the Bronx in 1990.

Police on Saturday released the identities of seven victims, including a 7-month-old baby girl who was among the dozen people who lost their lives.

One of them, 28-year-old Emmanuel Mensah, died from smoke inhalation after rescuing a number of people, the Associated Press reported. Mensah had recently graduated from the Army National Guard boot camp.

The baby whose identity police released on Saturday was Amora Batiz.

The others whose names police released Saturday were: Gabriel Yaw Sarkookie, 48; Justice Opoku, 54; Solomon Donkor, 49; William Donkor, age unknown; and Hannah Donkor, 17.

The 26-unit apartment building was required to have self-closing doors, which swing shut on their own to keep fires from spreading, city Housing Preservation and Development Department spokesman Matthew Creegan said. Investigators will look at whether the door to the apartment was defective or if an obstruction prevented it from closing, he said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said there was "nothing problematic about the building that contributed to this tragedy."

On Thursday night, at least 20 people scrambled out via fire escapes on a bitterly cold night. The others could not.

Nigro said firefighters saved some people, but "this loss is unprecedented."

One family lost four members: Karen Stewart-Francis; her daughters, 2-year-old Kiley Francis and 7-year-old Kelly Francis; and their cousin, 19-year-old Shawntay Young, relatives said. Stewart-Francis' husband, Holt Francis, was hospitalized, the family said.

Fox News Kathleen Joyce, Nicole Darrah and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
The rifle-toting man who gunned down a Colorado deputy in a New Years Eve ambush-style attack had ranted about the sheriff and a local police officer in recent online posts discovered after the assault.

Matthew Riehl, 37, fired more than 100 rounds as he was holed up in a bedroom in his apartment in Highlands Ranch, before he too was found dead at the scene. The Douglas County Sheriff's office identified Riehl as the gunman Sunday evening.

Three other deputies, a police officer and two civilians were also wounded. The deputies and the officer had gone to the apartment around 5:15 a.m. in response to a disturbance, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said. They had been to the apartment about an hour earlier.

They all went down, almost within seconds of each other, Spurlock said.

He said the deceased deputy was 29-year-old Zackari Parrish. He had been a deputy for seven months.

I cant tell you how difficult it is for a leader to sit down with a spouse of an officer who was killed in the line of duty, Spurlock said. They had many hopes and dreams. He was doing his job and he was doing his job well.

Parrish is survived by his wife and two children and previously worked for two years at the Castle Rock Police Department.

Riehl, who was killed, was an Army veteran who served briefly in Iraq, Fox 31 Denver reported.

He is seen wearing an Iraq combat veteran hat in a Dec. 13 YouTube video in which he called Spurlock a clown and a deputy a pimp.

You know whos going flub big time next election, Spurlock, Riehl said in the video called Fire Sheriff Spurlock.

He said he was running against Spurlock as a libertarian.

A video posted on Nov. 28 showed a traffic stop by a police officer in the city of Lone Tree  apparently taken inside the officer's car  that Riehl said was done illegally. He claimed the officer clocked the wrong driver, identifying the officer by name in the video and calling him "dirty."

"S---bag, dirtbag, liar," he says as the officer questioned the driver. "He's the boss, huh? He's the Nazi in charge with the stripes on his shoulder and the fake badge."

The wounded officers: Deputies Mike Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; and Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom ODonnell, 41, were said to be in stable condition. The civilians had suffered non-life threatening injuries, Spurlock said.

Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, Fox 31 Denver reported.

Authorities had been to Riehl's home earlier in response to a complaint of a "verbal disturbance" involving two men, the sheriff's office said. One of the men told them the suspect "was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown" but the deputies found no evidence of a crime.

When deputies were called back, a man who had left came by to give them a key and granted permission to enter the home, leaving again before shots were fired.

"The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Spurlock said.

Four officers, including Parrish, were shot from a bedroom around 6 a.m., forcing the retreat. A SWAT team entered the apartment at about 7:30 a.m. in an exchange of gunfire that left the gunman dead and another officer injured.

Local media reported gunshots being heard amid a stream of firetrucks and emergency vehicles entering the area.

Steven Silknitter, who lives in the complex, told the Denver Post that he was working elsewhere when he got word of the shooting and called home to speak to his fiance.

She was pretty scared, Silknitter said. She kept saying how loud it was.

President Donald Trump tweeted that he has offered his deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper also issued a statement saying our thoughts and prayers were with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the family and friends of Deputy Parrish.

"We can only imagine the depth of grief they are experiencing, he said. "We also hope for a speedy recovery for the Douglas County deputies and the Castle Rock police officer injured in the incident, as well as the residents who also were affected.

He added, "The call to protect and serve too often leads to this ultimate sacrifice. We are grateful for the service of Deputy Parrish, his fellow deputies, and that of the Castle Rock police officer. We pray for their and their families' strength and resolve in the days and months ahead."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Houston man was arrested on multiple charges after police found a stash of guns including an AR-15 in his room early Sunday at the top of the Hyatt Regency ahead of the downtown hotels massive New Years Eve celebration, authorities said.

The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Russell Lawrence Ziemba, had fought with security guards after they tried to escort him to his room because he'd had too much to drink, police told Fox 26. When backup arrived, police noticed ammunition in the man's hotel room on the 28th floor, Lt. Gordon Macintosh with Houston police told local media.

The man was arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon and trespassing. When investigators looked into his room further, they located an AR-15, a shotgun, a handgun and lots of ammunition, Macintosh said.

Charges filed against Ziemba included assaulting a peace officer.

The situation was "contained" and there were no specific threats to Houston, according to a tweet from Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo.

A police spokesman said Sunday afternoon that investigators couldn't speculate about the man's intent.

The Hyatt's New Years Eve celebration for 2,000 people spanning four floors with a 50,000 balloon drop will go on, but security will be tight according to Tom Netting, a manager at the hotel.

The safety and security of our guests and colleagues is our top priority, and consistent with the hotels prepared security plans, heightened measures are in place on New Years Eve, Netting said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle. We are fully cooperating with authorities on an investigation, and further questions should be directed to the Houston Police Department.

Cops tried to tamp down fears of a massive planned attack. "There was not an arsenal," an official familiar with the case told the Chronicle.

One guest in the building at the time told the newspaper the hotel didn't tell him anything about the incident, though the police presence didn't have much impact on the lobby crowds as patrons returned from nearby bars.

"There wasn't a big disruption," 32-year-old Zedshan Zakir, who was leaving a wedding reception when he spotted a man in cuffs on one side of the atrium, told the Chronicle.

The man's white Chevrolet Silverado was located and towed to be searched and examined, authorities said.

Investigators are working to learn why the man had the weapons.

Amid nationwide concerns over recent terrorist attacks, the NYPD has deployed officers at every hotel in Times Square, sealed off a massive section of Midtown Manhattan and plans to check everyones bagtwicewith bomb-sniffing dogs and metal detectors as 2 million revelers are expected to ring in 2018.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Latest on shooting in suburban Denver that left one sheriff's deputy dead, four deputies and two civilians wounded (all times local):

9:50 a.m.

Authorities in Colorado say one deputy has died and four others were wounded, along with two civilians, in a shooting in suburban Denver.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said via Twitter that the shooting happened after deputies were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance in Highlands Ranch early Sunday. The suspected gunman was also shot and is believed to be dead and "no longer a threat."

The shootings happened at an apartment complex 16 miles (28 kilometers) south of Denver.

A hospital where three people were taken for treatment says those people suffered noncritical injuries. Another nearby hospital said it received four patients but wouldn't release their conditions.

___

9:10 a.m.

Authorities in Colorado say an emergency shelter has been set up in the aftermath of a shooting in suburban Denver.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said via its Twitter account that anyone who has "been displaced from their homes" after police were called to the shooting scene in Highlands Ranch can go to the East Ridge recreation center for shelter.

Earlier Sunday, the sheriff's office said "multiple" deputies were wounded at the Copper Canyon Apartments after being called there to investigate a domestic disturbance.

No information was made available on their conditions or how many deputies were hurt. It was unclear whether anyone else was hurt.

It was also not immediately clear whether anyone was in custody.

__

8:45 a.m.

Authorities in Colorado say a number of deputies were wounded after being called to the scene of a domestic disturbance in suburban Denver.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said via its Twitter account on Sunday that shots were fired in the course of the investigation and "multiple" deputies were injured.

The shooting happened at the Copper Canyon Apartments in Highlands Ranch. Residents in the vicinity were advised to stay inside and avoid exterior walls and windows.

No information was given on whether anyone else was injured.

___

Authorities in Colorado say a number of deputies from a sheriff's office in suburban Denver have been wounded.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said via its Twitter account that a major highway south of the city was shut down Sunday. Residents in the vicinity were asked to shelter in place, and avoid windows and exterior walls.

No other details were immediately available. The nature of the injuries to the Douglas County deputies wasn't disclosed. It also wasn't known how many deputies were involved.

___

This story corrects Ridge to Ranch in first entry, 2nd paragraph
Police in New Orleans have arrested a 67-year-old man after he allegedly helped swindle people out of thousands of dollars as a middleman in a "Nigerian prince" Internet scam.

Michael Neu, of Slidell, is facing 269 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, the New Orleans Advocate reported.

The phishing scam involves getting an email from a Nigerian official who claims the recipient has been named a beneficiary in a will and will inherit at least $1 million. The victim is then asked to send personal information which is used to con them out of their money.

Most people laugh at the thought of falling for such a fraud, but law enforcement officials report annual losses of millions of dollars to these schemes, a police report said.

Neu allegedly participated in hundreds of scams and wired money to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

The investigation is ongoing, and is likely to continue for some time, as many individuals complicit in such crimes live outside the United States, authorities said.

Slidell police Chief Randy Fandal warned that people should, never give out personal information over the phone or through email, cash checks for other individuals, or wire large amounts of money to someone you dont know. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time, its a scam.

Slidell is 33 miles northeast of New Orleans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
It's a streak nobody wants to be in. Starting with the eclipse in August, it seemed like a breaking news story happened every day and I ended up at almost every single one.

From Clemson South Carolina, where watching the eclipse was more surreal than I had ever imagined, to then spending 9 days on the Florida Keys as Hurricane Irma came ashore wreaking massive destruction, I always have a camera at my side.

Priorities are always reporting live on television, but between those, we see and catch glimpses of history and humanity.

I ended up in Las Vegas covering the release of OJ. Simpson, only to end up one of the first reporters on scene for the horrific shooting at the country music festival.

Then after one day at home, I was in Northern California for the most destructive fire in California history. My hometown is wine country and watching the fires burn out of control for days and then envelop the valleys with smoke was heartbreaking.

Again after a short break, we rushed to Sutherland Springs Texas, a small town outside of San Antonio. I still can't understand the evil that must exist in someone to walk into a church and do what he did.

The photo that gets me is where I captured FBI agents on hands and knees in front of the church with the flag at half-staff, looking for any evidence and not wanting to miss one single inch.

Then it was the southern California fires. Again the winds blowing flames miles in some cases and the largest fire in state history, the Thomas Fire, ripping through the hillsides above Ventura California.

The summer and fall and into winter of 2017 seemed to pass within a day. So many lives change forever, much of it preventable. These images are etched in my mind as are many others.
A 12-year-old Tennessee girl has been charged as a juvenile with killing another girl in her grandmothers apartment with a stolen gun, the Nashville Metro Police Department said Sunday.

Brentrice Wilson, 16, was pronounced dead at the scene after officers were called to an apartment in Madison around 3:25 a.m. after a report of a shooting.

Police said the 12-year-old sneaked out of her apartment without her grandmother's knowledge with Brentrice and several other girls.

The girls then went to a nearby parking lot and began pulling on car door handles, the Tennessean reported.

They found an unlocked vehicle and burglarized it, taking a loaded semi-automatic pistol, the paper reported.

Police said the girl brought the gun back to the apartment and the 12-year-old was handling it and pointing it at the others when it fired, Fox 17 Nashville reported.

The girl has been charged with criminal homicide and the case will be handled in juvenile court, according to police who continue to investigate.
Vandals destroyed 50 beehives and did $60,000 in damage to a local honey business in Iowa on Thursday, police said.

The owners of Wild Hill Honey in Sioux City discovered the destruction, which also resulted in thousands of bees being killed, when they went to clear snow off them Thursday morning.

Owner Justin Englehardt told FOX44 that his business was wiped out.

Since nothing was taken, Englehardt believes the damage may have been some teens doing something senseless.

I knew it was going to be bad we went around the shed every hive was knocked over, dead bees in the snow, it was terrible, Englehardt said.

Along with the hives, the couple's shed was also damaged, with a window broken out and the lock damaged.

A GoFundMe page set up to help the business rebuild already surpassed its goal and had raised over $30,600 as of Sunday.

Thank you to everyone for your generous contributions and your amazing show of support. Because of you, we will be able to continue our business in the spring. We are deeply moved by your compassion, the business owner said on the fundraising site. Between the contributions and the equipment we were able to salvage, our needs have been met,

Police examined the scene and found footprints along with fingerprints. Their investigation is ongoing.
Congress state president Sudhakaran says rebels will be inducted into the party on Sunday despite opposition from leaders


Estimates say that up to one million Iranians have been protesting across the country since Thursday in what one Iranian opposition group says has turned into a protest for regime change.

Those protesters are being buoyed by messages from the Trump administration, says the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a coalition of democratic Iranian groups and personalities.

In two tweets earlier Saturday, President Donald Trump offered up a message of hope to the protesters: The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Irans people are what their leaders fear the most

Trump added: Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The World is watching!

According to reports, the protests have brought some bloodshed, with at least two people being shot and killed by Iranian Revolutionary Guards who opened fire on protesters in the city of Dorud.

In the countrys capital city of Tehran, video provided to Fox News by the NCRI showed protesters fending off tear gas from the police. Other videos show them burning posters of Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Chanted slogans included many calls for independence and freedom from an Islamic Republic. They also offered pointed commentary on Iranian involvement in foreign lands: Leave Syria, think about us, Death to Hezbollah, and "Forget about Gaza and Lebanon: Ill sacrifice my life for Iran," protesters shouted, according to the NCRI.

In Arak on Saturday, protesters occupied the governors office. Arak has a population of over half a million and houses a heavy water reactor that was used by its nuclear program.

"President Trumps expression of support for the Iranian people and his condemnation of the arrests of the protests send an encouraging signal to all those who want to see Iran liberated from the yoke of the medievalist mullahs.  Ali Safavi, NCRI

While there is no word of the administration having talks with opposition parties, Ali Safavi, an official in the Washington office of the NCRI, told Fox News that messages of support from the Trump administration are a big change from how the Obama administration handled the 2009 popular uprising.

Safavi said: When millions of Iranians poured onto the streets in 2009, the Obama administration reached out to the Supreme Leader Khamenei, enabling him and his president to suppress the uprising. President Trumps expression of support for the Iranian people and his condemnation of the arrests of the protests send an encouraging signal to all those who want to see Iran liberated from the yoke of the medievalist mullahs.

According a translation given to Fox News by the NCRI, Iranian media reported that Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani was quoted as asking people to not participate in such unlawful gatherings because they cause trouble for themselves and other citizens.

Another news agency affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was quoted as saying the chants shouted by the protesters were very similar to the ones chanted during the 2009 sedition.

Maryam Rajavi, the head of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, released a statement in which she saluted the bravery of the protesters. She said, in part, The ongoing protests in different cities against the regime reveal the explosive state of Iranian society and the peoples desire for regime change.

Rajavis statement said Iranians have loudly rejected the mullahs regime: The Iranian people demand the overthrow of the ruling religious dictatorship. It is their right to topple this repressive regime. And I emphasize: regime change in Iran is within reach.
New Year's Eve celebrations in Berlin will see a "safe zone" for women for the first time in the city's history.

Organizers of the Brandenburg Gate party are hoping to prevent mob attacks similar to those that occurred in Cologne two years ago.

Hundreds of women were attacked by gangs of men with migrant backgrounds during New Year's Eve celebrations in 2015.

The incident happened after Germany had accepted a record influx of more than one million migrants.

The German capital will this year have a "safety zone" where Red Cross helpers will look after women who feel harassed or threatened.

Additional safety precautions, including a ban on large bags, rucksacks, glass bottles and alcoholic drinks, will also be enforced.

COLD PUTS SOME NEW YEAR'S EVENTS ON ICE

Berlin police have issued advice to women attending the celebrations, encouraging them to seek help if they feel threatened and to avoid carrying a valuable bag.

About 500 security personnel will be at the Brandenburg Gate party, as well as more than 1,000 extra police officers patrolling the city.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to turn out for the celebrations.

Read more from Sky News.
South Korea announced Sunday that it has seized another ship suspected of violating U.N. sanctions by selling oil to North Korea at sea  this time a Panama-flagged one.

The announcement Sunday came just days after South Korea said it is holding the crew of a Hong Kong-flagged ship that allegedly handed over oil to a North Korean vessel in October.

The 5,100-ton ship, named the KOTI, is being held in the western port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin, maritime officials told Yonhap News Agency on Sunday.

One official said the vessel has been blocked from departing the port since Dec. 21. The KOTIs crew are mostly from China and Burma, other officials added, declining to elaborate further on an ongoing investigation.

The other ship being investigated, the Lighthouse Winmore, is being kept in Seoul. The ship is believed to have transferred about 600 tons of refined petroleum products to a North Korean ship in international waters in the East China Sea on Oct. 19, after leaving the South Korean port of Yeosu, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official told the Associated Press on Friday.

South Korean customs authorities said they boarded the ship and interviewed crew members after they returned to Yeosu on Nov. 24. South Korea formally seized the ship after the U.N. Security Council on Dec. 22 imposed new sanctions on North Korea that allow member states to seize, inspect and freeze vessels that are suspected of transferring banned goods to or from North Korea, the official said. He spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, citing office rules.

North Korea has come under heavy sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council as it accelerated efforts to expand its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles program. In recent months, the North conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date and flight-tested intercontinental ballistic missiles three times, raising concerns it's closer than ever toward gaining a military arsenal that can viably target the United States.

Ship-to-ship trade with North Korea at sea is prohibited under U.N. sanctions adopted on Sept. 11.
Over the next eight years, the number of Virginians with Alzheimers disease will swell by nearly 36 percent, to about 190,000, according to the Alzheimers Association.

Its part of a global trend: The World Health Organization projects that the number of people living with dementia will triplefrom 50 million to 152 millionby 2050.

Why the increase? Because the Baby Boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964, will be advancing into the age range when Alzheimers is more common. This is compounded by the fact that the birth rate during the Baby Boomer years was higher than any other generation since.

The result: In the coming years, the U.S. will face an unprecedentedly large elderly populationpeople more prone to dementia-related diseases.

By 2020, theyll be 70. Typically, well see Alzheimers emerge in your 70s, said Harald Sontheimer, executive director of the School of Neuroscience at Virginia Tech. Its not that the likelihood has changed.

On average, over the course of about four to eight years, Alzheimers causes the brain to deteriorate, impairing memory and cognition.

Particularly, the cortex gets thinner and thinner as more brain cells die, Sontheimer said. It really begins with when it impairs the independent ability to live.

Alzheimers is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and causes between 60 and 80 percent of all dementia cases.

According to the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, near half a million caregivers in Virginia provide assistance for a family member with dementia. At a projected 519 million hours of care in 2015, this was equivalent to $220 billion in unpaid caregiving that year.

The cost of nursing homes to care for people with dementia can be staggeringbetween $4,000 and $8,000 per month. So three years ago, the states aging-services agency launched a program called Family Access to Memory Impairment and Loss Information, Engagement and Supports, or FAMILIES.

FAMILIES provides counseling and education resources to those with family members suffering from Alzheimers and dementia.

Caregivers arent getting the information they need, said Devin Bowers, dementia services coordinator for the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. The FAMILIES program helps build a support network. Its meant to delay putting a family member in an institution.

The FAMILIES program has reached more than 250 caregivers in Virginia over the past three years. Among other benefits, it lowers the incidence of depression among caregivers, according to a survey of families with a loved one suffering from dementia.

My major concern is that people in the industry are well trained, said Tina Thomas, director of programs and services for the Greater Richmond chapter of the Alzheimers Association. People need to know what sort of care is available in their area.

A Medicare rule put into effect last year allows primary care doctors to bill Medicare for Alzheimers and dementia testing. Currently, only 45 percent of doctors regularly test aged people for such disorders. Hopefully, Thomas said, the new rule will make testing more frequent, as early diagnosis and planning are key to financial planning.

Its great to have these conversations early on, Thomas said. It really comes down to drafting a road map of care.

Researchers are not certain what causes Alzheimers. The most popular theory is that a protein called amyloid plaque builds up on brain cells and causes the disease. However, researchers dont know whether the amyloid itself causes the disease or if the proteins are a biomarker of another process occurring.

A research trial is currently underway in Colombia with the hope of better understanding Alzheimers. Near the city of Medellin, a family carries a mutation that causes some members to develop Alzheimers between 45 and 50. They are being given drugs that inhibit the buildup of amyloid plaque, to determine whether the protein is to blame.

According to the World Health Organization, the global costs of dementia total more than $800 billion annually. That is why WHO has launched the Global Dementia Observatory, an online platform to track services for people with dementia and their caregivers.

Nearly 10 million people develop dementia each year6 million of them in low- and middle-income countries, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said in a press release on Dec. 6.

The suffering that results is enormous. This is an alarm call: We must pay greater attention to this growing challenge and ensure that all people living with dementia, wherever they live, get the care that they need.
John Hanson of Fredericksburg stood in front of a room full of rich people about 18 months ago and talked about his dream of setting up an endowment fund in memory of his beloved wife.

He was speaking at a benefactors ball in New Orleans, given for people who support the Ochsner Health System in southeastern Louisiana. Hansons late wife, Patty, had been a well-known nurse at Ochsner, and the couple were natives of The Big Easy. They had lived there until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina convinced them to move closer to family in Virginia.

After Patty Hanson died of cancer in October 2014, friends suggested he create a worthy charity in her name.

Picking the cause was a no-brainer. Hed establish a nursing fund in her honor at the hospital she loved.

But how to come up with the money?

As he stood at the podium in May 2016, looking out at an audience of men and woman decked out in expensive garb, he joked that he didnt have any trouble deciding what to wear that evening.

He has only one suit.

As to endowing the fund, not having deep pockets made that an impossible dream for a sick old man with one suit and living off $2,220 a month, he said.

But Hanson, 81, was tenacious. He asked everyone he knewand anyone he metif theyd like to buy one of two books hed written after his wifes death.

Farewell to an Angel told the story of the couples romance, of their marriage that lasted 47 years and nine months, until she slipped away that autumn morning more than three years ago. He was at her side, holding her hand.

The second book, Cancer: Inspiration for Surviving the Journey, was a manual Patty Hanson put together on tips for living with a terminal disease. For four years, she had fought multiple myeloma, a cancer that attacks white blood cells, using what she called her arsenal of angels: faith, laughter, hope, meditation, courage and her friends and family.

John Hanson paid to have the books published and put every penny raised by sales into the fund in his wifes name. He and Patty had saved $19,000 for a rainy day, and he put $10,000 of it into the fund, as well.

Before he knew it, he had reached $25,000, benefactor status at Ochsner.

The Patty Hanson Nursing Excellence Fund was set up as an endowed fund. Interest earned from the investment of his money will help nurses long after Hanson has left this world.

It will go on indefinitely, he said. Thats what I wanted.

The fund currently has about $50,000, said Anna Combes, director of development at Ochsner, but the Hanson story is more than dollars and cents.

Its really kind of Johns love story to his wife and a way to establish her legacy, she said.

This fall, eight-page full-color brochures were sent to people who have supported the hospital system, and the fund bearing Patty Hansons name was featured on the front page. Inside were two pages with photos about her life story and how the fund supports nurses pursuing professional development.

Theres a tremendous nursing shortage in Louisiana, so the health system is building a school of nursing that will open next year. The best-of-the-best applicants will be awarded a scholarship in Patty Hansons name, Combes said.

There are various nursing funds available for different programs, but the Patty Hanson Scholarship is the only one named for one of our own, she added.

John Hanson was blown away by the report, which includes a photo of him and his wife, along with highlights from the health systems 75-year history.

I was really impressed, I thought, Theyre serious about this, to put this kind of money into it and send it out among the system,  he said. Thats when I realized its gone beyond my dreams.

When he stood before the benefactors and talked about being sick, he wasnt just referring to the normal aches and pains of aging. In summer 2016, a few months after John Hanson addressed benefactors who clearly existed in another tax bracket, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Oddly enough, his type affects red blood cells, while his wife died from the kind that strikes white ones.

He said hes been lucky; his condition is being treated and is under control. Hes still able to drive himself wherever he wants, including daily mass at St. Mary Catholic Church in Fredericksburg.

It was different for Patty; when her cancer came backand it always didit returned each time stronger than before.

When I think about the side effects poor Patty went through, he said, I dont have anything to complain about.

More information about John Hansons books and the nursing fund in Patty Hansons name is available at his website, farewelltoanangel.com.
Santa had his hands full at Mary Washington Hospital on Christmas Eve before delivering gifts to the Fredericksburg-area children. Assisted by Blue Gray Therapy Dogs, he visited Mary Washington Hospital patients and staff and spread holiday cheer and Christmas blessings to all.
Racial tensions boiled over in August when white nationalists clashed in Charlottesville with local counterprotesters and out-of-town activists.

When violence broke out in the streets, police halted the planned rally, which started as a protest against the citys renaming of Lee Park to Emancipation Park and plans to remove a 26-foot tall bronze statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from it.

In the chaos that followed the dispersal, a car plowed into a group of counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. A white nationalist has been charged in her death.

With the debate over what to do with Confederate statues and other symbols from the Civil War era still unresolved, its not surprising that Free LanceStar readers chose two racially charged issues as the top news stories of 2017: the flying of a huge rebel flag in Stafford County and the question of whether to move a historic slave auction block in downtown Fredericksburg.

CONFEDERATE FLAG FLAP REVIVED IN STAFFORD

Confederate heritage group Virginia Flaggers proudly flies rebel flags along major highways around Virginia. In 2014, the Flaggers hoisted one on an 80-foot pole in a southern Stafford familys back yard. Its visible to motorists on Interstate 95.

Complaints about the flag started immediately and intensified in 2015 after white supremacist Dylan Roof murdered nine black people in a Charleston, S.C., church. At the time, Stafford officials said their hands were tied because the flag did not violate any zoning laws.

In the wake of the events in Charlottesville this August, fresh opposition to the Stafford flag erupted at Board of Supervisors meetings.

Love conquers hate and Hate has no home here were among many slogans on signs held by a group of about 20 protesters who gathered outside one board meeting. The protesters appeared at meeting after meeting, often addressing supervisors during public comments.

An attorney challenged the legality of the flag, asserting it was actually an advertising banner for Virginia Flaggers. But county officials again ruled that the flag is protected by the First Amendment and does not violate county ordinances.

Flag opponents have not ruled out additional legal challenges.

One Stafford resident had vowed to erect a competing Black Lives Matter flag, but recently decided to move to New York to take a new job.

SLAVE BLOCK IMPORTANT RELIC OR Too PAINFUL?

The events in Charlottesville spurred a group of Fredericksburg-area ministers to organize a candlelight prayer service in August near the stone auction block at the corner of William and Charles streets in downtown Fredericksburg.

The group prayed for racial reconciliation and healing and urged city officials to move the block that is believed to have been used for slave auctions.

In the weeks following that first vigil, residents appeared before City Council to argue for and against moving the block. Some said it belongs in a museum where more context can be provided. Councilman Matt Kelly expressed a view shared by others about the importance of not hiding our collective past.

We need to sometimes feel shock, pain and remorse to know how far weve come, what has been done, what has been sacrificed, he said.

The council voted 61 on Sept. 26 to keep the block in place while adding interpretive panels to more fully explain the history behind it.

Heather FINALLY gets SOME JUSTICE

The brutal slaying shocked the community.

A 21-year-old woman was found dead on Dec. 6, 2015, in her car at the end of a long driveway on a rural road in Spotsylvania County. She had been shot in the back of the head.

For more than a year, her family and friends and people who never met her waited and wondered if her killer or killers would be caught.

A Justice for Heather Facebook page was created to keep her memory alive and to keep the unsolved crime in peoples minds.

Finally, in March of this year, two menJoshua Christopher Williams and Jonathan Julian Vejaranowere indicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Earlier this month, a Spotsylvania jury found Williams guilty. His brother has been charged with helping him cover up the slaying, and the mother of Williams two children has been charged with being an accessory after the fact. Vejaranos trial is scheduled to start May 29.

When the indictments were announced, Courtney Foster, Heathers sister, thanked police and the community for its support.

We miss her tremendously every day, Foster said of Heather. Our hearts will forever be broken. She had so much life ahead of her that she was robbed of.

ELECTION GLITCHES AFFECT RACES

Virginia Democrats are still hoping a federal court will order a new election in the 28th District House of Delegates race. Thats because at least 147 voters in the Fredericksburg area received ballots for the wrong House race.

The election to choose a successor for retiring Del. Bill Howell, R-Stafford, was closer than any race in that district has been for years. After a recount, a three-judge Circuit Court panel on Dec. 21 certified Republican Bob Thomas as the winner over Democrat Joshua Cole by a margin of 11,849 votes to 11,776.

This fight is not over until every vote is cast and counted in the proper district, Cole, who requested the state-funded recount, said in a statement. The only way that can happen is with a new election.

The House race wasnt the only close one in Stafford.

Republican Mark Dudenhefer captured the Garrisonville District seat on the Board of Supervisors by a 13-vote margin over incumbent Laura Sellers, a Democrat.

A recount of more than 5,000 ballots on Dec. 12 confirmed Dudenhefers victory.

The delayed arrival of 55 absentee ballots also muddied the proceedings. The ballots apparently arrived at the post office on Election Day, but were not delivered to the registrars office until the next day.

Democrats asked a federal judge to require the absentee ballots to be counted, but U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton denied the request, saying there was no evidence that the ballots were mishandled. He said the Postal Services failure to deliver on time is something that happens to all of us.

MAN ACCUSED OF HOLDING FAMILY HOSTAGE FOR 2 YEARS

The Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office received a request July 29 to check on the occupants of a home on Mine Road. Family members of the residents had not heard from them in some time.

Kariem Moore was in the front yard when deputies arrived and was reluctant to let them inside the one-story house, authorities said. A 32-year-old woman and her two children, ages 11 and 8, ran out a side door as deputies talked with Moore. They told deputies that Moore had not allowed them out of the house for at least two years.

According to police, the children, who have since been turned over to out-of-state relatives, identified Moore as their father. Doctors treated the woman for what authorities described as serious medical conditions that had been neglected for some time.

Moore was arrested and a grand jury indicted him Nov. 20 on five felony counts that could carry a life sentence. The other felonies include abduction, forcible sodomy and malicious wounding, according to the indictments filed in Spotsylvania Circuit Court.

A preliminary hearing that had been set for November was rescheduled to Jan. 19.

VDOT AIMS TO IMPROVE ROUTE 3 INTERCHANGE TRAFFIC FLOW

The first of several changes to one of the Fredericksburg areas busiest and worst traffic spots became reality in early December.

The Virginia Department of Transportation opened three new exit lanes for Interstate 95 traffic heading to westbound State Route 3. The old exit lanes to westbound Route 3 were closed.

New traffic lights at the reconstructed exit ramp manage vehicles exiting southbound I95 and traffic already on westbound Route 3.

The $21 million project also will include the construction of a dedicated lane from the southbound exit to Central Parks main entrance and replace one of the interchange cloverleafs with left-turn lanes on eastbound Route 3.

VDOT says the project is aimed at improving safety, primarily by cutting down on the constant weaving of cars and crashes on that stretch of Route 3.

VDOT has noted that the cloverleaf is another high-crash spot, something the change is expected to help improve.

The final portion of the project is expected to be completed by January 2019.

MAN FACES MULTIPLE LIFE TERMS FOR HEINOUS ROADSIDE RAPE

Roberto Carlos Flores Sibrian, 27, repeatedly sexually assaulted a young King George County woman after his vehicle collided with hers as she drove east on State Route 3 in Stafford early Oct. 31 of last year.

Flores Sibrian, a native of El Salvador who is in this country illegally, entered Alford pleas in Stafford Circuit Court to rape, abduction with the intent to defile, aggravated sexual battery and two counts of forcible sodomy. Under an Alford plea, a defendant doesnt admit guilt, but acknowledges that the evidence is sufficient for a conviction.

He will face a maximum penalty of four life sentences plus 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 5 by Judge Charles Sharp, who called the evidence presented in court Oct. 10 overwhelming.

Stafford Commonwealths Attorney Eric Olsen called it one of the worst rapes the county had seen in a long time.

I95 EXPRESS LANES EXTENSION OPENS IN NORTH STAFFORD

State and local officials celebrated the Halloween opening of a two-mile extension of the Interstate 95 express lanes, a $50 million project designed to alleviate congestion that had plagued the Garrisonville Road interchange since the original express lanes opened in December 2014.

The project was paid for by private toll lanes operator Transurban and the state.

We know we have more work to do on I95, as recent congestion reports have reminded us, but this express lanes extension is the first step in a series of projects to unlock gridlock along I95 through the Fredericksburg region, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

According to VDOT spokeswoman Kelly Hannon, the express lanes merge extension is the first of numerous projects slated for the regions I95 corridor during the next five years. The work will cost more than $800 million.

VDOT has another project in the works that would take the express lanes farther south.

The second express lanes extension projects preliminary designs call for lengthening the tolled lanes another 10 miles in the median to the U.S. 17 area in Stafford. The designs call for flyovers and slip ramps at numerous access points along the new stretch.

The plans for the longer toll lane extension call for the express lanes to meet up with the additional lanes that will be added to the interstate as part of the southbound Rappahannock River crossing project. The crossing project will add three lanes in the median from U.S. 17 to State Route 3.

Work on the $125 million crossing project is expected to start in summer 2018 and be completed in 2022.

The 10-mile express lanes extension also could be completed in 2022. Before any work starts, however, the estimated $450 million extension will have to gain federal approval and additional funding.

GOVERNOR WELCOMES GLOBAL MANUFACTURER TO OLD GM PLANT

Gov. Terry McAuliffe joined Spotsylvania County officials in welcoming Missouri-based idX Corp. to the former GM-Powertrain plant on Tidewater Trail in late November.

The company, which produces display fixtures and decor for national retailers such as CVS and Barnes & Noble, will hire 175 employees at its Spotsylvania plant, or 25 more than first anticipated. And the manufacturer is investing a total of $9.8 million in the project, about $2.7 million over the initial price tag.

The state and county offered incentives of more than $2 million to help idX relocate from Columbia, Md. About 75 employees stayed with the company.

The manufacturer purchased the 77-acre site on Tidewater Trail this year from RACER Trust, which a federal judge created to sell off GMs former assets after the company declared bankruptcy in 2009. Its renovation includes a new roof, resurfaced floors and 15 additional loading docks, among other improvements.

What I love about this, this is the old GM Powertrain facility, McAuliffe said. It was empty in 2010, it sat here empty, and now today you see all of this excitement, all of this life and all of these jobs.

SPOTSYLVANIA MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING NEIGHBOR AFTER DISPUTE

Larry Keith Johnston is accused of killing Guy Prudhomme on May 21 during a dispute near their homes in the 7200 block of Young Lane off Gordon Road. Prudhomme, whod had an ongoing dispute with Johnston regarding property boundaries, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

The murder charge and a charge of using a firearm during the commission of a felony were sent to a grand jury in July following a preliminary hearing in Spotsylvania General District Court.

A jury trial has been scheduled for March 8.
Dominique Bryant became homeless when she was 17.

Now 23, Bryant was placed in foster care in New York immediately after she was born. She was adopted when she was 10 and moved to Charlottesville with her adoptive mother. But when Bryant was 17, the mother terminated her parental rights.

Bryant went to a foster family and then to a psychiatric clinic to be treated for depression. After that, she said, the foster family didnt want to take her back.

Because I was right on the cusp of 18, there werent many options for me, Bryant said. I was placed in a sobriety house, even though I wasnt an alcoholic.

Residency in the home was contingent on attending regular meetings. Bryant missed one, because she couldnt get transportation. She lost her place and spent four months homeless in the Charlottesville area. The outcome that Bryant faced as a result of aging out of foster care without achieving permanencybeing adopted or finding a permanent foster placementis common.

According to the results of a national survey conducted by Child Trends for the Childrens Home Society of Virginia and Better Housing Coalition, 20 percent of the people who age out of foster care are homeless within two years. Twenty-five percent are incarcerated, 42 percent drop out of school and 71 percent of the women are pregnant by age 21.

The report estimates that if this population graduated from high school at the same rate as the general population, they would earn $1.8 billion more over their working lifetimes and contribute $430 million in additional taxes.

The results of the survey, released Nov. 14, also show that Virginia has one of the highest percentages of youth exiting foster care due to aging out20 percent compared to 9 percent nationally.

YOUNG AND HOMELESS

Meghann Cotter, executive director of Micah Ecumenical Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit that supports the Fredericksburg areas homeless population, said she has seen the number of homeless youth increase in the 10 years shes worked at Micah.

When I started, the faces of those we were seeing were drastically older and sickermore what you think of when you think of homeless on the street,  she said. But in the last three or four years, the faces have become drastically younger.

Between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016, the homeless services system in Planning District 16, which includes Fredericksburg and Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline and King George counties, served 162 clients between the ages of 18 and 2412 percent of the total population served.

Cotter said she sees former foster care kids either age out of the system or emancipate themselves at age 18.

They bounce around with friends or whatever and theyre OK for a while, she said.

But she said research shows that 85 percent of former foster-care youth have experienced some kind of trauma.

So not only are they lacking the life skills that all 18-year-olds lack, but theyre also dealing with a lessened amount of coping skills as a result of trauma experience and they have no social support system to wrestle with that, Cotter said.

Though 18 is the age of legal adulthood, research quoted in the CHS report shows that the brain continues to develop through age 25. Todays young people tend to rely on their parents for emotional and financial support well into their 20s. When kids dont have a built-in support system, bridging the gap between adolescence and adulthood is that much harder.

For a lot of kids, the first year of college is tough, said Gail Crooks, director of the Spotsylvania Department of Social Services. But you bounce back to mom and dad. When you dont have a safe place where you can go to come back from tough spots, they just have a cumulative effect.

In 2016, 464 foster-care youth aged out of the system in Virginia. Those figures have the potential to grow, as the number of children in foster care nationally grew by 8 percent between 2011 and 2015, possibly due to the opioid epidemicwhich was declared a national public health emergency in October.

Bruin Richardson, chief advancement officer at Childrens Home Society, said there are a number of reasons why Virginia has higher numbers of youth leaving foster care without being adopted.

One is that were a county-administered system and that creates some barriers that make it more difficult to get kids adopted, he said in a phone interview. Also, kids tend to be older when they come into the system in Virginia than the national average. What that results in is they may have more significant trauma and then they really are teenagers before they become eligible to be adopted. And its harder to place those kids.

In 2014, the proportion of older childrenages 16 to 20in Virginias foster care system was larger than it was for the nation as a whole, the CHS report shows.

Crooks said that, anecdotally, kids tend to be 10 or 11 years old when they come into foster care in Spotsylvania.

In Virginia, we try very hard to maintain children in their home, she said. We try to support the family to stabilize it. So when we do come in, weve exhausted a whole lot of options, and kids are coming in with higher levels of need.

We try to prepare our kids, because we know there might be challenges to permanency, she added.

EXTENDING HELP

Virginia is one of 36 states that elected to extend foster care services beyond the age of 18. Last year, the state introduced a new program, Fostering Futures, which went into effect July 1, 2016, for people who turned 18 on or after that date. It uses federal Title IV-E funds to extend care past the age of 18, so youth in successful foster home placements can stay there. They can stay in contact with their case managers or receive stipends for rent and groceries.

However, Fostering Futures is an opt-in program, and young people often dont choose to opt in, leaving the system before the mandated cut-off age.

Richardson said this was one of the most surprising findings of the CHS report.

Maybe it shouldnt have been a surprise to us, but even in states where there are programs for youth through the age of 21, in the vast majority of those states, the majority of youth are opting out of those programs at 18 or 19, he said. And that was eye-opening.

Crooks said that many kids who have been in the foster care system for years choose emancipation as soon as they are able because they just dont want to be connected to social services anymore.

Sometimes, all they want is distance, she said.

She thinks it would help those kids to hear from their peers.

They need to hear from someone else the value of it, she said. They need someone to help them see down the road and see how staying associated with us can help them get to their tomorrow.

Crooks said she would love to set up a body of mentors from the local community to act as cool, caring aunts or uncles to older foster care kids.

It would be like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, for anyone who wants to sign up to be a mentor or who has something these kids respect, she said. Like the mom of your best friend that you can talk to when you cant talk to your mom.

Another way to fight the problem of youth aging out of foster care is to find more families willing to foster or adopt teenagers, and adequately supporting those who do.

Cotter said shes seen kids at Micahs cold-weather homeless shelter who were dropped there by their adoptive parents.

The parents are just done, for whatever reason, she said.

Crooks said it is very difficult to place teenagers in adoptive homes, especially when the teens have years of traumatic experiences behind them.

So thats building block number onebeefing up resources for families willing to take older kids, she said.

Richardson said another crucial step is improving access to affordable housing.

Its very difficult to take advantage of those programs that may exist if youre trying to figure out where your next meal is coming from and whether you will have a roof over your head tomorrow night, he said. These are young people who have almost uniformly been victims of trauma. Theyre already in survival mode and then when we dont do things that will help provide housing, they lack the stability to get beyond that.

TAPPING POTENTIAL

Taylor Landrie, director of the Great Expectations program at Germanna Community Collegea statewide, grant-funded program that helps current and former foster youth transition into collegesaid supporting former foster care kids can be as simple as giving them lots of pep talks.

These kids are just the most resilient, intelligent, tough individuals Ive ever met, Landrie said. They have this huge amount of potential to be incredibly successful. They already have the life skills, they already have the grit and tenacity that they need to be successful in college, but in some cases, no one has ever told them that theyre smart or ever told them they were college material or that they can do anything they want to.

When we support these students, theyre able to reach their own academic goals and support themselves and their families, she continued.

Tiffani Beissel, 21, is one student who benefited from Great Expectations. She was placed in foster care at age 14 in her birth state of Missouri, and though she was adopted by a friends family when she was 15, that situation didnt work out, she said. She moved in with a boyfriend, but he was abusive, and she moved to Virginia to get away from him.

There have been so many times when I wanted to give up, Beissel said. When you dont have anybody to love or care for you, its easy to just give up.

But Beissel knew the statistics about former foster youth and didnt want to become one of them. She said her resilience saw her through. She now lives with her aunt and uncle in Caroline County and will graduate from Germanna in May with an associate degree and a specialization in psychology.

Bryant also has benefited from Great Expectations. Shes now pursuing an associate degree in early childhood education and has found a stable home in Locust Grove with a member of her church.

CHS has put together a task force made up of experts in affordable housing, foster care, child welfare and education, as well as Virginia delegates and senators and aged-out foster youth, to make policy recommendations for improving access and services to youth aging out of foster care.

The task force aims to complete its work in mid-2018.
Eloise Esther Rudd Doyal, 90, of Fredericksburg, formerly of Newport News, Va., passed away peacefully at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg on Thursday, December 21, 2017. Ms. Doyal was born on April 5, 1927 to Charles and Bertha Rudd in Miller, South Dakota. She graduated from Miller High School and had started college in a nearby town. Her father was an Army officer and was assigned to Yokohama, Japan in 1945 and took the family with him. There she met 2nd Lt. Dean A. Doyal, and they were married on August 26, 1947. For the next 30 years, Eloise followed her husband to Alaska, Turkey, and several U.S. states; wherever he was called to serve. All three of her children were born on different Army bases. The family finally settled in Denbigh, Va. when Dean retired after a long career. There she was an LPN for several years in the Riverside Hospital Cardiac Intensive Care Unit until she was called upon to help nurse her parents in Denver, Colo. Eloise created beautiful knitted, crocheted and needlepoint items throughout her life. Each member of her family is blessed with several pieces of her work. She and Dean traveled the U.S. after his retirement and were quite actively involved with the genealogy of their families for many years. Eloise delighted in finding members of the Rudd family, and they attended many Rudd Roundup reunions across the U.S. Eloise was a 50-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star and most recently, a member of Warwick Chapter #43, Newport News, Va. She is preceded in death by her husband and parents as well as her sister, Nathelle Snodgrass. The family thanks the caregivers at the Crossings at Falls Run and the nurses at Mary Washington Hospital for their kindness to her and the family. Survivors include her daughter, Talis June Lester of Jolo, W.Va. and two sons, Charles Thomas Doyal (Barbara) of Fredericksburg, Va. and Michael James Doyal (Deborah) of Greer, S.C.; six grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and her sister-in-law, Alice Hamel of Henderson, NV. A memorial service will be held at Covenant Funeral Service, located at 4801 Jefferson Davis Highway Fredericksburg, Va. on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 9 a.m. An Eastern Star service will be followed by a religious service conducted by Rev. Welford Orrock. She will be buried with her husband at Quantico National Cemetery at a later date. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to your favorite charity in her memory. Online guestbook at covenantfuneralservice.com.
THERE IS an old saying that if youre looking for loyalty, buy a dog. In politics, this maxim proved to be accurate and particularly enlightening to me.

When I began my service on the Stafford County Board of Supervisors 12 years ago, I was still in my 30s and decidedly new to elected office. In addition to the loyalty lesson, Ive learned a lot since.

In part because I had endured a campaign in which my opponent exclusively focused on the personal failings and transgressions of my late teens and 20s, I probably had the thickest skin of any first-term supervisor. That proved to be an unintended blessing, allowing me to plow ahead on issues I believed were essential to protecting our liberty without worrying about the name-calling and personal attacks that have come to characterize American politics.

I learned that one person can make a difference in government. I also learned that holding office is not necessarily a requirement to making a difference.

Theres a process to governing and implementing policy. As a participant in that process, I realized that the bureaucracy is a beast. Every law passed is nearly impossible to undo. But, undoing some of those laws is worth the fight. And, determination and persistence are the keys to winning those fights.

One of the most challenging fights I led was repealing a stifling tax on small businesses. In 2009, the then-Democrat-majority board implemented a destructive tax called the Business Professional Occupational License, or BPOL. As the owner and operator of my own small business, I know how crippling overregulation and high taxation can be. So, I fought this tax hikehard. In fact, one particularly heated board hearing lasted until 3 a.m.

But that November, Republicans won a robust majority on the board. The first thing we did was to cut our own pay. Then, we repealed BPOL. We also adopted a strategic 10-point plan to improve our economy.

Conservative governing worked. Stafford jumped to No. 1 in job growth in Virginia, earned AAA bond ratings, and saw its revenues growallowing us to keep cutting taxes.

Raising taxes is lazy. Its a mantra Ive heard and witnessed at all levels of government. Politicians rarely fight the trajectory of an ever-growing government. The bureaucracy of government encourages more spending, which in turn requires higher revenues. Raising a little tax here and a little tax there can be a deceivingly attractive path of least resistance. But the heavy burden of those taxes falls on the shoulders of the people. That burden, and not the wants of government, should always be our foremost concern.

Zoning is one of the boards main responsibilities. Protecting private property rights, while balancing the need for infrastructure and limiting growth, requires constant vigilance. If a new development didnt improve our county as a whole, we didnt approve it. Though we approved relatively few new developments, we always made sure secondary roads were in place and that our schools could handle growth.

I learned that most politicians in Richmond have no idea what their policy decisions mean for local government. They pass mandates on counties without funding them. Though Stafford County is No. 6 in the nation in median income, a lot of that money goes to Richmondand it doesnt come back to our county. With local roads needing attention, we took matters into our own hands. We fixed or funded the fixes for dangerous roads like Brooke, Poplar and Truslow by leveraging local money to implement voter-approved transportation bonds.

Preservation and conservationconcepts initially championed by Republican Presidents Benjamin Harrison and Theodore Rooseveltare not wholly owned subsidiaries of Democrats. Land preservation was critical to my first election, and is one of the most important issues to me. Working with elected officials representing both parties, we preserved Crows Nest, built trails at Government Island (home to a quarry that produced stone for our nations Capitol), created a Civil War Park and worked with the George Washington Foundation to enable the rebuild of Ferry Farm.

I also learned that words matter and that listening is of far greater value than speaking. Having been honored by my fellow supervisors with the opportunity to serve as board chairman, I learned that my words can either instill confidence or cause consternation when leading such a diverse county.

In a time of vitriol in politics, I think thats what we need most: To respect our fellow mans point of view. The hashing of ideas is what makes our government the best in the world, no matter at what level one serves.

Though my term in office is ending, this isnt the last of my efforts to continue working with people to strengthen our community. I look forward to seeing Stafford welcome and embrace its future and Im thankful for the opportunity to serve.

Paul Milde is the outgoing chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors. He is also president of Closet Interiors Plus.
On The Water: You might need a bigger boat for Transpac 2023
Q: I have taken Prilosec for almost three months. During this time, I have experienced some of the worst days of my life. While on this drug, I am experiencing severe anxiety, nervousness and depression. I feel like I am going nowhere.

I want to stop taking this drug, but the withdrawal is awful. Whenever I dont take a dose, I get horrible heartburn. Is there a way to get off this medicine?

A: Proton pump inhibitors are powerful acid-suppressing drugs.

They help heal stomach ulcers and can relieve symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD.

Most people assume that PPIs exert their effects only in the stomach. Research suggests, however, that PPIs have effects throughout the body.

A new study shows that these medications may affect the brain (International Psychogeriatrics, online, Sept. 13, 2017). More than 300 elderly Italians participated in the study, answering questions about their mood, as well as their use of proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole (Prilosec). People taking a PPI were about twice as likely as other individuals to report depression or anxiety. The authors conclude: Use of PPIs might represent a frequent cause of depression in older populations; thus, mood should be routinely assessed in elderly patients on PPIs.

Stopping a PPI suddenly can trigger rebound hyperacidity. Heartburn symptoms like those youve experienced may become more intense. Gradual withdrawal over several weeks or months is a better approach.

You can learn more about getting off PPIs in our Guide to Digestive Disorders. You also will find other ways to deal with heartburn. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (70 cents), self-addressed envelope to Graedons Peoples Pharmacy, No. G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website, www.peoples pharmacy.com.

Q: Can you tell me if there are any eye drops without preservatives? I heard on your radio show that I should avoid benzalkonium chloride. I cant find eye drops that do not contain that chemical. Can you help?

A: Look for a product that is labeled preservative-free. One such is TheraTears. Others include Systane Ultra, Refresh Optive Advanced and NanoTears TF.

Dr. Peter McDonnell, the director of the Wilmer Eye Institute, suggested a product with hyaluronic acid. One such is Hylo-Vision HD. You can listen to our interview about dry eyes at www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q: There is a strong possibility that my husband and I might need to start taking the new product called Repatha for cholesterol. We have read some disturbing reviews about the side effects of this drug. In addition, the cost is almost prohibitive. Can you please shed some light on this new drug?

A: The injectable drug Repatha (evolocumab) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015 for people with very high cholesterol that runs in the family. It is supposed to be used with statins or other cholesterol-lowering drugs. Some doctors are beginning to prescribe Repatha for people who cant tolerate statins, however.

Side effects may include infections of the respiratory system or urinary tract. Some people also experience headache, dizziness, cough, back pain, muscle pain or reactions at the injection site. Life-threatening allergic reactions are the most serious complication.

If your insurance company wont cover Repatha, you may end up spending at least $1,200 a month each.
DENVER  A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriff's deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately and were shot "very, very quickly" after entering a suburban Denver apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside a bedroom.

"They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there."

The Douglas County coroner identified the suspect as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl.

A YouTube user named Matthew Riehl posted a YouTube video Dec. 13, saying he wanted to replace Spurlock and railing against the sheriff and other officers in profane, highly personal terms.

The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, Zackari Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and only managed to "crawl to safety," Spurlock said.

The incident began around 5:15 a.m. at Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver.

Authorities had left the home barely an hour earlier in response to a complaint of a "verbal disturbance" involving two men, the sheriff's office said. One of the men told them the suspect "was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown" but the deputies found no evidence of a crime.

When deputies were called back, a man who had left came by to give them a key and granted permission to enter the home, leaving again before shots were fired.

"The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Spurlock said.

Four officers, including Parrish, were shot from a bedroom around 6 a.m., forcing the retreat. A SWAT team entered the apartment at about 7:30 a.m. in an exchange of gunfire that left the gunman dead and another officer injured.

Vira Cover, who lives in a building about 50 yards away from the shooting, was woken up by a phone call from her fiance, Steve Silknitter, who warned her about what was happening and urged her to stay inside. Soon afterward she said she heard about 15 to 20 very loud shots fired over about 30 seconds or a minute. She sat on the couch with her cats and called Silknitter back before turning on the television to try to find out more about what was happening.

"I couldn't believe this was happening in our backyard," she said.

Silknitter heard the shots fired too but from about a half mile away, stopped at a police roadblock as he tried to get back home from work. Then he said he saw police in tactical gear speed past him in a pickup truck.

Silknitter said he lived 2 miles away from the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado where 12 people were killed in a shooting in 2012. He said he never would have expected anything like this in his apartment complex, where the only noise you might normally hear is children running around upstairs.

"Where do I move to where I don't have to worry about someone shooting us?" asked Silknitter, who is now considering getting a concealed weapons permit.

The suspect was well-known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed.

Riehl said in his Dec. 13 YouTube video, called "Fire Sheriff Spurlock," that he would run as a libertarian, ending with holiday greetings and a vow to "fire all these bums come early next year."

Riehl is vague about his political beliefs and personal grievances, though his animosity clearly ran deep. He flashes the business card of an officer who, he says, shows up at homes after sunset with an attractive woman and "will then ambush you from behind the door."

A video posted on Nov. 28 shows a traffic stop by a police officer in the city of Lone Tree  apparently taken inside the officer's car  that Riehl said was done illegally. He alleges the officer clocked the wrong driver, identifying the officer by name in the video and calling him "dirty."

"Scumbag, dirtbag, liar," he says as the officer questions the driver. "He's the boss, huh? He's the Nazi in charge with the stripes on his shoulder and the fake badge."

The sheriff did not release any details about the weapons and ammunition used except to say the suspect had a rifle. He also did not know if law enforcement had any prior knowledge of firearms being in the home but the possibility always weighs on deputies' minds.

"We respond to every call anticipating that everyone has a gun. This is Colorado. Everybody has a gun," Spurlock said.

Parrish, the slain officer, was 29 and a married father of two young children. He came to the department seven months ago after working as an officer for the nearby Castle Rock Police Department. Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work.

"His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said.

Gov. John Hickenlooper ordered flags on all public buildings immediately lowered to half-staff until Tuesday evening in Parrish's honor.

The three deputies and one police officer injured were listed in stable condition. Authorities identified them as deputies Michael Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom O'Donnell, 41.

The two civilian injuries were not life-threatening.

Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. The sheriff shared a picture of him and two other family members by his son's hospital bed on his office Twitter account. All four, including Jeffrey Pelle, who underwent surgery, are smiling and giving a thumbs-up gesture.

President Donald Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter, "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!"

The shooting occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in Las Vegas.

Associated Press writers Sadie Gurman in Washington, Terry Tang in Phoenix and photographer David Zalubowski in Denver contributed to this report.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
Are we really interested in character?

Can Democrats tar President Donald Trump and other Republicans for their support of U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore? Will they pay a penalty for endorsing a man who was credibly accused of improper, indefensible exploitation of young women?

President Trump pulled out the stops to support Moore and urge Alabama voters to elect Moore, because, as he tweeted, Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!

Democrats hope to use the support Trump and the other Republicans gave for Moore to undercut them in future elections. Republicans, they will say, support the election of child molesters and sexual harassers if they need their votes in Congress.

Senate Democrats bolstered this righteous position when they forced the resignation of Minnesota Senator Al Franken after several women complained about his inappropriate conduct.

But Republicans can fairly ask if the Democrats would have acted so decisively against Franken if the states governor had been a Republican. If Senate Democrats had thought that a Republican would have been appointed to fill Frankens seat, would they have found a way to protect him?

More than 30 years ago, I found myself in the middle of a similar debate. The recent publication of a new book about the political career of a former South Carolina congressman reminded me how I got involved. Capitol Steps and Misstep The Wild, Improbable Ride of Congressman John Jenrette, written by former Jenrette top aide John Clark, tells a remarkable story. In the mid-1970s Democrat Jenrette was a popular, progressive, ambitious politician, whose early success and potential for national prominence could have been a model for the South Carolina Congressman Frank Underwood character, formerly played by Kevin Spacey in Netflixs House of Cards.

In a review of the new book in The State newspaper, John Monk writes that it brings to life a congressman whose sexual exploits were the stuff of legend and whose drinking and money issues made him easy prey to the FBI and its hidden cameras.

Jenrettes sexual exploits  including his sleeping with another woman on his wedding night  are described in depth, as are his struggles with alcohol, his questionable beachfront land dealings and the FBI. Clarks detailed account of how Jenrette fell victim to an aggressive FBI sting called Abscam leaves no doubt that he believes heavy drinking and huge debts made the congressman vulnerable.

My connection to the Jenrette matter arose in 1984 when I was running for Congress, as described in a 1988 book, Honest Graft: Big Money and the American Political Process, by Brooks Jackson. In a chapter titled Were Not Really Interested in Character, my naive conversation with a representative of a liberal political action committee in Washington began when he told me the kind of candidates they liked included former Congressman John Jenrette.

Quoting me, the book continues with the question I asked. How could you support him so enthusiastically, given his character and the things that everybody knew about him?

And he said, Were not really interested in character; were interested in votes.

Even today, I am not sure which one of us was right. If a bad persons vote were necessary for the success of a good cause in Congress, what would you do? Character or the vote?
ABINGDON, Va.  Robin Ferrell, owner of Necessities specialty grocery store in Abingdon, saw an increase in customers this holiday season.

I was very busy in the month of December  [and] this was the first year we had a busy Black Friday, Ferrell said.

For the first time, the town coordinated all holiday events into a monthlong celebration called An Old-Fashioned White Christmas, which ran from Nov. 17 to Dec. 9. Two new additions to the townwide community events included the Abingdon Merchants Holiday Open House on Nov. 19 and Shop Small Saturday on Nov. 25. Merchants had extended hours each weekend of the monthlong celebration.

It just kind of all came together, and we banded together as a community between the town, community development, Barter [Theatre] and Abingdon Main Street to pull this off for the betterment of Abingdon, said Carrie Baxter, executive director of the Abingdon Main Street program.

Baxter said that the monthlong celebration was a way to also promote and support the towns local merchants.

Those merchants are hard-working folks, and they are so dedicated, so we wanted to give something back to them, Baxter said.

Ferrell said that the coordinated efforts really paid off for the holiday shopping season.

I think it was probably because of the Open House and all coordinated efforts, Ferrell said. They did a really good job of getting the word out to the public.

Without looking at the final numbers for the month, Ferrell said shes pretty sure this was a busier December than years prior. Necessities opened on Main Street in March 2014, selling a variety of items including local and international specialty foods.

When only a few stores are open, Ferrell said, its not always worth the drive to come to Abingdon from Johnson City or Kingsport, Tennessee, but it is worth the trip and a nice experience when the entire downtown area is open for business, Ferrell said.

It was a worthwhile effort, and its good to get the downtown merchants working to together, Ferrell said.

Tonya Triplett, community development coordinator for the town, has never seen Abingdon more beautiful than it was during the White Christmas celebration.

The hope is to make holiday event celebration annual so that the town can continue on and grow this every single year, Triplett said.

It was a great collaboration between all of us to really promote Abingdon and give people a reason to visit our local shops, Triplett said.

Another new addition was having Abingdons merchants compete for the best store window. Merchants windows featured a White Christmas-themed display, inspired by the Barters production.

Wolf Hills Antiques won the first-ever window contest. The stores window featured a white iron bed, a doll of a little girl, Christmas pajamas, a vintage white Christmas tree, vintage ornaments and an old-fashioned fireplace, Baxter said.

Ferrell decorated her storefront with a playbill that said Im dreaming of a  and gifts for all ages.

Anthonys Desserts loaned its store window to the Virginia Highlands Festival so that the festival could promote for White Christmas and lead into the upcoming years annual event, Baxter said.

A lot of good things came out of this event, Baxter said.

Baxter hopes that visitors and local residents had more excitement this holiday season to shop around town and be part of the community.

I had folks tell me that they couldnt believe it was happening  that its a one-of-a-kind thing, Baxter said.
BRISTOL, Tenn.  Following an hourslong search in Bristol for a missing 15-year-old child, an upstate New York family traveled back home on Saturday after authorities found him in the woods.

Isaiah Chocquette disappeared into the woods behind the Walmart on Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, around 5:20 p.m. Friday. The boy, who has autism, became upset and ran up the steep embankment behind the store, said Capt. Charlie Thomas of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department.

His mother, Nancy Chocquette of Oneida, New York, called police. She said the family had been traveling back home to New York from middle Tennessee when they decided to make a stop at Walmart.

Authorities quickly began gathering resources to search the woods and hills along Volunteer Parkway and into nearby Steele Creek Park. Crews from as far away as the Tennessee Department of Corrections in Mountain City assisted in the search.

Helicopters, K-9 teams, ATV riders, search and rescue crews, police, firefighters and some volunteers scoured the rough terrain for hours as the temperature dropped below freezing late Friday. Nine agencies and more than 50 people assisted in the search late Friday and early Saturday, according to Mike Carrier of the Bristol Tennessee Fire Department.

By 12:20 a.m. Saturday, a group of men discovered the boy about 3 miles from the Walmart parking lot. He was cold but conscious, authorities said.

Carrier said an ATV team found the boy sitting against a tree.

Crews took him to Bristol Regional Medical Center for treatment, and he was later released.

His mother, who was traveling with other children and a small dog, said Saturday that the boy was doing great. They continued on their trip back home, about 11 hours from Bristol, on Saturday afternoon.

The family was unfamiliar with Bristol when they decided to stop at the Walmart store. They had been visiting family in middle Tennessee for the holidays and were traveling back home along Interstate 81 to Oneida, which is located just east of Syracuse.

Nancy Chocquette thanked the approximately dozens of people who helped search for her son.
The unsolved shooting of a Bristol, Tennessee, man in the Walmart parking lot was the only murder reported in the Twin City this past year.

Capt. Terry Johnson of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department said Michael Heatherlys murder on Sept. 2 was the citys only murder in 2017. The man was shot at 3 p.m. in the Walmart parking lot off of Volunteer Parkway. He was transported to the hospital, where he died from a single gunshot wound, according to an autopsy.

We want anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward to help bring to justice whoever is responsible for this crime, said Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, who is offering a $5,000 reward for information about the murder.

Heatherly worked as a vendor for Walmart and was heading to his vehicle after completing his work duties, according to a news release from the governors office.

Authorities believe he was shot by someone in a vehicle in an adjacent space in the parking lot, the release states.

Sullivan County District Attorney General Barry Staubus said police continue to investigate the shooting.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Justin Bush of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department at 423-989-5530 or jbush@bristoltn.org.

No homicides were reported in 2017 across the state line in Bristol, Virginia, according to Bristol Virginia Police Department Sgt. Steve Crawford.

A number of homicides were reported, investigated and prosecuted outside of Bristol. Johnny Royston Jr., 36, faces murder charges in the July death of Rowdy Yates, 44, who was found shot to death in the Carden Hollow section of Sullivan County. Police captured Royston after an extensive manhunt.

In April, the Sheriffs Office charged Jeffery Phillips, 33, in the beating and stabbing death of Timothy France, 28. Authorities found Frances body at the Senter Mobile Home Park in Bluff City.

The Washington County Virginia Sheriffs Office investigated more homicides in 2017 than in recent years, according to Maj. Byron Ashbrook.

The first homicide was reported Jan. 9 at an apartment on Hillman Highway. Police charged James Joseph Canter, 26, in the death of Ashleigh Nicole Langbein, 23. The case is pending in court.

On May 14, police were called to a home on Flatwood Acres Road where the bodies of Debra Hargrove and Jerry Hargrove were found. Officers issued warrants for the arrest of John Anthony Able, whose body was later found in rural Johnson County, Tennessee.

On Aug. 27, Ginger Claude McIntyre, 49, was charged in the death of her husband, Randy Lee McIntyre, at their home on Ironwood Loop. McIntyre claimed self-defense when police responded to the home.

On Nov. 30, police investigated the death of Steven Jeremy Hafen, 39, whose body was found at an apartment on Reedy Creek Road. Police later charged Gary Lynn Murray, 19, and Timothy D. Carrick, 38, both of Bristol, Tennessee, with murder and robbery in connection with Hafens death.

A fatal officer-involved shooting, involving the death of Roberto Avendano, was reported in October in Washington County. The Virginia State Police investigated the death and handed their findings over to the Washington County Commonwealths Attorney, who found the shooting to be justified, according to a letter.

The Dickenson County Sheriffs Office and Russell County Sheriffs Office each investigated a murder in 2017.

Charles Walter Reed, 53, pleaded guilty in Dickenson County Circuit Court to charges of second-degree murder, strangulation and disposing of a dead body in order to conceal a crime. Reed was charged in March in the death of 40-year-old Crystal Gail Stanley, whose body was found buried in a shallow grave at their Clintwood home. Reed pleaded guilty in November.

Joshua Lamont Lee, 35, was indicted in November in the death of his on-again, off-again girlfriend in Castlewood, Virginia. The body of Santana Danielle Hale, 29, was covered by a sheet of plywood at her mobile home.

The Smyth County Sheriffs Office and Saltville Police Department also each investigated a murder.

Saltville authorities charged Christopher Allen Wright, 36, of Marion, and Nathaniel Shane Prewitt, 38, of Swords Creek, in the death of 61-year-old Robert Vollmer, whose body was found in a septic tank in February. Prewitt entered an Alford plea in the case in August.

In July, the Smyth County Sheriffs Office charged Teresa Barlow, 56, in the death of her husband, Charles Ricky Barlow, 59. Police found the mans body lying on a couch with a gunshot wound to his head at their home near Chilhowie.

The Wise County Sheriffs Office had one homicide in 2017. In early October, police obtained a warrant for the arrest of Todd Richardson, 44, after they found his wife dead in Coeburn, Virginia. The man was later found dead in the cab of his truck in Weber City, Virginia.

Elsewhere in the Tri-Cities, the Johnson City Police Department investigated two homicides, and the Kingsport Police Department had three, officials said.
HICKORY  The Ridgeview branch of the Hickory Public Library hosted its annual Kwanzaa celebration Thursday with the Charlotte-based musical group, A Sign of the Times.

They introduced basic information about the seven principles of Kwanzaa and the celebrations origin and purpose.

Hickory residents Betty Scott and Portia Harris agreed the group is awesome.

I just like the whole thing, Scott said. Its educational and inspirational.

They both attended last years performance, and Harris even brought her great-grandchildren this time.

It was a learning experience for them as well, Harris said.

The groups vocalist, Toni Tupponce, said their goal is to share the heritage of the African diaspora through music, dance and spoken language.

She said because of recent social and cultural unrest in the country, the Kwanzaa celebration is a good opportunity to share a positive message about unity.

Its more important than ever I think, for African-Americans and people of color to have a sense of balance in who they are in terms of their culture, Tupponce said. And we need to remember the best of our culture that we grabbed from the African continent and saved with us in spite of everything else.

The celebration has its roots in both African-American history and even more ancient traditions.

Maulana Karenga, professor and chairman of black studies at California State University, Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in 1966, according to history.com. After the Watts riots in Los Angeles, Karenga searched for ways to bring African-Americans together as a community.

He founded a cultural organization and started to research African first fruit (harvest) celebrations, according to history.org. Karenga combined aspects of several different harvest celebrations, such as those of the Ashanti and those of the Zulu, to form the basis of Kwanzaa.

The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase matunda ya kwanza which means first fruits in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading and a large traditional meal, according to history.com.

On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the kinara (candleholder), then one of the seven principles is discussed. The principles, called the nguzo saba (seven principles in Swahili) are values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing community among African-Americans.

The seven principles are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

Tupponce remembers the first year Kwanzaa was celebrated in the United States.

My uncle thought it was important for us to know something about Kwanzaa, and he had somehow followed it, Tupponce said. He didnt know a lot about it. He just knew there was something on the horizon we needed to pay attention to.

Kwanzaa is non-religious, non-political, non-heroic, so it does not honor one person.

Tupponce said she doesnt really remember anyone celebrating Kwanzaa in her hometown in Virginia when she was younger.

I grew up hearing about it, but with a lot of confusion, she said. It was like you wanted to do either Christmas or Kwanzaa, but as I got older and went to college and started reading a little more, I came to realize what it was really about.

Tupponce didnt start celebrating Kwanzaa every year until the 1980s. Its become a time of reflection.

Its a time to look inward, but not just at myself but to think about the shoulders I stand on, Tupponce said. I think about some of the adages my parents taught me that were connected to Africa they probably didnt even realize.

One example of this was the lesson on cooperative economics she learned from her father  creating businesses, sharing resources and profiting as a community.

Tyrone Jefferson, A Sign of the Times director and trombonist, said Kwanzaa has five basic activities as well.

They include the gathering of people, special reverence for the creator and creation, commemoration of past ancestors, a recommitment to the highest cultural ideals and the celebration of the good things in life.

We always have to give honor to those who came before us, especially our parents and especially to God, Jefferson said.

Ridgeview Branch manager Nicole Morse said this kind of programming is incredibly important.

These are programs that the community members ask for directly, so we try to meet that need of what they want, a need thats not being filled by any other organization in the city, Morse said.

While a primary focus of the library is educational, introducing the public to new cultures first-hand is something the Hickory Public Library branches focus on throughout the year.

The Kwanzaa celebration was sponsored by the Ridgeview Branch of the Friends of Hickory Public Library.

The members of A Sign of the Times performing at Ridgeview included Tupponce, Jefferson, Rico Tyler on piano, Gerard Benson on bass and Gary Mumford on djimbe (drum).

For more information about A Sign of the Times, visit asignofthetimes.org, and for more information about upcoming events through the Hickory Public Library visit hickorync.gov/content/library or call 828-304-0500.
A young couple sitting in the Metro had been engaged in cheerful banter for a long time. The subject of their discussion was to have as much fun as they could on Christmas and New Year. Their phones were ringing non-stop, text messages arriving and in the style of running commentary, they were telling their friends: Weve reached this station: you should also reach here quickly.

It is not civilised to eavesdrop in a public place. But I couldnt help it since they were loud. If I kept my hands on my ears, in my attempt to appear too civilised, I would have looked like a comedian. To shift my attention, I decided to focus on the screen of the iPhone. I respond to mails from office, SMS and WhatsApp messages as soon as I see them. Facebooks bravehearts were engaged in their own little battles. Let me trawl Twitter, I thought. Perhaps, I will glean something good and novel. I was going through my timeline when a tweet suddenly appeared.

I keep a close watch on American historian Audrey Truschkes tweets. She does a scientific analysis of facts and arguments. This time round she had tweeted about a news item from a renowned American newspaper which expounded on the danger of extremism lurking over Christmas celebrations in India. A few incidents of a very local nature which took place in one or two remote villages and statements by outspoken organisations formed the meat of this story. Reading it made you feel that a great danger was hovering over the country called India.

My attention returned to the couple sitting next to me. Werent they going to celebrate Christmas and New Year? I apologetically asked them their names. With a little hesitation, they said: Rohit and Rehana. Their hesitation didnt emerge from their religious identities but from my lack of acquaintance with them. My next question was: Arent you afraid to celebrate this festival? Why should we be afraid? We celebrate it every year! was the response. A question came to my mind. The newspaper that published the article does so after carrying out a number of checks and balances. It has enormous credibility, but what about its content? Back in their own country they have plenty of loudmouths who are ready to create a storm in a teacup on the basis of colour, religion and language. These sensationalists are not taken seriously from New York to New Delhi.

Despite all this, its correspondents got an opportunity to write in such a manner because an alleged extremist Hindu organisation had issued a statement against Christmas. Instead of trusting them, had the authors of the article looked at the Capital and the areas around it, they would have realised that all those restaurants and hotels which are offering special incentives for December 25 and New Year are getting a big response. They even forgot that a majority of Indians have given up on the Vikram Samvat calendar and adopted the Gregorian calendar. Thats why so many events are hosted on December 31.

I thought the real picture should come into the light. So I responded to Audrey and the newspaper on Twitter: I dont think there will be any problem in celebrating Christmas in India. Hotels, restaurants, clubs are booked for celebrations, writing this on Christmas Eve with full confidence. Needless to say, no untoward incident was reported on the day of the festival.

I can give more instances but for the purposes of our understanding, this example is enough. Indians should realise that a few people among us make sensational statements for cheap publicity which create apprehension in the minds of those staying abroad. Even if traditional media ignores them, they succeed in spreading their propaganda through social media. As citizens of India, shouldnt we think about dissociating ourselves from such elements and as far as possible, stop the spread of negativity? Instead of cursing others, we should deal with our own weaknesses.

That day, coming out of the station, I realised that using the Metro or another form of public transport once a week for environmental reasons has its uses.

Today is January 1, the first day of the year. On this day most people resolve to give up their bad habits. On this day, why cant we make a common New Year resolution: Of not letting our country sink into a morass of rejection and negativity?

Finally, heres wishing you a happy new year. In this year, India could become part of a select club of five most developed countries in the world. But will such economic progress be perceived as progress with such irresponsibility? We need to make India affluent as well as intellectually prosperous.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief Hindustan

letters@hindustantimes.com
He sits ramrod straight, next to the fire. He stares right at the platform under the tree, where poets and other writers are reciting and reading. A red scarf appears to keep his head intact, his emotions in check, and his gaze constant. And he holds a book that he disappears into, in between, as others perform.

Tenzin Tsundue sits still. Tenzin Tsundue floats. I sit behind him, reading to myself from his book Kora:

When I was born

my mother said

you are a refugee.

We are at a bonfire event in Chandigarh, where he is the centrepiece, not only for being a poet, but for being the most romantic of the heroes of our times  a Tibetan freedom fighter.

Except that he does not fight. He lives. As does Tibet, he tells me later at a dhaba, tapping the end of his index finger on the side of his head. Tibet is alive, free, in there, he means to say. His red scarf is stark as ever, no wrinkles. This is almost end of the day, an hour or so before we head to Sector 17 for late-night chai, and he tells us  a set of four people who, to be honest, know Tibet only in the smiling monks walking the streets of McLeodganj or Dharamshala  how he crossed the border to his homeland at the turn of the millennium. Four nights, five days, before he was caught by the Chinese and sent back after three months in a jail there. I think they found out that I was no warrior. I was harmless, they must have thought, he chuckles.

Tenzin regaled the audience with tales bittersweet, telling them of how he was born in a roadside tent, as his parents worked as labourers in the Lahaul valley. (Rahul Sharma)

Back at the event, he used wit as his weapon. A weapon to floor the audience with. A weapon whose powers not many understand.

To the audience of 150-odd, of whom hardly two were older than him, the 40-something activist poet began by re-describing the word refugee.

On your forehead

between your eyebrows

there is an R embossed

my teacher said.

He said it was never a matter of shame or pity. We kids thought the R made us special, he smiled wide. The poems last lines say it too:

I have three tongues

the one that sings

is my mother tongue.

The R on my forehead

between my English and Hindi

the Tibetan tongues reads:

Rangzen

The Tibetan word for freedom.

He regaled the audience with tales bittersweet, telling them of how he was born in a roadside tent among rocks, as his parents worked as road construction labourers in the treacherous Lahaul valley. And then he transported Chandigarh to his rented home in Little Lhasa as he read:

When it rains in

Dharamsala

raindrops wear boxing gloves,

thousands of them

come crashing down

and beat my room.

[]

I sit on my island-nation bed

and watch my country in flood,

notes on freedom,

memoirs of my prison days,

letters from college friends

[]

A rented room for home

is a humbling existence.

My Kashmiri landlady

at eighty cannot return home.

We often compete for beauty

Kashmir or Tibet.

At Nagpal Dhaba later, he eats one chapati and dal. Thats enough for me, he insists. And then taps on his inner strength to give long, patient answers to questions about his ideological differences with the Dalai Lama, about his family, about his mother, about Tibetan culture, about the meaning of words, about poets he likes. He quotes from Obituary by AK Ramanujan in which the poet says about his father: Being the burning type, he burned properly at the cremation. Poetry must have layers, says Tenzin. But he reserves the layers for an answer to the most direct of questions: Dont you ever get sick of it all? Do you really think Tibet will someday be free?

He breaks it down into small sentences: I dont keep thinking about the freedom of the land. I would go crazy. Our cause is what matters. And it matters to the world. Our struggle, our commitment to non-violence, the strength of our culture, our patience, and our compassion must stay alive. Its more important than ever. Not just for Tibet. Not for freedom of a piece of land alone. Not for me alone, he says. And then he taps the tip of his index finger on the side of his head.

Tenzin Tsundue sits still. Tenzin Tsundue floats.

The author can be contacted at aarishc@gmail.com

Follow author at @aarishc

(Views expressed are personal)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Two people with a tiger skin and 8.3 kg bones were arrested in Banbasa of Champawat district on Sunday.

The accused, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, had killed the tiger in Dhudwa National Park eight months back, and now they were on their way to selling them to a buyer in Khatima (Uttarakhand), when the forest department and police arrested them in a joint operation.

According to officials, the accused, identified as Raju and Mahaveer, were nabbed near Indo-Nepal border.

Babu Lal, sub divisional officer of Khatima range, said, We had tip-off that two smugglers are entering this side from Nepal. Since it was the border area, we took help of Champawat police. They had killed a tiger by poisoning and had been waiting for a good deal. Finally they struck a deal at Khatima with a someone from Delhi.

According to the SDO, the tiger was eight years old and the smuggled skin is 2.48 metre in length. Further interrogation is on and the report is yet to be filed.
Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is likely to fill the two Cabinet berths soon in a bid to placate angry BJP leaders ahead of the urban local body polls, likely to be held in April in Uttarakhand.

The two berths have been lying vacant ever since Rawat announced his Cabinet over nine months ago. There are reports that he may distribute the Cabinet positions among the party workers anytime before the urban local body polls.

Cabinet-rank positions will be distributed among party workers ahead of the urban local body pollsHowever, only those positions will be filled, which we feel absolutely necessary to fill Ajay Bhatt, the state BJP president, told HT. He admitted that the partys rank and file too have been mounting pressure on the state leadership to distribute Cabinet positions among them.

Awarding party workers such (Cabinet) positions will infuse in them a new energy in the New Year, Bhatt said.

However, he did not rule out the possibility of long-pending Cabinet expansion also taking place ahead of the urban local body polls. Anything is possible in the New Year, Bhatt remarked, when asked if the two Cabinet berths lying vacant would be filled ahead of the local body polls. He, however, clarified that effecting a Cabinet rejig was the CMs prerogative.

The two berths have been lying vacant ever since the CM, along with his 10-member Cabinet, was sworn in on March 18 last year, following the BJPs landslide win in the assembly elections. No wonder, the majority of the remaining 47 of the total 57 BJP legislators, who failed to find a ministerial berth, are said to be unhappy.

Rawat has nine ministers in the Council of Ministers headed by him. According to the constitutional provisions, he can induct two more ministers in his 10-member Cabinet, the total strength of which cant go beyond 15% of the assemblys total strength of 70 MLAs.

However, it would be a tough call for Rawat with a large number of BJP legislators eyeing the two Cabinet berths. In fact, the discontent had started brewing among senior legislators soon after Rawat formed his Cabinet, as he failed to strike a regional and caste balance. Besides, it (Cabinet) included more legislators from Garhwal than Kumaon, BJP insiders said. Similarly, the composition of the Cabinet is heavily skewed in favour of the legislators belonging to the Thakur caste. And all of them, including the chief minister himself, are from Garhwal and that too from one district (Pauri) in that region.

No wonder, discontent soon came out in the open with supporters of the senior BJP leader and former assembly speaker, Harbans Kapoor holding a demonstration in Dehradun demanding his inclusion in the Cabinet. Another party veteran and former Cabinet minister BS Chufal too was stated to be unhappy. Then, some 26 BJP legislators having a closed-door meeting in a hotel on the city outskirt sparked the rumours that they too were unhappy over their failure to find a Cabinet berth. The meeting took place just three months after the CM formed his Cabinet. The discontent among the BJP legislators is reportedly growing.

Officially, the BJP downplayed all such rumours. Some legislators aspiring for the Cabinet berths may be unhappy, but most of them stand solidly behind the party and the chief minister, said senior BJP leader Vinay Goyal. He also refuted the rumours that party workers aspiring for the Cabinet positions too are unhappy. There is no substance in such rumours, he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A 30-year-old man was shot at on the dance floor of Rich Bratz 17, a lounge and bar in south Delhis Greater Kailash-I, in the early hours of Sunday.

Police said that the shooting took place at around 3.30am which is over two hours past the mandatory closing time of bars and pubs.

Police have sought cancellation of the lounges licence and are investigating how an armed person was allowed in, deputy commissioner of police (south) Romil Baaniya said.

The DCP, however, did not answer to why the lounge was allowed to remain open beyond the 1am closing time.

The victim, Vinay Bhati, is a resident of Jasola in southeast Delhi and works as a time keeper with a private firm in Noida. On Saturday night, he had gone to the lounge in Greater Kailash-I with his brother and two friends when the alleged accused Umesh, 27, fired at him.

Umesh, too, lives in southeast Delhis Govindpuri and hails from Rajasthan, and is unemployed. He was accompanied by his friend Bhanu to the lounge, police said.

Ajay, Bhatis brother, told Hindustan Times that there was no altercation or provocation before Umesh open fired at Bhati. I spoke to my brother at the hospital who told me that the man first pushed him and when he got up, the man shot him in the neck, said Ajay.

Bhati said the same in his statement to the police as well, said Baaniya. The DCP added that after Umesh shot Bhati, people in the lounge got hold of Umesh and thrashed him. The bullet hit Bhatis collarbone. He was taken to AIIMS trauma centre and is out of danger, said police, who also got Umesh admitted to a hospital.

Bittu and Vinay Kumar, Bhatis friends who were with him at the time of the incident, said because of darkness they could not see anything but heard the gunshot.

The bullet brushed past Bittu but he was he was not injured because of several layers of clothing, said Bittu. Bhati told me he was shot but I initially felt he was joking as he was standing erect. Then I noticed that he was bleeding from the neck and that the bullet had touched me too. We took him to the hospital immediately, Bittu added.

While police said Bhati was also drunk at the time of the incident, his brothers and friends denied the allegations.

We have registered a case of attempt to murder and if at all any negligence is brought to our notice during the inquiry, action would be taken, Baaniya added.

On Sunday morning, the DCP told reporters over WhatsApp that the shooting was over a parking issue near the lounge. The officer said the incident took place at around 2am but retracted it later after it was pointed out to him that Bhati had posted a Facebook Live video from inside the lounge at around 3am.

DCP Baaniya said he had shared the message sent by junior officers and the statement was based on initial inquiry.

Police said they would have more clarity once Umesh was fit to give a statement.
The phase 3 of Barapullah project, which will provide a signal-free ride between east and south Delhi, is likely to be delayed by nearly three years, officials said.

The Barapullah elevated road corridor was constructed for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, connecting Sarai Kale Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Now, the road corridor is being extended from JLN Stadium to INA Market in phase II and from Mayur Vihar Phase 1 to Sarai Kale Khan in Phase 3.

The stretch extending from Mayur Vihar will meet the existing elevated corridor at Sarai Kale Khan. This is expected to cut the ride between east and south Delhi to 20 minutes from the current 90 minutes.

However, acquisition of land and shifting a high-tension power transmission line are threatening to delay the project. Construction on phase 3, started in 2015 and was scheduled to be completed by October 2017.

Land acquisition hit

According to Public Works Department (PWD) officials, two plots measuring 500 metres and 250 metres are yet to be acquired. The Launching Girder (LG) machine, which erects the elevated carriageways, has now reached the point from where the 250-metre land starts.

Now girder laying process has been stopped. The second Launching Girder machine will also reach the same patch of land in a few days and the work will completely stop. Removing this machine from the current position will increase the cost by at least by Rs 2.5 crore. Work on other sections has also stopped, a senior PWD official told Hindustan Times.

Officials described the delay as procedural. They said that according to the new rules, before acquiring any private land, a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) has to be done. The study for the said land started in September this year.

Professor Budhaditya Das, who is associated with the unit conducting SIA, said that the report of the study will be submitted to the government in six months .

In the assessment we have to ascertain whether the project is in public interest and minimum land is being acquired. Once we submit the report, it will be examined by a group of experts and after that the collector of the area concerned will initiate the process of land acquisition, Das said.

He said that a draft report will come out in mid-January and a public hearing will be done.

Delhi governments Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) in its report in October this year, had accused then PWD principal secretary of causing inordinate delay in the project by sitting on files. The administrative officials conveyed us that they will take around one year to acquire the land after SIA report is submitted. Once we are handed over the land, it will take at least one-and-a-half years for us to complete the construction,a PWD official said.

High tension line

A high tension electricity line of BSES also obstructs the construction work as it runs parallel to the cross elevated road over the Yamuna . Experts said that the transmission line is a risk for commuters.

We will have to shift it in a way so that it runs perpendicular to the bridge. This will enable us to raise the height of the towers of the line to ensure safety of the commuters, an engineer said.

PWD officials said they have asked BSES to shift the line do so.

Construction complexities

Engineers need to dig eight wells to support the bridge over Yamuna of which two will have to be on the yet-to-be acquired land. Officials said erecting columns there is tougher because of the swampy soil and it will take around eight months to build the two wells. Rest of the work can only be done after the wells are in place.
Delhi international airport is the most commonly used airport by drug smugglers and accounts for nearly half of all drug busts at Indian airports, figures from of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) show.

A total of 47 drug smuggling cases were detected at airports across the country last year, out of which 22 were in Delhi, data shows. Bangalore and Chennai, which come second and third on the list with nine and six cases respectively, are only a fraction compared to Delhis toll of drug busts. Mumbai, coming fourth, had only four cases.

Delhi had topped the list in 2015 too, when 25 out of 52 drug busts in the country were at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Senior NCB officials said a new trend was emerging this year that smugglers were using smaller airports to avoid tighter security at airports in metropolitan cities. This year, we made seizures from smaller airports such as Kochi, Trichy and even Imphal. A majority of smugglers told us that they were shifting operations to smaller airports to avoid tougher security at airports like Delhi and Bangalore, a senior NCB official said.

Customs officers at Delhi said they were shifting their focus from catching gold smugglers to keeping an eye out for drugs. We are also taking the help of sniffer dogs to track drugs and narcotics at the airport, said a senior officer.

RISE IN COUGH SYRUP SMUGGLING

An analysis of the drugs seized last year shows that the most common drug tracked at the Delhi airport was cough syrup. In 2015, there was not a single registered case of cough syrup smuggling from Delhi, while last year there were 12 cases. Records show that cough syrup is usually sent to Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Agencies believe cases of cough syrup smuggling have become increasingly common because it can be easily acquired.

Phensedyl was the most commonly smuggled cough syrup as it contains ingredients such as codeine and dextropropoxyphene, which can be abused as they produce relaxation, euphoria and dissociative effects, when consumed in high doses. Being a Schedule H category drug under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, one can buy it only through a prescription of a registered medical practitioner. Last month, Delhi Police seized around 10,000 bottles of Phensedyl, meant to be smuggled to Bangladesh. While the market price of a 100ml bottle of cough syrup in India is around 150, in Bangladesh it was sold for the equivalent of 900 and is used as an alternative to alcohol.

Two years ago, an inquiry was launched against an Air India crew for smuggling cough syrup to the United Kingdom by hiding bottles in their luggage. In the UK, cough syrup is not available over the counter and is believed to be most commonly abused prescription drug among teenagers.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Lhagyal Tsering runs a travel agency in Delhis Tibetan refugee colony. On the wall of his office, there are quite a few clocks showing the current time in Delhi, Lhasa, New York, London, Paris, Tokyo in that order. Before you ask him about the choice of cities, he says: No one really goes to Lhasa, and no one really comes from there anymore. For us, it is an act of defiance, an act of remembrance. Tsering pauses for a while, pours some water into the glass and speaks again: It is also a way to remind ourselves and our children who we are and where we came from. Besides, these clocks signify that our colony attracts tourists from far and wide.

The Tibetan refugee colony in north Delhi, which from the outside looks like a messy jumble of multi-storied buildings with prayer flags fluttering over rooftops, has emerged as hot spot on the citys tourism map, attracting tourists looking for a dose of Karma Cola from all over the world. Steeped in Tibetan culture, the colony, officially known as New Aruna Nagar, boasts of new trendy cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and guest houses, which now feature on Lonely Planet. This is a complete transformation for a place which until a decade ago had a few nondescript curio and garment shops and small Tibetan restaurants that mainly attracted Delhi University students.

Till a few years back, most of those who stayed in my guest house were monks and nuns. Now 30% of them are foreigners from England, France, US and Canada, says Sonam Wangdue, who owns a guest house and a restaurant in the colony. These are budget travelers who would earlier go to Paharganj. It is a Tuesday afternoon and Tara House, his restaurant, is doing brisk business. His guest house is full too. We have 100% occupancy during this time of the year. The president of the Guest House and Restaurant Welfare Association, Sangyal Dorjee, who owns KS House, adds: A lot of the guest houses here were opened and run by monasteries to cater to traveling monks, but now many belong to individuals.

Interestingly, every guest house is named after the family or monastery that runs them. So you have a Dolma House, Gangchen House, Apha House, Wongdhen House, Lobsang House. Every shop, restaurant or a guest house has a picture of the Dalai Lama, and interestingly, a few such as The White Housenamed so because its facade is painted white--also has the pictures of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

The association, which has about 70 members -- 65 of them guest houses -- boasts a plush office where the secretary, Dhundup Gyaltsens main job is to send details of the foreigners living in the colonys guest houses to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) office in Form-C. And Gyaltsen says he sends about 150 forms on an average every day. For most foreigners, the main attractions here are restaurants that specialize in authentic Tibetan and Bhutanese cuisine.

Interestingly, every guest house is named after the family or monastery that runs them. So you have a Dolma House, Gangchen House, Apha House, Wongdhen House, Lobsang House (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Set up in 1963 and a home to about 4,000 refugees, the colony is an exotic world. It has a monastery, its narrow alleys are filled with the aroma of burning incense and one can see Buddhist monks and Western tourists savouring Tibetan dishes in the plush restaurants. Food and Tibetan culture are the main reasons why I come here, says Richard Turere, an American tourist.

Talking of the growing popularity of the Tibetan colony, Kinzum, manger, Living Room, a plush restaurant which opened three months ago, says, We bring a different culture, a different taste, adding to the multiplicity of the city experience for locals and outsiders. I think social media has played a great role in popularizing the place.

Some like Tashi Dolma, who runs Tee Dee, one of the colonys most popular and oldest restaurants set up by her in-laws in 1982, says while she is happy that there has been a steady rise in the number of foreign tourists to the place, she is worried about the increasing commercialisation of the colony. People have constructed on every inch of the place. A lot of the old residents here are moving to places like Dehradun because it has become too congested here, she says. There are, in fact, many streets in the colony where shops and guest houses are constructed so close to each other that they look more like dark tunnels that never see light of the day. They are lit up by flickering neon signs of restaurants.

Karten Tsering, president, New Aruna Nagar Colony Resident Welfare Association, contends that the commercialization is the result of the livelihood needs of the refugees. Most people do not have jobs. The youth is educated and have aspirations, and are getting into business to survive, he says. His first-floor office has pictures of the young Dalai Lama, a wooden chair used by him when he first visited the colony 34 years back. There is a CCTV monitor showing images of the colony and a public address system for announcing messages to the community.

Tsering works in close coordination with Lekyi Dorjee, the welfare officer, who is the link between the local community and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala. Dorjees office has the distinct feel of a typical government office with many files marked health, education, finance, etc., denoting the various departments of the government. His big cabin has a sofa and a large framed picture of the Dalai Lama with Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi on the wall. Next to it is a wooden board listing the names and tenures of the previous welfare officers. Of late, there have been quite a few thefts in the guest houses in the colony and that has left Dorjee a worried man. I have asked guest houses to take strict measures to ensure the safety of guests, and follow all rules, he says. The problem is that earlier people would seek our guidance before they started a new shop or restaurant, now they do not.

But there are many local youngsters who are proud of what the Tibetan colony, once a camp of tarpaulin huts by the river on the fringes of the city, has come to be. There is no place like MKT (Majnu Ka Tila) in the cityhere spirituality and commerce go hand in hand. It may be commercialised, but we keep it clean. This place symbolises our hard work and enterprise, says a local youngster who does not want to be named. Young Tibetans living in India come here to expose themselves to a larger world. It is the commercial capital of the Tibetans in exile in India.

Set up in 1963 and a home to about 4,000 refugees, the colony is an exotic world. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The colony has a monastery, its narrow alleys are filled with the aroma of burning incense and one can see Buddhist monks and Western tourists savouring Tibetan dishes in the plush restaurants. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Steeped in Tibetan culture, the colony, officially known as New Aruna Nagar, boasts of new trendy cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and guest houses, which now feature on Lonely Planet. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
When Charlie Chaplin said: Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of oneself, he may not have envisioned the importance an institute in Dehradun would one day place on failure and seek out those whove failed. Last week the hill towns Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra hosted a Failure Conclave. The speakers had to measure up to just one criterion: They should have failed more than once in academic examinations and gone on to achieve remarkable success in whatever vocation they chose to pursue. One of them was a professor from Meerut who had failed in physics in the intermediate exam. This did not dissuade me. I completed my doctorate in the subject and went on to teach it, said the academic, who has a number of students doing PhD in physics under his guidance. Another speaker said he had failed thrice in a class and eventually became the principal of the same school.

A society that sets a large premium on success also places an enormous amount of pressure on students who are afraid to fail. This may push some of them towards taking their own lives. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, one student commits suicide in India every hour. In the five years leading to 2015, 39,775 students killed themselves. The growing frequency of student suicides is a matter of concern. In his radio address in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to talk about depression and seek help if needed.

To pull suicidal young people back from the brink, their peers, friends and family need to bust the myth that academic success is the final goal of our existence. Also, failures can spur one towards eventual success if we dont throw in the towel. There is some merit to giving people a second chance, or even a third one. A number of innovators, including Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, stumbled before going on to create some of the biggest inventions that today occupy a significant place in our lives. Author JK Rowling became a household name a few years after 12 big publishers had rejected the Harry Potter manuscript. Edison failed more than 10,000 times but didnt give up before inventing a commercially viable electric bulb. Apart from bookish knowledge, our education system should equip students with life skills that can come in handy when they are fighting the demons in their heads. Which is why, the idea of a failure conclave needs to be applauded.
We love jeans. Be it skinny, baggy, high-waist, flared or cropped.

But sometimes even were unprepared for the strange  and totally unwearable  denim trends that arise. Think barely-there thong jeans that went viral in 2017 or the mud-splattered blue jeans: Yes, you read that right.

Its fair to say that denim in 2017 got absolutely insane. Over the past 12 months, we saw a growing list of unconventional and unbelievably bizarre denim trends that forced us to question the wearability of these designs.

Below weve gathered few such creative designs that are too good not to see. Feast your eyes on plastic jeans, zipper jeans and more. (All photos: Twitter and Instagram)

1. When it comes to pointless and confusing trends, mud-splattered jeans seem to be king. In April, 2017, American department store Nordstroms met with a huge social media backlash by selling mens jeans splattered in fake mud to show that youre not afraid to get down and dirty. That was a real product description, guys. The stores website said the jeans embody rugged, Americana workwear thats seen some hard-working action. So, bizarre denim trends arent only limited to women selections.

Price: $425 (Rs 27,000)

2. At Tokyos Amazon Fashion Week in October, 2017, thong jeans, the brainchild of Japanese designer Meiko Ban, made headlines for being out-of-the-ordinary. But not quite for the reasons you might expect. These so-called jeans were apparently just a waistband and cuffs with some long flaps billowing in the space between. Oh, and a tiny strip of denim down the centre of your b*tt, of course. Because you gotta leave something to the imagination, right? We always appreciate the creativity of designers, but social media of course had no chill. The hilarious critics shared their thoughts on thong jeans on Twitter, and they did not holding back.

3. Just when we thought wed seen it all, a contentious piece of denim had the internet up in arms. In April, 2017, British multinational fashion retailer Topshop started selling MOTO Clear Plastic Straight Leg Jeans. In the product details, Topshop had a pretty LOL-worthy description of these strange pants: Think outside the box with these out-of-the-ordinary clear plastic jeans -- guaranteed to get people talking. Yes, we agree theyll definitely get people talking, but the description failed to mention theyll also get people staring, laughing, and probably Snapchatting photos to their friends, too.

Price: $100 (Rs 6,400)

4. If youre still laughing over plastic jeans, there was another clothing design that became the talk of the town in May, 2017. Ladies and gentlemen, wed like to introduce you to detachable jeans, a creation by Parisian brand Y/Project. You know, for those moments when you leave the house wearing pants, but you change your mind and decide that shorts would look much better. And by shorts we mean denims so tiny that they might as well be called jean panties. Even when worn as pants, the straight-leg jeans looked still daring with slits that showed off the top of the thigh and a hint of b*ttcheek.

Price: $465 (Rs 30,000)

5. Most people wouldnt want their b*tt-crack hanging out of their jeans. But in August 2017, a pair of jeans by English brand ASOS come with a fake denim b*tt-crack look. Well, sort of. Theyre just jeans with a weird middle jean section and two open spots on either side which, of course, make it look like a makeshift b*tt crack of sorts. Now, we love a good spin on a jeans look. But sometimes, jeans should just be that! Jeans! To be honest, this b*tt-crack denim is just strange. Not because there arent weird fashion choices out there, especially when it comes to denim. But why would one want something with a fake crack on the back?

Price: $60 (Rs 3,800)

6. If you want a pair of jeans that zip all the way down and around, we found it in August, 2017, with US label Reformations aptly called zipper jeans. At first glance, the distressed denim may look like any other high-rise, light-wash pair of jeans. But they have a horrifying secret: That giant zipper! Yeah, it doesnt stop at the front of the pants. It goes all the way around. Were talking 180 degrees of front-to-b*tt crack zipper action. Literally, why?

Price: $148 (Rs 9,500)

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix - the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Researchers from the University Of Missouri-Columbia, United States explained that one of the most common treatments for cervical cancer is radiation therapy and that it not only destroys the cancer cells, but also the nearby healthy cells, which proves to be a hazard.

For some cancers, such as late-stage cervical cancer, radiation is a good treatment option. However, collateral damage to healthy cells always occurs. Based on previous research, we studied blueberry extract to verify it could be used as a radiosensitiser, Fang said. Radiosensitisers are non-toxic chemicals that make cancer cells more responsive to radiation therapy. Previously, the team showed that resveratrol, a compound in red grapes, could be used as a radiosensitiser for treating prostate cancer. Blueberries also contain resveratrol.

In addition to resveratrol, the blueberries also contain flavonoids - chemicals that may have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, they explained. The team used human cervical cancer cell lines to mimic clinical treatment. The cell lines were divided into four groups -a control group, a group that received only radiation, a group that received only blueberry extract and a group that received both radiation and the extract.

The results indicated that radiation therapy decreased cancer cells by approximately 20 per cent; the cell group that received only blueberry extract had a 25 per cent decrease in cancer and the biggest decline in cancer cells occurred in the radiation and extract group, with a decrease of about 70 per cent. Fang explained that the mechanism that makes blueberry extract a radiosensitiser also reduces the abnormal explosion of cell growth. Blueberries are readily accessible and inexpensive and can be used as a natural treatment option for boosting the effectiveness of existing therapies, the researchers noted.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
Despite India and China calling truce along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after the Special Representative dialogue, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has virtually accused their Indian counterparts of being aggressive although no shot has been fired in 40 years.

The December 22 SR level meeting was the first after the 73-day standoff between India and Chinese PLA was resolved on August 28.

The PLA spokesmans statement on Thursday that India should strictly control its border troops stems from the August 15, 2017 fisticuffs between the Indian Army and their Chinese counterparts in the Pangong Tso sector.

Before going public, the PLA had made it known through diplomatic channels that their troops had sustained injuries during physical contact with Indian forces during LAC patrolling and claimed that Indian troops were showing undue aggression as if it was the border with Pakistan.

However, both the Indian Army and ITBP commanders have rubbished the allegation, saying that it was PLA troopers who were aggressive and were found to be carrying iron rods and sticks during the Pangong Tso incident.

According to senior officials, Indian troops were sensitive to the requirements of the LAC patrolling and were committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity on the border.

The PLA first raised this issue at a Track II dialogue at Chengdu this year, where a senior Chinese Army commander told the participating Indian delegation that New Delhi should not be posting troops from Pakistan border to the 3,488 km LAC as they were found to be very aggressive.

The commander said the PLA posted its troops to the LAC after sensitising them on the needs of the border with India. He hinted that aggressive troop posturing by Indian commanders could lead to a vertical escalation, which would be detrimental to bilateral relations.

While the PLA statement does not wash with the Indian Army or ITBP, Chinese State Councillor and CCP Politburo member Yang Jiechi was conciliatory with his Indian counterpart and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during the SR level boundary talks.

According to those privy to the talks, the Chinese plate was full with ongoing North Korean and South China Sea crisis and hence, were all for maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border. The Indian side reciprocated the gesture even though the actual resolution of India-China boundary is far away in distant horizon.

At the SR level talks, both sides emphasised on the need for the two countries to remain in touch with lines of communication open between the top leadership of India and China and ensure that Doklam is not repeated again in future.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Drought in Madhya Pradeshs Bundelkhand has triggered large scale migration as rabi sowing has come down by almost half this year and there is not enough employment opportunities available locally.

Half of the 18 districts in Madhya Pradesh that are reeling under a drought because of weak a monsoon are located in Bundelkhand, where deputy director agriculture AK Nema said rabi sowing was 50 to 60% less in main districts --- Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh districts --- as compared to last year.

The impact of the drought on locals, especially the poor, can be measured through migration visible at railway stations and interstate bus terminals.

Local railway officials say that this time, migration is almost three to four times of a normal year when 300 to 400 people used to travel to other cities looking for jobs or for personal reasons.

Rajkumar, station manager of Khajuraho railway station, said the exodus is exceptionally high this year with roughly 1,500 to 2,000 people travelling to Delhi and other cities every day. He said majority of them were leaving their villages in search of better livelihood as agriculture is not an option this year.

The people are moving out lock, stock and barrel with their entire families as there is not enough water even to drink, he said. From the nearby and smaller Harpalpur railway station an average of 700-800 people are boarding trains for Delhi and other northern Indian cities on daily basis. Station manager RK Sharma said there has been a sudden rush as rabi sowing has not been very encouraging in absence of any rains in the last two months.

Railway officials have noticed similar migration trends at other railway stations in Bundelkhand region such as Sagar, Damoh and Tikamgarh.

They also claimed that people from drought-hit Panna district are going to railway stations in the neighbouring districts of Uttar Pradesh and are also boarding buses for the National Capital and other big cities.

A distressed farmer Jagdish Sahu, who with his family and other villagers was taking a train from Khajuraho railway station to Delhi, said he has no other option but to abandon his village.

I used to take some land on contract but due to scanty rainfall we could not sow rabi crop. So we are going to Delhi to find work as a labourer, he said. Getting water for drinking is also getting difficult here.

Another villager Pappu Adivasi, who was taking a train from Chhatarpur district with several other youth of his village, said nearly 60% of the young guys in his village have already shifted to big cities looking for work. We didnt get work under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) , which the government assured of providing in these hard times,he said.

Although Tikamgarh district collector Abhijit Agarwal confirmed the ongoing migration, he told Hindustan Times that it was not an alarming trend. However, his claim was refuted by Gyanendra Tiwari of a local NGO Samarthan, who said people are leaving in large numbers as even local dams and wells dug under the Central government funded Bundelkhand package have dried up.

We are working for providing jobs through MGNREGA. Also, public distribution system is being tightened so that eligible people get their ration on time, Aggarwal said, adding that a report being sent to the state government for carrying out relief work in drought-hit areas effectively. Arun Pandey, principal secretary revenue said the government has constituted a state-level drought monitoring

committee and crop weather watch group .

Sagar divisional commissioner Ashutosh Awasthi, however, added that as the area falls under a rain shadow zone and efforts were being made to improve water conservation in the area. We are also trying to increase employment avenues under different government schemes, he said.

Tiwari said the villagers, who used to go outside in search of work return back for rabi crop sowing or Diwali celebration but this year most of them have returned or are returning back to big cities for livelihood. The number of people leaving Bundelkhand every day can be as high as 10,000, he said.
After holding out for two days over not getting appropriate portfolios, Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel assumed charge of office on Sunday after a word with BJP president Amit Shah.

He was apparently placated after Shah assured him of a new portfolio fit for his stature as number two in the cabinet and as the deputy chief minister. Within hours of this conversation with Shah, he was given the finance portfolio to go along with a few others he was allotted earlier.

Botad MLA Saurabh Patel was initially allotted the finance and energy portfolios. There was no official word immediately on whether Saurabh Patel would get another portfolio.

Nitin Patel had not assumed charge despite being sworn in for a second successive stint as deputy CM, along with chief minister Vijay Rupani, who also got a second successive term, on December 26.

His stance had seemingly triggered unease in the Rupani government. The Congress and Patidar leaders had used this to target the BJP on Saturday. Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel had urged the deputy CM to break from the BJP with 10 MLAs and join the Congress.

Nitin Patel had handled key portfolios such as petrochemicals, urban development and finance in the previous Rupani government. When the portfolios in the new government were announced two days ago, he got departments such as roads and buildings, Narmada, health & medical education, and capital project. The CM kept the urban development ministry this time around.

Before assuming charge, Nitin Patel told journalists in Gandhinagar, I had communicated to the party earlier... that being a deputy CM, I should be given appropriate portfolios. I had even expressed... before party leaders that I should not be named as deputy CM if I dont get proper portfolios. He said the issue was not about some departments, but self-respect.

The deputy CM rubbished all talk of rebelling against the BJP. I have been with BJP for 40 years and I have never and will (never) do anything that is against my party.

A six-time MLA, Nitin Patel was first elected as MLA from Kadi in 1990. He lost an assembly election only once, in 2002.
Clear water bodies dotted with 10,000 seaplanes, floating cities in the form of ocean cruises and electric vehicles zipping on dedicated highway lanes -- thats the future as envisioned by transport minister Nitin Gadkari.

For the go-getter minister at the helm of affairs to overhaul the countrys infrastructure, India has the potential to realise all this and much more.

I have been talking about seaplanes. If it starts, in India we have the potential of starting 10,000 seaplanes. We have 3 to 4 lakh ponds in India, plenty of dams, 2,000 river ports, 200 small ports and 12 major ports. It will cost less, Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Gadkari told PTI.

The minster said he has asked his civil aviation counterpart Ashok Gajapathi Raju to explore a regulatory regime for single-engine seaplanes to facilitate introduction of such planes in the country as early as possible.

Seaplanes can land in one foot water and require only 300 metre runway. It has a huge potential and runs at a speed of 400 km per hour. Our ministry and the aviation ministry will finalise its rules and regulations soon. There are different rules in America, Canada, Japan. We will study their laws in three months, Gadkari said.

The minister, along with Raju, had participated in a seaplane trial run of budget carrier SpiceJet at the Girgaum Chowpatty off the Mumbai coast on December 9.

SpiceJet plans to buy more than 100 amphibian aircraft at an estimated cost of USD 400 million.

Describing cruises as floating cities, Gadkari said they have the potential to swell to more than 950 from about 90 at present.

Cruises from India could go to Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand and massive efforts are underway to boost this segment, including a Rs 1,000 crore terminal being built in Mumbai. A policy is also in the works.

Listing priorities for 2018, Gadkari said work will start on much-awaited Indias first pod taxi project after a high- level panel recommended inviting fresh bids for the same conforming to the strictest global safety standards.

Seaplanes, cruises, waterways, electric vehicles, pod taxis, catamarans, expressways or the mammoth Rs 16 lakh crore Sagarmala and Rs 7 lakh crore Bharatmala initiatives will change the face of Indias infrastructure, he claimed.

Another key thrust area would be to reduce crude imports of Rs 7 lakh crore by at least half and provide jobs to at least 50 lakh youth in related industries.

We are making efforts to overhaul transport. We are importing crude oil worth Rs 7 lakh crore. We have decided to bring cost effective, import substitute, pollution free and indigenous fuel.

We will gradually convert our transport to electric, ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, bio CNG and other such means. At least 1,000 new industries will begin in the country, employing 50 lakh youth, he said.

The minister also said electric buses will be promoted.

We can reduce ticket rates by 30-35 per cent by it. This has super capacitor technology. A charged bus can run for 36 km and will be charged in 3 minutes.

We are planning that on Delhi-Mumbai (highway), one lane can be reserved for converting into electric highway, he said.

As far as batteries are concerned, 11 companies have started manufacturing lithium ion batteries and the prices have dropped by 50 per cent, he said, adding that recently in Gurgaon a green transport fleet of 1,000 electric auto- rickshaws was launched.

Projecting 20,000 kms of highways will be awarded by March 2018, Gadkari said last year it was 16,500 kms.

This year our road building reached 28 km a day from a mere 2 km a day when we took over. Next year it will be 40 km a day. Next year target will be 25,000 km, he said.

To power the ambitious highway growth plans, he said NHAI will soon come up with a bond issue offering attractive coupon rates of above 7 per cent. He urged the people to invest in it rather than chit funds or other such schemes.

We have decided that NHAI will raise funds from the poor... We will try to give 7.5 per cent to the common man and 7.75 per cent to women, those above 60 years and defence personnel. They will get interest for 10 years. Monthly interest will be submitted in their accounts, he said

Gadkari said his ministry will soon begin work on Rs 7.5 lakh crore highway projects under Bharatmala. The ministry also plans to train about 3.5 lakh workers under the skill development programme for highways.

He also said a certain percentage of the projects above Rs 100 crore will be earmarked for skill development and his ministry alone would create 2 crore jobs.

He said India faces shortages of 22 lakh drivers and one lakh driving training centres are on the anvil in the first phase in collaboration with states.
An army soldier was killed in sniper fire by Pakistani forces along the line of control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Sunday morning.

Sepoy Jagsir Singh of 18 Punjab regiment was posted at a forward post in Rumlidhara in Nowshera sub division. At around 3.50 am on Sunday, few sniper shots were fired from across the LoC by Pakistani armys Baloch regiment troops, according to an intelligence source.

Singh, who was injured in the firing, died on way to hospital.

However, the Indian army said that Pakistan army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian posts in Nowshera sector in the wee hours, forcing Indian soldiers to retaliate strongly and effectively.

In the exchange of fire, Singh was grievously injured and succumbed to his injuries, said a defence spokesman.

Singh (32) belonged to Lohgarh Thakhran Wala village in Punjabs Ferozepur district and is survived by his wife Mohinder Pall Kaur, two daughters and a son.

On Saturday, Indian army chief general Bipin Rawat had visited the LoC in Rajouri to take stock of the security preparedness.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Security forces had information about an impending strike by militants in Kashmir in the past two-three days, director general of police S P Vaid said on Sunday, hours after a CRPF camp in Pulwama district was attacked.

Four troopers were killed and two injured in the suicide attack on the CRPF training camp by two Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed militants earlier in the day.

Terming the attack as unfortunate, Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

There was an input in the last two-three days. They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters at a press conference in Srinagar.

He was outlining the achievements of Jammu and Kashmir police in 2017, and said that almost the entire militant leadership was eliminated in Operation All Out in which 206 local and foreign militants were killed in 2017.

However, challenges will remain as long as our neighbour keeps sending people here, he said.

While 75 police, army and other security forces personnel were killed in various violence related incidents, as many as 24 civilians also lost their lives during gun battles between security forces and militants.

Vaid said that of the 206 total militants killed this year, 40% (85) were locals. In November, police had said that 66 of the total foreign militants were killed on LoC while infiltrating.

The officers did not deliberate on causes of local Kashmiri youth continuously joining militancy.

Vaid, however, said that things are much better than the situation in 2016 (after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani) and there has been a down-slide trend of locals joining militancy.

75 boys were brought back from the clutches of terrorism (as they were) getting swayed by the misinformation on the social media and campaign from enemies of peace, Vaid said.

Asked why there were high civilian deaths near encounter sites, IG Munir Khan said, This year, we have started operating in areas where for some reasons for the last two years, police could not enter. We faced stiff resistance at some places and during the course of encounters, there were some civilian causalities because of the cross-fire. We have been appealing to people to avoid going to encounter sites.

Khan said that they decided to target the leadership of militants even as dozens of militants would move together in particular villages.

The militants leadership besides taking active part in terrorist activities were recruiting locals whether be it Jaish, LeT or HM. That is why after targeting the militant leadership, things have improved and killings and recruitments have drastically come down, Khan said.

Many top notch militant commanders killed this year include LeTs Abu Dujana, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhars nephew Tallah Rashid, JeMs Mehmood Bhai and Noor Mohammad Trali, LeTs Waseem Shah as well as Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, the successor of Burhan Wani as the Hizbul Mujahideens Kashmir chief.

Vaid clarified that Operation All Out must not be perceived to be one where we will kill everybody.

JK police is the force of people. Our priority is to improve situation here. Whosoever wants to drop weapons, they are welcome. They will be counselled and trained so that they could stand on their feet, the DGP said.

(With PTI inputs)
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh on Sunday condemned the terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district which left four personnel dead.

Terming the attack as dastardly, the chief minister said violence had taken a heavy toll in the state in terms of death and destruction, tearing apart of the social fabric, inflicting massive economic, academic and social losses besides the irreparable loss of human lives.

She paid rich tributes to the jawans including an officer, killed in the post-midnight attack on the training centre at Lethpora in south Kashmir.

Mufti also conveyed her sympathies to the bereaved families.

Deputy Chief Minister Singh expressed grief and sorrow over the killing of the CRPF personnel and prayed for an early recovery of the two jawans who suffered bullet injuries.

Singh said the attack was a despicable act which needed to be condemned by every section of the society. He expressed his solidarity with the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
Five soldiers and two gunmen were killed when militants stormed a CPRF camp in a pre-dawn strike in south Kashmir on Sunday, an official said, capping off a year in which security forces upped the offensive but also suffered losses in the border state.

Three Central Reserve Police Force men were injured in the Pulwama attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, whose top leader was gunned down in the district on December 26. The soldiers were in hospital but stable.

Two militants have been killed. Search is on for the third militant. Operation is still on, CRPF inspector-general Ravideep Sahi said.

At least three heavily armed militants hurled grenades and entered the 185th battalion camp of the CRPF in Lethpora at around 2am, sources said.

The personnel on sentry duty returned fire, and a gun battle broke out, sources said.

The militants made a dash for block three, which housed a day clinic and a control room, of the main building complex and kept firing.

While Block 2 had offices, Block 1 was a residential accommodation and all its 15-20 occupants were evacuated, sources said.

Three personnel were hit in the first few minutes of the militants entering the camp situated along the strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway, which connects the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India.

While three died of bullet wounds, a fourth had a cardiac arrest, sources said.

A fifth jawan was killed late in the afternoon when forces went to retrieve the body of a militant. As soon as they entered the building, they were fired upon, sources said.

The CRPF identified the dead as inspector Kuldip Roy from Hamirpur in Himachal, head constable Taufail Ahmed from J&Ks Rajouri and constables Saif-u-Din Ganie from Budgam in Kashmir, Rajendra from Churu in Rajasthan and constable PK Panda from Odishas Sundargarh.

Securitymen on alert after Sundays attack. (Waseem Andrabi/HT Photo)

Camp officials, said police sources, were given specific inputs about a possible strike. CRPFs Sahi said there were intelligence inputs about attacks on security installations.

The Lethpora camp also serves as a training facility for counter-militancy operations.

Both the militants killed were Kashmiris and were identified as Manzoor Ahmad Baba and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday.

It was rare for locals to be involved in what security sources described as a suicide mission. Such fidayeen attacks are normally carried out by foreign militants, several of whom are active in the Valley.

The attack follows a string of high-profile counter-insurgency operations that have dealt blows to Jaish, Laskhar-e-Taiba, another Pakistan-based group, and the home-grown Hizbul Mujahideen.

Noor Mohammad Tantray, a top Jaish commander, who masterminded several attacks on security forces, was killed in Pulwama on December 26.

Around 206 militants, 75 security men and 24 civilians have died in Kashmir violence, making 2017 the deadliest year in a decade.

Sundays early-morning strike follows a pattern. Eight security personnel died after militants stormed a district police complex in Pulwama in August.

A soldier was killed in another pre-dawn raid the same month when militants targeted a Border Security Force camp near the Srinagar airport.

The two strikes are believed to have been carried out by a Jaish special squad allegedly formed to avenge the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Union minister of state for health and family welfare Anupriya Patel had a narrow escape on Sunday when four vehicles of her convoy collided with each other at Ratyora turn in Koraon, 85 km from Allahabad.

Six people, including Patel, sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The incident took place when she was on her way to attend a condolence meeting at the house of a party worker PN Singh in Gajni gram sabha. The convoy comprised of 30 vehicles.

Around 1 pm, four vehicles of the convoy, including the one occupied by the minister, collided when the leading four-wheeler reportedly took a wrong turn.

As the vehicles were travelling at a low speed, no one sustained serious injuries. Anupriya ji is safe and has sustained no injury barring a bump on her head. Five others have sustained bruises, said national spokesman of Apna Dal Brajendra Singh.

The minister was scheduled to attend four programmes on Sunday including the inauguration of a road construction work near Durjanipur trisection in Mirzapur. She was to proceed to Gajni village to attend a condolence meeting.

Koraon police reached the site on getting information and helped the minister resume her journey.
The Congress on Sunday denounced the government over a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modis foreign policy.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said here that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

During elections, Modi says India is a strong nation. But the number of casualties in ceasefire violations was going up, Dev said at a press conference.

It is a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modis foreign policy, she said, adding the Congress wanted him to take strong steps to deter Indias external and internal enemies.

The Congress, Dev said, will support him in steps he takes for safety and security of the country.

Two heavily armed militants stormed the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora in Pulwama around 2 am, killing a personnel and leaving two others injured.
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday announced that he would float a political party in Tamil Nadu, ending months of speculation about the course he would take. But this is not the first time that the star has churned the political climate in the state.

In the past, the actor was directly involved in politics only once. It was in 1996 when he decided to campaign for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) headed by Kalaignar Karunanidhi. At that time the actor had gone head-to-head with the late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.

He had said, If Jayalalithaa is voted back to power, even god cannot save Tamil Nadu.

This statement was considered one of the main reasons for Jayalalithaas defeat in the elections by not just political analysts, but also the star himself. According to a report in the TOI, Rajinikanth claimed that Jayalalithaa had lost because of his remark.

The DMK-Tamil Manila Congress alliance emerged victorious that year. His animosity with Jayalalithaa, however, did not sustain time, and the actor and politician mended fences.

Since then, he had never involved directly in politics, but he never stayed too far from it either. In 2002 he decided to start a peoples movement to resolve the Cauvery issue and also to highlight the need to connect peninsular and Himalayan rivers. According to a report in Hindu, he had denied any intentions of becoming a political leader or a statesman. He had even donated Rs 1 crore for the river-linking project.

In 2008, he publicly pledged his vote for the BJP-AIADMK alliance. The Hindu quoted him as saying, I will cast my vote for the Vajpayee-led BJP front in Tamil Nadu, but I will not force my fans or the public to vote for the same combine.

At that time too, he stressed that it was not a formal support to the party and also explained that he wouldnt wrest his fans voting right. He had then impressed, Take a decision on your own. As your fate is in your hands, think well before you act.

In 2014, Rajinkanth met with Narendra Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The two of them had then addressed the media to underscore that the meeting was apolitical.

When I was not well he called on me and every week he inquired about my health. I invited him for a meeting over a cup of tea and I am happy he has visited me. Everyone knows that Mr. Modi is a strong leader and an able administrator. Whatever he wants to achieve, I wish him success, the actor had said and left people to make their own conclusions about whose side he was on.

What has always stayed the same is that in the last 20 years, Rajinikanths thoughts on when to enter the array has been the same. The star has been asked if he would enter politics a number of times since 1996 and he has always said something along the lines of, It would be foolish to think that one is successful in politics due to sheer capability, experience and hard work. It is all a question of time and circumstances. If the time is not right, nothing can help.

In fact, he was always been considered to be wary, if not hesitant, about politics. Speaking about this at his recent fans meeting, Rajinikanth said, I am hesitant to enter politics as I am aware of the pitfalls. I am not new to politics, I know its depths. I have been watching politics closely since 1996. If I enter politics, I will have to win. For that I will need a strategy.

The incident of 1996 that the actor quoted many a time seems to have been the beginning of his understanding of politics. On the third day of his fans meet, the actor said, I did a mistake by supporting a political alliance 21 years ago. It was a political accident. Since then, politicians have misused my name on several occasions. But I have to clarify, Im not joining any party.

Since 2014, BJP has been trying hard to make a mark in Tamil Nadu politics and it had been said that they were looking at Rajinikanth to help them in the region.

Right after Rajinikanth had mentioned that he might join politics, BJP leader H Raja was quoted by The Hindu as saying: The actor has to decide whether he was joining a political party or launching his own party and the BJP would welcome him to the party as it has welcomed the seven crore Tamils to join the party.

Now that Rajinikanth has finally taken the plunge, its to be seen what impression he leave behind on Tamil Nadu politics.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth announced on Sunday that he will launch a political party, ending months of speculation about his future, prompting a series of congratulatory messages from some of Indias biggest celebrities, and sending his fans across Tamil Nadu into a celebratory frenzy.

The 67-year-old, who had last week promised a big announcement on December 31, said his party would contest the next assembly elections in the state and field candidates for all 234 seats.

I am joining politics for sure, he said amid thunderous applause at a packed Sri Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai. Quoting a shloka from the Bhagwad Gita that stresses the importance of doing ones duty and leaving the rest to God, he added: It is the compulsion of time.

Tamil Nadu has a long history of members of its film industry turning to politics. Three of the states longest-serving chief ministers over the last 60 years  M Karunanidhi, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa  made the transition from films to administration.

The announcement comes at a time when there is intense speculation about Rajinikanths compatriot and rival Kamal Haasans foray into politics as well. Haasan was among the first to send Rajinikanth his best wishes. I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome, he tweeted.

Others who welcomed the decision were Amitabh Bachchan, who called Rajinikanth a dear friend, a colleague and a humble considerate human, and actor Khushboo, now with the Congress, who said that Rajnikanth believes in inclusive democracy and development.

Neither the Congress nor the BJP offered an official reaction, but BJP spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao tweeted: Thiru Rajinikant is undoubtedly the superstar of Tamil cinema. But, there is only one unrivalled super star in national politics in @narendramodi #Thalaivaar knows it too well.

Indias two big national parties will see Rajinikanths entry as an opportunity to make inroads into a state that has so far been dominated by two Dravidian parties  the AIADMK and the DMK. The Congress has not ruled the state since the creation of Tamil Nadu in 1969, and the BJP has never managed to win a seat in the state assembly.

Tamil Nadu politics has been turned on its head since the death of former chief minister and AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa in 2016. There is bitter tussle for control within her party, and the rival DMK, which has been out of power since 2011, is struggling to regain ground following allegations of corruption against some of its top leaders.

The assembly elections are due in 2021, but some experts warn of earlier polls because of the fluid political situation. E Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam leading the AIADMK government enjoy neither popular support nor legitimacy, said Chennai-based political analyst Ramu Manivannan. The government may not last more than a few months and Centre could impose presidents rule. I expect the assembly elections to take place with the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In his short speech, Rajinikanth said there was a need to the change the system to fight corruption, and called on fans to join the fight by becoming his watchdog, not cadre.

In the name of democracy, politicians are robbing us of our own money in our own land, he said. At this juncture, if I dont enter politics, it will be a shame on me as people have showered me with so much love and affection. This is not cinema. It is reality.

No sooner had Rajinikanth ended his speech than celebrations broke out at the venue and in different parts of the state. Sweets were distributed in buses and on trains, fans danced to songs from some of his hit films, and chants of thalaivar (leader) could be heard on the streets of Chennai.
The Indian Railways have decided to issue an apology in form of a cash discount of 100 to a passenger, if food booked for the journey is not served on time aboard a train.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways that handles the catering, will adjust the discount in the next order of food or beverages, a rail official said on Thursday.

The discount will be applicable only on the delay from caterers side, he said, adding that passengers aboard trains running late will not be given the benefit.

The scheme is expected to commence in January 2018.

The discount will be valid for online and offline purchase as well as for a cash refund. The IRCTC has also done away with cancellation charges on online food bookings.

Passengers have to cancel orders 2 hours before the delivery time.

This would help the IRCTC to keep the customer-supplier bonding intact, sources in the Indian Railways said.

The senior divisional commercial manager of North Western Railway, CR Kumawat, told HT that it was a step for improving customer service.

The scheme will not only help the railways to serve its passengers with more comfort and assurance but also attract more customers to its extensive e-catering network, said Kumawat.

E-catering service has been started by the IRCTC exclusively for passengers travelling in trains where they can book their preferred meal through different modes, the officer said.
Three criminals were killed and two policemen were injured in separate encounters in different districts of Uttar Pradeshs Meerut zone in past two days.

A team of polices crime branch intercepted motorcycle borne two criminals in Shatabdi Nagar locality of Meerut on late Saturday night, which led to the exchange of fire. One of the criminals sustained bullet injuries in the encounter while the other managed to escape.

The injured person was later declared dead when he was rushed to a hospital. Police identified him as Noor Mohammad alias Haseeb alias Mota

Meerut senior superintendent of police Manzil Saini said Noor was a history-sheeter and had 21 cases of loot, robbery and other crimes against him. There was also a cash award of Rs 50 thousand on his head.

Another encounter took place in Charthawal area of Muzaffarnagar district on late Saturday night. In the gun battle a criminal identified as Shamim of Village Sisauna was killed, while two of his companions managed to escape.

A constable also sustained injuries during the encounter.

The UP and Delh police had separately announced cash awards of Rs 50 thousand each for providing any information on Shamim.

In Saharanpur, motorcycle borne criminals allegedly attacked the police party during checking on Nanauta road on Saturday night, prompting police to retaliate. A criminal and a police constable were injured in the exchange of fire.

Bulandshahar police shot dead hardcore criminal Sonu in Sikandrabad area on Friday night. He was carrying a cash reward of Rs 50 thousand on his head.

Meerut zone had witnessed 358 encounters in past few months in which 17 criminals were shot dead.
Have you ever felt like eating street snacks like jhal moori cookie or ghugni chaat at one of the top-rated restaurants in the country? The culinary offering at Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra promises to offer you a never-before gastronomic voyage capturing the range of Indias centuries-old food traditions with modern-day cooking techniques presented in a unique way. Indian cuisine, over the decades, had become boring with the same dishes and presentations available everywhere, whether it was a high-end five-star restaurant, a fine dining place or a small roadside eatery. Sadly, the cuisine had not seen much innovation over time.

A post shared by Masala Library By Jiggs Kalra (@masalalibrary) on Dec 7, 2017 at 4:43am PST

This inspired us to create the most avant-garde menu for an unparalleled experience. Each dish served at our restaurant has its own origin, evolution and strengths, Zorawar Kalra, Founder and Managing Director of the Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd, told IANS during a visit to the outlet located next to Le Meridian Hotel in central Delhi.

Massive Restaurants has a chain of restaurants in India and abroad, one of them being Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra, named after Zorawars father, the legendary food aficionado. From the look of the place -- no less than a five-star visage -- you will never imagine that this place is so rooted in keeping alive the traditional essence of a dish. But thats what makes this place different from other food outlets.

A post shared by Masala Library By Jiggs Kalra (@masalalibrary) on Nov 27, 2017 at 3:39am PST

Masala Library recently launched mouth-watering preparations like jhal moori cookie, ghugni chat and dahi vada. The main course is a range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings, representing all the regions of the sub-continent -- Reconstructed Prawn, tempered coconut; Nizami Haleem, Mutton Pickle; Baked Kullu Trout, Colours of India; Chicken Mizo Stew with Black Rice, Almond Crusted Water Chestnut sphere, Garam Masala Korma, Modernist Anda Curry; Multan Moth Dal; and a lot more. For those diners who still prefer their traditional dal, chawal, achar, papad and chutney, theres Dal Chawal Arancini on offer.

Those who fancy delectable food choices will fall in love with the soups and salads that include wild mushroom chai, truffle oil crumbs, dehydrated mushrooms, chicken mizo stew black rice, curry leaf and pepper asparagus. Pesto kabab, smoked tomato, tandoori guchchi, litti chokha eggplant (inspired by the popular Bihari dish), Gujarati paankhi and edamame beans shaak are some of the scrumptious vegetarian dishes that the outlet serves while non-vegetarians can opt for Kashmiri chilli duck, aloo bukhara qorma, Rajasthani mutton curry, tawa keema and many more such dishes.

A post shared by Masala Library By Jiggs Kalra (@masalalibrary) on Nov 23, 2017 at 4:14am PST

When it comes to desserts, you will not be disappointed with the jalebi caviar, pistachio rabri, ashen kulfi with candied nuts and makhan malai. If you are tempted by their entire menu but cant eat the large portions during a single visit, also on offer is a Chefs Tasting Menu separately for non-vegetarians and vegetarians. It has more than 15 courses in small portions for dishes that take their inspiration from different parts of India. You can also match the menu with six different varieties of wine.

However, while opting for this menu, dont be surprised by the little portions because by the time you approach the end, you might find your appetite ditching you.

Where: Masala Library - 21A, Near Le Meridian, Janpath, New Delhi; Timings: 12 noon-2.30 p.m. and 7 pm-1 a.m.; Meal for two: Rs 5,200+taxes (approx)

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more
Saturdays demolition of 314 illegal structures has led activists and politicians to question the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its alleged inaction against such units.. They said the BMC had woken up only after 14 lives were lost in the Kamala Mills fire.

The BMC deployed more than 1,000 officials for inspection and demolition of illegal structures on Saturday. According to sources, its officials turned a blind eye to irregularities at various eateries, including 1Above and Mojo Bistro, in Kamala Mills.

Before the blaze, the BMC had served several notices to the rooftop restaurants for violations, but stopped short of cancelling their licence.

Samajwadi Party leader Rais Shaikh said, The BMC with its 1,000 officials raided more than 600 places and demolished 314 illegal structures on Saturday. This shows that the civic body can possibly prevent of illegal structures. Unfortunately, the authorities took 10 months to demolish just 2,700 unauthorised structures. Was the administration waiting for a deadly fire? The BMC is in a sorry state of affairs and deeply corruption. We are not going to let this continue and demand strict action against civic officials.

Dinesh Waghela, civic activist, said, I have been writing to the ward officer regarding unauthorised structures at Kamala Mills; however, he has failed to take any action. Notices were served thrice regarding the illegalities of the two restaurants where the fire broke out and the BMC also demolished the illegal shed. Why didnt they cancel their licences then? Were they waiting for this incident to happen?

After the tragedy, five officials from the G-South ward (Lower Parel) were suspended and the assistant municipal commissioner of the ward was transferred to the Andheri ward. Terming the suspension of five civic officials as an eyewash, activists and politicians blamed the civic administration for the deaths as the BMC already knew about the illegalities but failed to take action.

Ravi Raja, leader of opposition in the BMC, said, The ward officer, under whom the illegalities took, was transferred to another ward and civic officials were just suspended. This is just eyewash to show people that action has been taken. In the next standing committee meeting of the BMC, we will demand strict action against administrative officials.
The Andheri police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against an unidentified autorickshaw driver after his rickshaw crashed into another autorickshaw, killing the other driver, identified as Sanjay Singh, 38, at Sahar road in Andheri (East) on Friday evening. The driver fled the area without rendering any help to Singh.

Singh, who suffered injuries on his head and neck, was rushed to the hospital by passersby and was declared dead on arrival. The Andheri police station was alerted about the situation via a phone call. He was declared dead on admission and we were alerted. We are trying to trace the accused, said Pandit Thorat, senior police inspector, Andheri police station.

The police said witnesses who took him to hospital informed them that the culprit is an auto driver. The police has managed to locate the spot where the incident took place and are scanning CCTV footage in the vicinity to identify the drivers registration number.

The FIR has been registered under sections 304 A (causing death due to negligence) and 279 (rash driving) of the Indian Penal Code, and 134 A and B of the Motor Vehicles Act for escaping from the spot without rendering help to the victim and without alerting the police.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Hundreds of fans of Tamil cinema superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday burst crackers and distributed sweets here after the actor announced his entry into politics.

Rajinikanth on Sunday said he would be floating his own political party ahead of the next Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

The actor had said that the motto of his party would be truthfulness, hard work and growth.

Hundreds of fans of the actor gathered in Mumbai at the head-office of Maharashtra State Rajinikanth Welfare Association in suburban Chembur following the announcement.

We have 150 associations of Rajini sir in Maharashtra out of which 90 are in Mumbai. These are at places like Sion, Vashi, Govandi, Vasai, Santacruz, Malad among others which have a large Tamil population. It is a huge day for us, we are very happy, Talapathy SK Aadhimoolam, president of the Maharashtra State Rajinikanth Welfare Association, told PTI.

Today he has name, fame, money, he has everything. He has entered politics for the welfare of society. For him the happiness of people matters the most. He has always said that he is thankful to his fans and everyone for whatever he has got in his life. He now wants to do good work for them (people). We are always with him and we pray for his long and successful innings in politics, Aadhimoolam said.

Aadhimoolam added that members of the actors fan clubs have been active in social work and have also helped during times of crises and natural calamities.
The process for hiring the next vice-chancellor for the University of Mumbai (MU) will begin in the first week of January, as the first meeting of the search committee has been scheduled for January 4.

The first meeting will be held between the search committee and governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in the first week of January, following which the panel will place an advertisement seeking applications for the post of V-C, said a spokesperson from Raj Bhavan.

Former vice-chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh was sacked on October 27, 2017, over haphazard implementation of the on-screen marking (OSM) system that led to results mess at the university. The mess resulted in delay in announcing results by six months for the exams held in April-May.

Within days of Deshmukhs sacking, Rao announced that scientist Dr K Kasturirangan would head the three-member search committee. In November 2017, the state government nominated CIDCO vice-chairperson and managing director Bhushan Gagrani. This was followed by the nomination of Dr Shyam Lal Soni, director of National Institute of Technology, Uttarakhand. He was nominated by the academic and management councils of the MU in the second week of December.

However, MU officials are worried about the slow pace of the hiring process.

Our acting vice-chancellor, Dr Devanand Shinde, will eventually have to return to his post at Shivaji University, Kolhapur, before the next academic year. The search committee and the university cannot waste more time, said a senior MU official.

Education minister Vinod Tawde told HT that the process for hiring a new V-C will not take much time because the search committee is in place.

The state appointed the search committee chairperson in the month of October and now that all three members have been named, the process of hiring a new V-C should not take more than two months, said Tawde.

The search committee

As per the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, a search committee to appoint a new vice-chancellor for a university comprises three members  a member nominated by the chancellor (governor), principal secretary of higher and technical education department or any officer not below the rank of principal secretary to the government and the director or head of an institute or organization of national repute nominated by the university management and academic councils.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Last week, the head priest of a Catholic church in Thane issued a letter to members of the church, recommending that bodies should be buried in shrouds, and not in coffins.

A shortage of space in cemeteries is forcing Christian communities to reuse graves, but bodies buried in coffins are not decomposing fast enough for burial spaces to be reused. The letter from the Thane church said: In view of the non-decomposition of bodies, we strictly recommend you to instruct parishioners to have shroud burials. Otherwise we will have to move the bodies for burial to Mumbai and that will increase cost and other difficulties.

The St John Baptist Church, which issued the letter, is one of the oldest in the area, having first being built in the 16th century. The centuries-old cemetery is used by other churches that have come up more recently. The church cemetery is running out of burial space and the idea of shroud burials was first discussed in 2010, but the idea is yet to become popular. Father Francis Noronha, a priest at the church said that there have been a few shroud burials. But not enough, he added.

Many churchgoers in Mumbai agreed that the idea of shroud burials is a good one, and not just because of shortage of burial space. Coffins are expensive and require the cutting down of trees. Coffins take a long time to disintegrate in the soil and do not free-up grave space. Many churches are following this (shroud burials); it makes sense, said Caesar Baptista, a resident of Andheri.

But many members of the church, including Baptista, are upset with the tone of the letter. The way the letter is written is not right. They should not issue a circular like this, added Baptista. You should have the freedom to choose how you want to bury your relatives and friends.

Melwyn Fernandes, a parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy Church, Thane whose members also use the cemetery at St John Baptist Church, called the letter a diktat. Even the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has not forced any Catholic to do this, said Fernandes.

Crowded cemeteries are a problem across the world. Pariss catacombs contain the remains of millions of bodies exhumed from overflowing graveyards. Churches in Eastern Europe have created grisly, but spectacular installations from skeletons taken from graveyards. Cremations have become popular in European cities where grave space is limited. In India, niche burials  where bodies are interred in concrete cubicles stacked above the ground  are becoming more common.

The church has used the example of Christ who is believed to have been buried in a shroud  there is a piece of fabric called the Shroud of Turin with the imprints of a bearded man, but scholars are not sure about its authenticity  to convince people that early Christian burials did not use a coffin.

But the Thane parishioners are not convinced. They five the example of Christ buried in a shroud, but it was not in a grave; scriptures say that the body was kept in a tomb, said Fernandes.

Baptista suggested other ways to deal with the problem of shortage of burial space. A few decades ago, the church in Orlem, Malad, had a problem. Bodies were not decomposing fast and graves could not be reused more often, said Baptista. They did a study and found that salt water  the area is near a creek - was entering the graves and this was the reason why the decomposition was slow. The church sorted the problem by controlling the infusion of salt water.

Fernandes said the community should ask for cemetery land from the municipal corporation.
Seven people were killed and eight injured in separate road accidents in Punjab on Sunday.

In the first incident, five people died and eight received injuries when a tanker truck hit an overloaded auto-rickshaw near Lambra village in Jalandhar.

The deceased have been identified as auto driver Raman Kumar, 32, Mohinder, 23, Dharam Devi, 35, Dilip Singh 40, his three-year-old daughter, and Raman 28, all natives of Bihar.

Police said 10 passengers were travelling in the auto when the tanker truck collided with it after hitting a road divider. The truck also rammed into a car leaving its occupants with minor injuries.

Injured told the police that they were returning home after paying obeisance at a church.

Police the victims, all relatives, were labourers. Police have registered a case against truck driver Kamaljeet Singh for rash driving.

In another accident, two people were killed when the bike they were riding on was hit by a tipper from rear at Chachoki town near Phagwara around 9am on Sunday.

The victims, Manak Kumar, 18, of Maqsudan Colony in New Nagra here and his friend Ishu Singh, 20, of Gandhi Nagar, Jalandhar, died on the spot. The local police said both were on their way to Jalandhar from Ludhiana when the tipper driver could not spot the bike due to dense fog. The tipper driver managed to flee.

Manaks uncle Vipin Kumar said that both were coming from Ludhiana after celebrating the birthday of his cousin.

Urban Estate police post in-charge Mukhtyar Singh said a case of rash driving and murder has been registered against the unidentified tipper driver. Bodies have been handed over to families after postmortem.

(The story has been updated)
Fireworks lit up the sky over cities around the globe as new year celebrations kicked in with an extravagant display of lights and colour.

A milling crowd of people in India welcomed New Year 2018 as the clock struck midnight on Monday.

Celebratory events were held at various hotels and restaurants across the country.

In New Zealand, tens of thousands of people took to the streets and beaches, becoming among the first in the world to usher in 2018.

Australias largest city Sydney welcomed 2018 with a rainbow-themed fireworks spectacle hailing the introduction of same-sex marriage in the country.

From Australia, the celebrations moved to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and finally the Americas.

Here are the new year celebrations from across the world:

People dance during the New Year's celebrations on a beach in Mumbai. (Reuters)

People dance during the New Year's celebrations at a market area in New Delhi. (Reuters)

People at New Years celebrations in Pune. (Ravindra Joshi/HT Photo)

New Zealand welcomes New Year 2018 with five minutes of nonstop pyrotechnics exploding from the top of Aucklands Sky Tower. A digital clock on the tower counted down the seconds to January 1, 2018. (ANI/Twitter)

Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia, January 1, 2018. Sydney officials said the event would generate some $170 million for the city and priceless publicity. (REUTERS)

Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia, January 1, 2018. Nearly half the revelers were tourists. (REUTERS)

Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia, January 1, 2018. (REUTERS)

Fireworks light up the sky from building rooftops along the Yarra River during New Year 2018 celebrations in Melbourne early on January 1, 2018. (AFP)

People release balloons as they take part in a New Year countdown event in celebrations to ring in 2018 in Tokyo, Japan January 1, 2018. (REUTERS)

Fireworks light the sky over the Lotte World Tower, a 123-floor and 1821-foot (555 m) building, after midnight during a countdown event to celebrate the New Year in Seoul, South Korea on January 1, 2018. (AFP)
At the annual Diwali gala organised by the Canada-India Business Council (C-IBC) in Toronto in October, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: One of the reasons we are such good friends, Canada and India, is that we are the two largest democracies in the world  one by population and one by size.

Those words, he went on, were borrowed from a person with a facility for crafting lines  Vikas Swarup, author of the novel Q&A which became the basis for the multiple Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. Swarup, of course, is also Indias high commissioner to Ottawa.

A formal announcement of Trudeaus visit to India in February is not out yet, but Kasi Rao, president and CEO of C-IBC, said prime ministerial visits bring a great sense of movement, both in terms of confluence and in convergence.

In many ways, this has been a banner year for India-Canada relations. Over 100,000 Indians students are in Canada, contributing over $ 5 billion to the economy; Indian professionals, particularly technology workers, are benefiting from Canadas Global Skills Strategy and an expedited permanent residency programme; and tourist arrivals are at a record high.

Swarup said:I have seen a huge interest on the part of Canada in building deeper ties with India whether it is in pension funds wanting to upscale their investments in India, or Canadian universities wanting to forge stronger links with Indian institutions, or Canadian researchers and scientists wanting to explore partnerships with counterparts in India, and of course, the people-to-people level ties have always remained quite robust.

Nearly 1,000 Canadian companies now have operations in India. Rao said:Clearly theres a shift from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific so we need to make sure that were not left behind. At the practical level, given the uncertainty we see in Europe and in North America, India and Canada can focus with a renewed sense of attention on this.

The Indian-origin population of over 1.75 million also acts as a living bridge, he noted, and is one factor in making India an ideal partner for Canada in Asia, as Ottawa looks at diversifying beyond the US.

But there remains the issue of resurgent pro-Khalistan groups and sentiment in Canada, one that New Delhi believes is due to the Liberal Party government being soft on the matter.

India and Canada 2017: Highlights February: Inderjit Singh Reyat, the only person convicted in the Air India flight 182 terrorist bombing of 1985, is released from a halfway house and allowed to return to his family home by the Parole Board of Canada March: Indian student registrations at Canadian universities show an increase of over 50% compared to the previous year April: A Liberal Party member moves a motion in Ontario legislature to term 1984 anti-Sikh riots as genocide; motion passes angering Indian government April: Canadas defence minister Harjit Sajjan visits India amid controversy as Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh attacks and refuses to meet him April: Standup comedian Lilly Singhs non-fiction How to be a Bawse: A Guide To Conquering Life tops the best-seller list May: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau appears at a nagar kirtan in Toronto, irking India as the parade features pro-Khalistan floats May: Jagmeet Singh announces he will run to become leader of Canadas New Democratic Party (NDP) June: Pro-Khalistan groups hold remembrance on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on the anniversary of Operation Bluestar; for the first time in 30 years June: Trudeau and Indian PM Narendra Modi speak on the phone, ostensibly on the Paris Climate accord, though that conversation comes at a rocky period in bilateral ties July: Punjab government files sedition case against members of Sikhs for Justice August: Trudeau participates in a parade in Montreal to mark Indias Independence Day September: Canadas Warren Buffet Prem Watsa leads first-ever Invest India Conference, held in Toronto September: Number of Indian students in Canada crosses 100,000 September: India and Canada release first-ever joint set of stamps to mark Diwali September: Court in Vancouver prevents Punjab Police team from extraditing two accused in the Jassi murder case, even after being allowed to do so by Canadas Supreme Court October: Jagmeet Singh makes history as he becomes the first visible minority to be elected as leader of a Federal party in Canada October: Rupi Kaurs second collection of poetry, The Sun and Her Flowers, becomes an international best-seller November: Three Canadian cabinet Ministers visit India for a technology summit November: Canada partners at the International Film Festival of India in Goa December: Canada and India agree on visit by Trudeau in February, formal announcement likely in January

We believe in addressing these issues through frank bilateral exchanges at the government level, not through the media. The two countries are working together in counterterrorism, Swarup said.

The emergence of Jagmeet Singh as the leader of the New Democratic Party could prove another irritant since he has often focused on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and has voiced support for self-determination in Punjab.

But thats a challenge for the future, at least till the 2019 elections in Canada. For now, the ugliness over the passage of a genocide motion in the Ontario legislature and controversies surrounding defence minister Harjit Sajjans visit to India may have given way to a return to optimism.

The visit of three Canadian ministers to a technology summit in India in November has led to a very positive momentum, we are on each others radars and the plan now is to take it to the next level, Swarup said.

That, of course, is the Trudeau visit as the principals can then meet to turn burgeoning interest into tangible results.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Demonstrators attacked a town hall in the Iranian capital Saturday as protests continued for a third night despite government warnings against any further illegal gatherings and moves to cut off the internet on mobiles.

Unverified videos on social media appeared to show thousands marching through the western cities of Khorramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz, while reports spread rapidly that several people had been shot dead by police in the town of Dorud.

A swirl of wild rumours, combined with travel restrictions and a near-total media blackout from official agencies, made it difficult to confirm the reports.

The authorities appeared to respond by cutting internet access to mobile phones, with the main networks interrupted at least in Tehran shortly before midnight, AFP reporters said.

Several Iranian news agencies warned Telegram, the most popular social media service in the country, might soon be shut down after communications minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi accused one popular channel, Amadnews, of encouraging an armed uprising.

Meanwhile, the conservative Mehr news agency posted videos of protesters attacking a town hall in central Tehran, overturning a police car and burning the Iranian flag.

There was chaos earlier around the capitals university as hundreds took to the streets, blocking traffic and shouting slogans against the regime.

But the authorities could also count on a show of strength, with hundreds of counter-demonstrators seizing control of the university entrance, chanting Death to the seditionists.

Annual rallies marking the defeat of the last major protest movement in 2009 had already been scheduled for Saturday morning and brought thousands of regime supporters to the streets across the country.

We urge all those who receive these calls to protest not to participate in these illegal gatherings as they will create problems for themselves and other citizens, said Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli.

A new plot

The protests began in the second city of Mashhad on Thursday as an attack on high living costs but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole.

There were even chants in favour of the monarchy toppled by the Islamic revolution of 1979, while others criticised the regime for supporting the Palestinians and other regional movements rather than focusing on problems at home.

State news channel IRINN said it had been banned from covering the protests that spread to towns and cities including Qom and Kermanshah.

The enemy wants once again to create a new plot and use social media and economic issues to foment a new sedition, Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, a prominent cleric, told a crowd in Tehran, according to the conservative Fars news agency.

Other officials also pointed the blame outside Iran.

Although people have a right to protest, protesters must know how they are being directed, Massoumeh Ebtekar, vice president in charge of womens affairs, wrote on Twitter.

She posted images from Twitter accounts based in the United States and Saudi Arabia, voicing support for the Mashhad protests. US President Donald Trump tweeted later that Irans people wanted change and oppressive regimes cannot endure forever.

The day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice, he wrote, his second time addressing the subject in as many days.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders added: The days of America looking the other way from the Iranian regimes oppression are over. America stands with the Iranian people.

Trumps tweets on Friday prompted Irans foreign ministry spokesman Bahran Ghasemi to dismiss his remarks as opportunistic.

Iranian officials warned against dismissing the public anger seen in recent days.

People protest near the university of Tehran, Iran December 30, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. (REUTERS)

The country is facing serious challenges with unemployment, high prices, corruption, lack of water, social gap, unbalanced distribution of budget, tweeted Hesamoddin Ashena, cultural adviser to President Hassan Rouhani.

People have the right for their voice to be heard.

There has been particular anger at welfare cuts and fuel price increases in the latest budget announced earlier this month. Since the 2009 protests were ruthlessly put down by the Revolutionary Guards, many middle-class Iranians have abandoned hope of pressing for change from the streets.

But low-level strikes and demonstrations have continued, with bus drivers, teachers and factory workers protesting against unpaid wages and poor conditions.

Some of this weeks protests were directed against financial scandals linked to unauthorised lending institutions which collapsed with the loss of hundreds of thousands of accounts.

Payam Parhiz, editor-in-chief of reformist media network Nazar that broke the news of the Mashhad protests, said they were more focused on the economy than those in 2009, which were sparked by allegations of election-rigging.

Then, they were middle-class and their slogans went beyond economic matters to things like cultural liberties, he told AFP. Today, the concerns are economic. There are people who have lost their life savings. They will protest until their problems are resolved.

Since taking power in 2013, Rouhani has sought to clean up the banking sector and kick-start the economy, but many say progress has been too slow.

Aware that economic problems can quickly spiral into political chaos, officials from across the political spectrum have called for greater efforts to tackle poverty and the 12 percent unemployment rate.

Solving peoples economic problems is the chief priority in the country, tweeted Ebrahim Raisi, the hardline cleric defeated by Rouhani in Mays presidential election.
Pakistan has defended Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeeds participation in a pro-Palestine rally, saying the JuD chiefs UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression.

Saeed and Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali participated in the rally in garrison city of Rawalpindi on Saturday. India took strong exception to ambassador Ali sharing stage with Saeed, who founded the Lashkar-e-Taiba which is responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attack.

After a controversy erupted, India issued a strong demarche to Palestine, which conveyed deep regrets and decided to recall ambassador Ali.

Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) in statement said the countrys unambiguous and steadfast support to the Palestinian cause was well known and several rallies had been held since the US announced to recognise Jerusalem as capital of Israel.

The Ambassador of Palestine has participated in many of these meetings. The public meeting held yesterday was yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause, it said.

This public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Hafiz Saeed. Contrary to the impression being created, UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression, the FO said.

It said Pakistan has always supported the two-state solution.

The people and Government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian Ambassadors active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine, it said.

Saeed, who was among the speakers, accused Jewish, Zionists and Hindu leadership of destroying the world peace. He urged the Muslim countries to send their armies if the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem.
Six people were killed when a seaplane crashed into a river in Australia on Sunday, police said, with divers recovering three bodies so far.

The plane went down in the Hawkesbury River near the suburb of Cowan 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of Sydney, said police in New South Wales state.

Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman told reporters the single-engine aircraft was lying in 13 metres (43 feet) of water.

Police divers are on scene and three bodies have so far been recovered, police added in a statement. The recovery operation continues.

There were no details on the identity of the occupants and investigators did not yet know why the plane crashed.

Debris and an oil slick was spotted by a rescue helicopter after the crash, with local media reporting the aircraft was from scenic flight company Sydney Seaplanes.

Sydney Seaplanes is popular with celebrities and recent passengers have included Pippa Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and husband James Matthews during their honeymoon in Australia.

A spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau told AFP the aircraft was believed to be a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane on a return flight to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour.

The accident came just hours before Sydney Harbour was set to be lit up in a spectacular fireworks display to welcome in the new year.
Turkish police have detained 20 people, including 15 foreign nationals, on suspicion of links to Islamic State during raids in Istanbul, tightening security ahead of the anniversary of a nightclub attack in which dozens were killed.

The raids by the anti-terrorist branch of the Istanbul police took place on Saturday and targeted four locations across the city, the police said in a statement on Sunday. They did not give the nationalities of the foreign suspects.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said the suspects were believed to have been planning an attack during New Years Eve celebrations in the city.

Turkish police have been ramping up operations against suspected Islamic State militants in recent days, detaining around 195 on Thursday and Friday.

During New Years celebrations a year ago, a man with an assault rifle shot dead 39 people including Turks and visitors from several Arab nations, India and Canada at an exclusive nightclub in Istanbul, the countrys biggest city.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for that shooting, one of a series of attacks believed to have been carried out by the jihadists and Kurdish militants in Turkey in the last couple of years. A trial of those allegedly involved in the nightclub attack began this month.

On New Years Eve, the number of police officers on duty in Istanbul will be doubled to 37,000 and public celebrations will be cancelled or banned in some districts for security reasons, officials have said.

Many roads in central Istanbul districts will be closed, while heavy vehicles will not be allowed to enter some areas, police have also said.
After wrapping up several hours of an in-depth interview spread over two days, Alan Shatter is in a good mood. You have enough there to generate some degree of controversy, he says with a grin.

The retired politician knows what he is talking about. He is used to hitting the headlines  most dramatically when, in March 2014, under pressure from the then-Taoiseach Enda Kenny, he resigned as Minister for Justice and Equality, following criticism in the (Sean) Guerin Report concerning a series of Garda controversies. Alan Shatters actions as Minister were subsequently vindicated by the OHiggins Commission, and in the Court of Appeal. But the fall-out from those events rumbles on, with a Supreme Court appeal, taken by Sean Guerin, looming. Its an issue about which, during the interview, he expresses an incendiary outrage.

Under the shadow of those events, Alan  first elected to the Dail in 1981  lost his South Dublin seat in the 2016 General Election. Since then, he has turned his hand to writing. An old pro at the scribbling game, he is the author of four major academic books on Irish family law. He also wrote the satire Family Planning Irish Style, published in 1979 and Laura, a novel about a TD who gets his secretary pregnant and cajoles her into going to England for an abortion.
Plummeting illegal immigration resulted in fewer arrests by the Border Patrol and fewer deportations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the fiscal year that ended in September, Homeland Security officials said Tuesday.

The agency also took the unusual step of calling on Congress to change asylum laws and fund a border wall. The officials also complained openly about the policies of former President Barack Obama.

The number of deportations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement fell five percent to 226,119 in the period from October 2016 through September.

The new numbers, which offer the most complete snapshot yet of immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, show that Border Patrol arrests plunged to a 45-year low in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, with far fewer people being apprehended between official border crossings.

Deportations from the interior of the country increased 25 percent to 81,603, according to ICE numbers released Tuesday.

ICE was criticized this year after President Donald Trump lifted Obama-era restrictions on who can be targeted for deportation.

"There has to be a consequence or deterrence to illegal activity or the illegal activity won't stop," said Thomas Homan, ICE's deputy director. "The success we've enjoyed so far this year is based on the messaging we're sending is, 'There is no free pass here. If you're lucky enough to get by the Border Patrol we're still looking for you.' "

"There's a new recognition by would-be immigrants that the U.S. is not hanging up a welcome sign," Michelle Mittelstadt, of the non-partisan Migration Policy Institute think tank, told the Associated Press. She pointed to Trump's rhetoric, as well as his policies. "I think there's a sense that the U.S. is less hospitable."

But Mittelstadt also stressed that the numbers are part of a larger trend that began well before Trump's inauguration: Mexico's improving economy and more opportunities at home have stemmed the tide of people flowing across the border for work.

Border Patrol agents arrested 310,531 people from October 2016 through September, which included the last few months of the Obama administration. The numbers plummeted at the beginning of the year, after Trump took office, but slowly climbed after the spring driven largely by families and unaccompanied children from Central America who come to the U.S. and request asylum.

More than half of those apprehended were from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Despite those increases since May, Border Patrol apprehensions were down 25 percent from the 415,816 apprehended in fiscal 2016.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Ronald Vitiello, the acting deputy commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, credited to Trump administration policies that he said discouraged illegal immigration.

"I think it is about  people recognizing they're not going to be successful, or they'll be less successful based on the messages being sent, 'We're going to end catch and release,' " he said. "And then there's a real determination all the way up the chain to enforce existing law. And then that led to people's perspectives changing and fewer of them deciding to make the journey."

Later, however, Vitiello said immigration officials' hands are tied because of federal laws prescribing how immigration officials should treat asylum seekers and immigrant children. He called on Congress to change the law and eliminate what he called "loopholes" in the asylum system.

"We'd like to see the laws changed in a way that allows those people to have and make claims when they're still being trafficked, and then obviously their due process in the administrative procedures, then have them removed rather than released into the United States," he said.
Legal Limbo Her husband murdered, her son taken away, a mother seeking asylum tells a judge, 'I have lost everything'

Legal Limbo Her husband murdered, her son taken away, a mother seeking asylum tells a judge, 'I have lost everything'

EL PASO - The boy was crying as federal agents ordered him into the government vehicle. Tell your mother goodbye, they said.

It was late October, and Blanca Vasquez and her 12-year-old son, Luis, had only been in the United States for a few hours. They had crossed the Rio Grande near El Paso, giving themselves up to Border Patrol agents to ask for asylum. A gang in El Salvador had murdered her husband, a military sergeant, and she said they were now after Luis.

For decades, hundreds of thousands of immigrant families from Central America, escaping gang violence and political persecution, have followed a similar path, relying on international treaties protecting those seeking asylum from being summarily turned away.

Vasquez figured she and Luis would be detained, or even released, while she fought for asylum. A 20-year-old federal settlement that bars the extended detention of migrant children would ensure they stayed together.

But that was then. This summer, the practice changed.

Under orders from President Donald Trump's administration, the federal government would begin broadly prosecuting parents who enter illegally, forcing the removal of their children. That enables the administration to detain parents until they are deported or win asylum, rather than freeing them with their children to wait for their cases in the backlogged civil immigration courts, a practice known as "catch and release" that Trump has vowed to end.

The possibility of being criminally prosecuted and separated from their children, the government argued, would deter Vasquez and other migrants from making the dangerous journey north.

William Gilberto Landaverde, a plumber from El Salvador, wonders when he will see his mother and brother again. William Gilberto Landaverde, a plumber from El Salvador, wonders when he will see his mother and brother again. Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Her husband murdered, her son taken away, a mother seeking asylum tells a judge, 'I have lost everyt 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

But for Vasquez it was too late to turn back.

She was in federal prison. And her son Luis was, where?

No one would say.

***

In February 2012, Vasquez and her family were living quietly in a three-bedroom house in a middle-class municipality called Apopa on the outskirts of San Salvador. She and her husband, Juan Landaverde, had remodeled the house themselves to make room for Luis, who was born eight years after they married and their first son, William, was born.

Landaverde had joined the military as a teenager, choosing the armed forces over the guerrillas at the height of one of the hemisphere's most brutal civil wars. He rose steadily up the ranks and at 48, just one year before retirement, oversaw a prison, according to U.S. government documents

He controlled what went in and out, and what gang members could obtain. It was a powerful post that had spurred threats against him. But he always shrugged them off.

"Don't worry, my girl," he'd tell his wife. "Nothing's going to happen."

On the morning of Feb. 20, William called from school, asking his father to bring his homework. Landaverde had just dropped off Luis, and was on the way when he was suddenly ambushed by at least two teenagers who fired dozens of shots, according to newspaper accounts. A medical examiner's report noted about 19 bullet holes in Landaverde's body.

Luis, then 8, ran out, seeing one of the shooters carrying a gun, blood seeping down his shirt. It was William's classmate, he said, a boy who had often knocked on their door to sell snacks. William said he and the boy had drifted apart after the youth joined the Barrio 18 gang that controlled their neighborhood.

Landaverde's killing roiled the military. It was the third and highest-ranking murder of an army official that month, according to newspaper accounts, coming as the government was under pressure to reduce the soaring homicide rate. Reports had circulated that it was even open to deals with gang leaders if they could curb the murders.

Some viewed the attacks as a warning to the government that it had no choice but to negotiate with the gangs, who, with some 50,000 members and weapons including assault rifles and grenades, are veritable armed forces themselves.

The army interviewed William, who was then 17 and part of a folk-dancing troupe for his municipality. He said he couldn't report his classmate. He feared what would happen if he did.

***

Barrio 18 members began trailing the family.

"From the moment I left the door to the moment I came back," Vasquez said.

The military was under pressure to crack down on Landaverde's killers. They arrested one teenager and killed another, according to newspaper accounts. Soon some military sources circulated a theory in a local paper that it was William who had asked the gang to target his father. The teenager was angry, the sources claimed, because his father had punished him for hanging out with the gang and he wanted to prove his loyalty to them.

William denies this. He said soldiers tried to coerce him not only into testifying against his classmate, but into naming gang members from the neighborhood. When he said no, fearing retribution, some soldiers accused him of belonging to the group. They beat him, damaging two of his ribs, according to records.

"They got angry and said if I don't answer with the truth that they would kill me, and I kept saying I wasn't a gang member," William later told a U.S. government official. "One of them said he would kill me because I no longer had a right to live."

William was investigated in his father's killing, but never charged and has no criminal history, according to Salvadoran police records.

The murder placed the family in the crosshairs of a power struggle between El Salvador's gangs and its military. A few weeks after Landaverde's killing, the government signed a truce with gang leaders, offering them perks in exchange for less violence.

It did not make a difference in the lives of Vasquez and her children, who were under threat from both sides. They abandoned their house. In all, William said they moved about 15 times in four years to five cities across the country, often not living anywhere for more than a few months.

If they moved to a neighborhood controlled by the Mara Salvatrucha, they were seen as informers for the Barrio 18. In areas overseen by Barrio 18, they were targeted for knowing about the gang's ties to Landaverde's slaying.

William said he was assaulted more than a dozen times and once the gang even killed a teenage neighbor he said they mistook for him.

"Our lives as we knew it had ended," William said.

***

By January 2016, William had decided to join the military, in part to honor his father's memory but also in the hopes that it would offer him protection. During his training, he said soldiers recognized his last name and took him to an isolated barracks where they stripped him naked, beat him at gunpoint and once again accused him of gang ties.

On his way home to Apopa, where his mother had returned with Luis, William said gang members recognized and assaulted him, sending him to the hospital, according to medical records. He had nowhere to turn.

"The army said I had one week to file a complaint against the gang or they would disappear me," he said. "But if I did that, the gang would kill me anyway."

Almost four years to the day after his father's murder, William left El Salvador, traveling 1,400 miles to Reynosa on the Mexican side of McAllen. He paid a smuggler to take him across the cartel-controlled Rio Grande, where Border Patrol agents found him walking in the brush.

He said he was afraid to go home. They transferred him to an immigrant detention center in New York and in a two-hour-long interview with an asylum officer, the 21-year-old explained why he needed refugee protection.

"The mareros won't be satisfied until they kill me and the soldiers won't be satisfied until they find the persons responsible for my father's murder," William said, according to the government interview transcripts. "No matter where I go there are soldiers and maras ... The police are connected to the maras and I can't ask the government (for help) because these groups have popped up, the exterminators and the death squadron."

By then, the government had ended the gang truce, granting police and the military broad authority to use deadly force against them. Killings skyrocketed.

The asylum officer found William had a credible fear of suffering torture in El Salvador, the first step to receiving asylum. The government released him on a $10,000 bond, requiring him to wear a GPS-equipped ankle bracelet.

In the summer of 2016 he arrived in New Orleans, where he has an uncle, and found a job in construction. He trained to be a plumber. And though he was lonely, he was relieved. And safe.

In El Salvador, his mother and brother were anything but.

Gang members in Apopa began following 12-year-old Luis, his mother said. She stopped allowing him to go anywhere but school. Then shortly before Christmas a man Vasquez did not know approached her on the street.

"You need to leave this place to protect your son's life," he told her. "They are watching."

***

In late November Vasquez sat nervously next to four other Central American parents in El Paso's downtown federal courthouse, wearing a blue jumpsuit and shackled at her waist, wrists and ankles. It had been five weeks since she was detained at the border. She still had not been able to speak to Luis.

When they took him away, the mother had tried not to let him see her tears. She had painted on a smile, urging him to remember Psalm 91: "He will save you from the fowler's snare."

That Scripture had carried her through the years since her husband's murder. It sustained her while her life fell apart and she and her boys embarked on a nomadic existence, trying to keep one step ahead of the gangs. And it had given her strength as she made the harrowing trek north. Now, she wasn't so sure. She saw Luis in her dreams. He wore a gray shirt and moved his mouth, but she couldn't hear him. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

Her prayer changed in prison.

"Why don't you take my sons and me so that everything can end," she now implored. "Let us die together, so that we don't suffer anymore."

In court, more than a dozen Border Patrol agents and an expert witness had arrived from across the country at taxpayer expense to testify for the government.

Sergio Garcia, an assistant federal public defender for the Western District of Texas, argued that the government's practice of separating families by prosecuting parents violates the U.S. Constitution. In removing their children and withholding information about them, the government forced parents to plead guilty so that they could quickly reunite.

The government contended that the parents could take their cases to trial or post bond as in any other criminal proceeding. Not pursuing charges against parents traveling with children would encourage more to come here and even incite trafficking, the lawyers argued, if having a minor proves a protection against prosecution.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres worried that prosecuting parents prevents them from participating in their children's immigration cases, noting that even the most egregious criminals retain parental rights. He suggested that concern about their children could factor into parents pleading guilty.

"As a practical matter, there's no meaningful way for these (migrant) parents to know anything about their kids," Torres said. "Parents don't know if they're going to be deported before, after, or at the same time as their kids."

But the jurist was hard-pressed to dismiss the complaint. The parents had crossed the border illegally, the crime for which they stood accused. A higher court would have to decide if their due process rights had been violated.

In a speedy trial, slowed only by the public defender's efforts to enter arguments into the record for an appeal, the judge found Vasquez and her codefendants guilty of the misdemeanor crime of improper entry. He sentenced them to one year of non-reporting probation.

They would be transferred to immigration detention and likely quickly deported, sometimes without their children, which could even put them at risk of losing legal custody of them. If asylum officials find the parents have a credible fear of returning home, they could remain in prison for months without seeing their children until their asylum claims are adjudicated.

Such a practice of family separation is "so fundamentally unconscionable it defies countless international and domestic laws on child welfare, human rights and refugees," according to a complaint advocacy groups, including the Women's Refugee Commission, filed with the Department of Homeland Security in December.

The judge asked the parents if they had anything to say.

"I have lost everything," Vasquez said. "I don't know how (my son) is ... I need to go where he is."

***

William's stomach was tight with anxiety. He hadn't heard from his mother in days, not since she and Luis made it to Juarez, across the river from El Paso.

One morning, his phone rang as he installed pipes in a house on the outskirts of New Orleans. He did not recognize the number.

"'William,'" he remembered Luis saying. "'I'm in New York. In a shelter for children.'"

It was a little boring, Luis said, though they get to play in the afternoons. Did William know where mom was?

He did not. But the call filled him with relief. Luis was the baby, the one his parents told him to protect.

"I felt like part of my life had been given back to me," he said.

A few days later a stranger messaged him on Facebook. Was his mother Blanca Vasquez? If so, she was in prison in El Paso along with the man's girlfriend. She needed William to put money into her detainee account so that she could call him.

A social worker called him too. She sent him paperwork to complete and asked him to mail his fingerprints. If he passed a background check, she said Luis could come live with him while he waits for his appointment in immigration court.

William was thrilled. Maybe his family could finally be together again. He does not have many friends in New Orleans, shying away from the nightlife and not wanting to risk anything that could jeopardize his asylum case. He works six days a week.

Now and again he'll engage in jabber with his construction crew. All of them are from Central America too. Most have been living here illegally for years, and came to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina for the construction work. Then they stayed, and had American children who sometimes join them on the job site, marveling at the pieces of American dreams they are rebuilding for others.

William wants his uncle, an American citizen, to adopt Luis. He hopes his asylum is approved so that he can apply for a green card and join the military, but in the United States. He sees no future for El Salvador.

"It's a chain of violence that will never end," he said. "I've tried to forget, because to remember is to suffer."

The purple sky had faded to black when his mother called from prison. William told her that the social worker said Luis would be arriving soon.

"Don't worry, mom," he said. "This problem, we're going to solve it somehow."

Then he began boarding shut the vacant house. Vagrants sometimes try to sneak in at night to escape the cold.

It's human nature, William shrugged, to try to survive.

Postscript:

Shortly before Christmas, an asylum officer determined that Vasquez did not have a credible fear of returning to El Salvador. It was a painful blow, William said, and also confusing. His mother's argument for asylum is the same as his own.

An immigration judge will now review the decision. William is searching for an attorney to help his mother in the proceeding. The vast majority of such rulings are not overturned.

Vasquez will likely be deported soon without either of her children. If she tries to return to the United States, she could face a felony charge for re-entry.

Her previous deportation would allow federal agents to remove her immediately after serving that sentence.

William and Luis will remain in New Orleans while they await the outcome of their immigration cases, though their first hearings are not until 2020.

Perhaps Luis's uncle will adopt him, or he could qualify for a type of protection for child migrants who have been abandoned. Maybe William will receive asylum. It is unlikely that they will see their mother again for years.
The accomplishment Kim Ogg is most proud of after her first year as Harris County District Attorney was not implementing a new drug policy, energizing the division that holds police officers accountable or working to ensure victims' rights.

It's that the prosecutor's office was able to stay open round the clock during Hurricane Harvey and in the weeks of the storm's aftermath. More than 50 inches of water flooded courthouses and displaced the 24-hour intake division, the critical group which decides whether to accept charges presented by police officers and keeps track of who was arrested and why.

"I'm proudest of my employees because they maintained constant operations, 24/7, throughout the biggest natural disaster in Houston's history," she said earlier this monthin a wide ranging interview about her first year as district attorney. "We survived the storm surge."

Ogg, a 56-year-old native Houstonian, became Harris County's third female district attorney Jan. 1 after besting incumbent Devon Anderson in the November 2016 general election. The Democrat is Houston's first openly gay DA although it rarely comes up. Unlike Annise Parker, Houston's mayor from 2010 to 2016, who was well-known in politics because of her LGBT activism, Ogg was known for her criminal justice work, including running the city's first gang task force, then helming CrimeStoppers of Houston. Ogg's sexual orientation came up during last year's campaign when Anderson labeled her a "liberal, pro-choice, lesbian" in an interview.

It was during that campaign that Ogg promised an administration that would champion drug reform, diversion courts and holding police officers accountable, all of which seem to be moving forward.

"I think she's done a great job leading that office in some new directions that the office probably needed to go in," said Tucker Graves, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. "I like that she's brought in experienced lawyers to run the upper management of her office who have prosecutorial and defense experience."

He noted the organization of criminal defense lawyers, which typically takes an adversarial role with prosecutors, is cautiously optimistic that their concerns are being heard by Ogg's administration.

"The membership has been very supportive and likes the changes she's made," Graves said. "Like always, there's going to some who wish she would do more, but she's only been in the office for a year."

Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle

Jenny's Law

One of her biggest accomplishments was the passage of Jenny's Law, a victims rights bill. The law was written after it was revealed that a mentally ill rape victim had been jailed for 27 days in December 2015 to ensure that she testified against her attacker. The revelation set off a firestorm of criticism which grew after it was discovered the woman, known as Jenny, did not have a lawyer before she was jailed. Prosecutors only had to convince a judge it was necessary. The case dominated the 2016 campaign for D.A. and after Ogg was elected, she took up the mantle to get the legislature to pass protections for victims in similar situations.

"We were the sole driving force behind Jenny's Law, which passed nearly unanimously though the state house of representatives and senate and gave crime victims and other witnesses the same basic due process rights as their attackers," she said.

SERIAL INDIFFERENCE: How mistakes in the criminal justice system let a serial rapist go free

With the passage of that law, Ogg also secured $4 million in grants to double the size of the office's victims' right division.

She said the law was part of a broader push for accountability, which included new leadership for the civil rights division of the office, the department that investigates the police.

"Our civil right division is actively pursuing cases against law enforcement and correctional officers, on and off duty, who abuse people's civil rights and cross the line," she said. "It's important to build community trust and belief that we are a transparent prosecution office and we apply the law equally."

Since Ogg took over, the division has indicted a dozen officers, most after lengthy investigations.

The office came under fire from both sides of the political spectrum after indicting Harris County Deputy Chauna Thompson and her husband for murder in the choking death of John Hernandez. The indictment was handed down days after a large protest by family and friends of the murdered man, who marched to the criminal courthouse and demanded action.

Hispanic and Latino activists said the office did not move fast enough, which forced them to protest. Critics said the office bowed to pressure from the protestors. The murder cases against the Thompsons are pending.

Ogg said she has made a priority out of holding officers accountable, which, she said, was not a priority of past administrations.

"I think that has been a real problem in many communities of color, lower-income areas and really everybody," she said. "This is critical to good policing, good prosecution and most important to democracy because if people don't believe everyone is accountable, they're just going to stop participating."

That would mean fewer people filing reports of crime, she said, fewer witnesses willing to testify, fewer people showing up to serve on juries and ultimately fewer people voting.

Yi-Chin Lee / Houston Chronicle/marijuana

Drug Reform

The cornerstone of her campaign was reform of drug prosecutions and the expansion of diversion programs for drug users, which began with marijuana cases and now involves cases with trace amounts of cocaine.

In fact, a interesting phenomenon emerged after Ogg implemented the unprecedented program to divert low-level, non-violent drug users away from jail and into a class to learn about decision making: about 7,000 marijuana smokers disappeared from the usual arrest tally.

"Our statistics showed an enormous decline in misdemeanor filings-10,000 cases-and that's exactly the number we predicted based on average arrest stats," she said.

Under Ogg's policy, when a police officer detains someone for drugs, generally marijuana users with less than four ounces, they are not arrested. They can agree to sign up and complete a four-hour "cognitive decision making" class. It is open to people no matter their prior record or past drug use. The idea is that there is a significant number of people who get questioned by police and their only crime is possession of a small amount of marijuana. Instead of taking them to the jail and putting them in the criminal justice pipeline, which could ruin future opportunity for education and employment, they spend an afternoon in a classroom. It is not unlike defensive driving for minor traffic infractions and they can re-take the class every time they get caught.

In the nine months since it was implemented, there have been 3,085 people who have gone through the program. But there has been a reduction of 10,000 filings for marijuana charges compared to past years.

AT THE FOREFRONT: Harris County relaxes marijuana-possession punishment

Ogg said she did not know what happened to the 7,000 people that would have been arrested for marijuana under prior administrations and would be eligible for the class under hers. She speculated that police, who can no longer arrest most marijuana users, have stopped pursuing them. Instead, she said, she hopes she has freed up time for police officers who are now able to focus on burglars and robbers.

"That translates to success for us," she said. "Not just in money savings for the jails, the courts, and our office-freeing us up to work on more serious cases-but it means that 10,000 fewer people will have conditions that hamper their employment opportunities."

She said the numbers indicate that police have more time to pursue more serious criminals.

"We're up on filing more burglaries and robberies," she said. "We feel like the focus of our prosecutors to prioritize crimes against people and property is being revealed by our filing stats."

Even with a crime slowdown partially attributable to Harvey, burglary filings are up 10 percent, she said. There were 1,465 in 2016 and Ogg predicts 2017 will finish out with 1,605. Armed robbery filings are up 5 percent. There were 1,864 in 2016 and 1,965 projected in 2017.

"It shows we are going in the right direction," she said. "The more cases we file on those specific types of people-those who prey on property and others, then we are doing the will of the people."

During the 2106 campaign, the Houston Police Officers Union endorsed Ogg's competitor. During her unsuccessful run in 2014, the union blasted her proposals, especially drug reform.

After a year of her administration, the union president said the jury is still out.

"If I were going to grade her right now, it would be an I for incomplete," said HPOU President-elect Joseph Gamaldi. "So far, she's been open to talking about issues, but right now it's incomplete."

Gamaldi said police officers are concerned about the criminal justice system as a whole, which includes prosecutors and judges, who they worry are letting offenders out of jail, either on low bail bonds or deferred adjudication probation, a form of probation that allows a person to clear their record if they complete the probation successfully.

"If someone points a gun in someone's face and takes their property, no reasonable person in this community thinks they should not get jail time," he said. "We just can't have lawlessness in the city."

Gamaldi said he has reviewed cases of criminals who have received deferred adjudication for aggravated robbery, aggravated assault of a peace officer, possession of child pornography and compelling prostitution or human trafficking.

"It isn't just the DA's office, its the judges as well," he said. "We've got some great DA's and some great judges. But let me tell you, we've got some terrible DA's and some terrible judges."

However, he said, he is hoping Ogg will rein in what he sees as a bad trend.

"If some of the things I'm talking about, deferred adjudication and low bond amounts, if these things aren't cleared up, next year the grade will be an F."

Ogg said she meets regularly with the unions and has heard those criticisms. She said critics have to look at each case individually instead of generalizing a few examples.

In November, Ogg confirmed that in the wake of the storm, her office reviewed about 600 low-level drug cases to try to get plea deals, dubbed "Harvey Deals." Prosecutors dismissed about 110 of those cases, and accepted pleas in about 200 others. All were low-level drug cases.

Ogg said she investigates every concern the police officer unions bring her, especially when they are unhappy about plea deals.

"Sometimes we make errors, and sometimes with plea bargains, I can understand what they're angry about," she said. "But a lot of time there are things that are outside of our control."

The prosecutor also said she is trying to support law enforcement efforts to go after the predators and "crime drivers" in society.

"We are changing the way we look at public safety and what makes you safe," she said. "Just numbers of cases filed and convicted don't make you safer. You have to get the right people off the street and I fell like we're turning the battleship and pointing it in the right direction."

Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle

Culture Change

More broadly, she said, she has made an effort to change the hard-charging culture at an office of that has long been criticized for "win at all costs" prosecutions.

"We've changed the way we evaluate our prosecutors," she said. "They're no longer evaluated simply on the number of trials or the number of convictions or their courtroom work. They're evaluated on all aspects of their practice and their professional responsibilities."

She said that meant updating evaluation forms and the performance they measure.

"That required changing everything, from the actual evaluation forms to the written policies to the training of our lawyers and support staff," she said. "I think there's a progressive and important change in the way we pursue justice. It's not at the expense of victims and not at the expense of people's civil rights."

Still, her first year will be known as the year the Harvey devastated the region and shuttered the 20-story criminal courthouse for at least a year, forcing 300 prosecutors and 400 support staff to move to a handful of office buildings, some as far from downtown as the Galleria-area, while taking care of business in courtrooms in four different locations.

"Every employee has truly sacrificed and pulled together," she said. "Everyone here has been working hard to be a team player. We grit our teeth and bear it."

She said there's no handbook on how to be a newly-elected public official, and it's especially stressful when the area's worst natural disaster hits.

"I'm proud of our first year," she said with a laugh. "And I'm glad it's over."
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

WASHINGTON - Beto O'Rourke, the Democrats' latest, best hope of turning Texas "blue," recalls a refrain he's heard on the national fundraising and endorsement circuit: "I've had my heart broken by Texas before."

The memory comes as the congressman from El Paso sits in a bare office near the U.S. Capitol, a faraway look in his eyes as he recites a long list of dusty border towns he's toured on the campaign trail, sometimes combined with family camping trips juiced by the sight of scorpions under the stars.

It's been more than two decades since a Democrat won a statewide election in Texas. In the last attempt, state Sen. Wendy Davis spent some $40 million and lost the 2014 governor's race by more than 20 percentage points to Republican Greg Abbott.

Now comes O'Rourke, a three-term congressman from the far west corner of the state, challenging a political dragon-slayer in his own right: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a tea party icon who proved to be Donald Trump's most enduring rival in the Republican presidential primaries of 2016.

Cruz's evident ambition - seen in his first trip to Iowa, within months of being sworn in as a senator - will be central to O'Rourke's case as he crisscrosses Texas trying to rally long-marginalized Democrats, independents, first-time voters, Latinos, the anti-Trump "resistance," and anyone else who might have grown weary of post-Trump Republicanism.

Race not like Alabama

Strategists on both sides know that the backdrop for the U.S. Senate race in Texas - possibly one of the marquee races of the 2018 midterm elections - will be the push or pull of Trump, who bested Hillary Clinton in Texas by 9 percentage points.

For O'Rourke, a Spanish nicknamed, fourth-generation Irish-American from El Paso, that is a source of hope. But first, the 45-year-old ex-punk-rocker with the toothy, Kennedyesque smile will have to prove it can be done - even as he eschews polls, Beltway consultants and, most importantly, political action committee money.

"They have to know it's possible," O'Rourke said of the grass-roots volunteers he hopes to mobilize.

His case might have become slightly more plausible given the Democrats' upset victory in a hotly contested Senate race in deep crimson Alabama.

Within minutes of Doug Jones' win over scandal-scarred Republican Roy Moore in early December, O'Rourke's campaign fired off an email to potential donors: "Tonight, the eyes of the nation were on Alabama. Tomorrow, Texas and 2018."

Texas Republicans are quick to point out that even though Cruz backed Moore, he's a very different breed of cat from the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice tarred with allegations about pursuing teenage girls.

Like Moore, Cruz might have become a lightning-rod of criticism from liberals and traditional conservative Republicans in the Senate. But his personal rectitude has not been seriously questioned beyond the Trump campaign's clumsy attempts in 2016 to tie him to tabloid stories about the JFK assassination and extramarital affairs.

The son of a Southern Baptist preacher who emigrated from Cuba, Cruz, who himself was born in Canada, knows how to speak in the cadences of Texas' politically influential Christian Right. Combining mathematical rigor and Harvard law erudition, Cruz has built one of the most formidable fundraising and grass-roots organizing machines in American politics.

Harnessing the energy of a resurgent Democratic base, O'Rourke was able to best Cruz in the money chase in the second-quarter of 2017, but he entered the fall with some $3 million in his campaign kitty, about half of Cruz's total.

O'Rourke could boast of 7,000 more individual donors than Cruz through the end of September, when their last financial reports were filed. But from a modern campaign perspective he will be fighting with one hand behind his back: Though he's accepted campaign contributions from political action committees in the past, O'Rourke has sworn off PAC money in the race against Cruz. He also says he's dispensing with polling. This stands in contrast to Cruz who, while once positioned as a Washington "outsider" taking on the political establishment, now commands one of the city's best data analysis operations.

The digital tools that his 2016 presidential campaign developed contributed mightily to his victory in the Iowa caucuses, arguably the epicenter of conservative evangelical political strength outside the South.

"You can quibble about whether Ted Cruz continues to be the head of the conservative movement," said senior Cruz adviser Brian Phillips, in a February post-mortem on the 2016 elections. "But the movement is still there, and we've got the keys to the engine."

Looking for 'blue wave'

Texas Democrats are hoping that after a year of tumultuous Trump leadership amid the ongoing Russia probe, the gas might be running out of the conservative machine, or that their own tanks are being freshly filled with new energy and vigor.

"A blue wave is rising in the Lone Star State," said Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa. "Texas Democrats are marching, organizing, and stepping up to serve."

O'Rourke, counting on the growing friction between Trump, the Republicans, and the Hispanic community over immigration, already has started making a play for Texas' burgeoning Latino population, using his fluent Spanish to do interviews on Spanish-language radio and television.

The flip-side of that strategy, however, may be the Republicans' overwhelming advantage among white voters in rural Texas, a demographic where Democrats know they will need to make inroads.

One problem confronting O'Rourke is that while Democrats are stepping up to run in every Texas congressional district for the first time in decades, there will be no other high-profile Democrat running statewide to help him draw voters to the polls.

Apart from Texas U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who considered a Cruz challenge, no other Democrat with statewide name recognition was willing to take on the job.

In many ways, O'Rourke is running on his own. Until he kicked off his campaign last summer at a rooftop rally in El Paso, he was largely known as a youthful congressman from West Texas who favored marijuana legalization and opposed a border wall. Facing a Republican with nearly universal name recognition across the nation, he could barely register a blip even in Texas polls.

O'Rourke has sought to change that with a peripatetic campaign strategy that will take him to all of the state's 254 counties by Election Day. He started a "Town Haulin' Across Texas" tour last summer, hoping to contrast his take-all-comers town halls to Cruz's predilection for more controlled business, party or activist settings.

Looking for signs of a wave, Democrats point to Trump's relatively modest victory in Texas over Clinton in 2016. That 52-43 percent split was significantly narrower than Mitt Romney's 16-point margin, 57-41 percent, over President Barack Obama in 2012. In 2008, John McCain bested Obama 55-43 percent, a difference of 12 points.

Republicans confident

Republicans, meanwhile, look at the same numbers and see a ceiling for Democrats in Texas in the low 40s. Even in the face of conservative skepticism and establishment Republican disdain, Trump still won Texas by some 800,000 votes, meaning Democrats have a lot of ground to make up.

"There is no reason to believe that Texas is turning into a Democratic state," said Texas GOP pollster Chris Wilson, a top strategist in Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign.

Like Davis, O'Rourke's hope for a Democratic resurgence in Texas has garnered national attention, with profiles in the Washington Post, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone ("Beto O'Rourke: Ted Cruz's Punk-Rock Problem").

Even if midterm elections generally favor the opposition party, Democrats in 2018 will be defending 10 U.S. Senate seats in states carried by Trump. Cruz, no matter how much liberals dislike him, is unlikely to become a top national target for Democrats or their donors, even as they vie to overcome the GOP's one-seat majority in the Senate.

If the 2018 Texas Senate race comes down to money and built-in party infrastructure, most analysts give it to Cruz hands down. But if it becomes a referendum on Trump, even Republicans are bracing for a fight.

"In 2018, we could see a reversal of what Obama did," Wilson said. "Obama motivated Republicans. Trump motivates Democrats."

But if voters turn on Trump in 2018, as they did in Alabama, New Jersey and Virginia in 2017, Cruz has some cards to play. He will run under the Trump banner of tax cuts, Obamacare repeal and a border wall - 180 degrees the opposite of O'Rourke's liberal politics - and yet his personal clashes with Trump during the 2016 GOP primaries could give him more latitude to run as his own man.

He also will be running with a nod from GOP maverick and ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who has turned on much of the GOP's Senate leadership.

"Cruz has played the Donald Trump issue as well as can be expected," said University of Houston political analyst Brandon Rottinghaus. "He's been able to articulate a role where he's both a team player and an outside bomb-thrower, and that's a hard needle to thread."

Clinton's Texas campaign chairman, Garry Mauro, the last Democrat to win a statewide race when he was re-elected Texas land commissioner in 1994, still sees the 2016 Cruz-Trump smackdown a chink in Cruz's armor.

Mauro believes Cruz should have suffered permanent damage when he bent his knee to Trump after the brash New Yorker insulted members of his family in campaign interviews and on Twitter. Mauro sees that as an affront to rugged Texas values. "I don't see how Texas' U.S. senator can support Trump after what he said about his wife and father," he said.

But O'Rourke, temperamentally intellectual and issue-oriented, seems an unlikely attack dog. Like Cruz, he has an Ivy League pedigree, having studied English at Columbia University. He served for six years on the city council in El Paso, where he made a name for himself as a champion of brotherly love between El Paso and its cross-border neighbor, Ciudad Juarez.

He's convinced that Texans, even many conservatives, see the border as a source of pride, not a threat. "Texans live the border," he said, "It's something they're proud of and understand as a source of strength."

On the flip side, he also was an advocate of downtown development, an agenda that got him cross-wise with Mexican-American activists who feared the gentrification of their neighborhoods.

The Cruz campaign's opposition research team will have no trouble unearthing old ethics complaints alleging conflicts-of-interest involving O'Rourke's wealthy father-in-law, William Sanders, a real estate investor who was involved in one controversial redevelopment plan. The charges were dismissed by an independent commission.

In his first run for the council, O'Rourke also had to live down two youthful indiscretions which come back to haunt him from time to time: a 1995 burglary arrest involving a prank climb over a fence at the University of Texas in El Paso, and a DWI in 1998. Both charges were dismissed.

O'Rourke calls his behavior in both incidents "stupid," offering no excuses, not even his youth. "It does nothing to diminish how dumb it was," the married father of three says.

Using social media

If O'Rourke has his own secret weapon, it's his own openness and facility with social media, which he has used to great effect in Congress. He raised hackles when he used Facebook Live to stream the Democrats' House floor protest pressing for gun legislation in the aftermath of a mass nightclub shooting in Orlando. The images went viral on the Internet, as they would again when he teamed up with San Antonio Republican Will Hurd on a cross-country road trip of bipartisan comity during weather-related flight cancellations.

Video streaming has become a standard feature of his travels across the state, inviting viewers along for the ride between campaign stops, where they can listen to him expound on the weather, history, music, family life and politics.

It's a classic underdog strategy, one that Democrats hope will level the playing field, pull back the veil on politics, and excite the ranks for what promises to be a steep, uphill climb through big media markets and small-town Texas.

"At 50,000 feet," Democrat Mauro said hopefully, "Beto O'Rourke is the classic reform candidate who comes in and wins against Ted Cruz, the classic machine politician."
Americans have never been more addicted to devices. Thanks to the mobile revolution initiated by the iPhone, the U.S. alone is home to 238 million mobile phones and 140 million tablets that are rarely shut down. And their numbers are growing, thanks to a perpetual upgrade cycle and demand for new features. For environmentalists, it's a looming electronic nightmare in which America's gadget obsession consumes increasingly higher volumes of the world's limited resources.

Thankfully, the data shows that's not happening. As Americans shift from big devices such as traditional tube televisions and personal computers to smaller mobile devices, electricity and resource consumption is declining rapidly. America's gadget habit has never been greener.

First, those electronics, courtesy of a new study for the Consumer Technology Association: Despite the hundreds of millions of smartphones and tablets now in U.S. pockets and on bedside tables, there are far fewer electronic devices around now than there were four years ago.

This finding will probably surprise many readers, but think, for a moment, about the devices each new smartphone replaces. Tablets ate your secondary TV, for instance, and with it the set-top box that accompanied it. Tablets also ate your laptop computer (after the laptop ate your desktop), and smartphones eliminate all of those devices together.

The result for energy is striking. The reduction in total devices in use since their peak in 2013 pales in comparison to the decrease in actual electricity consumption per device since 2006. And since 2010, there has been a 25 percent reduction in total energy consumption by those electronics.

For all of their ubiquity -- and their contribution (whatever your opinion on that contribution) to contemporary life -- smartphones and tablets use very little electricity, especially compared to earlier generations of technology. For example, Americans' 284 million TVs use 35 times more electricity than their 238 million smartphones. For that matter, the remaining 104 million cordless phones in the U.S. use more electricity than U.S. smartphones -- and the remaining 113 million clock radios use more electricity than 140 million tablets.

Finally, the 284 million TVs in use in American households is down from 353 million in 2010. Smartphones and tablets really are eating everything -- and replacing them with something many times more energy-efficient.

Electricity isn't the only thing gadgets are consuming in smaller amounts. The shift away from heavy, traditional tube TVs to lightweight flatscreens, phones and tablets has resulted in a substantial decrease in the amount of raw materials going into electronics. According to recent research led by Callie Babbitt, a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, the total weight of consumer electronics sold in the U.S. every year peaked in 2000 and had declined to 1993 levels by 2015 (the last year for which data was available) -- despite the fact that Americans consumed 350 million more devices in 2015.

Leaded glass, a heavy and difficult-to-recycle component of traditional cathode-ray tube TVs, was the biggest weight loss. But since the late 2000s, steel, aluminum and copper have also seen declines. In 1990, tube TVs and computer monitors made up more than three-quarters of all U.S. household electronic inflows by weight -- and were more than 50 percent in 2006. By 2008, they had nearly vanished.

A smaller footprint at the electronics store makes for a smaller footprint in the waste stream, and since 2015, America's e-waste volume has been in decline. This isn't just a matter of lighter gadgets. Every year, 120 million used smartphones are sold, creating a global market worth at least $17 billion. Previous generations of used electronics also traded globally but never in such numbers. It's one reason that, in 2017, small gadgets have comprised only 8.7 percent of what the United Nations defines as e-waste (refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and other large devices make up the rest). Despite massive uptake of gadgets worldwide, the global weight of discarded small equipment like smartphones will only grow 2 percent annually through 2020.

That doesn't mean there isn't more work to be done. Today's small gadgets may use less power and materials than previous generations did, but their size makes them difficult to repair or recycle. That shortens their lifespan -- a bad outcome for consumers and the environment alike. But manufacturers are beginning to address these problems, too. Companies such as HP Inc. and Dell Inc. are leading the way with designs that extend the lifespan of devices and enable recyclers to extract materials affordably. That's good news for consumers, and even better news for the environment.

- Bullard is an energy analyst, covering technology and business model innovation and system-wide resource transitions. Minter is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is the author of "Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade."

For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view.
By Kate Musgrave

Online publishers now know more about their audiences than ever before. When you visit a digital-savvy news site, they will likely glean your age group, location, what device you are using, how long you visit, and how loyal you are to the site, among other data that are both important to their advertisers and allow them to better tailor their content and delivery strategies to your preferences.

Still, there is one gaping hole in todays data: even the most advanced analytics firms are unable to track how that audience landed on the page to begin with up to 20 percent of the time. If you clicked on a link shared on Facebook or Twitter, the news site will detect that. If you found a story through a Google or Bing search, the site will know. And if you typed the URL directly into the browser, that too will be recorded. The blind spot, dubbed dark social, originates when visitors arrive from links shared by email, text, or private messaging applicationsnot to be confused with the more nefarious dark web. As analytics firms begin to shine a light onto the dark spots of referral data, they are learning that these invisible, peer-to-peer forms of sharing news are far more important than previously understood, kindling further consideration among publishers of how to harness messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram for distribution. One analytics firm, Chartbeat, has been a pioneer in helping websites better track private forms of content sharing. According to lead data scientist Chris Breaux, When we look at our referrer traffic over our entire network, the number one source is still direct traffic. Number two is Google search, and number three is this dark social bucket. This report finds that in some of the worlds most repressive media environments, dark social might be playing an even greater role. A CIMA analysis of data obtained from Chartbeat suggests that in such environments, citizens are gravitating away from Facebook, Twitter, and other public platforms and toward channels perceived to be more secure and private when sharing and discussing news. While publishers everywhere need to find distribution strategies that work well with dark social forms of sharing, independent news publishers working in oppressive environments might have an even larger incentive. CIMAs analysis of audience data from nearly 40 countries yields a statistically significant correlation between freedom of the press and reliance on dark social sharing: the more repressive the media environment, the more likely the audience is to access news through dark social. Even more illustrative of this trend, however, are some of the data points where that correlation seems the strongest, as in Turkey and Russia. In these cases, delving into incidents over the timeframe of the dataset, 2016, strongly suggests causation. Where independent news coverage is under attack, there are inevitably reverberations in how that news is accessed and shared.

While publishers everywhere need to find distribution strategies that work well with dark social forms of sharing, independent news publishers working in oppressive environments might have an even larger incentive.

Defining and Tracking Dark Social

Data analytics today means far more than a simple count of subscribers, with services ranging from free snapshots like Facebook Insights and Google Analytics to tailor-made analysis and market strategies from private firms. One essential piece of information from these services is the referrer, which identifies the site or platform first used to access the page. As emphasized in a recent CIMA report , the global dominance of Google search and Facebook as referrers has been a cause of some concern, particularly for small media outlets that are especially vulnerable to a sudden and dramatic decline in traffic when these platforms make changes to the way they prioritize or organize content. Relatively less attention, however, has been given to the implications of dark social, precisely because of its nature: dark social refers to online and digital sharing either missing or incorrectly attributed in site traffic analytics. Unlike other referrers, these lack the usual tag denoting the origins of the click. Depending on the analytics tool, they may even be read as direct traffic, assuming that the lack of tag means a user manually entered the full URLan increasingly unlikely explanation as web addresses stretch from something like cima.ned.org to https://www.cima.ned.org/publication/media-feast-news-famine-ten-global-advertising-trends-threaten-independent-journalism/. But following a 2012 Atlantic article by Alexis Madrigal, it became clear that dark social is not just a matter of missing data, but of missed opportunities. Marketing firms have since raced to capitalize on the conversation, offering solutions for more detailed analytics and strategies to convert these viewers into paying consumers. That which dark social describesbasic person-to-person sharingis far from new, but only in the past few years has anyone been able to systematically identify and track it. Leading the way in identifying dark social and other traffic referrers, Chartbeat continues to refine its approach, with updates put in place as recently as September 2017. With each round, traffic previously considered dark drops, newly identified as one of myriad possible explanations. Nonetheless, dark social remains in many cases a more frequent referrer than social sites like Facebook and Twitter. For all of the time and resources spent on platform giants like Facebook and Google, running content and battling opaque algorithms, bypassing audiences from dark social is an oversight many can no longer afford.

Running the Numbers

Catering to a network of roughly 50,000 news media sites, New Yorkbased analytics firm Chartbeat has compiled vast amounts of audience data, tracking where online news readership is going, where it is coming from, and how. While that data cover a wide breadth of sources, the majority are larger English-language Western news sites and globally trusted outlets. To unpack some of this data, CIMA analyzed audience insights from 37 countries, representing a variety of geographic regions, income per capita, population sizes, and levels of press freedom. The data set, recording total pageviews to Chartbeats network of news sites, provides a week-by-week look at country of origin, what device was used to access the site, platform or referrer, and engaged time on the page, and how these data compare from country to country over the course of 2016. The sheer breadth of information available presents any number of possibilities for closer studya snapshot of questions news sites must ask when analyzing their own data. When do online audiences in country x access news from this selection of major Western outlets, and how? Inevitably, contextualizing the data is of primary concern. Given that, sweeping general trends are rare and changeable. Dark social, however, is a significant player across the board, and one largely overlooked. While CIMA anticipates continued applications of this trove of data, it is vital in every case to first recognize where the audiences are coming from and how best to reach them when they need it most.

Turkey: Post-Coup Crackdowns Push Citizens to Dark Social Platforms

On July 15, 2016, viewers around the globe watched tanks rolling across Istanbuls Bosphorus Bridge as an attempted coup detat unfolded, but the fraught night that ensued proved to be just the beginning of a much longer, brutal government crackdown. As state-owned TRT news announced that the military had completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate constitutional order, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking via Facetime and on CNN Turk, called upon the public to take to the streets. Just hours later, CNN Turk was itself occupied by the military, anchors leaving their desks mid-air as the station went quiet. Bolstered by loyal police and armed forces, alongside pro-government demonstrations, Erdogan soon succeeded in repelling the coup attempt, reclaiming his authority with a vengeance. A massive crackdown followed, engulfing independent media in the country. Erdogan and his administration targeted not only news and media outlets, many of which were already ensnared in a toxic and captured media environment, but citizens active on social media. While estimates vary, one report found that more than 110,000 people were detained within nine months of the coup attempt, thousands under investigation for social media postings. Frequent among those charges are insulting the president, opposing the anti-terror law, and spreading hatred or propaganda. To further silence dissent, the Turkish government is known to periodically throttle, or block, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and WhatsAppso much so that one site has dedicated itself entirely to tracking the blackouts. While such censorship, both self- and government-imposed, has steeply increased since the July 2016 coup attempt, it is far from new. Access to social media appeared to be restricted following the June 2016 bombing at Atatrk Airport, for instance, and a wider blackout was imposed later in the year as unrest continued. The combined crackdown on legacy news outlets and major social media platforms in Turkey seems to have pushed citizens to seek and share information elsewhere, particularly by WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, though also on other messaging platforms like Signal and BiP Messenger, email, SMS (short message service), and of course by word of mouth. According to one source, use of WhatsApp in Turkey outranks Facebook entirelypart of a broader trend reflected in Chartbeats 2016 data of Turkish citizens moving away from public social platforms. While the data coming out of Turkey exhibit a notable gap in the middle of the year (fitting, given the ongoing turmoil and blackouts at the time), the pattern is clear: private, dark social sharing of and access to these major news sites outstripped even search and direct, typically the most common referrers. Whats more, users accessed the news sites by desktop more frequently than by mobile device, unusual in a world increasingly turning to mobile, and a sign that dark social sharing may not be due strictly to the growing use of mobile messenger apps. That Turkish citizens have turned to dark social sharing techniques on desktops suggests even more strongly that they were purposefully seeking a trusted and safe environment to access and share news. Yet, in the midst of such a thorough crackdown, even these platforms are not necessarily accessible or safe. Throttling of Facebook inevitably subsumes Facebook Messenger as well, and while WhatsApp eluded the early blackouts of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, both it and Skype joined the list of compromised platforms by the end of the year. A massive crackdown on the lesser known messaging app ByLock sparked further concerns, as Turkish authorities overrode weak security features to trace thousands of users suspected of ties to the failed coup. Though members of thegroup had stopped using the app months before, realizing that it was compromised, authorities reportedly arrested up to 75,000 suspects primarily because they had downloaded the app. While other platforms, like Signal and Telegram, are notably more secure options, the ByLock crackdown was a chilling reminder that the movement of citizens to dark social is not always a move towards greater safety, and particularly under a government as sophisticated as Turkeys.

Russia: A Shrinking Space for Independent Voices

Press freedom trackers exhibit serious concern about the deteriorating state of the Russian media environment, continually classified as not free. While some have suggested the state is learning from the Chinese approach to online censorship, limitations on press freedom and freedom of expression in Russia are far from newindependent voices in the country have been systematically dismantled or overruled since President Vladimir Putin first came to power in 2000. Passed in the broader context of the global War on Terror, a 2002 anti-terror law targets speech, publications, groups, and ideas deemed extremist, a broadly defined notion interpreted subjectively by officials. The Russian Criminal Code additionally inhibits a vague incitement to hatred or hostility, while the 2010 Law on Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development instills the government line from an early age. Even the church is not safe from the battleground of freedom of expression, highlighted in the notorious Pussy Riot case of 2012 as three members of a Russian punk rock band were jailed on charges of hooliganism for performing a song critical of Putin in a Moscow cathedral. At the time of this data collection in 2016, journalists were attacked while covering human rights abuses in the North Caucasus, security forces raided the homes of Crimean journalists, one journalist was tried after alleging election irregularities in September, another detained on suspicion of espionage in October, and in December, a blogger was jailed for publicly justifying terrorism after criticizing Russian military actions in Syria. The list goes on. In this chilling environment, Russians too have begun to show a preference for platforms that seem more private or secureall the more so, most likely, for coverage or websites that may be deemed opposition by the Russian government. For Russian audiences, as in Turkey, pageviews from social platforms remain the lowest-performing referrers. As seen above, direct views are also somewhat low, suggesting that this audience is not comprised of regular visitors. Instead, these are audiences actively seeking out (search) and sharing (dark social) news media. Late 2016 provided any number of major talking points for a Russian audience, including Russian legislative elections in mid-September, the American presidential election and following discussions in November, and international talks toward a Syrian ceasefire throughout, to name a few. Governments already wary of the media space are often the first to catch on to the importance of dark social and private messagingtypically in a bid to restrict possible demonstrations, as political scientist Gary King finds in China, or to combat perceived threats from extremist messaging. But the result has placed increasing limitations on access to alternative news at all. In May 2017, the Russian communications regulator blocked Line, Blackberry, and Imo messengers, swiftly followed by WeChat, a hugely popular messaging platform owned by Chinese conglomerate Tencent. Telegram, yet another messaging platform known for its high encryption and privacy policies, narrowly escaped joining that list. It, along with WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, and others, continues to enjoy a steady Russian audiencean audience some news outlets have slowly begun to tap in to.

Governments already wary of the media space are often the first to catch on to the importance of dark social and private messaging. The result has placed increasing limitations on access to alternative news at all.

What does this mean for independent, digital news producers in repressive environments?

For media sites around the world battling with a rapidly changing business model, time and resources are scarce for digging through audience data and experimenting with new platforms. Both may be necessary in the evolving media environment. Unfortunately for digital news producers working in more repressive environments, observing these trends in audience data may not lead to a clear strategy. Still, digital strategists would recommend a few key steps: Know where your audience is and how it is most likely to engage. For news sites, that may be directly to the page or through search, not Facebook. Online news producers are painfully aware of the seemingly negative impact of Facebooks opaque algorithm and the unquestionably negative impact of its monopolizing adspend yet, time and resources are frequently poured into posting and promoting content on the platform. Posting and boosting content on social platforms can be relatively cheap, but best kept within its limited return on investment.

For news sites, that may be directly to the page or through search, not Facebook. Online news producers are painfully aware of the seemingly negative impact of Facebooks opaque algorithm and the unquestionably negative impact of its monopolizing adspend yet, time and resources are frequently poured into posting and promoting content on the platform. Posting and boosting content on social platforms can be relatively cheap, but best kept within its limited return on investment. Capitalize on the sites homepage experience. Most loyal readers are still likely to go directly to the news site, and those loyal readers are also most likely to become paid subscribers. A readable, engaging homepage across devices serves their needs best and offers the potential for a more immediate, tangible return.

Most loyal readers are still likely to go directly to the news site, and those loyal readers are also most likely to become paid subscribers. A readable, engaging homepage across devices serves their needs best and offers the potential for a more immediate, tangible return. Make stories readily sharable by providing links for social platforms and email as well as link shortening options. This both taps into the dark social potential and ensures more reliably trackable data in the future. More likely than not, those on a page are already sharing content, even if those reference points do not show themselves as clearly as social platforms do.

by providing links for social platforms and email as well as link shortening options. This both taps into the dark social potential and ensures more reliably trackable data in the future. More likely than not, those on a page are already sharing content, even if those reference points do not show themselves as clearly as social platforms do. Innovate with dark social platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. Some outlets have already begun doing this. Facing the impending outages that came with Hurricane Irma in September 2017, Univision turned to WhatsApp to get necessary information to its audience on the platform they had in hand. Several media channels appealing to Russian audiences have also reported growing audiences on Telegram, reaching young viewers through public channels and regular updates on the encrypted messaging app. Typically, these strategies apply across the board. For media houses in more repressive environments, however, one large caveat comes into play: strategies for profitable content distribution do not always align with what is safest for your audience and your outlet. While media outlets across the globe wrestle with a rapidly changing business environment, those simultaneously battling a repressive government have even fewer resources to spare. Even as circumstances may require a push toward new, innovative platforms, few have the time and financial security to spend additional attention on audience data, let alone new platforms. This is all the more problematic as it remains unclear how those platforms could be monetized for content providers. Though recent pilot programs through WhatsApp hint at possible opportunities to come, for now, such digital innovations are most often lauded for their indirect benefits: better serving current audiences, fostering organizational and cultural change, and facilitating a broader ecosystem of adaptation and innovation. All necessary goals, but difficult to press as an outlet struggles to keep the lights on. Additionally, with global growth in mobile use and the rise of social media platforms, audiences worldwide will, out of habit, continue to share news and links on more public platforms like Facebook and Twitter. In some cases, these crowdsourced platforms and rising citizen journalism initiatives have garnered public trust even as traditional media loses ityet, such practices could put both audiences and independent voices at risk, and potentially lead to less sharing and engagement in response to self- and government-censorship. Media outlets in repressive environments especially may therefore need to be more proactive in steering audiences toward safer platforms, inevitably drawing attention from wary governments in the meantime. No platform is impervious to the threat of government disapproval, as illustrated by the earlier example of Russia and Telegram. Still, some platforms remain more secure than others, and choosing the best fit is key for both audiences and outlets. As that same example shows, responsibility must also lie with the platform and its ability and willingness to protect the security of its usersaudiences, journalists, and media houses alike. Platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram have become increasingly vital for sharing news when it is needed most, both peer-to-peer and distributed content, and their vast user base depends upon protecting that space. Beyond those recommended steps for innovative outlets and wary audiences, then, is an even greater need for support from the platforms and internet governance bodies setting the rules. These players have an undeniable role in working to create safer ecosystems for distributing news, keeping these various environments in mind to simultaneously protect the audience and create business opportunities for independent news producers. Monetizing dark social may be a matter of profit and prestige for many, but it may also be a matter of survival for those dependent upon it in todays increasingly repressive media environments.

Source: https://www.cima.ned.org/publication/repressive-countries-citizens-go-dark-share-independent-news/
Imperial Valley News Center

Humanitarian Evacuations in Eastern Ghouta, Syria

Washington, DC - The United States welcomes the urgent and long awaited medical evacuations that took place over the past forty-eight hours from Eastern Ghouta in Syria. We also extend our gratitude to the humanitarian and medical professionals on the ground for their compassion and tireless work. Their dedication and efforts to save lives in the most difficult of environments illustrate the best in humanity.

Although the evacuation and treatment of 29 of the more than 600 critically ill patients is a step in the right direction, the United States remains extremely concerned about the dire situation in Eastern Ghouta and the continued ruthless siege by the Assad regime. Hundreds in the besieged area still await medical evacuation, and many have died as they wait. It is a cruel reminder of the regimes unbridled brutality. In Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian regime continues to deliberately use tactics to starve Syrian civilians, including women and children, block humanitarian aid and critically needed medical supplies, and bomb hospitals, medical personnel, and first responders, all to preserve its grasp on power. No aid convoys were given access during the entire month of December. If proper medications and supplies were allowed, more than half of those needing medical evacuation could stay in Ghouta. Bashar al-Assad and his regime continue to regard the lives of the Syrian people as nothing more than bargaining chips. Katr Alnada, a critically ill six-month-old baby girl who ultimately died before being evacuated, is only one of many heartbreaking examples.

We repeat our call on Russia to live up to its obligations to ensure that the Assad regime ends these barbaric attacks against civilians in Syria. The Syrian regime must allow all medical evacuations in the besieged area, as well as the flow of medical supplies and humanitarian aid. Now, more than ever, Russia and the international community must vigorously support unhindered humanitarian access to all of Syria and pressure the Assad regime to credibly negotiate a lasting political resolution to the conflict through the UN-led Geneva process.
Haiti National Day

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson: "On behalf of the U.S. government, I extend best wishes to the people of Haiti as you celebrate the 214th anniversary of Haitis independence.

"The United States and Haiti share a long history of close relations, and our futures are even more closely linked through the nearly one million Haitian Americans who contribute to both American prosperity and the economic growth of Haiti.

"We acknowledge the tremendous strides Haiti has made over the last year. The inauguration of President Moise in February, and the work Haiti is undertaking to stabilize its electoral system going forward, can reaffirm the Haitian peoples commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. We also note significant progress in security, and commend Haitis efforts to develop its agricultural sector.

"As a longstanding friend and partner, the United States remains committed to supporting Haiti as it strives to increase economic growth and investment, unlocking its full potential."
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 }}

Fashion is a passion I was born with, claimed the Ugandan newspaper fashion editor Keturah Kamugasa, who has died aged 50. Even as a child, Kamugasa had an eye for colour and fabric.

She credited her fashion sense to her parents, whom she said knew the importance of image. Her father took her to have her hair styled every morning. Her dolls were the best dressed in town.

As a young adult, Kamugasa left Uganda for the UK, where she attended Bible college and later gained a degree in sociology from Leicester University. On her return to Africa in the mid-Nineties, Kamugasa began work as a freelance writer for New Vision, a leading English-language newspaper in Uganda.

She quickly became a staff writer, specialising in education, health and gender issues though fashion remained her area of special interest. She was New Visions first education editor and later headed its Sunday magazine Flair.

Kamugasa was also a pioneer in Ugandas wedding industry.

She launched Ugandas first wedding magazine, Bride and Groom, and in 2006 she inaugurated the countrys first wedding expo. At the same time, she continued to write a column for New Vision. Style with Keturah Kamugasa celebrated all Ugandas women, including new mothers, plus-size women and professional women dressing to stand out in a sea of corporate grey.

Her writing was always warm if occasionally waspish. In 2016, Kasugama wrote, As we celebrate Womens Day today, let us spare a thought for parts of the female anatomy that are not yet emancipated (ahem!). Apparently, the breast and her nipple are among those parts.

She added: And so we are bombarded with pictures of buttock like cleavages; some tantalising and others downright ugly. We are expected to follow suit in the spirit of sisterhood. In any case, how empowering of women is breast exposure? In Uganda, most of us see breasts on a daily basis, whether we like it or not.

Kamugasas own style was always colourful and sumptuous. She counted many of Ugandas best designers as friends. Santa Anzo, chief designer and MD of fashion label Arapapa, wrote of Kamugasas sudden death, I can never tell my life journey without Kamugasa She exuded so much life and we looked forward to a future that was looking so bright.

The warmth and wisdom of Kamugasas columns reflect the support she showed her fellow women in day-to-day life. Kamugasa held voluntary positions on the boards of several NGOs. She mentored many young women, frequently visiting schools to give talks on career advice and self-esteem. She was an enthusiastic advocate for womens rights.

While the Uganda constitution prohibits discrimination against women, inequality is still widespread. FGM is still common as is the practice of dowries. Women are still unable to inherit ahead of male relatives. Against this background, Kamugasa entered a male-dominated profession.

Kamugasas colleague Cathy Mwesigwa, deputy editor of New Vision, has said: She stood up against the subtle forms of sexual harassment in the newsroom in the 1990s, when there were really few female journalists.

John Kakande, editor of New Vision, wrote, She has been a very interesting person who never covered up anything that she believed wasnt right.

Kamugasa never married  she broke off an engagement in 2006 to a man she claimed wanted to tame me. A single mother who is survived by her daughter, she advised others to follow your heart. Dont get married because of pressure.

The journalist was sustained throughout her life by a strong Christian faith. In an interview for Saturday Vision in 2011, she said, Celebrate life when you can. Life is either a funeral or a celebration. I choose to make it a celebration.

Keturah Lydia Kamugasa, born 8 December 1967, died 20 December 2017
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 }}

Asylum seekers at an accommodation centre in Ireland have been prevented from organising Christmas celebrations, according to a local councillor.

Residents at Knockalisheen Accommodation Centre in Limerick, which houses asylum seekers under Irelands controversial Direct Provision system, were reportedly told they did not have permission to host a celebration they had planned for families in the centres communal space on Christmas Day.

Solidarity councillor of Limerick Cian Prendiville, who was alerted to the incident by a female asylum seeker living in the centre, told The Independent they had been planning a gathering but were unable to access the communal space as the doors  which are usually always left open  were locked.

He said dozens of residents had raised money to fund food, non-alcoholic drinks and goodie bags, each contributing around 5 (4.40) to the event  nearly a quarter of the 21.60 Direct Provision residents are allocated each week.

A spokesperson for the centre said they would not comment on the matter, and referred The Independent on to the Department of Justice. The department said the minister for justice and equality, Charles Flanagan, had requested a report from the management of the centre on this issue.

Mr Prendville and campaigners in the local area said the alleged actions by staff at the centre were hugely disappointing but unsurprising. They said it was not inconsistent with the Direct Provision system and the way asylum seekers are treated within it  describing it as being like a prison system.

Direct Provision was formed in Ireland in 2000, in response to increased numbers of asylum seekers entering the country. It saw the creation of 31 direct provisioning centres for people to be housed while they await the outcome of their asylum application.

According to the Department of Justice, the term refers to a means of meeting the basic needs of food and shelter for asylum seekers directly while their claims for refugee status are being processed rather than through full cash payments.

Recommended Sharp rise in asylum seeker delays despite fall in applications

But the system has received a lot of criticism in recent years. A taskforce set up to examine the system in June 2015 found 173 recommendations around what needs to be done in relation with it. Many of these recommendations have still not been implemented.

Many of the people who live in accommodation centres under the Direct Provision system have been there for years, awaiting a decision on their asylum status. They do not have permission to work during this time and receive just 21.60 each week.

Mr Prenville told The Independent: This is a demonstration of the fact that part of the way Direct Provision works is by punishing people in order to keep them in line. It is in that way like a prison system.

They want people to be beaten down and feel like they have no rights whatsoever. The whole system is a cruel and unusual form of punishment for vulnerable people who have already struggled in poverty and war.

They were essentially locked out of what is their communal sitting room. They should have the right to socialise, especially on Christmas Day. But this was pulled away from them, and it looks like it was only a way to show them whos boss.

Ive had other issues of people being evicted, and punishments. The centres get away with it. There isnt the same oversight and monitoring that you have in other places. They wear down peoples sense of being human. Its dehumanisation.

A spokesperson for End Direct Provision Limerick, a campaign group that fights against the Direct Provision system, said: This incident is on a par with the Direct Provision system in general.

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

People are expected to live on approximately 20 a week, and are often left waiting on their asylum case for many years. Theyre not permitted to work, and its extremely difficult to get access to education.

It would be only reasonable to allow residents who want to go to the trouble to provide some form of community togetherness for Christmas Day within the centre to be allowed to do that. It couldve been easily facilitated.

Its hugely disappointing but its not inconsistent with what we know about the Direct Provision system and the treatment of people in it.
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 }}

Five Britons including an 11-year-old girl have been killed after a seaplane crashed and sank in a bay near Sydney, Australia, local police confirmed.

The Foreign Office said it was in contact with authorities in Sydney following the incident in Jerusalem Bay, in the Hawkesbury River north of the New South Wales state capital.

A sixth person, an Australian pilot, was also killed.

Richard Cousins, 58, and his fiance Emma Bowden, 48, died along with Ms Bowden's 11-year-old daughter Emma Bowden and Mr Cousins' two sons William Cousins, 25, and Edward Cousins, 23. The pilot was named as Gareth Morgan, 44, who worked for Sydney Seaplanes.

An investigation is under way to idetermine the cause of the crash.

The passengers had been on a wine and dine sightseeing flight operated by Sydney Seaplanes.

The company said it was deeply shocked by the tragic accident.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman told The Independent: Officials from the British consulate are in contact with local authorities in relation to a sea plane accident near Sydney.

We stand ready to provide consular assistance.

New South Wales Police Force and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are investigating the cause of the crash, which happened at about 3.10pm local time (4.10am GMT) on Sunday near to the town of Cowan.

The ATSB said the single-engine plane was reported to have sunk rapidly after hitting the water.

Emergency services at the scene of the crash (EPA)

At around 3pm this afternoon, a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane, VH-NOO, operated by Sydney Seaplanes was flying in the vicinity of Jerusalem Bay (near Cottage Point), the bureau said.

It is understood that there was one pilot and five passengers on the aircraft on a return flight to Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour.

The sequence of events leading up to the accident are not yet understood; however, following the impact with the water, the aircraft is reported to have sunk rapidly.

9News reported that the group had flown to a restaurant at Cottage Point and was returning to Rose Bay in the Sydneys eastern suburbs.

A witness, Myles Baptiste, told the broadcaster he saw the plane flying towards him about 500 metres away when it hit the water.

It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water, he added.

We have spoken to a number of witnesses, acting police superintendent Michael Gorman said. Its too early in the investigation so we dont know why the plane crashed.

He added forensics officers would inspect the plane when it had been raised from the riverbed.

Pippa Middleton and her husband arrive at Rose Bay Wharf in Sydney by a sea plane operated Sydney Seaplanes (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images)

Mr Gorman said were police were in contact with Sydney Seaplanes to identify the victims and inform their families before they were named publicly.

Aaron Shaw, the companys managing director, said in a statement: All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life.

We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed.

He added: We do not yet know the cause of the accident.

We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident.

The plane crashed in Jerusalem Bay, near part of the Hawkesbury River (9News)

He added: Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now.

The safety of our passengers and staff is our absolute primary and highest priority.

Our aircraft are professionally maintained to manufacturers specifications and our seaplane pilots are some of the most experienced in the world.

The company has suspended all operations until further notice, Mr Shaw said.

A string of high-profile passengers have flown on the companys sightseeing planes, including Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews during their honeymoon in May.

Musicians Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and comedian Jerry Seinfeld have also taken trips with Sydney Seaplanes.

The company offers a four-hour tour, including a three-course lunch at Cottage Point Inn, an award-winning restaurant on the banks of the Hawkesbury River.

The package, which costs 535 Australian dollars (309) per person, is topped off with a flight over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House, according to the operator's website. Passengers are then returned to the seaplane terminal in Rose Bay.

Cottage Point is a 20-minute flight from Sydney and around 50 minutes by car from the city.
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 new law compelling all larger firms to publish details of their gender pay gap seems likely to be breached when it comes into force, an expert has warned, with only about one in 20 firms having made public the necessary data so far.

By early April 2018 all organisations employing 250 or more people are required to declare their gender pay gap  the difference between the average earnings of male and female workers.

With just over three months until the deadline, only 493 of the 9,000 eligible organisations have done so.

Jane Gotts, co-founder of GenAnalytics  a consultancy looking at equality and diversity in business  said it was unlikely that all companies will make the required data public in time.

Ms Gotts said she expected to see a significant increase in companies publishing gender pay gap information in the new year, but with only a few hundred companies having declared so far, she added: I dont think they all will do it.

She said: That would be a monumental fault which I could see happening.

Official figures showed that in 2017 that UKs gender pay gap based on median hourly earnings for full-time employees fell to 9.1 per cent from 9.4 per cent the previous year.

UK Government legislation now requires organisations with 250 or more workers to report annually on any pay gap, with public sector bodies to do this by 30 March 2018. The private and voluntary sectors have until April 5.

Many of the organisations which have published their data already have reported a gender pay gap of 10 per cent to 25 per cent but Ms Gotts said in some firms this rose to more than 50 per cent.

She said: There are many reasons as to why this is the case  culture, lack of flexible working practices at senior levels, recruitment processes, retaining female talent, unconscious bias, to name a few.

However, if we are really serious about closing the gender pay gap we need a monumental shift to get more women into senior roles and keep them there.

There are a few different factors for why so many firms have not yet revealed their figures.

She said: I dont think businesses see this as a priority  there are no punitive measures if you dont publish.

Also I think with the current economic climate, and Brexit, there are so many things going on. But companies dont see it as a business imperative and priority. There appears to be a wait and see approach.

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

She continued: Theres a systemic problem in businesses across the country where women are nowhere near the top, or are there in such small numbers, that this significant gap exists.

This hasnt happened overnight and is unlikely to change any time soon.

The good thing is the companies that are producing these figures, its something they have never looked at before.

We have to see continuous scrutiny ... I think that is the only way we will start to see change happening.

A UK Government spokesman said: Large employers are legally required to report their gender pay gap  this is not an option, it is the law.

Some of our most well-known companies have already reported  including Virgin Money, TSB, Fujitsu and Weetabix  but with just over four months to go we want to see all remaining employers report as soon as possible.

It is simply good business sense to recognise the enormous potential of women and to nurture female talent.

Only by shining a light on this issue will employers be able to take action to close their gender pay gap, which almost every employer will have  waiting to report wont change those figures.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission, the regulatory body responsible for ensuring that all employers with more than 250 employees report their gender pay gap statistics, recently set out its enforcement policy which is open for consultation until February.

Rebecca Hilsenrath, chief executive of the commission, said: Over 40 years since the ban on sex discrimination in pay, it is shameful that women continue to be held back. But change is on the horizon and its about time.

The law now says employers must be transparent about pay for women, and our regulatory role is to make sure this happens. We will educate employers about their responsibilities and hope to see widespread compliance.

If that doesnt happen, we wont hesitate to resort to our more stringent legal powers  including enforcing unlimited fines and convictions.

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 }}

Revellers welcoming the New Year have been advised to take a brolly to celebrations during the final throes of Storm Dylan.

Even after the storm  which brought winds of 76mph to the UK  unsettled weather was forecast to be unsettled and gales and showers were set to continue.

The good news is that the strongest winds associated with Dylan are pulling away, Met Office meteorologist Steven Keats told The Independent.

Recommended Hundreds of couples tie knot in Indonesia mass wedding to ring in 2018

But for many across the UK, the night will be noticeably windy and spattered with rain, he added.

Most of the showers will be out to the west with a few towards the east as well, he said.

For the all-important midnight period there is a small chance of a shower for London.

Likewise for Edinburgh, but well probably get away with it.

Belfast was not likely to be so fortunate, with rain expected to soak crowds watching fireworks as the clock strikes midnight, he said.

Temperatures during the night were set to be cold, ranging from 3C in the north of England to 6C in the south.

New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Chinese people celebrate the New Year in Beijing Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks illuminate the city's skyline during New Year's Eve celebrations of 2018 in Indonesia Getty Images AsiaPac New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures This illustration taken with a long time exposure and with zoom effect on in Budapest, Hungary, shows the year "2018", painted with a flashlight in front of a Christmas tree AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Victoria harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong AFP/Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People perform a fire dragon dance in a shower of molten iron sparkling like fireworks to welcome the new year in Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People wait for the New Year in downtown Shanghai Rex New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People release balloons as they take part in a New Year countdown event in celebrations to ring in 2018 in Tokyo REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour during New Year's Eve celebrations EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Children wear "2018" glasses as they wait for the New Year fireworks in Hong Kong Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A picture taken with a fish-eye lens shows a fireworks over the world's fifth 123-storey Lotte World Tower during the New Year celebrations in Seoul, South Korea EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A couple takes part in a mass wedding organised by the city government as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures An Indian youngster celebrates and welcomes the New Year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Some of the thousands of performers parade through the streets as part of the annual Joburg Carnival, in South Africa. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A handmade puppet is seen along a highway, ready to be burned at midnight on December 31 as a way of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new in San Juan, Nicaragua Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People watch fireworks in the rain at the Marina Bay ahead of the New Year in Singapore REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Palestinians dressed as Santa Claus ride a red car to welcome the new year, in the streets of Gaza City New Year celebrations Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Torchlight Procession which marks the opening of New Year celebrations, makes its way through Edinburgh. Torchbearers blazed through the city accompanied by a cast of pipers and drummers with the procession starting at St Giles cathedral and making its way down the Royal Mile towards Holyrood Park, passing Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyrood House. PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Swimmers bath in the 5 degrees cold Moossee (Lake Moos) near Moosseedorf, Switzerland. Several dozens people gathered for the annual swimming on New Year's Eve. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks from Salisbury Crags at Edinburgh's Hogmanay The Corner Shop/PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls welcome the new year in Amritsar EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Over 5 minutes of fireworks from the Sky Tower welcomes in the new year in Auckland, New Zealand Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Up Helly Aa vikings from the Shetland Islands hold axes and lit torches during the annual torchlight procession to mark the start of Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Balinese take part in a cultural parade during a festival to mark the New Year in Denpasar on Bali island AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks light up the sky from building rooftops along the Yarra River in Melbourne AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls pose for photographs with lighted candles during celebrations to welcome the new year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Taipei 101 tower displays a dog, the word 'GO' and the Chinese name of a man called Wu Jian-sheng who wishes Taiwan happiness before setting off fireworks to welcome 2018 EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks burst over the skyline during an hourly display leading up to the final countdown for the New Year 2018 celebrations in Singapore AFP/Getty Images

New Years Day would be one of sunshine and showers, Mr Keats said.

Yet the south of England would have considerably less sunshine than the rest of the country, since Storm Carmen would strike a glancing blow to the UK, he added.

Storm Carmen was forecast on Sunday to bring winds of up to 80mph to France on Monday.

Although storm conditions would not reach the UK, areas south of the M4  which runs from Bristol to London  could expect several hours of rain on New Years Day, Mr Keats said.

Meanwhile, it was expected to be quite windy, particularly in the west and around the Irish Sea.

Gale-force winds could be in store for Tuesday, said Mr Keats, adding: It is looking to be an unsettled week.
Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Web giants that are failing to adequately help the Government to fight terrorism could be hit with a major new tax, a security minister has warned.

Ben Wallace said the Governments patience is running out fast with internet companies who are too slow to act against extremist content.

He struck out at ruthless profiteers, who he said were putting money before public safety and would not get away with leaving police and law enforcement to repair the damage done by radicalised content.

Recommended Men accused of preparing bomb for UK terror attack appear in court

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Wallace said: Because of encryption and because of radicalisation, the cost of that is heaped on law enforcement agencies.

I have to have more human surveillance. Its costing hundreds of millions of pounds. If [internet firms] continue to be less than cooperative, we should look at things like tax as a way of incentivising them or compensating for their inaction.

Because content is not taken down as quickly as it could be, were having to deradicalise people who have been radicalised. Thats costing millions. [The firms] cant get away with that and we should look at all options, including tax.

Such a tax would be similar to the windfall tax imposed on excess profits of privatised utilities by the Blair government in 1997, or the levy Margaret Thatchers government placed on banks in 1981, the newspaper said.

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

Mr Wallace also said that internet companies that have taken steps to tackle child abuse online did not appear to be making the same effort against extremism.

It comes after a parliamentary inquiry into fake news criticised Twitter and Facebook for failing to properly act against Russian attempts to influence British politics.

MP Damian Collins, chairman of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said Facebook had appeared to have done no work to fully root out accounts that could be linked to Russian-backed agencies during the EU referendum.

Meanwhile, Twitter was condemned by the committee for a completely inadequate response to the investigation.

Senior executives from Twitter, Facebook and Google, which owns YouTube, were accused of profiting from violence and criticised for failing to remove offensive content when they appeared before MPs in December.

Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, urged the companies to accelerate efforts to tackle hate crime after a number of MPs were subject to abuse online.

Labour has suggested social media companies should face punitive fines for failing to react quickly to offensive material that incites hatred and violence.

In June, Facebook, Microsoft, YouTube and Twitter formed the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism to address the critical challenge posed by the spread of terrorism online.

Google has announced it will significantly increase the number of staff tracking down extremist, violent and predatory content posted on YouTube to more than 10,000 in 2018.
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 }}

Labour would be much further ahead in the polls if Jeremy Corbyn could convince people who share his partys values to back it at the ballot box, a study has revealed.

YouGov research indicates that while more than 40 per cent of people feel Labour shares their values, far fewer are yet prepared to support the party with their vote.

The Fabian Society, which commissioned the study, said it points to an untapped pool of support ahead of crucial elections in May, but it also comes amid criticism from Labour insiders that Mr Corbyn should be further ahead following Theresa Mays chaotic autumn.

Senior figures in the party also raised concerns with The Independent that the polling indicates Labour may suffer a reckoning if voters who want a more anti-Brexit stance become disillusioned.

The YouGov poll of more than 3,600 people showed 31 per cent of voters would back Labour in an election, but that 41 per cent of adults said the party shared its values.

Meanwhile, 29 per cent said they would vote Conservative in an election, compared with 33 per cent of adults who said the party shared many or all their values  leaving Labour with a larger pool of potential support.

General secretary of the Fabian Society Andrew Harrop said: This is promising news for Labour as many more people say the party shares their values than voted for the party at the last election.

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

There is therefore a significant pool of voters the party should be able to reach out to.

The pollsters also asked respondents how well the two main parties understand people who live in their area  38 per cent said Labour understands people very well or fairly well, while 18 per cent said that the party did not.

For the Conservatives, 27 per cent of adults said the party understands people in their area very well or fairly well, with another 27 per cent saying it did not.

Mr Harrop went on: Labours task is clear. The party needs to reach out to people of every age and background who are not Labour voters now, but believe that the party shares their values and understands their community.

Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer has been trying to balance Labours approach to Brexit (BBC)

If it can do that then Labour victories at local and national level will come.

Remain voters, women and the under-50s were particularly likely to feel that Labour was in touch locally, the poll conducted in November said.

But it also exposed potential problems for Mr Corbyns party in the year ahead, with Labour far behind the Conservatives on values among two groups  the over-65s and those who voted Leave in the Referendum.

Only 25 per cent of over-65s said Labour shared their values, compared with 54 per cent who said the Conservatives did. Among Leave voters, the figures were 28 per cent and 48 per cent respectively.

 Tory rebellion leads to defeat of Government over Brexit amendment

The most recent voting intention polling from YouGov has the two parties effectively tied around 40 per cent each.

But while Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott has said she expects her party to move ahead in the new year, Tony Blair has suggested the party should already be well ahead.

The ex-Labour Prime Minister said Ms Mays administration was in a greater degree of mess than any government I can remember, and his party should be 15 to 20 points ahead as a result.

Until now Labour has successfully manoeuvred the Brexit political minefield, largely managing to gloss over its own divisions whilst keeping the spotlight on Conservative splits.

 Jeremy Corbyn receives standing ovation at Together Europe conference

But earlier in the year the British Election Study found Mr Corbyn had picked up extensive support from remain voters at the general election, another poll found rocketing support among students  but with many believing the party opposed Brexit  while a third survey found 66 per cent of people aged 18-24, a major support base for the party, want Brexit stopped.

One member of the Labour front bench told The Independent: Its fine for now when we are able to say this is just about process.

But there is going to be a reckoning at some point when the Tories are eating themselves and to capitalise on it electorally Labour has to get its act together and say clearly we are for X or we are for Y.

Recommended Jeremy Corbyn declares he will keep up Labour momentum until 2022

To be honest, when it comes to that Im not sure we can get our act together for the kind of unified position that is going to keep everyone happy, and at that point what happens to the voters that see us as the party of less Brexit?

A further survey of undergraduates in December, conducted for the Higher Education Policy Institute, found that 55 per cent of them believed Labours policy is to remain in the European Union, while a further 58 per cent of the students said they believed this to be Mr Corbyns position.

Meanwhile, senior Labour figures have given mixed messages over the issue of whether they might support a second referendum on Britains EU membership, with Deputy Leader Tom Watson having said it should not be ruled out, while others doggedly stick to the agreed line, that the party is not advocating a second referendum.

Pressed in a recent interview with The Independent on whether Labour had softened its position on Brexit towards the end of 2017, Mr Corbyn said he would take the UK out of the EU.

He added: What weve done is accept the result of the referendum which we obviously had to  and we do.

The referendum took place, we wanted to remain and reform but Leave won.
Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Theresa May has said the coming year will bring renewed confidence and pride to Britain as she sought to heal Brexit divisions and draw a line under a tumultuous 12 months.

The Prime Minister used her New Years message to hail the good progress made in the Brexit negotiations but she also made clear that the EU withdrawal was not the limit of our ambitions.

After 12 months marred by division over Europe, terror attacks in London and Manchester, cabinet resignations and a calamitous general election result, Ms May acknowledged that any year brings its challenges.

However she sought to strike an upbeat tone by hailing it as a year of progress for the UK, insisting that the divisions left by EU referendum were in the past as most people just want the Government to get on and deliver a good Brexit, and thats exactly what we are doing.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn used his New Year message to say Labour was on the brink of power, claiming the old political consensus is finished.

In a video message from Downing Street, Ms May said: Of course any year brings its challenges  that is true for each of us personally, as much as for our country and the world.

But the real test is not whether challenges come; its how you face them.

Whether you allow a task to overcome you, or tackle it head on with purpose and resolve.

She went on: I believe 2018 can be a year of renewed confidence and pride in our country.

A year in which we continue to make good progress towards a successful Brexit deal, an economy thats fit for the future, and a stronger and fairer society for everyone.

In a nod to the sexual harassment scandal that engulfed Westminster in October  claiming the scalps of cabinet ministers Damian Green and Sir Michael Fallon  Ms May said everyone had the right to be treated with respect and that means safe workplaces, free from harassment.

She also took aim at the torrents of abuse politicians face online, calling for a public sphere where debate is constructive and courteous, and where we treat each other with decency.

The 100th anniversary of women being granted the vote should be marked with a vow to eliminate all prejudice and discrimination from our society, she said.

Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn used his message to attack the self-serving elite and the failed system that rewards the rich and makes life harder for ordinary people.

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

He said: The old political consensus is finished. We are staking out the new centre ground in British politics, backing the things which most people want but are blocked by vested interests.

We are a government-in-waiting, while the Conservatives are weak and divided and stuck in an outdated rut with no new ideas.

The hope of a new Britain, run in the interests of the many, not the few, is closer than ever before.

Together we can, and we will, deliver it.
Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Britain will provide a 21m boost to an emergency aid fund amid warnings 2018 could be even bleaker than this year, with its harrowing humanitarian crises.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunts warning came as she confirmed the support for the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

The money is expected to help provide food, critical health services, clean water and sanitation to millions of people, according to the Department for International Development (Dfid).

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

Ms Mordaunt said: While 2017 was a year of harrowing humanitarian crises, the truth is 2018 could be even bleaker.

When we see suffering, we instinctively want to help. Britons are big-hearted, open-minded and far-sighted  qualities that define a great nation.

This year, through UK aid and further public donations, we helped avert famines in Nigeria and Somalia, gave emergency help to the survivors of the Caribbean hurricanes and provided a vital lifeline to people suffering from conflict in Syria and Yemen.

Dfid said the UK provided 55m as part of its CERF core funding in 2017, with the additional 21m available from 1 January.

PA
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A gunman opened fire on sheriffs deputies responding to a call in Colorado, killing one and wounding four others before officers killed the assailant.

A volley of gunfire met deputies who entered an apartment after responding to an early morning disturbance call, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock told reporters, with the assailant firing well over 100 rounds before dying in the gunfight. Two civilians were also injured.

Mr Spurlock said authorities had visited the same apartment complex in the middle of the night to address a noise complaint, but departed after hearing nothing and discerning no issue.

When deputies returned, they conversed with the assailant before coming under fire in an ambush-type attack.

Recommended Gunman opens fire on security guards in Las Vegas casino

All of them were shot very, very quickly, Mr Spurlock said. They all went down almost within seconds of each other ... he knew we were coming.

Authorities identified the shooter as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl. Mr Spurlock said officials were familiar with him from his having had law enforcement contact on a number of occasions but that Riehl did not have a criminal history.

The assailants roommate was cooperating with authorities.

This is going to be a several-day investigation, Mr Spurlock said, adding that authorities has locked down the apartment complex where the incident unfolded.

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 slain deputy was identified as Zackari Parrish, a 29-year-old who had joined the department roughly seven months ago and left behind a wife and two children. He was struck multiple times during the engagement, Mr Spurlock said.

I cant tell you how difficult it is for a leader to sit down with the spouse of an officer who was killed in the line of duty, Mr Spurlock said. They had many hopes and dreams and he was doing his job and doing his job well.

All four of the deputies wounded in the confrontation were in stable condition, Mr Spurlock said, and two civilians were recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.

Its just regular people trying to live their life, disrupted by this individual, he said.

Donald Trump offered his condolences on Twitter to victims of the terrible shooting.

We love our police and law enforcement  God Bless them all! the President wrote.

A procession to honour the deceased officer was swiftly planned for the same morning, with the sheriffs department warning of heavy traffic.

Deputies were responding to a call of a domestic disturbance around 5.15 am local time at the Copper Canyon Apartments on County Line Road in Highlands Ranch  about 20 miles south of Denver  the Sheriffs Office said.

A number of local police forces were on alert over the incident, while a SWAT team was said to be responding. A major road south of Denver was also shut down in the wake of the incident.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

A code red warning was issued for the surrounding area, with authorities calling for local residents to shelter where they are, as well as avoid windows and stay clear of exterior walls.

An emergency shelter was set up in the local area, with the Douglas County Sheriffs Office announcing that anyone displaced from their homes over the incident should head there.

The FBIs Denver office said it was monitoring the situation and offered a message of support.

Additional reporting by agencies
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A Florida man allegedly connected his front door to a car battery charger in a plot to electrocute his pregnant wife, it was reported.

Michael Wilson, from Palm Coast, is accused of trying to kill his wife by connecting wiring to the lock and handle of his front door, the Daytona Beach News-Journal said, citing court documents.

His intention was for her to enter the key into the lock to complete the circuit, it was claimed. He had warned his wife, who was in Knoxville, Tennessee at the time, not to let a child touch the door, according to the documents.

The warning made her stepfather suspicious, so he examined the house and discovered the rigging.

Mr Wilson, 32, is charged with two counts of attempted aggravated battery on a pregnant person and one count of grand theft of a firearm.

Flagler County Sherriff Rick Staley said it was the most bizarre case of domestic violence he had seen in his career.

Not only did this man try to electrocute his wife, but he could have injured a deputy or any person attempting to enter this residence. Thankfully this man was found and taken into custody before he could cause the harm he intended, he said.

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 Wilsons wife said her husband had changed after he had a fall several months ago. She said he advised her to use the front door of the home because the garage door isnt going to open.

He was arrested and being held on $150,000 (110,000) bail on Friday. He is due to be extradited to the Flagler County Detention Facility.
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 }}

Two security guards have been shot dead while investigating a disturbance in a room at a hotel-casino in Las Vegas and the suspected gunman is critically injured after turning the gun on himself, police said.

The gunman's motive was not known but investigators believe it was an isolated incident.

"I want you to know right now that this has nothing to do with terrorism," Captain Robert Plummer told reporters at the scene.

The shooting happened before 7am local time at Arizona Charlie's Decatur, which is west of the Las Vegas Strip.

According to police, the suspect, Christopher Olague, ran from the hotel-casino after the shooting and into a nearby neighbourhood where he tried to enter two homes but the residents kept him out.

Police found him in a laundry room accessible through a garage of the second home after he appeared to have shot himself in the head, Lieutenant Dan McGrath said.

Mr McGrath said Olague tried to enter the first home to steal a car and also tried to take a vehicle on the street.

Police described Olague's condition as a "non-survivable wound".

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

Officers said the uniformed security guards were a man and a woman in their 40s and that one was armed. Their identities and their causes of death will be released by Clark County Coroner's Office.

Mr McGrath said the circumstances of what happened in the hotel room are still unclear.

The attack came a day before tens of thousands of New Year's Eve revellers head to the Strip and three months after the city dealt with the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Officials have been trying to reassure residents and visitors that the city is safe, especially in the wake of the 1 October shooting.

A high-stakes gambler killed 58 people and injured hundreds more after he shattered the windows of his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Strip and unleashed gunfire on a country music festival below. He then killed himself.

AP
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

During a night of heavy drinking at an upscale London bar in May 2016, George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, made a startling revelation to Australias top diplomat in Britain: Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton.

About three weeks earlier, Papadopoulos had been told that Moscow had thousands of emails that would embarrass Clinton, apparently stolen in an effort to try to damage her campaign.

Exactly how much Papadopoulos said that night at the Kensington Wine Rooms with the Australian, Alexander Downer, is unclear. But two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, Australian officials passed the information about Papadopoulos to their US counterparts, according to four current and former US and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australian's role.

The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016 into Russias attempts to disrupt the election and whether any of President Donald Trumps associates conspired.

If Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now a cooperating witness, was the improbable match that set off a blaze that has consumed the first year of the Trump administration, his saga is also a tale of the Trump campaign in miniature. He was brash, boastful and under qualified, yet he exceeded expectations. And, like the campaign itself, he proved to be a tantalising target for a Russian influence operation.

While some of Trumps advisers have derided him as an insignificant campaign volunteer or a coffee boy, interviews and new documents show that he stayed influential throughout the campaign. Two months before the election, for instance, he helped arrange a New York meeting between Trump and President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt.

The information that Papadopoulos gave to the Australians answers one of the lingering mysteries of the past year: What so alarmed US officials to provoke the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign months before the presidential election?

It was not, as Trump and other politicians have alleged, a dossier compiled by a former British spy hired by a rival campaign. Instead, it was first-hand information from one of the United States closest intelligence allies.

The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Show all 17 1 /17 The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Paul Manafort Mr Manafort is a Republican strategist and former Trump campaign manager. He resigned from that post over questions about his extensive lobbying overseas, including in Ukraine where he represented pro-Russian interests. Mr Manafort turned himself in at FBI headquarters to special counsel Robert Muellers team on Oct 30, 2017, after he was indicted under seal on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. Getty The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rick Gates Mr Gates joined the Trump team in spring 2016, and served as a top aide until he left to work at the Republican National Committee after the departure of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Gates' had previously worked on several presidential campaigns, on international political campaigns in Europe and Africa, and had 15 years of political or financial experience with multinational firms, according to his bio. Mr Gates was indicted alongside Mr Manafort by special counsel Robert Mueller's team on charges that include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts. AP The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation George Papadopoulos George Papadopoulos was a former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, having joined around March 2016. Mr Papadopoulos plead guilty to federal charges for lying to the FBI as a part of a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Mr Papadopoulos claimed in an interview with the FBI that he had made contacts with Russian sources before joining the Trump campaign, but he actually began working with them after joining the team. Mr Papadopoulos allegedly took a meeting with a professor in London who reportedly told him that Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton. The professor also allegedly introduced Mr Papadopoulos to a Russian who was said to have close ties to officials at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr Papadopoulos also allegedly was in contact with a woman whom he incorrectly described in one email to others in the campaign as the "niece" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Twitter The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Donald Trump Jr The President's eldest son met with a Russian lawyer - Natalia Veselnitskaya - on 9 June 2016 at Trump Tower in New York. He said in an initial statement that the meeting was about Russia halting adoptions of its children by US citizens. Then, he said it was regarding the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. In a final statement, Mr Trump Jr released a chain of emails that revealed he took the meeting in hopes of getting information Ms Veselnitskaya had about Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. He and the President called it standard "opposition research" in the course of campaigning and that no information came from the meeting. The meeting was set up by an intermediary, Rob Goldstone. Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort were also at the same meeting. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jared Kushner Mr Kushner is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the White House. He met with a Russian banker appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Mr Kushner has said he did so in his role as an adviser to Mr Trump while the bank says he did so as a private developer. Mr Kushner has also volunteered to testify in the Senate about his role helping to arrange meetings between Trump advisers and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Rob Goldstone Former tabloid journalist and now music publicist Rob Goldstone is a contact of the Trump family through the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant, which took place in Moscow. In June 2016, he wrote to Donald Trump Jr offering a meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalya Veselnitskaya, who had information about Hillary Clinton. Mr Goldstone was the intermediary for Russian pop star Emin Agalaraov and his father, real estate magnate Aras, who played a role in putting on the 2013 pageant. In an email chain released by Mr Trump Jr, Mr Goldstone seemed to indicate Russian government's support of Donald Trump's campaign. AP images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Aras and Emin Agalarov Aras Agalarov (R) is a wealthy Moscow-based real estate magnate and son Emin (L) is a pop star. Both played a role in putting on the previously Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. They allegedly had information about Hillary Clinton and offered that information to the Trump campaign through a lawyer with whom they had worked with, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and music publicist Rob Goldstone. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Natalia Veselnitskaya Natalia Veselnitskaya is a Russian lawyer with ties to the Kremlin. She has worked on real estate issues and reportedly counted the FSB as a client in the past. She has ties to a Trump family connection, real estate magnate Aras Agalarov, who had helped set up the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant which took place in Moscow. Ms Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower on 9 June 2016 but denies the allegation that she went there promising information on Hillary Clinton's alleged financial ties to Russia. She contends that the meeting was about the US adoptions of Russian children being stopped by Moscow as a reaction to the Magnitsky Act, a US law blacklisting Russian human rights abusers. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Mike Flynn Mr Flynn was named as Trump's national security adviser but was forced to resign from his post for inappropriate communication with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. He had misrepresented a conversation he had with Mr Kislyak to Vice President Mike Pence, telling him wrongly that he had not discussed sanctions with the Russian. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sergey Kislyak Mr Kislyak, the former longtime Russian ambassador to the US, is at the centre of the web said to connect President Donald Trump's campaign with Russia. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Roger Stone Mr Stone is a former Trump adviser who worked on the political campaigns of Richard Nixon, George HW Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Mr Stone claimed repeatedly in the final months of the campaign that he had backchannel communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that he knew the group was going to dump damaging documents to the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton - which did happen. Mr Stone also had contacts with the hacker Guccier 2.0 on Twitter, who claimed to have hacked the DNC and is linked to Russian intelligence services. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeff Sessions The US attorney general was forced to recuse himself from the Trump-Russia investigation after it was learned that he had lied about meeting with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Carter Page Mr Page is a former advisor to the Trump campaign and has a background working as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. Mr Page met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Mr Page had invested in oil companies connected to Russia and had admitted that US Russia sanctions had hurt his bottom line. Reuters The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Jeffrey "JD" Gorden Mr Gordon met with Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the 2016 Republian National Convention to discuss how the US and Russia could work together to combat Islamist extremism should then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump win the election. The meeting came days before a massive leak of DNC emails that has been connected to Russia. Creative Commons The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation James Comey Mr Comey was fired from his post as head of the FBI by President Donald Trump. The timing of Mr Comey's firing raised questions around whether or not the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign may have played a role in the decision. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Preet Bharara Mr Bahara refused, alongside 46 other US district attorney's across the country, to resign once President Donald Trump took office after previous assurances from Mr Trump that he would keep his job. Mr Bahara had been heading up several investigations including one into one of President Donald Trump's favorite cable television channels Fox News. Several investigations would lead back to that district, too, including those into Mr Trump's campaign ties to Russia, and Mr Trump's assertion that Trump Tower was wiretapped on orders from his predecessor. Getty Images The biggest names involved in the Trump-Russia investigation Sally Yates Ms Yates, a former Deputy Attorney General, was running the Justice Department while President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general awaited confirmation. Ms Yates was later fired by Mr Trump from her temporary post over her refusal to implement Mr Trump's first travel ban. She had also warned the White House about potential ties former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to Russia after discovering those ties during the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's connections to Russia. Getty Images

Interviews and previously undisclosed documents show that Papadopoulos played a critical role in this drama and reveal a Russian operation that was more aggressive and widespread than previously known. They add to an emerging portrait, gradually filled in over the past year in revelations by federal investigators, journalists and lawmakers, of Russians with government contacts trying to establish secret channels at various levels of the Trump campaign.

The FBI investigation, which was taken over seven months ago by special counsel Robert Mueller, has cast a shadow over Trumps first year in office  even as he and his aides repeatedly played down the Russian efforts and falsely denied campaign contacts with Russians.

They have also insisted that Papadopoulos was a low-level figure. But spies frequently target peripheral players as a way to gain insight and leverage.

FBI officials disagreed in 2016 about how aggressively and publicly to pursue the Russia inquiry before the election. But there was little debate about what seemed to be afoot. John O. Brennan, who retired this year after four years as CIA director, told Congress in May that he had been concerned about multiple contacts between Russian officials and Trump advisers.

Russia, he said, had tried to suborn members of the Trump campaign.

Papadopoulos, then an ambitious 28-year-old from Chicago, was working as an energy consultant in London when the Trump campaign, desperate to create a foreign policy team, named him as an adviser in early March 2016. His political experience was limited to two months on Ben Carsons presidential campaign before it collapsed.

Papadopoulos had no experience on Russia issues. But during his job interview with Sam Clovis, a top early campaign aide, he saw an opening. He was told that improving relations with Russia was one of Trumps top foreign policy goals, according to court papers, an account Clovis has denied.

Travelling in Italy that March, Papadopoulos met Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese professor at a now-defunct London academy who had valuable contacts with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mifsud showed little interest in Papadopoulos at first.

But when he found out he was a Trump campaign adviser, he latched onto him, according to court records and emails obtained by The New York Times. Their joint goal was to arrange a meeting between Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia in Moscow, or between their respective aides.

In response to questions, Papadopoulos lawyers declined to provide a statement.

Recommended Why Donald Trump chose now to lash out at Saudi Arabia over Yemen

Before the end of the month, Mifsud had arranged a meeting at a London cafe between Papadopoulos and Olga Polonskaya, a young woman from St. Petersburg whom he falsely described as Putins niece. Although Polonskaya told The Times in a text message that her English skills are poor, her emails to Papadopoulos were largely fluent. We are all very excited by the possibility of a good relationship with Mr Trump, Polonskaya wrote in one message.

More important, Mifsud connected Papadopoulos to Ivan Timofeev, a program director for the prestigious Valdai Discussion Club, a gathering of academics that meets annually with Putin. The two men corresponded for months about how to connect the Russian government and the campaign. Records suggest that Timofeev, who has been described by Muellers team as an intermediary for the Russian Foreign Ministry, discussed the matter with the ministrys former leader, Igor Ivanov, who is widely viewed in the United States as one of Russias elder statesmen.

When Trumps foreign policy team gathered for the first time at the end of March in Washington, Papadopoulos said he had the contacts to set up a meeting between Trump and Putin. Trump listened intently but apparently deferred to Jeff Sessions, then a senator from Alabama and head of the campaigns foreign policy team, according to participants in the meeting.

Sessions, now attorney general, initially did not reveal that discussion to Congress, because, he has said, he did not recall it. More recently, he said he pushed back against Papadopoulos proposal, at least partly because he did not want someone so unqualified to represent the campaign on such a sensitive matter.

If the campaign wanted Papadopoulos to stand down, previously undisclosed emails obtained by The Times show that he either did not get the message or failed to heed it. He continued for months to try to arrange some kind of meeting with Russian representatives, keeping senior campaign advisers abreast of his efforts. Clovis ultimately encouraged him and another foreign policy adviser to travel to Moscow, but neither went because the campaign would not cover the cost.

Papadopoulos was trusted enough to edit the outline of Trumps first major foreign policy speech on April 27, an address in which the candidate said it was possible to improve relations with Russia. Papadopoulos flagged the speech to his newfound Russia contacts, telling Timofeev that it should be taken as the signal to meet.

That is a statesman speech, Mifsud agreed. Polonskaya wrote that she was pleased that Trumps position toward Russia is much softer than that of other candidates.

Stephen Miller, then a senior policy adviser to the campaign and now a top White House aide, was eager for Papadopoulos to serve as a surrogate, someone who could publicise Trumps foreign policy views without officially speaking for the campaign. But Papadopoulos first public attempt to do so was a disaster.

In a 4 May, 2016, interview with The Times of London, Papadopoulos called on Prime Minister David Cameron to apologise to Trump for criticising his remarks on Muslims as stupid and divisive. Say sorry to Trump or risk special relationship, Cameron told, the headline read. Clovis, national campaign co-chairman, severely reprimanded Papadopoulos for failing to clear his explosive comments with the campaign in advance.

From then on, Papadopoulos was more careful with the press  though he never regained the full trust of Clovis or several other campaign officials.

Mifsud proposed to Papadopoulos that he, too, serve as a campaign surrogate. He could write op-eds under the guise of a neutral observer, he wrote in a previously undisclosed email, and follow Trump to his rallies as an accredited journalist while receiving briefings from the inside the campaign.

In late April, at a London hotel, Mifsud told Papadopoulos that he had just learned from high-level Russian officials in Moscow that the Russians had dirt on Clinton in the form of thousands of emails, according to court documents. Although Russian hackers had been mining data from the Democratic National Committees computers for months, that information was not yet public. Even the committee itself did not know.

Whether Papadopoulos shared that information with anyone else in the campaign is one of many unanswered questions. He was mostly in contact with the campaign over emails. The day after Mifsuds revelation about the hacked emails, he told Miller in an email only that he had interesting messages coming in from Moscow about a possible trip. The emails obtained by The Times show no evidence that Papadopoulos discussed the stolen messages with the campaign.

Not long after, however, he opened up to Downer, the Australian diplomat, about his contacts with the Russians. It is unclear whether Downer was fishing for that information that night in May 2016. The meeting at the bar came about because of a series of connections, beginning with an Israeli Embassy official who introduced Papadopoulos to another Australian diplomat in London.

It is also not clear why, after getting the information in May, the Australian government waited two months to pass it to the FBI. In a statement, the Australian Embassy in Washington declined to provide details about the meeting or confirm that it occurred.

As a matter of principle and practice, the Australian government does not comment on matters relevant to active investigations, the statement said. The FBI declined to comment.

Once the information Papadopoulos had disclosed to the Australian diplomat reached the FBI, the bureau opened an investigation that became one of its most closely guarded secrets. Senior agents did not discuss it at the daily morning briefing, a classified setting where officials normally speak freely about highly sensitive operations.

Besides the information from the Australians, the investigation was also propelled by intelligence from other friendly governments, including the British and Dutch. A trip to Moscow by another adviser, Carter Page, also raised concerns at the FBI.

With so many strands coming in  about Papadopoulos, Page, the hackers and more  FBI agents debated how aggressively to investigate the campaigns Russia ties, according to current and former officials familiar with the debate. Issuing subpoenas or questioning people, for example, could cause the investigation to burst into public view in the final months of a presidential campaign.

It could also tip off the Russian government, which might try to cover its tracks. Some officials argued against taking such disruptive steps, especially since the FBI would not be able to unravel the case before the election.

Others believed that the possibility of a compromised presidential campaign was so serious that it warranted the most thorough, aggressive tactics. Even if the odds against a Trump presidency were long, these agents argued, it was prudent to take every precaution.

That included questioning Christopher Steele, the former British spy who was compiling the dossier alleging a far-ranging Russian conspiracy to elect Trump. A team of FBI agents travelled to Europe to interview Steele in early October 2016. Steele had shown some of his findings to an FBI agent in Rome three months earlier, but that information was not part of the justification to start an counterintelligence inquiry, US officials said.

Ultimately, the FBI and Justice Department decided to keep the investigation quiet, a decision that Democrats in particular have criticised. And agents did not interview Papadopoulos until late January.

The New York Times
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 }}

Transgender recruits can soon begin applying to the US military after Donald Trumps efforts to block them were struck down.

The DoD is prepared to comply with the court order to access transgender applicants for military service 1 January, a Department of Defence spokesperson said.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump announced his intention to block transgender people from openly serving, reversing Barack Obamas move to lift a prohibition.

The change was immediately entangled in legal challenges and denounced by transgender soldiers, and some military officials who said it was needlessly discriminatory.

By announcing a major policy change on Twitter, Mr Trump even surprised some members of his own administration.

Softening the blow, Defence Secretary James Mattis said the Obama-era authorisation of transgender service would remain in place pending a review, meaning members could continue serving.

Two months later, a federal judge ruled against the ban, siding with current and aspiring transgender service members who sued to halt it.

In her ruling, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rejected arguments that allowing transgender people to enlist would undermine military effectiveness, echoing a study commissioned by the Obama administration that found that allowing transgender service members would have minimal impact on troop readiness.

Transgender in Pakistan Show all 16 1 /16 Transgender in Pakistan Transgender in Pakistan Dancing at Shakeela's party, an event to celebrate a transgender life in middle-age Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Venue staff members watch people dance at Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Security searches guests as people arrive at Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Members of the transgender community dance at Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Shakeela, a member of the transgender community, works in the kitchen at home in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan 'It's the first time a transgender party has been held openly,' says activist Farzana Jan Transgender in Pakistan Farzana Jan, a member of the transgender community, poses for a photographer ahead of Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Guests at Shakeela's party Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Money thrown by the guests is used by people to help them start a new business or project Transgender in Pakistan Rani smiles from behind her make-up as she prepares for the party Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Shakeela resting at her home in Peshawar Reuters Transgender in Pakistan A photo hangs on the wall in the home of members of the transgender community in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Make up lies on the floor as members of the transgender community prepare for Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Transgender in Pakistan A guest counts money she plans to throw at Shakeela's party Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Bubbly helps Shakeela with her dress as members of her own family watch on Reuters Transgender in Pakistan Chahat, a member of the transgender community, prepares for Shakeela's party in Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters

There is absolutely no support for the claim that the ongoing service of transgender people would have any negative effective on the military at all, Ms Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote.

In fact, there is considerable evidence that it is the discharge and banning of such individuals that would have such effects.

Multiple attempts by the administration to prevent new transgender recruits from enlisting on 1 January were rebuffed in court, including by Ms Kollar-Kotelly.

A Department of Defence official argued that admitting recruits at the start of January would impose extraordinary burdens on the Department and the military services.

Rejecting the argument for a delay, Ms Kollar-Kotelly wrote that with only a brief hiatus, defendants have had the opportunity to prepare for the accession of transgender individuals into the military for nearly one and a half years, referring to the 2016 directive that initially opened the military to transgender people.

The Justice Department confirmed this week that it would not be challenging those rulings.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The German physicist Albert Einstein needed complex equations to describe his theory of relativity, but 18-year-old Hillary Diane Andales of the Philippines does just fine with a pick-up truck, a few cell phones, and Usain Bolt.

Andales is the winner of the 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, an annual competition that calls on teenagers across the world to submit videos no longer than three minutes that simplify big ideas in science or math. For her win, Andales took home the grand prize of $250,000 in scholarship money.

Her winning video was titled Relativity & The Equivalence of Reference Frames. It began by displaying a sideways number, which you could interpret as either a '6' or a '9' depending on which way you turned your head. The perspective you take, Andales noted, determines your reference frame.

Reference frames are fundamental to relativity because observers perceive things differently if they're in different locations, she explained.

Andales demonstrated this by recruiting three of her friends to record the sound a pickup truck made as it drove down a road and honked the horn. Each person stood in a different spot  one in front of the car, one behind the car, and one inside the car  and recorded the sound.

Each reference frame yielded a different sound, since the sound waves coming from the horn were either bunched up (producing a higher pitch) or spread out (a lower pitch) relative to where they got recorded.

The same test can be done with velocity and time, Andales explained. If Usain Bolt ran the 100-meter dash at 98 per cent the speed of light, a 10-second finish from his perspective would read 40 seconds on the judge's clock.

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 reason is that faster clocks seem to move slower relative to a stationary observer. It's the same principle that explains why clocks on the International Space Station, which orbits the earth at 17,000 mph, lag behind terrestrial clocks by about 0.007 seconds every six months.

Thus, as Andales points out, Bolt is the Olympics' best time traveler.

You can watch her entire submission video below:

Read more:

 May tackles new Brexit Rebellion

 Philip Hammond and Mark Carney are in China to secure 1 billion of trade deals

 Facebook admits that social media can be bad for you

Read the original article on Business Insider UK.  2017. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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 }}

South Korea has seized a second oil tanker it claims was involved in delivering fuel to North Korea.

Authorities are holding the Panama-registered vessel on suspicion it breached international sanctions that ban the supply of fuel to the communist state.

The tanker, named KOTI, and its crew are being held at the port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin. Few details of the alleged illegal trading have been provided, but the vessel is believed to have been seized between 19 and 21 December.

Recommended North Korea said to get fuel from Russian ships

The Yonhap news agency said the ship could store up to 5,100 tons of oil, and had a crew originating mostly from China and Myanmar.

It comes just days after South Korea announced it had seized a Hong Kong-registered tanker that it claimed had transferred around 600 tons of oil to a North Korean boat in international waters.

The vessel, named the Lighthouse Winmore, is accused of breaching UN sanctions (adopted in 2011) that ban ship-to-ship trading with North Korea. The tanker had been charted by a Taiwanese company.

Donald Trump subsequently claimed China was secretly helping to supply North Korea with oil.

The US President wrote on Twitter: Caught RED HANDED  very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea.

There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!

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

South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo claimed US intelligence agencies have used satellites to photograph Chinese ships transferring oil to North Korean vessels, on around 30 occasions.

China strongly denied the accusation, with a government spokesman saying the alleged transfers absolutely do not exist.

Reuters has reported that Russian ships have also transferred fuel to North Korea on several occasions.

Russia dismissed the suggestion, insisting it had fully and strictly observed the sanctions regime. There is no suggestion the activity had the backing of the Russian government.

Earlier this month the UN Security Council voted to further reduce the amount of oil that North Korea is allowed to import, and pledged to clamp down on ships illegally transferring fuel to the country.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The scale of attacks on children in conflict zones around the world reached "shocking" levels in 2017, the United Nations Childrens Fund has warned.

Unicef said parties in conflicts were "blatantly disregarding international laws designed to protect the most vulnerable" and children were being killed, maimed, recruited to fight and used as human shields,

Rape, forced marriage, abduction and enslavement have also become standard tactics in conflicts including Iraq, Syria and Yemen, to Nigeria, South Sudan and Burma, the organisation warned.

Some children abducted by extremist groups continue to experience abuse upon release when they are detained by security forces, Unicef said.

Millions more suffer from malnutrition, disease and trauma as basic services  including access to food, water, sanitation and health  are denied, damaged or destroyed in the fighting, it added.

Manuel Fontaine, Unicef Director of Emergency Programmes, said the world cannot accept this level of brutality as the new normal.

Children are being targeted and exposed to attacks and brutal violence in their homes, schools and playgrounds, he said. As these attacks continue year after year, we cannot become numb."

The warning came as the charity released an end of year statement summarising 2017 as a "brutal" year for children caught in conflict.

The report found almost 700 children in Afghanistan were killed in the first nine months of 2017. At least 135 children were forced to act as suicide bombers this year by Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and Cameroon, it said.

In South Sudan, more than 19,000 children have been recruited into armed forces and armed groups and over 2,300 children have been killed or injured since the conflict first erupted in December 2013.

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

In Yemen, nearly 1,000 days of fighting left at least 5,000 children dead or injured, Unicef said.

More than 11 million children need humanitarian assistance and out of 1.8 million children suffering from malnutrition, 385,000 are severely malnourished and at risk of death if not urgently treated.

As a result the organisation called on parties in conflicts "to abide by their obligations under international law to immediately end violations against children and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals."

It also called "on states with influence over parties to conflict to use that influence to protect children."
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 }}

At least 12 people  most of them foreign tourists  died when a plane crashed in Costa Rica, according to government officials.

Officials told the Associated Press that 10 US citizens and two crew members were killed in the crash, a cause for which was still not known.

There are no people alive, Security Minister Gustavo Mata told Reuters.

Photos and video released by Costa Ricas Ministry of Foreign Security showed flames smouldering in a forest near blackened and twisted chunks of the aircraft.

The plane was operated by a private carrier called Nature Air.

The crash occurred in Guanacaste, according to the ministry, an area in western Costa Rica that is known for its beaches and contains a national park.

Victims had not yet been identified, but former Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla Miranda said on Twitter that her cousin was among the dead.
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 }}

Angela Merkel has vowed to forge closer links with France in the coming year as European leaders seek to continue to promote EU integration despite Brexit.

In a televised speech, the German Chancellor promised to work with Emmanuel Macron, the French President, to champion their shared agenda on issues including economic growth and controlling migration.

She also pledged to form a government without delay, more than three months after elections that left her needing to negotiate a coalition arrangement  something she has so far proved unable to do.

Recommended SPD agrees to coalition talks in major breakthrough for Angela Merkel

Ms Merkel said: Twenty-seven countries in Europe must be impelled more strongly than ever to remain a community.

That will be the decisive question of the next few years. Germany and France want to work together to make it succeed.

Highlighting issues such as the need to defend Europes borders, she said she and Mr Macron will work to make Europe fit for the future.

Ms Merkel is scheduled to begin negotiations with the Social Democrats on 7 January with a view to forming a government. She was forced to drop attempts to govern in coalition with the Free Democratic Party and Greens after talks collapsed in November.

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 uncertainty surrounding German politics continues to affect Ms Merkels popularity. A new poll found 46 per cent of Germans want her to step down as Chancellor immediately.

Earlier this week another poll revealed 47 per cent of Germans do not want the current Chancellor to serve a full term  up from 36 per cent in October.

And nearly two-thirds of voters want her to resign if talks with the SPD fail.

Ms Merkel used her New Year message to highlight her record of economic growth and falling unemployment, but accepted concerns about issues such as immigration.

She admitted that some are even talking about a split that goes through our society but urged Germans to respect each other more again.

"Both are realities in our country: the success and the optimism, but also the fears and the doubts. For me, each is a spur to act," she said.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A voluntary rural resettlement scheme could be considered to help address Ireland's housing crisis, Leo Varadkar has said.

Such a scheme would see families moving from local authority housing in congested urban areas to homes in rural Ireland.

The Taoiseach said the move would only be part of the solution to the housing shortage.

Its eminently logical that parts of the country where theres been rural depopulation, where there are properties available, where there are places in schools, where there are services available, I can certainly see a place for a rural resettlement scheme, said Mr Varadkar.

But I think it would only be a small part of the solution because ultimately as people leave the cities and move to a very rural area, they are often breaking their connections with their family and their neighbours and the people that they know.

Thats not always an easy thing to do. So certainly I think theres room for it. Obviously, it would have to be voluntary and maybe part of the solution, but I dont think its going to be a major part of it, he added.

A second housing conference involving local authorities is due to take place in early January amid claims from campaigners that the homelessness crisis in Ireland has worsened

This autumn there were 1,463 families accessing emergency accommodation, including children.

The housing conference, which follows on from the first one in September, will examine how local authorities can use their powers to bring vacant housing back into use.

Mr Varadkar said that work has been done on a vacant home tax to help address the crisis, and that work is expected to be completed next year.

But he warned that it isnt as straightforward as it seems.

There are wildly varying estimates as to what a vacant home is. And then bear in mind why sometimes a home is vacant, somebody might be away for a few months working in Dubai or working in America, or somebody may be in a nursing home. Theres lots of different reasons why a home may be vacant, he said.

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 Varadkar added that before vacant properties are taxed an understanding is needed as to the number of vacant homes there really are, where they are and why they are vacant.

I know two local authorities have actually gone out to look at the vacant homes and find out there are people living in them, so there may not be as many as we think, he said.

In its attempts to address the housing crisis, Louth County Council used compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to bring 51 vacant properties back into use.

Mr Varadkar said he believes that is a good model which could be followed in the future.

PA
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 }}

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said citizens are absolutely free to criticise the government amid the fourth day of nationwide protests.

Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated across the country since Thursday against the Islamic Republics unelected clerical elite, a weak economy and Iranian foreign policy in the region. They have also chanted slogans in support of political prisoners.

The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society, Mr Rouhani said.

People are absolutely free to criticise the government and protest but their protests should be in such a way as to improve the situation in the country and their life.

Criticism is different from violence and and damaging public properties, he added.

The Iranian president also acknowledged the public's worries extended beyond the economy to corruption allegations and government transparency.

Iranian authorities temporarily blocked mobile phone access to Instagram and the messaging app Telegram to maintain peace amid anti-government protests, state TV reported.

The reported move to stifle internet access drew a rebuke from Donald Trump, who has regularly criticised Iran's leadership. He described the clampdown as not good'.

At least two people were killed on Saturday in the countrys biggest protests since 2009. Many of the demonstrations have been started and promoted using Telegram.

Irans interior minister, Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazil, said authorities would respond to the spreading of violence, fear and terror.

As the Iranian government stepped up efforts to clamp down on the demonstrations, Mr Trump tweeted: Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!

Pavel Durov, Telegrams chief executive, confirmed access to the app had been restricted.

He wrote on Twitter: Iranian authorities are blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down [one of the main channels] and other peacefully protesting channels.

The company did agree to close one channel on Saturday after Iranian authorities claimed people were using it to incite violence.

Iranian state news website Irib News quoted an unnamed source as saying: With a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, activities of Telegram and Instagram are temporarily limited.

Facebook, which owns Instagram, is yet to respond to the shutdown.

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

Protests began on Thursday and had included tens of thousands of people, although appeared to have died down on Sunday.

The initial clashes were over economic difficulties, rising food prices and alleged corruption among the elite, but there were also demands for the countrys unelected supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to resign.

Videos posted on social media showed demonstrators chanting: Mullahs, have some shame, leave the country alone.

 Two protesters in western Iran killed at night rally

As protests continued, at least two people were killed in clashes in the city of Doroud, 200 miles south-west of the capital Tehran.

The provinces security chief, Habibollah Khojastepour, denied they had been shot by police.

No bullets were shot from police and security forces at the people, he said.

We have found evidence of enemies of the revolution, [militant] groups and foreign agents in this clash.

The gathering was to be ended peacefully, but due to [their] presence, unfortunately this happened.

The UKs Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, said he was watching events in Iran with concern.

He wrote on Twitter: Vital that citizens should have the right to demonstrate peacefully.

In an attempt to appease public concerns, the Iranian government scrapped plans to raise fuel prices, agreed to increase cash payments to the poor and pledged to create at least 830,000 new jobs in the next year.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The Palestinian Authority has recalled its envoy to the US following Donald Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital.

The move will allow for consultations over leaders future relationship with the US.

Days of protests followed Mr Trumps announcement, leading to arrests and a number of deaths.

The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to call on the US to row back its decision.

Husam Zomlot was recalled by Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Maliki.

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 Al-Maliki said discussions would take place to set the decisions needed by the Palestinian leadership in the coming period regarding our relations with the US.

Mr Zomlot is expected to return to his normal work after the consultation, he added.

Mr Trumps decision upended decades of US foreign policy and countered an international consensus that the fate of Jerusalem should be determined in negotiations.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

As the turn of 2018 approaches, celebrations are getting underway across the world to welcome in the new year.

Be it in sunny Sydney or wintry Edinburgh, revellers on all sides of the globe are getting together to celebrate before  and after  the clock strikes midnight.

New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Chinese people celebrate the New Year in Beijing Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks illuminate the city's skyline during New Year's Eve celebrations of 2018 in Indonesia Getty Images AsiaPac New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures This illustration taken with a long time exposure and with zoom effect on in Budapest, Hungary, shows the year "2018", painted with a flashlight in front of a Christmas tree AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Victoria harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong AFP/Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People perform a fire dragon dance in a shower of molten iron sparkling like fireworks to welcome the new year in Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People wait for the New Year in downtown Shanghai Rex New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People release balloons as they take part in a New Year countdown event in celebrations to ring in 2018 in Tokyo REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour during New Year's Eve celebrations EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Children wear "2018" glasses as they wait for the New Year fireworks in Hong Kong Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A picture taken with a fish-eye lens shows a fireworks over the world's fifth 123-storey Lotte World Tower during the New Year celebrations in Seoul, South Korea EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A couple takes part in a mass wedding organised by the city government as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures An Indian youngster celebrates and welcomes the New Year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Some of the thousands of performers parade through the streets as part of the annual Joburg Carnival, in South Africa. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A handmade puppet is seen along a highway, ready to be burned at midnight on December 31 as a way of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new in San Juan, Nicaragua Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People watch fireworks in the rain at the Marina Bay ahead of the New Year in Singapore REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Palestinians dressed as Santa Claus ride a red car to welcome the new year, in the streets of Gaza City New Year celebrations Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Torchlight Procession which marks the opening of New Year celebrations, makes its way through Edinburgh. Torchbearers blazed through the city accompanied by a cast of pipers and drummers with the procession starting at St Giles cathedral and making its way down the Royal Mile towards Holyrood Park, passing Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyrood House. PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Swimmers bath in the 5 degrees cold Moossee (Lake Moos) near Moosseedorf, Switzerland. Several dozens people gathered for the annual swimming on New Year's Eve. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks from Salisbury Crags at Edinburgh's Hogmanay The Corner Shop/PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls welcome the new year in Amritsar EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Over 5 minutes of fireworks from the Sky Tower welcomes in the new year in Auckland, New Zealand Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Up Helly Aa vikings from the Shetland Islands hold axes and lit torches during the annual torchlight procession to mark the start of Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Balinese take part in a cultural parade during a festival to mark the New Year in Denpasar on Bali island AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks light up the sky from building rooftops along the Yarra River in Melbourne AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls pose for photographs with lighted candles during celebrations to welcome the new year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Taipei 101 tower displays a dog, the word 'GO' and the Chinese name of a man called Wu Jian-sheng who wishes Taiwan happiness before setting off fireworks to welcome 2018 EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks burst over the skyline during an hourly display leading up to the final countdown for the New Year 2018 celebrations in Singapore AFP/Getty Images

From aerobatic planes to torchlight processions, here's what has been happening so far.

Sydney, Australia

Crowd's await the fireworks on New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour, with the summer sun above them.

With temperatures still hitting around 22 degrees at 8pm, Sydney is in for a warm night of late-night partying that will likely see way into 2018.

Brett Hemmings/Getty (Brett Hemmings/Getty)

During the afternoon of New Year's Eve, aerobatic planes flew over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of the annual end-of-year celebrations on the harbour.

Reuters (REUTERS/David Gray)

Throughout the afternoon, spectators waited with elation for the annual new year fireworks, many wearing bold foam headgear.

(Reuters (Reuters)

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival opened with an iconic torchlight procession which also marked the start of Scotland's Year of Young People.

Around 20,000 people, including 17,000 torchbearers, took part in the procession down the Royal Mile, past Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament, with torchbearers spelling out "braw".

Ian Rutherford/Hogmanay Festival/PA (Ian Rutherford/Hogmanay Festival/PA)

Thirty Vikings from Shetland's Up Helly Aa Festival were among those taking part, along with young people performing with the massed pipes and drums and people samba drumming.

PA (PA)

The annual Hogmanay celebration was originally an informal street party focused on the Tron Kirk in the High Street of the Old Town. Since 1993, it has been officially organised with the focus moved to Princes Street.

PA (David Cheskin/PA)

The celebration now covers four days of processions, concerts and fireworks, with the street party beginning on Hogmanay. An estimated 25,000 people watched the procession this year.

Ian Georgeson/The Corner Shop/PA Wire (Ian Georgeson/The Corner Shop/PA Wire)

Madrid, Spain

People gather at Puerta del Sol during the Preuvas, a test for New Year's Eve celebrations, in Madrid the night before New Year's Eve.

Victor Lerena (Victor Lerena)

Twelve strokes sounded at midnight to imitate the same that would happen the following night when thousands of people will eat twelve grapes at the time of the bells sound to celebrate new year's arrival.

Victor Lerena (Victor Lerena)

This is in keeping with tradition. Every year tens of thousands of people pack into Madrids main plaza, Puerta del Sol, to ring in the New Year
 Close Hong Kong sees in the new year with an impressive firework display

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 }}

New Years Eve celebrations rolled their way around the world before the UK welcomed 2018 with a massive 12-minute fireworks display over the London Eye.

Thousands also marked Hogmanay in Edinburgh, braving warnings of stormy weather.

Samoa, a tiny pacific island, welcomed the new year at 10am GMT, followed by New Zealand an hour later.

In Australia, 2018 arrived at 1pm GMT with as many as one million people watching Sydney harbours world famous fireworks.

North Koreas Pyongyang display outshone that of Japan half an hour earlier. But both were dwarfed by a 10-minute extravaganza on Hong Kongs Victoria Harbour.

Whatsapp went down as India celebrated its New Year, prompting thousands to complain they could not send messages to friends and family.

Dubai shunned the more conventional fireworks display in favour of a colourful light show that illuminated the side of the iconic Burj Khalifa skyscraper.

The last places on Earth to greet the new year will be US islands such as Baker Island and Howland Island, where 2018 will arrive at noon GMT on 1 January.
A sheriff's deputy from Colorado was killed when he and fellow officers faced a barrage of gunfire after responding to a call about a disturbance in an apartment complex in a Denver suburb.

Zackari Parrish, a 29-year-old deputy, died Sunday morning, while four other officers were injured. Authorities have released few details about what transpired inside an apartment unit in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, a few miles south of Denver, where Parrish and the others responded after receiving a noise complaint. But Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock described the shooting as "an ambush-type attack on our officers."

"I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly," Spurlock said at a news conference. "And they all went down almost within seconds of each other . . . He knew we were coming. We obviously let him know that we were there to investigate a disturbance."

The officers arrived at the apartment just after 5 a.m. They went inside after one of the residents allowed them in, Spurlock said, and were shot at "almost immediately" as the gunman barricaded himself inside a bedroom.

Parrish was shot multiple times. Officers were able to crawl to safety as bullets continued to rain on them, but they were unable to pull Parrish out because of their injuries, Spurlock said. The suspect was later killed in a shootout with other deputies.

He had unleashed at least 100 rounds during the shootout, Spurlock said.

The wounded officers are Mike Doyle, 28, Taylor Davis, 30, Jeff Pelle, 32, all of whom are sheriff's deputies, and Tom O'Donnell, 41, an officer with the nearby Castle Rock Police Department. All are listed in stable condition, Spurlock said. The gunman shot two citizens during the shootout, both of whom suffered non-life threatening injuries.

How and why the situation inside the home escalated so quickly remains unclear, but Spurlock said investigators are hoping that footage from the body cameras the officers were wearing would paint a clearer picture. He also said the officers talked to the suspect and his roommate before he barricaded himself.

Authorities have not released the suspect's name. Spurlock said the man has had encounters with law enforcement in the area, though he had no criminal history.

The sheriff's office initially said that the officers were responding to a domestic violence incident, but Spurlock said they later realized that wasn't the case. A neighbor had complained about a noise coming from the apartment, where the suspect and his roommate lived. It was the second noise complaint involving that residence that morning. Spurlock said officers had gone to the apartment a few hours earlier, about 1 a.m., after receiving a call but did not hear any noise or find any problems.

Spurlock said the roommate is cooperating with detectives.

Steven Silknitter, 50, said he was at work when his son called and told him there was a shooter at his apartment complex. He rushed home, but couldn't get inside the complex because police had blocked the entrance. As he was sitting outside, calling his fiance, who was sleeping inside their apartment, shots rang out.

"After she woke up, we heard about more than a dozen gunshots, a clear exchange of volley of gunshots," Silknitter, who works as an overnight truck driver while going to school part-time, told The Washington Post.

"Not in Highland Ranch, Colorado, not in our apartment. Lived here for three years, quiet, nothing out of the norm. People go to work and [have] families, and then to wake up to a barrage of gunfire just a couple of buildings away from us," said Silknitter, who said he doesn't know anything about the suspect.

The shooting prompted a tweet from President Donald Trump, who offered his condolences from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

Later Sunday, a motorcade escorted Parrish's body from a hospital. Photos show people holding and waving American flags as the officer's motorcade passed by.

Parrish began working at the sheriff's office only eight months ago, Spurlock said. Before that, he was an officer for another police department for two years. He is survived by his wife and two children. Spurlock said he had spoken with Parrish's widow.

"I can't tell you how difficult it is for a leader to sit down with the spouse of an officer who's killed in the line of duty," Spurlock told reporters. "They had many hopes and dreams. He was doing his job, and he was doing his job well . . . When I sat with his wife and held her hand, I could see in her eyes, her life is over."

A GoFundMe page to help Parrish's family has so far raised more than $30,000 as of Sunday afternoon.

Parrish had a brief career in sales before he became a law enforcement officer, according to the page.

"Zack fed off adrenaline," the page said. "From snowboarding in the backcountry, to his job as a Douglas County police officer, Zack didn't back down to any challenges or fear."
A three-year-old girl in a community at Umasha development area of Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State was killed by suspected cholera outbreak.

It would be recalled that recently, there was a reported case of cholera outbreak said to have claimed lives in the same community where one person reportedly died.

A reliable source who did want his name in print told our correspondent that the baby girl was suspected to have died of cholera because she had suffered bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea.

He expressed concerns that the community largely depends on a pond for domestic water supply, which they also share with cattle and other animals.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Five persons were confirmed dead by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC ) while 13 others injured in an accident that occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Sunday.

Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr. Clement Oladele, told the News Agency of Nigeria in an interview in Ota, Ogun, that the accident occurred at Wazobia, at about 9.00 a.m.

Oladele said two vehicles and 18 persons were involved in the accident that resulted in the death of five persons, while 13 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

The sector commander explained that a commercial bus with registration number MGD 129 ZF coming from Ibadan to Lagos lost control and veered off the road and collided with a trailer with registration number DDA 121 XA that was parked by the road side.

The corpses of the victims had been deposited at the mortuary in Ipara General Hospital, while the survivors are also receiving treatment at Sagamu and Victory Hospital, Ogere, he said.

Oladele said the driver of the commercial bus absconded immediately after the accident occurred.

Source: (NAN)
The man pictured was caught allegedly having sex with a pregnant goat in Benin City, Edo State.

According to online reports, he has since been identified as Shina Rambo, and he was nabbed in Ugo, Edo state, while having intercourse with the female goat in his room.

The cry of the goat apparently, attracted neighbors and passersby, who forced his door open, and cauht him in the act.

The representatives of the leader of the community who arrived at the scene later disclosed that Rambo is a serial rapist. One of them said:

He did not start this today. He has done it in Ogba and Ibieguai before he was chased out of these communities.

He stole there too, we have told his father and mother to leave the community immediately. We have left him before now because his father is a good man, he has to make some sacrifice to appease the land, and after that, he will leave this community with his mother.
The WhatsApp application will stop working on certain smart phones,from January 1st, 2018, the company has announced via a blog post.

On New Years Day, WhatsApp will remove support for a number of devices  which updated versions of the software can no longer be installed on them. This means owners of these clapped out gizmos wont be able to enjoy new features or plugs for security holes which are often introduced in updates.

From January 1, 2018, anyone still using phones which run BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 or Windows Phone 8.0 will no longer be able to update their WhatsApp software.

The blog post by WhatsApp reads in part: While these mobile devices have been an important part of our story, they dont offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our apps features in the future.

This was a tough decision for us to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp.

If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone.

Last year, WhatsApp dropped its support for Nokia Symbian S60 phones. It will do the same for Nokia S40 handsets on December 31 2018 and then devices running Android 2.3.7 and older after 1 February, 2020.
Update 9.45pm: Dublin is being entertained with New Year's Eve festivities as the clock ticks down towards midnight.

Update 12.06pm: Limerick Council has cancelled its planned New Years Eve celebrations due to Storm Dylan.

It said that threats of flooding and severe weather led to it having to make the decision.

The Council said that high tides were predicted in Limerick and they are acting on health and safety advice.

Communications officer Denis Tierney said the decision was not taken lightly.

"We knew that there was bad weather coming from late last week, and it was on Friday that we made the decision," he said.

"We were thinking maybe we might be able to get away with it, but unfortunately, with all the information that we had to hand, and for the health and safety of the people of Limerick and the visitors of Limerick, we felt it was best to call it off."

Earlier: Two weather warnings in effect as Storm Dylan brings high winds

Two separate wind warnings are in effect as Storm Dylan continues to impact the country.

A Status Orange warning, issued for Donegal this morning, stated: "Storm Dylan, to the north of Ireland at 7am will continue to move away and the severe winds will abate during the morning.

"However, winds will still reach mean speeds of 65 to 80 km/h with gusts of 110 to 130km/h over the next few hours."

That warning is valid from 7-9am this morning.

#StormDylan will push rain northeastwards across the UK. Winds will strengthen for all, with gusts up to 80 mph possible across parts of Northern Ireland and southern Scotland. The weather will calm down later on #NewYearsEve. With warnings in force, stay #weatheraware pic.twitter.com/G5cgfOUtEB  Met Office (@metoffice) December 30, 2017

A separate Status Yellow wind warning for Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford remains in effect until 12 midday today.

The warning was recently updated to state: "Tonight and Sunday morning as storm Dylan tracks to the northwest of the country, west to southwest winds will reach mean speeds of 45 to 65 km/h with gusts of 90 to 110 km/h."

Your essential #NewYearsEve weather planner.

Damaging winds for some to begin with https://t.co/II5utRzGOq.

Clear spells and showers as we head into 2018  MT pic.twitter.com/la8Z16yhdx  BBC Weather (@bbcweather) December 30, 2017

Hundreds of homes are without electricity in areas worst affected by Storm Dylan this morning.

ESB spokesperson Derek Hynes has urged people to watch out for fallen wires.

"Really, what we'd be worried about is making sure that all the public are kept as safe as possible,

"Our crews probably won't be deployed until the wind levels drop off to some sort of safe level, but really the message for all the public is that if they do come across any fallen wires or broken poles, or anything that even looks like electricity wires close to or on the ground, to contact us at 1850 372 999."

#StormDylan may cause some outages if you have your MPRN number you can get updates or log your fault here https://t.co/9D73HNABJ7 If you get an ebill from your Supplier log on now and note your MPRN #staysafe  ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) December 30, 2017

The storm lashed parts of Ireland with howling gales in excess of 70mph last night.

Met Eireann said the strongest winds were recorded at Mace Head in Co Galway, where 74mph speeds were clocked.

Max gusts so far (km/h):

Mace Head (Galway) 113

Belmullet 98

Newport (Mayo) 98

Claremorris 96

Athenry 93

Sherkin Island (Cork) 88

Valentia (Kerry) 87

Johnstown Castle (Wexford) 85

Malin Head 78

Dublin Airport 76#StormDylan pic.twitter.com/lo7VDJ8hmQ  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) December 31, 2017

The highest wind speeds recorded in Northern Ireland were gusts of 59mph in Killowen, Co Down.

The UK weather service has issued an amber warning covering Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, stating there is the potential for "injuries or danger to life" from flying debris.
#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...
The biscuit box continues to have a magnetic attraction to your outreached hand and that half empty bottle of wine just cant go wasted, can it?

Well its still the festive season after all, but without wanting to be a spoilsport, its worth remembering those must-do-better resolutions, are looming shortly.

While New Years Eve is just two days away, more often than not  as we get into our later decades  we use it as an opportunity to raise a grateful glass of bubbly to the health and longevity of ourselves, family and friends, rather than chasing the party scene.

Making a wish for the year ahead is one thing  taking responsibility for how we hope to stay as healthy as we can, for as long as we can, is another. So lets take a look at some reminders on how we can do just that.

SIMPLY BAD HABITS

Lifestyle matters  we hear it all the time and of course we throw it all to the winds during the festive season.

But whatever about your end-of-year total breakout, if you live 80% of the time generally abiding by the healthy rules  with 20% leeway, then youre doing pretty well, according to ageing experts.

Having said that, research released by the University of Edinburgh in Scotland last October yet again put the spotlight on how important lifestyle is, when scientists analysed genetic information from more than 600,000 people. They worked out which lifestyle choices had the greatest effect on behaviours and lifespan.

Heres what they concluded: Smoking was the main baddie  no surprises here. A pack of cigarettes a day takes seven years off your life.

But if you do smoke, then your new year resolution could be a life-changer: They found from their data, that people who gave up smoking could expect to live as long as someone whod never smoked before.

We also know that being overweight is definitely unhealthy as it affects us in so many ways, making us more prone to disease and hindering us from exercising.

The study found that for every extra kilogramme of weight people carried, they cut two months off their life. So putting the lid on the biscuit tin with a determined slam, could be a good start for 2018.

SIMPLY GOOD HABITS

Yes there are an increasing number of high-achieving veteran competitors out there pushing the boundaries of exercise in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s.

But you dont have to set the bar that high, in order to get motivated. Considering you have probably done plenty of sitting and slouching over the festive season  and wasnt it fun  now is the time to get your bum off the couch and those two feet moving, for a healthy start to January.

The World Health Organisation suggests we do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week.

That can be half an hour of a good paced walk five times a week  not too much to ask, once you get into the habit.

When you get the routine going that biscuit-padded waistline will reduce. But  wait for it  recent research from the American Cancer Society also suggests that even a regular stroll can even reduce your risk of death.

In that study, researchers examined data from nearly 140,000 American adults and, allowing for other lifestyle factors that can affect health, they concluded that people whose only exercise was walking less than two hours per week, had a lower risk of death from any cause, than those who did no physical activity.

Walking has been described as the perfect exercise because it is simple, free, convenient, doesnt require any special equipment or training, and can be done at any age, said study leader Alpa Patel, a cancer epidemiologist.

When you think about it, walking was our first step towards independence as a toddler all those decades ago. Now, its also what keeps us agile and independent in our later years. Even taking the stairs or leaving the car keys behind sometimes, can keep those limbs oiled and flexible.

SIMPLY REACHING OUT

If you are lucky, you have spent the Christmas period meeting up with family and friends. If not then you may be familiar with feelings of isolation and loneliness, which lots of research has shown is detrimental to our health as we age.

A study investigating the impact of loneliness on older people in Ireland conducted by Trinity College Dublin three years ago found those who received a social visit over 10 weeks, felt less lonely.

The study consisted of 10 home visits to the participants from a volunteer, themselves an older person. Researchers found that loneliness decreased not only among those visited, but also the volunteers who did the visiting.

We all need connection for our wellbeing and if only one resolution is made for 2018 let it be to reach out, no matter what shape you are in otherwise.
A PLEA for volunteers to help the homeless this winter has been made by the Isle of Wight Council and the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army Isle of Wight homeless service is opening its doors from now until the end of March.

Isle of Wight Cllr Barry Abraham, cabinet member for planning and housing, said: "We do all we can to provide emergency support to people, to prevent them from ending up on the streets and the council is extremely grateful to the Salvation Army in helping us to support the vulnerable homeless this winter.

"However, to make sure we can provide this lifeline for those in need, we need your support. The more people or businesses that are helping us, the better prepared we are to provide sanctuary and support to those people facing the prospect of a cold and lonely winter."

The new winter night shelter will allow the Salvation Army to provide hot food and a warm bed for the night, seven days a week, during the coldest months.

Jamie Brenchley, service manager for the Salvation Army homeless services on the Isle of Wight, said, "The winter shelter provides an emergency response to broken people on the Isle of Wight that are homeless.

"We have already established a wonderful team of volunteers, but we need more. Homelessness is devastating. People die on the streets every year.

"Come alongside us to see the person not the label. Together, as one community, we can help broken people rebuild their lives.''

Any individuals, groups or businesses interested in volunteering for the Salvation Army on the Isle of Wight, can email Lucy Rhoden, Salvation Army street outreach intervention coordinator, at lucy.rhoden@salvationarmy.org.uk or contact the team through Facebook at Salvation Army Isle of Wight homeless service.


Gayle Anderson retires today from her 21-year-plus run as the Winston-Salem communitys main economic bridge builder and cheerleader.

Andersons guiding touch as the chief executive and president of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce helped the community weather the shrinking of three corporate stalwarts  Hanes, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Wachovia Corp.  as foundations were being built for advanced technology and innovation.

Anderson rates among her top accomplishments assisting with the emergence of Wake Forest Innovation Quarter in downtown Winston-Salem, lobbying legislators to secure state funding for the Northern Beltway, forming the nations first technology council, and establishing the nations first business involvement and volunteer program between a chamber and a public school system.

But at age 67, Anderson has been eager and prepared to hand off her duties to Mark Owens, who has worked alongside Anderson until fully taking over the reins Monday.

Owens served in a similar chamber role in Greer, S.C., starting in 2014. Greer is located between Greenville and Spartanburg, S.C.

Its time for new energy and new blood and new ideas in the organization, Anderson said. Time for the next generation to move the community forward.

Before taking her first shot at retirement, Anderson talked about her chamber experience and her vision for the local economys future.

Q: Twenty-one years as a top chamber executive is an impressive accomplishment given the diverse and evolving business and executive dynamics among your members.

What do you credit your durability and survivability to, especially since you were not a chamber lifer when you took the job?

ANSWER: Leading a membership organization means listening to your members.

Each year, we craft a business plan and make it as measurable as possible. We havent been afraid to switch course when something didnt pan out.

The real trick is determining when to stay the course in the face of setbacks and adversity, and when to take another direction.

Ive been fortunate to have amazing board and executive committee members working alongside our chamber team who have supported our work for decades.

Q: You have been praised as a champion of innovation with encouraging community investment in entrepreneurs, small businesses and biotechnology.

Although it may be like asking who is your favorite child, which initiative has been the most satisfying to see grow?

ANSWER: Seeing small businesses take their rightful place in our community and being recognized and respected for the value they bring.

For so long, the community and the chamber were seen as being supportive of our large businesses, and thats not a bad thing.

But in recent years, the tide has turned and the community now understands that the strength of our economy lies in having a solid small-business community, as well as being anchored by our larger businesses and institutions.

Q: What do you consider as the quintessential Gayle Anderson accomplishment?

ANSWER: What is now Wake Forest Innovation Quarter, for several reasons.

The community was at a crossroads, losing companies and jobs daily, and no one knew what to do. The chamber hired outside consultants, something it rarely does, to analyze the opportunities and used data to make the decision to focus on our intellectual capital in biotechnology.

With Dr. Doug Maynard, then head of radiology at Wake Forest Baptist Health, as the chamber board member champion, we started on a 20-year journey to convince our community to move in this direction. In the beginning, people signed on, not because they believed but because no one had anything else to offer.

In later years, as we needed something or someone, they came forward to help. Dr. Thomas Hearn (former Wake Forest University president) was critical to this initiative.

State Sens. Ted Kaplan and George Daniels got us the first state funding, which gave us legitimacy, and WSSU Chancellor Cleon Thompson made sure we got every penny of the state money, which had to come through the university.

Every time a door closed, we found another one to pry open. Our celebration in 2016  when we brought back more than 200 people who had helped  was a grand event and the first opportunity for some to see the communitys success.

Ive long believed that you can get much done by just keeping on and not worrying about who gets the credit. Even today, many people dont know that this was a chamber-led initiative.

Q: On the flip side, as you leave your duties, which is the economic initiative you are most encouraging Mark Owens to pursue in his first year as the top chamber executive?

ANSWER: Im most excited about work we have been doing to maximize the economic development potential of Smith Reynolds Airport and the areas along Liberty Street and Akron Drive, all the way to the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter and to Whitaker Park.

Weve been working with John Kasardas company, Aerotropolis Business Concepts, to develop strategies and actions to leverage this airport for aero-economic development and to maximize Winston-Salems business development and overall competitive advantage. Its something Ive been advocating for years, but its just starting to get legs.

I believe the opportunity there is as great as what we initially had when we were starting the biotechnology initiative that became WFIQ, only with a different industry focus. (WFIQ refers to the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter.)

We can capitalize on our aviation heritage, our skilled workforce and the availability of land that is close to our center city to develop and execute a market-based approach that creates companies and jobs. Were early in the process, and it will take a decade or more, but we have all the elements.

We will need the entire community to come together, just like we did with WFIQ.

Q: What do you believe is the biggest socio-economic challenge facing Forsyth County, and what is your advice on how to resolve it?

ANSWER: Lack of educational achievement and the resulting poverty is our biggest socio-economic challenge, like so many other communities in the United States.

For prior generations, not graduating from high school or becoming a critical thinker did not mean the end of the road to economic prosperity. Now it does.

The days of being able to get a job to support a family without reading, communications and critical thinking skills are over. Thats why the chamber started its corporate volunteers program 19 years ago  designed to get students reading at grade level by third grade.

I had hoped wed work ourselves out of business with that program, but the need grows every year, and we cant get enough volunteers to help.

There are no easy answers. It will take everyone, and there are community initiatives that will help.

We need a massive marketing campaign so our residents understand that education opens the doors, and everyone must put their money and their time for the next decade into helping our children achieve if we are to have a chance at catching up.

Q: What will retirement look like for you, and how confident are you that you will stay retired?

ANSWER: Im waiting six months before I take on anything new.

Im a certified yoga instructor and currently teach yoga to seniors at Arbor Acres and in a clinical trial for Wake Forest Baptist Health.

Im also enrolled in a 1,000-hour yoga-therapy training program that will enable me to help people with many health challenges. Im a deacon at Knollwood Baptist Church and will chair its stewardship committee next year, and I have a full bookshelf of reading to get started on.

My husband, Carey, has been retired as a corporate pilot for a number of years, so Im going to look to him for tips on how to retire successfully.
President Trump and the Republican Congress finally accomplished one of their goals when they passed the massive 1,097-page Tax Reform and Jobs Act just before Christmas. Despite cutting taxes for almost everyone, every poll indicates an overwhelming majority of Americans are against it.

Why is public sentiment so negative? The number one argument is that the new law benefits the wealthy much more than the middle class. A second claim is that most Americans dont believe that they will pay lower taxes. A third objection against the new law is that it burdens future generations with at least another extra trillion dollars in debt over the next decade.

Before we try to analyze the arguments above, Id like to focus on the best part of the new law. It lowers the corporate tax rate from 35 percent  the highest of all major countries in the world  to a more competitive 21 percent. It also reforms the way profits overseas are taxed so that companies wont hold huge amounts offshore and encourages U.S. companies to repatriate an estimated $2.5 trillion they now hold abroad by offering a special 15.5 percent rate.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, the worlds most valuable company worth $900 billion, has stated several times that he would consider bringing back a large amount of Apples money held overseas (now totaling $252 billion) if he could pay a reasonable tax rate of 15 to 20 percent. One respected Wall street analyst that follows Apple predicted this month that Apple will repatriate about $214 billion and then probably look for up-and-coming companies to acquire.

Critics of the corporate tax cut complain that buyouts and mergers are just one use of the extra corporate revenue that doesnt spur job increases. They also cite companies buying back their own stock, and increasing company dividends as the likely use of most of the money brought back from abroad or saved from lower tax rates. They argue that none of the above uses of the extra money will increase jobs and that when one company acquires another, jobs are often cut.

On the other hand, President Trumps Council on Economic Advisors claims that lower corporate taxes should boost GDP by 3 to 5 percent over 5 to 10 years: therefore, it would add jobs and also about $4,000 to the average workers annual salary. (Both Bank of America and BB&T, North Carolinas two largest banks, announced this month that they would each give $1,000 bonuses to their lower-paid employees  about three-fourths of BB&Ts and two-thirds of BAs workers. Both cited the new corporate rate tax cut as the reason for their bonuses).

While the jury is still out on how much the tax cuts will increase jobs, it is estimated that the new law will add about 5 to 8 percent to company earnings next year. Obviously, higher earnings help push stock prices up. With U.S. stocks soaring about 20 percent this year, some Wall Street analysts think that stock prices have already priced-in the predicted higher corporate profits.

The worst part of the new tax law is the failure to eliminate the tax-break that permits of the use of carried interest so that very rich hedge fund managers pay a lower percentage of their income (20 percent) than most of their employees. President Trump claimed several times that hed eliminate that loophole during his 2016 campaign and last spring, he said on TV that carried interest was unfair and its gone. However, White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney admitted this month: We left it up to the House and Senate.

Two provisions in the new tax law clearly show how much corporations are favored over individuals. The much-despised alternate minimum tax (AMT) was totally eliminated for business but kept for individuals. Also, tax cuts were made permanent for corporations whereas they end after 2025 for individuals, unless Congress votes, in all likelihood, to extend them.

Now lets analyze the three major arguments against the bill that are listed in the second paragraph above. George Will in his December 11 column, here in the Journal, argued that any major tax reduction must disproportionally help the well-off because the top 10 percent of taxpayers now provide 70 percent of total income-tax revenue while the bottom half pay only 3 percent.

However, one example demonstrates blatant favoritism for the rich. People who own second homes, typically the top 5 percent, get to keep their deduction for mortgage interest while more middle-class homeowners who use equity lines of credit (second mortgages) lose that interest deduction. (Of course, the majority of Senate and House members own two homes.)

Two other provisions that benefit the very wealthy are: 1) the former top 39.6 percent for couples making over $470,700 is cut to 37 percent for joint income over $600,000, and (2) the estate-tax exemption doubles next year from its current $11 million for couples to $22 million.

However, the new laws limit of only a maximum $10,000 deduction for state and local income and property taxes certainly hurts higher-income taxpayers. Therefore, some taxpayers, particularly in high-tax states such as New York and California, will see their their taxes rise.

Former Goldman Sachs CEO and White House Advisor Gary Cohn defends the new law by arguing that middle-income taxpayers are getting the largest percentage tax savings of anyone in the whole distribution. I dont know if he is right but I do know that a California Congressman who dismisses cuts for middle-income taxpayers by claiming the new law is just putting money in the pocket of the wealthy is dead wrong.

The reason almost everyone pays less taxes beginning next year is because all the marginal tax brackets have been lowered (except for couples and singles in the $400,000 range). The two most common tax brackets have been lowered from 15 percent to 12 percent ($19,050 to $77,400 for joint income) and from 25 percent to 22 percent ($77,400 to $165,000 for couples).

The increase of the standard deduction from $13,000 to $24,000 for couples and the doubling of the child-tax credit to $2,000 helps lower-income taxpayers, especially when $1,400 of that child-tax credit can be collected as a tax refund, even if the taxpayer owes no federal income taxes. Certainly, almost every lower-income taxpayer will pay less next year.

It is estimated that the federal government will now collect about $1.5 trillion less in taxes over the next decade. Stronger economic growth will probably cut one-third of that amount (the average of most economic estimates) so future generations are on the hook for about $1 trillion more. (The total U.S. debt is now over twenty trillion dollars  $20,000,000,000,000.)

For decades, many astute observers have dubbed Democrats as the tax and spend party. Now I think it is time to label the Republicans as the borrow and spend party. Every Washington politician realizes that charging it to Uncle Sams credit account is always so much easier than paying up-front for government outlays, as almost all states must do.
FAYETTEVILLE  Elevated levels of a potentially carcinogenic chemical have been found in five wells on the east side of the Cape Fear River, state records show.

The test results are the first showing high detections of GenX on the side of the river opposite the Chemours plant, which is thought to be the source of the contamination.

In other developments, state officials have expanded the area where tests are being done to within a mile and a half of the Chemours property boundary, according to Jill Lucas, a spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. Tests were first done within a mile of the plant, then expanded to within a mile of the property boundary.

As we have said before, Lucas said, private-well sampling will continue until we find where the contamination ends.

North Carolina officials started investigating GenX after news broke in June that researchers had found the compound in the river last year. GenX has since been found in private wells around the plant, which is off N.C. 87 in Bladen County and near the Cumberland County line.

Chemours makes GenX at the plant to use in nonstick coatings on cookware and for other purposes. It has been linked to several forms of cancer in animal studies, but its unknown if those effects are the same in humans.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services used studies of GenX and formulas that might determine the potential danger to set a health goal of 140 parts per trillion.

State officials say 115 wells near the plant have GenX levels above that level. More than 140 other wells have levels of the compound below the goal, while 90 others show no sign of the chemical.

A map on the DEQs website shows that tests at wells on five properties on the east side of the Cape Fear River have levels of GenX above the health goal. Three of the tests, according to the map, showed levels more than three times the goal. Those wells are near Jackie Hood Lane, off Matt Hair Road, which runs roughly parallel with Tabor Church Road.

Cumberland County Commissioner Larry Lancaster, the chairman of the Board of Commissioners, said a resident who lives near Tabor Church Road in the Cedar Creek area told him that GenX was found in a well there.

Tests at three other wells revealed levels of GenX below the health goal. One well showed results between no detection and 10 parts per trillion, the map showed.

Specific results from the tests were not available on Friday, state officials said.
RALEIGH  After many decades, N.C. State Universitys bell tower will finally live up to its name.

The 115-foot granite landmark off Hillsborough Street will get something that any respectable bell tower should have: bells. Since its dedication in 1949, the bell sounds have come from speakers near the top of the tower, produced by an automated carillon in a nearby building.

The installation of 54 bells will come about 100 years after the Memorial Belltower was first planned to honor alumni who died in World War I. Its part of a renovation of the tower, with new bells made possible with a gift from Bill and Frances Henry of Gastonia. Bill Henry is a 1981 graduate of N.C. State, and his two brothers graduated from the university. The Henrys son, William, is a freshman there studying engineering.

The news is being cheered by alumni and students.

For the university, I have to believe that its such a momentous occasion because this tower is on our rings, its on our stationery, its on our street signs, its everywhere, said Matt Robbins, who has two N.C. State diplomas, including a 2009 graduate degree in architecture. It literally stands for N.C. State.

Robbins became known as the bell guy when he was part of a grass-roots student campaign to raise money for the bells about 10 years ago. The fundraising effort was popular, but in the end only brought in enough money for five bells.

The other 49 will come in the next two to three years as part of an extensive renovation. The project includes a stairwell to the top of the tower, where a lightning strike knocked a chunk of the tower off in 2009, and repairs to the ground-level shrine room, which has suffered water damage over time. The surrounding plaza will be upgraded and named Henry Square.

The amount of the donation will be kept confidential, at the request of the donors, who declined to be interviewed, according to a spokesman for N.C. State.

The gift accomplishes what students and alumni have been trying to do since 1919, when the tower was first envisioned.

The structure rose in fits and starts  the first 14 feet in 1921, another 10 feet each in 1924, 1925 and 1926.

Construction stopped whenever the project ran out of money.

Once the Great Depression hit, the U.S. governments Works Progress Administration finished the exterior of the tower in 1937.

But there was no money for bells, and it was clear that it would take many years for each graduating class of students to raise enough money, engineering professor C.L. Mann, wrote in a 1940 letter to the towers architect.

Is there any such thing as electronically amplified sound chimes? Mann wrote. Of course, I realize that nothing of this kind would take the place of the bells, but it will be some time before we can expect to get them in the tower.

He was right.

It took another 10 years to get the clock and first carillon. The towers dedication was held four years after the end of World War II.

Over time, the structure has morphed from a veterans monument to one of N.C. States main gathering spots. The tower is lit for Veterans and Memorial days, but it also glows red for big Wolfpack wins, or whenever students or faculty members earn major achievements.

Over the years, the tower has become the most iconic place and structure on the whole campus, said Tom Stafford, a former vice chancellor for student affairs, who has led hundreds of tours of the location. This is now considered to be one of our hallowed places. Its a sacred place.

On the day before winter graduation, Stafford approached a few graduates in cap and gown who were posing for photographs in front of the landmark. He handed them the key to the tower, joking that it was his graduation gift to them.

Its kind of awesome, graduate Madeline Severance of Amesbury, Mass., said after getting her first peek inside the shrine room. I wasnt expecting that at all. Its emotional.

Inside, a memorial plaque on the wall lists 35 names, but there were only 34 N.C. State alumni killed in the first world war. The name of George L. Jeffers, Class of 1913, was carved into stone, but he had been erroneously reported as killed in action.

To correct the error, the university crudely chiseled in an alteration, changing the name to George E. Jefferson, a fictitious person. The name, according N.C. States website, has come to symbolize unknown soldiers everywhere.

When asked about the plans for real bells, Severance said, simply, I love that.

Brian Sischo, the vice chancellor for university advancement, said the Henrys saw an opportunity to make a lasting impact on what is commonly seen as the most iconic structure on campus.

For Robbins, the N.C. State alumnus, a finished tower represents a dream realized for those alumni who wanted to honor their classmates 100 years ago. And a tribute to all those who raised money since.

Not only is this a place where students gather, connect and have their voice heard, but its a place where the men who died so long ago can have their voices heard, Robbins said.

The tower was envisioned that there would be this lighthouse, this beacon of light, but also of sound, so that these lost soldiers could find their way home. It was such a symbolic gesture. To have that actually come to fruition, its almost as if the building will come alive for the first time.
RALEIGH  North Carolinas capital city is ready for its annual acorn drop to usher in the New Year after a city crew had its own accidental acorn drop about 10 days early.

Artist David Benson designed the acorn for Raleigh in 1991. He has been rushing to repair it since a city crew dropped it a few days before Christmas while taking it for a cleaning.

Benson says it took about 60 hours to repair the giant acorn for the First Night Raleigh celebration.

Put some new panels on it. Did some other stuff  cleaned it up, straightened it out. It was flat on one side. Ive been on a crunch the last two weeks, Benson told WTVD-TV .

The acorn is ready to drop twice  first at 7 p.m. New Years Eve for a childrens celebration and again at the stroke of midnight to ring in 2018.

The acorn has been dropping since 1992 in Raleigh as a nod to the citys nickname as The City of Oaks.

The giant acorn isnt the only oddity heading down a pole in North Carolina as 2017 turns to 2018.

In Mount Olive, home to the giant factory that makes the pickles named for the town, a 3-foot glowing pickle will slide down a flagpole at 7 p.m. Sunday as part of New Years festivities.

Organizers of the pickle drop point out 7 p.m. in Mount Olive is midnight Greenwich Mean Time in the United Kingdom, which is traditionally the time that sets the standard for other time zones.

The organizers said the family-friendly time also lets everyone go home and get to bed before midnight on the East Coast.

Also, in Brasstown, Clay Logans website said he will again slowly drop a possum in a box to mark the New Year at the site of his now-closed convenience store in the N.C. mountains.

Logan fought with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about the drop over several New Years Eves. But he was able to obtain permits and continue his tradition.

Note: The opossum is not actually dropped, it is lowered with great care, reads a note on Logans website. We treat our little friend with respect, hold him in awe, and do not inflict any injury or traumatize Gods creature of the night.
American history is a potpourri of irony and paradox.

Jan. 1 commemorates the 214th anniversary for what is arguably the most important, paradoxical and ironic date in the creation of America, as we know it today. To further the irony, nothing of note occurred on American soil.

Jan. 1, 1804 marked the official conclusion of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804)  perhaps the largest and most successful slave rebellion in the Western Hemisphere. The result not only ended slavery in Haiti, but also French colonial rule.

In 1802, in an attempt to reclaim Haiti, known then as Saint-Domingue, Napoleon Bonaparte sent an additional 20,000 troops. Though they captured Haitian leader Toussaint lOuverture, who would die imprisoned in France, Napoleons efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. The defeat placed economic pressure on France.

By 1803, Napoleon had reached the conclusion that the North American land in French possession needed to be sold. With a stroke of his pen, President Thomas Jefferson doubled the size of the United States. It is widely hailed as the greatest land deal in history (an estimated 828,000 square miles at 10 cents an acre). The Louisiana Purchase is the foundation that allowed America to fast-track its way from fledgling nation in 1789 to a major economic and military power by 1945.

Few American narratives would be complete without the contribution of paradox, and the Louisiana Purchase is no different.

According to the Thomas Paine Society, on Sept. 22, 1804, Paine issued an address to the French inhabitants of Louisiana, saying that a people who desired freedom for themselves had no right to deprive others  namely Negro people  of their freedom.

Soon after these remarks, Paine and Joel Barlow met with Jefferson to discuss an opportunity for a restart, to move the nation closer to the ideals of liberty and equality contained in the Declaration of Independence. They appealed to Jefferson to prohibit slavery in Louisiana, use German immigrants and freed slaves, proposing that the president offer land grants as an enticement, the late Christopher Hitchens wrote in The Guardian in 2006.

Jefferson declined the proposal, largely because of the Haitian Revolution, Hitchens once said, and Jefferson feared that a similar uprising might make its way to America.

The Haitian Revolution was a war of attrition in which Haitians overthrew the tyrannical exploits of the French to make theirs an independent nation. It indirectly led to America becoming a global power. But paradoxically, it would also result in America maintaining its peculiar institution of slavery for an addition 61 years.

Were it not for the Haitian Revolution, Napoleon would have had no need to sell the land, nor would there have been a United States as we know it today, as historians and commentators, including Hitchens and Mac McClelland in Mother Jones magazine, have noted.

Collectively, we are joint heirs of this irony and paradox.

It might make for great late-night conversation surmising Jeffersons decision. Was he merely a man of his times or truly a disciple of the Enlightenment? Though I believe Jefferson embodied both characteristics, history is ultimately immune to such inquiry.

It is the authentic embrace of history that makes us better people. Too often we are hamstrung by the moment, behaving as if the issue de jour is void of any cyclical aspects.

Historical imperfections are the unfortunate price exacted by a democratic-republic form of government. We are reimbursed, however, by our commitment to the nations original precepts of liberty and equality, eschewing nihilism and apathy. The past paves the way toward our present day enlightenment.

Desire for an American history that is clean, sanitized and consistent is akin to yearning for someone to have knocked on our door three days before Christmas with 100 Bitcoins simply because we didnt cut them off on the highway. But the American historical narrative is one where good and evil oftentimes exist in uncomfortable proximity.

The Louisiana Purchase in totality is but one example how we collectively benefit from what appears to be moral inconsistencies within the American narrative.

We all stand on a platform supported by historical high and low moments. Ones political orthodoxy, sexual orientation, race, gender, religious affiliation, lack thereof, or some other distinction is ultimately irrelevant. Whether one is an American by birth or by naturalized citizenship, their genealogy connects them to irony and paradox. This is the humbling reality that we bring into 2018.

As Lincoln said at Gettysburg, it is altogether fitting and proper that we do this. On the eve of the New Year, a time symbolizing to many new beginnings, hope and possibility, when we make resolutions that will most likely be forgotten by months end, we should also take a moment to remind ourselves that we are descendants of irony and paradox.

Happy New Year!

Note: Last week I referred to the CHIP program for parents who make too much to qualify for Medicare. It should have read Medicaid.
During a recent cold sunset as demolition men took down the building where I cut my journalistic teeth, I scrambled to grab some bricks from the rubbish. I needed something to hold onto in the new year.

Day by day, our institutions are assailed. We journalists have long scrutinized FBI cases, including ones the FBI has blown, but many of us knew the agencys overall intentions and work were basically good. Now we have a president who suggests to the American people that the FBI cant be trusted, nor can our national security agencies nor the free press nor our voting system. Many of President Trumps supporters, including some in high places, are echoing his thoughts, dividing Americans and encouraging distrust in our bedrocks.

This is how democracies can crumble, just as sure as the building housing one of my first workplaces, The High Point Enterprise, fell the other day. The Enterprise, fortunately, carries on in another building, but the destruction of its original home might serve as a metaphor.

President Trump has denied but seems to leave open the possibility of firing Robert Mueller, the special counsel probing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. And Trump leaves open the potential of pardoning witnesses close to him cooperating with that investigation.

Should any of that happen, it would be a major blow to the American system for which our elders fought and died. People like Medgar Evers, a black World War II vet who was assassinated in his native Mississippi while fighting for civil rights for blacks, including voting rights. The elders who fought for us include people like Joe Brown, who spent his career in that building that was demolished the other day.

By the time he got to the Enterprise, Joe had already been a radar navigator with the Army Air Force during World War II, flying combat missions in the Pacific on board a B-29, and gone on to graduate from Carolina.

As the top editor at the Enterprise, he quietly led in standing up for the First Amendment, government transparency, good public safety and education, civil rights and underdogs in general. He could be grouchy in the grand old way of good newspapermen, especially with reporters who didnt live up to his high standards for accuracy and grammar. He was also decent, honest and loyal, quietly setting a model for his reporters to be the same. He taught us to press for the full story, but to be fair and honest about it and to always protect our sources.

We caught our share of hell from members of the public for reasons ranging from they didnt think a story should have been in the paper to factual errors we occasionally made and corrected. The Enterprise staff exposed corrupt public officials, but few people then, except for the occasional conspiracy theorist, questioned the whole systems on which our democracy is based. We could usually agree with our critics on a basic set of facts regarding those systems.

I started at the Enterprise in the mid-1980s, just over a decade past Watergate, a time when wed seen a president stumble and fall and his political party, the opposing party and law enforcement do their jobs and, ultimately, pick up the country and move it forward again, gradually restoring trust in our systems.

Now that trust is being eroded again. Its harder in these days of nonstop social media and Big Media TV that drives many of us to our own silos and tries to keep us there. Trust in the basics, including newspapers like ours, is being challenged like never before.

Managing editor Andy Morrissey, who leads our news department, and his staff are committed to living up to the high standards set by our forerunners.

And on my side, the opinion side, we try to do that as well. My deputy, Mick Scott, and I gladly spend a lot of time in phone talks and email communicating with readers, those who agree with us, and, even more important, those who dont. As I often say, we must be doing something right, because conservatives tell us our pages are too liberal and liberals tell us our pages are too conservative.

As always, we welcome your letters.

Well keep doing our best to keep the American dialogue going, and to present the best journalism we can in conservative columns and liberal ones from the syndicates and local folks, and in the editorials and columns we write.

Weve got predecessors to live up to.

Joe Brown died seven years ago.

But I have on my desk a brick from the building where he taught me so much. Our democracy is built on such bedrocks. Brick by brick, well make it through the new year and beyond. For Joe and all the rest.
The heart. The soul. A place where a community can learn, communicate and educate. A place where creativity does not limit within the walls. Where the natural flaws of society cannot enter. This place of peace and quiet, rendered with the sounds of paper, derived from liberty: A library.

Clouds arise above these beloved city buildings. No matter how intense these establishments become weathered, humankind must preserve its idea, its symbol. Even if perished and physical books become no more, we must still maintain such a sense that the library has provided.

Humans, in our entirety, gain from interacting with others alike or different. Society excels when its components are educated and informed. We gain from the exchange of ideas and information. A library can be synonymous with a friendly institution of education. Humans of the world can rely on their libraries to provide them with truthful information, which can be hard to find on todays internet. By this spread of text by the people, for the people, it encourages us to think. To think about the past, the present and the future.

Libraries provide a safe space for free thought and speech. Under the roof of the library, safeguarded from hate, the diverse human population comes together. The library subsidizes no such bias because the humans of the world seek one goal there: freedom. For the sake of unrestrained thought, lets keep this sense of a library.

It is easy to ignore old news. It is easy to forget once-popular ideas. It is easy to set aside something that was once held so dear.

Some say that because we have entered this age of Google and big data, there is no need for some silly tangible books. Thus, why do we even need libraries? It is the easier option to trash libraries and forget their worth.

We must not forget that the relation of a tangible book to its library is only the brink of the surface. They are established for the sole purpose of the growth of humans intellectually and socially.

What some so wrongly assume is that libraries are worth only how many books they have. We must not so quickly judge a library by its covers. Others say that such reaction to the deconstruction of libraries is too exaggerated.

First, I state that education does not solely depend on libraries, but that the sense of libraries affects education greatly. In that, by the spread of truth and discussion, which libraries so generously promote, ideas and creativity blossom. Second, one must not merely infer that because learning has changed, it is for the better. What this age of the internet has provided, while a shortcut, is not the opportunity to create.

If libraries are tossed in the trash like an old book, we take the easy way out, yet again. To allow for humans to still have a true appreciation of education, lets keep this sense of a library.

From the American Revolution came freedom. From the Industrial Revolution came efficiency. From the continual Technological Revolution came an influx of cultural complications. Because our need for face-to-face contact has been falsely filed, we suddenly do not strive for it anymore  its a shame. Although technology brings innovation, we so easily differ the idea it ruins our ability to interact off-screen.

It is evident that there is an overwhelming increase in the use of e-books. I am afraid that by this we will forget how important it once was to swipe a card and obtain physical books. It is not that paper is more important than pixel, but that these digital books suppress our need to communicate among others. We must treat this possible eradication of societal values like glass. For it can easily be shattered, if we do not act. Lets keep this sense of a library.

Essential to the survival of humankind, in the premise of the fundamental need for human-contact: This idea of a library.
When we talk about our drinking water, were talking about public health. Its not a place for cutting corners or taking risks. So we were pleased with an Associated Press report last week that North Carolina environmental regulators will start testing the states major supplies of drinking water to determine whether people are ingesting industrial chemicals whose health effects are poorly understood.

The monitoring could start next month.

Nearly two dozen unregulated chemicals have been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as emerging contaminants that need more study, state Department of Environmental Quality spokesman Jamie Kritzer told the AP. Most of these substances do not have health information associated with them, so we dont know a lot about them in terms of what their health risks are, he said.

So it makes sense to find out.

Toxicologists and other specialists on a state science advisory board will use information developed from the tests to help set standards for when health is at risk, Kritzer told the AP.

The testing was spurred by the discovery of GenX, a chemical used to make Teflon and other coatings, in Wilmingtons chief water supply. Norman, Falls and Jordan lakes, as well as the Yadkin and Catawba rivers, will be tested for so-called perfluorinated chemicals similar to GenX, Kritzer told the AP. Such compounds have been found in industrial areas in countries such as the U.S., Germany and China.

They are suspected, but not proven, as posing an increased cancer risk in humans, the AP reported.

Suspected is good enough to require the thorough testing of chemicals in our drinking water. We cant take chances with our health or that of our children. We dont want to wind up in a situation like that in Flint, Mich., where cost-cutting measures caused tainted drinking water that contained lead and other toxins.

Were sure our government regulators have that situation in mind, too.

With a cry of deregulation gaining popularity in some areas of government, we need every precaution taken for the good of the publics health.
JURIST Guest Columnist Alireza Ranjbar of the Iranian Association for UN Studies discusses approaches to Irans ballistic missile program under international law

Before and after his election as president, Donald Trump has threatened the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) limiting Irans ballistic missile ambitions. President Trump has also been trying to challenge and demote the achievements of that deal since the beginning of his presidency.

After taking office, President Trump transferred the decision-making process regarding JCPOA to several cabinet secretaries. In harmony with the president, the House of Representatives as its first step against the JCPOA, passed a bill titled Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act (the House Bill) on 30 October 2017 which might be passed by the Senate and signed by the President in the near future.

In addition to passing this kind of international law-related national legislation against Iran, the US has been inviting the international community, especially its allies, to perform in the same manner. Despite the fact that Irans ballistic missiles program is designed for Irans military defense, and is unrelated to the United States (and other countries) for determining its frameworks, the possibility of imposing unilateral sanctions against Irans ballistic missile program (which is the main goal of the House Bill) is of questionable compliance with international law.

The first concept to consider is how Irans ballistic missile program fits into the scheme of international law. Although there is no consensus on what the general principles of international law are, sovereign equality is undoubtedly one of them. The principle of sovereign equality is one of the oldest and most fundamental principles of international law, tracing its origins to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, and always has been respected by other governments. The importance of sovereign equality is even enshrined in the charter of the United Nations (UN), wherein Article 2(1) states that the organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members. According to the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, also known as UN General Assembly Resolution 2625, the General Assembly of the UN reaffirms that:

All States enjoy sovereign equality. They have equal rights and duties and are equal members of the international community, notwithstanding differences of an economic, social, political or other nature.

Then, benefiting from most advanced weapons, the US cannot restrict other countries rights to develop and research comparable weapon systems from the perspective of the sovereign equality.

While sovereign equality forms a basis for other rules, such as state immunity, one of the most crucial outcomes of sovereign equality is the right of self-defense. In fact, the right of self-defense, like state immunity, is rooted in the principle of the sovereign equality. UN General Assembly Resolution 2625 also noted some elements directly related to the right of self-defense including [e]ach State enjoys the rights inherent in full sovereignty and [t]he territorial integrity and political independence of the State are inviolable Self-defense is further recognized as an inherent right of states according to the Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Self-defense, however, is not an unlimited right; any military action done in self-defense must be both necessary and proportionate to the threat at hand, according to customary international law. As a recognized element of self-defense, proportionality serves a prominent role for the very existence of the Irans missiles program since Iran is a country has been surrounded by notorious non-governmental armed organizations, such as Islamic State, the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and so forth. In addition, Irans political rivals in the international community, especially Saudi Arabia and Israel in the Middle East, already have been armed to the teeth by the US. These three countries (also main critics of the JCPOA and Iran missiles program), have the most mass destructive weapons and arsenals in scale and amount. According to the latest research conducted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US and Israel stand among top major arms exporters (US: #1; Israel: #10) and states with highest military expenditure (US: #1; Israel: #15). Additionally, Saudi Arabia is the second largest importer of arms after India. Furthermore, Israel has its own nuclear arsenal, and it is officially confirmed that the 2017 United States-Saudi Arabia arms deal is one of the biggest arms deals in history.

It is also worth mentioning that the territorial integrity of Syria, Palestine and Lebanon has been violated by Israel, and that Yemen has been attacked by Saudi Arabia. On the other side, after the Iran-Iraq War, Iran has not resorted to its military or directly engaged in any international armed conflict.

Obviously, taking advantages of available military mechanisms is the main means of self-defense. Therefore, depriving a country from its inherent right of self-defense is not acceptable and logical at all. In line with this argument, there are two worthy opinions against depriving a country from its inherent right of self-defense.

First, the ICJ, in its 1996 advisory opinion on Legality of the Use by a State of Nuclear Weapons confesses that:

[T]he Court cannot conclude definitively whether the threat or use of nuclear weapons would be lawful or unlawful in an extreme circumstance of self-defence, in which the very survival of a State would be at stake.

Second, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in its 1996 application concerning Application of The Convention on The Prevention And Punishment of The Crime of Genocide includes this request:

(m) that Security Council Resolution 713 (1991), imposing a weapons embargo upon the former Yugoslavia, must be construed in a manner that shall not impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the terms of United Nations Charter Article 51 and the rules of customary international law.

While the ICJ did not follow that request put forward by Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UNSC implicitly accepted the argument and has not taken any actions against the Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The criteria of the proportionality of self-defense, then, authorizes recourse to the attacks, of an equal or lesser amount than the initial attacks. In other words, Iran is at least able to develop its missiles program in proportion of the minimum level its neighbors have, especially, when considered in light of its position in the Middle East.

Nevertheless, Iran has been the subject of numerous rounds of UN sanctions for its weapons program, and a basis under international law to prevent its ballistic missile program has predated the JCPOA for decades.

Although the UN Charter states that there is no authorization for the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter but application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.

Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, Iran has been the subject of intense sanctions for many years. After the JCPOA was approved, the UN Security Council lifted the sanctions in Resolution 2231. In accordance with the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, Iran is forbidden from possessing ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. Contra rationem, there is no limitation or prohibition for Iran to establish ballistic missiles programs designed to be capable of delivering non-nuclear weapons.

Irans nuclear activities are observed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to the JCPOA, the Director General of the IAEA is responsible for the necessary verification and monitoring of Irans nuclear-related commitments. Furthermore, the Director General also is required to prepare and render regular reports, or emergency reports in case the Director General has reasonable grounds to believe there is an issue of concern directly affecting fulfillment of JCPOA commitments to both the IAEA Board of Governors and the UNSC. Any violation of the JCPOA will be reported to the UNSC, who would then take the necessary steps to ensure compliance, even though Irans commitment to the JCPOA is confirmed by Director General of the IAEA so far.

Besides, there is also the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) which restricts the sphere of influence of the Sovereign Equality related to the nuclear-related military development and research. Iran joined the NPT as well and declared to always respect the obligations therein.

From the foregoing, we can draw several conclusions regarding Irans ballistic missile program and its relationship to international law:

1. While the JCPOA was an innovation and strikes a balance between Irans peaceful nuclear activities and international communitys concerns, the USs aggressive acts against the JCPOA would lead to tear apart the peaceful and diplomatic mechanisms.

2. The United States and other countries and entities cannot impose any sanctions and limitations against the Iranian missile program, unless they act in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

3. According to Article 103 of the UN Charter and Article 2 of the Draft Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, neither any other international agreement, nor national rules and acts of states, can undermine obligations of the members of the United Nations. So, the US could not invoke national reports and national policies for restraining Irans missiles program and violate Resolution 2231 by its national legislation.

4. Based on the principles of Sovereign Equality and the inherent right of self-defense, not only there are no limitations against military development and research of missiles but also it is an inherent right and this is necessary for the very existence of a country.

Alireza Ranjbar, the founder of DIDAD (an Iranian legal news website) [Persian], is an expert in international humanitarian law, international dispute resolution, and peace studies. Additionally, he is a member of the Peace Studies Group at the Tehran Peace Museum and the Director of Education at the Iranian Association for United Nations Studies.

Suggested citation:Alireza Ranjbar, Irans Ballistic Missile Program from an International Law Perspective, JURIST  Academic Commentary, Dec. 31, 2017, http://jurist.org/forum/2017/12/Alireza-Ranjbar-iran-ballistic-missile.php

This article was prepared for publication by Sean Merritt, an Assistant Editor for JURIST Commentary. Please direct any questions or comments to him at commentary@jurist.org
The potassium cyanide that Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak used to commit suicide in court could not have been detected before he drank it, said the UN tribunal's internal probe released Sunday.

Praljak killed himself in front of UN judges in The Hague late last month, just seconds after they upheld his 20-year jail sentence for war crimes committed during Bosnia's 1990s conflict.

The 72-year-old was rushed to hospital, where he died the same day.

"There are no measures that would have guaranteed detection of the poison at any stage," Justice Hassan Jallow said in a statement.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) launched the inquiry earlier this month to shed light on how Praljak managed to bypass tight security to smuggle toxic liquid into the courtroom and commit suicide on November 29.

Preliminary results released following an autopsy showed that the Bosnian Croat commander died from heart failure after swallowing potassium cyanide during a court hearing broadcast live around the world.

"My review has not exposed any gaps or flaws in the ICTY legal framework with regard to the treatment of detainees at the UNDU (United Nations Detention Unit) and the ICTY premises" at the Hague, where Praljak was detained, Jallow said.

He added: "The small size of the object, the limitations in the rules on intrusive searches, and the nature of the screening equipment available at both the UNDU and the ICTY premises all contributed to making it difficult to detect the contraband."

Dutch prosecutors are still trying to determine how Praljak was able to obtain the vial of poison and bring it into court.

"It is not possible to conclusively state when and how the poison came into Mr. Praljak's possession," the judge said.

"It is important to note at the outset that there was no intelligence available to UNDU staff or ICTY staff in general, indicating that Mr. Praljak was in possession of the poison," he added.

In his report, Jallow also issued recommendations on search practices and training courses for security personnel to be shared with other courts.

Since Praljak's death, Croats have paid multiple tributes to the late general, laying flowers and lighting candles in town squares in Croatia and Bosnia.

Praljak, who worked in film and theatre before joining the military, remains a hero to many Croats despite his conviction.

About 2,000 people filled the main concert hall where his memorial was held this month, while hundreds more crowed into the building's entry and hallways to watch on giant screens.
SCOTTSBLUFF  What a year it has been.

Before stepping off into 2018 to continue the hunt for stories that showcase agriculture in Western Nebraska and Eastern Wyoming, its worth taking a look back at the top stories which caught the readers attention in 2017.

Since June 2017, approximately 16,000 visitors spent close to 283 hours viewing 242 articles published in our Farm and Ranch section, according to audience data and content analytics provided by the website Parse.ly.

1) Grazing sheep and cattle side by side (http://bit.ly/2CdyyYo)

From Septembers Expanded Farm & Ranch Edition, the story of how Brock Terrell of rural Hay Springs came into the sheep market almost by accident captured a lot of folks imaginations. About 625 readers spent 1,500 minutes reading this story. Once the story was shared to Facebook, it seemed to take off, getting shares from the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and Texas A&M AgriLifes Sheep and Goat Extension.

Terrell gave a presentation on his familys farm located in Mirage Flats south of Hay Springs during the Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Associations Annual Meeting in Mitchell. I would like to extend my personal gratitude to Ivan Rush, Elysabeth Kierl, Connie Moore and the Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Association for the opportunity to go out and learn more about the industry.

2) Champion auctioneer guest sells at local sale barn (http://bit.ly/2E2283J)

Its not every day that you get to see the World Champion Livestock Auctioneer post up behind a microphone and strut their stuff, but the 27th annual Labor Day Sale at Torrington Livestock Markets in Torrington, Wyoming, was one such opportunity.

565 readers spent 478 minutes reading about Brian Curless, the 2017 champ, who showed off his skills on the first weekend in September.

Curless said that its the minute-by-minute price discovery that makes live auctions unique.

When multiple people express interest in bidding on livestock, you find out what those cattle are actually worth, versus a futures market, where prices are set almost arbitrarily.

Special thanks to Lex Madden, Torrington Livestock Markets, and The Livestock Marketing Association for bringing the story to my attention.

3) Louden returns to basics when stacking hay (http://bit.ly/2C0L8xq)

Jon Louden of Ellsworths quick-pinch solution to an equipment breakdown during the haying season brought back memories of simpler times for some readers.

Prior to the advent of more modern hay balers, large crews were needed in order to cut, rake, sweep and stack hay into 15- to 17-foot-tall loafs.

While stacking hay isnt as common-place as it once was in the Panhandle  mostly due to the difficulties of hauling stacks long distances  Louden paraphrased a Star Wars quote when referring to his preference for the method.

Its not as clumsy or random as a baler, he joked. Its an elegant way of haying from a much more civilized age.

And according to Parse.lys metrics, 542 readers spent almost 700 minutes reading about a more elegant way of haying.

4) Going West: Panhandle-transplant is a farmer of a different breed (http://bit.ly/2Dm6u4g)

The profile on how Bloomington, Minnesota-native Louis West found himself working as an organic farmer in Western Nebraska was probably one of my favorite stories this year. Wests age and outlook on agriculture provided some interesting insights.

After this story was published, West was cast as an extra for the Coen Brothers Netflix series, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and about 400 readers spent close to 890 minutes reading about him before he was famous.

I would like to thank West, and Beth Everett and Nathan Corymb of Meadowlark Hearth Farms for inviting me into their home and showing me around their place.

Sandra Hansens story about 13-year-old Huntley, Wyoming, honor student Clara Petersen, was read for about 400 minutes by 362 visitors to the Star-Herald website.

Petersen was one of 40 youth who were successful in the Catch-A-Calf contest at the 2017 National Western Stock Show in Denver, last January.

Petersen will take her calf to this years Stock Show, where she will participate in showmanship, present her record books, and give a speech on what shes learned from rearing the calf. If that calf is one of the top two animals, it will go on to a big prize sale during the show. You can expect a follow up story after the new year.

6) Decades of experience help Wyoming man make horses hooves fit as a fiddle (http://bit.ly/2C1dyr1)

Farrier Mike Sussex of Torrington, Wyoming, was one of the first people I met when I returned to western Nebraska in 2011, after four years of service in the United States Marine Corps. My dad and I had traveled down to Sussexs barn from Harrison with a mare Id bought after my grandfather, Bob Jordan, passed away in 2007. My mare had a hoof that had a gnarly crack in it and I was worried that it would render her permanently lame.

However, Sussex, with adept technique, clipped and shod my mare, ensuring that her foot would have the support it needed to heal up. Six years later, I jumped at the opportunity to head over to Torrington, and spend an afternoon watching him work.

350 Star-Herald readers spent more than 580 minutes reading about Sussexs love for the trade.

7) Nebraska Cattlemen worried by ELD Mandate (http://bit.ly/2DntErc)

According to Parse.ly, most readers found this story through a Google search, and it continues to be a hot-button issue. While attempts to get the ELD mandate halted through legislation have failed, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has granted ag haulers an exemption until the details with the rule have had sufficient public comment. To submit a comment to the FMCSA online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, put the docket number, (FMCSA-2017-0360) in the keyword box, and click Search. When the screen appears, click on the Comment Now! button.

8) Gering transplant Orin Larsen held his own through third consecutive NFR (http://bit.ly/2C19CXm)

This one came as a bit of a surprise, considering it was just published last week. As of Wednesday, 317 readers spent a total of 594 minutes reading about Orin Larsens secrets to success which have led him to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas for three years in a row. Im extremely grateful to Larsen for taking the time to sit down and visit with me, as well as Dan and Linda Hubbell of Hubbell Rodeo Photos in Casper, Wyoming, and Chitose Suzuki and Joel Angel Juarez of the Las Vegas Review-Journal for providing me with their fantastic shots of Larsen in action.

9) The show must go on: Tornado doesnt keep Liakos family from fair (http://bit.ly/2lim0Xu)

When I reached out to George Liakos in June (http://bit.ly/2l7XBVw), his family was picking up the pieces. They survived a tornado which decimated their home and several barns north of Bayard. But in spite of it all, they buckled down and 51 days later, were able to bring animals to show at the county fair. More than 300 people found their story to be worth a read.

10) Got milk? Kimball County home to an unusual dairy, (http://bit.ly/2BZlYil)

When you think of milk, your thoughts might drift to Holstein or Jersey cows, or goats. Even the off-varieties of plant-based milks like soy, almond or coconut might come to mind.

But sheep? For many, that thought wouldnt occur naturally.

In the United States today, there are only about 150 commercial sheep dairies  one of the largest of which is located just outside Bushnell in the southern corner of the Nebraska Panhandle.

This story, which was also featured in Septembers Expanded Farm and Ranch, was about Bill Halligans presentation at the Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Associations annual meeting in Mitchell. It attracted 267 readers, and Im hoping that this spring I can make time to go down and do a more in-depth feature on this unique Panhandle fixture.
Farmers in western Nebraska grow a number of pulse crops, grains that are harvested for their dry seed. Dry edible beans is the common example, which has long been a part of the crop rotation under irrigation.

In recent years farmers have been planting increasing acres of other pulses such as field peas, chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), black-eyed peas (cowpeas), and soybeans.

Growing and marketing these alternative pulse crops is the focus of a Pulse Crop Workshop scheduled for Jan. 17, 2018, at Prairie Winds Community Center in Bridgeport. The workshop will cover field pea, black-eyed pea, chickpea, soybean and fenugreek.

A group of Nebraska Extension specialists and educators are working with regional representatives of pulse crop industries to organize the workshop.

Farmers have expressed more interest in alternative pulse crops in recent years, according to Dipak Santra, Alternative Crops Breeding Specialist at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center.

But Santra said growers want more information about which varieties are best adapted to western Nebraska; what are the best agronomic practices; which weeds, insects and diseases might be threats; where they can deliver their harvest; and where the markets are headed for these crops.

This is a chance for farmers to learn what options are available to them for growing pulse crops outside of dry edible beans, which could provide them a benefit in their production system, according to Cody Creech, Dryland Cropping Systems Specialist at the Panhandle Center.

In addition to the recent expansion of field pea acres, Creech said, There are some interesting possibilities with chickpea and soybean production in the near future that could be of value to Panhandle producers.

More than anything, he said, the workshop will be an opportunity for producers to connect with industry representatives, interact with them, develop relationships and hopefully have their questions answered. There will be a vendors area.

Sponsors include Nebraska Extension, with a grant from North Central SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Program), and a number of partners from the regional pulse crop industry, including Pulse USA, Great Northern Ag, Jelinek Custom Cleaning, Prairie Sky Seed, Trinidad, and New Alliance.

The workshop is free to attend. Lunch and breaks will be provided so organizers do need to know how many people will be present. Attendees are asked to register by Jan. 12 by contacting the Cheyenne County Extension Office at Sidney. Either call the office at 308-254-4455 or email kdeboer1@unl.edu.

Questions can also be directed to Santra at 970-397-9817.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the first presentation begins at 9 a.m. The topics and presenters include:

 Variety trial of field pea, black-eye pea, and fenugreek (Dipak Santra, UNL Alternative Crops Breeding Specialist)

 Variety trial of chickpea (Carlos Urrea, UNL Dry Bean Breeding Specialist)

 Variety trial of soybean (Cody Creech, UNL Dryland Cropping Systems Specialist)

 Diseases of pea, chickpea, and black-eye pea (Bob Harveson, UNL Plant Pathologist)

 Pea and Fenugreek for Human Health (Kaustav Majumdar, UNL Assistant Professor in Food Science)

 Agronomy  planting date, plant population, weed management, and inoculation with Rhizobium (Cody Creech, UNL)

 Water use by pea in rotation with wheat (Xin Qiao, UNL Water and Irrigation Management Specialist)

 How pest and beneficial insects in wheat are affected by field peas vs. fallow rotation (Julie Peterson, UNL Extension Entomologist)

 3-5 Minute Rapid-Fire Industry Talks (Brad Hertel, Meridian Seeds; Emily Paul, Pulse USA; Shannah Plehal, Great Northern Ag; Courtney Schuler, Trinidad)

 Marketing pea in Nebraska (Jon Sperl, New Alliance)

 Marketing Chickpea and Lentil in Nebraska (Brian Jelinek, JCC Alliance)

 Fenugreek (Norm ODell, farmer at Alliance)

The conference will wrap up with a panel discussion, and at 2 p.m. participants can join a tour of the pea splitting facility at New Alliance plant in Bridgeport.
Hundreds of people hold candles in support and memory of Aubrey Berry, 4, and her sister Chloe, 6, during a vigil held at Willows Beach in Oak Bay, B.C., on Saturday, December 30, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Im really into second cities these days. For generations, Industrial Age powerhouses in Europe turned into what we would call the rust belt, while their elegant first city counterparts enjoyed the luster of the Information Age. But over the last decade or so, the rust has become a trendy accessory and industrial ruins have turned bohemian chic.

A prime example is Porto  the hub of Portugals north and the countrys second city. Just three hours from Lisbon by train, its fiercely proud of what distinguishes it from the Portuguese capital as it ages happily along the Douro River  along with most of the worlds port wine.

Spared by the 1755 earthquake that toppled Lisbon, Porto is charmingly well preserved. Block for block, it may be even more full of gritty, Old World charm than Lisbon. Houses with red-tiled roofs tumble down the hills to the riverbank, prickly church towers dot the skyline, mosaic-patterned stones line streets and flat-bottomed boats called rabelos ply the lazy river.

The city comes with a steady sea breeze and a seagull soundtrack. Being on the ocean, Porto has weather thats always changing. Youre likely to get sun and rain at the same time  causing the locals to exclaim, A widows going to remarry.

Porto offers two high-impact sightseeing thrills: the postcard-perfect ambience of the riverfront Ribeira district and the opportunity to learn more about  and taste  port wine that ages just across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia. (Aficionados of port  or of dramatic scenery  can use Porto as a springboard for visiting the nearby Douro Valley, where grapes grow on steep stone terraces.) Porto also features sumptuous Baroque churches and civic buildings, a bustling real-world market hall, atmospheric lanes of gloriously tiled houses, a variety of good restaurants, appealing boutiques and quirky but worthwhile museums.

The Ribeira (literally riverbank) district is the most colorful and touristy quarter. Strolling the Ribeira Embankment, while popping in and out of shops that line the way, is Portos best lazy-afternoon activity. Be sure to duck into the back streets where time-worn faces and once-dazzling facades seem to ferment into an intoxicating sip of port-for-the-eyes.

Downtown Porto is compact but steep, making distances seem longer. Foot-weary travelers take the Six Bridges cruises (operated by several different companies) that leave continually from the Ribeira riverfront. These relaxing one-hour excursions float up and down the Douro River, offering a fine orientation and glimpses of all of Portos bridges, including the majestic steel Ponte Dona Maria Pia designed by Gustav Eiffel, architect of Paris famous landmark.

For wine connoisseurs, touring a port-wine lodge  where the wine ages for years  and sampling the product is a must-see attraction. Port is a medium-sweet wine, usually taken as a digestif after dinner. For some, port is an acquired taste  but its one worth cultivating. As I always say, Any port in a storm ...

In the district of Vila Nova de Gaia there are 18 lodges open for touring and tasting. At any lodge, the procedure is about the same; travelers simply show up and ask for a tour. Sandeman, the most high-profile company, is sort of the Budweiser of port  a good first stop for novices. If you dont have much time, several tasting spots in downtown Porto are more convenient, though they lack the wine-cellar experience.

In addition to tasting wine, consider taking a food tour in Porto. These tours are trendy throughout Europe these days. Theyre timed for an early lunch or dinner, last around three hours, come with over a mile of walking and include four to eight stops. The tours are pricey, but if you think of them as a meal as well as a tour, they make the splurge easier to justify.

Porto natives are known as tripeiros (tripe-eaters), compared to Lisboans whove been dubbed cabbage-eaters, and you may encounter tripe stew on your food tour. Along with this local specialty, theres plenty of seafood and meat on Porto menus. A favorite sandwich is the francesinha, which is like a Portuguese French dip with a tomato-based sauce. Picnic sandwiches and scenic perches  for people-watching, views, or both  are easy to come by in lively Porto.

The towns two most famous foods  tripe stew and a quadruple-decker sandwich drenched in sauce  say it all: This place is unpretentious. Locals claim theyre working too hard to worry about being pretty. As an oft-repeated saying about Portuguese cities goes, Coimbra studies, Braga prays, Lisbon parties ... and Porto works.

Portugals second city is ever-changing, often chaotic and worth a visit now more than ever. Whether youre enjoying Ribeiras riverfront promenade, cruising the Douro or sampling port in this port town, Porto gives you a fine taste of authentic Portuguese culture.
Editors note: This is the third segment of our three-part series with Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian. Part one is available here. Part two here.Editors note: This is the third segment of our three-part series with Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian. Part one appeared in Fridays paper; part two was in Saturdays paper.

Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian said hes ready for 2018, a year he expects to be transformative.

Its exciting, said Antaramian, who spoke with the Kenosha News Thursday afternoon in his office. This is a remarkable place to live. I dont think people really realize how neat Kenosha is and how unique it is.

I used to always call us a diamond in the rough, and we are a diamond in the rough. Theres so much potential here.

Antaramian, 63, offered his hopes for 2018.

There are lots of things we can do in this community, he said. People should be proud of what has happened in the community. Weve changed dramatically over the years. We continue to change, and I think well continue to change for the better. We have our issues, just like any community, but I think weve done a better job than most places in dealing with those issues.

Q: Kenosha saw some of the worst flooding in its history this year. Whats being done to prevent catastrophic flooding?

A: Shortly well have the mapping done, and then the next step is looking at the different areas and what we have to do to start fixing this. If you look at the CIP (Capital Improvement Plan), youll see a five-year plan ... to start implementing different programs to try and deal with the flooding that occurred.

Its not a fast process, and its a difficult issue. You want to make sure that what you do to solve a problem in one spot does not cause an issue in another spot.

This next year well start looking at implementation and implement as we go forward. Every year we will be implementing part of a plan to ... deal with the drainage issue better.

But I always try to remind everyone: I cannot, no one can, design for certain storms. If you have a storm thats going to drop 10 inches of rain on the city of Kenosha in two hours, there is nothing you can do in a two-hour period of time for 10 inches of rain.

Q: Is it the worst natural disaster youve seen here?

A: Actually the tornado we had in January 2008 was one of the stranger things Ive ever seen. First off it was in January, and you dont get tornadoes in January. The weather went from very cold to almost 70 degrees. It was the strangest thing.

But the flooding is up there when it comes to damage. The amount of water unleashed was huge. It was the worst storm weve had.

Q: When will the Chrysler cleanup effort be complete?

A: Its got another year of cleanup if everything works right.

Q: Do you have any plans for a low-barrier shelter to replace First Step?

A: No. I think what we have done with the Shalom Center and with KHDS (Kenosha Human Development Services) and with some of the other programs that are out there, I dont know that this will be necessary. Well see how it goes this year, but at the present time I dont see that. Theres always needs that people are going to have, and its important for the countys departments to work on those type of things, and Im sure that they will.

Q: You mentioned infrastructure. What do you hope gets done next year?

A: Infrastructure is going to be a major player in everything we do in the next 10 years. It just has to be. We have a huge amount of road infrastructure that needs to be done. Lakefront infrastructure needs to be fixed.

Regrettably, Im not counting on the feds. Everyones talking about a new infrastructure bill. If it happens it will be wonderful, but regrettably ... because of the hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, were in a situation where all those funds will be shifted down there and not in the Great Lakes. Were going to have to figure out ways of doing this on our own, and we will.

The revetment walls are failing. You see one at Southport that has already failed. Sometime next year well transfer funding, as soon as we figure out how were going to do these things, to get that fixed.

Over the years, theres some money in the budget to start fixing the revetment walls.

Q: How about 22nd Avenue?

A: 22nd Avenue is funded. Well get that done  89th Street to 15th Street.

Thats going to be a major piece. Its going to take like seven years. Thats why I say none of this happens fast. 60th Street is another large piece thats going to take four years to do, from 39th Avenue to (Highway) 31. Its just too big to do in seconds.

These are in the budget and are ready to go.
Natalie Troha is not a proud person.

She does however, have a lot of pride in Kenosha.

And, it turns out, Kenosha is mighty proud of her, too. For her longtime efforts to improve the Kenosha community, Troha has been named Kenosha News Person of the Year.

Troha, 72, is best known for her investment of time and energy into raising money for the Boys & Girls Club  33 years worth, to be exact.

From 1994 until this fall, Troha headed up Pride of Kenosha, an annual gourmet food and wine-tasting benefit. During this time, it is estimated that she helped raise $600,000 for the organization.

For 10 years prior, she co-facilitated another Boys & Girls Club fundraiser known as the Celebrity Luncheon.

She has a heart for kids who dont have necessities, said Jake McGhee, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club.

She has a passion to see potential in every child, Kenosha resident Mary Gullo wrote in a statement to the News nominating Troha. She instills confidence through love, patience and determination in helping children.

Said Wally Graffen, former Boys & Girls Club director who worked closely with Troha: Shell do anything she can to help the children of Kenosha and to make Kenosha a better place.

For Troha, however, recognition for her good works is secondary to the work itself.

Whatever Ive done is because its something I wanted to do to be helpful, said Troha in a recent interview at her home on Kenoshas south side.

In addition to raising funds and awareness for the Boys & Girls Club, Troha has helped at her childrens schools, as a religious education instructor at her parish and as a supporter of other local charities.

Mother to all

Troha traces her impetus for volunteering to the role of which she is most proud: mother.

Married to Dennis Troha on June 10, 1967, Natalie made homemaking her primary vocation.

I had five children in seven years  and those were cloth diaper years, she said.

While her children were young, Troha volunteered at their schools, helping out in the classroom, the library and even in the nurses office.

We just called that donating our time, she said.

For five years she ran the ninth-grade formal dinner dance at Lance Junior High School. I used my skills in cooking and setting tables, she said.

To get by during the early, financially lean days of married life, Troha found ways to be economical.

Its a good thing I knew how to make spaghetti, she said, with a nod to her Italian roots.

Helping others

Soon, however, she sought ways to help others during their lean times too, scouring garage and estate sales for clothing to donate to Women and Childrens Horizons.

She also began reaching out to children in need through the Boys & Girls Club, then located in a former church on 45th Street.

Her rationale then as now was to improve the lives of all children.

There are a lot of kids out there that just need nurturing and support and someone to just make them feel worthy, she said.

Trohas early volunteer efforts included making meals  enough pasta and chocolate cake for 283 children  to take to the club for distribution to students at area schools.

After the new facility on 52nd Street was built, Troha taught cooking classes to school-age children.

I showed them how to make sauce from scratch to learn how to take care of themselves, she said.

From Luncheon to Pride

Trohas first formal fundraising endeavor for the club was the Celebrity Luncheon in the early 1980s, an annual fundraiser coordinated with Graffen and Mary Lou Mahone.

When attendance began to dwindle after 10 years, Troha and Graffen came up with the Pride of Kenosha.

The idea behind the popular event was to help children while showcasing the best of Kenoshas food offerings, Troha said.

Each year for 23 years she would personally contact Kenoshas pride  independently owned supper clubs, pizzerias and bakeries  for donations of their wares.

They never let us down, even in the tough (economic) times, she said.

Ardis Mahone Mosley, who met Troha through her mother, Mary Lou Mahone, said, When you work with Natalie, you learn just what is needed to put (an event) together.

McGhee agreed that Trohas efforts were above and beyond. It was not just her name attached to the event, but her effort attached to the event, he said.

True to her faith

Much of what Troha does is motivated by her religious faith.

For many years she was a member of St. Marys Catholic Church, and when she and Dennis moved to Kenoshas north side, they attended Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church. There, for 25 years she taught catechism education, 20 of those to high school students.

She also helped these students find outlets for which they could fulfill the community service required of the curriculum.

When asked what motivated her to teach, she said, It was just from my heart; faith and family.

Through church Troha also conducted holiday meal drives and collected warm winter clothing for kids attending the Boys & Girls Club.

Monetary support

In addition to her hands-on contributions, Troha and her husband have been generous financial benefactors to agencies and social causes throughout Kenosha for many years.

My belief is that God gives you things to see what you are going to do with them, she said. So in our case God has given us some extra money; either we hoard it or we help other people. We chose to help other people.

Helping people in the community is something Troha attributes in part to her Italian background. She recalled making food for her sons fraternity brothers in Whitewater, then continuing to do so for years after he graduated.

My life has been involved with food and kids, mostly kids. When I reflect back on my life, it all goes back to doing something for kids, starting with my family.

She said she gets great satisfaction from seeing kids who have succeeded with help from the Boys & Girls Club. They have a chance in life, and if people dont reach out and help, they wont have that chance.

Humble in her work

Those who know Troha speak also about her humility.

She is so soothing yet forceful, loving, relentless, always putting others first, giving without making a issue, said Mosely.

On a personal note, she added, To be loved by Natalie Troha is to be loved by an angel.

Troha said she has a hard time dealing with public recognition, noting that doing good deeds and then moving on is part of her process.

In life you need to give your time to people, any talents you have to offer, and, if you have any treasures, share them with other people to make their lives better, she said.

It was more than just a financial commitment, said McGhee. I dont think the Boys & Girls Club would be here if it werent for Natalie and Dennis.

Accolades for her public work aside, Troha emphasized that her pride is her family. My husband, my children and my 14 grandchildren; I like being a good example to them and seeing them turn out so well.

Said McGhee: Shes a sweet woman who had a calling to give back.
Kilkenny gave a collective sigh of relief when it emerged Waterfords attempted landgrab had failed.

At the start of April the then Minister for Planning, Housing and Local Government, Simon Coveney announced that the proposed boundary changes recommended by the Boundary committee would not be considered - Stopping Waterfords attempt to secure 5,000 Kilkenny acres in its tracks.

Minister Coveney made his announcement prior to attending a constituency meeting of the Fine Gael party at the Rhu Glenn, Sieverue, in the heart of the disputed territory.

Meanwhile following a number of incidents of animal cruelty approximately 250 people took to the streets of Kilkenny in a peaceful protest. Local woman, Suzi Whyte organised the protest to highlight the importance of animal welfare. Animal rights campaigners also met with local politicans to discuss what can be done at a local level to prevent any further incidents of animal cruelty.

In a positive news story The Kilkenny People on how Maisie Pepper, a three-legged dog who was found starving and abandoned has been nursed back to good health.

Later on in the month exciting new plans were announced for Castlecomer Discovery Park - a non-for-profit social enterprise in the north of the county.

After some controversy people also were given the chance to run over St Francis Bridge, prior to the official opening.

The race, which unoffically launched the citys new bridge, saw more than 400 people line up for the start gun at the top of the new road linking the Castlecomer Road to Wolfe Tone Street.

In April the Kilkenny Rose was also selected and she was an incredibly popular choice. Tara Roche was announced the Kilkenny Rose for 2017 at the selection night at the Ormonde Hotel.

It was also announced in April that an extraordinary women, living in Kilkenny, born in Poland, educated in London and with a lifelong love of France was to receive a knighthood.

Dr Therese White, an anaesthetist at Aut Even Hospital is to be honoured by the French governement and was made a member of The Ordre des Palmes Academiques. Therese White is the president of Alliance Francaise in Kilkenny.

More good news was announced in April with plans unveiled for a new monument to honour James Hoban. The world-renowned architect, who hailed from Cuffesgrange, famously designed the home of the US President in Washington DC. The monument will be located at the top of Green Street.
ZULFIQAR AHMAD & ALI HUSSAIN



ISLAMABAD: The secret rendezvous between Saudi high-ups and the Sharif brothers has triggered speculations that a deal similar to controversial NRO is in the offing in order to give some relief to the beleaguered Sharif family facing multiple graft cases in wake of the Panama Papers case verdict.



The rumours of a possible deal intensified further after disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took a flight from Lahore to Jeddah on Saturday as his younger brother Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif is already in the Kingdom.



The opposition parties are somewhat convinced that as usual, the Sharifs are eying the Saudis to help them out in striking a deal with the powerful Pakistani establishment. At the same time, they have also geared up efforts to further up the ante in their struggle against the government to stop it from bringing in any foreign power in the internal matters of the country.



When contacted, disgruntled PML-N leader Zafar Ali Shah told Business Recorder that an NRO type deal could not be ruled out as the Sharifs are in serious trouble given the corruption cases against them in different courts.



He also said the Sharifs are trying to sort out some corruption cases which have reportedly surfaced in Saudi Arabia after the kingdom launched a crackdown on its billionaire princes with whom the Sharifs had business ventures during their exile.



At the same time, he also described the unusual development as a mystery, saying one can expect anything from the meeting  an NRO type amnesty or something related to the ongoing corruption investigation in Saudi Arabia where the Sharifs might have some involvement.



Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who has already demanded early elections, warned that any deal to save the Sharifs from facing the accountability will force his party to take to the streets.



In an emergent meeting chaired by Imran Khan, the party expressed serious concern over the situation and vowed to resist any such deal, saying: No country  whether the US or Saudi Arabia  no NRO type amnesty will be acceptable.



The Sharifs have no other option but to return the plundered wealth of the nation, said Imran.



A similar concern was shown by Opposition Leader in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah who plainly stated that internal issues of Pakistan must not be taken to Saudi Arabia for resolution and instead they should be resolved at home.



Senator Mukhtar Dhamra of PPP told Business Recorder that the Sharif brothers have a track record of striking controversial deals through Saudi royals whenever they are in trouble.



But we will never ever allow any such deal as the Sharifs should also face the accountability if Nawaz Sharif is truly following an ideology which he claims despite all the contradictions, he added.



Another PPP leader, Chaudhry Manzoor, warned the powerful establishment to stay away from such controversies and let the accountability process take its course. He said that no one should escape the accountability process if he or she is facing serious corruption allegations like the Sharifs.




BENGHAZI, Libya, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Repairs were carried out on Saturday on a Libyan oil pipeline badly damaged by an explosion four days earlier, an engineer said.

The explosion on Tuesday about 130 km (80 miles) south of the Es Sider terminal, reducing output by an estimated 70,000-100,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to the National Oil Corporation (NOC). A picture sent to Reuters by the engineer, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media, showed workers attending to a stretch of exposed pipeline. Other photos posted online showed a new section of pipe being lowered into the ground by a digger.

The work on Saturday would be followed by testing, the engineer said. It was not clear how long it would take for production to be restored.

Waha Oil Co, which operates the pipeline, has described the cause of the explosion as a "terrorist attack", without giving details.

(Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli, writing by Aidan Lewis; editing by Diane Craft)
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High around 25F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 16F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
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.
A still capture from the film Haewon / Courtesy of Gu Ja-hywan



By Choi Ha-young



In 2013, film director Gu Ja-hywan recalled the forgotten deaths of those who were killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, in his documentary film "Red Tomb." Four years later, Gu is back with his new movie "Haewon," as a follow-up.





Gu Ja-hywan
WTFM founder Kim Bum-ju poses during an interview with The Korea Times at The Shilla Seoul on Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



By Chyung Eun-ju

A crew of artful painters has been brightening Seoul with giant works of art. The vivid paintings appear as multistory murals on the sides of hotel buildings and in subway stations. This revolutionary art is the work of Korean and foreign artists under the watchful eye of up-and-coming art collector Kim Bum-ju.

"There's something beautiful about this kind of street art; random graffiti on the wall can really become a great painting that vitalizes the regional environment," Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times at The Shilla Seoul.

Kim, 32, works at transforming urban landscapes into artists' playgrounds that could potentially reshape how people imagine.





Kim hosted the opening party "PAPERCUT : in collaboration with POW! WOW! KOREA" on Sept. 25 at Backroom, Hannam. / Courtesy of WTFM

"So many answers are so fixed in Korea," he said. "We are trying to make a more creative environment for the future generation so that they don't just do what they are taught."





Kim and his team collaborated with the clothing brand bySeries. / Courtesy of WTFM

"People draw or think what they see or hear. The more you hear and see, the more you can broaden your world of creativity."

Kim aspires to be the key bridging Korean and global artists. He founded his agency, What the Fun Man (WTFM), on Nov. 2016 and has already organized seven exhibitions while managing three artists and collaborating with four.

WTFM collaborated with several trendy brands, including New Balance and bySeries, in remaking designs with bold graphics.

"Current trends on living products are influenced by street art these days, which creates more exposure to make a creative environment," Kim said.

His exhibitions and street murals have attracted the attention of several organizations, including Seoul Metro, and city officials. And a project is already in the works to spruce up Itaewon streets with a mix of graffiti and fine art.

Kim has directed a project called Y-Valley  in collaboration with Seoul Metro and sponsored by Korea Mecenat Association and Byucksan Enterprise  at Samgakji Station that displays a harmony between graffiti and fine art.

It features the delicate pieces of Min Kim, showcasing musical notes in a geometrically organized format, and PenKing's unique graphic characters, making for a visual feast.





Street art produced through the Y-Valley project at Samgakji Station. / Courtesy of WTFM



"Korea is still underdeveloped in terms of art and culture, which makes it difficult for artists to freely express themselves," Kim said. "Korean artists still have to be conscious of what other people will think.

"I want to change the way art should be perceived or expressed in Korea. Art should be liberal and pure."





Kim quickly gained a reputation for revolutionizing Seoul's streets as strategic manager for a large-scale global street art event called Pow!Wow! Korea. Ten murals were painted by renowned global artists over 10 days. Those participating included Tristan Eaton, Persue, Jasper Wong and Andrew Hem. (Video: https://vimeo.com/243758542

Paintings of Cryptik, left, and Xeva at Seoul Upcycling Plaza. / Courtesy of POW! WOW! KOREA



Kim, raised in an artistic family, has been passionate about art since grade school. While studying at King's College in London, he admired anonymous street artist Banksy and Korean media artist Baik Nam June.

Kim's drive to showcase unique artworks and redefine the art industry comes from his desire to "fix the things that I did not like when I was young."





Painting of a woman dressed in Hanbok in a mural in Sookmyung Women's Unversity Station by Royyal Dog. / Courtesy of POW! WOW! KOREA

His motivation dates to when he was studying at King's College, where he felt Korean traditional art was not properly recognized compared to Chinese or Japanese art.

"I wanted to work towards showing Korean art to the world," Kim said.

While walking along the River Thames in London's Waterloo district, he saw controversial street art that inspired him to bring street and contemporary art together.

After graduating university, Kim entered the corporate world but left after three years. He had always wanted to start his own business.

"After quitting, I was in an unstable way," Kim said. "I did not know what to do, but art comforted me."

After going to several art exhibitions on a trip back to London, and seeing the transformation of a ghetto area in Los Angeles into an art district full of murals, he returned to Korea to start WTFM.

He also operates a space for local artists called Backroom in Hannam. Its various artworks are not the kind of paintings exhibited in galleries around Korea.





The "Why Not" exhibition showcased limited edition shoes with street art by PenKing. / Courtesy of WTFM



Kim has a keen eye for unique, contemporary art. His exhibition "Why Not" showcased limited-edition sneakers of the 1980s to 2010s, such as Nike Air Force 1 and Jordan 1, with large graffiti paintings by PenKing. Exhibition visitors were encouraged to paint on the works, unlike galleries that prohibit touching artworks.

"Fun is the key value in life," Kim said. "People who have fun just learn even without being taught. We hope to spread the fun through the artworks we showcase."




By Yoon Ja-young



After the government hinted property taxes will be raised on real estate investors, the market is examining various scenarios of the tax revision.



During a briefing on economic policy directives for the next year, Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon said the government will comprehensively consider diverse factors such as equity in taxation.



"Since tax revision has a huge impact, it is crucial to have a discussion. We will prepare measures after gathering diverse opinions through a special committee," he said.



The official tax hike plan on homeowners is expected to be unveiled in August when the government announces its tax revision plans.



Raising property taxes has been regarded as the government's last hidden card to stabilize housing prices, as it had been cautious about the tax hike. Policymakers have trauma over tax hikes since they witnessed how the 2003-08 President Roh Moo-hyun administration was damaged by "comprehensive real estate tax." The Roh administration, whose ideology the Moon administration has inherited, introduced the tax to curb soaring housing prices, but it ended up losing votes due to strong resistance from taxpayers who criticized it as a "tax bomb."



Since the housing market shows signs of overheating, the administration seems to be left with no option but the property tax hike. Unlike previous administrations which tried to bolster the housing market to pull up economic growth, the Moon Jae-in administration has declared war on real estate speculators. On Aug. 2 it announced real estate stabilization measures, which include levying heavy capital gains taxes on those who have invested in multiple homes on top of restricting mortgages.



However, it failed to curb apartment prices in Seoul. According to Korea Appraisal Board, apartment prices in Seoul rose 3.82 percent between January and November this year, picking up pace from the previous year. Prices rose especially steep in southern districts where high-priced apartments are located.



"There has been polarization between Seoul and provinces following the Aug. 2 measures. Demand has always surpassed supply in Seoul as additional supply of homes is restricted there." said Chae Sang-wook, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment.



He added those who have invested in multiple homes in the provinces seem to be selling them to purchase one good apartment in Seoul instead, further pulling up the apartment prices in key areas of Seoul. Following the Aug. 2 measures, housing prices in Seoul rose 2.8 percent, while prices in other regions rose a mere 0.7 percent.



"If the polarization continues, it will hinder the government's real estate market stabilization policies. It may have to boost the real estate market in the provinces," he said.



Market watchers expect the Moon administration to target those who own multiple homes instead of raising overall property taxes since that would face strong resistance from homeowners.



On top of pressuring demand by raising property taxes, the government plans to stabilize the market by increasing the supply of new homes. The government unveiled its housing welfare roadmap, according to which 1 million homes will be supplied for the next five years through public sector companies such as the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH). It especially targets newlyweds, young people and low-income households.
Grand Hyatt Seoul



By Kim Se-jeong



If you have no plans for New Year's Eve, Seoul's luxury hotels are throwing countdown parties for your pleasure.



Grand Hyatt Seoul





The Grand Hyatt Seoul's annual countdown party takes place on the hotel's ice rink, Dec. 31.



The event will start at 10:30 p.m. with a skating performance by a local junior skating team and free skating time. At 11:50 p.m., the ice rink will turn into a countdown arena with all participants counting down the final 10 seconds to 2018 with fireworks. Entry to the countdown party costs 85,000 won per person, including tax. For information and reservations, call (02) 799-8520.



Conrad Seoul





The Conrad Seoul's countdown party will take place at the 37 Executive Lounge on the hotel's top floor. The lounge has a great view of the Han River.



A bottle of champagne, a platter of canapes and desserts will be served to each table, along with music by DJ Allzwell. This year's party is special in that party guests can make their own 2018 resolution cards with special calligraphy printed on them. The party will begin at 10 p.m. Dec. 31 through 1 a.m. Jan. 1 2018. A ticket to the venue costs 240,000 won per table and tax is included. For reservations and inquiries, call (02) 6137-7110.



Park Hyatt Seoul





The Park Hyatt Seoul's year-end party takes place at Timber House which will be filled with old movie soundtracks on vinyl records with unique analogue sound.



Guests will receive the Timber House's premium beverage _ sparkling wine and champagne _ and a box of high-quality cuisine. At the end of the meal, each guest will receive 10 Cuban mini cigars. The full course meal costs 250,000 won per person. If you want to replace wine and champagne with gin and vodka, the course will cost 500,000 won.

The Timber House opens at 7:30 p.m. for year-end party guests. For more information and reservations, call (02) 2016-1291 or 1234.



InterContinental Seoul COEX





Countdown party guests at the Sky Lounge at the InterContinental Seoul COEX will be able to watch the New Year bell-tolling ceremony and fireworks which take place at Bongeun Buddhist temple nearby.



The Sky Lounge on the hotel's 30th floor will offer a special liquor set in a private setting. Guests can also enjoy a snack buffet where they can enjoy various desserts and wines from 10:30 p.m. Dec. 31 till Jan. 1, 2018. The snack bar will also offer Tteokguk, rice cake soup, for the New Year. For more information and reservations, call the Sky Lounge at (02) 2320-8630.



The Westin Chosun Seoul





The Westin Chosun Seoul will broadcast the New Year's concert by the Vienna Philiharmonic Orchestra, Jan. 1, 2018. An exclusive concert and dinner event will begin at 5 p.m. with a multicourse meal accompanied by wine and sake.



The concert will be broadcast in the Grand Ballroom from 6:45 p.m. for 150 minutes. The music critic's interpretation of each piece and composers will be provided during the concert. The dinner price starts from 250,000 won. The broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year' concert has become the Westin Chosun's tradition since 2014.



The year 2018 marks the 77th anniversary of the philharmonic's New Year concert. The annual concert is broadcast internationally in more than 90 countries. For more information and reservations, call (02) 317-0220/0227.



Sheraton Seoul D Cube City





The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City's Lobby Lounge Bar will offer live crossover music and performances by bands throughout the night, Dec. 31. Included in the ticket is a glass of Moet & Chandon champagne, a special snack platter consisting of sashimi and seafood, jamon melon, Wagyu Beef Wellington, Christmas dessert and more. The guests will also receive a teddy bear as a New Year gift.



The hotel's buffet restaurant Feast also offers an all-you-can-eat snack buffet with unlimited draft beer and wine and steamed seafood, lamb chops, spicy noodles, assorted sushi and sashimi as well as strawberry desserts and more, Dec. 31. For more information and reservations, call (02) 2211-1740.



JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul





The JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul's rooftop bar, the Griffin, presents a luxury countdown party featuring a performance by social entertainer Jeremy Park, The Griffin's bartenders and chefs will serve a special menu of diverse cocktails, wine and cuisine.



Tickets cost 50,000 won per person, including tax and service charge. Admission will be free for Griffin members. For more information and reservations, call (02) 2276-3344.



Vista Walkerhill Seoul





The Vista Walkerhill Seoul premium social lounge Re:BAR's countdown party starts at 8 p.m., featuring performances by musicians Truedy, Microdot, MADK, Deletis and Sayah and Chic Angels, and DJs Lee Jae-won from H.O.T. and model Kim Ki-bum.



The tickets will costs 30,000 won per person for online advance reservations and 40,000 won at the door. Tax and service charges are included. A welcome drink will be provided. For more information, call (02) 2022-0333.


By Yearn Hong Choi





Art on Bangudae Petroglyph

How many Koreans know of the Bangudae Petroglyphs?



How many Koreans know the reservoir constructed for the city water supply put the petroglyphs under water where they could be damaged?



How many know the value of petroglyphs that are 6,000 to 7,000 years old?



No monetary value can be ascribed to them because the art on the rock panels is among the oldest in human history. Whaling scenes in the rocks are still vividly beautiful sculptures. The first whaling people lived on the southeastern shore of the Korean Peninsula. We should protect the Bangudae Petroglyphs with all our efforts, but no serious actions have been made. The drinking water supply to the Ulsan people is the prime task over the protection of this prehistoric cultural heritage of humankind.

My friend and poet, Lee Geon-chong, organized a unique poetry-art show as a campaign to educate people for protection and preservation of the Bangudae Petroglyphs. I am honored to join 35 other poets he invited for the presentation of their new poems matchable to significant works of art on the rock panels, whales and animals in the petroglyphs.



The exhibit of this poetry-art ensemble is going to the public in the Bangudae Petroglyphs Education Center near Bangudae. Senior Korean poetess Kim Nam-jo participated with her poem about whales. My poem is "Wolf."

The organizing committee assigned wolf to me. All poets who participated in this exhibit should make calligraphy with their poems with their own blushes with black ink on rice paper. I am the only poet outside of Korea due to my environmental policy advocacy role. As a matter of fact, I introduced Lee's book of poetry, "In Front of Bangudae Petroglyphs," to The Korea Times years ago. I have been warning of the danger to this prehistoric cultural heritage of humankind to the people in the United States, but so far in vain. I have been trying to reach the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society about the Bangudae Petroglyphs. We, as human beings, should protect our heritages beyond national boundaries.

I traveled to Peru and saw Nazca Lines and Petroglyphs. From the trip, I wrote a series of poems from Peru which included "Nazca Line" published in "Literature Consciousness" in its winter 2015 issue. "Nazca Line" was a mysterious work of art on the Peruvian desert. It could only be seen from the sky, so I flew in a Cessna to see it from above. It attracted tourists from all over the world. Archeologists and anthropologists estimated the Nazca Lines were drawn 2000 years ago as a possible religious service of the Nazca people to God. A hummingbird, a spider, a killer whale, flowers, trees and an astronaut-looking man were among the 12 petroglyph figures. One long line was 20 km. The total length of the lines and curves are more than 1,000 km. Why they were drawn in the desert can only be a guess _ disputable _ and it will remain so.

Bangudae works of art are known to be 6,000 to 7,000 years old. Some say they were done between 6,000 and 3,500 years ago. Unlike Nazca, there was no known civilization around Bangudae. However, I can imagine Bangudae was where a river met the sea where all kinds of wild animals flourished and later human beings settled. Whales were there long before human beings appeared on the Earth. The Bangudae works depict more than whales; all kinds of sea and land animals and fish are there. But whales and whale-hunting boats and tools attracted most of our attention.

There are 304 petroglyphs on a group of rocks on a branch of Taewha River flowing into the East Sea. The engravings of whales, deer and wolves were made in most cases by carving out the body, while those of land animals mostly consist of outlines and patterns drawn on the rock surface. The human figures are side views of the whole body with a somewhat exaggerated penis or front images of people with mask-like faces spreading their four limbs. There are engravings of people hunting animals with a bow, raising their hands, and playing a long rod like musical instrument, recalling hunting and religious acts.

Bangudae petroglyphs are a collection of stone-age images of life on the seacoast wilderness, but the images of their whaling are masterpieces. Whales must have been their major source of food, oil and other necessities.

My poetic imagination naturally extends to Namsan, Gyeongju, Mt. Nam of Gyeongju, where all kinds of Buddhas were engraved on the mountains by Silla people between the sixth century and ninth century. The mountain as a whole is a museum.

Who knows? Silla Kingdom have originated from Bangudae and advanced by whale hunters to Gyeongju. But I am sure Bangudae people were the first whale hunters of human history. Most probably, this site was the worship place of the prehistoric people for harvesting whales and other sea and land animals. We have to explore the lost civilization around Bangudae. Whales are common figures in the seaside Bangudae and desert Nazca Petroglyphs, strange to say, at the least.

,

Now, I am presenting my wolf, one of 36 poems about the petroglyphs in the exhibit in Bangudae Petroglyphs Educational Center. Later, the exhibit may be continuing in Seoul and major cities in Korea. I hope this exhibit will go to the USA with modern poetry juxtaposing the 7,000-year-old petroglyphs and will be powerful enough to initiate action to stop further ruin of this national and international treasury under the dam water.

Wolf

Wolf howling at the moon

and his golden eyes against possible intruders to the village

in the night

to protect the people who slept like logs

after whaling all day in the blue sea

in front of their village

the first people who danced with the wolf

Dr. Choi is a poet and writer based in the Washington area.
People's Party Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo talks about the results of the party's poll, in which the majority supported his push for a merger with the center-right Bareun Party, during a press conference in the National Assembly, Sunday. / Korea Times photos by Bae Woo-han



Merger opponents likely to leave party



By Choi Ha-young



People's Party Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo has gained sufficient votes from his party members to back his drive to merge with the conservative Bareun Party. But the result has poured gasoline on the simmering factional conflict in the minor opposition party.



The anti-merger faction  18 out of 39 People's Party lawmakers  have vowed to oust the party leader. According to the party's election body, 23 percent of eligible members voted, higher than expected with the anti-merger faction boycotting the vote.



The election body said 74.6 percent of voters backed Ahn's merger bid, while 25.6 percent opposed it. To resolve the factional dispute over the merger with the conservative party, Ahn took a confidence vote, saying he would resign from the post if a majority disapproved.



After the vote, Ahn called for an end to the internal conflict.



"Additional debate is pointless in view of about 75 percent of pro-merger party members," Ahn said at a press conference after the vote result was announced. "I will accelerate the merger drive without hesitation."



He reiterated the need for a centrist party with nationwide support.



"We should launch an innovative party, joining hands with the reformist conservative Bareun Party," he said. "Let's put an end to the collusion between the outdated liberals and the broken conservatives."



The People's Party is largely based in the Jeolla provinces, the liberals' traditional home turf which most of the anti-merger lawmakers represent. The Jeolla lawmakers have rejected the merger, citing the liberal supporters' hostility toward the Bareun Party, which was formed by those who split from the Saenuri Party, which itself became the large conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP).



For Ahn, a merger with the Bareun Party is the last resort to turn the tables in local elections slated for June. Without the merger, the two minor parties would have limited chances of continuing, Ahn said.



"Without a merger, the People's Party will perish on the fringes of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, and the Bareun Party will be absorbed into the LKP," he said.



However, since the vote, the anti-merger faction's opposition has grown.





The anti-merger faction of the People's Party calls for Ahn's resignation at a separate press conference, Sunday. / Korea Times photos by Bae Woo-han
Solar panels for a photovoltaic energy plant in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. / Korea Times file



By Ko Dong-hwan



South Korea's province producing the most renewable energy needs to develop more ways to do this because it still largely relies on environmentally toxic methods.



South Jeolla province was selected the nation's most efficient region in producing energy without using fossil fuels, accounting for 22 percent of the nation's entire renewable energy output in 2016. The province generated 3,034,387 tons of oil equivalent (TOE), according to Korea Energy Agency's New and Renewable Energy Facilities on Sunday.



Among the generated renewable energy in the province, waste-turned-energy accounted for 82 percent. This process generates energy in the form of electricity or heat from the primary treatment of waste. But the method is environmentally hazardous, contributing to pollution such as aerial particulates generated during incineration.



The paradoxical result of renewable energy generation has emboldened the South Korean government's energy policies for the coming years. In its "Implementation Plan for the 3020 Renewable Energy," the Moon Jae-in administration recently promised to lower biomass and waste and increase photovoltaic and wind as energy sources.





A wind-power plant with 3 megawatts capacity in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, produces 6,477 megawatts per hour, providing for about 2,200 households a year. / Korea Times file
Ri Pyong-chol, left, and Kim Jong-sik are reportedly among Kim Jong-un's most trusted aides. / Reuters-Yonhap



The United States on Tuesday sanctioned two senior North Korean officials for their involvement in the regime's illicit ballistic missile program.

The Treasury Department said in a press release it has designated Kim Jong-sik and Ri Pyong-chol, both belonging to the Munitions Industry Department of the North's Workers' Party of Korea. Any of their property within U.S. jurisdiction is blocked and American citizens are generally banned from engaging in transactions with them.

Kim is reportedly a key figure in the North's ballistic missile development, involved in efforts to switch from liquid to solid fuel, while Ri is a lead official in the country's development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Treasury said.

"Treasury is targeting leaders of North Korea's ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate the DPRK and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula," Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in the statement, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea launched a new ICBM on Nov. 29, claiming it can carry a nuclear warhead to anywhere on the U.S. mainland. The regime's latest nuclear test was in September, involving what it claimed to be a hydrogen bomb.

"These actions follow Friday's United Nations Security Council Resolution, which imposed strong new sanctions on North Korea further shutting down its ability to raise illicit funds," Mnuchin added.

The resolution, which came in response to the November test, seeks to slash exports of refined petroleum products to North Korea by 89 percent. It passed unanimously with backing from China and Russia, two veto-wielding council members that have traditionally been reluctant to increase sanctions on Pyongyang.

In a phone call Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his U.S. counterpart, Rex Tillerson, that it is "necessary to move from the language of sanctions to the negotiating process as soon as possible," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, according to AFP.

Lavrov also "highlighted that it is unacceptable to exacerbate tensions around the Korean peninsula with Washington's aggressive rhetoric toward Pyongyang and increasing military preparations in the region."

Tensions have run high as U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have engaged in a war of words. In the wake of the North's first two ICBM tests in July and its sixth nuclear test in September, Trump threatened to unleash "fire and fury" and "totally destroy" the regime if necessary.

Pyongyang has responded with various threats, including detonating a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean.

The U.N. Security Council adopted two sets of sanctions in response to the North's weapons tests in July and September.

Friday's resolution requires U.N. member states to repatriate North Korean overseas workers within 24 months. Their income is believed to be extorted by Pyongyang to fund the nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

It also bans imports of North Korean food, agricultural products, minerals, machinery and electrical equipment to deprive the regime of at least US$200 million in annual export revenues.

Both Kim Jong-sik and Ri were blacklisted in the resolution. (Yonhap)
This is the first in a series of interviews with international experts on Korea to discuss pending issues surrounding the nation on the occasion of the beginning of 2018  ED.



U.S., S. Korea urged to be more aggressive on N. Korea's cyber attacks



By Kim Jae-kyoung



China should play a bigger role in reining in North Korea if it doesn't want to see the deployment of more U.S. missile defense batteries here, according to a renowned North Korea expert based in the U.S.



He said that President Moon Jae-in should take a more sophisticated approach toward China to achieve dual goals  preserving the nation's right to self-defense and restoring strained relations with China.



"The Moon administration needs to walk a very fine line, insisting as a matter of principle that it has a right to self-defense while exploring defensive options that suit the circumstances," said Stephan Haggard, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, in an interview.



Haggard is the director of the Korea-Pacific Program at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy.



He said there are plenty of other defensive systems that South Korea might explore beyond the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system calling for the Moon administration to do as it sees fit.



"What the U.S. worries about is not THAAD per se, but Beijing's perception that it can dictate defense policy to Seoul or to any country in the region," he said.



"If China wants to reduce the need for systems such as THAAD it should continue to work closely with the U.S., South Korea and the other five parties on the North Korea problem."



He downplayed concerns that Moon is tipping the diplomatic balance in favor of China over the U.S.



From his perspective, the U.S. has an interest in seeing a positive, forward-looking China-South Korea relationship but there will always be tension if Beijing seeks to use its political and economic weight to pressure Seoul or to weaken the alliance.



"I see this as something that Korea simply has to manage on an ongoing basis, not as a problem that can be definitively solved unless China shifts ground," he said.



Haggard, who also serves as visiting fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, dismissed criticism that Moon's two-track policy toward North Korea  seeking dialogue and imposing sanctions at the same time  was wrong.



He believes that Moon's strategy is actually not different from that of the Trump administration except for subtle points of emphasis, such as a willingness to participate in humanitarian aid.



"Both the U.S. and Korea are currently pursuing a strategy that relies on both pressure and a willingness to talk," he said.



Declaring red lines is a mistake'



On a question of what should be a red line North Korea should not cross, the North Korea expert said, "Declaring red lines is a mistake."



"The only red lines that need to be made clear, and I think the Trump administration has actually been clear on this, is that the U.S. stands ready to respond in full force to any attack on our allies," he said.



Haggard has said Washington and Seoul should be more aggressive about Pyongyang's cyber attacks.



The Trump administration has officially blamed Pyongyang for carrying out the May 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack, which had significant material effect in Britain and elsewhere.



"The U.S., South Korea and Japan should be seriously considering not only defensive responses to such actions but offensive actions, showing North Korea that the US and its allies have the power to disrupt as well as defend," he said.



He expects that the Kim Jong-un regime will continue to conduct missile and nuclear tests but the pace will slow.



"North Korea has been saying that it is close to completing its nuclear deterrent. This could mean a slowdown in testing and even a pause, which could open a window for negotiation," he said.



"But given the investment they have made and the status of the program within the domestic political economy, I am doubtful that they are interested in denuclearization unless forced to shift as a result of outside pressure," he added.



Haggard remains positive about the possibility of talks between Washington and Pyongyang.



He said that the U.S. has channels to the North Koreans, and has almost certainly communicated with them.



"Despite the rhetoric, I honestly believe that the Trump administration would be willing to return to negotiations, even swiftly."



Freeze-for-freeze not impossible'



The problem in his view is that the U.S. has no interest in talks that do not include a commitment to denuclearization, even if other issues such as sanctions relief, a peace regime or security assurances are on the table.



He said that China's "freeze-for-freeze" proposal to simultaneously halt North Korean nuclear and missile testing and joint military exercises by South Korea and the U.S. can be an option for finding a breakthrough.



"Ideas such as the freeze for freeze are not impossible if embedded in a clear path to meaningful talks," he said.



Haggard said that regardless of North Korea's nuclear capabilities, the U.S. will never accept that the reclusive country is a de facto nuclear power as this would undermine the Non-Proliferation Treaty.



He explained that through deterrent and defensive actions, the U.S., Korea and Japan are seeking to neutralize the risks associated with the North's nuclear weapons program.



"Maintaining these capabilities, including through cooperation with U.S. alliance partners, is an aspect of getting North Korea to the table and of seeking to uphold the Non-Proliferation Treaty," he said.


A Hong Kong-flagged vessel has been seized and inspected by South Korean authorities after secretly transferring oil to a North Korean vessel in international waters in a ship-to-ship transfer prohibited by the United Nations Security Council, government officials said Friday.



South Korean customs authorities took and searched the vessel, Lighthouse Winmore, when it entered the country's Yeosu Port on Nov. 24 after transferring 600 tons of refined petroleum to a North Korean vessel on Oct. 19, the officials said.



UNSC Resolution 2375, adopted in September, bans member countries from ship-to-ship transfer of any goods for North Korea. Resolution 2397, adopted just a week earlier allows a country to capture and look into a vessel suspected of engaging in prohibited activities with North Korea.



The Hong Kong-flagged ship was chartered by Taiwanese company Billions Bunker Group and previously visited South Korea's Yeosu Port on Oct. 11 to load up on Japanese refined petroleum and head to its claimed destination in Taiwan four days later, the authorities noted.



Instead of going to Taiwan, however, the vessel transferred the oil to a North Korean ship, the Sam Jong 2, and three other non-North Korean vessels in international waters in the East China Sea, they said.



"The actions taken will be reported to the UNSC sanctions committee on North Korea in the future," according to the authorities. "This marks a typical case of North Korea shrewdly circumventing UNSC sanctions by using its illegal networks."



The officials said South Korea has shared intelligence with the U.S. for the detection of the illegal transaction.



In their search of the seized vessel, South Korean authorities secured navigation logs and testimony from the crew that the oil transaction was ordered by the Taiwanese group through the vessel's caption. But motive of the transaction with North Korea is not known, the officials noted.



South Korea will be keeping the Hong Kong-flagged vessel for about six months, during which time Hong Kong is expected to file a request for the ship's release with the UNSC's sanctions committee on North Korea.



The U.S. has reportedly called on the UNSC to blacklist 10 ships for engaging in proscribed trade with North Korea although China and Russia are opposed to that. Lighthouse Winmore was reportedly one of the 10 targeted ships. The Security Council sanctions committee will make a decision on the request on Friday (New York time), according to the officials. (Yonhap)




By Yi Whan-woo



The government has seized a Chinese vessel suspected of transporting oil products to a North Korean ship in international waters, in violation of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions, a foreign ministry official said Friday.



The official said a Hong Kong-flagged vessel, named Lighthouse Winmore, secretly transferred 600 tons of refined petroleum products to a North Korean ship on Oct. 19.



South Korean customs have been inspecting the ship after it entered port at Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, on Nov. 24.



"UNSC sanctions on Pyongyang prohibit any ship-to-ship transfer with North Korean vessels," the official said.



Lighthouse Winmore was chartered by a Taiwanese investment firm _ Billions Bunker Group.



It previously entered Yeosu on Oct. 11 to load up on refined petroleum products.



It was supposed to deliver the products to Taiwan. But it instead transferred them to four ships, including a North Korean vessel, according to South Korean customs.



The foreign ministry said it will take relevant measures before filing a report to the UNSC.



"The case shows how North Korea has been dodging UNSC sanctions through its illegal trade network," a ministry official said.



The incident came after the United States found Chinese vessels transferring petroleum products to North Korean ships in international waters up to 30 times since October.



The UNSC is currently examining the illegal trafficking cases, according to the foreign ministry.


Jihyun, arrived in the UK in 2008



When I was in North Korea, we had to listen closely to the yearly address by Kim Il-sung or Kim Jong-il. Then, on January 3, we had to prove in self-criticism sessions that we had understood. It wasn't our personal wishes or dreams we had to think about when a new year started. When I was young, we would share food and spend time with our neighbors around the New Year. It was considered to be a curse when women visited neighbors first, so men would go first. During the 1990s, the customs of sharing food and giving money disappeared because of the famine.



Eunhee, arrived in South Korea in 2012



It wasn't unusual for North Koreans to make New Year's resolutions, but I didn't. I didn't think about the next year or the future when I was in North Korea. I only thought about tomorrow. I need food tomorrow. I need to survive tomorrow. Now I am free, so I can think about my own life. My New Year's resolution for next year is to settle down well, keep improving my English and to live a happy life.



Sujin, arrived in South Korea in 2014



I had no New Year's resolutions when I was in North Korea, but I had one constant resolution in mind every day: To escape from the hell of North Korea. Every year, every day, I was thinking, "How can I escape?" I had no hope. I am from the countryside, so I had realized that I was destined to be a farmer like my father. I wanted to change my life's destiny.



My resolution in 2017 was to get a driver's license; I was so happy when I got it. I also wanted to learn English. I was struggling until I found TNKR (Teach North Korean Refugees). Next year, I will continue learning English. I hope my parents will be able to arrive safely. They tried to escape from North Korea, but they have been missing since May.



Collected by Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center (TNKR) in Seoul.


By Jun Ji-hye



Government officials and experts here are paying keen attention to what message North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will deliver during his New Year address.





Kim Jong-un
Lee Mi-kyung, president of Korea International Cooperation Agency / Courtesy of KOICA



By Choi Ha-young
School to nurture compassionate, creative, inquisitive students



By You Soo-sun





St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju (SJA Jeju) School Head Peter M. Toscano, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times, Dec. 7. / Courtesy of SJA Jeju

The St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju (SJA Jeju), the newest international school on Jeju Island, was built on the idea that students should take the lead in their education. The school, instead, should merely serve to create an environment in which students can question, explore, and collaborate in their learning.

Its head Peter M. Toscano believes this is already happening at the school, now only eight weeks old. It is already becoming a place where students feel free to express their creativity  something that was missing when he came to Korea 21 years ago to work for public schools here.

What especially struck him back then was that all the classrooms were equipped with lecterns  an implication that students are expected to listen in order to learn.

"You don't learn just by listening, but more so by doing," Toscano said in an interview with The Korea Times, Dec. 7. And it is through active engagement, students can fully express themselves and achieve their potential.

Its curricula, spanning preschool through high school, emphasize student-led growth. And with this approach, the school seeks to nurture students to become inquisitive and compassionate people with global mindsets.

SJA Jeju is unique in that many of its programs are adopted from its main school in Vermont, U.S., which has a history of over 170 years, Toscano explained.

As the only U.S.-grounded international school, it has been rapidly gaining attention here with 443 students already enrolled and staffed with 70 teachers, 80 percent of whom have at least a master's degree.



Learning by doing



One of the main programs at SJA Jeju is the "senior capstone project," in which students make a presentation of a topic of their interest at the end of the school year.

Inspired by a program from the Vermont school, the program was extended at SJA Jeju so that students present their projects at the end of their elementary, middle school and high school years.

"It requires them to read deeply, write concisely and present engagingly," Toscano said. "The idea is that it should be about their passions. They have to pick their topic as they progress throughout their school years. Once they do, teachers merely provide guidance and help them with the materials they need to develop and implement their ideas."

The project-based learning approach is meant to stimulate innovative thinking and student-centered inquiry. It is a way of fully engaging the students in their learning, Toscano said.

Academically, the school rigorously prepares the students for college. The school runs on a block scheduling system with two separate semesters, allowing students to take eight classes a year. This is meant to provide students with the opportunity to explore different electives or build on a particular area of interest.

As part of its high school curriculum, it offers a variety of Advanced Placement (AP) courses which many U.S. universities accept for credit based on the students' AP exam scores. It will offer up to six AP subjects next school year and will increase this up to 12 by the following year.

It offers middle school students the AP Spring Board curriculum to prepare them for AP level studies  the first school in East Asia to do so.

Besides its academic curriculum, the school offers a student exchange program with the main school through which high school students at SJA Jeju may go to the main school in Vermont for a semester. Likewise, students from Vermont can apply to come to Jeju.

Its afterschool activities are diverse, including computer programming, yoga, film production, fashion design, and arts and music. It also has a hiking course, allowing students to explore the different parts of Jeju Island.



School culture



The school has adopted three distinct features from the home school: assembly, advisory and conference period.

First, the assembly is held three days a week during which everyone gathers together to share a moment of silence, listen to the principal's speech, and take the time to contemplate on the day.

"The main school has been doing this for over 170 years. It's a way of developing community," Toscano explained.

It is also a time for students to share their ideas. Recently, 15 students volunteered to give speeches during the assembly.

This was when their personalities shined, according to Toscano  a moment in which they were able to freely express themselves.

"Everybody is creative. But only some have the opportunity to express their creativity while others do not," he said. "At SJA Jeju, we encourage the students to express their ideas and know that nobody is going to be disparaging about it."

The advisory was another program Toscano emphasized. Teachers are each assigned to a group of about six students whom they help guide throughout the students' school years.

This is already proving successful, with teachers forming a strong bond with their "advisory students." And because of this system, many teachers are considering to extend their two-year contracts.

Lastly, the school holds conference period every day for 20 minutes at the end of school. All of the teachers are required to hold these, giving the students a chance to talk to them privately and approach them easily.

These features are there to promote an environment in which students can express their creativity, develop their interests, and participate in collaborative learning. And these are already producing beneficial effects.

When the school first opened, there were not many things to share and most of the things were just up to the teachers, he explained.

But in a matter of few days, things began to pick up, as illustrated by the various works of art hanging on the walls, teachers asking for more bulletin boards, and every classroom displaying what they have made in the hallways.

These are all the ways of celebrating student achievement, Toscano said. "And student celebrations should be happening all the time." he said.
Korea University, University of Seoul confirmed for fraudulent admissions



By Lee Kyung-min



Police are looking into admissions records of more than 200 universities over the past five years with a four-year-curricula after four students were found to have been admitted due to lax reviews of government-issued certificates for the physically challenged.



One of them was admitted to Korea University and the other three to the University of Seoul. One of them claimed to have a visual impairment.



The investigation followed a request form the Ministry of Education which detected the irregularity at the two universities earlier this month.



In a notice sent by the ministry, universities are required to voluntarily report any irregularities they were aware of by mid-January, or be subject to prosecution.



Korea University said the student in question is being processed for admissions cancellation, vowing to cooperate with the police investigation. It said it would take legal action against the individual.



The ministry suspects a broker was involved in the process, as the four certificates had identical handwriting including signatures.



The assessment also followed a tipoff that the alleged broker received tens of millions of won (about tens of thousands of dollars) from each of the four students' parents.



The broker, according to police, took advantage of a system in which the competition rate for the physically challenged is close to zero, meaning every applicant is guaranteed admission once they submit the necessary documents.



Last year, of about 1,500 slots open for such students at 124 universities, only 800 were filled.



Meanwhile, the irregularity reflects the distorted values put on entering good universities in Korea, where students and their parents believe the university they attend determines the rest of their adult lives.



The yearly held College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT) is considered the most important priority. The government delayed administering the CSAT for a week this year following a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in the southern city of Pohang in November.



Students who are not confident in getting high scores or do not want to risk everything on the once-in-a-year opportunity try to increase their chances of admissions into prestigious universities by applying for early decisions or other means, including fraud.








Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon speaks during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



SMOE seeks to establish bilingual school in area



By Kim Bo-eun



Southwestern Seoul is commonly perceived as an underdeveloped, Chinese-immigrant enclave.



For parents in Seoul, with their sky-high fervor for education, who largely choose to live in neighborhoods with good schools and high-performing students, southwestern Seoul has not been regarded as a favorable environment to raise their children.



But the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) is seeking to transform the area into an Asian hub with "international schools" teaching students both in Korean and English.



"The idea is to develop the area into a global hub represented by immigrants with Asian nationalities," SMOE Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon said in an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday.



Multiracial students in Seoul



The total student population in Seoul is shrinking due to the low birthrate, but the number of multiracial students continues to grow, as the immigrant population grows.



Included in the multiracial student population are children from interracial marriages born both here and abroad, as well as children of foreign parents.



The total number in elementary, middle and high schools has grown from 1.16 percent in 2015, to 1.42 percent in 2016 and to 1.61 percent in 2017.



Elementary schools have the largest percentage of multiracial students _ they accounted for 2.59 percent of the student population this year.



By nationality, Chinese and Korean-Chinese account for the largest number, followed by Japanese, Vietnamese and Filipinos.



Meanwhile, 27 percent of students of Chinese ethnicity are concentrated in southwestern Seoul.



At Daedong Elementary School, 62.4 percent of the students are children of foreign parents and at Youngil Elementary School these students account for 40.7 percent.



The education office devised a plan to not only help these students with their studies by making it possible to study in Chinese, but also enable Korean students to learn a foreign language.



International school, Asian hub



The SMOE has drawn up plans so that these two schools are given the autonomy to teach students both in Korean and Chinese as well as offer classes teaching China's history and culture, to make them an attractive option for Korean students.



The schools took part in a pilot program for two years, after which the education authorities concluded that they helped promote students understanding of their classmates with foreign parents.



"The SMOE will start drawing up more detailed plans for these international schools next year," Cho said.



The schools will remain public schools which are given autonomy in their curriculum _ therefore they will not collect pricey tuition like international schools but offer a special curriculum.



The SMOE has requested the Ministry of Education for support in drawing up or revising existing regulations which will enable this to happen.



The education office has also begun discussions with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and districts in Guro, Yeongdeungpo and Geumcheon in southwestern Seoul to turn the area into a special global district.



"We are envisioning a cosmopolitan area of people of diverse cultures and races," Cho said.



"The plan is also centered on investing in the area to develop and modernize neighborhoods."



While Cho's term ends next June, the superintendent said the plan will likely be carried out.



"Unless there are disputed policies between conservatives and progressives, plans such as those assisting multiracial students or those to counter school bullying will be carried through."



Future of educating multiracial students



Up until recently, most programs for multiracial children consisted of teaching students the Korean language and helping them adjust to life here.



However, as the multiracial student population continues to grow, a shift has occurred on how they are taught at schools.



"In the past, policies for immigrants were mainly centered on assimilation _ there was a distinction between Korean nationals and immigrants as being the host and visitor," Cho said.



"Now, education is centered on embracing diversity, which Korea is still struggling with."



Even among Korean students, there is bullying that stems from the slightest differences.



Therefore in many cases, multiracial students face difficulties in adjusting to school, due to bullying stemming from discrimination. This, along with the language barrier, has contributed to dropouts. The figure for elementary and middle school multiracial students grew in 2016 from 2015.



"Because Korea has long been racially homogenous, its policies for immigrants fall short of those of immigrant nations such as the U.S.," Cho said.



"Our aim is to assist multiracial children so that they are able to grow to become leaders of Korea's future society."




Investigators carry the body of Koh Jun-hee, 5, found on a hillside in North Jeolla Province early Friday. Her father recently confessed to dumping her body there in April. / Yonhap



Police on Friday found the body of a 5-year-old missing girl on a hillside in the western coastal city of Gunsan following her father's confession to having disposed of it, officials said.

The Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency said that at 4:45 a.m., the body of Koh Jun-hee was discovered wrapped in a towel under a tree on the hillside, about a 50-minute drive from where she stayed. She was reported to have gone missing a little over three weeks ago.

The investigation into the case gained traction as her 36-year-old father, who was put under emergency arrest, confessed Thursday to having dumped her body on a hill in the city 270 kilometers south of Seoul in April.

Based on the father's statement, police presume that Koh died because she choked on food. Her father has said that he concealed her death for fear that it would cause trouble in his divorce settlement with her birth mother.

Police plan to examine her body to find out the exact cause of death, officials said.

Police opened their investigation into Koh's case after her stepmother reported to the police on Dec. 8 that she had gone missing.

They mobilized 3,000 personnel, search dogs and helicopters to find her over the past few weeks. (Yonhap)
Paul Laan is a suspect in a missing-person case in Canada. / Captured from CBC



By Chyung Eun-ju



A former professor at a Seoul-based university is a suspect in a mysterious missing-person case in Canada, according to South Korean broadcaster JTBC.



Canadian Paul Laan taught English at Sahmyook University in Nowon, northern Seoul, from 2014. The university stripped him of his professorship early this month after learning of the accusations in Canada and then terminated his contract.



According to the report, Laan came to Korea in 2006 and earned a living by teaching English at private or public institutes.



According to JTBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), he was a suspect in a high-profile missing-person case in Ontario in 1998. A woman in her 70s, known as the "Cat Lady," was a tenant in his house and disappeared outside Huntsville. Police later found that three other tenants were missing.



Police investigating the case saw Laan as a suspect but they found no evidence, and it became a cold case.



CBC put the case back in the spotlight on its investigative program "The Fifth Estate," aired in September.



The program said the residents' disappearance was not reported and that pension checks were stolen from them by the Paul family. The youngest of the family was living in South Korea as a professor, according to the program.



"Paul now teaches English at a university in South Korea and travels with his wife extensively, professing their love for God on their family blog," CBC reported.



It is not known if Canadian police will reopen the case and seek his repatriation.



The Korea Times contacted the university, the justice ministry and immigration office for comment and if there was any cooperation request from Canada. There was no immediate reply.


Firemen and forensic investigators examine the apartment building where three children died in a fire on Sunday. / Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji



Three children died and a young mother was injured in a fire at an apartment in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, police said Sunday.



According to Gwangju Provincial Police Office, the fire started at 2:28 a.m. in an apartment building in Gwangju.



The fire was extinguished in 25 minutes, but three children  two boys aged 5 and 3, and a 15-month-old girl  were found dead in a room.






Ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairwoman Rep. Choo Mi-ae attends the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Friday. / Yonhap



By Yi Whan-woo



Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairwoman Rep. Choo Mi-ae urged the Moon Jae-in administration Friday to strike a new deal with Japan over "comfort women."



This is virtually a call to discard the previous deal reached in December 2015 between the governments of Moon's predecessor Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which was criticized for neglecting opinions from the victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery.



Her remark came a day after President Moon Jae-in described the 2015 deal as "gravely flawed," prompting strong protests from Tokyo.



Despite Japan's opposition, Moon hinted at renegotiating the 2015 accord after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' fact-finding team revealed Wednesday that the Park administration fell short of listening to the victims before striking the deal.



"There should be a new agreement that can convince victims," Choo said during the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly. "A deal cannot be considered a deal if it is aimed at covering up the truth and also muzzling the victims."



She cited a need to deal with historical issues separately from the "future-oriented" relationship between the two neighbors.



"History and the future should be dealt with separately," she said. "We should not give up future-oriented relations while trying not to dent the truth and principles regarding history."



Cheong Wa Dae said Moon may announce follow-up measures to be taken over the 2015 agreement during his New Year's address.



Japan has been reacting sensitively to Moon's move. Citing multiple Japanese officials, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported Friday that Abe is geared toward delaying his decision on whether to accept Moon's invitation to attend the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February 2018.



The officials said the timing is not appropriate for Abe to visit Korea, considering the Seoul-Tokyo accord is about to fall apart.



Against this backdrop, Choo asked Japan to "refrain from dealing with the case emotionally," saying "I urge Japan to act accordingly to match with its honor reputation."



"Japan should think it over to find solutions that can best serve its national interest," Choo said.



Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae said Moon remains unchanged in his pursuit of a two-track strategy in dealing with Japan -- separating economic and security matters from history-related issues.



The rival parties here have responded differently to the findings of the foreign ministry's task force aimed at uncovering the hidden details of the 2015 agreement.



The DPK accused the previous government of not openly sharing the sensitive parts of the deal in a bid to avoid public criticism.



It also demanded an apology from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) lawmakers who supported the controversial deal when Park was in office.



The liberal opposition parties -- the People's Party and the Justice Party -- each asked for the deal to be scrapped and renegotiated.



The LKP criticized the Moon government for "exploiting diplomatic issues for political retaliation" against the previous government. It said the Moon administration's move to revise the Korea-Japan accord could heighten security risks instead of resolving the row with Japan over "comfort women."



The Bareun Party, a breakaway group from the LKP, said the Moon administration should "prudently consider" before finalizing its decision on the 2015 deal.
January 1, 2018



Fellow Koreans,



The New Year of 2018 has arrived. I hope each and every one of you and your family will enjoy better days filled with joy and laughter throughout the New Year.



We all have prevailed well over many difficulties in the past year. The whole nation came together with one single mind to create a properly functioning country and took a big first step forward.



We made progress in the economy as well. The country achieved the milestone of $1 trillion in trade once again and regained annual economic growth of over 3 percent. These accomplishments are all the more precious because they were made in the face of political turmoil and security challenges attributable to North Korea's repeated provocations.



I am very proud of you all and, as President of the Republic of Korea, I would like to express my profound respect and appreciation to each and every one of you.



In the New Year, I will hold your hand tight and keep moving forward with greater vigor. I will continue to devote my best efforts to set right the flaws of the past and bring about real changes in the lives of the people. Putting top priority in state affairs to improve the quality of people's lives, I will strive to prompt tangible changes to everyday life.



I will make more determined efforts to uphold the will of the people for a fair and just Republic of Korea. I am convinced that building a properly functioning country will provide a greater driving force for social unity and economic growth.



In the New Year, I look forward to seeing various dialogues exchanged at different levels of society, including the tripartite talks among labor, management and the government. If we make a little concession and share the burdens, we will be able to move one step closer to the Republic of Korea where all of us prosper together.



Fellow Koreans,



Now the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are only a month away. They are the first Olympics to be held in Korea in 30 years since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Let us show more love and support for PyeongChang. Your strong interest and full support will make the Olympics a great success.



I wish all of you good health and happiness in the New Year. Thank you.


The front door of Eunhye Elementary School is closed Friday, following the announcement to shut it down. Yonhap

By Lee Kyung-min



A private elementary school in northern Seoul is under fire from parents for its decision to close, citing snowballing losses amid a falling number of students.

Parents are criticizing the school's owners, arguing the unilateral decision is purely profit-driven and disregards the students' welfare.

Eunhye Elementary School in Eunpyeong-gu, northwestern Seoul, filed a letter of intent with Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Dec. 28. The school said the deficit was so great it could not pay salaries.



"We decided to close the school in February, following consultations with law firms over our concerns that running it would only add to the deficit, which has been accumulated for the past few years," the school said in a letter to parents.

"The number of new enrolments this year is expected to be slightly more than 20, less than half of the 60 places available. We see no prospect for the situation to improve."



The education office has asked the school to submit detailed plans on transferring the students to nearby schools, saying the request to close would be denied if even one student wished to continue attending the school.

"We granted the school permission to open because it said it would run the institution with tuition," the education office said. "We cannot accept the school's unilateral move, which has a direct impact on students' rights to education."



The shutdown may take up to six years, as it requires the approval of a superintendent as well as the unanimous backing of students' parents.

"Eunhye Elementary School has already completed the admissions process for next year, and it may take up to six years until those set to enroll as first graders graduate," the office said.



Parents are up in arms over the school's abrupt unilateral decision, with many preparing to take legal action.

"The biggest problem is that the decision was made without any public hearings, which absolutely ignored the students, parents and teachers," said a woman with a first grade child at the school.

"This was a unilateral, greedy decision that resulted in professional negligence with students being the victims.

"We are more outraged that the school recently conducted a draw to accept new enrolments under the false pretense it would continue educating students. This is nothing short of fraud."



She said signatures were being collected from all parents and legal measures would be taken.

The dispute comes amid a continuing drop in the number of students in Korea. According to Ministry of Education data, the number of elementary school students fell to 436,121 last year, down 42.4 percent from 756,542 a decade ago.












Cleaners of Korean Air's planes demand wage hikes in a strike which began Saturday at Incheon International Airport. / Yonhap
A common food establishment circa 1900s



By Robert Neff



In 1888, Daniel L. Gifford  an American missionary in Korea, wrote:



"The drink curse is widely prevalent in Korea. The liquors are of two kinds; one white and thick, the other a clear liquid. They are made from rice, barley or wheat. Saloons are frequent, with sauerkraut and liquor for sale. Maudlin sots or drunken brawls, with men tugging at each other's top-knots are, alas, a common sight upon the streets."



Men were not the only drunks. An American naval officer visiting Seoul in early 1884 recalled his first encounter with a Korean drunk  "an old woman, over sixty, drunk and happy, trying to support herself with her long staff, but eventually tripping over a pile of beans in the market place. She was kindly helped to her feet, smiling, and reclining, everyone she passed giving her a friendly set up to keep her on her feet."



The upper class also excessively partook of the "spirituous liquors." Isabella Bird Bishop, an elderly English travel-writer popular for her amusing and often opinionated observations, wrote: "[Drunkenness] is an outstanding feature in Korea. And it is not disreputable." She went on say, "A great dignitary even may roll on the floor drunk at the end of a meal, at which he has eaten to repletion, without losing caste, and on becoming sober receives the congratulations of inferiors on being rich enough to afford such a luxury."





Punishment for drinking at the American gold mines 1900
By Jon DunbarWhen most Koreans are 14 years old, or 15 Korean age, they're studying hard in preparation for high school, and already readying themselves for the college entrance exam that will decide their entire futures. Jennifer Kim may not be much different, but she also somehow makes the time to record dreamy lo-fi acoustic songs under the name j.knife."I am a quiet and introspective person, but on the inside I am screaming and wanting to talk about myself and my desires," she told The Korea Times. "I definitely do not consider myself a typical Korean teenager, not only because I have a different lifestyle, but different values and ways of thinking. I often find it challenging to relate to my friends living in Korea or any other typical teenagers."Now she attends an American international school in China where her family relocated for her dad's career. Her parents support her musical endeavors, even if she suspects they don't enjoy her songs."My parents don't bother me a lot about how I spend my time after school," she said. "So I have to manage my time wisely, and if I happen to stay up to 1 a.m. making music, it really doesn't get me in trouble or anything because that's how I choose to live the day."Her name comes from an English class a few years ago, where her American teacher gave her the nickname. Even though it has no real meaning, she says it reminds her of those days."I don't have go to hagwon anymore," she said. "However, it doesn't mean I have a lot of free time here in China. I study at an IB school and there is a ton of homework I have to do every night. The difference between living here and in Korea is I am the one who's responsible for the consequences."Her music already holds up regardless of her young age, and she hopes to continue down this path into adulthood."I wish to introduce new sounds to Korean music," she said. "I don't want to make anything that already exists on the chart. For that reason I don't think I will ever try to get signed to the big labels in Korea. Frankly, joining a K-pop idol group would be a nightmare."Visit jknife.bandcamp.com to hear or purchase her debut album "Familiar Sounds" released Dec. 7, as well as her recording of the Christmas carol "Little Drummer Boy" released Dec. 11.The writer often contributes to The Korea Times.
By Tong Kim





The year 2017 was one of turbulence and tension on the Korean Peninsula. Perhaps the biggest blessing for all was that war was somehow avoided. There were close escapes from possible war caused by North Korea's provocations, frightening shows of force in U.S. reaction, and from a bombastic exchange of bellicose rhetoric between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.



In the South, a conservative president (Park Geun-hye) was impeached and fired. She is still going through a criminal trial. Moon Jae-in, a liberal, was elected president in a special election. Many agree these extraordinary events could not have happened without the power of people's "candle light." Many things, including Seoul's policy on the North, have changed during the last six months, except for the constitutional continuity that highlighted the maturity of democracy in the country.



Moon's government has been struggling with a strategic approach, proven ineffective thus far, to improve relations with the North toward a goal of reducing tensions and curbing or at least slowing Pyongyang's weapons development. Domestically, President Moon, while very popular with a 70 percent approval rating, is confronting a formidable challenge from conservative opposition parties on a range of foreign policy issues from North Korea to the U.S., China, and Japan.



In the North, throughout the past year as in many previous years, the regime continued with its obsessive nuclear ambition, advancing its nuclear and missile programs toward completing an operational nuclear force, and conducting a large underground hydrogen bomb detonation and test-launching at least 17 ballistic missiles. North Korea, which claims its nuclear arsenal is to deter U.S. threats of invasion, has actually become a threat to the United States, beyond South Korea and Japan.



In November, Kim Jong-un declared that the DPRK had "realized" its nuclear force, which could strike the continental U.S. Kim Jong-un believes the demise of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Muammar Gaddafi was because they did not have nuclear weapons. He believes that only nuclear weapons can guarantee his survival.



The UN has imposed its toughest sanctions, cutting off roughly 90 percent of Pyongyang's export revenue, including exports such as coal, iron, seafood, and textiles, and phasing out North Korean workers who earn foreign exchange from abroad. Countries are severing diplomatic ties from the DPRK. Yet North Korea is sustaining itself by tightening the belts of its already hungry people.



Whether the pressure campaign led by Washington and its allies with broad international support will succeed in forcing the North to come to the table for denuclearization talks remains to be seen. With any military option becoming more dangerous or even impossible in view of the North's rapidly advancing nuclear capability, a coercive policy is inevitably restricted to economic and diplomatic sanctions. This is where U.S. policy is today.



U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson published an op-ed in The New York Times on December 27, offering no alternative to U.S. policy. He pointed out some progress in U.S. diplomacy on North Korea, a country that President Trump identified as the greatest U.S. security threat after he took office. American diplomacy has galvanized international support and participation in pressuring and isolating North Korea to see if its behavior might change.



The top U.S. diplomat hopes international pressure will bring North Korea to "serious negotiations on the abandonment of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs". The U.S. keeps saying that China "could and should do more" to being about a denuclearized Korean peninsula. However, China is sticking to its strategy of keeping the North Korean regime afloat, refusing to cut off 100 percent of its crude oil supply. North Korea still has geo-strategic value to China's core interest.



In December, Tillerson revealed that Washington told Beijing that in case U.S. troops had to advance into the North, it would only be to secure North Korean nuclear weapons and that the U.S. troops would retreat to south of the 38th parallel once their mission was accomplished.



Tillerson has publically stated "four no's" on North Korea: no pursuit of regime change, no collapse of the regime, no accelerated unification, and no excuse to advance American troops north of the 38th parallel. In addition, he has always said that the U.S. is keeping the door open for talks on a peaceful resolution, which should be the task of diplomacy.



However, there have been instances in which Trump limits diplomacy. He does not give full support tor efforts for a diplomatic resolution beyond the pressure campaign. He speaks of or tweets explicit and implicit threats of "fire and fury" on and "total destruction" of North Korea.



Trump's America first "national security strategy" revealed on Dec. 18 did not say what exactly he would do about North Korea, other than "It will be taken care of. We have no choice." He says he is committed to "achieve the denuclearization of North Korea," although "there is more to do." He says he would not allow North Korea to threaten the U.S. and the world with its weapons of mass destruction.



Knowing Trump's North Korea policy, nothing that can bring about a peaceful resolution is expected from Washington. The same is true from Beijing or Moscow. However, there is some hope in Seoul's efforts to make something positive out of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics that South Korea will host in February 2018. Encouraged by the spirit and tradition of a ceasefire between warring parties during Olympic Games, Seoul is proposing to defer annual U.S.-South Korea military drills till after the winter Olympics.



Seoul is not seeking for a start of the so-called double freeze proposed by China and Russia. Postponing the exercises could contribute to Seoul's effort to luring North Korean athletes to Pyeongchang and to the safety of all participating Olympians. The Trump administration's belated confirmation of U.S. participation was seen as an unwelcome attitude to South Korea's hosting of the 2018 Winter Olympics.



A real turning point may surprisingly come from Pyongyang through a New Year's message from its leader Kim Jong-u. His message will probably carry self-praise for the North's alleged accomplishments, including a series of nuclear and missile tests "for defense", political consolidation, and progress in the continuing struggle for economic development despite isolation and sanctions. He may say again that Pyongyang's decision to pursue nuclear armament was the right one, because the nation is constantly threatened by "U.S. warmongers and their stooges."



Kim's New Year's message will say the North will continue to pursue the Byungjin policy _ parallel development of a nuclear force and a self-sufficient economy. On the other hand, the North is a de facto nuclear state and Pyongyang may feel it now has enough leverage to negotiate with Washington and Seoul. Tillerson said recently that the North had to "earn" talks with a period of restraint from provocation and showing that Pyongyang was serious about eventual denuclearization.



Everyone knows that North Korea wants to be recognized as a nuclear weapons state. But it is doubtful if the North Koreans really believe they can expel U.S. troops from the South and take it over under their own terms. If true, such a scenario will never happen. South Koreans are too strong, too affluent, and too free to let that happen. They are determined to defend their free, prosperous system against any attempt by the North to take it away from them. What's your take?



Tong Kim ( tong.kim8@yahoo.com ) is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Korean-American Studies.


If you work in an office with smokers, you know that they tend to disappear at regular intervals. No mystery where they are: Shivering, sweltering or just lolling on the sidewalk, puffing away.



This may strike you as pathetic. Or it may stir concerns for their health. Or you may wonder, while they're out there, who's doing all the work? The answer, some Japanese marketing firm employees concluded, was: Not the smokers. Everyone else.



Nonsmokers at the Japanese company, Piala, protested that smokers stepped away from their desks repeatedly but still left at the same time at night as the nonsmokers did.



So Piala's chief executive devised an ingenious incentive: People who did not smoke would be rewarded with up to six additional vacation days a year.



"I hope to encourage employees to quit smoking through incentives rather than penalties or coercion," Takao Asuka, the company's chief executive told the Japan Times.



So far, he's had modest success. After the offer was announced in fall, a handful of employees opted to quit smoking, the company said. No word on the reaction from the rest of the diehard smokers, but we're guessing it's unprintable.



We like the idea of incentives to help people cut down or quit (or never start) smoking. If a few extra days of vacation works, then so be it. If Piala's smokers object, they can snuff it  and also gain the extra vacation.



In the U.S., many American companies have started wellness programs that reward employees for healthier behaviors. Some companies won't hire smokers. Others charge them more for health insurance. Those incentives and others have helped millions of Americans stop smoking.



Here's another incentive: In recent weeks, several big tobacco companies have been running prime time TV commercials and full page ads in newspapers under a federal court order. The stark message: Smoking kills. "More people die every year from smoking than from murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes and alcohol, combined."



Japanese leaders are now under international pressure to pass a sweeping smoking ban in restaurants and many other public places before Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympics.



But some Japanese pols are reluctant.



Not hard to see why: About 20 percent of Japanese adults smoke, although that number is declining. (Compare that to around 15 percent of American adults who now smoke.) That's a lot of Japanese voters.



Many people try, repeatedly, to quit. It's hard. Smoking laws can help. Illinois banned smoking in restaurants, bars and other venues a decade ago, a move we fervently backed.



Few if any among us lament the loss of smoke-choked air in those spots. That includes workers who were endangered by second-hand smoke.



Japanese restaurateurs and entrepreneurs who seek to attract the widest possible international clientele during the Olympics  and after  will ban smoking. Wouldn't it be terrific if the Tokyo Olympics sparked a Great Japanese Smokeout?



The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune ( www.chicagotribune.com). It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


By Na Jeong-ju



A South Korean newspaper recently published photos of Chinese and North Korean ships trading oil illegally in the West Sea.



These photos were reportedly taken by U.S. spy satellites in October, only a month after the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) decided to cut petroleum shipments to North Korea to 2 million barrels a year from 4.5 million barrels in response to the North's sixth nuclear test. The UNSC also banned ship-to-ship trade with North Korea on the high seas.



South Korea's foreign ministry was quick to confirm this report, saying the UNSC's sanctions committee is looking into suspected oil trafficking cases spotted since October on the high seas between China and North Korea. A ministry spokesman said Seoul will demand explanations from Beijing directly about the Chinese ships involved.



It is too premature to conclude whether the Chinese government was involved in the illegal oil trades with North Korea. But we can imagine many possibilities: Beijing may have been providing oil to Pyongyang in secret through ships to evade detection. Or it may have been aware of oil smuggling on the seas, but overlooked such offenses.



The problem is that any oil embargo imposed on North Korea cannot be successful as long as these loopholes exist. And the latest case shows why China is not being fully trusted by the international community despite its repeated pledges to implement UNSC resolutions on the North honestly.



Even if the Chinese government's involvement in the oil trafficking is proved, it will never tell the truth. For instance, South Korean companies suffered from massive economic retaliatory measures from China over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in South Korea. But China's official stance is that the government has nothing to do with the damage inflicted on Korean firms.



China should keep in mind that the goal of the U.N. measures is not to destroy North Korea, but to bring it back to the negotiating table for a denuclearization deal. This is not possible without help from China.



Beijing is seemingly working closely with the international community to create much-needed momentum in handling the North Korean nuclear crisis.



China's official customs data showed it exported no oil products to North Korea in November, but there are still few signs of an oil shortage on North Korean streets. In early December, the UNSC imposed new caps on trade with the North, including limiting oil product shipments to just 500,000 barrels a year.



The data also showed Beijing imported no iron ore, coal or lead from North Korea in November and did not export any gasoline, jet fuel, diesel or fuel oil to the North. Beijing, however, has not disclosed its crude exports to Pyongyang for several years.



According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the country has consistently fully, correctly, conscientiously and strictly enforced relevant international sanctions on North Korea. China, however, should prove its sincerity first in handling the belligerent neighbor.



In fact, China had long taken advantage of international trade bans on Pyongyang to increase supplies of oil, food and energy to the Kim Jong-un regime. North Korea's economic dependence on China is now heavier than ever. North Korea cannot survive without support from China.



The Moon Jae-in administration recently forecast that North Korea will be open to talks with not only the United States, but also South Korea next year because international sanctions will start to influence its economy seriously. The North is expected to explore the possibility of negotiations while searching for international recognition of its status as a nuclear power.



If the time comes for dialogue, this would be the last chance to make North Korea give up its nuclear weapons. China will no doubt be a crucial part of it as its biggest supporter. China should show faith, because only it can make the North behave.


Corporate sector needs to do more to help working parents



President Moon Jae-in has been vocal about the need to boost the nation's falling birthrate, but has failed to back up his words with effective policies. The latest meeting of the Presidential Committee on Low Birth and Aging Society earlier this week failed to produce any convincing measures that will encourage Koreans to have more babies.



The number of newborns has continued to decline this year. A Statistics Korea report showed only around 27,000 babies were born in October, down 11.7 percent from the same month last year. From January to October, 306,000 babies were born, which is 12.2 percent less than the same period last year. Korea's birthrate, the number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime, has plummeted to around 1.06, which is one of the lowest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.



The report also showed more than 36 percent of newlywed couples did not have children last year. These numbers reflect the growing trend among young Koreans to shun having babies.



President Moon said that the past governments have not been successful in boosting childbirth. "The birthrate policies so far have failed," the President said during the committee's meeting Tuesday. The committee is chaired by the President and consists of officials from relevant ministries and experts. "Since 2006, more than 100 trillion won has been spent on raising the birthrate, but still not much has changed. From now on, we must have a completely different approach to the problem," Moon said, stressing more state support should be provided to parents.



One of the reasons for the failure of the birthrate policies is they have been scattered among various ministries. That is why it is important for the Moon administration to establish a cabinet ministry for birthrate policies, similar to the ones in countries like Japan that have been successful in turning their birthrates around. Korea needs a separate ministry for birthrate policies for maximum effect.



The committee announced some new measures, such as enabling fathers to take longer family leaves and reducing work hours for parents with young children.



These measures are ultimately aimed at enabling parents to have more time with their children and improving the quality of their lives. But none of these measures will be fruitful unless the corporate sector significantly changes its culture to become more family-friendly and promote work-life balance for working mothers and fathers.




Let's work together to bring hope to nation



A new year has just begun with hope for a better life. Marking a fresh start for the Year of the Dog, people are craving for a change for the better, especially after they went through many ups and downs in 2017.



Last year the nation witnessed the ouster of impeached President Park Geun-hye over a massive corruption scandal and the election of liberal President Moon Jae-in. There were also big issues such as North Korea's sixth nuclear test and ICBM launches and Chinese economic retaliation against South Korean firms over the deployment of the U.S. anti-missile battery here.



First of all, President Moon must make concerted efforts to make good on his promise to make Korea a fair and just society. This is the people's mandate following the "candlelight revolution" against Park and her regime.



However, to the disappointment of the public, he has yet to make real progress in his much-avowed policy of eliminating deep-rooted corruption and other ills of our society. Thus it is imperative to make a clean sweep of the old evils once and for all and move toward national harmony and reconciliation.



The Moon administration also needs to establish a new political structure that can promote dialogue and cooperation with opposition parties. Since his inauguration Moon has vowed to work with the opposition to ensure "win-win" politics. But the stark reality shows the opposite. His ruling Democratic Party of Korea is engaged in deep partisan strife with the Liberty Korea Party and other minority parties over contentious matters, including a revision of the Constitution.



More important is to reinvigorate the stagnant economy. The economy was projected to grow by 3.2 percent last year and is set for 3 percent this year. These figures are higher than expected. But the country still has a long way to go before enjoying a more robust expansion because the better-than-expected growth is based on an export boom of only a few industrial products such as semiconductors.



Against this backdrop, it will be difficult to create more jobs this year although Moon's economic team plans to put top priority on increasing employment. His income-led growth policy might not go anywhere if he fails to offer more job opportunities, particularly for the youth.



On the diplomatic front, the country will face mounting challenges arising from North Korea's nuclear ambitions and U.S. President Donald Trump's hard-line policy against Pyongyang. Besides, Seoul will have to grapple with worsening ties with Japan over the controversial 2015 deal to solve the wartime sex slavery issue. It also should strive to fully restore relations with China as the anti-missile battery problem still lingers.



Against all odds, we hope that President Moon will exercise his leadership to the best of his ability to bring peace and stability to the peninsula and make the country a better place to live. And let's work together to make the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics a success.


By Oh Young-jin





At my office on Christmas Day, I received an inquiry from a reader about an article on Facebook that was attributed to The Korea Times.



I checked and found the problematic article, which by most appearances looked at first glance like an authentic and legitimate news story about an alleged biological attack in northern Seoul.



The "article," bedecked with dateline and credit, claimed that the attack triggered an evacuation and was believed to be the work of North Korean and/or British agents. It was datelined: "SEOUL, South Korea (Dec.25, 2017) and credited "Complied for The Korea Times from Agencies."



I called the writer and told him that it was not acceptable. He obliged. Minutes later, when I checked back, the attribution was changed and the Korea Herald took the fall, with the credit attributed to a gibberish name that unmistakably sounded like the name of our competition.



Then I rechecked and found the article was yanked altogether, replaced by the writer's explanation attributing the withdrawal to the fear of panic similar to that triggered by Orson Welles' radio adaption of H.G. Wells' "The War of Worlds."



Before it was removed, I posted a statement saying that it was a dangerous example of fake news and our paper reserved the right to resort to legal action against the writer. The statement was aimed at protecting our paper's reputation and the integrity of our reporting to ensure readers can count on what we say. After all, the media's primary mission is to inform the public and help it make critical decisions, perhaps including ones that can make a difference between life and death.

Understandably, there were some sympathetic posts for the writer besides rebellious and knee-jerk sniping at my post.

One may claim the fake story had parts that could signal to readers that it was not serious and intended as a prank to chase away Christmas boredom. In other words, not fake news, but a joke.



One post called it an attempt in the tradition of satirizing  using irony, sarcasm, ridicule or the like in exposing, denouncing and deriding folly or vice. The logic goes that anybody who fails to appreciate the satirical ethos behind it should be taken to lack humor.



Another observed that it was "just" Facebook, wondering aloud who would take it seriously.



With no offense intended, we want to ask them to realize that we don't belong to the good old days of Welles, back in the 1930s. We are living in the Facebook age.



Eighty years ago in 1938, Welles was credited as a master who made gullible listeners believe his drama that an alien invasion was actually under way. Some panicky people took to the streets. I bet it was a small turnout and the level of panic it caused bordered on amusement.



Facebook is a different animal. Billions of people use it all over the world (including some in China), disgorging, regurgitating, producing and consuming "tons" of information  some true, some false, some on the borderline, some satirizing, some libelous, some fictional, some documentary, etc. True, it is each user's responsibility to guard against falsehood in cyberspace. But it is not hard to imagine how one of those billions or two or three or thousands or millions would take one piece of (mis- or dis-)information  false or true  and act on it, or how it would pique herd mentality and cause a stampede  triggering a bank run, a revolution, a stock market crash, an assassination and what not.

Sounds far-fetched? True, but these worst-case scenarios can't be ruled out when one remembers how fake news on Facebook is seen as having affected the 2016 U.S. presidential election.



Here is one known case. The fake news site Denver Guardian reported that a special agent, investigating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's leaked email case, had committed suicide  and it went viral. Some must have been affected to change their vote or become more convinced of their favorite, not being able to fact check it before the election three days later.



In the election, Clinton beat Republican rival and ultimate winner Donald Trump in the popular vote but lost in Electoral College tallies. The election was more of a nail biter than it looked, making one wonder whether fake news made the difference.



It is anybody's guess how many cases of fake news are circulating on Facebook and what impact they are having on our daily life.



That stream of fake news makes up for incessant voice phishing attempts to victimize any unsuspecting people, like an imposter telling a mom that her child has been in an accident and asking for a large sum of money via wire transfer. That mom would be swept by concern and send the money without thinking twice. The regret would come too late. You could be that mom.



A crisis of trust is already happening on Facebook. Dealing with this spreading cyber disease is a tall order for Mark Zuckerberg, or he is not trying hard enough for fear of damaging his internet empire. He was chided after the U.S. election and pledged to fight fake news.



The made-up story about the bio attack in Seoul is only good for reminding us of the dismal situation we are in. We never know what fake story will add a straw that can help eventually break the camel's back of trust and turn Facebook into a sea of fake news.





Oh Young-jin (foolsdie5@ktimes.com and foolsdie@gmail.com ) is the managing editor of the Digital Korea Times.


Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) 4K TVs are on display at LG Electronics' booth during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 this January in Las Vegas. For CES 2018, the company will raise awareness of its AI-focused ThinQ brand identity. / Courtesy of LG Electronics



By Lee Min-hyung



Artificial intelligence (AI) and connectivity are set to make a big splash at the world's largest tech tradeshow, the Consumer Electronics Show (2018) in Las Vegas next month.




By Kang Seung-woo







A grandson of the LS Group founder will donate 100 million won ($93,000) to help young people with disabilities enjoy physical and cultural activities.







According to Taein, Thursday, its CEO Lee Sang-hyun created a trust fund, to which he will give 20 million won a year for five years, to support disabled children and young people.







Taein is an electronics and electrical equipment manufacturer, based in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, and LS Group founder Koo Tai-hwoi is Lee's maternal grandfather.







The Community Chest of Korea, the nation's largest charity organization, will oversee the fund, which the company says will boost transparency and credibility.







A trust fund is comprised of assets intended to provide benefits to an individual or organization. It brings in a third-party manager -- either an individual or an organization -- to check if the fund is well utilized in accordance with the grantor's intention.







The CEO has made social contributions since college.







When Lee was a student body president at Hanyang University in Seoul, he became the first subscriber to the Community Chest of Korea's "Good Family" program, under which a family member donates 20,000 won or more a month while also participating in the organization's other projects.







After receiving a master's degree in social welfare at Yonsei University, Lee achieved a second-class certificate in social work.







"I am happy to donate via a trust fund that is transparent and credible," Lee said.







"I hope my offering will be of help to disabled youths' cultural and physical activities."


A model poses with the Daechang Motors Danigo electric vehicle. / Courtesy of Daechang Motors



By Jhoo Dong-chan



The nation's startups are obtaining government approval for their cheap electric vehicle (EV) models, gearing up to expand their presence in the eco-friendly car market.



Their EV models are eligible for a government subsidy of up to 10 million won ($9,174) so consumers can buy them for less than 5 million won.



According to sources, the Daechang Motors Danigo EV and Semisysco D2 mini EV have completed environment and transport ministry certification. Both startups are receiving pre-orders for their vehicles.



Daechang Motors first introduced its Danigo EV in October at the Korea Automotive Industry Exhibition at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province.



"The company developed the Danigo mini EV over the last three years, and has now completed all preparations for its debut," Daechang Motors CEO Oh Chung-gi was quoted as saying.



"Following its Jincheon production plants in North Chungcheong Province, Daechang Motors will build another one in Daegu while establishing its service center network across the country."



The Danigo EV mounts a 7.2-kilowatt LG Chem lithium-ion battery, and the North Chungcheong Province-based startup said it can travel 100 kilometers when fully charged.



It features air conditioning and power windows as basic options. The hill-start assist control system is also applied in the EV model.



Considering the nation's street environment, it also features a rear-view parking camera as a basic option while the anti-lock brake system and airbags are optional.



"The Danigo EV will compete with the Renault Samsung Twizy EV in the market," a Daechang Motors official said.



"Daechang Motors' Daegu plants will play a pivotal role in the upcoming battle against imported mini EVs with its price competitiveness."



Under Oh's leadership, Daechang Motors first entered the market with its electric delivery cart by supplying them for Korea Yakult sellers in 2013.



It also sold 700 electric carts for senior citizens in the U.S. last year, and Oh said it will soon land in the European market.



"An increasing number of European people drive mini EVs now," Oh said.



"We studied shortcomings of existing EV models in the European market, and recently started a joint operation with a global trading company for its debut in the market."





Daechang Motors CEO Oh Chung-gi, right, poses with TMON Chief Strategy Officer Han Jae-young during an MOU ceremony for the social commerce's exclusive sales right at the TMON head office in Seoul, Nov. 16. / Courtesy of TMON



The nation's other startup Semisysco also completed an approval process with the government for the D2 mini EV model. The firm is in charge of import and distribution operations in Korea for Chinese EV maker Zhi Dou's D2 EV, and the model will be sold by the end of this month.



The D2 mini EV proved its market competitiveness when Zhi Dou sold more than 3,000 cars in the European market this year.



Semisysco said it is discussing possible domestic production for the model with the Chinese EV maker.



The D2 EV mounts 17.3-kilowatt lithium-polymer battery that can travel maximum 150 kilometers when fully charged.



In a bid to attract young motorists, it features cute eye-shaped LED headlamps with enlarged air intake in the front. Various color choices are also given to consumers.



It also offers a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that offers navigation and rearview parking assistance.





The Zhi Dou D2 EV / Courtesy of Semisysco
The BMW C evolution



By Park Jae-hyuk



BMW will likely introduce its long-range electric scooter (e-scooter), which can go up to 160 kilometers without recharging, as its first vehicle to be released in Korea next year, the German carmaker's Korean affiliate said Tuesday.



BMW Korea said its affiliate BMW Motorrad Korea is waiting for the government's approval to sell the BMW C evolution, the company's next generation e-scooter. If it obtains certification, BMW Korea will unveil the model around the mid-January to consumers here.



The scooter was first disclosed to the public at the Paris Motor Show last year.



The new model will be available in two variants _ the Long Range version capable with a range of 160 kilometers on one charge, and the European version with a range of 100 kilometers.



The Long Range version has a continuous output of 26 horsepower _ up 11 horsepower from the previous model _ with a top speed of 129 kilometers per hour. The European version has an output of 15 horsepower with a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour.



Featuring a new generation of batteries with a cell capacity of 94 ampere-hours (Ah), as used in the current BMW i3, the range has been significantly extended. Plus, a new charge cable with a smaller diameter is now included as standard.



New optional accessories, such as a smartphone cradle, allow more ways for motorists to customize the BMW C evolution as well.



The two-wheel vehicle also offers powerful braking with an anti-lock braking system, light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running light, LED turn indicators, several riding modes, reverse assist and torque control assist.



Observers regarded the introduction of the e-scooter next year as BMW's move to mark its first year as an eco-friendly vehicle manufacturer, considering it is set to release hybrid and electric cars in addition to the new motorcycle.



A BMW Korea spokesman, however, said it is not a short-term strategy, because the company has pushed ahead with its eco-friendly drive over the past few years. The German headquarters of the company plans to come up with 25 additional electric vehicles through 2025, according to industry officials.



The new BMW C evolution will likely be sold at 20 million won ($18,000). As the local governments can give up to a 2.5 million won subsidy per vehicle next year, consumers will be able to buy the vehicle for less than 20 million won.


The 2018 Lexus LS hybrid / Courtesy of Lexus Korea



This is the final article in a three-part series of yearly reviews of Korean industries  info-tech is covered first followed by the finance and automotive industries.  ED.



By Jhoo Dong-chan



The number of registered imported hybrid vehicles reached 20,000 in Korea this year thanks to surging popularity of eco-friendly vehicles.



Despite the market's rapid expansion, however, experts say domestic carmakers have not fully followed the transition, falling behind the global trend for the future of the automotive industry.



According to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association, Friday, foreign imported auto brands sold 20,644 hybrid vehicles during the January-to-November period. The figure includes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.



The figure was just 14,104 last year, but jumped by 46.4 percent this year. Hybrid vehicles also accounted for 9.7 percent in the nation's imported car market in the 11-month period, up from last year's figure of 7.2 percent.



The nation's two top carmakers, Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors, sold 25,539 and 8,026 hybrid vehicles in the period respectively, managing to outnumber the sales of imported hybrid vehicles.



Upcoming imported hybrid models



But experts expect that things may change next year as imported brands are set to introduce a series of new hybrid vehicles soon to further expand its presence in the market.



Japanese premium carmaker Lexus, which sold 10,525 hybrid vehicles between January and November this year to occupy 51 percent share in the imported hybrid vehicle market, has recently brought about the all-new LS hybrid sedan here.



The launch of the fifth-generation LS hybrid also follows the Lexus NX300h SUV, another popular hybrid vehicle Lexus brought to market in November.



Swedish carmaker Volvo also started to market the XC60 PHEV earlier than its scheduled plan last month to take the upper hand in the upcoming competition in eco-friendly car market.



The nation's No. 1 imported auto brand Mercedes-Benz said it will start selling the popular GLC SUV's PHEV version earlier next year.



"Domestic carmakers are lagging behind the global trend," Daelim University Automotive Engineering Professor Kim Pil-soo said.



"I believe Korea is about 80 percent prepared for the current trend in future vehicle markets compared to advanced countries in automobile. The market is ready, consumers are ready, and the government is investing more and more resources for the new market. Hyundai and Kia have recently announced their plan to expand the eco-friendly lineup into 38 models by 2025. I think the movement is somewhat late. They should've done it four or five years earlier than this."



Industry insiders agreed.



"The hybrid vehicle market will sustain for more than five years to bridge the gap between internal combustion-engine vehicle and electric cars. The global market share of hybrid vehicles is expected to expand around 20 percent soon," a GM Korea official said.



"Still, the market for hybrid and electric cars is still relatively small here. But, it won't stay small for long. Domestic makers should more preemptively move to cope with the global trend."





The 2018 Volvo XC60 hybrid / Courtesy of Volvo Cars Korea
Have a story idea or tip about something happening in the East Village? Or maybe a photo? Or several photos? Or video! We'd love to hear about it. Or see it. Or something. Please go here to submit a tip.
By Jhoo Dong-chan



China and Japan are mobilizing all their national capabilities to secure overseas mines across the globe for battery production while Korea is standing idly by in what could become a resource war.



According to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Korea invested $2.78 billion in overseas resources development projects last year. This is only 3 percent compared of what China invested _ $82.35 billion in the same period



Japan, in the meantime, spent $106.9 billion to develop overseas mines to secure resources for battery production, including cobalt, manganese and lithium.



China's state energy firms have already secured deals at most of the cobalt mines in the Congo Democratic Republic, the country with the world's largest cobalt reserves. It also recently signed a deal with the Bolivian government to build a lithium battery plant in the country while Korea withdrew from the bidding.



A Chinese firm has also secured the management rights of the Talison lithium mine, the world's largest lithium reserve, in Australia, and is the largest shareholder of the Mount Marion Lithium Project in West Australia.



Toyota Tsusho, Japanese carmaker Toyota's trading affiliate, has joined the resource race by establishing a joint venture with Australian mineral explorer Orocobre in 2010. Prime Minister Abe Shinjo also recently visited five Latin American countries, including Chile, Columbia, Mexico and Brazil, to deliver its intention to invest their crude and shale gas projects.



The United States is even reviewing its plan to deploy troops additionally to Afghanistan where over $1 trillion worth of natural resources such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth materials are abundant.



Blaming the former Lee Myung-bak administration's energy diplomacy as a total failure, however, the government has since reduced its investment in developing overseas resource reserves.



The government invested $11.4 billion to develop overseas mines under the Lee administration in 2011, but cut the investment in five years by a quarter.



It also completely slashed its loan program budget for overseas energy-related operations last year.



Highlighting the importance of the upcoming battle for battery-related resources, it revived the program by allocating 100 billion won this year, but has so far only committed to spending 32 billion won.



Industry insiders said it's already too late and the investment hasn't been enough.



"China has carried out its full-scale mine development project along with Tesla's announcement for the Model 3 production in March last year. But, I've got a call from a Korean firm for the first time this March," Australian Mines Managing Director Benjamin Bell was quoted as saying.



"If the Korean government is not directly involved in the related project, the nation is likely to keep depending on Chinese raw material support and eventually experience difficulties in securing resources for battery production. It is now, or never."


South Korean soldiers patrol along a barbed-wire fence near the militarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea, Dec. 21. / Reuters



By Staff Reporter





Will 2018 be the year that war breaks out in North Korea? In 2017, the hermit state's nuclear crisis escalated to its highest level in decades.

Reflecting the seriousness of the past 12 months' events, Beijing's advisers recently urged it to prepare for war that could come to the Korean peninsula as early as 2018.

So far, there is no sign the crisis can be reversed.

In the concluding year, Pyongyang fired some 23 missiles in 16 tests. In September, it conducted its sixth and largest nuclear weapons test, notwithstanding the pressure of strict United Nations sanctions.

Punitive moves have included stronger measures by China, the North's greatest trading partner and ostensible ally, amid loud calls by the US for Beijing to "do more" to curb North Korean aggression.

As the North Korean crisis tops the agenda in Sino-US relations, dealing with the issue has tested the two countries' complex relationship.

Pushing for harsher sanctions against North Korea, US President Donald Trump fired off salvoes on Twitter accusing China of failing to help Washington contain Pyongyang's aggression. The first UN Security Council sanctions under the Trump administration came in June with China's help, targeting Chinese companies' financial ties to North Korean missile and nuclear programmes.

Later that month, the US slapped deeper unilateral sanctions on Chinese individuals, a bank and companies. One of the targeted firms told the South China Morning Post that it no longer did business in North Korea.

China also supported a UN resolution that seeks to ban nearly 90 per cent of refined petroleum product exports to North Korea on Friday.

Beijing bristled at the pressure from Washington. Saying all sides needed to work towards a solution, China's foreign ministry championed the dual suspension of North Korea's nuclear programmes and US-South Korea military drills.

In February, China said it would suspend all coal shipments from the isolated kingdom, one of North Korea's top exports to China. Chinese imports of North Korean goods continued to decline, causing Chinese traders along the border to feel the pinch.

Despite these measures, Pyongyang continued its series of missile tests, including the successful launch of its first intercontinental ballistic missile in July. Talk of military options increased, as analysts predicted developments would escalate "right to the brink" before China and the US could effectively come together.

China announced sweeping new sanctions against North Korea in August, expanding the restrictions to include iron, iron ore and seafood. The Post obtained customs data showing plummeting Chinese exports of electricity and oil and gas products to North Korea, even as food exports such as corn and bananas surged substantially. On the flip side, North Korea exported more garments to China as Beijing's coal ban took its toll.

North Korean businesses in China, such as restaurants, have been ordered to shut down; North Korean workers in China are supposed to be sent home next month after the Chinese government ordered all North Korean businesses to shut down within 120 days from September 11.

That was the date the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions against Pyongyang over its repeated ballistic missile and nuclear tests.

Even so, several analysts doubted the moves would stop North Korea's continued march towards having nuclear weapons.

Later in August, Beijing banned new joint ventures with North Korea, in line with UN sanctions. Analysts said China's government was likely to support more sanctions on Pyongyang, including on crucial oil exports, although it would be careful not to push its historical ally to the point of regime collapse.

The chilling effect on China's relationship with North Korea was palpable. China's air force staged drills over the Yellow and East seas near the Korean peninsula. Meanwhile, analysts interpreted naval drills in the Yellow Sea as a "warning" to both North Korea and the US.

The Sino-North Korean Friendship Bridge across the Yalu River  a route for 80 per cent of trade between the countries  was suspended for what officials described as temporary maintenance activity. Tour operators stopped offering trips to North Korea.

Officials indicated China would end student exchanges to the reclusive state; and geologists warned their North Korean counterparts of consequences if an underground nuclear test site were to collapse.

In November, President Xi Jinping sent a top envoy, Song Tao, to visit North Korea.

But the diplomat's apparent failure to meet with Kim was described by analysts as a "snub" to Beijing. Days later, Pyongyang conducted another missile test, after which China's top diplomat Wang Yi spoke with "regret" about the increasing regional tensions.

As the US remains steadfast in its refusal to take military options off the table, its military has increased communications with its Chinese counterpart.

Uncertainty and concern continue to loom over the Korean peninsula. While Beijing has repeatedly said it will not allow war or chaos in the area, officials and scholars have quietly suggested the country should ready itself for a worst-case scenario.

Chinese analysts also acknowledge that Beijing is losing control over its neighbour and former ally.

Raising the alarm for many, residents of Jilin, a northeastern province bordering North Korea and Russia, were told on December 6 in a full-page newspaper announcement to prepare for nuclear disaster.

Chinese scientists have also warned about the possibility of an implosion of the Punggye-ri test site not far from the North Korea-China border, posing a potential nuclear disaster for Jilin.
Beijing Capital International Airport / Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons



By Laura Zhou

China is to allow some foreigners to visit Beijing and neighbouring Tianjin and Hebei province for up to six days without a visa.

The visa-waiver scheme is open to visitors from 53 countries who stop in China while in transit to a third country, the state-run People's Daily reported.

A similar six-day visa-free transit policy was introduced in Shanghai and neighbouring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces last year.

The new policy covering Beijing and neighbouring areas comes into force on Thursday. The countries in the scheme include most of the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea.

The move forms part of government plans to more closely integrate the economies and development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

China's Civil Aviation Administration and the economic planning agency the National Development and Reform Commission have also pledged to construct new infrastructure to connect airports in the region by 2020.

Notices about the visa scheme have already been prepared in Chinese and English at Tianjin's international airport as well as the city's cruise port, the report said.

Wang Huiyao, director of the Centre for China Globalisation think tank, said the scheme would boost the tourism sector, especially in Tianjin and Hebei.

"The new policy covers citizens from almost all the developed countries in the world and six-day stays mean foreign visitors now have enough time to travel or to attend business conferences without needing to spend time and money on visa applications," said Wang.

Chinese tourists have become the largest contributor to the international tourism market, but China has long struggled to attract foreign travellers, with its strict visa policy often blamed as one of the factors deterring overseas tourists.

Chinese tourists made 62.03 million trips abroad in the first six months of the year, but foreigners only made 14.25 million trips to China, according to the National Tourism Administration.
A woman poses for pictures with Star Wars robots R2-D2 and BB8 at the China premiere of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," at the Shanghai Disney Resort in Shanghai, China, Dec. 20. / REUTERS-Yonhap



By Jane Cai





China has unveiled three-year plans to increase the country's economic competitiveness by developing "key technologies" in nine industrial sectors, from robotics to railways.

The initiatives mark Beijing's latest efforts to develop industries it deems will play a significant role the in the country's economic development in the future.

Among the plans published by the National Development and Reform Commission on Tuesday is one to develop magnetic levitation trains able to travel at up to 600km/h by 2020.

Other areas include smart cars, robotics, advanced shipbuilding and maritime equipment, modern agricultural machinery, advanced medical devices and drugs, new materials, smart manufacturing and machine tools.

The aim is "to make China a powerful manufacturing country" and upgrade the nation's industrial power through "the internet, big data and artificial intelligence", the commission said.

To achieve that goal, the agency has laid out specific targets to develop key technologies and guide research and the flow of funds in each sector.

Details for the automobile sector include encouraging greater use of computer chips by China's big carmakers.

The commission also wants Chinese carmakers to develop hi-tech equipment such as high-definition cameras and precise electronic systems to warn drivers if they are in danger of collisions.

The government will coordinate research efforts by carmakers and "enhance funding support" to seek breakthroughs in technological research, the agency said.

Similar instructions and plans have been set out for the other eight industrial sectors.

The plans were published as China's state-led industrial policies are receiving increased scrutiny among the country's trade partners in the US and Europe.

The European Union introduced new rules last week to guard against excessively cheap imports where overseas manufacturers are alleged to have gained an advantage through unfair trade practices.

It singled out China for special attention in a report spelling out how its economy is distorted by government subsidies and preferential policies for state manufacturers.

The European Commission concluded in a 465-page report that Beijing exerts a decisive influence over the allocation of resources, such as land or capital, and influences prices in various factors of production "in a very significant manner".

While the plans released on Tuesday are not specifically targeting foreign competitors, the message is about growing China's industrial muscle that can be leveraged by Beijing.

In the rail sector, for instance, Beijing's plan to develop a home-grown 600km/h maglev train would put China at the top of the world's rail industry in the use of the technology. A current line operating in Shanghai has an average speed of about 200km/h. The highest speed recorded by the technology is about 400km/h.

Zhao Jian, an economics professor at Beijing Jiaotong University said: "China is competing with the US to renovate its manufacturing sector. Government support in developing generic technologies are needed, but it should avoid being overstretching and setting up unrealistic goals.

"I doubt if any company would be interested in marketing the maglev train technology as the cost would be huge," he said.

The goals may be overly ambitious, but China's government is committed to pool resources to try to achieve them, according to analysts.

John Zeng, managing director of the consultancy LMC Automotive in Shanghai, expects the plans to be followed by preferential tax rates and other policies to encourage investment in the various sectors.

He added, however, that he was concerned it may be "ahead of time" to develop smart car technologies in China. "Compared to the US and some European countries, China's challenges to promote smart cars are much bigger, given the poor traffic conditions."

There is also a debate over whether the state should decide what technologies to focus on rather than market forces.

Beijing's industrial policies have often led to costly distortions. The Chinese government announcement a decade ago of 10 strategic emerging industries led to overheated investment and overcapacity in some sectors such as solar power.

Gary Liu, president of the China Financial Reform Institute, a Shanghai-based research group, said the government economic planner's role should be curtailed.

"What China should do is reduce government approvals. Enhancing administrative intervention will only lead to corruption, rent-seeking and disruption to the market," he said.

Barely a decade after the global financial crisis, China is on track to becoming a global leader in electric and driverless cars and the development of artificial intelligence.

However, the success can mainly be attributed to private companies' efforts. China's industrial policies, from subsidising solar panel producers to new energy car makers, have not fostered many successful firms. Instead, reports of fraudulent subsidy claims have been rampant.

Hu Xingdou, an independent economist, said: "Industry policies, even if working well, only work for the short-term. For the longer term, China is losing credit by allowing administrative power to play a big role in the economy and is destined to generate more complaints on an uneven playing field and criticism from foreign countries."
YONGLE EMPEROR

The Yongle Emperor (ruled 1403-1424) seized power from Zhu Yuanzhang's son with the help of a powerful group of court eunuchs. One of China's greatest emperors, he sent a great 300-ship armada to the Indian Ocean and Africa, restored the capital to Beijing, built the Forbidden City with a million workers, and invaded Mongolia and Vietnam.

Roberta Smith wrote in the New York Times, Zhu Di (1360-1424), who would be called Yongle (Perpetual Happiness), is often compared to Peter the Great; the analogy fits in terms of brilliance, ambition, historical importance and brutality. Like Peter the Great, Yongle was a study in contradictions. A devout Tibetan Buddhist to the point of fanaticism, he ruthlessly executed not only his enemies but also their families and friends, sometimes in great numbers. And like Peter, he encouraged cultural openness, maintaining diplomatic ties with the Mamluk Empire based in Egypt and Syria, the Timurid Empire of Iran and Afghanistan and the Ashikaga shogunate in Japan. He also took full advantage of the accomplished workshops, populated by craftsmen from all of Asia, that the Yuan emperors had built. [Source: Roberta Smith, New York Times, April 1, 2005]

The great Yongle (pronounced YOONG-LUH) ruled China from 1403 to 1424. His father Zhu Yuanzhang, was the first Ming emperor, and a commoner who seized the throne after playing a leading role in the rebellion against the Mongol emperors of the Yuan Dynasty. Yongle, his fourth son, Smith wrote, was not supposed to succeed him, and he didn't. The son of an older brother was named emperor when Yongle's father died in 1398, but after three years of civil war, Yongle drove him from the throne. He then set about laying the cultural, political and physical foundations that would sustain China for centuries to come. During his relatively brief reign, he moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing and vastly expanded the Forbidden City that 22 successive emperors would call home. He completed the Grand Canal connecting the Yangtze River to northern China and sent out six large armadas for trade and exploration. At home, he commissioned scholars to write an encyclopedia of classical and contemporary knowledge, which eventually numbered more than 11,000 volumes. His centralization of power and money was a particular spur to the decorative arts. Yongle's reign is considered the classic period for white porcelains and brought a revival of excellence in carved cinnabar lacquer.

Website on the Ming Dynasty Ming Studies mingstudies.arts.ubc.ca; Wikipedia Wikipedia ; Ming Tombs Wikipedia Wikipedia : UNESCO World Heritage Site: UNESCO World Heritage Site Map ; Zheng He and Early Chinese Exploration : Wikipedia Chinese Exploration Wikipedia ; Le Monde Diplomatique mondediplo.com ; Zheng He Wikipedia Wikipedia ; Gavin Menziess 1421 1421.tv Matteo Ricci faculty.fairfield.edu Chinese History: Chinese Text Project ctext.org ; 3) Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization depts.washington.edu ; Chaos Group of University of Maryland chaos.umd.edu/history/toc ; 2) WWW VL: History China vlib.iue.it/history/asia ; 3) Wikipedia article on the History of China Wikipedia ; Books: "Cambridge History of China" multiple volumes (Cambridge University Press); "Chronicle of the Chinese Emperor" by Ann Paludan.

RELATED ARTICLES IN THIS WEBSITE: MING- AND QING-ERA CHINA AND FOREIGN INTRUSIONS factsanddetails.com; MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) factsanddetails.com; HONGWU (ZHU YUANZHANG) AND OTHER MING DYNASTY EMPERORS factsanddetails.com; MING DYNASTY DOCUMENTS AND THEIR INSIGHTS INTO MING LIFE factsanddetails.com; EXPLORATION AND EUROPEAN INFLUENCES IN THE MING DYNASTY factsanddetails.com; QING- AND MING-ERA ECONOMY factsanddetails.com; MING-QING ECONOMY AND FOREIGN TRADE factsanddetails.com; WOKOU: JAPANESE PIRATES factsanddetails.com; CHINESE EXPLORATION factsanddetails.com; ZHENG HE: THE GREAT CHINESE EUNUCH EXPLORER factsanddetails.com

Yongles Rise to Power

The Yongle emperor came to power by staging a rebellion in 1402 and deposing his nephew. He was helped by the eunuch Zheng He, today known as China's greatest explorer. Yongle means Eternal Happiness." His devotion to Tibetan-Buddhism enabled him to forge a strong relationship with Tibet.

Wolfram Eberhard wrote in A History of China: In Zhu Yuanzhang's last years (he was named T'ai Tsu as emperor) difficulties arose in regard to the dynasty. The heir to the throne died in 1391; and when the emperor himself died in 1398, the son of the late heir-apparent was installed as emperor (Huidi, 1399-1402). This choice had the support of some of the influential Confucian gentry families of the south. But a protest against his enthronement came from the other son of Zhu Yuanzhang, who as king in Beijing had hoped to become emperor. With his strong army this prince, Chengzu (Ch'eng Tsu) , marched south and captured Nanking, where the palaces were burnt down. There was a great massacre of supporters of the young emperor, and the victor made himself emperor (better known under his reign name, Yongle). As he had established himself in Beijing, he transferred the capital to Beijing, where it remained throughout the Ming epoch. Nanking became a sort of subsidiary capital. [Source: A History of China by Wolfram Eberhard, 1951, University of California, Berkeley]

This transfer of the capital to the north, as the result of the victory of the military party and Buddhists allied to them, produced a new element of instability: the north was of military importance, but the Yangtze region remained the economic centre of the country. The interests of the gentry of the Yangtze region were injured by the transfer.

Arthur Henderson Smith wrote in Village Life in China: The nephew of Hongwu, founder of the Ming Dynasty, is popularly believed to have destroyed the lives of all those whom he met, and to have reduced to an uninhabited desert the whole region from the Yangtze River to Peking. After an ambitious youth had dispossessed his nephew, who was the rightful heir to the throne, he took the title of Yongle,, which became a famous name in Chinese history. To repair the ravages which had been made, compulsory emigration was established from southern Shanxi and from eastern Shandong. Tradition reports that vast masses of people were collected in Hongtong County in southern Shanxi, and thence distributed over the uncultivated wastes made by war. Certain it is that throughout great regions of the plain of northern China, the inhabitants have no other knowledge of their origin than that they came from that Hongtong [Source: Village Life in China by Arthur Henderson Smith, Fleming H. Revell Company, 1899, The Project Gutenberg]

Rule of the Yongle Emperor

The Yongle emperor did everything in a big way. When he made his relatively frequent trips between the old capital of Nanjing and the new capital in Beijing his entourage was accompanied by 10,000 cavalry soldiers and 40,000 foot soldiers. The encyclopedia he commissioned, the Yongle Dadian, contained 11,099 volumes and was kept in the Hall of Literary Glory in the Forbidden City. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest publication and largest encyclopedia ever, it contained 22,937 chapters produced by 2,000 Chinese scholar between 1403 and 1408.

Wolfram Eberhard wrote in A History of China: The first Ming emperor had taken care to make his court resemble the court of the Mongol rulers, but on the whole had exercised relative economy. Yongle (1403-1424), however, lived in the actual palaces of the Mongol rulers, and all the luxury of the Mongol epoch was revived. This made the reign of Yongle the most magnificent period of the Ming epoch, but beneath the surface decay had begun. Typical of the unmitigated absolutism which developed now, was the word of one of the emperor's political and military advisors, significantly a Buddhist monk: "I know the way of heaven. Why discuss the hearts of the people?" [Source: A History of China by Wolfram Eberhard, 1951, University of California, Berkeley]

The Yongle emperor had a brutal side. One of his first acts after seizing power was torturing to death all those who opposed him. He was said to be particularly found of the death-by-a-thousand-cuts method of execution in which victims were bled to death very slowly and once declared that anyone was found with banned works "should be killed, together with their entire families." One victim, the great Confucian scholar Fang Xiaoru, was cut to pieces in a public square and 900 people associated with him were killed because he refused to express loyalty to the emperor.

Art from the Court of the Yongle Emperor

"Defining Yongle: Imperial Art in Early 15th-Century China" was an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2005 that featured about 50 objects from court of the Yongle Emperor. The first show at the Met to focus on one Chinese ruler, it included paintings, sculpture, lacquer ware, metalwork, textiles, cloisonne and ivory. It was organized by Denise Patry Leidy, associate curator in the museum's department of Asian art, and James C. Y. Watt, the department's chairman. [Source: Roberta Smith, New York Times, April 1, 2005 |<|]

Roberta Smith wrote in the New York Times, the show is a kind of tasting menu of those workshops' extraordinary capabilities and includes examples of all the imperial and Buddhist art forms produced during Yongle's reign. On its own, nearly every object here is a kind of exquisite morsel...But together the objects illuminate the messy cultural openness of Yongle's court, reminding us that any culture is always an amalgam of many. In this case the amalgam included elements from India, Nepal and especially Tibet, as well as the Mamluk and Timurid cultures. |<|

One vitrine displays a 15th-century Yongle period Ming porcelain blue and white basin beside a 14th-century Mamluk dynasty enameled glass basin. They are all but identical in shape and size, but the Mamluk basin is decorated with willowy Arabic script, while the Yongle basin is a controlled riot of scrolling vines of lotuses, chrysanthemums and peonies. A blue-and-white porcelain flask reflects the adaptation of an Islamic eight-pointed medallion, but the eight leaf-tip shapes nudging into its central circle introduce naturalistic (and painterly) inconsistencies that enliven the entire design. |<|

Much of the power of this show resides in the details, and in the psychological intensity that exquisite craftsmanship and its tolerance for subtle variations can exude. This intensity legislates a kind of equality between different mediums and stylistic modes, especially the decorative and the representational. It is also reflected in the way certain motifs and devices migrate from object to object, and from art to life. A ritual staff and other ritual weapons made of iron inlaid with gold and silver are similar to those held by small gilt bronze statues of a sinuous Bodhisattva of Wisdom and a bristling multiheaded god, Yamantaka-Vajrabhairava; the detail in all three objects attests to the Yongle workshops' extraordinary level of craftsmanship in casting and metalwork. (Yamantaka-Vajrabhairava also appears, equally vehement, on an astonishing silk embroidery mounted like a Tibetan tangka, his 16 legs stomping evil spirits with precise, trill-like repetition.) |<|

An intricate flywhisk made of woven and flowing palm-leaf fibers is a real-life version of a minuscule one that can be detected in a scene carved into a lacquer platter. On the platter, it is held by a servant attending scholars as they relax on a terrace, whose tile surface is detailed in fine tight patterns, as are the waves and starry sky beyond them and the leaves of several species of trees. The pictorial acuity of such carved-lacquer scenes finds an equivalent in three Tibetan-style paintings of Arhat, or enlightened beings, seated on rocklike thrones beneath trees. The exchange between the two mediums is one of several high points in this charged, not-so-little small show, which suggests that in the end the imperial art of Yongle may not submit to definition so easily. |<|

Yongle Emperor, the Forbidden City and Other Projects



Yongle Encyclopedia In 1409 Yongle, moved the capital of the Chinese Empire from Nanking to back Beijing in his effort to dominate the Mongol empire, the same way the Mongol's dominated Chinese empire. The Yongle emperor also vastly expanded the Grand Canal and the Great Wall and built hundreds of temples and palaces. His grand projects however drained the treasury and bled the country dry.

Yongle oversaw the construction of the "Violet-Purple Forbidden City"(the Forbidden City). Thousands of craftsmen, hundreds of thousands of laborers and building material from all over China were utilized in the project. Some scholars estimate that over two million laborers and craftspeople took part in the project. The basic outline of the palace was built between 1406 and 1420 under the Emperor Yongle. The majority of the five halls and 17 palaces that stand today were built after 1700.

The Yangshan Stone Tablet is a massive 31,000-ton monument created by Yongle to honor the founder of the Ming Dynasty. The size of skyscraper, it is located in an imperial quarry set among hills and canyons 15 miles from Nanjing. The idea was to create the world's largest monument in three parts: a base, steale and cap, that together would have stood 25 stories high. Thousands of workers spent years carving the stone from the mountain at great expense but ultimately the project was abandoned because no one could figure out a way to move the stones (even today it can't be done).

Great Ambitions of the Yongle Emperor

According to Columbia Universitys Asia for Educators: The Yongle Emperor, was particularly aggressive and personally led major campaigns against Mongolian tribes to the north and west. He also wanted those in other countries to be aware of China's power, and to perceive it as the strong country he believed it had been in earlier Chinese dynasties, such as the Han and the Song; he thus revived the traditional tribute system. In the traditional tributary arrangement, countries on China's borders agreed to recognize China as their superior and its emperor as lord of "all under Heaven." These countries regularly gave gifts of tribute in exchange for certain benefits, like military posts and trade treaties. In this system, all benefited, with both peace and trade assured. [Source: Asia for Educators, Columbia University afe.easia.columbia.edu]

Because the Yongle emperor realized that the major threats to China in this period were from the north, particularly the Mongols, he saved many of those military excursions for himself. He sent his most trusted generals to deal with the Manchurian people to the north, the Koreans and Japanese to the east, and the Vietnamese in the south. For ocean expeditions to the south and west, however, he decided that this time China should make use of its extremely advanced technology and all the riches the state had to offer. Lavish expeditions should be mounted in order to overwhelm foreign peoples and convince them beyond any doubt about Ming power. For this special purpose, he chose one of his most trusted generals, a man he had known since he was young, Zheng He.

Wolfram Eberhard wrote in A History of China: After the collapse of Mongol rule in Indo-China, partly through the simple withdrawal of the Mongols, and partly through attacks from various Chinese generals, there were independence movements in south-west China and Indo-China. In 1393 wars broke out in Annam. Yongle considered that the time had come to annex these regions to China and so to open a new field for Chinese trade, which was suffering continual disturbance from the Japanese. He sent armies to Yunnan and Indo-China; at the same time he had a fleet built by one of his eunuchs, Zheng He (Cheng Ho). The fleet was successfully protected from attack by the Japanese. [Source: A History of China by Wolfram Eberhard, 1951, University of California, Berkeley]

Yongle and Zheng He's Expeditions

Zheng He, who had promoted the plan and also carried it out, began in 1405 his famous mission to Indo-China, which had been envisaged as giving at least moral support to the land operations, but was also intended to renew trade connections with Indo-China, where they had been interrupted by the collapse of Mongol rule. Zheng He sailed past Indo-China and ultimately reached the coast of Arabia. His account of his voyage is an important source of information about conditions in southern Asia early in the fifteenth century. Zheng He and his fleet made some further cruises, but they were discontinued. [Source: A History of China by Wolfram Eberhard, 1951, University of California, Berkeley]

In the 3rd year of Yongle's rule, under the order of Ming Chengzu Zhu Di, Zheng He and his assistant, Wang Jinghong, led a fleet comprised of 317 ships, including 62 treasuredships and more than 27,000 people. They started from Liujia port, Suzhou, near Shanghai, and returned after more than two years. When arriving in each place, Zheng He exchanged porcelain, silk, copper and iron wares, gold and silver for local products."Source: Liu Jun, Museum of Nationalities, Central University for Nationalities, kepu.net.cn ~]

Sponsored by the Yongle Emperor to show the world the splendor of the Chinese empire, the seven expeditions led by Zheng He between 1405 and 1433 were by far the largest maritime expeditions the world had ever seen, and would see for the next five centuries. Not until World War I did there appear anything comparable. Overall He visited more than 30 countries and by some estimates covered 160,000 sea miles (about 300,000 kilometers).

The largest expedition utilized a crew of 30,000 men and a fleet of 317 ships, including a 444-foot-long teak-wood treasury ship with nine masts, the largest wooden ship ever made; 370-foot, eight-masted galloping horse ships," the fastest boats in the fleet; 280-foot supply ships; 240-foot troop transports; 180-foot battle junks, a billet ship, patrol boats and 20 tankers to carry fresh water. The expedition was nothing less than a floating city that stretched across several kilometers of sea. By contrast to Columbus' expedition consisted for three ships with 90 men. The largest ship was 85 feet long. The largest ships in Vasco de Gama's fleet had four masts and were about 100 feet long.

The crew included sailors and mariners, seven grand eunuchs, hundreds of Ming officials, 180 physicians, geomacers, sail makers, blacksmiths, carpenters, tailors, cooks, merchants, accountants, interpreters that spoke Arabic and other languages, astrologers that predicted the weather, astronomers that studied the stars, pharmacologists that collected plants, ship repair specialists, and even protocol specialist that were responsible for organizing official receptions. To guide the massive ships, Chinese navigators used compasses and elaborate navigational charts with detailed compass bearings.

During the seven expeditions the treasure ships carried more than a million tons of Chinese silk, ceramics and copper coins and traded them for tropical species, gemstones, fragrant woods, animals, textiles and minerals. Among the things that the Chinese coveted most were medicinal herbs, incense, pepper, tropical hardwoods, peanuts, opium, bird's nests, African ivory and Arabian horses. The Chinese were not interested in Europe, which only had wool and wine to offer  things the Chinese could produce for themselves.

See Separate Articles ZHENG HE: THE GREAT CHINESE EUNUCH EXPLORER factsanddetails.com ; ZHENG HE'S EXPEDITIONS factsanddetails.com ; CHINESE EXPLORATION factsanddetails.com

Yongle Emperor and the Giraffe

A big deal was made when a giraffe was delivered as a tribute to the Yongle Emperor from a ruler in Bengal in 1414. The Chinese believed the animal was a ch'i-lin (qilin) a Chinese unicorn with the "the body of a deer and the tail of an ox," which ate only herbs and harmed no living beings. Like the dragon, the ch'l-lin was said to be a being created by the surplus energy of the cosmos. Some historians believe that the emperor financed Zheng He's later expeditions with the understanding that he might be able to bring back equally interesting animals from Africa. [Source: "The Discoverers" by Daniel Boorstin]

In a lengthy paean the giraffe was compared with the Emperor's perfection:

Truly was produced a K'i-lin whose shape was high 15 feet

With the body of a deer and the tail of an ox, and a

fleshy boneless horn,

With luminous spots like a red cloud or a purple mist.

Its hoofs do not tread on living beings and in its wandering

it carefully selects its ground,

It walks in stately fashion and in its motion it observes a rhythm

It harmonious voice sounds like a bell or musical tube.

Gentle is this animal that in all antiquity has been since but once,

The manifestation of its divine spirit rises up to Heaven's abode.

Did the Yongle Emperors Extravagance Bring Down the Ming Dynasty

According to Columbia Universitys Asia for Educators: Factions at court had long been critical of the Yongle emperor's extravagant ways. Not only had he sent seven missions of the enormous Treasure Ships over the western seas, he had ordered overseas missions northeast and east, had sent envoys multiple times across desert and grassland to the mountains of Tibet and Nepal and on to Bengal and Siam, and had many times raised armies against fragmented but still troublesome Mongolian tribes to the north. He had embroiled China in a losing battle with Annam (northern Vietnam) for decades (most latterly due to exorbitant demands for timber to build his palace). In addition to these foreign exploits, he had further depleted the treasury by moving the capital from Nanjing to Beijing and, with a grandeur on land to match that on sea, by ordering the construction of the magnificent Forbidden City. This project involved over a million laborers. To further fortifying the north of his empire, he pledged his administration to the enormous task of reviving and extending the Grand Canal. This made it possible to transport grain and other foodstuffs from the rich southern provinces to the northern capital by barge, rather than by ships along the coast.

Causing further hardship were natural disasters, severe famines in Shantong and Hunan, epidemics in Fujian, plus lightning strikes that destroyed part of the newly constructed Forbidden City. In 1448, flooding of the Yellow River left millions homeless and thousands of acres unproductive. As a result of these disasters coupled with corruption and nonpayment of taxes by wealthy elite, China's tax base shrank by almost half over the course of the century.

Furthermore the fortuitous fragmentation of the Mongol threat along China's northern borders did not last. By 1449 several tribes unified and their raids and counterattacks were to haunt the Ming Dynasty for the next two centuries until its fall, forcing military attention to be focused on the north. But the situation in the south was not much better. Without continual diplomatic attention, pirates and smugglers again were active in the South China Sea.

The Ming court was divided into many factions, most sharply into the pro-expansionist voices led by the powerful eunuch factions that had been responsible for the policies supporting Zheng He's voyages, and more traditional conservative Confucian court advisers who argued for frugality. When another seafaring voyage was suggested to the court in 1477, the vice president of the Ministry of War confiscated all of Zheng He's records in the archives, damning them as "deceitful exaggerations of bizarre things far removed from the testimony of people's eyes and ears." He argued that "the expeditions of San Bao [meaning "Three Jewels," as Zheng He was called] to the West Ocean wasted tens of myriads of money and grain and moreover the people who met their deaths may be counted in the myriads. Although he returned with wonderful precious things, what benefit was it to the state?"





Linked to eunuch politics and wasteful policies, the voyages were over. By the century's end, ships could not be built with more than two masts, and in 1525 the government ordered the destruction of all oceangoing ships. The greatest navy in history, which once had 3,500 ships (the U.S. Navy today has only 324), was gone.

Image Sources: Zheng He, wikipedia; Zheng ship, Ohio State University; Zheng He expeditions, Dr. Robert Perrins, 1421; Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Asia for Educators, Columbia University afe.easia.columbia.edu; University of Washingtons Visual Sourcebook of Chinese Civilization, depts.washington.edu/chinaciv /=\; National Palace Museum, Taipei \=/; Library of Congress; New York Times; Washington Post; Los Angeles Times; China National Tourist Office (CNTO); Xinhua; China.org; China Daily; Japan News; Times of London; National Geographic; The New Yorker; Time; Newsweek; Reuters; Associated Press; Lonely Planet Guides; Comptons Encyclopedia; Smithsonian magazine; The Guardian; Yomiuri Shimbun; AFP; Wikipedia; BBC. Many sources are cited at the end of the facts for which they are used.

Last updated August 2021
Looking to buy cannabis on New Years Day without a medical marijuana card? Head to Santa Ana.

Seven cannabis dispensaries there will be able to start selling pot to California adults Monday morning  and theyll be the only such shops open for business in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Permits for those shops were issued over the weekend as state and local officials, and cannabis business owners, sprint toward the opening of Californias legal cannabis market.

Advertisement

As of Friday afternoon, the state had issued 47 permits for recreational marijuana retailers, and two shops in West Hollywood were the only ones in Greater Los Angeles. Those shops, plus a third West Hollywood dispensary licensed over the weekend, wont open until Tuesday.

That makes Santa Ana the only New Years Day option, unless buyers are willing to trek to San Diego or the Palm Springs area, where several shops are licensed to begin recreational sales on Monday.

 Recreational marijuana becomes legal in California on Jan. 1. The first round of state licenses for marijuana businesses kick into effect in January. Heres a guide to everything you need to know.

To get state permits, recreational marijuana companies  including retailers, testing labs, growers and distributors  must first get local licenses. Because many cities, including Los Angeles and Long Beach, have not started issuing permits of their own, there are no state-licensed recreational pot shops in those cities.

The Santa Ana dispensaries licensed to make recreational sales starting Monday morning are:

MedMen, 2141 Wright St.

From the Earth, 3023 Orange Ave.

Blum, 2911 Tech Center Drive

ShowGrow, 1625 Gertrude Place

Peoples OC, 2721 Grand Ave.

420 Central, 420 Central Ave.

Orange County Cannabis Club, 3122 Halladay St.

The West Hollywood dispensaries approved to start recreational sales on Tuesday are:

Alternative Herbal Health Services, 7828 Santa Monica Blvd.

MedMen, 8028 Santa Monica Blvd.

Los Angeles Patients and Caregivers Group, 7213 Santa Monica Blvd.

james.koren@latimes.com

Follow me: @jrkoren
If you think the government has no business telling business its business, this has been a pretty great year.

If, on the other hand, you think government has a role to play in ensuring fair play by companies that have shown themselves to be guided almost exclusively by self-interest and a disregard for consumers and public welfare, this year has been nothing short of horrendous.

And 2018 doesnt look much better.

The Trump administration has been single-mindedly focused on getting rid of rules and regulations that businesses say hindered competition, innovation and free markets.

Advertisement

The consumer protections that were put in place over the past two generations are being destroyed brick by brick under the Trump administration, said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League.

That might sound like hyperbole, but it was a sentiment echoed by every consumer advocate I spoke with.

This has been the most anti-regulatory and deregulatory administration in American history, declared Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen.

He told me there is zero evidence for the business communitys insistence that fewer rules translates to more jobs and a more vibrant economy.

On the other hand, there is ample evidence for the benefits of regulation, Weissman said. Society is far, far better off, in economic terms, when there are rules on the books and constraints on corporate wrongdoing.

The Brookings Institution has maintained a running list of noteworthy changes in the regulatory landscape under President Trump. The curated selection reached roughly 80 prominent rule changes by years end.

This represents a mere drop in the deregulation bucket. In July, the White House Office of Management and Budget said it was eliminating or freezing 860 pending regulations, many involving consumer and worker safeguards and environmental protection.

Emissions standards for the fossil-fuels industry? Theyre now looser. Workplace safety? Trump has eased restrictions on exposure to hazardous chemicals and substances. He even wants to eliminate the federal agency that ensures safe drinking water in rural communities.

This month, Trump told supporters that he has done more on knocking out regulations than any other president in our history.

And we havent even started, he said.

Is this what the American people want? A recent poll found that more than 80% of Americans favored net neutrality, the rule put in place by the Obama administration in 2015 that required internet service providers to treat all content equally.

Two weeks ago, the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission repealed it, much to the delight of deep-pocketed telecom companies.

This isnt to say all regulations are good ones. But Trumps rule-cutting appears motivated not by a desire to clean house but by a laser-like focus on padding the pockets of business.

For consumers, perhaps no action by Trump is more reflective of this business-first mentality than his decision to install his budget director, Mick Mulvaney, as interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The job became vacant after the former agency head, Richard Cordray, stepped down in November.

Mulvaney is yet another Trump appointee at war with the office he runs. Just as Energy Secretary Rick Perry once called for closing down the Energy Department, Mulvaney has said the CFPB is a sick, sad joke.

Business groups have been lobbying for years to do away with the agency, which is charged with protecting consumers from unfair or illegal financial practices, such as, oh, I dont know, a major bank opening up millions of accounts without customers permission (What is Wells Fargo, Alex).

Critics conveniently ignore the reason the CFPB was created in the first place  to address the reckless corporate behavior that caused the near-collapse of the financial-services industry and led to the worst recession in U.S. history.

Mulvaney wasted no time bringing the bureaus operations to a halt, issuing a monthlong moratorium on new regulatory actions and hiring. Anything in the pipeline stops for at least 30 days, he said.

Trump tweeted that the agency has been a total disaster that has left financial firms devastated and unable to properly serve the public.

In reality, the CFPB has returned about $12 billion to consumers by stepping in after banks and others behaved in abusive fashion. Moreover, U.S. banks posted record profits in 2016 and are on track for even more lucrative results.

All industries should be so devastated.

The CFPB tramples on the fundamental economic rights of American citizens, taking away their choices and opportunities, said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a Texas Republican who chairs the House Financial Services Committee and has been one of the bureaus harshest critics.

Heres an example of the bureau trampling on your economic rights: In 2012, the CFPB opened an investigation, as required by federal law, into how mandatory arbitration provisions in financial contracts affect consumers. It held public hearings nationwide, and in 2015 issued a more than 700-page report on its findings.

In July, the bureau unveiled its rule, saying that arbitration clauses in banks and credit card companies contracts could continue, but financial firms couldnt prevent customers from joining class-action lawsuits.

Within two weeks, at the prodding of those same financial firms, the Republican-controlled House voted to repeal the measure. The Senate followed suit in October.

The upshot is that even though the CFPB determined that class actions provide a more effective means for consumers to challenge problematic practices by banks and other financial companies, those firms can continue forcing customers to arbitrate rather than sue.

And why would they do that? Heres a clue: A study by Public Citizen found that over a four-year period, arbitrators ruled in favor of banks and credit card companies 94% of the time in disputes with California consumers.

Its fair to say that the Trump administration has signaled that the bureaus days as an aggressive monitor are over for now, said Aaron Klein, policy director for the Brookings Institutions Center on Regulation and Markets.

After Trump put Mulvaney in the CFPB drivers seat  a move thats being challenged in court  Hensarling issued a statement saying Mulvaney will protect consumers from government interference with competitive, innovative markets.

In other words, youll be safe from the government telling business its business.

Happy New Year.

David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.
Authorities have identified the man who shot two others before turning a gun on himself Friday at a Long Beach law office.

John Alexander Mendoza, 58, of Redondo Beach killed 75-year-old Major Langer and injured another 64-year-old man before shooting himself, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Langer, a partner with the law office, was fatally shot in the torso, according to police and the law office of Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin, Mendoza and Harrison.

Advertisement

As of Saturday evening, there was no lawyer with the last name Mendoza listed on the firms website, but the initial M remained in the firms logo online. On the State Bar of California website, John Alexander Mendoza is listed as working at the law firms Long Beach address.

Ronald Beck, another partner with the law firm who suffered gunshot wounds to the torso and lower body, was taken to a hospital by a third party before police arrived, authorities said. Beck was in stable condition and is expected to survive, according to a statement from police.

Todd Harrison, another partner at the law firm, issued a statement Saturday about the shootings.

We are shocked and saddened by the tragedy  leaving one of our partners dead and another injured in a senseless act of workplace violence, he said. On behalf of our entire firm, we wish to extend our deepest condolences to the family of Major Langer. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, as well as with the family of Ronald Beck.

Major was a big part of the Law Firms success. Major leaves his wife, children, and grandchildren a legacy that was truly as special as he was. Our thoughts and prayers are with Majors family, as well as with the family of Ronald Beck, who was injured and remains hospitalized. pic.twitter.com/CdoJ0gPARg  Law Offices | PLBSH (@PLBSHLaw) December 31, 2017

Authorities are still investigating the motive for the shootings.

Police received a call of a shooting around 2:25 p.m. Friday in an office in the 300 block of East San Antonio Drive, police said.

Police arrived to find Mendoza and Langer dead with gunshot wounds. They found a weapon at the scene, police said.

Several employees were in the office at the time of the shooting, however, no other injuries were reported, according to the police statement.

Anyone with information about the incident can call Long Beach Police Department homicide detectives Donald Goodman and Mark Mattia at (562) 570-7244.

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.

UPDATES:

7:45 p.m.: This article was updated with information about the law firm.

This article was originally published at 6:50 p.m.
Immigrants held at a San Diego County detention center are suing the private prison company that runs the facility, alleging exploitation and forced labor that their attorneys say breaks human trafficking laws.

The class-action lawsuit, filed Wednesday in San Diego federal court, alleges that immigrants at Otay Mesa Detention Center are paid at most $1.50 per day, and sometimes not paid at all, for their work as kitchen staff, janitors, barbers and various other roles. It further alleges that the facility doesnt provide all of the basic necessities that detainees need for daily life, such as soap, which means they have to work in order to buy those items at the commissary.

The lawsuit also contends that facility staff have threatened to put detainees in solitary confinement or take away visitation rights if they said they didnt want to work.

Advertisement

CoreCivic, the company that contracts with the government to operate the facility, said it does not comment on pending litigation and has not yet been served with the lawsuit.

Our complaint alleges CoreCivic illegally enriches itself on the backs of a captive workforce, said Korey Nelson, partner at Burns Charest, a law firm with offices in Dallas and New Orleans that specializes in complex class-action suits.

Otay Mesa Detention Center holds detainees in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency responsible for those with pending cases in immigration court.

A spokeswoman for ICE deferred to CoreCivic when asked about the case. ICE is not named as a defendant.

Although work programs that pay little are common in prisons, the complaint argues that there is a legal difference for those in the immigration system.

The complaint hinges on the fact that immigration court is a civil court system, not a criminal one. That means that, unlike people in jail or prison, those going through the immigration court system cannot be detained as punishment.

ICE has authority to detain someone only if the agency believes that person wont show up in court or if the agency suspects the person would be dangerous to society if released.

Because of the distinction between civil detention and criminal detention, there are different legal standards for what can be expected of those held in the two systems, explained Chris Morris, a local civil rights attorney.

Theyre supposed to treat you better than jail, said Morris, who is not affiliated with the lawsuit. If its in any level a punishment, thats a problem.

A separate area of the Otay Mesa facility holds people charged with federal crimes who are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The lawsuit does not include them.

Tony Cerone, senior adviser to the local chapter of the ICE union, said that all work at the facility outside of cleaning individual quarters and pod common areas is voluntary.

Detainees are required to keep their quarters and the common area clean, Cerone said. They dont get maid service.

He said some of the detainee jobs at the facility are so popular that they have waiting lists.

Kitchen workers get extra food to consume and can make special concoctions while working, Cerone said. Many detainees enjoy getting out of the units and getting the perks that go along with it.

ICEs detention standard, which sets conditions that contracting companies such as CoreCivic must meet, says detainees work beyond making their beds, stacking loose papers, keeping the floor free of debris and refraining from hanging items from lighting fixtures and furniture is voluntary and should be compensated by a minimum of $1 per day.

The lawsuit argues that by creating conditions in which detainees feel forced to work and paying far less than minimum wage, CoreCivic is breaking state and federal human trafficking laws.

This labor is not voluntary in any meaningful sense, the complaint says.

It alleges that CoreCivic makes an exponentially higher profit because of cheap or free detainee labor.

Other lawsuits with similar allegations have been filed against private prison companies that operate immigration facilities in Colorado and Washington state, as well as in Adelanto.

The five detainees named in the Otay Mesa complaint are all asylum seekers, meaning they say they are afraid they will be persecuted if they return to their home countries. Two are a father and stepson pair from El Salvador who live in Bakersfield and were held at the San Diego facility from May through November.

The two men, according to the complaint, were told that they had to waive any rights to workers compensation when they started working in the facilitys kitchen.

Juan Jose Merino-Rodas, the stepson, was badly burned on his arm during his work in the kitchen. The complaint alleges that he was denied workers compensation and required to return to work one day later.

The other three people named in the case are women from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. All three are still detained, according to the complaint.

The woman from Honduras, Jennye Pagoada-Lopez, has spoken out before about conditions in detention.

Pagoada-Lopez said that she was pregnant when she came to the San Ysidro Port of Entry to ask for asylum and that she miscarried while in border officials custody.

She spoke out about medical care at the facility because she has a blood condition that she worried was not being adequately treated by the facilitys staff. She spoke out again after her unit was temporarily evacuated in the middle of the night because a detainee cleaning crew used a noxious chemical that made many of them ill.

Morrissey writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com
A police shooting left one person dead Saturday night in a residential neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley, authorities said.

The shooting was reported about 7:30 p.m. in the 6900 block of Oakdale Avenue in the Winnetka neighborhood, police said.

According to an LAPD statement, Topanga Division officers responding to a family violence radio call spotted the suspect with a gun, and a police shooting occurred. The person, a male, died at the scene.

Advertisement

A gun was recovered at the scene, the statement added. One officer who injured his shoulder in a fall was was taken to a local hospital, treated and released, police said.

#LAPD Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) in the 6900 Block of Oakdale Avenue in the Winnetka area of @LAPDTopanga Division. Stay clear of area. Active incident. More info as it becomes available pic.twitter.com/s8DvpXU9UI  LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) December 31, 2017

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.

UPDATES:

12:10 a.m.: Updated with the suspects death.

This article was first published at 10;45 p.m.
24 / 28

Kathy Rimmer, a volunteer from Harrisburg, Pa., who has been coming to California for the last eight years to work on Rose Parade floats, helps finish an octopus on the Dole Packaged Foods float.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
For seven weeks in 2011, Occupy Philadelphia protesters camped out in a park next to City Hall to call attention to the economic inequality dividing their city and the influence of corporations in government. Police eventually swarmed the plaza, arresting 52 people on charges of failing to disperse and obstructing a highway.

The protesters struck back. Attorney Larry Krasner filed suit against the city and police, alleging that the protesters had been unlawfully arrested while exercising their constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. The city ultimately agreed to settle the case for $200,000.

That was then. Krasner, who has defended countless other activists and accused criminals over a 30-year career, is now preparing for a new role as Philadelphias top prosecutor. He assumes the office on Tuesday.

Advertisement

The election of Krasner, a longtime champion of individuals fighting the status quo, is viewed by many in this city as a long overdue step toward fighting corruption and injustice in a metropolis that jails people at a rate more than twice the national average and whose last top prosecutor pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges.

Even as Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions has vowed to get tougher on crime, Krasner joins a growing list of district attorneys around the country  including Eric Gonzalez in Brooklyn, Kim Foxx in Chicago and Kim Ogg in Houston  who have declared that their role isnt simply to prosecute, but to protect defendants from the excesses of the criminal justice system.

Some say Krasners win may signal a broader shift to come in 2018.

What happened in Philly is starting to open the eyes of people in other places, said Clarise McCants, campaign director for Color of Change, a racial justice group that works to elect officials who will be responsive to African Americans.

Krasner, 56, never thought about running for district attorney. He spent his career on the other side of the courtroom and sued police dozens of times for corruption and abuse.

But in late 2016, as he was evaluating possible candidates to replace incumbent Dist. Atty. Seth Williams, Krasner didnt think any were fit for the job.

I saw no potential for real transformational change, he said in an interview.

He decided to run himself.

The culture around criminal justice has not been justice, Krasner said when he announced his candidacy. He described a record of mandatory and excessive sentencing and a system that disproportionately incarcerates minorities and poor people.

He campaigned on a platform of changing that culture, vowing to decarcerate Philadelphia, reform cash bail, treat drug addiction as a medical issue rather than a crime, protect immigrants and focus on serious criminals over low-level offenders. He also committed not to seek the death penalty.

Krasners ties to activists, community groups and national political organizations such as Color of Change and Bernie Sanders spinoff Our Revolution played a pivotal role in helping get him elected, said Richardson Dilworth, a professor of politics at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Working Families Party, which focuses on workers rights and the social safety net, endorsed Krasner and campaigned for him almost immediately after he announced his candidacy.

This was the person who had a view point and saw the world through a similar framework as we saw it, said director Brandon Evans, who secured labor support for Krasner and organized a canvassing strategy in voter-rich neighborhoods.

But Evans also said Krasners candidacy came at the right time. Were in a Black Lives Matter moment, he said.

An influx of $1.45 million from billionaire George Soros, who has invested in a handful of reform candidates in district attorney races around the country, also helped. The money bought messages on local airwaves and to mailboxes about Krasners work defending Black Lives Matter activists and suing police.

Krasner won the Democratic primary in May with 38% of the vote, defeating six other candidates in most of the citys 66 political wards.

But he lacked support from key corners. He lost wards in Philadelphias far northeast and deep south  neighborhoods that voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 general election and which are home to white, working-class voters and police.

Just before the primary, a group of former assistant district attorneys published an open letter describing Krasner as a radical candidate with no experience prosecuting crime, and someone who had done little to help crime victims.

The Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Krasners opponents in the primary and general elections. So did the police union, whose president described Krasner as having open hostility to police and said he would be a danger to Philadelphia.

Hes going to need those police  and they dont trust him,  said Lynne Abraham, who served as Philadelphias district attorney from 1991 to 2010.

Abraham, who earned the moniker deadliest D.A. for her aggressive pursuit of capital punishment, also criticized Krasner for his stance on the death penalty and what she saw as soft-on-crime policies.

Youre supposed to be a tough prosecutor  thats what youre paid to do, she said. I think hes going to have difficulty trying to convince people that his philosophy is the right philosophy.

Krasner will face a high-profile test early in his administration, in the form of a trial involving the shooting of police Sgt. Robert Wilson in 2015.

At least one of the two accused gunmen in the case had prior convictions, and they are charged with shooting Wilson during an attempted robbery while he was on duty  elements that prosecutors described in court documents as aggravating factors that would potentially justify a death penalty.

Krasner has repeatedly said his office will not seek the death penalty, describing it as wasteful, ineffective and racially biased.

But Krasner could be stymied by political pressure. Orlando Dist. Atty. Aramis Ayala, who took office in January, fought and lost a public battle with Florida Gov. Rick Scott over her discretion not to seek the death penalty.

On top of that, much of the day-to-day work of the district attorneys office  meeting with defense attorneys, arguing cases in court  is done by line prosecutors.

Getting a policy decision made by the D.A. implemented at the local level takes getting buy-in from the rank and file, said David Sklansky, a law professor at Stanford University who has studied the role of prosecutors.

Krasner said he wouldnt presume to force the police to act a certain way. But what I can do is reject cases, he said. I cannot put forward evidence that has been illegally seized.

Reforming the cash bail system will also take the support of individuals outside the district attorneys office.

Advocates concede these are complex issues that Krasner cant fix on his own, but they worry he will back down amid political pressure.

Jondhi Harrell, executive director of the Center for Returning Citizens, which helps the formerly incarcerated, said Krasner may have already started backpedaling, by appointing former tough-on-crime district attorney and Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald Castille as one of the leaders of his transition team.

Is he really going to look out for the community or is he going to become a political animal and bow to the pressures of the D.A.s office? Harrell asked.

Around the country candidates in other races will be watching.

Philly presented our first opportunity to shift the entire candidate field and to shift the entire political landscape left, said McCants of Color of Change.

She said her group will be marshaling similar candidates in several district attorney races in 2018, including in Dallas; Durham, N.C.; and Oakland. The small number of [reform-minded] prosecutors we have elected so far, she said, is nothing compared to the kind of impact we could have.

And its not just in prosecutors races. Evans, of the Working Families Party, said the Philadelphia district attorneys election put Pennsylvanias nascent chapter of the party on the states political map.

What people saw was that progressives could get out front and have a major candidate win a pretty significant race in a large city, Evans said, noting that he has since received calls from candidates for local and statewide office who want to launch their campaigns with the Working Families Party.

Theres a progressive pole to point to and say, We did that, we can do more of that, he said.

nina.agrawal@latimes.com

Twitter: @AgrawalNina
To the editor: I read Do L.A. Unifieds daily random searches keep students safe, or do they go too far? and shuddered. Los Angeles Unified School District officials should be ashamed and embarrassed over the dehumanizing way they treat students.

How can anyone connected with this fiasco condone such an assault on their students personhood or create such a threatening environment so adverse to learning? Parents and students have complained, community groups have protested, the American Civil Liberties Union has become involved, but nothing changes.

Perhaps now with the curtain pulled back for the broader public to see, this mean-spirited breach of trust in the name of safety will be stopped.

Advertisement

The searches have created a semi-police state inside the schools and turned educators into law enforcement. But wait, theres more: Kevin, the first student interviewed in the article, described how administrators also involved students in implementing the random selection process to determine which students would be searched. Chilling.

Karen Hilfman, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: For this Los Angeles native and proud product of L.A. Unified, it pains me to read the seemingly endless parade of troubling news emanating from the school system.

In yet another horrific story  this one about checking for weapons on middle and high school campuses, the haphazard and random process for checking and the ultimate erosion of trust between administrations, teachers and students  there was an almost throwaway line buried deep down that deserves far more attention: Homeless students who carry all their belongings with them also can find [random searches] frightening.

The questions beg: If we know there are homeless students carrying all their belongings to school, what are we doing about it? What are we doing for them?

Richard Agata, Culver City

..

To the editor: I have two daughters in the district, so I have more skin in this than most people. I am always very concerned about childrens safety and drugs at school, but these random searches are bad on many levels.

Three weeks ago I contacted Board of Education member Scott Schmerelsons office to complain about these intrusive searches. Often the people performing the searches do not have handheld metal detectors; they just open the childs bag and look. Children who refuse to be searched are threatened with arrest.

I am originally from Australia, and I am appalled at how the school district treats its children, who have rights in this great country. Id like to continue living in the United States, not China or Russia.

Michael McHugh, Los Angeles

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The clock is ticking on the Republican majority in Congress: The GOP has just over 10 months to avoid a rout in 2018.

Republicans could do it. They have time and several important factors on their side: a good economy, low crime rates, achievements of significance to the partys followers.

Nevertheless, as 2017 closes, almost all signs point toward big Democratic gains next year, largely driven by President Trumps widespread unpopularity. And some of the pugnacious instincts that helped the president win election a year ago may now be worsening his partys dilemma.

Advertisement

Midterm elections are a referendum on the party in power, notes Sean Trende, political analyst for the Real Clear Politics website. During the Obama years, Trende correctly forecast that Democrats had underestimated the potential of a surge of conservative white Americans voting Republican. Now, he says, Republicans are making a mistake in assuming that turnout will once again favor them in an off-year election.

Trump has terrible numbers, Democrats have a large advantage in polls, and it all adds up to a really rough midterm for the GOP, Trende says.

The trouble for Republicans comes despite some of the best economic conditions in years, which normally would boost the party in power. Unfortunately for Republican candidates, a majority of Americans continues to believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, despite the good economic news.

Much of that discontent appears to center on one person  the president.

Throughout the year, opposition to Trump has generated energy among Democrats. But something new has been added to the mix in recent months, said Joe Trippi, the veteran Democratic consultant who served as media strategist for Doug Jones upset Senate election this month in Alabama.

The sense of chaos, the constant fight, fight, fight and alarm bells going off all the time has deeply troubled voters, including many who backed Trump last year, Trippi said. Theres this sense of being on edge, which Alabamians talked about frequently, Trippi said. Thats what they dont want anymore.

Alabamas election had unique aspects, notably the flaws of the Republican candidate, Roy Moore. But that same voter anxiety has come up repeatedly in focus groups around the country.

If a year of Trump has put voters in the mood for less confrontation, that poses a big challenge for Republicans.

I dont know how you stop Donald Trump from putting people on edge, Trippi said. Thats what he does.

Indeed, even if conflict werent so deeply ingrained in Trumps personality, political calculation might lead him to continue seeking out battles at every turn. Voters as a whole may not like it, but to Trumps most fervent supporters, his willingness to fight forms a major part of his draw. His former strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, threatens to add to the political tension by backing challengers to several Republican incumbents.

Trumps hard-core supporters remain loyal and probably always will. But for all the attention they get from the White House  and often from the news media  Trumps fervent backers make up only about one-fifth of the public and are outnumbered about 2 to 1 by fervent opponents.

Indeed, the gap between the share of Americans who say they strongly disapprove of Trump and those who strongly approve has grown significantly this year. In polls by SurveyMonkey, for example, the margin now stands at 26 percentage points, up from 16 points at the start of the year.

Those numbers form just one of several indicators of problems for Republicans. The most basic comes from the so-called generic ballot  a question polls have used for decades that asks which partys candidate a person plans to vote for in the next election. It has long proven among the most reliable forecasting tools in American politics.

For most of the fall, Democrats showed a healthy lead on that question  enough to suggest the midterms would be competitive. This month, the forecast took an abrupt jump in one nonpartisan survey after another  to 13 points in a poll from Marist College, 15 in Quinnipiac Universitys poll, 15 from a Monmouth University survey and 18 points, a previously unheard-of level, in a poll for CNN.

Exactly why the numbers for the GOP worsened is unknown, although the timing suggests the unpopularity of the Republican tax bill played a role. What is knowable is that even discounting the biggest numbers, the Democrats lead on the generic ballot surpasses that of any party out of power in decades.

The average size of the Democratic advantage forecasts that if the election were held now, they would gain in the neighborhood of 40 seats in the House  considerably more than the 24 they would need for a majority.

For those who dont trust polls, actual election results point the same way. Some of the contests have gotten wide attention, including the Alabama Senate race and the Virginia election in November, in which Democrats won the governorship and all but wiped out a huge Republican majority in the lower house of the Legislature.

Other, less heralded contests have shown the same pattern of high Democratic turnout, depressed Republican voting and double-digit shifts in partisan outcomes, particularly in suburban areas where Trump fares worse than a typical Republican.

On average, Democrats have done about 12 points better than expected in races across the country this year, according to an analysis of more than 70 special elections by the fivethirtyeight.com website. Looking just at federal election contests, the swing has been larger, a 16-point shift toward Democrats. Thats a margin similar to 2006, the last time a pro-Democratic wave swept the party to control of the House as well as the Senate.

The current size of the Democratic advantage would overwhelm two of the protections Republicans have counted on  gerrymandering in the House and, in the Senate, a favorable lineup of state contests.

In the House, partisan gerrymandering has helped pad Republican majorities in the last three national elections. But a gerrymander works by taking a partys voters and spreading them out over as many districts as possible  ensuring just enough to win  while packing the other partys voters into as small a number of districts as clever line-drawing will allow.

The result can allow a party to win a big majority of districts even with a small majority  or sometimes even a minority  of votes cast. But when a wave hits, a lot of those just enough to win districts suddenly get swamped at the same time.

Just that sort of wave brought the GOP to power in 2010 in the House. Now, the indicators point to a Democratic surge.

In the Senate, where one-third of the 100 seats are up for election in 2018, the selection favors Republicans.

Of the 34 contests, including a special election in Minnesota, Democrats have 26 incumbents to defend. Several hold seats in states Trump won last year. Defending all that territory gives Democrats a harder job.

To win a Senate majority, Democrats would have to hold onto all their current seats and take two from the Republicans. Thats not impossible  Republican seats in Nevada and Arizona are at risk  but clearly it is a tough road.

Republicans who think the map alone will save them have gotten a stern warning from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

The environment today is not great, the generic ballots not good, and Id love to see the presidents approval rating higher, McConnell said in a year-end interview with the Washington Examiner, a conservative publication. I think we should anticipate a real knockdown, drag-out  even on the Senate side.

David.Lauter@latimes.com

For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter

Get the latest news from the nations capital on Essential Washington >>
Californias primary election is months away, but Peter Allen has been inundated with mailers, texts and phone calls since the fall from Democrats who want to secure his support. Among the latest batch was a holiday card from Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom with a photo of the gubernatorial candidate and his wife, four children, dog and two pet rabbits.

Allen, a 40-year-old school district employee from San Jose, is being aggressively courted because he is one of a few thousand California Democratic Party delegates who will decide whether the state party endorses candidates at its February convention in San Diego  a nod that could come with millions of dollars of support.

But this month, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman sent a letter to statewide candidates urging them not to seek the state party endorsement in February, prompting allegations that he was trying to silence dissenting voices. Bauman said his letter was simply meant to stave off disunity at the convention.

Advertisement

I thought, What? This is crazy,  said former state party Controller Hilary Crosby. What were mostly supposed to do is endorse  thats our biggest responsibility.

The dispute over endorsements is the latest battle between Bauman and those who backed his rival, Kimberly Ellis, in a bitter leadership contest in the spring that was decided by a handful of votes and resulted in a recount. Party delegates split into establishment and grass-roots factions, aligning themselves with Bauman and Ellis respectively, mirroring the divide among Democrats in deciding between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential primary.

Crosby, who backed Ellis, said that the endorsement campaigns, which draw sign-waving supporters at the partys conventions, create excitement for delegates who work hard to get elected and spend a considerable amount of money to attend.

Bauman countered that Crosby and those who agree with her are bitter about Ellis loss.

Hilary Crosby has only one agenda and that is to screw with me because her candidate lost and she cant get over it, Bauman said. These people cannot accept the outcome of the election, so anything I do, they question, they critique.

Follow California politics by signing up for our email newsletter 

The dispute comes as an ongoing contentious debate about the future of the California Democratic Party is taking place. The party has long held control of every statewide office in California but has seen a growing divide between its liberal and establishment wings. The tension flared up during the contest between Bauman and Ellis.

Crosby argues that Bauman is trying to aid several candidates from his home base in Los Angeles, including U.S. Senate candidate Kevin de Leon, who is running against Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat. De Leons support was crucial to Bauman winning the chairpersons race in the spring.

Crosby also noted that if the state party does not endorse at its convention, the only other opportunity for it to do so will be at an executive board meeting after the primary. The executive board is a smaller body whose members include a large proportion of party insiders such as donors and labor leaders compared with the overall body of delegates.

Bauman said he is merely following the tradition of his predecessor. The letter he sent to candidates was nearly identical to those former party Chairman John Burton sent to campaigns in 2010 and 2014. But those election cycles were different from the current one, with fewer contested races and other irregularities.

The one point Bauman and Crosby agree upon is that few if any candidates will heed Baumans request.

Allen said that despite telling campaigns he doesnt plan to participate in the endorsement races, most will not stop contacting him. Entreaties continue to fill his inbox, mailbox and voicemail.

It seems like half these folks dont get the message, he said.

seema.mehta@latimes.com

For the latest on national and California politics, follow @LATSeema on Twitter.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti admits considering a 2020 bid: I am thinking about this

Poll points to all-Democrat runoffs in California races for governor and senator

Live coverage of California politics
Californias 55 members of Congress make up the largest and most diverse delegation in the country.

Heres six things you may not know about them:

1. The Big Lebowski as the go-to gift

One of Rep. Adam Schiffs (D-Burbank) favorite movies is The Big Lebowski, and he often gives members of his staff a copy for the holidays. The former prosecutor known for his role leading Democrats on the House Select Intelligence Committees investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election represents Hollywood. Hes a bit of a movie buff, and sees as many movies in theaters as he can.

2. Is there a doctor on the plane?

Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) has been called on to provide medical assistance on his frequent cross-country flights three times since he was elected in 2012, including when he treated a man who fainted in 2013 and a woman who had a seizure in 2014.

The Harvard-educated emergency room physicians most recent call to duty was on Dec. 11, when he helped a passenger control bleeding from a cut on his hand.

3. Purple Hearts

Nine of Californias 55 members are veterans or are still serving in the military.

Rep. Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) received two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star Medal for his service during Vietnam. He retired as a Marine Corps colonel in 1992 after 26 years in the military.

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) received a Purple Heart for wounds he received as an Army staff sergeant with the 173rd Airborne Brigade during Vietnam. He also was an instructor at the Armys Airborne School and was the first Vietnam War veteran elected to the state Senate.

Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Norwalk, prepares a hot dog during the American Meat Institutes annual Hot Dog Lunch. (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call)

4. Kitchen skills

Several members of the California delegation are known for their cooking.

Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Norwalk) holds occasional mid-week cooking lessons for her staff and makes a legendary guacamole thats earned her friends across the political spectrum.

The states junior senator, Kamala Harris, scrolls through recipes on her phone as she waits for committee meetings to start.

5. Witnesses to history

Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Stockton) was 21 in 1971 when three men who were wanted in the shooting death of a New Mexico state police officer hijacked a flight he was on from Albuquerque to Chicago. The hijackers dropped off the passengers in Miami and fled to Cuba, where one is thought to still be alive.

Rep. Leo Ryan, right, on Nov. 18, 1978. With him are consultant James Schollart, left, and then-aide Jackie Speier. A group of newsmen and relatives were in Guyana on a visit to Jim Jones Jonestown religious settlement. (AP)

When Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) was a congressional staffer in 1978, she was shot five times on a remote airstrip in Guyana after visiting Californians at the commune built by cult leader Jim Jones. It was the same day he and 900 of his followers died from drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid.

Speiers boss, California Rep. Leo Ryan, and four others in their group were killed. Nine were injured and, along with Speier, waited almost a day for help to arrive.

6. The most ethnically diverse

Nearly one in three Latinos in Congress, and almost half of the Asian American lawmakers, represent the Golden State. Harris and Reps. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) and Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) make up 60% of the growing Indian American contingent in Congress.

sarah.wire@latimes.com

Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter

Read more about the 55 members of California's delegation at latimes.com/politics
Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52  Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro  who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents  Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place  including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta  protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown  tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants  known as Dreamers  who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats  joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies  were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one  a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast  the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history  the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many  if any  of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values  not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE  FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God.  This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis  but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday.  Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance  you know, some of them called it a performance  I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay

President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018  This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18



On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who  the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book  Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week  served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it  theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election  and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star.....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017  the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000 By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children  a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series  attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with  was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage  sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m.  reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters  just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control  a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side  to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday  and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size  were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost
Wait  did the president really say, Mission Accomplished? By Marc Olson Some are recalling the last time a president declared Mission accomplished, in May 2003 when George W. Bush was talking about Iraq. (Stephen Jaffe / AFP/Getty Images) President Trump on Saturday morning thanked his allies in a tweet that declared the airstrikes on Syria perfectly executed, but he might have wished hed stopped there. Instead, he ended his message with the phrase, Mission Accomplished! Thats a line that might have a previous president shaking his head. On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq under a Mission Accomplished banner aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. That war, which began in March 2003, grew into a prolonged conflict that didnt end until 2011. In 2008, the White House said it had paid a price for the backdrop. A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Auditor says Pentagon is censoring key data on the war in Afghanistan By Shashank Bengali The Pentagon is blocking the release of data showing how much of Afghanistans territory lies outside government control, censoring a key metric used to gauge progress in the 16-year war, a watchdog agency said Tuesday. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an auditing agency established by Congress, said in its latest report that the Pentagon instructed it not to release unclassified data on how many districts and people are controlled or influenced by insurgent groups. This is the first time SIGAR has been specifically instructed not to release information marked unclassified to the American taxpayer, the head of the agency, John F. Sopko, wrote in a letter. Sopko also said the U.S.-led military coalition, for the first time since 2009, classified information about the size and attrition rates of the Afghan security forces, important indicators of progress in building up army and police forces on which the U.S. already has spent $70 billion since 2002. The decision to withhold more information from congressional oversight and the public comes amid growing violence in Afghanistan and an intensifying combat mission involving a greater number of American troops. Following a series of bombings in Kabul that left at least 136 people dead in 10 days, President Trump signaled on Monday that he was focused on trying to win the conflict militarily, saying, We dont want to talk with the Taliban. But data released by SIGAR since 2015 have shown how the insurgents have gained ground against Afghan security forces. In its previous quarterly report, the watchdog said that only 57% of Afghanistans 407 districts were under Afghan government control or influence as of August 2017, the lowest level of control since it began tracking the statistic in December 2015. The steady decline in government control should cause even more concern about its disappearance from public disclosure and discussion, Sopko wrote. The watchdog also accused the Pentagon of overstating the impact of its efforts to combat drug cultivation and trafficking, among the Talibans main sources of revenue. The Pentagon touted airstrikes that destroyed 25 drug labs in November and December, saying it eliminated nearly $100 million of Taliban revenue. The labs being destroyed are cheap and easy to replace, SIGAR said. According to some estimates, they only take three or four days to replace. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Women journalists shunted to rear for Pences visit to Western Wall By Noga Tarnopolsky The view from the womens section. (Noga Tarnopolsky / Los Angeles Times) Vice-President Mike Pences 48-hour visit to Israel stumbled into a public storm Tuesday when female reporters covering his final stop at Jerusalems Western Wall were penned behind four rows of their male colleagues. White House officials told stunned journalists that the arrangement emanated from a request made by the Western Wall rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz, and followed Western Wall rules. Some women journalists said they could not recall such treatment in the past. In a statement to Israels Channel 10 news, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation said it was exactly as it was during the visit of the U.S. president to the Western Wall last May. Later in the day, in a statement to the newspaper Haaretz, the foundation blamed the United States embassy in Tel Aviv and Israeli security officials for the segregation, and announced they would reexamine the way they handle such events. Women who covered previous VIP visits said the Pence arrangements were significantly more onerous than previous visits, when male and female journalists were separated but not offered substantially different work conditions. LIVE coverage of our male colleagues granted access to cover VP at Western Wall as we are penned into #PenceFence pic.twitter.com/k3svkxfQsa  Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) January 23, 2018 The arrangement reflected procedures at the Western Wall, Judaisms holiest site, where on regular days, men have access to two thirds of the area available for prayer. Tal Schneider, the diplomatic analyst for Globes, a financial newspaper, protested that the separation of men and women may be valid for the requirements of Orthodox prayer, but no one is praying here. We are here to work. I dont appreciate being restricted in my ability to work because I am a woman, she said. The discriminatory attitude towards women is infuriating and is unbefitting of a modern country. Yael Freidson, the Jerusalem affairs correspondent for Yediot Ahronot, Israels widest circulation newspaper, said she worried that her editors could choose male colleagues for the next assignment, knowing they would have better access. Before Pence arrived, journalists were herded onto a specially constructed platform in the middle of the Western Walls esplanade, with women guided to the right behind a white fence, and men, many carrying cameras, directed to the left, where they had more than double the space. Towards the end of the vice presidents 10-minute visit, male journalists were permitted into the VIP tent where he received a gift from Rabinowitz, while the women remained in their enclosure. None of the men publicly protested the treatment of their female colleagues. Israels Association of Women Journalists filed a formal complaint with Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, herself a woman. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, after his pardon from Trump, says hell run for Senate in Arizona By Kurtis Lee (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who last year was pardoned by President Trump in a case stemming from his enforcement tactics aimed at immigrants, announced Tuesday he will run for the open Senate seat in his home state. I am running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Arizona, for one unwavering reason: to support the agenda and policies of President Donald Trump in his mission to Make America Great Again, Arpaio, 85, said on Twitter. Hell enter a Republican primary for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake. Last summer, Trump pardoned Arpaio, who was convicted in July of criminal contempt for violating a federal court order to stop racially profiling Latinos. It was Arpaios roughly quarter-century as sheriff that gave him a national reputation for his tough treatment of people suspected of being in the country illegally. Repeated court rulings against his office for civil rights violations cost local taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. In the early 1990s, Arpaio directed construction of a tent city for immigration detainees, a measure he said was intended both to alleviate overcrowding and to underscore his aggressive enforcement measures. But it was open to the burning Arizona sun, and drew widespread criticism. After Trump entered the presidential race in July 2015, Arpaio invited him to Phoenix to talk about a crackdown on illegal immigration. He endorsed Trump just before the first votes in the Iowa caucuses in 2016 and frequently spoke out on behalf of Trumps campaign. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

President Trump ends controversial voter fraud commission By Kurtis Lee President Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday ending the voter fraud commission he launched last year as the panel faces a flurry of lawsuits and criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike. Trump signed the order disbanding the commission rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. The Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, created by executive order in May with the stated goal of restoring confidence and integrity in the electoral process, has faced a barrage of lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns, as the commission sought personal data on voters across the country. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Congress returns to work with slimmer GOP majority to accomplish Trumps agenda By Lisa Mascaro Congress returns to work this week with unfinished business on spending, immigration and other crucial issues, but with an even narrower GOP majority that will make it tougher to move on President Trumps agenda. The House and Senate will convene Wednesday, swearing in the newly elected Democratic senator from Alabama, Doug Jones, and Minnesotas Tina Smith to replace a fellow Democrat, Sen. Al Franken, who is resigning as the latest high-profile public figure sidelined by allegations of sexual misconduct. The change gives Republicans only a one-seat margin in the Senate. Trump, fresh off passage of the GOP tax cuts bill, is pushing lawmakers to pivot quickly on his new year priorities of infrastructure investment and immigration, as well as his foreign policy agenda. But another legislative victory seems far off. Republicans have struggled to hold their majority together and Congress first must tackle critical stalled agenda items that leaders punted to 2018. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump threatens to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump on Tuesday angrily threatened to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians as punishment for what he called their failure to show appreciation or respect to the United States. Writing on Twitter, the president compared the Palestinians to Pakistan, a nuclear-armed ally that abruptly drew his ire this week and a similar threat to drastically curtail aid. He accused the Palestinians of recalcitrance in what he described as their refusal to negotiate a peace deal with Israel. Palestinian officials have said they can no longer use Washington as a broker to restart peace talks with Israel following Trumps Dec. 6 decision to overturn decades of U.S. policy and recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and ultimately to move the U.S. Embassy there. The Palestinians also claim part of Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual independent state. Until now, the United States and most of the world agreed the citys political status was a matter to settle in final peace talks. The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned any effort to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital, and the Palestinian leadership said it would not meet with Vice President Mike Pence, who had planned a trip to the region. That trip is on hold. [W]e pay the Palestinians HUNDRED [sic] OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect, Trump wrote on Twitter. [W]ith the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? In response to Trumps tweet, Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, issued a statement saying: Palestinian rights are not for sale. By recognizing Occupied Jerusalem as Israels capital Donald Trump has not only violated international law, but he has also singlehandedly destroyed the very foundations of peace and condoned Israels illegal annexation of the city. We will not be blackmailed, she said. President Trump has sabotaged our search for peace, freedom and justice. Now he dares to blame the Palestinians for the consequences of his own irresponsible actions! The United States does not pay large amounts of money directly to the Palestinian Authority, the government that rules over parts of the Palestinian West Bank. Instead, most money goes to the U.N., refugee or aid agencies and even Israel to pay for roads, welfare, schools, security and other Palestinian projects. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said Tuesday that the administration was planning to cut off one of those organizations, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, until the Palestinians return to the negotiating table. UNRWA, which receives around $300 million annually from the U.S., for years has been the lifeline to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It was not clear if Haley was threatening to cut all U.S. support for the agency. Special correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

The White House stops short of calling for government overthrow in Iran By Brian Bennett President Trump wants Iran to give its citizens basic human rights and stop being a state sponsor of terror, his top spokeswoman said, but the White House stopped short of calling for a change of government in Tehran. If they want to do that through current leadership, if thats possible, OK, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. Sanders praised the organic popular uprising, which she said the widespread protests in Iran represented. The protests grew out of years of years of mismanagement, corruption, and foreign adventurism have eroded the Iranian peoples trust in their leaders, she said. Earlier Tuesday, Trump called Irans government brutal and corrupt and wrote in a tweet: The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Trump also blamed President Obama for foolishly giving Iran money that he said went to fund terrorism. The money he referred to were funds belonging to Iran that had been frozen by the U.S. and were released as part of the deal in 2015, which blocked Irans development of nuclear weapons. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Retirement of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch clears the way for a Mitt Romney revival By David Lauter The retirement of Utahs senior senator, Orrin G. Hatch, opens the way for a widely expected Senate bid by Mitt Romney, the Republicans 2012 presidential nominee and a frequent critic of President Trump. Although Romney previously served for two terms as governor of Massachusetts (and was raised in Michigan, where his father was governor and his mother ran for the Senate), he comes from a prominent Mormon family with strong ties to Utah. He also served as chief executive of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Hes viewed as a strong candidate for the Senate seat. Romneys criticisms of Trump, however, could prompt a challenge in a Republican primary. Trump was widely reported to have tried to convince Hatch to run for a seventh term, in part to head off a Romney candidacy. Last month, Romney and Trump were on opposite sides of one of the biggest political fights of the fall  the battle over the Senate seat from Alabama. The president strongly supported Roy Moore, the Republican candidate who had been accused of sexual misconduct by several women. Romney called Moore a stain on the GOP. Roy Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity.  Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) December 4, 2017 On Tuesday, Romney tweeted praise for Hatch, but did not immediately reveal his own plans. I join the people of Utah in thanking my friend, Senator Orrin Hatch for his more than forty years of service to our great state and nation. Read my full statement: https://t.co/YwjUpjez5y  Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) January 2, 2018 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

U.S. calls on Iran to unblock social media sites amid protests By The Associated Press The Trump administration is calling on Irans government to stop blocking Instagram and other popular social media sites as Iranians are demonstrating in the streets. Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein says the U.S. wants Iran to open these sites. He says Instagram, Telegram and other platforms are legitimate avenues for communication. The United States is encouraging Iranians to use virtual private networks, known as VPNs. Those services create encrypted links between computers and can be used to access blocked websites. Goldstein says the U.S. is still communicating with Iranians in Persian through State Department accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. He says the U.S. wants to encourage the protesters to continue to fight for whats right. Goldstein says the U.S. has an obligation not to stand by. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump blasts Democrats in advance of immigration meeting By Brian Bennett The day before a meeting of administration officials and congressional leaders on outstanding legislative business, President Trump accused Democrats of doing nothing to hammer out an immigration deal to protect from deportation people brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA  just interested in politics, Trump wrote in a Tweet on Tuesday morning, referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by its acronym. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer along with the Republican leaders, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are scheduled to meet on Wednesday at the Capitol with Trumps legislative director, Marc Short, and budget director, Mick Mulvaney. The White House on Tuesday said the meeting is to discuss separate spending caps on military and domestic programs. Yet the Democrats insist the discussion also must include a variety of legislative issues that Trump and Congress punted into the new year  on immigration, the budget, healthcare and more. That stance reflects Democrats leverage: Republicans need Democratic votes to pass a government-funding bill and avert a federal shutdown when the current funding expires Jan. 19. Democrats especially want separate legislation replacing the Obama-era DACA program; Trump in September ordered a phase-out of the program, beginning March 6, and called on Congress to act before then on an alternative way to address the plight of the group. However, Trump has demanded that any alternative must be part of a package including both money for a border wall and immigration limits. Democrats are opposed. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Pakistan hits back after Trump accuses its leaders of lies and deceit By Aoun Sahi Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies and deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump again cheers on Iran protests By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday  and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size --- were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 The presidents earlier hailing of the protests drew condemnation from Irans government. A Foreign Ministry spokesman called his comments deceitful and opportunistic. Following an overnight report of the first two fatalities stemming from the protests, Trump raised some eyebrows by expressing concern over human rights violations as authorities move to crack down on the demonstrations. During his first year in office, the president has shown scant inclination to press foreign governments to respect the fundamental rights of their citizens. The USA is watching closely for human rights violations! Trump said in his tweet Sunday. Some domestic critics have pointed to the presidents inclusion of Iranian nationals in his travel ban, suggesting he was more interested in bashing the Tehran government than in supporting freedom of speech in Iran. Even some of the presidents allies said that supporting the protesters on social media did not amount to making policy. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he had urged Trump to give a national address laying out his Iran strategy. President Trump is tweeting very sympathetically to the Iranian people, Graham said on CBS Face the Nation. But you just cant tweet here. You have to lay out a plan. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Australian diplomats tip a factor in FBIs Russia inquiry By Associated Press Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer. (Alastair Grant / Associated Press) An Australian diplomats tip appears to have helped persuade the FBI to investigate Russian meddling in the U.S. election and possible coordination with the Trump campaign, the New York Times reported Saturday. Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos told the diplomat, Alexander Downer, during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of emails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the report said. Downer, a former foreign minister, is Australias top diplomat in Britain. Australia passed the information on to the FBI after the Democratic emails were leaked, according to the Times, which cited four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians role. The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016, the newspaper said. White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment, saying in a statement that the administration is continuing to cooperate with the investigation now led by special counsel Robert Mueller to help complete their inquiry expeditiously. Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is a cooperating witness. Court documents unsealed two months ago show he met in April 2016 with Joseph Mifsud, a professor in London who told him about Russias cache of emails. This was before the Democratic National Committee became aware of the scope of the intrusion into its email systems by hackers later linked to the Russian government. The Times said Papadopoulos shared this information with Downer, but it was unclear whether he also shared it with anyone in the Trump campaign. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump offers fresh support for protesters in Iran as demonstrations continue By Lisa Mascaro Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 President Trump again offered support Saturday for anti-government protesters in Iran, where a third day of demonstrations, the largest in years, spilled across the country amid fears of a crackdown. Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! Trump wrote on Twitter. Trump took a break from playing golf near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to tweet clips from his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September when he called for Iranian democratic reforms. Iranian authorities warned of potential violence as the street demonstrations, which began over economic conditions, swelled into frustrations with the theocratic rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump has maintained a hawkish stance toward Iran, sharply criticizing the landmark nuclear disarmament accord that Tehran reached with then-President Obama and five other nations in 2015. In October, Trump declined to certify the accord to Congress although the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency says Iran is complying with it. Several conservative GOP senators signaled their support for Trumps position and backed the protesters in Iran. Others in Congress did not immediately respond, however, amid conflicting reports over who had organized the demonstrations. Even after the billions in sanctions relief they secured through the nuclear deal, the ayatollahs still cant provide for the basic needs of their own people, said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a Trump ally and opponent of the nuclear deal. We should support the Iranian people who are willing to risk their lives to speak out against it, he added. Trump initially tweeted his support on Friday night. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement at that time as protests spread. There are many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with the regimes corruption and its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad, Sanders said. The Iranian government should respect their peoples rights, including their right to express themselves. The world is watching. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

When it comes to U.S.-Russia relations, it takes two to tango, Kremlin says By Sabra Ayres The deteriorating relationship between the United States and Russia is one of the biggest disappointments of 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman told reporters today. Russia would like to rebuild relations between the two adversaries, but it takes two to tango, Dmitry Peskov said today during a conference call with the press. We want and are looking for good mutually beneficial relations based on mutual respect, mutual trust with all countries, primarily with European ones, including the United States, but it is necessary to dance tango, as they say. Peskov blamed the ongoing anti-Russian Russophobia in Washington for playing a major role in blocking the two countries from moving forward in their relationship. U.S. investigations into the Trump presidential campaigns alleged collusion with the Kremlin during the 2016 U.S. election and accusations that the Kremlin tried to interfere with the electoral process continue to cast a dark shadow over the relationship, he said. Peskov told reporters that Moscow was perplexed by the investigations. The Kremlin has continued to deny having any involvement with the Trump campaign or doing anything to interfere with the American election. This is definitely a U.S. domestic affair, but in this case it naturally hurts our bilateral relations, which is regrettable, Peskov said. Relations between the U.S. and Russia have been categorized as the worst theyve been since the end of the Cold War. This year, Washington and Moscow have engaged in a diplomatic tit-for-tat in which both sides have been forced to reduce diplomatic staff, embassy properties have been repossessed by the hosting countries and visa services have been interrupted. The U.S. diplomatic mission to Russia shrank from 1,200 personnel, including some Russian local staff, to just over 450 across all its three consulates and embassy in Moscow. In the U.S., Russia was forced to vacate its San Francisco consulate. Moscow has also blamed anti-Russian sentiments on the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee to ban Russian teams from wearing their tricolor uniforms or flags during the upcoming games in South Korea. The international body accused some of the Russian national teams of doping. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

U.S. and Turkey resume reciprocal issuing of visas but frictions remain By Tracy Wilkinson The United States and Turkey began issuing reciprocal visas again on Thursday, more than two months after normal visa service was suspended in a dispute over the arrest of two U.S. diplomatic staffers in Istanbul  the latest friction between the two nominal allies. The State Department said it was lifting the visa restrictions after it was assured by the Turkish government that U.S. Embassy employees would not be arrested when performing their official duties. But the Turkish Embassy in Washington denied assurances were offered concerning the ongoing judicial processes, and suggested that the arrests were legal and justified. It is inappropriate to misinform the Turkish and American public that such assurances were provided, the embassy said in a statement. The dispute has aggravated the already tense relationship between the United States and Turkey, which is a member of the NATO military alliance. The two countries have clashed over U.S. support for Kurdish rebels in Syria and over Turkeys demands that the U.S. extradite a Turkish cleric who lives in rural Pennsylvania. After a failed coup attempt killed more than 250 people in July 2016, Turkeys autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, launched a harsh crackdown on his political opponents, arresting or firing tens of thousands of teachers, police, journalists, military officers and others. Erdogan accused Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic educator and former political ally, of orchestrating the coup. Gulen, who has lived in a compound in the Pocono Mountains, has denied any involvement. The Justice Department has so far denied Turkeys repeated demands to extradite Gulen. Erdogan raised the issue again at the White House in May, but his visit ended in a public relations disaster when his security guards brutally beat peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassadors residence. Two Turkish employees of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul were arrested this fall for alleged ties to the 2016 coup attempt. The U.S. responded by suspending most visa services at its missions in Turkey in October. The Turkish government reciprocated in November. State Department officials said they have repeatedly demanded more information about any formal charges against the two employees. They reiterated on Thursday that serious concerns about the allegations remained. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump: China caught RED HANDED allowing oil to reach North Korea By Brian Bennett (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) President Trump isnt taking a holiday vacation from Twitter. In one of three tweets early on Thursday from his West Palm Beach golf club, he charged that China was caught RED HANDED allowing oil shipments to reach North Korean ports. Pronouncing himself very disappointed, Trump in effect was acknowledging the failure of his months-long effort to convince China to clamp down further on energy shipments going to the isolated country, which relies heavily on Beijing, as a way to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2017 Trumps tweet came after a South Korean newspaper published what it said were U.S. spy satellite images of Chinese ships selling oil to North Korean ships. The United Nations Security Council, which includes China, has voted repeatedly to restrict fuel shipments to North Korea. Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping in November to cut off North Koreas oil supply entirely, the American ambassador to the U.N., Nikki R. Haley, said at the time. It is unclear if Trumps admonishment of China was based on news reports or classified information he received from U.S. intelligence officials. There was no daily intelligence briefing on Trumps public schedule Thursday. He is expected to return to Washington next week after spending the Christmas holiday and New Years Eve at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

President Trump again falsely claims hes signed more bills than any president By Brian Bennett President Trump visits a firehouse in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday. (Nicholas Kamm / AFP) After another morning at his Florida golf club, President Trump visited firefighters and paramedics at a West Palm Beach firehouse and praised his own performance as president, including with a false boast. Trump touted his administrations work to roll back government regulations and cut taxes and claimed credit for the stock market hitting record highs. He also said hes signed more bills into law than any other president, which isnt true. We have signed more legislation than anybody, Trump said, standing in front of a rescue vehicle inside the fire station. We have more legislation passed, including  the record was Harry Truman a long time ago, and we broke that record, so we got a lot done, Trump said. An analysis by GovTrack, a website that tracks bills in Congress, shows that Trump has signed the fewest bills into law at this point than any president in more than 60 years, back to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trump administration urges Russia to reinstate monitors in Ukraine, lower violence By Tracy Wilkinson Sergei Lavrov (AFP/Getty Images) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asked Russia on Wednesday to reinstate its military personnel at a monitoring station in eastern Ukraine intended to quell escalating bloodshed. In a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Tillerson also urged Russia to lower the level of violence and underscored the Trump administrations concern over increased fighting in Ukraine, the State Department said in a statement. Russia last week withdrew its monitors from the Joint Center on Coordination and Control, which is tasked with verifying a much-violated ceasefire between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists. Moscow cited what it called restrictions and provocations from Ukrainian authorities that made it impossible for the observers to do their jobs. Washington has accused the pro-Russia forces of being responsible for many of the truce violations. Late last week, the State Department also announced plans to provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, a decision that angered Moscow. The State Department statement did not say whether the weapons deal came up in Tillersons conversation with Lavrov. The two also discussed North Korea, its destabilizing nuclear program and the need for a diplomatic solution to achieve a denuclearized Korean peninsula, the statement said. Russia has offered to serve as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang, but direct talks do not seem likely at this point. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

U.S. sanctions two more North Korean officials for ballistic missile program By Tracy Wilkinson The Trump administration announced sanctions Tuesday against two more North Korean officials for their alleged role in Pyongyangs expanding ballistic missiles program. The Treasury Department is targeting leaders of North Koreas ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate [North Korea] and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement. The nuclear-armed country tested an intercontinental ballistic missile last month that U.S. officials said appeared capable of reaching New York or Washington, a significant milestone in the countrys growing arsenal. The Treasury Department identified the two North Korean officials as Kim Jong Sik, who reportedly is a key figure in the ballistic missile program and led efforts to switch missiles from liquid to solid fuel (which makes them easier to hide before launch), and Ri Pyong Chol, who was reported to be a key official in the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. The sanctions block banks, companies and individuals from doing any business with the targeted officials. It also allows the U.S. government to freeze any American assets owned by the officials. On Friday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to add more sanctions on North Korea, its third round this year. The new measures order North Koreans working abroad to return home within two years, and ban nearly 90% of refined petroleum exports to the country. In a statement published Sunday by North Koreas state-run KCNA news agency, the foreign ministry denounced the new U.N. sanctions as an act of war. We define this sanctions resolution rigged up by the US and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic, as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the region and categorically reject the resolution, it said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Salt Lake Tribune calls on Sen. Orrin Hatch to not seek reelection in scathing editorial Perhaps the most significant move of Hatchs career is the one that should, if there is any justice, end it. The last time the senator was up for reelection, in 2012, he promised that it would be his last campaign. That was enough for many likely successors, of both parties, to stand down, to let the elder statesman have his victory tour and to prepare to run for an open seat in 2018. Clearly, it was a lie. Read the editorial>> Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Christmas Eve, Trump on Twitter: New attacks on FBI official, decrying Fake News By Laura King President Trump launched a Christmas Eve attack on FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whom he accuses of favoritism toward his former opponent, Hillary Clinton, and also returned to a longtime favored theme, excoriating the news media for failing to sufficiently extol his accomplishments. .@FoxNews-FBIs Andrew McCabe, in addition to his wife getting all of this money from M (Clinton Puppet), he was using, allegedly, his FBI Official Email Account to promote her campaign. You obviously cannot do this. These were the people who were investigating Hillary Clinton.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Thank you President TRUMP!! pic.twitter.com/LKdkT0FL99  oregon4TRUMP (@shawgerald4) December 23, 2017 The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well - nobody is going to beat us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Trump, who is spending the holidays at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, also sent Christmas greetings to deployed military personnel, praising them for success in the fight against terrorism. The early-morning swipe at McCabe followed a flurry of tweets attacking the deputy FBI chief on Saturday. McCabe, who has been a lightning rod for Republican attacks on the FBI, is expected to retire early in the new year. How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 Critics say the president and his allies are in the midst of a systematic campaign to denigrate the FBI and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is looking into potential collusion by the Trump campaign in Russias attempts to sway the 2016 presidential election. In a pair of statements on Twitter, Trump again expressed scorn regarding news coverage of his administration. For months, the president has been particularly critical of reports regarding the Russia investigation and more recently has repeatedly complained he does not receive enough credit for a booming stock market. In his video conference message to troops overseas, the president made apparent reference to the fight against the militants of Islamic State, who over the last year have lost most of the territory they previously controlled in Iraq and Syria, including former strongholds in Mosul and Raqqah. Were winning, Trump told military personnel deployed in Qatar, Kuwait, Guantanamo Bay and aboard the guided missile destroyer Sampson. Reporters traveling with the president heard his address, but were ushered from the room before he took questions from the troops. The president often breaks with longtime custom and makes politically charged statements at events in which he addresses military personnel. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Trumps Wells Fargo tweet cited in court hearing as reason to remove Mulvaney as CFPB acting chief By Jim Puzzanghera A recent tweet by President Trump about possible penalties against Wells Fargo & Co. was cited during a court hearing Friday as a reason for removing White House official Mick Mulvaney as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The attorney for Leandra English  the bureaus deputy director who has said she is the rightful acting head  said Trumps tweet showed he was trying to exercise improper influence over the independent consumer watchdog. I think that [tweet] shows you this isnt just some hypothetical concern, the attorney, Deepak Gupta, told Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia during a nearly two-hour hearing. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump administration recognizes Honduran presidents reelection By Tracy Wilkinson The Trump administration on Friday formally recognized the incumbent president of Honduras, conservative Juan Orlando Hernandez, as the winner of a bitterly contested presidential election held last month. In a statement, the State Department congratulated Hernandez while also acknowledging widespread irregularities in the Nov. 26 vote and calling for a robust national dialogue to overcome political discord in the Central American country, a close ally of the administration. The Organization of American States, which monitored the election, said it was so flawed that only a new round of voting could establish a fair and transparent outcome. But the U.S. rejected that determination. Uproar over the contest led to demonstrations in Honduras that left numerous civilians dead after state security forces opened fire on the protests. Activists and others voiced criticism Friday of the administrations decision. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a leading Democratic voice on Central American issues, said he was angry and deeply disturbed by the State Department decision. The recent elections in Honduras were deeply flawed, chaotic and marred by numerous irregularities, McGovern said. U.S.-Honduran cooperation on matters such as drug-trafficking, violence and immigration requires a credible, legitimate government that has the support of its people, in Honduras, McGovern said. Hernandezs victory also was controversial because it was the first time a sitting president was allowed to run for re-election, barred until now by the Honduran Constitution. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Senate Leader Mitch McConnell says fixing DACA is no emergency until March By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday hes committed to allowing a vote on a bill for so-called Dreamers in January, but sees no rush to resolve the deportation threat posed by President Trumps decision to end a program protecting immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. There isnt that much of an emergency there, he said. There is no emergency until March. Well keep talking about it. Trump called for phasing out by March the Obama-era program that allows the young immigrants, many of them longtime residents, to get two-year deferrals of any deportation threat so they can legally attend school or work. Beneficiaries must be vetted for security purposes. Trump told Congress to come up with a legislative alternative for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Obama created by executive order, to protect those currently eligible. A bipartisan Senate group has been working with the White House, but talks stalled this week amid administration demands for curbs on legal immigration flows in exchange for protecting the DACA recipients. Meanwhile, Dreamers and immigrant advocates stormed the Capitol in recent days pressing for the help promised by Trump and Democratic congressional leaders that failed to materialize in the years final legislation. Advocacy groups say more than 120 immigrants each day are falling out of compliance without DACA renewals, putting them at risk of deportation. The number that is projected to swell to more than 1,000 a day in March. Weve been gridlocked on this issue for years, McConnell said. We want to have a signature. We dont just want to spin our wheels and have nothing to show for it. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

President Trump signs tax bill By Noah Bierman (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump on Friday morning signed a sweeping tax-cut measure  his first major legislative achievement  before heading off for a Christmas vacation at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Fla. The president also privately signed a short-term spending bill to fund government operations through Jan. 19. Congress approved it Thursday, after Republican leaders were unable to bridge differences in their own party as well as with Democrats to get agreement on funding for the full fiscal year. The stopgap bill punts fights on immigration and other issues to January. The tax bill, approved earlier this week in Congress in largely party-line votes, slashes corporate tax rates from 35% to 21% and also includes a host of other provisions for individuals, all intended to boost the economy. Critics point to nonpartisan analyses showing that the package, including changes greatly reducing the number of estates subject to taxes, steers the bulk of tax benefits to top earners and the wealthy, including Trump, despite his repeated claims that hell take a hit. Trump signed the bill quietly Friday, but held a public ceremony with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday after the bills passage; he also tweeted about the measure extensively. He is expected to hold another public ceremony after the New Years holiday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Pelosi urges Ryan to prevent Republicans from curtailing Houses Russia probe By Chris Megerian House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin greets House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Friday urging him to ensure the Houses investigation into Russian interference with last years presidential campaign is not cut short. The American people deserve a comprehensive and fair investigation into Russias attacks, wrote Pelosi, of San Francisco, in her letter. Political haste must not cut short valid investigatory threads. The House Intelligence Committee has been probing the issue since March 1, and Democrats have repeatedly warned that Republicans are trying to wrap up its work prematurely. Pelosi said Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, should take urgent action to ensure this investigation can continue. AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Ryan, said Pelosi simply wants to see this investigation go on forever in order to suit her political agenda. Whether it concludes next month, next year, or in three years, she will say it is too soon, Strong said in a statement. She added, The investigation will conclude when the committee has reached a conclusion. The committees work is led by Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas). His spokeswoman, Emily Hytha, said he remains committed to conducting this investigation as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible. With more interviews scheduled, the investigation shows signs of extending into next year, Bloomberg reported Friday. BREAKING: Steve Bannon and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski have been sent letters requesting they testify to House Intel panel in early January, per @HouseInSession  Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) December 22, 2017 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Congress votes to avert government shutdown, but Senate fails to pass disaster aid package By Lisa Mascaro ( (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)) Congress approved a temporary spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, but failed to complete work on an $81-billion disaster aid package to help California, Gulf Coast states and Puerto Rico recover from wildfires and hurricanes, as lawmakers scrambled Thursday to wrap up business before a Christmas break. The stopgap measure continues federal operations for a few more weeks, setting up another deadline for Jan. 19. But it left undone a long list of priorities that members of both parties had hoped to finish this year. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Wells Fargo says raises were not linked to tax bill passage  then backtracks By James Rufus Koren Wells Fargo & Co.s move to raise its minimum pay to $15 an hour was part of a long-term plan and not related to the passage of the Republican tax overhaul as the company implied, said a bank spokesman, who later backtracked and stated the hikes were a result of the bills approval. The bank was among several large corporations to publicly announce pay raises or new investments immediately following the final House vote in an apparent public relations offensive to boost the popularity of the tax bill The San Francisco bank had implied the direct linkage to the tax legislation in a news release Wednesday, shortly after Congress passed the tax overhaul, which slashes the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% starting Jan. 1. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Obamacare signups beat expectations, despite Trump administrations opposition By Noam N. Levey President Trump with Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Despite Trump administration efforts to discourage people from signing up, the number of people enrolling for Affordable Care Act coverage nearly hit last years level, the government revealed Thursday. Exchange open enrollment for 2018 coverage ended w/ approx 8.8M people enrolling in coverage. Great job to the @CMSGov team for the work you did to make this the smoothest experience for consumers to date. We take pride in providing great customer service.  Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) December 21, 2017 The 8.8 million people who enrolled in the 36 states that use the federal governments healthcare.gov system significantly exceeded most forecasts. The Trump administration stopped most outreach and other efforts this year aimed at getting people to sign up. The president also repeatedly said publicly that Obamacare was dead. Open enrollment continues in California and several other states that run their own healthcare marketplaces. The figures from the federal government indicate that when those states wrap up for the year, the number of people covered by Obamacare will be nearly the same as in 2017. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly condemns U.S. policy change on Jerusalem despite Trumps threats By Tracy Wilkinson The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted Thursday to condemn President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite Trumps threats to punish countries that voted against the U.S. position. The resolution passed in an emergency session at U.N. headquarters in New York with 128 in favor, nine opposed and 35 abstentions. The nonbinding resolution demands that Washington rescind its declaration, which included a plan to transfer the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in coming years. The resolution value is mostly symbolic, showing how isolated the U.S. is in the move. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., warned this week that she would be taking names of countries that opposed the U.S., and Trump on Wednesday suggested he might cut U.S. aid to governments that voted in favor of the resolution. Let them vote against us, Trump said. Well save a lot. We dont care. The U.S. recognition of Jerusalem reversed decades of international consensus on the political status of the divided city. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as their capital in a future independent state. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said the U.N. was facing an unprecedented test and that history would remember those who stand by what is right. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Democrats defend Robert Mueller, saying Russia investigation must be allowed to continue By Chris Megerian Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) speaking during a committee hearing earlier this year. (Molly Riley / Associated Press) House Democrats said they will fight Republican attempts to discredit and undermine the work of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating whether President Trumps associates helped Russian meddling in last years election. There is an organized effort by Republicans, in concert with Fox News, to spin a false narrative and conjure up outrageous scenarios to accuse special counsel Mueller of being biased, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said. Trump has said he has no plan to fire Mueller, but Democrats are alarmed by escalating criticism of the special counsels work. Why is the president afraid of the facts and the truth? Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said. He added, No matter what the facts are, were satisfied if the investigation is complete. A letter of support signed by 171 Democratic members of Congress will be sent to Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, and oversees his investigation. Rosenstein has defended Mueller in the face of Republican criticisms. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

U.S. blacklists Myanmar army general who it says oversaw atrocities against Rohingya Muslims By Shashank Bengali The Trump administration on Thursday blacklisted a Myanmar army general who it said oversaw human rights abuses committed by security forces against Rohingya Muslims. Imposing economic sanctions against the general, Maung Maung Soe, was the toughest action the United States has taken in response to a brutal army offensive that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has described as ethnic cleansing. In a statement, the Treasury Department said it had examined credible evidence of Maung Maung Soes activities, including allegations against Burmese security forces of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and arbitrary arrest as well as the widespread burning of villages. The Rohingya are an ethnic and religious minority of about 1 million people in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, also known as Burma. The United Nations says that more than 640,000 Rohingya have fled the country since August, after the army launched clearance operations in response to attacks carried out by a Rohingya insurgent group against security forces. Rohingya refugees in crowded camps in neighboring Bangladesh have described horrific violence by Myanmar forces, including mass rapes, summary executions and children being burned alive. The aid group Doctors Without Borders estimates that 6,700 people were killed in the first month of the operation. Myanmar authorities deny committing atrocities and say that only a few hundred fighters were killed. Maung Maung Soe was chief of the armys Western Command, which carried out the offensive. He was transferred from his position last month, according to news reports. He was one of 13 individuals worldwide who were blacklisted Thursday under a new U.S. law that gives the Treasury Department authority to target officials for human rights abuses and corruption. Others included former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh; Gulnara Karimova, daughter of the late Uzbekistan dictator Islam Karimov; and Artem Chaika, son of Russias prosecutor-general. Today, the United States is taking a strong stand against human rights abuse and corruption globally by shutting these bad actors out of the U.S. financial system, said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. The sanctions freeze any assets Maung Maung Soe holds in the United States and bars Americans from doing business with him. It is also a sign of how quickly U.S. relations with Myanmar have soured. Under the Obama administration, the United States forged closer ties with the former military dictatorship and eased economic and political sanctions as the country began implementing democratic reforms. But Myanmar, which does not regard the Rohingya as citizens, has lashed out at the international community over the current crisis. It has jailed journalists, blocked access to affected areas in the western state of Rakhine and this week barred a U.N. human rights investigator from entering the country. Rohingya activists said the U.S. action would not have much effect on a country that survived under economic sanctions for years. It is the whole military institution that has a policy to persecute these people, said Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist and blogger in Germany. According to the U.S.s own definition, the army is carrying out ethnic cleansing. They have a responsibility to protect these people. Sanctions on one person are really not enough. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Dreamers will have to wait until next year for Congress long-promised protections By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)) A promised year-end deal to protect the young immigrants known as Dreamers from deportation collapsed Wednesday as Republicans in Congress  fresh off passage of their tax plan  prepared to punt nearly all remaining must-do agenda items into the new year. Congressional leaders still hope that before leaving town this week they can pass an $81-billion disaster relief package with recovery funds for California wildfires and Gulf Coast states hit during the devastating hurricane season. But passage even of that relatively popular measure remained in doubt as conservatives balked at the price tag. Rather than finish the year wrapping up the legislative agenda, the GOP majorities in the House and Senate struggled over their next steps. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Chants of protest drown out any caroling this holiday season at the Capitol By Lisa Mascaro U.S. Capitol Police arrest a man wearing a Santa Claus hat during a protest against the Republican tax bill. (Alex Edelman / AFP/Getty Image) Outside the U.S. Capitol, the lights on a towering Christmas tree are flipped on each evening, giving the Engelmann spruce a festive twinkle; inside the marble halls, wreaths and garlands decorate doorways and alcoves ahead of the holidays. But the spirit of the season has been punctuated by other sights: a Jumbotron parked across from the Capitol reflecting pool broadcasts images of young immigrants who face deportation; Little Lobbyists, children with complex medical needs, were featured in a recent news conference; protesters filed into the visitor galleries to shout against the Republican tax plan. While its beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Capitol, its also shaping up to be a holiday season of protest. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Tax bill simplifies filing for some but complicates it for others  and dont count on that postcard By Jim Puzzanghera A priority of the Republicans tax overhaul was simplification, and they drove home the point this fall with an omnipresent prop: a red-white-and-blue postcard. Were making things so simple that you can do your taxes on a form the size of a postcard, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) said last month, pulling one from his jacket pocket as he and Republican leaders unveiled their bill. They gave a couple of the cards to President Trump at a White House meeting a few hours later and flashed them often during news conferences and TV interviews in the coming days. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Top U.N. human rights official reportedly wont seek reelection The top United Nations official for human rights, who has frequently criticized the Trump administration, has reportedly decided not to seek a second term, saying his work had become untenable. Zeid Raad Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, notified his staff in an email that was obtained by several news outlets, including Agence France-Presse. Staying when his four-year term is up for renewal at the end of August might involve bending a knee in supplication, AFP quoted Husseins email as saying. Hussein is a Jordanian prince who has criticized, among other things, President Trumps attempts to ban visitors or refugees from six predominantly Muslim countries. The news comes a day before the U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on a nonbinding resolution condemning the Trump administrations formal declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a decision that went against international consensus. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., has warned she will be taking names of those who vote against the United States on Thursday. Trump echoed that sentiment Wednesday, voiced support for Haley and implying to reporters that he would consider cutting off U.S. aid to countries that vote against the U.S. Well, were watching those votes, Trump said. Let them vote against us. Well save a lot. We dont care. On Monday, the United States lost a Security Council vote 14-1 on a binding resolution that would have required Washington to rescind its declaration. Haley then vetoed the resolution. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Top Democrat warns Trump not to fire Mueller or interfere with his investigation By Chris Megerian Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, one of the top Democrats involved in the congressional inquiries into Russian interference in last years election, said Wednesday that any attempt by President Trump to interfere with the separate criminal investigation would be a gross abuse of power. Warner, who is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, delivered his warning from the Senate floor as Republicans escalate their criticism of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team of prosecutors and FBI agents. Some Democrats believe Trump is laying the groundwork to fire Mueller even though the president has publicly denied it. Mueller was appointed in May after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey. In the United States of America, no one, no one is above the law, not even the president, Warner said. Congress must make clear to the president that firing the special counsel or interfering with his investigation by issuing pardons of essential witnesses is unacceptable and would have immediate and significant consequences. Some Democrats say the White House may try to in effect short-circuit the Mueller investigation by replacing Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who is the only official empowered to fire Mueller. Rosenstein recently told Congress that the special counsel is acting appropriately and that he would not dismiss Mueller without just cause. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump says after tax bill passes By Brian Bennett President Trump at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday at the White House. (Chris Kleponis / Getty Images) President Trump is celebrating Republicans passage of the tax overhaul bill as a two-fer: On Wednesday, in addition to tax cuts, he checked off his promise to repeal Obamacare, pointing to a provision in the bill to end the penalty on Americans who dont get health insurance. We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. Other provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act are still in place, and Trump and congressional Republicans failed completely on the replace half of their vow to repeal and replace the program. In Trumps view, however, stripping away the laws individual mandate to get insurance or else pay a tax penalty amounts to repeal of the whole law. Congressional analysts have said that millions of people would lose insurance as a result, either by choice or because they cannot afford it without subsidies, and that premiums would increase for others as younger, healthy people drop coverage. We will come up with something much better, Trump said, adding that block grants to states could be one approach. By his comments, Trump tacitly acknowledged that repeal of the mandate is likely the best he can do following Republicans failure this year to agree on a repeal-and-replace bill. Looking back on his first year, Trump also boasted of his administrations efforts against the Islamic State and increased immigration enforcement. He said he had not given up on funding a border wall or tightening immigration law to limit citizens ability to resettle foreign relatives in the country. He said he would very shortly visit the border with Mexico near San Diego to see wall prototypes that have been built. He didnt answer a reporters shouted question about how he would personally benefit from the tax bill. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

House gives final OK to GOP tax plan, sending it to Trump By Lisa Mascaro Congress gave final approval to the GOP tax plan Wednesday, 224-201, after the House took an unusual do-over vote to clear up differences with the Senate-passed bill. The $1.5-trillion package now heads to President Trump, who plans to sign it into law. The House had approved the tax bill on Tuesday but was forced to take another vote Wednesday because a couple of provisions in the version it approved were found to be in violation of Senate procedures. Those provisions were dropped before the Senate gave its approval early Wednesday. Critics complained the Republicans rushed to pass the sweeping tax plan to deliver Trump a year-end legislative victory, but supporters shrugged off the problems as minor. The tax plan dramatically cuts corporate rates and provides some individual rate reductions, overhauling the tax code for the first time in 30 years. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump administration effort to block immigrant from having an abortion fails By David Savage Scott Lloyd is director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) President Trumps lawyers rushed to the Supreme Court and U.S. appeals court in Washington on Monday evening to file emergency appeals seeking to prevent an immigrant in detention, dubbed Jane Roe in court, from having an abortion. That set the stage for a legal showdown on whether the administration can block pregnant minors in custody from choosing to have an abortion. But the legal clash, which the administration has seemed eager to have, fizzled out Tuesday when the governments lawyers admitted the 17-year-old unaccompanied minor in their custody was actually 19. They said they had obtained her birth certificate and realized she was not a minor after all. As a result, Roe, who is 10 weeks pregnant, will no longer be held in a detention center for immigrant minors, and will not be subject to an administration policy that tries to prevent minors in immigration detention from having abortions. Administration lawyers told appeals court judges Tuesday night that Roe was being sent to a facility for adults and likely would be released until her immigration status can be resolved. In a brief order, the D.C. Circuit Court agreed to put the case on hold, but told government attorneys to confirm that she will be permitted to obtain an abortion. The administration had earlier tried to delay another young woman, referred to in court as Jane Poe, from having an abortion, but officials relented on Monday because she was 22 weeks pregnant and nearing the time limit for a legal abortion. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Senate panel rejects Trumps pick to lead Export-Import Bank, a leader in the effort to shut it down By Jim Puzzanghera A Senate committee on Tuesday rejected President Trumps nominee to lead the Export-Import Bank, extending the chaos at the embattled agency whose job is to help U.S. companies sell their goods abroad. Two Republicans joined all Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee in voting against former Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) to be the banks president. Garrett had been a vocal critic of the Ex-Im Bank and a leader of a conservative effort that shut the bank down for five months in 2015 by blocking its congressional authorization. He and other bank opponents branded the banks aid as crony capitalism. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Congress proposes $81-billion disaster aid package, including funds for California wildfires By Lisa Mascaro Congress is set to consider an $81-billion disaster aid package that includes wildfire recovery money for California and other Western states as well as hurricane relief with a price tag reflecting a year of record-setting natural calamities. The legislation, the text of which was released late Monday, would provide almost twice as much as the $44 billion the White House sought last month to cover relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and in the Caribbean. Republican congressional leaders added more money after California lawmakers objected that the administration had failed to include help for areas damaged by wildfires and Democrats protested that the overall amount President Trump asked for was insufficient. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

White House blames North Korea for worldwide WannaCry cyber attack By Noah Bierman The Royal London Hospital, a victim of the unprecedented global cyberattack in May. (Niklas Hallen / AFP/Getty Images) The White House officially blamed North Korea on Tuesday for the cyberattack in May known as WannaCry that infected hundreds of thousands of computers in 150 countries, affecting healthcare, financial services and vital infrastructure. Thomas P. Bossert, assistant to the president for homeland security and counter-terrorism, noted in a briefing with reporters that the consequences were beyond economic. He warned that North Koreas malicious behavior is growing more egregious. Bossert did not specify what evidence American officials have to blame North Korea, citing security issues, but he cited the countrys prior attacks as revealing hallmarks of how Pyongyang and its network of hackers operates. He said other allied countries had joined the United States in making the determination. The administration did not announce any penalties on the regime, which is already subject to severe sanctions over its nuclear program. They want to hold the entire world at risk, Bossert said of North Koreas rulers, referring to the nations nuclear and missile provocations as well as its alleged cyberattack. Given its isolation and international sanctions, North Korea is desperate for funds. Bossert said the country did not appear to make much money on the ransom attack, as word spread that paying a ransom did not result in getting computers unlocked. Its primary goal, he said, was spreading chaos. Bossert and Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary of homeland security for cybersecurity and communication, said the United States, through a combination of preparation and luck, escaped the worst of the attack, as a patch to the malware was found before U.S. companies and other interests were severely crippled. However, Manfra said, We cannot be complacent. Bossert added, Next time were not going to get so lucky. Manfra praised Microsoft and Facebook for their efforts to combat WannaCry and to block more recent attempts to hack U.S. systems. She and Bossert urged more cooperation and information-sharing from American and multinational companies, arguing a united front is vital to protecting against bad actors who do not differentiate between government and business. Bossert rejected criticism that the the Trump administration has more aggressively called out North Korean cyberattacks than it has Russias meddling in the 2016 election. He said the administration has continued the national emergency initiated by President Obama. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

GOP lures some mountain bike groups in its push to roll back protections for public land By Evan Halper When their vision of creating a scenic cycling trail through a protected alpine backcountry hit a snag, San Diego area mountain bikers turned to an unlikely ally: congressional Republicans aiming to dilute conservation laws. The frustrations of the San Diego cycling group and a handful of similar organizations are providing tailwind to the GOP movement to lift restrictions on the countrys most ecologically fragile and pristine landscapes, officially designated wilderness. Resentment of these cyclists over the longstanding ban on mechanized transportation in that fraction of the nations public lands presents a political opportunity for Republicans eager to drill fissures in the broad coalition of conservation-minded groups united against the GOP environmental agenda. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Vice president postpones Israel trip a second time in case his vote is needed to pass tax cut bill By Noah Bierman (Ethan Miller / Getty Images) Vice President Mike Pence is delaying his trip to Egypt and Israel for a second time in case he is needed to break a tie in the Senate for the tax bill that is expected to pass narrowly this week. Two White House officials confirmed the changed schedule, which they say is unrelated to to protests in the region over the administrations decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Pence had initially been scheduled to leave last Saturday. Late last week, the White House moved the trip back a few days to Tuesday night, in case Pence was needed to break a Senate tie. But Monday, they decided to postpone the trip further, to January, given the possibility of a late Senate vote and the coming holidays. He wants to see it through the finish line, said a White House official, referring to the tax measure that is a centerpiece of the Republican legislative agenda. We dont want to leave anything to chance. The mid-January dates will allow Pence more breathing room to merge schedules with embassies and hotels, the official said. Trump still plans to address the Israeli Knesset, a high-profile venue to discuss the Jerusalem decision where it is most popular. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump judicial pick who drew ridicule at hearing withdraws By Associated Press A White House official says the Trump judicial nominee whose qualifications were questioned by a Republican senator has withdrawn his nomination. Matthew Petersen, who was nominated by President Trump to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has been the subject of widespread ridicule since he was unable to define basic legal terms during his confirmation hearing Wednesday. A White House official says Petersen has withdrawn his nomination and that Trump has accepted the withdrawal. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the development publicly. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy pressed Petersen, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, who testified he had never tried a case, on his qualifications to the bench. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump says McCain will return to Washington if needed for tax vote By Laura King President Trump said Sunday that Sen. John McCain, who is battling an aggressive form of brain cancer, was returning home to Arizona for the holidays but would come back to Washington if needed to cast a vote on the Republicans tax overhaul bill. The Arizona Republicans office announced last week that McCain was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington for complications from his cancer treatment. McCains daughter Meghan tweeted earlier Sunday that her 81-year-old father would be spending Christmas in Arizona. The Senate is expected to vote early this week on the tax cut legislation, but the GOP appeared to have secured sufficient support without McCains vote. John will come back if we need his vote, Trump told reporters as he returned from a weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David. Hes going through a very tough time. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Putin calls Trump to thank him for U.S. help foiling terrorist strike By Laura King Vladimir Putin phoned President Trump to thank him for what the Russian president said was CIA help in foiling a terrorist attack, the Kremlin said on Sunday. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the two leaders conversation to reporters. It was the second time that the two leaders had talked in four days; Trump called Putin on Thursday to thank the Russian leader for lauding the U.S. economy. Putin, in his annual year-end news conference, had praised Trump for a strong performance by the U.S. stock market. Perhaps ironically, given his credit to the CIAs recent help, Putin at that news event dismissed as hysteria the consensus among American intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign. In reporting Putins call to Trump on Sunday, the official Russian news agency Tass said Putin thanked his American counterpart for information shared by the US Central Intelligence Agency that had helped break up a plot to set off explosives in St. Petersburgs landmark Kazan Cathedral and elsewhere in the city, which is Russias second-largest. Russian authorities last week had credited their countrys counter-intelligence service, the FSB, for foiling the attacks. They reported that seven people affiliated with Islamic State had been detained in St. Petersburg in connection with the plot. The FSB, the successor organization to the KGB, announced Friday that the group had planned to carry out the attacks on Saturday, and that one of those in custody had confessed to the cathedral bomb plot. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Mnuchin: Government shutdown unlikely but could happen By Laura King Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said on Sunday that a government shutdown this week was unlikely but possible. A two-week stopgap spending bill passed by Congress earlier this month provided enough funding to keep the government running through Friday. A deadlock on another temporary funding measure would open the door to a possible shutdown. I cant rule it out, but I cant imagine it occurring, Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday, suggesting everyone had an interest in avoiding the government grinding to a halt and federal workers going unpaid, especially in the holiday season. I would expect that both the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, understand if they cant agree on this, they need to have another short-term extension to move this to January, the Treasury secretary said. We cant have a government shutdown in front of Christmas. In May, irate over concessions made to Democrats in hammering out a spending measure, President Trump tweeted that a good shutdown might help matters. While both parties agree that a government shutdown involves a degree of disruption that is not beneficial to either side, shutdowns in 1995-96 and in 2013 mainly caused a backlash against Republicans. The latest funding measure is to be taken up after a vote on a massive GOP tax overhaul, expected by midweek. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump transition team says sensitive emails should not have been shared with Robert Mueller By Chris Megerian (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) President Trumps transition team is crying foul over how special counsel Robert S. Mueller III obtained emails for his investigation into Russian meddling in last years campaign and possible Trump campaign complicity. Kory Langhofer, a lawyer for the transition team, sent a letter to Congress on Saturday saying there was an unauthorized disclosure of emails. While the Trump transition is long over, the transition team remains a nonprofit organization. Its emails were hosted by the General Services Administration, a federal agency. Mueller reportedly obtained the emails directly from the agency. There are attorney-client communications, Langhofer said in an interview. There are executive-privileged communications. He added, What were asking Congress to do is to take some legislative action to make sure this never happens again. Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsels office, defended the process for obtaining emails. When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process, he said. The letter was first reported by Fox News. A request for comment from the General Services Administration was not immediately answered. This story has been updated with a comment from the special counsels office. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Virginia house arrest is ending for Paul Manafort By Chris Megerian (Mark Wilson / Getty Images) A federal judge agreed Friday to end Paul Manaforts house arrest in Virginia, allowing President Trumps former campaign manager to return to Florida while awaiting trial. The decision followed a dispute between Manaforts legal team and prosecutors working for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who accused Manafort of violating a court order restricting public statements about the case. Under the terms of the judges order, Manafort will be allowed to live at his home in Florida as long as he stays within Palm Beach and Broward counties and obeys a curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. If he misses a court appearance, he would forfeit four properties valued at $10 million total. The deal, which includes GPS monitoring, is not as permissive as Manafort originally sought. He had asked to be able to travel freely among Florida, New York, Virginia and Washington. Manafort faces criminal charges of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. He has pleaded not guilty. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

GOP negotiators enhance child tax credit to win over Sen. Rubio By Lisa Mascaro Republican negotiators slightly increased the refundable portion of the expanded child tax credit in their tax plan, raising it to $1,400 in hopes of winning back Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) support ahead of next weeks vote. Rubio announced Thursday he was withholding support after negotiators ignored his push to make the expanded tax credit, which increases from the current $1,000 to $2,000 in the proposed bill, fully refundable for lower- and moderate-income filers. The refundable portion in the original bill was $1,100. The Florida senator argued that was not enough to help working-class Americans, many of whom already view the GOP plan as tilted toward the wealthy. Rubios office was waiting to see the final text before commenting on whether the change was enough to win him over. We have not seen the bill text, and until we see if the percentage of the refundable credit is significantly higher, then our position remains the same, Rubios spokeswoman said. Negotiators meeting Friday before unveiling the bill said they thought they had the support they needed from Rubio and other holdouts. Im confident both chambers will pass it next week, said Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Sen. Marco Rubio opposes GOP tax bill, depriving leaders of crucial support By Lisa Mascaro 20.94% Corp. rate to pay for tax cut for working family making $40k was anti-growth but 21% to cut tax for couples making $1million is fine?  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 12, 2017 Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) says he is currently opposed to the GOP tax plan because it fails to include his proposed enhancements to the child tax credit, leaving leaders without crucial support ahead of next weeks expected vote. Republicans can only lose two GOP senators from their slim 52-48 majority as they push the plan forward under special budget rules to prevent a Democratic filibuster. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday altered his planned Israel trip so he could be on hand, if needed, to cast a tie-breaking vote. Rubio, and GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, have fought to increase the child tax credit, doubling it to $2,000 in the GOP plan, but they also want to increase its refundability. They argue it will lower taxes on middle-income families at a time when the tax plan is being criticized as tilted to the wealthy. Sen. Rubio has consistently communicated to the Senate tax negotiators that his vote on final passage would depend on whether the refundability of the Child Tax Credit was increased in a meaningful way, Rubios spokeswoman said. Lee stopped short of opposing the bill, but his spokesman said Wednesday he is undecided. GOP leaders, though, have said they believe they have the support for passage. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

White House gives Roy Moore a unsubtle shove: Time to concede By David Lauter (Alex Wong / Getty Images) The White House sent a clear signal Thursday to the defeated Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama: Its time to concede. Roy Moore refused to concede the race on Tuesday night when Doug Jones, the Democrat, was declared the winner. Election night results show Jones winning by about 1.5 percentage points, three times more than the states standard for a recount. Although a few absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted, theres no indication they would change the result. On Wednesday, Moore notably did not call to congratulate Jones  even as President Trump and other leading Republicans did. Instead, he released a video declaring the battle rages on. Asked at the daily news briefing whether the White House thinks Moore should concede today, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, It probably sounds like it maybe should have already taken place. Sanders also dismissed the idea, pushed by some Moore supporters, that Jones victory was tainted in some fashion. Asked if the Democrat had won fair and square, she said, I think the numbers reflect that. The states Republican senator, Richard Shelby, offered a similar comment in an interview with MSNBC in which he said he was willing to work with Jones. If I was 25,000 votes behind, its not going to change much, Shelby said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

House Speaker Paul Ryan says hes not leaving anytime soon By Lisa Mascaro House Speaker Paul D. Ryan shot down suggestions Thursday that he might soon be retiring. Stories often circulate that party leaders, especially the House speaker, are stepping aside. Ryans tenure has been as rocky as that of his predecessor, Rep. John Boehner, who abruptly resigned in 2015 amid GOP infighting. Asked Thursday if he would be leaving, Ryan answered a simple no, as he left his weekly press conference in the Capitol. Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican who reluctantly took over the speakers gavel after Boehners departure, had just finished talking up the GOP tax plan, which leaders hope to pass next week. He also outlined his sweeping agenda for his longtime goal of entitlement reform of welfare benefits next year. Two stories published Thursday suggested Ryan may soon be out. This is pure speculation, said spokeswoman AshLee Strong. As the speaker himself said today, hes not going anywhere anytime soon. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

GOP leaders reach tax deal, cutting corporate rate to 21% and top individual rate to 37% By Lisa Mascaro Republican leaders on Wednesday agreed on a revised plan to cut taxes that would lower the corporate rate from 35% to 21% and drop the top individual rate for the richest Americans to 37%, according to GOP senators and others briefed on the deal. The tentative accord marked a significant step in the Republican push to have a tax bill on President Trumps desk by Christmas. Leaders did not release details of the compromise or the text of a final bill as negotiations continued. Its critically important for Congress to quickly pass these historic tax cuts, Trump said Wednesday, promising that Americans could begin to reap the benefits of the plan as early as February, if passed. Critics, however, said the latest changes  particularly the lowering of the top individual rate from the current 39.6%  only reaffirmed several independent analyses that show the bulk of the savings from the Republican plan would go to businesses and the wealthy. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Farenthold to retire from House amid harassment accusations By Associated Press Texas Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold wont seek reelection next year, two Republicans said Thursday, adding his name to the list of lawmakers leaving Congress amid sexual harassment allegations that have cost powerful men their jobs in politics, the arts and other fields. The accusations against Farenthold surfaced in 2014, when a former aide sued him alleging sexually suggestive comments and behavior and said shed been fired after she complained. The lawmaker said he engaged in no wrongdoing and the case was settled in 2015. But the House Ethics Committee said last week that it would investigate Farenthold after congressional sources said hed paid an $84,000 settlement using taxpayers money. Though Farenthold said hed reimburse the Treasury Department, such payments have drawn public criticism from people saying lawmakers should use their own money for such settlements. A House official said Farenthold spoke twice Wednesday to House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), while another official said the congressman spoke once with Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) who heads the GOPs House campaign committee. Those discussions suggested that Farenthold may have come under pressure from leaders to step aside. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. Last week, three lawmakers facing accusations of sexual harassment announced their resignations. Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) have already left Congress while Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has said he will step aside soon. Mike Bergsma, Republican county chairman in Farentholds home county of Nueces, Texas, said Fare
By the way, they like you to dress fancy (and leave children home, unless youre headed to a weekend brunch). Coat and tie are required for men.

In theory, to attend you must be invited or accompanied by a member of the Academy of Magical Arts. In practice, there are at least two pretty easy ways in. Its not so hard (though the admission charge and dinner and drinks usually add up to a pricey night). If you spend a night at the adjacent Magic Castle Hotel & Suites , youre entitled to go to the club. Or you can email one of the magicians soon to appear and ask for an invite. (More ideas here .)

What: The castle, clubhouse of the Academy of Magical Arts, was built as a private home in 1908. But by the time it opened as a magic haven in 1963, it had undergone a thorough transformation to make it fit for tricks and performances. Since then, it has survived waxing and waning popularity, not to mention a fire in 2011. (The flames flare on the night of Halloween.) Roam room to room and you encounter all manner of deceptions and marvels. Card tricks. Seances. Sleight of hand. Secret passages. And a fancy dinner.

Why: The Magic Castle is the worst kept secret in Hollywood -- a private club in a tricked-out house thats devoted to magic. And if you really want to get in, its not that hard.

See the light at James Turrells Skyspace in Claremont By Elisa Parhad Why: This awe-inspiring public art installation brings new beauty to the light of dawn and dusk. What: Dividing the Light (2007), one of several dozen Skyspaces worldwide by artist James Turrell, is an elevated metal frame perched above an outdoor courtyard. A mesmerizing light show begins at dawn and dusk when the frame is illuminated with colored light, enhancing the skys own changing hues. The Skyspace is a part of the Pomona College Museum of Art. For Turrell, an L.A. native and alumnus of Pomona College (65) and Claremont Graduate University (73), this campus installation is a homecoming of sorts, and the only public Skyspace in Southern California. Turrell is an avid pilot and considers the sky his studio, material and canvas, and his Pomona College training in perceptual psychology informs his play of light, space, and human perception. Skyspace programs begin one hour before sunrise and 10 minutes before sunset. The evening program lasts about 40 minutes. Check a listing of current exhibitions and Art After Hours days that may make a Skyspace and museum twofer possible. Where: The Draper Courtyard (between the Lincoln and Edmunds buildings) at 600 N. College Way on the Pomona College campus in Claremont, 34 miles northeast of downtown L.A. How much: Free Info: James Turrell Skyspace Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Pedal L.A.'s Echo Park Lake, munch a fancy snack and daydream of Sister Aimee and the spiritualists By Christopher Reynolds The swan boats of Echo Park Lake. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Why: The hotter it gets, the more sense these pedal vessels make. What: The artificial lake in Echo Park goes back to at least 1870. The boathouse and pedal boat operation go back decades. And the place has been dramatically upgraded in the last few years, beginning with a draining and cleaning in 2011-2013. The paddle boats operated by Wheel Fun Rentals are now shaped like swans and the larger ones hold up to five people or 1,400 pounds. (These boats look a lot like the historic swan boats in Boston Common, which also go back to the 1870s.) Head out for an hour of pedaling and drifting, not necessarily in that order, and imagine the early 20th century days when Aimee Semple McPherson was preaching in the Angelus Temple next door and these hills were crawling with communists, socialists and spiritualists. The boat rentals are open daily all year from 9 a.m. until sunset. On the hottest days, try edging right up to the edge of the fountain in the middle of the lake  youll be coated with mist or (if theres a breeze) pelted by diagonal rain. The last rentals go out an hour before sunset. (One night in July, a young man broke in and took a paddle boat for a forbidden ride. It did not end well.) The eatery, Beacon, opened in January 2017 with a menu thats longer, more intriguing and a little pricier than the average public park snack shack. The communists dont live here anymore. Bonus option: Fishing is allowed, with a license. Where: 751 Echo Park Ave., 2 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: The swan boats rent for hourly rates of $11 per adult, $6 per minor. Everybody gets a life jacket. A sampling from the Beacon menu: kale and avocado burritos ($7), a crab and gouda sandwich ($13), salmon toast ($10), Beacon Burger ($15), lemonade ($3). Beacon is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Info: Wheel Fun Rentals, Beacon A pedalers view of Echo Park Lake. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

See the Giants, glimpse the bay and duck the gulls at San Franciscos AT&T Park By Christopher Reynolds The Giants have played in AT&T Park since 2000. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Why: Whether youre for the Giants or against them, you can root for a home run into the bay here  something you wont see at any other major league baseball stadium. In fact, you can see bits of San Francisco Bay  distant wharves, cargo ships, maybe a few kayaks in McCovey Cove  from many of the 41,915 seats in AT&T Park. And in a city thats not always easy for families, this park is full of kid-friendly features. What: The Giants have been based in San Francisco since 1958, but they only started winning championships here after this ballpark opened in 2000. (Beyond center field youll see banners celebrating the teams World Series victories in 2010, 2012 and 2014, and a few more from the earlier New York years.) Builders worked hard to reduce the winds that made the old Candlestick Park a nightmare for anyone fielding a fly ball  and largely succeeded. In fact, experts often rank this park first or second among the most pleasant in the major leagues. But theres no banishing the gulls. At the end of every game, thousands of the scavenging creatures come swooping in to feast on leavings in the bleachers. Ushers try to fend them off, but the situation is basically Field of Dreams meets Alfred Hitchcock. Hang around for a few minutes to catch the spectacle. Gulls after a day game, AT&T Park, San Francisco. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Where: 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, 382 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: Most tickets $9-$282. Single-game tickets here. Info: San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Travel Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Fly, roll, float and romp in a Disneys ever-evolving California Adventure By Christopher Reynolds Hollywood Land, Disney California Adventure (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Why: If somebody asked you to compress the best of California into 72 acres, make it abundantly kid-friendly and persuade thousands of people to spend long hours and big money there, you might crack under the pressure. (Admit it, youre already uncomfortable.) That was Disneys mission with this park. And Disney failed  at first. But since that awkward debut in 2001, when attendance fell far short of expectations, the park people have been steadily changing and fixing this place. Even if youre skeptical about all things Disney (as some people are), youll probably get a kick out of this cartoon version of our state. What: Most of the parks rides, restaurants and photo ops are all about idealizing California, including Hollywood Land (whos ever seen such clean streets and tidy storefronts in the real Hollywood?); Pacific Wharf (a mix of Cannery Row in Monterey and Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco); and Grizzly Peak (a nod to Yosemite and the tall trees of Northern California). But other features these days reach far beyond state lines. When I dropped in a few days ago, the parks marching bands and mariachis were joined by drummers, dancers and musicians from around Asia, gathered to celebrate Lunar New Year. Rides in A Bugs Land and Car Land were full of grinning guests, as was the Soarin Around the World ride  which replaced Soaring (over California) in 2016  and the Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission: Breakout! ride  which replaced the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 2017. This summer, Paradise Pier is scheduled to become Pixar Pier. Meanwhile, California Screamin, Mickeys Fun Wheel and Grizzly River Run were closed for refurbishment. Check before visiting to see whats open and whats not. Where: Right next to Disneyland and Downtown Disney, California Adventure, 1313 Disneyland Drive in Anaheim, is 26 miles southeast of downtown L.A. How much: Passes start at $97 (ages 10 and above; before taxes) for a one-day Value Ticket. Standard parking $20. Info: Disney California Adventure Disney California Adventure (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Drive the narrow, winding, spectacular back-door route to Big Sur: Nacimiento-Fergusson Road By Christopher Reynolds On the western slopes (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Why: Itll quicken your pulse, drop your jaw and demand your full attention. Theres no more dramatic passage from Central Californias blond hills to the Big Sur coast than this 24-mile route. What: Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, a winding, two-lane highway, begins in the Salinas Valley countryside north of Paso Robles, next to the often-overlooked Mission San Antonio de Padua and the Armys Ft. Hunter-Liggett. From there it creeps through forest and chaparral to the crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains, about 2,800 feet above sea level. Then for 7 miles, via dozens of switchback turns, it wends its way down the western slopes to Big Sur. It meets Highway 1 at Kirk Creek, about 4 miles south of Lucia. Mission San Antonio de Padua (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Motorcyclists have loved Nacimiento-Fergusson Road for years. When a mudslide and reconstruction closed Highway 1 at Mud Creek for more than a year in 2017-2018, many more cars found their way to this alternative, as well. In normal times, with Highway 1 open, you can usually count on thin traffic on Nacimiento-Fergusson. The roads westernmost 7 miles, descending via multiple sharp turns to the coast road, are as spectacular as can be  and might start a three-alarm panic attack if youre afraid of heights. (When a route is featured on www.dangerousroads.org, you know its special.) Given the absence of lights or guard rails or cellphone reception, Id never try it after dark. On my midday drive in December, I took care to ignore the views until Id safely pulled into one of the many turnouts along the way. (For a tamer ride with similar scenery, take Highway 46 west from Paso Robles to Cambria.) Where: To reach the eastern end of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, exit Highway 101 at Jolon Road, about 23 miles north of Paso Robles. Follow Jolon Road west, then turn left onto Mission Road, continue 4 miles, then turn left onto Nacimiento-Fergusson Road. Because the road passes through the Army base, drivers may need to show license, registration and proof of insurance. Give the drive at least two hours from the 101 to the 1. You dont want to be in a hurry here. How much: Free. Info: www.dangerousroads.org Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Recline, rebel or revel in Grand Park, where downtown L.A. celebrates By Christopher Reynolds Grand Park, Dec. 31, 2015. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Why: Every real downtown has a park to serve as urban backyard, and Grand Park is more proof that L.A.'s downtown is getting realer by the day. What: The 12-acre park connects the Music Center at the top of Bunker Hill with City Hall at the bottom. (Yes, you can go to City Halls 27th floor observation deck and its free). The park isnt really new -- theres been open space for decades on these blocks between government buildings. But a dramatic redesign in 2012 put a far better spin on the area, and it doesnt hurt that neighboring Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels arrived in 2002, Disney Hall in 2003 and the Broad Museum in 2015. Besides its welcome green expanses and flanking playground and dog-run areas, Grand Park includes a fountain (with splash pad for kids), an adjacent Starbucks, plenty of places to sit and a busy schedule of holiday events and live shows. Picnicking is encouraged. Protesting is permitted. Food trucks come for lunch most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Theres midday yoga on many Wednesdays and Fridays. In October and November, the park hosts Dia de los Muertos altars and art; in November and December, holiday lights. And on New Years Eve -- well, the 2016-17 party (free and alcohol-free) included three stages, DJs, live music, dancing, inflatable art, and light projections. Expect more of the same this time. Where: between 200 N. Grand Ave. and 227 N. Spring St., at the core of downtown L.A. How much: Free. Its easiest to arrive via Metro. But theres parking nearby in Lot 10 (entrances on Broadway and Hill Street between 1st and Temple streets), priced at $3.50 per 15 minutes up to a $20 maximum per weekday, $10 per day on weekends, evenings and special events. Info: Grand Park Womens March, Grand Park, January 2017. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gawk as the waters of McWay Falls plunge from Big Sur to the sea By Christopher Reynolds ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Why: McWay Falls, the splashiest attraction in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, roars down 80 feet from granite and redwoods to a creamy Big Sur beach and implausibly turquoise cove. Its the cascade that other waterfalls want to be. Its also a perfectly impossible California destination, because you cant stand under these falls. Theres no safe way to the beach. What: The hike is more of a stroll, really. Its about half a mile, mostly flat. (And the rest of the park remains mostly closed because of mudslides and other damage done by the Soberanes Fire of 2016.) Once youve passed through a short tunnel under Highway 1 and made a right turn, youll soon be standing on a rocky perch where a house once stood, looking south to the beach and falls. This is an invitation to chill. For one thing, the trail has ended. Also, like Yosemite Falls  which led off our California Bucket List project on Jan. 1  McWay Falls is a sort of perpetuity made plain. The water keeps coming, even if its in short supply elsewhere. And the cell reception is so rotten that youll probably never get an Instagram photo posted from here. So have a seat. Notice that theres a great view to the north also. Think about all the writers and composers (beginning with James Joyce, Richard Wagner, Al Green and Teeny Hodges) who have chosen to start and end their works with running water. Or think about nothing. Where: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, mile marker 35.8 in Big Sur, 37 miles south of Carmel, 286 miles northwest of downtown L.A. Highway 1 is expected to remained closed at Mud Creek (27 miles south of McWay Falls) through September 2018. That means travelers from the south have two options. One is to detour from Highway 101 north of Paso Robles via Jolon Road and the 24-mile, narrow, winding Nacimiento-Fergusson Road (a star on dangerousroads.org). The other choice is driving up to Salinas on the 101, cutting over to Carmel, then coming back south on Highway 1. How much: $10. Info: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Looking north from the McWay Falls Trail. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Marvel over this San Francisco church inspired by the ideals of the Scandinavian Da Vinci By Catharine Hamm (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Why: Simplicity and complexity meet in the Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco, and the marriage is a harmonious celebration of architecture and intellect. What: The 1895 Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco, a national historic landmark in Pacific Heights, is an Arts and Crafts building designed by several architects, including Bernard Maybeck, who created the Palace of Fine Arts at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 in San Francisco. Inside the walls are rustic redwood, found often in Arts and Crafts buildings and consistent with the Swedenborgian appreciation of natural objects, according to the 1969 book Here Today: San Franciscos Architectural Heritage. The chairs are maple, made by hand, without the use of nails, and their seats were woven of tule rushes from the Sacramento River Delta, the book says. In the fireplace in the back, the andirons become small crosses, and the crackling fire (and recently installed radiant heat) make the church a warm and welcoming spot for quiet contemplation, especially on chilly San Francisco days (which is most of them). (Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times) Its also a reminder of the man whose desire to understand Scripture caught fire when he was in his 50s. Emanuel Swedenborg was born Jesper Svedborg in 1688 in Stockholm. In Swedenborg: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas, author Gary Lachman describes Swedenborg as the Scandinavian Da Vinci. He was a scientist, poet, writer, mystic, statesman, inventor and biblical scholar. After Swedenborgs death in 1772 in London, societies took root that were devoted to contemplating his thoughts and works; the Bible is the center of these. These organizations made their way across the pond by the late 1780s, and the New Church (sometimes called New Jerusalem) began to spread in the United States. (Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times) Notable Swedenborgian churches include the Wayfarers Chapel in Palos Verdes, designed by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright. The younger Wright was said to have taken his architectural inspiration for the chapel, dedicated in 1951, from Northern Californias redwoods. Where: The Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco, 2107 Lyon St , is about 385 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Cost: Free. Services are at 11 a.m. Sundays. Office hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; knock to gain entry to the church. Info: Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Soak away your stress and join Club Mud at a Corona hot springs that embraces everyone By Catharine Hamm Why: If youre intimidated by the word spa, Glen Ivy is the place for you. It feels accessible, not exclusive, meaning you can sit back and relax. What: Which is what you want to do. There are 19 pools to try, including the mineral pools, the star attraction in the early days of the late 1800s when you could soak in them for 25 cents. Today, you start by getting a locker for your street clothes and putting on your swim suit in a well-appointed area that includes changing rooms, showers and big, lighted mirrors where youll find hairdryers youll want later in the day. Glen Ivys 12 acres include a float pool and a large pool if you want to exercise. But my new favorite features are the hot and cold plunge pools. (Try switching three times between them and stay in each pool for a minimum of 30 seconds. It doesnt sound like long until youre in the cold pool.) The former Cafe Sole has been replaced by the new Ivy Kitchen, offering light but satisfying meals. (No starvation tactics here.) And, of course, you can find the usual spa treatments (extra charge but no pressure; appointments advisable) including the underground Grotto, where skin hydration is the goal ($25 upcharge). Save Club Mud for last. You paint yourself (and your hair) with mud, which is California red clay, then go bake in the sun. Before you turn into tandoori chicken, you brush it off and rinse or wash it off in the outdoor showers if youve used a tad too much. One note: Beware of bees, which are attracted to the mud. Make sure you youre wearing your sandals. The landscaping makes it all very pretty and it feels all very real, which is refreshing if youre weary of L.A. artifice. Where: 25000 Glen Ivy Road, Corona; (888) 453-6489, about 60 miles southeast of downtown L.A. (Set aside at least 90 minutes to get there.) How much: Go on a weekday when its less expensive ($49 for the day Mondays-Fridays, averaging 300 guests). Saturdays, Sundays and holidays its $68 and about 700 people will be there. Through Feb. 28, hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Its open an hour later from March through May. Check on summer hours. Info: Glen Ivy Hot Springs Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

See the small world within this Carlsbad museum of miniature engineering By Irene Lechowitzky Why: The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum in Carlsbad is novel and quirky  and proof that good things come in small packages. What: The collection includes painstakingly crafted, remarkable miniatures, many with moving parts. There are cars, planes, engines of all sorts, ships, thumb-sized guns and knives, and much more. These are not the plastic model car kits from your childhood; for example, theres an eye-popping version of a 1932 Duesenberg SJ that has more than 6,000 custom-made parts and is said to have taken more than 10 years to finish. The folks who built these tiny wonders spent decades perfecting their craft. There are hundreds of works from around the world on display, and docents to describe the intricacies and makers of each. Try to time your visit to coincide with a tour of the machine shop/engine room for a little extra oomph. Although its not geared for the toddler crowd, the museum, a few miles east of Legoland, can be an inspiring second stop for families with kids who like to build things. And while youre in the neighborhood, you could make it a triple play with a bonus stop at the nearby Museum of Making Music, where visitors have the chance to play musical instruments. Where: Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum, 3190 Lionshead Ave., Carlsbad; 95 miles south of downtown L.A. How much: Free. Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Machine shop/engine room demos are at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Info: Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Start the New Year right with a visit to Pasadenas Rose Parade By Chris Erskine Why: Like the Grand Canyon or the northern lights, the majestic Rose Parade needs to be seen in person to be really appreciated. On a bright SoCal morning, the colors, detail and craftsmanship come alive. And throughout December, there are some intriguing pre-parade opportunities for volunteers. What: One of L.A.s finest freebies, the Rose Parade steps off at 8 a.m. every New Years morning (unless the holiday falls on a Sunday, in which case it is bumped to Monday). We wont even bother describing it, since like the Wizard of Oz or a Super Bowl, everyone has probably seen it on TV. In person, though, the parades splendor, precision and pageantry make an early wake-up call worth it. Its almost a rite of passage for Southern Californians, some of whom spend the night along the parade route. The parade has more rules than the Vatican. Do not pass the blue Honor Line painted on the street.

No tents, sofas or boxes.

Unoccupied chairs are not allowed.

No roping off public areas. And thats pretty much just the main stuff. Heres a full list. But dont let them ruin your fun. The parade, after all, is one the best family-friendly events in the area, and theyre just protecting that. To be a part of it all, join in on the float building in the days and weeks before the parade, when the flowers are being supplied and volunteer help is needed. On parade day, get there before sunup to be sure of a place along the route. Tickets in the grandstands are another option. Be sure to dress in layers, because the temperatures will range from frosty to blistering as the day progresses. Heres a little insiders trick that you wont believe until you see it. If you wait till the 8 a.m. start time, the crowd will be in place on the route and there is virtually no traffic. Pay the $20 parking fee at a random gas station along Walnut and join the fun. You wont be in the first row, or maybe even the first 10. But the floats are so high, youll be able to see them well. About an hour into the two-hour parade, the crowds will begin to relax and spots open up for even better viewing. Its a wonderful experience, hassle-free, and a great way to kick off a New Year. Where: Pasadena, about 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles. How much: Free Info: Rose Parade Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Meander among 5 million lights at Riversides Mission Inn By Christopher Reynolds ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Why: The Mission Inn, which dates to the 1870s, stands in the middle of Riverside the way Bruce Springsteen stands in the middle of the E Street band. It fills a city block. And since the early 1990s, the hotel has been putting together an ever-more-lavish Festival of Lights. At last count, about 5 million lights. What: For six weeks at Christmastime, the landmark hotel switches on all those lights and invites visitors to stroll through the property, including a tunnel where faux snow falls. (This years festival runs Nov. 24 through Jan. 6.) The line to walk the property can get very long  and the traffic and parking situation in the blocks around the hotel can seem downright devilish. But most folks are in a good mood, and the festival includes live music, horse-drawn carriages, funnel cakes, Santa Claus photo ops and more. To see more lights and skip the line, book a dinner reservation at the Mission Inn Restaurant (one of several on the property) and you may land at a courtyard table, surrounded by Spanish Revival architecture thats more ornate (and with more Tuscan influence) than youll see at any of Californias 21 actual missions. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) And yes, theres a reason the decorations seem to be in motion: Besides lights, the halls and walls have also been festooned with about 200 angels, gnomes, polar bears, many of which move, in the same halting, semi-spooky way that Honest Abe moves in Disneylands Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Its a scene. And speaking of presidents, be sure to peek at the hotels Presidential Lounge and its portrait of Richard Nixon, who was a 27-year-old attorney when he married Pat Ryan at the hotel in 1940. (Theres also a tower, a rotunda, spa, all sorts of artworks and artifacts and a museum next door that traces the inns history through expansion, bankruptcy, renovations and resurgence.) Where: 3649 Mission Ave., Riverside, 55 miles east of downtown L.A. How much: Its free to walk the hotel property during the Festival of Lights. Dinner main dishes at the Mission Inn Restaurant run $15-$42. (I can recommend the Italian sausage pasta and the pan-seared salmon.) Rooms for two start as low as $199 in slow months (like January), $329 or more in December. Info: Mission Inn The inns Presidential Lounge. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Theres a gingerbread hotel in the inns lobby. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Peer into a writers head and a valleys soul in Salinas By Catharine Hamm Why: John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, Calif., a farming community that lacks the cachet of neighboring Carmel and Monterey. But, then, neither of those towns produced a man who went on to win a Pulitzer, a Nobel and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. To be in in Steinbecks hometown is to be reminded that, as fellow author F. Scott Fitzgerald said, genius is the ability to put into effect what is in your mind. What: Steinbecks birthplace home and the National Steinbeck Center tell the tale of the man whose Grapes of Wrath is often thought to be the Great American Novel. The community of his youth  he was born here in 1902  was this rich, rural farming area in the Salinas Valley, and his labors alongside migrant workers in the sugar beet fields of nearby Spreckels informed many of his works, including Of Mice and Men. He attended Stanford but never graduated, and he struggled to establish himself, but in 1935, his book Tortilla Flat finally put him in the public eye. His subsequent books included Cannery Row, Sea of Cortez and East of Eden and, of course, Grapes of Wrath, about which he wrote, It isnt the great book I hoped it would be. The story of the Joads, fleeing the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma and arriving in not-quite-as-billed California, won the Pulitzer in 1940. You can have lunch at the Steinbeck House, the Queen Anne style home where he grew up, then stroll the two blocks to the National Steinbeck Center, which somehow captures and conveys the challenges of his writing life. One of the central pieces of the center is Rocinante, the 1960 GMC camper pickup he drove on a 10,000-mile road trip as he scoured the country seeking its essence. The resulting book, Travels With Charley (Charley was his poodle), chronicles what Steinbeck saw as a country in sometimes uncomfortable motion. The center, which turns 20 in 2018, also does not shy away from the controversy that arose from the authors portrayal of farm workers lot in life in Grapes of Wrath. His books infuriated growers  some places banned them  and he turned his back on his hometown. But as if to prove you can go home again, Steinbeck, who died in 1968 in New York City at age 66, is buried in Salinas. Where: The Steinbeck House is at 132 Central Ave.; lunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; reservations at (831) 757-5806. The National Steinbeck Center is at 1 Main St., about 305 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. How much: $12.95 for adults; $9.95 for seniors, students, military, teachers and Monterey County residents; $6.95 for children 6-17; children 5 and younger admitted free. Info: National Steinbeck Center Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Treat yourself to Spago in Beverly Hills, and a possible tableside visit from the boss By Chris Erskine Why: Because Wolfgang Puck, who likes to work the dining room, might stop by and personally sprinkle lemon juice on your perfectly grilled fish. There, better? he asks. Of course it is. What: A meal at Spago is as L.A. as the Hollywood sign  and a tad tastier. The landmark restaurant is where Puck made great food fun again. Originally on Sunset and now in Beverly Hills, Spago is synonymous with creative, attentive and amazing dining. (Mariah Tauger / For The Times) (Mariah Tauger / For The Times) At the original Spago on the Sunset Strip, [Puck] created what later became known as casual fine dining, a movement that 35 years later still dominates the restaurant world, wrote Times restaurant reviewer Jonathan Gold. And thus, a nationwide food craze was born. For food lovers, the menu itself is an adventure. Portions are generous, and the service is perfectly timed. And though the dining room is packed and buzzy, you can have a conversation here, unlike so many restaurants these days. At lunch, the go-to standard is the house-cured smoked salmon pizza topped with dollops of caviar. Also pay attention to the veal wienerschnitzel, so tender you could cut it with your thumb. Grilled fish comes off the grill in that 10-second window when it is neither too swimmy nor too dry. Just dont forget the lemon. Where: 176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, about 13 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. How much: How much you got? For most of us, this is a special occasion restaurant. Lunches for two start at around $100 and quickly reach $200. Dinners for two will run $150 and up, before wine or cocktails. Info: Spago (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Frolic amid mai tais, Spam and tiki culture at the Bali Hai on San Diego Bay By Irene Lechowitzky Why: Because two Bali Hais are better than one. Brush up on your Rodgers and Hammerstein (Bali Hai may call you / Any night, any day), then come away to this San Diego tiki icon, the Bali Hai restaurant. What: Tiki bars have been a Southern California phenomenon for generations, and San Diego  with its sunny days, palm trees, ocean views and strong Navy heritage  is a perfect fit for the kitschy fad, tiny umbrellas and all. Starting in the 1930s, faux-Polynesian themed bars and restaurants sprang up in the cross-border region from Tijuana to San Diego. The tiki scene started to dwindle in the 1960s, and despite a resurgence of sorts, most of the old cheeky palaces have faded away. But not Bali Hai. At age 63, its still proudly shaking its hula skirt, aided by a waterfront location, fun ambiance and, yes, seriously powerful mai tais. Ambiance first: As you approach the restaurant/bar, the first thing youll notice is The Goof on the roof, a playful tiki that stands guard over the domain below. At the front door, Mr. Bali Hai, a large wood sculpture, greets guests. Inside, there are about a hundred Polynesian artifacts on display, including masks, weapons and tools. The large bar and dining room have dark wood columns, a wood-beam ceiling and large windows with great bay and city views. The Pacific Rim-inspired menu features such items as Hawaiian tuna poke, chicken adobo steam buns, Spam carbonara, pork belly katsu and Chinese garlic noodles, and holdovers such as Huli Huli chicken and coconut shrimp. But for my money, the experience isnt complete without a rum-based cocktail. There are plenty to choose from, but my favorite is the World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai, a potent drink that proudly has No Juice Added and mixes aged light and dark rums, Trader Vics orgeat syrup, a dash of Triple Sec and a splash of sweet and sour. Where: 2230 Shelter Island Dr., on Shelter Island, about 5 miles west of downtown San Diego, 120 miles southeast of downtown L.A. How much: Dinner main dishes from $19 to $30; Sunday brunch, $40. Classic cocktails are under $10. Info: Bali Hai restaurant San Diego Bay, from Shelter Island (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Celebrate at Lawrys in Beverly Hills, where thick slabs of prime rib are sliced right at your table By Jenn Harris (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) Why: Since 1938, Lawrys the Prime Rib has been the place for indulgence and celebration. Its where people spend their birthdays, anniversaries, congrats-on-your-promotion dinners and holiday parties. And where football players competing in the Rose Bowl go for the Beef Bowl. What: Walking through the heavy gold doors is like walking into a time machine. Through the other side is a magical place where people still dress up, spotless glasses sparkle on crisp white tablecloths and the plush booths make you feel like the most important person in the world. The idea was to create a version of the English restaurant Simpsons in the Strand, where cuts of meat fit for a giant are served from trolleys. But Lawrys founders Lawrence Frank and brother-in-law Walter Van de Kamp (of the Van de Kamp bakery empire and Tam OShanter Inn) had grander plans for their restaurant, starting with the meat carts. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) Lawrence designed the stainless steel carving carts the restaurant is known for  the ones that glide through the dining room carrying Flintstones-sized cuts of meat  to be, well, impressive. And they are. As are the meat carvers, who don medals showing they are part of the Royal Order of Carvers (a title that requires six months of training). Each prime rib dinner comes with its own show of sorts: Servers wear the same style of brown gown uniforms they wore when the restaurant opened, and they pour dressing from up high into spinning metal bowls of salad tableside. When you order your prime rib, you do it directly from one of the shiny carts, and its sliced to order. There are smaller cuts of meat, but treat yourself to the Diamond Jim Brady (16 ounces), named for millionaire Jim Brady, who was known for eating massive amounts of food. All of the prime rib dinners come with the spinning salad, a scoop of mashed potatoes, a ladleful of gravy and a wedge of Yorkshire pudding. If you dont finish it all  you probably wont finish it all  ask for a doggie bag. The restaurant claims to have initiated the idea, along with valet parking. There are Lawrys the Prime Rib locations in Las Vegas, Chicago and Asia. The original in Beverly Hills is home to a comfortable lounge and excellent bar snacks. This is where you can order a martini kissed with prime rib-stuffed olives and find complimentary snacks that could easily replace your dinner appetizers. Arrive a little early for your reservation, grab a seat in one of the cushy lounge chairs, order a martini, then take turns filling your plate with cocktail meatballs and salty potato chips the size of drink coasters. Go for it. Indulging to your hearts content is encouraged. Where: 100 La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, located on Restaurant Row, about half a mile south of the Beverly Center, about 10 miles west of downtown L.A. How much: Prime rib dinners start at $41, and you can add a lobster tail for $15. Dessert and starters are extra. Drinks in the bar/lounge area are $13 to $17. The restaurant is busier on the weekends, and reservations are recommended. Info: Lawrys Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Read forbidden words and savor daring artists in Big Surs Henry Miller Library By Thomas Curwen (Thomas Curwen / Los Angeles Times) Why: If Big Sur is a temple to the beauty of the California coast, then the Henry Miller Memorial Library is one of its most endearing altars, a respite from the rigors of navigating the twists and turns of Highway 1 and rubber-necking the vertiginous coastline. Beneath stately redwoods is a quiet repository of wisdom, irreverence and charm. Its proprietors say that it is the place where nothing happens, and yet it is where everything seems to converge. What: Henry Valentine Miller came to Big Sur in the 1940s after nearly a decade in Paris. He was, by then, author of Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, which were banned as obscene in America until 1961. Naturally they sold well, and Miller soon became a hero of renegade literature, a model for William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. After Millers death in Pacific Palisades in 1980, a friend, Emil White, opened a memorial library that bore Millers name. With the help of the Big Sur Land Trust, the library has become a nonprofit cultural space, art gallery, performance space, bookshop and destination for artists, writers, musicians and students. Bust of Henry Miller. (Thomas Curwen/Los Angeles Times) The Henry Miller Memorial Library is a reminder of the pleasures afforded by a curated bookstore. It is a place to celebrate the macho and feminist, the consensual and the iconoclastic through the pages of its eclectic collection of books. Psychedelic cumbias from Peru or the twanging guitar of the Del Tones might be your accompaniment as you browse the tables set with Edward Abbey, Joseph Heller, William Faulkner, John Fante, David Foster Wallace, Jon Stewart, Robert Pirsig and William Least Heat Moon. Strings of paper money from around the world  offerings from international visitors  dangle from the ceiling. Posters celebrate the notable musical performances that have taken place outdoors, including Philip Glass and Patti Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Arcade Fire. Outside, an upright piano falls to ruin off the path from the highway. A typewriter gathers rust on a tree stump, and an effigy made of extension cords is crucified on a cross of computer monitors. In other words, where nothing is sacred, everything is sacred. (Thomas Curwen / Los Angeles Times) Where: 48603 Highway 1 in Big Sur, which is 10 minutes south of Nepenthe, 10 minutes north of Deetjens Big Sur Inn. Also 290 miles northwest of downtown L.A., 152 miles south of downtown San Francisco. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays, closed Tuesdays. How much: Its free to browse. Donations eagerly accepted. Books for sale. Tickets prices vary for performances and programs. Info: Henry Miller Memorial Library Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Roam the San Luis Obispo canyon full of architectural daydreams and wandering horses By Christopher Reynolds Poly Canyon, San Luis Obispo. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Why: Architects usually keep their daydreams to themselves. But among these hills on the back side of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, some students have allowed their boldest notions to romp free. And horses romp with them. What: Cal Poly is routinely ranked among the nations top schools of architecture, and its students and professors started testing ideas in this canyon as early as the 1960s. Lately, theres a spring Design Village event (April 20-22 in 2018) that brings students out to test temporary structures and sometimes sleep in them. Luckily for the rest of us, those nine acres and the rest of the canyon are generally open to the public, including dogs and mountain bikes (on the dirt road). Its a hike of about 2.5 miles from campus to the farthest structure, but your mileage (and elevation gain) will depend on how tempted your are to probe the structures and stalk the horses. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) I wandered around on a December day when the hills were the color of straw, and at first I wasnt so happy about all the horse turds. But once the horses themselves showed up, that changed everything. They sidled up to a water tower, then struck heroic poses on the ridge line while I prowled around assorted unconventional houses and bridges, including a geodesic dome. Yes, there was some graffiti and vandalism, but many structures have been reconditioned in more recent years. (The university calls it an experimental construction laboratory.) Id call it a great spot for photo experimentation as well. There are about 20 projects, and plenty of tree shade in the lowlands along Brizzolara Creek. After a rain, Ill bet those grassy slopes light up neon green. Where: The Cal Poly campus is 195 miles northwest of downtown L.A. Enter the campus via Grand Avenue (and beware of dorm construction near the entrance). Follow the campus map to the corner of Village Drive and Poly Canyon Road, then walk northeast on Poly Canyon Road, which is a gate dirt rout that follows Brizzolara Creek. After about 3/4 of a mile, youll see a stone arch. Step through and the canyon will open before you. How much: On weekends, parking is free at lot H4 at Village Drive and Perimeter Road. On weekdays, its $5 for a parking pass at the checkpoint at the campus entrance. (I showed up on a weekday and parked at lot K-1.) Info: Cal Poly College of Architecture & Design, Hikespeaks trail description. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Step into the vast, strange spectacle of Kenny Irwins Robolights in Palm Springs By Christopher Reynolds ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Why: Youll never see another holiday display quite like it. And it sits on 4 acres in the middle of an upscale Palm Springs neighborhood. What: The Coachella Valley, with its 80-degree December days, is a quirky place to celebrate winter holidays to begin with. And the quirks multiply once you enter Palm Springs Movie Colony neighborhood and approach the Irwin house, about two blocks from the old Frank Sinatra Estate. Since at least 32 years ago, when he was 12, Kenny Irwin has been driven to create epic displays from cast-off items  dreamscapes that suggest robots, space aliens and more obscure spectacles that defy description. With his fathers support (and a corps of seasonal workers to handle logistics and crowd control), Irwins compulsion has grown into Robolights, a seasonal landmark that combines Santa Clauses, reindeer, sleighs and gingerbread houses with little green men, skulls, dolls, hybrid creatures, reclaimed consumer electronics, half-melted toys and at least one coffin. At Robolights there are no clear lines between Halloween, Christmas and science fiction. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) From Nov. 22 through Jan. 8, the scene is lighted by thousands of bulbs and visitors are ushered along a path that leads from the front yard through a forest of fantasy in the back, then out again. A thousand visitors in a night is not uncommon. On my visit in early December, Irwin was out and about, a soft-spoken man with a skullcap, caftan, long beard and gentle smile. (Did I mention that the artist converted to Islam many years ago?) Ill bet the hardware store totally loves him, I heard one visitor say. This is insane, said another. Many families pose for pictures amid the luminous chaos. Where: 1077 E. Granvia Valmonte, Palm Springs, 107 miles east of downtown L.A. But while the Robolights are lighted, the city bans nonresident parking on many streets nearby, so youll need to park a few blocks away. Try Ruth Hardy Park. And be careful as you walk  there isnt a lot of streetlight illumination in the neighborhood. How much: Free. But theres a receptacle for donations at the entrance. From 4 to 9:30 p.m. daily. Info: Robolights The Robolights yard includes a pond. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Worker Alex Sanchez checks bulbs at Robolights. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Get down, dawg, with a $15 beach yoga class in Santa Monica By Chris Erskine Why: Beach yoga is good for the bod, and the spirit, in ways that no cramped, sweaty studio can match. What: All sorts of beach yoga classes are held up and down the California coast, but few are as affordable and easy as Beach Yoga With Brad and Friends in Santa Monica. No reservations required. Just drop in with $15 and a beach towel (or a yoga mat if you prefer). Instructor/owner Brad Keimach is a Juilliard-trained classical music conductor who moonlights  or sunlights  with these yoga classes every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 till noon. He also holds Wednesday sunset classes starting at 3:45 p.m. and lasting an hour. When the days are longer and the clocks change, he adds more weekday sunset classes. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) For almost 10 years, his beach-based classes have appealed to first-timers as well as advanced yoga buffs. They are held on the water side of Guard Tower 29, roughly on the border between Venice and Santa Monica. Paid parking is plentiful at the public lots at the end of Ocean Park or on Main Street. Like many yoga instructors, Keimach emphasizes breathing as well as the moves and poses. He also incorporates the setting, sending students to get their toes wet at one point for a bit of spiritual spritzing. The classes pass quickly, without pain, and without Keimach putting his hands all over the students (a too-common yoga studio experience). Looking out over the sparkly Pacific, his classes combine ocean breezes, a relaxing pace and Keimachs soothing instructions, at a venue where space is never an issue. Where: Lifeguard Tower 29, Santa Monica, 16 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. How much: $15 Info: Beach Yoga With Brad and Friends Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Shop with Victorians on San Franciscos Union Street By Christopher Reynolds Boulangerie de San Francisco, 1909 Union St. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Why: Sometimes you just want to shop in a strange city. Not in the middle of a grand scene like Union Square or the Ferry Building, but along a street that feels like a neighborhood just a bit beyond your means. With Victorian mansions here and there. Hello, Union Street. What: Union Street has had its great-shopping reputation since the 1950s. The eight-block stretch between Van Ness Avenue and Steiner Street, surrounded by the Marina and Cow Hollow residential neighborhoods, is the prime retail portion. Many of the shops (which tilt toward apparel and beauty products) and restaurants are housed in Victorian mansions that survived the quake of 1906. One even older mansion, the pale blue Octagon House at Gough and Union, went up in 1861 and has been preserved in its residential state by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (so it would be wrong to knock on the door and ask if this is the weed dispensary youve heard so much about). The society opens the house a few days a month for tours. Among the restaurants, I can vouch for the Belgian food and beer at Belga (on Union near Buchanon Street). But there are more than two dozen. And theres plenty to peruse at Chronicle Books (on Union between Octavia and Laguna streets). Where: The corner of Van Ness and Union is a good place to start. Its 1.5 miles northwest of Union Square, 383 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: Free to browse, of course. Oysters at Belga, $3 each. Median home price in Cow Hollow and the Marina: about $1.8 million. Info: Union Street Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Find yourself in a yogis seaside Encinitas gardens By Irene Lechowitzky Why: Where else can you spend an hour and feel like youve been on a soul-replenishing spiritual retreat? At the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens in Encinitas, you can be fully present in the moment and get in touch with your inner yogi  and do it surrounded by gorgeous gardens on a bluff overlooking the ocean. What: The goal of the Meditation Gardens, part of a large complex at the southern end of downtown Encinitas dedicated to the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, is to inspire you to a greater realization of the Divine Presence that lies within. Walking up the stone steps into the lush, eclectic gardens imparts an instant feeling of serenity. There are koi ponds and many quiet nooks with benches where you can sit. At the top of the ocean bluff is a plaque that marks the location of the Golden Lotus Temple. The temple, built in 1937 to take advantage of the incredible views, only stood for five years before the ground gave way and it had to be dismantled. Wander past the old, empty swimming pool up the tree-shrouded path to the dry area featuring native plants and succulents overlooking the famed surf spot Swamis. (The beachs name was a nod to Yogananda.) Some visitors pray, others meditate. I like to watch the surfers below and imagine them praying for good waves. And dont miss the Hermitage at the opposite end of the gardens, where Yogananda spent many years writing and teaching. The Hermitage, preserved as a shrine, draws followers from around the world; it is open on the first and third Sundays of the month. It was moving to see the study where he wrote his most famous work, Autobiography of a Yogi, which has been translated into dozens of languages. Where: 215 W. K St., Encinitas, 100 miles southeast of downtown L.A. (Look for the three large golden lotus towers as you come down South Coast Highway 101.) How much: Free. Info: Self-Realization Fellowship Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Hoot and holler in UCLAs Pauley Pavilion, the hoop heaven that honors John Wooden By Chris Erskine (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) Why: John Wooden was the Elvis of college basketball, a mythic, once-in-three-lifetimes figure. Pauley Pavilion was his Graceland. Along with Lambeau Field and Fenway Park, it belongs on any sports fans must-see list. What: Updated and comfortable, Pauley sits on the sweeping and shady UCLA campus in Westwood. It is one of the easiest L.A. sports venues to park near ($12) and navigate. Reopened in 2012 after a two-year renovation, the stadium now offers modern concessions, more room to roam and 1,000 more seats. Most significantly, it added a concourse, improving comfort and flow. Be ready for a lot of blue. After Dodger Stadium, this is L.A.s second blue heaven. (Photos by Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) But youre here for the lore, in a place that has produced 38 All-Americans. Wooden started it all, taking over as head basketball coach at UCLA in 1948 and leading the Bruins to a record 10 national championships. Renowned for his disciplined, values-driven approach, he created a basketball dynasty that won seven straight championships in the late 60s and early 70s, including 98 successive victories at Pauley. Wooden, who died in 2010, is the first person to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and a coach. Though he resembled a gentleman banker more than a rock star, Woodens legacy lives on in the stadium he made famous. The corridors are lined with photos, timelines and a version of Woodens Pyramid of Success, a set of principles formed to help students and teams reach their potential. Where: Pauley Pavilion, on the UCLA campus, 15 miles west of downtown L.A. How much: Prices vary. Seats generally start at $8 for less-attractive games and $25 for popular ones. Info: UCLA Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Drive through In-N-Out Burgers flagship restaurant in Baldwin Park for a double-double, animal-style By Christopher Reynolds (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Why: For certain carnivorous Californians, a visit to this burger chain is like church, but with more calories. At the flagship In-N-Out location just south of the 10 Freeway in the eastern L.A. County suburb of Baldwin Park, of course you can drive through, as most customers do. But you could eat inside, then browse a company store, then (on the north side of the freeway) admire a non-functioning replica of chains first burger shack. What: Harry and Esther Snyder founded the first In-N-Out burger shack in 1948, which puts them among the first to try a drive-through restaurant. Now their granddaughter runs the company. To taste what the fuss is all about, order a double-double, animal-style  two beef patties cooked with mustard, two slices of cheese and a choice of hand-leafed lettuce and tomato, plus pickles, extra spread and grilled onions. Its the appeal of these burgers and fries (no heat lamps, freezers or microwaves) that has fueled the companys growth to more than 300 outlets. (But unlike its Southern California cousins McDonalds, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell and Wienerschnitzel, In-N-Out has never expanded beyond the American West.) (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Though the companys first home at San Francisquito and Garvey avenues has been leveled, the current restaurant is joined by not only a store (open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays) but a regional distribution center, the two-story campus of In-N-Out University and the replica shack, which went up in 2014. (The online store does have wider inventory than the brick-and-mortar one, including socks and surfboards.) Where: 13850 Francisquito Ave., Baldwin Park. The company store is at 13800 Francisquito. The replica shack (free and open for selfies Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) is at 13752 Francisquito. The restaurant is 16 miles east of downtown L.A. How much: Double-double, animal-style, $4.27. Info: In-N-Out (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Light up your life at the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale By Catharine Hamm The Museum of Neon Art in Glendale showcases the once wildly popular light form. (Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times) Why: Decorative and delightful, the works that light up our lives at Glendales Museum of Neon Art are part art and part science and all fascinating. What: In 2015, the museum moved from downtown Los Angeles, where it had lived since 1981, to Glendale and has been lighting up lives ever since. Pep Boys grace the entry. (Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times) For this you can credit the founder of the feast, Georges Claude, a Parisian who invented the neon light in about 1910. L.A. became a hotbed of neon-ness, thanks to its desire to be the capital of the next big thing and its desire to look the part, beginning in the Roaring 20s. The neon at this museum, where exhibits change often enough to encourage repeat visits, is more amusing than unsavory. And as a reminder that nothing lasts forever, Manny, Moe & Jack (the Pep Boys) are not on permanent display, although the museum doesnt have any plans to move the fellows. Eve de Haans pink neon Love Dont Pay the Bills is part of the She Bends exhibit, featuring works by women neon artists. (Catharine Hamm/Los Angeles Times) Through Feb. 11, an exhibit called She Bends: Women in Neon, takes you inside a creative funhouse of the art form, some works based on words (Eve de Haans pink neon Love Dont Pay the Bills), some on objects (Michie Hongos faces on skateboard remnants). Where: 216 S. Brand Ave, Glendale, about eight miles north of downtown L.A. How much: Museum entrance is $10 for adults ($5 if you live in Glendale), $8 for those 65 and older, and free for those 12 and younger if accompanied by an adult. Info: Museum of Neon Art Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Forage with top chefs at the Santa Monica Farmers Market By Christopher Reynolds Wednesday morning, pluots and persimmons. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Why: Some of the states most accomplished farmers rise before dawn on Wednesday mornings and drive as much as 200 miles, just so they can set up and sell at this market. One reason: The Santa Monica Farmers Market draws some of Southern Californias most decorated (and discriminating) chefs. And the market venue happens to be a tomato toss away from the beach, a cucumber roll from the scores of shops and restaurants along the Third Street Promenade. What: About 75 farmers set up stalls along a few blocks of Arizona Avenue, which is closed to vehicles on market mornings. If youre coming by car, youll have to cope with nasty traffic and parking, even at 8:30 a.m., but once youre afoot, life is good. In late fall, youll likely find dates from Mecca, apples from Cuyama, persimmons from Fallbrook, pluots from Kingsbug, oranges from Ojai, mushrooms from La Habra Heights. Consider this a reminder that for all its glitz, California remains an agricultural powerhouse. And even if youre not going to bite into that persimmon, youll feel the sea breeze and hear the banjo player at Arizona and 2nd, or maybe the guitarist a block to the east. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) The market was born in 1981, and the stampede of kitchen professionals began soon after. Noting that close relationship between growers and chefs, Saveur magazine in 2016 labeled this L.A.s best farmers market. Still, its good to remember that other markets operate on Santa Monicas Main Street (Sundays) and in the citys Virginia Avenue Park (Saturdays). If youre farther east, or youd like more street musicians and more nonproduce merchants, theres the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ivar and Selma avenues. Where: The market happens on Wednesdays along Arizona Avenue, Santa Monica, between Ocean Avenue and 4th Street from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. On Saturdays, a smaller version occupies Arizona Avenue between between 2nd and 4th streets from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The corner of Arizona Avenue and 4th Street is 17 miles west of downtown L.A. -- which could take an hour to drive, depending on the hour and day. How much: In late November, organic pitted Medjool dates from Mecca were $9.50 per pound. Granny Smith apples from Cuyama were $3 a pound. Fuyu persimmons from Fallbrook were $3.50 per pound. Valencia oranges from Ojai were $1 per pound. Info: Santa Monica Farmers Markets ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Drift in a balloon over northern San Diego County By Christopher Reynolds Aloft near Fairbanks Ranch. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Why: Heres your chance to climb into a wicker basket and rise 3,000 feet above Fairbanks Ranch, to stand just below a fire-belching burner (which makes your balloon rise), to see sunset from high up, and maybe even to throw shade onto one of Bill Gatess houses. What: A balloon ride is a 19th century sort of thrill, and as Californias open spaces get filled in, ballooning options are decreasing. The Napa and Temecula vineyard areas still feature plenty of balloons (which usually launch in early morning, when winds are calmer and temperatures are lower). The Palm Springs and Santa Barbara wine country areas have some too. But balloons are a rare sight along the California coast, so I grabbed a chance to soar above northern San Diego County. Though balloon pilots strive to keep their aircraft above land, the views from on high include miles of ocean and the red tile roofs of countless Mediterranean-style mansions. Rides typically last 45 to 60 minutes (depending on which way the wind blows), pilots are permitted by the Federal Aviation Administration, and its traditional to celebrate afterward with a glass of Champagne. In northern San Diego, its often a sunset operation flown by a team that started their day with a flight in Temecula. My ride in late November, operated by Compass Balloons, featured seven passengers and a pilot. (Minimum age: 5.) We launched near the Vegetable Shop at Chino Farm, (which sells produce to some of the regions most admired restaurants). We inflated, climbed aboard, drifted over the Morgan Run golf course, and gazed down on Fairbanks Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Black Mountain and Carmel Valley. As our round shadow crept across fields, hills and exclusive neighborhoods, pilot Matt Downing pointed out one of Bill Gates houses and another that once belonged to philanthropist Joan Kroc. We touched down smoothly about 3 1/2 miles east of where we took off. Im glad I did it when I did. Compass Balloons owner Evan Munnelly warns that flights in this area may cease within a year because take-off and landing spaces in the area are vanishing so rapidly. Where: Though several companies, including Compass, Skys the Limit and California Dreamin, mention Del Mar in promoting their balloon flights, the vessels usually take off and land farther inland. For my Compass Balloons flight, we met in an Encinitas park-and-ride lot (1969 Villa Cardiff Drive, Encinitas), then the crew drove us to the launch spot. Our meeting spot was 97 miles southeast of downtown L.A., 24 miles north of downtown San Diego. How much: A shared ride (with other passengers in a basket that typically holds eight to 10 people) typically costs $150 to $300 per person. Info: Besides the San Diego companies above, many balloon companies operate in Napa Valley, Temecula and around Palm Springs. . Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Drink dessert over an ocean view at La Jollas La Valencia Hotel By Christopher Reynolds Terrace, the Med, La Valencia. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Why: Life can be seriously sweet at this hotel, which was built in 1926 with a big La Jolla Cove view and anchors a neighborhood of ultra-spendy shops and glitzy galleries. Since the days when Gregory Peck hosted other La Jolla Playhouse luminaries in the hotels Whaling Bar, La V (as many locals know the place) has offered a frothy concoction known as a Whaler. Picture a milkshake, enlivened by Kahlua, brandy, coffee, whipped cream and various mystery ingredients. What: The 114-room hotel has long been known for its pink paint job and Spanish Mediterranean style. In the course of ownership changes, expansions and renovations, the Whaling Bar has slipped away. But its frothy legacy remains. Grab one of the 15 or so tables on the terrace of the hotels signature restaurant, The Med, order a Whaler for dessert, and dont plan on operating any heavy machinery for some hours. (If you think you see a Kardashian, it may not be a hallucination; members of the family have been dropping by for years.) Where: 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla, 112 miles southeast of downtown L.A., 14 miles northwest of downtown San Diego. How much: A Whaler costs $14. Main dishes in The Med are priced at $15 to $24. (I can vouch for the snapper ceviche.) Rooms for two typically rent for $289 and up. Info: La Valencia Hotel The Whaler (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Find deep-fried pleasure at a roadside farm stand near Palmdale By Jenn Harris (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) Why: Maybe youve finished a hike through the Devils Punchbowl and youre hungry. Or youre looking for unexpected holiday gifts. Or youve been hit by a craving for deep-fried fair food and its not fair season. For all these reasons and more, seekers like you end up at Charlie Brown Farms near Palmdale, where all your snack/drunk food fantasies, and your dreams of owning life-size replicas of the Blues Brothers, collide and come true. What: What started as a fruit stand in 1929 is now a six-acre hodgepodge of stores, a restaurant and a snack shop. The main building is a hokey cabin with advertisements for the various tchotchkes and snacks inside. From the road, its impossible to miss with signs that scream collectibles, funnel cake, smoothies, jerky, Dole whip. And just off the side of the building, an enclosed area with dinosaur statues. You may get whiplash trying to take it all in. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times) Once through the front door you experience sensory overload. Directly in front of you is a rack of jerky (the store boasts more than 60 kinds, including elk and ostrich). To the right is a counter where you can order milkshakes, fried candy bars, Texas-style barbecue, funnel cakes, ice cream and a host of other foods any decent doctor would advise you stay away from. To the left, packaged nuts, candy, a room where you can fill your own honey jar, a room devoted to pickles, a room devoted to soda, a fudge counter, and all that food is mixed in with things like raccoon figurines and coffee mugs. This is also where you can find raw frog legs for that stew recipe youve been dying to try. And alligator meat too. But past the fudge counter is where things really start to get weird. There are rooms completely lined with dolls from all over the world. A little creepy, but if youre in need of a doll (seriously, any doll), this is the place to find it. The life-size Blues Brothers statues I mentioned earlier? Theyre on the way to the doll rooms. Out back is a patio with tables and chairs, where you can break open that package of elk jerky or come down from that sugar rush of deep-fried Oreos. You could wander around this place for hours and not see everything. But its sure fun to try. Where: 8317 Pearblossom Highway, Littlerock, a 17-minute drive from downtown Palmdale and about 65 miles northeast of downtown L.A. How much: Depends on what youre in the mood for. Barbecue plates start around $11.50, the deep fried Oreos and Snickers are around $4 for each order, the jerky is around $8 a bag depending on the size, and the knick-knacks will range in price. If youre not a fan of lots of people in tight spaces, plan accordingly. Info: Charlie Brown Farms Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Soak in the view of Californias Grand Canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park By Elisa Parhad Why: Perched at the end of the rising desert floor, Fonts Point gives

onlookers a majestic view of Californias badlands, several hundred

feet below. Though far flung, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is an expansive feast of nature well worth the time it takes to get there. What: Fonts Point is part of a remote and sculptural landscape that was millions of years in the making. The vistas ridge yields to a maze of sinuous channels, razorback ridges and sandy, sun-baked hills. Bring a chair, a picnic and perhaps some friends. The scene is best at sunrise and sunset when the rock formations glow with honey-dipped hues. Even better is a visit during a full moon. The accumulation of photographers at these times is a testament to the spectacle. The brackish waters of the Colorado River and the Gulf of California

converged here long ago, making the area a dumping ground for

sediment. Today, the windswept and eroded rock is flush with the

fossils of animals and marine life that inhabited this once verdant

terrain. Four miles of soft dirt road leads up to Fonts Point, so check the

road conditions before your departure. Depending on the roads status,

a high clearance or 4WD vehicle may be necessary. Closer to the park visitor center, the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail is a popular 3-mile round trip that begins with a trailhead at the end of the main campground road. Where: In the heart of the Borrego Badlands, outside of Borrego

Springs, 168 miles southeast of downtown L.A. How much: Free until recently. On Nov. 3, the state parks system started collecting a day-use fee of $10 per vehicle on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at the Anza-Borrego visitor center. Info: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Rent a Duffy for a glittery tour of Newport Harbor By Chris Erskine (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) Why: Newport Bay seems made of glitter. Rental boats are plentiful and the harbor is easy to navigate and full of nautical eye candy. Board an electric boat and take a breezy tour. What: Newport Beach is the Beverly Hills of Orange County. The setting for multiple TV shows, it represents much of the California dream  giant homes and sensational yachts. The harbor, home to 9,000 vessels, is a recreational wonderland. The Duffy, a popular brand of rental boats, is an excellent way to see it all. Available at a half dozen rental places around the harbor, the slow-moving vessels are as easy to operate as a golf cart. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) A popular route is around Lido Island, the thumb-shaped isle on the western side of the harbor, where the bridge leaves plenty of space. Note that many of the bridges surrounding neighboring Balboa Island are too low to accommodate the surrey-topped electric boats. A lap around Lido takes about an hour, a typical rental period. Or, head east past the Fun Zone on Balboa Peninsula, past Balboa Island and toward the mouth of the harbor. Youll be warned not to go near the outlet, since the electric boats arent built to handle bigger waves. Pontoons, kayaks, paddle boards and powerboats are also available at rental locations around the harbor. Boat Rentals of America, on the peninsula near the Fun Zone, offers walk-up rentals, but recommends reservations for weekends, no matter the time of year. Where: Newport Beach is in Orange County, 46 miles, or 90 minutes, from downtown L.A. How much: Duffy electric boats that accommodate up to eight passengers rent for about $85 an hour. Info: Boat Rentals of America or Newport Beach Boat Rentals Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Connect with artisans (and beer) at Crafted, a makers market in a San Pedro port warehouse By Christopher Reynolds (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Why: Its a vintage warehouse down by the port, full of artists, designers and makers, neighbored by a craft brewery. And youre not done with your holiday shopping yet. What: Crafted was born five years ago, as the maker movement began to bloom nationwide. Its open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first Thursday night of every month in the L.A. Ports Warehouse 10, built in the 1940s. When I stopped by in mid-September, there were about 50 vendors in place, hawking iPhone photo prints, snacks, sculptures, succulents, textiles, vintage reconditioned furniture, soap, you name it. Outside, the San Pedro Festival of the Artists was in full swing-- one of many special events that use picnic tables and patio space between the old warehouses. Pop Kustom Shoppe, Crafted. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Since 2016, the artisans have been joined by Brouwerij West, a craft beer operation and tasting room that fills about half of Warehouse 9. On weekends, theres usually a food truck (or two or three) on hand, and often live music. Coming eventually: a food hall in the other half of Warehouse 9. Where: Warehouse No.10, 112 E. 22nd St., San Pedro, 26 miles south of downtown L.A. How much: Parking and admission are free. Info: Crafted Brouwerij West. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Salute General Grant (the tree) in Kings Canyon National Park By Mary Forgione Why: Any way you look at it, General Grant stands tall. First of all, its a massive sequoia, one of the largest living things in California. Moreover, the White House has named this the nations Christmas tree. What: General Grant is 268 feet high, the base of its trunk is 107 feet around. In 1925, Central Valley resident Charles E. Lee (an officer of the Sanger Chamber of Commerce) asked President Coolidge to have this giant sequoia in the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon designated the national Christmas tree. In 1926 the president complied. Ever since, the Sanger Chamber has staged an annual Trek to the Tree, drawing hundreds of people each year for a winter program that typically includes songs and prayers. No tinsel, no lights. Just the tree as it has stood for about 2,000 years, and a wreath contributed by park rangers. This years event will be Sunday, Dec. 10, at the base of the tree. and its a free admission day in the park. For reservations or information on shuttle buses to the site, contact the Sanger Chamber of Commerce by phone at (559) 875-4575 or by e-mail at sangerchamber@gmail.com. Whether you reach General Grant in holiday season or not, you can impress the other tree-lovers by pointing out that in 1956, Congress gave General Grant another distinction, naming it the nations only living national shrine in honor of the men and women of the Armed Forces. And if you really love the idea of big trees with high ranks, make a bonus stop at the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park. Its bigger, about 275 feet high. In fact, it might be the worlds largest living thing, depending on how you quantify coral reefs, fungus networks and redwoods. Where: General Grant stands along a 0.8-mile paved loop trail from the General Grant Grove parking lot in Kings Canyon National Park. The grove is 245 miles north of downtown L.A. And its more than 6,000 feet above sea level, so snow is common in winter. Be sure to check weather and road conditions before driving into the area. How much: Admission to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks (which operator jointly, as if they were single unit) is $30 per car for up to seven days. Info: Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Ski in the morning in the San Bernardino Mountains, surf in the evening, using these slopes as your launch point By Chris Erskine Snow Summit (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Why: SoCal offers the chance to ski and surf on the same day. This would be the snowy part of such a mountains-to-the-beaches day. What: Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are two slices of the same cake. Two miles apart, the sister resorts are the crown jewels of the town of Big Bear, a couple of hours from the bustle of the big city. Big Bear is three hours away from downtown Los Angeles, and a world apart from the strip malls and gas stations that muck up much of Southern California. Spring, summer or fall, this alpine lake resort town offers plenty of activities, including boating, hiking and zip-lining. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) But in winter, its twin ski resorts really come alive. If you think of Southern California as all palm trees and bikinis, visit Big Bear after a winter storm, when the place is buried in several feet of snow and looks like a Christmas card. In what they offer, the two resorts are very similar, though Summit has the better terrain park. Lift tickets are good for both resorts, and buses run between the two resorts all day. Combined, the resorts offer 27 lifts and four high-speed chairs serving almost 60 runs. The resorts are just a few minutes from the village, where restaurants, shops and a movie theater await visitors. The resorts have begun making snow and opened Dec. 8. As with all mountain visits, note that conditions can change quickly, and chains are usually required on the twisty roads during any significant snow fall. Where: Big Bear Lake is in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County. It is 97 miles east of Los Angeles. How much: Advance purchase lift tickets start around $75. Info: Big Bear Mountain Resorts Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

See the Klamath River flow into the Pacific from this dramatic overlook in Redwood National Park By Christopher Reynolds (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Why: Rugged coast. Big sand spit. Half-forgotten road. Blufftop perch. Despite all these assets, this dramatic corner of Northern California doesnt get that many visitors. So youll probably have it to yourself. What: Your gateway to the Klamath River Overlook is Requa, a hamlet -- the memory of a town, really -- along the Highway 101 south of Crescent City in Del Norte County. Its main landmark is the Historic Requa Inn, a rustic riverside lodging and restaurant that dates to 1914. If you can work out a way to eat dinner and spend a night there, do it. But dont stop there. Continue west 1.5 miles (no RVs!) on ramshackle Requa Road (which becomes Patrick J. Murphy Memorial Road on some maps) until theres no more road, and no more land. That will put you at the Klamath River Overlook. Drink it in. And if its May or June, scan the ocean for gray whales. Rangers say they often linger to feed in the waters spilling from river to sea This bluff is part of Redwood National and State Parks and it includes a modest picnic area. Theres a steep Lower Overlook Trail that will take you about a quarter-mile down the slope, exposing further views. Theres also a Coastal Trail to the north -- follow it for 2.7 miles and youll reach Hidden Beach. But the wide view from the picnic tables may well be plenty for you. Theres something mesmerizing about it -- maybe its the moving water. Theres also a good chance of a stiff, cold breeze or fog, just about any time. Bring layers. Where: Klamath River Overlook, 61 miles north of Arcata, 339 miles north of San Francisco, 713 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: No entry fee. Info: Redwood National and State Parks (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Pile the kids in the car, head to Riverside and catch a drive-in movie while you still can By Chris Erskine The entrance at the Van Buren Drive-In. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) Why: What could be more of a California experience than a Hollywood double-feature viewed from the comfort of your car? What: In the 1950s, drive-in movies were a staple of American pop culture. These days, they are a novelty. One of the last remaining hot spots lives on at the Van Buren Drive-In in Riverside. Put the kids in their PJs and pack up the lawn chairs for a fine family getaway at the Van Buren. Opened in 1964 on the site of former orange groves, the three-screen drive-in remains a vibrant local hangout at half the price of your local multiplex. You can even bring your own food. On weekends, arrive 45 minutes before show time to ensure a decent spot, especially if youre going to sit outside in your lawn chairs. By showtime, the three lots serving the three screens resemble tailgate parties, with families wrapped in blankets and settled in for a double feature. (Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times) SUVs or pickups often pull in with the tail hatch facing the screen, so kids with blankets or sleeping bags can turn the experience into a slumber party. Theres the traditional snack bar, and prices are fair, at least by movie theater standards. But waits can be 20 to 30 minutes on weekends. Check here for express pickup. Keep in mind that youre experiencing a rare phenomenon these days. Once numbering 4,000 across the country, drive-ins are now down to 400 or so. Catch one while you can  not just for the sense of nostalgia, but for a memorable evening at a very fair price. Where: 3035 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, 55 miles southeast of downtown L.A. Plan on a drive of 90 minutes to two hours in evening traffic. How much: Admission is $9 per person; children ages 5 to 9, $1. Major credit cards and debit cards accepted. Open seven days a week. No pets. Info: Van Buren Drive-In Theatre Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Taste-test the Thomas Keller restaurant empire in Yountville, Napa Valley By Christopher Reynolds Chocolate tart, Ad Hoc, Yountville (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Why: Yountville is a sleepy, genteel little town in the heart of Napa Valley, population about 3,000. And Thomas Keller, one of this nations most admired chefs, has three restaurants in Yountville, on the same street. Or four. Or five, depending on how you count. What: Keller, raised and trained in Florida and New York and renowned for his high standards, has also cooked in acclaimed kitchens in France and Los Angeles, and he has operations in New York and Las Vegas as well. (His Bouchon in Beverly Hills is scheduled to close Dec. 31.) But since he opened the French Laundry in 1994, Yountville has been the seat of his California empire. With three Michelin stars and a nine-course chefs menu, The French Laundry may be the most celebrated restaurant in the state, and its surely one of the priciest. Ad Hoc, Yountville (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) But the chef has give us options. Bouchon opened in 1998, offering French bistro fare. The Bouchon Bakery followed in 2003. In 2006 came Ad Hoc, devoted to American comfort food in a casual setting. (Its humble-brag slogan: for temporary relief from hunger.) Ad Hocs menu changes daily to take advantage of fresh ingredients, but its all built around the chefs choice for a four-course family-style meal, which includes favorites like pot roast and barbecue. I came before 6 p.m. on buttermilk fried chicken night (a Monday), and found myself in a happily clamorous dining room, surrounded by families, confronting more food than I could eat. (I enjoyed the casual feeling, and I liked the chicken well enough. But I actually enjoyed the salad and cheese courses more  livelier flavors.) Bouchon Bakery, Yountville ( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Either before or after eating in Yountville, stroll Washington Street. At 6640 youll find the French Laundry, fronted by an unassuming, two-story, stone-walled building with minimalist kitchen addition and its gardens across the street. You can even peek through the kitchen window, a long slit that reveals the team laboring fiercely over that evenings dishes. Next, at 6534 Washington, you pause by Bouchon (French bistro fare) and the yellow awning of Bouchon Bakery (6528 Washington), whose snacks are the most affordable way to sample Kellers empire. A few blocks farther south at 6476 Washington, you reach Ad Hoc, which has nine seats at the bar in addition to its many tables (open Thursday through Monday). And behind Ad Hoc, neighbored by picnic tables, is Addendum, an auxiliary space that serves box lunches to go on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Where: Ad Hoc, 6476 Washington St., Yountville, Ca., 55 miles north of San Franciscos Ferry Building, 411 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: The nine-course dinner at the French Laundry: $310-$325 each. The four-course dinner at Ad Hoc: $55.A box lunch from Ad Hoc Addendum: $16.50. Info: Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Yountville Chamber of Commerce The French Laundrys kitchen window ( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Storm a Tuscan castle in Napa Valley By Christopher Reynolds ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Why: Napa Valley has close to 500 wineries. Castello di Amorosa is the only one housed in a 107-room castle that was built in accordance with 13th century Tuscan aspirations. What: Owner/designer Dario Sattui completed this spectacle, a 15-year project, in 2007. Besides its five towers and the barrel-vaulted retail and tasting area (which never seems to end), its got a great hall and chapel, each with evocative murals. Theres said to be a torture chamber below. Depending on your mood, you might expect a Da Vinci Code villain to round a corner at any moment, or Orson Welles in mid-soliloquy. Or one of the Monty Python guys, clopping coconuts together. Not surprisingly -- given the Tuscan blueprint of the place -- the Castello di Amorosa wines are made in the Italian style. The winery suffered no damage in the wine country fires of October. Where: 4045 St. Helena Hwy., Calistoga, Calif., 70 miles north of San Franciscos Ferry Buidling, 425 miles northwest of L.A. City Hall. How much: Adult admission (which includes wine-tasting) begins at $25. For children the rate is $15-$20 (and theres grape juice to taste). Tours (which include rooms you cant reach just wandering around) cost $40-$95. Info: Castello di Amorosa ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Soak in Calistoga spring water By Christopher Reynolds Fountain, Indian Springs, Calistoga (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Why: Calistoga is the answer to the question of what to do in the Napa Valley when youve had enough wine. Its a little, old resort town full of hot springs, so between wine-tasting excursions (and maybe the occasional bike ride) you can float listlessly in a steaming pool, untroubled by the faint scent of sulfur because you can feel the stress evaporating from your body. What: Samuel Brannan, a brash, controversial figure who became one of Californias first millionaires in the Gold Rush, founded Calistoga in the 1860s, counting on the areas springs to draw tourists from San Fancisco. (In fact, he built a rail route from Vallejo to Calistoga, and the current Napa Valley Wine Train rolls on the Napa-St. Helena portion of that old route.) It was a clever impulse. The town (population: about 5,300) lives on as a resort escape, with hideaways like Calistoga Ranch, Dr. Wilkinsons and Indian Springs (perhaps the oldest continuously operating pool and spa facility in the state) all relying heavily on their hot springs. Though the Napa/Sonoma wildfires of October drew near, they never reached the town of Calistoga, and it remains handsome as ever. In early November, I spent a night and stepped from the chilly morning air into the Olympic-sized, 102-degree, steam-cloaked pool at the 17-acre Indian Springs resort. It was pleasant. In 2015, the resort added a restaurant (Sams Social Club, which has fascinating, colorful mural over the counter) and grew from about 40 rooms to 115. Many of the interiors still have that just-upgraded, ready-for-the-magazine-photographer look. Where: Indian Springs, 1712 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, 73 miles north of San Franciscos Ferry Building, 427 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: In winter, Indian Springs rooms for two usually start at about $239 per night. Info: Visit Calistoga, Indian Springs The main pool, Indian Springs, Calistoga (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Board the Napa Valley Wine Train, recall discord and disaster, then roll in splendor past miles of vineyards By Christopher Reynolds (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Why: If youre going to fully appreciate this valley and its globally admired vineyards, its better that youre not driving. And on the Napa Valley Wine Train, you have the chance to dine in style while the miles and wineries roll past. What: The train covers about 18 miles, running north alongside Highway 29 from the city of Napa through Yountville and Oakville to St. Helena. Along the way, depending on what you sign up for, you may stop to taste at one to three wineries, eat a three-course meal on board, and be back where you started in three to six hours. Its expensive but so very comfortable. And its got complicated history. The rail route, first laid in the 1860s, had fallen idle by the 1980s. To get the new wine train rolling in 1989, its owners had to outmaneuver many Napa locals who feared a tourist invasion would ruin the affluent communitys character. Skip forward now to 2015, when the trains management drew a storm of criticism for ejecting a group of guests, mostly African American, who were accused of being too loud. The view from the train, near Yountville, in early November. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) In late 2015, new owners took over the train. Then wildfires flared in October. They missed the train track, Highway 29 and the wineries along the route, but killed at least 41 people and destroyed thousands of homes and scores of businesses in Napa and Sonoma counties. By the time I showed up in early November, almost none of the damage was visible from the train. Napa was still in the early stages of recovery and the train was about half-full  unusual for the time of year. As for my journey, it was a sunny day, the countryside was gorgeous, the meal pleasant. The distant, fire-blackened hills to the east were barely discernible beyond the green and red vineyard rows, the shade trees and the nearby slopes. Where: McKinstry Street Station, 1275 McKinstry St., Napa, 46 miles north of San Francisco, 402 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: Most day trips run $206-$329 per person, which includes lunch and wine-tasting. Info: Napa Valley Wine Train (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Taste China (Live) in San Francisco By Christopher Reynolds Dim sum counter, Market Restaurant, China Live. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times) Why: Nobody likes to say so, but a lot of San Franciscos Chinatown looks tired these days. And many of the areas best Chinese restaurants are scattered among the outer suburbs where so many affluent Chinese American families live. So its a happy surprise to see China Live bring new energy and higher style to the neighborhood with a combination of design-intensive eating and shopping options. Its mission: to demystify Chinese ingredients and recipes while educating guests on the rich history and influence. What: China Live opened in March 2017, near the frontier between Chinatown and North Beach. The main downstairs space, the Market Restaurant and Bar, is full of long wood tables under a semi-raw concrete ceiling. Picture an Apple Store with steaming, edible merchandise, neighbored by open cooking areas, beckoning counters, a bar and adjacent retail rooms stocked with artisan teas, kitchen tools, condiments, shapely candles, jewelry and such. The restaurants menu is mostly based on sharing small dishes, so you might wind up with a medley dinner of fire-roasted sweet white corn, Dungenes crab spring rolls and Sheng Jian Bao (SJB) pan-fried pork dumplings. Market Restaurant, China Live. (Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Near the entrance is the casual Oolong Cafe. Upstairs waits a more exclusive restaurant offering private, pricey dining in elegant rooms befitting a royal in hiding. Its called Eight Tables by George Chen (dinner only; tasting menu: $225). There are also a pair of bars upstairs, including the Gold Mountain Lounge and one called Cold Drinks -- one of those hip hideaways that seeks to be popular by maintaining quasi-secrecy. Where: 644 Broadway, San Francisco, 380 miles northwest of downtown L.A.. How much: Together, the three dishes above cost about $40. Most cocktails $13-$15. Info: China Live ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

See, sniff and taste Napa Valleys bounty at the Oxbow Public Market By Christopher Reynolds A 1,033-pound pumpkin on display at Oxbow Public Market in Napa. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Why: This market and food hall, set above a fetching bend in the Napa River, is a short stroll from downtown Napa, a block from the headquarters of the popular Napa Valley Wine Train, a block from the COPIA center for wine and food education. Much smaller than San Franciscos food-centric Ferry Building but placed near the starting point of many popular Napa adventures, this foodie acre (about two-thirds the size of a football field) is a point of convergence for locals and tourists and a one-stop reminder that this wine country does more than make wine. What: The Oxbow Public Market opened in 2007, just in time to suffer from a national recession, the closure of COPIA (since rethought and reopened by the Culinary Institute of America) and construction-related disruptions of local traffic. Now those troubles are in the rear-view mirror, and a stroll around the marketplace introduces you to plenty of wine products but also duck tacos (at C Casa); American comfort food (Gotts Roadside); local seafood (Hog Island Oyster Co.); and assorted local fruits and vegetables (Hudson Greens & Goods). On my early November visit, Hudson was showing off a 1,033-pound pumpkin. There were also plenty of signs thanking the first-responders for their work fighting that regions wildfires in October. (Though many homes and about two dozen wineries were lost or damaged in those fires, the vast majority of the areas 500 wineries had reopened by Nov. 8.) Besides browsing at the market, you can also rent a bike at the automatic Spinway stand just outside and pedal seven miles along the Napa River to Kennedy Park and back; or just toodle down 1st Street in downtown Napa, where the new, 183-room Archer Hotel is expected to open in December. Where: 610-644 1st St., Napa, 46 miles north of the San Francisco Ferry building, 401 miles northwest of downtown L.A. How much: C Casa tacos run $4.75-$9. Spinway bike rentals start at $9 per hour. Info: Oxbow Public Market Oxbow Public Market, Napa. ( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Read the walls on Angel Island, the West Coast Ellis Island where Asian immigrants waited and waited from 1910 to 1940 By Christopher Reynolds State parks interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee in the Immigration Station museum on Angel Island. ( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times ) Why: Its a handsome, green island in San Francisco Bay, popular with sailors, cyclists and hikers, just south of high-toned Tiburon. And from 1910 through 1940, it was something like a western Ellis Island, processing about half a million immigrants, including most of the 175,000 Chinese immigrants who arrived during those years. But those were not happy years. 
A police official says a collision between a truck and a bus in western Kenya has killed at least 36 people.

Rift Valley Traffic Commandant Zero Arome said Sunday that the accident involved a bus heading to the capital, Nairobi, from Busia County, and a truck heading from Nakuru County to Eldoret town.

Arome said the buss brakes apparently failed.

The National Transport and Safety Authority has been criticized for failing to reduce road accidents, which account for around 3,000 Kenyan deaths every year.

Advertisement

Authorities have blamed careless road users, shoddy vehicles and speeding, but others blame poor road construction and maintenance.
Iran is seeing the biggest outbreak of antigovernment protests in nearly a decade, with two protesters reported killed Sunday and scores arrested in cities nationwide.

Demonstrators are voicing frustration over the economy and calling for the resignation of President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a stunning show of defiance in a country where public dissent is dealt with harshly.

Los Angeles Times foreign correspondent Shashank Bengali traveled to Iran in August and found simmering anger with the theocracy and outright desperation among a middle class suffering from years of international economic sanctions.

Advertisement

Thread: The #Iranprotests are a major and apparently spontaneous event, but when I traveled there this summer the seeds of this anger were everywhere. (1/8)  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

With @rmost12, we met mullahs in the holy city of Qom who openly voiced discontent with the excesses of the theocracy while ordinary people suffered (2/8) https://t.co/MYU1CZDlGm  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

"Imam Khomeini said clergymen should lead a simple life," one mullah said. "If you drive a car, it should be a common car. But some clergy and politicians live a luxurious life." (3/8)  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

In Tehran, we met soldiers completing the mandatory military service who described such disenchantment inside the army that draftees were turning guns on their commanders (4/8) https://t.co/VtlaIWJBpQ  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

A sign that the regime has not persuaded young Iranians to continue along the revolutionary path. One draftee said, "I hate the service and I hate my surroundings. I don't feel any patriotism in my heart." (5/8)  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

The saddest sign of desperation are the ads scrawled outside hospitals in Tehran in which middle-class Iranians try to sell their kidneys (6/8) https://t.co/sTIwuK5gLj  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

We saw new ads go up overnight: Construction workers, shopkeepers, people with once stable careers who now hoped to part with an organ to pay off debts and support families (7/8)  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

Iran is such a sophisticated and proud society that visitors can be charmed by how normal things seem. But @rmost12 likes to say the rot is just below the surface. It's in the open now and no one can say where it will lead (8/8)  Shashank Bengali (@SBengali) December 30, 2017

ALSO:

Death to the dictator! is new rallying cry in Iran as antigovernment protests spread to capital

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia

ALSO
Since Dec. 28, Iranians nationwide have taken to the streets in a remarkable show of anger, demanding the resignations of the countrys top leaders.

Demonstrators in more than two dozen cities have confronted police and torn down pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani  serious acts of defiance in a theocracy that imposes strict limits on speech.

Hundreds have been arrested and at least 20 killed, according to state media.

Advertisement

Iran has not seen protests this big since 2009, when authorities crushed a popular uprising that followed a disputed presidential election. Rouhani has acknowledged the frustrations, saying, Criticism and protest are the peoples rights, and they should lead to solutions to the countrys problems.

How did the protests start?

Frustration has been simmering for years over high unemployment and rising prices. Rouhani promised the economy would improve after the 2015 nuclear agreement that eased tough international sanctions, but many Iranians say they havent reaped the benefits.

In recent weeks, scattered protests broke out over unpaid wages and bank defaults in which ordinary investors lost their deposits. At a rally Dec. 28 in Mashhad, Irans second largest city, protesters railed against Rouhanis handling of the economy.

But the demonstrators quickly turned against the hard-liners, led by Khamenei, whom many blame for blocking economic reforms while tolerating corruption and funding Shiite Muslim militias abroad.

Protests have taken place in more than 25 cities, including Tehran, the capital, and the holy city of Qom, home to one of the most important shrines in Shiite Islam and long thought to be a bulwark of the ruling mullahs.

Who are the demonstrators?

Unlike the 2009 postelection protests, which were led by Tehrans educated middle class, these demonstrations appear to be driven by a more diverse group, including the young and working-class who have been hit especially hard by the economic malaise.

Women are among the demonstrators, including some who removed their headscarves in protest of the theocracys dress code.

While reporting the protests across Iran, let's not forget this brave woman who protested against forced veil by taking off her headscarf and stood in the middle of Enghelab (Revolution) Square in Tehran. pic.twitter.com/0LYtksKk0Z  Maziar Bahari (@maziarbahari) December 31, 2017

Asieh Nezam Shahidi, a writer in Mashhad whose son was briefly detained by security forces, wrote on Facebook: The poor, jobless and underpaid workers, the lower middle class and women without headscarves were the main corps of [protests] today, yesterday and the day before yesterday.

Whos leading the rallies?

Perhaps most astonishing about these protests is that there is no apparent leader or movement behind them.

The hard-liners who instigated the initial rallies have seen them spiral out of their control, and veterans of the 2009 Green Movement uprising are largely sitting on the sidelines, unsure where the unrest is headed.

This is neither a revolution nor a political movement, but rather an explosion of the Iranian peoples pent-up frustrations over economic and political stagnation, said Ali Vaez, Iran project director for the International Crisis Group.

The uprising has been hard to categorize, with some demanding the release of political prisoners while others call for the return of the monarchy that ruled Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Given its lack of leadership, organization and mission, it is likely to wane or will be repressed, Vaez said. The government so far has hoped for the former, but the longer the protests go on, the latter becomes likelier.

How is the government responding?

Khamenei broke his silence on the protests Tuesday, blaming foreign enemies for a conspiracy to create problems for the Islamic establishment, according to a report in state media.

Irans interior minister warned of a crackdown and said anyone who creates unrest should pay the price. Anti-riot police and volunteer Basij militiamen have deployed across Tehran, firing water cannons to disperse protesters from at least one busy public square butso far refraining from using heavy force.

The government has limited access to Instagram and the highly popular messaging app Telegram, one of the primary means for protesters to communicate.

Iranian authorities are blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down https://t.co/9E4kXZYcP9 and other peacefully protesting channels.  Pavel Durov (@durov) December 31, 2017

What has the U.S. said?

President Trump, who has accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism and threatened to tear up the nuclear agreement, has tweeted several times in support of the protests, saying Sunday that Irans people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen.

Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

But analysts say Trumps words could backfire, given the intense antipathy with which he is viewed in Iran, one of six mainly Muslim countries whose citizens are included in his U.S. travel ban.

Others point out that the U.S. was quick to cheer on the so-called Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, only to watch anti-authoritarian movements in Egypt, Libya and Yemen devolve into chaos.

How are countries in the region reacting?

There has been little official reaction among Irans regional rivals, presumably because Arab leaders understand that statements like Trumps would be used by the Iranian leadership as evidence that unrest is being inspired from abroad.

But the demonstrations have received widespread coverage, especially in Saudi Arabia, which is engaged in deadly proxy wars with Iran in Syria and Yemen.

In an analysis published on the website of Saudi-owned Al Arabiya, the satellite networks former general manager, Abdulrahman Rashed, focused on the cost of Irans regional military operations.

Ali Khamenei, alongside his military and political leadership, believed that promoting their victories in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon would gain them popularity, therefore extending their existence, he wrote. But the tables have turned.

Others cautioned against predicting a Persian Spring given the questions surrounding the uprising.

I dont think we know where its going, and its important not to try and inject expectations around the protests from the outside, said Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, an analyst and founder of Bourse & Bazaar, a publication which tracks Irans post-sanctions economy. Its up to the protesters to decide what their aims are.

Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India. Times staff writer Alexandra Zavis in Beirut and special correspondent Omar Medhat in Cairo contributed to this report.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter

Two killed in three days of stunning protests in Iran: What our correspondent saw there

Kidney for sale: Iran has a legal market for the organs, but the system doesnt always work

Whats wrong with the Iranian army? Deadly shootings put spotlight on forced military service

UPDATES:

Jan. 2, 9:20 a.m.: This story was updated with the latest developments in the ongoing protests.

This story was originally published on Dec. 31.
Five people Saturday were injured in a two-vehicle Bethlehem Township crash caused by a driver losing control on an icy roadway, police said.

Township police said the crash happened around noon along Freemansburg Avenue near the CVS Pharmacy. A 19-year-old male driver was headed west in a 1999 Toyota 4-Runner when he hit a slick portion of the roadway, spun out and crossed into the path of a 2000 Ford Ranger pickup truck, being driven eastbound by a 58-year-old male driver, according to police.

The vehicles collided, causing major damage to both cars, including the shearing off of the right front tire of the Ford. Police said the Toyota driver, as well as a 16-year-old passenger, both were taken to nearby St. Luke's Anderson campus in Bethlehem Township for treatment of minor injuries.

Two adult backseat passengers in the Ford -- a male with bruising and swelling to his lip, and a female with an apparent head injury -- also were taken to St. Luke's Anderson campus, according to police.

Police said another adult female passenger in the Ford who was the wife of the male driver had to be extricated from the car with several crews removing the door, windshield and roof. That woman had serious injuries and was taken to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill for treatment, according to police. A condition was not immediately available Sunday.

The Bethlehem Township Fire Dept. took to Facebook Saturday to praise the swift work of emergency workers.

Around 12pm township companies were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident with entrapment. Chief 1453 arrived and... Posted by Bethlehem Township Volunteer Fire Company on Saturday, December 30, 2017

Police did not release the identity of any of the people involved in Saturday's crash, citing the continuing investigation. Police did say the teen driver of the Toyota will be receiving summary offenses.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Authorities in Berks County are searching for a man they say stole goods from a Hollister store, bit an employee and ran from the Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing Borough.

The incident happened at 7:40 p.m. Dec. 20 at the mall, 1665 State Hill Road.

Police said the thief stole at least two items from the Hollister store. When a store loss prevention employee tried to confront him in a common area of the shopping mall, he became hostile, according to police.

After biting the employee, the thief ran from the mall, across the parking lot, hopped a fence and was last seen running across Route 222. Police are describing the suspect as Hispanic, about 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing 130 pounds. He is seen in mall surveillance video footage wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black winter hat.

Those with information are asked to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Alert Berks County at 1-877-373-9913 or text "tips" to keyword ALERTBERKS along with the tip to 847411. Folks also can call the Wyomissing Borough Police Department and ask for Officer Peter Percell at 610-375-6102, option No. 2.

Cash rewards are available up to $10,000 if the tip leads to an arrest.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Older residents of Portlaoise will remember the war cannon that stood prominently at the entrance to the local Garda station. It suddenly disappeared in the mid-1950s and, it seems, few townspeople were upset at its removal. Yet many have wondered over the intervening years as to the circumstances of its disappearance and as to where it was relocated.

The answers to these questions were provided at a recent talk in the local library given by a speaker with knowledge of these matters and also of the history of the missing gun. Dr. Paul Huddie, a lecturer in British and Irish history at NUI Maynooth, revealed that the cannon was transferred to Devoy Army Barracks in Naas in 1956 and, after the military base became redundant in the 1990s, it found a new home in the square at Ceannt Barracks at the Curragh Camp where it stands today.

Dr. Huddie revealed that the Portlaoise cannon, known popularly as the Russian Gun, was one of around 3,000 such guns captured by the British and French armies after the defeat of the Russian forces in the Crimean War (1854-56). These were taken as trophies and many of them found their way to cities and towns throughout the UK and Ireland to commemorate the victory.

Maryborough (now Portlaoise) Town Commission was one of the first corporations in this country to request one of the captured guns. On the motion of Thomas Turpin, seconded by Dr. Pilsworth, the town commission sent a letter to Lord Panmure, the Secretary of War, dated 8 December 1857.

It read: That this town and county, which bears the name of the Queens County, sent numbers of men who fought and bled for their country in the said war. That at this particular moment, when Her Majestys advisers are about embodying the militia and raising additional troops to quell the disturbances which so unhappily have arisen in India, a Trophy of some description placed in a conspicuous part of our town would add as a stimulus to many to join the ranks of the British Army and fight the battles of the Country, as their friends and relatives have heretofore done. (Leinster Express, 10 October 1857)

See also: Kellys Foundry was a landmark business in Laois

The request for a war trophy was successful as a report a few months later indicated. It is contemplated to erect a portico to the Courthouse at Maryborough on top of which the Russian cannon is to be (mounted). The site will be a most eligible one and the trophy, suggestive of such reminiscences of the endurance and valour of the warriors of Great Britain and Ireland, must become an object of pride and attraction. (Leinster Express, 4 December 1857)

But the location of the war trophy at the seat of justice in Laois did not impress all readers of the Leinster Express. A letter writer to the newspaper the following week, signed simply T, was inflamed with the suggested location.

I do not think that anything more incongruous could well be conceived than to decorate with artillery a court of justice. If peace and war are diametrically opposed then the last place where the emblems of war are to be displayed should be the temple where justice, the first great blessing of peace, is distributed to society.

The chairman of the T.C., John McEvoy, a local hotelier, offered to pay for the timber and construction of a wooden gun carriage. It cost 19. The Russian Gun was formally presented to the town and county by Col. Francis Plunkett ODunne M.P. of the Queens Co. Militia on 27 July 1858, a year after a similar Crimean cannon had been installed in Cork, which was the first in Ireland.

The aspiration of the commission that the public would hold the trophy in highest esteem proved a hollow one. The Russian Gun was located at the Market Square but, a few decades later, the commissioners found that it had become a perfect nuisance. All agreed that it should be moved and were satisfied that Mr. Turpin (a solicitor and obviously still influential although not now a commissioner himself) would have no objection to its removal. Mr. Odlum suggested the barrack yard or in front of the barracks as a possible new site.

See also: The first beet factory in Ireland was in Laois in 1851

Mr. Fitzsimons suggested that they advertise for a contractor to take it down and put it elsewhere or take it away altogether. (Leinster Express, 8 November 1879)

And so the esteemed war trophy found its way to the barracks, then a military garrison. After the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922, the British Army moved out and the Garda Siochana moved in and remain there ever since. The Russian Gun also remained there and held a prominent place near the entrance for many years without disturbing the peace.

But it is believed that some genius in high office threw a green eye on the cannon in what had now become Portlaoise and deemed, as the barracks there was no longer a military base, that it should be moved to an army location instead. Hence its move to Naas and on to the Curragh.

A similar gun still stands outside of Carlow Courthouse and there are others still standing proudly in other towns around Ireland which prompted some people at Dr. Huddies talk to express the view that Portlaoise should get back its Russian Gun. Perhaps we will hear more on that subject in the coming months.

See also: The Mountrath man who became a world handball champion
A Polish national who claimed he punched a Laois youth and stole his phone to teach him a lesson after the youth had insulted him with profane language has been told he deserves prison.

Before last weeks district court was Lukasz Puk (35).

Inspector Ollie Baker gave evidence that on November 20 this year, an incident occurred at Laois Shopping Centre involving the accused and a number of youths.

The youths fled the scene, but one 15-year-old male fell off a wall while attempting to flee and was set upon by two men, one of whom was the accused.

The youth was kicked and punched, and the accused punched him and took his mobile phone.

The accused had no previous convictions.

Defence, Mr Declan Breen said the accused had been drinking in the company of two other Polish men. Defence said the Irish youths had issued insults peppered with profanity to the men and when the Polish men went to remonstrate with them the youths ran away.

Mr Breen then referred to the injured partys statement, in which the youth said that he was attacked by two Polish men with the bigger of the two punching him and stomping on his head. The other man, Puk, asked him for his phone and when he refused the accused punched him.

Defence said the accused took the phone to teach the youth a lesson and return it later. Shortly after, another youth called the phone and it was arranged for the accused to meet the youths to return the phone. However, Mr Breen said that when his client arrived, the youths attacked him and he had to seek shelter in a nearby shop.

Judge Catherine Staines said it was extremely serious and merited a prison sentence.

However, she requested a victim impact statement and also a probation order on the accused.

The matter was put back to March 8, with Judge Staines suggesting he save some compensation, as well.
An Eadestown man achieved a Masters in Law from the prestigious Harvard Law School, despite an ongoing tough battle with cancer.

Michael (Mick) Mullan graduated from one of Americas most prestigious institutions in Massachusetts, Harvard, on Thursday May 25.

Speaking to the Leader in June, his girlfriend of nine years, Mel Murphy said: Since going back to law school in August (2016) he had a tough year, so I just cant believe he graduated, he was just so determined. And we are all beyond proud.

The 26-year-old has fought cancer twice.

He had neuroblastoma as a baby, then renal cell cancer in 2013 while studying at Trinity College in Dublin.

He graduated with an honors degree, and was then accepted into Harvard Law School.

He moved over to the US with Mel and family in the Summer of 2015.

Since November 2015, he has been fighting metastasized renal cell cancer, and is still battling through.

Treatment isnt available in Ireland so he is attending DanaFarber Cancer Institute in Boston for as long as needed.

Mick is on targeted chemotherapy since October 2016 and has had six rounds of radiation. Before that, he was on immunotherapy.

It wasnt an easy year for him but he was so determined, added Mel.

The son of Patrick and Patricia Mullan of Eadestown, Mick attended Rathmore National School and Naas CBS, and played GAA for the local club.

In February 2016, the community of Eadestown rallied behind Mick and organised a Run for the Hills fundraiser to raise money for his treatment, which was a huge success.
ALTHOUGH the prospects of an early election in 2018 appear to have receded, all of Limericks political parties remain alert to a count in the coming year.

The only party which has not selected its candidates for the general election is Fianna Fail.

But party sources have this week indicated the Soldiers of Destiny will rectify that situation shortly, with selection conventions for the city and county constituencies set for the forthcoming weeks.

With the party set to run two candidates in both areas, Dooradoyle councillor James Collins appears odds on to join polltopper Willie ODea in the city.

And in County Limerick, the Limerick Leader can this week reveal that Galbally-based councillor Eddie Ryan is to throw his hat into the ring for Fianna Fail.

This time last month, Ireland was bracing itself for a snap Christmas election, with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin involved in a tense stand-off with Taoiseach, and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar over the treatment of Sergeant Maurice McCabe.

Fianna Fail demanded Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald resign from her post, after it emerged she had noted the content of emails relating to a strategy to discredit the garda whistleblower.

While Fianna Fail won the day  with Ms Fitzgerald resigning after a tense few days  it appears the party which is propping up Fine Gaels minority administration does not appear in any rush to call an election.

Party frontbencher and local TD Niall Collins said: I cannot see any reason why we cannot go the full year with this. I think we will definitely see a third budget. We will probably have an election in January or February 2019.

He believes other big political developments likely throughout 2018 stops the prospect of the country going to the polls sooner.

The Eighth Amendment Referendum will keep the whole system ticking over for the first half of the year, and youll probably have a presidential election kicking in the second half of the year, he explained.

Willie ODea added: There is no compelling reason to bring down the government in the meantime.

Sinn Fein senator Paul Gavan, however, believes the twin crises in the housing and health services will be the thing which brings the 32nd Dail down.

But, he added: Neither of the big parties want to be blamed for causing an election. Thats the one thing we learnt from the whole Frances Fitzgerald debacle. Ironically, this is the one thing which may keep this government going longer than each party wants.

Both Limerick constituencies will once again be key battlegrounds, with both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to run two candidates in each.

Fine Gael has already confirmed it will run government junior minister Patrick ODonovan and first-term TD Tom Neville in the rural area, while Senators Kieran ODonnell and Maria Byrne have the nod in the city.

Jan OSullivan will once again fly the flag for Labour, and will be joined in a crowded field on the left-wing, with Sinn Feins Maurice Quinlivan, Solidarity councillor Cian Prendiville and Social Democrat Sarah-Jane Hennelly likely to join a number of left-learning Independents on the ticket.

Mr Gavan said simply: If you want a left-wing voice in Limerick City, you need to vote for Maurice Quinlivan.

But Ms OSullivan  who will be contesting her fifth general election  said: I dont know why people on the left dont target people on the right. They always target my seat. Realistically, Fine Gael will be trying to get two seats, as will Fianna Fail, and I presume Sinn Fein will expect to hold their seat in Limerick. But Im up for it.

Mr ODea believes adding just a few percentage points onto the 27% he won in Election 2016 would see Fianna Fail in the fight to bring home two candidates for the first time in over a decade.

Mr ODonnell upped his personal vote last time, with only a Lazarus-like recovery from Ms OSullivan denying him a seat in this Dail.

He hopes changes to the city boundary, to bring in Newport and Birdhill will benefit him.

We were unlucky the last time. The votes involved were very marginal, he said, adding how he is honoured Fine Gael has picked him to fly the flag in the city.

While Mr Collins believes the next Dail count could be as much as 12 to 13 months from now, he believes this could possibly be the latest it runs. One thing, he believes will not happen, is a general election at the same time as the local and European elections, set for May 2019. The general election is the Holy Grail as far as everyone is concerned.
A RETIRED Limerick bus driver, who fraudulently cashed an insurance policy, worth more than 40,000, by forging his wifes signature has been placed on probation for 12 months.

Brendan Lynch, aged 73, who has an address at Kilmurry Lodge, Elm Park, Castletroy previously pleaded guilty to two charges relating to offences when occurred on dates in February and March 2003.

During a sentencing last year, Detective Garda Brian Cunningham told Limerick Circuit Court the defendant and his now ex-wife took out a joint insurance policy with Hibernian Life and Pensions in 1988 and that he cashed it in without her knowledge in 2008.

Mrs Lynch, he said, only became aware of this in early 2014 when she was making enquiries in relation to a separate insurance policy.

Judge Tom ODonnell was told while Mrs Lynch did not pay into the policy, she was entitled to receive half of the 40,655.94 which was paid out.

Handwriting experts confirmed that signatures  purporting to be those of Mrs Lynch  on the form requesting payment and the cheque were fake.

Det Garda Cunningham said the defendant and his wife, who were married in 1967, had lived together in Birr, County Offaly until they separated towards the end of 2012.

Having heard details of the offence, Judge ODonnell reviewed the matter for review and at a hearing before Christmas he was informed the defendant had paid 10,000 compensation to his estranged wife.

While commenting that there had been a complete sense of betrayal and a breach of trust, the judge noted that full compensation has now been paid to the injured party.

Given Mr Lynchs age and previous good character, he applied the provisions of the Probation Act.
LIMERICK people from a wide variety of walks of life discuss their hopes, dreams and resolutions for 2018 as the new year approaches:

Emma Langford

Singer/Songwriter

I dont really read into resolutions too much. In the last couple of years Ive set myself goals, I suppose. I believe in the power of attraction so if you expect something and want something, and set yourself a goal, usually youll receive it. So I suppose for next year, Ill be looking at taking a few more risks, putting myself out there even more than I have been already.

This was the year I cut my teeth in the biggest way with music so 2018 is going to be the year I take my next steps. Im determined to learn more about music, to write a lot more as well. I suppose it's a resolution in a sense.

There are a few things I'm looking forward to in 2018. There are a few possible things that Ive yet to announce yet but at the moment Im booking and promoting my album. Im on a national tour with a Kildare artist called Sarah Ryan. The two of us are doing a tour in January until March. That will be fun.

Celia Holman Lee

Fashion guru

I make them and dont keep to them! I really do think every year I say the same thing that Im trying to keep myself as healthy as I possible can and I say this every year- Im going to try watch the workload.

Really and truly, to try maybe cut down a little because it has been hectic. But having said that, Im the worst person in the world to say no. I shall try to keep what Im telling you but ask me again next year did I!

Im looking forward to trying to take more holidays, if that will happen. Every year to me is a good year and a blessing, you can never really tell whats going to go down.

Therell be plenty of highs and lows that Im sure of. I dont wish for anything, I just wish for health and happiness for the next year.

Helen ODonnell

Limerick City Business Association and Chairman of Limerick Tidy Towns

My New Years resolution would be to work less, eat less and become more healthy.

I just feel that your health is your wealth really. Eating well and eating healthy and that my family would remain in good health as well.

Joy Neville

World Rugby Referee of the Year

My New Years resolution would probably be to put the head down, make the most of the time that I have at home hopefully progress further in my career.

Cllr Sean Lynch

Mayor of Limerick City and County and local councillor

My New Year wishes are to stay healthy, happy and wise. Start by losing some weight and getting back into the gym - Im looking for a personal trainer with patience.

Also in my role as mayor, continue to bringing positivity to our city. Celebrate those that have contributed hugely to our city.

Finally to elevate fear among so many in relation to different issues out there.

Tom Morrissey

Limerick U-21 Hurling Captain

I hope to read a good book next year.

Deputy Willie ODea

Fianna Fail spokesperson on Social Protection

My New Years resolution is to continue to work as hard as I can for my constituents and for the country and there a couple of issues I want to focus particularly on. Particularly on my own area, social protection.

I want to ensure people who are depending on social welfare, including pensioners, that their standard of living continues to be protected.

Personally, I'd like to become more measured in my approach. Sometimes I tend to get unduly worried about things and theres no need for that so to approach things more calmly, in a more measured fashion.

Karl Spain

Comedian

I'm going to fight ISIS in the New Year, I don't think I did enough in 2017. My New Years resolutions are really similar to the ones I made in 1994, 1995. To lose weight and work harder. I'm very clear on my New Year's resolutions, they don't change from year to year.
A LIMERICK born paramedic has saved the life of a man in New York who jumped into the freezing Hudson River, according to reports in the US.

Paramedic Niall OShaughnessy, a member of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) for eleven years, rescued a man from the turbulent waters of the Hudson River on Saturday by jumping in save him, despite the -4 degree temperature.

According to New York Daily News, Mr OShaughnessy, who is originally from O'Connell Avenue, and his partner Mingze Wu were travelling up a highway in Lower Manhattan when they saw a group of police officers gathered near the river's edge.

A patient who had wandered out of a nearby hospital had tried to attempt suicide by jumping into the Hudson River and the group was trying to rescue him with a life-ring.

He was beginning to slip when Mr OShaughnessy and his partner had arrived on the scene, according to the report, and so he removed his equipment belt and jumped in after the man.

I swam behind him and locked my arms around him to keep him secure, Mr OShaughnessy said.

My partner and firefighters from Engine 10 began pulling us up.

The water was freezing cold, according to Mr OShaughnessy.

Within about 30 seconds, I could definitely feel it in my arms and legs.

They werent really working. I couldnt barely get my hand around the ladder they had sent down.

Both the patient and Mr OShaughnessy were later taken to hospital; Mr OShaughnessy was treated as a precaution and the patient is said to be in a stable condition.

This is the third time in recent years Mr OShaughnessy has staged a daring rescue.

He previously jumped into the Hudson River to rescue a suicidal woman in July 2015.

In 2014, he jumped onto a Manhattan subway track to save Mary Downey, an Irish woman who had become trapped between two train cars.

Both he and fellow Irish-born FDNY member, Sean Cummings, were later honoured at the inaugural Irish Echo First Responders Awards for this feat in October.

In August 2014, he also helped save a patient in cardiac arrest during the New York City Triathlon.

Mr OShaughnessy has been described by his colleagues in the FDNY Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as a true hero.

It takes courage to do what Niall did today, placing his life on the line to save others, Oren Barzilay, president of EMS Local 2507, told New York Daily News.

He's a true product of FDNY EMS, the best EMTs and paramedics.
A worker at a cement plant in Cupertino died when he was trapped in a burning car after a collision at the facility Saturday morning, officials said.

Reports of a vehicle collision and subsequent fire at the Lehigh Hanson Cement Plant on Stevens Creek Boulevard prompted Santa Clara County sheriffs officials and county firefighters to respond to the scene shortly after 9:30 a.m., Sgt. Rich Glennon, a sheriffs office spokesman, said in an email.
The government will ask China to join in Japan's development projects in Africa, expecting to secure Beijing's influence to deter North Korean nuclear and missile programs, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

This is the first time for the government to make such an offer to China on the Japan-funded projects in Africa, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official. Chinese President Xi Jinping touts the "One Belt, One Road" initiative in which he plans to establish a mega economic zone stretching from Asia to Africa. The government expects, by showing a cooperative stance toward the initiative, that China will make more effort on the North Korean issue.

Four projects that the government is considering for Chinese participation are: the "Growth Ring" plan to link West African nations via main roads; the development and improvement of roads and bridges in Kenya; the development and improvement of the "International Corridor" road that connects cities in Cameroon and the Republic of Congo; and road improvement in Rwanda.

The "Growth Ring" project is to jointly loop the 3,200-kilometer road running north to south, linking Burkina Faso with Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo, and the 1,000-kilometer road stretching east to west, connecting five countries from Nigeria to Cote d'Ivoire.

The project is expected to create a new economic bloc by connecting Nigeria, which has a relatively large economy, with other countries in the region.

The Japanese government has decided to provide about 31.5 billion yen in loans and grant aids, and will announce concrete plans as early as January.

Improving Kenya's traffic system is part of the development assistance for Mombasa Port, which serves as an international trade hub in the eastern region of the continent. Japan has dominated the work for the port's development project, but now hopes to divide responsibilities with China on the 59 billion yen project to develop and improve a road and a bridge that will connect the port with the nearby area.

For the "International Corridor" project and the road work in Rwanda, Japan will partially finance them and encourage Chinese entities to take part in the projects.

Africa is expected to see explosive population growth and is deemed to be the last mega market. China and some other countries have been in fierce competition to aid the continent.

Japan has so far limited contractors of aid projects only to Japanese companies and avoided proactively inviting Chinese entities to make bids for the projects.

The government has shifted its policy, however, as it seeks to use economic cooperation as leverage to demand China take further action in relation to the North Korean issue. The U.N. Security Council adopted sanctions resolutions against North Korea and imposed an export limit on refined petroleum products to the country, but North Korea has smuggled oil products and other items via ship-to-ship transfers in open seas. Some reports suggest a China-flagged vessel's involvement in the illicit trade.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Aspen, Colorado, this week for a holiday vacation - but not without encountering a silent protest from his neighbors in the liberal ski resort town.

"Make America Gay Again," reads a rainbow banner posted on the stone pillars at the end of the driveway of the home where Pence and his wife, Karen, are staying.

A dispatcher with the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office referred The Washington Post to the White House press office Saturday, but sheriff's deputy Michael Buglione told the Aspen Times that Pence's next-door neighbors posted the banners shortly after the vice president and his family arrived on Tuesday. In an email to the Aspen Times, Shannon Slade said she is a girlfriend of one of the daughters of the couple living in the house and that they posted the banner.

LGBT advocates have previously showed their opposition to Pence.

In December, residents in the affluent Washington neighborhood of Chevy Chase hoisted rainbow flags outside their homes following news that Pence, then newly elected, would live there temporarily before moving to the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory.

Protesters showed up the following month, dancing their way through the neighborhood and to the house Pence had rented ahead of the inauguration.

Pence, who has often described himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order," has a long history of opposing same-sex marriage and other policies that provide equal protections to members of the LGBT community.

As Indiana governor, a position he held before he was tapped as President Donald Trump's running mate, Pence signed into law a controversial legislation that advocates said would allow businesses to discriminate against members of the LGBT community. The national uproar over the divisive bill, called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, prompted Indiana legislators to modify it by adding anti-discrimination protections. But those only applied in cities, some of which are the most liberal in the state, where such protections already exist locally.

A paragraph on Pence's campaign website when he ran for Congress in 2000 fueled speculations that he is an advocate of conversion therapy, a practice of trying to change someone's sexual orientation that is banned in several states and discredited by medical organizations.

Pence said on his website that federal dollars should not go to organizations "that celebrate and encourage types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus" and funds should, instead, be given to "institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior."

Pence's spokesman, Mark Lotter, told The New York Times last year that the vice president does not support conversion therapy, and that his campaign statement was misinterpreted.

In Congress, where he was a member from 2001 to 2013 before becoming Indiana governor, Pence described traditional marriage as the institution "that forms the backbone of our society." Citing a Harvard University sociologist during a speech on the House floor, he said, "societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family."

In 2007, Pence spoke against a bill that would protect gays and lesbians from discrimination in the workplace.

"If an employee keeps a Bible in his or her cubicle, if an employee displays a Bible verse on their desk, that employee could be claimed by a homosexual colleague to be creating a hostile work environment," he said on the House floor.

Pence opposed 2009 legislation that would expand federal hate-crime statutes to include protections based on gender, disability and sexual orientation. Pence said on the House floor that he feared the bill "could have a chilling effect on the religious expression and religious freedom of millions of Americans."

The New Yorker reported in October that Trump mocked Pence's religious and socially conservative beliefs and joked that the vice president wants to "hang" gays. Pence's press secretary, Alyssa Farah, said in a statement to The Post that the lengthy piece with the headline, "The Danger of President Pence," is "unsubstantiated" and filled with "untrue and offensive" claims.

In Aspen, the banner didn't seem to cause tension.

Buglione, the sheriff's deputy, told the Aspen Times that the Secret Service agents were not bothered by the banner and were cordial with the residents who posted it.

Aspen is the county seat of Pitkin, where Hillary Clinton defeated Trump by a significant margin: 69.7 percent to 24.3 percent. Clinton won Colorado with a nearly 3 percent lead. The state went to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.

- - -

The Washington Post's Derek Hawkins contributed to this story.
The last time Virginia pulled a name out of a hat to decide an election, Stephen Burns was a newly minted voter, so jazzed about getting the franchise that he was willing to jump through multiple hoops to pick his state legislators.

That was back in November 1971, just months after the 26th Amendment had lowered the voting age from 21. An 18-year-old from Springfield, Burns had to vote absentee since he was off at college in upstate New York. He had to go to the Colgate University registrar's office to fill out his ballot since in those days, absentees needed to be notarized. And when he realized he'd made a couple mistakes, he took great pains to correct them.

Burns had meant to vote a straight Republican ticket, supporting the party's push under then-Gov. Linwood Holton, R, to end segregation. But after filling out the ballot, which at the time did not identify General Assembly candidates by party, he realized he'd accidentally voted for two Democrats in what was then a multi-member House of Delegates district.

He neatly crossed out the Democrats' names, then added a note: "Do not desire to vote for these two."

It was all for naught.

Election judges ruled that Burns had "defaced" his ballot with the extra markings and tossed it out, even after he publicly came forward to explain his blunder. The ruling left the race for a Fairfax House seat dead even, leading to a tie-breaking drawing from a silver loving cup.

His candidate won. So in the end, no harm done. But the episode has been on Burns' mind lately as Virginia grapples once again with tied House race, a disputed ballot with extra markings, and the prospect of letting the luck of the draw settle it all. Barring court intervention, the contest will be decided in Richmond Thursday when a name is plucked from a turquoise, 19th century pitcher. And this time, a lot more is riding on the outcome than the occupant of single House seat. Control of the chamber hangs in the balance.

A win by Democratic challenger Shelly Simonds would split the 100-seat House down the middle, forcing a rare power-sharing arrangement on a chamber that Republicans have controlled for 17 years. If incumbent Del. David Yancey, R, prevails, the GOP would hold a 51-49 majority.

Burns says the political import of the current fight is of no interest him, now a 64-year-old political independent and Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner. He has not lived in Virginia since the 1970s, raising his family in Maryland, then moving with his wife to the District as empty nesters.

But something about the Yancey-Simonds saga nags at Burns: His ballot was thrown out even though he went to great lengths to make his intentions clear. Yet the ballot at the center of the current fight - with bubbles filled in for both would-be delegates, plus a slanted line across one bubble - seems harder, if not impossible to decipher. And still, that ballot was counted.

"I've been following the news of the tie vote in the Virginia House of Delegates race, not because I am keenly interested in Virginia politics, but because I myself voted in a tie election in Virginia and challenged the discarding of my ballot that would have broken the tie," Burns wrote in an email to The Post. "If my case still carries any precedent, it's hard to see how the . . . [recount judges] validated the ballot that resulted in Mr. Yancey pulling into a tie with Ms. Simonds. Like mine, that ballot marked two boxes, but the voter didn't even attempt to provide any clarification. If mine was considered 'defaced' and was thereby rejected, I don't see how the one on which this race rests could be considered valid."

Clara Belle Wheeler, the lone Republican on Virginia's three-member Board of Elections, said the state has changed its recount guidelines over the years. Since Virginia has moved away from touch-screen voting machines in recent years and back to paper ballots that can be physically reviewed, the guidelines have directed vote-counters to divine the voter's intent whenever possible.

"Now you can take into consideration the voter's intent because everybody's got paper," she said.

If it's fair game to interpret the voter's intent these days, the question remains: Just what was that Yancey-Simonds voter trying to do on that ballot?

The voter, whose identity is unknown, filled in bubbles on the paper ballot for Simonds and Yancey but also made a slanted mark across the Simonds bubble. Was that an attempt to strike out the Simonds vote? Or was it half of an "X," abandoned as the voter reverted to filling in bubbles? In a vote counted for Ed Gillespie, the GOP's unsuccessful candidate for governor, the voter drew an "X" over the bubble in addition to filling it in.

After puzzling over the disputed ballot for hours on December 19, a panel of three judges decided the extra mark was meant to nix the vote for Simonds. They counted the ballot for Yancey, an interpretation the GOP embraced. Democrats say it looks like an "overvote," meaning an improper vote for both candidates, and should be tossed. They asked the judges to reconsider, causing the elections board to call off a planned drawing last week. The board said it will go ahead with the drawing Thursday unless the court acts.

Whatever the outcome, the battle drove Burns to the "family heirloom file" to reflect on his own role in Virginia's last - and perhaps only - luck-of-the-draw election tie-breaker.

And he found a copy of The Washington Post from December 25, 1971.

"Youth, 18, Says He Cast Vote That, Thrown Out, Tied Race," read the headline. Underneath was a photo of him, dark hair swooped to one side, posing with a pen or pencil akin to what he used to fill out his ill-fated ballot.

Republican William Moss had a one-vote lead over Democrat Jim Burch for the sixth at-large seat in what was then a six-member district. But in a recount, judges decided to toss out a ballot with extra markings, which they deemed "defacement." The result was a tie, 16,410 votes apiece.

Burns, back from college for Christmas break, realized the disputed ballot was his and went public.

"I thought that if I stepped forward and explained why I marked through the names, I could clear up some of the confusion and my vote could still count," he said in that Christmas Day article. "I wanted to vote a straight GOP ballot because I felt the General Assembly needs to be a more two-party operation. The Democrats have been entrenched there for too long."

But the judges were not persuaded to count the ballot. Then as now, state election law calls for breaking ties by random drawing. The names were placed in sealed envelopes and a blindfolded elections board chairman plucked one from a silver loving cup.

Moss was the winner. He served just one term before losing his re-election bid two years later.

Burns says that in his "old age," he has become more sympathetic to the election judges who rejected his ballot.

"I understand the argument," he said. "I can understand this, 'If you make the mistake, it's almost too bad.' It's clearer or easier to make a determination [to reject] without trying to interpret lines and things like that."

But in a way, that makes it even harder for him to square what happened to his ballot with current events.

"Given what my experience was," he said, "it's hard for me to understand why that particular ballot should be good."

- - -

Part of a continuing series about facets of the past that remain relevant.
U.S. crude oil production is flirting with record highs heading into the new year, thanks to the technological nimbleness of shale oil drillers who have unleashed the crude bonanza.

The current abundance has erased memories of 1973 gas lines, which raised pump prices dramatically, traumatizing the United States and reordering its economy. In the decades since, presidents and politicians have mouthed platitudes calling for U.S. energy independence.

President Jimmy Carter in a televised speech even compared the energy crisis of 1977 to "the moral equivalent of war."

"It's a total turnaround from where we were in the '70s," said Frank Verrastro, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Shale oil drills can now plunge deep into the earth, pivot and tunnel sideways for miles, hitting an oil pocket the size of a chair, Verrastro said.

The United States is so awash in oil that petroleum-rich Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil and natural gas company is reportedly interested in investing in the fertile Texas Permian Basin shale oil region, according to a report last month.

That is a far cry from the days when U.S. production was on what was thought to be an irreversible downward path.

"For years and years, we thought we were running out of oil," Verrastro said. "It took $120 for a barrel of oil to make people experiment with technology, and that has been unbelievably successful. We are the largest oil and gas producer in the world."

Shale oil drillers have spawned a revolution using high-pressure drilling, coupled with a mixture of water and sand, which breaks open - "fractures" - hard-to-reach oil pockets trapped in rock.

The major shale oil fields are in southern and southwest Texas, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming and parts of Nebraska. There are also deposits east of the Mississippi in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

U.S. oil production has averaged around 9.6 million barrels per day in 2017. The highest U.S. production based on monthly government data is above 10 million per day, which dates back to 1970.

Production hit 9.58 million barrels per day in May 2015 before prices dropped because of an oil glut.

The resilience of U.S. oil producers has come as the price of crude rose above $60 per barrel on world markets. Many shale drillers can start and stop on a dime depending on the world oil price. The sweet spot for shale profit is in the neighborhood of $55 to $60 per barrel.

An expanding world economy and production cutbacks by Russia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries have helped push prices above $60 per barrel in recent days.

The oil-friendly Trump administration has approved the controversial Keystone XL pipeline and is reportedly considering loosening offshore oil drilling regulations. The Republican tax bill signed by President Donald Trump allows oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, a potentially rich pool that conservationists oppose on grounds that it will ruin one of the planet's last wild places.

"This tax bill trades away a national treasure - for what - oil we don't need," said David Yarnold, president of the National Audubon Society, in a statement last week. Yarnold called the Arctic Refuge "one of the Earth's last wild places."

U.S. average daily oil production of 10 million barrels a day wasn't thought possible a few years ago. Daily U.S. output plummeted to 3.8 million barrels per day in September 2005 and again in September 2008.

That's nowhere near the nearly 20 million barrels per day in petroleum products that the United States consumes, but the volume of domestic production allows the country to tamp down oil prices by maintaining supply.

The increased production "doesn't make us independent, but now we have a lot of low-cost natural gas and low-cost oil. And we have become exporters of natural gas," Verrastro said. "It's a rosy scenario. At least for now."

Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial Network, said the various shale producers have coalesced into a few big players, resulting in more predictable production.

That results in a less volatile price.

"If producers can set the price, then oil companies can be a great investment," McMillan said. "If they are forced to compete, oil companies won't be."
It all goes back to the countless hours Huzaifah Khaled spent on trains and in train stations, shuttling back and forth between his home in Nottingham, England, and classes at the University of Cambridge, some 90 miles away.

"In the U.K., train stations are almost magnets for homeless people," Khaled said. "When I'd be waiting for trains, walking to and from the train station . . . I came into contact with a lot of them."

He talked with them, bought them coffee, and over time, developed relationships with them.

"I essentially developed a very deep understanding of their needs," said Khaled, who recently got his PhD in law. It hit him that, for the homeless, even basic necessities are hard to access, and the limited hours for drop-in services at day shelters meant people had to schedule their days around visits to the shelter, making it hard to hold a stable job or see family regularly.

"I realized that there had to be a more effective way of getting at least the bare necessities to them," he said.

That's how he hit on the idea of a vending machine for the homeless: a 24/7 pit stop where people can access free food, clothing and other basic supplies.

The first vending machine launched this month in a shopping center in Nottingham, stocked full of supplies like water, fresh fruit, energy bars, chips and sandwiches, as well as socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes and even books. The machine was installed by Action Hunger, a charity directed by Khaled.

The initiative has been close to two years in the making. Back in early 2016, he had toyed with the idea of installing stocked fridges in cities across the U.K. But fridges posed challenges for keeping track of supplies, so he switched gears and focused his attention on vending machines instead. He devoted weekends and evenings to the project, all the while working toward his PhD.

"I speculatively approached over 50 manufacturers across England and Europe - most ignored my proposal, a few politely declined, and just before I was about to give up and try to raise funds to buy a machine instead, [N&W Global Vending] responded to my letter and invited me to pitch the idea to them," he said. "They came on board almost immediately afterwards."

N&W Global Vending, one of the world's largest vending companies, gave Khaled a 10,000-pound, or about $13,000, machine for free. Meanwhile, Khaled reached out to the Friary, a day center serving the homeless in the Nottingham area. Now, as a partner organization to Action Hunger, the Friary gives out keycards to its patrons, which are programmed to permit up to three items being dispensed per day. Users have to show up at the Friary once a week to continue receiving access to the keycards.

The idea is users do not become dependent on the machines, and are working toward a long-term plan for getting off the streets, Khaled explained. He wants Action Hunger's low-cost vending machines, which are restocked daily by volunteers, to complement other existing services, and believes continued engagement with local support services is key to ending the cycle of homelessness.

Khaled hopes to expand quickly across the country, as well as across Europe and the United States. A machine will be installed in New York City in February, followed by San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles. Action Hunger has partnered up with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, a food rescue nonprofit based in New York City, and is also in talks with Tyson Foods.

Over the next month, Khaled and his team will monitor which products in the machine are in highest demand, and which aren't as highly sought after. In the longer term, they want to crunch data from the keycards to figure out whether giving someone access to free basic necessities contributes to helping them get off the street.

"Homelessness has become so accepted in our society that we often don't even look at these people," Khaled said. He hopes Action Hunger's vending machines will represent a step toward a sustainable, long-term solution to homelessness. Even still, he wishes homelessness had never become such a seemingly intractable issue in the first place.

"In an ideal world, I would never have needed to start this charity," he said. "I would love nothing more than to shutter this charity next week."
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 before Longford District Court last week charged under the Road Traffic Act was sentenced to three months in prison which the presiding judge suspended following a hearing into the matter.

The defendant was also disqualified from driving for six years and fined 500.



Brian McQuaide, Guaige, Ballinamuck, Co Longford appeared before Judge Seamus Hughes charged with dangerous driving and driving under the influence of alcohol at Drumlish, Co Longford on May 5, 2017.



Outlining the evidence to the court, Inspector Donal Sweeney said that on the date in question the defendant provided a reading of 307mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.



He said the defendant had been drinking vodka at home and then drove his car in the direction of Drumlish village.

However, the court was told a member of An Garda Siochana was on patrol in the area and spotted the defendant driving in a dangerous manner.



Garda Lynn was on patrol along the Longford Road in Drumlish when he observed a car driving in front of him.

The defendant struck the kerb, then performed a U-turn and travelled back where it began picking up speed.



As the driver entered Drumlish, the car swerved to avoid a collision.

The court then heard that gardai eventually stopped the defendant and detected a strong smell of alcohol coming from him.



In mitigation, the defendants solicitor Brid Mimnagh said that her client had a drink problem and was well aware that he had to do something about it.



During his deliberations on the matter, Judge Hughes said that it was lucky there had not been a road traffic accident that night.



He then told the defendant that he was close to going to prison over his behaviour.

The only thing that is saving you is that it is Christmas week, the Judge remarked as he addressed Mr McQuaide directly.

Inspector Sweeney then added, Only for Garda Lynn there could have been a fatal accident that night.



Meanwhile, Judge Hughes convicted the defendant, disqualified him from driving for six years and fined him 500 before handing down a suspended prison sentence.
Motorists are urged to be cautious as there is lots of debris and some fallen trees across Longford in the wake of Storm Dylan which gripped the country last night and early this morning.

@aaroadwatch roads around north longford are dangerous with a lot of debris and fallen branches!!  Jacqui Degnan (@JacquiDeg) December 31, 2017

Jacqui Degnan tweeted about how dangerous roads were in north Longford, while Jenny White posted a photograph on Facebook of a fallen tree near Abbeyshrule in the south of the county.

Earlier today Met Eireann moved Longford from an orange weather alert to a status yellow wind warning and while there has been reports of debris and some fallen trees, it looks like the county escaped with no reports of any major damage caused by last night's very strong winds.

Wind blown debris likely as a Status Orange warning is in place for Donegal & Status Yellow in place for Connacht, Dublin, Longford, Louth, Westmeath, Meath, Cavan & Monaghan. https://t.co/PSzIBsvOzE  AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) December 31, 2017

Met Eireann says: "Some very strong winds with mean speeds between 50 and 65km/h with gusts between 90 and 110 km/h are expected."

Gusts of almost 120km/h were recorded overnight at Mace Head in Connemara, with speeds of 111km/h clocked in Newport, Co Mayo.

Storm Dylan has now moved to the north of Ireland. Winds are generally easing, however they remain very strong & gusty in the north & northeast.

Orange and yellow wind warnings remain in effect until 9am.

The strongest recorded gust thus far was 124km/h at Malin Head.#StormDylan pic.twitter.com/PMEk6hcizQ  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) December 31, 2017

POWER OUTAGES

Meanwhile ESB Networks are reporting that 57 homes in the Rooskey area are without power this morning as a result of Storm Dylan. The outage was reported shortly after 7.30am this morning. The estimated restoration time is 12.30pm.

A further 22 homes in the Arigna/Drumshanbo area are also without power. The outage was reported at 6.48am this morning and power is not expected to be restored until 1.30pm.

Storm Dylan passes with minimal disruption to electricity supply . https://t.co/Sb2TANWfrD



*Fallen Electricity Wires are live and dangerous. Never approach or touch them. Call our emergency service immediately on 1850 372 999 or 999 or 112  ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) December 31, 2017

You may also be interested in reading:

Check your tickets! - Is the 38.9m Euromillions jackpot winner from Longford?

Longford County Council refuse to grant planning permission for Lanesboro wakeboarding facility

Award for Longford Hospice Homecare
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.
BARNSTABLE - A Gofundme site has been set up to help finance the recovery of a PetSmart employee who suffered grisly injuries during an attack by a Cape Cod pit bull earlier this week.

Sienna Bryden, 22, was mauled by the animal Wednesday while working as a pet groomer at the store's Hyannis branch.

The dog, known as "Bubba," attacked Brynden during the grooming process. "While the dog was being moved, for no apparent reason and without warning, the dog attacked the victim and would not let go of her arm," Barnstable police said Wednesday.

After authorities found her in the store nearby to a "trail of blood," Brynden was airlifted to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston for treatment, police said.

The animal, which had been involved in an earlier attack in Forestdale in September, was euthanized Thursday.

According to the victim, the owner of the dog had brought the animal in with a muzzle but described it as "sweet as can be." The owner claimed the dog was wearing a muzzle because it had previously attacked another dog, but did not disclose that it had, in fact, mauled a 62-year-old woman only several months earlier.

The crowdfunding site claims that Bryden's arm was bitten as many as twenty times and that the dog "ripped out" her shoulder from its socket.

Police additionally described her wounds as having involved "bite wounds to her upper torso, wrist and hand, as well as extensive tearing of the flesh, possible broken bones and a suspected dislocated shoulder."

The site, which claims to be set up by Brynden's sister, describes how the woman is handling her ordeal so far. "She is now home and starting her road to recovery," the site reads. "She is obviously in pain and is tramatized [sic] by the whole accident. Please for the saftey of others It is very important for people to please tell the Truth about your dogs when bringing them into grooming facilities."

"If you have no postive comments please do not share your negativity on this page," she added. "Positive thoughts ONLY!"
SPRINGFIELD - The Roman Catholic Diocese announced to parish members this weekend the 100-year-old Our Lady of the Rosary Church could no longer function financially and would close at the end of January.

At the end of the 9 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Rev. Stanley Sokol, pastor of the church read a letter from Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski announcing the closing of the church on Franklin Street. The news was also announced at the Saturday evening Mass.

While the letter was read, at least one parishioner reacted with shouts of "no." After the service, one young woman said she was done with the church.

"After careful consultation and prayerful reflection, and with a very heavy heart, I must inform you that Our Lady of the Rosary Parish will cease operations after the final Mass on Jan. 28, 2018," Rozanski said in the letter.

Attendance declined from about 160 for the combined total of the weekend Masses to about 100 for this year. Deacon Donald Philip, who is the financial manager for the church, said he released the 90-day financial report in November he warned parish members he had spent far more than was budgeted on repairs and maintenance to the building. In December the church discovered a serious problem with a leak in the steam pipe that is limiting the amount of time the boiler can run at the church.

After discussions with the church councils, Diocesan officials said it was time to close the church, he said.

"My brothers and sisters. It is sad news and painful news but as we understand and see and hear from our Bishop, it looks like this is the way to go," Rev. Sokol said.

Member Judy Hojnowski-Staszko, of Springfield, said five generations of her family have attended the church and her great-grandparents and grandparents helped built the building.

"It is one of the saddest days we have had," she said.

She said she learned the church would close after fellow parishioners called her after the Saturday evening Mass where the first announcement was made and said she felt church officials could have been more open with the members about the decision to close.

"We will still have our faith," John Staszko, her husband said.

"This is a business decision, not one about faith," Hojnowski-Staszko added.

While Immaculate Conception church will be the receiving parish for members and their records, the couple said they would consider different churches to find the best place for them to worship.

"These are wonderful people. It is a privilege to be with them. It is a sad time to be with them," Philip said.
UPDATE, Friday, April 6, 2018, 4:55 p.m.: North Adams Airport Commissioner Trevor Gilman has been cleared of all wrongdoing. Read the story >>

A member of the North Adams Airport Commission has been removed as police investigate financial irregularities at the city-owned Harriman-and-West Airport.

North Adams police are investigating "irregularities in the fuel account" at the municipal airport, Mayor Richard Alcombright told the Berkshire Eagle.

Alcombright removed Trevor Gilman on Thursday, the Eagle confirmed through city clerk records after the mayor declined to identify the commissioner by name. Gilman was removed because his actions "are not in the best interests of the city," Alcombright wrote in a letter to Gilman.

Gilman told the the Pittsfield newspaper that "every accusation will be proven false." He said he has volunteered at the airport for 20 years.

Alcombright, who leaves office Monday, said the investigation began earlier this month, and that more information will be revealed in about two weeks.

The five-member airport commission, an appointed city board, meets once a month.
Theres a disconnect between what housing costs and what many Bozeman households can pay. The city is creating a new job title to try and reduce that gap.

Next week, three candidates will interview to become Bozemans first affordable housing director  a person charged with pulling pieces together to help spur low-to-middle-income housing.

Bozeman Deputy Mayor Cyndy Andrus said the job comes as the citys workload increases to balance growth with affordability.

By Katheryn Houghton Chronicle Staff Writer

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/grappling-with-growth-bozeman-to-hire-affordable-housing-director/article_beca6bc5-e38e-507d-8699-6dc8a1f2b751.html
Photodisc/Thinkstock(MONSON, Mass.) -- Two utility workers who grew up together in Massachusetts are being hailed as heroes after guiding to warmth and safety a diaper-clad 2-year-old girl who managed to wander into car traffic during bitter cold weather.



"This poor girl -- I think it was around 3 degrees or so on the thermometer," Shawn Bronson, 44, told ABC News. "She had nothing on but a diaper."



Bronson was seated in Michael Payne's Comcast cable truck while his was in an auto shop being worked on two days ago.



As they were driving along Main Street around 2:30 p.m. between two different service jobs in their hometown of Monson, Massachusetts, they noticed the toddler trying to cross the state highway, and were alarmed because there wasn't a parent nearby.



"We both looked at each other and said, 'Is that?' and 'Can you believe that?'" he said. "And then we just acted."



Bronson said he jumped out of the Comcast truck to warn other drivers zooming along the heavily trafficked Route 32 as Payne scooped up the girl, who apparently wounded her leg.



"She ran right on the state highway," Bronson said. "She was in the middle of the road when she had fallen."



The wound, Bronson said, collected some rock salt deposited that morning to ward off the icy conditions.



"The rock salt on her wound -- it was heart-wrenching," he said.



Payne said her condition was dire at first.



Her skin was changing color, and she was shaking, he said. You could really see it in her feet because she was barefoot on the cold concrete.



The men whisked the little girl into the Woodbine Country Store and shed their gear to swaddle her.



We just started taking off our warm stuff, Bronson said. We bundled her up as best we could and proceeded to the warmest spot. It was the first thing we could think of.



Police in Monson praised the Comcast technicians.



"We commend these workers, who are also Monson residents, for their quick action leading to a positive outcome," the police said in the statement.



The toddler, the police confirmed, wore only a diaper on a day, records show, when the low temperature reached just 1 degree Fahrenheit.



The cops added that the men's vigilance as they drove along Main and Cushman Streets, in the New England town of less than 9,000 people, prevented what "could have had tragic consequences," the statement reads.



The police, the statement added, eventually identified the child and soon questioned her father, who told them he "was completely unaware that the child had wandered off" until police informed him of her absence.



The father is facing charges of reckless endangerment of a child; his daughter was transported to Wing Hospital to be evaluated, police said.



In a company statement to ABC News, Comcast spokeswoman Kirsten Roberts expressed how proud they were of the two men and "so thankful that their quick and smart reactions helped save the child."



The statement went on to say that both Bronson and Payne "are special people and employees, and were not surprised they immediately sprang into action."



The 44-year-old heroes said they have worked together as teammates long before they were installing cable and fiber optics in states such as Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.



"We've had quite a run," Bronson said. "Our families all know each other. We played soccer together, went to the same high school."



"And we finish our own sentences," Payne said, laughing.



Bronson and Payne also said they are fathers and raising daughters of their own.



And as fathers, the rescue of the little girl in the freezing cold was something neither thought twice about.



"We had to do whatever we could do to help," Bronson said.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com

Pictured is the zuppa di pesce from El Barzon in Detroit.

BY AMY SHERMAN | asherma2@mlive.com

Our Michigan's Best team of John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman have had another amazing year of seeking out the best things that our state has to offer in food, drink, and this year, even bowling alleys.

While on a search, we are supposed to be focused on the food at hand, like french fries or chicken wings. However, most of the time, the owners are eager to show off what else they make, and we are always game to try everything and anything put in front of us.

We wanted to share a few of the other amazing dishes that we tried this year, things that might not have been mentioned in our original Michigan's Best search articles. I've also included places that we stopped by that weren't included in a search, but are making some great food that you need to try.

I've also included one dish that I'll never try again. Not ever. I'll certainly be back to visit this establishment for some of the best wings in the state, however, just as soon as I can.

Don't Edit

John Gonzalez | MLive.com

We had some pretty great adventures in 2017.

Our searches this year included:

We had an incredible time playing and tasting our way across the state. Most of all, we loved meeting all the owners and employees at our Michigan's Best nominated places. You are all so passionate and talented, it was an honor to get to experience your businesses. Thank you.

Here are some of the best things to eat in Michigan, in addition to all of our Michigan's Best picks we've made over the years. Get out there and enjoy!

Don't Edit

Emily Mesner | MLive.com

Three Napkin Burger from E-Lanes, Fowler

During our search for Michigan's Best bowling alley, we found not only the best bowling alley in Michigan at E-Lanes in Fowler, but also some pretty great burgers.

The food alone is a reason to stop by E-Lanes. The "Three Napkin Burger" is a crazy concoction of locally ground chuck, seared to perfection, and then topped with peanut butter and pickles. Not at all what you'd expect, it is one of the most popular burgers on the menu.

If you go:

E-Lanes

252 N Main St

Fowler, Michigan 48835

(989) 593-2230

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Minestrone Soup from Merri Bowl, Livonia

Merri Bowl in Livonia was a top ten finalist during our search for Michigan's Best bowling alley. Owners Chrissy and Rich Glomb, along with partner Gerald Anderson, purchased Merri-Bowl three years ago and proceeded to do a complete overhaul, spending close to a million dollars upgrading everything. Originally built in 1959, Merri-Bowl now features a beautiful bar with fireplace, an outdoor patio, remodeled bathrooms, new carpet and well maintained lanes.

Chef Lisa rocks it out in the kitchen, including making a home made soups everyday. The minestrone we had was chock full of pasta and veggies, with an herby tomato broth and was a hearty, healthy snack at the lanes.

If you go:

Merri Bowl Lanes

30950 5 Mile Rd

Livonia, Michigan 48154

(734) 427-2900

Don't Edit

John Gonzalez | MLive.com

Cheddar Jalapeno Bread from Hoffman Deco Deli, Flint

This gem of a spot in downtown Flint is a fantastic sandwich shop connected to an incredible, eclectic antique spot, Carriage Town Antique Center. The antique shop is owned by Nick Hoffman, while the restaurant is owned by his son Heath.

We visited during our search for Michigan's Best sub sandwich, and while these aren't traditional subs, they are incredibly good sandwiches. One of the things that set a few of them apart was the delicious, house made, cheddar jalapeno bread that they were made with. It's got a rich depth of flavor, with just a bit of heat, and a wonderful crumb. Try it on a sandwich, or just get an order and dip it in their homemade ranch.

If you go:

Hoffman Deco Deli & Cafe

503 Garland St

Flint, Michigan 48503

(810) 238-0074

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Sub Sandwich from Richland Lanes, Richland

A sweet little spot in Richland, this bowling alley features a fun, automated system to bring your game to the next level, and a passionate owner who has been at Richland lanes for over 40 years. Owner Brian Merica explained We have to focus on being a bowling center. With the most modern equipment, the best food, and great customer service.

The food coming out of this tiny kitchen is surprisingly great. They make all their own bread for their giant sub sandwiches on site here, baking it up fresh every day. And when we say that the subs here are huge, please believe us. They are well over a foot, and are loaded with fresh sliced meats and cheeses.

Stop by to bowl a few games, and stay for a great sandwich.

If you go:

Richland Lanes

9900 E D Ave

Richland, Michigan 49083

(269) 629-9388

Don't Edit

Meatballs with Red Wine Sauce from Russo's Pizza, Wyoming

Russo's Pizza is part of the restaurant history of Grand Rapids, with owner Mike Russo's family first opening a place in 1953, and being in business (in all sorts of capacities) ever since. "I try to get the best possible products that are available" he told us. This little spot located in Wyoming, has just two tables out front, but do take a moment to sit and chat with the crew here, while they rush around filling orders at this very busy spot.

While their main focus is pizza, they also make a mean sub (the Iron Skillet steak and cheese is highly recommended), and some of the best meatballs in the state. House made, from a family recipe, these bad boys have just the right balance of hearty beef and pork, with a hit of herbs, and a bite of Romano cheese. Served with their red wine tomato sauce, they are practically perfect.

If you go:

1760 44th St SW, Ste 5

Wyoming, Michigan 49519

(616) 530-3200

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Pretzel Bread from Village Cheese Shanty, Leland

Located in the charming Fishtown area of Leland, right on the water, the Village Cheese Shanty is the place to stop from mid April through October. The bread here is what its all about, a delicious, house-made pretzel roll created by owner David Kareck. Its chewy, with a bit of caramelized flavor, and it perfectly holds all the fresh ingredients.

The substance of the roll creates a sandwich that can hold up for a few hours, which makes it perfect to grab for a trip to the beach or to enjoy on the ferry ride over to the Manitou islands. Weve had people drive 8 hours just to come here, employee Kendra Shimeck told us. Plan ahead; its cash only at the Shanty.

If you go:

Fishtown

Leland, Michigan 49654

(231) 256-9141

Don't Edit

Emily Mesner | MLive.com

A Burger from The Wagon Wheel, Portland

Owners Chopper and Jonda Schrauben have run The Wagon Wheel for 20 years, after taking over from Chopper's dad, who built it in 1972. Chopper started working here at age 8, standing on a beer crate behind the counter. They knew this industry was changing, so the enterprising couple has added a kitchen, bar, a bigger dining area, and most recently a new wood fired pizza oven.

While all the food at this bowling alley is incredible, the burgers are especially popular. Last year, they sold over 35,000 of them. Fresh ground chuck, with lovely buttery buns nestling the well seared patty. You really can't go wrong with any of them. A must stop between Lansing and Grand Rapids, they are just a hop, skip and a jump off of I-96.

If you go:

The Wagon Wheel

7888 E Grand River Ave

Portland, Michigan 48875

(517) 647-4989

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Faygo Rock N' Rye Ice Cream from Vinsetta Garage, Royal Oak

You can read more about this sweet treat from MLive reporter Edward Pevos, who is the guy who revealed how incredibly awesome this treat was. We visited Vinsetta Garage on two different searches this year, for both Detroit's Best burger and Michigan's Best french fry, and they were a top finisher for both. They know food here, and they do it well.

The Rock 'N Rye ice cream is a quintessential Michigan treat, a frozen, creamier version of that most popular Faygo flavor. Made fresh in house using liquid nitrogen to freeze it up quick and leave it nice and creamy, the dessert is served topped with Pop Rocks. Yes, that classic fizzy, popping candy. It's a great combo, and a must try.

If you go:

Vinsetta Garage

27799 Woodward Ave

Berkley, Michigan 48072

(248) 548-7711

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Africano Hummus from Peepo's Subs and Shawarma, Taylor

We visited Peepo's during our hunt for Michigan's Best sub sandwich. This little strip mall shop is famous for their "Africano" filling, which can be made with chicken, beef, crispy chicken or falafel. The super, duper secret seasoning is also complimented by a proprietary cooking technique that no one is allowed to witness. Instead, focus on how awesomely delicious it is.

You can enjoy the Africano any which way, from on a sub, to over rice, or on fries. But the best combo was the chicken Africano over their house made creamy, garlicky hummus. Dig in, with a fork or a piece of pita bread, and enjoy the rash of spices.

Peepo's

10890 S Beech Daly Rd

Taylor, Michigan 48180

(313) 299-9992

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

A Burger from Don Dee Lanes, Sault Ste Marie

We were pleasantly surprised at how many places during our search for Michigan's Best bowling alley really took their food seriously. At Don Dee Lanes, up in the Soo, their burgers took center stage.

You'd expect a frozen, pre formed patty here. But nope, you get fresh ground chuck from local butcher Nevilles. They put a heavy sear on that fresh, hand made patty, for the perfect caramelization you expect on a great burger. Simple, no frill toppings like American cheese, lettuce and tomato make sure you aren't distracted from the simply good meat here. Hit one of these up prior to your game on the lanes, you'll be ready to win.

If you go:

Don Dee Lanes

3162 S Mackinac Trl

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783

(906) 632-2269

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Killer Sub from Cenzo's Market, Pentwater

When we were on our search for Michigan's Best sub, my neighbors Lisa and Natalie Henley, who own Cenzo's Fresh Italian Market in Pentwater, hand delivered their "Killer Italian Sub" to my house. Although not officially on our search, this was truly a killer sub.

Lisa makes the sub using a combo of recipes, from both her family and from Italy. The sub featured just the right combo of imported Italian meats and cheeses, along with these amazing marinated tomatoes, that had hints of garlic and basil. The sandwich melded beautifully together the longer it sat. It would be perfect for a picnic on Pentwater's beautiful beach.

Plus anything made by a friend and delivered right to your door at 8am with a smile and a hug gets special extra points from me.

If you go:

Cenzo's Fresh Italian Market

40 6th Street

Pentwater, MI 49449

231-869-4044

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Cheese Out Pizza from Riverside Pizzeria, Iron River

Ok, ok. I know. Riverside Pizzeria was one of our top picks for Michigan's Best pizza in 2016. But that was last year, so it doesn't count as one of our 2017 searches. We returned this year during our sub search to deliver their award plaque, and of course, had to have a pizza. In the middle of a sub search. It is that good.

Made in the classic UP style of thin crispy crust, and cut into squares, this pizza is the perfect balance of flavors. I love it with sausage and banana peppers, which gives the rich, gooey pizza just the pop of acidity that it needs. Be sure to ask for it "cheese out" which means they'll add a whole additional layer of sliced cheese to the top of the pie as it leaves the oven.

I'm proud to admit that I ate this pizza, little square by little square, all the way to the Mackinac Bridge.

If you go:

Riverside Pizzeria

98 E Genesee St

Iron River, Michigan 49935

(906) 265-9944

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Pickled Beans from The Donofrios, Sault Ste Marie

During our search for Michigan's Best sub, we got a surprise visit from our good friend Pete Donofrio who stopped by during our time at the West Pier Drive In. Pete's wife Diane is an avid home canner, and she generously shared with us her fantastic pickled flat beans. How cool is that? These had a nice snap to them still, mild pucker pour, and a bit of heat.

I ate these straight of the jar, added them to bloody mary's, and put them on charcuterie platters for about a week. They went fast, but are fairly easy to make on your own if so inclined. Here's a similar recipe if you want to give it try. We are so lucky to have such fantastic readers here at MLive, and we always like it when you come out to see us during a search. We love it when you come sharing a homemade gift. That is pretty special, and we thank you!

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Hot Beef Sandwich from Suburban Lanes, Jackson

Every time I think about this hot beef sandwich from Suburban Lanes in Jackson my mouth inevitably waters. Imagine hand pulled roast beef, layered on fluffy white bread with homemade, slightly lumpy, creamy mashed potatoes, all doused in an incredible, rich brown beefy gravy. It is the biggest, best gut bomb in the state, and you can enjoy it all for only $8.48. This sandwich could easily feed two people, no problem.

Owners Ron and Cindy Daniels decided to do something for themselves, so they bought a bowling alley in 2004. Cindy runs the kitchen, and makes everything homemade. Come to bowl on their pristine lanes, and stay for the food.

If you go:

Suburban Lanes

3801 Ann Arbor Rd

Jackson, Michigan 49202

(517) 764-3200

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Loaded Wedge Salad from The Thirsty Sturgeon, Wolverine

This little road side restaurant is located about half way between Indian River and Wolverine, right on the snowmobile trail, making it an incredibly popular spot in the winter. We came in after winter rafting down the Sturgeon River and needed to both warm up and get some sustenance. The parking lot had way more sleds in it then cars, and you might have to wait a minute on a busy weekend.

Once seated, they've got plenty of craft beer and cocktails to choose from, and a much more diverse menu than you might have thought. Yes, there are burgers, and they are good, but there is much more. The wedge salad, always a classic, is super fresh here. Crisp head lettuce, drowning in a homemade blue cheese dressing, then gets sprinkled with bacon, tomato and onion. Sometimes you just don't mess with tradition, you just make it right, like they do at The Thirsty Sturgeon.

If you go:

The Thirsty Sturgeon

11900 Scott Rd

Wolverine, MI 49799

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Hot Beef from Ray Ray's Italian Sausage, Kalamazoo

This is one of the greatest hot beef Chicago style sandwiches ever. Owner Robert Gutierrez roasts his own beef, then hand pulls it and lets it soak in the super flavorful juice. When ready to serve, he piles it into his perfect, custom baked bun, and then tops it with his home made, fresh giardiniera.

Get it "wet" and you have a two handed wonder that will leave you an absolute mess, with beefy juices running down your chin, and giardiniera in you lap, but you could not be happier after eating one of these.

We visited during our search for Michigan's Best french fries, of which Ray Ray's is in the top ten in Michigan. Thank goodness Robert decided to stuff us with everything else too, all of the food here is top notch.

If you go:

Ray Ray's Italian Beef and Sausage

1715 Miller road

Kalamazoo, Michigan 49001

(269) 381-6138

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Roasted Cauliflower from Coppercraft Distillery, Holland

Sometimes a dish comes together to be much more than the sum of it's parts. This roasted cauliflower from Coppercraft Distillery seems simple when you read the menu description: Roasted cauliflower, pepperoncini, bacon, white cheddar. Put these all together, however, and you have a skillet of greatness. Smokey, caramelized cauliflower, with another layer of smokey, rich goodness from the bacon. Creamy, melty cheese. Then the whole thing goes up in flames when you add the briny acidity of the pepperoncini. An excellent example of a dish in balance.

Complement it with one of their hand crafted cocktails made with spirits distilled on site.

If you go:

Coppercraft Distillery

184 120th Ave

Holland, Michigan 49424

(616) 796-8274

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Baby Ice Cream Cone from Mussel Beach Drive In, Bay City

When we are on one of our Michigan's Best searches, we obviously are eating a verifiable ton of food. But after consuming french fry after french fry, or slice after slice of pizza, you sometimes crave something different. Anything different. During our visit to Mussell Beach Drive In for best french fry (and they are fantastic there), owner Jacquie Larner blessed me with this teeny, tiny ice cream cone. It was exactly the right size for me to handle, and it was creamy, cold and delicious. Plus, it was NOT a french fry, so it was just what I wanted.

If you go:

Mussel Beach Drive In

3540 State Park Dr

Bay City, Michigan 48706

(989) 686-0575

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Burger of the Month from Hamburger Mikey, Muskegon

Well of course they have great burgers at Hamburger Mikey, I mean it is right in their name. But we had come by to try french fries, not burgers. Good thing that didn't matter to managing partner Tim Taylor, he brought some out anyways.

Hand-pattied fresh beef from a local butcher set these burgers apart. They are big, juicy, messy, and delicious. Be sure to check out what the "Burger of the Month" is, it is always something totally unique and amazing.

It goes without saying that you should also get fries when you are here, they were in the top ten of our search.

If you go:

Hamburger Mikey

1129 3rd street

Muskegon, Michigan 49441

(231) 724-3008

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Greek Salad from Vango's, Marquette

When we are in the middle of search, I can usually be guaranteed to be asking for a salad every day right around 2. The craving for fresh, crunchy vegetables, and for the twang of acidity from a well made dressing literally will make me a little crazy. Thank you Vango's Pizza knowing exactly what I needed when we visited to try your famous waffle fries.

They offer a lot of different Greek food on the menu here, from classic spanikopita to a great Greek pizza. The Greek salad is lovely, super fresh, and chock full of veggies. The dressing is homemade and herby. Add in a bit of crumbled feta and you have a winner.

A salad a day not only keeps the doctor away, it also keeps Amy very happy.

If you go:

Vango's Pizza

927 N 3rd St

Marquette, Michigan 49855-3503

(906) 228-7707

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Goulash from Fredi the PizzaMan, Melvindale

We stopped in for Fredi's famous Pizza Fries that are topped with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and jalapenos, a unique twist on cheese fries. We left fans of his equally famous goulash.

Classic home style goodness. Elbow macaroni gets smothered in house made goulash, featuring ground beef, onion, tomato. It tastes just like mom or grandma used to make, and is hearty and warming. You'll love this little gem in Melvindale. Only open for lunch, and very popular with local factory workers, be sure to stay for a bit and chat with owner Fredi, not only does he love to talk about food, he's something of an expert on Detroit sports.

If you go:

Fredi the PizzaMan

17900 Allen

Melvindale, Michigan 48122

(313) 383-6279

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Coconut Cream Pie from Joy's "Bring Home the Goodness", Monroe

Owner Joy Langton took the name of her restaurant to heart when we visited, and truly did "bring out the goodness." I swore she was trying to kill us, as tray after tray of delicious homemade food arrived at our table. We not only tried her classic Italian sub, we also had soup, pasties, sandwiches, pepperoni rolls, and cookies. It was the pie that she brought out in honor of my birthday that almost sent us over the edge.

Coconut cream pie is my pie weakness. I love the creamy filling over a flaky crust, and feel it is just the most soothing pie out there. Joy's is a great rendition, made a bit lighter with the use of meringue as a topping instead of heavy whipped cream. It was delicious, and so very nice to get to celebrate with new friends.

Totally worth a stop if you find yourself in Monroe.

If you go:

Joy's "Bring Home the Goodness"

1125 W Front St

Monroe, Michigan 48161

(734) 682-5051

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Tricked Out Mac and Cheese from Fenton Fire Hall, Fenton

Fenton Fire Hall is part of the Union Joints family of restaurants, and their mac and cheese, which you can get at many of their locations, was named Michigan's Best in 2015. I just can't visit one of their places and NOT get it.

Penne noodles get doused in a homemade creamy bechamel with Parmesan cheese, Pinconning cheese and a topping of sharp Vermont cheddar and panko crumbs for just a hint of crunch against all that creaminess. It truly is a remarkable dish. The version we had at Fenton featured the lovely addition of bacon, jalapenos and a fried egg on top. Because why not?

If you go:

Fenton Fire Hall

201 S Leroy St

Fenton, Michigan 48430

(810) 936-0442

Clarkston Union

54 S. Main St.

Clarkston MI

(248) 620-6100

Union Woodshop

18 S Main St

Clarkston, Michigan 48346

(248) 625-5660

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet from Delft Bistro, Marquette

The Delft Bistro is a cool new addition to the dining scene in Marquette. An open kitchen greets you when you arrive to the wood floored, two storied room that features a huge movie screen on one wall. We stopped in to try their hand cut french fries, which are great. Then we were surprised when this little beauty arrived at our table unbidden.

I dove right in. Fresh from the oven, this skillet is full of a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie. Smothered in vanilla ice cream from local creamery Jilbert's, it is the perfect combo of warm and cold.

If you go:

The Delft Bistro

139 W. Washington St.

Marquette, Michigan 49855

(906) 273-2455

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | MLive.com

A Burger from Northern Lights Recreation, Harbor Springs

Yep, another great burger you can find at a bowling alley. Can you ever really have too many great burgers? I think not. If you find yourself up near Harbor Springs, not only can you throw a few balls, play some arcade games, or slaughter each other at laser tag, you can also enjoy one tasty burger.

For some reason, I extra love burgers that come wrapped in paper. It makes the whole task of taking that greasy goodness down so much easier. The burger at Northern Lights is everything you want in a good one. Hand formed patties get a good sear on the flat top, for lovely caramelization. We recommend the "Hot Momma" which has just enough heat to cut through the crusty beef and creamy cheese.

If you go:

Northern Lights Recreation

8865 Harbor Petoskey Rd (M-119)

Harbor Springs, Michigan 49740

(231) 347-3100

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Pizza from Fricano's, Grand Haven

Fricano's is a legendary Michigan restaurant, known for their ultra thin crust pizzas. We've visited them during our searches for Michigan's Best pizza, both in 2016 and in 2013. But since our last visit was LAST year, they qualify for this list.

The pizza here is simple, and simply amazing. Extra thin crust gets a thin smear of sauce, then lots of cheese, and your pick of just five toppings: sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, green peppers and anchovies. The pies come out of the deck oven perfectly caramelized, and get quickly cut with giant scissors into slices. Everyone orders their own pie, with this thin crust it is easy to take down a whole one.

The ambience at Fricano's also makes it special. They are located in an 1940's house, with quant decor, and a true family feel. An absolute must stop when out on the lakeshore.

If you go:

Fricano's Pizza Tavern

1400 Fulton St

Grand Haven, Michigan 49417-1536

(616) 842-8640

Don't Edit

Check out how to spend a Michigan's Best day in Grand Haven, and enjoy Fricano's pizza for yourself.

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Fried headcheese from The Sovengard, Grand Rapids

I've been obsessed with The Sovengard since it opened last year, and consistently tell everyone that it is currently my favorite restaurant in Grand Rapids. It has a fantastically unique location over on the hot West Side of GR, with an amazing outdoor space to enjoy in the summer, including a bocce ball court. But it's the food that really matters here.

Chef Patrick Conrade sources local products to feature on his Scandinavian inspired menu. Hooray! It's not just another restaurant with the same old pub food, this stuff is exciting, fresh, and unique.

The charcuterie board here (all too often an after thought, or a way to just use up leftovers from a catering) is hands down the best I've ever had. Constantly changing, and evolving, it features house made cured meats, pates, pickles, mustards and more. Complemented by both local and world renowned cheeses, it's the perfect start to your experience here.

During the fall, they featured deep fried head cheese on the board. HEAD CHEESE. One of the best things I ate all year, the deeply flavored and incredibly tender meat was encrusted in a crispy coating. The whole thing just melted into a pork bomb in your mouth. A little acid from the pickled veggies and slurp of a sour beer from Speciation, and that head cheese was perfect.

The restaurant has proven so popular that they are going to be expanding their space in 2018.

If you go:

The Sovengard

443 Bridge St NW

Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504

(616) 214-7207

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Pizza from Golden Sands Golf Course, Mears

We stopped by Golden Sands during our search for Michigan's Best sub sandwich, and loved the toasted subs that they hand make here. I'm lucky enough to get visit these guys pretty frequently, as my family has a cottage nearby.

The owners, Bill and Alicia Kolenda, have become friends over the years. They always have a pretty great craft beer selection going on at the small bar here, and Bill loves to stump me with beers every time I stop by. You can enjoy one before or after your nine holes of nice and easy (and completely unpretentious) golf on their course, or just stop by for something to eat at this local gathering place.

The pizza here is hand made and fantastic. The twisted crust gets a smattering of oil, parmesan cheese and spices and is irresistible. Perfect amount of toppings on the square slices, this is one fine pie. Stop by, place your order, get a bucket of balls and hit the driving range. They'll yell out when it's ready.

If you go:

Golden Sands Golf and Bucket Bar

2501 N Wilson Rd

Mears, Michigan 49436

(231) 873-4909

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Seafood Molcajete at Chilango's Cantina Grill, Jackson

We spent a day in Jackson for our Michigan's Best Day series, and when they brought out this dish at Chilango's, my eyes popped right out of my head. We had already enjoyed some of Michigan's Best tacos at their new location in Jackson, and they were delicious. But this was something on a whole different playing field.

Their Seafood Molcajete is a thing of beauty. Layers of scallops, shrimp, crab and a whole fried snapper are expertly arranged in a lava bowl, and then drenched in a spicy tomato sauce. Fun to share, and perfect with one of Chilango's margarita towers (yes, a tower), this is one special dish.

If you go:

Chilango's Cantina Grill

501 Longfellow Ave

Jackson, Michigan 49202

(517) 795-1465

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Cheesesteaks from Mr. Spots, Ann Arbor

A popular place in Ann Arbor, Mr. Spots was one of our stops for Michigan's Best chicken wings. As is often the case, if someone recommends something else to try during a stop we are all in. The cheesesteak is a personal weakness for me, so after sampling a few dozen wings we had one of these beauties for dessert.

Steaming hot, loaded with shaved beef, coated in melty cheese and topped with these very hot peppers, it was cheesesteak perfection. No wonder Mr. Spots sometimes delivers hundreds of these to the University of Michigan football team as they head out for an away game.

If you go:

Mr. Spots

808 S State St

Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

(734) 747-776

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Potato Chips and Dip from 327 Braun Court, Ann Arbor

A behind the scenes look at a Michigan's Best search would reveal that every time we stop for gas, I run in and buy a variety of weird chips. We then taste test them to pass the time, and we have a lot of time to pass when we are in the car. You can check us out eating chips here. Chips are pretty much the greatest food ever, and you'd be surprised at the regional differences available in Michigan.

So what's better than chips out of a bag from a gas station? Hand cut, freshly fried chips served with homemade onion dip from 327 Braun Court. You need some of these in your life, trust me. The wings here aren't too shabby either, in fact they came in second on our search for Michigan's Best chicken wing.

If you go:

327 Braun Court

327 Braun Court

Ann Arbor, MI

(734) 219-3768

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Elote from Arturo's Tacos, Grand Haven

During our Michigan's Best day in Grand Haven we stopped by Arturo's, a gem of a spot for amazing tacos and one really huge burrito. Gonzo first visited here in 2014 during the search for Michigan's Best taco and knew we had to include them for our best day.

The elote is essentially doctored up corn on the cob on a stick. It's easily the tastiest vegetable you'll have eaten in a while, coated in a thin layer of lime mayo, then crumbled cotija cheese, and liberally dose of spicy chili powder. It's got everything you want: creamy, sweet, acid and spice. An added bonus is that you can also order this OFF the cob, and it arrives in a cup with a spoon.

If you go:

Arturo's Tacos

305 N Beacon Blvd

Grand Haven, Michigan 49417

(616) 844-4100

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Carrot Cake Crescents from Hinkley Bakery, Jackson

There is a reason that Hinkley Bakery was named Michigan's Best doughnut in 2014. Not just one reason, like the fact their Thursday only special, the carrot cake crescents are sinfully delicious, but so many reasons that you start to wonder if they just might make the best doughnuts on earth.

Everything here is handmade by owner Brian Hinkley, the great grandson of the original owners. He makes traditional doughnuts, like long johns, but also unique specialty ones like the walnut fritter. The bakery embodies both a spirit of family and of the Jackson community. You might have to wait for a few in the line that often snakes out the door, but you'll be amongst friends almost immediately.

Plan your trip for a Thursday to grab these tender, yet crisp little babies, coated in a thick cream cheese icing.

If you go:

Hinkley Bakery

700 S Blackstone St

Jackson, Michigan 49203

(517) 782-1122

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Double Pickles from The Pickle Barrel, Jackson

The Pickle Barrel obviously knows how to make a great sandwich, as they were a top nominee for Michigan's Best sub sandwich. What caught us in a pleasant surprise was the two completely different pickles that came with each one.

These are classic, traditional, absolutely lovely pickles. One is garlicky, the other very sour. Each is a different complement to the sandwiches here. This is the only stop that offered two different styles of pickles, and we loved that.

The Pickle Barrel is currently closed while to move to a larger new space. Check their Facebook page for updates.

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Shrimp and Grits at Lagniappe Cajun Creole Eatery, Marquette

We had been hearing about a great Cajun restaurant in Marquette for years, and never had the time to stop and check it out. We finally made it here after the Michigan Brewers Guild UP Beer Fest in September, and were very impressed.

They've got all sorts of delicious, flavorful Cajun food at Lagniappe, including these tasty shrimp and grits. Tender shrimp, spicy andouille sausage, and a zippy sauce loaded with the holy trinity of vegetables all served over creamy, corny grits. A fun, lively place located right downtown, with food that tastes straight out of the Big Easy.

If you go:

Lagniappe Cajun Creole Eatery

145 E Washington St

Marquette, Michigan 49855

(906) 226-8200

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Breakfast Shots at Duffy's Food and Spirits, Jackson

Ok, ok this one might be stretching it a bit, but since there is bacon in it, it counts as food, right? The Breakfast Shots at Duffy's Pub in Jackson are a great way to start your day, in every way. One of our stops for Michigan's Best neighborhood bar, Duffy's is a fantastic, friendly little place that gives you a taste of all that is great about Jackson.

This "breakfast" consists of two shots. One, a blend of Jameson whiskey and Buttershots schnapps. The chaser is orange juice and a slice of crisp bacon. Line 'em up, knock 'em down, have a great day.

If you go:

Duffy's Food and Spirits

751 N Waterloo St

Jackson, Michigan 49202

(517) 789-8450

Don't Edit

Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

The one thing we won't ever eat again.

First, we absolutely loved Sporty's Wing Shack and Smokehouse in Pinconning. The owners and staff are incredibly friendly, and we had a rip roaring good time with all of them.

The wings here are absolutely delicious, just the right size, and full of flavor. You can pick from 26 different sauces here, and the wings go straight out of the hot fryer and into the sauce for maximum effect. You really can't go wrong with any of them.

Except for one.

After trying dozens of flavors, we stupidly agreed to attempt to tackle the "Suicide Challenge". If you eat 6 wings in an hour, you get them for free, and your picture on the wall of fame. Thousands have tried, less than a hundred have succeeded. We failed miserably.

Gonzo ate one wing. I ate two bites.

All of the flavors have a Heat Index from 1-10 to give you an idea of what to expect. The Suicide Wing comes in at 21. I felt every single one of those numbers, from the insane burn that immediately impregnated my mouth, the thought that my throat was closing up at one point, to the insane laughter that began when I realized that this burn wasn't going away anytime soon.

My lips puffed up, tears streamed down my face for an hour, and my stomach started churning right away. It didn't stop churning for two days, and after drinking two bottles of Pepto. I eat for a living, and I have never had a dish take me down like those Suicide Wings did.

Have mercy on my soul Sporty's, and please don't ever serve me those Suicide Wings again. I will instead indulge in your very yummy Garlic Parmesan ones, or the uniquely flavored PB&J wings, thank you very much.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jake May | Mlive.com

The after effect of the Suicide Wings Challenge.....never again.

Bottle number two down the hatch. The only time I've ever had to drink that nasty stuff during a search.

Thank you for teaching me my limits Sporty's. I always say I love hot things, I realized right then and there that a heat index of 21 is way too much for me.

Don't Edit

Cory Morse | MLive

Michigan's Best would love to hear from you.

We always love to hear from our readers. What did you eat this year that just blew you away? What's been your favorite new restaurant in Michigan? A hidden gem? A classic that just keeps making great food? Let us know.

We also love to hear your suggestions on what we should search for next. Send us your ideas.

Amy is at asherma2@mlive.com

Gonzo is at michigangonzo@mlive.com

Whether we're searching for Michigan's Best or just checking out great breweries, you can always follow us on Social Media. We're always posting photos, videos and more!

Amy Sherman on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram

John Gonzalez on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram
Attorneys for Arthur Rathburn are fighting to keep jurors from seeing gruesome FBI photos taken inside his Detroit warehouse during a raid in 2013.

Rathburn, 64, of Grosse Pointe Park, is accused of fraudulently misrepresenting his unusual product: body parts from dismembered cadavers that he supplied to medical organizations and educational courses in exchange for rental fees.

The government portrays Rathburn as running a shoddy, for-profit body broker business based on greed that had little regard for sanitation, customers, donors or their loved ones.

While there are strict laws surrounding the sale of body parts for medical use, such as in transplant operations, U.S. law does not prohibit the rental of body parts for medical training.

"Instead of using industry-standard, sterilized autopsy equipment, (Rathburn) used a chainsaw, band saw and reciprocating saw to dismember bodies without taking sanitary precautions," the federal complaint against Rathburn says.

He "stored human heads by stacking them directly on top of each other ... " and "pools of frozen blood and bodily fluids were found" in the bottom of freezers in his warehouse.

.@Reuters finds authorities missed chances to rein in body broker Arthur Rathburn for more than a decade: https://t.co/BV4oim1q6Y pic.twitter.com/IN72i8WoQO  Reuters Top News (@Reuters) October 31, 2017

A hearing on the motion to suppress the contested evidence photos was held Wednesday, Dec. 27, a day after Reuters published apparently leaked, confidential pictures of fetuses taken during the 2013 raid. How the fetuses were acquired and for what purpose hasn't been revealed.

Federal prosecutors claim Rathburn, with the help of his wife, Elizabeth Rathburn, operated a "scheme" from 2007 until 2013 in which their company, International Biological Incorporated, acquired cadavers from donors who died of infectious diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis B and sepsis, for free or at a discounted price.

With knowledge that many customers wouldn't accept infected body parts, the Rathburns concealed that information and rented out the body parts as if they weren't infected, the U.S. Attorney's Office claims.

A defense motion filed by attorneys James C. Howarth and Craig A. Daly claims "many of the pictures" the U.S. Attorney's Office intends to present at trial "are unfairly prejudicial inasmuch as they are gory, gross and sickening, and will unnecessarily inflame the passions of the jury and interfere with the deliberative process."

The nine photos in question were submitted to the court as an exhibit with the motion filing, but aren't available to the public.

Rathburn arrived in court Wednesday wearing shackles, a red jumpsuit, a bushy mustache and glasses. On the back of the jump seat read "Wayne County Jail Prisoner" in the faded white letters.

Rathburn, who was attentive and wrote frequent notes to his attorneys during Wednesday's hearing, has been jailed since his 2016 arrest, held in federal prison up until his Nov. 30 transfer to the Wayne County Jail, where he is preparing for his trial scheduled to begin Jan. 4 and last approximately three weeks.

U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman said he plans to rule on whether the contested photos will be allowed during a pretrial hearing Tuesday, Jan. 2.

The defense offered a compromise: They said the prosecution could show the jury photos of 18 human heads intercepted by customs agents in 2012 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago from an inbound Italy flight, as well as photos taken of body parts turned over to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office.

In exchange, the U.S. Attorney's Office would have to agree not to show the jury pictures from the 2013 warehouse raid.

The opposing attorneys weren't able to agree to those terms Wednesday.

Borman has indicated an intent to handle the content of the gruesome photos delicately.

He said the prosecution will not be able to display evidence photos on overhead projectors during opening statements and asked that each juror be given copies of admitted evidence photos to keep in personal evidence folders throughout trial.

Borman asked reporters to leave the courtroom Wednesday before the motion hearing concluded to conduct a "sealed hearing" with the attorneys, Rathburn and court personnel.

It's unclear what the hearing was about, but the judge said the content, if reported publicly, could be unfairly prejudicial to Rathburn.

There were other motions to suppress evidence or testimony during the trial.

Borman ruled that assistant U.S. attorneys will be able to present evidence related to alleged crimes with which Rathburn was never charged.

Specifically, investigators suspect Rathburn's company supplied infectious body parts to seven educational medical courses going back to 2007.

Some of the suspected crimes occurred long enough ago to exceed the bounds of the statute of limitations.

In one unresolved issue, the U.S. Attorney's Office is asking the judge to prohibit Rathburn from testifying about whether the body parts were infected when they were sold, or whether he believed the body parts were capable of causing the spread of further infection.

Prosecutors argue the testimony would be subjective and confusing for jurors.

"This is not a medical crime; it is a financial crime" related to fraud, assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Wyse said. The judge has not ruled on the issue, but is expected to before the defense presents its case at trial.

Rathburn is charged with 13 crimes, including fraud and illegal transportation of hazardous materials.

Rathburn's wife pleaded guilty to wire fraud as part of a plea deal and is awaiting sentencing.

Rathburn's involvement in the body broker industry spans back to his stint as a donor coordinator for the University of Michigan, where he worked from 1984 to 1990.

In to the book "Body Brokers: Inside America's Underground Trade in Human Remains," author Annie Cheney writes that Rathburn was a morgue attendant at the U-M Medical School, who "supplied body parts to the American Association of Clinical Anatomists and other organizations until he was caught and fired."

State regulators in 2014 permanently revoked Rathburn's mortuary science license.
DETROIT, MI - Weather, maintenance concerns, air traffic. All routine reasons for flight issues.

A bird on the plane? Unlikely - but not impossible.

A feathered stowaway caused a disturbance Saturday on a Delta flight leaving Detroit Metro Airport.

Shortly after takeoff, pilots aboard Flight 1943 became aware of the small bird on the flight deck, the airline reported in a statement.

It had entered the aircraft during boarding.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the captain made the decision to return to Detroit to avoid a potential distraction during flight," the statement reads.

The plane landed without incident and the bird was "safely removed and set free," Delta reported.

All human passengers safely arrived in Atlanta.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - After a little break, state police Lt. Rob Davis of the Lakeview post is back to answer your driving questions in Ask a Trooper.

Have a traffic question? Email Lt. Davis and the troopers at the Lakeview and Rockford posts at MSP-AskTpr@michigan.gov

Here's Lt. Davis:

I hope everyone had a safe and relaxing Christmas Holiday. I've been on a bit of an "Ask a Trooper" Hiatus as the e-mail went down during the same time I was extremely busy. I finally got the e-mail back up and running and have recruited some help within the ranks. I apologize if you e-mailed and never got a response, but we're catching up and again and encourage your questions and comments.

To get us going again I asked Sgt. Mike Zeilinger of our Post to pick a topic in which he fields a lot questions. Sgt. Zeilinger is a 17-year veteran of our department who has a passion for traffic safety and holds a tremendous amount of practical experience and knowledge regarding the vehicle code.

This week Sgt. Zeilinger is going to address the issue of passing on the right on a two lane road. We've all experienced "that guy" who is "fish tailing" up the gravel shoulder trying to get by the obstruction, usually someone turning left, and then has to recklessly cut back in because traffic starts moving again. It's a dangerous thing to do and leads to a lot of traffic crashes; here's the skinny on the law from Mike:

Sgt. Zeilinger:

As you expect, Troopers see a lot of motor vehicle violations over the course of their work. I was asked the other day about people passing on the right shoulder of a two-lane road when another vehicle is making a left hand turn.

The answer is no, unless there is a designated passing lane. The driver is not allowed to overtake and pass another vehicle on the right by driving off the pavement or main traveled portion of the roadway.

Most roads in Michigan have a gravel shoulder and that is not the main traveled portion of the road. Some roads have paved shoulders, but again this is not the main traveled portion of the roadway. Passing on the right is only allowed if there is a designated passing lane. A designated passing lane will be paved and wide enough for a vehicle to travel on without going onto the gravel portion of the road. There should also be a break in the fog line (white line on the shoulder of the road) to indicate that you can use that portion of the road.

The section of motor vehicle code that pertains to this is MCL Sec 257.637

As always, should you have any questions, please feel free to stop into your nearest Michigan State Police Post and a Trooper will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you for taking the time to educate yourself and drive safe.
WYOMING, MI -- Wyoming police are searching for a suspect who robbed a gas station in the early morning hours of New Year's Eve.

Police were called to the Admiral gas station at 3221 S. Division Ave. at 6:14 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 31.

A suspect believed to be armed with a gun robbed the gas station, officials said.

Police have not yet released a suspect description or additional details.
SPRING LAKE, MI - The leader of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church will visit Spring Lake next week.

Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin, 50, who has been a bishop since 2005, will visit St. Matthew Lutheran Church for an event on Saturday, Jan. 6, and to preach at a service on Sunday, Jan. 7.

Siberia is a huge Russian province that encompasses much of northern Asia. The landscape includes tundra, coniferous forests and several mountain ranges.

Lytkin will be hosted by St. Matthew church, Siberian Lutheran Mission Society and Thrivent.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, a luncheon will held at the church, 15395 Rannes Road, at which Lytkin will speak about the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society and its support of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church. A free-will offering will be taken to support the mission.

Lytkin will preach at the 9:30 a.m. service at St. Matthew church on Sunday, Jan. 7.

Before the Russian Revolution of 1917 - which led to the rise of the Soviet Union - Russia was home to more than one million Lutheran citizens, according to the International Lutheran Council. After the revolution, most Lutheran pastors were exiled or executed, and their churches were closed by 1939.

The Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church grew out of Lytkin's efforts after he began preaching in Novosibirsk, Siberia, in the early 1990s, according to the ILC.

Lytkin's mission was associated with the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1993 until 2003 when it became autonomous, according to the ILC.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

After meeting a spurt in the demand for coal from the power sector, Coal India is set to prioritise on improving supplies to captive power producers to cater to the needs of cement, aluminium and sponge-iron sectors. CIL is dispatching some 246 coal rakes per-day of which 217-218 rakes are moving to the power sector and the rest to the non-power sector, a top CIL official said.

"We are now focusing on offering additional coal to captive power plants (CPPs). We are now restricting coal supply to power sector to some 217-218 rakes per day and pushing the rest to CPPs and other non-power consumers," the official told PTI.

Cement plants in the country were facing fuel crisis after petcoke was banned in three states for causing a high level of pollution.

The CIL source said that in addition to the supply through Fuel Supply Agreement, coal is also offered through auctions to provide requisite windows to cement plants for meeting their coal requirement.

We want to ramp up coal loading from January to 272 rakes per day from our own sources and have already placed requisition for the same with the Railways.

Supply to industrial consumers are set to increase by 100 percent from the current level of about 25 rakes per-day, without affecting the despatch to power utilities, the official said.

Till November, some 13 million tonne of additional coal was supplied to the power sector.

In September-November 2017, there was a spurt in demand for thermal power from the power sector as supply from the hydel and nuclear power had slumped.
Among the myriad developments that took place in the year gone by, if there is one that stands out in a league of its own, it is the roll-out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

The new tax system came to force on July 1 and has since been one of the most talked about subjects across the country. Although it was one of the most awaited decisions by the government over the last couple of years, the manner in which it was rolled out gave rise to a heated debate.

The tax reform was first proposed by former President Pranab Mukherjee, who was then a Rajya Sabha member, way back in the 1980s. However, the first formal proposal was made by the P Chidambaram-led finance ministry in the 2006 budget and work on the formulation of reforms started under the current BJP-led government last year.

The creation of the GST regime involved merging all indirect taxes into one and also making a conscious effort to not hurt any sector that falls under its ambit. Of course, this naturally did not go as planned right away and when the first list of products on which GST would be applicable was published in July, it attracted a lot of flak from most sections of society.

The first list of products under GST included phone bills, cigarettes, personal care products, insurance premiums and hotel stays, among others. They were taxed at 5 percent, 12 percent, 18 percent or 28 percent. But what attracted the most attention at the time was a 12 percent GST imposed on sanitary napkins. Medical professionals and women from across the country protested the decision and "Sex is a choice, periods are not" became a popular slogan.

Come September, the GST debate gathered more steam when handicraft workers across the country cried foul after a GST of 28 percent was imposed on all handicraft products. The tax on them before the advent of GST was just 12 percent. When the workers complained that there was no way they could procure raw materials with this kind of tax rate in place and keep their business profitable at the same time.

Another issue that the regime faced in the initial few months after its arrival was low compliance. But what was new was the reason for this lack of compliance -- confusion. No one seemed to know how to go about filing their taxes under the new regime, not even qualified chartered accountants with years of experience in handling tax-related matters. And because the of this confusion, the government's tax revenue for October fell to as low as Rs 86,346 crore.

The impact of GST on small and medium sized businesses and exporters finally convinced the government that a rationalisation of rates was in order. In October, the GST Council revised the rates on 27 products and set up a group of ministers to look into issues faced by these businesses.

When even this did not seem to pacify the growing discontent among the public with respect to the new regime, the Council slashed rates on as many as 178 products the following month, significantly bringing down the tax burden on various sectors. Restaurants became cheaper to go to and so did hotels, while daily consumption items like chewing gum, chocolates and beauty products became significantly cheaper.

In addition to this, the government also extended the deadlines for filing tax returns so that taxpayers are able to file their returns on time and without any confusion. Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia also held the 'GST masterclass' series to clear some of the doubts people had about GST. Finance minister Arun Jaitley also hinted that the two slabs of 18 percent and 12 percent will be merged into one and the number of products under the 28 percent bracket will be brought down.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today launched "Saubhagya Yojana", a programme that would provide electricity to all the 29,376 villages in the state.

Launching the "Saubhagya Yojana" here, Das said only 38 lakh households out of 68 lakh households in the state could get electricity in 67 years.

However, this government has provided electricity to 13 lakh households in just three years, an official release said quoting the chief minister.

By December 2018, the target is to provide electricity to the rest 17.64 lakh households, Das said adding people would get electricity 24x7, which would not only change the life of the people in the villages but also there would be a change in their thought, economic condition, education of their children and lift irrigation for the farmers.

Jharkhand would be made electricity hub by 2022, the chief minister said adding it would produce electricity and provide electricity to other states as well.

He said now coal is being sent to other states for electricity, but by 2022 electricity would be generated from Jharkhand and provided to other states. The state was working with a vision and mission, he said.

Das said that whichever village did not get electricity through grid has been electrified through solar energy.

There are 248 villages which are hilltops and electricity has been provided to such places, he said.

The government is also working on providing electricity from different feeders to cottage industries and agriculture, he said.

About 17.64 lakh families in villages and 1.64 lakh families in the urban areas would get electricity under this yojana, he said, adding the poor would get electricity free of cost.

APL families would get electricity connection by paying Rs 500 in 10 instalments of Rs 50 each month, he said.

This yojana, he said, would help achieve the central governments target of providing 24x7 electricity.

People could give a missed call on a toll free number 1800-200-2266 to apply for new connection under the yojana.

In villages, a mobile van would be there for applying connection, the release said.
When it comes to comply with corporate governance and CSR spending norms, the government feels there is a need for "little more nudging and prodding", according to a senior official.

Under the Companies Act, 2013 -- which is implemented by the corporate affairs ministry -- there are strict norms for ensuring good corporate governance practices besides requiring certain class of profitable companies to shell out a minimum amount towards CSR activities.

The provisions related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) came into effect from April 1, 2014.

Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas told PTI that there should be more appetite for compliance when it comes to corporate governance and CSR requirements under the Act.

Without divulging any specific plans, he said the ministry would like to remind companies about not being compliant.

"On corporate governance and CSR, we feel there is a need for little more nudging and prodding. There should be more appetite for compliance. We will certainly like to remind the non-compliant companies that you are not complying," he said.

There have been concerns about corporate governance practices in the wake of certain instances in recent times.

The latest amendments to the Companies Act that have been approved by Parliament would also help in ensuring a stricter regulatory framework.

According to Srinivas, the amendments will bring about some far reaching changes and many would contribute towards the ease of doing business.

"At the same time, there is also strengthening of provisions relating to areas such as identification of mismanagement, fraud detection, disclosures and related party transactions," he said.

With respect to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the ministry has come across various instances of non- compliance.

Certain class of profitable entities are required to shell out at least two per cent of their three-year annual average net profit towards CSR activities.

In case a company fails to spend the specified amount then its board has to provide the specific reasons for the same in its report.

Earlier this month, the ministry informed the Lok Sabha that it has given permission for penal action against 187 companies for violating CSR norms in 2014-15 fiscal.

Companies spent Rs 9,553.72 crore towards CSR activities in 2014-15 while the number of such firms and total money spent rose in the next fiscal.

In 2015-16, as many as 7,983 companies incurred CSR expenditure of Rs 13,625.24 crore, as per official data.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building is illuminated during a special "muhurat" trading session for Diwali, the festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, November 11, 2015. Stock markets opened on Wednesday for a special one-hour Diwali holiday session. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade

The bulls remained in control of D-Street on the first day of January series on Friday and closed above its crucial level of 10500 levels. It took support at the 5-days exponential moving average (DEMA) placed at 10,494 and made a strong bullish candle on the daily candlestick charts.

Formation of a bullish candle after two successive bearish candles tilt the trend in favour of bulls in the coming week. But, for the index to hit fresh record highs of 10600-10650, Nifty has to hold above 10500 on a closing basis.

The Nifty which opened at 10,492 slipped marginally to an intraday low of 10,488. But, then bulls took control and pushed the index above 10500 to hit its intraday high of 10,538.70. The index closed 52 points higher at 10,530.70.

Traders can continue with their long positions with a strict stop loss below 10,450 on a closing basis. The next target for the index is closer to 10600-10650 levels, suggest experts.

The Nifty signed off the year in style on a bullish note but a tad below lifetime highs of 10552. However, weekly chart has witnessed a Doji kind of formation with an extremely narrow range of 92 points for the week which should certainly be a cause for concern, Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist  Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in told Moneycontrol.

Hence, to maintain the positive momentum index need to sustain above 10460 levels and a violation of which on closing basis should confirm the weakness and trigger short-term sell-off, he said.

Mohammad advises traders to maintain a stop below 10450 on a closing basis and to continue their long positions. On the upsides, if bulls manage a close above 10552 then ideally next target should be close to 10650 levels.

India VIX moved up by 3.01 percent at 12.67. VIX has to hold below 13-12.50 zones to support the overall Bullish bias of the market.

We have collated the top ten data points to help you spot profitable trade:

Key Support & Resistance Level for Nifty

The Nifty closed at 10,530.7 on Friday. According to Pivot charts, the key support level is placed at 10,500.03, followed by 10,469.37. If the index starts to move higher, key resistance levels to watch out are 10,550.03 and 10,569.37.

Nifty Bank

The Nifty Bank closed at 25,539.4. Important Pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 25,470.93, followed by 25,402.46. On the upside, key resistance levels are 25,587.13, followed by 25,634.87.

Call Options Data

Maximum Call open interest (OI) of 37.12 lakh contracts stands at strike price 11,000, which will act as a crucial resistance level for the index in the January series, followed by 10,700, which now holds 30.14 lakh contracts in open interest, and 10,800, which has accumulated 27.08 lakh contracts in OI.

Call writing was seen at a strike price of 11,000, which saw the addition of 3.36 lakh contracts, followed by 10,600, which saw the addition of 3.32 lakh contracts and 10,800, which saw the addition of 3.3225 lakh contracts.

There was hardly any Call unwinding seen.

Put Options Data

Maximum put OI of 45.89 lakh contracts was seen at strike price 10,300, which will act as a crucial base for the index in January series; followed by 10,000, which now holds 43.12 lakh contracts and 10,400 which has now accumulated 39.75 lakh contracts in

open interest.

Put writing seen at 10,300, which saw the addition of 12.46 lakh contracts, followed by 11.30 lakh contracts at the strike price of 10,500 and 10,400, which saw the addition of 7.17 lakh contracts.

No Put unwinding was seen.

FII & DII Data

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought shares worth Rs 595.04 crore, while domestic institutional investors bought shares worth Rs 461.37 crore in the Indian equity market on Friday, as per provisional data available on the NSE.

Fund Flow Picture:

Stocks with high delivery percentage:

High delivery percentage suggests that investors are accepting the delivery of the stock, which means that investors are bullish on the stock.

113 stocks saw long build-up:

30 stocks saw short covering:

A decrease in open interest along with an increase in price mostly indicates short covering.

61 stocks saw short build-up:

An increase in open interest along with a decrease in price mostly indicates short positions being built up.

11 stocks saw long unwinding:

Long unwinding happens when there is a decrease in OI as well as in price.

Bulk Deals:

BSE: Smallcap World Fund sold 8.3 lakh shares at Rs 932.78 apiece.

HDIL: QE Securities traded 25 lakh shares at Rs 64 apiece.

Infibeam Corp: Alphagrep Commodities (63 lakh), Crossland Trading (52.22 lakh), NK Securities (41.71 lakh) and QE Securities (39.47lakh) bought shares of the in the range of Rs 128-132.

Jaiprakash Associates: Shaastra Securities Trading bought and sold 3.24 crore shares at Rs 25 apiece.

Reliance Communications: Shaastra Securities traded 6.01 crore shares at Rs 36, while Adroit Share traded 1.9 crore shares at Rs 36.

Analyst Meet/Briefings:

The Board of RBL Bank will be meeting on January 23, 2018 to discuss the financial results.

Stocks in news:

Bank of India has received capital infusion to the tune of Rs 2,257 crore.

Central Bank of Indias Board will be meeting on January 3, 2018 to discuss infusion of Rs 323 crore by way of preferential allotment.

Cadila will be in focus after Zydus has received a final approval from US FDA for Valacyclovir tablets. They are used to treat herpes infections.

Phoenix Mills will be in focus after the company purchased shares in its subsidiary, Graceworks Realty and Leisure Pvt Ltd.

Infosys:

Infosys has divested its minority stake from ANSR Consulting Holdings for $1 million, the IT exporter said on Friday, said an ET report.

The company had picked up a 5 % stake in the firm in 2015 for $1.4 million, with no board rights. ANSR offers services for establishment and operations of global inhouse centres, captive units of MNCs, it said.

Wipro, Tech Mahindra:

Markets regulator Sebi has shortlisted 15 entities, including Tata Communications, Wipro and Tech Mahindra for two separate services -- identify and classify security holes in IT infrastructure, as well as protect against security threats.

Allahabad Bank:

State-owned Allahabad Bank on Friday said it has raised Rs 500 crore to comply with the global banking standards under Basel-III norms.

Punjab National Bank:

Public sector Punjab National Bank on Saturday announced raising interest rates by up to 1.25 per cent on domestic term deposits of up to Rs 10 crore for different tenures, effective January 1, 2018.

Gayatri Projects:

Gayatri Projects has received shareholders approval to raise Rs 1,000 crore by issuing securities in its annual general meeting held on Saturday.

Shriram Transport Finance:

Shriram Transport Finance Company today said it has raised Rs 400 crore by issuing bonds on private placement basis.

Revises overnight MCLR to 8.85 per annum

Revises one-year MCLR to 9.15% per annum

Brigade Enterprises buys 12.95 acre land for Rs 218 crore in Bengaluru

Allahabad Bank raises Basel III Compliant Additional Tier-1 Perpetual Bonds Series IV worth Rs 500 crore via private placement

Jaypee Infratech gets shareholder nod for appointment of Ram Bahadur Singh as CFO

Ferro Alloys Corporation says NCLT allows Co for further extension to submit resolution plan

2 stocks under ban period on NSE

Security in ban period for the next trade date under the F&O segment includes companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit.

Securities which are banned for trading include names such as HDIL and JP Associates.

Balrampur Chini, DHFL, DLF, GMR Infra, IFCI, Jet Airways, Jain Irrigations Systems, Reliance Capital, Reliance Communications, TV18 Broadcast, and Wockhardt are out of the ban period post December 29.
December 31, 2017 / 08:49 PM IST

FPIs

900 cr

51K

class="scayt-misspell-word" data-scayt-word="FinMin" data-scayt-lang="en_US">FinMin

PSBs

PTI

Rajinikanth

PTI



6. Pulwama suicide attack: Four CRPF personnel, 2 militants killed

20:51 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. We wish all our readers a very happy New Year!

20:36 Vikram Bakshi's CPRL re-opens 16 more outlets in Delhi-NCR

McDonald's estranged partner Vikram Bakshi today said another 16 out of 84 closed outlets in Delhi-NCR have re-opened after a new logistics partner ColdEX was engaged.

Nearly 84 outlets, mostly in east India and some in the north, including Delhi, had to shut down on December 25 after Bakshi-led CPRL's logistics partner Radhakrishna Foodland discontinued its supply services, alleging reduction in volume and non-payment of certain dues, among others.

Read the full story here.

20:20 China will have a 'say' on all major international issues: Xi Jinping

China will have a "say" on all major international issues and actively push its Belt and Road initiative, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year message today.

Xi said China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the UN, actively fulfil China's international obligations and duties.

20:00 Muslim bodies to move Supreme Court if Triple Talaq bill passed by Rajya Sabha

Alleging "illegality" in provisions of the bill that criminalises instant Triple Talaq, an IUML leader today said Muslim bodies would challenge it in the Supreme Court if the Rajya Sabha also passes it.

The Lok Sabha had last week passed the bill that makes Triple Talaq punishable by up to three years imprisonment for the husband.

19:40 Left Front would win 2018 Tripura Assembly elections: CPI(M)'s Yechury

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury today claimed that the Left Front would win the Tripura Assembly polls, due in early 2018, and the north-eastern state would be able to stop the BJP's winning streak.

"Seeing such a mammoth gathering and jubilation of people, I am certain the eighth Left Front government would be formed in Tripura after the polls," Yechury told a Left Front rally.

19:26 Gujarat deputy CM Nitin Patel given charge of finance ministry, assumes office

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who was unhappy over not getting portfolios of his choice in the new cabinet, took charge today after he was given the finance portfolio, following BJP president Amit Shah's intervention. (PTI)

19:05 Pulwama attack sign of failure of PM's foreign policy: Congress

Congress slams government over an attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, says it's a failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy. (PTI)

18:34 Delhi transport dept may use QR codes to track autos, cabs

With an aim to boost passenger safety, the Delhi Transport department is working on a QR code based system to keep a tab on the autorickshaws and cabs plying on city roads.

The department would set up a control room at its headquarters in Civil Lines, so that autorickshaws and cabs could be tracked while ferrying passengers, a senior official of transport department said.

QR code stickers on cabs and autorickshaws would enable the passengers to have the details of the driver which they could also share with others through their smartphones. (PTI)

18:18 Foreign Bank ATMs fell 18% over last three years: Government

Presence of foreign bank ATMs in India have declined by 18 percent over the last three years as some of them shut ATMs, while one bank closed operations here, according to official data.

There are as many as 45 foreign banks in India, including Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank, Bank of America, Barclays Bank, HSBC, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan Chase, DBS Bank, Credit Suisse AG, BNP Paribas, Doha Bank and Qatar National Bank among others. (PTI)

17:56 Perform or perish: Air India chief to employees

Terming "professional and productive work culture" as the key to the airline's turnaround, Air India chief Pradeep Singh Kharola has said in a message to employees that "we have to perform if we do not want to perish".

Kharola, who took over as chairman and managing director of the disinvestment-bound national carrier earlier this month, also said the onus to steer the company out of turbulence lies on everyone. (PTI)

17:38 Placated by Amit Shah, Gujarat deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel agrees to turn up for work

Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel agreed to join office after BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday called him up and assured him that he will be given a portfolio fitting his "stature" as Number Two in the government, according to a report by News18.

"BJP President Amit Shah today called up early morning and assured me that I will be given a portfolio which is fit for my stature as number two in the Cabinet and as the deputy chief minister," Patel told reporters.

17:07 SAIL plans to bid for stressed assets of Essar, Bhushan Steel

The country's largest steelmaker SAIL is considering bidding for the stressed assets of Essar Steeland Bhushan Steel that are facing insolvency proceedings.

According to sources, "a team of SAIL has visited the units of Essar Steel and Bhushan Steel almost 20 days back to assess how are units and to evaluate whether to bid (for) the units or not".

Essar Steel was among the initial 12 companies identified by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for insolvency proceedings. (PTI)

16:41 Season's worst fog hits over 200 flights in and out of Delhi

Over 200 planes flying into and out of Delhi were delayed, diverted or cancelled as the season's "worst" fog reduced visibility to 50 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on the New Year's eve.

Over 150 flights were delayed, nearly 50 diverted and an estimated 20 were cancelled. No flights could take-off from Delhi for nearly four hours between 7:30 am and 11:05 am, according to an airport official.

Take-offs from the IGI Airport require a minimum visibility range of 125 metres. (PTI)

16:24 53,000 casual jobs lost in January-March 2017, overall employment up by 1.85 lakh

Casual workers remained the most affected post demonetisation, with as many as 53 thousand workers losing their jobs in 8 select sector during the first three months of 2017, according to a Labour Bureau survey.

However, the overall jobs situation improved in sectors like manufacturing and IT as employment increased by 1.85 lakh during the January-March period across eight sectors at all India level.

Read the full report here.

16:00 New Aadhaar linking form for Atal Pension Yojna from January 1

Regulator PFRDA has asked Atal Pension Yojna (APY) service providers to use a revised form to seek consent of subscribers' for seeding Aadhaar with their accounts from Monday.

APY, a guaranteed pension scheme, is government's flagship social security programme. (PTI)

15:41 Finance Ministry asks PSBs to consider selling, swapping loan assets

The finance ministry has asked public sector banks (PSBs) to explore options for selling and swapping of loan assets with other lenders with a view to strengthen their balance sheets.

Depending on their competencies, banks can look at opportunities to buy or swap loan assets, sources said, adding this was one of the issues discussed during PSB Manthan last month. (PTI)

15:20 India to have 10,000 seaplanes; e-highways on anvil: Nitin Gadkari

Clear water bodies dotted with 10,000 seaplanes, 'floating cities' in the form of ocean cruises and electric vehicles zipping on dedicated highway lanes -- that's the future as envisioned by Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

For the 'go-getter' minister at the helm of affairs to overhaul the country's infrastructure, India has the potential to realise all this and much more. (PTI)

Read the full story here.

A brewing crisis in the Gujarat government seems to have blown over after BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday reached out to sulking deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who had delayed taking charge over not getting portfolios of his choice in the new Cabinet, reports PTI. Patel agreed to take charge today after Shah called him up this morning and assured him that he will be given a portfolio fitting his "stature" as Number Two in the government.

"BJP President Amit Shah today called up early morning and assured me that I will be given a portfolio which is fit for my stature as number two in the Cabinet and as the deputy chief minister," Patel said. However, Patel didn't disclose whether he would be getting Finance or Urban Development departments which he held in the previous government. He maintained that the issue was not about some departments, but about "self-respect".

Modi

Terming the policy of allowing Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of a male guardian as "injustice", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government has removed the restriction following which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage.

According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, now Muslim women aged above 45 will be allowed to go for the pilgrimage without 'mahram' in a group of at least four. In his monthly radio address of 'Mann ki baat', the Prime Minister said removal of the restriction of having a male guardian or 'mahram' may appear as a "small thing", but such issues "have a far reaching impact on our image as a society".

He said when he first heard of the restriction, he was surprised as to who wold have drafted such a rule. "Why this discrimination? And when I went into the depth of the matter I was surprised to find that even after 70 years of our independence, we were the ones who had imposed these restrictions. For decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it," he said in his broadcast. He pointed out that such a restriction is not prevalent in many Islamic countries.

14:33 AAP

The AAP government will again send its proposal for the ambitious 'doorstep delivery of services scheme' to Lt Governor Anil Baijal for approval, with a detailed reply to each objection raised by him, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said. The scheme is currently at the centre of tussle between the L-G and the Delhi government with Deputy Chief Minister asking Baijal if he was trying to "protect" the corrupt system by the opposing the proposal.

Recently, Baijal had returned the proposal to the Delhi government asking to reconsider it and raised several objections, including safety of citizens and corruption. "We will again send the doorstep delivery proposal to the Lt Governor with detailed replies to all objections in the next few days," Kejriwal told PTI. He said that the government is currently preparing a response to the L-G's objections, adding that the proposal was good for Delhiites.

Under the proposal, government wants to provide 40 services at the doorstep of citizens, including driving licence, ration cards, caste certificates among others. In his objections, Baijal had said the present proposal had implications on safety and security of women and senior citizens, privacy, loss of documents, and it added unnecessary expenditure for the government and the people. In response to the objections, Sisodia had said that despite the online service system, people had to visit department offices once or twice to submit their documents.

Heavily armed militants on Sunday launched a pre-dawn suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, killing four personnel of the force and injuring four others, reports PTI. CRPF officials said two militants holed up in a building block in the camp were killed in the subsequent operation to neutralise the ultras.

"Two heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," CRPF officials said. CRPF Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rajesh Yadav said that militants fired indiscriminately injuring four CRPF personnel.

The injured personnel later succumbed to injuries. One of the injured personnel was identified as Saifuddin, a resident of Nowgam here, officials said. Director General of Police SP Vaid said security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

North Korea said on Saturday that it will never give up its nuclear weapons as long as the United States and its allies continue their "blackmail and war drills" at its doorstep, reports AP. The North's official Korean Central News Agency took the oft-repeated stance as it reviewed the country's major nuclear weapons and missile tests this year.

In its report on Saturday, KCNA said North Korea had taken steps for "bolstering the capabilities for self-defence and pre-emptive attacks with nuclear force" in the face of a continued "nuclear threat and blackmail and war drills" by the United States and its "vassal forces." It accused President Donald Trump of employing unprecedented hostile policies against North Korea and threatening it with talks of pre-emptive strikes.

It described North Korea as an "undeniable new strategic state and nuclear power." "Do not expect any change in its policy. Its entity as an invincible power can neither be undermined nor be stamped out," KCNA said. "The DPRK, as a responsible nuclear weapons state, will lead the trend of history to the only road of independence," it added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The city civic body continued to raze unauthorised structures of restaurants, hotels and other food joints for the third day today, after a fire in an upscale pub here claimed 14 lives on Friday, reports PTI. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which initiated the mega demolition drive two days back, has decided to adopt a strict stand and not heed to requests by pubs and hotel owners to delay the action in view of New Year celebrations.

"We want to remove every unauthorised structure at restaurants, pubs, malls, food joints, other eateries and hotels. We are asking managers or owners of such properties to remove it on their own or else we will bring it down," BMC spokesperson Ram Dotonde said. He said their teams on the field have the documents of structures which are unauthorised or illegal. "Hardly any manager or owner is opposing our action as we have proof," Dotonde said.

He said BMC teams will continue with their work of razing illegal structures and a detailed report will be compiled by the evening. Another BMC official said, "We are using this opportunity to remove maximum unauthorised structures. Some pub and hotel owners used to request us to delay the action, especially during New Year celebrations. But this time the BMC has decided not to listen to such requests, and take action."

The civic officials in Mumbai on Saturday demolished illegal structures at 314 sites. The BMC had also sealed seven hotels and seized around 417 LPG cylinders during the action, the civic body said on Saturday in a release.

ticketless

travelling

A parliamentary panel has expressed concern over the huge number of ticketless travellers in the railways and said the national transporter could "ill-afford" the substantial losses on this count, reports PTI. In its report on vigilance in the railways, tabled in Parliament last week, the Railway Convention Committee also rued the fact that recoveries made from ticketless travellers do not correspond with number of such persons detected during the period, but stopped short of saying there was corruption involved.

"The committee are deeply concerned to note the huge number of persons detected travelling without or with improper tickets in Indian railways during the year 2016-2017. They are equally concerned to find the amount of railway dues realised from the ticketless travellers during the same period," the report said.

To illustrate the point, the report states that Rs 935.64 crore was collected from more than two crore ticketless travellers during 2016-2017 across railway zones, the highest being made in Northern Railway (26.40 lakh). It was followed by South Central (25.86 lakh) Central Railway (24.24 lakh), Western Railway (20.24 lakh), East Central Railway (18.62 lakh), North Central Railway (16.56 lakh) and North Eastern Railway (12 lakh), the report said. It also said that other than these zones, all other zones reported single digit detection of ticketless travellers.

Market trivia: The Nasdaq has made 67 closing highs in 2017. The American tech sector has a combined market capitalisation of $5.4 trillion, which is bigger than the MSCI Emerging Markets Index ($5.2 trillion) or the entire MSCI Eurozone Index ($4.8 trillion).

The mighty IG Metall union, which represents some 3.9 million workers in the metal and electrical industries, says it is ready to flex its muscles after initial negotiations with employers made little headway, reports AFP. An agreed no-strike period ends on December 31, and IG Metall chief Joerg Hofmann has told employers to expect brief "warning strikes" from January 8, and he said more widespread action could follow.

"If by the end of January the employers have not changed their stance, we will consider resorting to 24-hour strikes or calling a vote for a general strike," Hofmann said. Seeing its bargaining power strengthened at a time of bulging order books and record-low employment in Europe's top economy, the union is pushing for a 6% wage increase. The Gesamtmetall employers' federation has so far offered 2%, setting the stage for both sides to meet somewhere in the middle.

Haryana

Adampur

Cold wave conditions further intensified at many places in Punjab and Haryana, with Adampur reeling at a minimum temperature of 2.3 degrees Celsius, reports PTI. Adampur was the coldest place in Punjab while Hisar, which recorded a minimum temperature of 3.4 degrees Celsius, was the coldest place in Haryana, an official of MeT Department said.

Among other places in Punjab, Bathinda reeled at a low of 3.9 degrees Celsius while Faridkot recorded a low of 4.8 degrees Celsius. Amritsar, too, experienced a cold night at 5.6 degrees Celsius, the official said. Ludhiana and Patiala registered minimum temperature of 5.9 degrees Celsius and 7 degrees Celsius, respectively.

prioritise

After meeting a spurt in the demand for coal from the power sector, Coal India is set to prioritise on improving supplies to captive power producers to cater to the needs of cement, aluminium and sponge-iron sectors. CIL is dispatching some 246 coal rakes per-day of which 217-218 rakes are moving to the power sector and the rest to the non-power sector, a top CIL official said.

"We are now focusing on offering additional coal to captive power plants (CPPs). We are now restricting coal supply to power sector to some 217-218 rakes per day and pushing the rest to CPPs and other non-power consumers," the official told PTI. Cement plants in the country were facing fuel crisis after petcoke was banned in three states for causing a high level of pollution.

The CIL source said that in addition to the supply through Fuel Supply Agreement, coal is also offered through auctions to provide requisite windows to cement plants for meeting their coal requirement. We want to ramp up coal loading from January to 272 rakes per day from our own sources and have already placed requisition for the same with the Railways. Supply to industrial consumers are set to increase by 100% from the current level of about 25 rakes per-day, without affecting the despatch to power utilities, the official said.

12:57 BJP

Kirit

Somaiya

parlours

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has written to the city civic body about some hookah parlours allegedly serving drugs in suburban Mulund. In a letter addressed to the assistant commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Somaiya said he had received complaints of psychoactive drugs being served at three hookah parlours in the Mulund area. "There should be a strict policy and action against such activities," the Lok Sabha member from Mumbai North-East constituency said in the letter issued on Saturday.

12:54 Wipro

TechM

cos

Sebi

Markets regulator Sebi has shortlisted 15 entities, including Tata Communications, Wipro and Tech Mahindra for two separate services - identify and classify security holes in IT infrastructure, as well as protect against security threats. To provide these services, Sebi in September had issued separate notices, inviting expression of interest (EoI) from the interested parties.

The service is related to identify and classify security holes in its entire information technology infrastructure and suggest measures to mitigate such risks. The second service pertains to set up a 'network and security operation centre', which will enable it to detect and protect against security threats, including from ransomware.

Now, Sebi has shortlisted seven bidders - Wipro, Ernst & Young LLP, Pricewaterhouse, Sumeru Software Solutions, Digital Age Strategies, AAA Technologies, Auditime Information Systems (India) - to identify and classify security holes in its entire information technology infrastructure and suggest measures to mitigate such risks.

Besides, Tata Communications, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, IBM India, Sify Technologies, Pricewaterhouse, Dimension Data India Pvt and Netmagic Solutions are among the eight companies that have been shortlisted to set-up a 'network and security operation centre'.

The Finance Ministry has asked public sector banks (PSBs) to explore options for selling and swapping of loan assets with other lenders with a view to strengthen their balance sheets, reports PTI. Depending on their competencies, banks can look at opportunities to buy or swap loan assets, sources said, adding this was one of the issues discussed during PSB Manthan last month.

Swapping and selling assets will help banks to focus on their core competencies and trim their burden. For example, if a bank has expertise in MSME lending, it can swap their retail loan portfolio with other who is good in the sector, sources said. In order to increase credit availability to small businesses, the ministry has also asked PSBs to open micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) intensive branches.

Domestic mutual funds pumped in a staggering over Rs 1 lakh crore in the stock market during 2017. Mutual funds invested Rs 1.2 lakh crore in equities in 2017, much higher than over Rs 48,000 crore infused last year and more than Rs 70,000 crore pumped in during 2015, latest data with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) showed.

12:12 FinMin

Sebi

The Finance Ministry has accepted markets regulator Sebi's request to have four whole-time members, a move which will help broaden the top leadership at the regulatory authority to faster discharge of duties. The demand came in the wake of increased workload seen after Forward Markets Commission merged with Sebi in 2015. Currently, Sebi has two whole-time members  Madhabi Puri Buch and G Mahalingam -- while Sanjeev Kaushik was appointed a whole-time member last month. However, he is yet to join the markets regulator.

12:06 SFIO

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is carrying out additional inquiries into the case against defunct Kingfisher Airlines, which was owned by defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya. The white collar crime probe agency, which comes under the Corporate Affairs Ministry, in a report has flagged various violations by individuals, including Mallya, and entities related to Kingfisher Airlines.

When asked about the status of probe into the Kingfisher matter, Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said one report has been submitted. "One report has been submitted. Some more additional inquiries are taking place," he told PTI.

The SFIO had red-flagged a slew of violations of companies law by Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines and officials, including serious corporate governance lapses, sources said. Among others, the probe agency had recommended examining the role of some banks as well as bank officials in sanctioning credit facilities to the airline apart from action against promoter directors, they had said.

If you get a phone call or email claiming customs officers have stopped clearance of gift or parcel for want of a certain amount towards import duty, then beware, you are being duped. The Customs Department has been getting a number of complaints from across the country on this latest modus operandi of fraudsters, following which a precautionary alert has been issued, reports PTI.

"Instances have come to the notice that number of persons are getting telephonic calls as well as e-mail and letters by post asking them to deposit money in individual bank accounts claiming that customs officer have stopped clearance/release of gift parcels/rewards unless a certain amount is deposited towards customs duties, penalties etc. and a bank account number is also given where the money is to be deposited," the Delhi customs said in a public notice.

Another common modus operandi is to send an e-mail stating that the recipient has won a prize or a parcel has been sent and money needs to be deposited, it said. "All such calls/mail are fake with the sole intention of cheating the public. The general public is hereby notified and forewarned not to respond to such fake calls/mails as customs officers do not make telephonic calls or send such mails to deposit amounts in individual bank accounts," the recently-issued notice said.

FICCI-Nasscom-E

Hiring rate in the Indian automobile industry is likely to slow down to 2-2.5% YoY against the historical 3-3.5% growth due to advent of new technologies and increased automation. According to 'Future of jobs in India: A 2022 perspective' by FICCI-Nasscom and E&Y, emergence of new generation technologies is demanding a new set of skills from the auto workforce.

The report said employment in the automotive sector is likely to reach 14.3 million in 2022 and 60-65% of the jobs would require new skill sets. The sector provided direct employment to 12.8 million people as on FY17, it added. "The automotive sector would continue to hire at a rate of 2-2.5% YoY against a historical growth rate of 3-3.5% to reach 14.3 million in 2022," the report said.

The auto industry has been one of the top robot-buying industries for years, and this trend is expected to continue, it said. "With robotics being increasingly adopted in the sector, repetitive jobs roles such as painting and welding are being threatened. At the same time, job roles in robotics programming and maintenance will be more in demand," it said.

Narendra

Modi

In his first remarks on the issue of instant triple talaq after a bill banning it was cleared by Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after "years of suffering", Muslim women have finally found a way out to "free" themselves from the practice, reports PTI.

He also said in 2018, people should work towards all-round development of the nation even as his government pushes for reforms measures to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and terrorism. Calling for 'sabka saath, sabka vikas', Modi said the mantra for the New Year should be "reform, perform, transform."

Nadu

13 fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing near Neduntheevu close to the island nation's coast, Fisheries Department officials said. The fishermen have been taken to Kangesanthurai port along with their two boats, Assistant Director of Fisheries A Manikandan said.

Meanwhile, 69 Tamil Nadu fishermen who have been released by Sri Lankan courts would arrive in Rameswaram later today, Fisheries Department officials said. 27 fishermen from the state were arrested by the Lankan Navy on December 12 for allegedly fishing near Neduntheevu.

Over 90 flights were affected on Sunday morning as visibility dropped to 50 metres due to dense fog at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, the heaviest this year, reports PTI. While 54 domestic flights were delayed and 17 diverted to other airports, 11 international flights were delayed and 8 were diverted due to the dense fog, according to flight information available on the airport's website.

So far there have been four cancellations, including three domestic and one international flight, according to the information. RK Jenamani, Director, IMD, Delhi area and IGI airport said, "Runway visibility since 5.30 am has been between 50-75 metres. This is so far the worst fog we have experienced this year."

An earthquake with a preliminary reading of 4.6 rattled Athens and central Greece early Sunday, witnesses told Reuters, with no immediate reports of damage. The tremblor was recorded west of Athens at 9.32 am in the Corinthian Gulf, with assessments giving it a focal depth of 5 km, the National Observatory of Athens said on its website.

It felt like two earthquakes in a row! It was quite strong. It woke me up, one person wrote on the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre website. The US Geological Survey said the epicentre was 79 km west-north-west of Athens.

jawan

Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir on Sunday, killing an Army jawan. A senior police official said the jawan, posted in a forward area in Noushera sector of Rajouri district, was killed when he was hit by a bullet from across the border in the early hours today. He said Pakistani troops also fired indiscriminately in Digwar sector of nearby Poonch district. The firing from across the border started around 1 am and continued till 5.30 am, the official said.

Growth in Chinas manufacturing sector slowed slightly in December as a punishing crackdown on air pollution and a cooling property market start to weigh on the worlds second-largest economy. The official Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) released on Sunday dipped to 51.6 in December, down from 51.8 in November and in line with forecasts from economists in a Reuters poll. But the overall reading still appeared relatively solid, and marked the 18th straight month that the sector has expanded.

Overseas investors have pulled out close to Rs 5,900 crore from domestic equities in December, with widening fiscal deficit and higher crude prices making market participants cautious on macro-economic front. In spite of December performance, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) ended 2017 with a net inflow of over Rs 51,000 crore. According to the depositories data, FPIs withdrew a net Rs 5,883 crore from equities during December.

However, such investors had put in Rs 2,350 crore in the debt markets during the period under review. The outflow comes following an eight month high inflow of Rs 19,728 crore in November, mainly on account of the government's plan to recapitalise PSU banks and surge in India's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business. This also marked the highest net investment by FPIs since March, when they had poured in Rs 30,906 crore in the equity market.

cos

319cr

Four of the 10 most valued companies together lost Rs 21,319.22 crore in market valuation last week, with Infosys and State Bank of India (SBI) emerging as the worst hit. HDFC Bank and ITC also suffered losses in their market capitalisation (M-Cap) for the week ended Friday. The gainers were Reliance Industries (RIL), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Maruti Suzuki India, Housing Development and Finance Corporation (HDFC) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

However, the cumulative gain of these companies (Rs 19,739.62 crore) was less than the total loss suffered by the four firms. Infosys' M-Cap slumped Rs 11,541.88 crore to Rs 2,26,977.90 crore. The valuation of SBI tanked Rs 8,934.18 crore to Rs 2,67,162.06 crore and that of HDFC Bank declined Rs 597.61 crore to Rs 4,85,272.61 crore. ITC's M-Cap slipped by Rs 245.55 crore to Rs 3,20,730.92 crore.

On the other hand, the valuation of TCS soared by Rs 11,600.58 crore to Rs 5,16,934.22 crore. The M-Cap of HUL surged Rs 3,560.56 crore to Rs 2,96,122.31 crore and that of RIL jumped Rs 1,615.04 crore to Rs 5,83,347.34 crore. ONGC's valuation rose by Rs 1,604.15 crore to Rs 2,49,798.92 crore and that of Maruti went up by Rs 939.47 crore to Rs 2,93,964.68 crore.

The m-cap of HDFC advanced by Rs 419.82 crore to Rs 2,73,252.05 crore. In the ranking of top-10 firms, RIL stood at number one position followed by TCS, HDFC Bank, ITC, HUL, Maruti, HDFC, SBI, ONGC and Infosys. Over the last week the BSE Sensex rose by 116.53 points or 0.34% to end at 34,056.83, its lifetime high.

The stock market would be guided by macroeconomic data and auto sales numbers during the first week of the New Year, say experts. Investors will also be tracking companies' third quarter results, they added. "The underlying positive fundamentals in domestic market will continue to support the valuations while investors are also looking for the unveiling of Q3 results to see any upgradation in earnings growth.

"On the global front investors will look forward to the movement of oil price and Fed's forecast of three additional rate hikes in 2018. Focus on upcoming Union budget and government's reforms will direct investors to turn sector/stock specific. Additionally, any pick up in capacity utilisation and recovery in capex cycle will add impetus to the market," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

PMI data for the manufacturing and services sectors which are due this week would play a key role in setting the market trend. "Automobile sales data will be out and markets will be critically examining the same since it can further lead the momentum," said Mustafa Nadeem, CEO, Epic Research. For 2018, one of the most important aspects will be the quarterly results, Nadeem added.

"Post state elections, all eyes are on Budget 2018. The next budget is expected to be focused on improving rural economy and would be an ideal opportunity for the government to set its roadmap for alleviating rural distress," said Arun Thukral, MD and CEO, Axis Securities.

Global stock markets ended the final trading week of the year on a mixed note. Benchmark indices in the US ended their best year since 2013 on a quiet note as technology and financial stocks kept equities in the negative territory for the week.

Major indexes in the US hit a series of record highs in 2017, lifted by a combination of strong economic growth, solid corporate earnings, low interest rates and hopes for a tax cut from US President Donald Trump's administration. US stocks ended the week marginally lower by 0.3%.

It was a quiet week for major European indexes, except the UK index, which ended in the red, as few fresh catalysts seemed to meaningfully shift market sentiment. Meanwhile, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended 2017 on a new record high after a strong performance by index stocks.

Stock markets in Asia too were mixed with benchmark indices in Hong Kong and China surging by 1.2% and 0.3%, respectively, while the index in Japan ended the week lower by 0.6%.

Back home, benchmark indices in India logged marginal gains of 0.3%, as a spurt in pharma stocks propelled the BSE Sensex to close the year above 34,000 levels.

Markets in 2017: Domestic mutual funds invested Rs 1.15 trillion in 2017, the highest ever in a single year. Whereas, FIIs invested close to Rs 500 billion.

Markets in 2017: The Sensex earned a 35.1% return in dollar terms and 28% in rupee terms in 2017. However, this wasn't enough to beat the midcap and smallcap indices, which rallied 47% and 58%, respectively.

Market trivia: India was among the three emerging markets, which gained more than 35% in dollar terms. The other two are Hungary and South Korea.

Two heavily armed militants stormed a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu & Kashmir in the early hours of Sunday, killing a personnel and leaving two others injured, reports PTI. The militants attacked the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora around 2 am.

"Two heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," CRPF officials said. The deceased CRPF jawan has been identified as Constable Saifuddin Soz, a resident of Srinagar.

"The two militants are holed up in one building block in the camp and operation is underway to neutralise militants," a senior official of the force said. The camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley. A Jammu & Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.

Ending suspense, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday announced his entry into politics and said he will launch his own party. "I am joining politics for sure," the 67-year-old said amid thunderous applause from fans. Quoting a shloka from the Bhagwad Gita which stresses on the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the rest to the Lord, he said, "This is the compulsion of time."Addressing fans in Chennai on the valedictory of a six-day-long meet, the actor told PTI he will launch a political party which will contest all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. He said the party will be launched ahead of assembly elections at an appropriate time. The policies of the party will be taken to the people, he said and added that truthfulness, hard work and growth will be the slogan of his party. "Do good, speak and only good will happen," will be the guiding slogan, he said.
[UNVERIFIED CONTENT] Preparing for the daily border closing ceremony between Pakistan and India.

Just days after former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife met him in Pakistan, the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan met each other for talks in Bangkok, a media report said on Sunday.

According to the report in The Indian Express, the meeting was supposedly a pre-scheduled meet and was not linked to Pakistan's treatment towards Jadhav's family.

Pakistani NSA Lt General Nasir Khan Janjua (retd) and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval met at a "neutral venue" to discuss matters of national security, terrorism and relations with neighbouring countries, said the Indian Express report.

The meeting, which was held on Tuesday, is said to have lasted over two hours. The Indian side raised issued like the infiltration of militants into Kashmir from across the Line of Control (LoC) with active support from the Pakistan army while offering a 'humanitarian pact' to its neighbour.
Fire and ice.

Area firefighters have been battling blazes amid brutally cold temperatures during several recent fires.

Fremont Rural battled five structure fires in three days, Fremont Rural Assistant Fire Chief Carl Nielsen said Saturday morning.

The first call was to a dumpster fire on Dec. 28.

We were out on that one and we got a call for a house fire, Nielsen said.

Fremont Rural called the Nickerson Fire Department to provide mutual aid to fight a fire at 4:30 a.m. Dec. 28 at an abandoned house on north Yager Road north of County Road T.

The house was destroyed. There were no injuries.

Nobody was on the property at the time, said Nickerson Fire Chief Dusty Menking.

Nickerson firefighters again were called at 2:30 a.m. Dec. 29 to a structure fire at the corner of County Roads P and 24.

This was another abandoned residence that was fully engulfed, fully involved, Menking said. We called in Arlington, Fremont Rural and Winslow (for mutual aid).

That fire was under complete control by approximately 6 a.m. That call was finished by about 8:30 a.m., but Menking and another firefighter went back to monitor for hot spots and check for any possible re-ignition of a blaze.

In the meantime, Fremont Rural was called out at about 6:30 a.m. Dec. 29 to a garage fire near Ames.

It (the structure) was pretty much on the ground when we got there, Nielsen said.

There were no injuries.

On Dec. 30, another fire broke out on the same property as the day before at the corner of County Roads P and 24.

This time, a pole barn was on fire.

The call came in at 6:04 a.m., Menking said.

Nickerson called for mutual aid from Fremont Rural, Arlington and Winslow again.

That fire was under control within the hour.

We were able to release them fairly quickly off that scene, Menking said.

The cause of the structure fires is under investigation.

We have no leads at this time, Menking said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Dodge County Sheriffs Office at 402-727-2700.
NORRISTOWN  The Montgomery County Commissioners, on the advice of the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, have declared a Code Blue Cold Weather Emergency for Montgomery County based on a review of forecasts from the National Weather Service. The...
State officials announce $2.85M for new police station in Upper Moreland
December 31, 2017

Iran - Early U.S. Support For Rioters Hints At A Larger Plan

In Iran - Regime Change Agents Hijack Economic Protests we looked at the developing U.S.-Israeli operation to instigate a revolt in Iran. What follows are a few more background points and a view on the developments since. A color revolution or revolt in Iran have only little chances of success. But even as the fail they can be used as pretext for additional sanctions and other anti-Iranian measures. The current incidents are thus only one part of a much larger plan.

The "western" democracies are used to distinguish political parties as left or right with fixed combinations of economic and cultural policies. The "left" is seen as preferring a social economy that benefits the larger population and as cultural liberal or progressive. The right is seen as cultural conservative with a preference for a free market economy that favors the richer segments of a nation.

The political camps in Iran are different.

The simplified version: The conservatives, or "principalists", are cultural conservative but favor economic programs that benefit the poor. Their support base are the rural people as well as the poorer segments of the city dwellers. The last Iranian president near to them was Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. One of his major policies was the implementation of cash payments to the needy as replacement of general and expensive subsidies on oil products and foodstuff. The current Iranian president Hassan Rouhani is a member of the "reformist" camp. His support base are the merchants and the richer parts of the society. He is culturally (relative) progressive but his economic polices are neoliberal. The new budget he introduced for the next year cuts back on the subsidies for the poor Ahmedinejad had introduced. It will increase prices for fuel and basic food stuff up to 30-40%.

The protests on December 28 and 29 were about these and other economic issues. Such protests have regularly occurred in Iran throughout the decades. But the current ones were soon hijacked by small groups which chanted slogans against the Iranian system and against the strong Iranian engagement in Syria and Palestine. These are not majority positions of the 80 million inhabitants of Iran:

According to the poll, 67.9% say Iran should increase backing for anti-IS groups, up from 59.8% a year ago. Meanwhile, a majority of 64.9% backs the deployment of Iranian military personnel to Syria to help the regime of Bashar al-Assad, up slightly from 62.7% a year ago.

The small groups that hijacked the protests against Rouhani's economic polices were heavily promoted by the usual suspects of U.S. influence operations. Avaaz, the RAND cooperation, Human Rights Watch and others immediately jumped onto the bandwagon. (True to form HRW's Ken Roth used a picture of a pro-government rally to illustrate the much smaller anti-government protests.) The smaller groups that hijacked and publicized the demonstration seem well coordinated. But they are far from a genuine movement or even a majority.

On the morning of December 30 large demonstrations in support of the Iranian republic were taking place in several cities. In Tehran several thousand people took part.

The self described "Iran junkie" of the Brookings Center for Middle East Policy, Suzanne Maloney, interpreted these as counter-demonstrations to the small gatherings the night before:

Suzanne Maloney @MaloneySuzanne - 12:40 PM - 30 Dec 2017 The Islamic Republic has a well-oiled machine for mobilizing pro-regime rallies (Rouhani himself headlined one in 1999 after student protests.) What's interesting is that it was deployed almost immediately this time.

The "Iran junkie" and "expert" did not know that yearly pro-government demonstrations are held in Iran on each 9th of Dey (Iranian calender) since 2009 and are planned well in advance. They commemorate the defeat of the CIA color revolution attempt in 2009. That attempt had followed the reelection of the president Ahmedinejad. It had used the richer segment of the Iranian society in north Tehran as its stooges. It is not yet clear what social strata, if any, this attempt is using.

In June 2009 Brookings Institute published a manual on how to overthrow the Iranian government or to take control of the country. "Iran junkie" Maloney was one of the authors. WHICH PATH TO PERSIA? - Options for a New American Strategy toward Iran (pdf) came in four parts:

Part I - Dissuading Tehran: The Diplomatic options.

Part II - Disarming Tehran: The Military options

Part III - Toppling Tehran: Regime Change

Part IV - Deterring Tehran: Containment

Part III includes:

Chapter 6: The Velvet revolution: supporting a Popular Uprising

Chapter 7: Inspiring an insurgency : supporting Iranian Minority and opposition Groups

: supporting Iranian Minority and opposition Groups Chapter 8: The coup: supporting a Military Move against the regime

The velvet "color revolution" failed in 2009 when the "green movement" could not convince the Iranian people that it was more than a foreign supported attempt to overthrow their republic.

What we currently see in Iran is a combination of chapter 6 and 7 of the Brookings plan. Behind a somewhat popular movement that protests against the neo-liberal economic policies of the Rohani government a militant movement, as seen last night (below), is implementing an escalation strategy that could lead to a civil war. We have already seen a similar combination in Libya and at the beginning of the attack on Syria. (Tony Cartalucci at the Land Destroyer Report has written extensively on the Brookings paper as a "handbook for overthrowing nations".)

Last June the Wall Street Journal reported that the CIA had set up a special operation cell for such attacks on Iran:

The Central Intelligence Agency has established an organization focused exclusively on gathering and analyzing intelligence about Iran, reflecting the Trump administrations decision to make that country a higher priority target for American spies, according to U.S. officials. The Iran Mission Center will bring together analysts, operations personnel and specialists from across the CIA to bring to bear the range of the agencys capabilities, including covert action.

Head of the new office is one of the most ruthless CIA officers:

To lead the new group, Mr. Pompeo picked a veteran intelligence officer, Michael DAndrea, who recently oversaw the agencys program of lethal drone strikes and has been credited by many of his peers for successes against al Qaeda in the U.S.s long campaign against the terrorist group.

...

Mr. DAndrea, a former director of the CIAs Counterterrorism Center, is known among peers as a demanding but effective manager, and a convert to Islam who works long hours. Some U.S. officials have expressed concern over what they perceive as his aggressive stance toward Iran.

D'Andrea is the CIA guy who "dropped the ball" when he could have prevented 9/11. He was intimately involved in the CIA's torture program and drone murder campaign in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He is suspected to be the brain behind the U.S. cooperation with extremist Wahhabis in Libya, Iraq and Syria.

Yesterday morning a Sunni terror group blew up a pipeline in south-west Iran near the Iraqi border:

Ansar al Furqan states that a major oil pipeline was blown up in Omidiyeh region of occupied Ahvaz, Iran. The group added that it had established a new unit, the Ahwaz Martyrs Brigade. The area of Ahvaz has historically had a large Arab population. However, it is unclear if this purported brigade is comprised of Iranian Arabs or Baluchis, as most of its members are thought to be Baluch. The jihadists say the operation was conducted to inflict losses on the economy of criminal Iranian regime.

According to the U.S. military Combating Terrorism Center, Ansar al-Fruqan has grown out of the defeated Jundallah terrorist group which had killed hundreds of Iranian officials and civilians. Jundallah was a Baluch jihadi insurgency fighting for a "Free Baluchistan" in the area of south-west Pakistan and south-east Iran. Its leader was killed in 2010 and it has since split and evolved into Ansar al-Furqan and other groups. Some of these are under foreign influence. Mark Perry reported in 2012:

A series of CIA memos describes how Israeli Mossad agents posed as American spies to recruit members of the terrorist organization Jundallah to fight their covert war against Iran.

Mossad agents hired Jundallah terrorists to kill nuclear experts in Iran. It should not be a surprise then that a Jundallah follow-up group is now attacking Iranian economic infrastructure in the very same moment that the Mossad and the CIA coordinate another campaign to overthrow the Iranian government. This clearly points to a wider and well organized plan.

Last night groups of 20 to 50 young men appeared in some 20 cities and towns of Iran and started to vandalize (vid) the streets. They took down street demarcations and billboards, smashed windows and set fire to trashcans. Short videos of tens of incidents appeared on various Twitter accounts. The descriptions were often very exaggerated.

The "protesters burn government offices in the Ahvaz Province" video only shows the burning of a trashcan in front of a building. The only noise in the "police using live rounds on protesters" video are from the smashing of windows of an office container. A video promoted as "3 people were killed in police shooting of Lorestan" shows a small but loud group. Two people are carried away but it is unclear who they are or what, if anything, happened to them. No shooting is heard and no police can be seen. In other videos police is responding to stone throwing and vandalizing rioters.

The groups, their appearance in some 20 cities and what they did was clearly coordinated. Media promoters aggregate their videos for a larger public. The Iranian government asked the message application Telegram, widely used in Iran, to take down a channel that urged demonstrators to throw Molotov cocktails at official buildings. The head of the Telegram service agreed that such calls are against its Terms of Services and took the channel down. New channels with similar messages immediately sprang up. The Iranian government will have to completely block Telegram or infiltrate those Telegram channels to disrupt such coordination of militant activities.

Those U.S. politicians who had called to "bomb, bomb, bomb" Iran (John McCain) or had threatened to wage war against it (Hillary Clinton) issued statements in support of the "Iranian people"- i.e. the rioters in the streets. These are the same people who suffocate the Iranian people by pushing sanction round after sanction round onto them - hypocrites. Donald Trump and his State Department issued statements in support of the 'peaceful protesters' who vandalized their cities throughout the country and demanded that "the regime respect their basic human rights." The professed concerns for the Iranian people are nonsense. A recently leaked memo advised U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson:

... that the U.S. should use human rights as a club against its adversaries, like Iran, China and North Korea, while giving a pass to repressive allies like the Philippines, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The official U.S. uttering comes very early and is detrimental to any real movement in Iran. It obviously exposes these protests as U.S. supported and thereby kills off their chance to win a wider base in Iran.

Why is the U.S. doing this?

The plan may well be not to immediately overthrow the Iranian government, but to instigate a sharp reaction by the Iranian government against the militant operations in its country.

Suzanne Maloney @MaloneySuzanne - 5:51 AM - 31 Dec 2017 And here's the thing: whatever the USG does or doesn't say about these protests, the reality is (as @POTUS tweeted) that the world is watching what happens in Iran. How Tehran responds to the current protests will shape its relationship w/the world, just as it did in 2009.

That reaction can then be used to implement wider and stricter sanctions against Iran especially from Europe. These would be another building block of a larger plan to suffocate the country and as an additional step on a larger escalation ladder.

Posted by b on December 31, 2017 at 14:06 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
If there is any single trait that defines Americans, it is optimism. We read our history as a journey upward, from the arrival of the first European settlers to the present. We operate with a collective sense that progress may sometimes be slow and arduous  but will be achieved.

That intuition endows us with confidence in our destiny. But what if it's wrong? What if all along, we have not been ascending a peak but been striding toward the abyss? What if our national story is one that ultimately ends in tragic, irreversible failure?

Optimism can foster naivete and false hope. This is a moment when we need to give serious consideration to the plausibility of pessimism.

Anyone who has grown up in postwar America has been thoroughly schooled in the inevitability of progress. After the horrors of World War II, we achieved material plenty, renounced white supremacy, liberated women, won the Cold War and inspired the spread of free markets and democracy. The 21st century looked to be engineered for liberty, prosperity and peace.

All this confirmed what Sen. Bill Bradley asserted at the 1992 Democratic convention: "The United States is history's greatest experiment in the elimination of despair."

But is it still? The United States has been at war for 16 consecutive years. Terrorism has become a constant threat. We are still recovering from the worst economic meltdown since the 1930s. Around the world, democracy and human rights are embattled, and authoritarianism is gaining ground.

We're not immune from these trends. The rise of Donald Trump has both reflected and aggravated our own dark impulses. We have never had a president so opposed to fundamental American ideals, so contemptuous of truth and so intent on dividing the citizenry.

The government's traditional role in the economy is up for grabs in a way that would have appalled Ronald Reagan. In Trump's warped version of capitalism, corporations do the bidding of the president or suffer swift retribution. Though hostile to many core Republican principles, he has turned the party into his obedient servant.

It's tempting to believe he will destroy himself by bringing on impeachment or defeat in 2020. But neither is assured, and the elements that created Trump won't evaporate regardless. The bleak revelation is that many matters we believed were settled  such as the equality of blacks and women, the value of immigrants and the importance of a free press  are still contested.

We thought we found the answers for those issues. But maybe all we did was reach an accommodation that would prove unstable. Presented with a presidential candidate who pandered to racism, sexism and xenophobia, a near majority of the public was prepared to indulge his bigotry. His dishonest attacks on the news media elicited lusty cheers at his rallies.

Our institutions and political norms have proved more vulnerable than we thought. In electing Trump and enabling his abuses, we turned in a direction that leads toward a banana republic. We assume we can always turn around and find our way home. But a country that sets off on the wrong path sometimes finds that it has burned the bridges it would need to go back.

Just because we survived and overcame the Civil War, the Great Depression and the violent turmoil of the 1960s and '70s doesn't mean we'll come through this crisis. Plenty of marriages that weather numerous storms nonetheless end in divorce. Some damage can't be repaired  and sometimes its fatal effects can be seen only in retrospect.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, author of "We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy," was recently accused by Harvard professor and left-wing activist Cornel West of "profiteering" off "fatalism." Coates is guilty only of shunning illusions. "I was hugely influenced by poetry," he said in a November interview. "Poets are not asked to be hopeful."

I am not here to embrace despair. Trump has spurred broad and passionate opposition, and his low approval ratings indicate he doesn't speak for most Americans.

But neither is despair an unreasonable state of mind. No nation or system lasts forever. Ours could have a shorter, grimmer future than we imagine, because of our own failures.

The late writer John Cheever once observed, "The most wonderful thing about life seems to be that we hardly tap our potential for self-destruction." We may fully tap it yet.

Steve Chapman blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman. Follow him on Twitter @SteveChapman13 or at www.facebook.com/stevechapman13. To find out more about Chapman, www.creators.com.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Driving through Big Spring  particularly at night  one can see that iconic sign. Simply stated in bold red neon is Hotel Settles atop the 15-story building that was once the tallest construct between El Paso and Fort Worth. On Thursday, the hotel, which is 87 years old, celebrated its fifth anniversary of operations after a $30 million refurbishing.

Manager Andrea Barr took some time to discuss the significance of the Hotel Settles. its rich history and some of its more famous guests.

MRT: To start with, why is the Hotel Settles important to West Texas and Big Spring?

More Information For more about the Hotel Settles, visit hotelsettles.com. See More Collapse

Barr: The hotel is truly a gem, not only to Big Spring or West Texas, but I would venture to say the entire state of Texas. Now that Historic Hotel Settles is open once again, it offers so many guests the opportunity to relive their happy memories and new guests an opportunity to make new memories.

MRT: Brint Ryan funded and endured a meticulous restoration. What makes the hotel special today?

Barr: The restoration and renovation is truly incredible. It is evident from top to bottom; every detail was thought of. We also have some of the most beautiful event/meeting space in West Texas. The Settles Grill is not only a favorite among local Big Spring residents, but we also have many guests drive over from Midland and Odessa to enjoy Chef Rob Cooks West Texas comfort-inspired menu. Our Pharmacy Bar and Parlor is a wonderful place to relax and unwind with a great selection of beer and wine and custom cocktails. And our pool area rivals any in West Texas.

MRT: As the manager, whats your spiel, if you will, on the hotel?

Barr: I usually start by explaining that the third floor is our heritage floor and has 13 rooms with varying types with those rooms being the original size with the original size bathrooms vintage tile, tub/shower combo and pedestal sink. Floors four through 13 are where our tower rooms are located, and there are five rooms per floor. Tower rooms are much larger and more modern. The 14th floor is where our three suites are located.

MRT: How does this version of Hotel Settles reflect its origins but also looks forward?

Barr: The hotel originally opened very grand, not only in stature, but also as a state-of-the-art facility with each guest room having its own private bathroom which was uncommon then. The revitalization and renovation kept with the same theme but perhaps even a bit more opulent now with a much larger custom chandelier featured in the lobby.

MRT: Is there something about the hotel that people may not know or surprised to learn about?

Barr: People are very intrigued and love to see the original phone booths in the lobby, and to that point they love any and all historical things about the hotel. We have a vintage menu and table cloth framed on the wall in the dining room and people always stop, as well as all of the historic photos throughout the hotel.

MRT: Are there future plans for the hotel in regards to renovations or big events?

Barr: Our future plan is to further our reputation as a not-to-miss destination to visit over and over. We are currently wrapping up plans with the city to put in a park on the west side of the building that will join the hotel with the Municipal Auditorium. The grounds will be filled with beautiful landscaping and plenty of seating areas and a very large gazebo in the center for outdoor concerts and weddings.

MRT: The hotel is absolutely upscale, but how would you describe its accessibility

to all potential guests?

Barr: Yes, the hotel is upscale but our price points not only for hotel rooms but also food and beverage are very reasonable. The staff certainly plays a key role in making all guests feel welcome and comfortable.

MRT: With such a history, there must have been some interesting people to stay at the Settles.

Barr: Some notable guests have been Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, President Lyndon Johnson, President Herbert Hoover, Lawrence Welk, Gregory Peck and Dr. William Mayo, founder of the Mayo Clinic.
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
Don Beyer Sr., a retired Army lieutenant colonel who became a prominent auto dealer in the Washington area and whose son Don Beyer Jr. is a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia, died Dec. 23 at a rehabilitation facility in Loudoun County, Virginia. He was 93.

He had pneumonia, said a daughter, Sandra Beyer.

Col. Beyer, who was known as Buck, was interested in automobiles from childhood and raced cars and motorcycles in his younger days. He opened his first auto dealership in Falls Church, Virginia, in 1973.

He wanted to call the business "Pirate Motors," with the slogan "where your wallet walks the plank." His wife vetoed that idea, and the dealership was called simply Don Beyer Volvo.

When he opened the doors, Col. Beyer said his goal was to sell one car a day. In the past year, according to his family, the nine Beyer franchises throughout Northern Virginia sold more than 5,000 Volvos, Kias, Land Rovers, Mazdas, Subarus and Volkswagens.

Donald Sternoff Beyer was born Jan. 6, 1924, in New York City. He moved to the Washington area as a boy and grew up on a farm in McLean, Virginia.

His father was a labor negotiator and onetime chairman of the National Mediation Board. His mother once headed the Bureau of Labor Standards.

By the age of 6, Col. Beyer was repairing the family car, and at 12, according to his family, he built one with spare parts scavenged from a junkyard.

He graduated from the old Western High School in the District and was a 1946 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York where he was a member of the wrestling team.

In the late 1940s, he served at a displaced-persons camp in Korea. He spent much of his Army career as a military police officer and was provost marshal at West Point from 1952 to 1955. He also headed the military police unit on the Pacific atoll of Eniwetok, where the United States conducted atomic bomb tests in the 1950s.

Col. Beyer retired from the Army in 1966 and worked for the L.P. Steuart auto business in Washington before launching his own business. He turned over day-to-day management to his sons in the 1980s, but "he kept his finger in the business until the end," Don Beyer Jr. said in an interview.

Col. Beyer lived in Falls Church and, in later years, toured the country with his wife in motor homes.

His wife of 51 years, the former Nancy McDonald, died in 1999. A daughter, Kathy Beyer, died in 2014.

Survivors include five children: Beyer Jr. of Alexandria, Virginia, a former Virginia lieutenant governor who was elected to Congress in 2014; Sherry Beyer of Falls Church; Marylee "Weetie" Hill of Vienna, Virginia; Sandra Beyer of Menominee, Michigan; and Michael Beyer of Falls Church. He had 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, and his companion of seven years was Betty Knight of Leesburg, Virginia.

Col. Beyer, who was a charter member of NASCAR, gave up auto racing when he got married. But he always a drove muscle cars, Beyer Jr. said. His most recent car was a 485-horsepower Dodge Charger.
DES MOINES | Republicans who control the Iowa Statehouse arent debating whether they will reduce state income taxes this session, but rather by how much and just where changes will deliver the most bang for the buck.

Now that President Donald Trump has signed a major overhaul of the federal corporate and individual income tax system, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and the 29 GOP senators and 58 representatives who make up the legislative majorities are analyzing the numbers to determine how much tax relief the state can afford and how best to enhance the states competitive position equitably.

Its a once-in-a-generation opportunity, said Senate President Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny.

Frankly, we havent had income tax reform in 20 years. We havent had corporate reform in 30 years, and so its really a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to take a new look at our tax code, added Whitver. I would like to see something that is fair across the board so that everyone is getting the same percentage decrease in their taxes and its beneficial for everybody in the state of Iowa.

In 1997, the Republican-led Legislature and Gov. Terry Branstad approved a 10 percent across-the-board cut in state income taxes, which put Iowas top rate for individuals at 8.98 percent and the top rate for corporations at 12 percent.

They left intact the politically popular option for Iowans to deduct their federal tax liability from their taxable state income. But the feature skews Iowas competitive position by placing it high in state-by-state comparisons that do not reflect the effective rates once the federal deductibility is factored in.

Business recruiters say companies do not conduct deep-dive research that would show Iowas top individual rate is really more like 6 percent after federal deductibility. Instead, Iowa ranks 40th in the Tax Foundations business climate index, they say, and Iowas current nine brackets are too cumbersome and complicated compared with other states that have streamlined their tax systems.

With Iowa facing a likely revenue windfall from the federal tax cuts  due to Iowans deducting less tax on their state returns  Reynolds and GOP legislative leaders say the time is right to do a comprehensive rewrite on the Iowa tax code. They say they are looking at reducing tax rates, compressing brackets, simplifying the state return while also examining credits, deductions and expanding the sales tax base to capture online sales that have given Internet-based operators an advantage over bricks-and-mortar businesses in the state.

The economy has changed in 20 years and its changing very rapidly. And so what do we need to do with our tax code to fit a 21st century economy  and for me its all about growth. The only reason to do tax reform is to encourage more growth in the state of Iowa, Whitver said. To fund our priorities long term, we need more people in the state of Iowa. We do need economic growth because our revenues have stalled out over the last three or four years. Without growth, there are a lot of priorities that arent going to get funded.

Sen. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said lawmakers have had to start over with simulated computer runs based on the game changer of the federal tax rewrite. He said he hopes to have state Department of Revenue data fairly early in the legislative session that can be used to craft a package of tax reforms for consideration.

I do think we are at a precipice to do something, said Feenstra. Maybe this is a watershed year that you can do some solid planning for years ahead if you do it right, if you create a plan of spending and reform or discounting.

Reynolds, in assembling her first legislative agenda, said improving Iowas competitive business climate and building a skilled workforce are at the top of her list.

While the tax discussion is in its formative stages, she said she hopes to convey some broad ideas of the direction that were headed to help Iowans keep more of their hard-earned money when she gives her Jan. 9 Condition of the State address.

We want to make sure that its financially sustainable and that we can continue to honor the commitments that weve made, she said in an interview. So I think we can give some broad senses about the direction that were heading but I just want to make sure that weve done the proper analysis, we feel comfortable in what were doing, it accomplishes what some of our goals are going forward.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, said his No. 1 priority is lowering the rates for Iowas income taxpayers and creating a competitive environment to attract new careers and more taxpayers.

In my opinion, this wont be a successful session unless we have a significant tax bill get accomplished, he said.

Minority Democrats worry that Iowans will be shut out of the process, given past GOP actions to revamp collective bargaining for public-sector employees, injured workers compensation and gun regulations, along with closing state mental health and other institutions and shifting to privately managed Medicaid.

Their tax packages that we have seen in the past have not been beneficial to everyday Iowans, said Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines. With the budget our state is facing, knowing that all of us will be coming back and Republicans will have to fix the budget mess were in, it seems like this is not a wise time to be cutting taxes when theyre busy cutting essential services that Iowans count on and our public education system.

Tax overhaul has to be framed in the context of the existing budget mess, said Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids. Tax reform that would take more revenue away from the state is unimaginable.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, said majority House Republicans are pretty pragmatic when it comes to balancing the budget while improving tax competitiveness.

Were not going to do something that puts the state in a position where we have an entire mismatch there, Upmeyer said. Were not going to do that. But we are going to look for opportunities and, if for any reason the federal activity generates a windfall or an increase in resources here for Iowa, I think much of that is dollars that werent paid in taxes, we expect them to be able to keep it so were not just going to haul it in.

That struck a chord with John Stineman, executive director of the Iowa Chamber Alliance, which wants to see the Legislature address the sticker shock associated with Iowas top individual and corporate income tax rates  but not at the price of fiscal responsibility that fosters quality of life and other elements also important to business development.

We want to make sure that whatever we bite off is something were actually able to swallow, said Stineman. All that being said, we want to see lower rates, lower advertised rates in particular, and we want to see a move toward simplicity.

Mike Owen, executive director of the Iowa Policy Project, said Iowa has a regressive tax system that slants in favor of wealthy Iowans who pay a lower percentage of their income in state and local taxes than do the bottom 80 percent of the taxpaying population.

Any changes should be based upon fairness and generating the revenue needed for vital public services, he said, especially with indications coming from Congress that some safety-net programs may be cut.

I dont think theres an argument for cutting business taxes for competitiveness reasons, said Peter Fisher, an Iowa Policy Project economist. We dont need to be near the bottom, probably dont want to be near the bottom, because that probably means weve got potholes in our roads and our kids arent getting a good education, which are all things that matter to businesses.

Rather than flattening income tax rates, which would make sales and property taxes more regressive, Owen said, lawmakers should place a five-year sunset on existing tax credit programs and inject more accountability into the tax system while plugging loopholes.

Whitver said he expects everything will be on the table during the legislative tax policy examination, including more than 40 tax credits that carry an obligation ranging between $400 million and $500 million.
Kansas City, Mo.

Police in Los Angeles have arrested a man they suspect made a hoax emergency call that resulted in a SWAT police officer fatally shooting a man at the door of his own home in Kansas, law enforcement officials said Saturday.

Wichita Deputy Police Chief Troy Livingston on Friday characterized the hoax call as "swatting" in which a "prankster" called 911 with a fake story about a shooting and kidnapping to draw a SWAT team to the victim's address. Authorities haven't released the name of the man who was killed Thursday, but relatives have identified him as 28-year-old Andrew Finch.

Tyler Barriss, 25, is suspected of making that call and was arrested in Los Angeles on Friday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Wichita Police Department in statements emailed early Saturday afternoon. Officer Paul Cruz, a spokesman for the Wichita police, said the two city police departments are working with the FBI on the case, but provided no further details.

In audio of the 911 call played by Wichita police at a news conference on Friday, a man said he shot his father in the head and that he was holding his mother and a sibling at gunpoint. The caller, speaking with relative calm, also said he poured gasoline inside the home "and I might just set it on fire."

Officers subsequently surrounded the home and prepared for a hostage situation. When Finch went to the door, police told him to put his hands up. But Livingston said the man moved a hand toward his waistband and an officer, fearing he was reaching for a gun, fired a single shot.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

San Antonio police have made an arrest in a homicide that took place nearly two months ago.

According to an arrest affidavit, Maria Dolores Garcia, 46, has been charged in the murder of John Anthony Seguin, who was shot once in the head at the intersection of Barclay and Colima Streets on Nov. 3.

The 36-year-old was transported to University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

RELATED: Man who slayed S.A. mom at home with kids inside, identified

The affidavit said a witness statement pointed police toward video surveillance of the parking lot at a Daniels Food Mart near the scene.

Police were told the parking lot was where Garcia and Seguin were seen arguing earlier in the day.

The affidavit said a second person, who reportedly saw the shooting, knew of previous arguments between the two that involved illegal drug transactions and was allegedly threatened with bodily harm by Garcia if a statement was provided to police.

The second witness told police that as Seguin walked toward the intersection on Nov. 3, Garcia became angry and told Seguin in Spanish that he should not have put his hands on her.

The witness said that as soon as Seguin began to walk away, someone near the intersection yelled and the victim saw a handgun pointed at him.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Garcia allegedly shot the victim once in the head, and the witness ran toward the food store and requested 911 be called.

Police issued the arrest warrent Friday, and Garcia was subsequently booked on a murder charge.

aluna@express-news.net | Twitter: alexluna801
WASHINGTON - A growing campaign by President Donald Trump's most ardent supporters to discredit the special counsel, Robert Mueller, and the law enforcement agencies assisting his investigation is opening new fissures in the Republican Party, with some lawmakers questioning the damage being done to federal law enforcement and to a political party that has long championed law and order.

A small but vocal group of conservative lawmakers, much of the conservative media and, at times, the president himself have launched a series of attacks to paint not only Mueller but institutions once considered sacrosanct to Republicans such as the FBI and Department of Justice as dangerously biased against Trump. One of them, Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., called on Tuesday for top FBI and Justice Department officials to be "purged."

Now some Republican lawmakers are speaking out, worried that Trump loyalists, hoping for short-term gain, could wind up staining the party, dampening morale at the FBI and Justice Department, and potentially recasting Democrats as the true friends of law enforcement for years to come.

"As an institution, we have to make it clear that we are dealing here with a scalpel not a sledgehammer," said Rep. Peter T. King, R-N.Y., who sits on the Intelligence and Homeland Security committees. "Because you can't have a situation where people say, 'Oh, you can't trust the FBI.' That creates a spirit of anarchy."

The effort to sow doubt about Mueller's team has gained steam since early December after Michael T. Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and cut a deal to cooperate with Mueller's inquiry.

The following day, The Times reported that Mueller had removed a top FBI agent during the summer over text messages expressing anti-Trump political views that he had exchanged with an agency lawyer.

Since then, Republicans who control key House committees have called top Justice and FBI officials to Capitol Hill for hourslong interviews in public and behind closed doors about the handling of the Clinton and Trump investigations.

The attacks have sent chills through at least some at the FBI, an agency that prides itself on rigorous adherence to the law and tends to attract right-leaning career employees. Katherine W. Schweit, a former senior FBI official who retired earlier this year, called the criticism "baseless" and said it put the agency's mission at risk.

"Undermining the FBI is not helping the United States protect its citizens," she said. "When people stop working with us, we have a bigger problem than politics. Sowing distrust undermines the integrity of the agents and analysts. This can ripple out to every other agency."
During a night of heavy drinking at an upscale London bar in May 2016, George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, made a startling revelation to Australia's top diplomat in Britain: Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton.

About three weeks earlier, Papadopoulos had been told that Moscow had thousands of emails that would embarrass Clinton, apparently stolen in an effort to try to damage her campaign.

Exactly how much Papadopoulos said that night at the Kensington Wine Rooms with the Australian, Alexander Downer, is unclear. But two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, Australian officials passed the information about Papadopoulos to their U.S. counterparts, according to four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians' role.

The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016 into Russia's attempts to disrupt the election and whether any of President Donald Trump's associates conspired.

Match that set off a blaze

If Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now a cooperating witness, was the improbable match that set off a blaze that has consumed the first year of the Trump administration, his saga is also a tale of the Trump campaign in miniature. He was brash, boastful and underqualified, yet he exceeded expectations. And, like the campaign itself, he proved to be a tantalizing target for a Russian influence operation.

While some of Trump's advisers have derided him as an insignificant campaign volunteer or a "coffee boy," interviews and new documents show that he stayed influential throughout the campaign. Two months before the election, for instance, he helped arrange a New York meeting between Trump and President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt.

The information that Papadopoulos gave to the Australians answers one of the lingering mysteries of the past year: What so alarmed U.S. officials to provoke the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign months before the presidential election?

It was not, as Trump and other politicians have alleged, a dossier compiled by a former British spy hired by a rival campaign. Instead, it was firsthand information from one of the United States' closest intelligence allies.

Interviews and previously undisclosed documents show that Papadopoulos played a critical role in this drama and reveal a Russian operation that was more aggressive and widespread than previously known. They add to an emerging portrait, gradually filled in over the past year in revelations by federal investigators, journalists and lawmakers, of Russians with government contacts trying to establish secret channels at various levels of the Trump campaign.

The FBI investigation, which was taken over seven months ago by special counsel Robert Mueller, has cast a shadow over Trump's first year in office - even as he and his aides repeatedly played down the Russian efforts and falsely denied campaign contacts with Russians.

FBI officials disagreed in 2016 about how aggressively and publicly to pursue the Russia inquiry before the election. But there was little debate about what seemed to be afoot. John O. Brennan, who retired this year after four years as CIA director, told Congress in May that he had been concerned about multiple contacts between Russian officials and Trump advisers.

Russia, he said, had tried to "suborn" members of the Trump campaign.

Deferred to Jeff Sessions

Papadopoulos, then an ambitious 28-year-old from Chicago, was working as an energy consultant in London when the Trump campaign, desperate to create a foreign policy team, named him as an adviser in early March 2016. His political experience was limited to two months on Ben Carson's presidential campaign before it collapsed.

Papadopoulos had no experience on Russia issues. But during his job interview with Sam Clovis, a top early campaign aide, he saw an opening. He was told that improving relations with Russia was one of Trump's top foreign policy goals, according to court papers, an account Clovis has denied.

Traveling in Italy that March, Papadopoulos met Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese professor at a now-defunct London academy who had valuable contacts with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mifsud showed little interest in Papadopoulos at first.

But when he found out he was a Trump campaign adviser, he latched onto him, according to court records and emails obtained by the New York Times. Their joint goal was to arrange a meeting between Trump and Russia President Vladimir Putin, or between their respective aides.

In response to questions, Papadopoulos' lawyers declined to provide a statement.

When Trump's foreign policy team gathered for the first time at the end of March in Washington, Papadopoulos said he had the contacts to set up a meeting between Trump and Putin. Trump listened intently but apparently deferred to Jeff Sessions, then a senator from Alabama and head of the campaign's foreign policy team, according to participants in the meeting.

Sessions, now attorney general, initially did not reveal that discussion to Congress, because, he has said, he did not recall it. More recently, he said he pushed back against Papadopoulos' proposal, at least partly because he did not want someone so unqualified to represent the campaign on such a sensitive matter.

If the campaign wanted Papadopoulos to stand down, previously undisclosed emails obtained by the Times show that he either did not get the message or failed to heed it. He continued for months to try to arrange some kind of meeting with Russian representatives, keeping senior campaign advisers abreast of his efforts.

In late April, at a London hotel, Mifsud told Papadopoulos that he had just learned from high-level Russian officials in Moscow that the Russians had "dirt" on Clinton in the form of "thousands of emails," according to court documents. Although Russian hackers had been mining data from the Democratic National Committee's computers for months, that information was not yet public. Even the committee itself did not know.

Whether Papadopoulos shared that information with anyone else in the campaign is one of many unanswered questions.

Not long after, however, he opened up to Downer, the Australian diplomat, about his contacts with the Russians.

It is not clear why, after getting the information in May, the Australian government waited two months to pass it to the FBI. In a statement, the Australian Embassy in Washington declined to provide details about the meeting or confirm that it occurred.

The FBI declined to comment.

A secretive investigation

Once the information Papadopoulos had disclosed to the Australian diplomat reached the FBI, the bureau opened an investigation that became one of its most closely guarded secrets.

Besides the information from the Australians, the investigation was also propelled by intelligence from other friendly governments, including the British and Dutch. A trip to Moscow by another adviser, Carter Page, also raised concerns at the FBI.

With so many strands coming in - about Papadopoulos, Page, the hackers and more - FBI agents debated how aggressively to investigate the campaign's Russia ties, according to current and former officials familiar with the debate. Issuing subpoenas or questioning people, for example, could cause the investigation to burst into public view in the final months of a presidential campaign.

It could also tip off the Russian government, which might try to cover its tracks.

Ultimately, the FBI and Justice Department decided to keep the investigation quiet, a decision that Democrats in particular have criticized. And agents did not interview Papadopoulos until late January.
MASON CITY | Dean Snyder Construction Co. of Clear Lake was treated unfairly during the process that led to the Mason City Council approving G8 Development to build the downtown hotel, a company official said Friday.

Dean Snyder Construction had been working with Gatehouse Mason City LLC for several months on the project. Gatehouse was the only bidder until G8 entered a bid at the last moment and was selected by the council for the project.

"There were certain aspects of the last six weeks that did seem a little unfair," said Kolton Wagaman, project manager for Dean Snyder.

"One important example: G8 being allowed to turn in a proposal that had copies of Dean Snyder drawings within it that our design team worked hard on. This was a pretty egregious action and it seemed to go completely ignored throughout the process," Wagaman said.

"With how it was handled Dean Snyder felt we had no other choice but to send out cease and desist letters to both G8 and the city of Mason City. This letter went ignored by the city," he said.

At a City Council meeting earlier this month, Director of Development Services Steven Van Steenhuyse acknowledged that G8 had used Gatehouse's drawings but said it had no bearing on the bid-off process that resulted in G8 getting City Council approval.

Mason City Mayor Eric Bookmeyer said he had no comment Friday and referred the Globe Gazette to Interim City Administrator Kevin Jacobson or Van Steenhuyse. Neither could be reached Friday afternoon.

Wagaman and Dean Snyder also took issue with city officials saying "local" involvement was a factor in making the decision to go with G8. "We felt that argument was weak at best," Wagaman said. "We have been working in Mason City for countless years, we are a member of the Chamber of Commerce, not to mention that we have multiple employees who actually live there."

Wagaman said the company worked on the project for eight months and was ecstatic when Mason City voters approved two public issues related to the project on Nov. 7 when Gatehouse was the only developer in the picture.

"The process of a project falling through after time was spent on it isn't really that unusual in this industry," Wagaman said. "This specific project, however, is unique in the manner it fell through. That was new for us."

Nonetheless, he said, the company respects the decision of the council and the difficult decision it had to make.

"Many exciting things are to come involving the River City Renaissance Project and we are confident that with the new council and mayor, they will be handled with great care."
By Express News Service

Superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday ended the suspense over his political debut and announced his decision to form a new party on the last day of 2017. He said he would set up a party and contest the next state assembly elections.

"Those who don't go to war will be considered cowards, the veteran began his speech to a large crowd of fans at the Raghavendra Mandapam in Chennai.

Earlier this week, the actor, while addressing his fans in the Tamil Nadu capital, had announced that he would disclose his political plans on December end.

Here is the full text of his address to his fans at the Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in Kodambakkam:

"Ennai Vazhai Vaikkum Tamizh makkale (People of Tamil Nadu who sustain my life).

I am not afraid of entering into politics, but I am afraid of the media. If I say something, they will make it a point for debate. Cho sir used to advise me to be careful with the media. Had he been alive, I would

have had the strength of ten elephants.

Kannan said (Lord Kannan in Bagavath Geetha) do your best and he will take care of the rest. Won't people call us cowards, if we dont get into the battlefield? My entry into politics is now certain (fans erupt cheering).

It's only a matter of time. I will launch a new party and contest from 234 constituencies across Tamil Nadu in the coming election.

However, I will not contest in the locals elections, as there isn't enough time.

I am not entering into politics, for money or fame...you have already given it to me in plenty.

Had I wanted only the power, I would have entered politics in 1996 itself. However, I waited.

If I didn't have a desire for power at the age of 45, would I have it now at 68?

Won't I be called mad?

Then what? Politics in the state have become rotten.

Political incidents in the last one year have made Tamils put down their heads (in shame). People from other states are laughing at us.

If I dont take this decision now, the feeling of guilt for not doing well for the Tamil people will kill me.

My intention is to create caste and religion-less, spiritual politics.

It's not that easy to bring such politics. Tamil people should make it possible. That is what my intention is and that is what my target is.

I am aware that is not easy to launch a party and win the election. It is as difficult as diving into the sea to collect pearls.

With the blessings of God, love, and the support of people, we will be able

to achieve this.

I am confident that I will get both.

In olden days, kings loot the jewels and people by invading other countries. But, in democracy, they loot their own countrymen.

I dont want partymen, but guards. Guards who will ensure that benefits and rights reach the common man.

I want guards who will work selflessly for the welfare of the society.

In our party, we need guards who will question those who make mistakes, be it an official or a politician. Such guards will be promoted I will only be a representative of the people and my job will be to monitor those guards.

We need a potent force to build the guard and the party.

There are thousands of registered fans clubs in rural and urban parts of Tamil Nadu. The number of unregistered clubs maybe even 1.5 times higher than this.

Our first duty to is to get the unregistered fan clubs to register and create a network by integrating them across the state.

We are going to be the guard... you should bring all the people..women, elderly, youngsters, educated and uneducated people under the ambit of the fan club.

Every street in the village of Tamil Nadu should have our fan club.

This is my first duty to you.

We all should come under one umbrella. We all should maintain discipline.

Until such time, we will refrain ourselves from speaking about politics, including myself.

Dont scold politicians Dont criticize them.. there are a lot of people who do just that.

There are a lot of people in the political pond, they have to swim in the pond to survive. We are yet to get into the pond.

At the right time before the assembly elections, we will launch our party.

We will reveal our plans to people. We will tell them what we can do and what cannot.

If we cannot fulfil our promises within three years, we will leave the government.

Our mantra will be the truth, hard work, and growth (Progress). Our ideology: think good, do good and good will happen. Our force will be there in the coming democratic war, that is in the assembly election."

Superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday ended the suspense over his political debut and announced his decision to form a new party on the last day of 2017. He said he would set up a party and contest the next state assembly elections. "Those who don't go to war will be considered cowards, the veteran began his speech to a large crowd of fans at the Raghavendra Mandapam in Chennai. Earlier this week, the actor, while addressing his fans in the Tamil Nadu capital, had announced that he would disclose his political plans on December end. Here is the full text of his address to his fans at the Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in Kodambakkam: "Ennai Vazhai Vaikkum Tamizh makkale (People of Tamil Nadu who sustain my life). I am not afraid of entering into politics, but I am afraid of the media. If I say something, they will make it a point for debate. Cho sir used to advise me to be careful with the media. Had he been alive, I would have had the strength of ten elephants. Kannan said (Lord Kannan in Bagavath Geetha) do your best and he will take care of the rest. Won't people call us cowards, if we dont get into the battlefield? My entry into politics is now certain (fans erupt cheering). It's only a matter of time. I will launch a new party and contest from 234 constituencies across Tamil Nadu in the coming election. However, I will not contest in the locals elections, as there isn't enough time. I am not entering into politics, for money or fame...you have already given it to me in plenty. Had I wanted only the power, I would have entered politics in 1996 itself. However, I waited. If I didn't have a desire for power at the age of 45, would I have it now at 68? Won't I be called mad? Then what? Politics in the state have become rotten. Political incidents in the last one year have made Tamils put down their heads (in shame). People from other states are laughing at us. If I dont take this decision now, the feeling of guilt for not doing well for the Tamil people will kill me. My intention is to create caste and religion-less, spiritual politics. It's not that easy to bring such politics. Tamil people should make it possible. That is what my intention is and that is what my target is. I am aware that is not easy to launch a party and win the election. It is as difficult as diving into the sea to collect pearls. With the blessings of God, love, and the support of people, we will be able to achieve this. I am confident that I will get both. In olden days, kings loot the jewels and people by invading other countries. But, in democracy, they loot their own countrymen. I dont want partymen, but guards. Guards who will ensure that benefits and rights reach the common man. I want guards who will work selflessly for the welfare of the society. In our party, we need guards who will question those who make mistakes, be it an official or a politician. Such guards will be promoted I will only be a representative of the people and my job will be to monitor those guards. We need a potent force to build the guard and the party. There are thousands of registered fans clubs in rural and urban parts of Tamil Nadu. The number of unregistered clubs maybe even 1.5 times higher than this. Our first duty to is to get the unregistered fan clubs to register and create a network by integrating them across the state. We are going to be the guard... you should bring all the people..women, elderly, youngsters, educated and uneducated people under the ambit of the fan club. Every street in the village of Tamil Nadu should have our fan club. This is my first duty to you. We all should come under one umbrella. We all should maintain discipline. Until such time, we will refrain ourselves from speaking about politics, including myself. Dont scold politicians Dont criticize them.. there are a lot of people who do just that. There are a lot of people in the political pond, they have to swim in the pond to survive. We are yet to get into the pond. At the right time before the assembly elections, we will launch our party. We will reveal our plans to people. We will tell them what we can do and what cannot. If we cannot fulfil our promises within three years, we will leave the government. Our mantra will be the truth, hard work, and growth (Progress). Our ideology: think good, do good and good will happen. Our force will be there in the coming democratic war, that is in the assembly election."
By Online Desk

Death sentences, jail terms and huge fines. The year 2017 saw the judiciary come down hard on convicts accused of big or brutal crimes, be it netas, celebrities or otherwise. Heres a run-down to savour the moments where justice prevailed and democracy stood victorious.

ALSO READ | From Triple Talaq to Aadhaar privacy, here are some of 2017's landmark judgments

Tamil Nadu Disproportionate Assets case

Amid the political turmoil in the state after Chief Minister Jayalalithaas death, AIADMKs then controversial General Secretary VK Sasikala was convicted on February 14, 2017 in the Disproportionate Assets case.

According to the charges in the 19-year-old case, Jayalalithaa along with three co-accused, Sasikala, Sasikalas sister-in-law Ilavarasi, and Sasikalas nephew VN Sudhakaran (Jayalalithaas foster son who she disowned later) acquired assets of Rs 66.65 crore, which was disproportionate to her known sources of income.

Sasikala was sentenced to a jail term of four years and stood disqualified under the Representation of the People Act. (File | Express Photo Service)

As a result of her conviction, Sasikala was sentenced to a jail term of four years and stood disqualified under the Representation of the People Act. This meant she could not contest polls for six years from the date of her release from prison, which is 10 years hence.

The sentence dealt a major blow to her power in the ruling AIADMK party, as she became ineligible to be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu then. This subsequently led to the current Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy rising to power and later joining hands with another faction under now deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam, while exiling Sasikala from the party.

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs rape case

In a conviction, which led to this years most shocking violent agitation, self-styled Godman and Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the rape and criminal intimidation of two Sadhvis (women followers) in 1999. He was also slapped with fines of Rs 15 lakh in each case, of which Rs 14 lakh each must be paid to each victim.

Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. (File | Express Photo Service)

Following his conviction and sentence on August 28, hundreds of Dera Sacha Sauda followers took to the streets and went on a rampage in Haryanas Panchkula. Attempts were in fact made to free Ram Rahim. Later, Honeypreet Insan, who claims to be the adopted daughter of Dera chief Ram Rahim, was accused of inciting the violence. She and several aides were soon after arrested in October and the case is pending in court.

Mumbai serial blasts case

In 1994, serial blasts ripped Mumbai apart, killing over 250 people and injuring more than 700 others. Twenty four years later, in September 2017, the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court awarded death penalty to Feroz Khan and Tahir Merchant for conspiring against the State and murder, and gave life sentences to Abu Salem and Karimullah Khan. The fifth accused, Riyaz Siddiqui, got a 10-year jail term.

Gangster Abu Salem managed to escape the noose because of the extradition treaty that India signed with Portugal. (File | PTI)

Although justice might have been served, despite being held guilty of conspiracy under the stringent TADA, Abu Salem managed to escape the noose because of the extradition treaty that India signed with Portugal to bring him back to the country. According to the treaty signed in 2007, persons extradited from Portugal cannot be sentenced to death.

The case still sees no end unfortunately as 35 others, including prime accused, Mumbai underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim, his associates Tiger Memon and Javed Chikna, are still on the run.

Fodder scam

On December 23, 2017, Bihars Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted after 21 years by a special CBI court in Ranchi in a case of the states Rs 1,000 crore fodder scam. The court will announce the quantum of sentence for the convicts on January 3, 2018.

Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted after 21 years in Bihar's fodder scam. (File | PTI)

Earlier, 58 people, including Lalu Prasad Yadavs nephews and two former regional directors of the animal husbandry department, were convicted and handed jail terms of 5-6 years each in May 2007.

The Rs 1,000-crore fodder scam was unearthed in January 1996 when massive embezzlement of funds from the government treasury in Chaibasa (Jharkhand) was found and the animal husbandry departments office there was raided.

Coal scam

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and former Coal Secretary HC Gupta were sentenced to three years imprisonment by a special court in a case of the multi-crore coal block allocation scam that came to light in 2007. Former Jharkhand chief secretary AK Basu and Vijay Joshi, a close aide of the then chief minister, were also awarded a jail term of three years.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda was sentenced to three years imprisonment in the coal scam case. (File | Express Photo Service)

The coal block allocation scam is a major political scandal concerning the Indian government's allocation of the country's coal deposits to public and private companies. In March 2014, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India office accused the government of allocating coal blocks in an inefficient manner between 2004 and 2009. Later, it was discovered that massive corrupt practices were involved in the allocation, instead of competitive bidding.

Death sentences, jail terms and huge fines. The year 2017 saw the judiciary come down hard on convicts accused of big or brutal crimes, be it netas, celebrities or otherwise. Heres a run-down to savour the moments where justice prevailed and democracy stood victorious. ALSO READ | From Triple Talaq to Aadhaar privacy, here are some of 2017's landmark judgments Tamil Nadu Disproportionate Assets case Amid the political turmoil in the state after Chief Minister Jayalalithaas death, AIADMKs then controversial General Secretary VK Sasikala was convicted on February 14, 2017 in the Disproportionate Assets case. According to the charges in the 19-year-old case, Jayalalithaa along with three co-accused, Sasikala, Sasikalas sister-in-law Ilavarasi, and Sasikalas nephew VN Sudhakaran (Jayalalithaas foster son who she disowned later) acquired assets of Rs 66.65 crore, which was disproportionate to her known sources of income. Sasikala was sentenced to a jail term of four years and stood disqualified under the Representation of the People Act. (File | Express Photo Service) As a result of her conviction, Sasikala was sentenced to a jail term of four years and stood disqualified under the Representation of the People Act. This meant she could not contest polls for six years from the date of her release from prison, which is 10 years hence. The sentence dealt a major blow to her power in the ruling AIADMK party, as she became ineligible to be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu then. This subsequently led to the current Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy rising to power and later joining hands with another faction under now deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam, while exiling Sasikala from the party. Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs rape case In a conviction, which led to this years most shocking violent agitation, self-styled Godman and Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the rape and criminal intimidation of two Sadhvis (women followers) in 1999. He was also slapped with fines of Rs 15 lakh in each case, of which Rs 14 lakh each must be paid to each victim. Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. (File | Express Photo Service) Following his conviction and sentence on August 28, hundreds of Dera Sacha Sauda followers took to the streets and went on a rampage in Haryanas Panchkula. Attempts were in fact made to free Ram Rahim. Later, Honeypreet Insan, who claims to be the adopted daughter of Dera chief Ram Rahim, was accused of inciting the violence. She and several aides were soon after arrested in October and the case is pending in court. Mumbai serial blasts case In 1994, serial blasts ripped Mumbai apart, killing over 250 people and injuring more than 700 others. Twenty four years later, in September 2017, the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court awarded death penalty to Feroz Khan and Tahir Merchant for conspiring against the State and murder, and gave life sentences to Abu Salem and Karimullah Khan. The fifth accused, Riyaz Siddiqui, got a 10-year jail term. Gangster Abu Salem managed to escape the noose because of the extradition treaty that India signed with Portugal. (File | PTI) Although justice might have been served, despite being held guilty of conspiracy under the stringent TADA, Abu Salem managed to escape the noose because of the extradition treaty that India signed with Portugal to bring him back to the country. According to the treaty signed in 2007, persons extradited from Portugal cannot be sentenced to death. The case still sees no end unfortunately as 35 others, including prime accused, Mumbai underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim, his associates Tiger Memon and Javed Chikna, are still on the run. Fodder scam On December 23, 2017, Bihars Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted after 21 years by a special CBI court in Ranchi in a case of the states Rs 1,000 crore fodder scam. The court will announce the quantum of sentence for the convicts on January 3, 2018. Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted after 21 years in Bihar's fodder scam. (File | PTI) Earlier, 58 people, including Lalu Prasad Yadavs nephews and two former regional directors of the animal husbandry department, were convicted and handed jail terms of 5-6 years each in May 2007. The Rs 1,000-crore fodder scam was unearthed in January 1996 when massive embezzlement of funds from the government treasury in Chaibasa (Jharkhand) was found and the animal husbandry departments office there was raided. Coal scam Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda and former Coal Secretary HC Gupta were sentenced to three years imprisonment by a special court in a case of the multi-crore coal block allocation scam that came to light in 2007. Former Jharkhand chief secretary AK Basu and Vijay Joshi, a close aide of the then chief minister, were also awarded a jail term of three years. Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda was sentenced to three years imprisonment in the coal scam case. (File | Express Photo Service) The coal block allocation scam is a major political scandal concerning the Indian government's allocation of the country's coal deposits to public and private companies. In March 2014, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India office accused the government of allocating coal blocks in an inefficient manner between 2004 and 2009. Later, it was discovered that massive corrupt practices were involved in the allocation, instead of competitive bidding.
Eight North Iowa nonprofit organizations will receive funding from the Elizabeth Muse Norris Charitable Fund and six more will receive money from the Lorraine and Ray Rorick Fund, Lee Endowment Foundation administrators announced.

Total disbursements from the Muse Norris fund were $30,758 for 2017.

This years recipients are:

Clear Lake Middle and Elementary School Band, $3,000

Elderbridge Aging Agency, $3,000

Francis Lauer Youth Services, Carpets for Kids, $1,349

KCMR, $4,000

Mason City Schools Instrumental Music Boosters, $3,250

NIACC, Performing Arts and Leadership Series, $5,000

North Iowa Band Festival, $1,000

Plymouth Area Fire Association, Inc., $1,150

Administrators split $2,171.50 from the Rorick Fund among:

United Way of North Iowa, $217.15

Christmas Cheer Fund, $217.15

First Presbyterian Church, Mason City, $434.30

Winnebago Council Boy Scouts, $434.30

Simpson College, $434.30

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Tucson, Ariz., $434.30

Additionally, administrators approved $4,666 from the Will F. Muse Scholarship Fund to North Iowa Area Community College.

Elizabeth Muse Norris was the daughter of former Globe Gazette publisher Will F. Muse, and Ray Rorick was another former Globe Gazette publisher. Following Elizabeth Muse Norris death in 1983, stock certificates left in her name were used to form the foundation. Its mission is to preserve the familys memory and to ensure that funding for worthwhile community programs would continue in North Iowa.

Applications for distributions must be made by March 31, 2018. The application form can be downloaded from www.musenorris.com.
Spare Change: Newport City Council must address North End eyesores

With a new City Council arriving, lets hope it can prod property owners in the North End into getting back to work on a pair of eyesores
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Srinagar: Heavily armed militants on Sunday launched a pre-dawn suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, killing five personnel of the force. CRPF officials said two militants were killed in the subsequent operation to neutralise the ultras. One more terrorist is still holed up in a building block in the camp.

"Two heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," CRPF officials said,

CRPF Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rajesh Yadav told PTI that the militants fired indiscriminately injuring three CRPF personnel.

Director General of Police SP Vaid said security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

Terming the attack as "unfortunate", Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters.

The CRPF camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley.

A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.

(With PTI inputs)
Thiruvananthapuram: St Thomas Central School in Thiruvananthapuram, where two students were expelled for hugging each other on campus, has decided to take the students back after a meeting with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday.

The students, a Class XII boy and a Class XI girl, will be allowed to write exams, the school management said. The two were suspended after they hugged each other in full public glare inside the school campus for a "long duration", kicking up a huge row that received nationwide attention.

While the teenagers said it was a congratulatory and friendly hug, the school maintained that it was against their disciplinary practices and that the hug was too long to be a congratulatory one.

I feel confident that the excellent reputation of St Thomas Central School will prevail now that this unfortunate incident is behind us. The students can resume their studies immediately &the school get back to what it is good at: educating exemplary boys&girls of good character. https://t.co/ST1in2gjnI Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 31, 2017

Tharoor, who had condemned the school in strong words earlier, also tweeted to announce the "formal agreement" between the school authorities and the parents of the suspended kids.

"Delighted to announce the conclusion of a formal agreement between St Thomas Central School and parents of the two suspended students. My personal thanks to Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan for his humane leadership and compassion and to both parents and school management for their understanding and cooperation," he wrote.

Delighted to announce the conclusion of a formal agreement between StThomas Central School &parents of the two suspended students. My personal thanks to JosephMarThoma Metropolitan for his humane leadership&compassion;&to both parents&school mgmt4their understanding&cooperation. Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 31, 2017

The school management said that the boy's attendance would be short, but it would write to the CBSE. Regarding the girl, the school authorities said Tharoor would take up her case with the board as she had taken admission in another school for some time, but that too was cancelled later.

The boy had earlier told CNN-News 18 that he was under tremendous pressure as he was not sure whether he would be able to write his board exams. "I cannot afford to lose one year because of a friendly hug I gave my friend. The secretary had used really bad words at me, abused me. They had given this whole incident a sexual colour. I want to write my exams."

The girl had said that she and her mother were harassed by the secretary of the school. "My mother and I visited the secretary. He harassed us in a lot of ways. He slut-shamed me, he shamed my family for bringing me up this way, called my family immoral. He has used sexually harassing and demeaning words against me. He made my mother cry because he was using really abusive words," she said.
New Delhi: India is no longer shy of calling itself a friend of Israel, the BJPs Foreign Affairs Department in-charge said ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to India in January 2018.

The 10 years of UPA government had frozen the ties. But now India is no more shy of calling itself a friend of Israel, Vijay Chauthaiwale told News18.com.

The reason why the ties were frozen in the UPA rule concerned with domestic issues and historical baggage of the Cold War, he said.

They (UPA) were skeptical that strengthening ties with Israel would make them lose domestic support of minorities. It did not go further. Also there was a historical baggage of the Cold War era. The Non-Alignment Movement was a necessity of Cold War, but the Cold War has ended. Every country is now dealing with every other country, he said.

He added that PM Narendra Modi, who had visited Israel in July, has de-hyphenated relations with Israel and Palestine. We are dealing with Israel on a separate note which is not linked with Palestine and vice-versa. We are in a position to do so as we have good relations with all Islamic countries as well as with Israel.

The nature of relations with Israel has also changed, he said. Earlier it (ties) was concerned with cyber security, defense. We are now going beyond and covering cooperation in innovation, agriculture, water conservation etc, he said.

On the recent controversy over Palestine ambassador to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, sharing the stage with 26/11 attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Chauthaiwale said it was just once case, but still unacceptable.

That was just one case, but unacceptable to us to see someone from Palestine share dais with someone India has branded a terrorist.
New Delhi: Just days after former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother and wife met him in Pakistan, the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan met each other for talks in Bangkok, a media report said on Sunday.

According to the report in The Indian Express, the meeting was supposedly a pre-scheduled meet and was not linked to Pakistan's treatment towards Jadhav's family.

Pakistani NSA Lt General Nasir Khan Janjua (retd) and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval met at a "neutral venue" to discuss matters of national security, terrorism and relations with neighbouring countries, said the Indian Express report.

The meeting, which was held on Tuesday, is said to have lasted over two hours. The Indian side raised issued like the infiltration of militants into Kashmir from across the Line of Control (LoC) with active support from the Pakistan army while offering a 'humanitarian pact' to its neighbour.

The report states that the pact allows the elderly and minor children who inadvertently cross the border to be quickly returned to their home country. Islamabad has not yet responded to the offer.

The two NSAs have previously met in Bangkok in December 2015.

During the December 25 meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family, the pictures of which were released by Pakistan, Jadhav was seen sitting behind a glass screen while his mother and wife sat on the other side.

They spoke through an intercom and the entire 40-minute proceedings appeared to have been recorded on video.

Jadhav, 47, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted.

New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution.
New Delhi: Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik on Sunday penned an open letter to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to highlight the miseries of Kashmiri political prisoners and equated it to the plight of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan.

Malik, who is the chief of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), wrote he was not sending the letter as an activist, but as a common man who was moved by Swaraj's speech in Parliament when she described the ordeal of Jadhav's mother and wife when they went to Islamabad to meet him after 22 months.

Repeatedly drawing parallels between himself and formal naval officer Jadhav, Malik wrote that just like Jadhav's mother was denied a chance to hug her son due to a glass partition, his mother, too, was not allowed to hug him at many Indian jails, including at Tihar jail in Delhi.

"This reminded me of the tears of my sister who could not tolerate to see me from behind a glass wall, talking on an intercom just like Jadhav. Her plea to touch me was also discarded on the pretext of security reasons," he wrote.

The separatist leader also pointed out India's record when it comes to human rights is "not dazzling" and used the example of "Kashmiri freedom fighter Muhammad Maqbool Butt," who Malik said was hanged without allowing him a last meeting with his family members.

"It is India that, without proving his guilt and just on the pretext to 'satisfy the collective conscience of India masses, hanged another Kashmiri youth, Muhammad Afzal Guru in 2013," Malik wrote.

"Moreover, Madam Swaraj; there are thousands of Kashmiris who have disappeared after being picked up by Indian forces from their residences and their families are yet clueless of their whereabouts," he added.

Here is the full text of Malik's letter:

Respected Sushma Suwaraj Jee Minister for Foreign Affairs, India.

In public life, from time to time, it becomes necessary to converse one's insights, apprehensions and worries to others in public life on the imperative issues of our time in an open and honest manner. It is in this long tradition of public communication between individuals and in a spirit of honesty and frankness, that I address your good self through this open letter.

I am penning down these lines not as a political campaigner but as a common individual, a prisoner, who has served many years of his life in Indian jails and is still forced to endure this torment on daily basis here in Jammu Kashmir. On 28th December 2017, I was listening to your emotional speech you made in Indian parliament wherein you in your own words illustrated the ordeal of Indian prisoner Kulbushan Jadhav's meeting with his family in Pakistan on 25th December.

Madam Swaraj, believe me, your words touched the chords of my heart and as a person who has seen the miseries of jail life; I could envisage the tribulation Jadhav's wife and mother had to go through. A human being has feelings and he/she displays these feelings in melancholies as well as in his/her exhilarations.

This is what makes us distinct from the animal world. Being an advocate of human dignity, rights of prisoners and ascendancy of kindness over cruelty, I stand for the rights of Kulbushan Jadhav too. No matter who he is and what he has done or what he has been condemned for, he is a prisoner, a captive and every religion, international covenants and human norms endow him and his family certain rights which no one can and should deny.

Allow me to use this occasion to call upon Pakistani authorities that Pakistan being a Muslim state has to be more heedful as the Holy Book of Islam and hundreds of sayings of our Prophet (PBUH) on the rights of prisoners and welfare of their families, their right to mutual meetings and a fair trial are well established facts that need to be pursued in letter and spirit.

Madam: as a prisoner, I can comprehend the pain of Jadhav family and when during your speech you said that Jadhav's mother wanted to hug her son after 22 months of long separation but was not allowed to do so, my eyes got wet. My old wounds got scratched too by your poignant lexis. It recalled me of my old mother's ordeal, who not once but many a times, in the same manner, after her repeated pleadings to jail authorities, was denied a chance to hug me, her only son, at many Indian jails especially at Tihar.

This reminded me of the tears of my sister who could not tolerate to see me from behind a glass wall, talking on an intercom just like Jadhav. Her plea to touch me was also discarded on the pretext of security reasons. I recollect my little sisters' tears rolling down her cheeks at Indian notorious Jhodpur jail in 1999, when the then superintend of jail rejected her plea with a strange argument that only blood relation was allowed a meeting and brother sister relation was not a blood relation in his view. As a dignified woman you can envisage the trauma my little sister "Aamina" had to pass through when she had to leave and travel thousands of miles again back to home without meeting her brother.

Madam: I and everyone who has some empathy left in him went into tears when you quoted Jadhav's mother saying that on seeing her without Mangalsutra her prisoner son asked about the welfare of his father assuming that he might have died because mother was without a Bindiya on her forehead and Mangalsutra. I could visualize the situation as hundreds of times during my jail Yatra these kinds of thoughts haunted me too.

Madam: the ordeal of Indian prisoner and his family is painful for them but allow me to remind you that the records of your country in this context are also not so dazzling. It is India that hanged Kashmiri freedom fighter Muhammad Maqbool Butt without allowing him a last meeting with his family members. His younger brother late Ghulam Nabi Butt, who wanted to travel to Delhi to receive his elder brothers corpse, was arrested at Srinagar airport. Maqbool Butt in absence of his family members was buried inside the Tihar jail. It is India that, without proving his guilt and just on the pretext to 'satisfy the collective conscience of India masses', hanged another Kashmiri youth, Muhammad Afzal Guru in 2013.

It is on record that he not only was denied a last chance of meeting his 12 year son, 80 year old mother and a wailing young wife but even his proper burial was denied by the Indian authorities. The families of these two Kashmiris are still waiting for their mortal remains to be handed over to them. Isn't it a grave Be-Adabi of humanity too? Moreover, Madam Swaraj; there are thousands of Kashmiris who have disappeared after being picked up by Indian forces from their residences and their families are yet clueless of their whereabouts. Their wives have been named as half widows (a newly introduced terminology) by well reputed international human rights organizations. The continued agony of these families is too worth consideration.

Madam: you raised some legitimate questions in your speech about the rights of a prisoner and his family and I also agree with you especially about the right to hug a mother, to touch his wife and to see his children. But this principle should hold same for every prisoner be he a political prisoner, a freedom fighter, a criminal, or any other lawbreaker. I recently met with the families of some prisoners from Kashmir who are in Tihar jail, held for their political beliefs. During my meeting with their kids and wives, they narrated before me the stories of same malice and humiliations.

Daughter of one of these asked me to do something so that she is permitted to touch her father's face. Innocent heart of her other sister is wrecked to the extent that she no longer longs for a meeting with his father through glass wall. This is what poor families of your prisoners have to face; A meeting with their loved ones behind a glass wall, a chat on intercom, without mother's hug, without a physical touch by a daughter and without a close meeting of a wife with her husband, pains a lot.

Stories of Syed Shabir Ahmad Shah to that of Ayaz Akbar, from Altaf A. Shah to Shahid-ul-Islam and from Peer Saifullah , Raja Meraj-ud-Din to Farooq Ahmad Dar @ Bitta Karatay and Zahoor Ahmad Watali to Naeem A. Khan and many others remains the same. Madam, I wish to put names of all those here who are languishing in Indians jails from many years ,whose families are facing a continued persecution, but lack of space and time is impeding me from that but believe me, Jails from Kashmir to Kanya-Kumari share same kind of horridness and tyranny.

Madam, as I have held before, I did not write this letter as a politician but as an eyewitness to miseries of jail life. I remember that in 2004, I was sent to Tihar Jail for I had failed to attend few hearings of my case at a Delhi court. The jail authorities removed all my attire and asked me to remove my trousers for a shameful rectum check-up. I resisted this undignified torture which was not meant for me alone but for every prisoner. My refusal to accept torture was reciprocated with an attack on me with bamboo sticks and Gun-butts which fractured my right arm. My sympathies with every prisoner are for these kinds of revulsions and miseries and I will always stand for the welfare of inmates whosoever and wherever they are. In-fact it was this conviction which enthused me to go against tide and plead in favor of late Sarabjit Singh at a time when I was sitting on hunger strike in Islamabad in 2013 against Muhammad Afzal Guru's illegal and merciless hanging by India.

Madam, the tale of thousands of young Kashmiris and students, who are facing the wrath of your state from last many years is also worth consideration. During recent months and years I as a prisoner got a chance to witness the ordeal of these young Kashmiris at various police stations. I witnessed tribulation faced by these young boys and their families.

Arrested during peaceful protests, these youthful Kashmiris are beaten ruthlessly in police stations and whilst their mothers and sisters visit them at police stations, the abusive language used by police officers against them and profanity faced by their mothers and sisters is actually beyond description. Regrettably this torment and mortification is responsible for pushing many of these young Kashmiris to a hard line path.

Madam: when you lashed out at a section of Pakistani media who according to you harassed Jadhav family in Islamabad Pakistan by asking unethical, provocative and abusive questions, I too felt dismayed. The family of a prisoner should not be harassed in such a manner. This is against normal human instincts, against Islamic ethics and our sub-continental morals. How could we be such cold-blooded?

But madam! Let me remind you that this kind of unethical behavior is also not cartel of anyone alone. I was in Delhi with my wife and two year old daughter, to see them off. We had made a prior hotel booking but as we entered hotel premises, management refused to let us in. I pleaded with the hotel management but they refused to take a Pakistani (my wife and her little daughter) in. I was thrown out of hotel with my little daughter in my lap. I repeatedly contacted DIG Kashmir of that time Mr.Ifhadul Mujtaba, asking him for help. He assured me of aid and shifted my plea to ADG-CID with no respond. I contacted authorities in Delhi but how could they help me, as we had been thrown out of hotel at their behest. I along with my family had to take shelter at Dargah Nizam-ud-din for hours before a friend could host us for a night. It was not the first harassment; earlier your party activists also attacked me and my family at late Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone's residential flat in Delhi. We were even not spared during our visit to Ajmer Shareef shrine. I got injured while saving my wife from stones thrown by the same people who stand with a slogan "Ateethi Devo Bawa" (guests are like gods). In fact these nonstop attacks have left inerasable scars on the hearts and minds of my family and may haunt us forever and this is why I strongly feel for the unfortunate Jadhav family too.

Madam, antagonistic attitude towards each other has actually taken away humanity and humility from humans. Humans' especially the divergent states often lay blame on one another for tyrannies and cruelty. In fact the whole world has turned a blind eye on human rights and human dignity now. How can one ignore Abu Ghareeb and Guantanamo bay jails set out by the mighty human rights champions, where humans dignity and pride was trampled callously, setting out a bad example for the rest of the world.

Madam: as a human being I stand for the ascendance of humanity in every aspect of life. Someone has rightly said that "failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough and that no success is final and no failure fatal, it is courage to continue that counts". Let us take a leaf out of this present disappointment and tread a path that can make our lives more civilized. Difference in political perceptions, ideologies and endeavors of life shall not turn us away from what makes us distinct from flora and fauna. We have our religious teachings, international covenants and pledges, moral and social bindings that govern our individual and public lives. Let us all pledge to follow these promises and regulations at least in case of prisoners and make their lives and the lives of their families' better. This couplet of Allama Iqbal's describes this yearning fabulously and I hope one day this will become every human's desire;

"Khuda kay banday tou hain hazaroon Banoo main Phirtay hain Maray Maray Main us ka banda banooga jis ko khuda kay bandoon say Piyaay Hoga."

Thank you

Muhammad Yasin Malik
New Delhi: In his first remarks on the issue of instant triple talaq after a bill banning it was cleared by Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said after "years of suffering", Muslim women have finally found a way out to "free" themselves from the practice.

He also said in 2018, people should work towards the all-round development of the nation even as his government pushes for reforms measures to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and terrorism.

Calling for 'sabka saath, sabka vikas', Modi said the mantra for the New Year should be "reform, perform, transform."

"Without referring to the Muslim women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill passed by Lok Sabha last week, Modi said Muslim women were facing hardships due to the prevailing practice of instant triple talaq for years. "But now they have found a way to free themselves (from the practice)," he said.

The PM was delivering the inaugural address for the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations, at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, Kerala via video conference.

Sivagiri is the holy abode of one of the great saints and social reformers Sree Narayan Guru.
Jammu: An army jawan martyred as Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch district on Sunday.

A senior police official said the jawan, posted in a forward area in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district, was martyred when he was hit by a bullet from across the border in the early hours.

Further details are awaited.

He said Pakistani troops also fired indiscriminately in Digwar sector of nearby Poonch district.

The firing from across the border started around 1 am and continued till 5.30 am, the official said.

Amid the spurt in ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday reviewed the operational preparedness of the force and the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army Chief also visited forward posts along the LoC and interacted with soldiers in Rajouri sector, where an Army Major and three jawans were killed by Pakistani troops on December 23.

Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past seven years, along with the LoC and the International Border resulting in the death of 34 people.

According to officials, Pakistan has violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 771 times till December 10, and 110 times along the IB till November-end.

In these incidents of firing from across the border, 30 people -- 14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnel -- were killed.

The truce between India and Pakistan along the International Border, the Line of Control and the Actual Ground Position Line in Jammu and Kashmir came into force in November 2003.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations in which 13 civilians and 13 government forces personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

In 2014, there were 583 incidents of ceasefire violation in which 14 civilians and three security personnel were killed and 101 civilians and 28 security personnel were injured.

In 2015, the number of ceasefire violations were 405; 347 in 2013, 114 in 2012, 62 in 2011 and 70 in 2010.
After the recent meeting between Kulbushan Jadhav and his family members, Pakistan confiscated the shoes of Jadhavs wife, alleging that they contained a surveillance device of some kind. India promptly issued a stern warning against any mischievous intents.

Underlying this and other bizarre allegations that have been levelled over the past few days is Pakistans view that, despite the humanitarian nature of the meeting, a comprehensive security check was essential because "Jadhav is a serving Indian naval officer and a convicted Indian terrorist and spy".

India, for its part, made it clear that the meeting was conducted in a manner that bolstered a false and unsubstantiated narrative of Jadhavs alleged activities, and therefore lacked any credibility.

Setting aside the allegations against Jadhav for a moment, there is little doubt that the meeting provided crucial information about Jadhavs condition, who has been languishing in Pakistans jails without any contact with the outside world. It would thus have come as a welcome relief to Jadhav, his family, as well as India, given that it is pursuing Jadhavs case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

That case, filed by India on May 8, 2017, alleges that Pakistan violated its obligations under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) by refusing to allow consular access to Jadhav, following his arrest and trial in Pakistan.

Soon after Indias complaint, on May 18, the ICJ ordered Pakistan to ensure that Jadhav is not executed pending the Courts final judgment in the case. Subsequently, the two countries filed their written submissions and are currently awaiting the hearing.

Although the recent turn of events comes just as the ICJ is about to convene a hearing, they appear to be of limited significance to the legal proceedings. Indias case at the ICJ is directed against Pakistans failure to provide consular access to Jadhav, as guaranteed under Article 36 of the VCCR. Consular access concerns communication and meetings between a foreign national and the consular officers of the home country.

Even though the Deputy High Commissioner of India was allowed to witness from a distance the meeting between Jadhav and his family members, as Pakistan itself now acknowledges, a family visit does not amount to providing consular access. Moreover, even if Pakistan were now to allow contact between Jadhav and Indian diplomats, this cannot undo the fact that Jadhav was arrested, tried, and convicted without regard to his right to consular access guaranteed under international law.

The damage, in other words, has already been done, given that an important purpose of consular access is to provide some level of assistance to an accused in navigating through the strange waters of the legal process in a foreign land, and not after that process has concluded and resulted in a conviction.

A major disagreement between the two countries underlying the current controversy relates to Jadhavs alleged status as an Indian spy. From a legal perspective, this question becomes relevant only if it is found that international law treats spies differently from ordinary foreign nationals insofar as the right to consular access is concerned. The text of VCCR, in providing for consular access for foreign nationals in general, does not appear to draw such a distinction.

In addition to the VCCR, Pakistan may seek to rely on a bilateral agreement on consular access concluded in 2008, according to which the two countries can examine every case of arrest, detention, or sentence made on political or security grounds on its merits. Given that Jadhavs alleged status as an Indian spy implicates security concerns, Pakistan may argue that it was acting in accordance with the 2008 agreement by not granting consular access to Jadhav.

For this argument to work, the ICJ has to be convinced that the right to consular access available to all foreign nationals under the VCCR is taken away in cases involving national security by the 2008 bilateral agreement.

The relationship between the VCCR and any future agreements is governed by Article 73(2) of the VCCR, which states that countries are not precluded from concluding subsequent international agreements confirming or supplementing or extending or amplifying the provisions of the VCCR.

This language can be seen as suggesting that while the VCCR permits and gives priority to later treaties that confirm, supplement, extend or amplify its provisions (that is, provide more favourable treatment to foreign nationals), countries cannot derogate from the existing provisions of the VCCR by concluding subsequent treaties that offer less favourable treatment to foreign nationals than what is already provided under the Convention.

Were the ICJ to agree with such an interpretation, the 2008 agreement could not have an overriding effect given that it takes away the right to consular access, which is guaranteed, without distinction, under the VCCR, in cases implicating national security.

Put differently, whether Jadhav is an Indian spy or not may be beside the point as the legal regime between the two countries does not appear to treat spies differently from ordinary nationals as far as the guarantees of consular access are concerned.

Thus, even as the recent controversy highlights a lack of trust between the two neighbouring countries, it has limited significance for Indias case at the ICJ.

In addition to the legal aspects discussed above, the ICJ derives its objectivity, in part, from the calmness and tranquillity of its seat at the Peace Palace in The Hague, which, thankfully, is quite far removed from the frenzy being witnessed in the sub-continent.

(The author is a Geneva-based public international lawyer. He previously served as the first Indian law-clerk at the International Court of Justice and a Legal Adviser at the Iran-US Claims Tribunal. The views expressed are personal.)
We are now loosened from the gravity of identitys land. What will we do what will we do without exile  Mahmoud Darwish

As 2017 slowly and boringly fades into the thick folds of history, Salman Khan is riding a tiger and Prime Minister Modi is riding a Metro. Still enjoying a purple patch, he opens the magenta line that connects the lugubrious heart of Lutyens Delhi with one of its many fast-growing limbs, Noida. Its a driverless train. A perfect photo-op for the Prime Minister. Driving the nation and its billions towards a bulkily shining trillion future, he can fancy himself a train driver too. He embodies the sarkar and he is taking it into the suburbs, if not the exurbs. Salmans box office is burning bright and so is Modis, especially after those victories in Gujarat, where he slayed the newly energetic Congress dragon, and Himachal, where the sun-dappled hills sang only his name. Salman, through his beautiful bride, conciliates with Pakistan and still makes bank. Modi could perhaps do that next year or wait for Salman to ride his third tiger with his kids, a joint Indo-Pakistani production, doing a Dabangg dance on their own OBOR.

Modi also attended the wedding jamboree of Anushka Sharma, the actor, and Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket captain and, like Salman, prodigious record-breaker. Rab ne Bana de Jodi, he would have told the bearded skipper. By next yearend, he too would be looking for perfect Jodis for his party for Mission 2019. And Virat, of course, came dancing all the way from the pitch, after thrashing Lanka, to the marital pavilion and did bhangra with Gurdas Mann. That, shaking a leg after beating Lanka, too would have made Modi happier because diplomatically he hasnt been able to score a win in Lanka, which continues to flirt with O-BORe China.

Was 2017 the year of the Indian elephant? The markets, vaulting like Sergey Bubka, may say yes; Moodys, the rater whose mood swings no one can divine, may too nod in agreement; the economy, because it didnt get to flex its thunder thighs like Silk Smitha, may be ambivalent; the saffroniks, now running like Usain Bolt into all the nooks and crannies of this ancient nation, may say a vigorous, thumping, screaming yes. But there are many ants among these Indian elephants. Sujatha Gidla, in her seminal and searing book Ants Among Elephants, writes in microscopic detail about human exploitation and societal degradation. How humans can be so nasty and brutish towards other humans; how sneering upper castes can look with utter disregard towards lower castes; how education, that Indian vehicle to reach higher stations in life, can be totally dominated by English-speaking elites; how old prejudices keep living on refusing to die; how caste chips away at confidence. As the Indian elephant aspires to straddle the world, these ants still exist and are marching relentlessly in their corners of the country.

Growth, unlike the Bengalis, still doesnt travel much in India. Neon-lit growth is monopolised by city-bred and mall-fed Indians. The ants arent dying; they are only multiplying. And marching. And stridently marching. Agriculture is dying; farmers too are dying of their own impoverished, debt-tied hands; infrastructure remains a specter no one sees in the Indian countryside. As the Indian elephant marches on, so do the puny ants, almost in lockstep.

Across seas, the dogged march of the migrants continues, worrying many nativists and nationalists. President Trump gets up before first light and spreads darkness through his Twitter storms; the alt-right, in their KKK or some different avatar, goes stomping with its tiki torches. The likes of Steve Bannon, with their hate and hoaxes, keep the American cauldron boiling. Black jocks, protesting police brutality and growing racism, take the knee and Trump punches his angry anthems on Twitter. America also saw a devastating hurricane. The #MeToo hurricane, which brought down to earth many skyscraping careers. Women spoke, and spoke truth to power. And they spoke hard and without fear. Its not the position, but the disposition, said Susan Sontag. The truth, she said, is always something that is told, not something that is known.

In Europe, the baseless fear of Eurabia persists, hanging like a darkening cloud over the continent, which is now a limping economy fed by the IV of malicious rumours. At least Jean Raspail is happy. His book The Camp of the Saints, now considered scripture for the Right, is being devoured after many years. Bannon swears by it; Le Pen exhorts her followers to read it. In early 70s, Raspail, who is now hailed as the intellectual forefather of alt-right, wrote about France being overrun by emaciated, luckless Asiatics. And before we start gloating and say Muslims with unhidden glee, note that Raspail wrote about fleshless Gandhi-arms descending on Frances shores. An army of almost a million skinny Hindus, riding boats full of scraggy branches, brown and black decides to make France its home. The Third World had started to overflow its banks, writes Raspail, and the West was its sewer.

So, in Europe, as Muslim refugees flee from war, terrorism and other humiliations, many now think the continent is becoming a putrid sewer for the Third World. Gotz Kubitschek, the prophet of Germanys New Right, would also make the same assessment. The ants are crawling all over the European elephant. Loosened from the gravity of their identitys land, the migrants look for exile. But it is hard to come by. History, even when it is boring and dull, makes it difficult for the exiled. Physical borders may be easier to cross, but the borders of faith and fraternity are difficult to overcome. History, said Tony Judt, always happens to us and nothing ever stays the same. Perhaps things may change; perhaps history may happen to these hapless refugees. Perhaps Europe may start believing what Ariel Dorfman said: we live in the age of the refugee, the age of the exile.

Even in this age of the selfie and snapchat, some leaders, so strongly they grip the coattails of power, stare sullenly at you like ancient black-and-white photographs. When memories and chats erase within minutes, nothing can stay forever. Yesterday is just a memory, said Bob Dylan, tomorrow is never what its supposed to be. The tomorrows of politicians such as Zuma and Mugabe changed; their nations and peoples just decided to shove aside their hideous memories. But some jefes hung on, plunging their fates and their nations headlong into the abyss. Maduro kept doing the rumba as his people suffered helplessly; Kim, like a brat gone astray, played with new and dangerous toys every day and shot rockets everywhere, keeping the world on edge. The whole year he was madder than that kooky and cranky general in Kubricks Dr Strangelove.

The world stayed crotchety and unequal. Fake news extended its suzerainty through Facebook and Twitter warriors. Social media, with its confusion and craziness, became the new heart of darkness. But no Conrad emerged to take us through the treacherous, imperiled journey to the other side. Towards peace and calm, towards sanity and sobriety. In India, Mamata, swatting opponents, went after mosquitoes and rightwing weirdos, always looking for a new bugbear to seek TV time and publicity, raged about Padmavati, a fictional queen Bhansali venerated on cellullid in Bollywoods dreary dream factory. Myth, said Thomas Mann, is the foundation of life, but a life lived amid hoaxes and fake news and 24x7 smartphone slavery creates and destroys millions of myths every day. There is no time to build a foundation. We all are furiously writing history, but it is kind only to a few.

As a year closes, it is better to believe in what Thomas Jefferson said: I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Yes, even when the world is on a slow burn. Tiger Zinda Hai and the Indian elephant majestically rides the Magenta Line. Lets do a Jimikki Kammal and wow the world. And as 2018 rolls in, we can sing, in Santhal Pargana if not in Santorini: swag se karenge iska swagat.
Lucknow: Two minor girls, one aged 12 years and other 16, have been arrested in Muzaffarnagar districts Khatauli area after police officials produced them as adults in front of a local court on the charges of cow slaughter. The girls mother and six others have also been arrested.

The police had arrested the nine people on Friday and had claimed that 10 quintals of meat and instruments used for butchering along with hides of cattle were recovered from the spot.

While four people managed to flee, police arrested nine people, including two minor girls, and instead of sending them to juvenile homes, sent to the jail after producing them as adults before a local court.

The Aadhaar cards of the two girls show their dates of birth as 2005 and 2001 respectively. According to law, minors are not handcuffed or sent to jail. They are produced before juvenile justice board and then sent to correction homes.

As soon as news of the arrests spread, local gathered in huge numbers and protested against the police for arresting the minor girls and the wife of the main accused, Nasimuddin.

The spokesperson of AIMIM, Shadab Ahmed, also joined the family members of the accused and raised questions over the arrest of the minor girls. Two little girls are in jail along with three women. I don't understand under which law police sent them to jail he said.

Speaking to reporters, SSP Ajay Sahdev said he has ordered a probe into the matter but refrained on commenting about the minor girls being sent to jail. Circle Officer, Khatauli, will look into the matter and action will be taken after investigation is over.

The station officer of Khatauli Police station, Ambika Prasad Bhardwaj, said, The arrested people were engaged in cow slaughter. The accused Nasimuddin has few more cow slaughter cases registered against him. We recovered meat and hides of five cows from the spot.
As 2017 comes to an end and we gear up to welcome 2018 with open arms, our beloved Bollywood celebrities are ringing in the new year with sheer aplomb. While most of them have returned to be with their families, some have jetted off for vacations with close friends and rumoured beaus. Here's a quick look at what Bollywood's leading actors are up to this weekend.

After celebrating little Taimur's first birthday, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan left for the Swiss Alps a few days ago and a dreamy family photo has now surfaced on the internet.

Priyanka Chopra, who is on a well-deserved break took time off with her family members including mother Madhu Chopra and brother Siddharth Chopra and decided to ring in the big day in London.

Alia Bhatt returned to Mumbai on Saturday night after having a wonderful time in a breezy Bali with her girlfriends. Her Instagram feed is full of picturesque moments wherein it's pretty clear that each day of her trip was better than the previous one.

Bum bum tam tam  A post shared by Alia  (@aliaabhatt) on Dec 27, 2017 at 8:40pm PST

Feels A post shared by Alia  (@aliaabhatt) on Dec 28, 2017 at 10:24pm PST

  A post shared by Alia  (@aliaabhatt) on Dec 29, 2017 at 2:53am PST

high rated gabriellas A post shared by Alia  (@aliaabhatt) on Dec 29, 2017 at 9:15am PST

Katrina Kaif, who is basking in the success of her recently released film Tiger Zinda Hai, co-starring Salman Khan, is soaking up the sun.

Happy sunny days A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) on Dec 30, 2017 at 2:26am PST

Ranbir Kapoor and Ayan Mukherji were snapped at the airport last night. A buddy trip is on the cards for the two!

Image: Yogen Shah

Hrithik Roshan, too, was photographed with family including wife Sussanne Khan and sons Hridhaan and Hrehaan.

Image: Yogen Shah

Rajkummar Rao, who has had a great year in Bollywood, has taken off to Koh Samui with girlfriend and actor Patralekhaa. The two have been actively sharing adorable photos on their respective social media account. And if the latest video is anything to go by, the couple is having a ball!

#JummaChumma with @patralekhaa #Bangkok A post shared by Raj Kummar Rao (@rajkummar_rao) on Dec 30, 2017 at 9:52am PST

Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon are ringing in the new year together with a couple of friends in the in Switzerland.

Let there be...flow! A post shared by Sushant Singh Rajput (@sushantsinghrajput) on Dec 29, 2017 at 11:29pm PST

The happily married couple, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, are spending quality time with each other in Cape Town.
New Delhi: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh will be the partys nominee for one of the three Rajya Sabha seats. He will file his nomination papers on January 4, sources said.

Singh, who is also the partys national spokesperson, was the frontrunner for some time. Interestingly, he had expressed his desire to contest elections and not enter Parliament through the Rajya Sabha, but the party's leadership made up its mind on the activist from Sultanpur, UP, who first came in touch with Arvind Kejriwal in 2008 during the right to information campaign.

Singh has been with Kejriwal since and had handled crucial responsibilities - he was in charge of Punjab elections and is currently in charge of Uttar Pradesh. Singh holds a diploma in Mining Engineering from Odisha School of Mining Engineering in Keonjhar.

The Rajya Sabha polls will be held on January 16, and the last date for filing nominations is January 5. With 67 MLAs in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, AAP should have no problem winning the three seats. However, it is yet to take a call on its other two candidates.

The other names in the running include poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas. He has been campaigning for his selection aggressively but his chances are next to nothing, sources in the party said.

The decision will be taken at the party political affairs committee on January 3 after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia return from their holiday in Andaman and Nicobar islands.

The party has been in talks with a handful of people from diverse fields, including law. It is hunting for credible voices that can challenge the BJP and take on the Prime Minister in the upper house on issues of economy and communal harmony.

This is important as Kejriwal, in a re-think of strategy, has held himself back from attacking the Prime Minister directly. It is also looking for a strong legal voice. The party had approached former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan and former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, but both turned down the offer, citing personal reasons.
New Delhi: Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who was unhappy over not getting portfolios of his choice in the new cabinet, has been given charge of the finance portfolio once again and agreed to join office after the intervention of BJP chief Amit Shah.

Saurabh Patel, who was earlier in charge of finance, will now be left with only the energy ministry.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani met Governor O P Kohli in the afternoon and gave him a letter, informing him of the allocation of the new department to Nitin Patel. Along with finance, he will also hold the roads and building, health and family welfare, medical education, Narmada, Kalpasar and Capital Project ministries.

"BJP president Amit Shah called up in the morning and assured me that I will be given a portfolio which befits my stature as the number two in the cabinet and as the deputy chief minister," Patel told reporters at his residence.

Soon after taking charge, Patel left for his Assembly constituency, Mehsana, to meet his supporters.

"We have made certain changes in the portfolios. We have given finance to Nitinbhai. With this, the issue is over now. Such small things happen in a big family like the BJP," Rupani said.

Patel maintained that the issue was not about some departments, but about "self-respect". "I had conveyed to the party high-command to either give me respectable departments or relieve me from the cabinet," he said.

The veteran leader added that he had been serving the BJP as a "loyal and disciplined" soldier for the last 40 years. In the previous government headed by Rupani, Patel used to handle key portfolios of finance and urban development among other departments.

However, this time, finance was given to Saurabh Patel, while Rupani kept urban development with himself. Unhappy over the allotment, Patel had refrained from taking charge of the departments, prompting the top BJP leadership to swing into action to placate the senior Patidar leader.

While announcing the portfolios on December 28, Rupani had said, "It is not true that the minister, who has the finance portfolio, is the number two in the cabinet. Nitin Patel is our senior leader and will remain the number two."

Sending feelers to the deputy chief minister, Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel had yesterday said he would extend support to him and talk to the Congress leadership to ensure that Patel got the respect he deserved from the party, if he left the BJP, along with 10 other MLAs, and joined hands with the Congress to form a new government.

"If he (Patel) decides to quit the BJP and 10 other MLAs are ready to quit with him, we will talk to the Congress to take in Nitinbhai and give him a post he deserves," Hardik had said.

Senior Congress MLA Virji Thummar had also said that Patel would be made the chief minister with the Congress' support if he quit the saffron party.

The Congress, however, had clarified that Thummar was speaking in his personal capacity and described the row over portfolio distribution as an "internal matter" of the BJP. The BJP and the Congress have 99 and 77 seats respectively in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly.
Chennai: On the last day of 2017, megastar Rajinikanth rode to Tamil Nadu's political stage in his inimitable style and cleared the haze over his future. He declared that he would form his own party and contest on all the seats in the next assembly election.

If elected, he said, his government would be honest, transparent and secular. If the performance does not match his promises, he would dismantle the party.

But sweeping rhetoric aside, the most important announcement Rajinikanth made on Sunday was not about his entry, but the nature of politics he plans to follow - that of "spiritual politics".

In a land where for half a century, the Dravidian movement, with rationalism and atheism as its founding principles, has spread its roots and no leader has dared to oppose it, here was a larger than life celluloid figure turning everything upside down.

And from the torchbearers of the Dravidian cause, there was no angst or angry posturing, just silence.

The implication of this is enormous. Ever since CN Annadurai rode to power in 1967 on the back of anti-Hindi wave and opposition to religion and gods, not one leader has openly supported spirituality here.

From Annadurai to Periyar EV Ramasamy, and MG Ramachandran to M Karunanidhi, Dravidian movement has been a binding theme across political parties in the state.

This is also why the Hindutva, and by extension the BJP, failed to make an impact in Tamil Nadu. But Rajinikanth's entry could change the dynamic by making religion and spirituality mainstream ideas.

He is yet to spell out his philosophy beyond things like campaign against corruption and pro-poor policies, so his support for spirituality is the only glimpse into the superstar's mind.

"It's time for political change. We have to create a spiritual politics with no caste and religion barrier. My cornerstones would be honesty, transparency, secularity and spiritual politics. Spiritual politics according to me means fair and just politics," he said.

It still remains unclear what Rajinikanth's ideologies would be and one has to wait for the blueprint to know what he means by "spiritual politics".

RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy hopes Rajini's entry into TN politics would bring about tectonic changes in the 60-year-old "frozen Dravidian politics". "His spiritual politics is nearer to Modi's than to any one else in Tamil Nadu or outside," he said.

But a few political analysts claim 'spiritual politics' will not work for a state like Tamil Nadu. RK Radhakrishnan, associate editor of Frontline, said: "Rajini wants to transform Tamil Nadu from a state of Dravidian ideology centered politics to one that has the spiritual path as its pursuit."

"Common sense tells us that this can possibly happen in a contended society, which has no major social ills affecting it. Unfortunately, Tamil Nadu is not in that space, and I believe that this is the essential contradiction in his newly articulated approach to politics," he added.

Vaasanthi, author and a political analyst, said Dravidian identity is very strong in the state and has seen resurgence lately.

"Dravidian politics won't come to an end. Both the DMK and AIADMK parties have vote banks. But Rajini's entry will have an impact on the Dravidian parties considering the fan following he has." She added that this kind of spiritual politics may not work because people may be wary of the BJP.
Patna: Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha on Sunday said the RJD's offer to him to ally with it has "no political meaning".

The Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development said this when asked about an open offer of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad to him (Kushwaha) to ally with RJD and that his party would also give more seats to Kushwaha's party.

"There is no political meaning of Lalu Prasad's offer," Kushwaha told reporters in Patna.

When asked whether he has rejected Prasad's offer, Kushwaha re-iterated that "Lalu Prasad's offer does not have any political meaning."

When pointed out that Prasad had also reminded RLSP that it may not get adequate seat within NDA, Kushwaha made it categorical that "We are not bothered about (number of) seats (at the moment). So from where does such question arise".

Prasad had made this offer at a function at S K Memorial hall before being convicted in a fodder scam case by a CBI special court on December 23, 2017.

Kushwaha claimed that his party does not strive for the development of a particular caste/community rather it works for the uplift of all sections of the society especially that of downtrodden.

Kushwaha community, to which the minister belongs to, works for the interest of the state and the country and does not bother at all about which party is giving how many tickets to its community, RLSP chief said.

Kushwaha said that the party has planned human chain outside one school in every panchayat of Bihar on January 30 (2018) to spread awareness among people regarding educational reforms and importance of various provisions of Right to Education Act.

RLSP chief said he has extended support to holding of the human chain announced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar against child marriage and dowry on January 21 next month. He appealed to JD(U) and all other political parties to extend their support to its Shiksha Sudhar Manav Katar (human chain) on January 30, 2018 as the issue, he has raised, is apolitical one and completely social issue in national interest.

Several leaders from other political parties along with their supporters joined RLSP today in the presence of Kushwaha who said that the party will be strengthened by their joining.
Chennai: After decades of flirting with the possibility, superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday finally announced his entry into politics and the ambition of wanting to launch his own party.

Having been pushed by many to enter the fray, Rajini's first open comment on the issue came in 1995, when he claimed to not be interested in politics at all. "I am not interested in politics. Why do you need it? For money, fame and to do good for the people. By God's grace, I have money and fame. In the current state of politics, no one can do good for the people. After knowing all this, why should I enter politics?" retorted the actor.

The 'disinterest' did not last very long as a year later, Rajini was openly against the AIADMK-Congress alliance and said, "Even God cannot save Tamil Nadu if Jayalalithaa is voted back to power." His annoyance was such that he indirectly began to support the DMK in 1996.

The statement proved to be one of the catalysts to the alliance's loss and the actor issued a statement claiming that he regretted having a negative impact on the Dravidian party's fortunes.

Eight years later, the superstar again dabbled with state politics as he pledged his support to the AIADMK-BJP alliance. "I will cast my vote for the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP front in Tamil Nadu. Let me clarify, that I am not forcing my fans or the public to do so."

This time, the superstar's magic did not seem to have worked as the alliance lost the election.

The flip-flop between both Dravidian parties continued on to 2011 when cameras caught the actor's hand hovering over the AIADMK's two-leaves symbol when he went to vote in the assembly elections.

Finally in 2014 came a definitive answer from the veteran actor when he claimed to be "not afraid to enter politics but I am only hesitant of what the decision entailed." He further added that he was a product of circumstance. "If a situation arises, I could enter politics. I am hesitant only because I would have to step on many shoulders," said the actor.

The die was finally cast on Sunday, when to a roaring crowd, superstar Rajinikanth announced, "My entry into politics is definite. I will launch my own party and stand in all 234 Tamil Nadu constituencies in the next assembly elections."
Chennai: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran, who recently won a massive mandate in Jayalalithaas constituency RK Nagar, has dismissed actor Rajinikanth's entry into politics.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Dinakaran played down the hype around Rajinikanths announcement, adding that no one can replace Jayalalithaa, who was fondly known as Amma. No new face can win over Ammas loyal voters. There can only be one MGR (MG Ramachandran) and only one Amma. You can compare everyone with MGR and Amma, he said.

Dinakaran made the statement a day before Rajinikanth announced his political plans.

Rajinikanths political entry, along with that of his contemporary and veteran actor Kamal Haasan, comes amid a political vacuum in Tamil Nadu. The ruling AIADMK has been fractured since J Jayalalithaas death between the Dinakaran and the Palaniswami-Panneerselvam factions.

The opposition DMK, on the other hand, is still transitioning from the leadership of M Karunanidhi to that of MK Stalin.

With Rajinikanth announcing that he will form his own party, clues to his political style can be found in his interaction with fans over the last few days. On December 28, Rajinikanth told his fans to prostrate only before God and parents, not money and fame.

"We should prostrate before God and our parents who gave us life. There is no need to fall at the feet of those who have money, fame and power," the 'Kabali' actor said.
Chennai: It finally happened. After decades of speculation, denials and flip-flops, Rajinikanth finally announced his political entry.

Cheered on by hundreds of supporters at a marriage hall in Chennai, Rajinikanth stopped short of announcing a political party, but said he will launch one at an appropriate time to contest all 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections.

Sources close to the actor told CNN-News18 that he would likely name his party and chalk out a strategy by January 14, the day Tamil Nadu celebrates the harvest festival of Pongal.

The announcement ended two decades of speculation over the entry of the actor, who enjoys cult status in Tamil cinema, in the political arena.

"I am joining politics and it is for sure," said the actor clad in a spotless white kurta and sporting a grey beard.

Batting for honesty in politics and good governance, he said, "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" needs to be ushered in, sans shades of any caste or religion with transparency.

"This is my motto and desire," he said and appealed to people to support him in his venture adding it was not possible to do it alone.

During the era of kings, they plundered the countries of their enemies. However, in democracy, parties are plundering their own people and such a system needs to be changed democratically, he said.

Dramatically, he asked for "volunteers," not cadre to see to it that those who prevent amenities and rights reaching the people are thwarted.

Asserting that he will not tolerate nepotism or under the table dealings, he said, "I want volunteers who will keep vigil and who will not go to any officials, ministers or MPs, or MLAs for selfish needs."

Such 'volunteers' should question whoever commit mistakes, Rajinikanth said adding he needed only such people for his party.

"I am only a representative of the people to monitor such vigilantes."

The actor said the first task would be streamlining the existing registered and unregistered fan clubs across the state. He appealed to his fans to bring all sections of people into the club so that it could transform into a party and "till then there is no need to indulge in political talk which includes me."

"Politics and democracy have gone pretty bad," he said and added the some political incidents in the past one year in Tamil Nadu has made every Tamizhan hang his head in shame and people of all other states were "laughing at us."

The actor's remark is seen as a reference to the bitter infighting in the ruling AIADMK, allegations of rampant corruption, perceived political instability, and also the tax raids held at premises in the state, including those linked to the ruling establishment, notably a minister and his associates. The RK Nagar Assembly bypoll in April was also cancelled following allegations of money distribution.

Quoting a shloka from Bhagawad Gita, which stresses the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the result to the Lord, he said "this is the compulsion of time." "Engage in war, if you win you will rule the nation, if you die you will go to heaven. If you go without waging war, they will call you a coward," he said quoting the scripture amid thunderous applause.

Addressing his on the valedictory of a six-day long photo-session meet, he said contesting the local body polls was not possible in view of the short time.

Entering politics is not for name or fame, he said and wondered if he would hanker for power now at the age of 68, when he did not have it at the age of 45 when he voiced his first political message against late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

"If hankering for power comes to me now am I not a fool?" he said and added it will also not suit his stature of a spiritually-oriented person.

In 1996, the actor had voiced his opposition against Jayalalithaa.

Wishes poured in for the actor from fellow actors and politicians soon after his announcement.

Taking to Twitter, Rajinikanths cinema and perhaps political rival soon, Kamal Haasan, said, I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome (sic).

      .   Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) December 31, 2017

Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Tamil Nadu unit chief of the BJP, also congratulated Rajinikanth on Twitter, saying the saffron party too standards for corruption-free good governance.

Welcome actor Rajinikanths political entry with motto of corruption free good governance which is the sole aim of BJP Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisaiBJP) December 31, 2017

The ruling AIADMK was more cautious in its reaction, questioning the actor on his political blueprint. Party leader Maitreyan even called him a seasoned politician. Anybody is free to enter politics. Rajinikanth is a seasoned politician. But he will have to spell out his political blueprint.

TTV Dinakaran, who heads the other warning faction of the AIADMK, had dismissed Rajinikanth as a player in Tamil Nadu on the eve of the actors announcement. After the announcement, however, he said he was happy to see the actor enter politics.

DMK Working President MK Stalin simply congratulated and welcomed Rajinikanth into politics.
New Delhi: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday dismissed Rajinikanths political entry as media hype, calling the actor uneducated and corrupt

"Rajini is an uneducated man. What will he tell us? This is a just an age-old story of another Tamil actor joining politics. I will always oppose Rajinikanth. Tamil Nadu's image can only improve when it gets rid of cinema stars. He has still not announced a political party," said Swamy.

The Rajya Sabha MP also claimed that Rajinikanth was nothing more than "media management" and called upon his party leaders to realize that the actor would not align with the BJP.

"This is a joke, Tamil Nadu requires something serious. The mood in Tamil Nadu is to get rid of all the film stars in politics. Rajini is entering politics at the wrong time and place. He should be worried, in fact, that all his black money trail will come into the limelight. The people of Tamil Nadu will not fall into Rajini fan clubs' song and dance. Fans club cannot become a political outfit," added Swamy.

Earlier in the day, Rajinikanth announced his entry into politics and said he will launch his own party. "I am joining politics for sure," the 67-year-old said amid thunderous applause from fans.

Quoting a shloka from the Bhagwad Gita which stresses on the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the rest to the Lord, he said, "This is the compulsion of time."

Addressing fans here on the valedictory of a six-day-long meet, the actor said he will launch a political party which will contest all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

He said the party will be launched ahead of assembly elections at an appropriate time.

The policies of the party will be taken to the people, he said and added that truthfulness, hard work and growth will be the slogan of his party.

"Do good, speak and only good will happen," will be the guiding slogan, he said.
Madrid: Catalonia's fugitive former president has called for Spanish authorities to open negotiations regarding the restitution of what he calls his "legitimate government."

Carles Puigdemont said via social media channels from Brussels on Saturday that Spain should "recognize the election results of December 21 and start negotiating politically with the legitimate government of Catalonia."

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy deposed Puigdemont and his cabinet after Catalonia's regional parliament voted in favour of a declaration of independence from the rest of the country in October.

But pro-secession parties, including one led by Puigdemont, won the most seats in elections last week.

Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid a judicial investigation into suspicions of rebellion by him and his government. He did not say Saturday if he plans to return to Spain.
Bitterly cold weather will usher in the new year for much of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains this weekend, bringing record low temperatures to the Midwest, making travel difficult and putting a chill on New Year's Eve celebrations.

The mercury in New York City's Times Square was expected to drop to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 Celsius) with a wind chill at nearly 0 F (minus 18C) during the final hours of 2017, the National Weather Service said, testing the willpower of hundreds of thousands of New Year's Eve revelers.

In the heartland, next week could bring low temperatures last recorded 130 years ago to parts of Nebraska, said David Eastlack, a meteorologist with the weather service. That includes a record low for the date of minus 22F (minus 30C) for Tuesday.

"The bitter cold is going to be dangerous," he said in a phone interview, warning residents of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa to avoid venturing outside or taking a car trip. He said that the wind chills will be near minus 35F (minus 37C), a level when frostbite could set in within 10 minutes.

The weather service predicted lows would hit minus 20F to minus 30F (minus 7C to -34C) from Montana into the Dakotas and Minnesota, well below average.

Temperatures could drop to around 0 F (minus 18C) as far south as the northern border of Oklahoma on New Year's Day, and into the minus 30s near the Canadian border on Sunday and Monday, the service said.

The arctic air from Canada will also bring subfreezing temperatures to U.S. Gulf Coast cities such as Biloxi, Mississippi.

Icy roads will make travel difficult over much of the United States, from the south-central states of Texas and Oklahoma and eastward over Arkansas, northern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through the New Year's weekend, the private AccuWeather forecasting service said.

The weather was expected to remain much milder on the West Coast, with temperatures forecast in the low 70s in Los Angeles over the next few days.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday defended Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's participation in a pro-Palestine rally, saying the JuD chief's UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression.

Saeed and Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali participated in the rally in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Friday. India took strong exception to Ambassador Ali sharing stage with Saeed, who founded the Lashkar-e-Taiba which is responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attack.

Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) in a statement said the country's unambiguous and steadfast support to the Palestinian cause was well known and several rallies had been held since the US announced to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"The Ambassador of Palestine has participated in many of these meetings. The public meeting held yesterday was yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause," it said.

"This public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Hafiz Saeed. Contrary to the impression being created, UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression," the FO said.

It said Pakistan has always supported the two-state solution.

"The people and Government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian Ambassador s active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine," it said.

Saeed, who was among the speakers, accused Jewish, Zionists and Hindu leadership of destroying the world peace.

He urged the Muslim countries to send their armies if the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem.
Saturday mornings unseasonably low temperatures and an overcast sky did not deter hikers in search of some peace, quiet and views of one of the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River freezing over.

Slowly but surely, the parking lot at the base of Crabtree Falls in Nelson County filled up with small groups of nature lovers coming to spend the morning admiring the water cascading 1,000 feet down where the water joins up with the Tye River.

Unlike other visitors who drove to the area to see the famous falls off Virginia 56, Michael Aspiotis and Anna Elyasova woke up in the back of their Ford F-150, which has been converted for camping, a few steps from the lower falls. Crabtree Falls was one of the first stops on their cross-country road trip from Virginia to Mount Shasta in northern California.

Aspiotis recently returned from living in Greece, where he regularly visited waterfalls in different parts of the Mediterranean country. Although he grew up in Virginia, he had never been to Crabtree Falls, so he planned a visit for their itinerary.

The frozen waterfall was surprising, with all of the different formations of ice, Aspiotis said. There were little slender icicles, little globs of ice. The waterfall is this dynamic, alive thing and it just froze in motion. Its really quite spectacular.

Elyasova, a business professional from Russia, met Aspiotis while living in Greece earlier this year and decided to join him on his travels.

Ive been to a few states before, but this is my first time actually traveling around, she said. Im excited. Its a big country, and its easier to get to certain places with a car, so I am looking forward to seeing it this way.

Although the temperature remained below freezing Saturday morning, the waterfall was still flowing quickly under a thin layer of ice that had formed from splashing water.

Along the 1.7-mile trail, slower flowing water froze in solid icy sheets over rocks and formed into inch-thick icicles that reached over a foot long.

Retiring Lynchburg Fire Chief Brad Ferguson and former Lynchburg firefighter Lane Terrell were visting the falls Saturday on a scouting mission to see if the ice was thick enough for climbers to scramble up the frozen surface.

It usually takes at least a couple of weeks of really cold weather. If it gets out in the 40s and the sun comes up, the ice gets thin and crusty and you cant trust it with your weight, Ferguson said, about halfway down from the top of the trail. If you get a couple of weeks where its really cold and you dont get the sun on it, then it gets thick enough to climb.

Ferguson and Terrell have both climbed the ice a few times over the few decades since they have been visiting the falls together to enjoy the outdoors.

I have black-and-white pictures of us standing on the falls in 1978, 79 climbing the ice, Ferguson said.

Crabtree Falls may be a short hike, but the vast majority of the trail is steep and has many stairs needed to climb alongside the waterfall. Despite this challenge, Gene Yagow enjoyed the trip to celebrate his 71st birthday with his son Patrick Yagow.

This trail is so neat because even though its a high elevation that youre climbing, theres all of these different overlooks where you stop and look at things, so it hasnt been a bad climb at all, Gene Yagow said.
History will record that it was a previously under-estimated woman, Grace Dr Stop It Mugabe, who succeeded in spectacular fashion to achieve what hardened male gladiators who include opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former American and British leaders George W Bush and Tony Blair had dismally failed to do  to engineer former president Robert Mugabes fall from power.



And in the end, it also took military tanks controlling the streets of Harare under the guise of Operation Restore Legacy to stop this then increasingly powerful woman from completely effecting what fearless former war veterans leader, Jabulani Sibanda, had colourfully but prophetically called a bedroom coup d'etat at State House.



For Grace, what started as a seemingly innocuous appointment by her husband to the leadership of the Zanu PF womens league three years ago ended up as the political move of the past 20 years in Zimbabwe  precipitating scores of stunning political developments that culminated in Mugabes spectacular fall from power last month.



In the process, Grace also fell just short of becoming her husbands unlikely successor in an intriguing political tale that has uncanny similarities to the story of the infamous Gang of Four  which became powerful in the last days of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

The Gang of Four comprised Maos wife Jiang Qing and her associates Wang Hongwen, Yao Wenyuan and Zhang Chunqiao  a tight political quartet that mirrored Zanu PFs Generation 40 (G40) group whose kingpins were Grace, Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere and Mugabes nephew Patrick Zhuwao.



And just like the original Gang of Four which was arrested and later charged with plotting to overthrow the Chinese government after the death of Mao in 1976, the local group is scattered in self-imposed exile  save for Grace who is licking her wounds in embarrassing fashion having pushed too hard a bargain and engineered her husbands inglorious fall from the throne in the process  in addition to possibly facing myriad criminal charges.



Locally, it was liberation struggle stalwart and former Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo who first made reference to the G40s leading lights as the Gang of Four.



Below we look at some of the key moments and utterances of 2017 which led to Mugabes dramatic fall:



The year started with President Emmerson Mnangagwa under the cosh as the G40 faction hammered him mercilessly and relentlessly, including over his infamous coffee mug which was inscribed with words I am The Boss  which the faction used as a weapon to portray the then VP as disloyal to Mugabe and as having unbridled presidential ambitions.

So bad did things get for Mnangagwa that Mugabe went on to pooh-pooh his longstanding lieutenants chances of succeeding the nonagenarian in his ritual birthday interview with the ZBCTV which was flighted days before his 93rd birthday.

Also, so scathing was Mugabe during the interview, that he bluntly dismissed all his

colleagues political credentials  describing them as being not worthy candidates to take over from him.



The call (for me) to step down must come from my party, my party at congress, my party at central committee ... I will step down.



Of course, if I feel that I cant do it anymore, I will say so to my party so that they relieve me. But for now I think I cant say so ... The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, a successor who to them is acceptable, as acceptable as I am, Mugabe said boastingly.



But the people, you know, would want to judge everyone else on the basis of president Mugabe as the criteria.



But I have been at it for a longer period than anyone else and leaders will have to be, as it were, given time to develop and to have the ability to meet with the people and to be judged by the people.



Silently, in the majority of cases, the people must see and be convinced that yes, so and so can be the successor. Others think, yaa, yaa, that they are this in the party, they are capable of succeeding the president. Its not that easy, he added as he rubbished his lieutenants.

Mugabe was also to later become a key player in Mnangagwas humiliation by Grace and others at the high-octane Youth Interface rallies which were held in nine provinces.



And as Grace was roasting Zanu PF bigwigs in Buhera, including Mnangagwa, for dreaming about succeeding her husband, Mugabe himself also banished for good the whispers within sections of the warring former liberation movement that she sometimes operated without his blessing.



The increasingly frail nonagenarian not only lavished praises on Grace, he even backed her to succeed him and to hold her own in the deeply-divided ruling party  making it clear in the process that he had been mentoring and guiding her all along, as Zanu PFs deadly tribal, factional and succession wars became more intractable.



She is very acceptable, very much accepted by the people. I thought you saw her on television ... (in Buhera North). Its fireworks, isnt it? he said with a glint of mischief in his cunning, aged eyes.









The previously publicity-shy Grace entered mainstream politics with a bang in 2014, when she landed Zanu PFs influential post of secretary for the womens league, in the run-up to the ruling partys sham congress of that year, which saw former long-serving Vice President Joice Mujuru and other senior officials  including former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and Gumbo  being expelled from the former liberation movement.

Mugabe moved to defend his decision to allow Grace to enter politics in his interview with the State broadcaster, drawing parallels between her rise with the role that his late first wife Sally  who also led the womens league  had played.





But I had my first wife Sally ... she organised the women. We did not have the womens league here. The Ghana style, the (Kwame) Nkrumah style of the womens league which gained acceptance in our region was introduced by my wife and others in Zimbabwe, my late wife (Sally) I mean.





But in fact people were saying aah, the leaders must not disallow their wives from participating in politics. We want their wives to lead us. But what you get nowadays from some quotas is that the leaders wife should not participate in politics. Why not? Why not? the nonagenarian asked.





After Graces high voltage rally in Buhera, it became even clearer that Grace was being primed for the highest seat in the land.





Using the politics of smearing which she had successfully employed on Mujuru, Grace was accorded unprecedented and ubiquitous live television coverage as she addressed her rallies where she directly attacked Mnangagwa, war veterans and those in the military.

During the first youth interface rally held in Marondera in June, Mugabe cunningly sent people into speculating that former Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, who had been publicly touted by Moyo as his preferred successor days earlier during a discussion forum in Harare, was indeed the one destined to succeed him.





The sun rises in the East thats why we have chosen this province to hold the first rally, Mugabe said.





Although Sekeramayi was the most senior politician from Mashonaland East Province at the

time, many people overlooked the fact that Grace was also from the same province and was actually  as it later turned out  the one he was referring to when he said the sun rises in the East.





Zanu PFs ugly succession wars later took an ominous turn in August when Mnangagwa fell sick during an interface rally in Gwanda  a development which his backers said was a poison attack by his G40 rivals.





Mnangagwa was later airlifted to South Africa where he had emergency surgery.

The alleged poisoning saga worsened the infighting in the former liberation movement with Mugabe coming out publicly to warn his senior officials over the allegations that Mnangagwa had been poisoned by ice cream from his Gushungo Dairies farm.





Grace claimed that the allegations were calculated to destroy the First Familys businesses and nothing was said about investigating the poisoning incident after that.

But Mnangagwa suggested to hordes of his supporters who had converged at

Mupandawana Growth Point in Gutu, for the late Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofas memorial service  not for the first time  that he was poisoned in the same way Mahofa was in 2015.





In September during the Bindura youth interface rally, Mugabe  without any hint of irony  revisited the I Am the Boss coffee mug saga, urging Mnangagwa to dump the mug.

Zvino wofira chikapu ichocho ... rasaka (do you surely want to die for that coffee mug, throw it away), Mugabe said weeks after Mnangagwa had been poisoned in Gwanda.

In the end, the penultimate Bulawayo youth rally which was held on November 4 marked the beginning of the end for Grace and her husband.





She was booed while speaking on stage as she tore into Mnangagwa  leading to Mugabes direct warning to Mnangagwa and his supporters that he would fire the then VP.

Tinogarotukwa zuva nezuva muzita ravaMnangagwa. Ko ndakatadza here kuita vaMnangagwa deputy wangu, kana ndakatadza ndinovadonhedza mangwana chaiye (We are denigrated and insulted daily in the name of Mnangagwa. Did I make a mistake in appointing him as my deputy? If I made a mistake by appointing Mnangagwa ... I will drop him as early as tomorrow), Mugabe thundered.





The following day, which was dubbed Super Sunday, Grace delivered what she saw as the final nail into Mnangagwas political coffin in front of hired members of Apostolic sects  likening him in the process to a snake whose head needed to be crushed.





The snake must be hit on the head. We must deal with the real snake behind the factions and discord in the party. We are going for the (Zanu PF) congress as a united party.





Women who are involved in the Lacoste project, I say to you, you are dead. (Then youth league leader Kudzanayi) Chipanga, those youths who are aligned to Lacoste are gone. They must all be dropped before the congress, Grace thundered.

On November 6, Graces march to the presidium appeared done and dusted when Mnangagwa was fired from the government, and two days later the former VP was also expelled unceremoniously from Zanu PF.





As Grace and Mugabe celebrated Mnangagwas demise, he fled into self imposed exile in neighbouring South Africa from where he released an ominous statement warning that he would be back to lead Zanu PF and Zimbabwe in a matter of weeks.

In the end, it took him just 16 days to do that!





But Moyo, ever contemptuous and dramatic as he always is, went on to Twitter where he dismissed Mnangagwas statement warning Mugabe and his wife saying, The difference between a Press Statement issued by a fugitive in the luxury of a 5-Star hotel in a foreign country & Zanu PF is like that of day & night. Zanu PF is the people whose one centre of power is Pres Mugabe who has asserted the peoples authority!





He also made fun of Mnangagwas flight into exile writing that, When a senior official is fired from a high ranking government office & they jump the border into self exile within hours of their dismissal, you know that they are running away from being legally held to account for heinous crimes they committed & covered up while in office!





But as the saying goes, what goes around comes around, it is Mnangagwa who has had the last and longest laugh  and Moyo is languishing in self-imposed exile facing an uncertain future.





In the meantime, and in a later major development which would spark a series of events that would lead to the fall of Mugabe, then commander of the Defence Forces general Constantino Chiwenga and more than 80 generals warned Mugabe on November 13, that the army would not hesitate to step in if Zanu PF continued brawling and expelling senior figures from within its ranks.





Moyo called Chiwengas ominous warning a bluff and dismissed securocrats on Twitter as, kungovukura vukura, ini zete kuvata zvangu! while military tanks were preparing to storm the capital city, Harare.





On November 14, the military duly made good on its threats and intervened in the countrys governance  placing Mugabe and Grace under house arrest in the process.





Several Cabinet ministers linked to the G40 faction subsequently fled Zimbabwe, while others such as former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo were detained.





Curiously, the military moved two hours after Zanu PF, through its spokesperson and former minister of Information, Simon Khaya Moyo, had released a statement accusing Chiwenga of carrying a treasonous act when he issued the militarys warning on November 13.

But the countrys securocrats were undeterred.





Following the address we made on November 13, 2017, which we believe our main broadcaster, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and The Herald were directed not to publicise, the situation in our country has moved to another level.





Firstly, we wish to assure the nation that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and commander-in-chief of Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Comrade RG Mugabe, and his family are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed.





We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice.





As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy. To the civil servants, as you are aware, there is a plan by the same individuals to influence the current purging that is taking place in the political sphere to the civil service.





We are against that act of injustice and we intend to protect every one of you against that, then major general Sibusiso Moyo, who is now Foreign Affairs minister, said as he announced the widely supported military intervention.





Subsequently, hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets across the country on November 18 to demand Mugabes resignation, demos that took place simultaneously with a solidarity march by war veterans in Highfield.





The following day, the Zanu PF central committee met in Harare and expelled Mugabe, his wife and other high ranking officials including Chombo, Kasukuwere, Moyo and Zhuwao.

Mnangagwa was then nominated to lead the party and the government by the same meeting  marking a remarkable turnaround for Ngwena, as Mnangagwa is affectionately referred to by his admirers, who had a mere two weeks earlier appeared doomed following his expulsion from both the ruling party and the government by Mugabe.





After 37 years of his controversial rule, the curtain finally fell on Mugabe on November 21 when he resigned moments after a joint sitting of parliament had started impeachment proceedings against him.





And with that, Graces higher office plans were dead in the water, and Mnangagwas path to the presidency that he had seemingly coveted for a long time, had been finally cleared.

Mnangagwa was sworn in as Zimbabwes second executive president on November 24.





Chronology of some of the memorable moments of 2017

May 20, 2017  Mugabe starts nationwide rallies and holds the first one in Marondera.

August 12, 2017  Mnangagwa rushed to hospital after reportedly ingesting poison at a Zanu PF rally in Gwanda.

November 4, 2017  Grace Mugabe is booed in Bulawayo at a youth rally.

November 4, 2017  Mugabe threatens to fire Mnangagwa.

November 5, 2017  Grace calls for Mnangagwas crushing.

November 6, 2017  Mnangagwa is fired from government.

November 8,2017  Mnangagwa is expelled from Zanu PF

November 13, 2017  Army warns Mugabe it could step in

November 14, 2017  Tanks are seen on the outskirts of Harare

November 15, 2017  Army takes over radio and television station, announcing its taking over of government.

November 18, 2017  Massive citizen protest is held in Harare against Mugabe.

November 20, 2017  Zanu PF resolves to impeach Mugabe

November 21, 2017  Mugabe resigns after 37 years in power.

November 24, 2017  Mnangagwa sworn in as president of Zimbabwe.

The garrulous Jonathan Moyo on Twitter:

Kungovukura vukura, ini zete kuvata zvangu! (12:53 PM - 13 Nov 2017)

Zanu PF has spoken!  When KHAYA Moyo issued a statement criticising Chiwengas comments as an Act of Treasonable Conduct.

I did not jump the border when I was fired in 2005. I stayed put right here in Zimbabwe as I had nothing & no one to run away from into self exile. It's real thieves & murderous cowards who jump the border after they're fired from the high positions they abused when in office!

When a senior official is fired from a high ranking government office & they jump the border into self exile within hours of their dismissal, you know that they are running away from being legally held to account for heinous crimes they committed & covered up while in office! (12:50 PM - 9 Nov 2017)

Memorable quotes of Dr Amai:

1. Iwe George, George, hauna right yekumisidzana naMinister, you are too junior (as she admonished Information permanent secretary George Charamba).

2. Mnangagwa wajaira, wajaira Mnangagwa.

3. Every day tinogara tichityityidzirwa naMutsvangwa kunzi Munangagwa ane support yemasoja, ngavauye vatipfure.

4.VaMugabe nyange vakafa nhasi he will rule from the grave.

5. Kasukuwere is not going anywhere.

6. Zvamunoona ndakadai nditoriwo muKaranga pandiri pano, Chivhu yakazodimburwa ichiiswa kuMash East later.

7. Mnangawa chii, what is Mnangagwa on this earth, munhu akatopiwavo basa nemurume wangu?

8. Fanika aka kamurume kanonzi (Ray) Kaukonde ndakakamaka fani, kapedza vakadzi vevanhu kachingosekerera ende mazino akanaka.

9. Kazembe Kazembe huya pano mhanya, wanga wave kutozviona wave chairman ka?

10. I am a wife of the President. Who is Mnangagwa on this earth? Who is he? Why would I want to kill him? I want to ask, what do I get from him? I am the wife of Mugabe, but someone says I want to kill Mnangagwa, what do I want from him which I dont have? ... So what do I want from another person? Why would I want to kill him, someone who was given a job by my husband? It is nonsensical (in response to claims by then VP Mnangagwa that he was poisoned). Daily News
Medical fees for infants, senior citizens and pregnant women

ursing mothers at State-run hospitals have been scrapped as part of measures to increase healthcare access.

This takes effect immediately.



In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Secretary for Health and Child Care Brigadier-General (Rtd) Dr Gerald Gwinji said such measures were now possible following improvements in budgetary support.





Government has always had that policy, but it was a bit difficult to implement because of inadequate budgetary support, said Dr Gwinji.





As we move forward, we are getting better budgetary support and can begin to ensure that these categories, as specified by Government, get their services for free.





Last Friday, Mashonaland Central provincial medical director Dr Clemence Tshuma informed district medical officers, medical superintendents, rural district council chief executive officers and town clerks under his jurisdiction about the new dispensation.

His letter shows that Cabinet approved the initiative in line with Governments 100-day economic stimulus plan.





Part of the letter reads, With the coming of the new dispensation, Cabinet has approved a 100-day plan, which everyone has to work towards achieving. One of the issues in that 100-day plan, which requires our attention, is the removal of all forms of payment for non-paying groups.

The following groups are supposed to be treated for free: children under the age of five years, all maternal cases and senior citizens above the age of 65 years.

Dr Tshuma ordered all district medical officers to submit their first progress reports to him by January 25, 2018.





These groups are not supposed to pay consultation fees, card fees, table money, administration fees or whatever name the fee might be called.





You are, therefore, expected to advise all your institutions to remove the fees with immediate effect. DMOs are being reminded that the first progress report is due on January 25.

Consumer Council of Zimbabwe executive director Ms Rosemary Siyachitema welcomed the development, and implored Government to ensure standard service.





It is a good thing and we are happy that our Government has remembered our old and the mothers. We are already living in a difficult economic environment and the scrapping of fees will come as a relief, she said.





However, we appeal to Government to ensure the service is standard and not shoddy.

Whenever there is a free service, there is a tendency to provide poor service. So, Government should monitor, from time to time, and support the measures with necessary financial requirements. Sunday Mail
Idaho Cops:

Actually, There

Could Be a Threat

to the Community
Auckland, New Zealand, became the first major city on planet Earth to welcome the year 2018, reports the Mirror. Tens of thousands of New Zealanders took to streets and beaches, as fireworks boomed and crackled above city centers and harbors, and party-goers sang, hugged, danced, and kissed. Tens of thousands gathered around Sky Tower as five minutes of nonstop pyrotechnics exploded from its upper decks. Per the AP, a look at how people around the world are ringing in 2018:

Australia: Fireworks lit up the sky above Sydney Harbour a few hours before midnight Sunday, where around 1 million people were expected to gather to watch the festivities. Security was tight, but officials said there was no particular alert. During the midnight fireworks display, a rainbow waterfall off the Sydney Harbour Bridge was planned to celebrate recently passed legislation legalizing gay marriage.

China: Those willing to brave the cold in Beijing will join a countdown at the tower at Yongdingmen Gate, a rebuilt version of the Ming dynasty-era landmark gate. Bells will be rung and prayers offered at temples in Beijing, but the Gregorian calendar's New Year's celebrations are typically muted in China compared to the Lunar New Year. President Xi Jinping sent a New Year's greeting to Vladimir Putin, saying Beijing is ready to boost cooperation with Russia in 2018.

Those willing to brave the cold in Beijing will join a countdown at the tower at Yongdingmen Gate, a rebuilt version of the Ming dynasty-era landmark gate. Bells will be rung and prayers offered at temples in Beijing, but the Gregorian calendar's New Year's celebrations are typically muted in China compared to the Lunar New Year. President Xi Jinping sent a New Year's greeting to Vladimir Putin, saying Beijing is ready to boost cooperation with Russia in 2018. Japan: Many Japanese are celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Dog in the traditional way of praying for peace and good fortune at neighborhood Shinto shrines. At Tokyo's Zojoji Temple, people take turns striking the giant bell 108 times at midnight, an annual practice repeated at other Buddhist temples throughout Japan.

Many Japanese are celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Dog in the traditional way of praying for peace and good fortune at neighborhood Shinto shrines. At Tokyo's Zojoji Temple, people take turns striking the giant bell 108 times at midnight, an annual practice repeated at other Buddhist temples throughout Japan. South Korea: After an exhausting year that saw a presidency toppled and North Korea firing missile after missile, South Koreans enter 2018 in need of a happy distraction. The upcoming Olympics just might do it. The dignitaries picked to ring the Seoul's old Bosingak bell at midnight includes Soohorang and Bandabithe mascots for the Pyeongchang Winter Games.

(Read more New Year's Eve stories.)
Two protesters taking part in demonstrations roiling Iran since Thursday were killed overnight, semi-official news agency Mehr reported Sunday, the first deaths attributed to the ongoing protests. In response, Tehran warned that protesters would "pay the price," reports CNN. Interior Minister Rahmani Fazli told official news agency IRNA that some "are causing violence and fear" and that "such behavior will be smashed." In Doroud, in Iran's western Lorestan province, the AP reports that protesters gathered for an unauthorized rally that lasted into the night Saturday. Mehr quoted Habibollah Khojastepour, the security deputy of Lorestan's governor, as saying the illegal gathering ignited clashes. The two protesters were killed in the clashes, he said. "The gathering was to be ended peacefully, but due to the presence of the (agitators), unfortunately, this happened," he said.

He did not offer a cause of death for the protesters, but said "no bullets were shot from police and security forces at the people." Videos circulating on social media late Saturday appeared to show fallen protesters in Doroud as gunshots sounded. The AP could not immediately verify the footage. The protests in the Iranian capital, as well as President Trump tweeting about them, raised the stakes. It also apparently forced state television to break its silence on Saturday, acknowledging it hadn't reported on the protests on orders from security officials. On Sunday, ILNA reported that authorities have arrested some 80 protesters in the city of Arak, some 170 miles south of Tehran. While the protests have sparked clashes, Iran's hard-line paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its affiliates have not intervened as they have in other unauthorized demonstrations since the 2009 election.

(Read more Iran protests stories.)
Let me ask you this: Would a story that unpacks a list of tiresome words and phrases be impactful or a nothingburger? Worse, could it just be fake news? Northern Michigan's Lake Superior State University on Sunday released its 43rd annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse, and General Uselessness, reports the AP. The tongue-in-cheek, non-binding list of 14 words or phrases comes from thousands of suggestions. This year's list includes "let me ask you this," ''unpack," ''impactful," ''nothingburger," ''tons," ''dish," ''drill down," ''let that sink in," and the top vote-getter, "fake news." The others are "pre-owned," ''onboarding/offboarding," ''hot water heater," ''gig economy," and the Trumpian Twitter typo "covfefe."

While the list contains a little political flavor, Lake Superior State rep John Shibley said he had expected more given a year of deepening divisions in the US electorate. "It wasn't as focused on politics in a very dirty sense," he said, pointing to "fake news," which garnered between 500 and 600 votes. It was also found to be the second most annoying word or phrase used by Americans in an annual Marist College poll, behind "whatever." "I think a lot of people know fake news when they see it. It can be propaganda, it can be satire," Shibley said. "It's used deliberately to paint a certain story or notion as not being true." While some words are perennial nominees, others really speak to a particular time and may soon lose relevance. Shibley said "covfefe" became shorthand for a social media mistake. "It's the 'pet rock' of this year's list," Shibley said. (This guy is re-writing the dictionaryin limericks.)
Houston police made a potentially disturbing arrest overnight, one that led to the discovery of a small arsenal of weapons and ammunition in a hotel room. The incident began when security at the Hyatt Regency called police about 1:30am for help dealing with an unruly, intoxicated man at the hotel bar, reports Click2Houston. When officers arrived, they eventually found an AR-15, a shotgun, a handgun, and plenty of ammo in the man's room, police said. Why he had such a stash remains unclear. "He's intoxicated so they won't be able to interview him till he's sobered up a bit," said Lt. Gordon MacIntosh, per the Houston Chronicle.

While the man initially faced charges of drunk and disorderly conduct, he now faces additional charges of trespassing and unlawful carry. Police also confiscated his truck and were searching it for more weapons. The hotel is planning a big bash for New Year's Eve, one that includes the dropping of 50,000 balloons at midnight. The event is not being canceled. (Read more Houston stories.)
They may have started small, but the protests engulfing Iran for a fourth day are an "audacious" challenge to four decades of clerical leadership, in the words of Reuters. President Hassan Rouhani sought to calm things Sunday by defending Iranians' right to protest but condemning any resulting violence. People are absolutely free to criticize the government and protest, but their protests should be in such a way as to improve the situation in the country and their life, he said. Criticism is different from violence and damaging public properties. Background and developments:

What protesters want: To put it succinctly, "regime change," per the Wall Street Journal. These protests were small and scattered and largely focused on economic issues in September. That changed this week when news of a large protest in Mashhad spread on social media and spontaneous demonstrations broke out elsewhere. Protesters have moved beyond issues such as rampant inflation to vent over larger matters such as political oppression.

Backfired? An explainer at BuzzFeed notes that some analysts think hardliners encouraged the original economic protests in a bid to embarrass Rouhani. But if so, that strategy has backfired now that the protests have expanded to larger issues. Protesters not only want the current regime gone, they're calling for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down.

An explainer at BuzzFeed notes that some analysts think hardliners encouraged the original economic protests in a bid to embarrass Rouhani. But if so, that strategy has backfired now that the protests have expanded to larger issues. Protesters not only want the current regime gone, they're calling for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down. A different feel: These protests are different than those that broke out after the 2009 Iranian elections, writes Trita Parsi at CNN. For one thing, the demonstrations are not being driven by the usual reformists. "Their uncompromisingly anti-regime slogans suggest they may belong to the segment of the population who tends not to vote, doesn't believe the system can be reformed and either never subscribed to or has lost hope in the idea of gradual change," writes Parsi. "Add to that those who have joined the protests out of a sense of economic desperation and humiliation." All of the above makes the outcome hard to predict.

These protests are different than those that broke out after the 2009 Iranian elections, writes Trita Parsi at CNN. For one thing, the demonstrations are not being driven by the usual reformists. "Their uncompromisingly anti-regime slogans suggest they may belong to the segment of the population who tends not to vote, doesn't believe the system can be reformed and either never subscribed to or has lost hope in the idea of gradual change," writes Parsi. "Add to that those who have joined the protests out of a sense of economic desperation and humiliation." All of the above makes the outcome hard to predict. Trump: He has been supporting the protests. "The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism," he tweeted Sunday. "Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!" Sen. Lindsey Graham, meanwhile, implored Trump to do more than tweet. "You have to lay out a plan," he said on Face the Nation, per the Washington Post. Weve got a chance here to deliver some fatal blows to really bad actors in 2018, but if we blink, God help us all.

Rebuff to Trump: Rouhani shot back at Trump: This man in America who is sympathizing today with our people has forgotten that he called the Iranian nation terrorists a few months ago. This man who is against the Iranian nation to his core has no right to sympathize with Iranians."

Rouhani shot back at Trump: This man in America who is sympathizing today with our people has forgotten that he called the Iranian nation terrorists a few months ago. This man who is against the Iranian nation to his core has no right to sympathize with Iranians." Lousy coverage? A critique at Tablet makes the case that American journalists are grossly underplaying a potentially history-making series of events. Why? "The short answer is that the American media is incapable of covering the story, because its resources and available story-lines for Iran reporting and expertise were shaped by two powerful official forcesthe Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Obama White House," writes Lee Smith. "Without government minders providing them with story-lines and experts, American reporters are simply lostand it shows." Essentially, only "regime-friendly" journalists are operating in Iran, argues Smith.

A critique at Tablet makes the case that American journalists are grossly underplaying a potentially history-making series of events. Why? "The short answer is that the American media is incapable of covering the story, because its resources and available story-lines for Iran reporting and expertise were shaped by two powerful official forcesthe Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Obama White House," writes Lee Smith. "Without government minders providing them with story-lines and experts, American reporters are simply lostand it shows." Essentially, only "regime-friendly" journalists are operating in Iran, argues Smith. More advice for US: In the New York Times, Philip Gordon has some specific advice of his own for Trump: "Keep quiet and do nothing." Doing otherwise might actually hurt the movement, he argues.

(Read more Iran stories.)
One of two inmates who pulled off a brazen escape from a New York state prison in 2015 hatched an elaborate plan to escape again. But instead of acting on it, David Sweat came up with a twist: He'd tell authorities all about it and get some extra privileges in exchange for his help exposing security weaknesses. As the New York Times reports, the odd plan didn't work, and Sweat ended up getting transferred to Attica from the Five Points Correctional Facility in Seneca County. Sweat, 37, gained fame a few years ago when he and Richard Matt broke out of the Clinton Correctional Facility and remained at large for three weeks. Matt was eventually shot and killed by authorities in the woods of upstate New York, while Sweat survived his own shooting and returned to prison.

According to the story, Sweat laid out an elaborate new scheme that involved disabling an electronic sensor, building a standing dummy of himself, and using water-soaked blankets to pull open a steel grate. He then asked his girlfriend, 45-year-old Fran Malanik, to go to authorities with a deal: He'd give them all the details if they'd grant him more privileges, including one extra visit a week from her. She did indeed set up a meeting at which Sweat explained the potential escape, but the inmate received none of his perks. Instead, he was transferred to Attica. A state prison spokesman says that Sweat's plan was "without merit" but that he was moved to the more secure prison "out of an abundance of caution." Read the full story for all the details. (Read more David Sweat stories.)
Police in suburban Denver are describing the fatal shooting of a deputy and the wounding of four other officers as an ambush. He knew we were coming, says Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, per the Denver Post. The sheriff says four deputies initially arrived at the gunman's apartment complex in Highlands Ranch to answer a domestic disturbance call, and all four were shot almost immediately. They all went down, almost within seconds of each other, said Spurlock, adding that the gunman fired at least 100 rounds. Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, has been identified as the slain deputy. He is survived by a wife and two children and had been a deputy only seven months. The gunman also was killed, and two civilians were injured. All of those wounded were expected to survive.

"His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said of Parrish, per the AP. The shooting caught the attention of President Trump, who tweeted, "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!" Authorities haven't provided specifics as to why the deputies were called to the residence in the first place. The sheriff said the shooter did not appear to have a criminal history but was well known to police. (Read more Colorado stories.)
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.
Kolkata :

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is going to change Indias economy though initially it might have caused some pain, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu today said.

Speaking on the concluding day of the 11 th Global Doctors Summit here, Naidu said the improvement in Indias tax system with the introduction of GST will ultimately benefit its people.

As the World Bank report suggests, GST is going to be transformational, revolutionary tax system to change Indias economy. Any improvement in system ultimately helps people, Naidu said.

He said that as Vice-President, he would not discuss the merits of issues like demonetisation or GST, but if one argues that almost the entire demonetised money has come back to banks post note ban, then it must be considered if that is not better than the money stashed in bathroom and underneath the pillows of individuals.

He said India is on the cusp of new economic growth in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision, reform perform and transform.

Naidu said that 65 per cent of Indias population were under 30 years of age and called for new ideas to take the country forward.

About his new role as Vice-President, Naidu said, two months back I was a minister. Now I have retired from politics but not retired from public life. So, I cannot speak on issues as I did when I was a minister.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Jammu:

Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, killing an Army jawan.

A senior police official said the jawan, posted in a forward area in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district, was killed when he was hit by a bullet from across the border in the early hours on Sunday.

Further details are awaited.

He said Pakistani troops also fired indiscriminately in

Digwar sector of nearby Poonch district.

The firing from across the border started around 1 am and continued till 5.30 am, the official said.

Amid the spurt in ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday reviewed the operational preparedness of the force here and the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army Chief also visited forward posts along the LoC and interacted with soldiers in Rajouri sector, where an Army Major and three jawans were killed by Pakistani troops on December 23.

Also Read: Live | Jammu and Kashmir: 4 jawans martyred, 3 injured after JeM militants attack CRPF camp in Pulwama

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past seven years, along the LoC and the International Border resulting in the death of 34 people.

According to officials, Pakistan has violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 771 times till December 10, and 110 times along the IB till November-end.

In these incidents of firing from across the border, 30 people -- 14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnelwere killed.

The truce between India and Pakistan along the International Border, the Line of Control and the Actual Ground Position Line in Jammu and Kashmir came into force in November 2003.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations in which 13 civilians and 13 government forces personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

Also Read: 6 killed in terror attack on church in Egypt

In 2014, there were 583 incidents of ceasefire violation in which 14 civilians and three security personnel were killed and 101 civilians and 28 security personnel were injured.

In 2015, the number of ceasefire violations were 405, 347 in 2013, 114 in 2012, 62 in 2011 and 70 in 2010.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Awards and honors

Amy Allen, special education teacher at Shodair Childrens Hospital, received an Award of Excellence in Education from the Montana Office of Public Instruction. In the past year, five students have completed high school while at Shodair, and four of those were in Allens class. Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen present Allen with the award for her ability to motivate students to push themselves to graduation.

News and notes

SCBG applications being accepted

The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for an estimated $1.2 million in federal funding available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program. This competitive grant program is designed to expand markets for Montana specialty crops.

Montanas SCBG program is available for projects enhancing the competitiveness of Montana specialty crops. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, peas, and lentils, as well as horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.

Eligible projects include education, marketing, improving distribution systems, development of good agricultural practices, pest and disease control, variety development, and improving production practices. Technical assistance calls will be held on Feb. 5 and 13. For more information, visit http://agr.mt.gov/SpecialtyCropBlockGrants.

State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts.

Grant proposals are due by midnight Feb. 15. For more information, eligibility guidelines, technical assistance and resources, visit scbg.mt.gov or contact Jim Auer, Specialty Crop Block Grant program manager, at 406-444-5424.

AERO to host growing

food businesses workshops

After a successful round of workshops on new opportunities for Montanas food entrepreneurs, AERO will return with a new series of six workshops in 2018.

Montanas retail food laws now allow cottage food operators to make low-hazard food products in their home kitchens, and sell them directly to consumers year-round in any direct venue. The laws also clarified and offered additional opportunities for temporary and mobile food service operations, for farmers direct-marketing their raw agricultural products and more.

These five-hour workshops will be held in six locations: Havre on Jan. 10 ; Glasgow on Jan. 11; Helena on Jan. 23; Joliet on Feb. 6; Miles City on Feb. 7, and Hamilton on March 1. The workshops are for retail food businesses and entrepreneurs, direct-market farmers, market managers, state and local health officials and resource people, business and economic development professionals, local food non-profits, and folks with cottage food business ideas.

Registration is $12 with lunch, or free for participants who choose to bring their own. Register at aeromt.org/workshops. Each workshop is limited to 30 people. For more information contact Kaleena Miller of AERO at 406-443-7272 or kmiller@aeromt.org.

Guidelines

The IR welcomes reports of hiring, promotions, awards, recognition, learning opportunities and other news from local companies and nonprofits. We accept press releases and photos (digital images at 300 dpi or more are preferred). Email your information to irstaff@helenair.com.

There is no charge for items appearing in the Business Briefcase. Items are run on a space-available basis, and we reserve the right to edit and use information as we see fit.

The deadline is Tuesday at noon to be considered for publication the following Sunday.
Mumbai:

Politicians from across parties on Sunday attacked each other over the Kamala Mills fire incident with each trying to place the blame at the other's door.

The BJP and the Congress crossed swords first after BJP city chief Ashish Shelar said that the fire was due to faulty policy of the former Congress government.

Shelar said, "When Ashok Chavan was chief minister of Maharashtra, the Congress government allotted additional FSI (Floor Space index) in the name of setting up Information Technology parks on mill lands (such as Kamala Mills). But after construction, not a single company came up there. Instead, illegal hotels were set up and state lost revenue ofat least Rs 500 crore."

This was refuted by Chavan who in a statement said that the allegations had been leveled to hide the corrupt practices of the BJP-led state government and the BMC.

"The state had a policy to give facilities for IT parks. If someone is misusing it, then it is the state's responsibility to initiate action. Why did the BJP-led Maharashtra government not take any action against erring companies" Chavan asked in the statement.

"The state and civic officials who sheltered such illegal structures are real culprits and hence such a tragic accident took place," Chavan added.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya released a letter asking BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta to review the policy of having rooftop restaurants in the context of the Kamala Mills fire.

Shiv Sena youth wing chief Aaditya Thackeray is a votary of the rooftop policy and Somaiya's letter was an apparent dig at the Sena.

BJP MLA Ameet Satam today addressed a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claiming that the rooftop policy was passed by the BMC commissioner without the proposal being tabled in the BMC.

"The rooftop policy was passed in BMC without tabling it in the general body and the BMC commissioner approved it under his authority, which is undemocratic. It is difficult to understand as to what was so urgent about it and under whose pressure was it done. The recent incident exposes the loopholes in the policy and is hazardous from the angle of safety," Satam said.

Satam claimed that as many as 131 people have lost their lives due to BMC negligence in 2017 in incidents like the Kamala Mills fire, illegal constructions in Ghatkopar, tree falling, and a doctor getting washed away due to an open manhole during floods.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Nitesh Rane, a staunch opponent of the Sena, tweeted a photograph claiming a hotel in Mumbai had repaired the parts which were demolished.

He alleged that the civic body's demolition drive following the fire was just an eye-wash.

Union minister for social justice Ramdas Athawale demanded a thorough inquiry into the fire.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Militants on Sunday carried out a 'fidayeen' (suicide) attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, leaving three troops injured, the paramilitary force said.

The militants stormed the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Lethpora in Kashmir valley around 2 am.

While four jawan has lost their life in the attack, three personnel had sustained bullet injuries, CRPF officials said.

The injured have been rushed to a hospital and senior CRPF and JK police officers have reached the CRPF camp, they said.

Here are the updates:

# A Pulwama attack UPDATE: Four jawans have lost their lives in the attack, three injured while three terrorists have been killed so far Jammu And Kashmir

#Pulwama attack #UPDATE: Four jawans have lost their lives in the attack, three injured while three terrorists have been killed so far #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/9hQAqGty0e a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

#A One more jawan lost his life, one terrorist killed in the ongoing PulwamaA encounter. Two jawans have lost their lives till now & two are injured

#UPDATE: One more jawan lost his life, one terrorist killed in the ongoing #Pulwama encounter. Two jawans have lost their lives till now & two are injured a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

# "3 CRPF boys received bullet injuries. Two of them are stable, one has martyred. Terrorists will be neutralised very soon," says SP Vaid, J&K DGP on Pulwama attack

"3 CRPF boys received bullet injuries. Two of them are stable, one has martyred. Terrorists will be neutralised very soon," says SP Vaid, J&K DGP on #Pulwama attack pic.twitter.com/UXVkUjM1TK a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

# Pulwama CRPF training centre attack UPDATE: The two other jawans who were injured are out of danger #JammuAndKashmir

Pulwama CRPF training centre attack #UPDATE: The two other jawans who were injured are out of danger #JammuAndKashmir a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

# Pulwama CRPF training centre attack UPDATE: One jawan has lost his life in the attack. Encounter continues

# Three security personnel injured in attack by terrorists on CRPF Training Center in Awantipora, Pulwama (J&K)

Three security personnel injured in attack by terrorists on CRPF Training Center in Awantipora, Pulwama (J&K). (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/CVH0opiPzv a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

# Pulwama CRPF training centre attack UPDATE: Jawan who lost his life is Saifuddin, two others Narender and Samadhan Malve are injured and out of danger Jammu and Kashmir

Pulwama CRPF training centre attack #UPDATE: Jawan who lost his life is Saifuddin, two others Narender and Samadhan Malve are injured and out of danger #JammuAndKashmir a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

#Visuals from Pulwama: One CRPF jawan killed, two other injured in terrorist attack on CRPF training centre #JammuAndKashmir (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/UeWeZBsbQq a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Congress on Sunday denounced the government over a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said here that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

During elections, Modi says India is a strong nation. But the number of casualties in ceasefire violations was going up, Dev said at a press conference.

"It is a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy," she said, adding the Congress wanted him to take strong steps to deter India's external and internal enemies.

Also Read: Police officer shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir

The Congress, Dev said, will support him in steps he takes for safety and security of the country.

Two heavily armed militants stormed the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora in Pulwama around 2 am, killing a personnel and leaving two others injured.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Heavily armed militants launched a pre-dawn suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Sunday, killing five personnel including an officer of the force and injuring three others.

CRPF officials said two militants holed up in a building block in the camp were killed in the subsequent operation to neutralise the ultras.

"Two heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," CRPF officials said.

The killed CRPF prsonnels have been identified as Sharief-ud-din Ganaie, Kuldip Roy, Taufail Ahmed, Rajendra Nain and Pradeep Kumar Panda.

CRPF Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rajesh Yadav told PTI that the militants fired indiscriminately injuring three CRPF personnel.

The injured personnel later succumbed to injuries. One of the injured personnel was identified as Saifuddin, a resident of Nowgam, officials said.

Director General of Police S P Vaid said security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

Terming the attack as "unfortunate", Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

The Additional DG of CRPF said, "We had inputs that such an attack could take place and our troops were ready. Till now, 2 terrorists killed, operation still underway; We will conclude the operation soon."

Also Read| Jammu and Kashmir: 4 jawans martyred, 3 injured after JeM militants attack CRPF camp in Pulwama

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying.They probably could not get a place and time earlier.So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters.

The gunned down terrorists have been identififed as Manzoor Ahmad Baba of Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday of Tral.

The CRPF camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley.

A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday exuded confidence in winning 120 of the 147 Assembly seats in Odisha in the elections to be held in 2019, the party's leader and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Sunday.

Pradhan was speaking in Bargarh district where the saffron party had made arrangements in all the 270 booths in bypoll-bound Bijepur Assembly segment for people to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' programme on All India Radio.

We are confident that the BJP will win 120 seats in 2019 Assembly polls as people of Odisha want to get rid of Biju Janata Dal (BJD). We will form the next government in the state, Pradhan told reporters after the broadcast of "Mann ki Baat" programme.

BJP President Amit Shah had earlier set a target of winning 120 seats in the next assembly polls in the state.

Claiming that Modi's image and development agenda would bring victory of BJP in Odisha, Pradhan said the people of the state desperately want a political change as they were disillusioned with the misrule and corruption during BJD regime for the last 18 years.

"The BJP's victory march would begin with the by-election in Bijepur assembly segment as people have confidence and faith in the leadership of the prime minister," the union minister said.

The Bijepur assembly seat has remained vacant since August 22 this year following the death of sitting Congress MLA Subal Sahu.

The bypoll schedule is yet to be announced.

Countering the BJP leader's claim, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said Mann Ki Baat programme is held from time to time in which the prime minister peaks on various issues, but the state BJP unit has sought to create a hype about today's programme in Bijepur to mislead people.

"The BJP's action showed its leaders were fearing defeat in the Bijepur bypoll," he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Washington:

US President Donald Trump weighed in on protests in Iran on Sunday, warning that the country's people want change and "oppressive regimes cannot endure forever."



Trump posted on Twitter two clips of his speech to the UN General Assembly in September in which he took aim at the Iranian regime, which Washington has held out as its top adversary in the Middle East.



"Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice," he tweeted, quoting from the speech.



"The world is watching!"



Trump's posts, his second time addressing the subject in as many days, came as several hundred anti-government demonstrators clashed with police at the University of Tehran in a third straight day of protests.



Hundreds of counter-protesters also massed outside the entrance to the university, chanting "Death to the seditionists" in a show of support for the regime.



Videos shared by social media users outside Iran but which could not be independently verified claimed to show thousands marching peacefully against the regime in several cities including Khorramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz, with chants of "Death to the dictator."

Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9 a Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

"The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most," Trump said, again quoting from the UN speech.

The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iranas people are what their leaders fear the most.... pic.twitter.com/W8rKN9B6RT a Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Trump also tweeted in support of the protesters late Friday, prompting Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahran Ghasemi to dismiss his remarks as "opportunistic."A

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A day after the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan Walid Abu Ali had reportedly attended a rally organized by the Difah-e-Pakistan Council headed by Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has defended the participation of the Mumbai terror attack mastermind.



Pakistan MoFA has said: aThe Ambassador of Palestine has participated in many of these meetings. The public meeting held on Friday was yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause.A



aThis public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Hafiz Saeed. Contrary to the impression being created, UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression.A



aThe people and Government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian Ambassadoras active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine.



India had strongly taken up with Palestine the issue of its ambassador's presence in Pakistan attending a rally organised by Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed following which Palestine government recalled Waleed Abu Ali.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Several conservation groups have banded together to call for livestock producers to bear the burden of fighting brucellosis, rather than using intrusive manipulation of native wildlife.

Essentially, wildlife should be valued and treated like wildlife, not livestock, said Glenn Hockett, president of the Gallatin Wildlife Association, in a statement.

The message comes as snow piles up in the interior of Yellowstone National Park. Soon, wild bison will migrate to more open terrain around the small town of Gardiner, where some may be shot by hunters or corralled for shipment to slaughter.

The killing of bison serves two purposes: reducing the overall number of animals to a population that state and federal management agencies have agreed upon, and to somewhat reduce the prevalence of brucellosis in the animals. Brucellosis can cause animals, including cattle, to abort.

Bison removal

The tentative plan is to try and remove about 600 bison this winter. Last winter, 1,274 bison were culled or harvested. Since 2012, the park has removed 4,258 bison from the population. Yet the northern herd continues to grow and thrive, partly because bison from the central herd are migrating to the north. This summer more than 4,800 bison were counted inside the park.

Bison, however, arent the only carriers of brucellosis. The disease has also spread to elk in the Greater Yellowstone Area. Elk were determined to be the cause of the most recent exposure of cattle to brucellosis. A case of bison transferring the disease to cattle in the wild has never been documented.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Montana Department of Livestock have cooperated in fencing, hazing and even authorizing the killing of elk to keep them separate from cattle, and thereby lessen the chances of brucellosis transmission.

It is difficult, however, to move elk to areas away from cattle and to avoid creating problems for neighboring landowners, FWP wrote in a report to the Montana Environmental Quality Council, which has the item on its Jan. 17-18 agenda. It is also expensive to delay cattle grazing in high-risk areas that overlap strongly with elk distributions.

EQC report

The Montana Environmental Quality Council, composed of legislators and members of the public, requested information from FWP on eradicating brucellosis in elk at its September meeting. Sen. Mike Phillips, D-Bozeman, asked for the information to steer the discussion away from bison as a disease vector.

We have spent a lot of time, years and years and years, saying bison are the problem, Phillips said at the meeting. Weve gone out of our way coming up with all kinds of ways to manage the problem. We know without doubt that elk are a vector. So lets put the bulls-eye at least where it belongs, at the back of the elk, and thats what that motion does.

The conclusion by the agency is straightforward: We believe that with current technology, eradication of brucellosis in free-ranging elk is not possible.

The report goes on to note that there is currently no effective Brucella abortus vaccine for elk, even if one were developed it would not be effective in wiping out the disease in elk because of the difficulties in vaccinating wild, free-roaming animals.

Capturing, testing and removing elk that have been exposed to brucellosis proved to reduce prevalence of the disease by only 30 percent in a five-year study conducted in Wyoming that cost $1.3 million.

Administering a birth control drug could stop elk from becoming pregnant and thereby aborting, but again, inoculating elk would be difficult, the report stated. And besides, as long as there are bison in Yellowstone that harbor brucellosis, it will be difficult to completely eradicate the disease from the environment. Likewise, elk feedgrounds in Wyoming are also reservoirs for the disease until they are abandoned, which the state has shown no desire to do.

Vaccine hopes

Hockett and other conservation groups contend there is a better long-term solution: creating a vaccine for cattle that would prevent brucellosis.

The currently available cattle vaccine protects against abortion but not infection, FWP wrote. Although vaccinated cattle are less likely to transmit the disease, they are not protected from becoming infected.

Unfortunately for livestock producers, Brucella abortus is listed as a select agent by the federal government. Select agents are biological agents and toxins that have been determined to have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety, to animal and plant health, or to animal or plant products.

Because of this listing, only highly secure labs are allowed to study B. abortus to develop a vaccine. De-listing the agent would be a big step toward allowing more research.

However, a cattle vaccine may still need to be combined with elk management, since even effective vaccines are not 100 percent protective, FWP wrote.

A livestock issue

Until a better vaccine is developed, Hockett said, The agencies need to focus on livestock-centric solutions like vaccinating cattle and fencing them in.

Roger Hayden, executive director of Wyoming Wildlife Advocates, said Wyoming should help, as well.

Wyomings elk feedgrounds, where animals are bunched tightly together for months at a time, are a vector for spreading disease, he said in a statement. Phasing out feedgrounds, along with proactive livestock management, is key to reducing the risk of brucellosis transmission.

The conservation groups also see the regions predators as key to helping prevent spread of the disease, since they are known to scavenge at birth sites and thereby remove some of the infectious material. Consequently, they are calling for greater tolerance of animals like grizzly bears and wolves on the landscape.

Healthy native wildlife populations, including predators and scavengers, belong on our public lands, said Josh Osher, Montana Director of Western Watersheds Project. Public lands managers should seek proactive solutions to reduce conflicts, including targeted voluntary grazing permit retirement and ending predator killing programs.

Rep. Brad Hamlett, D-Cascade, instead told the EQC that he sees wolves as one of the problems, scattering elk across the landscape as they flee the predators, which were reintroduced into Yellowstone in 1995.

More tolerance for predators is not something Montana livestock producers are ever going to support, and many would also prefer to see fewer elk and bison on the landscape. But as FWP noted in its report, thats likely to be socially unacceptable, just as eliminating cattle from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is inconceivable.

Given all of the difficulties in halting the spread of brucellosis, FWP officials came to a somewhat grim conclusion: Until advances are made in vaccine development, our existing management tools to reduce or eliminate transmission of brucellosis from elk to cattle are unlikely to significantly change.

Although the cattle industry is known as a large contributor to Montanas economy, the conservation groups counter that large, free-roaming herds of Greater Yellowstone bison and elk  and the presence of iconic bears and wolves, among other species are just as important to the regions culture and economy.

Native wildlife should be valued, conserved and managed as wildlife, not livestock, the groups said.
V-ji kaifuku -- a V-shaped recovery -- is how Shukan Jitsuwa (Jan 11-18) describes the "astonishing" turnaround achieved by McDonald's Japan, pulling itself up from don-zoko (rock bottom).

For the fiscal period ending in December 2017, the company expects to report consolidated earnings of 20 billion yen -- the highest since it began trading its shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

It was around 2009 that growth began to stagnate, and business analysts observed that the company seemed to have become stuck in a rut. Then around the end of 2014, a video taken by an investigative reporter in China supposedly showed a supplier making items using meat whose "consume by" dates had expired, and in one case, minced chicken that had fallen onto the floor was scooped up being used to prepare nuggets. Once this began to circulate visitors to the golden arches plummeted.

More misfortunes occurred in the first half of 2015. Customers complained of foreign objects such as human teeth or fragments of metals found in foods, further tarnishing the company's image, and some parents went so far as to consider a boycott. By the end of 2015, the company reported a deficit for the year of 34.9 billion yen, and articles appearing in the media were raising the possibility that the brand would vanish from Japan for good.

What's more, Canadian Sarah Cassanova, McDonald's Japan CEO, was a relatively new arrival and at the time still unfamiliar with customary Japanese business practices. And the overbearing attitude shown by the U.S. parent company in dealing with customer dissatisfaction only made matters worse.

"Ms Cassanova did some serious soul-searching and made efforts to understand Japanese people," said a business analyst familiar with the company. "She took speedy action and enacted reforms, particularly in three areas. Thanks to these, the customers gradually began coming back."

The first and foremost of the three reforms was to emphasize food safety.

"Items that up to that point had been procured from China were switched to Thailand or other sources, with the data shown on the company's home page. In addition, as part of the food safety publicity efforts, the paper used to wrap the items of merchandise bore a QR (quick response) code," a source in the food and beverage industry tells the magazine.

Some former customers, however, remained unconvinced, so from summer 2016, McDonald's began a collaborative tieup, promoting the Pokemon GO virtual game via its outlets. "It's no exaggeration to say that this kind of collaboration with other companies had a big impact on attracting new business," the source continued.

The third action taken by the company management was to shut down unprofitable outlets. From 3,801 stores in Japan at the time of the sanitation scandal in China, the number was reduced by nearly 1,000, to 2,902. On a weekly basis Cassanova began making the rounds to outlets in person, talking to staff members, and customers ranging from housewives and high school students to seniors. When possible their views and suggestions were incorporated into store operations, and through repeated efforts, the company was able to pull off a "miraculous" recovery.
With then-Congressman Ryan Zinke tapped to join newly elected President Donald Trumps cabinet, Montana's political parties selected their candidates for the special election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Coming from the Republican side was Bozeman businessman and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte. For the Democrats, it was political newcomer musician Rob Quist. And rounding out the race was Libertarian rancher Mark Wicks.

Gianfortes high political profile from his run against Gov. Steve Bullock, along with his ability to largely self-finance his campaign and Montanas history of electing Republicans to the House, put him as the initial favorite in the mind of most analysts.

But Quists fame as one of Montanas most prolific musicians and member of the Mission Mountain Woodband promised to play in his favor. Also unknown was whether pushback from Trumps election would generate additional votes for the Democrat.

The first hints of the tenor of the race came as Republican leadership worked against a Republican-sponsored bill in the Legislature that would have allowed an all-mail election. The legislation would have saved the state money following an expensive national election and saw majority support from county election administrators. But Republican Party Chairman Jeff Essman had come out hard against the bill, saying a mail election favored Democrats. Secretary of State Corey Stapleton testified that it would open Montana to accusations of fraud, and that a tight timeline made such an election difficult.

"We are not here to run the cheapest elections. We are here to run the best elections," Stapleton told lawmakers.

With the campaigns underway, Gianforte, a tech entrepreneur, touted his business acumen, support of the Second Amendment and support for mining and timber as cornerstones of his platform. He told voters that he believed natural resource extraction could coexist with environmental protections, but felt regulations unnecessarily hampered industry.

Attacks against Quist, including those from outside groups, focused on some controversial statements he had made about guns, past financial issues and progressive views.

For Quist, it was support for public lands and protecting health care that led his platform. As a Cutbank native, he touted his authenticity and understanding of the needs of Montanans while countering attacks of his views on guns and natural resource extraction and personal financial hardship.

Attacks against Gianforte focused on his public lands record, specifically a lawsuit he filed against the state over the location of an access easement. Quist ads also attacked Republicans promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Former presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont came to Montana to stump for Quist, and the president's son Donald Trump Jr. visited the state to campaign for Gianforte.

With relatively few national races happening at the time, media from the U.S. and beyond came to Montana to cover the election, and it became a fixture on national news outlets.

On the eve of the election, what began as Gianforte's campaign barbecue turned into one of the biggest events in Montana political history.

As Gianforte prepped for an interview with a Fox News crew, Ben Jacobs, a reporter from the international newspaper The Guardian, entered the room with a digital recorder running and began questioning the candidate about health care. Gianforte was heard yelling at the reporter as an altercation ensued, and eye witnesses identified Gianforte as the aggressor, reportedly slamming Jacobs to the ground and punching him.

Gianfortes campaign team, and Gianforte himself, initially pinned Jacobs as the aggressor. But after claiming victory in the election, Gianforte later went on to apologize for the attack, plead guilty to misdemeanor assault and donate $50,000 to a nonprofit that protects journalists.

As Montanas congressman, Gianforte has thrown his support behind tax reform and efforts to limit litigation in forest management. He also recently introduced a bill to prohibit mining in an area outside Yellowstone National Park.

Gianforte plans to run for re-election next year, and faces about a half dozen Democrats currently campaigning in the primary.
GLASTONBURY  A woman died after losing control and crashing her car into a jersey barrier on while driving on Route 3 Saturday evening, state police said in an accident report.

The woman, Devra Lee Koromanian, hit the barrier multiple times and was ejected from her Dodge Caravan, police said. She was driving over the Putnam Bridge before the off ramp to the I-91 northbound exit around 8 p.m.

Glastonbury Volunteer Ambulance transported her to Hartford Hospital where she later succumbed to injuries she sustained from the collision.

This case remains under investigation at this time, police said, and any witnesses to this accident are asked to contact Trooper Ashley Harkins at Troop H 860-543-1000.

This accident comes as the Connecticut State Police supplement their regular patrol force with additional troopers throughout New Years weekend. The increased patrols began at 12:01 a.m. Friday and will conclude at 11:59 p.m. on New Years Day.

Since increasing enforcement Friday at midnight, state police have had 4,085 calls for service as of Sunday morning, including investigating 325 accidents, 379 speeding violations and making 14 DUI arrests, police said in a release. The accidents have involved 33 injuries and two fatalities so far.

Comparatively, last year from Dec. 30, 2016 to Jan. 2, 2017 police had 6,987 calls, which included 276 accidents, 705 speeding violations and 34 DUI arrests.

All moving violations, which include unsafe lane change, following too closely, cell phone usage, texting, failure to signal and more, have totaled 857 this weekend with 15 seatbelt violations and 264 motorist assists.

Last year during the increased enforcement period over New Years weekend, two accidents resulted in three fatalities and 34 accidents involved serious injury, police said.
Weve seen a number of reports lately about disruptive passengers forcing a plane to divert after exhibiting some sort of frightening behavior. Imagine being along for the ride when something like this happens:

An Air Canada flight to Tel Aviv lands in London after a female passenger starts randomly choking people on board. She is restrained in-flight and arrested upon landing.

A Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Houston detours to Corpus Christi, Texas, after a woman tries to open the emergency exit door mid-flight. Seen before departure screaming at people in the terminal, passengers wondered why she was allowed to board the plane. On landing, she is arrested. The captain buys pizza for the passengers to apologize for the delay. (Classy.)

A Hawaiian airlines flight to the mainland returns to the islands after a passenger becomes verbally abusive to his family and strikes a flight attendant. On landing, hes arrested.

What happens to these disruptive passengers? Its hard to say, but in the last case the passenger pleaded guilty, was sentenced to three months probation and was fined $97,000 for the cost of the Hawaii diversion. Not included in the fine was the $46,000 the airline had to pony up for meal vouchers for the delayed passengers. (Obviously NOT pizza).

But that guy got off light. Passengers who disrupt the duties of a flight crew member can face fines up to $25,000, and sometimes, imprisonment. In addition, the airline can choose to ban the problem passenger from future flights  for life.

In some cases the behavior is a sign of mental instability. But too often the boorish behavior is tied to alcohol, a situation worsened by airlines selling booze in-flight to already inebriated flyers (the Hawaiian passenger had also brought his own bottle aboard).

Handling a misbehaving passenger at 35,000 feet is one thing, but on the train the rules are a bit different.

Metro-North conductors have the power to de-train a passenger at the next station and call the authorities. And assaulting a Metro-North conductor can get you arrested, as two fare beaters found after getting in a tussle while being ejected from their train. Assaulting an MTA employee is a Class D felony punishable by up to seven years in prison.

But by far my favorite story of a troublesome traveler involved Amtrak and a passenger who would not shut up.

Im not referring to the time that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was asked to move his seat when he mistakenly sat in the Acelas Quiet Car and started yapping on his cellphone.

No, this case involved a woman who carried on a 16-hour cellphone conversation on Amtraks Coast Starlight en route from Los Angeles to Seattle. Despite being seated in the trains Quiet Car, she ignored the withering gaze of fellow passengers as she continued her chat. Finally, a passenger confronted her, and was met with an aggressive response.

That prompted conductors to stop the train and have her escorted off, far from her destination. She was charged with disorderly conduct and told reporters she felt disrespected by her fellow travelers and Amtrak police.

Imagine that happening on a Metro-North train, where the Quiet Car rules are seldom enforced.

Well, I guess we can all dream.

jim@mediatrainer.tv
NEW HAVEN  When Assistant Police Chief Achilles Archie Generoso returned to the department in 2012, there seemed to be little optimism for reducing homicides in the city.

It wasnt hard to pinpoint why. After all, 2011 had been a bad year: 34 homicides in the city. It was a staggering tally not seen here since 1991. Perhaps it was understandable when Generoso said people told him it wasnt likely they would reduce the number of homicides to less than 20 anytime soon.

That was accomplished the following year.

Weve done that. And now were down to seven this year, Generoso said.

With only a day left in 2017, New Haven is on pace for the lowest number of homicides in decades. The seven homicides this year  down from 13 in 2016  would mark the fewest in New Haven since 2003, when the city had eight.

Generoso believes a figure as low seven homicides hasnt been seen in New Haven in half a century. State homicides figures dating to 1985 dont show any year with fewer than eight homicides in New Haven.

More News Remembering New Havens 2017 homicide victims

I think that, if Im not mistaken, it might be the fewest homicides in the past 50 years, if not longer, Generoso said.

A drop in homicides highlights an overall drop in violent crime in the city. Its a positive step for Police Chief Anthony Campbell, who marked his full first calendar year as chief. He was sworn-in as permanent chief in May after working on an interim basis starting last fall.

When you can get seven homicides... thats significant, Campbell said. When you look at seven homicides when you compare to the almost 30 that Hartford has, and the mid-20s that Bridgeport has, its significant.

Bridgeport this year had at least 23 homicides, while Hartford has at least 29, according to WFSB. Bridgeport had 10 last year; Hartford had 14.

Shootings are also down in New Haven. Generoso said there were 60 non-fatal shootings this year, down from 66 last year. There were roughly 133 shots fired reported to police, Generoso said, which is also less than the 2016 figures (155).

A reported shooting Thursday likely bumped the number to 61. Police said the incident was a possible robbery attempt.

Community policing

Its still tragic for seven people who were killed, Generoso said. Its still unacceptable that we had 60 shootings.

The drop in reported shootings came even after the department tripled their ShotSpotter coverage last year. The tool that reports gunfire can be a vital one for law enforcement since Generoso said people dont always call in shots fired when they hear them. People may often assume someone else has called them in, Generoso said.

Five of the seven homicides involved gunshots; one involved a knife and another was due to strangulation, Generoso said. The strangulation homicide was a domestic violence incident, an issue Mayor Tony Harp has on her agenda for her third term. The fatal stabbing is the only homicide to result in an arrest this year. Daniel Streit, 33, was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the fatal stabbing of Keith Wylie, 51.

Generoso said the department is close to making arrests on five other homicides.

Both Campbell and Generoso credited the Police Departments numerous collaborations with the community, and chiefly programs such as Project Longevity and daily interdepartment intelligence meetings , with helping decrease crime rates. Project Longevity combines local, state and federal resources to reduce crime.

Thought its been six years, 2011 remains the negative benchmark to which the department continuously compares itself. Generoso said between 2003 and 2012, the city averaged 122 shootings a year.

If you look at 2011, we had 133 shootings and 34 homicides, Generoso said. You could see what weve done since that time.

Every day, we discuss the violence and ways to interrupt that violence. I think that itself has contributed to the numbers that you see this year, Generoso said.

Project Longevity alone isnt just helping keep rates low, however. As Campbell points out, other cities have that program.

What we have is we are in a unique position where we meet with members of the community, Campbell said, adding there are daily meeting with community members, clergy, and other groups. When you start doing these things together, youre making your community a lot more vibrant.

University of New Haven Criminal Justice Department chairman and retired police chief John DeCarlo said New Haven police operate differently than other departments in the state, which has helped improve the citys rates.

Theyve always been very forward-looking, DeCarlo said.

DeCarlo said New Havens crime rates follow a national trend.

What you see happening in New Haven is consistent with an overall trend in the United States where violent crime is down about 1 percent for 2017, DeCarlo said. He added that crime rates among the countrys 30 largest cities has dropped about 3 percent.

Former Police Chief Nick Pastore said he wasnt surprised by the overall drop in crime rates.

We started to see a downward trend in the 90, Pastore said, adding that its decrease was further improved by community policing. The spike in crime forced us to get to the table. Before that, it was just lock people up, especially if theyre people of color or Latino. Obviously, that wasnt working.

Pastore called the change smart policing. Between 1990 and 1997, the years Pastore served as chief, the city averaged about 26 homicides per year. It includes a consecutive three-year span between 1990 to 1992 of 30 or more homicides. The decline started in the mid-1990s, with numbers lowering gradually

What youre doing when youre talking about community type of policing, youre asking cops to think and make decisions, Pastore said. You got to use their minds. Their eyes and ears.

Campbell said department accountability has increased with officers now wearing body cameras.

Reported robberies dropped from last year by about 11 percent, Generoso said. Robbery and other crime statistics provided to the Register by Generoso are up to date until Dec. 23. Homicides, shooting incidents and shots reported are recent as of Dec. 28.

There were 333 reported robberies in the city, down from 374 in 2016. The city averaged about 800 robberies in 2011 and 2012, Generoso said.

We have an 11 percent drop in combined robberies this year over last year. If you go back to 2011-12, weve cut our robberies by more than half, Generoso said. Combined robberies means it includes robberies involving firearms.

Campbell said hes so far gotten positive feedback from the public, but there is work left to do for the department to improve. He would like to strengthen the departments visibility and improve the departments information footprint. He said this will likely be accomplished by using social media, including having a dedicated Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat accounts that can push out live information. He would like to eventually broadcast CompStat meetings, which are weekly information-sharing sessions held at the department.

We need to get more to the 21st century, Campbell said. Local media is great, but if something happens, you want to be able to see it.

The city is a lot safer than it was in 2011, Generoso said, but he adds: We can always improve.

Generoso said the department wont be satisfied until the city has zero homicides. Its a Herculean effort, one Generoso said most people may see like, a pie in the sky. Hes heard the naysayers before, though.

Its not far-fetched, Generoso said. Thats our goal. ... We dont want to lose another young man or woman to gun violence.

Reach Esteban L. Hernandez at 203-680-9901
DERBY  Thanks to the publics generosity, the Valleys shelter for the homeless received a big financial boost this holiday season.

Spooner House will benefit from more than $9,300 raised through Griffin Hospitals annual Wonderland of Trees fundraiser, which took place throughout the month of December in the hospitals main corridor.

The fundraiser featured dozens of decorated, 3-foot Christmas trees that hospital employees in various departments decked out for the holidays. One of the trees was housed inside an old-fashioned wooden sleigh, while another had a friendly snowman in a top hat as a tree topper. A popular tree, dubbed Cash is King for the Holidays was graced with a red velvet kings robe, a gold crown for a topper and featured real dollar bills as ornaments, along with a $100 VISA card poking through the branches.

Raffle tickets were sold for $1 each, 15 for $10 and 40 for $20. Members of the public placed their raffle tickets in silver entry boxes placed in front of each tree for a chance to win the themed-trees.

As a result of the proceeds from the fundraiser the real winners will be the clients of the Spooner House who will have food to eat and a warm place to stay this winter, according to Spooner House Executive Director Susan Agamy.

According to Griffin Hospitals spokesman Christian Meagher, the fundraiser is geared with residents well-being in mind.

The Wonderland of Trees shows whats best about Griffin Hospital and the Valley community, said Meagher. The time, effort and excitement that goes into this fundraiser highlights how much all of us care about the health and well-being of our neighbors, and were thankful to everyone who helped support a very important service in the Valley.

Meagher said this is the seventh year Griffin Hospital has held the Wonderland of Trees fundraiser, which to date has raised nearly $50,000 for the Spooner House.

According to 2016 statistics on its website, the Spooner House served more than 114,000 meals to residents in the Lower Naugatuck Valley residents to more than 4,000 adults, children and senior citizens. During November and December, Spooner House, through its Valley Food Bank, provided 649 households in need with holiday meal baskets, complete with a frozen turkey and all the fixings.

Emergency shelter was also provided to 140 individuals, which included 20 veterans, 69 children and 30 families, or a total of 13,176 nights of shelter bed occupancy.

The facility provides weekly meetings with case managers that offer clients support and guidance. The food bank at Spooner House operates by appointment Monday through Thursday and on emergency basis as needed, providing 10 days worth of groceries once per calendar month for each client in need.

From November through March, Spooner House operates an emergency drop-in No Freeze shelter. Last year, the facility provided 628 No-Freeze occupied bed nights; 31 individuals utilized No-Freeze shelter; 24 males and seven females and 1,256 meals were provided to No-Freeze shelter guests

Those in need of food bank assistance can call 203-225-0453, ext. 100 to make an appointment.

Reach correspondent Jean Falbo-Sosnovich at jean.sos@snet.net.
A group of fleeing Boko Haram insurgents have attacked a military base in Kanama, headquarters of Yunusari Local Government in Yobe Stat...

A group of fleeing Boko Haram insurgents have attacked a military base in Kanama, headquarters of Yunusari Local Government in Yobe State.The Chairman of the Local Government, Ali Yerima, who confirmed the attack to our correspondent said the insurgents came in large numbers in seven Hilux trucks and made their way through the middle of the town and headed straight to the military base in the town at about 6.30pm where they launched their attack.He said though he could not confirm any casualty in the attack, he was however confident that the insurgents did not attack any civilian in the town.The information I got is that the insurgents were loaded in seven Hilux trucks. They passed through the town to attack the military base. My sources informed me that no civilian was attacked, only the military base was attacked but I also gathered that the soldiers fought very well to repel their adversaries, he said.The chairman also informed that the movement of the insurgents through the town caused panic and fear among residents who ran in different directions for safety.An impeccable security source informed that the insurgents were fleeing from the heat in Borno State.There has been a serious heat on the insurgents from Borno axis. You notice there was a fighter jet hovering over Borno and Yobe, the source said.The spokesman for 3 Division Nigeria Army Col. Kayode Ogunsaya did not respond to calls and text message sent to him by our correspondent.Yobe State Police Commissioner Abdulmaliki Sunmonu said he cannot give details of the attack because the area is fully under military operations and control but I think they are in control of the situation.
As if it wasnt already clear, 2017 provided much more evidence that we are changing our planet in dangerous ways. Here in Montana, fires raged across more than a million acres of grasslands and forests, causing widespread property loss, prolonged periods of unhealthy air quality, and a statewide budget shortfall.

Other states were similarly hard hit. In California, wildfires are burning into the usually calm month of December  destroying thousands of homes and millions of acres of forest. The massive hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria brought unprecedented levels of rain, storm surges and heavy winds  supercharged by unusually warm ocean temperatures  to Houston, parts of Florida and Puerto Rico.

These signs are a planet-wide fire alarm, warning us that we are burning far too much coal, oil and gas. In September, top U.S. climate scientists confirmed that human activities are responsible for practically all of the global warming we are experiencing  and in fact, warming would be even worse if we werent also polluting the air with soot particles, which have a cooling effect.

The political climate also changed in 2017. In many ways, it changed for the better in the states, cities and boardrooms across the country where leaders came together to accelerate our transition to clean, climate-safe sources of energy.

A large coalition of leaders confirmed the United States commitment to cut pollution, limit global warming and achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, despite the U.S. governments intention to withdraw from the agreement. Fifteen governors and 2,500 leaders of cities, counties, corporations and universities banded together to pledge collective action. Altogether, these entities represent more than half of the U.S. economy and population. If they were a country unto themselves, they would be the third-largest in the world.

Corporations and universities also implemented bold new plans. For example, this year Google reached 100 percent renewable energy as the power source for its entire operation. More than 100 corporations as well as major institutions of higher learning, including Cornell University, Boston University and Colorado State University have also committed to transitioning entirely to clean energy.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is pouring more gasoline on the fires of climate change. The administration has launched a wide-ranging effort to reverse prior administrations actions to reduce pollution: rolling back the Clean Power Plan, weakening Clean Car Standards, declaring an intention to abandon the Paris Climate Agreement, willfully ignoring the risks that climate change poses to national security.

No matter what the administration does, however, the clean energy revolution is unstoppable. Technologies that were once novelties  solar panels, wind turbines, LED light bulbs, electric cars  have become everyday parts of Americas energy landscape. America produces nearly eight times more renewable energy from the sun and the wind than in 2007, while the average American uses 10 percent less energy than a decade ago.

But when it comes to global warming, time is a luxury we dont have. Despite all the progress weve made, U.S. climate action remains insufficient. We need to take the successes of 2017 and build on them, with greater ambition and much wider scope. We need more of the kind of climate change that is taking hold in leading states, cities, and businesses  and less of the kind that threatens our future.

People want less pollution and more clean energy. So in 2018, lets work together and make it happen.

Skye Borden is the director of Environment Montana, a statewide citizen-funded advocacy group that fights for clean air, clean water and open space in Americas last best place. Learn more at www.environmentmontana.org.
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka is dismayed by the current fuel scarcity. He wonders why successive governments find it difficult to fix ...

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka is dismayed by the current fuel scarcity.He wonders why successive governments find it difficult to fix challenges facing the country.He is particularly disturbed by the blame passing by those charged with the responsibility of making the country work.Soyinka, in a statement yesterday on the state of the nation, could not understand why the generality of Nigerians are being exposed to unnecessary hardship caused by the fuel scarcity.He recalled governments promise to deal with the situation during a similar fuel crisis in 1977.He attached to his statement which he entitled BLAME PASSING  The New Year Gift to a Nation, the bromide of the June 7, 1977 edition of the Daily Times in which President Muhammadu Buhari, who was Petroleum minister at the time said the fuel crisis may be over next year.He said in the statement: In the accustomed tradition, I wish the nation less misery in the coming year. A genuine Happy New Year Greeting is probably too extravagant a wish.The accompanying news clipping from June 1977 came into my hands quite fortuitously. It is forty years old. It captures the unenviable enigma that is the Nigerian nation. It is however a masterful end-of-year image to take into the coming year, not only for the individual now at the helm of government, General Buhari, but for a people surely credited with the most astounding degree of patience and forbearance on the African continent  except of course among themselves, when they turn into predatory fiends. When many of us are blissfully departed, an updated rendition of this same clipping  with a change of cast here and there  will undoubtedly be reproduced in the media, with the same alibis, the same in-built panacea of blame passing.Let this be called to our collective memory. Even before the current edition of the fuel crisis, other challenges, requiring immediate fix, had begun to monopolize national attention, relegating to the sidelines the outcry for a fundamental and holistic approach to the wearisome cycle of citizen trauma. This has been expressed most recently, and near universally in the word Restructuring, defined straightforwardly as a drastic overhaul of Nigerian articles of co-existence in a more rational, equitable and decentralized manner.Such an overhaul, the re-positioning of the relationship between the parts and the whole offers, it has been strongly argued, prospects of a closer governance awareness of, and responsiveness to citizen entitlement. An overhaul that will near totally eliminate the frequent spasms of systemic malfunctioning that are in-built into the present protocols of national association.I recently ran the gauntlet of petroleum queues through three conveniently situated cities  Lagos, Abeokuta and Ibadan  deliberately, this Friday.Even with unorthodox aids of passage, this was no task for the faint-hearted. Just getting past fuelling stations was traumatizing, an obstacle race through seething, frustrated masses of humanity, only to find ourselves on vast stretches of emptied roads pleading for occupation.As for obtaining the petroleum in the first place  the less said the better. I suspect that this government has permitted itself to be fooled by the peace of those empty streets, but also by the orderly, patient, long-suffering queues that are admittedly prevalent in the city centres.It is time the reporting monitors of government move to city peripheries and sometimes even some other inner urban sectors, such as Ikeja and Maryland from time to time to see, and listen! Pronouncements  such as the 1977 above  again re-echoing by rote in 2017 are a delusion at best, a formula that derides public intelligence.Buying time. Passing blame. Yes of course, the current affliction must be remedied, and fast, but is there a dimension to it that must be brought to the fore, simultaneously and forcefully? This had better be the framework for solving even a shortage that virtually paralyzed the nation.Just to think laterally for a moment  what became of the initiatives by some states nearly two decades ago  Lagos most prominently  to decentralize power, and thus empower states to generate and distribute their own energy requirements? Frustrated and eventually sabotaged in the most cynical manner from the Federal centre!The similarity today is frightening  for nearly four days on that earlier occasion, the nation was blacked out near entirely. We know that one survival tactic of governments is to keep their citizens in the dark over decisions that affect their lives but, this was literal!And yet each such crisis, plus lesser ones, merely reiterate again and again that this national contraption, as it now stands, is simply  dysfunctional!.What this demands is that, in the process of alleviating the immediate pressing misery, we do not permit ourselves to be manipulated yet again into forgetting the MAIN issue whose ramifications exact penalties such as petroleum seizures and national power outage.These are only two handy, being recent symptoms  there are several others, but this is not intended to be a catalogue of woes. Sufficient to draw attention to the Yoruba saying that goes: Won ni, Amukun, eru e wo. Oun ni, atisale ni. Translation: Some voices alerted the K-Legged porter to the dangerous tilt of the load on his head. His response was  Thank you, but the problem actually resides in the legs.The providential image above sums up a defining moment for both individual and collective self-assessment, places in question the ability of a nation to profit from past experience. Vast resources, yes, but proved unmanageable under its present structural arrangements.As the tussle for the next round of power gets hotter in the coming year, the electorate will again be manipulated into losing sight of the BASE ISSUE.Its noisome claque in the meantime, the automated mumus of social media, practiced in sterile deflection and trivialization of critical issues, unwittingly join hands with government to indulge in blame passing and name calling  both sides with different targets.From the anguished cry of Charley Boys Our Mummu Done Do! to expositions from academics such as Professor Makindes recent intervention, the public is subjected daily to a relentless barrage of awareness, underlined in urgency. Nobody listens.One wonders if many people read. And certainly, very few retain or relate  until of course the next crisis. The Labour movement declares that it awaits a guarantee of the peoples backing before it embarks on any critical intervention.Understandably. There is more than enough of the opium of blame passing on tap to lull mummus into that deep coma from which  give it a little more time  there can only be a rude awakening.Sooner than later, but not as soon as pledged, the fuel crisis will pass. And then of course we shall await the next round of shortages, then a recommencement of blame passing. What will be the commodity this time  food perhaps?Maybe even potable water? In a nation of plenty, nothing is beyond eventual shortage  except of course, the commonplace endowment of pre-emptive planning and methodical execution. Forty years after, the same language of re-assurance? There is something rotten in the state of Naija.
North Korea has finally agreed to give up its nuclear programme but with a condition that the United States and its allies should stop ...

North Korea has finally agreed to give up its nuclear programme but with a condition that the United States and its allies should stop blackmailing it.It also demanded that the U.S. suspend its war drills with its allies in the Korean Peninsula.The countrys official Korean Central News Agency took the oft-repeated stance on Saturday as it reviewed the countrys major nuclear weapons and missile tests this year.North Korea conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date in September and launched three different intercontinental ballistic missiles into the sea in July and November.These tests raised fears that the country is closer than ever to gaining a nuclear arsenal that could viably target the United States.KCNA said North Koreas entity as an invincible power can neither be undermined nor be stamped out.Fox News
The Presidency rose yesterday in its own defence over the inclusion of the names of some dead persons as chairmen or members of newly co...

The Presidency rose yesterday in its own defence over the inclusion of the names of some dead persons as chairmen or members of newly constituted boards and parastatals.It said it was all a mistake which would be rectified in due course.No fewer than three of the appointees -Chief Frank Okpozo, Mr. Donald Ugbaja and Christopher Utov  were already dead when the list of 209 chairmen and 1258 board members were released by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, on Friday night.Okpozo was named as Chairman of the Nigerian Press Council; Ugbaja, a retired deputy Inspector General of Police, was listed as a member of the Consumers Protection Council while Utov was included as a board member of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER).The development sparked heavy criticism of government especially on social media.Speaking to reporters yesterday on the issue, the Senior Special Assistant to the on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said that the list was prepared before President Muhammadu Buhari took ill and was released by the SGF without any alteration.The President, he said, had requested 50 names from each of the state chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.The nominations were harmonized by the national secretariat of the party which then submitted the list to the immediate past SGF, Babachir Lawal.Shehu said: However, complaints arose from some governors who felt they were not carried along in the process.To answer this, the president constituted a committee under the vice president to review and reflect the interest of the governors.He said that the report submitted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was delayed because of President Buharis illness and his subsequent medical vacation abroad.The presidents trips for medical attention slowed down completion of the process, he said.The president only decided to revisit the matter recently and therefore directed the new SGF to release the list, he said.The current SGF was only directed to complete that process by releasing the list which he apparently did without altering it.The new SGF did what he was asked to do. There is nothing scandalous or extraordinary about what has happened.The SGF in a statement attached to the list of the appointees said the constitution of the boards was very necessary, so as to provide a proper governance and oversight structure for government agencies and parastatals.He added: The constitution of the boards with the appointments is a demonstration of this governments efforts aimed at building strong institutions of governance, and by extension, improving the quality of policy formulation and supervision.While these appointments represent a substantial number of hitherto pending board appointments, some more appointments are still being processed and will be released in due course.The appointments take immediate effect and Ministers are advised to inaugurate the boards after letters of appointment have been issued.But some Nigerians were not amused by the inclusion of the names of some dead persons on the list.They took to Twitter and Facebook to register their disappointment and embarrassment.One @royaltyuso writing on his Twitter handle said government officials will soon say the appointments were strategic and thats because non-living people do not loot. Femi Adesina will term it posthumous appointment. And that it was rightly placed.OSeun Ogunseitan, writing on his Facebook wall said: The error conclusively gives an idea of why very few good things are happening in the country, the way we want it.The indications are that most of the Board appointees were never consulted, before the appointments and that the federal government did not even try to find out how the appointees plan to change the state of things in the country.
The frigid weather, which is likely going to stick around through the week, may end up bringing you more than just the chills -- it might put a bit of a dent in your wallet, as well.

"You're going to be paying more for your home heating oil," Tom Kloza, Global Head of Energy Analysis at Wall-based Oil Price Information Service, told NJ Advance Media Thursday. But, he and other experts said, the increases should be slight, and homeowners probably don't need to panic.

"(As) long as the extreme cold doesn't persist for more than another week, you're not going to be looking at some of the apocalyptic numbers we had back in 2013-2014," during the so-called polar-vortex winter, Kloza said.

There are some factors keeping home heating costs up, experts said:

Crude oil last week hit $60 a barrel for the first time since June 2015, Kloza noted.

The cost of natural gas in New Jersey is approximately $20 per thousand cubic feet, nearly four times the national average of $5.20, said Mike Butler, the Mid-Atlantic Director of the Consumer Energy Alliance. A big reason for the disparity in prices is the lack of pipelines in the northeast compared to places to our west, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. "That limits the supply and drives up prices. You have this base level problem which gets exacerbated because everyone is cranking their heat."

Before the recent stretch of arctic conditions extended across the eastern seaboard, energy costs were projected to grow by 12 percent for natural gas, 17 percent for home heating oil, 18 percent for propane and 8 percent for electricity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

But, as long as the cold snap doesn't extend past the end of the week, already high natural gas prices in New Jersey shouldn't get completely out of hand, Butler said.

To help ease the financial blow, experts offered several other tips to keep down heating bills.

Keep doors closed to rooms not in use, especially those with an exterior wall, to make home heating more efficient.

Curtains and blinds that face the sun should be opened during the day to allow rooms to warm and closed after sunset to trap warm air inside.

Fireplace dampers should be closed when not in use.

Furnitire and drapes should be moved away from baseboard heaters.

Use ceiling fans to circulate warm air. Reversing your ceiling fan clockwise helps move warmer pooled air near the ceiling back into the living space.

And, of course, lowering your thermostat.

There is also some good news for customers of PSE&G -- the state's largest utility.

It will provide bill credits this winter that will lower monthly bills for typical residential gas heating customers by about 17 percent during January and February. Those customers will receive a credit on their PSE&G bill of approximately $50 over two months this winter.

A typical residential customer using 165 therms per month in January and February would normally pay about $300 for both months. The adjusted bill for both winter months will be about $250 with the credit.

"Low natural gas prices, our transportation and storage capabilities, and the way we manage our contracts have enabled us to pay less for natural gas," said Jorge Cardenas, PSE&G vice president of asset management and centralized services.

Meanwhile, about 70,000 of JCP&L's 1.1 mlllion customers are heated by electric. Whlle no bill credits are available, they offer budget billing and encouraged anyone who might have trouble paying their bill to contact them, spokesman Ron Morano said.

Another major heater of North Jersey homes and businsess, Elizabethtown Gas, didn't return a message from NJ Advance Media seeking additional information. Elizabethtown serves about 286,000 customers in parts of Union, Middlesex, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Morris and Mercer counties.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Police found two people dead in a Collingswood home Saturday, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said.

Officers went to the residence in the 100 block of East Narbeth Terrace around 5 p.m., according to prosecutor's office spokeswoman Alexandra McVeigh.

Officials did not say how the two people - identified only as females - died or provide details on what prompted police to visit the residence.

Citing sources, Philly.com reported the two victims were stabbed in an apparent domestic dispute at the home.

The prosecutor's office spokeswoman said additional details were not being released as detectives were in the early stages of the investigation.

Investigators were seen coming and going from a home on the block, which was blocked by crime scene tape. Police would not comment on the deaths.

Bill Duhart contributed to this report

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook.
Authorities in Newark have identified the firefighter critically injured in a blaze in the city's North Ward on Saturday as a 10-year veteran of the department.

In a statement, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said Paul Leber, 38, became trapped inside 8 Park Ave. after responding around 9:12 p.m. to a two-alarm fire at the building.

The building is listed online as the address of Velez Tire and Auto.

Police said Leber was in the tire shop with other members of Engine 7 -- including a probationary firefighter -- when they were ordered out of the building as conditions worsened.

Leber became disoriented as he was exiting, and other members of Engine 7, Rescue 1, went back into the building to rescue him, authorities said. He was subsequently taken to University Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition before being moved to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx for further treatment, authorities said.

Leber, a graduate of the Bergen County Fire Academy who was born in Passaic, joined the department after serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, The Star-Ledger reported in 2008.

In separate statements, Ambrose and Mayor Ras Baraka praised the firefighters who went back into the building to ensure Leber got out.

"They should be commended on the job they do every day," Ambrose said. "They are willing to risk their lives by entering burning buildings to ensure that others survive."

Baraka asked the public to keep Leber in their prayers, and to pray for his full recovery.

Police said the fire is under investigation by members of the department's arson division.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
The Fralinger String Band went through the same part over and over, trying to get the movements and timing just right.

"Round the chimney, step in time!" they chanted, springing into the song that comes from the Mary Poppins film as they paced around the floor of the recreation space at Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church in South Philadelphia on Thursday night. A small misstep, and a whistle would blow. They'd have to try the part again.

Tomorrow, unless officials change plans due to weather, Fralinger and several other bands and brigades will parade down Broad Street in Philadelphia for the 118th Mummers Parade on New Year's Day. Fralinger will play songs from movie musicals including West Side Story, Singing in the Rain and Mary Poppins, fitting into this year's theme of "Movie Chromatic."

And they'll do so in what the National Weather Service predicts to be single-digit wind chills through much of the morning. The air temperature thanks to the local deep freeze will be around 16 degrees when the parade starts at 9 a.m.

The extreme cold is expected to be a challenge for any of the musicians playing outdoors, but especially so for string musicians.

"I think the banjo players might have it the worst, because we can't wear gloves," said Christian Lawler, a Fralinger banjo player who's been "Mummin'" since the eighties and lives in Indian Mills, part of Shamong Township. "When it's that cold, you can probably play for about 2 and a half minutes and then you can't feel your fingers anymore. You just have to find some pockets with hand warmers in there and try to warm them back up."

What's a Mummer, anyway?

"I say Mummers is kind of like a cross between marching band competition and Mardi Gras," Lawler said.

In the parade, which in past years has lasted from the morning into the evening, Mummers dressed up in colorful, elaborate outfits, play music, dance, shout and sing.

The parade in Philadelphia is made up of several groups. There are string bands like Fralinger, the National Park-headquartered Broomall String Band, and the Durning String Band in Gloucester City. The "wench brigades" dress up and paint their faces. The fancy division has incredibly elaborate costumes and the offshoot fancy brigades have elaborate costumes and perform short skits. The comic division also performs satirical skits.

Mum video of the day: @DurningSB pic.twitter.com/HuXb5lTbGs  Phila Mummers String Band Association (@PhilaMummersSBA) December 28, 2017

Around September, members get measured for costumes, and then rehearse for the rest of the year until the big day. Many groups end the parade at bars on Second Street in South Philly, and it can get loud.

More on the history of the Mummers can be found here.

The band that came together

John McDevitt plays alto saxophone, and he played off the bitter cold too.

"It's going to be cold, but we've had cold parades before," he said. "We'll still have supporters there, and that's why we do this. ... You have to do your best to keep the instruments warm."

He's not going to let it get to him. He's just happy to be back performing again.

McDevitt, of Wenonah in Gloucester County, got an MRI after experiencing focal seizures -- he would see things that were not there -- and the MRI showed that he had a brain lesion and would need a craniotomy. It was scheduled for Dec. 21, just a few weeks before Fralinger was set to perform its show "Spellbinding," with members in wizard outfits.

"I had to sit out. I've sat out before, but when you're 3 and a half months into rehearsing your theme and then you don't get to up there, you know, that's a bitter pill to swallow," said McDevitt, who joined Fralinger four years ago after stints in other Mummer bands.

The band dedicated its performance last year to McDevitt.

And as John was recovering, the band came together for him with sympathy cards and meals, and visits to his home. And with the help of his sister-in-law, Mummers organized two benefits to raise funds that helped his family pay for medical bills.

McDevitt's been playing alto saxophone for years, and said many times in an interview with NJ Advance Media how much he values the level of talent in the band.

"When we go out to perform, it's such a polished product on the street," he said.

If you just dropped in on the conversation with Scott Wray, the band's captain, you might think he was talking about a professional athlete who suffered a season-ending injury.

"What John went through was a tough thing, to battle back from that and parade with us again," Wray said during a quick break from leading the band's movements, bullhorn in hand.

"In my eyes it was probably harder for Johnny to give up his suit than to go through what he went through. He's just that dedicated of a person."

Dedicated enough to don two, maybe even three layers this year, and head down Broad Street, with his "second family," as he calls them.

"To go up a year later like I used to is just immensely satisfying, gratifying, it can't be measured," McDevitt said. "It's just incredibly rewarding."

See the parade

The parade is currently scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on the west side of Philadelphia's City Hall. The Fancy division, wenches and comics go on first, and string bands start at 1 p.m. Fralinger will begin at 1:10 p.m., Broomall at 1:50, and Durning at 3:10.

(And you can get 10 hand warmers for $5 at Walmart.)

You can see a map of the whole parade route here.

Watch the parade

For those in the viewing area, the parade will be broadcast on PHL 17. It will also be livestreamed on the network's website. Outside of the region, you can see a stream from "Mr. Mummer."

Len Melisurgo contributed reporting.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A sheriff's deputy was killed and four others were wounded Sunday in a shooting in suburban Denver that capped a year of deadly attacks in the United States.

Two civilians were also injured.

The shooting happened after deputies were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance in Highlands Ranch, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter. The suspected gunman was also shot and is believed to be dead and "no longer a threat."

BREAKING UPDATE: Sheriff's office: 5 deputies shot in Colorado mass shooting, 1 killed; 2 civilians shot; suspect shot and believed to be dead. https://t.co/rUkym2l6w3 pic.twitter.com/2SGgsl9gOJ  NBC News (@NBCNews) December 31, 2017

Shots were fired in the course of the investigation at the Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped complex 16 miles (28 kilometers) south of Denver, the sheriff's office said. Residents in the vicinity were advised to stay inside and avoid exterior walls and windows.

A hospital where three people were taken for treatment says those people suffered noncritical injuries. Another nearby hospital said it received four patients but wouldn't release their conditions.

The shooting occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in Las Vegas.
The departing governor is not a progressive thinker on most issues, but history should remember that Chris Christie made an exception on matters related to criminal justice and moved the state forward in significant ways.

Sensing attitudes shifting as early as 2012, when voluntary drug courts were already prevalent throughout the U.S., he made New Jersey the first state to make drug court mandatory for first-time, non-violent offenders.

He helped overhaul our bail system by virtually eliminating the cash-bail arrangement so that freedom was not based on the size of your wallet, effectively reducing the pre-trial jail population by 20 percent in Year 1.

He transformed Mid-State Correctional Facility into the nation's first licensed drug treatment center for inmates.

He finally saw the light on prison re-entry reform, largely through the efforts of people like former governor Jim McGreevey and former U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.

And Christie transformed law enforcement in Camden by turning it over to a county-run force and building a model of community policing.

As he makes his exit, he took another pragmatic and compassionate step by focusing on post-incarceration last week - not by pardoning former campaign donors, but by signing three pieces of legislation that expand eligibility for the expungement of criminal convictions.

One new law expands the 2014 "ban the box" rule, which prevented employers from asking about an applicant's criminal record: Now they are also prohibited from making online inquiries about a past record on websites with names like "Dirtsearch" and "Instantcheckmate," which even store expunged records.

A second new law reduces the wait period for expungement eligibility from 10 years to six, and permits the elimination of the crime of marijuana possession with the intent to sell up to an ounce.

And a third law reduces the waiting period to expunge an entire juvenile record from five to three years. Consider: Each year, 1.5 million kids are arrested in the U.S., and the resulting police record could interfere with opportunities for the rest of their lives. Eliminate a nonviolent juvenile offense from a young person's record, and it could be the difference between one bad choice and a lifetime of bad choices.

But no matter what age or background, the key to reentry is finding a job, because recidivism is far higher among those who are unemployed. And expungement is a lifeline for past offenders: A criminal record reduces their chance of getting a job callback by 50 percent if they are white; and 65 percent if they are black.

That's bad for everybody. Put it in GDP terms, as the Center for Economic and Policy Research does: Because a felony conviction lowers the job prospects of ex-offenders, the reduction in employment for that population costs the U.S. economy up to $65 billion in lost output annually.

Or consider our state's heroin crisis: Addicts often run afoul of the law - there were 52,000 drug arrests in New Jersey in 2014 - and that record can follow them around forever if there is no expungement opportunity.

As Christie put it, "People are going to eventually come out of jail and what do we want them to be when they come out? What do we want them to have an opportunity to do? Do we want them to have hope in their lives?"

If they are continuously turned away from jobs, housing, and other services because of past convictions, sometimes expungement restores the hope.

Now they have a chance. Fortunately, the perseverance of lawmakers like Sen. Sandra Cunningham, D-Hudson, has stretched the limits of our moral imagination, and the governor's signature affirms that New Jersey's criminal justice system does not end with incarceration, but with restoration.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
Sunday, Dec. 24

Christmas Eve arrives with snow

Central Illinoisans dreaming of a white Christmas got their wish for the first time in seven years.

Brian Masterson of Decatur said it was hard to believe its been seven years since hes seen a white Christmas. This year is the first time his two sons, Lucas, 4, and Jaxon 3, will have a white Christmas.

The boys were bundled up as they walked through the snow in Central Park on Sunday to meet Santa Claus.

The last time there was more than an inch of snow on Christmas Day in Central Illinois was in 2010, according to the National Weather Service.

Monday, Dec. 25

It's another day at Scovill Zoo

While families all across the Decatur area spent Christmas morning unwrapping presents and spending time with their families, nearly a dozen zookeepers took to Scovill Zoo to tend to their daily duties to feed the animals and perform regular housekeeping.

A higher number of people came in on Monday than a typical day during the zoos off-season, said Zookeeper Brad Yetter. Several zookeepers stay all day, but others come in and out as they attend Christmas gatherings.

Tuesday, Dec. 26

10th homicide spurs call for solutions

The leader of the NAACP Decatur branch, Jeanelle Norman, called Tuesday for a blue-ribbon committee to look into causes of the citys rising murder rate after its 10th homicide this year.

With the shooting death of Marvin T. Murphy, 39, on Christmas Day, the city had more than doubled its 2016 homicide total and tied with 2011 for the greatest number of murders in the past decade.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said she would be willing to work with Norman to see how such a committee could take shape.

Wednesday, Dec. 27

Homeowners rush to pay property taxes

An unprecedented rush to prepay next year's property tax bills has enveloped the Macon County offices as homeowners here and across the country hope to take advantage of a major tax deduction before it is wiped out in the new year.

Macon County Treasurer Edward Yoder said Wednesday that his downtown Decatur office has experienced much greater activity since last week when President Donald Trump signed the Republican-backed tax overhaul.

The law puts a new $10,000 limit on the amount of state and local taxes people can deduct from their income when calculating their federal tax liability.

Thursday, Dec. 28

Anti-abortion state lawsuit dismissed

An Illinois judge dealt a blow to anti-abortion groups Thursday, dismissing a lawsuit aimed at stopping a law that's about to take effect that would expand Medicaid and state-employee group health insurance to cover abortions.

Associate Circuit Judge Jennifer Ascher ruled that the judiciary should not intervene in "political questions" in the General Assembly, such as a law's effective date or whether there's an appropriation to fund it.

Those are the pillars of the lawsuit seeking to stop the law from taking effect Monday. It was filed by the Catholic Thomas More Society on behalf of 11 conservative and Christian groups and a dozen legislators. An appeal is next.

Friday, Dec. 29

Wind chills plunge with arctic cold, snow

Near-record low temperatures were predicted for this weekend as a cold front moved into the region, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln.

Bitterly cold air will plunge into the Midwest this weekend, and linger through Tuesday morning, the weather service said, issuing a hazardous weather outlook for the area.

Dangerously cold wind chills are possible each night with Sunday and Monday being the coldest capable of producing near-record low temperatures, the weather service said.

Residents were urged to stay indoors, cover up when outside and check on their neighbors and outdoor pets.
Tank and the Bangas back home in New Orleans after conquering the world
Today

Plentiful sunshine. High 56F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 47F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Rain showers in the morning will evolve into a more steady rain in the afternoon. High 51F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
After her 25-year-old daughter, Dana, was murdered in 2007, Barbara Mangi felt many things: fear, anger, an almost suffocating sadness.

But forgiveness? No. Even though Mangi suspected almost from the first that her big-hearted daughter would have forgiven the college friend who stabbed and strangled her, Mangi could not. Even as Mangi, a devout Catholic, came to believe that God himself wanted her to forgive Danas killer, she resisted.

God, dont you make any exceptions? she would ask.

You must. You must make exceptions. I know we are supposed to forgive people who hurt us but this is the extreme situation. This kid murdered my daughter. If youre going to want me to forgive this person, youre going to have to make it happen, because I just cant.

Mangi, who details her long journey to forgiveness in the new book, Reawakening: Return of Lightness and Peace after My Daughters Murder, eventually not only forgave Patrick Ford  the man who pleaded guilty but mentally ill to killing her daughter in his apartment, just weeks before Dana was scheduled to start veterinary school. Mangi actually thanked Ford for his 2010 courtroom apology, and since 2014 she has been exchanging letters with him from prison, where he is serving a 35-year term for first-degree murder.

Mangi, 66, says that she and Ford arent friends in the usual casual and confiding sense, but they are friends of a sort, jointly working toward spiritual healing in the aftermath of a catastrophic loss.

Ive been able to help him to forgive himself and to heal, which is something I could never have imagined would ever happen to me in my life, she said of their written correspondence, which now includes about 10 letters a year.

I just feel like God has been with me throughout this whole journey helping me  I dont know how else to explain it.

Ten years after Danas death, shes still very much a presence in her parents spacious suburban living room. Mangi and her husband, Joe, an executive at a private jet charter company, have a nearly life-sized photo of Dana and her older sister, Sarah, beaming down from the wall. On the coffee table, theres an album full of photos: Dana as a chubby-cheeked toddler; Dana as a preschooler, decked out in a homemade bumble bee costume; Dana as a teenager, suddenly graceful in her red prom dress.

Dana was funny, caring and outgoing, her mother said. She was an animal-lover, and she was persistent. She dreamed of being a veterinarian, and when she was rejected from every vet school she applied to, she studied for her masters degree, applied again, got rejected again, and then applied a third time, finally gaining acceptance at the University of Minnesota.

She was beyond happy, her mother recalled. Dana was scheduled to start class within weeks on the stormy Saturday night when she didnt come home from Chicagos Wrigleyville neighborhood, where she was supposed to attend a Cubs viewing party with Ford. Dana had known Ford in college at Loyola University, where they were part of the same group of friends for a while. According to court records, they dated briefly. Mangi said they maybe went to one sorority-fraternity dance together.

Police arrested Ford at his apartment, after he called authorities to report Danas death. He had several self-inflicted knife wounds and made incriminating statements at the scene, police said. While in custody, he allegedly confessed to strangling and stabbing Dana.

Plunged into a nightmarish hell on earth, Mangi and her family had to identify Danas body, choose her casket and clean out her apartment. It was a struggle for me to get though every minute of every day, Mangi wrote in her book, published by Arbor Mountain Press.

She didnt give much thought to the killer at that point, beyond fearing him and hoping he would stay behind bars: I dont know why he did this, she thought, and how do I know he wont come out and look for my other daughter  or hurt somebody else?

Her impression of Ford didnt improve much as she sat through monthly court hearings for two years. She didnt see any sign that he cared about what he had done. Authorities said Ford never explained why he killed Dana, according to an article in the Chicago Daily Herald, which quoted the judge in the case as saying, For the life of me, I dont understand this (crime). The article said that both prosecution and defense experts found Ford suffered from a personality disorder and that he abused alcohol and cannabis, which lead to depression.

When Ford was sentenced in a 2010 plea agreement, the judge asked him if he had anything to say.

Ford turned to Mangi and her daughter Sarah, who had given victim impact statements.

Im so sorry, he said, in an emotional speech recounted in Mangis book. I know that my words cant help you. And I took something from you that I can never give back, but I swear to you that I did not mean to do what I did and if there was anything I can do or say to take away your pain, I would. I promise you that. And all I can do is keep you in my prayers forever and let you know that Im just so, so sorry.

As he spoke, Mangi was stunned to realize she felt compassion and sadness for him. Afterward, there was intense guilt: How could she feel sorry for the man who had murdered Dana? But she couldnt deny what shed felt, or a sense that Dana, who had been so forgiving with her friends, had been with her in court, whispering in her ear, Now let it go, Mom.

She prayed, meditated and spoke to her therapist, and within days she realized that while she could never condone what Ford had done, she did believe that he was truly sorry.

Something miraculous had happened in the courtroom that day, Mangi writes in her book. All my prayers asking God for help to forgive Danas murderer  had been answered when I heard Patrick Ford speak to us. That short exchange healed me in a way I never expected or thought possible.

The journey toward writing to him took four more years. In 2013, Mangis sister Tina Mercier told Mangi that she wanted to write a letter to Ford, telling him that Mangi had forgiven him. Mangi gave her sister her blessing, and in February 2014, Mercier received a letter from Ford. In a subsequent letter, Ford asked Mercier if Mangi would accept a letter from him.

By June, Mangi had decided yes, she wanted to hear what Ford had to say.

His first letter to her began As hard as this letter is for me to write I can only believe that it is that much harder for you to receive it. Thank you for allowing me to send this to you, its something Ive wanted to do for 7 years  I think about how devastating this all must be and how badly (you and your family) all must hurt. I think about what I took from you. I think about how unfair this is for you. But mostly I pray. I pray that somehow each of you can find peace, that eventually the pain lessens. He apologized, saying hed agonized over how to express his sorrow, regret and remorse, and had resolved to spend the rest of his life trying to be the best person I can be.

About two months later, Mangi wrote back.

The letter-writing continued, and in 2016 Mangi wrote to Ford, Early on  I sadly thought of you as just Danas murderer. But when I heard your words to us that day at the plea agreement hearing and then, with each additional choice I made to let myself be open to the words in (your) letters  I came to believe that you are much more than your crime. Once I had a much deeper and (more) personal understanding of your lifes journey, I was able to see you as a multifaceted, complicated, spiritual, caring young man.

Mangis husband, Joe, supported the exchange of letters, although he initially asked Mangi not to include any information about him. Joe said in an interview that he, too, has forgiven Ford: I had to. Theres no way I could have existed going forward without (forgiveness) in my heart, because I would have always had this horrible pain. And for Dana to be in my heart all the time, I needed to have a happy heart.

He wants to get to the point where he can go to the prison where Ford is being held and tell Ford in person that he forgives him. Hes not there yet, though. Im taking baby steps, he said with a chuckle.

There are still times when Barbara Mangi hears about a young person getting married or having kids, and her eyes fill with tears; Dana never got to do that, she said. But theres joy now too, and a sense of purpose. Mangi, who put her part-time job in the travel industry largely on hold to focus on her writing, is hoping to help others with her book and related speaking engagements.

Im in a happy place, she said. Im good. I did the work on myself. I made the choices that helped me heal.
Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nate Boulton will make a stop in Council Bluffs on Tuesday.

The state senator represents District 16, which includes the northeast side of Des Moines and the suburb of Pleasant Hill. Hes among a crowded Democratic field looking to earn the partys nomination for governor.

Boulton will host a public safety rally at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Fire Fighters Local 15 Union Hall, 1827 S. Eighth St. in Council Bluffs, according to his campaign.

A release from the campaign said Boulton is hosting a series of 13 rallies across the state, with a focus on policies he plans to introduce during the upcoming Iowa Legislature session.
Lutheran Services in Iowa is hosting an upcoming information session for community members to learn more about foster care and adoption.

Hundreds of Iowa children are currently in need of a foster family, but there are not enough foster homes in Council Bluffs and western Iowa, according to a news release from the human services agency.

This holiday season, dozens of children waited in shelters because of the shortage of safe, caring foster care families.

This information session will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Childrens Square Office located at North 6th Street and Avenue E in Council Bluffs.

This session is open to families and community members interested in exploring foster parenting options. If you would like to learn more about this information session, contact Dawn Luetje at dawn.luetje@lsiowa.org or 712-263-9341.
CLARINDA  A former math teacher, Gordon Kokenge has always gone by the numbers and that pragmatic approach has benefited the city of Clarinda for 28 years.

Kokenge was elected to the Clarinda City Council in 1988 and remained on the council until November 2004. Then he was elected to the first of his three terms as mayor in 2005.

Kokenge is stepping down today after 12 years as mayor, The Clarinda Herald-Journal reported.

He has been very good as a leader of the city. The mayor is like our CEO, Clarinda City Manager Gary McClarnon said. I think he will be remembered as a great leader for the city during the time he was in the position.

Mayor Kokenge always has the best interest of the Clarinda community at heart, Clarinda Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Elaine Farwell said. He takes great pride in the community and our citizens. We have been truly blessed to have had his leadership the last three decades.

He has put in a number of years on the council and as mayor. He has done a great job for the city and always represented the city very well. When we were on the council together, we had a good council with five people that worked well together. Gordon was a big part of that, resident Larry Scherf said.

In recognition of those 28 years of service, The Herald-Journal named Kokenge as its person of the year for 2017.

In 1988, Harold Davis passed away while serving as mayor. Council member Frank Snyder was appointed the new mayor to replace Davis and Jack Pearson was appointed to fill the vacant council seat Snyder had held.

However, before Pearson could take office, a petition was received from the citizens of Clarinda to fill the vacancy by special election. Don Jillson and Kokenge joined Pearson on the ballot.

The special election was held in July 1988. Kokenge received the most votes with 132. However, he was five votes shy of the 50 percent majority, plus one vote, required to take office. As a result, a run-off was required between Kokenge and Pearson. Kokenge won the run-off 157-66 to earn his initial seat on the council.

When he first won the election to get on the council in 1988, one of the first decisions he was involved with was an $800,000 upgrade to the sewer plant. I find it interesting that during his last year on the council the decision was made to build a new $12 million sewer plant, McClarnon said.

As a council member, Kokenge was also actively involved in the maximization of the Clarinda Treatment Complex that included bringing the Clarinda Academy to the community in 1992. In January 1993, he helped launch an effort to build a new state of the art prison in the community.

Clarinda Heartland Inc. was established to research the development of the prison with the assistance of Wackenhut Corporation, which initially served as a consultant for the project. Kokenge was one of 10 people on the board of Clarinda Heartland.

Following a meeting with then-Governor Terry Branstad in June, Clarinda Heartland was instructed to continue researching the project. Branstad then endorsed the Clarinda prison as part of his 1994 State of the State Address.

Kokenge enlisted the aid of Iowa State Senator Leonard Boswell to help push the Clarinda prison project through the Legislature. Once the necessary legislation was passed, Clarinda Heartland turned over the project to the state.

The prison was as big a project as there was when we were on the council. Having the prison come to Clarinda significantly helped our employment situation, Scherf said.

Kokenge continued to serve on the city council for another 10 years before stepping down in November 2004. However, when Snyder announced he would not seek reelection as mayor, Kokenge made the decision to return to city government as a mayoral candidate.

When he decided to run for mayor, I was a strong supporter because of his insight and knowledge. He was also very fiscally responsible, and there were concerns back then with the city budget, Scherf said.

The fact was the City of Clarinda was facing a $1 million budget deficit and action was needed. In December 2005, the council was forced to implement drastic budget cuts in an effort to get its financial house back in order. Kokenge then took office as mayor in January 2006 and helped guide the city back to financial solvency.

He was already knowledgeable about city business and especially the budget. He really came in at the right time for the city and helped lead the charge to get us back to where we are today. I remember we had a lot of conversations during that first year about what we were going to do moving forward, McClarnon said.

One important way Kokenge worked to improve the financial status of the city during his tenure as mayor was by rolling up his sleeves and taking an active part in the various economic development opportunities that arose for the city.

Kokenge assisted with recruiting Fareway, Shopko, Boulders Inn & Suites and El Porton Mexican Grille to Clarinda along with the new owners of Clarinda Livestock Auction.

He was also involved in the development of the Clarinda Lied Center; the Lied Public Library; the Clarinda Fire Station; Grandmas House Day Care; the Clarinda water treatment plant; the expansion of Vetter Equipment; and the new Bank Iowa facility.

I dont think people realize how heavily involved in economic development he was, McClarnon said.

Mayor Kokenge has been instrumental in numerous economic development projects within the Clarinda community during his tenure. It has been an honor and pleasure working with him in moving the community forward. He is a forward thinker and extremely supportive of business recruitment efforts. In addition, he has a strong loyalty for our existing businesses and industries in sustaining their growth patterns, Farwell said.

Scherf said the efforts Kokenge has made to keep NSK Corporation and NSK-AKS Precision Ball Company in Clarinda are perfect examples of the loyalty he has to the existing businesses in Clarinda.

He has been instrumental in helping us keep NSK and AKS in Clarinda. Thats a major thing. All those machines came in on a truck, and they can go out on a truck just as easily. Keeping those facilities here over the last few years has become more difficult, but the council and the mayor have done their parts, Scherf said.

At the same time, Kokenge has shown his civic nature by promoting the Glenn Miller Festival and the subsequent sister city agreement that arose between Clarinda and Tamana, Japan.

Kokenge has traveled to Tamana, Japan, as a Clarinda ambassador with the sister city program. He later spearheaded the formation of the Clarinda for Japan Disaster Fund after a severe earthquake and tsunami rocked the country in March 2011.

Working closely with the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society, Kokenge also assisted in the development of the Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum. Kokenge was one of the guest speakers for the grand opening of the museum held as part of the 35th Annual Glenn Miller Festival in 2010.

Gordon is the type of person that will continue to be involved even after hes done serving as mayor. At the end of the day, he is all about whats best for Clarinda, McClarnon said.
Nearly half of American families use alternative heating sources such as space heaters, fireplaces or wood and coal stoves to stay warm this time of year.

Fixed and portable space heaters, including wood stoves, are a leading cause of home fires and are involved in 74 percent of fire related deaths, according to a Red Cross news release.

Carbon monoxide is also a killer, and each year over 200 people die from carbon monoxide produced by fuel burning appliances in the home including furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters.

Eighty percent of Americans dont realize that home fires are the single most common disaster across the nation, Jill Orton, American Red Cross CEO for the Nebraska, Kansas, Southwest Iowa Region, said in a release. People can reduce their familys risk of being harmed in a home fire by using alternative heating sources safely, and by installing smoke alarms on every level of their home,

Seven times a day someone in the U.S. dies in a fire. Red Cross volunteers have responded to over 140 home fires just this past year in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area.

The Red Cross is working to reduce the number of fires by calling attention to winter heating safety, as well as proper installation and testing of smoke alarms. In addition, families and individuals are also encouraged to develop and practice a home fire escape plan.

Here are ways to save lives, especially in the winter months when home fires are more common:

 Keep all potential sources of fuel  like paper, clothing, bedding or rugs  at least 3 feet away from space heaters, stoves or fireplaces.

 Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.

 If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

 When buying a space heater, look for models that shut off automatically if the heater falls over as another safety measure.

 Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

 Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

 Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys and furnaces professionally inspected and cleaned once a year.

 Install a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home.

 Install smoke alarms. At a minimum, put one on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.

 Make sure that everyone in the family knows how to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than 2 minutes.

 Practice the fire escape plan, and keep track of the time it takes. It should be not more than 2 minutes!

People can visit redcross.org/homefires to find out more about how to protect themselves and their loved homes from fire. They can become a Red Cross volunteer by contacting redcross.org/volunteer.

In addition, they can also help by donating to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations to Disaster Relief will be used to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small  including many home fires.
NEW YORK  The wave of sexual misconduct allegations that toppled Hollywood power brokers, politicians, media icons and many others was the top news story of 2017, according to The Associated Press annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.

The No. 2 story was Donald Trumps tumultuous first year as president. A year ago, Trumps unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton in the presidential election was a near-unanimous pick for the top news story of 2016.

The first AP top-stories poll was conducted in 1936, when editors chose the abdication of Britains King Edward VIII as the top story.

Here are 2017s top stories, in order:

1. Sexual misconduct: Scandals involving sexual misdeeds by prominent men are nothing new in America, but theres never been anything remotely like the deluge of allegations unleashed this year by women who were emboldened to speak out by the accusers who preceded them. Luminaries toppled from their perches included movie magnate Harvey Weinstein, media stars Bill OReilly, Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose, and several celebrity chefs and members of Congress.

2. Trump's first year: The controversies started on Inauguration Day, with the new president challenged over his claims on the size of the crowd, and persisted throughout the year. Trumps approval ratings hovered around record-low territory, his base remained fiercely loyal, and his relentless tweeting  often in the early morning hours  provoked a striking mix of outrage, mockery and grateful enthusiasm.

3. Las Vegas mass shooting: A 64-year-old high-stakes video poker player, after amassing an arsenal of weapons, unleashed a barrage of gunfire from a high-rise casino-hotel that killed 58 people and injured hundreds among a crowd attending an open-air concert along the Las Vegas Strip. Weeks after the massacre, questions about the gunmans motives remained unanswered.

4. Hurricane onslaught: In a four-week span, hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria ravaged Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands. Harvey killed more than 80 people in Texas and caused an estimated $150 billion in damage. Irma killed scores of people in the Caribbean and U.S., including 12 residents of a Florida nursing home that lost its air conditioning. Maria damaged more than 200,000 homes in Puerto Rico, caused lengthy power outages, and prompted an investigation into whether the official death toll of 64 was vastly undercounted.

5. North Korea: At times the taunts had a schoolyard flavor to them  a dotard versus Little Rocket Man. But they came from two world leaders with nuclear arms at their disposal  Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Fueling the tensions were North Koreas latest tests of a hydrogen bomb and of ballistic missiles that potentially could reach the U.S. mainland.

6. Trump-Russia probe: Trump fired FBI director James Comey, but a former FBI chief, Robert Mueller, was soon appointed to investigate potential coordination between Russia and Trumps election campaign. By mid-December, Muellers team had brought federal charges against four people, including former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

7. Obamacare: Despite repeated efforts, majority Republicans in Congress failed to repeal Barack Obamas health care law and replace it with new plan. At one point, a deciding vote against a GOP replacement bill was cast by Republican Sen. John McCain. But questions remained as to how Obamas plan would fare going forward without substantive help from the Trump administration.

8. Tax overhaul: Without a single Democratic vote, Republicans in Congress pushed through a sweeping $1.5 trillion tax overhaul that would cut corporate taxes while producing mixed results for individuals. GOP lawmakers, backed by Trump, said the bill would have broad benefits by accelerating economic growth. Critics said consequences would include higher budget deficits and the potential loss of health care coverage for millions of Americans.

9. Worldwide terror attacks: The first big terror attack of 2017 came on New Years Day  a gunman killing 39 at a nightclub in Istanbul. Subsequent targets of global terror included an Ariana Grande concert in England, a bike path in New York City and the historic La Rambla promenade in Barcelona. In October, a truck bombing in Somalia killed more than 500 people; in November, an attack on a crowded mosque in Egypt killed more than 300.

10. Islamic State: After lengthy assaults, an array of forces drove the Islamic State from its two main strongholds  the city of Mosul in Iraq, and its self-styled capital, Raqqa, in Syria. The defeats left the Islamic State without significant territory in either country, but affiliates elsewhere in the region, particularly in Egypt and Afghanistan, continued to operate.
Bitterly cold conditions are forecast for the area this holiday weekend, particularly today and New Years Day.

Dangerously cold wind chills will accompany the low temperatures, the National Weather Service said. Brutal wind chills of minus-20, minus-30 and minus-40 are expected to develop Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings.

The coldest readings are likely New Years Eve into New Years Day, when temperatures of minus 15 to minus-24 and wind chills of minus-30 to minus-40 are likely.

Dave Fobert, a meteorologist at the weather services office in Valley, Nebraska, said a low-pressure system over Hudson Bay in northeast Canada was pushing arctic air south into the U.S., including Iowa and Nebraska. Fobert said he expects the cold to stick around through the first couple of weeks of January, though conditions shouldnt be quite as extreme.

Todays forecast calls for partly sunny and cold conditions with a high around minus-3, forecasters said. Tonights low will fall to around minus-20.

 Emily Nohr of the BH News Service contributed to this report.
When 21-year-old Matthew Shepard was punched, pistol-whipped, tied to a fence and left to die in 1998, his killers attorneys said the attackers were triggered by Shepard making sexual advances toward them.

When a 14-year-old California boy gunned down his gay classmate in 2008, his attorneys argued that it was because the victim provoked him by flirting with him.

And after a 21-year-old transgender woman in Harlem was beaten to death in 2013, one of her attackers said he hurt her out of blind fury after he flirted with her and then realized she was transgender.

For decades, LGBTQ people have been brutally attacked or killed and then blamed for their own deaths in cases where attorneys attempt, sometimes successfully, to use a gay panic or trans panic defense.

Starting Monday, attorneys in Illinois will be barred from using the approach after a state law passed  without a single no vote in either the state House or Senate  making it the second state in the country to ban the defense in the courtroom.

Anthony Michael Kreis, who drafted the Illinois legislation, said the passage of the gay panic defense law has boosted efforts in other states to enact similar bans.

Kreis has heard from advocates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey, among others, asking for help pushing their own bills. Similar legislation has been discussed by lawmakers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Other states where the defense has been allowed include, Maryland, Texas and Washington.

Kreis said because the LGBTQ community is at higher risk for violence, the law comes at an important time.

This year marked the deadliest year on record for the transgender community, with at least 28 people shot and killed across the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

It sends an important message to the LGBTQ community that the state will protect them equally and the courts will not be allowed to entertain these types of defenses, which victimize victims again, Kreis said of the new Illinois law.

There isnt an exact definition, but a gay or trans panic defense is essentially when someone doesnt realize theyre interacting with an LGBTQ person and becomes so overcome with rage when they realize it that they physically attack the person in the heat of the moment.

Its estimated that gay and trans panic defenses have been used in at least 23 states since the 1960s, according to the Williams Institute, a think tank at the UCLA School of Law.

Gay and trans panic defenses have allowed people accused of killing LGBTQ people to receive lesser sentences, and in some cases, avoid any punishment, according to the institute.

California was the first state to ban the defense, in 2014, and the American Bar Association pushed for a ban in 2013.

In Washington state, a bill banning gay and trans panic defenses is expected to be introduced in the coming weeks for the next legislative session.

Its a defense that allows people to perpetuate hate crimes, said Monisha Harrell, Equal Rights Washington chairperson. It is saying youre surprised that somebody might be different than you, whatever that difference is, and that that would allow you to initiate violence, and in some cases, lethal violence. That should never be a defense.

Cynthia Lee, a criminal defense professor at George Washington University, said there could be unintended consequences to passing these types of bans.

In her research on gay and trans panic defenses, Lee has found that most attorneys make reprehensible arguments, largely playing off stereotypes about gay men or transgender women.

However, legislation might not be the solution, she said.

Social science research has shown that juries can be affected by attorneys calling out racial stereotypes and bigotry. There is less research on what happens when LGBTQ stereotypes are used, but it brings up an interesting argument, she said.

For example, if a defense attorney makes an argument largely based on racial stereotypes, and a prosecutor calls that out, research has found that a jury will often respond by treating a black defendant the same as they would a white defendant, she said.

If attorneys were properly trained on how to respond to a gay or trans panic defense when it was brought up, it could potentially help a jury see the problems in making that argument.

Instead of banning these arguments, confront them head on and challenge them in court, Lee said. The prosecution should be aware of the bias. Whenever the defense tries to make these kinds of arguments, [prosecutors] should try to challenge them head on.

Advocates say that the sentiment behind panic defenses is a problem, even outside the courtroom.

Lou Weaver, transgender programs coordinator with Equality Texas, said one example was the reaction of law enforcement to the recent killing of Brandi Seals, a 26-year-old transgender woman, in Houston.

After Seals was killed, Detective Fil Waters of the Houston Police Department, told a local TV station: The fact that we have a man in womens clothing, the speculation is hes been working the street, that someone picks up and then realizes hes not what hes representing himself to be and take this kind of ultimate action.

Weaver said the detective assumed Seals was a sex worker because she was transgender and didnt have information to actually prove that was her profession.

Regardless, his comments had a trans panic argument within them, and are an example of how transgender women continue to be misunderstood and stereotyped, Weaver said.

Unfortunately, I think it will still be seen as a valid reason for hurting somebody, he said. Defense attorneys are ruthless, and they have one job  to prove their client is not guilty, and they will do whatever it takes.
Amelia Roberts, a nurse in Washington, D.C., knew she needed to return to college for a bachelor's degree if she wanted to win a care coordinator position at her hospital. But attending college on a campus wasn't a practical option for her.

"I was in the workforce, so traveling to a class in the evening wasn't going to work. Everything pointed to online university," Roberts says. She enrolled in a bachelor's of science program in nursing online through Thomas Edison State University in New Jersey. Soon after Roberts got the promotion.

Roberts found the independent and self-paced style of online learning suited her well.

Millions of college students enroll in online courses every year. Nearly a third of all college students take at least one online course, and one in seven students take online courses exclusively, according to the most recent data available from Babson Survey Research Group, which conducts national surveys annually on online learning in the U.S.

But it's not for everyone. If you're considering an online degree program, ask yourself these five questions.

1. Are you self-motivated?

You need to be a self-starter to succeed in any classroom, but it's critical for online learning. Online degree seekers are often older than typical freshmen, and classes aren't always the top priority.

To thrive in an online setting, you'll need self-discipline. You'll also need a strategy to manage your time and energy to balance classwork with other responsibilities, experts say.

2. Do you have the right equipment?

You can take a course online at any time and place  that's its primary appeal. Yet that doesn't mean you should be using your smartphone to do it, experts say.

You'll need a desktop or laptop and regular access to Wi-Fi to complete coursework online. You may need to download software your school requires as well.

3. Can you adapt to learning online?

Learning in an online setting may not be the best way for you to absorb information. If you're not a reader, then you probably won't enjoy online courses, which tend to require a lot of reading. You're unlikely to interact much with your professor or peers in an online course. A solo learning style may not be a fit if you rely on communicating with others.

4. Is the school you're interested in legitimate?

An online degree program's quality will vary by institution. Programs offered by established, nonprofit public or private schools are usually safe bets. You should research the credentials of schools without a brick-and-mortar counterpart.

Start by finding top online colleges from "best of" lists by reputable publications. For an extra layer of quality control, inquire about accreditation, both institutional and program-specific, with the admissions department.

5. How will you pay?

If you can't afford to pay for your degree with savings and income, the financial aid process is the same as if you were attending a traditional college campus. You'll need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Then you'll receive a Student Aid Report detailing aid you qualify for.

The amount of aid you can get will depend on your enrollment status, dependency status and income. The rule of thumb is to accept any grants and scholarships, followed by work-study, before taking on a loan.

Schools that are accredited will offer financial aid. Be wary if your school does not offer federal financial aid or pushes its own loan programs.
Nathan Reeder, president of the board of the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors, joined more than 20,000 real estate professionals and industry leaders from around the country at the 2017 Realtors Conference & Expo in Chicago in early November.

Dr. Raza Akbar has joined Community Healthcare System as medical director of Occupational Health Services for Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. Akbar has more than eight years of experience in occupational health, most recently serving as assistant medical director of the Occupational Health Program of Ingalls Care Center.

The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority Board of Directors recently elected officers. Munster appointee Robert Forester remains the chairman. Dyer appointee Brent Brashier was elected vice chairman. Crown Point representative Chareice White remains secretary, and John Kiernan, appointed by the Lake County Council, remains treasurer.

Rosemary Wilcox has been recognized by the American Institute of Real Estate Professionals as Two Years 10 Best Real Estate Professionals for Client Satisfaction. Wilcox is an agent at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Arthur C. Johnson II was recently promoted to the position of managing partner of Merrillville-based law firm Johnson Ivancevich. Johnson will be responsible for his client caseload and for ensuring the practice functions smoothly as a business.
A team of Purdue University Northwest students were honored at the global American Model United Nations, or AMUN, International Conference. The students outstanding presentations earned them awards at the conference held Nov. 18-21 in Chicago.

The 11 PNW students participating in the International Organizations and Model United Nations course, taught by associate professor of political science Meg Rincker, were assigned to thoroughly research Indias stance on issues before the actual U.N. General Assembly committees and then represent those views in a four-day simulation. These topics included: improvised explosive devices, women disarmament and security, disaster risk reduction, international financial system and development, human trafficking, human rights to water and sanitation, sustainable urban communities, the right to privacy in the digital age, violent extremism and peace building.

The classroom experience led to the fall conference of more than 1,400 students from across the U.S. and the world representing the 193 United Nation member states. The event gives university-level students the opportunity to learn diplomacy and international relations and experience public speaking and debate through an academic simulation.

The individual team members each won awards for their position papers. The students included Liliana Andarcia (Hammond), Alexis Ballard (St. John), Cynthia Basu-Chavez (Merrillville), James Cook (Dyer), Alex Heaton (Crown Point), Sean Irwin (Griffith), Sohyun Kang (Yangin Si, South Korea), Jimin Kim (Suwonsi Gyeonggid, South Korea), Matt Ruiz (Schererville), Kylie Smolar (Highland) and Roza Tawil (Hammond).

Tawil and Ruiz, both political science majors, worked together on the U.N. General Assembly Second Committee for Economic and Finance. They were voted on by their peers on the committee  some 300 delegates  to win the prestigious Outstanding Representation Award.

To be chosen by your peers for your work at the conference, while representing one of the top countries, is truly remarkable, Rincker said.

Leading up to the conference, the teams research included interviewing Consul General of India, the Honorable Neeta Bhusan. Tawil wrote a resolution on disaster risk reduction recommending all countries adopt a similar framework to India  research she confirmed when she met with Bhusan.

We really prepared and researched our topics to become experts, Tawil said. She noted that the preparation in the classroom gave her the experience needed to be able to speak up and pass the resolution on the floor.
VILLA RIDGE  Vera Calhoun Russell died in the same place she was born 108 years ago  in the living room of the house her father built in Villa Ridge.

In the years leading up to her death, Vera was surrounded not by a host of medical professionals, but instead by those whom she loved and who loved her. Her daughter, Janice Russell Couch, made a commitment to her mom years ago that she worked every day to honor.

So, I always promised her if she got to that point we would keep her at home and take care of her, Janice said.

The room where Vera stayed, still filled with family effects including the high school diploma given to her in 1923, is a quieter place now. Still the family living room, the space is changed without her bed in the center  something almost seems missing as Janice and her husband Allen Couch sit on the sofa as if in the shadow of Veras bed.

Its just hard getting used to her not being here, Janice said, sitting with Allen.

Both remembered a woman who was accomplished and a pillar of her community. Vera not only graduated from high school, but also went on to graduate from college and teach in Chicago before coming home to take care of her parents and the family property in Villa Ridge. Janice said she also took in at least five foster children, of which she was one.

Janice said her mother never had children of her own, but was always caring for other people, and this is why when she grew up, she chose to return the favor.

I always said, she took care of me and it was my turn to take care of her, she said.

A calling to care

Janice and Allen married in 2005 when Vera was in her 90s. Allen said in spending time with Janice, he saw what she was going through caring for her mother, and said his spirit was drawn to help.

What he saw was Janice doing everything she could to see to it that her mom had everything she needed. This meant leaving her with home health care professionals while she went to work as a teacher at Meridian Elementary School in Mounds. However, Janice said if she got a call that her mom needed something, she would have to drive home over her lunch break and come back within 30 minutes to make sure her kids were picked up to come back to class. She said her cousin worked with her at the time, and would help cover for her if she needed it.

Help and an understanding employer aside, this was not a sustainable model.

After they married, Couch moved in to his wifes family home and in with his mother-in-law. He said at that point, some of his dealings were a bit rocky, but never without love.

I used to have to come through the back door, he remembered, adding that Vera protested that a man would not be living in her house  she meant business, too.

She threatened me a couple times with a shotgun, he said. I said, Janice, she aint got no shotgun, and she said, Yes she does, right there in that closet. Remembering this, Janice and Allen both laughed.

They got the guns out of the house.

As time went on, Allen became Veras primary caregiver during the day, save a few hours of in-home help. This was especially true after Allen was in a car crash that has caused him a cascade of medical problems, preventing him from working.

So its like the Lord said, Well, while you are recovering youll take care of my child here, Ms. Russell, he said.

This was a struggle for him emotionally. Allen said he felt like he wasnt doing his part for the family, but came to realize, through the help of friends, that he was helping by caring for Vera.

Like Ms. Russell accepted her condition I could accept my condition and my place in the family, Allen said. In the end, his caretaker role gave him a purpose.

It was good being able to do something when I wasnt able to work myself.

Janice said as the years went on and Vera struggled at times to remember who people were, one thing was for sure  she always remembered Allen.

Sometimes she wouldnt know me but she would always know Allen, Janice said. I dont care what, she knew Allen.

Janice said seeing her mother grow so close to Allen  the man she once threatened with a shotgun and to call the police if he didnt get out of her house  was a blessing. Seeing him love her back was even better.

Caring for Vera became Allen and Janices routine. They would wake up frequently in the night to come in and check on her, finding themselves often sitting up with her in the small hours of the morning watching TV. They made efforts to take her on drives  in fact, early in their marriage, Allen and Janice took the near-100-year-old on a cross-country trip to California.

Doctor visits and grocery shopping became a family outing. Allen and Janice included Vera in whatever they were doing.

Finding closure

Allen and Janice said until the last few weeks of her life, Vera was still as sharp as she had always been.

When I would walk through the door she would perk up, he said. As he walked by she would sometimes put her hand out expectantly.

You got some candy in your pocket, Allen remembered her asking.

He would sometimes give her a tough answer  You think I walk around with candy in my pocket all the time?  only to go around the corner to get a Milky Way bar  her favorite  to surprise her with.

After getting the treat, shed ask for a kiss.

Her decline began, Janice said, after they noticed she wasnt swallowing and took her to the hospital. After a few trying visits with doctors, they learned she had a thrush infection in her throat. Janice said the infection had largely cleared up just before her death Nov. 30; however, she said Veras body had already begun to shut down. Allen said it had been weeks since she had eaten much.

I guess at that time in her mind she just said, Im tired, anyway, Allen said.

In the two weeks leading up to her death, Allen said she and Janice were with Vera all of the time. He said they got almost no sleep.

Janice said it seemed like her mother was holding out for something.

At the end, I guess she was still holding on still for me to tell her that Im going to be OK, Janice said.

Janice said when Vera died, it was just the two of them. She went to get some water and said the next thing she knew, her mothers breathing had changed.

I told her, Well, Im going to be OK,' she said. She said this seemed to be the release Vera needed.

I was holding her hand  and she was gone, Janice said.

A new road

Less than a month removed from Veras death, Janice and Allen are still trying to figure out their new respective places and the substantial change in their lives, both together and separately.

Janice said since her mothers death, they have been in town eating or shopping and she still has the feeling of needing to rush back home to relieve the in-home care. But, when she gets this way, Allen reminders her, Remember, shes not there.

Allen said now that he is not responsible for someone else, hes not sure what his new role is.

For me, now what do I do  I kind of lost my space to where I belong, Allen said, adding that he is having to try to rediscover who he is and what he should do.

Janice said she knew every day was a blessing given her mothers advanced age. Still, she was shocked when her mother died.

We were planning her party for January. We never thought she would be gone, She said of planning her mothers 109th birthday party. Janice said she believed her mother would make it to at least 110.

Allen and Janice are left wondering what to do now. They have plans to stay in the family home, at least for now. A lot is still up in the air. Allen had one thought, though.

We may have a honeymoon, he said, explaining that they had a day between their wedding and moving into their house on the hill in Villa Ridge.

Many would describe the dedication to honoring Vera and her wishes as remarkable, however, Janice simply said it was the right thing to do. It was an exercise in self-sacrifice, but in the end was just something she did. Neither think of themselves as martyrs.

Through it all, though, good days and bad, Janice said her mother would still have very lucid moments in which she expressed her appreciation, which made the hard work easier.

Even to the end, she would tell us she was thankful for us for taking care of her and she would always say, Thank you, Janice said.
Taize started in France in the middle of the last century as an ecumenical Christian movement that stresses peace. There are many parts of this service, including prayers, Scriptural readings, a moment of silence, candle lighting that has any children attending participating as helpers, and peaceful Taize music. In addition to the additional Taize songs which are designed to be accessible to all, "We Three Kings" which is technically an Epiphany hymn, will also be part of the music. The service begins at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 at St. Paul Episcopal Church, 1101 Park Drive, with a freewill offering appreciated.
All school corporations in LaPorte County now have a police presence.

Tri Township School Corp., which consists of LaCrosse High School and Wanatah School, now will have a part-time school resource officer.

LaPorte County Sheriff John Boyd said four deputies in early December began taking turns on their days off from the department to work in those schools.

One officer three days a week goes in and divides time equally in each school. Their time is paid for with a grant obtained by the school corporation.

"Itll be a work day for them when theyre off, Boyd said.

Both schools are in rural locations. LaCrosse High School has about 100 students, and Wanatah School has around 300 students in grades K through eight.

Nevertheless, Boyd said theres still a need to address potential issues such as bullying and drugs, as there are in other, larger schools.

"When you look at the frequency of violence thats occurred in schools, it really isnt just isolated to inner city schools, and (students at the smaller schools) deserve the same level of protection, Boyd said.

Boyd said just the presence of a police vehicle outside a school often can deter violence or misbehavior, and having an officer present cuts down on response times in the event of an emergency.

"Theyre not there as a hall monitor. Theyre there for legitimate law enforcement purposes and to have a presence, and to build a rapport with the students, the staff and the families of those communities, Boyd said.

Tri Township school officials talked about having police in the schools for about a year before deciding to go ahead with it on a part-time basis.

A school resource officer was assigned to the New Prairie School Corp. last year. Westville and South Central schools have shared an officer for about three years.

The sheriffs department has had a presence in the LaPorte School Corp. for a much longer time period, with two deputies currently working in the schools there. Michigan City Police supply the officers who work in the schools in that district.
VALPARAISO  There has been a lot of discussion and debate the past 10 years about how to spend the $148 million in proceeds from the 2007 sale of the former county-owned hospital.

Some have said the proceeds should go to nonprofits, others wanted it to remain with government and others still wanted to see a direct benefit to taxpayers, said Porter County Councilman Dan Whitten, D-at large.

"My vision was  all the above," he said.

It was from that approach the county council and board of commissioners set in motion an investment plan expected to generate up to $15 million in interest in 2017, according to County Attorney Scott McClure.

Half the money will be reinvested back into the foundation created to protect the money, per enabling legislation, and the remainder made available for the county to spend, he said.

"This was a whirlwind for us," Whitten said.

The county had been limited by law to investing the money for no longer than six months at a time, he said.

This resulted in the county making only about 1 percent interest on the money, said County Council President Mike Jessen, R-4th, who serves as chairman of the county's foundation board.

When the county went to create its own foundation, state lawmakers helped out by approving legislation that greatly expanded the county's investment options, Whitten said.

County government is now able to invest up to 55 percent of the money in equities, McClure said.

This change is paying off with an annual return of 9.83 percent as of the end of November, McClure said.

Planning for leaner years

The county can keep any interest gained on the money of up to 5 percent annually, which this year is expected to amount to $7.5 million, Whiten said. The enabling legislation says anything beyond that amount in earnings must be invested back with the principle in the foundation.

"It feeds the beast," he said.

The county plans to spend $4.5 million of the interest money next year, McClure said. The budget calls for spending $1.4 million to cover medical costs for inmates at the jail and $1.1 million for contributions to the Porter County Council on Aging, Opportunity Enterprises and the Family & Youth Services Bureau, he said.

Another $905,000 is going toward county government employee health insurance, $885,000 toward E-911 and $125,000 for costs associated with maintaining the foundation, McClure said.

The county is not spending all available interest money each year, he said. The balance is being set aside with the goal of building two or three times what is needed each year to help cover when the investments are not doing so well, he said.

Whitten said he would also like to keep track of how much is invested back into the principle each year as another option for covering costs during leaner years. Tapping into those foundation funds would be tougher, however, since it requires unanimous support of the voting members of the foundation board, which is made up of the seven council members and three commissioners.

There is an incentive for the county to let the principle grow untouched because it means the 5 percent in interest collected each year will become larger, McClure said.
Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted the week of Dec. 15 to 21. Look for this roll call report by Targeted News Service (with a week delay) regularly in Sunday Forum.

HOUSE VOTES:

STEM OUTREACH PROGRAMS: The House has passed the STEM Research and Education Effectiveness and Transparency Act (H.R. 4375), sponsored by Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-Va. The bill would order the National Science Foundation to submit a report to Congress on the Foundation's research and education programs for broadening the participation of women and minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees and careers. The vote, on Dec. 18, was 376 yeas to 9 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st)

NASA AND FEMALE TEACHERS: The House has passed the Women in Aerospace Education Act (H.R. 4254), sponsored by Rep. Stephen Knight, R-Calif., to require the National Science Foundation to promote fellowship opportunities at National Aeronautics and Space Administration centers for women training to be teachers. The vote, on Dec. 19, was 409 yeas to 17 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st)

TAX REFORM BILL: The House has agreed to the conference report with the Senate for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1), which would nearly double the standard individual income tax deduction, lower the corporate tax rate to 21 percent, reduce rates for the seven individual tax brackets, reduce the deduction for state and local taxes paid, and effective in 2019, erase the penalty for not having individual health insurance. A supporter, Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said: "We are delivering a new tax code that provides more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger paychecks to Americans across the country." An opponent, Rep. Sander M. Levin, D-Mich., said the bill was "aimed at making the very wealthy even wealthier and forcing millions of middle class families to pay higher taxes." The vote, on Dec. 19, was 227 yeas to 203 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

REGULATING LARGE BANKS: The House has passed the Systemic Risk Designation Improvement Act (H.R. 3312), sponsored by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo. The bill would replace the current $50 billion of assets threshold for finding that a bank is a systemically important financial institution subject to special regulations, with a set of standards the Federal Reserve is to apply to determine whether the bank should be subject to the special regulations. Luetkemeyer said the new, more flexible measure takes a pragmatic approach to managing risk and the danger that a given bank's financial distress would threaten the U.S. financial system. A bill opponent, Rep. John P. Sarbanes, D-Md., said eliminating the $50 billion threshold "will increase the likelihood of consolidation as large financial institutions and banks can now grow" with less regulation, resulting in increased danger to the financial system. The vote, on Dec. 19, was 288 yeas to 130 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

TRUCKING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING: The House has passed the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act (S. 1536), sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. The bill would order the Transportation Department to charge an employee with the task of coordinating human trafficking prevention efforts across the agency and establish a committee to advise the agency on ways to reduce human trafficking. The vote, on Dec. 19, was 418 yeas to 1 nay.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st)

PASSING TAX BILL: The House has concurred in the Senate amendment to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1). A supporter, Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, claimed the new tax code instituted by the bill "will be simple, it will be fair, and it will be focused on the needs of the American people, not on Washington's special interests." An opponent, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., claimed the bill was a Republican effort "to give tax breaks to the wealthiest people in our country and to corporate America, unpaid for, permanently," while increasing the deficit. The vote, on Dec. 20, was 224 yeas to 201 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

REGULATING SHAREHOLDER ADVISORS: The House has passed the Corporate Governance Reform and Transparency Act (H.R. 4015), sponsored by Rep. Sean P. Duffy, R-Wis. The bill would require firms that advise corporate shareholders on proxy votes regarding the operation of a company to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission and establish conflicts of interest and codes of ethics disclosure rules for the proxy firms. Duffy said the new regulations would promote "transparency, responsiveness and competition" among proxy advisors, two of whom currently make up 97 percent of the proxy advisory industry. A bill opponent, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said they would give corporate management too much power to shape the recommendations advisory firms make to shareholders and "would deter new proxy advisers from entering the market and squeeze out smaller, cost-sensitive firms" seeking to compete with the two dominant firms. The vote, on Dec. 20, was 238 yeas to 182 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

VETERANS AND COMMERCIAL DRIVING: The House has passed the Jobs for Our Heroes Act (S. 1393), sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to allow military veterans who have driven vehicles similar to commercial motor vehicles while in the military to seek an exemption from all or part of federal commercial motor vehicle driving test requirements. The vote, on Dec. 21, was unanimous with 418 yeas.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st)

EXTENDING GOVERNMENT FUNDING: The House has passed the Senate amendment to the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 1370). The bill would fund the federal government through January and provide short-term extensions of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, National Flood Insurance Program, and several other federal programs. A supporter, Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, R-N.J. called the funding necessary to continue providing vital services to Americans while Congress works on a final budget for 2018. An opponent, Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., faulted the bill's lack of a measure to exempt from deportation illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and failure to reauthorize the Children's Health Insurance Program. The vote, on Dec. 21, was 231 yeas to 188 nays.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd)

NAYS: Visclosky D-IN (1st)

DISASTER RECOVERY: The House has passed a bill (H.R. 4667), sponsored by Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, R-N.J. The bill would provide $81 billion of fiscal 2018 emergency appropriations to various federal agencies for efforts to recover from wildfires in western states and the several hurricanes that struck the U.S. in recent months. Frelinghuysen said: "This funding is desperately needed by thousands of American families, individuals, and communities to rebuild their homes and businesses, restore electric power and critical infrastructure, and to protect against further damage." An opponent, Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., said the bill had several serious shortcomings, including its failure to fix the danger that Medicaid programs in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will run out of money within months. The vote, on Dec. 21, was 251 yeas to 169 nays.

NAYS: Rokita R-IN (4th)

YEAS: Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st)

PUNISHING HUMAN TRAFFICKING: The House has passed the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act (S. 1532), sponsored by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. The bill would direct the Transportation Department to impose a lifetime commercial driving ban on anyone who uses a commercial motor vehicle to participate in felony human trafficking. The vote, on Dec. 21, was unanimous with 393 yeas.

YEAS: Rokita R-IN (4th), Walorski R-IN (2nd), Visclosky D-IN (1st)

The House also passed the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act (H.R. 3759), to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a Family Caregiving Strategy; the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting Act (S. 1766), to reauthorize the SAFER Act of 2013; and a bill (H. Con. Res. 95), expressing support for the use of public-private partnerships to bring computer science education to more classrooms.

SENATE VOTES:

EXTENDING GOVERNMENT FUNDING: The Senate has passed the House amendment to the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 1370). The bill would fund the federal government through January and provide short-term extensions of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, National Flood Insurance Program, and several other federal programs. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the funding extension will give the military the resources it needs to combat the various threats the U.S. faces. An opponent, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the bill did not address what he called the moral imperative to provide a resolution for the citizenship status of the so-called Dreamers who were brought to the U.S. as children. The vote, on Dec. 21, was 66 yeas to 32 nays.

YEAS: Young R-IN, Donnelly D-IN
Dr. Roach Writes: As I write this, another gun tragedy has taken place in the United States. By the time it gets published, about 1,500 more people are likely to have been killed by guns, many accidentally. Physicians have a responsibility to protect the health of their patients and the public, and I can't be silent on this any longer.

Gun violence is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. With over 10,000 deaths yearly, including accidental deaths and suicide, gun violence is a more important cause of death than many of the conditions I discuss in this column. Unfortunately, the U.S. Congress has repeatedly failed to fund research on gun violence by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best-placed U.S. agency to follow what can reasonably be described as an epidemic. This has prevented research on the best ways to reduce gun deaths.

Governments have attempted to keep physicians silent on gun violence. Florida passed a law preventing physicians from discussing gun safety with their patients (this was struck down in 2017 by a federal appeals court). The goals of discussing gun safety with patients are to educate and to consider a means of reducing risk of injury (such as trigger locks, gun safes and storing weapons and ammunition separately). This is particularly important in a patient with a history of violence, mental health problems, or drug and alcohol abuse.

As a physician, it's not my place to discuss changes in the law or in public policy; however, it is a physician's place to make recommendations to responsible gun owners for reducing risk. As gun violence continues to escalate, it's particularly important for physicians to be part of the solution to reduce gun injury. It's still up to politicians to write laws to protect the public; until that happens, a physician's brief discussion on gun safety certainly won't stop all gun violence, but it can reduce gun injuries, especially accidental ones, and especially in households with children.

Which flu vaccine to get

Dear Dr. Roach: I just read your article on the various types of flu vaccines. I really need your opinion on whether I should get one of the vaccines. I am a 79-year-old woman in good health and not allergic to eggs.

I know the flu virus is dead and you can't get the flu from a shot. But when it first became available in the 1950s, I had it in two doses and became very sick for about two weeks with flulike symptoms. So, I avoided it, and throughout the years, I had the flu a few times -- once, when I was in my 20s, very bad with type A, and it attacked my nervous system. I was not able to drive for three months. I also got sick after a flu shot in the 1980s.

I am hounded to get the flu vaccine, but I am afraid to. Now that there are various kinds available, I wonder if I should try one.

-- M.T.

A: I'd certainly recommend it. I normally would recommend a high-dose version for a woman in her late 70s, but you clearly have a robust immune system and I suspect that is why you have had a strong reaction. However, vaccine technology has dramatically improved, and I would recommend a standard-dose flu shot. You also might take a Tylenol right after having the vaccine. (There is some evidence that this may reduce the effectiveness somewhat; however, I still think it's better than no vaccine at all.)

***

Readers: The booklet on stroke explains this condition that is deservedly feared by all. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Roach, Book No. 902, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 with the recipient's printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.
We say them again and again every year, as if simply stating them is the goal.

Im going to exercise. Im going to read. Im going to volunteer.

Anyone can make a New Years resolution. Keeping it is the hard part.

Experts say to be specific: Set a weight loss goal. Try to finish a certain number of books every month. Small steps, they say, can have a lasting impact.

So this year, dream big. Below are some suggestions for ways to improve in the next 12 months, along with some local resources that can help you on your journey.

1. BE MORE CURIOUS

We can say were interested in the world, but all too often we breeze through our days without thinking deeply about how and why things are the way they are. Museums offer us the chance to do just that. This year, explore some of Omahas repositories of local lore, including:

 The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

 Union Pacific Railroad Museum, 200 Pearl St. in Council Bluffs

 Great Plains Black History Museum, 2221 N. 24th St.

2. BE MORE ACTIVE

Staying fit and losing weight always rank among the most popular New Years resolutions. And theyre some of the most commonly broken. Developing a regular exercise routine can be tough. So make it fun for yourself. Get the blood pumping by visiting some of the areas most scenic outdoor venues.

 Walk a mile on the hilly trails at the Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop in Honey Creek, Iowa

 Rent a kayak at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Outdoor Venture Center and paddle around Walnut Creek Lake and Recreation Area, 11601 S. 96th St. in Papillion

 Ride your bike across the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and explore the trails along the Missouri River

3. BE MORE PRESENT

Mindfulness meditation has emerged in recent years as a tool to combat stress and anxiety. Sitting quietly for a few minutes every day, focusing only on the flow of breath in and out, has been shown to have certain mental health benefits. Several places locally offer guided meditation workshops.

 Participate in Omaha Meditates: On Monday, several meditation groups are calling for everyone to spend at least a few minutes fully attentive to the present moment. Some organizations, including the Mindfulness Outreach Initiative and the Center for Mindful Living, are hosting group events throughout the day. For more information, visit omahameditates.org.

4. BE LESS WASTEFUL

We have too much stuff. At least a lot of us do. Some of it sits in basements or attics collecting dust until, exasperated, we resolve to do something about it. This year, consider parting with unused clothing, appliances, toys or furniture by donating to one of several charitable organizations in the area, including (but not limited to):

 Open Door Mission, 2828 N. 23rd St. East, 402-422-1111

 Heart Ministry Center, 2222 Binney St., 402-451-2321

 MICAH House, 1415 Avenue J in Council Bluffs, 712-323-4416

5. BE MORE CREATIVE

Maybe you want to write a novel. Or build a desk. Or paint a portrait. This could be the year you start the passion project youve been putting off. Got nothing in mind? Learn a new skill at one of the workshops below.

 Art: Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St., offers classes in drawing, painting, photography, bookmaking, screen printing and more.

 Writing: Nebraska Writers Workshop offers mentoring for amateur and professional writers of all kinds at the Baright Public Library, 5555 S. 77th St. in Ralston.

 Woodworking: Bench, 1441 N. 11th St., offers introduction to woodworking classes, along with more specialized instruction as students progress.
At mid-morning at the neighborhood playground, I stood where the recycled-rubber mat meets the grass, across from a group of mothers gathering and chatting and locking their stroller brakes. I sipped my coffee as they sipped their coffee, and we listened to our children scream in the tunnel slide and then watched them inch off the end.

I remained on my side in my yogurt-stained gray sweatpants and they remained on their side in a yoga pants semicircle. I made no attempt at conversation because my past attempts had fallen flat, never getting beyond greetings. They made no attempt to speak to me. Not out of ill will, but rather because we all knew that when a dad joins the mommy circle, it kills the vibe. This is simply the practical observation of an at-home dad orbiting the rings of a mom planet.

As I sipped, I noticed two men ambling toward us with kids. I guessed they were on vacation or from out of town. They joined me on my side of the playground in their T-shirts, cargo pants and short haircuts. The mothers looked at us with knitted brows as we made small talk that evolved into real conversation, and then one of the fathers invited me  yes, me, the lonely dad in his gray sweatpants  to their Wednesday play group. It took a minute to wrap my mind around the invitation. Who joins a dads' play group?

I had heard of dads' play groups but never made an effort to learn about them. My wife had suggested at least a hundred times that I explore one, but anyone who's married knows you have to say something a hundred times and then wait for a complete stranger to suggest the same idea for it to catch. I was reluctant to embrace a dads' play group because it didn't sit well with my ego. Now, I'm not the macho type, and those who know me would describe me as the opposite, a sensitive guy in touch with his emotions. However, I still felt a resistance to the group, perhaps because of the conditioning of our hyper-masculine culture, a culture that says play groups are for mothers and that men should be doing something more productive. As if raising children is not some of the most important work we do.

After further considering the play-group invitation, I read more online about this network of fathers that formed in 1996, calling themselves Nash Dads and committing to weekly meetings around Nashville, Tennessee. Despite my reluctance, I chose to attend a meeting, telling myself it would be helpful for my son, and not realizing I would be the beneficiary.

There are groups you want to join and ones you need to join, and the dads' play group fell into the latter for me. A well-hidden reality of stay-at-home parenting is how it exhausts you in a completely different way from a 9-to-5 job, isolating you from other adults, depriving you of sleep and chipping away at your ego. It is a recipe for poor mental health. Unless you provide daily care for small children, it's difficult to understand how it depletes your energy. Often I'm asked by friends without children what I do during the day, their tone implying that I sit around watching YouTube videos and scrolling through my news feed. I wish!

I needed the play group because it connected me to other adults who wanted to be not only good fathers but also healthy individuals. At the meeting, I found what I needed in the Nash Dads, a group of interesting and thoughtful guys who care about their children. So who attends a dads' play group? Well, there is Rick, an attorney turned at-home dad, who organizes the group, and there is Nate, a video-game store manager turned at-home dad, and there is Alan, a pediatrician who attends on his off day. These are only a few of the dedicated dads of about a dozen kids, from infants to early elementary school age, who contribute to the supportive atmosphere.

While our children play, we discuss movies, sports, television and complain about our spouses. During the week, we chat in a private group with a healthy dose of memes and dad jokes. We function in a similar way to a moms' play group and seem to have more in common than we do differences. The only defining characteristic of Nash Dads is being a dad.

Looking at the group from the outside, you will see fathers gathering and chatting and watching their children play, but on the inside is a social web woven with men who understand that parenthood is a passage best shared with others. When I discuss highs and lows of the week with fellow dads, my soul feels lighter and my spirits are renewed by the time I strap my son in his car seat and head home. After a play-group meeting, I am reminded that the joy and burden of raising children is best shared in community.

In hindsight, my encounter with the two dads on the playground seems like a sign from the universe telling me to stop going it alone, to lose my pride and go to the group. I'm glad I went. Nash Dads has been instrumental in helping me be a healthy parent. Now the only parenting advice I'm comfortable offering (besides investing in a quality coffee maker) is not to attempt parenting without a support network. Why would you perform your most important role in isolation?

What being part of a dads' group really means is that I am a human being who desires social interaction, friendships and support. There is no shame in these essential needs.

I choose to be a Nash Dad. I choose to be a healthy father. And just last week, the guys gave me a Nash Dads T-shirt, so it's official now. And I'm proud of it.

***

Billy Doidge Kilgore is a native Southerner, ordained minister and stay-at-home father. He lives with his family in Nashville and blogs at Wrap Daddy. Follow him on Twitter @billydkilgore.
A Papillion couple suspected of some expensive shoplifting were cornered in a field in Iowa following a chase that started in Maryville, Missouri.

According to Maryville Public Safety information, the pursuit began about 8 p.m. Thursday after the two allegedly stole about $900 worth of items from the Orscheln Farm & Home store there. Store employees suspected a theft had occurred and called police after the couple drove away in a silver Jeep Cherokee with no license plates.

Four Maryville police cars began the search, and the suspects were spotted driving north on the U.S. Highway 71 bypass. Nodaway County, Missouri, sheriffs deputies, Missouri State Patrol troopers and Page County, Iowa, sheriffs deputies all assisted in the chase, which reached speeds of 80 mph.

Once in the cornfield, the couple was stopped by Page County deputies in pickups, but not before the suspects Jeep reportedly collided with a pickup.

After being stopped, the couple surrendered without incident. Charges are pending in Missouri and Iowa, and authorities say the two are suspects in similar thefts at Orscheln stores.
A man pulled a knife on Lincoln police officers and the officers drew their guns on him at a downtown Lincoln restaurant Saturday evening.

The incident ended in the man surrendering roughly two blocks away, next to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, following a standoff that went for more than three hours.

The 28-year-old man who pulled the knife was the subject of a misdemeanor assault warrant, said Capt. Bob Farber of the Lincoln Police Department. Officers located him at the Raising Canes restaurant at 14th and P Streets.

While doing so he apparently pulled a knife from his waist band began waving it around in a terrorizing manner, Farber said.

Officers drew their weapons. The restaurant had several patrons inside, Farber said.

The man left the restaurant and officers chased after him. On R Street between 13th and 14th Streets  roughly two blocks away from the restaurant  the man put a knife to his neck and threatened to harm himself. Police blocked off the area.

Eventually the SWAT team was called in to negotiate with him, Farber said.

About 10:40 p.m. the man surrendered, Farber said. He was arrested on suspicion of making terroristic threats in connection with his waving of the knife around the restaurant, and on the assault warrant, Farber said.
The University of Nebraska at Omahas Washington Garcia has earned an award for contributions to culture and the arts in Ecuador, his home nation.

Garcia, director of UNOs school of music, received Ecuadors Dr. Vicente Rocafuerte Cultural Achievement Award on Dec. 19.

The selection is made by the Ecuadorian National Assembly and the president of Ecuador.

It was a complete shock, Garcia said.

Garcia, 40, is an internationally recognized pianist who was born in Quito, Ecuador. He began performing at 4 years of age. He earned a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. He became the founding director of UNOs school of music in 2016.

New chief of staff for UNL chancellor is named

The associate vice chancellor for research and economic development at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has been named Chancellor Ronnie Greens chief of staff.

Mike Zeleny will take over the job Friday. He also will hold the title of associate to the chancellor.

Zeleny has worked more than 20 years in UNLs office of research and economic development.

He will replace Bill Nunez, who became interim vice chancellor for business and finance after Christine Jackson retired, effective this Thursday.

Zeleny has assisted with the universitys research growth and helped build its economic development effort.

Hastings College gallery to feature artists textiles

The textiles of MJ Kinman are coming to the Hastings College Dinsdale Art Center through much of January.

Kinman works with fabric and paint to make large portraits of gemstones.

The exhibit will be in the art centers main gallery, which is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The gallery is open to the public at no cost. It is at 700 E. 12th St. in Hastings.

A reception and gallery talk with Kinman will take place on Jan. 12 at 5 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

The Kinman exhibit will be at Hastings Tuesday through Jan. 26.
Food donation: Nebraska Pork Producers Association donated approximately 1,400 pounds of boneless hams to 11 different nonprofit organizations in Lincoln and Omaha on Dec. 15. The effort was part of the National Pork Boards annual campaign that encourages those involved in the pork industry to show appreciation for the community through the gift of ham and other pork products. Omaha organizations receiving the donations included Siena-Francis House, Holy Family, Mount Sinai Outreach, MCC Outreach, Freeway Ministries, Open Door Mission, Salvation Army North Kare Kitchen, Cross Roads Connection and Salvation Army Mens Center. Lincoln locations include the Peoples City Mission and Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach.

Open Door Mission: Midwest International Trade Association members donated more than 20,000 new books to the Open Door Missions educational programs for the homeless and needy, 2828 N. 23rd St. East, on Dec. 19. Volunteers helped gather, sort and store the books. The Lydia House book drive is an annual fundraising event that allows members to contribute and support the local community.

St. Joseph Tower Assisted Living: New Beginning Christian Church, 1100 Harrison St. in Council Bluffs, provided food, clothing and personal items to 95 residents at St. Joseph Tower Assisted Living, 2205 S. 10th St., on Dec. 20.

Project Pinkd and the Salvation Army: CQuence Health Group recently donated $2,700 to local nonprofit Project Pinkd. The company also donated $400 and about 100 toys for the Salvation Army and its Angel Giving Tree, which provides holiday support for needy families and children. CQuence Health Group is a health care organization parent company based in Omaha.

Sheriffs Office: The Page County, Iowa, Sheriffs Office recently donated Christmas gifts to 16 families in the county, including 34 children. Gifts were collected through the Sheriffs Offices Operation Blessing program.

Salvation Army Winter Night Watch: The Salvation Army is in need of volunteers, coats in sizes XL, XXL and 3XL, new tube socks, hats, gloves and blankets for its Winter Night Watch, a mobile feeding and clothing program for homeless and near-homeless individuals. Salvation Army canteens travel the streets of Omaha from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays offering a warm meal and winter outerwear to people in need across the Omaha area, feeding as many as 300 individuals per night. This year the program season has been extended and additional stops have been added to meet the growing demand. Winter outerwear donations can be dropped off at the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Service building, 10629 Burt Circle. To volunteer, go to salarmyomaha.org.

CASA and Ronald McDonald House: Papillion Police Department Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 19 raised $1,020 for Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, an organization that provides advocates for abused and neglected children. The money was raised through its No Shave October and November events. The group also recently raised $1,685 for the Ronald McDonald House of Omaha.
COUNCIL BLUFFS  Those who provide emotional support and spiritual guidance for local police officers are asking for help from the community, as the three chaplains from the Council Bluffs Police Department seek to bolster their ranks.

On Dec. 22, members of the departments Chaplain Corps met with new police recruits at the Southwest Iowa Law Enforcement Training Center during what Capt. Greg Schultz described as a mini police academy.

The occasion, used to help hone skills such as defensive tactics and other facets of law enforcement, was also a good chance for the departments three chaplains to meet the recruits.

Their message was simple: We are here for you.

However, the chaplains are spread thin and are putting the word out they need more members to better serve those who protect and serve.

The three chaplains currently serving the department are the Revs. Anthony Paff, Dan Stuck and Ken Sewing. Sewing was not present Dec. 22, but Stuck and Paff were joined by Lt. Dan Flores and Chaplain Liaison Sgt. Jill Knotek.

Flores was the chaplain liaison for nine years until Knotek was chosen to succeed him in May and handle the program. Flores said the departments first chaplain was brought on sometime in the mid-1980s, and their numbers grew to four.

But keeping chaplains around was difficult, as ministers often move for assignments at other churches, Flores said.

Its difficult to maintain, so in 2008 we really started focusing on the program and were up to eight chaplains, Flores said.

Flores said a chaplains role in the department is to assist officers and department employees with support through faith. That faith is nondenominational, and proselytizing is not allowed, Flores added.

The three chaplains and Flores have undergone training by the International Conference of Police Chaplains, which seeks to maintain professionalism in law enforcement chaplaincy.

It means listening to officers and others about their concerns  to support and guide them, Flores said.

The chaplains stress their availability. Whatever is discussed remains confidential.

Chaplains also assist with death notifications, traveling with a law enforcement member when the family someone who has died is notified. And they help with ceremonies.

Currently each chaplain with the department has a formal background in a faith-based ministry, but Flores said that could someday change. For instance, a layperson, priest, pastor, deacon or other faithful person could become a chaplain.

As long as you have a heart and can be there for others, we encourage you to contact us, Flores said.

Knotek said her role as liaison has been challenging as she works to familiarize more members of the department and community with the program.

She said part of her work is letting the officers and employees at the department know the chaplains are there for them, while letting the community know the program needs more members.

You dont have to be an ordained minister. Its not about a specific denomination. We welcome different faiths, she said. Its not about religion. Its about being able to minister to someone.

To minister, by one definition, means to attend to the needs of others.

We do desire some kind of background in faith, but its not necessary to be ordained, specifically, Knotek said.

Anyone interested in the corps should email Knotek at jjknotek@councilbluffs-ia.gov or visit the website at councilbluffs-ia.gov/473/Chaplains-Corps.
LINCOLN  Gov. Pete Ricketts and some key Nebraska lawmakers profess optimism about the prospects for cutting taxes during the new legislative session.

Others say the session that kicks off Wednesday could end with a stalemate, just as in the 2017 session.

In that session, proponents of property tax cuts squared off against advocates for income tax cuts under the shadow of a state budget shortfall.

When the dust settled, no tax proposal got enough support to advance, let alone pass.

That might still be the case, said Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer of Norfolk. Everybody wants to pay less in taxes, but the question is how you get there.

The upcoming session looks to feature renewed battles over whether the answer lies with property tax cuts or income tax cuts and whether the state can afford tax cuts when lagging tax revenues and growing state needs have opened up a $200 million budget gap for the two-year budget period that started July 1.

But this time the battles will take place with the potential of a property tax petition drive looming.

I think the petition drive will focus a lot of minds on some real solutions, said State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha.

A loose-knit group of agricultural, business and homeowner organizations took the first steps this fall toward launching an initiative petition aimed at delivering some $1.1 billion in tax savings.

Their proposal would provide Nebraska property owners with income tax credits equal to 50 percent of property taxes paid to school districts, or about 30 percent of total property taxes paid.

Backers say the petition is a fallback option if lawmakers fail to pass significant property tax legislation this session.

Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson said the petition grew out of the frustrations of many Nebraskans, especially farmers and ranchers, with rising property tax bills.

Im hoping we see major property tax relief, he said. Everywhere I go, were all being asked about property taxes, and so I think it needs to be front and center and substantial.

Friesen was among several senators who introduced bills last session that would reduce property taxes or offset them with tax credits funded by other state tax sources.

Proposals expected in the coming session include a legislative version of the petition proposal, to be introduced by Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard.

Another plan is expected from Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education, a coalition of farm and education groups. The coalition is looking to increase state school aid specifically to replace property taxes.

The plan would fund the increase with some combination of eliminating state sales and income tax exemptions, broadening the sales tax base or raising tax rates.

John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, said the proposal addresses Nebraskas overreliance on property taxes to support schools.

Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte took a different approach last session, proposing to redistribute the states $224 million of existing property tax credits in a way that would benefit mainly rural property taxpayers at the expense of urban ones.

He said he plans to pursue that idea and is open to other property tax proposals. But he is not interested in income tax cuts, which he said are the concern of only a few big money interests.

If we focused on a property tax bill, I think we could get it passed, Groene said. If we add income tax to it, it cannot get passed.

Friesen said he would be happy to work on a compromise that includes income tax cuts. But hes adamant that property tax changes need to be the main focus of any measure.

Ricketts and Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, the Revenue Committee chairman, are just as adamant in calling for income tax cuts, along with the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other business groups.

They argue that lower income tax rates are needed to attract investment and encourage economic growth in Nebraska. They also say the states top individual and corporate income tax rates are out of step with its neighbors.

I am concerned that Nebraska at least remain in the hunt, Smith said. Income tax relief helps expand the economy.

The governor and Smith acknowledge the public demand for property tax reductions, however, and said they are working on a plan to address both taxes. Neither would give details about the proposal yet.

Smith said the plan would be similar to but not the same as Legislative Bill 461, which was blocked by a filibuster last session.

That package would have cut the top individual and corporate income tax rates, increased credits for most taxpayers and changed how agricultural land is valued for property tax purposes.

Opponents argued that LB 461 focused too much on income tax cuts, compared with the property tax changes.

As advanced from committee, the plan would have provided about $10 of income tax cuts for every $1 of property tax savings for agricultural land owners.

Smith countered that property taxes should be addressed with a measured approach, one that fits within the states budget. He said real property tax cuts come from spending reductions by the local governments that collect the tax.

Some lawmakers remain skeptical of doing either property tax or income tax cuts at a time when state revenues are suffering.

Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha said lawmakers already are stealing from our rainy day fund to balance the budget and keep government operations going. The Legislature used $173 million from the cash reserve fund to shore up the current budget and are expected to look at tapping it further in the new session.

How can we afford new programs and new tax cuts? he asked.

Harr called for tax proposals that aid workforce development and increase the number of well-paying jobs in Nebraska rather than reduce taxes broadly.

Still, he, like others, said the Legislature could get something done on taxes this session if members work together, reach across party lines and seek compromise.

I think its possible, Harr said.
Hallways like this, in the upper floors of the City-County Building, where inmates are housed in cellblocks, will be eliminated under the jail renovation approved in 2017.
Mo-what?

He could have been called just plain Chris Bay. But when Mogens Christian Bay started his business career, he used his Danish first name and what was, to Americans, its unusual pronunciation: MOW-ens Bye.

Too late to change now, he said. Besides, friends and business associates eventually have learned how to say his name.

One person hasnt adapted: the voice-activated phone system in his car. If Bay wants to call his office, he has to utter the most common mispronunciation: Call MO-gens Bay, office.

Talent, some luck and following your gut

Luck plays a part in success, Mogens Bays says. Consider:

Denmark was one of the first countries to recognize Communist China, and that meant commerce between the two nations and a job for Danish-born Bay.

He was 24 in 1974 when the East Asiatic Co. sent him to the city then called Peking, where he lived in a hotel for four years and arranged foreign trade deals as one of the few Western businessmen in the then-isolated country.

Everybody else got kicked out, Bay said.

At one point he went with a group of John Deere executives to a rural Chinese province that needed irrigation. The Deere execs recommended calling Valmont in Omaha. Valmont Chairman Robert Daugherty led a delegation to China and spent about two weeks there.

In those days, whenever a company had an invitation to China, Bay said, the chairman and CEO always came, because it was great country club talk when they came back home: Well, I went to China, this was great. 

Partway through the visit, one of the Omahans told Bay, We have a problem because Daugherty was missing his usual drink: Canadian Club whiskey.

I said What do you mean We have a problem? I dont drink that stuff,  Bay replied. But he located a bottle from his friend the Canadian ambassador. Bay and Daugherty also discovered they shared the same birthday.

We just hit it off right away, Bay said.

Soon after, Daugherty offered to hire Bay to open a Valmont office in Hong Kong as a gateway to Asia, and Bay agreed.

He would be joining a Nebraska business with $70 million in annual sales and leaving a $4 billion international company after establishing good contacts, including a friendship with George H.W. Bush, then-U.S. ambassador to China who later became president.

My friends and co-workers said, Are you crazy?  Bay said. But he wanted to move to Hong Kong, and this was my ticket. You know, if I had just used logic, I would never have made that decision. But you follow your gut, and he greatly admired Daugherty.

Once on the Valmont staff, Bay visited Omaha, one time attending a pizza party where he met a woman from Dodge, Nebraska, named Cindy Belsky. He soon called and invited her to dinner; she said no. He called again 10 minutes later: Have you changed your mind?

She said yes. I couldnt believe he called back, Cindy says today.

Soon after, Daugherty asked Bay if he would transfer to Omaha, and his answer was yes, too. A year later, Mogens and Cindy married. They spent five years in Spain, where he was head of Valmonts European operations before returning to Omaha in 1986 to head the international division, leading to further promotions.

People always underestimate the importance of being lucky, being in the right place at the right time, Bay said. A business example:

About a decade ago, Valmont bought a business that makes electricity transmission towers. It just so happened that the utility industry took off in North America right after we did that, and we had a capacity to take great advantage of it. The timing was lucky.

On the other side, he said, Valmont bought a wireless communications business just before the high-tech bubble burst in the late 1990s. That was not so lucky.

But, he said, the lucky events have outweighed the unlucky ones.

Omaha has 'great asset' in community builders

Mogens Bay said Omaha has leaders who carry on the legacies of people like the late Robert Daugherty, Valmont Industries founder, who put $750 million into a foundation to improve the city and state.

He was a really fantastic mentor and a great, great asset to the community, and will be forever, said Bay, who is chairman of Daughertys foundation. He made sure the money is going to do good here.

Decades ago, some Omahans worried about what would happen after the deaths of Daugherty and other civic and business leaders  Peter Kiewit, Leo A Daly and Charles Durham, to name a few  but Bay said Walter Scott Jr., Ken Stinson, Michael McCarthy, Susan Buffett and others have stepped up.

As for the future, he said, there are plenty of young people in this city who would do that. We probably need to put some structure around it, but Im not concerned about finding the leadership. We just need to make sure we focus on it.

There will be money thats not committed to Omaha, but there will be plenty of money that is committed to Omaha. This is a great community, and it will continue to be a great community.

Top job? It's 'pretty simple'  but you still need strategy

Being a chief executive officer is actually pretty simple, said Mogens Bay, who has been CEO of Valmont Industries for 24 years. But he added: That doesnt mean its easy.

Its setting strategy, allocating capital, making sure the right people are running the businesses and protecting the culture of the company. And if you do those four things halfway right, and if you are halfway lucky, then it works.

As with any business, Valmont has its ups and downs, including hard times when the agriculture cycle cuts sharply into its sales of irrigation systems, when lower energy prices cut demand for some of its products or when last summers hurricanes trimmed Valmonts profits.

Thats why Valmonts strategy includes managing costs during downturns, Bay said, and a diverse lineup of products: When irrigation equipment demand drops, sales of light poles and utility support structures can keep profits coming.

I think the test of a good strategy is one that can stand the test of time, Bay said. And we have basically not changed our strategy in 25 years.

Getting the right team is the most important, he said, and then creating and protecting the companys culture.

Culture is the only competitive advantage you have, he said. Its the energy in the organization, to do whats right for our customers. Everybody can build the same equipment. Everybody can buy the same software. ...

What we have to have is the most cohesive team, and they like working together and doing what they do.

His take on the four points of Valmonts culture:

 Passion for what its products do, making the world a better place by improving agriculture and communications. Passion creates organizational energy, which leads to results.

 Integrity in dealings, so youre happy with how you treat colleagues, customers, suppliers and others. Following the law is the minimum; finding ethical people is possible, and avoiding others is essential.

 Continuous improvement brings a constant chance at success in the future. Success today guarantees nothing for tomorrow. It gives us the opportunity to serve our customers, but if we dont continue to find better ways to do that, eventually somebody is going to replace us.

 Delivering results means coming through for shareholders so they will supply more money when its needed, but also brings in cash for growth. If you dont create growth opportunities, eventually you will start shrinking, and that would take away opportunities from people.

Bay said Valmont hires according to its values. People who live the values and produce are stars.

But people who deliver results but dont live the values, Bay said, become a cancer in the organization.

He tells new executives to focus for their first six months on learning the companys culture and making relationships.

If you create relationships and get in trouble  and you will get in trouble one day, we all do  the whole organization will help you. If you have no relationships, theyll watch you sink.

I tell people when I hire them Dont worry about what youre good at. That comes automatically. You dont even have to think about it. But if you really understand what youre not good at, and you surround yourself with compensating strengths in your team, then you have the whole package.
The latest hurricane evacuees to arrive in Omaha have four legs and fur. Soon they will be looking for new homes.

Late Saturday afternoon the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals dropped off 12 dogs in Omaha from hurricane-ravaged St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

They are winding down their sheltering operations, and these are the last doggos that needed a place to go, said Pam Wiese, spokeswoman for the Nebraska Humane Society.

The dogs, mostly mixed breeds, range in age from a few months to about 3 years.

The animals have been through a lot. Now they are in a strange new place.

This is the first time they have probably seen snow, Wiese said.

Some have injuries or sickness and need further treatment. Some of them may have had owners who could no longer take care of them after the storms. Others were not claimed.

The 12 were among 80 cats and dogs flown to Florida by nonprofit Wings of Rescue from St. Croix. The ASPCA put them in a heated trailer and drove them to shelters in states such as Texas and Kansas.

We got the last group, Wiese said. We will get them adopted out to new families and give them a second chance here.

Among those who greeted them upon their arrival was Nebraska Humane Society veterinarian Dr. Amber Horn, who deployed twice in the ASPCA shelter on St. Croix after the hurricanes.

Its been very joyful to see them again, she said. Some of them have put on some weight. Their fur coats have started to get shiny. You can tell some of them are starting to feel better, you can just tell by looking in their eyes. They are able to feel like they are a dog again.

One of them is a chow mix named Turtle because he was found on a beach after the storm. Once petrified of people, he is now very friendly and able to walk on a leash. She hopes to be able to have him room in her office until he gets adopted.
LINCOLN  Thank you, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. You were welcoming neighbors from the start.

Thats more than can be said about distant Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Nebraskans this month have wrapped up a year of activities celebrating the sesquicentennial of the turbulent time in 1867 when the territory achieved statehood.

Believe it or not, the idea of Nebraska statehood did not enjoy universal approval 150 years ago in the U.S. Congress. Cries of Nay! peppered the House and Senate during the critical votes.

The naysayers lost, obviously, and Nebraska became the 37th star on the nations flag. And now theres an easy way to glance at the congressional box score for which Senate seats and House districts voted for or against a new state in the center of the continent.

Maps in the newly released Atlas of Nebraska, published by the University of Nebraska Press, do that and much more.

Want to know where earthquakes have rattled Nebraska since statehood? Theres a map for that.

How about the paths of tornadoes across the state? The origins of foreign-born Nebraskans? Areas state-designated as short of physicians, dentists and pharmacists? Or how horses have migrated from rural to urban areas? There are maps for all that.

In fact, the atlas  the first of Nebraska published in more than three decades  chronicles the history of the state with more than 300 original, detailed and full-color maps accompanied by explanatory text. The coffee-table volume pokes into myriad subjects, including the states geologic and prehistoric roots, American Indians and the fitful transition from territory to state.

Then theres everything from climate and ecology to voting records and crime rates.

The atlas is the work of six geographers, cartographers and professors from Nebraska and Oklahoma.

J. Clark Archer, a geography professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and co-author of Atlas of the Great Plains in 2011, was the lead writer. He said Nebraska has a rich and varied culture, from the eastern metropolitan cities of Omaha and Lincoln to the ranches of the Sand Hills and the high plains of the Panhandle.

The sesquicentennial was an appropriate time to help people obtain an updated and better view of this state, Archer said.

Richard Edwards, director of the Center for Great Plains Studies and an economics professor, said people are inherently fascinated by maps because they present a lot of information at a glance. He said he didnt fully realize that until watching Archers use of technological advances to store and analyze data used to produce maps in the atlas.

A map is a big database that winds up as a picture on a page, Edwards said. If you took information and put it into a table or a graph, youd have the same information but youd have to work a lot harder to get to the point of what the map presents quicker and in a more intuitive way in a visual image.

Edwards said the atlas, a project of the Center for Great Plains Studies, depicts a state with significant topographic and physiographic variation and remarkable ecological and biological diversity. Agriculture may dominate the visual landscape, but the atlas maps stake out major employment and income roles for manufacturing, finance, transportation, health services and tourism.

Nebraskans in the 19th century dealt  and sometimes struggled  with diversity, just as some of their 21st century descendants do, Edwards said.

Maps in the atlas make clear that ethnic and racial diversity are nothing new to the state. Nebraskas resident population of American Indians saw waves of immigrants from Europe, Africa, Asia and Mexico.

Nebraska was quite diverse in the late 1800s, but in a way that later dissolved into Americas melting pot, Edwards said.

Bohemians, Swedes, Germans and Irish were seen as different groups because they had different languages, religions, customs, food and clothing, he said.

Then these ethnic categories collapsed into what Nebraskans today think of as white, he said.

Descendants of those immigrants may retain some of their ethnic culture but they all now read and speak English and enjoy the same fast food, Edwards said. A lot of those cultural differences that existed have been brought into the broader American culture  and we now have different sets of newcomers.

Nebraskas population is now being enriched by streams of migrants from other places in Latin America outside Mexico, he said.

The impact of these new migrants is evident in both the growing diversity of the current population and in the rising percentage of foreign-born Nebraskans, Edwards said.

As Nebraska moves on to its bicentennial in less than a half-century, it is not only growing increasingly diverse racially and ethnically, but is powered by a relatively robust economy across a varied landscape, he said. Edward said this reality is at odds with the caricature of Nebraska as physiographically flat and culturally homogeneous.

One of Edwards favorite maps in the atlas is a graphic 1837 drawing of the upper Mississippi and Missouri River region attributed to Ioway chief Non-Chi-Ning-Ga. The map provides a schematic rather than a geographically precise view that includes the Platte, Niobrara and Republican Rivers in present-day Nebraska.

Its accurate in the way a New York City subway map is accurate, Edwards said.

Now back to the Nebraska statehood votes in Congress one-and-a-half centuries ago.

The statehood issue was part of a bitter post-Civil War battle between President Andrew Johnson and Republicans and Democrats in Congress over the conditions by which former Confederate states would be restored to full participation in the Union. Nebraskas admission was tied up over whether the right to vote would be denied on account of race or color. The states proposed constitution  drafted shortly after the end of the Civil War  deliberately disenfranchised black citizens.

After much debate, Congress voted in January 1867 to admit Nebraska, provided that suffrage was not denied to non-white voters. Johnson vetoed the bill, saying the stipulation was an unconstitutional federal intrusion into local election regulations.

A supermajority in the House and Senate overrode the presidents rejection. Two U.S. maps in the atlas illustrate the state and district results of the roll-call votes.

Both senators from 10 states in New England and the Midwest  Iowa, Kansas and Missouri among them  voted to override the veto. Senators from five states  Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee (the only former Confederate state that had rejoined the Union) and Wisconsin  cast opposing yea/nay votes.

Four states  Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky and Pennsylvania  had one nay voting and one not-voting senator.

Archer said the House vote was more geographically nuanced, but as in the Senate, no Democrat voted to override the veto.

Part of the opposition was the expectation that Nebraskas representatives in Congress would be Republicans, he said. There were a lot of partisan issues involved.

After the override, the Nebraska Territorial Legislature convened and eliminated the offending white voting clause.

On March 1, 1867, Johnson signed a statehood proclamation  making Nebraska the first state admitted to the Union after the Civil War and the only one added by means of a veto override.

Edwards said the atlas project left him with a new appreciation that Nebraska, despite its unique and shared issues, problems and challenges, is a state thats well-adapted to dealing with change, if we have the will to do so.

* * *

About the book:

 Authors: J. Clark Archer, Richard Edwards, Leslie M. Howard, Fred M. Shelley, Donald A. Wilhite and David J. Wishart

 Published in October by the University of Nebraska Press

 240 pages, hardcover, $34.95

 11 photos, 7 illustrations, 343 maps, 3 charts, 36 graphs
Voters of the Omaha metro area, get ready: Youre about to see a lot of political TV ads, receive a lot of mailers and encounter quite a few volunteers at your door or on your phone hoping to influence the outcome of the congressional election in Nebraskas 2nd District.

Democrats are looking to pick up the 24 seats they need to retake control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and their path to doing so takes them through Omaha.

Meanwhile, Republicans want to create enough of a firewall to hold on to their majority, and theyve made it clear that keeping U.S. Rep. Don Bacon in his seat is part of the strategy.

I think the 2nd District is one of the most competitive races in the country, and I think its a must-win for Democrats to get back to the majority, said Nathan Gonzalez, editor and publisher of Inside Elections, which provides nonpartisan analysis of campaigns.

In fact, he considers the seat representing Douglas County and western Sarpy County to be one of the top 20 most contested races in the country.

Voters will have two choices to make. In May, 2nd District Democrats will decide whether to send former Congressman Brad Ashford back for round two against Bacon or whether nonprofit executive Kara Eastman should take her first shot at the seat.

Then in November, voters will choose between the winner of the primary and Bacon.

And dont expect to hear just from the candidates. National interest groups and both major political parties are likely to spend money and time trying to sway 2nd District voters.

Democrats appear to have history on their side. The presidents party nearly always loses seats in the House during a midterm election. So if that trend holds, the party of Republican President Donald Trump would be at a disadvantage going into 2018.

And Democrats are already working to increase that advantage here  the state party has hired a full-time staffer in the 2nd District to get voters to the polls for the eventual Democratic nominee.

Republicans, on the other hand, have the advantage of incumbency and of an uncontested primary. Bacon, a first-term congressman and retired brigadier general, has a campaign staff in place. And a political action committee affiliated with House Speaker Paul Ryan hired a full-time staffer in early 2017 for its own get-out-the-vote effort.

Several factors lead observers to see this as such a competitive seat in 2018.

One is simple voter registration: Republicans hold a voter registration lead of less than 15,000 over Democrats. With nearly 420,000 voters in the district  including just fewer than 100,000 independents  that advantage is negligible. And Bacon beat Ashford in 2016 by just 1 percentage point.

Add to that the fact that the best time to knock off an incumbent is during the first term. Plus, both parties have identified suburban voters as an important constituency to woo in 2018  and the 2nd District has plenty of those.

So both parties will be closely watching Omaha.

But in the end, winning elections comes down to a basic formula, said University of Nebraska at Omaha political science professor Randall Adkins: a good candidate who can raise money and finds a message that resonates.

Its a good year for the Democrat to run in a district like this, he said, and the question is Can they raise the money and can they find the message?

In terms of money, Ashford and Eastman have both lagged behind Bacon, though the incumbent started fundraising much earlier than them.

After the last quarter, which ended Oct. 15, Ashford had $100,000 in the bank, Eastman had $50,000 and Bacon had nearly $500,000. The next campaign finance report, which covers the quarter ending Sunday, comes out next month.

As far as message, Ashford, a former longtime state legislator and one-term congressman, will be telling voters that he has always been a voice for progress, a voice for reason, said his campaign strategist, Ian Russell.

Eastman said her overarching message to voters will be that she wants to bring Nebraska values and consistency to the congressional seat. She said her campaign is what people are looking for right now, which is real change that they can get behind in a big way.

Shes also taken some positions to the left of Ashford  most notably supporting a proposal to expand Medicare to cover all Americans.

And from the Bacon camp, campaign manager Mary Jane Truemper said voters will hear a lot about his accomplishments, integrity and leadership during his first term and in his military career.

She said Bacon is an energetic and enthusiastic candidate. Hes the best asset to this campaign.

Of course, each of the candidates will face criticism.

Voters are likely to hear that Ashford is a flip-flopper because hes changed his mind on issues such as the Keystone XL pipeline, which he previously supported but recently said he opposes. But, Russell said, his campaign will argue that Ashford is willing to compromise, and changes his mind given new information  but he doesnt compromise on his values.

Eastmans first challenge, according to Adkins, will be to prove to primary voters and donors that she has the experience to be competitive in the general election.

Eastman said she can do that.

This isnt the time for complacency, she said. This isnt the time for resting on our laurels. We need somebody who is going to work for this seat, and that person is me.

As for Bacon, Democrats will attempt to paint him as a follow-the-party-line Republican and try to turn that into a liability.

Its a very clear case between a guy whos always stuck with his values and always pushed for progress versus Don Bacon, whos been nothing but a lockstep rubber stamp for Donald Trump and Paul Ryan, Russell said.

Bacon has voted with Trump and the Republican House leadership 96.6 percent of the time, according to the news website FiveThirtyEight, which tracks political polls and other statistics.

He has taken a moderate position on at least one issue: He has said he supports the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows young people brought to the country illegally as children to live and work in the U.S. He did not, however, sign on to a letter with 34 other Republican House members urging a fix for the program.

Truemper said the Bacon campaigns response to the criticism is that Bacon makes the decisions that are best for the district.

He puts the 2nd District and the voters at the forefront, she said. Hes not anybodys rubber stamp or puppet.

Now its time for the campaigns and others to spend money and effort getting their messages in front of voters, so expect to see lots of advertisements, mailings and door flyers in the 19 weeks before the May 15 primary.
For decades, the State of Nebraska has worked with counties toward a goal of improving local 911 service.

Universal access to the public safety professionals who send help when needed is a vital function of government, one people are regularly willing to fund.

But the technological backbone that helps most local operators, dispatchers and others answer 911 calls is past its prime.

Nebraska needs an upgrade.

Old-fashioned copper telephone wires limit the amount of data that can be shared. Copper cant match broadband connections flexibility for next-generation 911 centers.

In particular, landline technology fails to harness the capabilities of modern cell phones  devices that can send important information to more capable 911 centers: specific locations, pictures, videos and texts.

Nebraska has an opportunity to improve, now that more than 80 percent of the states 911 calls come from people on cell phones.

The Nebraska Public Service Commissions plan to upgrade 911 capability is worth considering. The commission is pursuing legislation to draw on its $12 million reserve of cell phone fee funds to build out a broadband emergency network.

Under the plan, the state would connect a pair of 911 hubs in each region of the state. Other local 911 centers in each region would then connect their local systems to both of the regional 911 hubs.

This arrangement should, in theory, allow 911 callers in every corner of Nebraska access to next-generation 911 technology without every county shouldering the costs alone.

The goal for these cutting-edge 911 centers is to receive and share more accurate location information from a 911 callers cell phone or landline phone quickly enough to shorten police, fire and paramedic response times.

Some callers assume that 911 centers already receive clear location information regardless of the phone youre using. But thats true today only for landline callers at all but a few Nebraska 911 centers.

Today, cell phone locations are pinged to the nearest cell tower, State 911 director David Sankey told The World-Herald. That provides a wide range of possible locations, which can lead to delayed responses.

One recent example was the 2016 standoff in northwest Omaha, where a man who had been shot was too disoriented to share his address, and paramedics couldnt find him in time. He died.

The new system would provide dispatchers a data packet at the same time as the 911 call with a latitude and longitude for most 911 callers, similar to what a Google or Apple Maps app uses to find a smartphone user.

One day, Sankey says, this new system could be enhanced to help rescuers determine what floor of an apartment, condo or commercial building a 911 call came from, a near- impossibility today.

Another strength of the new 911 system would be its ability to more widely receive texts, photos and videos from cellphone users. Texting 911 is already possible in six Nebraska counties, including Douglas and Sarpy.

This technology allows people to summon police while hiding from an attacker or burglar. It also enables witnesses to text photos of suspects and criminal acts.

A 16-member group of stakeholders, empowered by a 2016 state law, put together the state plan for next-generation 911 after holding two public hearings. The state continues to engage more local governments in talks, a smart step.

Current plans call for funding the improved systems annual expenses through $6.5 million each year from an existing surcharge on wireless phones. After 2020, the PSC might seek to increase a fee to cover costs  which is why public understanding and scrutiny are needed.

The Public Service Commission and the Legislature deserve credit for steering the discussion of the future of 911 in Nebraska. Major progress that could save lives is in the offing.

The next challenge for the state is practical implementation, including keeping the public informed about costs and reasonable options for addressing them.
The writer is a demographer and dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The current debate about immigration is not new; we have been here before. Let me provide another perspective on the debate, using the story of my grandfather as a guide.

My grandfather, Louis Pol, arrived at Ellis Island in 1920, having spent the better part of 11 days in the steerage area of the RMS Caronia. The Caronia left Cherbourg, France on Nov. 11 and arrived in New York on Nov. 21. Louis traveled with his brother, Alfred; mother, Aline; father, Felix; and grandmother Charlotte.

Their time at Ellis Island was brief. They boarded a train at Jersey City traveling west. Destination: the coal fields of southern Indiana. Yes, my grandfather was a coal miner, and at age 15 he began a life that took him (and most of his immediate family) to Indiana, Illinois, Wyoming, West Virginia and Colorado.

The work was difficult, dirty and dangerous, yet it provided a steady income, especially during the Great Depression. I have a picture in my office of my grandfather and his crew at shift change in 1937, outside a mine in Superior, Colorado. There he stands, strong and proud, helmet on, with coveralls and clean face (he had just arrived for work), ready to descend into that black hole he rode into every day.

That occupation shortened the lives of many of the men who chose to work in coal. Yet they did it without complaint, even knowing that in a flash their lives might end hundreds of feet below the surface.

My grandfathers Americanization came slowly. His days in the mine were spent with other French-speaking miners. He married my French-descent grandmother (she was born in the United States), and they spoke French at home. Their extended families were slow to adopt English as their language, so much so that my father did not speak English until he began the first grade.

At the same time, it was clear early on that my grandfather saw himself as an American. In 1925, he received a draft notice from the French Army (he was still a French citizen), and he declined the opportunity. He was loyal to the United States and was part of a large group of men and women who drove the industrial production that eventually resulted in V.E. and V.J. Days, ending World War II.

In the 1950s, Louis went to work in the Rocky Flats Plant in Colorado, also known as the bomb factory. My grandfather was smart, and he had become a skilled mechanic in his mining days, making him a good addition to the workforce of Rocky Flats.

Rocky Flats was a nuclear weapons production facility that operated from 1952 to 1992. In 1953, the plant began to produce plutonium pits, or triggers, to be used in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. It was a nasty place to work. There were accidents, including a plutonium fire in 1957. Radioactive waste was found leaking into an open field in 1959.

Consider my description of Louis when he arrived at Ellis Island. He did not speak English, he was poorly educated, and he did not know much about our culture. If he were seeking entry today, according to some who wish to further restrict or perhaps halt immigration to the United States, he would not qualify. Many of the millions of immigrants who arrived in this country in the 19th and early 20th centuries would not qualify. Many of those people were our parents, grandparents or great-grandparents.

There is much more to sentiments and legislation regarding immigrants, guest workers, refugees, others seeking asylum and more.

Please keep in mind that the last time, it was us that they were concerned about. The children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of immigrants past are now the they.

The difference between us and them needs to be given much more serious thought in a nation as great as ours.
Nebraska appears to be dumbing down the requirements for teacher credentials (State aims to ease path for future teachers, Dec. 27 World-Herald).

Apparently the thinking is Nebraska public schools do not have the capability to produce qualified teachers, so the state needs to reduce the training and education requirements to become one.

Tell me, if Nebraska law enforcement or firefighting agencies qualifications were preventing some people from becoming police officers or firefighters, would the state dumb down those requirements?

I say its time we increase the teacher qualifications requirements so we can compete with our ever-changing world, just as we would increase the training of our police officers and firefighters.

These are professions demanding professionals.

Jim Sanford, Blair, Neb.
Notes from The Oregonian/OregonLive's books desk.

Pete Souza: The former chief official White House photographer under President Barack Obama comes to Portland to talk about his new book, "Obama: An Intimate Portrait" (Little, Brown and Company, 352 pages, $50). Souza has said of his work, "My job was to not disturb the moment, and yet to try to capture visually what was taking place. I tried to show President Obama not just as a president but as a human being." Powell's Books presents Souza at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Revolution Hall, 1300 S.E. Stark St.; the event is officially sold out, so try resellers.

Coming in 2018: Ursula K. Le Guin has published more in one lifetime than most of us could in nine, and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Her next book, "Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing" (Tin House Books, 150 pages, $14.95), compiles her conversations about fiction, nonfiction and poetry with the host of the Portland-based podcast Between the Covers, David Naimon. Look for the book July 17.

Portland author Chuck Palahniuk has a new satirical novel coming out. Publishers Weekly describes the world of "Adjustment Day" (W.W. Norton & Company, 284 pages, $26.95) thusly: "Smug, geriatric politicians hatch a nasty fate for the burgeoning population of young males; working-class men dream of burying the elites; and professors propound theories that offer students only the bleakest future." The scheduled publication date is May 1.

Poet Matthew Dickman has a new collection about his Portland childhood, "Wonderland" (W. W. Norton & Company, 96 pages, $26.95), in which he "journeys back into the dark edges of youth, violence, race, class, and masculinity," as Publishers Weekly puts it. The book is scheduled for release March 6.

Also getting a shout out from Publishers Weekly is Cheston Knapp's "Up Up, Down Down: Essays" (Scribner, 320 pages, $25), a collection of seven linked pieces with coming-of-age and identity themes. Knapp is managing editor of Portland-based Tin House Magazine (and a former Oregonian staffer). The book is slated for release Feb. 6.

Big Big Wednesday: A once-a-year literary journal, Portland's Big Big Wednesday celebrates its fifth issue with a launch party at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, at Mother Foucault's Bookshop, 523 S.E. Morrison St. The prose, poetry and visual art contributors, whose works range from the satirical to the ethereal, include five Portlanders: writer Amy Epperson, poets Sara Sutter and Kelsey Gray, photographer and letterpress printer Leslie Hickey and painter Beth Wooten. Copies of the journal will be available at the launch party as well as online at bigbigwednesday.com.
Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The work that's been done, the work that remains ahead

The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board's agenda helps us track developments in key public policy realms, always with the hope of keeping Portland and Oregon on the path toward the best possible outcomes.

We identified several priorities and throughout the year, pushed for our state and local leaders to make bold moves to address Oregons unstable budget, our growing unfunded pension liability, the states disgraceful high school graduation rates and homelessness.

Some solid work was done, but unfortunately, much is left to do.

Don't Edit

Mark Felix/AP Photo

Boost student success

Considering how many elected leaders claim that education is a top priority, Oregonians should be more than a little alarmed at how that prioritization has failed to move the needle. Oregon's high-school graduation rate remains the third worst in the country. Thousands of teens drop out of high school every year. And standardized test scores show that the percentage of Oregon students meeting educational benchmarks adopted by several states has declined in the past year.

If that werent enough, a recent audit by the Oregon Secretary of States office revealed the many ways that the state education department is falling short in its job of helping school districts educate and prepare students. The audit highlighted numerous recommendations to start turning the tide, such as using data to identify student groups most in need of support and communicating effective strategies to school districts. While its surprising that the department doesnt already employ some of these common-sense tactics, Director Colt Gill has committed to adopting the recommendations.

Legislators approved an 11 percent increase in the K-12 education budget for the 2017-2019 biennium. While that should be a welcome boost, some districts still had layoffs and other cuts due to the rising cost of employee benefits and pension contributions. And while the Legislature allocated millions toward voter-approved ballot measures for career and technical education and outdoor school, the amounts were far short of what voters had called for.

Don't Edit

Stephanie Yao Long | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Still, 2017 included some good news, particularly for Portland Public Schools, Oregon's largest school district. Portland voters overwhelmingly approved a $790 million bond to rebuild or modernize three high schools and a middle school, a desperately needed investment in the district's aging buildings. With three new school board members, including a new chair, the district has landed a new superintendent, hired an outside team to investigate the district's lackadaisical handling of repeated complaints of sexual misconduct by a former educator and adopted new policies designed to increase transparency.

While Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero has yet to prove himself amid some high-profile stumbles, the district appears to be breaking down the culture of dysfunction and lack of accountability that marked the last several years.

Don't Edit

Anna Reed/Statesman-Journal via AP

Get Oregon's financial house in order

The $1.8 billion deficit facing lawmakers last January as they sought to build the 2017-2019 budget should have prompted some deep soul-searching by state leaders. How could Oregon, swimming in more money than ever before, need severe reductions in education, health care and social services to balance its budget?

Unfortunately, any soul searching didn't last long. Increasing revenue projections driven by the state's red-hot economy helped shrink the budget gap and rescue lawmakers from making more difficult decisions. Legislators also passed a controversial package of taxes to fund health care  portions of which may or may not survive a 2018 referendum. And even though some school districts had to lay off staff and make other cuts, the K-12 schools budget was still comfortably large enough to let elected officials avoid confronting Oregon's unsustainable spending habit.

Don't Edit

AP Photo/Don Ryan

2017 should have been the year to pass pension reforms and new corporate taxes. Instead, Gov. Kate Brown, Speaker Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney abandoned efforts on both fronts in June and put off any significant action for 2019  when employee benefits and pension contributions are poised to suck hundreds of millions more out of public employers coffers.

Oregonians are the ones who pay for their lack of political will, as fewer tax dollars go to programs and services and more tax dollars go to pension contributions. Oregonians also pay for leaders inaction in the form of inequitable taxes, such as those highlighted in Ballot Measure 101, which target health plans purchased by school districts and small businesses while exempting those for employees at Nike, Intel and other self-insured companies.

Oregon's shaky financial footing becomes even more concerning with the unknown hit that the Republicans' tax bill will have on both the state's income and its residents. Oregonians bear the greatest share of the state's general fund responsibilities due to Oregon's heavy reliance on personal income taxes instead of corporate taxes. The state's future depends on leaders making changes immediately. Unfortunately, ignoring glaring problems until they hit crisis proportions is what passed for leadership in 2017.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jessica Floum | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Help our homeless

Few issues have divided our city and frayed citizens collective nerves than the housing emergency that is pricing out residents old and new, and leaving many without any home at all.

The homeless crisis isn't just a big city issue, citizens in rural counties and small towns across the state are also struggling to make the mortgage or rent and end up living in tents or their cars. It's a miserable existence, which is often likely to put homeless citizens at higher risk of becoming a victim of crime or poor health.

Those more fortunate are increasingly taking sides. Some neighbors and business owners are calling for increased police patrols to make their neighborhoods more safe and livable. Others are asking police to back off and seeking ways to help, such as the Kenton community that voted in early 2017 to build a tiny-home village there for women without housing.

Don't Edit

Stephanie Yao Long

Though symbolic at this point, one of the years more hopeful moves was a commitment by city and county leaders to add 2,000 units of housing over the next decade for those considered chronically homeless. These are the people who have spent at least a year without permanent housing. Often, these are the people who will need of an array of services to keep them off Portlands streets.

Hopefully, the coming year with bring more solid plans for how to pay for this more effective but costly solution. So-called "permanent supportive housing" are apartments or shared spaces that also provides tenants with health care, addiction treatment, job coaching and other services.

Without these long-term services, some of the citys most vulnerable will continue to die. In both 2015 and in 2016, the annual number of homeless people who died on the street was 80. Prior to that, the annual count had been closer to 55.

To sustain citizens' support and financial viability, our leaders must remain laser focused on what they've identified as a "housing emergency" for the third year running. City policies that may have seemed appropriate when they were first passed may now stand in the way of potential housing solutions. Take a city tree policy that levies significant fees for removing yard trees, a potential barrier for homeowners who would otherwise add an accessory dwelling unit for homeless families. There's also the city's potential "McMansion ban" that would cap construction of new homes at 2,500 square feet on the typical single-family lot. A city-commissioned report found such a cap could discourage builders and mean fewer new units built.

Don't Edit

Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management

Honor our diverse values

Many Oregonians rang in 2017 concerned about the polarization taking hold across the country following the presidential campaign. It hasnt gotten any better. The year was marked by fear for many, especially for those Oregonians of color, as the reports of hate crimes have continued to flow in across the state. By March, it had been reported that Oregon led the nation in the number of reported bias and hate crimes.

And despite the fact many city and state leaders continued to embrace Oregons 35-year-old sanctuary law, reports of federal immigration arrests have also been on the rise. Oregonians have complained that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have confronted them without uniforms or badges or without sharing their names. In one particularly disturbing case, agents mistook a longtime Washington County employee for an illegal immigrant just as protests of such arrests played out at the nearby courthouse in Hillsboro.

Members of Oregons congressional delegation rightly called for an apology, which federal officials have refused on two occasions.

Oregonians remain unclear how changes to the federal tax code will affect them or just how the Trump administration plans to redraw the boundaries of the Cascade Siskiyou National. At the very least, Oregonians may be able to celebrate the fact that the administration included the Portland Harbor Superfund site on the short list of toxic sites that need "immediate and intense" attention. We'll hope that announcement is a good thing and that the project moves forward as planned by the local stakeholders who have invested in the nearly 20-year clean-up project.

Don't Edit

Beth Nakamura/Staff

Make Portland a city that works

The frequent outbursts by agitators at Portland City Council meetings this year seem an apt metaphor for how the city conducts business these days. Too often, loud voices pushing their own agenda have successfully bullied the city into shortsighted policies that arent necessarily in Portlands best interests.

Thats a key factor in Portlands approach to its never-ending housing emergency. The progressive city with a booming economy, top-notch craft beer and thriving restaurant scene is increasingly crowded with newcomers wanting to live and work in Oregons largest city. Unfortunately, in a bid to appease existing residents, whether they be renters or homeowners, the City Council has adopted policies that attempt to cement the status quo rather than plan adequately for the areas relentless growth.

The city in February passed a law requiring landlords to give thousands of dollars in relocation payments to renters forced to move out after their leases have expired and is considering proposals to bar construction of homes greater than 2,500 square feet. While these may help some existing residents, the policies also threaten to discourage the private development necessary to build homes and rentals to accommodate far more people.

Don't Edit

Beth Nakamura/Staff

Coping with the housing crunch hasnt been the only challenge. The divisive politics that marked the victory of Donald Trump in 2016 continue to play out with protesters clashing in rallies that have, at times, turned violent. The brutal stabbings of three men aboard a MAX light-rail train last summer after they stood up to a man spewing epithets at two teen girls, one of them wearing a hijab, exposed the hate and bias even in progressive Portland. City Council has struggled to maintain order in its own chambers as some frequent attendees of meetings yell out insults, boo, interrupt or otherwise seek to disrupt meetings.

Like the state as a whole, Portlands spending is outpacing its record revenue. The city and Mayor Ted Wheeler will need to identify and stick to priorities. Lets hope 2018 proves them better at that than 2017.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Eric Risberg/AP Photo

Expand access to public records

After the controversies leading to Gov. John Kitzhabers resignation and lawmakers ensuing calls for increased government transparency, the editorial board chose this year to highlight the many issues with Oregons anemic public records laws.

Public agencies across the state regularly forget the laws requirement to err on the side of releasing information. Instead, officials tell citizens and the media that records dont exist -- or they charge thousands upfront to see if they do. Theres a culture of stalling, seemingly in hopes the request will be abandoned or forgotten. Sometimes each of these tactics is used, and unfortunately, sometimes it works.

But theres new hope. Several bills were thankfully passed during the 2017 legislative session aiming to address some of these issues by setting deadlines for governments to respond to requests and by creating a "sunshine committee" to review the need for the 500 exemptions laid out in the records law.

Thanks to other legislation, Oregons newly created public records advocate will also work to resolve disputes between record seekers and various agencies and cities. Whoever is named to the position in coming months will have their work cut out for them.

Earlier this month, The Oregonian/OregonLive series, Fired, but fit for duty, detailed a two-year  and unfortunately quite typical -- battle with the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training over public records. For two databases, describing decertification cases and officer training histories, the agency first trotted out a combined $17,000 price tag. For a different set of paper documents, the price was $29,282, which was later discounted to $14,641.

In response to one of the reporters several appeals, Oregons deputy attorney general wrote, given the authority that is entrusted to police officers, there is a significant public interest in monitoring the investigations that DPSST undertakes to determine whether a police officer's certification should be suspended or revoked." Indeed.

Then came one of the more creative avoidance tactics by an agency, in this case, the one that oversees the ethical and moral standards of law enforcement officers. A DPSST director offered to send a staffer to read Portland Police disciplinary records in person instead of taking possession of a paper copy. The thought seemed to be that the agency couldnt be forced to provide records it didnt have.

Of course, the official said that wasnt the case. It was simply a move to limit the agencys files to only the more relevant ones. Uh huh.

Hopefully, the public records advocate will be able to provide the information and start the conversation necessary for both sides to return to a place of trust and respect thats needed to make these transactions go more smoothly. Its work that will be necessary across many fronts here and across the country in the coming year.

The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board
By JILL GIBSON

As another year comes to an end, it's important to reflect on how well our leaders have served the needs of Oregonians and to set priorities for the new year.

When Gov. Kate Brown took office, she told Oregonians, "Bringing greater transparency to state government is one of my highest priorities." Yet her administration has been marred by incompetence, negligence and a shocking lack of transparency. And critical issues that preceded her tenure remain unresolved or, in many cases, have gotten worse.

The Oregon Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) deficit has grown from $18 billion to over $25 billion. Still, Gov. Brown and the Legislature refuse to even consider reforming PERS by modifying gold-plated government employee pension and health care benefits. Governor Brown did float the idea of selling off state agencies to raise some money to pay for PERS, but without real reforms, costs continue to grow, siphoning millions of dollars away from our classrooms. This year despite an 11 percent budget increase, schools were forced to cut teachers and programs in the face of spiraling teacher pension costs.

The Oregon Health Authority has been nothing short of a disaster. First, we learned that OHA was providing free health care to 55,000 people who were later deemed ineligible to receive it. At an average cost of $430 per month per recipient, that would total more than $283 million of your tax dollars wasted over a full year. The cost of checking and correcting these errors cost taxpayers another $4.3 million. As the former secretary of state, Brown should have identified or investigated these problems, especially after the state wasted $300 million on the failed Cover Oregon website project.

Hundreds of foster care children have been abused, starved or forced to stay in hotels with unlicensed caretakers. Children in Oregon daycares are at risk too. Iris Valley Learning Center had 102 violations and eight children suffered broken bones. Thirty children and adults became sick from a powerful insecticide at Coos Bay Children's Academy and regulators even allowed a Portland man to have a childcare business in his home while selling marijuana from a storefront dispensary.

And Gov. Brown has failed our senior citizens, too. More than 8,000 complaints of negligence, and abuse were kept out of a public database meant to help families make informed decisions about their parents' and grandparents' care. Brown promised to fix the database, but agency staff said it could take years.

Sadly, most of what we know about Kate Brown's tenure is the result of diligent Oregon journalists, not the transparent government we were promised. So, as we say goodbye to 2017, we hope the new year brings a more honest, open and competent state government that puts the needs of Oregonians first.

Jill Gibson is the spokesperson for Priority Oregon, a nonprofit that supports pro-growth policies, transparency and government accountability. She lives in SW Portland.
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.
Bloomington-Normal

Bio-Lab #13; through Jan. 15, Jan Brandt Gallery & Studio B, 1305 Morrissey Drive, Bloomington; textile installation by Jan Brandt; viewing by appointment at janbrandtgallery@gmail.com.

Sensing Synonyms; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Thu., Fri. by appointment, through Jan. 26; Heartland Community College Joe McCauley Gallery, 1500 W. Raab Road, Normal; paintings and fabric works by Whitney Johnson and Alissa Palmer. Reception, 4-5:30 p.m. Jan. 25.

Serving Students: The Legacy of Milner's Library; through Feb. 19, ISU Milner Library second floor; historical exhibit; free.

ISU University Galleries; noon-4 p.m. Mon., 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Tue., 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Fri., noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun., Uptown Station, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; rotating exhibits in three galleries; free; 309-438-8321.

IWU Merwin and Wakeley Galleries; school hours, noon-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun., 7-9 p.m. Tue.; 302 E. Graham St., Bloomington; rotating exhibits; free; 309-556-3391.

McLean County Arts Center; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tue., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Fri., noon-4 p.m. Sat.; 601 N. East St., Bloomington; rotating exhibits, sales, rentals, art classes and lectures; free; 309-829-0011.

McLean County Museum of History; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Tue.), 200 N. Main St., Bloomington; permanent and rotating exhibits; adults $5, seniors $4, students, children under 12 and members free; 309-827-0428.

Challenges, Choices and Change: Making a Home; McLean County Museum of History, see above; permanent exhibit exploring experiences of people from around the world who made McLean County their home.

Abraham Lincoln in McLean County; McLean County Museum of History, see above; permanent exhibit on Lincoln's life in Bloomington.

Challenges, Choices and Change: Farming in the Great Corn Belt; McLean County Museum of History, see above; new permanent exhibit on McLean County's agricultural history.

Prairie Aviation Museum; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thu.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., 2929 E. Empire St., Bloomington; permanent and rotating exhibits and displays with aerial history themes; adults $5, ages 6-11 $3, 5 and under free; 309-663-7632.

Central Illinois

U of I Krannert Art Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Thu. during fall and spring semesters), closed Sun., 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign; paintings, porcelain, historical artifacts, traveling art exhibits; $3 donation suggested; 217-333-1861.

World on the Horizon: Swahili Arts Across the Indian Ocean; through March 24, Krannert Art Museum, see above; various media, including jewelry, architectural elements and photographic portraits.

Provenance: A Forensic History of Art; through June 2, Krannert Art Museum, see above; exhibit examining history of ownership of six 15th-19th-century paintings.

Postwar Printmaking in the United States, 1945-1955; through March 17, Krannert Art Museum, see above; works in a range of printmaking techniques.

Amity Township Museum; 1-3 p.m. first Sunday of month or by appointment, 510 Main St., Cornell; displays and artifacts relating to history of Cornell and Amity Township; free; 815-358-2973.

Eureka College Burgess Hall Art Gallery; 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays and by appointment on weekends, third floor of Burgess Hall, Eureka College, Eureka; rotating exhibits; free; 309-467-6866.

Simpkins Military History Museum; 1-5 p.m. Tue., Thu., Sat., or by appointment; 605 E. Cole St., Heyworth; permanent and rotating military history exhibits; free (donations accepted); 309-473-3989.

100th Anniversary of World War I; through Nov. 30, 2018, Simpkins Military History Museum, see above.

Dickson Mounds Museum; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 10956 N. Dickson Mounds Road, Lewistown; displays, special exhibits; free; 309-547-3721.

Lincoln Heritage Museum; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 1-4 p.m. Sat., Lincoln Center at Lincoln College, 300 Keokuk St., Lincoln; Lincoln-era items, audio-visual displays, tours, exhibits, more; adults $7, children/tours $4; 217-735-7399.

Lovers of Liberty, Take Courage!; through Dec. 31, Lincoln Heritage Museum, see above; exhibit on displays of courage from historical figures, including Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Contemporary Art Center of Peoria; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., Riverfront Arts Center, 305 S.W. Water St., Peoria; rotating exhibits in two galleries; free; 309-674-6822.

Peoria Art Guild; Foster Arts Center, Harrison and Washington streets, Peoria; rotating exhibits, gift shop; free; 309-637-2787.

Peoria Riverfront Museum; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 16 and Feb. 20, Tue.-Wed. and Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thu.-Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sun., downtown riverfront Peoria; permanent and rotating exhibits, planetarium shows, Giant Screen Theater and events; $9-$11 (free parking in museum garage); 309-686-7000.

Emergence: The National Arts of Central Illinois; through Jan. 14, Peoria Riverfront Museum, see above; contemporary works by 50 nationally/internationally artists.

Penelope Umbrico: Screen Light; through Jan. 7, Peoria Riverfront Museum, see above; photographic installations sourced from social media sites.

Private Public: Artists, Audience and Intention; through Jan. 7, Peoria Riverfront Museum, see above; exhibit contrasting art intended for private enjoyment and public display

Museum of the Gilding Arts; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun., April-Oct., and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sun., Nov.-March, 217 N. Mill St., Pontiac; displays, history and hands-on exhibits dedicated to the art of gilding and gold beating; free (donations welcome); 815-842-1848.

Pontiac Community Art Center; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., 209 W. Madison St., Pontiac; rotating exhibits; 815-419-2472.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sun., 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield; Lincoln-themed exhibits, historical displays, special events, more; adults $12, seniors and students $9, ages 5-15 $5, under 5 free; 217-558-8844.
As 2017 is closing, new class action lawsuits have been filed in the courts against Apple. Class Action number 15 was filed by law firm Cohen & Malad on behalf of Peter A. Schroeder of Indianapolis Indiana. According to Schroeder, "Apple Inc.'s unlawful failure to inform consumers that updating their iPhone versions prior to the iPhone 8 (the "Legacy Devices") to iOS 10.2.1 (and/or later to iOS 11.2) would dramatically and artificially reduce the performance of the Legacy Devices." Schroeder added that "Normal lithium-ion battery wear does not reduce performance; a weakening battery has no effect on performance unless there is software that links the two. And that is precisely what Apple did."

Please note that at the end of our report you'll see a poll on whether Apple fans think an apology on this issue is enough.

Causes of Action

Count 1: Violations of Indiana's Deceptive Consumer Sales Act

Count 2: Trespass to Chattels

Count 3: Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing

Count 4: Breach of Implied Contract

For more details of this case, review the full Class Action lawsuit filing below provided to you courtesy of Patently Apple.

Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Indiana by Peter a. Schroeder v. Apple 2017 by Jack Purcher on Scribd

Class Action Lawsuit Reports Posted on this One Issue since December 22, 2017

14: Class Action #15 filed in Indiana Claims Apple Software Updates dramatically & artificially reduced performance of Legacy Devices

13: First Class Action from New Orleans Claims that Apple 'Designed Software Updates' to slow iPhones to Encourage New Sales

12: Despite Apple's Public Apology and Explanation over the Performance of Batteries, another Class Action was Filed Yesterday in San Jose

11: First Class Action from Texas Claims that Apple Intentionally Designed Software Updates to Slowdown iPhones

10: First Class Action against Apple from Chicago Surfaces Claiming 'Intentional Sabotage of Older Model iPhones'

09: Apple Hit with a Lawsuit over Slowing iPhones in France and a Pair of Law Firms in Korea are Preparing Class Actions

08: The 10th Class Action against Apple Claims they Fraudulently Omitted Information about the Battery Issue in order to sell new iPhones

07: The 9th Lawsuit against Apple for Purposely slowing iPhones Points to Fraud, Unjust Enrichment and 9 other Causes for their Class Action

06: The 7th and 8th Class Action Lawsuits have been filed in New York and California with one Suit demanding an insane $999 Billion Payout

05: Apple Hit with a $125 Million Class Action in Israel over Purposely Slowing iPhones

04: Apple hammered with Class Action #5 for slowing iPhone Battery Issue

03: The Fourth Lawsuit against Apple regarding the slowing iPhone Battery Issue was filed in New York on Friday

02: Apple has been hit with a Third Battery Issue Related Lawsuit by a Bay Area Resident

01: In the Blink of an Eye, Apple's Admission of Slowing Batteries on Older iPhones turns into a Class Action Lawsuit (this report covers two class action lawsuits)

In addition, lawsuits against Apple on this issue will be coming from France, South Korea and Australia in 2018.

A Few Interesting Reports on the Issue

A report posted yesterday by Business Insider says that Tim Cook needs to take responsibility for Apple's battery scandal. The report noted that "Making a public apology seems like part of the job responsibility for a CEO. Cook made over $12 million in 2017, and he flies on private jets furnished by Apple. It seems like attaching his name to an apology is the least he can do for Apple users who now feel betrayed. Cook has signed letters on Apple's website before, so it wouldn't be unprecedented.

Yesterday 9to5Mac posted a report titled "Do you think Apples apology for how it handled the iPhone slowdown controversy goes far enough?" The report ended with a Poll. The results of the poll, as of this morning, are noted in the screenshot below.

It's clear that the Apple community is split on this issue.





About Comments: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus.
Patna: For the third consecutive days, air traffic at the Patna Airport remained in a state of complete disarray due to heavy fog in the early hours extending as late as noon when hundreds of harried passengers braved the cold weather outside the building after the inside of the airport filled up in a matter of minutes.

Before long, six inbound flights were diverted to other airports like Ranchi and Kolkata and ten flights were cancelled that were to take off from Patna for various destinations.

Both inside and outside the airport, it was complete chaos as passengers, in the absence of any information about the status of their flight, clashed with the airport officials and airline employees forcing the security guards to step in and escort the 'trouble-makers' out of the building.

As reported, the airport officials, alarmed by the low visibility on the landing strip, canceled ten flights five of which happened to be of the IndiGo Airlines. Three flights of Jet Airways and one each of SpiceJet and GoAir were also grounded on account of dense fog.

Anticipating no change in the weather condition, a number of airlines including IndiGo have already announced cancellation of flights to and from Patna.

Meanwhile, at Patna Junction things were not any better as nearly all passenger trains were running 10-12 hours behind their schedule.

The Delhi-Patna Rajdhani Express arrived at Patna 12 hours late while Sampoorna Kranti was eight hours late arriving at Patna Junction. Kolkata-Patna Rajdhani Express was 14 hours late while Vikramshila Express, Shramjeevi Express, Magadh Express, Brahmaputra Mail, Farakka Express, and Amritsar Mail, among many others were also running eight to 22 hours late.
Have you ever thought about buying a pair of pants online without trying them in real life? Or a pair of glasses? Or even a mattress?

While using Facebook or Instagram, listening to podcasts or just browsing the web, you may have come across ads from brands such as Betabrand, Warby Parker, Casper or Harrys. These companies represent a growing niche in the retail marketplace: direct to consumer. They bypass traditional retail channels and sell their own products themselves using social media.

These brands tend to have cachet, particularly with younger people.

Nearly half of millennials, in one survey, said they were influenced by social media in their purchases, compared to 19 percent of all other age groups.

There are potential benefits to shopping this way. But there can be drawbacks too.

Benefits

Price: Direct-to-consumer brands pitch that they can offer higher quality at lower prices by cutting out the middleman. Warby Parker pioneered this area by offering all of its eyeglasses for a single uniform price of $95. That can compare to hundreds of dollars at traditional retail.

Quality: As companies with a limited range of products, these brands are squarely associated with the products they sell. This compares favorably with buying at Amazon or a big box store where the actual maker is somewhere far down a global supply chain. Some of these companies promise better manufacturing practices or other socially responsible approaches to business.

Also, since they are direct to consumer, some of these companies can be more nimble with offering a variety of updated options, in response to consumer demand. Betabrand, an online apparel brand, for example, has a crowdfunding model. New styles are introduced and get made only if enough people pledge to buy them.

Service: In order to get you to buy things online you might otherwise not, these companies often try to offer highly responsive customer service. This can include free try-ons, free samples, free shipping and returns, and customer loyalty programs.

At the same time, some people like to shop and make decisions on a purchase without having to interact with sometimes-pushy salespeople.

But thats not all there is to shopping on social media. ...

Drawbacks

Try-ons: A major reason that people dont like to shop for glasses, clothes or mattresses online is, of course, that they want to try these things on in person.

And this can be a big drawback to online shopping.

These companies may offer trial periods and money-back guarantees, but they do that in full knowledge of a home truth of consumer psychology. That is, once the product gets into your home, it is most likely to stay there.

Marketing: Just because there are no sweaty salespeople breathing down your neck when you shop online for, say, mattresses, that doesnt mean there is no unwanted marketing associated with these brands.

A recent investigative report in Fast Company, a business magazine, showed that various online mattress companies offered both incentives and threats to bloggers who represented themselves as independent reviewers of mattresses. Some of these bloggers may have been earning millions of dollars. The bottom line is to take anything you read online about a product with a grain of salt, even a supposedly independent review.

Locked-in: For savvy consumers, one more drawback of many online direct-to-consumer retailers is the subscription model. A mattress is likely to be a once-in-a-long-while purchase. But other companies specialize in products youll buy again and again: glasses (Warby Parker) or contacts (Hubble); razors (Harrys) or feminine products (Lola).

And a whole other category of direct-to-consumer, web-focused retailers turn just about any product category into a subscription, usually in the form of a monthly box: cosmetics, snacks, pet treats, clothing, you name it.

Heres the issue: We all get exhausted making decisions month in and month out.

These companies rely on getting your credit card information once and then sending you products whether or not you want them or need them. This can be hard on your budget, even if its fun when you open the mail.
Patna: Just days after the Lok Sabha passed the 'Triple Talaq' bill that criminalizes the age-old practice of divorcing the wife by her husband in the Muslim community by an act of saying 'talaq', or divorce, three times, the women cell of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), at a function at Anjuman Islamia Hall in Patna on Saturday, opposed the bill saying any interference in the Shariat Law would not be tolerated by the Muslim women of India.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairperson of the women cell of the AIMPLB Dr. Mahazabeen Naaz said that Muslim women favored the Shariat Law overwhelmingly and would not tolerate any change in it by any government, political, or judicial body.

"Our freedom is dependent on our Shariat Law and we Muslim women condemn this new 'Triple Talaq' Bill unequivocally and without any reservation," Dr. Naaz said adding who would support the wives if their husbands are rounded up and sent to jail.

Nargis Jehan Barwi, an advocate, also slammed the new bill that now awaits clearance from the Rajya Sabha saying the Muslim Personal Law was an integral part of the Muslim life and therefore, could not be tampered with by any government regardless of one's intention.

The head of the Imarat-e-Sharia Maulana Anisurrahaman Qasmi echoed the sentiment saying any interference in the Shariat Law regarding 'Triple Talaq' would not be tolerated as this was a ploy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to fill the jails with Muslims.

"Muslims have been living in India for last several hundred years and no one had ever tried to change the Shariat Law that guides the life of a Muslim. We will not allow any modification in the Shariat Law because it is clearly a ploy by the government to fill the prisons with Muslims on the basis of this new bill. The country is faced with thousands of cases of women's oppression by men but no one ever advocated death by hanging to them. We are looking at our legal options in this matter will take steps accordingly," he said.

Former Bihar minister Dr. Abdul Ghafoor also criticized the Triple Talaq bill saying it was not acceptable as it 'took away freedom from the women'.

As reported, the bill was cleared amidst reservation by the opposition leaders the same day it was introduced in the Lok Sabha. The bill will now be introduced in the Upper House where it is expected to sail through without any problem.

Originally called the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017, criminalizes pronouncement of 'talaq' by a person by 'words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal.' It also provides for imprisonment for a term, which may extend to three years, and a fine, for violators.
Zimbabwe's governing Zanu-PF party has confirmed President Robert Mugabe as its candidate for the 2018 elections.



Mr Mugabe, who is 92, has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980.



At the party's conference, the Zanu-PF youth wing even proposed that Mr Mugabe should be declared president for life.



However, there have been unprecedented protests this year against Zimbabwe's economic turmoil and Mr Mugabe's leadership.



The Zanu-PF has also suffered serious infighting as factions battle it out to succeed Mr Mugabe once he eventually leaves.



His supporters broke into thunderous applause and chanted "tongai, tongai baba" [rule, rule father] as the Zanu-PF annual conference in the south-eastern town of Masvingo nominated Mr Mugabe on Saturday.



'One family'

In his acceptance speech, Mr Mugabe called for an end to party infighting.



"We agreed that conflicts should end. Infighting should end. The party ideology should be followed," he said.



"Let us be one. We are one family, the family of Zanu-PF bound together by the fact of understanding between its members."



Mr Mugabe has blamed the country's economic problems on sabotage by Western critics of his policies.



Amid violent protests earlier this year he warned there would be no Zimbabwean uprising similar to the "Arab Spring".

Source: BBC









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
Former President Jerry John Rawlings says his constant criticisms of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) - a party he co-founded - over certain acts he considered to be "wrongs" a couple of years ago, were primarily because that was the "only way to legitimize any right to expose the speck in anothers".



"I cannot lay claim to the position of party founder and spend time criticizing another party or institution when my house is burning...Removing the log in my eye is the only way to legitimize any right to expose the speck in anothers," he said.



Sadly, he said, some "latter-day party officials" and "political novices", hankering after the praise of their paymasters, "made it their chore to denigrate" him for loudly and forcefully commenting about such wrongs in the NDC.



He was speaking at the 36th anniversary of the 31st December Revolution, held in the Volta Regional Capital, Ho, Sunday. Present at the event were former President John Dramani Mahama and hundreds of supporters of the opposition NDC.



This years 31st December revolution event was held under the theme, Uniting around the principles of probity, accountability, and social justice.



Some leading figures in the NDC have taken the former president to task for constantly "booming" against his own party.



Chiefly amonsgt them is former Deputy Chief of Staff under the Mahama administration, Valerie Sawyer, who in a recent article, questioned if Mr Rawlings' "reign was unblemished or that his twin brothers (President Akufo-Addo) reign is unsullied?" and further described his "booms" as "buzzes".



They say he booms  I say he buzzes  like an agitated mosquito  looking for his next victim. Again, he heads for other Heads of State  describing their governance as riddled with corruption. Is he trying to say that his reign was unblemished or that his twin brothers (President Akufo-Addo) reign is unsullied? Really? Who born dog  in fact  who born monkey?



JJ oooo JJ  the great Papa JJ  the one and only Junior Jesus  the great saint who never does wrong  you are still flogging a dead horse  the NDC is in opposition in case you have not noticed, while a living raging bull is moving around with reckless abandon destroying everything it finds in its path including the assets and citizens of this nation, Valerie Sawyer wrote.



Rhetoric Must Stop



Decrying how the youth seemed to be "motivated by monetary influence" rather than the ideals of probity, accountability, integrity and social justice which underpined the NDC in its formative years, the former president charged the NDC to rise up for a new revolution since the "grassroots of our party has been paralysed by the complete dearth of principles".



"Ladies and gentlemen, I did indicate a year ago that the loss at the 2016 elections was self-inflicted. The ideals of probity, accountability, integrity and social justice did not manifest itself in our policies and conduct at all times. Some of our own comrades chose to be impervious to reality and we experienced a crushing defeat that haunts many till today....The grassroots of our party has been paralysed by the complete dearth of principles to drive the party. Our youth are being motivated by monetary influence rather than principles. Many have no clue about the ideals of the party and only see political association as an economic association, further emboldening the so-called kingmakers.



The time has come for the rhetoric to stop. The time has come for the men and women who believe in the ideals of June 4, 31st December and the NDC to rise up. The time has come for a new revolution. This is not about Jerry Rawlings. This is about you and generations to come. Rawlings is not a faction and will never be. The ideals you believe in and for which I stand for and represent, are ideals that will stand the test of time no matter how long some choose to distort it with transient economic might. You have to be strong, steadfast and politically robust. You have to rise up to be counted....," Mr Rawlings said.



Party Structure Weak and Abused



He further urged party members to elect people with "strength of character" and ability to "rein in members of their own government when in power", and not allow "materialism and money politics" to influence their decision making when the NDC elects new executives in 2018.



"The NDC needs men and women at its various Executive positions who have the strength of character to boldly lead the party and ensure that they have the ability to rein in members of their own government when in power. Our party structure was weak, abused and ignored in the immediate past and when change comes that change must be one that carries with it the power and will of the people. If we do not allow that revolutionary change but allow materialism and money politics to dictate our choices, then we will stay in the political abyss for a considerable period," former President Rawlings stated.



About the 31st December Revolution



The revolution brought the Military Junta, the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) led by then Ft. Lt. J.J Rawlings into power in 1981.



On 31st December 1981, former President Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings led a group of soldiers to topple the late President Hilla Limans government to form the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC).



The PNDC was an amalgamation of the Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC) which on 4th June 1978, deposed the Supreme Military Council (SMC) II, and handed over power to Limans government after elections.



The PNDC steered the affairs of the country until 1992 when the country was returned to constitutional democracy.

Source: Nana Kwadwo Asante Agyemang/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
President Nana Akufo-Addo has expressed his 2018 resolve to quicken the pace at which his government delivers on its 2016 electoral promises.



"2017 I said I was a man in a hurry. But in 2018, we are coming with supersonic speed", he said during a visit to a technology exhibition organised by Kristo Asafo.



His man-in-a-hurry comment was made during his first state of the nation address in February 2017.



"The times, in which we live, demand that we, all, be in a hurry to deal with the problems we face".



Government has been keen to point out that it has achieved more in a year than the previous NDC government did in eight years.



President Akufo-Addo is on record as the first President to assemble his team of Ministers within the space of a month.



But 2017 saw the NPP government on a launching spree.



President Akufo-Addo launched his government's flagship agricultural policy, National Planting for Food and Job programme barely three months after the government was inaugurated in January.



He also rolled out his government's flagship industrialisation plan, One District One Factory Policy, in August.



It launched its the National Digital Property Addressing System in October after rolling out big bill item - free SHS - in September. But his critics believe the free education policy could have been delayed for better implementation.



Another major launch was the new national identification card in September. But the delivery on its promise to actually produce the cards for Ghanaians is yet to be realised.



At the technology fair where several government officials joined President Akufo-Addo, he repeated his commitment to move Ghana beyond aid.



"The way we move about begging for money in other countries is not nice. That is not how God created us", he said.



The President pointed out that the way to achieve self-sufficiency, is for there to be "masters of technology" in Ghana, praising Apostle Kwadwo Safo for his trail-blazing feats.



The preacher and inventor has said he is the "only man on earth capable of producing metals from seashells and palm husk making metals renewable".



His automobile manufacturing line in Ghana has attracted some international attention.



His Kantanka range of cars includes both saloon and 4-wheel drives. There is an SUV called the Nkunimdie. There are the Kantaka Onantefuo 4x4 pickup and the Kantanka Opasuo range as well as the Otumfo SUV.





Source: myjoyonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- For the four Republicans who hope to challenge Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's re-election bid next year, the first playoff game before the May 15 primary election will be the state party's endorsement.

That endorsement vote, scheduled for Feb. 10, could determine who stays in the primary race and who gets to brag that they won the endorsement while drawing upon the financial benefits of the party's backing.

Should the party be unable or unwilling to endorse, it would be the first time in 40 years.

A looming four-way contest puts the 347 state Republican Party committee members in the sticky position of choosing between two people -- York County state Sen. Scott Wagner and state House Speaker Mike Turzai, of suburban Pittsburgh -- who have played outsized roles in helping elect Republican lawmakers.

"It's a squeamish situation for some of them," said Alan Novak, the Republican Party's chairman from 1996 through 2004.

All four candidates, including lawyer Laura Ellsworth and former health care systems consultant Paul Mango, both of suburban Pittsburgh, have told party officials they will run in the primary, with or without the party's endorsement.

Wagner is widely viewed as the favorite after announcing his candidacy a year ago, far before the others. The day after Turzai announced his candidacy in November, Wagner's campaign released a list of 64 state committee members who, it said, had endorsed him.

No other candidate has released a list of state committee supporters, but the persuasion campaign is in full swing: letter writing, personal phone calls and meet-and-greets.

"It's very difficult in that all these people are getting in it, and they all think they are the most likely candidate to win it, and they all think they have enough votes at state committee to win," said Michael Meehan, Philadelphia's Republican Party chairman. "Unfortunately, all of them can't win."

No GOP-endorsed candidate has lost Pennsylvania's gubernatorial primary in 40 years.

Still, an endorsement of Wagner would represent a break with a tradition of backing establishment-style candidates.

Wagner was endorsed by Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former strategist who, as chairman of the right-wing Breitbart News, backed Roy Moore's failed candidacy in Alabama's U.S. Senate race that cost Republicans a seat in the chamber.

The founder of a prominent trash-hauling company in south-central Pennsylvania, Wagner touts his business credentials and is rated by the American Conservative Union as among the Senate's five most conservative senators. His penchant for speaking off-the-cuff makes him a magnet for controversy, and he has clashed openly with moderate members of his caucus.

He took office in 2014 by winning a write-in bid over the GOP's hand-picked candidate, a veteran state lawmaker, in an expensive and bruising primary in which top Republican senators spent heavily to try to defeat him. Before that, he donated heavily to conservative candidates and causes, even if it meant challenging sitting Republican public officials.

Starting Jan. 6, the state party's regional caucuses will begin meeting with the candidates and holding straw votes ahead of a formal state committee vote. Regional caucus meetings will wrap up Feb. 3, a week before committee members meet in Hershey to decide party endorsements.

"A lot of people in the counties really haven't made a decision yet," said Dick Stewart, co-chair of the Central Caucus. "I think they really want to hear the candidates make a presentation."

In election seasons since 1978, it has been obvious as to who would win the party's gubernatorial endorsement, said Blake Marles, who chairs the four-county northeast central caucus. The promise of an endorsement is typically used as a shield to avoid potentially divisive and expensive primary contests, and the GOP field is usually clear well before the party's endorsement meeting.

Not this year.

The prospect of losing the endorsement isn't scaring candidates away from running without it, and the Republican Party's cash may be stretched to help save congressional and legislative majorities in a difficult mid-term election.

"So the question is then," said Charles Gerow, a committee member from Cumberland County, "what's the endorsement's true value?"
Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico's career as a prosecutor ends Sunday. He will be sworn in as a county judge Tuesday morning. (PennLive file photo)

Don't Edit

By Candy Woodall | cwoodall@pennlive.com

Don't Edit

Ed Marsicos career as district attorney is ending much like it began  embroiled in a high-profile crime near the State Capitol steps.

When he drove home from work the Friday before Christmas, he expected his last 10 days as a prosecutor would probably be quiet. Calls about an active shooter in Harrisburg assured they wouldnt be.

The outgoing district attorney soon learned a man shot at a Capitol Police officer and a state trooper downtown and then engaged in a gunfight on Allison Hill.

He got to his Lower Paxton Township home and quickly left for the scene at 17th and Mulberry streets, arriving about 20 minutes after the shootout.

It was as many cops as I remember ever seeing at a scene, said Marsico, the longest-serving district attorney in Dauphin County history.

Don't Edit

Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico arrives at the scene of a Harrisburg Police shooting, Friday evening, Dec. 22, 2017. A body could be seen laying in the street. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

Don't Edit

Numerous departments responded after Ahmed El-Mofty targeted police in a shooting spree that began just before sunset at Front and State streets.

El-Mofty was shot and killed by police about an hour later on the hill.

Whenever there is an officer-involved shooting, the district attorneys office becomes the lead investigative agency. In this case, one state trooper and three Harrisburg police officers fired at El-Mofty.

It was a big case, Marsico said. It was big because two different officers were shot at downtown and more were shot at on the hill. Thats incredibly rare for us. To have someone hunting copsthats fortunately rare.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

He worked until 3 a.m. the next morning, trying to answer two questions: Why was this guy doing it? Who was he?

The answers eluded a local and national audience, which grew larger after a U.S. Department of Homeland Security labeled the Harrisburg shootings as a terror attack.

There were certain indicators in the case that are hallmarks in terror attacks: a recent trip to the Mideast, purchasing guns upon returning, firing shots into a crowded downtown area.

However, on Thursday, Marsico announced El-Mofty had no known connections to terrorist organizations and no accomplices. He painted the shooter as a depressed, lone gunman.

Don't Edit

Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty, 51, has been identified by officials as the man behind a shooting spree in Harrisburg, Dec. 22, 2017. (Photo submitted by the Dauphin County district attorney's office)

Don't Edit

But the case isnt closed and theres more work to be done.

Were still looking for what exactly his motivation was, were still tracking down leads, looking for people who knew him, figuring out what he was doing overseas, getting bank records, Marsico said.

Much of that work will continue without him. Sunday is his last day as DA. Hell be sworn in as a Dauphin County judge at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

My career as DA is now bookended by two huge cases, said Marsico, a Dauphin County Republican who has successfully prosecuted thousands of cases.

Don't Edit

"Ed Marsico has been an outstanding district attorney and a leader among prosecutors throughout the state. His commitment to the rule of law and justice will help make him an exceptional judge." - Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett

Don't Edit

A night of terror, a week of clues: What we know after Harrisburg shooting spree

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Prosecuting a state lawmaker

Don't Edit

A tip in a December 1999 Christmas card linked the hit-and-run death of a black, unemployed Marine veteran from Harrisburg to a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a white, Republican state lawmaker from Philadelphia.

The victim, Kenneth Cains, was featured in news reports nationwide, as were state Rep. Tom Druce and Marsico, the new chief prosecutor in Dauphin County.

In many ways, Marsico wasnt new at all. He started clerking the DAs office while he was still in law school and had been an assistant district attorney for 11 years before rising to the top spot after his predecessor Richard A. Lewis moved on to serve as a county judge.

But his actions in the Cains case set the tone for the next 18 years.

He knows when and how to be tough, and he knows when and how to be compassionate, said Josh Lock, a longtime criminal defense attorney who has litigated against Marsico his entire career. And hes not afraid to take on big cases.

Don't Edit

Attorney Joshua Lock (Screenshot)

Don't Edit

Lock was not opposing counsel in the Cains case. Druce brought in other top lawyers, including the late Matt Gover, who was assisted by Dave Freed, now a U.S. attorney and former Cumberland County district attorney.

I remember very clearly going in with Matt to meet with Eddie and Fran Chardo, Freed said. I went in with all the confidence of a 28 year old and said they didnt have it on one of the charges. Eddie pointed out they had the case on three or four other charges. It was a masterful investigation.

Marsicos first case as DA, even after nearly two decades as the countys top prosecutor, is still one of the biggest cases he tried.

That case attracted an incredible amount of media attention, with a Caucasian, rising star killing an African-American man crossing Cameron Street in Harrisburg, Marsico said. It was big for us and big for the Capitol. Ask Charlie.

Statehouse reporter Charlie Thompson, who has worked for PennLive/The Patriot-News for nearly 30 years, remembers it as Marsicos first real test.

It was a challenging case that pushed sensitive buttons and Druce was soliciting advice from powerful Republicans, including former Attorney General Leroy Zimmerman and House Speaker Matt Ryan.

There was also a large outcry from the African-American community, with demonstrations on the Capitol steps.

Marsico had the city looking at him, Thompson said. He had to know Republicans were watching the case. He had to know the African-American community was watching the case. I felt like it was almost a precarious tight rope he was on, but he walked it really well.

Don't Edit

"He knows when and how to be tough, and he knows when and how to be compassionate." - Josh Lock, defense attorney

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

The young district attorney took out the extraneous stuff and set it aside. He looked at the case as if it was any John Doe, any criminal case.

He wasnt swayed by the name on the docket, Thompson said. He was swayed by the facts of the case and how they apply to the law.

The case dragged on for years, with Druce using all legal means available in his defense. He eventually pleaded guilty to the fatal hit-and-run, and a judge sentenced him to 2 to 4 years in prison.

Druces attorneys tried to get the time served in county prison so the lawmaker could get work release. Marsico argued against that and pushed for state prison, which is where Druce ultimately ended up for two years before getting paroled in March 2006.

At the time, I do think he won some credit with the black community in Harrisburg, Thompson said. There was a fear that a white guy would get off for a fatal hit-and-run of a black victim, but Marsico insisted on punishment. He showed justice is blind and made a good first impression on people who were watching.

That included a ton of media  so much that Druces lawyers asked to move the case out of Dauphin County, saying a fair trial wasnt possible after extensive reporting. Marsico was also quoted as calling it a media circus. But a judge kept the trial in the county where the crime happened.

In many ways, it was one of the first satellite truck cases, said Freed, referring to national media satellite trucks that descend on an area during a big news event. Eddie was ready on day one to handle that case and all that came with it as DA, and hell be ready to handle anything on day one as judge.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Judging Marsico

Don't Edit

After nearly 30 years in the DAs office, Marsico knew it was time to move on.

Upon graduating from The Dickinson School of Law in 1988, he immediately became an assistant DA in Dauphin County for 11 years. In January 2000, he was sworn in as the chief prosecutor.

Its time for a change for me personally and the office too, Marsico said. I enjoy public service and being a judge is a different way to do that.

He will become the third Dauphin County DA to join the bench: Lewis served as DA from 1980 to 1994 and is now president judge, and Judge John F. Cherry was DA from 1994-99.

Lewis was there from the beginning of Marsicos career, noting that he worked his way up the ladder by showing a high degree of talent, savvy and hard work.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Marsico established himself as a skilled and persuasive litigator, initially prosecuting drug cases, then progressing onto homicides and higher-profile cases, the president judge said.

His coolness under pressure became apparent with some of the high-profile cases he handled, not only in the courtroom but in the court of public opinion once he became DA, Lewis said.

If any cases come before him as judge that he worked on as DA, Marsico said he will recuse himself.

The county handles more than 7,000 cases per year, and after a week of judge training at Penn State, Marsico will start getting family court cases and drug court cases.

Many of his colleagues expect he will handle those cases with fairness, above all.

As a judge, I expect that he will maintain the same calm demeanor and cool reflection that he now displays, Lewis said.

Freed said his career as DA as prepared him well because hes spent a career using discretion on issues large and small.

As a judge, he will be a pleasure for lawyers to practice in front of, the U.S. attorney said. He understands the courtroom, and he will never forget where he came from as a courtroom lawyer. He will respect lawyers and litigants.

But he wont be easy, Freed added.

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, who served as attorney general from 1995 to 1997 and 2005 to 2011, also had good things to say about Marsico.

Ed Marsico has been an outstanding district attorney and a leader among prosecutors throughout the state. His commitment to the rule of law and justice will help make him an exceptional judge.

Don't Edit

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (PennLive file photo)

Don't Edit

"It's time for a change for me personally and the office too." - Ed Marsico, outgoing district attorney

Don't Edit

'Best of the best'

Don't Edit

Its common for fellow Republicans or colleagues in the DAs office to support each other, but glowing remarks from a local defense attorney stand out.

And as Lock is quick to remind, I dont do state court anymore. I dont have a reason to kiss his butt other than he deserves it.

Locks father once served as DA before it was a full-time job. In his 46 years of practicing law, hes worked with multiple prosecutors in Dauphin County and across the state.

In a county with a proud reputation for excellence in its elected prosecutors, during my career, he is the best, Lock said. Im not suggesting other people werent good. Quite the contrary. Among really good people, he stands out as the best of the best.

Three cases stand out to Lock.

In one case, a grand jury recommended a man should be prosecuted for perjury and similar charges before the gaming control board. Lock presented him with paperwork the size of the Philadelphia telephone directory, and thats not hyperbole. During the course of 6 months, Marsico took time and consideration to read the submission and ultimately withdrew the charges.

In another case, he let Steven Crawford out of jail, following efforts of the late Patriot-News investigative reporter Pete Shellem. Crawford spent 28 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of killing a newspaper boy in 1970. The case was tried three times. On the eve of the fourth hearing, Marsico dropped the charges after a series of stories by Shellem showed new evidence in the case and faulty work by a police lab.

We agreed Crawford didnt have a fair trial, Marsico said.

In a capital death case, Marsico was very aggressive and very effective in prosecuting, Lock said. He wouldnt let up.

He has both sides, Lock said. He has the willingness to maintain an open mind, the patience to make a good decision and the willingness to review a decision. He makes it his business to fully understand a case.

Before Lock limited his career to white-collar crime, he was in county court almost every day. His opinion of Marsico is widely shared, he said.

I say without hesitation that 95 percent of attorneys who do criminal defense work in this county think hes fair, well liked and well respected, Lock said.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

'Worst of the worst'

Don't Edit

During his 30 years as a prosecutor, Marsico has handled some difficult cases.

He prosecuted Herbert Blakeney, who on Feb. 2, 2000, murdered his infant son in front of three Harrisburg police officers, slicing his throat twice.

It was a horrible case all around, for the baby who died and the officers who were there, Marsico said.

A jury convicted Blakeney of murder and sentenced him to lethal injection on Aug. 9, 2004. The case is still on appeal.

In another case, Egyptian immigrant Ziad Akari was convicted of killing his wife in Derry Township in front of his two young daughters, dumping her body on a Lebanon County farm, fleeing to Egypt and getting extradited back to Dauphin County. Marsico remembers it as a wife trying to escape an abusive husband. The protection from abuse order she obtained was ripped up and found in the car where Akari killed her.

Another notorious case, prosecuted by assistant DA Fran Chardo, was Ernest Wholaver Jr. shooting and killing his estranged wife, Jean, and their daughters Victoria, 20, and Elizabeth, 15. He feared his daughters would testify he had raped them after police said he molested both daughters for years. Wholaver was found guilty of all three murders in 2004 and sentenced to death.

We see some of the worst, but also some of the best, Marsico said. Children who were sexually abused find the courage to testify about horrible things.

Don't Edit

Fran Chardo will be the next Dauphin County district attorney. (PennLive file photo)

Don't Edit

Chardo will take over as DA next week, and Marsico said he will miss working with the victims and police.

The El-Mofty case brought that home again, Marsico said. Just being out all night, I got to see the best in the officers who had the courage to engage him and end the threat he posed.

There are other things, either horrific cases or unsolved crimes, that he will struggle to forget.

Twin babies. One died. One lived. They were left in a crib in 100-degree heat on the third floor of a Harrisburg row home while the mother slept on the air-conditioned first floor. There was plenty of dog food, but none for the kids. The babies had insect larvae in their eyes and rats had gnawed at their skin.

Not much phases me, but that was a time it did, Marsico said.

And he may always wonder who killed William Jordan and Tracy Kroh.

Don't Edit

Ed Marsico will be sworn in as a Dauphin County judge on Tuesday morning. (PennLive file photo)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Laughing through it

Don't Edit

In an office that works on heavy cases involving some of the most inhumane acts, its important to keep a sense of humor.

You have to, Marsico said.

And he has one of the best senses of humor, colleagues say.

Lewis saw that after Marsico was first hired.

A quick wit and a well-honed sense of humor were definite advantages, the president judge said.

For all the dark cases, Marsico recalls some now that still make him laugh.

One of the first trials I covered was for a theft of $6 of ground beef at a Giant, he said.

In a case a couple years ago, a 10-foot-tall chicken was stolen from a place that sold chicken wings.

Technology has only increased some of the more humorous findings, including video of middle school students who got through a locked door and rode around on a carpet cleaner.

Technically, thats criminal, but it also brings some laughs, Marsico said.

Don't Edit

The 8-foot-tall chicken statue that was stolen from an East Shore bar was roosting in Dauphin County's impound lot in 2014. (Submitted photo)

Don't Edit

Changing guard

Don't Edit

Technology is not all thats changed during his 30 years as a prosecutor.

Marsico has watched trends change and responded to them. For example, as drug crimes increased, he launched drug court in 2008. He also started Veterans Court in 2012.

This week, Chardo will begin oversight of these treatment efforts.

Frans one of the smartest attorneys I know, Marsico said. His knowledge of the law, his integrity, his experience will serve him well.

Chardo learned from a good leader.

In almost 30 years in the office, he had personally handled every type of case a prosecutor could, Chardo said. And he always worked hard to do the right thing in every case.

Chardo easily recalls the steps in the recent El-Mofty case, but also vividly remembers Marsicos first week in office when they sat down to review the anonymous card implicating Druce in the fatal hit and run.

So from the beginning of his term to the end, he has handled very difficult matters with tremendous poise, Chardo said.

That includes, Freed said, taking a stand on issues that were right for Pennsylvanians and prosecutors, but bad for him politically. In an area with a lot of pride in the Second Amendment, Marsico opposed the first version of the states Stand Your Ground law because it had potential to benefit criminals. He worked across the aisle and the first version was vetoed by Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat. The legislation that eventually passed is one of the best in the country and protects law-abiding Pennsylvanians, Freed said.

That was some political bravery behind the scenes, Freed said. He did what he though was right regardless of how it might affect him politically.

That may stem from one of the most important lessons Marsico said hes learned during his tenure.

Youre not always right, he said.

That attitude will serve him well as a judge, Lewis quipped, because most people will say hes wrong no matter what he decides.

Don't Edit
The snow that blanketed Harrisburg on Saturday turned out to be a record-breaking weather event.

The National Weather Service reports a total of 3.2 inches fell in Harrisburg. That breaks the previous record set on this date in 1997, when 2.4 inches of snow fell.

CTP issues Record Event Report (RER) https://t.co/HwjOt6nViv  NWS State College (@NWSStateCollege) December 30, 2017

Other areas throughout central Pennsylvania reported anywhere from 1 to 4 inches of snow as of 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

You can see live weather updates via the National Weather Service and other Twitter sources below.

Tweet us at @pennlive with photos of inclement weather at your place, incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com.
Politically speaking, 2017 got off to a tumultuous start.

On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump transitioned from private citizen to the leader of the free world, promising to "drain the swamp" in Washington, D.C. His supporters cheered every word.

Republican strategist Charlie Gerow (PennLive file)

The very next day, a large protest marched through Washington, protesting every issue imaginable, but focusing rage on President Trump. Calls for his impeachment were already heard.

The rest of the year followed suit. Trump's supporters lauded every move he made while his opponents could find no good in anything.

The political divide is as wide as we close the year as it was when we began. The intervening months brought some historic and politically significant events.

The Trump economy began the year well and ended even better. Employment is up, as is consumer confidence. The stock market is hitting new highs on a regular basis.

The Dow cleared 20,000 for the first time just days after President Trump was inaugurated. As the bell rings for the final time in 2017, it's flirting with 25,000.

The recent tax cuts, unfortunately passed along partisan lines, promise to boost economic growth even more.

Even before the tax cuts actually kick in, companies are announcing four-figure bonuses for hundreds of thousands of workers and others are promising to raise their minimum wages.

The economy is now moving again, cause for joy for all. A rising tide really does lift all boats.

The tax-cut discussion is also taking a different tone. Just a few weeks ago, U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was telling us that the tax cuts were "armageddon."

Few took her overheated hyperbole very seriously. Now even some of her colleagues are looking at the political realities and want to sing a different tune.

Their complaint now is that the tax cuts for the middle class aren't permanent. A wise move for the GOP would be to have a vote, as quickly as possible, to make those cuts permanent. There might be some bi-partisan votes.

Tax cutting used to be a bipartisan effort. When JFK cut taxes, he did it with overwhelming support from both sides. Likewise, Ronald Reagan's tax cuts had strong support from both Republicans and Democrats.

The president also got the fastest appointment of a Supreme Court justice. Neil Gorsuch is a judicial superstar whose age and intellect mean that he will likely be a moving force on the court for a generation. His successful appointment was a major victory.

Here at home, there was yet another protracted budget fight.

In the end, the good work of House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, and the groundbreaking efforts of Rep. Dan Moul, R-Adams, and others stood between Pennsylvania workers and a big tax increase.

Despite Wolf's constant and concerted efforts to raise everybody's taxes, a broad-based tax increase was staved off.

Wolf will now run for re-election with his distinction of being the most liberal governor in America firmly cemented.

Not many taxpayers, including rank-and-file Democrats, believe their lives will be improved by paying higher taxes. He'll try to run from that record all year long.

Republicans clearly see Wolf as vulnerable, despite a historic pattern of both re-electing incumbents and having a governor from one party for eight years followed by eight years of the other.

Both those streaks were broken when Wolf defeated former Gov. Tom Corbett in 2014.

Turzai, along with state Sen. Scott Wagner, R-York; businessman Paul Mango, and Pittsburgh-area attorney Laura Ellsworth are vying for the right to face Wolf in the general election.

Each has their own story and policy initiatives. They share a common commitment to fiscal responsibility and allowing individual workers to keep more of what they earn. They're all promoting policies of economic growth.

The seat of incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., is also up in 2018. Again, there's no shortage of potential GOP rivals. The main competitors for the Republican nomination are state Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver; U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11th District, and businessman Paul Addis.

Each congressional seat will also be on the ballot. Many promise to be tough and close contests as the state once again shows its 'purple" roots.

Leading off the hotly contested races will be a March special election to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-18th District.

Following will be races to fill the seats of retiring members Barletta and U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-15th District, and tight contests in the "collar counties" of suburban Philadelphia.

Complicating all of this is the possibility that congressional district lines could be redrawn for 2018 if the courts choose to get involved as a result of lawsuits challenging the current configuration.

This year brought political upheaval as well as tragedies of terrorism and natural disaster. We witnessed the first solar eclipse visible from coat to coast in a century and the passing of notables of stage, screen, government and education.

It was quite a year. This year, 2018, with the always important 'mid-term' elections, promises to be even more exciting.

Charlie Gerow, a PennLive Opinion Contributor, is CEO of Quantum Communications in Harrisburg. His "Donkeys & Elephants" column appears weekly opposite progressive commentator Kirstin Snow.
Pennsylvania Fire Commissioner Tim Solobay has abruptly resigned his position in Gov. Tom Wolf's administration.

Solobay's resignation, which comes as PennLive has been attempting to reach Solobay about a sexual harassment allegation during his prior service as as a state senator, was apparently tendered this weekend and is effective immediately.

Wolf's press secretary, J.J. Abbott, issued a statement confirming Solobay's resignation. He did not comment on the reason, stating only that "I cannot comment further on specific details of a personnel matter."

Solobay, a Democrat from Washington County, had been fire commissioner, a post which oversees the operation, state funding and training of fire services across the state, since the start of the Wolf's term in 2015.

He had previously served in both the state House and state Senate.
. 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.
A memorial to a previous crash marks the intersection at Wanuskewin Rd and Highway 11, outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on January 4, 2016. The intersection was the scene of tragedy where a family of four were killed in a collision with an SUV. Life changed for the Van de Vorst family two years ago. "All of a sudden, one night, you lose a third of your family," recalls Linda Van de Vorst, whose son Jordan, his wife Chanda and their two children, Miguire and Kamryn, were killed by an impaired driver near Saskatoon on Jan. 3, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Matthew Smith
The family of Apotex founder Barry Sherman says they are proud he is being appointed to the Order of Canada. Gov. Gen. Julie Payette announced 125 new appointments to Canada's highest civilian honour on Friday, a list heavy on Canadians with accomplishments in science and medicine. Barry and Honey Sherman are shown in a handout photo from the United Jewish Appeal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-United Jewish Appeal, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
Confetti drops over the crowd as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Opinion



Irina Slav: Oil and gas majors in a new era Offshore Energy Today

Italian oil and gas company Eni has produced first gas from the

supergiant Zohr field, less than two and a half years since the discovery.

Two and a half years ago, analysts asked when Italy's Eni would be able to start producing gas from the giant Zohr field offshore Egypt. The overwhelming majority said this would happen no earlier than 2019, and most likely after 2021. But first gas from Zohr flowed earlier this month, in the latest sign that the future of the oil and gas industry will be very different from its past. Big Oil has traditionally taken its time with new projects, especially offshore ones. They require a lot of exploration, a lot of planning, and a lot of equipment once the final investment decision has been made. But no longer: the 2014 crisis really changed the setting, forcing the mammoths of the industry to at least try to become more nimble and flexible. The Italian major is not the only one speeding things up, but it is to date the most glowing example of what Bloomberg's Chiara Albanese and Javier Blas called a seismic shift. To grasp the full significance of the Zohr feat, here's a little history . Zohr was first auctioned back in 2012, but the discovery of the huge deposit of gas was only made in 2015: the Mediterranean is not the most productive place when it comes to oil and gas discoveries, so Zohr really shook things up with reserves that Eni has estimated at 850 billion cubic meters of natural gas, or about 30 trillion cubic feet . From the discovery onwards, Eni took advantage of cutting-edge tech to actually work in parallel on the further exploration of the field and its initial development. It did 3D modeling of the deposit at the same time as the design of the engineering tech needed to develop these reserves and procurement. The goal was to save time and money, of course, and many believed this was mission impossible. The feat will go down in history as yet one more mission considered impossible and made possible by a number of factors, including technology, a new emphasis on cost savings, and the awareness that in a world turning increasingly to natural gas from oil every day is precious and should not be wasted if you want to position your company ahead of the competition. Eni's Claudio Descalzi had every right to be a little bit smug when he said, Nobody believed what we were going to do, analysts said we were crazy; now we can say they were wrong and we were right. The secret : Our philosophy is time to market. We changed all the industry strategy by breaking the contractual schemes and starting to move from investment authorization to production with parallel steps." The philosophy of accelerating the time to market is neither new nor reserved for just the energy industry. In fact, it is becoming increasingly popular across industries, but that doesn't diminish its potentially transformative impact on oil and gas given the history of that particular industry. And yet, it's not just about a business philosophy. Eni admits that it made the best use of lower oil prices, which significantly reduced its building costs. It is also true that drilling in the Mediterranean is much easier than, say, the Arctic or the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico or Brazil. And yet, were it not for the new approach to exploration and development, these favorable circumstances would hardly have been enough for Eni to prove that mission impossible was possible. It will only be a matter of time until we start seeing this approach replicated by the Italian company's peers. After all, there is little chance that competition in the oil and gas market will cool in the future. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

Irina Slav is a writer for the U.S.-based Divergente LLC consulting firm with over a decade of experience writing on the oil and gas industry. Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views. Editor's Note: This commentary was originally published by Oilprice.com , 12/26/2017. Petroleumworld reprint this article in association with Oil Price.com.



Link to original article. Petroleumworld reprint this article in the interest of our readers and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. All comments posted and published on Petroleumworld, do not reflect either for or against the opinion expressed in the comment as an endorsement of Petroleumworld. All comments expressed are private comments and do not necessary reflect the view of this website. All comments are posted and published without liability to Petroleumworld. Use Notice:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues of environmental and humanitarian significance. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.



All works published by Petroleumworld are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.Petroleumworld has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Petroleumworld endorsed or sponsored by theoriginator.Petroleumworld encourages persons to reproduce, reprint, or broadcast Petroleumworld articles provided that any such reproduction identify the original source, http://www.petroleumworld.com or else and it is done within the fair use as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.



If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Copyright 1999-2017 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved.



We welcome the use of Petroleumworld stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors.Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! Petroleumworld News 12/312017 We invite all our readers to share with us

their views and comments about this article. Follow us in : twitter / Facebook

Send this story to a friend Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW

to publish your comments on our letters page.



Any question or suggestions,

please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95,

'98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8 +/ 800x600 pixels


"Urbi et Orbi" Christmas Message and Blessing of Pope Francis



On Christmas Day Pope Francis prays for world peace and gives his "Urbi et Orbi" blessing. Pope Francis has appealed for peace and for a world in which children across the globe may be able to hope for a future of justice, security and joy. The Pope's words came on Christmas Day as he addressed the city and the world during his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" message from the Central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Christmas!



In Bethlehem, Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. He was born, not by the will of man, but by the gift of the love of God our Father, who so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life ( Jn 3:16).

This event is renewed today in the Church, a pilgrim in time. For the faith of the Christian people relives in the Christmas liturgy the mystery of the God who comes, who assumes our mortal human flesh, and who becomes lowly and poor in order to save us. And this moves us deeply, for great is the tenderness of our Father.

The first people to see the humble glory of the Saviour, after Mary and Joseph, were the shepherds of Bethlehem. They recognized the sign proclaimed to them by the angels and adored the Child. Those humble and watchful men are an example for believers of every age who, before the mystery of Jesus, are not scandalized by his poverty. Rather, like Mary, they trust in God's word and contemplate his glory with simple eyes. Before the mystery of the Word made flesh, Christians in every place confess with the words of the Evangelist John: We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth ( Jn 1:14).

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).

We see Jesus in the children of the Middle East who continue to suffer because of growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. On this festive day, let us ask the Lord for peace for Jerusalem and for all the Holy Land. 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. 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.

We see Jesus in the faces of Syrian children still marked by the war that, in these years, has caused such bloodshed in that country. May beloved Syria at last recover respect for the dignity of every person through a shared commitment to rebuild the fabric of society, without regard for ethnic and religious membership. We see Jesus in the children of Iraq, wounded and torn by the conflicts that country has experienced in the last fifteen years, and in the children of Yemen, where there is an ongoing conflict that has been largely forgotten, with serious humanitarian implications for its people, who suffer from hunger and the spread of diseases.

We see Jesus in the children of Africa, 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. 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. To the Baby Jesus we entrust Venezuela that it may resume a serene dialogue among the various elements of society for the benefit of all the beloved Venezuelan people. We see Jesus in children who, together with their families, suffer from the violence of the conflict in Ukraine and its grave humanitarian repercussions; we pray that the Lord may soon grant peace to this dear country.

We see Jesus in 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.

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. I see Jesus again in the children I met during my recent visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh, and it is my hope that the international community will not cease to work to ensure that the dignity of the minority groups present in the region 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. May our hearts not be closed as they were in the homes of Bethlehem.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The sign of Christmas has also been revealed to us: 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.

Christmas Greetings of the Holy Father following the Message Urbi et Orbi.

I offer a warm greeting to all of you, dear brothers and sisters from throughout the world gathered here in this Square, and to all those who in various countries are joined to us by radio, television and other communications media.

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. Happy Christmas!





Pope Francis is the 266th and current Pope of the Catholic Church, a title he holds ex officio as Bishop of Rome, and sovereign of Vatican City. Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views.

Editor's Note: This commentary was originally published by Vatican News, on December 25, 2017. Petroleumworld reprint this article in the interest of our readers and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Petroleumworld and its owners.



Link to original article.



All comments posted and published on Petroleumworld, do not reflect either for or against the opinion expressed in the comment as an endorsement of Petroleumworld.

All comments expressed are private comments and do not necessary reflect the view of this website. All comments are posted and published without liability to Petroleumworld.

Use Notice:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues of environmental and humanitarian significance.

We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.



All works published by Petroleumworld are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Petroleumworld has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Petroleumworld endorsed or sponsored by theoriginator.Petroleumworld encourages persons to reproduce, reprint, or broadcast Petroleumworld articles provided that any such reproduction identify the original source, http://www.petroleumworld.com or else and it is done within the fair use as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.



If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated.Copyright 1999-2017 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved.



We welcome the use of Petroleumworld stories by anyone provided it ] mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors.Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated.

Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us!

Petroleumworld News 12/31/2017
Lagniappe





Morton A. Klein and Daniel Mandel: Trump is right: Terrorism and Iran are the region's major problem Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi/Tima



Missiles and a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Baharestan Square in Tehran, Iran. President Trump's officials are still at work framing the contours of an 'ultimate deal.' Are we on the threshold of a new era in US Middle East policy? Perhaps.



A draft of President Donald Trump's new national security strategy, which makes significant departures from that issued by his predecessor, Barack Obama, in 2015, provides the following clue: For generations the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been understood as the prime irritant preventing peace and prosperity in the region. Today, the threats from radical jihadist terrorist organizations and the threat from Iran are creating the realization that Israel is not the cause of the region's problems. States have increasingly found common interests with Israel in confronting common threats.



To see just how starkly this contrasts with the received wisdom that regards the Israelis and Palestinians as constituting the epicenter of the Middle East's problems, just recall, among dozens of possible examples, the words from September 2013 of president Obama's secretary of state, John Kerry, speaking of the then-common position of the US and the Arab League:



We all of us agreed that a [Israeli/Palestinian] final status agreement is important in enhancing regional security and stability throughout the Middle East.



Accordingly, this new strategic doctrine potentially represents a Copernican revolution in US thinking about the Middle East.



If recent events  and indeed the entire seven-decade- long period of the Arab war on Israel  has made one thing clear, it is that the lack of a peace agreement between Israelis and the Palestinian Arabs is manifestly not the core of the Middle East's turbulence, violence and bloodshed. Just to recall the Middle East's current conflict zones  Syria, Iraq, Yemen, not to mention other, low-level simmering conflicts and flash points  is to be reminded of the utter irrelevance to them of Israel and the Palestinian Arabs.



Put simply, if Israel didn't exist, the same problems between and within these Arab countries  and countries we haven't mentioned  would be proceeding unhindered.



Consider: In the 1950s, the Arab war on Israel had no bearing on the Algerian decolonization war, the Yemen/Aden clashes, or the first post-war outbreak of violence in Lebanon.



In the 1960s, it had no bearing on the Egyptian invasion of North Yemen, the Omani Civil War, the bloody emergence of the Ba'athist dictatorship in Iraq, or the Aden (now Yemen) Emergency, which collectively claimed thousands of lives.



In the 1970s, it had nothing to do with the bloody conflict between Morocco and the Polisario in Western Sahara, or the Libyan-Chad war, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, or the outbreak of Turkish/Kurdish fighting, which collectively claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.



In the 1980s, it had nothing to do with the South Yemen Civil War, Saddam Hussein's chemical weapons attacks on Iraqi Kurds, which claimed thousands of lives, or the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, which claimed over a million lives.



In the 1990s, it had nothing to do with Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait, or Saddam Hussein's subsequent campaign of massacre against Kurds in the north of the country and marsh Arabs in the south, which collectively claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.



If, therefore, the Arab war on Israel is a distinct conflict generally unrelated to other regional flash points, it should be obvious that for the US to declare it to be the head and font of all the region's woes is both absurd and damaging to American interests, for several reasons.



First, it is nonsense and nonsense is a poor and reckless basis for policy. Whatever international pieties the US thereby observes, flat-earth pronouncements of this type communicate to an Arab world that knows better a message of American incomprehension and thus a lack of credibility.



Second, an Israeli/Palestinian peace agreement, were it even presently attainable, would not solve other regional problems, which are rooted in the region's ideological and religious pathologies.



Third, asserting the centrality of Israelis and Palestinians to regional turbulence benefits no-one but Arab despots, who avail themselves of US preoccupation with this issue to continue blissfully unhindered in incubating radical Islamic movements and repressing their subjects.



This in turn leads successive administrations into pursuing foredoomed Arab/Israeli diplomatic initiatives, whose inevitable failure is then attributed to America and Israel.



How precisely this serves American interests has yet to be explained.



Accordingly, making a fetish of an alleged Israeli/Palestinian peace process squanders American resources, credibility and standing.



Why should the US talk up a bogus peace process? Why should Washington go out of its way to reap failure and blame? President Trump's officials are still at work framing the contours of an ultimate deal. However, if the new strategy is any guide, it will be wisely prioritizing dealing with the genuinely regional threats that confront America and its allies, not seeking the Holy Grail of an Israeli/ Palestinian Arab peace.



Morton A. Klein is national president of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA). Dr. Daniel Mandel is director of the ZOA' s Center for Middle East Policy and author of H.V. Evatt & the Establishment of Israel (Routledge, London, 2004). . Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views. Editor's Note: This commentary was originally published by The Jerusalem Post , on December 26, 2017. (Appeared in the December 18, 2017, print edition. ) Petroleumworld reprint this article in the interest of our readers and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Petroleumworld and its owners.



Link to original article. All comments posted and published on Petroleumworld, do not reflect either for or against the opinion expressed in the comment as an endorsement of Petroleumworld. All comments expressed are private comments and do not necessary reflect the view of this website. All comments are posted and published without liability to Petroleumworld. Use Notice:This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues of environmental and humanitarian significance. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.



All works published by Petroleumworld are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.Petroleumworld has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Petroleumworld endorsed or sponsored by theoriginator.Petroleumworld encourages persons to reproduce, reprint, or broadcast Petroleumworld articles provided that any such reproduction identify the original source, http://www.petroleumworld.com or else and it is done within the fair use as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.



If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated.Copyright 1999-2017 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved.



We welcome the use of Petroleumworld stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors.Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! Petroleumworld News 12/31/2017 We invite all our readers to share with us

their views and comments about this article. Follow us in : twitter / Facebook

Send this story to a friend Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW

to publish your comments on our letters page.



Any question or suggestions,

please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95,

'98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8 +/ 800x600 pixels


Police investigate a residence on the 100 block of East Narberth Terrace in Collingswood on Dec. 30, 2017. Two people were fatally stabbed and a third injured in an apparent domestic dispute. Read more

Two people were fatally stabbed and a third injured Saturday evening in an apparent domestic dispute in Collingswood.

Sources familiar with the case said the stabbings occurred in a single-family home in the 100 block of East Narberth Terrace. Police found two females dead when they arrived on the scene at 5:02 p.m., according to a statement from the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Shortly after 6 p.m., officials from the coroner's office arrived at the house, which was decorated with green Christmas lights. A suspect was in custody, authorities said. The condition of the injured person was not immediately known.

A spokeswoman for the prosecutor said no further details would be released. She declined even to specify whether the two people killed were adults or children.
Newly elected Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner stands for a portrait at his law office on South Camac Street on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. Read more

When the outspoken sheriff of Cook County, Ill., Tom Dart, was seeking to eliminate solitary confinement in the jails two years ago, he encountered resistance from a few dozen guards who worked in that unit. So Dart reassigned them all.

Kim Ogg, a longtime defense lawyer elected in 2016 as district attorney of Harris County, Texas, fired nearly 40 of the office's top prosecutors and replaced most of them with defense attorneys.

"I did not feel that I could rely upon the architects of the criminal justice system that I vowed to change," Ogg said in an interview this month.

Change also is coming to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, with Larry Krasner, a career civil rights attorney, set to be sworn in Tuesday as the city's top prosecutor. It's unclear what form the first changes may take and when he'll unveil them, but Krasner campaigned on goals including reducing incarceration and eliminating use of the death penalty  developments unlikely to happen overnight.

Prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and attorneys who share Krasner's ideology told the Inquirer and Daily News in recent weeks that changing the culture of the office likely would be among Krasner's most important and challenging tasks  and would define his ability to implement his priorities and make a mark on the criminal justice system.

"For me, at least, it was a lot harder than I thought," Dart said of his attempts to spur systemic reforms. "I just was amazed at how difficult it was to move some of it."

Krasner has yet to specify what structural changes he may make when he inherits the post  which pays $177,000 per year and puts him in charge of 600 employees, about half of them prosecutors. He also has not named any top deputies or other staffers, and a spokesman said decisions would not be announced until Krasner officially takes over for Kelley Hodge, who was appointed interim district attorney after Seth Williams resigned and pleaded guilty to corruption charges.

In an interview last month, Krasner seemed keenly aware of the importance of inspiring buy-in among staff, saying that he's sought to be "direct and honest and truthful about my intentions with that office," and that he does not anticipate  or desire  a mass exodus of panicked prosecutors.

"I'm frankly very optimistic that what we're going to see is tremendous support among the rank and file," he said.

Projecting a message

So far, evidence suggests he could be right. The number of resignations in 2017 is about the same as in years past, according to figures from the District Attorney's Office, and even some of Krasner's most outspoken critics during the campaign  such as the head of the police union  have throttled back on combative rhetoric since his electoral win.

Still, if history elsewhere is any guide, Krasner is likely to face challenges.

Dart was elected in 2006  before the tide of liberal law enforcers began to rise  but said that as he's sought to reduce the jail population in Cook County, he's encountered regular resistance from the very people he's charged with leading: the union workers who staff the facilities.

The Teamsters there in 2013 took out a full-page newspaper ad ripping Dart, he recalled  just a day before he was set to meet with union leadership. And a union official told 60 Minutes this year that Dart downplayed or ignored staff concerns while appeasing inmates.

Dart acknowledged the fights and the challenges they sometimes cause. But he said he's sought to project a consistent and honest message to his staff, not just explaining his priorities but providing evidence about how his policies are working. He's been reelected twice and recently has been mentioned as a candidate for Chicago mayor. Earlier this month, the jail population reached its lowest total in decades.

"I couldn't try to make my life easier by getting along with everybody and walking away from things that I felt were so patently unjust," Dart said.

Ogg, the district attorney in Harris County, which encompasses Houston, said clear and consistent communication has similarly been key for her as she's sought to reform the office.

When she and other officials announced in February that low-level marijuana cases would no longer be prosecuted, a district attorney in a neighboring county said Harris County would become "a sanctuary for dope smokers."

But Ogg said she sought buy-in from staff on that initiative and others by stressing the policy would save time and money, and would allow prosecutors to focus on bigger and more serious cases.

By explaining decisions clearly and reinforcing them through policies and training, Ogg said, she's started moving the office away from a "lock everybody up" mentality  without sacrificing public safety.

"We put it in writing and we preached internally," she said. "The way to a safer city is higher-quality cases."

Supporters as skeptics

Still, a reality about prosecution  particularly in a city with as much crime as Philadelphia  is that some people will be sent to prison. And in that sense, Krasner may face a unique challenge in building his team: Some of his most fervent supporters may never apply to work for him.

Miriam Krinsky, founder and executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, which trains and supports change-inclined district attorneys across the country, said being a prosecutor is viewed so unfavorably among some of the most ardent supporters of criminal justice reform that her organization started a fellowship program to try to change the perception.

And Abbe Smith, a defense attorney and law professor at Georgetown University, wrote in 2001: "I am saying to those who are committed to social and racial justice: Please don't join a prosecutor's office." In an email this month, she said she still believes it's hard "to be a 'good prosecutor' in a fundamentally bad system  one that historically criminalizes race and poverty."

At least one Krasner supporter, Ashley Henderson, a lawyer with the West Philadelphia-based Amistad Law Project, said: "At the end of the day, the role of the prosecutor is to lock people up. Personally, I believe that locking people up doesn't actually solve anything."

But even Smith acknowledged that Krasner's office could be an "excellent destination" for lawyers who share his views.

And Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg, a Philadelphia public-interest lawyer who voted for Krasner, said it just may take time for some lawyers to see how the new district attorney approaches the job.

"I did not support Krasner to light a match to the criminal justice system," he said. "I supported him to instill it with a better sense of justice."

Transformational change

A new sense of justice is certainly part of what Krasner is seeking to offer to his future employees. The job application on his transition website promises "transformational systemic change," and Krasner himself has said he views himself as part of a "progressive" movement.

Paul Hetznecker, a Center City civil rights attorney who defended protesters with Krasner, said being specific about how and when prosecutors will pursue or drop certain cases will likely be among the new district attorney's most important early tasks  and one that will show people in the office how Krasner intends to put his words into action.

"I think he needs to reassure people," Hetznecker said, "that his notion of justice can coalesce with their notion of justice."

Ogg said she's met with Krasner and given him advice on how to handle some early decisions. Dart has not met Krasner but said he would advise him to begin by focusing on the elements and policies he could directly control.

And Ogg, for one, is rooting for Krasner to succeed.

"Elections in prosecutors' offices result in shotgun marriages," she said. "But as long as we can articulate what our vision is and what we were elected to do, then I believe the employees will buy in."
Federal authorities arrested and charged a Sterling, Va., man with attempting to obstruct a terrorism investigation on Friday, accusing him of acting in a manner that was "indicative of an individual planning and researching how to conduct an attack," according to records filed in federal court.

The filing says Sean Andrew Duncan, who moved to Sterling from Western Pennsylvania in June, had owned a phone that revealed prolific research into materials relating to the Islamic State, terrorist attacks, weapons, surveillance tactics and body armor.

He is to make his initial appearance in court on Tuesday following an arrest on the 46900 block of Courtyard Square that involved his alleged destruction of a computer thumb drive that authorities suspect may have contained evidence of criminal activity.

Neither Duncan nor his relatives could be located for comment. As of Saturday evening, it was unclear whether Duncan had legal representation.

Federal investigators first became aware of Duncan's activities in February 2016, according to a court affidavit submitted by Special Agent Katherine Campo. A relative had reported to the FBI that Duncan had converted to Islam, possibly radicalized, and had begun praising the beheadings of Westerners in the Middle East. Around that time, he and his wife, who is not identified in court records, booked a trip to Istanbul departing from Dulles International Airport, but were denied entry to Turkey and returned to the United States, where federal agents interviewed him, according to the affidavit.

Shortly afterward, Duncan allegedly deleted his Facebook account and changed his cellphone number, which ended in "7730," the same ending authorities believed was also associated with a Twitter account that contained an Arabic phrase that roughly translated to "The Islamic State."

Investigators began building their case based on information provided by an unnamed source referred to as a co-conspirator who was in the custody of a foreign government for trying to join the Islamic State. The filing says the source told investigators Duncan was an American contact who had wanted not only to join the terrorist organization, but also to orchestrate a domestic attack.

Communicating through an encrypted mobile messaging application, the source told investigators that Duncan shared articles from an Islamic State news outlet and said he agreed Muslims should attack their own countries.

Once, according to the affidavit, the source claimed to have criticized non-Muslim women for wearing shorts that expose their bodies. In response, Duncan allegedly told the source to "try this," sending a link to an article published by an al-Qaeda magazine titled, "How to build a bomb in the kitchen of your mom."

Twice, the source said, Duncan had asked her to travel to Syria with him and become his wife, and twice she refused, according to the affidavit.

The case deepened in June. That was around the time when Duncan's infant child died. While investigating what happened  the cause of death in the autopsy report was inconclusive  the Allegheny County (Pa.) Police Department obtained Duncan's phone. A copy of it quickly came under FBI scrutiny. Investigators, according to court records, found hundreds of searches that involved terrorism-related activities between March and June. They included Islamic State-related materials, terrorist attacks, searches for hidden cameras, body-worn cameras, military-style combat gear, bulletproof armor, M-4 rifle magazines, an AR-15 rifle, a YouTube video on how to "reinforce door with a barricade," and the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the filing states.

On Friday, as federal agents forced their way into his home, Duncan ran out the back door, barefoot, clenching a plastic bag in his fist, according to court records. The clear plastic bag contained a thumb drive that had been broken into pieces and submerged into a frothy, bubbly liquid.

"I believe that the thumb drive was snapped in pieces because Duncan altered, destroyed, and mutilated it in order to impede and obstruct the FBI's investigation of him for attempting to provide material support to terrorists," Campo, the agent, wrote in the affidavit.

The arrest marks the latest in a series of cases made since 2015 against northern Virginia men who authorities have alleged had connections to the Islamic State. Another Sterling man, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was arrested in July 2016 and accused of trying to plan a domestic terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State.

The Washington Post's Peter Jamison, Rachel Weiner and Julie Tate contributed to this article.
NASA never really pursued a human mission to a deep-space asteroid, opting instead for a somewhat easier pursuit in line with available resources. When the Obama White House cancelled Constellation, the Moon program developed under George W. Bush, Congress passed the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 that dictated the creation of the Space Launch System rocket and continuation of the Constellation-era Orion crew capsule. These multi-billion dollar programs, combined with the spending sequester that squeezed all federal discretionary spending, severely hampered NASA's ability to develop hardware necessary for a 2025 rendezvous with a deep space asteroid.

To solve this conundrum, the Obama Administration proposed the Asteroid Redirect Missionbringing an asteroid to lunar orbit to dock with astronauts in Orionas a way to achieve the literal meaning of the National Space Policy directive. The proposal was never popular with congress or the scientific community, and it limped along until Trump's budget request killed the effort in the Spring of 2017.

That said, the extent of the changes made by the new Space Directive amounts to one paragraph. We have no new information on how the U.S. will "lead the return of humans to the Moon", what budget NASA will have to implement it, and what timeline they have to achieve it (or even, honestly, what "it" meansa lunar base? Mining? A deep space lunar gateway?)

But if this is your point of contention, you're missing the point.

What changed, really

For most of 2017, it was official U.S. policy that astronauts should explore asteroids. Starting in December and going forward for at least three more years, it will be that humans will return to the Moon.

High-level policies like the Space Directive #1 signed by President Trump will have trickle-down implications for the entire government and private civil space sector. The whole apparatus of NASA's human spaceflight bureaucracy will now direct its efforts toward lunar exploration, to the extent they ever departed from it. NASA is finalizing a study to propose ways to achieve this broad policy goal, and the coming 2019 fiscal year budget request for NASA will likely contain prioritized funding related to lunar exploration

In anticipation of this funding, a whole ecosystem of aerospace contractors and subcontractors, private space companies, researchers, and strategic planning entities will orient themselves to these lunar efforts and jockey for ways to provide their services to NASA and others. NASA's technology development roadmaps may be redesigned to better serve immediate needs for lunar exploration vs. long-duration human spaceflight to Mars. International space agencies will propose ways in which they can work with NASA to provide supporting or mission-critical partnerships for moon-related programs.

Whole aspects of NASA's services may end up being reorganized into a human return-to-the-moon effort, while others may fall in priority or disappear altogether. Some programs may get repackaged and rebranded to appeal specifically to this new policy in order to stay relevant to the powers-that-be.

These changes may not be as fundamental as you would think. The Space Launch System and Orion programs can continue as planned and have just as much of a relevancy to this new directive as they did previously. Their initial missions of sending humans around the Moon will satisfy the new space policy just as well as the old one. The Deep Space Gateway concept may fit nicely within a return to the Moon as well.

What to look for

Our first hint of these changes will come in the FY 2019 President's Budget Request, set to be released in February. We will see the first indications of what the White House is willing to put money behind, and see plans for the initial steps of getting humans beyond low-Earth orbit. We will see how serious these plans will be, particularly in the near term, with the new focus on the Moon. And we will see whether Congress supports this new direction for human space flight.

Additionally, I keep going back to the name of this presidential memorandum: Space Directive #1. The numeral right there in the title suggests to me that we may see additional policy declarations in the near future.
9 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in the Sacred Valley, Peru

Written by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers

Jul 30, 2020

We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Along with Machu Picchu, the Urubamba Valley  also known as the Sacred Valley or El Valle Sagrado  is one of Peru's major destinations for tourists. Its top attractions can be seen on a day trip, but to appreciate the grandeur and sophistication of the Inca civilization, you should plan at least two days.

The valley lies north of Cusco and is nearly 609 meters lower in altitude, so many visitors plan to tour it first, while still acclimatizing. The fertile valley once inhabited by the Incas is today home to several typical Andean villages, where you can see locals going about everyday life. If you are there on a market day, the valley towns are also great places to shop for bright local weaving and other handcrafts.

There are a lot of interesting places to visit here, but if you don't have time for a more thorough tour, be sure to see its major highlights: the ruins at Pisac and Ollantaytambo. From Cusco, it is less than an hour by taxi to Pisac or 90 minutes to Urubamba. You will need a boleto turistico, tourist pass, to enter most of the Inca sites in the Sacred Valley.

To find the best places to visit here, use our list of the top attractions in the Sacred Valley.

See also: Where to Stay in the Sacred Valley

1. Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo

With stone-paved streets, stairways, arches, and atmospheric plazas, Ollantaytambo would be a lovely town to visit even if it were not overlooked by some of the Inca Empire's most impressive remains.

The setting itself is dramatic, as the valley narrows and the mountains draw closer on each side, and the ruined fortress rises in steep terraces directly from the town. Climb through these on the stone stairways to see the intricate stonework, still perfect today.

Ollantaytambo was both a fortress and temple, and you'll come to the temple area immediately above the terracing. The temple remains unfinished, as it was still being built at the time the Spanish conquered the valley.

Pause at the top to marvel at the quarries on the opposite side of the valley, source of the stones for Ollantaytambo. These stones were transported across the rushing Urubamba by bringing them to the riverbank, then diverting the river's flow to a new channel behind them and moving the stones across the then-dry riverbed. You can visit the quarry on a six-kilometer hike from the Inca Bridge in the village.

Ollantaytambo is one of only two places in the Sacred Valley where you can catch the train to Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. Although you can take the train from Cusco directly to Aguas Calientes, it is a shorter and less expensive train ride from Ollantaytambo and saves retracing your route. Accommodation: Where to Stay near the Sacred Valley

2. Pisac Ruins

Pisac Ruins | Photo Copyright: Lana Law

On the hillside high above the town of Pisac, the ruins are among the most important in the Sacred Valley. They are especially famous for their rows of agricultural terraces cut into the mountainside and held in place by stone walls.

The terraces are designed to be cultivated using Inca foot plows. You can see these terraces from the valley floor and from across the valley, but this is no substitute for walking the paths above them and exploring the temples and baths of the ceremonial center.

You'll see some of the finest stonework in all Peru in the walls of these buildings. The setting is stunning, as well as defensible, atop a steep ridge that drops sharply to deep valleys on either side.

Although you can walk up to the site from the town of Pisac, it is quite a hike, so most visitors have a taxi drop them at the top of the ruins and the driver meet them later at a lower parking area.

3. Moray

Moray | Photo Copyright: Lana Law

You don't need to be interested in agriculture, or even history, to find the symmetrical circular terraces at Moray fascinating and impressive. The site, which is just outside the village of Moras, at first looks like a giant green amphitheater, a vast bowl formed by layer upon layer of flat terraces.

There are actually two bowls at Moray, but one is much larger and more restored than the other. Stone stairs built into the terrace walls allow you to walk down to the very bottom level. Looking up at the surrounding stone walls and the sky is just as impressive as seeing Moray from above.

Each of the different levels of terracing has its own microclimate, which the Incas are thought to have used for testing the optimal growing conditions for their crops. With this information, the Incas could determine what areas were best for growing various crops, which in turn determined where they should settle.

Moray is not part of the usual Sacred Valley circuit, but makes a good half-day trip from Urubamba. Because it is so close to the Salinas, these two sites are usually visited together.

4. Huchuy Cusco

Huchuy Cusco | McKay Savage / photo modified

Between the towns of Pisac and Urubamba, near the village of Lamay, the Inca ruin of Huchuy Cusco is considered the third most important Inca site in the Sacred Valley, although one of the least visited.

Its main attraction is a great Inca Hall, known as a kallanka, which measures almost 40 meters long. The two-story building has an adobe top, and outside the hall are Inca terraces, a gate, and some smaller structures. Huchuy Cusco is thought to be the royal palace of Caquia Jaquijahuana, the final home of Viracocha Inca, the exiled eighth ruler of Cusco.

There is a reason why so few tourists see Huchuy Cusco. It is reached by a three-hour hike from the village of Lamay, much of it uphill. But for those who make the effort, it is a memorable sight.

5. Salinas

Salinas

Only a short distance from Moray and easily combined into the same trip, Salinas are salt mines that have been in use since the time of the Incas. One of the most astonishing sights in the entire Sacred Valley is this mountainside lined with 5,740 small pools, called pocitos.

The pools are fed by a saltwater hot spring that the Incas diverted to flow through the salt pans. As the water evaporates, the salt crystallizes and is harvested. Each pool can yield 150 kilos of salt a month, so they formed a tremendous asset for the Incas.

You can reach Salinas by either hiking up to it or approaching it by car from the top on a somewhat tortuous unpaved road that winds its way down the mountainside. A few stopping areas along the way provide great views over the thousands of salt pools, giving some perspective on how huge this site is.

6. Tambomachay

Inca Baths in Tambomachay

The Inca reverence for water is evident in this archaeological site, also known as the Banos de Inca (Inca Baths). The sophisticated stonework and its unique underground hydraulics make it stand out among the larger valley sites.

The source of the spring, which even today brings a constant flow of fresh, clear water into the well at the top and through the subterranean channels to the lower level, is still unknown.

A series of platforms are held in place by walls of meticulously fitted stones, and water falls to different levels through notches in the stone walls. The upper wall has a series of four niches, and two more are in a lower one. A door opens to a small room, where water seems to spring from the floor.

The site is not large, so gets fewer visitors; this combined with the gently falling water gives it a more serene and contemplative atmosphere than neighboring Sacsayhuaman.

7. Pisac Market

Rugs at the Pisac Market

The pleasant little town of Pisac sits on the bank of the Urubamba River, about a 32-kilometer drive from Cusco. Along with its impressive ruins, Pisac is popular for its huge and colorful Sunday market, a good place to shop for local handcrafts.

The market is a constantly moving kaleidoscope of brilliant colors, with stacks of fabric woven in intricate patterns of vividly dyed wools, and Andean villagers are dressed in their traditional clothing. The big day is Sunday, but there are smaller markets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and usually some sellers on any day.

While you may not find the high quality that you'll find in craft cooperatives in Cusco, you can be sure of a wide selection and lower prices, especially if you are prepared to bargain. The market spreads across the main plaza, where there is a beautiful old church.

You will also see women dressed in their finest, usually with a colorfully dressed child; they are here to pose for photographs and will expect money if you take their picture.

Pisac has lodging and restaurants, and for those with time to spare, it makes a good stopover point.

8. Chinchero

Cobblestone stairs in the town of Chinchero

Set much higher than the rest of the Sacred Valley and even higher than Cusco, the small town of Chinchero is at an elevation of 3,800 meters. As you might expect, the views of the surrounding mountains from here are spectacular.

The main tourist attraction in Chinchero is the Sunday Market, where you'll find a somewhat more authentic experience than at Pisac, although it also draws large crowds. In the Plaza de Armas is an adobe colonial church built on top of Inca foundations and an Inca wall with 10 trapezoidal niches.

The small museum at the end of the plaza displays a few Inca artifacts. You'll see some Inca terracing in the surrounding area.

9. Urubamba

View over Urubamba | R. / photo modified

Despite its being one of the largest towns in the sacred valley, Urubamba is relatively free of tourists, and life here seems to revolve almost solely around the area's Andean villagers. There is a very local market, and although there may be little here for travelers to buy, it is a good place to see a traditional local market in action.

One attraction merits a stop for anyone interested in fine pottery or in the revival of traditional Inca design and craftsmanship. At Seminario Pottery Studio, close to the market plaza, Pablo Seminario and Marilu Behar have studied pottery techniques and styles from Peru's ancient cultures to create fresh and vibrant ceramic art for modern users and collectors. Their work is exhibited in Chicago's Field Museum and elsewhere, and the studio welcomes visitors.

Urubamba is also a boarding point for the upscale Vistadome train service to Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu (although you should book a few days in advance to be sure of seating). It's also a good base for visiting nearby Moray and Salinas.

Where to Stay in the Sacred Valley for Sightseeing
11 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Venezuela

Written by Lana Law

May 4, 2020

We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Venezuela is a country of beautiful landscapes and surprising sights, from the coast to the mountain tops. Magnificent waterfalls tumble off table top mountains, and coastal towns and offshore islands offer pleasant escapes and soft-sand beaches.

Inland, the Andes Mountains, soaring to over 16,000 feet, provide a stunning backdrop to colorful and lively cities, and the Orinoco Delta is teeming with wildlife. Caracas, the capital and largest city in the country, offers its own type of adventure, with a number of cultural sites and surrounding attractions.

The best places to visit are not always the easiest to reach, and Venezuela is no exception. Some of these destinations are well off the beaten path. For inspirational ideas, see our list of the top tourist attractions in Venezuela.

1. Angel Falls

Angel Falls

In the heart of the country, where table top mountains rise up like giant monoliths from the surrounding landscape, is Angel Falls. Dropping 979 meters, it is the highest waterfall in the world and one of the highlights of South America.

This stunning site in Canaima National Park is remote and difficult to access, but flights over the falls are easily arranged.

The best time to see the falls is during the rainy season, between May and November, when water is plentiful and the falls do not disappear into a mist before reaching the bottom as they do in the dry season. During the dry season, the falls may be little more than a trickle and you will want to check in advance to see if there is enough water to make the trip worthwhile.

The falls are usually visited by either a sightseeing flight or a three-day boat trip beginning in the town of Canaima. The boat trip, which also includes a hike through the jungle to the base of the falls, is not a luxury tour by any stretch, with basic accommodation along the route. The boat trip may not be possible during the dry season due to low water levels in the river.

Flights over the falls depart from many towns and cities and can be arranged from various places, including Caracas, Ciudad Bolivar, Santa Elena, or Isla Margarita, as well as other major cities, although usually with a connecting flight.

2. Los Roques Archipelago (Archipielago Los Roques)

Gran Roque

Sun-drenched beaches, turquoise waters, coral reefs, and modest development with no high-rise hotels, are what draw travelers to this beautiful chain of islands 160 kilometers north of the central coast of Venezuela.

The archipelago is Los Roques National Park, but most people refer to the area simply as Los Roques. This is one of the best places to visit in Venezuela. The small seaside fishing village of Gran Roque, on the island of the same name, is the main settlement, with single-story homes painted in the typical bright colors seen throughout Venezuela.

The buildings stretch out along the beachfront, which seems to go on forever. One of the highlights is the little island of Cayo de Agua. Reached by boat, this is one of Venezuela's most beautiful beaches, with shallow turquoise waters, perfect for swimming and snorkeling.

The islands are usually reached by aircraft from Caracas, there is no ferry service from the mainland. The airport is located in Gran Roque. Boats can be chartered from the town's waterfront area for those interested in visiting some of the surrounding islands, diving, or taking a snorkeling trip. Accommodation: Where to Stay in Los Roques

3. Isla de Margarita (Margarita Island)

Isla de Margarita (Margarita Island)

Isla de Margarita is one of the more developed beach destinations in Venezuela. Lying approximately 40 kilometers north of the mainland, this is one of Venezuela's major tourist destinations for sun seekers. The island's main attractions are the beautiful soft sand beaches, which are popular with both foreigners and Venezuelans.

Many charter flights fly directly to Isla Margarita from a variety of international destinations, but it's also possible to take a ferry to the island from Puerto La Cruz on the mainland.

The main city on the island is Porlamar, but the numerous beaches are spread around the island, with some of the best on the north and east side. Many of these are developed, with hotels or restaurants. Some of the most popular beaches are La Playa El Agua, Playa Puerto Cruz, Playa Guacuco, and Playa Manzanillo.

4. Parque Nacional Morrocoy (Morrocoy National Park)

Cayo Sombrero

Morrocoy National Park, located along the coast about a two-hour drive west of Caracas, is known for its white-sand beaches and coral reefs, which stretch along the mainland and ring the offshore islands and cays. Diving is one of the main activities for those who are looking for more than simply spending a day on the beach.

The park is also home to a large number of birds, from osprey and parrots to flamingos and scarlet ibis. Some of the most popular islands are Cayo Sombrero, Cayo Borracho, Cayo Sal, and Cayo Peraza, to name just a few.

There are two main access points, one at Tucacas and the other at Chichiriviche, with boat services to the islands available at both of these towns. The park is easily accessible and, as a result, very popular with Venezuelans. It can get extremely busy, particularly around holidays. Accommodation: Where to Stay in Morrocoy National Park

5. Canaima National Park and the Gran Sabana

Canaima National Park and the Gran Sabana | Photo Copyright: Lana Law

Canaima National Park covers three million hectares and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is usually associated with Angel Falls and the area around the town of Canaima, but this is actually only a small area of the vastly diverse park.

The park also encompasses the high plateau of La Gran Sabana and includes more than 100 tepuis (table top mountains), which rise more than 1,000 meters above the savannahs. A trip through the Gran Sabana and Canaima National Park is a unique experience and does not necessarily even need to be combined with a trip to Angel Falls, particularly during the dry season.

Highlights in this area are the numerous waterfalls spread across the entire area, particularly in the Gran Sabana near the Brazilian border. Swimming at the base of the waterfalls is one of the highlights and can provide a refreshing escape from the heat of the midday sun during the dry season. Accommodation: Where to Stay in Canaima National Park

6. Roraima

Roraima

The table-top mountain of Roraima has an alluring appeal for nature lovers and adventure seekers, with an almost mystical Jack and the Beanstalk type of wonder attached to it. Rising up from the surrounding lowlands, Roraima is an island in the sky that has been intriguing people for centuries, with its bizarre rock formations, waterfalls, and meat-eating plants. This tepui (table-top mountain) was even the inspiration for Arthur Conan Doyle's famous novel The Lost World.

Roraima is one of the highest tepuis in Canaima National Park. It is also one of the most easily accessible and a popular hiking destination, although it is a demanding, multi-day hike. The temperature drops as the elevation rises and Roraima is often cloudy, misty, or raining, so hikers need to be prepared to face the elements.

7. Orinoco Delta

Orinoco Delta

The Orinoco Delta, in the northeast of Venezuela, offers a completely different landscape and experience than other parts of the country. The river delta is home to all kinds of interesting wildlife, from monkeys and macaws to piranhas.

Riverside lodges offer multi-day packages that take guests out in boats for wildlife viewing and visiting local Warao people. Some camps also offer night safaris. The quality of the lodges varies so it's best to do some research in advance. Trips can be arranged from Ciudad Bolivar, Ciudad Guayana (Puerto Ordaz), or from other cities, and can be combined with a larger tour of other areas.

8. Galipan

Caracas: Galipan and the National Pantheon

While few people plan to spend much time in Caracas, the city does have a couple of sites worth seeing. One of the highlights is a trip up the funicular to the small town of Galipan on Avila Mountain in northern Caracas.

It is also possible to drive, but this is a twisty road that doesn't lend itself to looking around. The views from the top of the hill are spectacular, particularly on clear days, when you can see Caracas and the coast. At the top are stalls with vendors selling a variety of goods, and a number of decent restaurants offering some tasty treats.

9. National Pantheon of Venezuela

National Pantheon of Venezuela

The National Pantheon is one of the most important attractions in Caracas. The building was constructed after the 1812 earthquake when the original church on this site was destroyed. Today, it is the country's most sacred shrine and houses the remains of prominent Venezuelans, including those of Simon Bolivar. Accommodation: Where to Stay in Caracas

10. Parque Nacional Los Medanos de Coro (Medanos de Coro National Park)

Parque Nacional Los Medanos de Coro (Medanos de Coro National Park)

Medanos de Coro National Park offers surprising sights, with rolling sand dunes typical of a desert scene. The sand dunes, known locally as medanos, roll across the landscape, with twisting and curving lines, and some dunes reach up to 40 meters in height.

Dispersed within the hills are a number of lagoons, formed by decades-old flooding. This park is a fun place to wander around, slide down the dunes, take photos, and appreciate the diversity of landscapes that make Venezuela so unique.

11. Mochima National Park

Mochima National Park | Photo Copyright: Lana Law

This park covers a portion of the coast and a chain of offshore islands east of Puerto La Cruz to Cumana. The main attractions here are the beaches and the diving. The islands can be accessed by boat from Puerto La Cruz, Santa Fe, and Mochima.

It is also possible to explore the mainland portion of the park by car or bus, stopping off at small villages and beach-lined bays off highway 9, but this is primarily a place for boating. The area around the park is very quiet and it doesn't see nearly the amount of traffic as Morrocoy. This is a good option for people who happen to be in this area or heading out to the Paria Peninsula.

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

Visiting Neighboring Colombia: On Venezuela's western border is one of South America's hottest new up-and-coming tourist destinations. Colombia's attractions range from historic cities to mountains and beaches. If you have time to see even a couple of destinations in Colombia, don't miss out on a chance to explore the sights of Cartagena or to relax in Medellin.
A man has been arrested on multiple charges after police located a number of guns, including an AR rifle, on the top floor of the Hyatt Regency on Louisiana Street downtown, Houston police said.

Police at the hotel called for backup around 1:30 a.m. Sunday after they attempted to arrest the man for being intoxicated and trespassing. When help arrived, police noticed ammunition laying around the man's hotel room, Lt. Gordon Macintosh with Houston police told Click2Houston.

The man was arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon and trespassing. When investigators looked into his room further, they located an AR-15, a shotgun, a handgun and lots of ammunition, Macintosh said.

The Hyatt is preparing its own New Years Eve celebration at the hotel with a 50,000 balloon drop at the stroke of midnight, its website said.
A gunman shot and killed a Douglas County (CO) Sheriffs deputy, and wounded four other deputies and two civilians at an apartment complex during a domestic violence call early Sunday morning, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office said.

About 5:15 a.m., deputies responded to the Copper Canyon Apartments in Highlands Ranch.

A gunman opened fire, hitting five deputies and two civilians. One deputy was confirmed dead and the six others were taken to hospitals, the sheriffs office told KDVR TV.
Multiple Douglas County (CO) Sheriffs deputies were shot Sunday morning and a Sheriffs Office SWAT team is at the scene, according to Lauren Lekander, DCSO spokeswoman. Some local media outlets say three deputies are down.

We have multiple officers down, said Deputy Jason Blanchard of the incident in Highlands Ranch. We are not giving numbers or status at this point, we are still working on getting the suspect in custody.

Deputies were responding to a disturbance call when shots were fired from the home before 6 a.m., Lekander told the Denver Post.

We have SWAT out there setting up and preparing to go in right now, Lekander said at about 7:15 a.m.

Video broadcast by Denver 7 shows an Arapahoe County Sheriff Bomb Squad truck at the scene.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat in May 2016 that Russia had political dirt on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, the New York Times reported.

The conversation between Papadopoulos and the diplomat, Alexander Downer, in London was a driving factor behind the FBIs decision to open a counter-intelligence investigation of Moscows contacts with the Trump campaign, the Times reported.

Two months after the meeting, Australian officials passed the information that came from Papadopoulos to their American counterparts when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, according to the newspaper, which cited four current and former U.S. and foreign officials.

Besides the information from the Australians, the probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation was also propelled by intelligence from other friendly governments, including the British and Dutch, the Times said.

Papadopoulos, a Chicago-based international energy lawyer, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to lying to FBI agents about contacts with people who claimed to have ties to top Russian officials. It was the first criminal charge alleging links between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The White House has played down the former aides campaign role, saying it was extremely limited and that any actions he took would have been on his own. The New York Times, however, reported that Papadopoulos helped set up a meeting between then-candidate Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and edited the outline of Trumps first major foreign policy speech in April 2016.

The federal investigation, which is now being led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, has hung over Trumps White House since he took office almost a year ago. Some Trump allies have recently accused Muellers team of being biased against the Republican president.

Lawyers for Papadopoulos did not immediately respond to requests by Reuters for comment. Muellers office declined to comment.

Trumps White House attorney, Ty Cobb, declined to comment on the New York Times report. Out of respect for the special counsel and his process, we are not commenting on matters such as this, he said in a statement.

Mueller has charged four Trump associates, including Papadopoulos, in his investigation. Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election and Trump has said there was no collusion between his campaign and Moscow.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton in Washington and Roberta Rampton in West Palm Beach, Fla.; Editing by Tim Ahmann and Matthew Lewis)
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Dan Gilroys 2017 film Roman J. Israel, Esquire, starring Denzel Washington and still lingering in theaters, has either been critically panned or just plain overlooked.

And yet, its story, particularly in this political moment, stands as an urgent and instructive tale about the rigors of engaging in political action for social change, about the sacrifices of leading a politically committed life, and most importantly about the need to communicate across generations with humility, without righteousness, and with ears open to listening, hearts open to understanding, and eyes trained on the final prize of a humane world and not the pyrrhic victory of political purity.

The particular story Roman J. Israel, Esquire unfolds is one rarely told but crucially necessary, as we live in a culture that offers little guidance and fewer stories that provide models for movement building and that cultivate a political sensibility to prepare one for collective action and committed struggle on the street and in our professions, rather than just for simple individual achievement.

Its not surprising so many critics overlook the importance of the story. The character Roman J. Israel, a legal activist hanging on as a relic from an earlier political generation who is nonetheless absolutely relevant today, is not a character we are used to seeing; he is unfamiliar and difficult to read, a dinosaur from a Jurassic political era whose extinction has been mis-reported and whose existence is misunderstood.

This film calls on those committed and long-time activists who participated in the past strugglesand may still be goingto find a language in which to speak to a younger generation, just as it also calls on activists from the younger generation to listen and honor the lessons of movements past.

Our current political moment gives Gilroys story and Washingtons performance a particularly charged significance. Consider todays political context:

As a response to Trumps presidency, 2017 witnessed a diverse and broad-based, if not always cohesive or unified, upsurge in social justice activism and protest, including the memorable and massive nation-wide Womens March, the March for Science, and the Peoples Climate March. These protests, of course, added to an environment of political resistance already energized by the Black Lives Matter movement.

This array of activism, often overtly anti-Trump, with all of its multiple and not necessarily connected parts, has been collected under the umbrella category of the Resistance.

Demographic studies of these upsurges reveal that many of the participants in these protests are new entrants into the arena of political activism lacking not only in political experience but in a knowledge of the radical and progressive traditions that offer models for building and sustaining a movement and its infrastructure and for crafting a new cultural sensibility.

In Gilroys film, Israel (Denzel Washington) works behind the scenes as legal genius and workhorse for the face of the firm, William Henry Jackson, an icon of the Civil Rights Movement. When Jackson suddenly dies, Israel is cut loose as the firm can no longer sustain itself.

He appears briefly in court representing remaining clients but, unused to litigation, finds his 60s legal rhetoricone that relentlessly impugns and challenges the injustice of the system itselfout of place and quickly dismissed by impatient judges. The court of law is no longer an arena for political causes in which the meaning of justice itself is litigated but rather a site of quick pleas and deals where the accused have no voice.

Then enters George Pierce (Colin Farrell), a self-proclaimed protege of Israels iconic boss who now runs a lucrative profit-driven firm but who nonetheless likes to think of himself as loyal to higher ideals of justice. He tries to hire Israel, whom he sees as something of a legal savant, as Israel remembers every detail of every case he worked on and keeps his records on 35 index cards rather than using modern legal software. Israel refuses, seeing working for Pierce as selling out.

At one point in his unsuccessful quest for work, Israel approaches a community law center committed to civil rights advocacy. Israel offers his services to the director, Maya Alston (Carmen Egojo), explaining that he could help re-align the practice with the original ideals of the Civil Rights Movement, linking legal activism with political protest and movement building. At first, Alston is a bit offended, defending her work in the center, although she softens, becoming sympathetic to and intrigued by his clearly abundant legal knowledge and political wisdom, even as she lets him know she cannot offer him paid work as the center is staffed with volunteers.

As he leaves, one of Alstons co-workers calls Israel a freak. She informs him that both of them stand on Israels shoulders. This moment is a crucial one in the film, spelling out two possible responses from the younger generationdismissal or a willingness to learn. The film proposes the latter but poses the smug dismissal of the past and disconnection from our radical political traditions as an obstacle to progressive social change.

We see this theme developed again when Alston invites Israel to give a lecture at the center. When he speaks, he has a rapt audience, until he chastises a brother in the audience for sitting while some sisters are standing. The African American women take him to task for his patriarchal chivalry, which he calls politeness. While Israel has some things to learn to connect with the younger generation, the younger generation here are represented as taking a stance of righteousness as they rudely and disrespectfully run Israel from the room and, in the process, cut themselves off from a meaningful reservoir and legacy of legal activism and grassroots activism.

Alston nonetheless learns from him, as finally does Pierce. Ironically, they learn from Israel just as he is giving up and selling out in his terms so he can make a living, worn out by years of committing himself to the struggle for justice and living on little. He ends of violating the law for a payday through an unscrupulous action he comes to regret.

But before Israel completely disappears, Pierce is able to rescue his briefcase, which contains a massive brief he has spent his career writing to take on the carceral state and the complicity of the justice system in the way it fosters plea-bargaining at the expense of the accused having a voice in the nations courtrooms, which are supposed to be an arena for seeking justice, not simply handing out sentences and silencing the criminalized.

In the final scenes, we see Maya leading activist training sessions in the law center and Pierce standing at a clerks counter in the Federal Court while the clerk thumbs through the tome of a brief he just handed in, making clear that the hope of our future lies in the very plan that Roman J. Israel lays out. This plan combines progressive legal activism with protest and grassroots movement building, drawing on the wisdom of our political forbears and our radical political traditions. The place for activism is not just in the streets but in our professional lives as well, whether we are wearing suits or sneakers.

The final scene of the movie, that of Pierce waiting at the clerks counter in the Federal Court, extends through the credits while the Spinners 1973 hit Ill Be Around plays. While Israel is gone at the end of the film, the point is that he is around in the presence of the tradition he represents and the legacy he bequeaths to Pierce and Alston.

The movie is finally about more than an individual; it is about an unfinished legacy and historical process that has yet to resolve itself. Perhaps critics have been disappointed because the movie ends up departing from a typical narrative structure that focuses on an individual life and instead becomes a story about a collective tradition.

In our moment that now is often referred to as the Age of Trump, this collective story of seeking social change becomes crucial for accessing and making fruitful the new activist energies Trumps malevolence is inspiring.
RED WING  Firefighters rescued an unconscious person from a burning vehicle early Saturday morning.

The individual, whose identity has not been released, was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing and later airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, according to a press release from the Red Wing Fire Department.

Emergency responders received a report shortly after 1:30 a.m. Saturday of a vehicle fire next to a home in the 1400 block of Bush Street. Firefighters arrived at the scene in less than four minutes and began battling the blaze to prevent it from spreading to the house. At the same time, firefighters searched the vehicle and discovered an unconscious person in the driver's seat. They pulled the victim from the vehicle.

Six Red Wing firefighter paramedics responded to the scene and investigated the fire for approximately one hour. Red Wing Police and the Minnesota State Patrol also assisted at the scene. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
A few closeout observations before the first bottle of champagne:

 Top story of the year: Trump is still President! Lots of folks on the left and in the media were certain hed be gone by June. Worser news for the left: hes gaining strength. Worstest news for the left: The Russia collusion angle is coming up dry, and he isnt going to be impeached.

Related, from CNN no less:

Gallup: Hillary Clintons favorability rating hits new low (CNN) More than a year after the 2016 presidential election, former Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons favorability rating has dropped to a new low, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday. The poll showed 36% of respondents rated Clinton favorably compared to 61% who rated her unfavorably, which is a new high for that measure. Gallup said this beat out her previous low of 38% at the outset of the general election last year and in 1992 when she was not yet a household name. Gallups poll marked a five-point drop in the former secretary of states favorability rating since June, when a poll of national adults showed 41% rated her favorably.

Still not tired of winning? Okay, then take this, from the Washington Post:

How the Trump era is changing the federal bureaucracy Nearly a year into his takeover of Washington, President Trump has made a significant down payment on his campaign pledge to shrink the federal bureaucracy, a shift long sought by conservatives that could eventually bring the workforce down to levels not seen in decades. . . Morale has never been lower, said Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents 150,000 federal workers at more than 30 agencies. Government is making itself a lot less attractive as an employer.

Sometimes you just have to take the sweet with the sweet.

 A sign of the times?

The new security measures planned for the Brandenburg Gate party come amid concerns about sexual assaults. . . Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the New Years Eve party in Berlin on Sunday and security will be strict. Large bags, such as rucksacks, and alcoholic drinks will be banned at the Brandenburg Gate.

Gosh, from the sound of this headline Berlin must be like New York City back in the pre-Guiliani era. Whats behind this? The BBC semi-explains:

A large number of assaults and robberies targeting women at Colognes New Years Eve celebrations two years ago horrified Germany. Hundreds of women reported being attacked by gangs of men with migrant backgrounds.

What kind of migrant backgrounds I wonder?

Related:

Swedens Socialist minister admits: We made a mistake accepting so many refugees The Swedish finance minister, Magdalena Andersson, in a Friday interview for the newspaper Dagens Nyheter said that Sweden made a mistake by accepting thousands of asylum seekers in 2015. It is the first such statement of the politician from the ruling Swedens Socialist Working Party, whose coalition government together with the Green Party, welcomed over 163,000 asylum seekers in 2015.

Chaser:

 Winston Churchill describing bitcoin perhaps:

I know those people who think they can coin the moonlight into silver and mint the sunshine into gold, are always running about with some of these plans for getting rich quickly and securing wealth without having to work for it. (From his 1909 campaign book, The Peoples Rights.)

 Woo-hoo! Were number 29! Power Line came in ranked 29th in the PJ Media ranking of the Top 50 Conservative Websites for 2017.

 Isnt this a clear violation of the 8th Amendments cruel and unusual punishment clause:
The New York Times reports that the impetus for the FBIs investigation of suspected collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia was not the anti-Trump dossier, but rather statements made by George Papadopoulos. He was the young Trump campaign staffer who later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

According to the Times, after a heavy night of drinking, Papadopoulos told Australias top diplomat in Britain that Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton. Two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online (none of which, by the way, rose to the level of dirt on Hillary), Australian officials passed the information about Papadopoulos to their American officials. This information supposedly led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016 into Russias attempts to disrupt the election and whether any of President Trumps associates conspired.

I assume the Times report was fed to it by current and/or former FBI officials and/or others in the Obama administration with an interest in dismissing the role of the dossier. This doesnt mean the story is false. It may well be true.

However, Byron York raises some important questions:

(1) If Papadopoulos actions drove FBI probe, why wait til nearly Feb 2017 to interview him? If done to keep probe quiet before election, why wait more than two months after vote? (2) When did officials brief Congress about Papadopoulos? They briefed Congress about Carter Page in late summer 2016. (3) Did officials seek a surveillance warrant on Papadopoulos? They reportedly got one on Carter Page in summer 2016. Did they try to get one on Papadopoulos? If not, why not?

Byron adds that hes not saying Papadopoulos played no role in the FBIs decision to investigate. However, he questions whether the aides role was as central in starting FBI probe in July 2016 as the Times and its sources want us to believe.

Its also important to remember that the question of whether the dossier prompted, or helped lead to, the FBI investigation is separate from the question of what role the dossier played when the Justice Department obtained a warrant from the FISA court to engage in electronic surveillance of members of Trumps team.
Top means most widely read, of course, not best or most influential. Still, it is fun to look back and see what posts got the most attention from our readers in 2017.

The years most-read post, with 150,933 views, was Proof that James Comey Misled the Senate Intelligence Committee, which I wrote on June 10. It was inevitable, I suppose, that many of our top posts related to the storm of controversy surrounding the 2016 election, the Clinton campaigns collusion with Russia and the FBI via Fusion GPS, the firing of James Comey, Bob Muellers investigation, and so on. This post exposed James Comey as a liar.

You should read (or re-read) the whole thing, but briefly, Comey told the Intelligence Committee that his relationship with President Trump was different from his relationships with prior presidents, because Trump is uniquely dishonest. Comey told the committee:

COMEY:  When I was deputy attorney general, I had one one-on-one meeting with President Bush about a very important and difficult national security matter. I didnt write a memo documenting that conversation either  sent a quick e-mail to my staff to let them know there was something going on, but I didnt feel, with President Bush, the need to document it in that way, again (ph), because of  the combination of those factors just wasnt present with either President Bush or President Obama. WARNER: I  I think that is very significant.

Significant? Maybe, but it was a lie. A sharp-eyed reader pointed us to the book Angler, an attack on Dick Cheney, which revealed that Comey actually documented his rather famous conversation with President Bush with a memo that included pages of supposedly verbatim dialogue. When it comes to covering his rear end, Comey is a consummate denizen of the Washington swamp. Likewise when it comes to lying to Congress.

Collectively, Steves most popular posts are no doubt The Week In Pictures series, which probably garnered a total of around 1,500,000 views in 2017. But his most-read individual post this year was The Millenial Job Interview, a hilarious but all too true video, which Steve posted on November 27. It continues to get views via social media. Here it is, once more:

Pauls top post was also a recent one, Panic at the Washington Post, published on Christmas Day. The post documents WaPos growing hysteria over the fact that Muellers investigation is falling apart, and instead, attention is increasingly focused on the real scandal, which implicates, among others, the FBI.

The Washington Post is worried. The lead headline in todays paper edition reads: Mueller criticism grows to a clamor  FBI Conspiracy Claim Takes Hold  Driven by activists, GOP lawmakers, Trump tweets. Turnabout is fair play. Last year around this time, an honest newspaper could easily have written: Trump criticism grows to a clamor  Russia Collusion Takes Hold  Driven by activists, Democratic lawmakers, leaks.

***

The FBI reportedly offered money to Christoper Steele to continue his work on the anti-Trump dossier (in testimony before Congress Rod Rosenstein refused to say whether the FBI paid or offered to pay for the dossier). The FBI may well have used information in the dossier to secure approval of surveillance efforts from the FISA court. The FBI also helped push the dossier into the publics consciousness. Its general counsel, James Baker, reportedly told reporter David Corn about the dossier, thus enabling Corn to write about it just before the election. And FBI director Comey briefed president-elect Trump on the dossier, which led to publication of its contents by BuzzFeed. We also know about the quest of Peter Strzok, a high-level FBI man, for an insurance policy against a Trump presidency. But lets return to the Washington Posts story about growing criticism of Mueller. The three distressed Post writers are less than fully open when it comes to informing readers what  other than activists, GOP lawmakers, and Trump tweets  is causing criticism of Mueller to grow to a clamor. They acknowledge that it has something to do with Strzoks role as Muellers former top investigator. However, they do their best to make Strzok seem innocuous.

Read the whole thing, please.

Scotts most-read 2017 post was Six Seconds to Live, published on October 26. The post includes an excerpt from a 2010 speech by General John Kelly in which he pays tribute to the heroism of two Marines who were killed in a suicide attack in Afghanistan:

What we didnt know at the time, and only learned a couple of days later after I wrote a summary and submitted both Yale and Haerter for posthumous Navy Crosses, was that one of our security cameras, damaged initially in the blast, recorded some of the suicide attack. It happened exactly as the Iraqis had described it. It took exactly six seconds from when the truck entered the alley until it detonated. You can watch the last six seconds of their young lives. Putting myself in their heads I supposed it took about a second for the two Marines to separately come to the same conclusion about what was going on once the truck came into their view at the far end of the alley. Exactly no time to talk it over, or call the sergeant to ask what they should do. Only enough time to take half an instant and think about what the sergeant told them to do only a few minutes before: let no unauthorized personnel or vehicles pass. The two Marines had about five seconds left to live.

***

[T]he recording shows a number of Iraqi police, some of whom had fired their AKs, now scattering like the normal and rational men they weresome running right past the Marines. They had three seconds left to live.

***

For about two seconds more, the recording shows the Marines weapons firing nonstop, the trucks windshield exploding into shards of glass as their rounds take it apart and tore in to the body of the son-of-a-bitch who is trying to get past them to kill their brothersAmerican and Iraqibedded down in the barracks totally unaware of the fact that their lives at that moment depended entirely on two Marines standing their ground.

***

The truck explodes. The camera goes blank. Two young men go to their God. Six seconds. Not enough time to think about their families, their country, their flag, or about their lives or their deaths, but more than enough time for two very brave young men to do their dutyinto eternity. That is the kind of people who are on watch all over the world tonightfor you.

As it happens, these four posts offer a pretty good cross section of what we do here at Power Lineand have done, every day, since May 2002. It may not be amiss to mention that our traffic hit an all-time high in 2017, with more visits and page views than at any time in the past. That is a sign, of course, of the level of interest in the Trump administration and events of the day among our readers.

So: Happy New Year, and may 2018 be even bigger.
In collusion news today, the New York Times has devoted six reporters to producing the news that the previously obscure Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos lies at the heart of the putative case. Their story is How the Russia inquiry began: A campaign aide, drinks and talk of political dirt. Paul wrote about it last night here.

I think the story is ludicrous on its face. The Times has served as a prime purveyor of the Trump/Russia hysteria. Yet reality has deflated it. Now the Times returns to pump it up. The names have changed, but the song remains the same.

The Times has lost the thread on its preferred narrative. Indeed, attention has turned to the Steele/Trump dossier and the apparent wrongdoing related to it. The authorities inside the Obama administration who took advantage of it seek to cover their tracks. The deeply felt needs of the Times and its collaborators are consummated in todays big story.

Who helped the Times concoct its story today? We have come to expect the usual guarded law enforcement and intelligence sources who cannot be identified because the information is classified and they werent authorized to talk about it.

Todays story is not quite so forthcoming. The six Times reporters disclose only that they relied on interviews. Well, not just interviews. Late in the story current and former officials familiar with the debate appear. The Times story also relies on previously undisclosed documents.

The Times story states: A team of F.B.I. agents traveled to Europe to interview Mr. Steele in early October 2016. Mr. Steele had shown some of his findings to an F.B.I. agent in Rome three months earlier [coincidentally, at the time the investigation started], but that information was not part of the justification to start an counterintelligence inquiry, American officials said.

With whom did the Times conduct the interviews? What were the circumstances? Who contacted whom? How can this story have remained dormant until today? The Times doesnt say.

What are the previously undisclosed documents? The Times doesnt say it directly, but the documents do not demonstrate how the counterintelligence investigation started. They do not establish the storys thesis.

How can any informed observer take this seriously? We await the disclosure of genuine evidence rather than obvious spin. We dont have nearly enough information to arrive at a definitive judgment. We must keep our minds open until we are privy to it. In time I may be proved wrong. Yet I dont think it is rash to say that this Times story is some kind of a joke.

Wall Street Journal columnist Kim Strassel puts it this way in response to Obama hack Tommy Vietors demand that she correct her column on the Steele dossier (one of the dirtiest tricks in U.S. political history). To borrow the Clinton campaign slogan, Im with her.
PLEASANTVILLE  For the Rev. Willie Dwayne Francois III, the issue of safety arose when his church started heightening security measures back in the summer.

The senior pastor at Mount Zion Baptist Church said the place of worship created a security team, set up a safe room, developed an evacuation plan and had drills in case of an emergency. But they dont want security measures to hinder the values of the church by locking the doors or not letting some people in.

They want to continue being an inclusive and affirming place, Francois said.

We keep our doors open, he said, but we have to have conversations.

Francois church was the location of the house of worship safety forum Dec. 19, which drew more than 300 people from different faiths and houses of worship around Atlantic County to the churchs WinSan Center. The Atlantic County Coalition for a Safe Community held the forum in response to concerns about attacks in places of worship across the country, such as the November shooting that killed 26 people at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

Every seat was taken in the center, with people listening to presentations from local law-enforcement officials, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office.

Officials addressed signs of suspicious activity to look for, such as someone who comes unannounced to check on security, people entering a house of worship looking for supplies, or people wearing unseasonably bulky clothing. They encouraged people to collaborate with other houses of worship on a security plan, and to contact law enforcement for an assessment of the physical structures and security.

The forum also went over what to do in an active shooter or an active killer situation, such as evacuating from the area or hiding in a locked room and safe area, as well as victim care and cooperation with law-enforcement protocol.

It fostered a discussion and exposure for the issue, but these types of conversations should have started years ago, Francois said.

John Rios, the chief financial officer at the Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center in Margate, said during the forum he gathered a good perspective on what his role should be in helping to protect his religious community.

They did a wonderful job preparing synagogues, churches and places of worship, he said, how to prepare, reduce the risk and mitigate any types of danger.

Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner said at the forum that its important to make sure people who are a part of a house of worship understand what to do in a time of crisis, since they are with each other often. But he addressed that it can be difficult to think about security while abiding by the teachings of a house of worship.

We as all people of God welcome people that are different. That is what we were taught to do, Tyner said. We dont reject people, we dont turn them away.

The conversation at the forum from the audience also quickly shifted to gun laws in New Jersey. Many brought up concerns about the laws surrounding self-defense and the rights to carry a weapon. Officials at the forum briefly discussed gun laws in the state, but urged people to remember the protocols discussed at the forum if in a dangerous situation.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security also has the Interfaith Advisory Council, an initiative that invites religious leaders from around the 21 counties to talk about developments several times a year, spokesman Patrick Rigby said.

Rigby added that if there is suspicious activity observed in any house of worship, it should be reported to the police and the office of Homeland Security by calling 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ (866-472-3365) or emailing tips@njohsp.gov.
GALLOWAY  A township man was arrested Friday after police found him carrying an assault firearm and ammunition, authorities said.

At 12:05 p.m. Friday, Galloway police responded to the 200 block of East White Horse Pike for a report of a suspicious person possibly in possession of a firearm.

Police found Thomas J. Turner Jr., 42, of Galloway, wearing a black tactical vest and carrying a backpack with an assault firearm  specifically a .45 caliber Encom MP-45 assault pistol  along with a 30-round extended magazine, loaded with 17 bullets, police said in a news release.

Turner was also allegedly in possession of 15 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for a storage container Turner was leasing, where authorities found heroin, additional weapons, ammunition and two extended magazines, police said.

Turner was arrested and taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility. Police said he was arrested on the following charges:

possession of an assault firearm

possession of an assault firearm while in the course of committing a controlled dangerous substance offense

unlawful possession of an extended ammunition magazine

possession of Schedule I drugs (methamphetamine and heroin)

possession with intent to distribute CDS

The incident is under investigation by Patrolman Jeremy Feliciano.

The Stockton University Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department and Atlantic County Prosecutors Office assisted in the investigation, police said.

Authorities warn that anyone who witnesses suspicious activity should contact a local law-enforcement agency.
A couple of years ago, after the tragic killing of teenager Nicole Angstadt in Rio Grande, municipal and Cape May County officials looked hard at how former inmates use vouchers to stay at about 30 motels in the area. The challenge of reintegrating into society those who have completed the punishment for their crimes looks most daunting when a terrible crime occurs instead.

Two former state prisoners last week pleaded guilty to crimes related to the killing, one to first-degree aggravated manslaughter with a recommended sentence of at least 25 years back in prison.

By coincidence, the next day Gov. Chris Christie signed a trio of bills into law to make it easier for ex-offenders to get past the obstacles between them and finding employment, caring for their families and living without more crime and incarceration.

One new law increases the number and kind of offenses that may be expunged  removed without a trace  from a criminal record, including possession of up to an ounce of marijuana with the intent to sell. It also lets ex-offenders seek expungement earlier, six years instead of 10 after fully completing their sentences.

Another law allows a juvenile criminal record to be erased after three years instead of five.

The third law strengthens a protection for job-seeking ex-offenders called Ban the Box. That 2014 law bars employers from asking about a persons criminal record on the initial job application. The new law extends the prohibition to screening initial applicants for crimes through online searches and to asking whether a person has an expunged criminal record.

When Christie signed Ban the Box, we were skeptical this tough-on-crime former prosecutor really believed his stated rationale that no life is beyond salvation. We suspected the signing was part of a deal with Democrats to get another bill that made it easier for judges to deny bail to violent offenders.

But since then, Christies actions have left no doubt about his sincerity. New Jerseys bail reform is a national model, deciding pre-trail release based on the risk posed by the inmate rather than the cash they have available. He also has expanded drug courts for nonviolent offenders and created a combined drug-treatment facility and prison for addicted inmates.

The new bills will increase the number of ex-offenders in New Jersey who seek to have their records expunged, currently about 8,400 a year. Thats a good thing.

Giving people a second chance to build lives without the stigma of a criminal record creates a powerful incentive to stay right with the law. These laws will provide better second chances more quickly to more people who have committed minor criminal offenses.

They also add to an excellent part of Christies legacy, his leadership and accomplishments in criminal-justice reform.
As journalists, we get criticized for pointing out whats wrong without offering solutions.

In our role as the proverbial messengers, we are shot at often for delivering bad news.

But there are times when we, in reporting on a well-established problem or issue, asks ourselves why we arent digging deeper into a problem that were constantly reporting on.

That was the case nine months ago, when after a series of brutal murders involving domestic violence, we gathered a group of Press journalists and urged them to look deeper at partner violence.

The reporters  Madison Russ, Claire Lowe, Erin Serpico and Nicole Leonard  were instructed: Start talking to abusers and the abused. Go back to old cases. Find experts. Dig into reports. Stay with the story and develop an understanding of whats being done, whats working, and what has to happen next. Make connections, ask questions. Write stories.

Look for answers.

A year later, were still looking and still reporting. But we have learned many things, some discouraging, and others that give us hope.

 Weve learned that while the rate of prosecution of domestic violence cases in municipal court is just 20 percent (problem), there are counties such as Ocean County that have more than doubled that rate to 52 percent through a specialized unit that starts at the prosecutors office and connects down to every municipal police department in the county (solution?).

 Weve also learned that the stigma of domestic abuse often shames victims into silence long after the crime. Thats a problem we encountered early on as we sought people willing to talk. Many potential sources were reluctant to talk or to be named in articles. As frustrating as that sometimes was, we kept asking at the end of each story if others wanted to share.

 By December, the leads on positive forces in the fight on domestic violence were growing. Susan Scrupski, a former New Jersey journalist and domestic abuse survivor, uses technology that identifies dangerous escalations of behavior by domestic violence suspects. We also learned of a growing network of domestic violence experts sharing successes. The group met at Monmouth University in the fall to discuss solutions-based approaches to partner violence.

Also encouraging was our audiences growing willingness to talk about the issue. In November, our team  joined now by Press photojournalist Erin Grugan  produced a video in which domestic violence survivors share stories of their journey through brutal beatings, fear and loss. Despite the subject, their stories also brim with hope as they lend their collective voice to help others escape the cycle of violence.

As December runs out of days, its only natural that we take stock. Wed like to be further along in the process and to have found more answers. But we understand the complexity and challenges of the problem. The only reason to be discouraged would be if we were giving up.

Were not. Next week it will be a new year. We have more leads, more stories and more questions to ask. And hopefully more solutions to share.

To read The Press of Atlantic Citys Breaking the Cycle series, go to www.pressofac.com/breaking-the-cycle.

W.F. Buzz Keough is managing editor of The Press of Atlantic City.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
New Delhi : With her exotic sultry looks, she was possibly one of Hollywood's earliest 'globalised' leading ladies, playing roles spanning from a Spanish flamenco dancer to a Russian countess to a Biblical matriarch. Ava Gardner also appeared as a half-Indian character in the first Hollywood film realistically depicting India - on the cusp of Independence - then of the maharajas, the Great Game and tiger hunts.

And for good measure, Ava (1922-90), whose 95th birth anniversary falls on Sunday, is also known for a film that gave Bollywood the name of one of its most enduring villains - "Mogambo" (1953), set in Africa and co-starring Clark Gable and Grace Kelly.

With her dark brown hair contrasted by green eyes, her chiselled facial features comprising a dimpled chin and high cheekbones, voluptuous figure and a deep voice, Ava could have been typecast in one particular sort of role. But she was as exceptional - and atypical in her roles as her flamboyant life.

Born on Christmas Eve (which led to her Hollywood nickname) in a tobacco farm in North Carolina and youngest of seven siblings, she came into films in unique circumstances - through her photo displayed in the brother-in-law's New York photo studio which, by and by, led to a screen test at MGM's New York office.

"There wasn't a thing that I could do. I couldn't act... I had no training whatsoever. I was just a pretty little girl. But I loved the idea, because I loved movies," she said later. And after the test, "...the director clapped his hands gleefully and yelled, 'She can't talk! She can't act! She's sensational!'".

Offered a seven year contract by MGM, she left school for Hollywood in 1941. While MGM's first task was to improve her diction as her southern accent was nearly incomprehensible, her first years were scarcely pathbreaking.

Out of her about 70 screen appearances, 25 were in the first five years mostly as an uncredited extra in small roles. As Ava later put it, ".... I played a lot of hatcheck girls, and did mob scenes, extra scenes, dancing scenes, just to have the experience of being on a set.... If the studio wanted a photograph to advertise a film they'd say, 'Who is it that has a good pair of legs and a good pair of breasts and is pretty and not working?' And it was always Ava because she was never working."

She however came to prominence with her depiction of femme fatale Kittty Collins in the crime noir "The Killers" (1946), based on an Ernest Hemingway short story, expanded for the film.

This became a pattern of Ava's film career. She had just read two books till she was 21 - the Bible and "Gone with the Wind" (though she made up for it throughout her life by self-improvement), but ended up appearing in many movies with a strong literary flavour - based on works of Hemingway (who also was a close friend), Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Tennessee Williams, Nevil Shute and John Masters among others.

A string of bigger films followed - "The Hucksters" (1947) with Clark Gable and Deborah Kerr, "One Touch of Venus" (1948), in which she plays the goddess of love, "The Great Sinner" (1949) and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" (1952) with Gregory Peck, "The Barefoot Contessa" (1954) with Humphrey Bogart and more.

It was "Bhowani Junction" (1956), in which Ava, playing Anglo-Indian girl Victoria Jones, wears a sari - as she has to decide between three men in her life - a British army officer (Stewart Granger), a fellow Anglo-Indian and an Indian railway official. The filmmakers wanted to shoot in India but the government wasn't very accommodating, so they shifted base to Pakistan.

Her last prominent roles were in "The Night of the Iguana" (1964), opposite Richard Burton and "The Bible: In the Beginning" (1966) in which she played Sarah, wife of the Prophet Abraham, though she continued acting in smaller movies and even TV soaps. Asked why she did this, she said: "For the loot, honey, for the loot".

While there is much more about her - her penchant for bawdy language and swearing (one reporter said it seemed like a competition between a sailor and a truck driver), fierce temper and free spirit, her tempestuous relationship with Frank Sinatra which included a spell of marriage and continued relations and more, it is her wit and humour that deserves mention.

Opining that "Deep down, I'm pretty superficial", she was as dismissive of her time in the limelight: "What I'd really like to say about stardom is that it gave me everything I never wanted" and that ".... I never brought anything to this business and I have no respect for acting. Maybe if I had learned something it would be different. But I never did anything to be proud of."

Many of us wouldn't agree.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
Phnom Penh, Dec 24 : Popular Hollywood couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who were earlier in India with their children Dylan Michael and Carys Zeta for a family vacation, have left the country and moved to Cambodia.

Zeta-Jones, 48, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photograph of herself with Douglas enjoying a meal.

"Arriving in Cambodia. A sunset river cruise with a cup of tea and a few cakes. Perfect," she wrote alongside the image.

Zeta-Jones, best known for her roles in films like "Chicago", "The Terminal" and "Broken City", along with her family was in India last week.

During her visit, she shared videos and photographs on the image-sharing site.

On Saturday, she shared a video titled "Life in India", in which she shared all the images from her vacation.

"My family and other life in India," she wrote alongside the image, which shows different cultures and traditions of India.

Zeta-Jones and Douglas visited the Taj Mahal, roamed around the streets of Jaipur and enjoyed wildlife in India during their vacation.

On Instagram, the actress also shared that it was her "dream" to visit India.

"When you dream of visiting a country all your life, and it lives up to everything you hoped it would be," she wrote.

Douglas, 73, has appeared in films like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Wall Street", "Solitary Man" and "The American President".
New Delhi, Dec 25 : Dressed in Santa Claus hats and red outfits, the people of Delhi celebrated Christmas with much grandeur and fervour on Monday.

Churches were decorated with sparkling lights, stars, candles and other colourful articles to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God recognised as the central figure in Christianity.

"People have been visiting Churches since Saturday night to offer prayers and remember Jesus Christ," said Baldev Sandhu, Presbyter-In-Charge, St Stephen's Church on Church Mission Road in Delhi.

He added that people are celebrating the festival in full swing. "Best wishes to all the people on the auspicious occasion of Christmas. May this bring peace, harmony and happiness.

"The festival represents the victory of light over darkness and is about spreading joy and happiness. The message of love, tolerance and brotherhood of Jesus is effectively conveyed through the festival," he said.

Christmas, a primarily Christian festival, is also celebrated by people following different faiths with the spirit of Christmas visible among them.

"The sale of Santa Claus hats is high this time. People love to wear it," said a man selling them near Ashram Chowk in Delhi.

People could be seen buying X-Mas trees and colourful candles to decorate their houses. Carol singing and colourful cribs added charm to the day and people also exchanged sweets and delicious plum cakes.

Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites were flooded with Christmas greetings.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also greeted the nation on the occasion of Christmas.
LG holds no accountability, the only power he exercises is the power to interfere, says GK MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj of AAP.

By India Today Web Desk: Accusing Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal of constantly interfering in the government's work, AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj from Greater Kailash constituency questions why he's not given a job appraisal.

The MLA called for an online discussion at 3:30pm yesterday to evaluate LG's performance as the year ends.

As the year ends, letA??s talk about performance of our HonA??ble LG.Join live at 3:30 pm today https://t.co/9MwywikeHR pic.twitter.com/sxoJKPiSGD- Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) December 30, 2017

advertisement

"There is no answerabilty or accountability of LG despite all the powers that he is authorised to exercise," AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said at a media conference.

He said that powers given to the Lt Governor were in the areas of land, police and public order, and he "snatched" the department of services.

Though LG is not elected by the people but he beholds substantial powers, so his accountability must be set. Here is a report prepared by AAP MLA @Saurabh_MLAgk holding his office accountable. Do watch and share ! pic.twitter.com/W7bL3pJcZ5- AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 30, 2017

"LG has made a big contribution in scoring the number one position in the fight against crimes," he said in a sarcastic comment.

"Every time, there is a crime happening against women, children or senior citizens, the inefficiency of police is justified saying there is a shortage of staff.

"But new recruitments are not being organised despite High Court orders," he said.

Bhardwaj said Baijal had a chance to make a contribution by filling up the 14,000 vacancies in police but he "didn't do anything".

"In July, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requested the Lt Governor to plan to fill up the 37,000 vacancies in the government.

"We have constantly been asking them about these but there haven't been any answers from LG office," he said.

He criticised the Lt Governor, who is the chairman of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), for not conducting any operations against unauthorized construction "across the city".

Bhardwaj also complained about the quality of newly constructed DDA flats.

"The government depends on DDA for space to build schools, hospitals, Mohalla clinics and bus depots.

"We were not given even a single piece of land by them to build Mohalla clinics last year," he said.

"He (LG) shows as if he is taking a number of measures for road safety, sanitation etc. by calling for meetings and by tweeting his pictures from the various sites and the venues.

"In reality, nothing is being done on his part in strengthening the police, in monitoring the MCDs, in conducting investigation against bureaucrats.

advertisement

"The LG has failed in playing the constitutional responsibility on him. The only power he exercises is the power to interfere," he claimed.

(With inputs from IANS)

ALSO WATCH | BJP delegation meets L-G Anil Baijal, demands action against Arvind Kejriwal in water tanker scam

--- ENDS ---
Srinagar, Dec 26 : A top commander of the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday.

The police said the militant killed in Samboora village was identified. "The slain militant is Moor Muhammad Tantray alias Noor Trali, commander of JeM outfit. He belonged to the Tral area."

Tantray was responsible for the militant attack on the Border Security Force's (BSF) camp near Srinagar airport in October, a police officer said.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir police chief S.P.Vaid said the encounter had started between the security forces and holed up militants in Samboora after the area was surrounded by the forces late on Monday evening.

"There was information that two to three militants are hiding in the area," the police chief said.
Seoul, Dec 29 : South Korean tech major LG Electronics has announced that it is adding a new smart speaker named "ThinQ" to its 2018 line-up, which will be powered by Google Assistant.

Amazon and Apple also have voice-controlled devices that have become popular of late.

"The LG 'ThinQ' looks to be a more high-end competitor to something like Google's 'Home Max'," Tech Crunch reported late on Thursday.

"LG's new speaker is promising a 'premium' audio experience thanks to 'Meridian Audio' technology and support for lossless high resolution audio," the report added.

The South Korean company has not disclosed much details about the upcoming device.

The smart speaker will be unveiled at The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2018.

LG "ThinQ" can reportedly control smart home devices via Google Assistant and a voice app from the company that also controls other smart home appliances in the "ThinQ" line-up.

The device will compete with smart speakers such as Amazon's "Echo" line-up, Google Home and Apple's soon-to-launch "HomePod".
Seoul, Dec 29 : South Korea has seized a Hong Kong-registered ship that allegedly transferred oil to a North Korean vessel in violation of UN sanctions, the Foreign Ministry announced here on Friday.

A ministry official told CNN that the Lighthouse Winmore deported from the port of Yeosu in South Korea carrying refined oil which was then transferred to a North Korean ship in international waters.

"UN Security Council sanctions prohibit the transfer of anything to a North Korean ship," the official said, adding the Lighthouse Winmore was seized when it re-entered Yeosu on November 24.

He did not say when the transfer occurred, CNN reported.

"This is one of the main ways in which North Korea uses an illegal network to circumvent UN Security Council sanctions," the official said.

According to Hong Kong media, the Lighthouse Winmore was one of the 10 ships the US asked the UN to ban from international ports this month over its alleged dealings with North Korea.

The seizure comes after US President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday he was "very disappointed" in China for allegedly selling oil to North Korea, saying Beijing had been "caught red handed" after news reports accused Chinese ships of performing ship-to-ship transfers of oil and coal on the high seas.

China has denied its vessels have traded with North Korean ships, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying this week Beijing has been "comprehensively, accurately, faithfully and strictly implementing" UN resolutions on North Korea.
Tehran, Dec 31 : Some of the anti-establishment protests happening in Iranian cities have turned violent.

Two demonstrators in Dorud in western Iran sustained gunshot wounds, a video posted on social media shows, and are reported to have died.

Videos filmed elsewhere in the country show protesters setting fire to a police vehicles and there are reports of attacks on government buildings, BBC reported on Saturday.

It is the biggest display of dissent since huge pro-reform rallies in 2009.

Demonstrators have ignored a warning by Iran's interior minister to avoid "illegal gatherings".

Much of the information about what is occurring is emerging on social media, making it difficult to confirm anything.

In the town of Abhar in northern Iran, demonstrators have set fire to large banners bearing the picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Meanwhile in Arak in central Iran, protesters have reportedly set fire to the local headquarters of the pro-government Basij militia.

In the capital Tehran, large numbers of protesters gathered at Azadi square, BBC Persian reports. A senior Revolutionary Guards' figure in Tehran said the situation in the city was under control.

Demonstrators would be met with "the nation's iron fist" if they continued, Brigadier-General Esmail Kowsari told student news agency ISNA.

In Mashhad, in the north-east, protesters burned police motorcycles in a confrontation caught on video.

There are also numerous reports of people losing internet access on their mobile phones.

In Kermanshah, western Iran, a demonstrator called Makan told BBC Persian that protesters were beaten up "but we couldn't tell if it was the police or the Basij militia".

"I'm not protesting against President Rouhani - and yes he needs to improve the economy - but it's the system that is rotten," he said. "It's the Islamic Republic and its institutions that need reform."

Earlier, protesters at Tehran University called for Ayatollah Khamenei to step down and there were clashes with police.

Thousands of pro-government demonstrators turned out earlier on Saturday for big rallies across the country, organised in advance to mark the eighth anniversary of the suppression of the 2009 street protests.

Although small, the anti-government protests on Saturday took on a much greater importance than the government-sponsored rallies.

It's not every day that there are thousands of people voicing opposition to the government.

As night fell, reports were still coming of protests in at least nine cities. There have been clashes with the police in some places.

The common factor in all of them has been protesters' demand for an end to clerical rule in Iran.

Widespread discontent is not limited to complaints about rising prices or widespread unemployment.

It has been an eye-opening three days for the government, which has been careful not to provoke the protesters too much.

The current protests began in Mashhad on Thursday over living standards and rising food prices, and by Friday had spread to several major cities.

The Iranian authorities are blaming anti-revolutionaries and agents of foreign powers for the outbreak of protests.
Washington, Dec 31 : The investigation into possible connections between Russia and Donald Trump's presidential campaign began after a tip-off from Australia, the media reported.

Trump adviser George Papadopoulos allegedly told Australia's top UK diplomat that Moscow had incriminating "dirt" on Hillary Clinton.

The New York Times alleges the revelation came "during a night of heavy drinking" in London in May 2016.

Australia later informed the FBI.

According to a BBC report on Saturday, The New York Times report claims that the exchange was the spark for establishing a secret investigation into possible connections between Russia and the Trump campaign in July 2016.

The newspaper's story cites four anonymous American and Australian foreign officials "with direct knowledge of the Australian's role" as its source.

Papadopoulos has already pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about meetings arranged while he was working with the Trump campaign.

The FBI's original investigation has since been handed off to special counsel Robert Mueller's probe, with which Papadopoulos is now cooperating.

The White House has attempted to portray him as a "low-level volunteer" with little influence within the campaign.

However, Papadopoulos is known to have attended several meetings with Trump and other senior officials such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as well as meeting a British foreign office official and arranging high-level meetings.

Papadopoulos was told by a contact with Russian links that Moscow had "dirt" on Trump's Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in the form of "thousands of emails" in April 2016 - something revealed earlier this year.

But the New York Times now reports that weeks later, in May, Mr Papadopoulos was speaking to Alexander Downer, Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, at an "upscale London bar" when he revealed the existence of the Russian information.

It is not clear why Papadopoulos chose to share his knowledge with Downer, but the Times reports that the Australian diplomat passed the information to his government.

Two months later, when copies of Mrs Clinton's emails began appearing online, the Australian government passed the information to the FBI.

Once that happened, the newspaper said, "the bureau opened an investigation that became one of its most closely guarded secrets".

"Senior agents did not discuss it at the daily morning briefing, a classified setting where officials normally speak freely about highly sensitive operations."

The newspaper reports that corroborating intelligence from other friendly governments, including the British and the Dutch, helped drive the investigation.

White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment on the New York Times report.
Los Angeles, Dec 31 : A man from California was arrested in connection with a prank call to police that led to another man's death in Kansas state, the media reported.

The incident is the latest example of swatting, in which a person makes a false report to draw large numbers of law enforcement or SWAT teams to a place or multiple locations, CNN reported late Saturday.

Wichita Police responded to such a call of a hostage situation on Thursday when they shot a man in his home. Family members identified the victim as 28-year-old Andrew Thomas Finch.

Tyler Barriss was arrested in Los Angeles on Friday after the Wichita Police Department issued a fugitive warrant, Los Angeles Officer Mike Lopez said.

Barriss, 25, might appear in court on January 2.

Barriss' digital footprint suggests he was familiar with swatting.

One of his Twitter handles was @SWAuTistic. The Twitter account has been suspended but a cached copy of the profile was found that had multiple references to swatting.

In a December 22 tweet, he said he was "thinking about swatting" the FBI headquarters, two people who knew Barriss through the gaming and online told CNN.

"I was in shock so I messaged him asking him why he'd do that," the friend said of the Wichita incident.

"He said it was stupid and he shouldn't have done it, but I didn't care. He's a grown man who's done this stuff before."

Barriss "was known in the gaming community for doing stuff like that" the second friend told CNN.

Barriss was arrested in 2015 for calling in fake bomb threats to the Los Angeles-based KABC local TV station. He received a two-year sentence.
New Delhi : Title: The Kennedy Brothers; Author: Richard D. Mahoney; Publisher: Arcade Publishing; Pages: 480; Price: Rs 799 No other family occupies as significant a position in American politics as the Kennedys -- especially the charismatic John F. 'Jack' Kennedy. His truncated term doesn't prevent him from being the most popular US President, in his time and ahead, and decades later, still a name to serve as the ultimate political standard.

"Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy," Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen told his Republic rival Dan Quayle in their 1988 election, after the latter sought to equate himself with the late President, leaving him red-faced.

In 2017, which is JFK's birth centenary, there is as much, if not more, interest in the 35th President, especially given the Oval Office's present occupant. But while all aspects of President Kennedy's life and tenure have been much written about, one has never received its due attention.

This is his relationship with his younger brother and Attorney General Robert F. 'Bobby' Kennedy, who outlived him but didn't outgrow him, not only sought to carry forward his legacy but even extended it -- and was also cut down at his prime with much potential left unfulfilled. And it is this story of Jack and Bobby's intertwined yet tragic lives that politician-turned-scholar and author Richard D. Mahoney tells here, in an updated version of his 2011 book.

Mahoney, whose father was friends with Bobby Kennedy, says that though he had diligently studied the Kennedy papers, the real epiphany came when George Ball, an Under Secretary of State during the Kennedy years, invited him to look at his transcribed telephone conversations, numbering nearly 10,000 and was "stunned at what they revealed".

"The picture they painted of the Kennedys was very different from the treasured anecdotes, those memorable and canonized speeches, or the top-secret memos covering 'policy options'. What emerged first were traits common to powerful men -- expediency, calculation and manipulation.

"But the transcriptions also revealed other qualities that were, I believe, unique to the Kennedys..."

And it is these he dwells on here. Though they were a different set for both the brothers, born eight years apart and possessing varied temperaments and sensibilities, he shows how they also shared a close bond and some common traits, especially their marked capacity to be both "self-creative and self-destructive" which goes a long way in explaining their rise and their success, as well as their defeat and fall.

This trait eventually leads us to one of the biggest mysteries of Jack and Bobby Kennedy's lives and deaths -- the plots behind their assassinations.

Mahoney, however, does not go into the legions of conspiracy theories, ranging from plausible to wacky, that surround their deaths, especially JFK's, or echo that mysterious source (played by Donald Sutherland) in Oliver Stone's "JFK": "... Oswald, Ruby, Cuba, The Mafia, keeps 'em guessing like some kind of parlour game, prevents 'em from asking the most important question: Why? Why was Kennedy killed? Who benefited? Who has the power to cover it up?"

However, what he does is postulate how the powerful enemies -- listed above -- gathered jointly, or singly, could have been someway linked to their untimely violent deaths. And he leaves us to draw our own conclusions.

While most of the lives of Jack and Bobby, and their careers till that fateful trip to Dallas in November 1963, may be known from other works, what distinguishes this is the subsequent life of the younger Kennedy, who always sensed that it was he who had somehow contributed to the assassination.

Here we see his familiarity and fondness with the works of Albert Camus, attacking apartheid during a visit to South Africa, seeking a better life for African-Americans, and joining Hispanics in their agitations for rights and fairer wages -- till his success in the California primary for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination ended tragically in a Los Angeles hotel.

Political biography and analysis at its finest, this work will be required reading for not only Kennedy fans but for anyone interested in politics -- and the extremely high price that power levies.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
New Delhi, Dec 31 : The upcoming new year will be a "special one" because this will see an entry into adulthood and voting age of all those who were born in the year that began the21st century, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

"Tomorrow (Monday) will be a special day. Those who were born in the year beginning the 21st century will turn 18 and will become eligible to cast their votes," Modi said during his monthly and 2017's last 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address.

The Prime Minister appealed to all those turning 18 in 2018 to register themselves as voters and help frame the "India of 21st century".

"Your vote will become the foundation of a new India... You will not just be granting yourselves the right to vote but will be making yourselves the founders of the tomorrow's India," Modi said.

He also suggested a district-level organising of 'Mock Parliament' sessions to give the young adults a practical knowledge of the polity.

He exhorted the youth to use their voting right to usher in a "people's revolution" for the country's development.
New Delhi, Dec 31 : From one Yuletide to another, two Christmas days saw the springing of hope of betterment in India-Pakistan relations, only for the usual bitterness to creep back in, even as voices of civil society activists continue to call for peace.

On December 25, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the unexpected and unannounced step of paying a visit to then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's house in Lahore, to stop by for a tea meeting -- on a day that happened to be the Pakistan Premier's birthday and also his granddaughter's wedding. The encounter at Sharif's house in Raiwind and the warm vibes exchanged between the two leaders -- with the Modi blessing the new bride while his Pakistani counterpart arranged for special vegetarian fare cooked in desi ghee for his Indian guest and saw him off at the airport -- was fairy-tale like and was the cynosure of all eyes in the subcontinent.

But true to form, the Pathankot attack happened a few days later, and all went in vain. Bilateral ties since then scaled one bitter peak after another, as the Uri attack in September and the Surgical Strikes followed. In between came Burhan Wani's killing and Pakistan raised the Kashmir bogey, and then Saarc fell victim to it all.

Cut to December 25, 2017. This time it was the meeting between Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer sentenced to death by Pakistan on charges of spying and terrorism, and his wife and mother. All eyes were riveted on the meeting, arranged at the Foreign Office building in Islamabad. The meeting, set-up through diplomatic channels, could have worked to bolster the sagging relationship. But Pakistan's treatment of Jadhav's wife and mother, who were made to remove their bindi, mangalsutra and bangles for the meeting, has left ties as they were -- bitter.

India has slammed Pakistan's treatment as violative of the human rights of the two women who, it said, were made to "appear like widows" minus the Hindu emblems of a married woman. Pakistan has justified its treatment, saying Jadhav is no ordinary prisoner, but a "convicted Indian terrorist and spy" for which extra security measures were needed.

The meeting was overshadowed by ceasefire violations and the killing of Indian soldiers. Two days before Christmas, Pakistani soldiers killed three Indian soldiers, including a Major, in Poonch. A day after Christmas, India retaliated, saying Indian Army commandos had penetrated 300 metres across the Line of Control and killed four Pakistani soldiers.

Adding to the tensions has been Pakistan taking umbrage at the US' promotion of India as its friend, especially in dealing with Afghanistan, though on the ground Islamabad-Washington ties continue to oscillate under the Trump administration. Also China and Pakistan cosying up, with India as an intended target, has not helped much.

But in the midst of all the strain, there have been many instances of good will, with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's constant outreach to Pakistanis in need of medical attention bringing cheer and smiles to many. The issue of medical visas to Pakistanis took a political turn in May when India said these have to be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from no less than the country's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz. However, India has been giving several medical visas to Pakistanis over the past few months, thanks again to Sushma Swaraj, who many on the other side idolise for providing succor.

The issue of the disappearance of Aaghaz-e-Dosti peace activist Raza Khan, though not highlighted much by the Indian media, has gained a lot of traction on social media in both India and Pakistan, with appeals to find the Lahore-based activist. Khan, convener of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, a joint platform of Indian and Pakistani activists who are trying to create an atmosphere of peace between two countries, went missing on December 2 and has not been heard of since.

Though the Lahore High Court has asked intelligence agencies to locate Khan, there is no news of him. But social media is rife with appeals to find him, with #FindRaza a major hashtag on Twitter, along with photos of the activities of the forum to forge peace. As the New Year dawns, let us hope Raza Khan is found, and peace prevails.
Protovillage (Andhra Pradesh), Dec 31 : John F. Kennedy said "One person can make a difference, and everyone should try". These words of one of America's best-known presidents probably inspired a former engineer in India to try to transform what was once a bone-dry region into a green oasis simply by motivating its inhabitants to do what they earlier thought was impossible.

Some 120 km from Bengaluru in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, the village, of which little was known previously with no signboards even indicating its location to outsiders, has now become famous through its self-sustaining model. The dozen families here grow crops organically, meet their energy needs entirely by tapping wind power, harvest rain to conserve water and supply it to their homes with a solar-powered pump.

What's more, the village boasts of a Wi-Fi facility, provides entrepreneurial opportunities to farmers and has its own syllabus for children to hone their skills rather than learning by rote.

Even as many parts of rural India still lack rudimentary amenities, the sustainable development model of this small hamlet makes it an example when it comes to water conservation, power generation, ending gender bias and even eliminating casteism.

As water depleted in the rocky soil and farming became tough in the semi-arid zone, villages in the district despaired as people deserted them and migrated to cities for livelihood.

That was when 39-year-old Kalyan Akkipeddi -- who gave up a lucrative job in the finance and marketing division at General Electric to travel around the country's villages in search of knowledge -- arrived at remote Tekulodu.

Inspired by the simple life of tribals that he had witnessed during his travels, Akkipeddi chose to "intern" with a farmer family in Tekulodu and helped them increase their income from Rs 7,000 a year to about Rs 14,000 a month by putting scientific practices to work and tapping natural resources like solar and wind power.

In 2013, he bought a 12.5-acre plot of land a few kilometres from Tekulodu, on the forest fringe near his home town Hindupur, in the same district of the Rayalaseema region. This has evolved into what he named ProtoVillage -- the prototype of an ideal village.

"I was so inspired by what I saw in the tribal communities. Their wisdom allowed them to live in synergy with their surroundings. I thought of demonstrating that kind of life based on three simple principles -- a deep respect for soil, air and water, inter-dependence and, as a result, self-reliance," Akkipeddi told IANS.

Applying scientific methods to farming and living sustainably, Akkipeddi, along with the villagers, has in four years transformed the barren piece of land into an inspiring model that is self-reliant, environmentally sustainable and socially cohesive.

"We want to be in the place where knowledge resides," said Akkipeddi.

As part of developing the village, ProtoVillage's inhabitants had initially built eight farm ponds in low-lying areas to store rain water and had networked them.

"Though rains are scarce in the region, one good spell of about 90 minutes one day filled the ponds with enough water to last for months and attracted hundreds of people from nearby villages," said Akkipeddi.

When local authorities had pushed farmers to dig ponds, they couldn't see the merit in them. But when they witnessed how we managed to conserve rain water, the number of requests to the administration to build farm ponds shot up, he noted, adding, "Such is the power of demonstration."

ProtoVillage is unique in other ways as well. Food is cooked for all the families in a community kitchen by both men and women, irrespective of caste and creed. And they live as a joint family, with even men taking care of children.

"In other villages, women are confined to their homes, cooking and rearing children. Here, I have freedom to learn and do a lot of things, as others take care of my child," Lakshmi, 28, who migrated to ProtoVillage, told IANS.

The daily chores of the dwellers include working in the fields to grow crops, vegetables, fruits and flowers. Some are involved in carpentry, soap-making, house construction and allied activities. In the evenings, apart from indulging in folk arts like music, dance or drama, "we all sit down to talk about the things we had learnt that day", Akkipeddi shared.

The sense of contentment the villagers live with is infectious. The Japanese concept of "ikigai", which means "a reason for being", is a familiar philosophy among the villagers -- right from 10-year-old resident and Akkipeddi's son Rishab. The learning centre in the village is also named Ikigai.

Everyone in the village is constantly learning -- from farming methods, to building sustainable earthbag homes (bags filled with mud are used as building blocks instead of bricks, making for stronger homes), setting up wind turbines or just sitting down to learn a new language or a principle of science.

"Earlier, adults in the village who couldn't read and write were shy to learn. But no longer, as we see them interacting with their kids. There is no age or gender bias in learning," said Akkipeddi's wife Shobhita Kedlaya, who plans the curriculum for the village.

Not to be left behind, the children have a system of learning which goes beyond the classroom. They learn to build homes, have drafted their own constitution for the learning centre, tend animals and even know to code software. And they share their knowledge with nearby villages.

The community aims at meeting nine basic needs: Food and water, shelter, clothing, healthcare, energy, connectivity, trade, education and disaster management, all in a sustainable manner.

G. Govardhan, 22, a computer applications graduate from Tekulodu, takes greater pride in farming than doing a nine-to-five job. Inspired by the work on increasing the green cover, he mobilised people in the nearby villages to grow more trees.

"This is my world, with the greenest of trees and farms. Why would I leave this and go to a crowded city for a job?" asked Govardhan.

ProtoVillage also houses a Rural Economic Zone (REZ), where farmers and others from the region can work on entrepreneurial ideas.

"Villagers grow poultry, rear goats and sheep, or do farming with no access to innovative work. The REZ helps them to become entrepreneurs by honing their trading skills," said Akkipeddi.

The village now offers fellowships to rural youths, who can study and adopt their practices back home.

"We would like to create a support system for people from across the country, who want to set up ProtoVillages in their districts," Akkipeddi added.

(The weekly feature series is part of a positive-journalism project of IANS and the Frank Islam Foundation. Bhavana Akella can be contacted at bhavana.a@ians.in)
Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, one of the worst in the Afghan capital in months.

By Reuters: A suicide attack at a funeral in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Sunday killed at least 15 people and wounded 13, the governor's spokesman said.

Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the attacker had blown himself up as people gathered for the funeral of a former district governor at a cemetery in the city.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes days after at least 41 people were killed and more than 80 wounded in a suicide attack on a Shi'ite cultural center in Kabul on Thursday.

advertisement

Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, one of the worst in the Afghan capital in months.

Backed by intensive US air strikes, Afghan forces have claimed growing success against the Taliban and other militant groups, including Islamic State, but attacks on civilian targets have continued, causing heavy casualties.

WATCH | Girls captivated in a Lucknow madrasa molested by the qazi

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi, Dec 31 : The central government's plan to launch mobile air dispensary services -- helicopters with equipment and doctors -- for medical emergencies in remote and hilly areas of the Northeast region may be a reality soon.

Informed sources told IANS that the government has agreed to allocate Rs 80-Rs 100 crore for the proposed launch of two air dispensaries in the region.

The sources said the two air dispensaries will operate from Shillong and Imphal for six states. The services will cater to six northeastern states, barring Assam.

According to official documents, accessed by IANS, three central ministries have decided to rope in national helicopter carrier Pawan Hans for the services. "During the first meeting on the proposed scheme Pawan Hans was also present which appreciated the idea and were told to cater their services for the Mobile Air Ambulance Services," reads an official note on the project.

The project report prepared by Pawan Hans estimates that Rs 1.87 crore cost per month will be incurred for the operation of two helicopters in the six states.

The project was stuck for some time following a tussle between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry. The Health Ministry had refused to run the initiative alone because it said it was not feasible.

However, now it has been decided that the project will be a joint venture of the Health, DoNER and Civil Aviation ministries.

The DoNER Ministry had stated that the initiative should come from the Health Ministry with the help of the Northeastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEGRIMS) in Shillong for medical, para medical assistance.

However, in an inter ministerial meeting on May 5, 2017, it was finalised that the project would be a joint venture.

For financial resources, the Health Ministry can seek the help of the DoNER Ministry while the Civil Aviation Ministry will provide the chopper and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will focus on providing the medics and para medics apart from setting up the medical units for emergency cases, the note reads.

Apart from providing emergency medical help for trauma cases due to accidents, landslides, earthquakes and floods the helicopters will also act as air ambulances to shift patients to city hospitals for specialised treatment.

According to official figures, the Northeast recorded over 3,000 deaths due to road accidents in 2016. Many lives were also lost in floods and landslides.

(Rupesh Dutta can be contacted at rupesh.d@ians.in)
Ankara, Dec 31 : The unusual and very efficient whistle language used as a means of communication by villagers in remote northern Turkey entered the Unesco list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Unesco has accepted the "bird language" of Black Sea villagers as an endangered part of world heritage in need of urgent protection, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.

Around 10,000 people, mostly in the district of Canakci in Giresun province, still use the highly-developed and high pitch system of whistling to communicate in the rugged terrain where most of the times they cannot see each other.

This form of communication which dates to some 500 years ago, during the Ottoman Empire, was widespread across the Black Sea regions, but 50 years ago it suffered the impact of the progression of technology and nowadays the ever rapid growing of cellular mobile systems has put this cultural heritage under serious threat.

For centuries, the language has been passed on from grandparent to parent, from parent to child. Now, though, many of its most proficient speakers who use their tongue, teeth and fingers, are aging and becoming physically weak.

Young people are no longer interested in either learning the language, nor in finding ways to update its vocabulary with new words, and in a few generations it may be gone for good.

"The mobile phones have had a certain impact on our whistle tradition here, but we are trying to keep our culture alive," said the Muhtar, the elected headman of Kuskoy (literally translated as "bird village").

This village of some 400 people where tea and hazelnuts are cultivated is located in the heart of the "whistle country" and more than 80 per cent of its inhabitants practice this incredible method of communication.

"We are very satisfied that our bird language is now a part of the world culture heritage, it was a dream come true because we think that it will also inspire others," said the Muhtar, adding that Kuskoy is making efforts to keep the practice alive through its annual Bird Language Festival.

District authorities have started teaching the language at the primary school level since 2014.

According to experts, whistle languages have existed through the ages across the world like in Spain's Canary Islands, in Mexico or in Greek villages, but the Turkish one seems to be the most high-pitched and lexical extended, with more than 400 words and phrases.
Washington, Dec 31 : NASA is turning 60 in 2018 and the agency is looking forward to launching a slew of important missions in the coming year, including one to "touch" the Sun.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is scheduled for launch in 2018 to explore the Sun's outer atmosphere.

The probe will use Venus' gravity during seven flybys over nearly seven years to gradually bring its orbit closer to the Sun, according to a NASA statement.

The spacecraft will fly through the Sun's atmosphere as close as 6.2 million kilometres to our star's surface, well within the orbit of Mercury and closer than any spacecraft has gone before.

The Parker Solar Probe will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and solar radiation.

The primary science goals for the mission are to trace how energy and heat move through the solar corona and to explore what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles.

In 2018, NASA will also add to its existing robotic fleet at the Red Planet with the InSight Mars lander designed to study the interior and subsurface of the planet .

The US space agency's first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, is scheduled to arrive at the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in August 2018, and will return a sample for study in 2023.

Launching no later than June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will search for planets outside our solar system by monitoring 200,000 bright, nearby stars.

To continue the long-term record of how Earth's ice sheets, sea level, and underground water reserves are changing, NASA will also launch the next generation of two missions - ICESat-2 and GRACE Follow-On - in 2018.
New Delhi, Dec 31 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday left Delhi for his two-day visit to Dehradun, during which he will celebrate the New Year with ITBP personnel at India-China border in Nelong Valley in Uttarakhand.

The Minister will spend Sunday evening with the 12th Battalion of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials at their Headquarters in Matli, at 3,400 feet on the bank of Bhagirathi river, around 195 km from Dehradun.

"Leaving for Dehradun on a two day visit to Uttarakhand. Shall spend today's (Sunday) evening with 12 Battalion of ITBP jawans at Matli in Uttarkashi district," Rajnath Singh tweeted.

The Home Minister will visit the Nelong border out post during his two-day visit, an ITBP official said.

The official said the Minister will be with Himveers on January 1 and that it is the first ever visit of any Union Home Minister to forward locations of ITPB in Nelong Valley, a border outpost of ITBP at he height of 11,700 feet where temperature dips to minus 15 degrees Celsius.

It would be the second visit of the Home Minister to India-China border since the resolution of the Doklam standoff.

Rajnath Singh is also expected to review the situation at Nelong Valley and Matli -- a regional response centre of the ITBP for countering natural and man-made disasters and which, in 2012 and 2013 when Uttarakhand suffered major tragedies, played a crucial role in relief and rescue operations and helped save thousands of lives.

Raised on October 24, 1962, the ITBP is presently deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3,488 km of India-China border.
Pune, Dec 31 : DJ Teri Miko from Ukraine says female disc jockeys have to go through a lot of struggle, but she doesn't blame men for it. Besides, she feels things are changing for the better.

"I am a DJ for the past eight years. It was a very long journey for me. From being a local hip hop DJ in a local pub in my country, it started this way, to where I am right now... There were a lot of struggles because being a female in this industry is not so easy," Miko told IANS on the sidelines of the ongoing Ola Sunburn 2017 here.

"I don't blame men for them (the struggles). I believe women have actually brought it upon themselves. But I am trying to break all this from the past eight years and I think I am doing a good job," she added.

Looking back at her journey, she said: "In India, I found my team. They spotted me on the stage and said 'This girl is different, we want to work with her.' The next step was creating my merchandise... Right now, we are doing everything possible to break the stereotypes around female DJs."

But are things changing?

"Things are definitely changing. I have seen a lot of girls who are not only doing a good job on the stage but I also saw girls who are killing it. This is how we create our surrounding with people who believe in you and who say that 'You are better than any other guy on the stage'."

Miko has carved a niche for herself by playing hard-hitting trap beats with electronic sounds. She has been a part of major festivals like Sunburn and VH1 Supersonic and has shared the stage with artistes like Marshmello, Slander and NIGHTMRE.

She enjoys a loyal fan following in India, and credits the people of India for pushing her to create "something new".

"I am so grateful to the country. You can't even imagine how grateful I am to the country and to the people who are coming for my gigs and supporting me so much. People of India are pushing me to evolve and to create something new."

Miko always includes a 'desi' song in her set as an appreciation for the crowd. For her performance at Ola Sunburn 2017, Miko added a Bollywood twist with "Silsila ye chaahat ka".

"I always play one desi track. It is an appreciation of the country and the culture. I think it is very important," she said.

At the moment, she is excited to work with an Indian rapper.

"I am going to Delhi soon for a studio session with an Indian rapper. I can't name him, but he is Punjabi," she said, adding that she wants to collaborate with Udyan Sagar aka DJ Nucleya.

(The writer's trip is at the invitation of Ola Sunburn organisers. Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)
Kabul, Dec 31 : At least 12 people were killed and 16 others injured when a suicide attacker detonated his explosive device among mourners at a funeral in Afghanistan's Jalalabad city on Sunday.

"A terrorist blew himself up at the funeral ceremony of the former Governor of Haska Mina district, killing 12 mourners," an official who declined to be named told Xinhua news agency.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, an official said the Islamic State was to blame.
Mumbai, Dec 31 : Actor Manjot Singh, known for movies like "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!" and "Fukrey", is keen to play romantic roles in films.

Manjot started his career at the age of 17 with "Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!" in 2008. Since then, he has acted in movies like "Udaan", "Student of the Year", "Azhar" and "Fukrey Returns".

Asked about his dream role as an actor, Manjot, now 25, told IANS: "Firstly, I am very happy for all the opportunity I have got so far. I know how unintentionally people associate my on-screen image with a cute, sweet and a little mischievous boy and more such tags. In a way, they are right, because I am really a sweet boy in real life (laughs). But now I have grown up... I want to romance on-screen.

"I want to play a lover. Playing a romantic hero in a Bollywood film is a dream for every actor. And I think the image of a romantic hero lasts longer in audience's mind. Look at Shah Rukh Khan... He is a lover on-screen. We love to see him romancing years even after years. I am a Cancerian, so I am emotional and romantic by nature. I will do a good job on-screen, I know that."

So, like the way he is a "cute boy" in real life, is he a good lover too?

"I am husband material... So, it's more than a good lover. I am romantic and caring by nature. I am humorous and I am good with household work like cleaning, dusting, cooking. I cook good rajma-chawal," he quipped.

Since he started acting at a young age, and that too without any formal training, does he feel the need of going to acting school for the betterment of his craft?

"I think formal education always helps in every performing art. But I am learning on the job. I think acting is also about experiencing life, observing people... The training in acting goes beyond the classroom. I want to work more so that I can learn. I think I have learnt from all the film directors I have worked with so far," Manjot said.

The actor will soon be seen in a short film titled "I am Gurinder Singh Grewal" as part of a movie "The Dream Trilogy".
Mumbai, Dec 31 : Actor Ali Fazal on Sunday said the triple talaq bill passed by the Lok Sabha is a trap.

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill that criminalises the practice of instant divorce with a three-year jail term.

Ali tweeted: "What a trap this triple talaq bill is. Wow... and nobody is consulted? I am not a lawmaker and even I follow the Beebak Collective and other groups. At least discuss. You send the husband into jail by criminalising it. You are back to square one. The family is again abandoned! Not civil."

The legislation, which has to be cleared by the Rajya Sabha, criminalises instant divorce with three years of imprisonment for Muslim husbands.

There is a provision for a subsistence allowance from the husband for the livelihood and daily needs of the wife and the dependent children. The wife will also be entitled to the custody of minor children.

The practice of instant divorce is not followed in major Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt.
Agar, Dec 31 : At least 58 cows have died in the last 28 days in a cow shelter in Madhya Pradesh's Agar Malwa district and a three-member committee has been set up to probe the issue, an official said on Sunday.

Authorities have also sent samples of the fodder to a Bhopal lab for analysis.

Agar Malwa District Magistrate Ajay Gupta told IANS that the cows had died in the period from December 1 to 28. While some of the animals were ill, it is suspected that the others died of eating contaminated fodder and hence the samples were sent for analysis, he said.

He said a post-mortem of each dead animal had been carried out and vowed that if someone submits proof of any wrongdoing, then all necessary action will be taken.

Officials said that the cow shelter, which can accommodate a total of 6,000 cows, has at present 4,309 animals.
Seoul, Dec 31 : South Korean authorities on Sunday said they have seized and are investigating a Panamanian ship suspected of selling oil to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions.

The Koti has been detained at the South Korean port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin since December 21 and most of its crew members are Chinese and Myanmar nationals, Efe news cited South Korean news agency Yonhap that quoted maritime authorities.

This is the second case of a ship being investigated by South Korea for supplying crude oil on the high seas to North Korea after Seoul announced on Friday that it had seized a vessel sailing under a Hong Kong flag.

The Lighthouse Winmore was detained on arrival at Yeosu port on November 24 after allegedly transferring some 600 tonnes of refined oil to a North Korean vessel on October 19.

A UN resolution unanimously approved in September following the latest and most powerful nuclear test by Pyongyang, from October 1, 2017 limited the supply of crude oil to North Korea.

Pyongyang's repeated arms tests, including the launch of ballistic missiles, led the UN to stiffen its sanctions on December 22, limiting even further its access to oil products.

After the announcement that the Hong Kong vessel had been held by Seoul, US President Donald Trump lashed out at China for alleged oil sales in violation of the UN sanctions imposed on North Korea.

"Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!" Trump tweeted.

Beijing denied involvement in any such act.
By PTI: Boston, Dec 29 (PTI) Taking anti-epileptic drug in early pregnancy may increase the risk of oral clefts in babies, a US study warns.

The research, published in the journal Neurology, leverages nationwide Medicaid data in the US on more than one million live births between 2000 and 2010.

The team from Brigham and Womens Hospital and the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health in the US examined the risk of oral clefts - including cleft palate or cleft lip - among three groups.

advertisement

The first group included infants born to women who had taken topiramate in their first trimester and the second group included infants born to women who had taken the drug lamotrigine (an unrelated drug used to treat bipolar disorder and epilepsy).

The third group included infants who had not been exposed to anti-epileptic medications in utero.

The researchers found that the risk of oral clefts was approximately three times higher for the topiramate group than for either the lamotrigine or the unexposed group.

About one out of every 1,000 infants are born with an oral cleft, but among infants exposed to low doses of topiramate (median 100-milligrammes daily dose) in the first trimester, that risk was 2.1 out of every 1,000 live births.

Among women taking higher dose topiramate (median 200- milligrammes daily dose), the risk was much higher - 12.3 for every 1,000 live births.

"Our results suggest that women with epilepsy on topiramate have the highest relative risk of giving birth to a baby with cleft lip or cleft palate, likely due to the higher doses of topiramate when used for controlling seizures," said Sonia Hernandez-Diaz, from the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health. PTI SNE SAR SNE

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi, Dec 31 : Upcoming star Parveen Rana has vowed to defeat Olympic double medallist Sushil Kumar and Uzbekistan star Bekzod Abdurakhmonov in the upcoming Pro Wrestling League (PWL) for his cancer-stricken mother.

Rana will represent Veer Maratha in the PWL, while Sushil and Bekzod will compete for Delhi Sultans and UP Dangal respectively.

Rana has been fired up by his loss to Sushil during the trials for the Commonwealth and Asian Games. and even more so by the ugly scuffles after the bitter bout.

"My mother is fighting against cancer right now. It's in the third stage but more that she was really hurt to hear about the way I was attacked immediately after the bout," Rana said in a statement on Sunday.

"I am going to step into the PWL with her in mind, to avenge my unfair defeat," he added.

He even claimed that he hadn't lost the bout.

"I felt that the scoring was biased, that the bout wasn't judged properly. But that is in the past. I am only concerned about beating Sushil in the ring now," Rana said.

The Haryana grappler insisted that he didn't want to think too much about the incidents after they stepped out of the mat.

"That was very unfortunate. But that is not going to stop me from preparing for the prestigious league. I want to live up to the faith instilled in me by my team and will give my best to emerge victorious. I believe that winning is all that matters and I am preparing myself to be the best in the League," he stated.

Rana said that he was absolutely fit to take on the world's best wrestlers in the PWL and will enthrall the audience in Delhi with his muscle-crunching style of wrestling.

Even in the second season of the PWL, he tore a ligament during a bout but continued fighting through the pain. He might not have won that contest, but his spirit had won hearts.

"I am feeling fitter this season and am raring to go against the best, be it a World champion or an Olympic medallist. I feel our team is perfectly balanced but it all depends on how one performs on a given day. I feel that we can surely reach the latter stages of the tournament and anything can happen then," the Qutubgarh lad, who idolises Yogeshwar Dutt, said.
Chandigarh, Dec 31 : Punjab's opposition Akali Dal on Sunday demanded a CBI probe into the funding of sand mining auctions of Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh's associates by the main accused in the Rs 1,000 crore irrigation scam.

It also sought an Enforcement Directorate inquiry.

Akali Dal MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Balwinder Singh Bhundur said the central agencies should also probe the release of Rs 4 crore to contractor Gurinder Singh, who was the main accused in the irrigation scam, by Rana Gurjit's ministry.

"How can the Irrigation Ministry release money to a contractor who is being probed and has even been arrested? The contractor's direct involvement in the sand mine auctions on behalf of Rana Gurjit's associates alone can explain the undue favours given to him by the Irrigation Ministry," they said in a statement here.

They said in both cases the minister was liable for criminal prosecution as facts revealed that irrigation scam money had been used to fund personal business interests of his close associates and partner J.S. Randhawa.

"There is no way he (Rana Gurjit) can continue as a minister and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh should dismiss him immediately," they added.
Agartala, Dec 31 : Top Left leaders -- CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury and CPI's D.Raja -- on Sunday welcomed Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's announcement of joining politics and requested him to disclose his policies and programmes.

Yechury and Raja, along with three other Left leaders from West Bengal, arrived here on Sunday to address a mammoth public election rally, organized by Tripura's ruling Left Front ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.

After the rally, Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Yechury said: "It is good that Rajinikanth joined politics. However, he should announce his policies, plans and programmes."

"It would be healthier if more honest and good personalities join politics," he told the media.

Communist Party of India's national Secretary D.Raja echoed Yechury's views.

"Rajinikanth is a citizen of the country. He can join politics. But he did not spell out his policies and programmes of his proposed party," Raja told the media separately.

The CPI leader said that Tamil Nadu is now in political turmoil.

"Political crisis is going in the state. The AIADMK government in the state entirely failed to protect the rights of Tamil people.The incumbent government in Tamil Nadu is a dummy government of BJP government at the centre and has lost all its moral rights to continue in office.

"Role of Governors is a major issue in many states in the country including the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Several Governors' roles are very controversial and undemocratic. Role of Governors must be discussed and reviewd in a new situation of the country," Raja said.

Yechury said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants that there is no opposition party in the country.

"Despite conspiracies, ethnic division by the BJP and its allies, the Left Front would return to the power once again in Tripura and would form the government for eighth term, including sixth consecutive term," he said before returning to New Delhi.

"Opposition alliance would be formed at the national level on the basis of policies and not to project or create any leader," he added.

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday said he will float a new party that will pursue "spiritual politics" and vowed to contest the next state assembly election.
Washington Tractor Celebrates 100 Years Weve lasted 100 years thanks to selling quality equipment backed by loyal and hardworking employees. But above all we have been blessed to be in a community with hard working and loyal family farmers. Thank you. - Jim Hale, CEO, Washington Tractor Inc.

Citizens of a small farming community in Whatcom County turned out in force recently to honor one of their neighbors and to celebrate the past 100 years of a local business. Any centennial celebration is special, and this one was no different.

Lynden's mayor, Scott Korthuis, initiated the festivities with a proclamation officially designating June 3, 2017, as Washington Tractor Day, recognizing CEO Jim Hale and his wife Annette for their commitment, civic contributions, and service. The couple, sitting in the cab of a green vintage flatbed Chevrolet, shook hands with the Mayor, as the trailer in back filled with two more generations of their family, applauded the ceremony. They then proceeded to lead a "four-block-long" parade of antique John Deere tractors through town. The festivities didn't end there, the community enjoyed balloons, a band, food, and good times for everyone in this 125-year-old Northwest Washington town.

For most of the town's 125-year history, North Washington Implement was the major supplier of farm machinery and equipment. In 2010, it became one of three family-owned John Deere dealerships to merge, giving birth to Washington Tractor. The new company was formed with a commitment to honor the traditions of service and community involvement that characterized its forerunners.

Two later mergers, in 2012 and 2014, brought the number of owner families to five, and increased the number of dealer locations to 12 throughout the state. Washington Tractor now carries the full line of John Deere agricultural equipment as well as residential and commercial equipment including compact tractors, riding mowers, and utility vehicles (Gators). In addition to John Deere Equipment, Washington Tractor services and sells many allied brands such as Honda and STIHL providing a total equipment solution to its communities and customers.

The company's focus has always been service, teamwork and integrity, and that focus has been unwavering. Even though the company has grown substantially since its founding, its owners remain true to the values of the individual founders.

In the video, it's easy to see the mutual respect that exists between the company's ownership, employees, and customers, "great service" and "outstanding" are terms used frequently by those who share their experiences with Washington Tractor. As Mayor Korthuis expressed, the company's 100-year participation and involvement has played a key role in building "our community spirit."

Washington Tractor's owners echo the sentiments of Jim Hale, who notes, Weve lasted 100 years thanks to selling quality equipment backed by loyal and hardworking employees. But above all, we have been blessed to be in a community with hard working and loyal family farmers. Thank you.

Watch the video here:

https://youtu.be/voPstxTgbwA
Best Sanitizers Celebrates Twenty-Three Years Were very proud of what the company has accomplished over the last twenty three years. remarked Ryan Witt, Best Sanitizers VP of Sales and Marketing, And now were looking forward to the next twenty.

Best Sanitizers, Inc., an innovator of sanitation products for the food processing industry, celebrates its twenty-third anniversary. Established in 1995, this Northern California-based company was the first to achieve an E3 rating for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and the first to achieve a D2 rating for an alcohol-based surface sanitizer. An early proponent of touchless hand soap and hand sanitizer dispensers, Best Sanitizers was one of the first companies to offer this technology to food manufacturers. These early innovations helped Best Sanitizers become established as a leading manufacturer of hand and surface hygiene products for the food processing industry.

Not long after its inception, Best Sanitizers founder and president, Hillard Witt, developed a partnership with Saraya Co., LTD, one of Japans largest manufacturers of health and hygiene products. Sarayas support and involvement has been invaluable in our ability to grow and innovateespecially in the early years stated Mr. Witt.

In 2006, Best Sanitizers cut the ribbon on a new manufacturing facility in Walton, Kentucky. The facility was expanded in 2008, and again in 2015. This cGMP, FDA and FIFRA compliant factory allows the company to develop and produce a wide range of high quality products, including their own line of Alpet, Smart-San and SoftenSure products, a catalog of private label products for some widely recognized Fortune 500 companies, and a high-level medical disinfectant for endoscope reprocessing.

More recently, Best Sanitizers has expanded its product line by adding Alpet D2 Quat-Free Surface Sanitizer to their line of surface sanitation products. Alpet D2 Quat-Free is a ready-to-use, no-rinse, fast acting, food contact and non-food contact surface cleaner and sanitizer. It is highly evaporative and ideal for water sensitive equipment and dry environments. It leaves no unsightly residue, and is an effective sanitizer for those processors who can't use quat. Were very proud of what the company has accomplished over the last twenty three years. remarked Ryan Witt, Best Sanitizers VP of Sales and Marketing, And now were looking forward to the next twenty.

Today, Best Sanitizers products are used in over 9,000 food processing facilities in the U.S and Canada. Its Alpet D2 Surface Sanitizer, Alpet D2 Surface Sanitizing Wipes, Alpet Sanitizing Soaps and Alpet Hand Sanitizer Sprays are staples throughout the industry. For more information on Best Sanitizers, Inc., visit http://www.bestsanitizers.com.

About Best Sanitizers, Inc:

Since 1995, Best Sanitizers, Inc. has been providing the Food Processing industry with the highest quality hand soaps, hand sanitizers, industrial cleaners, and surface sanitizers available. In addition, Best Sanitizers offers cleaning and sanitizing equipment designed specifically for the food processing industry, including boot scrubbers, footwear sanitizing units, doorway foamers, drain foaming accessories, stainless steel racks, and proportioning and dispensing equipment. These products are used in over 9,000 U.S. food processing facilities. Best Sanitizers was the first company to achieve an E3 rating for an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, the first to achieve a D2 rating for an alcohol/quat-based surface sanitizer, and continues to explore new and innovative ways to deliver hand hygiene and surface sanitation solutions.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

Home Regional News East
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
By PTI: peoples faith in system

Srinagar, Dec 30 (PTI) The biggest challenge for Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in 2017 was restoring the faith of the people of the state, especially those from the Valley, in the system, and the first government in the state headed by a woman claims to have taken many steps to bring smiles on the faces of the people.

advertisement

"As the scars of the 2016 unrest -- both physical and economic -- were yet to heal, Mehbooba had started the year with a determined zeal and dedication to pull the people out of the morass they were caught in during the previous years unfortunate turbulence," an official spokesman said today.

He said the biggest challenge was to restore the faith of the people in the system and reconnect with them and added that the chief minister took the challenge head on through her public outreach programmes.

"Known for taking challenges head on throughout her life, Mehbooba started to reconnect the administrative apparatus with the masses.

"For the first time in the administrative history of the state, the chief minister started visiting the far-flung districts, along with the heads of departments and officers of her secretariat, to personally assess the developmental needs, fix the problems and listen to the peoples grievances, which had so far remained unheard," the spokesman said.

Mehbooba launched the public outreach programmes from Pulwama district of south Kashmir, which had witnessed large- scale violence in 2016.

"Pulwama had suffered the most due to the unrest of 2016. Its economy, development, social life -- everything had suffered. People came in hoards to narrate their tales of deprivation. The chief minister listened patiently during her first public outreach programme. They put forward their demands and in many cases, Mehbooba ordered an on-the-spot redressal of the same," the spokesman said.

He added that the public outreach programmes extended through the districts of Kupwara, Budgam, Bandipora, Gurez, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Anantnag in the Kashmir province and Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Samba and Rajouri in the Jammu province.

"She visited Leh and Kargil about three-four times and inspected the pace of development in the region. She continued to listen to people till late at night and at Doda, when the clock struck 1.40 am, she was still asking the administration not to prevent anyone who wanted to meet her.

"An elderly person of a remote village of the Paddar area, bordering Zanskar, during such a programme at Kishtwar, said they had seen chief ministers coming and lecturing but for the first time, they saw a chief minister listening, noting down their problems and issuing orders," the spokesman said.

advertisement

He said Mehboobas "healing touch" in 2017 was amnesty to those youngsters who were not involved in any heinous crime, including those involved in stone-pelting cases.

"One of the scars the 2016 unrest had left was a large number of cases against the youth. Their parents had been pleading for amnesty to let them be home with family and work peacefully. Considering the demand, the chief minister ordered a review of the cases against such youth.

"She also directed withdrawal of cases, lodged between 2008 and 2015 against around 5,000 young men, who were not involved in heinous crimes. A big relief for the parents of these young men, besides the much-needed healing touch for them, who had so far only seen commotion, ruthlessness and restlessness but compassion," the spokesman said.

In the later part of the year, the chief minister issued orders of regularisation of about 60,000 employees who were working in various government departments as daily wagers.

"The state governments working had been plagued by a daily wage culture. These workers were inadequately paid for their full services and at times, not paid at all. Mehbooba took the bold decision of regularising the services of these 60,000 workers, which many of the previous regimes were shying away from," the spokesman said.

advertisement

He added that the chief minister had consistently been highlighting the need for a dialogue with all the stakeholders in the state.

"This, she believes, is the only way ahead to ensure a lasting peace, tranquillity and equitable development of all the regions of the state. This, she has impressed upon the Centre time and again. As a result, the Centre decided to appoint a special representative (Dineshwar Sharma) for Jammu and Kashmir, with the status of a cabinet secretary.

"So far, he (Sharma) has visited the state thrice and met hundreds of groups and delegations for the consultative process," the spokesman said.

He expressed hope that the process moved on and concluded with some good results for the people of the state.

"But for now, the decisions and hard work of the chief minister throughout the year have brought the smile and hope back to the faces of the people. This is just the beginning, the journey is still on," he said. PTI SSB RC

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
The FBI's investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow was not prompted by a dossier compiled by a former British spy, but by campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos boasting to a top Australian diplomat about Russia's dirt on then Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, The New York Times reported Saturday.

The Times also obtained new emails which show Papadopoulos' influence within the campaign and contacts with Russia-linked individuals was greater than previously known.

The bureau opened its Russia probe in July 2016. President Donald Trump and his allies have dismissed the investigation as a Democratic "witch hunt" spurred by the dossier, which was compiled by former MI6 officer Christopher Steele, and alleges a number of explosive Trump-Russia ties.

The dossier was originally funded by a group of Republicans opposed to Trump during the Republican primaries. After Trump became the party's nominee, Democrats took over its funding. Though the document has not been fully verified, some of it has been corroborated and the FBI and the Senate Intelligence Committee are using it as a "roadmap" in their investigations.

But The Times report indicates that Papadopoulos, not the dossier, played a pivotal role in driving the FBI to investigate the campaign's ties to Russia.

Papadopoulos is one of four individuals in Trump's orbit who have so far been charged since special counsel Robert Mueller began overseeing the Russia probe in May, after Trump fired FBI director James Comey. Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in October to one count of making false statements to investigators about his contacts with Russians during a January 27 interview with the FBI.

Mifsud introduced Papadopoulos to Timofeev, the Russian national with connections to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, via email on April 18, according to the FBI's October filing. They had multiple conversations over the next few weeks to lay the groundwork for a meeting between the Trump campaign and Russian government officials.

Papadopoulos emailed then-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski in April saying he had received "a lot of calls over the past month" about how "Putin wants to host the Trump team when the time is right," according to The Washington Post. He emailed Lewandowski and another campaign adviser, Sam Clovis, on May 4 to ask again about setting up a meeting.

"There are legal issues we need to mitigate, meeting with foreign officials as a private citizen," Clovis replied.

A much softer position toward Russia

Papadopoulos was also influential enough in the campaign to be tapped to edit an outline of Trump's first foreign policy speech, which he gave on April 27, 2016.

"We desire to live peacefully and in friendship with Russia and China," Trump said at the time. He added that he wanted to ease tensions and see "improved relations with Russia," and that "this horrible cycle of hostility must end and ideally will end soon. Good for both countries."

He also said that he wanted to "make a deal" that was not only beneficial to the US, but to Russia as well.

After the speech, Papadopoulos touched base with Timofeev and said the speech was "the signal to meet," according to The Times.

Mifsud also agreed and said the address was "a statesman speech," and Polonskaya wrote in an email obtained by The Times that she was glad Trump's "position toward Russia is much softer than that of other candidates."

On July 14, 2016, Papadopoulos emailed one of his foreign contacts and indicated a meeting had "been approved from our side."

The meeting, Papadopoulos wrote, would be "for August or September in the UK (London) with me and my national chairman, and maybe one other foreign policy adviser and you, members of president putin's office and the mfa to hold a day of consultations and to meet one another."

Mifsud also reportedly told Papadopoulos he wanted to act as a campaign surrogate for Trump. According to The Times, Mifsud suggested in an email to Papadopoulos that he could pen op-eds as a "neutral" observer and attend Trump's rallies with press credentials while also being briefed on the campaign's inner workings.

Papadopoulos was arrested in July and his guilty plea suggests he is cooperating with investigators. Three other former campaign or administration officials have also been charged so far: former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former campaign adviser and Manafort associate Rick Gates, and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
A dilemma of single people everywhere is who you're going to kiss when the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve.

There's nothing lonelier than standing in a room of couples all bringing in the new year with locked lips, while you're there sadly holding your Champagne and meekly singing along to "Auld Lang Syne."

Like with most traditions, it's meaningless. It's not a sign you'll spend the whole year miserable and alone if you don't find someone who wants to kiss you. But also like other traditions, it does date back a long time.

Some historians trace it back to ancient Rome. The Romans knew how to party, and would throw a big celebration every year called the Festival of Saturnalia. Presumably, a lot of debauchery and kissing would happen, and this tradition filtered down to the rest of Europe.

Saturnalia is also a part of why we kiss under mistletoe. In ancient Greece, to celebrate the festival, people would kiss underneath the parasitic plant because it was associated with fertility. The Romans would reconcile differences with enemies under mistletoe, as it represented peace.

Later on, during the Renaissance, masquerade balls were popular across Europe. Bustle reported that at midnight, people would remove their masks, and kisses were a way of purifying each other from evil. It was a way of starting the new year with a clean slate.

English and German folklore built on this idea, and spread the superstition that a midnight kiss strengthens a budding romance, and avoiding it could mean a loveless year ahead.

Wherever the idea really originated, it's likely not based on anything concrete. It is a fun tradition, though, and it's always nice to have someone around to bring the new year in with.

However, if you're really worried about being kiss-less at the beginning of the new year, then you might want to go to Scotland.
While innovators like Elon Musk want to reinvent American transportation with self-driving cars, supersonic jets, and flying Ubers, our current transportation infrastructure needs some work.

Airports, in particular, have struggled to keep up with an increasing demand for air travel. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the American aviation industry a "D" grade in its 2017 Infrastructure Report Card.

Here's what I saw.

Construction for the renovations began in 2016, and for the moment, it made the airport look like even more of an eyesore.

The pick-up and drop-off areas were narrow, and anyone who wanted to take an Uber or Lyft home from the airport had to take a shuttle to a designated pickup area.

The ticketing area wasn't a complete mess, but the lighting wasn't great and the ceilings were low.

And the unused check-in counters were depressing.

No one was at the help desk near one of Terminal B's food courts.

But the Terminal B food courts themselves weren't bad. They were more spacious and better lit than much of the airport.

They had a solid variety of quick options like Five Guys and Einstein Bros Bagels...

...as well as a sit-down restaurant.

There was also an option to give the airport feedback on your dining experience.

The terminal had some interesting shopping options meant to appeal to stylish travelers.

Though I've never understood why high-end clothing brands open stores in airports.

Things were worse as I got closer to the boarding areas. The entrance to the security checkpoint was built on a downward slope, which isn't ideal for travelers with rolling luggage.

Once I got past security, the terminal reached a low point. The hallway was narrow, the ceilings were low, and the food options were mediocre.

I flew out in the early evening on Christmas Eve, which isn't a peak travel time...

...but the terminal was still so cramped that people had to sit on the floor.

I counted at least five trash cans positioned to catch water dripping from the ceiling.

One was misplaced, which resulted in a small puddle forming next to it.

The floors could have used some serious cleaning.

More frequent garbage collections wouldn't have hurt either.

And signs of decay and neglect were pretty common.

The airlines didn't have many options to accommodate travelers near the boarding areas, as demonstrated by American Airlines' "Admirals Club."

The food options were also limited.

There weren't any sit-down restaurants past security.

And, like any airport, the food was way too expensive.

The irony...

Once I arrived in Chicago, I remembered that most airports in major cities are in much better shape.

In addition to expanded seating areas and hallways...

...they have clean floors...

...much higher ceilings...

...and decent food options.
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!
Media houses who have sought the opinion of their listeners and viewers have largely passed a damning verdict on his ministry as the worse performing.

READ MORE: Mobile phone exposes robbers at Ablorman

Speaking to TV3's Kwakye Afreh-Nuamah, he brushed off critics, saying he is performing his duties according to his mandate.

The sanitation condition in Accra has declined, prompting people to question the essence of the sanitation ministry.

Mr Adda, however, notes that the responsibility of cleaning Accra and other cities is the primary responsibility of the local assemblies.

I am not bothered. I am not bothered in the sense that, I am doing the right thing. I am doing what is really required for us to change the system around permanently," he said.

READ MORE: Chief Justice sets up court to prosecute TV licence defaulters
Without mentioning names, Mr Rawlings singled out Valerie Sawyerr, a former Deputy Chief of Staff under former President John Mahama, for criticism.

The former Deputy Chief of Staff weeks ago slammed Mr Rawlings for his constant criticism of the NDC, saying he was "flogging a dead horse."

She also slammed the former president for turning a blind eye to corruption allegations in the Akufo-Addo administration.

Addressing her, the ex-president said: "Some latter-day party officials have now made it their chore to denigrate me for speaking loudly and forcefully about the wrongs in the NDC when the party was in power.

"Many of these political novices, eager to please their paymasters may be oblivious to the countless times my counsel was treated with contempt.

"I cannot lay claim to the position of party founder and spend time criticising another party or institution when my house is burning. Removing the log in my eye is the only way to legitimise any right to expose the speck in anothers."

This year's 31 December Revolution anniversary was marked in Ho in the Volta Region.

READ MORE:Presidential staffer under criticism for mocking unemployed Ghanaians
Clara Napaga Tia Sulemana, in a Facebook post, said desperate youth looking for jobs should stop submitting their CVs to her at public events.

Her comments went viral with some describing it as insensitive, coming weeks after she joined calls for then Deputy Agriculture Minister, William Quaitoo, to resign for making comments against people from the north.

She wrote: Those of you who usually meet me at events and immediately want to submit your CV for employment, this nonsense should end in 2017."

Now pressure is mounting on her to quit her job following the 'reckless' post.
Following the path described in Sonia Nazario's award-winning book "Enrique's Journey," Frankfurter headed to southern Mexico and followed the path north.

In six journeys, she rode the treacherous El Tren de la Muerte ("The Train of Death"), came into contact with drug cartels, and befriended numerous migrant families, many of whom never made it to the US.

The first step of the journey is crossing the Suchiate River on rafts made of tractor tires. The river carries migrants between the Guatemalan border town of Tecun Uman and the Mexican town of Hidalgo in the southern state of Chiapas.

After crossing the river, migrants hike 150 miles on foot to avoid Mexican migration checkpoints and reach Arriaga, a city in Chiapas. Here, a Salvadoran woman feeds her 18-month-old son at a migrant shelter in Chiapas after making the trek.

Frankfurter began the most significant part of her journey in Arriaga. Here, most migrants catch a freight train illegally to start their trek north.

Frankfurter visited migrant shelters along the route to make friends with those working or staying there. After several trips, she was well known at the shelters. This makeshift chapel in the small town of Ixtepec in Oaxaca was one of the many shelters she visited.

Most of the journey takes place along freight-train lines. Migrants must ride 10 to 15 different freight trains to make the journey to the US. The first leg is a 13-hour ride from Arriaga, Chiapas, to Ixtepec, Oaxaca.

The trains are referred to as La Bestia ("The Beast") and El Tren de la Muerte ("The Train of Death") by the migrants because they are so dangerous to ride. Here, migrants ride the train through Oaxaca.

Many fall off the train to their deaths or suffer injuries that prevent them from traveling further. This Honduran man, who was injured riding the train, had to have his left arm amputated. Frankfurter met him at the Jesus el Buen Pastor amputee clinic in Tapachula, a city in Chiapas.

Approximately 400,000 migrants made the journey northward in 2016. Most hail from El Salvador, Honduras, or Guatemala. They leave in search of better jobs or a safer life. Frankfurter met this Honduran man in the Casa Caritas migrant shelter in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi.

Source:

While some leave looking for work, others are fleeing domestic or gang-related violence. This Guatemalan woman was fleeing an abusive husband with her two small children, a sister, and a male relative. Frankfurter met them in Arriaga.

To make the trip north, migrants must pass through numerous areas dominated by Los Zetas, one of the most dangerous cartels in Mexico. In recent years, the cartel has established a profitable racket by kidnapping migrants. Here, migrants chase after a train in Veracruz, a Zetas hotspot.

One of the most dangerous places in Veracruz is the city of Orizaba, where there is no migrant shelter. Migrants wait by the tracks for days to catch moving freight trains. If they miss one, they could be kidnapped by the cartels.

During each trip, Frankfurter befriended a family or group and tagged along on their journey north. Many told her that they felt safer because she was an American.

Sometimes, she would see the same family on more than one trip. During one trip, she followed a family for the first half of their journey before she returned to the US. When she came back six months later, she found them in the same place.

The family had been caught by Mexican police, deported to El Salvador, and then made the journey again toward Mexico City.

The journey over the US border is the most dangerous part of the journey. Smugglers, called coyotes, are paid to sneak migrants past border security into the US.

Because of the danger, many migrants opt to settle in Mexico. Despite the gang and drug violence, there is a thriving economy in which they can get jobs.

In recent years, security has been heightened on the US side of the 3,000-mile-long border. This is a tunnel used by US Border Patrol along the Arizona-Sonora border between the US and Mexico.

The heightened security has made the journey even more treacherous for travelers. In response, coyotes bring migrants along more isolated and more dangerous routes to get them across.

Since Frankfurter began in 2009, migration has gotten more dangerous. As the pressure on the drug trade has increased, cartels have diversified by taking over the smuggling trade. It has turned migration into a brutal endeavor.
By PTI: Malda(WB), Dec 31 (PTI) The Border Security Force seized fake Indian currency notes (FICN) with a face value of Rs 6.50 lakh in Malda district and apprehended two persons today, BSF sources said.

On a tip-off, a BSF party detained two persons near Happy more in Malda district. During search the BSF troops seized 325 fake notes of the denomination of Rs 2000 from them, a BSF release said.

advertisement

The apprehended persons and seized FICN have been handed over to Kaliachak police station for further legal action, it said.

During this year, BSF South Bengal Frontier has seized FICN of face value of Rs 62 lakh and has apprehended 11 FICN racketeers, the release said. PTI COR RG

--- ENDS ---
See her post below:

The drama began on Tuesday, December 26, when a private jet purportedly conveying Wizkid and Tiwa Savage from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, was allegedly attacked and robbed while taxiing on Lagos airports runway.

According to Instablog9ja, the Bombardier Challenger 605 jet with registration number T7-A00, reportedly arrived Lagos from Uyo at about 8:33 p.m and was taxiing to the arrival hangar when the cargo compartment was allegedly burgled.

The reports revealed that upon their arrival at Quits Aviation Center, a private jet hangar, the pilot reportedly discovered that two bags belonging to Tiwa and Wizkid had allegedly been stolen.

ALSO READ: Tiwa Savage brings the African flavour to America

Reacting to the accusations, FAAN said that the allegations are baseless and practically impossible.
The accused was arraigned before the Magistrate, Mrs O.I Raji, on a charge of assault.

Abiodun, who resides at Agbede, Ibadan in Oyo State, pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties.

Raji ordered that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

According to the prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, the accused committed the offence on December 14 at Ikeja, Lagos.

He said that the accused beat up Miss Success Enebe for refusing his proposal.

The accused asked Miss Enebe out but she refused his proposal. Few days later, the accused attacked her using a plank and injured her on the head.

After the attack, the accused ran away, leaving Miss Enebe bleeding from her injuries. Egunjobi said.

He said the offence contravened Section 173 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised).

The section stipulates three years imprisonment for assault.
The accused, a 40-year-old petty trader appeared before Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, on a charge for murder, but her plea was not taken by the court.

The Investigating Police Officer, (IPO) Insp. Chris Akpanomo, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 8, at No. 670, Ikorodu Road, Owode Elede in Ikorodu.

He alleged that the accused had sent the deceased with the last N200 she had, to buy food for her, but he returned to tell her that he had misplaced the money.

According to Akpanomo, out of annoyance she poured hot water on him, locked him in the house and went about her daily routine.

He added that it was his persistent shouts that attracted neighbours, who rushed him to the hospital where he later died.

The offence contravened section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 which stipulates a death sentence for convicts.

The Chief Magistrate ordered that the accused be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons pending the outcome of legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs).
The accused was arraigned before a Magistrate, Mrs Y.O Ekogbulu, on a charge of stealing.

Usman, who resides at Meiran area of Lagos, however, pleaded not guilty and was admitted to a bail of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Ekogbulu said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The prosecutor, Insp. Clement Okuoimose, said that the accused committed the offence on November 26, at Olagoke Street, Meiran, Lagos.

He said that the accused unlawfully entered into Foursquare Gospel Church and stole some property.

The accused stole one musical speaker, one tiger generator, a standing fan, a ceiling fan and four plastic chairs. Total value of items stolen was N154,000, he said.

Okuoimose said that the accused was a tenant in the church premises and entered through the window to steal.

The accused, who just packed into the compound two months earlier, was later found out to be behind the theft.

When she was arrested and questioned, she confessed that she stole the items and sold it to one Malam.

But the buyer could not be located, he said.

The offences contravened Sections 287 and 308 (2)of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused may be jailed for three years if found guilty of stealing according to the provisions of Section 287.
The male prostate orgasm is real, and society is really starting to catch on. But as one researcher noticed, science is still a little bit behind. Dr. Roy Levin, a researcher at the University of Sheffield, recently published a paper on prostate orgasms, largely concluding that there's still a whole lot we don't know.

"The scientific study of orgasm has always been challenging," Levin wrote. "Those induced by prostate stimulation have been ignored. We have just started the journey on its discovery road."

Most of the data we have on prostate orgasms isn't really data at all, Levin notesit's just "anecdotal sources" saying that, yeah, prostate orgasms rule.

Levin also hypothesizes why prostate orgasms are so intense. Prostate massages can have a variety of health benefits, but Levin thinks that in some ways it can "rewire the brain" to make you change how you feel sexual pleasure through a new, unfamiliar sensation. Basically, it's giving you another button to press besides the standard stimulation of the penis.

"The 'male G-Spot' is the prostate and it's about two inches in the rectum toward the belly," Susan Milstein, Ph.D., a sex educator and professor in the Department of Health Enhancement, Exercise Science and Physical Education at the Rockville Campus of Montgomery College in Maryland told Men's Health in November. The prostate has almost as many nerve endings as the clitoris, which means that Levin might be on to something when he says stimulation could almost rewire the brain. "It really can open up a whole new avenue of pleasure for men if they are willing to try it," Milstein said.

And hey, nearly half of men have experienced anal sexusually with them on the giving end, with a partner of the opposite sex, according to 2011 CDC data. But it's about time that the tables got turned a little bit, and Levin notes that more and more people are discovering anal stimulation on the internet, through online forums like the Aneros discussion boards, organized by a company that makes prostate massagers.
"Today's meeting between Government of the State of Osun and labour leaders on the industrial action in the state was fruitful to the extent that there is tremendous progress in the negotiation."

"The government commends workers for their understanding, perseverance and support. The meeting continues tomorrow".

PUNCH reports that last night, the workers announced the suspension of the strike after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the representatives of the state government.

The MOU reads as follows: The state government has further approved henceforth 100 per cent payment of monthly pensions for retirees earning N30,000 and below while other retirees not in the said category shall however be paid 75 per cent of their monthly pensions.

The state government shall effect the payment of full salary for the month of December, 2017 for its entire workforce and pensioners which is made possible as a result of the Paris Club refund received by the government.

Modalities for subsequent payment of salaries and pensions between January 2018 and second quarter of the year will be addressed by the standing committee on appropriation on payment of salaries and critical expenses of government.

"Payment of full salaries and pensions will commence by the second quarter of the year 2018. It reads.
The Corps Public Education Officer , Mr Bisi Kazeem , made this known in Abuja on Saturday.

The Education officer said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Mr Boss Gida Mustapha had also approved promotion of the Zonal Commanding Officer of the Corps in Charge of Zone RS 3 HQ, Abubakar Ringim to the rank of the Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM ).

However, Mustapha equally approved the promotion of 298 officers of the corps , totalling the number of the newly promoted officers to 1,925. According to The Guardian, the officers promoted included 33 Chief Route Commanders, 34 Superintendant Route Commanders, 93 Route Commanders , and 137 Deputy Route Commanders.

The personnel promoted to Marshal Inspectors include 57 Deputy Marshal Inspectors, 71 Assistant Marshal Inspectors, 54 Principal Marshal Inspectors , 234 Senior Marshal Inspectors , 207 Marshal Inspectors I , and 62 Marshal Inspectors II. Dr Oyeyemi also lauded the performance of the newly promoted officers and Marshals of the Corps, and urged them to put in their best in the discharge of their duties as they assume higher responsibility in their career.

The Corps Marshal however implored them to be of good character as well as work hard to achieve the mandate of the Corps which was aimed at combating road accidents by 15 per cent and fatality by 25 per cent yearly.
In a New Year message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Bukola Saraki said a strong economy would enable the government to achieve physical development and improved standard of living of the people.

According to The Punch, the President of the Senate noted that most of the problems now threatening the unity , progress and peace of the country were rooted in the poor state of the economy and that there was need for the government and Nigerians to work together in 2018 to ensure the success of policies initiated to rebuild the economy, create employment, attract investment opportunities and make the nation self- sufficient.

He however seeks the co-operation of the people stating that government alone cannot make the economy to work. He said co -operation , prayers and change of attitude on the part of the people would develop the country and make 2018 a more fruitful and beneficial year for the citizenry. I wish all Nigerians overflowing happiness on this joyful occasion , Saraki said.

The end of one year and the beginning of another is always a time that is full of hope. While 2017 was challenging for many Nigerians , we must look back on the year with the knowledge that better days are

All of us deserve a chance to live a better life. This is why the Senate and indeed the 8 th National Assembly will continue to collaborate with the executive to ensure that all the policies and programmes of the present administration targeted at making life more meaningful for the people are realized .

The National Assembly will not spare efforts in passing more laws that will serve as catalyst for our economic stability and growth. Laws that will help make our businesses thrive. Laws that will enhance the creation of jobs and put more money in the pockets of our people , he stated. He wishes Nigerians a happy and blessed 2018.
By PTI: Kolkata, Dec 31 (PTI) After meeting a spurt in the demand for coal from the power sector, Coal India is set to prioritise on improving supplies to captive power producers to cater to the needs of cement, aluminium and sponge-iron sectors.

CIL is dispatching some 246 coal rakes per-day of which 217-218 rakes are moving to the power sector and the rest to the non-power sector, a top CIL official said.

advertisement

"We are now focusing on offering additional coal to captive power plants (CPPs). We are now restricting coal supply to power sector to some 217-218 rakes per day and pushing the rest to CPPs and other non-power consumers," the official told PTI.

Cement plants in the country were facing fuel crisis after petcoke was banned in three states for causing a high level of pollution.

The CIL source said that in addition to the supply through Fuel Supply Agreement, coal is also offered through auctions to provide requisite windows to cement plants for meeting their coal requirement.

?We want to ramp up coal loading from January to 272 rakes per day from our own sources and have already placed requisition for the same with the Railways.

Supply to industrial consumers are set to increase by 100 per cent from the current level of about 25 rakes per-day, without affecting the despatch to power utilities, the official said.

Till November, some 13 million tonne of additional coal was supplied to the power sector.

In September-November 2017, there was a spurt in demand for thermal power from the power sector as supply from the hydel and nuclear power had slumped. PTI BSM MM

--- ENDS ---
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, December 31, 2017, the spokesman of the state Police Command, SP Abdu Jinjiri said that the accident occurred on Saturday around 7:30 p.m.

Jinjiri said that the Sharon vehicle which was supposed to carry seven passengers, was overloaded with 14 people.

He said, "A seven passengers-capacity vehicle overloaded with 14 passengers rammed into a truck coming from the opposite direction on Gujungu-Gumel road.

"As a result, nine of the passengers died on the spot, while the rest were rushed to Gumel General Hospital, in Gumel local government area.

"Nine males including the driver of the Sharon bus, four females and two children died in the accident.

"It was possible the driver of the overloaded vehicle was on high speed and could not control it, anyway, only investigation will reveal the real cause of the accident."

Jinjiri said the driver of the truck aged 22, is under the police custody as investigation is ongoing.

ALSO READ: 3 die in highway accident in Ogun

The police spokesman cautioned motorists against over speeding under whatever circumstances.

Unofficial sources said the overloaded bus was heading to Daura local government area in Katsina State.
Speaking to a section of the media at his Takete Ide country home, the Director General said the release of rice to the market is a fulfillment of the promise by government to produce quality home grown rice that can compete with the market leaders.

He said Governor Yahaya Bello promised to ensure Confluence Rice hits the market in 2017. That promise has been fulfilled. Kogi has enough rice to feed the nation.

We have just shown that this administration is fully committed to the agricultural revolution it promised the people of the state. Confluence Rice will get even better when our Mills start operating at full capacity.

Confluence Rice has succeeded in not only creating jobs for our women and youth; but also given us a good name across the nation. Nigerians are beginning to know that Kogi is steadily progressing against the politics of destruction by the enemies of the state.

According to Vanguard, while addressing the controversy trailing the Confluence Rice production and packaging, Fanwo said detractors were shocked that despite their campaign of calumny, government has remained focused and undeterred in its bid to reposition agriculture in the state. Patriotic Kogites are celebrating the feat.

Only the enemies of the state, who were jolted by the historic breakthrough in rice production, are making issues out of the packaging of the rice.

Confluence Rice is a product of our silent revolution in the sector. More success stories are on the way, he said.
He entitled the statement: Blame Passing, Social Media Automated Mumus- The New Year Gift to a Nation.

Soyinka cited a Daily Times news clipping from June, 1977, where a then President General Buhari, who was then Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, was quoted to have said, Fuel crisis may be over next year.

Speaking about this, he said: It captures the unenviable enigma that is the Nigerian nation.

Same old, same old

He added that: When many of us are blissfully departed, an updated rendition of this same clipping- with a change of cast here and there- will undoubtedly be reproduced in the media, with the same alibis, the same in-built panacea of blame passing.

Soyinka then narrated his ordeal at various filling stations saying: I recently ran the gauntlet of petroleum queues through three conveniently situated cities  Lagos, Abeokuta and Ibadan  deliberately, this Friday. Even with unorthodox aids of passage, this was no task for the faint-hearted.

He frankly added: I suspect that this government has permitted itself to be fooled by the peace of those empty streets, but also by the orderly, patient, long-suffering queues that are admittedly prevalent in the city centres.

He however declared that the current affliction must be remedied, and fast, in order to solve a shortage that virtually paralysed the nation.
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
Property details:

Alps of Southern CaliforniaSan Bernardino County NO RESERVE, NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS, HIGH BID OWNS LOT Nestled in the magnificent San Bernardino National Forest, surrounded by pine, cedar, and dogwood, an area described as the "Alps of Southern California", and known as "the best kept secret on the West Coast, is a stunningly beautiful, cozy and quaint mountain resort paradise called Lake Arrowhead. Our community features countless outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, backpacking, campin...

Price: $ 990 State/Province: California Seller State of Residence: California Location: 928**, Orange, California

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby California
Property details:

Perfect Wooded Lot in Hidden Lakes Located at Lake Trace in central North Carolina This property is .22 acres of undeveloped land, located at beautiful Lake Trace in central North Carolina. You are bidding on the down payment ONLY. The price of this property is $13,997. We offer owner financing -- no banks, no credit checks, no prepayment penalty, no problems. EVERYONE qualifies for owner financing! ABOUT THE PROPERTY This beautiful, fully wooded lot sits just before a cul-de-sac on a road with ...

Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: North Carolina Property Address: 1476 Florida Drive State/Province: North Carolina City: Sanford Zip/Postal Code: 27332 Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Setting: Suburban For Sale by: Owner Location: 273**, Sanford, North Carolina

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby Owner
Property details:

Valley of Enchantment San Bernardino County CEDARPINES PARK NO RESERVE, NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS, HIGH BID OWNS LOT Nestled in the magnificent San Bernardino National Forest, surrounded by pine, cedar, and dogwood, an area described as the "Alps of Southern California", and known as "the best kept secret on the West Coast, is a stunningly beautiful, cozy and quaint mountain resort paradise called Lake Arrowhead. Our community features countless outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, backpack...

Price: $ 1,930 State/Province: California Seller State of Residence: California Location: 928**, Orange, California

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby California
,



We're sorry, this article is not currently available
By PTI: Ranchi, Dec 31 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today launched "Saubhagya Yojana", a programme that would provide electricity to all the 29,376 villages in the state.

Launching the "Saubhagya Yojana" here, Das said only 38 lakh households out of 68 lakh households in the state could get electricity in 67 years.

However, this government has provided electricity to 13 lakh households in just three years, an official release said quoting the chief minister.

advertisement

By December 2018, the target is to provide electricity to the rest 17.64 lakh households, Das said adding people would get electricity 24x7, which would not only change the life of the people in the villages but also there would be a change in their thought, economic condition, education of their children and lift irrigation for the farmers.

Jharkhand would be made electricity hub by 2022, the chief minister said adding it would produce electricity and provide electricity to other states as well.

He said now coal is being sent to other states for electricity, but by 2022 electricity would be generated from Jharkhand and provided to other states. The state was working with a vision and mission, he said.

Das said that whichever village did not get electricity through grid has been electrified through solar energy.

There are 248 villages which are hilltops and electricity has been provided to such places, he said.

The government is also working on providing electricity from different feeders to cottage industries and agriculture, he said.

About 17.64 lakh families in villages and 1.64 lakh families in the urban areas would get electricity under this yojana, he said, adding the poor would get electricity free of cost.

APL families would get electricity connection by paying Rs 500 in 10 instalments of Rs 50 each month, he said.

This yojana, he said, would help achieve the central government?s target of providing 24x7 electricity.

People could give a missed call on a toll free number 1800-200-2266 to apply for new connection under the yojana.

In villages, a mobile van would be there for applying connection, the release said. PTI PVR RG SNP

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Rajnandgaon, Dec 31 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today hit out at the Congress, saying the party is practising the politics of castiesm, regionalism and corruption to regain lost power.

Das was speaking at a programme organised by the Sahu community at his ancestral village Boirdih in Chhattisgarhs Rajnandgaon district.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh was also present.

advertisement

"The entire country is witnessing the politics of development. Congress-ruled states are lagging behind the BJP-ruled ones in terms of development.

"The Congress is trying to play the politics of castiesm, regionalism and corruption to secure power again," Das said.

"In Gujarat the BJP has been again elected to power after ruling there for 22 years...in Chhattisgarh people have voted Raman Singh government again and again to power. It has become possible only because of development," he said.

The BJP doesnt indulge in the politics of dividing people, Das said.

"People have now understood that the Congress did `nautanki (drama) in the name of poor for six decades. Therefore, if we want to take the country ahead, we should resolve to make India `Congress-mukt (Congress-free).

"You have been continuously supporting the BJP in the state and I appeal you to continue to shower your blessings on the party and create `Congress-mukt Chhattisgarh," Das said.

Referring to himself, Das said only in the BJP a one-time `mazdoor (labourer) can rise to become a chief minister.

The Jharkhand chief minister also turned emotional while recalling the days he spent with his parents at Boirdih.

The Public Distribution System model of Chhattisgarh has been implemented in Jharkhand too, he said.

Das also visited his ancestral house in the village.

Boirdih is situated in the Naxal-affected Chhuriya development block, around 110 km away from Raipur.

Chief minister Raman Singh announced that Rs 15 lakh would be sanctioned for the construction of a community building at Boirdih. The building will be named `Raghubar Bhawan, after the Jharkhand CM, he said. PTI COR TKP KRK

--- ENDS ---
The negotiations for a bail-out of the two plants could see continuity though a weakened BJP majority is a cause of concern among analysts, says Amritha Pillay.

Image: Adani group chairman Gautam Adani with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photograph: Reuters

The formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party government in Gujarat is being seen as a positive for the Adani and Tata power projects at Mundra.

The negotiations for a bail-out of the two plants could see continuity though a weakened BJP majority is a cause of concern among analysts.

In April, the Supreme Court ruled the two companies cannot be allowed a compensatory tariff to make up for the change in coal export policy in Indonesia.

Following the order, a special committee comprising various stakeholders, including representatives of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Maharashtra governments was formed.

Adani Power sells power from its Mundra power plant to Gujarat and Haryana, while Tata Power sells power from its Mundra plant to Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra.

A committee had been formed, to look at what are the possible options to ensure these plants continue to remain financially viable. The committee is expected to meet again in January. With the Gujarat elections now over, it is expected we would see more momentum in these discussions, said a person with direct knowledge of the development. The person added with the same party in power, a resolution may be easier.

However, with the BJP wining the state elections with a narrow margin, some remain sceptical. The fact that the same government continues is a good thing, however, the thin margin win would mean the Gujarat government may not want to look like a pro-business establishment. Having lost to the Congress in the rural areas, more caution will need to be exercised, said a second person who is aware of the ongoing discussions. He added, the expectation is that a resolution may be arrived at before March next year.

Private power companies supplying to Gujarat state also found them in a political crossfire last month. During its poll campaign, the opposition Congress in a press statement, alleged that the BJP government in Gujarat had let four private companies -- Adani Power, ESSAR Power, Tata Power and China Light Power -- to squander Rs 26,000 crore of the public exchequer by purchasing electricity from them at unimaginably high rates in the state.

Following the Supreme Court order, both Tata Power and Adani Power were reported to have offered to sell a 51 per cent stake in their respective power plants to their power procurers at a token price of Re 1.

The two people quoted in the story said among the solutions under consideration would be the capability and willingness of states to pick a stake in these power plants.

The expectation was that the sale of the Mundra plant will pick pace post Gujarat elections. However, with Tata Power's recent acquisition of a coal mining licence in Far East Russia, the company plans to source coal for the Mundra plant from there. This raises question as to whether a sale is still on the cards, said a power analyst with a domestic brokerage firm who did not wish to be identified.

Both Adani Power and Tata Power had plans to fuel these plants using imported coal from Indonesia and had made tariff bids based on Indonesian coal price expectations.

However, both companies were in for a shock when Indonesia introduced a new policy linking its coal prices to international benchmark indices.

In April, the Supreme Court refused to allow for a compensatory tariff on the grounds of any change in law in Indonesia, however, it allowed for a compensatory tariff for any hike in coal prices arising out of change in Indian law.

Tata Powers Mundra plant's entire coal requirements are met using imported coal, Adanis Mundra unit on the other hand has partial dependence on imported coal.
Rajinikanths personal trait can become a political issue if he enters politics and could get translated as sympathy if not support for the BJP, which can cut both ways, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

Nothing describes Tamil superstar Rajinikanths continuing predicament on entering electoral politics better than his twin references to the late journalist-analyst Cho S Ramaswami, a man of many parts, when he announced his much-awaited decision to contest the next state assembly elections, on Sunday.

I am not afraid of politics, I am afraid of the media, Rajini told his fans, who celebrated his decision instantaneously with loud cheers and bursting of crackers outside Chennais Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam, built by him. Cho Sir had cautioned me about the media, he said.

The media that would have otherwise taken umbrage to such reservations/criticism from lesser mortals, instead celebrated the announcement with 24x7 news and talk-show coverage.

Cho Sir would have been a source of strength and courage for me, if he were around now, Rajinikanth said. And therein lies the catch, or call it the rub. Almost since the mid-90s when Rajinikanth began making political noises, both onscreen and off, Cho was among others trying to talk him into launching a political party of his own.

The late G K Moopanar, who had split away from the Congress to float the Tamil Maanila Congress, was also known to have tried doing the same, offering him the partys presidency and chief ministers post if they could together contest the Dravidian electoral hegemony since 1967. Rajini would not yield then and Moopanar and the TMC went the DMK way, for the latters boss M Karunanidhi to become chief minister, replacing rival AIADMKs Jayalalithaa.

The message for Rajini is this: Time, tide and death does not wait for anyone -- superstar included. With Moopanars death went the TMC and the cadres that it offered beyond the fans from that period still with Rajinis politics, if any. With Chos death, he himself has admitted he has lost a trusted advisor, a touchstone, and more.

The limited offer of Rajini to enter politics at a later date too comes with its load of criticism, especially from political opponents and failed ones from the past. Barring those like Dalit-centric VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, heading a peripheral party with no electoral representation and who can do with a mass-leader of Rajinis saleability, if not the MGR-Jaya kind of charisma, other political leaders are less than enthused by his declaration.

They all need more than the possible 10 per cent non-committed voters from the past decades for Rajinis party to make an impact. And thus win seats for them, too, as they now have next-to-nil vote-share that can win them anything more than possibly a panchayat/municipality ward seat or two, that too on their candidates strength, not theirs.

Otherwise, too, Rajinis references to the Bhagwad Gita, his talk of adopting a spiritual approach to politics all have as much chance of backfiring on vote-bank politics, which is a necessary evil of any election anywhere in the world, as it has been in Tamil Nadu. His fans comprise voters from across all religions and castes, and his constant reference to it all again and again may miff the minorities among them.

This section of society, accounting for around 15 per cent of the voters in the state, was miffed at the secular DMK after Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a courtesy call on the ailing M Karunanidhi in the run-up to the RK Nagar by-election. Post-poll indications are that the minorities, comprising a substantial vote-share in the constituency, voted almost en masse for AIADMK rebel turned independent, TTV Dinakaran, contributing to his massive victory and the DMKs Marudhu Ganesh losing his security deposit.

Yet, there is no denying the wag that if prohibition became the central issue of elections 2016, with women voters in particular smashing government-monopolised liquor shops across the state, especially after Gandhian activist Sasi Perumal, fell to his accidental death from atop a mobile transmission tower, Rajinis spirituality could become the central theme the next time round.

But the interpretation goes beyond what is obvious to Rajinis fans, sympathisers and media followers, who have respected his privacy and personal life, not only because he was the superstar whose word and voice counted (as in election 1996) but also because he was known to spend a lot of time in the Himalayas, in the midst of sadhus and in mediation, even otherwise.

That this personal trait can become a political issue if he enters politics, and could get transmuted and translated as sympathy, if not support, for the Hindutva-oriented BJP can cut both ways, despite whatever secular image he may have wanted to project through specifically-scripted roles as in Basha and Kabaali, among others from his box-office hits over the past two decades.

In the Lok Sabha polls due in 2019, however, the BJP ruling the Centre is expected/anticipated to take a greater Hindutva pitch than in election 2014This, in turn, could centre on the Supreme Court-revived Ayodhya dispute.

Whichever way the verdict may go, or the arguments go in the absence of a verdict in time for election 2019, it could have repercussions in Tamil Nadu, too, especially for a new popular entrant like Rajinikanth with a yet-to-be-launched political party. That again is a problem.

For now, Rajinikanth has declared that his party is as much in the future as it is hoped to be futuristic. No politics and protests for his fans until he floats it for the next assembly polls that are not due before May 2021 in the ordinary course. He is not contesting the local bodies polls, a sure-fire way to test popularity without too much of embarrassment if lost, and create a grassroots-level organisational set-up in time for the assembly polls.

There are two other related questions, too

One, what about election 2019?

Two, what if the continuing perceptions of political instability in post-Jaya AIADMK leads to a sudden death of the current assembly and fresh polls, which may catch both the superstar and his fans by surprise?

In sum, something that is as much a serious affair for Rajinikanths self-image as his spirituality, his credibility on entering politics needs to be proved to be believed -- though all along in the past, he never came anywhere near an outright declaration as he did on Sunday, though he did whet everyones appetite through his one-liners, on-screen and off.

Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters.

N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and political analyst, is director, Observer Research Foundation, Chennai chapter.
'The key factor, to my mind, is happiness.'

'If either party, for whatever reason, is not in it, they should have the choice to walk away as painlessly as possible,' points out Vasu Primlani.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

In the Supreme Court judgment, in a 3-2 majority win, triple talaq, or of the various forms of talaq, the one considered improper even in Islam, was struck down by the highest court in India.

Also interesting is the fact that there were five judges on the Bench for this hearing, one representing each religion, and of the five, two disagreed with the proposal that law could interfere in religious prescriptions in India.

There was also a noticeable gender divide. The petitioners were Shayara Bano, Aafreen Rehman, Gulshan Parveen, Ishrat Jahan, Atiya Sabri (all women), and the judges panel constituted Kurian Joseph, U U Lalit, R F Nariman, then Chief Justice J S Khehar, and Abdul Nazeer (all men).

There are three kinds of divorce in Islam, classified in terms of who seeks it.

When the man seeks it, it is called Talaq or Ila.

When it is sought by the woman, it is called Liyan, Faskh, Zihar, Khula and Talaq-e-tafweez.

When sought by mutual consent, the divorce sought is called Mubarrat.

Islam considers the triple talaq tradition came about after the founding of Islam, and as such, does not belong to Islamic law.

Perhaps instant coffee belongs to our homes, but instant talaq doesn't.

Most Muslims believe in the sanctity of marriage and encourage counselling, mediation, and a complete exhaustion of all resources and strategies before arriving at the sad conclusion of divorce. It is frowned upon, and disapproved of by Allah, as written in the Quran.

While I am glad that women who felt the talaq-e-biddat is too sudden to allow for reconciliation or response from women, and provides an inordinate amount of power to men in marriage, I am also saddened by this fight.

Shayara Bano has claimed in this petition that her husband ill-treated her, did not financially provide for her, made dowry demands, denied her food, medically poisoned her, and locked her in a room for several days. And Shayara Bano said her husband's act of triple talaq was unconstitutional.

It is with some amount of consternation that I ask: What would cause a woman to want to stay in an abusive marriage, by her own admission?

In her position, I would feel her husband's proclamation of triple talaq would sound like 'You free, Ms Scarlett!' And if it is social sanction or economic dependency, I would look to those sectors to question first,

It seems to me that marriage is an 'at will' relationship. To my mind, you ought to stay in it as long as it serves you in supporting, respecting and honouring you and your needs.

The key factor here, to my mind, is happiness.

If either party, for whatever reason, is not in it, they should have the choice to walk away as painlessly as possible.

Women are also allowed under the Shariat to dissolve a marriage, a procedure called khula. Instead of employing it in the face of obvious abuse, why is she not engaging it rather than wanting to be back with her husband?

Why would I want to be with a guy who thinks three words can callously destroy all we had without changing his ways, or trying hard enough?

And consider this. Talaq-e-biddat in essence allows an immediate dissolution of marriage.

The Hindu procedure of dissolution of marriage, by contrast, is painstakingly long. Even after aggrieved parties provide proof of abuse or torture at the hands of the partner in marriage, judges often decree a period of another six months before the judge would even consider divorce.

To me, it seems like the judge infantalises the married couple. Perhaps the judges do not consider that among all nations, Indians are famous for taking marriage very, very seriously.

And it takes perhaps hundreds of agonising hours of hand-wringing before a woman considers divorce, after having considered her commitment to marriage, her family name and honour, and the future of her children in addition to her own economic well-being, before she considers annulment.

And to mandatorily add to that a mandatory imposition of six months further extends the torture. Perhaps they do know what they are asking for by the time they approach the judge.

Parents would have intervened, friends would have tried to persuade, they themselves would have second-guessed themselves to a fault, and tried a variety of solutions and compromises, surely?

In this division between Hindu and Muslim, for couples on the orange side, stuck for an inordinately long time in the legal process of divorce under Indian courts, the grass may just look greener on the other side of the fence.
'When Sushma Swaraj was campaigning like a one-man army against Pakistan for the treatment meted out to Chetna Jadhav and her mother-in-law, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was secretly huddled with his Pakistani counterpart in Bangkok.'

'It is becoming impossible to make rational judgments about our government's Pakistan policies,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.



IMAGE: Kulbhushan Jadhav meets his mother Avanti and wife Chetna at Pakistan's foreign ministry in Islamabad, December 25, 2017. Photograph: Pakistan foreign office

There were moments last week when the high-octane media publicity over the visit by Chetna Jadhav, Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife, accompanied by her mother-in-law, to Islamabad was playing out, it seemed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was excessive, probably carried away by emotions of a kind that we usually do not associate with a country's top diplomat.

Today, there is an inchoate heaviness in the heart, while reading the 'breaking news' that all that while when Swaraj was campaigning like a one-man army against Pakistan for the treatment meted out to Chetna Jadhav and her mother-in-law, India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was secretly huddled with his Pakistani counterpart Lieutenant General Nasir Khan Janjua (retd) in the nearest watering hole in the region, Bangkok.

The Bangkok session was a 'pre-scheduled meeting' -- and substantive discussions, it seems -- and Swaraj apparently was aware of it.

The question that begs an answer was whether Swaraj was covering up for Doval in the domestic circus in a massive diversionary tactic.

The domestic audience feels utterly confused -- as if we live in an Orwellian animal farm -- because the Bangkok meeting took place hardly a fortnight after PM Modi alleged a Pakistani plot to hijack the electorate in Gujarat out of the BJP orbit -- and, in fact, coinciding with our 'surgical strike 2.0'.

It is becoming impossible to make rational judgments about our government's Pakistan policies.

Of course, Swaraj did splendidly well on the stage. But issues remain.

Any long time observer would vouchsafe that Pakistan did nothing extraordinary. Did the Indian side expect VIP treatment -- or even civil behaviour -- for Jadhav's relatives?

The really surprising part is that there was no physical violence. To put it mildly, both India and Pakistan are capable of bestial behaviour.

By their appalling standards, historically, Chetna and her mother-in-law were accorded a rather decent reception at the Pakistani foreign ministry.

Could South Block have handled things differently under the circumstances?

To my mind, a rare opportunity is lost to take Pakistan at its word -- in fact, Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's unprecedented call recently to settle problems with India peacefully through negotiations.

Things were somewhat looking up for Jadhav's tragic life. I for one never thought that Pakistan would execute him (since they have nothing to gain out of the animal instinct of 'revenge'.)

Jadhav might even have been repatriated to India at some point in a conceivable future and left to live the rest of his life in his own country. These are days of the indeterminate sentence, after all.

At the very least, Chetna would have been given similar future opportunities to visit her husband. Alas, we have slammed the door shut on all those tantalising possibilities.

Chetna is the real loser here. She may never get to see her husband again even fleetingly for a few precious moments, even across a glass panel -- even without wearing her chappals.

Indeed, some very big questions arise here.

What do we do with cases like Jadhav?

What do we gain out of reducing human tragedies to the stuff of grandstanding?

We should not exploit the ignorance of Indian public opinion regarding the ways of the world in the 21st century. Informed debates are not possible when the government injects hyperbolic foreplay.

Compassion, to my mind, is what Jadhav ought to deserve. But instead we throw him to the vultures of Indian politics. Could it be that we don't want him to return? Civilised modern States respect even their spies.

I read recently a profoundly moving feature article in Sputnik about the legendary Soviet spy George Blake who turned 95 last month. Blake was no ordinary spy. He was a traitor with a capital 'T' to his motherland Great Britain.

But even amidst the mutual paranoia of espionage, Blake was an extraordinary phenomenon. Plays were staged on the London theatre on Blake's life as a double agent, and films were made.

This was what the late British prime minister Harold Macmillan recorded in his diaries when Blake was caught by MI5 (betrayed by a Polish defector in 1961) and sentenced by a British court to 42 years imprisonment in Wormwood Scrubs prison (from where he had a daring escape and made his way to Moscow, across Europe, crossing the Berlin Wall in a wooden box attached to the undercarriage of a car):

'Blake asserted he had yielded to no material pressure or advantages but had been genuinely converted to Communism while a prisoner of war in Korea. With an ideological spy, we were faced with a phenomenon such as had hardly appeared in these islands for some four hundred years.'

Ten years ago, on Blake's 85th birth anniversary, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded him the Order of Friendship. On the eve of his birthday in November, Russian authorities accorded Blake the high honour of addressing the officers of the Russian Intelligence Service to share memories of his eventful life and times -- and his beliefs and faith that prompted him to work for the Soviet Union.

'95 years. It is too much for a single person. And too little in the life span of humankind.' Blake concluded. 'The memories of my past which repeatedly said I do not regret not in the least give me strength to look to the future with optimism.'
IMAGE: Nitin Patel takes charge as Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister in Gandhinagar on Sunday. Photograph: ANI

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who was unhappy over not getting portfolios of his choice in the new cabinet, took charge on Sunday after he was given the finance portfolio, following Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah's intervention.

"BJP president Amit Shah called up in the morning and assured me that I will be given a portfolio which befits my stature as the number two in the cabinet and as the deputy chief minister," Patel told reporters at his residence.

"Shah asked me to take charge of my departments, so I will take charge today. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will meet Governor O P Kohli in the afternoon and give him a letter, informing him of the allocation of a new department to me," he added.

Soon after taking charge, Patel left for his assembly constituency, Mehsana, to meet his supporters.

Shortly after his arrival at Mehsana in the afternoon, Rupani announced in Gandhinagar that the finance portfolio had been given to Patel and that the issue was over now.

"We have made certain changes in the portfolios. We have given finance to Nitinbhai. With this, the issue is over now. Such small things happen in a big family like the BJP. I have already sent a letter to the Governor, informing him of this change in the portfolios," the chief minister told reporters.

Patel maintained that the issue was not about some departments, but about 'self-respect'.

"I had conveyed to the party high-command to either give me respectable departments or relieve me from the cabinet," he said.

The veteran leader added that he had been serving the BJP as a 'loyal and disciplined' soldier for the last 40 years.

In the previous government headed by Rupani, Patel used to handle key portfolios of finance and urban development among other departments.

However, this time, finance was given to Saurabh Patel, while Rupani kept urban development with himself, leaving only road and building, health and family welfare, medical education, Narmada, Kalpsar and capital projects with Patel.

Unhappy over the allotment, Patel had refrained from taking charge of the departments, prompting the top BJP leadership to swing into action to placate the senior Patidar leader.

While announcing the portfolios on December 28, Rupani had said, "It is not true that the minister, who has the finance portfolio, is the number two in the cabinet. Nitin Patel is our senior leader and will remain the number two."

Sending feelers to the deputy chief minister, Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel had on Saturday said he would extend support to him and talk to the Congress leadership to ensure that Patel got the respect he deserved from the party, if he left the BJP, along with 10 other MLAs, and joined hands with the Congress to form a new government.

"If he (Patel) decides to quit the BJP and 10 other MLAs are ready to quit with him, we will talk to the Congress to take in Nitinbhai and give him a post he deserves," Hardik had said.

Senior Congress MLA Virji Thummar had also said that Patel would be made the chief minister with the Congress' support if he quit the saffron party.

The Congress, however, had clarified that Thummar was speaking in his personal capacity and described the row over portfolio distribution as an 'internal matter' of the BJP.

The BJP and the Congress have 99 and 77 seats respectively in the 182-member Gujarat assembly.
By PTI: glitch

Mumbai, Dec 31 (PTI) A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Goa, carrying 183 passengers and three infants on board, was forced to return and make an emergency landing at the Dabolim airport, due to low oil pressure in one of its engines, a source said.

The flight -- 6E 724 -- which took off from the Dabolim airport for New Delhi at 5.50 pm, returned soon to the airport after its pilot reported the oil-pressure problem in one of the engines of the Airbus 320 aircraft, the source added.

advertisement

IndiGo confirmed the incident and said it had been reported to the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

"IndiGos Goa-Delhi flight was involved in a air turnback due to engine 2 low oil pressure," the airline said in a statement.

The aircraft was carrying 182 passengers and three infants on board, it added.

The flight crew carried out the required procedure and the aircraft landed safely back at Goa, the airline said.

The matter was reported to the DGCA, it said, adding that the incident was also being probed by the airlines safety department. PTI IAS RC

--- ENDS ---
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Elizabeth Hilpman of Norfolk Joins Berkshire Taconic Board

Sheffield, Mass.  Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced today that Elizabeth Hilpman of Norfolk has joined its board of directors.

Hilpman joined Barlow Partners in January 2001 as chief investment officer and a partner of the firm. She has over 30 years of investment management experience, including at Commonfund, Dartmouth College and Global Asset Management.

A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Hilpman is a frequent speaker at hedge fund conferences and serves on the investment committees of the University of New Hampshire Foundation, the Maine Community Foundation and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y. She resides with her husband, Bryon Tucker, in Norfolk and New York City.

Hilpman joins a regional board of 20 members. With assets of $135 million, Berkshire Taconic is a major funder of nonprofit organizations in its four-county region, working in partnership with donors and nonprofits to meet the needs of communities.

Learn more at www.berkshiretaconic.org

Goudy named director of financial planning, analysis at Webster

WATERBURY  Webster Bank announced that Patrick Goudy has been named senior vice president, director, financial planning and analysis.

He reports to Glenn MacInnes, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Goudy has more than 17 years of financial planning and analysis experience. He previously served as financial planning and analysis executive at GE Capitals headquarters in Norwalk. Prior to that, he held positions of increasing responsibility at GE Capital in its consumer lending and commercial leasing and lending divisions. He also led strategic projects tied to GE Capital's disposition of $200 billion in assets from 2015-2017.

Patricks deep experience in leading financial planning and analysis initiatives, as well as his accounting, retail and commercial finance expertise will benefit our strong team. said Glenn MacInnes, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

A resident of Bethel, Goudy earned a bachelors degree in mathematics and financial economics from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota.

Hansell to lead Berkshire Natural Resources Council

PITTSFIELD - The board of directors of Berkshire Natural Resources Council has appointed Jenny Hansell of Sharon as its next president, succeeding Tad Ames, who will step down from the organization at the end of the calendar year.

Hansell has served as the executive director of the North East Community Center in Millerton, NY since 2001.

We conducted a national search resulting in an initial pool of 60 applications. Out of this, Jenny rose to the top on the strength of her experience, track record, and clear articulation of the leadership skills necessary to match the organizations needs and aspirations. said Tim Crane, BNRCs chairman. The board is delighted as much by her passion for the challenge as by her exemplary qualifications.

Hansell will take the helm of an organization that has had only two chief executives in its 50 year history. The organization has enjoyed tremendous growth in the last five years with the launch of its Berkshire High Road vision and the conclusion of a $5 million capital campaign.

It is an honor to have the opportunity to join BNRC at this critical moment in its evolution so I can help bring The High Road to fruition, said Hansell. I am looking forward to the chance to get to know and work with the organizations talented staff, board, volunteers and community partners, to walk the trails from New Marlborough to Williamstown, and play a part in the preservation of our beautiful Berkshires for generations to enjoy.

The North East Community Center serves northeastern Dutchess County, New York, with programs for children, teens, families and senior citizens, including the Millerton Farmers Market, a Dial A Ride bus, after-school programs, job training and paid internships for teens and young adults, support for families in crisis, and public events like the Spring for Sound music festival. All of the Centers current programs were developed under Hansells leadership.

Jenny Hansell will be a terrific leader for BNRC, and an invaluable mentor to our high-caliber staff, said Tad Ames, the outgoing president. Between the staff, the board, and the donors who make everything possible, BNRC is blessed with deep reservoirs of passion, talent and local knowledge. Its been a privilege to work with such great people, and Im honored to pass the torch to Jenny.

BNRC was founded by George Wislocki in 1967. In 2002, Ames succeeded Wislocki. Today the organization stewards nearly 22,000 acres of conservation land, including approximately 50 miles of hiking trails. For more information, visit www.bnrc.org.

Winsted Edge Works installs Harvey sample windows

WINSTED  Winsted Edge Works has installed sample windows as part of its renovation of the circa 1852 historic mill complex. The installation of sample windows begins engineering development procedures in construction and installation techniques for the eventual installation of 185 windows throughout the building. These windows were supplied by Harvey Building Products (HBP). HBP supplied The Edges developer, Parker Benjamin Real Estate Services http://www.parkerbenjamin.com/index.html, with windows for the Upson Market Place (UMP) Upson Market Place - The Place!. UMP is the award winning project that repurposed and restored the c1860 historic mill complex on the Farmington River in Downtown Unionville.

Winsted Edge Works is the new location for shops, galleries, food and beverage and Lifestyle Business Office space. Prominently located at the corner of Main Street (Route 44) and Lake Street (Route 263), along side the Mad River & Highland Stream, the project is the repurposing of the old mill complex and restoration to its structures.

Helping Hands receives critical needs grant

Winsted  Helping Hands Chore Service, a nonprofit, community-based, home care agency today announced that it has received a $750 Year-End/Critical Needs Grant from The Marion Williams and Alice Edward Fund and the Draper Foundation Fund.

The grant will provide food assistance for senior clients who are facing difficult, economic times. Gift cards will be purchased locally at Stop & Shop and distributed to clients in time for the holidays.

We are extremely grateful to be a recipient of this important funding to help area seniors, said Director Irene Connole. Helping Hands wants our clients to know how much we, and the community, care about their basic human needs.

For more information on Helping Hands, call 860-379-4900 or visit www.helpinghandschoreservice.org. Helping Hands is affiliated with the Winsted Health Center Foundation and partially funded through a grant from the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging.
By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) India reported more than 1.5 lakh cases of dengue this year and 250 people died of the mosquito-borne disease, while over 60,000 cases of chikungunya were reported across the country, official data showed.

The data - compiled till December 24 from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) under the Union Health Ministry - showed that there have been 250 dengue deaths, while 1,57,220 cases have been reported across the country.

advertisement

The maximum dengue deaths were reported from Tamil Nadu, where the disease claimed 63 lives out of the total 23,035 cases reported.

Tamil Nadu was followed by Maharashtra, where 41 people died from dengue out of the total 7,442 cases reported.

As many as 37 deaths were reported from Kerala while the disease claimed the lives of 28 people in Uttar Pradesh.

Last year, during the same time period, the disease claimed 245 lives, while 1,29,166 cases were reported.

In Delhi, the NVBDCP data showed that the disease claimed nine lives, while 9,232 dengue cases were reported.

For chikungunya, the data showed that 62,268 cases were reported across the country compared to 64,057 cases last year.

As many as 31,644 chikungunya cases were reported in Karnataka this year, while 934 cases in the national capital.

The government has said that it has initiated a multi- centric cross-sectional study spanning five geographical regions to estimate the seroprevalence of the dengue infections in the country.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda in a written reply to the Lok Sabha recently said that the study was being coordinated by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai. PTI TDS SLB ABH

--- ENDS ---
Hundreds of people, mostly families with young children, counted down in unison Sunday as the seconds ticked off on the digital clock that hung on a large silver ball from the ceiling of the Science Museum of Virginia.

12 ... 11 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1, they cheered as the 2,018 bouncy balls fell from the silver ball, as well as streamers and confetti, as the clock stuck noon.

Thats right, noon. The museums annual tradition is 12 hours earlier than most revelers are used to, but the family-friendly event is for those who cant stay up or dont want their kids up until midnight, said Jennifer Guild, manager of communications and curiosity for the museum.

Happy noon year, said Wesley Wagg of Richmond, who is not only celebrating the new year  his birthday is on Jan. 1. His cousins, Kit and Cori Bollrud, were visiting all the way from Cyprus, an island country in the eastern Mediterranean.

Cora Nemanich, 8, of Chesterfield County, was selected to push the button that released the bouncy balls and confetti. She won the honor at a prior event called Science After Dark, a monthly program when the museum stays open late.

Its fun, she said of the museum. I learn stuff all the time.

Guild said the staff tries to hide the science in fun activities and experiments. Sundays event featured harmonica making with popsicle sticks and rubber bands. The activity produces an effective noisemaker and enables museum staff to teach the kids about pitch.

Soren Weatherstone, 6, of Glen Allen, said the explosion of confetti looked like a volcanic eruption. He said his New Years resolutions include collecting more Pokemon, a fictional species of collectible monsters that has sprouted card, video and smartphone games, as well as animated television series.

Reina and Kate Rice triumphantly showed off their bouncy balls, which they retrieved after the balls poured down from the ceiling onto an apparatus on the museum floor that scattered them all over the room.

I got a red ball, said Kate, 4. Red is my favorite color.

Their mother, Cathy Rice, was unsure if the girls, of Mechanicsville, would make it until midnight to ring in the new year.

Well see, she said. But of the noon countdown, she said, it was worth the wait.

Not everyone was as gleeful. Some children pouted while peering through the crowd unable to see the explosion. Several parents commented on how crowded the event was, more so than in years past.

But most tears were wiped away when the bouncy balls dropped  there were extras for those who didnt catch one in release.
JANUARY

Romoan J. Mitchell, a 40-year-old Henrico County man, was reported missing in late 2016 before he was found fatally shot New Years Day 2017 in Richmond.

His body was discovered about 10:30 a.m. Jan. 1 by an officer working in the 3400 block of Belt Boulevard. The remains were located in a wooded area along what formerly was known as Platinum Road.

Deavon L. Jacobs, 25, was shot and killed Jan. 8 at the Motel 6 at 100 Greshamwood Place, less than a half-mile from the intersection of Chippenham Parkway and Midlothian Turnpike.

Jacobs, of the 300 block of Melmark Court, died less than four months after his younger sister, Keeshae, 21, went missing without a trace, leaving their mother, Toni, heartbroken.

Its very lonely, Jacobs said. He was always there. They both were.

Deavon liked to keep tabs on his mother, Toni Jacobs said. Hed ask where she was going or what she was doing. But when his sister went missing, he promised to call her first thing each morning and before bed each night  a promise he kept until his death. Now, she wishes the phone would ring with Deavon  or Keeshae on the other end.

Deavon Jacobs had a son who spent the Friday before Christmas with his grandmother, Toni said. He told me, I wish Santa Claus would just bring me my dad so that I can hug him, Toni said. He also asked Santa to bring Keeshae home to me.

A Dinwiddie County man, James D. Henshaw, 39, has been charged with first-degree murder. A two-day jury trial is planned for February.

Witnesses told police the two men had been fighting before shots rang out, according to court records. Henshaw had allegedly rented a car for Jacobs, which Jacobs had never returned, the documents said. Police cited argument as the motive in the killing.

Tyrone L. Feggins Jr., of Henrico, was found Jan. 10 suffering from a gunshot wound on an outdoor stairway of an apartment building in the 3400 block of Walmsley Boulevard in South Richmond.

Karon E. Williams, 57, was struck by a bullet shot from outside her Brookland Park home on Jan. 15.

Police initially responded to the 3100 block of Cliff Avenue for what was reported as an in-progress burglary. A family member heard several loud noises from the back door, and Williams went to investigate, police said. As she approached the rear of the home, she was struck by a bullet that entered through a window.

This was a senseless act. An innocent woman was taken from her family for no reason, said Detective Joseph Fultz.

Charles J. Lewis III was found Jan. 23 in a white, four-door sedan blocking an alley that runs between Barton and Lamb avenues in the citys Barton Heights neighborhood.

He had been shot and was pronounced dead shortly after emergency officials arrived on scene and tried to resuscitate him. Lewis was 53 and lived in Henrico.

Antoine Cooper, 21, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder earlier this year. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Jerode R. Greene, 24, was gunned down Jan. 26 in the 4200 block of Chamberlayne Avenue, an apartment building near John Marshall High School.

Greene, of Henrico, left behind four children of his own  two daughters and two sons  as well as his parents and 13 siblings, according to his obituary.

Yasheka D. Dehart, 32, was fatally wounded Jan. 29 in Richmonds North Side. She was found in the drivers seat of a gold Ford Taurus parked in the 3100 block of Griffin Avenue after officers responded to several reports of random gunfire near the intersection of West Ladies Mile Road and Griffin Avenue.

Joseph Boyle, 31, of Chesterfield County, was killed Jan. 29. He had been struck by four bullets in the back; another dozen riddled holes in the Jeep Boyle was in that crashed outside Foxwood Apartments off Snead Road in South Richmond.

The day he died, Boyle and best friend Arden Wesley Wes Searles III planned to steal from their drug dealer, Stephen D. Green. After receiving $130 worth of drugs, the friends drove off and Green pulled a gun and fired 17 shots, authorities said. Green was convicted in December of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.

He was our familys gentle giant, said Boyles brother-in-law, Shannon Wakefield. Boyle, who went by Joey, towered over 6 feet tall, Wakefield said, but he wouldnt have hurt a flea.

Mike-Quan Blakey died from gunshot wounds shortly after arriving at Chippenham Hospital on Jan. 29.

Police believe the shooting took place about 2 miles away in the 1000 block of Forest View School Drive, off Jahnke Road, where random gunfire had been reported minutes earlier. In October, 22-year-old William R. Morris was arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter. Police said the motive was a drug robbery.

Blakeys family called the 21-year-old Moosey, according to his obituary, which said he had two sons. His 20-year-old brother, DavonJa Clark, died five months later in a car crash, according to Clarks obituary and police reports.

FEBRUARY

Jakeem P. Johnson, 26, was found Feb. 7 fatally shot shortly before 4 a.m. in the rear yard of a house in the 3000 block of Lynhaven Avenue near Terminal Avenue.

The shooting occurred less than a mile from Johnsons home in the 2300 block of Wright Avenue. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

On February 7, 2017, we lost our party starter, we lost a piece of our motivation, read Johnsons obituary. He had five children.

Donyell T. Patillo, 24, was shot to death Feb. 13 behind a building near the 1900 block of Raven Street in Richmonds Mosby Court public housing community. Patillo lived in North Chesterfield.

Keon McDonald has been charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, as well as three other gun and drug charges. Police said there had been an argument before the fatal shooting.

David Jones, 40, of the 1400 block of Clarkson Drive, was found Feb. 14 in a breezeway of an apartment building where he lived.

He had been stabbed in the chest during a fight with another man, who police arrested. The charges were later dropped.

Shaquenda Walker, 24, and her mother, Deborah Walker, 55, were killed by Walter Gaines III, the younger womans boyfriend who later shot himself.

Their bodies were discovered in an apartment in the 1300 block of Coalter Street, near Mosby Court, on Feb. 16  at least 24 hours after the women were shot, police said. Shaquenda Walkers two children  ages 3 and 5  were found unharmed inside the apartment.

She was full of life, China Walker said of her sister, Shaquenda. She was fun to be around.

Latonya Walker, another of Deborahs daughters, said their mother meant the world to the family.

MARCH

Katherine A. Wiglesworth was shot twice  once in the chest, and then again in the head  and left outside Metropolitan African American Baptist Church in South Richmond on March 4.

Her boyfriend, 57-year-old John B. Harvie, was convicted of first-degree murder and a gun charge, and sentenced to 33 years in prison.

Blake OKennom said the loss of his mother has been unbearable not only for him, but his grandmother, who is in her 80s.

She cant accept that its real. It doesnt feel real, he said.

The 47-year-old from Amelia Court House was fun-loving, OKennom said. She could bring out the kid in anyone.

Rita B. Hawthorne, 27, was six weeks pregnant when she was killed March 19.

Her mother discovered Hawthornes body in an upstairs bedroom of her home in the 1100 block of East 16th Street. Her throat had been slit twice and a pillow placed over her face.

In December, George H. Cooke Jr., 24, of Henrico, pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder. He was the father of the child Hawthorne was carrying and wanted her to get an abortion.

Cooke faces 20 years to life in prison when sentenced in April. Police said the motive was an argument, rather than domestic in this case.

Kendell L. Coward, 34, was found March 20 suffering from a gunshot wound shortly after 2:15 a.m. inside an apartment in the 1900 block of Raven Street in Mosby Court.

Detectives believe Coward was shot while entering the apartment. Police said it was retaliatory. Coward was charged with conspiracy to commit murder last year, but the charges were later dropped.

Teenagers Mikkaisha D. Smoot and Taliek K. Brown died within days of a March 29 shooting in Mosby Court  one of the citys largest public housing projects around which four others had already been killed just three months into the year.

They were found lying on the ground with gunshot wounds to the head near an apartment building in the 1900 block of Accommodation Street.

Smoot was 16 and lived in nearby Whitcomb Court, and Brown, 15, lived in North Side on East Brookland Park Boulevard.

A third person, an adult woman, was also struck by a bullet while taking out trash nearby. Her wounds were not fatal.

APRIL

KeJuan L. Goode, 18, and Terrell D. Thomas, 20, were shot and killed April 8 in the Midlothian Village Apartments they both called home.

Their mothers stood side by side at a vigil a few days later near the spot where their sons were slain. DaKeshia Goode, KeJuans mother, was overcome with emotion and collapsed.

Its time for this to stop, she said after collecting herself.

Danyell Thomas said shed hold on to a piece of her son hoping to keep someone elses from the same fate.

He is not done with me yet, she said.

Jarmaine Free, 21, of Chesterfield, has been charged in the pairs death. He was free on bond on unrelated charges  it was revoked in January 2017 when he failed to show up for court  when Goode and Thomas were gunned down, according to court records.

Alejandra P. Estrada, a 29-year-old mother of two, was strangled by her boyfriend, Armando Ayala Guido, on April 23.

He admitted to killing her during a 40-minute phone call with a 911 dispatcher in which he threatened to kill himself and the police waiting outside the Town & Country Apartments in the 6500 block of Armfield Road. When he emerged, police fired a Taser and one gunshot at Ayala as he threw a knife at them.

Guido, 30, was found guilty of her murder in October. He faces 20 years to life in prison when sentenced in January.

MAY

Tanna D. Gardner had just graduated from Virginia Union University on May 13 when hours later, early May 14, the 23-year-old and Sharayne Danielle Nichole Holland, 26, were gunned down while driving on Interstate 95.

Gardner, of Capitol Heights, Md., earned a bachelors degree in business, according to VUU. She, Holland and four others had been celebrating in Shockoe Bottom when they got into an argument with another group in the Main Street Station parking lot.

Aaron Timberlake, Gardners boyfriend, who was also in the car when it was fired upon, described being followed by the vehicle. Gardner was driving.

A newer-model, white sedan pulled alongside the drivers side of Gardners Nissan. An occupant in the white car fired several rounds at the Nissan, which ran off the exit ramp. Gardner died at the scene.

She was a good-hearted person. Shes got the biggest heart in the world, Timberlake said of Gardner, who he thought hed one day marry.

Holland, of Manassas, a mother of two, was taken to VCU Medical Center, where she later died. A 24-year-old male passenger from Woodbridge was also injured in the shooting.

Jaquan A. Harris, 25, was fatally shot May 16 in the fourth-floor hallway of the secure-entry Manchester apartment building where he lived on the 700 block of Stockton Street. Police cited robbery as a motive.

Known as Quan, Harris was the father of two children, who were 6 and 3 years old when he died. Malissa Meacham-Perry, Harris former roommate, said the 25-year-old loved being a father.

He was like my little brother, she said. I never thought anyone would do something like this to Quan.

Chavonte J. Estes, 24, and Rakeym J. Bell, 24, have been charged with first-degree murder and attempted robbery along with other crimes. Police said the motive was drug-related.

Desean R. Lucas, 28, was slain May 23 inside a motel room at the Motel 6 on Greshamwood Place in South Richmond.

Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael T. Walter, 45, was shot May 26 while patrolling in the 1900 block of Redd Street with a Richmond police officer. He died the next day.

Walter, a husband and father of three, had been with the state police for 18 years and was a U.S. Marine veteran. He was also president and owner of Powhatan Youth Wrestling and Community Development Corporation, which operated out of Blackhawk Gym in Powhatan.

At a vigil held at the gym, J.D. McMillin described how he and Walter had to work out a form of sign language because the young wrestler is hearing-impaired and wrestled without his hearing aid.

We couldnt talk to each other on the mat because Im deaf and hes yelling at me and its not working, said J.D., adding it mostly consisted of stomping on the mat. I have never seen someone with such a big heart.

Richmond police officer Chris Duane, who has said he was standing shoulder to shoulder with Walter when he was shot, spoke at Walters funeral.

Ive always thought of myself as hell on wheels, Duane said. And then I met Mike and, honestly, he put me to shame. ... We spent countless nights patrolling Richmond, purposefully seeking out Richmonds most high-crime, high-violence, high-drug areas. It was just what we did.

Travis A. Ball has been charged with capital murder in Walters slaying. Ball, who was wanted on unrelated charges, struggled with Walter just before the special agent was shot.

JUNE

Ketron R. Wells, 16, and Christian K. Singleton, 15, were shot to death the night of June 7 in the citys South Side. Police responded to the 3600 block of Decatur Street for reports of random gunfire and found the bodies of the two teenagers on the ground next to each other.

Danielle Singleton said her son was an aspiring chef. She described him as a fun-loving boy with a huge personality and as a caring older brother to her three younger children. One of his teachers described him as a prized pupil.

About two months before his death, Wells had run away from home  hed fallen in with the wrong crowd and ran off to live the street life, said his father, Jermaine Carson.

I was trying to save him from it, but I couldnt, Carson said.

When he received a call from detectives, he thought perhaps they had found his son or that he had gotten into some minor trouble with the law.

I was never expecting for them to tell me that they needed me to identify (Wells) body, Carson said.

Police said the two teens had gotten into an argument before they were killed.

Jacquesha Clanton, 18, was killed June 15 in a quadruple shooting that injured three others in North Richmond.

Police were responding to the 4100 block of Old Brook Road for reports of a fight in progress when shots rang out. Leading up to the fight, Clanton posted on Facebook Live videos showing her and friends preparing for a brawl. Friends later said the video had nothing to do with the eventual violence.

Clanton, known as Billie  her mothers last name  was described as fun-loving.

She was a happy person, always playful, joking around, said Jakhira Brown, a close friend. She had a laugh thatll make you laugh when you hear it.

That laugh is what Clantons mother, Joyce Billie, said she will miss most about her daughter.

Clanton anticipated graduating from George Wythe High School after a session of summer school. She dreamed of becoming a nurse, according to her mother.

Robert D. Turner Jr., 26, was fatally wounded in a triple shooting near the 17th Street Farmers Market on June 18. Police said there was an argument that led to gunfire around 3 a.m. when crowds were leaving the clubs and bars in the Shockoe Bottom area. Two others were injured but have recovered.

Jawanda F. Johnsons children  7, 5 and 4 years old  watched as their mother, pregnant with her fourth child, was shot to death in her parents home in the 2200 block of Chalfont Drive on June 22. Police said it was her husband, Terrell D. Cook, 28, who killed her, then fled to Christiansburg and killed himself.

The oldest child was splattered with blood, a neighbor said.

The 26-year-old lived near Fairfield Court but was apparently hiding out at her mothers after seeking a protective order against Cook the day before she was killed. A prior order had expired three months earlier, and court records showed a long line of complaints by Johnson against Cook.

JULY

Wayne D. Spencer, 53, died of a gunshot wound in the 2000 block of Powell Road on July 8. His neighbor, Alfred V. Booker, 60, was arrested at the scene and later pleaded no contest to a charge of voluntary manslaughter. Police said the two men argued before the shooting.

Carlos M. Terry, 36, was found July 15 in a vehicle on the 2100 block of Brookhaven Road. He died at a hospital.

Aaron R. Stroud, 45, Deneka L. Young, 34, and James D. Faris, 37, have been charged with murder and robbery in what authorities said was a drug robbery.

Michael D. Johnson, 25, was unresponsive on the sidewalk when police arrived on the 2700 block of North Avenue on July 21. He died later at a hospital. Police said the motive was drug-related.

Melvin L. Chambliss, 52, was found shot in the rear parking lot of an apartment complex in the 1900 block of Hopkins Road on July 22. Police said it was a robbery.

AUGUST

Nyjai Johnson, 18, was shot multiple times and left lying in the 1000 block of St. Paul Street on Aug. 5. Garland Davis, 24, was arrested and charged with murder. Police said there was an argument.

Justin B. Townsend, 24, of Woodbridge, was shot and killed Aug. 19 in Whitcomb Court on the 2400 block of Carmine Street.

Fifteen minutes later, Broderick F. Jones, 40, was killed in Mosby Court in the 1400 block of Coalter Street. Police do not believe the deaths are connected.

Oyana T. Carlyle, 27, was killed and another woman paralyzed in a shooting in the 2100 block of Creighton Road on Aug. 23.

Joie M. Wyche, 26, was shot in the 1800 block of North 30th Street on Aug. 28. He died later at a hospital.

An officer on patrol in the area heard a volley of gunshots and found Wyche.

SEPTEMBER

Leonard S. Carr, 38, died Sept. 3 after he was found shot in the 3400 block of Walmsley Boulevard, where he lived.

Jamar L. Anderson, 32, was shot at Gillies Creek Park in the Fulton Hill neighborhood off Government Road on Sept. 3. He was attending a neighborhood reunion, where police said hundreds were in attendance. No one provided information about the shooter or victim, who had been taken to a hospital where he died. Police said there was an argument before shots rang out.

Terrain L. Hunter, 35, was found slain Sept. 3 in the drivers seat of a white Ford SUV just before 10 p.m. in the 100 block of Wythemar Road, near the Midlothian Village Apartments off Midlothian Turnpike. Police said it appeared that the SUV had struck multiple vehicles in the intersection of Larchmont Lane and Wythemar Road, close to where they found it. Robbery was the motive, according to police.

Andrew Layne, 38, was shot and killed in the 3100 block of Meadowbridge Road on Sept. 4. Charles Craddock was charged with voluntary manslaughter stemming from an argument.

Victor A. Harris, 57, was gunned down Sept. 9 on Pollock Street and Fifth Avenue as he rode his bike home.

He was shot in the head. Police believe he was targeted because he saw the three gunmen who opened fire on a house nearby where a 9-year-old girl was playing on the porch with friends. The girl was also struck in the hip but has recovered.

Harris worked for more than 30 years at Dunns Drive In Barbecue, where co-workers spoke highly of him. The night he died, hed danced in the parking lot and walked another employee to their car before setting off on his bike.

Aaron Robinson, 52, Jenelle Smith, 26, and Cynthia K. Williams, 26, were forced into the bathroom of Robinsons Gilpin Court apartment in the 1200 block of St. Paul Street and shot several times on Sept. 10.

Robinsons brother said he was not perfect, but that Robinson did not deserve to die the way he did.

Smith, who went by Me Me, worked two jobs  for SMG Richmond, a facility management company that operates the Richmond Coliseum and the Altria Theater, and for Massage Envy  and colleagues from both workplaces gathered to pay their respects to her family at a vigil.

She was my saving grace, said Brett Jarvis, who dated Smith for about seven years.

Law enforcement officials said Marvin Christopher Eley, 26, was a responsible party for the triple slaying. He was found dead the same night in the 100 block of Federal Street. Police were on the scene where they discovered the three bodies in the apartment when they heard shots a few blocks away. Police said the killings were drug-related.

Malik Gary, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder, as well as multiple drug charges, in the shooting. Police said it was retaliation.

Friends and family members said Eley grew up in Gilpin, but the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority said he had been banned from its property. He was known by the name Peewee.

Eleys grandmother, Martha White, raised him after his mother died of cancer. She said he had been distant in recent years and she was concerned about him after a visit.

He just looked like he was going through something, she said. He claimed he was all right, and then he kissed me and said he loved me and I havent seen him since.

Montez A. Matthews, 33, was shot and killed in his home in the 3300 block of Frank Road on Sept. 19. His girlfriend, Shatema Smith, who police said was missing after his death, was found in North Carolina and charged with murder.

Alexander S. Briggs, 21, was found suffering from a gunshot wound on the sidewalk in the 2200 block of Afton Avenue on Sept. 30. He died four days later. Carrol Speights, 25, who was also shot, was arrested and charged with murder. Police said it was a drug robbery.

OCTOBER

Bryant S. Jordan, 24, was shot and killed on Oct. 2 in the 1400 block of Clarkson Road in the Southwood Apartments in South Richmond. DeQuan T. Burns, 21, of North Carolina, has been charged in the shooting. Drug robbery was given by police as the motive.

Larry M. Scott, 32, was shot and killed at the Midlothian Village Apartments in the 4000 block of Midlothian Turnpike on Oct. 3.

Hakeem W. Winston, 25, was shot to death in the 3900 block of Crestview Road on Oct. 5. Police said it was a drug robbery.

Oscar W. Lewis II and Deonte M. Bullock were killed after a fight outside a Shockoe Bottom club in the 1700 block of East Main Street on Oct. 8.

Bullocks mother, Adrienne Bullock, said the two were lifelong friends who grew up together in the Fulton Bottom area of Richmonds East End. Bullock, 29, went by Max, while Lewis, 25, went by Bam.

They did everything together, she said. They just grew up together.

Authorities said Lewis and the suspected gunman had a prior beef that led to the fight the night the friends were killed. Dominique Brockenbrough has been charged with a pair of murders.

Chanti N. Robinsons body was discovered Oct. 10 in the rear parking lot of a Latino market in the 4600 block of Jefferson Davis Highway. The 29-year-old had died from gunshot wounds. Two men were later arrested, but charges were dropped. Police said the killing was drug-related.

NOVEMBER

Robert L. Walker Jr., 20, was shot to death in a driveway in the 2000 block of South Kinsley Avenue in South Richmond on Nov. 17. Alfonzo Linwood McElroy Jr. was charged with murder after police said he purchased a gun days before the fatal shooting.

Devon C. Falconer, 26, died in a vehicle found in the 2800 block of Broad Rock Boulevard on Nov. 21. Police said it was drug-related.

DECEMBER

Luis G. Gomez-Flores was found unconscious Dec. 4 outside a vehicle parked near the toll booth on the Powhite Parkway. He died four days later.

Police said a fight broke out inside the car Gomez, 35, was riding in, and the driver pulled over. Two men, Rodrigo Martinez-Mendoza, 41, of Petersburg, and Javier Rodriguez-Zavala, 22, of North Chesterfield, have been charged with malicious wounding.

Michael T. Boston Jr., 27, died from a gunshot wound on the sidewalk of the 700 block of Rothesay Road, near City Stadium, on Dec. 13. He leaves behind a daughter, according to his obituary.

Antoine L. Smith Jr., 24, was shot and killed in the 3200 block of Stockton Street on Dec. 14.

Dwayne F. Frazier Jr., 21, and Anthony J. Jones, 20, were found shot to death Dec. 17 in a vehicle on Bunche Place in Creighton Court. The two were cousins.

Frazier, 21, graduated from Highland Springs High School in 2014 and studied in North Carolina to become an auto mechanic. He was working on someones car when he was killed, said his uncle, Deonta Garner.

He had just left somebodys car jacked up to get some tools and somebody called him for a ride and he was just caught up with the wrong folk  thats all, Garner said.

Lanisha S. Cadore, 24, was found Dec. 25 in a vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the 7000 block of Forest Hill Avenue. She was taken to a hospital, where she died four days later from a gunshot wound to the head. Police said the shooting occurred less than a mile away in the 2300 block of Tremont Court following an argument.

Police charged Candace B. Timberlake, 23, with aggravated assault.

Terah B. Springs, 38, was found inside his home in the 1500 block of Carlisle Avenue on Dec. 26.

"My brother was a great man, an awesome father," said his sister Zanobia Robin Springs. "His life was taken to senseless violence. It's sickening."

***

Already listed are the 67 homicides Richmond police and Virginia State Police are investigating. The 2017 total does not include these 10 additional violent deaths that occurred in the city last year:

Keyvon Johnson, 24, was shot and killed in what police called a justified homicide, or a self-defense killing, on March 11.

Nygel E. Williams, 22, was shot in the chest April 1 while visiting a friend, Darell Meredith, in South Richmond. The shooting was the result of careless handling of a firearm by Meredith, police said. Meredith is serving a year in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter

Samuel O. Kwarteng, 20, who was studying electrical engineering at VCU, was shot April 1 outside a home in the 1200 block of West Moore Street in the Carver area. Emmanuel E. Jordan was sentenced to a year behind bars for the accidental shooting that stemmed from an argument between Jordan and another man over drugs.

Jaison Fitzgerald, 29, was shot and killed by police May 15 during a traffic stop in the 3800 block of Lynhaven Avenue. Fitzgerald was wanted for a shooting earlier that day, police said.

Tyreece D. Gayles, 28, was shot May 31 inside an apartment in Whitcomb Court in the 2300 block of Ambrose Street. Police classified this as a death investigation.

Syed K. Haider, 53, was shot and killed in the 3600 block of Tanby Road on July 11. Police classified this as a death investigation stemming from a domestic situation.

Vivian L. Robinson, 50, was stabbed along with two other women in the 3300 block of North Avenue on July 22. Police classified this as a death investigation. The stabbing stemmed from an argument inside the home, police said.

Alexander J. Schoessel, 23, was wielding a small ax and knife and wearing a kilt and no shirt when he was shot and killed by police at the corner of Third and East Main streets downtown on July 25. Police said he lunged at two officers, who first fired Tasers then their weapons to subdue him.

Karen A. Turner, 33, was shot and killed in the 200 block of Green Cove Drive on Aug. 24. Police classified this as a death investigation.

Brandon Lamb, 29, was stabbed at the Massad Building on North Fourth Street on Sept. 16. Police said he forced his way into an apartment and tried to assault two men. Police classified this as a death investigation.

Homicides continue to climb in Richmond, but two families torn by the violence are able to bond in the aftermath The only thing that could keep 3-year-old Markeem Hobson from tearing into the pile of brightly wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree was his
In 2004, my daughter, who was 9 at the time, gave me a Christmas present that I shall treasure for the rest of my life. Olivia created Yo Mamma: Sayings from My Momma, a book of all the things I would repeat to her and her siblings. As you might imagine, most of the sayings were about money. Here are two of my favorite quotes that made it into the book.

Do you have a job? (I started saying this as soon as the kids started talking and asking for stuff.) Do you have money to pay for that? (A standard question when she tried to put something in the shopping cart.)

I smile every time I pull her book from my bookshelf. So, with Olivias book in mind, I thought Id pull five of my quotes over the past year that resonated with readers.

If debt were a person, Id slap it. I said this in a column about good debt versus bad debt. I hate all debt. As I wrote, I know my views are extreme, almost un-American, in a nation that relies so heavily personally and politically on borrowing. But when it comes to money, what you tell yourself matters. When we use positive adjectives to describe debt, we minimize the financial bondage it creates. Empathy does not equal endorsement. In April, I recommended for the Color of Money Book Club an essay by novelist and former Washington Post book critic William McPherson. McPherson died this past spring and I thought the essay Falling (You can read it at http://bit.ly/Falling_essay) was a powerful look at how this once privileged person ended up poor because of a series of bad decisions.

Life is about choices, one reader wrote. One does not fall into poverty. One walks into it with open arms. Many people feel that there shouldnt be a government safety net for the irresponsible. They only want to help the poor they deem worthy of assistance. But thats a dangerous means test. It leaves no room for people to make mistakes. And we are all fallible. Advocating for government supported anti-poverty programs doesnt mean you absolve people of personal responsibility. What do we as a society owe the poor? We owe them empathy. We owe them a safety net that gives them a chance to get back on their feet  and maybe even survive.

When it comes to helping your young adult to successfully launch  and stay in flight  theres no place like home. A lot of young adults are moving back in with their parents, often because they are saddled with student loans.

More young people today live in their parents home than in any other arrangement, according to the Census Bureau. Is this a good thing? Its not a bad thing necessarily. I encourage young adults who have burdensome debt to move home if they can. Instead of paying rent they can attack the debt. You may think that living at home is a failure to launch or that it delays the all-important lesson of learning to be independent. But we should remove the stigma of young adults returning home as a financial embarrassment. It is not, especially if parents allowed or encouraged a student to attend a college that necessitated some heavy borrowing.

Sales are bait, and you have to keep in mind that you never save when you spend.

One of my new favorite books is Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter by Dan Ariely and Jeff Kreisler. Its a brilliant and accessible look at behavioral economics. Ariely and Kreisler agree with me that consumers are too driven by a discount and that can lead to some bad decision making.

Should you invest in bitcoins for retirement? Only if you think riding a roller coaster without a safety harness is a good idea.

I wrote this in response to questions from some readers on whether they should buy bitcoin, an electronic currency that has skyrocketed, causing people to ignore caution. As I told folks, If you can afford to lose every penny you invest and not miss any sleep over the loss, go ahead and invest in bitcoin. However, if you have a regular job, a mortgage, kids to put through college, credit card debt, a pitiful emergency fund and a lackluster retirement account, dont even think about buying bitcoin. The currency may be virtual, but the investment risk is very real. Tell me your favorite financial quote, one that may help you do better with your money in 2018. Send me an email to colorofmoney@washpost.com. I love quotations, which are a shorthand way to remember some important life lessons. Michelle Singletary is a personal finance columnist for The Washington Post. Her column runs on Sunday.

In 2004, my daughter, who was 9 at the time, gave me a Christmas present that I shall treasure for the rest of my life.

Olivia created Yo Mamma: Sayings from My Momma, a book of all the things I would repeat to her and her siblings. As you might imagine, most of the sayings were about money.

Here are two of my favorite quotes that made it into the book.

Do you have a job? (I started saying this as soon as the kids started talking and asking for stuff.)

Do you have money to pay for that? (A standard question when she tried to put something in the shopping cart.)

I smile every time I pull her book from my bookshelf.

So, with Olivias book in mind, I thought Id pull five of my quotes over the past year that resonated with readers.

If debt were a person, Id slap it. I said this in a column about good debt versus bad debt. I hate all debt. As I wrote, I know my views are extreme, almost un-American, in a nation that relies so heavily personally and politically on borrowing. But when it comes to money, what you tell yourself matters. When we use positive adjectives to describe debt, we minimize the financial bondage it creates.

Empathy does not equal endorsement. In April, I recommended for the Color of Money Book Club an essay by novelist and former Washington Post book critic William McPherson. McPherson died this past spring and I thought the essay Falling (you can read it at http://bit.ly/Falling_essay) was a powerful look at how this once privileged person ended up poor because of a series of bad decisions.

Life is about choices, one reader wrote. One does not fall into poverty. One walks into it with open arms.

Many people feel that there shouldnt be a government safety net for the irresponsible. They only want to help the poor they deem worthy of assistance. But thats a dangerous means test. It leaves no room for people to make mistakes. And we are all fallible. Advocating for government-supported anti-poverty programs doesnt mean you absolve people of personal responsibility.

What do we as a society owe the poor? We owe them empathy. We owe them a safety net that gives them a chance to get back on their feet  and maybe even survive.

When it comes to helping your young adult to successfully launch  and stay in flight  theres no place like home. A lot of young adults are moving back in with their parents, often because they are saddled with student loans.

More young people today live in their parents home than in any other arrangement, according to the Census Bureau.

Is this a good thing?

Its not a bad thing necessarily. I encourage young adults who have burdensome debt to move home if they can. Instead of paying rent they can attack the debt.

You may think that living at home is a failure to launch or that it delays the all-important lesson of learning to be independent. But we should remove the stigma of young adults returning home as a financial embarrassment. It is not, especially if parents allowed or encouraged a student to attend a college that necessitated some heavy borrowing.

Sales are bait, and you have to keep in mind that you never save when you spend.

One of my new favorite books is Dollars and Sense: How We Misthink Money and How to Spend Smarter by Dan Ariely and Jeff Kreisler. Its a brilliant and accessible look at behavioral economics. Ariely and Kreisler agree with me that consumers are too driven by a discount and that can lead to some bad decision making.

Should you invest in bitcoins for retirement? Only if you think riding a roller coaster without a safety harness is a good idea.

I wrote this in response to questions from some readers on whether they should buy bitcoin, an electronic currency that has skyrocketed, causing people to ignore caution.

As I told folks, If you can afford to lose every penny you invest and not miss any sleep over the loss, go ahead and invest in bitcoin. However, if you have a regular job, a mortgage, kids to put through college, credit card debt, a pitiful emergency fund and a lackluster retirement account, dont even think about buying bitcoin. The currency may be virtual, but the investment risk is very real.

Tell me your favorite financial quote, one that may help you do better with your money in 2018. Send me an email to colorofmoney@washpost.com. I love quotations, which are a shorthand way to remember some important life lessons.

Michelle Singletary is a personal finance columnist for The Washington Post. Her column runs on Sunday.
CHRISTIANSBURG  Growing restaurant chain Which Wich Superior Sandwiches plans to expand into the New River Valley sometime around the end of January.

The sign recently went up at the upcoming Christiansburg location, near North Franklin Street beside Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Already, franchise owner Rithika Patel said more than a few visitors have tried to stop by for lunch  only to find a construction site.

We have this big coming soon banner, but I think people just miss that, Patel said. Theyre so excited about going in and trying it.

Which Wich opened its first location in Texas in 2003. The chain has grown at a breakneck pace since then, celebrating its 100th store in 2010. The company has added an average of 50 new locations each year since then.

The company now has 500 stores in 39 states and 12 countries.

Which Wich announced its entrance into Roanoke in January 2017. That location is owned by a different franchisee.

Patel said she plans to open the Christiansburg store around Jan. 29.

She anticipates opening a second location in Salem sometime closer to 2019, though she hasnt found a site yet. She doesnt know what will happen after that, but Patel didnt rule out the possibility of opening more Which Wich locations in the area.

Patel, whose husband previously owned a Subway franchise, said Which Wich is going to bring a new flavor to Christiansburg.

The menu boasts more than 50 sandwich toppings, including some you cant find elsewhere like pesto, blue cheese, coleslaw and hummus.

Customers order by selecting from a series of brown paper bags, each labeled for eight different kinds of sandwich bases, including turkey, ham, Italian, chicken, seafood and vegetarian options.

From there, visitors use markers to check boxes on the bag, personalize the order and add as many toppings as they wish.

They hand the bag across the counter and then a Which Wich employee gets to work. Sandwiches range from 7 to 14 inches long, and $6 to $11.

A lot of people are looking for something new and interesting to try, Patel said. I dont think you can really go wrong when youre doing new restaurants.
BEDFORD  Bedford County is preparing to implement an expanded ordinance requiring property owners who offer short-term rentals to secure a $50 permit before leasing the property.

The new ordinance, which becomes effective Jan. 1, includes property owners who use the online platform Airbnb. It also updates a previous ordinance that targeted only the Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake areas of the county.

Although the ordinance states a property owner who fails to register a short-term rental property will face a civil penalty of $500 per violation, Gregg Zody, the countys director of community development, said his office will not immediately assess fines.

County offices are closed Monday and Tuesday for the New Years holiday and reopen Wednesday.

They dont have to do it by Jan. 1, but they do need to register within a reasonable period of time, Zody said. Ill make that determination, and Ill work with them.

After a new Virginia law gave local governments more power to regulate short-term rentals, the county board of supervisors voted 4-2 on Dec. 11 to revise the ordinance, which was established about 10 years ago.

Zody said in an email Friday there are currently more than 350 registered properties near Smith Mountain and Leesville lakes, but he is not aware of any new permits issued since Dec. 11 . Property owners have contacted his office to ask about the new rules, he added.

Were not going to assess a fine unless its a fairly egregious abuse, County Administrator Carl Boggess said Friday.

County staffers will identify and send letters to short-term rental owners starting in January, Boggess said.

Forest resident Jay Gray, who has been an Airbnb host for about a year, said he has contacted the county to register. On Dec. 12, he said staff told him the application form wasnt updated. Gray said Friday he plans on applying to register in person Jan. 3.

It is confusing if people were worried about being fined, Gray said. I think its all good. Ill go in there next week and register.
By PTI: Hyderabad, Dec 31 (PTI) An engineering student was found dead at his residence yesterday morning with his head covered with a polythene bag that was tied around his neck with a rope, police said.

The student, identified as Varun, had come home from his hostel for a week and spent most of his time alone playing games on his laptop, said police.

advertisement

However officials added that it was not known what games he was playing on his laptop.

Based on a complaint by the deceaseds father, a case of suicide was registered, said police.

Officials added that it seems as if Varun, studying in the second year of a city-based engineering college, died of suffocation. PTI SJR BNM

--- ENDS ---
For the first time in more than two decades, Ron Rordam will be able to stay at home on Tuesday mornings or nights if he simply chooses.

Rordams service on Blacksburg Town Council ends today. He was first elected mayor in 2006 after previously spending a decade as a Blacksburg councilman.

Rordams record of service with the town goes back to 1992, when he began serving on the Planning Commission.

Rordam, 62, was born and raised in the New Orleans area and attended the University of New Orleans, where he majored in history.

Rordam came to Blacksburg during the late 1970s to attend Virginia Tech, where he continued his history studies and earned a masters degree.

Rordam, who married in 1980, then moved to regional neighbor Salem and began working in insurance. He returned to Blacksburg in 1984.

Rordam retired from insurance about three years ago. During his career, he ran his own firm called Health Benefits Services.

As councilman and later mayor, Rordam witnessed some pivotal and difficult events for the locality and its governing body.

He has in past interviews described the April 16, 2007, shootings at Virginia Tech as his toughest moment as mayor.

Rordam also witnessed a significant architectural transformation of Blacksburg largely fueled by Virginia Techs ever-growing enrollment. During his time, the town added colorful, amenities-rich apartment complexes for students and developments featuring chain restaurants, niche shops, high-dollar condominiums and even an IMAX theater.

Rordam also saw the revitalization of College Avenue, a downtown street that is viewed by many as the towns cultural heart. College Avenue is home to several local restaurants and the historic Lyric Theatre, a nonprofit venue that screens well-received mainstream movies along with art house, foreign and classic films.

When asked earlier this year why he decided to call it quits on his mayoral duties, Rordam responded that it was simply time.

Rordam was only the fourth Blacksburg mayor during the past 74 years.

Rordam met with The Roanoke Times a few weeks ago for a Q&A:

What interested you in public service?

I grew up in a family and neighborhood that was very politically active, outside of New Orleans. I learned very early on that you need to be involved. Its important to be involved and taking interest. That was kind of my background  When I got here to Blacksburg, there were a couple issues, road issues that I kind of  turned out for. Just one thing led to the other. Once you start doing that, youve got to step up and be willing to spend the time and get involved.

What made you decide to run for Blacksburg mayor?

I had been on council 10 years. The mayor was retiring and very seldom the mayors retire in Blacksburg. So, it was a good time to do it, to kind of step up and be a little more involved. I had enjoyed the [council] process up until then, so it just seemed like a kind of natural progression.

What would you say was your best accomplishment during your entire time on council, including the period as a council member?

That is really a hard thing to ask because there are so many things that have happened over the past 20-something years. If I look at one specific area, I would have to say its the downtown master plan that we came up with in 2000 and the different ways weve implemented it. The center for the arts [Moss Arts Center] being downtown is so important. The College Avenue revitalization, North Main Street being more pedestrian. I supported the Lyric, the Armory.

What would you say is the most important responsibility of being a town mayor?

Being mayor, there are two responsibilities that you have. One is internal, toward the organization, council and staff. Finding out and organizing goals, visions and working with community to do that, and then keeping that in mind and moving council forward to achieve those goals. Its a mayors role, and its one that can be challenging at times, but I see that as one of the primary roles. The other primary role is the mayors the voice of the community and council. Many times Ive had to discuss what we did in council, issues that were taking on, things that have happened in town and done it on a local, regional, statewide, national level, even. That is very important to as how Blacksburg is perceived.

What would you say is the biggest challenge of being mayor?

The biggest challenge of being mayor is people thinking you can do more than you can do. There are different types and in Virginia, with the exception of Richmond, we have the council-manager system. People look at a mayor and say you can do this and this. Well, you cant. So, how do you take those expectations and make sure it happens and you do it in a way that is smooth and seamless? People think you can just do this, this and this, and you cant. You got to have council go along with it and make the presentation.

What advice do you have for the incoming mayor?

The incoming mayor needs to understand that being mayor is very different than being a council member. I found that out. I was kind of told that, but you dont really understand until it happens. You feel greater responsibility, so understand that when things happen that go wrong and you have nothing to do with it, you still feel that responsibility. So, I think that is important to recognize. You look at the town differently. You look at the town as a whole and all the different interests, both cooperating and competing interests and how you bring those together.

What can you say about the upcoming makeup of town council, once the new members and new mayor are sworn in?

I feel very confident in the new council, and I think that they will do a great job. Theyll continue a lot of Blacksburg tradition, which is good governance, good planning. Neighborhood issues. How do you incorporate businesses into those neighborhoods? Ive got a lot of faith in the future, and a lot of confidence in the group thats going to come forward. And it makes me feel good.

What advice do you have for council in its dealings with outside entities such as Montgomery County and Virginia Tech?

In both Virginia Tech and Montgomery County, Ive always found we were most successful when weve had personal relationships. I cant understate the value of knowing the different people on a level where you can communicate openly. So, thats what I would recommend. Continue to find ways to have those types of personal relationships because when you have that understanding, when you have controversial issues or disagreements, youre able to sort through them a lot more easily.

The public, perhaps unfortunately, will often describe the relationship between the Town Council and the Board of Supervisors through the lenses of the debates over the old middle and high school properties. How would you personally describe the relationship?

The towns relationship with Montgomery County, from an administrative viewpoint, is excellent. They do a lot of things together, accomplish a lot, saving resources. With the two big issues weve had, the relationship between the two elected boards, yeah its probably a little strained right now. Im very hopeful. Were having some fresh people come in. Once we get those two big issues out of the way, hopefully they can kind of go back to having one-on-one meetings, coffee. I think that will be important to moving forward.

What kind of town should Blacksburg be in the future?

Blacksburg should continue its openness, its focus on inclusiveness and diversity because thats what attracts businesses. Thats what attracts startups. Blacksburg needs to continue its emphasis on planning and looking at where we want to be and where the community wants to be down the road. I see Blacksburg as continuing infill projects and some of those retail nodes becoming more mixed-use. And culturally, I do see Blacksburg continuing its progress in being an arts destination. With Lyric, Moss Arts Center and the Armory, everything were doing is focusing and moving in that direction.

What do you make of the whole unfriendly to business perspective?

There are some areas where improvement was needed, and we have spent an awful lot of resources and time looking at those and trying to come up with some answers.

There also needs to be an understanding that some of those comments come from folks who are still upset we didnt approve a 150,000-square-foot Walmart in the middle of a residential neighborhood. But its understanding were sort of the source, understanding where you can correct. But also explaining that Blacksburg is probably never going to approve strip malls. Were a different community than that. That a lot of times leads to that whole perspective of business unfriendly. There are things we need to do, but also the development community needs to understand who we are as a community and work together on that.

Lastly, what does the future hold for you once your time on council and as mayor ends?

I plan to stay very involved in the community, so people will see me around a lot. Getting involved in some of the volunteer organizations Ive not been able to. Probably join a civic organization. Ill have a little more freedom to travel, since I dont have to be there every Tuesday, and spend time with grandchildren.
On an early autumn afternoon, a setting sun spilled golden rays onto a nursing home courtyard, bathing Christine Slade in its warmth.

She appeared radiant.

It was a curse, she said, to look so well on the outside while the cancer ate away at her insides. She was forced to seek institutional care as tumors shrouded her vision and pain wracked her being. An aide had asked her why she was there. She didnt look sick.

That ticked off Slade. She was dying, though not fast enough to suit her.

She sat outside for an hour or two talking until she exhausted the reserves she had stored for the conversation. She was pleased to have been part of a Sept. 11 story about the lack of a hospice house in Roanoke. She thought people would step forward to lead an effort to create and endow a home for people with terminal illnesses to live their last months, weeks or days wrapped in comfort. People just like Slade who do not have a family willing or capable to care for them at home, but who seek to be in a tranquil setting surrounded by responsive caregivers.

Even the best nursing homes  with all their noise, lights, routines, wake-up calls, scheduled meals and activities  do not offer the tranquil, quiet setting one seeks when dying, she said. Slade had neared death years before in a nursing home that later was found to have numerous violations, and she recoiled in horror at that experience. It was what compelled her to seek something better for the dying.

Slades mission couldnt be realized in time for her own death. So she tried to create, as best she could, a soothing oasis at the Berkshire Health and Rehabilitation Center in Vinton. She had the ear of the director, who she said wanted to know all that could be done to lend her comfort. She was moved to a private room, and the door was kept shut  at first to insulate from the noise and the people and later to keep out the light that in the last weeks of her life seared her eyes with pain so sharp it cut through the morphine.

She turned to Gentle Shepherd Hospice to manage her care.

Hospice care in Virginia is delivered mostly in families homes, though it is also given anyplace a person lives, including a nursing home.

While hospice brings nurses, therapists and aides, it cannot provide around-the-clock care.

Families usually cobble that together. Lee Graves children did as much, and took turns staying with their father in the large Orange Avenue house that he bought decades ago when he worked as an executive chef for the railroad. Two of his three daughters and his son live in Roanoke.

Graves was 102, or 99 plus three as he joked, when he was interviewed for a Sept. 10 story on hospice services. Graves, who rebounded twice under the care of Carilion Clinic Hospice, entered the service again soon after the story was published. He died a few weeks later, on Sept. 27.

It was definitely peaceful, daughter Jacque Dowling said. We did work as a team up until the end. A lot of families dont get together until the person is dying or dead. But we had a chance to be part of his illness and see it to the end together.

Early on, the siblings discussed then dismissed the idea of placing their father in a nursing home. They decided if he could stay in his home, he would.

After the story ran, so many people said they read about us, and they learned so much, daughter Gayle Graves said. I was most impressed by how many said they were inspired by us and that they did not know all that hospice could do.

The sisters separately attended hospice programs after their father died. Graves went to a group grief counseling session for getting through the holidays, and Dowling went to a ceremony attended by families of hospice patients who died during the past year.

They said they made sacrifices to care for their father in his home but have no regrets. Without hospice, the last few weeks would have been difficult to manage, they said.

Hospice agencies rely on an army of volunteers who can visit with patients and offer respite for caregivers. Gayle Graves said her father always perked up when people came around from hospice, and that surely enhanced his quality of life.

In the New River Valley, Arden Howell was one of those visitors for many patients. He became a Carilion hospice volunteer after healing from his own bout with cancer that forced him into an early retirement.

Though shy, Howell befriended his patients and found it easy to sit alongside them and just talk, and he usually had five patients to visit. He was also one of the first volunteers to respond whenever Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital sent an alert that a patient in the palliative care unit was dying without any family or friends to lend comfort.

Howell explained in an Oct. 1 story about the hospitals No One Dies Alone program that when death is near, patients often cannot talk.

But they are still there and can hear whats going on. You can feel it when you hold their hand. Theres a change, he said.

The story generated so much interest from potential volunteers that Shanna Flowers, manager of Carilions volunteer services, hosted a well-attended information session in early November.

There is something about the concept that touches people, she said.

Howell touched many lives. His friend Melissa Harrison said that sadly, a few weeks after the story was published, Howell died alone.

Her boyfriend, Mehran Heravi, is a medical student who had rented a room from Howell for three years. He found Howell one morning in mid-October.

Arden had so many physical problems and depression, she said. When he found hospice, it changed his life. He did so much for his patients.

Howell wanted to be cremated. When it appeared there would not be a service, the people he worked with at Carilion's New River hospice invited his friends and the families of some of his patients to gather.

We had a celebration of his life here in the office one day after work, said director Renee Altizer.

About 30 people gathered in the same room where Howell had attended weekly meeting for more than three years, she said. They shared stories.

Each person knew Arden intimately but in a different way, Harrison said.

His friends scattered his ashes in three spots special to Howell, including one in the Jefferson National Forest. One friend made a cross to fasten to a tree. Harrison said his friends recalled how much Howell enjoyed the outdoors during another informal ceremony.

No such memorial service has been held for Christine Slade. She didnt want one. She felt as though she said her goodbyes and that was that. At the end, she wanted only people she felt were genuinely her friends to visit.

She turned down a few offers by readers who were touched by her story and wanted to take her in. And she also turned down other strangers offers to visit or to send cards and flowers.

She told them instead to find a woman in another nursing home who is cognitive and without visitors and to shower that woman with those kindnesses as a way of honoring me.

That was Slades way.

She had nothing, but she was always thinking about other people, said Deb Moras, who took on the role of Slades power of attorney.

Toward the end, Moras coordinated a group of friends, drawn from Slades collection of old and new ones that she made during her 64 years, to visit the nursing home, especially on days when Moras could not.

Many of them have yet to meet, and may do so soon for coffee, dessert and conversation, Moras said.

Some of Slades friends, as she anticipated, did not step up during her time of great need. Slade, who came close to dying several years ago, knew that as death nears it can chase away even the people closest to you.

Slade said the desertion breaks your heart but it also strengthens your resolve to allow near you only people you can trust to genuinely care.

By mid-October Slades world had narrowed to her bed. She could no longer eat. The blinds were pulled tightly against the light. She kept a tablet on the nightstand to play spiritual music and ocean sounds. On a rolling bedside table, she kept a box with healing oils arranged in a particular order so that she could feel for what she wanted, and a journal in which she could no longer write, but would direct visitors to jot down instructions.

She became increasingly agitated, especially when she felt as though she had waited too long for staff to respond.

The final two weeks of her life, Chris was very demanding. She wanted things and wanted them right now, Moras said.

By the end of October, Slades oils were gone, and she, too, was fading.

She tried to maintain control over what she could, and she regretted that the one thing she could not control was where she would die. But she remained hopeful that she had sparked in powerful people the desire to create a hospice house in Roanoke.

She was one of the most remarkable women I have met in my life, Moras said. During the last year of her life, she advocated for a hospice house and started a thriving Knitted Knockers chapter of volunteers who make soft, light-weight prosthetics for women who have had mastectomies.

She fully expected both would live on and benefit others long after she was gone.

She had nothing, but she was always thinking about other people, Moras said. Chris had so much faith and said God will take care of me.

Toward the end, Slade felt unsafe when she was alone.

On the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 10, Maryluz Cole, a certified nursing assistant for Gentle Shepherd, entered Slades darkened room. She saw that her patient was close to dying. So Cole played Slades Christian music and sang to her while she bathed her and massaged lotion into her skin.

Slade passed while in the hands of a hospice aide.

She is now where she wished to be.
By PTI: new locations Mumbai, Dec 31 (PTI) The Kamala Mills pub fire tragedy and subsequent crackdown on illegal structures of restaurants by the city civic body have limited the options for many revellers who will be ringing in New Year in neighbouring Navi Mumbai or Thane instead of their preferred joints in the city.

advertisement

In the wake of the deadly fire on Friday night that killed 14 people in swish rooftop pub 1 Above in Central Mumbais Lower Parel, the celebrations to welcome 2018 are likely to be muted in parts of the Kamala Mills compound, the dining hub of the city.

Revellers are forced to cancel their plans to welcome New Year in their preferred Mumbai joints as the civic officials razed illegal structures in various restaurants yesterday, leaving event managers with little time to make fresh arrangements for customers.

The civic officials yesterday demolished illegal structures at 314 sites in Mumbai.

The BMC had also sealed seven hotels and seized around 417 LPG cylinders during the action.

While some revellers will be welcoming 2018 in restaurants in the famous hill station Lonavala some have decided to do so in Pune, nearly 150 kms away from the commercial capital.

Some party goers will be celebrating in Navi Mumbai, Thane, or at farm houses located near Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai-based event manager Satish Lokhande said he was flooded with calls from party-goers whose bookings in Mumbai got cancelled.

"I got some calls from friends and regular party goers asking suggestions for new locations around Mumbai. Many changed their bookings to Navi Mumbai, Thane and Lonaval-based restaurants because their earlier bookings in Mumbai hotels got cancelled," Lokhande said.

He said some pubs and bars mainly in western suburbs of Mumbai will receive a huge response from patrons as many restaurants and pubs may not remain open tonight due to the crackdown by the BMC.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which initiated the mega demolition drive two days back, has adopted a strict stand to not heed to requests by pubs and hotel owners to delay the action in view of New Year celebrations.

Santosh Shetty, president of Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (AHAR) said they were expecting subdued celebrations this time.

"There are some 12,000 hotels in Mumbai of which around 8,000 are our members. We follow all the rules strictly but there are some black sheep in our industry. The two restaurants in Kamala Mills compound were not even our members," he said.

advertisement

Shetty said they have appealed to people to pay tributes to the victims in the wake of the fire tragedy.

"We are not expecting too many people on the streets for celebration," he added.

Meanwhile, Lokhande said areas such as Khandala, Karjat and Nerul, located far away from Mumbai, have of late emerged as major weekend destinations.

"The facilities offered include farm-houses and resorts with large halls for such celebrations. A sizable number of party-goers organised parties in these areas in the last couple of days. The number of revellers in Mumbai could be less (this time) but many of them will be partying outside the city," Lokhande added. PTI ND NSK

--- ENDS ---
December 21, 1957 December 25, 2017 Gina Zehmer, 60, of Blacksburg, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, December 25, 2017. She was born in Columbus, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Violet Pandolfo, and her sister, Frances Pandolfo Little. Gina is survived by her husband, Thomas G. Zehmer; his children, Christy R. Morrissey and her husband, Chris and Greg P. Zehmer and his wife, Aoy; Gina's sisters, Sharon Kauffman and her husband, Richard, Josephine Watt and Brent Hoy, and Dalene Hall; and Gina's grandson, Noah A. Adkins. Gina also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and friends. Gina grew up in Westerville, Ohio where she attended Westerville High School. She was an avid fan of The Ohio State University Buckeyes. Gina began a successful career in Hotel Management in Columbus, Ohio. She continued her career in Boca Raton, Fla. where she met her husband of 27 years. Together they moved to Dallas, Texas where she continued her career in catering and marketing. Gina and Tom moved to Blacksburg, Va. in 2010, and she became the Office Manager of Emisshield. She was a resident of the Hokie Nation where she greeted everyone with her infectious smile, contagious laugh, zest for life, and an ever-present "GO HOKIES". As Gina always would say, "Make it a great day!" A Memorial Service will be held at 10 a.m. on January 13, 2018 at McCoy Funeral Home located at 150 Country Club Drive SW, in Blacksburg. Following the service, family and friends will gather to celebrate Gina's life in the Latham Ballroom at "The Inn at Virginia Tech". The Inn is located at 901 Prices Fork Road. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Gina to the Christ Episcopal Church located at 120 Church St. NE, Blacksburg, Va. 24060. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.
By PTI: Ghaziabad, Dec 30 (PTI) Three Nigerian nationals, one from Ivory Coast and a woman from Nagaland were arrested for allegedly duping a woman here of Rs 10.5 lakh on the pretext of sending her a gift parcel, police said today.

The victim, Jyoti Dhamija, had lodged an FIR last Sunday against a person named Baryon, whom she was friends with on social networking site Facebook, Superintendent of Police (City) Akash Tomar said.

advertisement

Dhamija received a Facebook friend request from Baryon, who told her that she was a resident of Italy. Byron soon took Dhamijas address on the pretext of sending a gift parcel for her daughter, SP Tomar said.

The following day, Dhamija received a phone call from a person posing as a Delhi airport official. The person asked her to collect a parcel which had arrived here, and instructed her to deposit the money as a penalty, he said, adding that Dhamija was even threatened with prosecution if she failed to deposit the amount.

Dhamija realised she had been conned when she received no gift even after depositing the money in separate bank accounts as per instructions given to her, the SP said.

Acting on her complaint, police launched an investigation and nabbed the accused from Vijay Nagar area, he added.

They were identified as Arnad Zego, Alex Shivoy, Dao Al Hasan (from Nigeria), Jenli Joules (from Ivory Coast) and Naomi, a resident of Nagaland, SP Tomar said, adding that Rs 3.5 lakh, 13 mobile phones, laptops, passports, a gold chain and bracelets, pen drives and a Honda Civic car was recovered from their possession.

They accused have confessed their involvement in the crime, the SP added. PTI CORR IJT

--- ENDS ---
Report: Over 34 Yemeni civilians killed, 2 injured in 36+ airstrikes in 24 hours





SANAA, Dec 31 (Saba) - At least 38 civilians were killed and other two were wounded in more than 36 airstrike launched by US-backed Saudi-led aggression coalition warplanes on several Yemeni provinces over the past 24 hours, officials and medics told Saba on Sunday.



In the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, more than 20 civilians were killed in four US-Saudi airstrikes targeted three cars near a restaurant at the entrance of al-Jarrahi district.



Also in Hodeidah province, a total of 10 women were killed when US-Saudi fighter jets waged 15 strikes on a citizen's farm in east of Qatabah area of Khokhah district.



Furthermore, two citizens were also injured in a strike on a citizen's farm in Tahitah district.



In Amran province, about 50 km north of the capital Sanaa, four citizens were killed in an aggression air strike on a main road of Ghulat Ajib area.



In the northern province of Saada, the aggression fighter jets launched three raids on Qad and Azhor areas of Razih district, one airstrike targeted Aal-Sabhan area on Baqim district, and two airstrikes hit Malaheedh area of Dhaher district.



In the capital Sanaa, two airstrikes hit Nahdain mountain in Sabeen district.



In the province of Hajjah, some 127 km northwest of the capital Sanaa, the warplanes of the Saudi aggression carried out five airstrikes on Marzoq area of Haradh district.



In central province of Marib, two aggression airstrikes completely destroyed two residents' houses and damaged several neighboring homes in Serwah district.



Writing by Sameera al-Mahdi: Editing by Zak



Saba

Facebook Facebook

Twitter Twitter

Whatsapp Whatsapp

Telegram Telegram

Email Email

Print Print

[31/December/2017]
The probe panel also found that Fortis Hospital charged exorbitant prices for the blood.

By Manjeet Sehgal: The Haryana government on Saturday suspended blood bank and pharmacy licences issued to Fortis hospital , Gurgaon after serious lapses were found in a probe ordered by health department.

Officials said Fortis Hospital sold fresh frozen plasma to Reliance medical Limited without any permission which was illegal.

As many as 32 shortcomings were found by the Food and Drug Administration department in the blood bank and in-patient department (IPD) during a probe ordered by the Haryana government.

advertisement

VIOLATIONS UNEARTHED

The probe panel also found that Fortis Hospital charged exorbitant prices for the blood.

The panel did not find any display board giving information about blood prices.

No insectocutor was found and the door was also found without any curtain.

The door of the HIV testing lab opened in the serology lab was also found open.

"The licences of Pharmacy and blood bank will remain suspended till Fortis Hospital removes all shortcomings and follows the procedure. The hospital had given an undertaking that it will follow the norms of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) while providing whole human blood and blood components to the patients but it was found violating the norms and overcharged the patients," State Drug Controller Narendra Ahuja Vivek said.

Fortis Hospital has been accused of footing a Rs 16 lakh medical bill to a dengue patient's family who died in September this year.

--- ENDS ---
When we talk about people who make a difference to the lives of others, Frankie Cais name is not one that would immediately pop up.

But if the provision of jobs and helping to lower the cost goods is a prerequisite, Mr. Cai is an obvious choice. Come to think of it, in a year where Samoa sorely needed more jobs after the closure of Yazaki Eds, Mr. Cai was among the first local companies to respond and delivered.

The 47-year-old Chinese businessman, who has been serving Samoa for more than 25 years, has quickly become one of Samoas biggest private employers.

With ten local supermarkets, he has more than 700 Samoans on his pay roll. A number of them were people made redundant when Yazaki shut its door.

But he wasnt always the high profile businessman that he is today.

Mr. Cai came to Samoa as a young boy in his early 20s to work as a delivery boy for his uncle, who at the time owned a local store.

Prior to coming to Samoa, he worked for two trading companies in his homeland, China. It was there, he said, made him realise his passion in commercial activities.

He had no clue where Samoa was. But when he arrived, he noticed the lack of infrastructure development, especially the roads when he had to travel to Savaii and around the island to deliver goods.

Like any tourists falling in love with the island life, Mr. Cai not only decided to stay, he made the decision to start a business.

After my uncle, I decided to run a retail company, he said.

This didnt really work out well because the turnover was not really good. Most of the time when I used to take ordered supplies to the stores around the island, they do not pay on time and it wasnt very good for the business. The return wasnt good.

But he did not give up. He persevered.

Mr. Cai attributes the success of his supermarkets and the idea to enter the wholesale market to all his employees and those who were involved in the inception of the first supermarket.

Every body worked together, went around to villages and tried to find out what if the need for a supermarket is paramount, he said.

So we decided to establish our own wholesale. We started off with a small shop, even people walking outside would say thats such a dirty shop, but we had a lot of products there.

A lot of people still came in because of the prices that was within the pockets of the locals. We bought the Morris Hedstrom here in Samoa at the time, and thats how I started my business. I think Carpenters was trying to withdraw from a few islands and Morris Hedstrom wasnt running well here.

There wasnt a lot of supermarkets at the time around Samoa, only Chan Mow was pretty well known.

Competition today, he said, was tough among the business community, however the best strategy was to keep developing your business.

To counter the challenges, we look at properly managing our shops and keeping it to international standards, he said.

We decided to upgrade our shop, the standard, hygiene and temperature of all coolers that it should be within international standards.

Mr. Cai has also grown accustomed to the life and custom of the local community, thus his efforts of trying to make life easier and simpler for all Samoans.

Because of the living standards in Samoa today, we still keep the prices at a low margin. I also build shops around areas where there it is populated so people can have access to goods and services instead of traveling long hours to town to get what they want.

Mr. Cai is married to Mayday and they have a son and a daughter who are both studying in New Zealand. He believes education is the key to developing the lives of the locals, with the children being the agent of change.

I plan to set up internet shops where children can come and learn after school hours and holidays, he said. If they can access internet, they would be able to learn about school work or for those who do not have computers at home, it could be an opportunity for them to learn.

However social network sites will be blocked so that they can only focus on school work.

Mr. Cai said Samoa is a good place to do business and despite the competition, he is here to make life easier for the Samoan people. And they love him for it.
All thats left of the onions at the Wheeler Farms shed here is the smell. The only crop around it is the field of discarded shopping bags flagged to the thorns of desert weeds.

For cannabis power couple Lisa and Bob Selan, though, this drive-by plot of high desert in suburban Antelope Valley could be a cornerstone of Los Angeles medical marijuana market, which is days from expanding to include any adult who wants to take off the edge.

The Selans, whose clients include the largest cannabis dispensary organization in Los Angeles, hope to convert more than 45 acres of land into cannabis campuses, akin to movie studio lots, where pot entrepreneurs large and small can grow cannabis and convert it into medical products.

Advertisement

If all of the couples plans work out, they could be offering more than a million square feet at the Lancaster onion plant, the surrounding land, and a second property they hope to purchase near Fox Field airport.

Already, legacy medical marijuana businesses looking to expand into the recreational, or adult-use, market have snapped up all of the 54,000 square feet in the onion plants refrigerated cold storage, amid worries that they wont be able to keep up with supply pressure caused by the expanding market.

They are coming in pretty much from all over, but primarily from Los Angeles, Bob Selan said. Very few people have enough space to even grow enough for their shop.

Like housing, malls, auto dealerships and big-box stores, cannabis is fleeing the city and taking the first exit where land is cheap, rules are reasonable and markets are still within reach.

In this case, that would be the W. Avenue I exit from the Antelope Valley Freeway, a 70-mile drive past Santa Clarita and Palmdale, which have opted to sit out the cannabis development wave for the time being.

(Swetha Kannan/Los Angeles Times )

Lancaster has never been short of land or aspiration, hitching its fortune to railroads, farming, mining, military bases, prisons, the aerospace industry and, more recently, to Chinese manufacturing.

Often, Lancaster has had to compete with neighboring cities and offer incentives. In this case, it only had to persuade City Council members to reverse previous bans and approve a tax of $15 per square foot for cannabis cultivation, or 3% of manufacturing revenue. That could add millions to the citys coffers, with relatively few costs, according to city officials.

Lancasters early gamble on the Los Angeles market wont pay off for months. But time is on the citys side. On Jan. 1, when California makes marijuana legal for all adults, Los Angeles will become the largest urban retail market for marijuana in the country  without any certainty about where all that pot will come from.

Regulations adopted just weeks ago by Los Angeles are so complicated that even a cottage industry of cannabis attorneys, like the Selans, cant figure out where it can be grown or distilled into other products.

I think come January 1, its going to be a mess, said Hilary Bricken, an attorney specializing in cannabis regulation. Its going to be a nightmare.

Bricken said she cant be sure yet whether convoluted formulas and limits will allow one of her developer clients to offer tens of thousands of square feet in Chatsworth to large-scale businesses, or just 350 square feet for micro-cultivators.

Just logistically speaking, with the amount of uncertainty and these complicated calculations, I dont think L.A. is going to be a hub for manufacturing and cultivation, Bricken said. I think its going to be a distribution-delivery hub, heavily focused on tourism, and not so much on the manufacturing and cultivation side.

That has left it to smaller cities to leap into the cannabis space on an a-la-carte basis.

While Long Beach, Lynwood and Maywood, for example, picked all of the above  commercial dispensaries, cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and testing  Calabasas banned everything but home delivery.

Lancaster voted in February to permit cultivation and manufacture of medical marijuana only, reversing previous bans to become the only city in the Antelope Valley to embrace the cannabis economy.

Cannabis was not an easy sell in a city known for its Christian conservatism. Longtime Mayor Rex Parris presided over a ban on cannabis-related businesses in 2009. A year later, he drew controversy when he publicly boasted that he was growing a Christian community in the city.

Parris said he became convinced of marijuanas pain-management benefits after having surgery in 2016 to remove a cyst on his brain  an example he used to persuade the city council. The Selans also took city officials on tours of marijuana facilities in Los Angeles.

Bob and Lisa Selan were among the cannabis entrepreneurs who flocked to Desert Hot Springs two years ago. They helped Los Angeles craft Proposition D, passed in 2013, that granted immunity to the citys marijuana dispensaries. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times )

The Selans are rainmakers in the marijuana market  persuading cities to draft ordinances, then crafting real estate deals around those rules. They helped Los Angeles write Proposition D, passed in 2013, which granted immunity to the citys marijuana dispensaries.

The couple were among the entrepreneurs who flocked to Desert Hot Springs two years ago, when that city launched plans to become a regional cannabis hub. Daunted by the challenge of bringing electrical power and other infrastructure to the desert sites, they since have slimmed down plans there in favor of Lancaster, which already has that infrastructure.

Besides the 12 acres at the onion plant, purchased for $5.4 million in cash in October, the couple are eyeing 32 acres near Fox Field airport, where at least one other developer is offering cannabis-permitted space.

The Selans hope to offer turnkey facilities with roofs that take advantage of sunlight.

Were trying to make it very simple for them, Bob Selan said. Weve thought of everything. Weve hired cannabis efficiency experts who are designing the interior of the spaces. They can utilize our people or not.

One thing the future tenants cant do, however, is sell to the recreational market.

Theres people approaching us now to represent them that want to be in the adult space, but weve told them they cant go to Lancaster  at least not now, Bob Selan said.

We really respect that, Lisa Selan said. Lets do it the way they want it, and see what happens.

geoffrey.mohan@latimes.com

Follow me: @LATgeoffmohan

UPDATES:

Jan. 2, 2:40 p.m.: This article was updated with information from Lancaster Mayor Rex Parris.

This article was originally published Dec. 29, 2017 at 11 a.m.
The veteran leader added that he had been serving the BJP as a "loyal and disciplined" soldier for the last 40 years.

By India Today Web Desk: Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who was unhappy over not getting portfolios of his choice in the new cabinet, took charge today after he was given the finance portfolio, following BJP president Amit Shah's intervention.

"BJP president Amit Shah called up in the morning and assured me that I will be given a portfolio which befits my stature as the number two in the cabinet and as the deputy chief minister," Patel told reporters at his residence.

advertisement

"Shah asked me to take charge of my departments, so I will take charge today. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will meet Governor OP Kohli in the afternoon and give him a letter, informing him of the allocation of a new department to me," he added.

Soon after taking charge, Patel left for his Assembly constituency, Mehsana, to meet his supporters.

Shortly after his arrival at Mehsana in the afternoon, Rupani announced in Gandhinagar that the finance portfolio had been given to Patel and that the issue was over now.

Patel, who is in public life since 1977 and with the BJP from 1980, withdrew into a shell at his residence in Ahmedabad for two days without occupying his ministerial mansion on Thursday and Friday after Chief Minister Rupani distributed the portfolios to his new team, without Finance, Urban Development and Petrochemicals to him.

Rupani is considered close to Amit Shah while Anandiben Patel is Shah's bete noire and Nitin Patel is believed to be in her camp. Inncidentally, the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat was known to be a confidant of Modi but the circumstances had then forced her to put in her papers.

"We have made certain changes in the portfolios. We have given finance to Nitinbhai. With this, the issue is over now. Such small things happen in a big family like the BJP. I have already sent a letter to the Governor, informing him of this change in the portfolios," the chief minister told reporters.

Patel maintained that the issue was not about some departments, but about "self-respect".

He added, "I request my supporters to withdraw the 'bandh' announcement for Monday, called in support of my demands."

Patel had felt slighted way back in 2016 when Rupani, rank junior to him in the party and experience, was made the Chief Minister after the forced exit of Anandiben Patel in the wake of the Patidar agitation. He decided to keep quiet then

"I had conveyed to the party high-command to either give me respectable departments or relieve me from the cabinet," he said.

advertisement

The veteran leader added that he had been serving the BJP as a "loyal and disciplined" soldier for the last 40 years.

In the previous government headed by Rupani, Patel used to handle key portfolios of finance and urban development among other departments.

However, this time, finance was given to Saurabh Patel, while Rupani kept urban development with himself, leaving only road and building, health and family welfare, medical education, Narmada, Kalpsar and capital projects with Patel.

Unhappy over the allotment, Patel had refrained from taking charge of the departments, prompting the top BJP leadership to swing into action to placate the senior Patidar leader.

Rupani, who left for Rajkot to attend a function to felicitate him in his hometown, said: "Nitinbhai Patel had conveyed his feelings to the party leadership, which has made changes in the portfolios and honoured him and now the matter rests there. It is a big family, sometimes these things happen, but it is over now."

Sending feelers to the deputy chief minister, Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel had yesterday said he would extend support to him and talk to the Congress leadership to ensure that Patel got the respect he deserved from the party, if he left the BJP, along with 10 other MLAs, and joined hands with the Congress to form a new government.

advertisement

"If he (Patel) decides to quit the BJP and 10 other MLAs are ready to quit with him, we will talk to the Congress to take in Nitinbhai and give him a post he deserves," Hardik had said.

Senior Congress MLA Virji Thummar had also said that Patel would be made the chief minister with the Congress' support if he quit the saffron party.

The Congress, however, had clarified that Thummar was speaking in his personal capacity and described the row over portfolio distribution as an "internal matter" of the BJP.

The BJP and the Congress have 99 and 77 seats respectively in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly.

(With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Gujarat: New government under CM Rupani sworn in

--- ENDS ---
Takeshi Hamano liked to stroll through the Umeya Rice Cake Co. factory in Little Tokyo, stopping along the way to taste test his senbei, or Japanese rice crackers.

When hed see employees, hed stop and quiz them about the production process  from the washing of the rice to the steaming, kneading, cutting, toasting and flavoring of the Japanese snacks.

He was very good at getting you to say the wrong thing, said his son Rex Hamano, with a laugh. But in a mentoring way. He wanted people to get better.

Advertisement

Rex Hamano took over as president when his father, known by all as Tak, died in April at age 92.

Hamano, an accountant by training who said he never felt pressured to become the third generation to run Umeya, described his father as the heart of the business. Ultimately, the family decided that Umeya and Tak Hamano should rest together, so the Los Angeles company will close Dec. 31, after nearly a century in operation.

That entrepreneurial spirit of never giving up, thats Tak, Rex Hamano said. You cant transfer that.

Umeya was one of the few businesses of its kind left in Little Tokyo. It was started by Tak Hamanos father, Yasuo, with the familys help both in startup funds and the labor to help make rice crackers by hand in the back of Yasuos small shop, sometime around 1918. Umeya Rice Cake Co. was incorporated about 1925.

Umeyas products proved popular with small Japanese grocery stores, fishing villages and farm camps around California, according to a company history written by Tak Hamano.

The original factory on Weller Street, now called Weller Court, closed in 1942 when the family was sent to an internment camp under President Franklin D. Roosevelts Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the incarceration of about 120,000 people of Japanese descent, most of them American citizens.

The family stored its manufacturing machinery and was taken to an assembly center at the Santa Anita race track, then to the Rohwer internment camp in Arkansas. In 1944, the Hamano family was able to reopen the business in Denver.

The demand for rice crackers was high from the internment camps, and the family struggled to fill orders.

Umeya made the move back to Los Angeles in 1950. Because of postwar discrimination toward people of Japanese ancestry, Umeya made it a point of being one of the few corporations to hire immigrants, Rex Hamano said.

Tak Hamano, who took over the company in 1970, helped people start their lives again, said June Aochi Berk, a close friend who was in the same camp during the war.

Tak expanded company operations with his ability to do business in two different cultures, which gave him an edge and allowed him to introduce the Japanese rice snack to non-Japanese populations, said Brian Kito, owner of Fugetsu-do, a mochi confectionery shop in Little Tokyo.

Umeya wholesaled its rice crackers and other snacks, including fortune cookies, to Japanese and Asian grocery stores such as Marukai, Mitsuwa Market, Tokyo Central and 99 Ranch Market, as well as some mainstream supermarkets. Hamano said the family is considering licensing its products in some form.

Customers also could walk up to the window at Umeyas production facility and warehouse on Crocker Street and buy boxes of hana rice crackers that were shaped like flowers or the popular assorted mix of rice crackers that included wasabi peas, sugar twists and salty rectangles. The Hamano family hasnt decided what will happen to downtown facility; Rex Hamano declined to say how many people were employed there.

One of Tak Hamanos greatest joys was giving back to his community, Aochi Berk said. He was adamantly opposed to being in the limelight or receiving recognition for the contributions in products, funds and resources he made to Japanese-American non-profits and businesses, including the San Fernando Valley Japanese-American Citizens League, the Suzume no Gakko Summer Camp and Fugetsu-do.

Fugetsu-do, which was also a customer, sold 70 or 80 gift-wrapped sets of rice crackers at a time during the holiday season. Kito often wondered, why wouldnt Umeya raise the prices?

They were very inexpensive, so inexpensive that it used to just irk me, Kito joked. I would tell my dad, We buy these things for $1.75, and we sell it for $2.50 and wrap it up and put a bow on it.

Im saddened to see some of the older businesses as they disappear.  Brian Kito, Little Tokyo business owner

But as small and inexpensive as the rice snacks were, they were significant for the Japanese-American community.

For many customers, Umeya represented nostalgia  it was a familiar snack they would carry to school and on field trips and receive as gifts on holidays, Rex Hamano said.

Derek Yee, a 31-year-old Carpenteria resident, said his family has been buying Umeya products for generations. In the mid 1930s, young Tak Hamano and Yees grandfather would snack on Umeya senbei, bought by his great-grandmother, at their boy scout troop meetings in Little Tokyo.

Years later, Yees grandmother bought boxes full of snacks for holiday gifts. She wrapped fortune cookies in cellophane bags, tied them with a Christmas ribbon and topped them with the appropriate label to be delivered to whomever she wanted to show appreciation.

Sitting by Tak Hamanos bedside a few months before he died, Kito said he realized Hamano was probably one of the last people in Little Tokyo who could tell stories about what the old days were like.

I think the community looks at [Umeya closing] thinking Gee, what could we have done? Kito said, tears in his eyes.

Even in his final days, Tak Hamano remained an innovator, Kito said. Hamano talked of plans to make coffee-, salsa- and cinnamon-flavored rice crackers.

Umeyas absence will mark another change in Little Tokyo. Several other family-owned Japanese businesses have struggled, closed or sold in the last few years.

Last year, Rafu Shimpo was near shutting down. The newspaper raised enough funds to operate through 2018, but is strategizing for ways to survive permanently, said Ellen Endo, president of the Little Tokyo Business Assn.

Mikawaya, a 107-year-old mochi ice cream shop, which sells in many locations across the country, was bought from the Hashimoto family by a private equity firm in 2015.

The shift in Little Tokyo might be attributed to growing competition, Endo said. New businesses have established in the 11-block neighborhood, drawing people away from Japanese mom-and-pop shops.

Kito said that Little Tokyo businesses once were close-knit, tied together by the necessity of fighting open prejudice and discrimination. But with newer businesses, fewer people know each other, diminishing the sense of community, he said.

We do see a lot of good things, a lot of younger businesspeople coming to the area, Kito said. Im saddened to see some of the older businesses as they disappear.

Times staff writer Samantha Masunaga contributed to this report.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra
For those interested in exploring San Diego Countys desert, there has been one widely accepted guide book for the past 40 years.

The Anza-Borrego Desert Region guide, published in 1978 and now in its sixth edition, has been updated for the first time in more than a decade.

Published by Wilderness Press and written by Lowell and Diana Lindsay, the latest edition provides hikers and motorists with new detailed charts, maps and descriptions of hundreds of hikes and routes through the 650,000 acres of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and adjacent areas.

Advertisement

Now available, the 6th edition of the bible of Anza-Borrego adventure (J. Harry Jones /U-T )

The biggest change is the hiking descriptions and charts we have in there, said Diana Lindsay, 73. Its a mile-by-mile description as youre driving down the roads, either the paved roads or the dirt roads, and it tells you at every stop what to see, what to look at, where all the hikes are.

In the past decade, the park, the largest in the California State Parks system, has expanded quite a bit. There are new trails, new routes because the park is much larger, she said. The book provides hundreds of pages of detailed suggestions on places to go and things to see.

How long are the hikes? How difficult they are? What kind of vehicle youll need to access the area  weve got charts in there now for over 200 hikes that tell you exactly what the hike is, where it is, what you need, she said. Weve got it all broken down and its a lot easier to use.

The Lindsays love of the desert began 50 years ago when one day Lowell, a Navy helicopter pilot at the time, was practicing high-speed search-and-rescue missions inland. Diana said he was flying east following Interstate 8 when suddenly the bottom dropped out and 3,000 feet below was a desert.

It kind of shocked him. He came home all excited, Diana Lindsay said. I said, its a desert, why would you want to go there? Theres nothing there.

Instead of heading to the Sierras the next weekend as they often did to hike, Diana said she agreed to go to the desert to get him to stop bugging her.

We went out in March 1967. The weather was perfect. The flowers were out. We went to Painted Gorge which is BLM (Bureau of Land Management ) land and it was just an amazing experience.

The next weekend he said, lets go to the Sierras, and I said, can we go back to the desert? and weve been going back ever since.

The book has been put together in cooperation with California State Parks, the Anza-Borrego Foundation, and the U.S Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, California Desert district. First published in 1978 by Wilderness Press  Diana Lindsay said it took a year to convince the publisher to take a chance on the book because he didnt believe anyone would want to go to the desert  it was last updated in 2005.

Last Spring, a whole new generation of locals were introduced to the desert when a rare, spectacular desert flower bloom occurred following winter rains. Somewhere between 500,000 and a million people made day trips to Borrego Springs to gaze at the colors of the desert floor. For many, it was their first time in the desert and many said they were dumbstruck not just by the flowers but by the landscape. Many vowed to return and the Lindsays hope is some will buy the book to help them find there way.

Former Anza-Borrgo Desert State Park Superintendent Mark Jorgensen has called the guide the bible of the Anza-Borego area.

If anybody is going to explore the park for more than a day, they usually find their way into the Visitors Center or the park store and buy that book, Jorgensen said. Shes a historian of the park and Lowell is a geologist so combining those backgrounds theyve really put together a great piece that has endured all these years.

The guidebook doesnt limit itself to the park but also includes information about nearly 400,000 other acres of surrounding land. It can be purchased for $21.95 at most local bookstores and outdoor stores, the parks visitor center and Amazon, Diana Lindsay said.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Carlsbad switched on the last of its new automated license-plate readers last week, and within days the devices led to the discovery of three stolen vehicles and the arrest of three suspects.

The city has installed the stationary license-plate reading cameras on utility poles at 14 key intersections, and added mobile ones to six patrol cars, under a contract the city approved in March. The system also can be used to solve burglaries, find wanted suspects and locate missing persons, said Carlsbad police Capt. Mickey Williams.

Were very happy with it, he said Thursday.

Advertisement

Not everyone was happy when the city approved the system, which was budgeted for about $1 million. Some Carlsbad residents and representatives of groups such as the ACLU have said license-plate readers could be misused to violate an individuals privacy or civil liberties.

Carlsbad officials have said their policy will strictly limit access to the data in the system and delete it after a year, except for information that is used in an investigation and may be needed in court.

More than 200 agencies in California, including the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, use the devices, which track information the courts have said is public. Before launching the system, the Carlsbad Police Department held a series of 10 community meetings to explain to residents what license-plate readers can and cant do.

We had an overwhelmingly positive response, especially once people learned the facts, Williams said.

Its important for everyone to know there is no personal identifying information (in the system), he said. There is no way to learn the driver or the registered owner with it.

The reader only records the plate number and compares it to a list of stored numbers for vehicles associated with some kind of crime. A police dispatcher is contacted within seconds when there is a match.

That happened twice on Dec. 22 in the area of State Street and Carlsbad Boulevard. In one incident, the vehicle was located at a nearby motel. The vehicles two occupants ran, but were quickly stopped and arrested on multiple charges. The car was returned to its owner in Encinitas. In the other incident that day, the driver fled into Oceanside, and officers abandoned the pursuit after the suspect drove recklessly into oncoming traffic.

Another stolen car was recovered Tuesday morning near College Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue. The driver was arrested, and the car was returned to its owner in San Marcos.

Oceanside and Escondido police departments also use license-plate readers, but only in patrol cars. Oceanside considered installing fixed readers around the harbor area in 2015, but did not proceed with the plan.

Carlsbad installed its first mobile license-plate readers in 2011, and now has them in eight police vehicles. The stationary readers have been installed over the last few months.

More information about the Carlsbad system, including a list of intersections where the cameras are installed and the policies followed for their use, is on the citys website at www.carlsbadca.gov.

philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @phildiehl
Jennifer Oliver is the artistic director for the Escondido-based A Step Beyond, an organization that provides underserved youth with opportunities through dance education, academic support and family services. A nationally known dancer, educator and choreographer, Oliver was the San Diego representative for the statewide Teaching Artist Support Collaborative initiative and served on the National Arts Education Council for Americans for the Arts.

My students look up at me  longing to play, be included, be seen, feel valued. They dont know that the challenges they experience living under the poverty line are challenges that many children will never know. Research shows that those challenges will make them less likely to graduate from high school and more likely to continue living in poverty. What my students do know is that for this next hour after school, we will dance.

By dancing, we will come together as a community, we will build strength and flexibility, and we will face challenges and overcome them. Even more importantly, we will take up space unapologetically, feel powerful in our bodies, and celebrate our diverse, creative choices.

Advertisement

Dance matters because it heals, it educates, and it helps to build community.

I have taught dance for the past 17 years, and I have watched it transcend conversation and provide a tangible, physical expression of our personal and shared life experiences.

When we dance, we embrace the present moment and find beauty in self-expression and in relationship. In these moments, we meet our differences  whether those differences are because of culture, gender or race  and we learn to navigate through them. After dancing and creating together, our knowledge of each other is enhanced and renewed. We are closer and more connected.

At A Step Beyond, a creative youth development nonprofit serving North County families, we believe dance is the answer to helping end the cycle of poverty. Combined with academic tutoring and family services support, our small but mighty team helps children realize their potential and fulfill their dreams. Students begin our program in third grade and continue until high school graduation and beyond. As students master the art of dance, they build the habits of mind and body that will lead them to find success at school and in life.
Sam Woodhouse is the artistic director of San Diego Repertory Theatre, which he co-founded in 1976 and helped turn into one of the leading regional theaters in the nation. He has worked on hundreds of productions as director, producer and actor. In 2006, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle honored Woodhouse and fellow Rep founder D.W. Jacobs with a Craig Noel Award for artistic dedication to downtown and diversity. We asked him to tell us why the arts matter.

After the performance of a political comedy about San Diego and Tijuana at San Diego Rep, while hosting a conversation with the audience about the play they had just experienced, I heard a woman crying in the back row of the theater.

I asked her why she was crying. She sobbed, I never knew the place I lived was so interesting!

Advertisement

Many people, often unconsciously, find solace in art that reconfirms preconceptions. I treasure art that challenges conventional wisdom and preconceptions and leads me to discover the other.

Like the woman in the back row, I love to be startled, perplexed and turned upside down by the discovery of a point of view, a personality, a custom, a faith, a song that is different from my own.

Potent art matters because it can open windows to other worlds, give us a taste of what we have not tasted, or take us to places we know little about.

Provocative art encourages us to be curious, to wonder about and grapple with ideas and stories that are not our story.

Exotic art Why do they do that? Who dreamed that up? What is she up to?  expands our understanding of our complex world and makes us hungry to discover more.

Brave art can provoke us, ignite us, scare us, melt us and astonish us. The intimacy of a profound artistic encounter can lead us to secrets inside us.

Great art opens our eyes, hearts and minds to the new. And the new is what feeds and nurtures our curious soul.

Twyla Tharp said: Art is the only way to run away without leaving home. I second the emotion.
Conventional Top 10 lists are for drones (not to mention people who can exercise at least some degree of self-control).

So instead of that usual yearly exercise in comparing apples to oranges to rutabagas, heres a look at 15 San Diego-area theater productions that stuck in the brain for a wide variety of reasons over the course of 2017:

Best translation of history to herstory (Part 1)

An Iliad, with Linda Libby as a forceful, funny and defiantly female Poet (a role usually played by a man) in New Village Arts lyrical staging of the gripping contemporary riff on Homer.

Advertisement

Most imposing ode to tragedy

Hamlet, in which a fallen kings towering, golden suit of armor matched the ambition of artistic director Barry Edelsteins staging for the Old Globe.

Most inspired use of imaginary penguins

The bittersweet Wild Goose Dreams, Hansol Jungs hard-to-describe (and harder not to like) saga of love and loss at La Jolla Playhouse.

Timeliest dive into the past

Father Comes Home From the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3, Suzan-Lori Parks boldly imaginative Civil War epic, in an arresting local premiere under Christy Yael-Coxs direction at Intrepid Theatre. (North Coast Reps Of Mice and Men, as expertly staged by Richard Baird, was also a strong contender.)

Achievement in authenticity

Falling, Deanna Jents difficult but powerful piece about a family confronting autism, in an admirably committed staging at InnerMission Productions.

Sleeper musical of the year

Tarrytown, Adam Wachters smart and surprising updating of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, in a stylish world premiere at Backyard Renaissance.

Greatest moment in the weirdly interactive

8 Songs for a Mad King, Bodhi Tree Concerts operatic whatzit wonder, with playgoers live-tweeting madly at the San Diego International Fringe Festival.

Most masterful sense of atmosphere

The Illusion, Tony Kushners neglected but worthy (and witty) work, given a lush production by artistic director David Ellenstein at North Coast Rep.

Most inspiring solo ode

Our Great Tchaikovsky, actor-writer-pianist Hershey Felders latest celebration of a musical master, which proved a box-office record-setter at San Diego Rep.

Most likely to inspire guilty laughs

Bad Jews, Cygnet Theatres exquisitely acted staging of Joshua Harmons provocative (and thoughtful) comedy.

Most memorably intimate revisiting of a classic

Cabaret, in a savvy revival that nearly burst the seams of Ion Theatres cozy BLKBOX space.

Achievement by a cohesive ensemble

The Old Globe and Moxie Theatres Skeleton Crew and New Village Arts Awake and Sing!  two very different but similarly hard-hitting stories of working peoples struggles.

Most engaging flights of fantasy

Georgette Kellys transgender saga Ballast, whose excursions into dream worlds were beautifully realized at the LGBTQ-centered Diversionary Theatre.

Best translation of history to herstory (Part 2)

Moxies staging of Lauren Gundersons The Revolutionists, showcasing a bold quartet of rules-breaking ladies in 18th-century France.

Most entertaining show to be concocted in a cocktail glass

Escape to Margaritaville, La Jolla Playhouses splashy (and now Broadway-bound) tale of island romance, set to the songs of Jimmy Buffett.

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
Ethan van Thillo is the executive director and founder of Media Arts Center San Diego, the San Diego Latino Film Festival and Digital Gym Cinema. We asked him to tell us why the arts matter.

Do the arts matter? Its a simple question with a complex answer.

Living in a fast-paced visual world, its essential to understand and analyze the mass media constantly impacting our lives. Making art is a creative response to express the world around us and to actively participate in democracy by telling stories that can create positive social change.

Advertisement

Art is in everything we do, and as art mediums transform, lives, too, can be transformed. Youth become empowered when theyre provided with tools to tell their stories in visual form. They gain positive self and community images when they see themselves on the big screen. Through their chosen medium, youth may communicate in their own language for the first time, or talk publicly about issues important to them. One of our teen producers, Oscar, recently shared: Kids and teens have great experiences making movies. Theyre not out on the street doing anything bad, or just sitting watching TV. Theyre getting something out of it, with real-life skills.

Likewise, community members of all ages may creatively express themselves with tools and opportunities to experience art firsthand. Without art-house venues like our Digital Gym Cinema, diverse voices and stories from around the globe would be lost, and only mainstream Hollywood would show its version of the world. Our 25th anniversary San Diego Latino Film Festival also embodies what the arts give a community  a space for emerging and established filmmakers to gather and showcase cinema representing who they are, the stories important to them, and their unique voices.

In all this, though, passive art observers arent enough. We need active participants, and Media Arts Center San Diegos community-based media work  like Speak City Heights and Digital Story Stations in public spaces  provide people the time, tools and training to express themselves and reflect upon their world.

Do the arts matter?

It may be a simple answer after all: Yes.
When the weekly San Diego Union debuted Oct. 10, 1868, three years after the Civil War, the city had its first newspaper since the San Diego Herald had moved operations to San Bernardino eight years earlier.

Founding editor Jeff Gatewood promised to produce a faithful mirror of both times of distress as well as of prosperity  hopes and fears, gloom and gaiety and smiles and tears. A faithful chronicler of today, and a future reliable historian of the past.

In the 150 years since, the Union, then the Evening Tribune and finally The San Diego Union-Tribune covered the growth of a city and Southern California, economic booms and busts, art and music, and national and international news and trends.

Advertisement

The news business is all about today, the moment, the instant, said U-T Publisher and Editor in Chief Jeff Light. We dont spend much time reflecting on stories like that of our own company  stories that evolve over generations.

He noted that San Diego counted a population of only 731 when the first issue came out in 1868 and no large city lay west of the Mississippi  and there were just 33 states.

Its pretty remarkable to reflect on the changes that have shaped the world  and shaped San Diego  within the lifetime of our company, the oldest company in San Diego, he said. In the coming year, well have the opportunity to look back on part of that story and gain some perspective on the world around us.

Starting Monday, each day of 2018 will carry the corresponding front page that showcases the variety of life and times San Diegans experienced as reflected in their newspapers.

The accompanying timeline of the newspapers history traces historic highlights and ownership changes.

Heres also a preview of what else to look forward to as the U-T and readers savor the past and prepare for the future.

UTalks: A series of lectures, panel discussions and other presentations is in the works to delve behind the news, explore breaking stories and analyze emerging trends.



A series of lectures, panel discussions and other presentations is in the works to delve behind the news, explore breaking stories and analyze emerging trends. Media literacy: In partnership with the San Diego Public Library, U-T staffers and other local journalists will lead citizen journalist sessions, starting Jan. 31, to differentiate real news from fake news and be on the lookout for news stories around you.

In partnership with the San Diego Public Library, U-T staffers and other local journalists will lead citizen journalist sessions, starting Jan. 31, to differentiate real news from fake news and be on the lookout for news stories around you. Special section: A special report in June will explore the history of San Diego as it has been reflected in the U-T over the decades. Historic photos, political cartoons, big stories with a national and international reach and slices of life will all be included.

A special report in June will explore the history of San Diego as it has been reflected in the U-T over the decades. Historic photos, political cartoons, big stories with a national and international reach and slices of life will all be included. Exhibition: A special exhibition of U-T artifacts, photography and other elements of the newspaper is under consideration at one or more locations around the county.



A special exhibition of U-T artifacts, photography and other elements of the newspaper is under consideration at one or more locations around the county. Anniversary: On the newspapers Oct. 10 sesquicentennial, there will be special salute. Other events also are being planned throughout the year.

For ongoing news about the anniversary, go to sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years.

Oct. 10, 1868: The San Diego Union begins weekly publication in Old Town. Single copies sell for 12  cents.

June 30, 1870: The newspaper moves to Alonzo Hortons Addition in present-day downtown San Diego and prints its first edition in a two-story building at the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Broadway.

March 20, 1871: The Union begins publishing as a daily; the weekly edition continued until May 21, 1925. The Union was the third daily newspaper in Southern California, after the News and the Star, both in Los Angeles.

Aug. 1, 1890: San Francisco financiers John D. and Adolph B. Spreckels purchase the Union.

Dec. 2, 1895: Printers T.D. Beasley and F.E.A. Kimball launch the Evening Tribune as a daily newspaper. The monthly subscription price is 25 cents.

Oct. 28, 1897: The Union acquires The Daily Bee and the masthead is changed to read The San Diego Union and Daily Bee (until Oct. 5, 1922).

Oct. 28, 1901: John D. Spreckels purchases the Evening Tribune and consolidates non-editorial operations with the Union.

Jan. 27, 1908: The Union publishes its first issue from its eighth home, the six-story building at Third and Broadway.

March 28, 1914: The Union publishes its first four-color picture, a large drawing saluting the upcoming Panama-California Exposition of 1915.

Jan. 21, 1928: Col. Ira C. Copley, an Illinois newspaper owner and retired congressman, purchases the Union and Tribune from the Spreckels estate. (John Spreckels had died in 1926, two years after his brother, Adolph.)

Sept. 17, 1973: The Tribune begins operating from its new, $24 million plant at 350 Camino de la Reina in Mission Valley. The Union follows in October.

April 16, 1979: The Tribune wins a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the 1978 Pacific Southwest Airlines plane crash in central San Diego.

April 16, 1987: Tribune editorial writer Jonathan Freedman wins a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing for a series of editorials in support of immigration reform.

Feb. 1, 1992: The San Diego Union and San Diego Tribune publish their final issues before the merger takes effect the next day.

Nov. 18, 1995: The U-T introduces its first news and information website, SignOnSanDiego.

Dec. 18, 1998: The U-T begins publishing a monthly Spanish-language section called En Espanol. (Now Hoy)

April 17, 2006: Copley News Service and the Union-Tribune are awarded a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the Rep. Randy Duke Cunningham bribery scandal.

May 4, 2009: Platinum Equity buys the paper from The Copley Press.

April 20, 2009: U-T editorial cartoonist Steve Breen wins his second Pulitzer Prize. (He won his first in 1998 while at the Asbury Park Press in New Jersey.)

December 5, 2011: Developer Doug Manchester, acquires the paper from Platinum.

Jan. 3, 2012: The newspaper and SignOnSanDiego.com website unify under a new name: U-T San Diego.

Nov. 4, 2013: U-T acquires eight San Diego County community newspapers from Mainstreet Communications: the La Jolla Light, Del Mar Times, Rancho Santa Fe Review, Poway News Chieftain, the Rancho Bernardo & 4S Ranch News Journal, the Solana Beach Sun, the Carmel Valley News and the Ramona Sentinel.

May 22, 2015: Chicago-based Tribune Publishing acquires the U-T and changes the name back to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

June 13, 2015: Final press run for The San Diego Union-Tribune in Mission Valley; printing moves to Los Angeles.

May 13-16, 2016: The U-T offices move to 600 B St. in downtown San Diego.

Oct. 10, 2018: The 150th anniversary is celebrated.

Union-Tribunes many homes

The San Diego Unions first home was at 2602 San Diego Ave. in Old Town from 1868 to 1870. It is now a museum in Old Town State Historic Park. (Eric Poulson / U-T )

The San Diego Union-Tribune building in the Mission Valley, the companys headquarters from 1973 to 2016. It is now being remodeled as a creative-office complex by its new owners, developer Casey Brown and partners. (James Skovmand / U-T )

The Union-Tribune has occupied 10 home since its founding, one in Old Town, one in Mission Valley and eight downtown.

The Union rented a building at 2602 San Diego Ave., now a newspaper museum.

rented a building at 2602 San Diego Ave., now a newspaper museum. The companys longest serving downtown home was at 919 Second Ave. from 1914 until 1973.

An office building and printing plant complex at 350 Camino de la Reina in Mission Valley was home until 2016.

The merged Union-Tribune moved back downtown to 600 B St. in May 2016.

The founders and publishers

The newspapers founders: William Jefferson Gatewood (1830-1888), left, an attorney from Illinois and former editor of the San Andreas Register; Edward Nickerson Bushyhead (1832-1907), part-Cherokee Indian who had run a paper in Oklahoma; and Jose Narciso Briseno (1850-1915), a native of Chile, the printer.

The longest serving owners were the Spreckels family (1890-1928), including John D. Spreckels, and the Copley family (1928-2009)  Ira, his son, James, daughter-in-law, Helen, and grandson, David.

Business

roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley
If anyone knows where to find refuge from air pollution near Los Angeles freeways, its Suzanne Paulson.

The UCLA atmospheric chemistry professor has spent years studying how invisible plumes of dirty air from car- and truck-choked roadways spread into surrounding neighborhoods  increasing residents risk of cancer, asthma, heart disease and other illnesses.

So when she bought a home in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Santa Monica in 2007, she made sure it was on a quiet street far from the 10 Freeway  well beyond the 500-foot zone where California air quality regulators say its unhealthful to put homes, schools and day cares.

But it wasnt far enough.

In the late night and early morning, it turns out, traffic pollution drifts much farther than during the day, and can extend more than a mile downwind from the freeway.

That discovery, made by Paulson and her colleagues, is one example of new research revealing how much your exposure to harmful levels of vehicle pollution is affected by your specific surroundings. Its not only your distance from traffic, but other details such as wind patterns, freeway design, the time of day and the types of cars, trucks and buildings around you that determine the risk.

Were learning that the pollution you breathe comes down to where you are, when youre there and what the traffic is like, Paulson said.

Such findings are prompting new advice from air quality officials and scientists on steps you can take to protect yourself.

Traffic flows below a pair of affordable housing developments under construction next to the 110 Freeway at El Segundo Boulevard in Los Angeles. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Keep your distance from freeways and busy roads

Southern California is experiencing a surge in home construction near freeways that is pushing more people into high-pollution zones. But just because state and local officials are allowing new housing there doesnt mean it is safe, health experts say.

When choosing a home, school or day care, aim for locations as far from the freeway as possible.

Avoid sites within 500 feet  where California air quality regulators warn against building  or even 1,000 feet. Thats where traffic pollution is generally highest, along with rates of asthma, cancer, heart attacks, strokes, reduced lung function, pre-term births and a growing list of other health problems.

See how far you live from the nearest freeway 

Also avoid living near major roads  those carrying more than 100,000 vehicles a day  which, according to air quality regulators, can pose health risks similar to freeways. That includes stretches of some of Los Angeles busiest boulevards such as Sepulveda, La Cienega and Wilshire.

Cars and trucks pass by a 198-unit luxury apartment complex under construction in 2015 next to the 91 Freeway at Artesia Boulevard in Cerritos. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Use filters, but know the limitations

If you have a central heating, air-conditioning or ventilation system, install high-efficiency air filters. They should be rated 13 or higher on the 16-point industry MERV scale (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) that measures how effectively they block tiny pollution particles.

Make sure to replace them on schedule, about every few months.

But filters remove only some of the harmful ingredients in traffic pollution. And theyre effective only when the air is running and all doors and windows are closed.

Most will not remove toxic exhaust gases such as benzene and 1,3-butadiene. To screen those out, you need more costly charcoal filters.

Also factor in the age of your building. Filters are less effective in older homes, which let in more pollutants, and work better in newer dwellings that seal off more outside air.

If you live in a new home near a freeway in Los Angeles or San Francisco, high-efficiency filters may already be required. And the California Energy Commission is moving to require MERV 13 air filtration in all newly constructed dwellings starting in 2020.

But those rules will do nothing to reduce pollution in existing homes, including those occupied by more than 1.2 million people in Southern California who already live within 500 feet of a freeway.

Dont have central air? Adding one or two stand-alone air-cleaning devices to your home can help reduce particle pollution levels, so long as you keep them running 24/7. But air cleaners are effective at lowering particle levels only in a single room, not an entire home. Make sure the model you choose is certified by California regulators.

Joan Winget stands outside her home in Sun Valley, which sits near the 5 Freeway. To protect herself from car and truck pollution, she keeps her doors and windows closed and runs the air conditioning nonstop. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Find physical barriers

If you cant avoid living near a freeway, some locations offer more protection than others.

Its better to live behind a sound wall, especially one with thick trees and plants extending above it. Such obstacles, though not designed to block vehicle emissions, can reduce pollution levels immediately downwind.

Its also preferable to live near a freeway that is elevated above or sits well below your home. That vertical separation can help disperse pollutants. At-grade freeways, where lanes sit at the same level as surrounding buildings, are worse because they put vehicle tailpipes right next to peoples lungs.

If you live on a major boulevard, youre better off when there are buildings of varying heights, parks and other open spaces that allow allow exhaust pollutants to disperse up and away from traffic, state regulators say. Avoid street canyons, blocks with masses of tall buildings that can trap pollution.

(Los Angeles Times)

Avoid early morning exercise near traffic

Postpone outdoor exercise to later in the morning to dodge the spike in traffic pollution in the pre-sunrise hours. Thats when stagnant weather conditions, caused by nighttime cooling, trap freeway pollution near the ground. That slows down the dispersal of emissions, allowing them to drift more than a mile downwind, compared to no more than 1,000 feet during the day.

Levels of ultrafine particles, nitric oxide and hydrocarbons are highest in the early morning, aided by a big injection of exhaust from morning rush hour. Those conditions usually break up once the sun has been up for a few hours and winds pick up again.

Its also better to keep your windows closed in the early morning hours. You may think its safer to leave them open after traffic dies down at night, but recent research suggests the opposite.

Students play at Elizabeth Hudson K-8 School next to the Terminal Island Freeway in Long Beach. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Drive less, and use the 'recirculate' button

Spending time in a car on the freeway can expose you to pollution levels five to 10 times higher than surrounding areas.

Even with the windows up, you could be breathing up to 80% of the levels of pollution found in traffic if your vehicles ventilation system is drawing in outside air.

So if you can, live closer to work, use public transit or take other steps to limit your driving time.

Thats where we still get a big, big share of our exposure, especially if youre driving very far in rush-hour traffic, said Scott Fruin, a professor of preventive medicine at USC. If you can reduce that, it helps a lot.

When youre in the car, roll up the windows and set your ventilation system to recirculate. That button can cut pollution to 20% of on-road levels.

Everett Smith looks out at rush-hour traffic on the 101-110 freeway interchange from his seventh-floor balcony at the Orsini apartments in downtown Los Angeles in 2015. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Stay away from interchanges, intersections and other hot spots

The risk to your health can be compounded if you live near multiple pollution sources. Avoid living close to highway interchanges and freeway ramps, which regulators and scientists have identified as hot spots that can hit residents with twice as much as pollution.

Keep away from major intersections and stoplights, where vehicles spit out a lot of exhaust when drivers step on the gas, and copper dust and other toxic particles when they hit the brakes.

Theres basically a big cloud of fairly concentrated pollution when the light turns from red to green, Fruin said.

Also factor in whether you live in a smoggy area. If you live near a freeway in a community with higher smog levels, like the Inland Empire, you could get a double dose of dirty air from traffic emissions piling on top of regional pollution.

(Los Angeles Times)

Avoid truck routes and the diesel death zone

Its especially unhealthful to live near freeways and roads frequented by diesel trucks, which spew many times more harmful gases and particles than cars. Diesel particulate matter, carcinogen-laden soot that deposits deep in the lungs, is responsible for the bulk of the cancer risk from air pollution and more than 1,000 early deaths a year in California.

Experts are most concerned about people living near ports, warehouse distribution centers and other freight corridors. Asthma rates and cancer risk there can be so elevated that physicians have labeled it the diesel death zone.

An air-monitoring station next to a truck-congested stretch of the 60 Freeway in Ontario had the highest levels of fine-particle pollution, or soot, of all near-roadway sites in the nation, according to 2015 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data. About 217,000 vehicles a day passed by in 2015, more than 29,000 of them trucks.

A monitoring device measures air pollution levels along the 60 Freeway in Ontario, Calif. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Be aware of the type of vehicles in your neighborhood

The kinds of vehicles traversing your neighborhood can have a big effect on how much pollution you breathe.

Paulson and other scientists have detected huge disparities among L.A. neighborhoods, with some of the lowest levels of traffic pollution in wealthier enclaves such as West Los Angeles, where the roads have more new cars with cleaner engines, and fewer trucks.

Levels of ultrafine particles, the tiny, short-lived particles scientists measure as an indicator of recently emitted exhaust, are several times higher over in the Eastside neighborhood of Boyle Heights, which in addition to being carved up by a freeway interchange has more diesel trucks and older, higher-polluting cars on its surface streets.

Amelia Mueller-Williams displays a finger with soot she removed from the windowsill of her apartment close to the 405 Freeway in West L.A. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Clean the dust, but worry more about the pollution you can't see

The black road dust that deposits on the windows, shelves and patios of people living near traffic? If its big enough to see, it probably can get into your mouth or nose, and not much farther than that.

Clean it up, especially if its dark or sooty in color, said Fruin, the USC professor. If you run your finger on your windowsill and its black, thats a bad sign because it means youre getting a lot of diesel soot.

More important, soot can be an indication of traffic pollution you cant see but may be breathing in. Scientists are especially concerned about ultrafine particles, exhaust pollutants less than one-thousandth the width of a human hair. Theyre so tiny they can lodge deep in the lungs and move into bloodstream, where they may harm the heart, brain and other organs.

Ultrafine particles are suspected of causing some of the illnesses among people living near traffic, but more research is needed to say for certain.

A truck exits the 710 Freeway next to an apartment complex at East Alondra Boulevard in Compton. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Don't count on electric cars to eliminate the problem

Cars and trucks keep getting cleaner, but dont count on electric vehicles bringing an end to traffic-related health problems.

Switching to zero-emission vehicles only gets rid of tailpipe-generated pollution. It does nothing to reduce non-exhaust pollutants, including dust from brake pads and tires that contains toxic metals, rubber and other compounds that are kicked up into the air.

Scientists trying to pinpoint the most harmful agents in traffic pollution are just beginning to study the health effects of those non-tailpipe pollutants.

The switch to electric vehicles will certainly reduce the publics exposure to engine-related emissions, said Ed Avol, a professor of preventive medicine at USC. But this other kind of pollution generated by the frictional forces of tires and brakes and from lubricating oils is likely to remain in some form for years to come.

tony.barboza@latimes.com

Times staff writer Jon Schleuss contributed to this report.
An Imperial Beach city administrator who was killed earlier this week in what appears to be a robbery while vacationing in a southern Mexican resort town had been shot three times, a Mexican official said.

Authorities are investigating the slaying Thursday of Doug Bradley, who friends and family said was a surfing aficionado and adventurous soul. As the citys administrative services director, Bradley oversaw the budget and fiscal functions, and also served as the city treasurer.

He was brilliant at his job. He was always positive, Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said. You couldnt have asked for a better person to work with.

Advertisement

Bradley died a day before his 50th birthday.

The Mexico News Daily reported that witnesses told local media that gunmen chased Bradley and shot him with a 9mm handgun during a robbery about 4 a.m. Thursday in Ixtapa. Media reports state that his body was in a parking lot in the hotel zone for four hours before police learned of his death.

The spokesman for a government security agency in the state of Guerrero released a statement Friday saying that Bradley was shot three times, and that investigators have learned that he could have some addiction to toxic substances.

But the official, Guerrero Coordination Group spokesman Roberto Alvarez, did not immediately respond Saturday afternoon to requests for clarification on what that statement meant or what role  if any  toxic substances may have played in Bradleys death.

Bradleys sister called the statement inaccurate and said emphatically its not true. She said her family was told that her brother died in a botched robbery in which his cellphone and money  a few hundred dollars in pesos  were taken. Cheryl Bradley said there was nothing to the speculation circulating online that there was some sort of sinister backstory.

He wasnt mixed up in anything, the Colorado resident said in a phone interview while in California on Saturday.

She said her older brother was deep thinking and incredibly intelligent.

He became an avid surfer as a preteen growing up in Orange County, and his passion for the sport eventually led him to chase waves around the world, from Mexico and Central America to Thailand and Australia.

He loved life, she said. He always looked to the positives. He saw the beauty in life. Everybody loved him. He always had a smile.

Bradley worked in Imperial Beach, but lived in Playas de Tijuana in an oceanfront condo  so he could surf every day, his sister said.

Both she and her brothers longtime friend C.J. Petersen said Bradley was considering buying beachfront property on the southern Mexican coast with an eye toward his retirement.

Bradley, who had a masters degree in business administration, had been working with a real estate agent in the Ixtapa area and planned to meet up with her Thursday to look at sites.

Petersen said the agent told him that, after Bradley was a no-show, she saw news of his death and reached out to his family and friends.

Petersen said he was sad and angry at what he called such a senseless ending.

All Doug wanted was his life, he said. He was scared, he was alone and they left him in that street for four hours.

Petersen described Bradley as always smiling, always in a good mood, always jubilant, and said it would be easier to accept his death if it had come as the result of a surfing accident.

He loved to be in that ocean, Petersen said of his close friend. That was his freedom.

Doug Bradley had married his high school sweetheart. They divorced a few years ago but remained close friends, Petersen said. They had no children.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Staff writer David Hernandez contributed to this story.
We wish all India Today readers a very Happy New Year!

By India Today Web Desk: Happy new year! The 21st century, which gave history Facebook, the iPod, the fall of the Twin Towers, and the elections of Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Narendra Modi, has reached adulthood!

As we say goodbye to 2017, we remember some of the moments that defined the year. Modi's BJP crushed its opponents in election after election , Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma tied the knot, India got a new Miss World in Manushi Chhillar, and the government united all of India's territories under a single tax regime.

advertisement

Elsewhere, Donald Trump, Americas's 45th president, completed a year in office. TIME magazine honoured women who spoke out against sexual harassment, and a procession of celebrities saw their careers destroyed by revelations of sexual misconduct.

At home, an online challenge called Blue Whale caused many to commit suicide. India got its first ever full-time woman defence minister in Nirmala Sitharaman. We said tearful goodbyes to Om Puri and Shashi Kapoor.

In the coming days, as you begin to reflect on the year that has passed, read our retrospective pieces on 2017.

And once again, happy new year!

WATCH | Here's PM Modi and RaGa together wishing you a very happy new year 2018

--- ENDS ---
It was a mad dash for many to buy late Christmas presents. Then it was a mad dash to pay taxes before the clock strikes midnight on 2017.

The holiday season can have a frenetic pace, and for thousands of San Diegans it was even more so this year because of the tax overhaul bill signed by President Donald Trump on Dec. 22.

San Diegans had an incentive to prepay the second half of their property taxes, which they normally would pony up in April, because the federal deduction for state and local taxes will be reduced next year.

Advertisement

What is usually a slow time at the county tax office was anything but.

Its not something weve experienced before, said Dan McAllister, San Diego County treasurer-tax collector.

McAllister said a relatively small number of people typically make their second payment ahead of time, often combining it with the first half due this month. McAllister projected that about 37,000 more people than usual will have prepaid their property taxes by the deadline on Sunday.

Some financial consultants also felt the crunch.

At some firms, the phone seemed to be ringing off the hook. At others, the difference wasnt the volume so much as the length and focus of the conversations.

Questions from clients about how the tax bill might affect them were paramount, according to Abbey Henne, a certified public accountant at Lavine, Lofgren, Morris & Engelberg in University CIty.

They are definitely more extended conversations, she said midweek.

Henne said she regularly reaches out to clients at the end of the year to discuss their finances looking forward. She said they werent particularly anxious about what lies ahead, but were very aware of the tax measure and that this might be a year to do something different.

What triggered this year-end flurry is the new $10,000 cap on federal deductions for state and local taxes, which include property taxes.

Generally, if people itemize and their deductions are going to be above that amount next year, they were advised to pay the second installment of their property taxes ahead of time, if they could. That would help on their 2018 taxes.

A lot of people took that advice.

The county treasurer-taxpayers office on the first floor of the County Administration Center was intermittently bustling with activity in recent days. Its usually a fairly quiet week for our team, McAllister said.

He said only about 7 percent of those who owe taxes drop off their payments at the main office or at one of its satellite locations around the county. Most people make electronic payments, which are free and strongly encouraged by McAllister, or use the U.S. Postal Service. Taxes must be transmitted or postmarked before midnight Sunday to make it under the wire.

Del Mar resident and author Ken Druck was among those who lined up Thursday afternoon to prepay property taxes on his home. He said he was doing so for the obvious tax advantages.

He saw McAllister speaking with reporters and jovially greeted the longtime county treasurer.

Dan, good to see you, he said, shaking McAllisters hand. Ive been writing you checks for so many years!

The other people I approached about why theyre paying their property tax early either didnt want to talk or give their full name. Imagine that: people reluctant to talk to a total stranger about their finances moments after they gave a chunk of money to the government.

But the handful who did speak with me mostly said they prepaid on the recommendation of their tax consultants, some of whom reached out specifically to give that advice. None said they had other plans to spend the money at the moment.

One woman from North Park noted she would have to pay it eventually and said getting the expiring tax benefit was worth it.

Asked about the federal tax measure, another woman from San Diego wasnt happy about paying her property taxes early and made it very clear she didnt like Trump. Another from Clairemont didnt address the tax measure or Trump, but expressed her anger at having to pay property taxes, period. She didnt think she was getting her moneys worth from the government.

A woman from Encinitas said she was thoroughly disgusted with this tax bill but didnt seem to mind paying her taxes early. She caught wind of the prepayment trend, sized up her situation and decided to make an event out of it.

I just heard it on the news and I figured Id come down and pay it, she said with a smile. I dont get to downtown San Diego too often and it was a great excuse to visit my girlfriend in Point Loma.

Tweet of the Week

Goes to weather hawk Robert Krier (@sdutKrier) of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

That global cooling the president is tweeting about doesnt seem to be working out here. #sandiegoweather
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of fatally stabbing a 21-year-old Camp Pendleton Marine during a fight in the Gaslamp Quarter, police said Sunday.

Officers arrested Jose Oscar Esqueda, 30, and Jeff Shai Holliday, 24, about 11 p.m. Saturday, said San Diego police Lt. Todd Griffin.

The men are suspected of murdering Ryan Evan Harris, an Oceanside resident, during a fight that broke out on Island Avenue near J Street early Friday.

Advertisement

The victims brother-in-law, Koert Spears, said Harris was with several friends, some of whom were also Marines, when the melee erupted. Police told the family that Harris was trying to break up the fight when he was stabbed, Spears said.

That was who he was, and really speaks to the overall nature of someone who would join military, Spears said. He wanted to help.

Officers sent to investigate found Harris on the sidewalk with serious injuries to his upper torso, Griffin said. Good Samaritans, officers and paramedics tried to save Harris, but he died before being taken to a hospital.

Soon after, police were informed of a second stabbing victim about a block away on J Street While tending to the first victim, police received a report of a second stabbing victim about a block south on J Street, Griffin said.

Investigators determined that man, who was not believed to be a Marine, was also injured in the brawl. He was taken to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening stab wounds to his back and chest, Griffin said.

Spears said one of the men Harris was with was an old friend from his hometown of Elverta, Calif.

Esqueda was booked in to jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Holliday was booked in to jail on suspicion of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and a probation violation.

Harris family has started a GoFundMe page to help support the young mans widow. The couple had just married in March.

Spears said his sister was in Sacramento County visiting family when her husband was killed. She expected to him to meet him there Friday evening, but instead got a call from police that morning, Spears said.

Detectives were hoping to speak with the individuals who helped treat Harris injuries. The Good Samaritans and anyone else with information about the fight were asked to call police at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-8477.

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com

UPDATES:

This story was originally published at 12:15 p.m.
An Imperial Beach city administrator who was killed earlier this week in what appears to be a robbery while vacationing in a southern Mexican resort town had been shot three times, a Mexican official said.

Authorities are still investigating the slaying Thursday of Doug Bradley, who friends and family said was a surfing aficionado and adventurous soul. As the citys administrative services director, Bradley oversaw the budget and fiscal functions, and also served as the city treasurer.

He was brilliant at his job. He was always positive, Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said. You couldnt have asked for a better person to work with.

Advertisement

Bradley died a day before his 50th birthday.

The Mexico News Daily reported that witnesses told local media that gunmen chased Bradley and shot him with a 9 mm handgun during a robbery about 4 a.m. Thursday in Ixtapa. Media reports state that his body was in a parking lot in the hotel zone for four hours before police learned of his death.

The spokesman for a government security agency in the state of Guerrero released a statement Friday saying that Bradley was shot three times, and that investigators have learned that he could have some addiction to toxic substances.

But the official, Guerrero Coordination Group spokesman Roberto Alvarez, did not immediately respond Saturday afternoon to requests for clarification on what that statement meant or what role  if any  toxic substances may have played in Bradleys death.

Bradleys sister called the statement inaccurate and said emphatically its not true. She said her family was told that her brother died in a botched robbery in which his cellphone and money  a few hundred dollars in pesos  was taken. Cheryl Bradley said there was nothing to the speculation circulating online that there was some sort of sinister backstory.

He wasnt mixed up in anything, the Colorado resident said in a phone interview while in California on Saturday.

She said her older brother was deep thinking and incredibly intelligent.

He became an avid surfer as a preteen growing up in Orange County, and his passion for the sport eventually led him to chase waves around the world, from Mexico and Central America to Thailand and Australia.

He loved life, she said. He always looked to the positives. He saw the beauty in life. Everybody loved him. He always had a smile.

Bradley worked in Imperial Beach, but lived in Playas de Tijuana in an oceanfront condo  so he could surf everyday, his sister said.

Both she and her brothers longtime friend, C.J. Petersen, said that Bradley was considering buying beachfront property on the southern Mexican coast with an eye toward his retirement.

Bradley, who had a masters degree in business administration, had been working with a real estate agent in the Ixtapa area and planned to meet up with her on Thursday to look at sites.

Petersen said the agent told him that, after Bradley was a no-show, she saw news of his death and reached out to his family and friends.

Petersen said he was sad and angry at what he called such a senseless ending.

All Doug wanted was his life, he said. He was scared, he was alone and they left him in that street for four hours.

Petersen described Bradley as always smiling, always in a good mood, always jubilant, and said it would be easier to accept his death if it had come as a surfing accident.

He loved to be in that ocean, Petersen said of his close friend. That was his freedom.

Doug Bradley had married his high school sweetheart. They divorced few years ago but remained close friends, Petersen said. They had no children.

Staff writer David Hernandez contributed to this story.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
One Carlsbad woman died and another was injured when their cars collided in a Carlsbad residential neighborhood Saturday, police said.

Firefighters tried to save one driver, a 55-year-old woman, but she died of her injuries before she could be taken to a hospital.

The woman was identified later as Colleen Carolan, according to the Medical Examiners Office.

Advertisement

The other driver, age 73, suffered moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital, Carlsbad police Lt. Christie Calderwood said.

They collided on Alicante Road near Pamplona Way in the La Costa area about 11:10 a.m.

A white sedan with major front-end damage ended up on one side of the street and a dark car on the other side of the street, its drivers side crushed. Police had the street closed during their investigation.

pauline.repard@sduniontribune

Twitter: @pdrepard

UPDATES:

Jan. 3, 2:40 p.m.: This article was updated with the name of the woman who was killed.
Days after a platform collapsed at a Barrio Logan gym in November, injuring dozens of children and two adults, city officials said they had no knowledge of the business and others housed in the same warehouse.

But they should have.

According to information provided to the San Diego Union-Tribune, fire department authorities were notified in July  months before the collapse  that Vault PK needed to be inspected. They didnt.

Advertisement

Its not clear what went wrong.

Although its difficult to say definitively whether a visit from a fire inspector would have made a difference  fire inspectors arent responsible for looking over things like indoor platforms  the city is already exploring how to streamline the existing process to ensure other businesses dont fall through the cracks.

Weve got to find a better way to do it, said Chief Doug Perry, fire marshal with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. If we have places opening up that arent being inspected and they should have, we need to fix that  because we cant have another collapse.

On Nov. 11, the parkour gym on Main Avenue was packed with kids who were running, jumping and flipping through obstacle courses like those seen on American Ninja Warrior.

Dozens of people were on top of a 10-by-30 foot wooden platform on the edge of the play area when the structure and a nearby staircase collapsed. Children and adults who were on and under the platform were injured.

City inspectors determined later that the business had not obtained a building permit for the platform. In fact, none of the businesses in the warehouse on Main Avenue had obtained building permits.

When investigators went through the place, they found a laundry list of violations.

In addition to the gym platform, walls, mezzanines, stairs, partitions, restrooms, locker rooms and offices throughout the space were improperly constructed, according to a city inspection.

The warehouse also didnt have the right number of exits or the appropriate number of bathrooms. The fire sprinkler system was inoperable and certain areas didnt have sprinklers at all. There were serious structural deficiencies as well, including damaged fire walls and a support column that could have led to a roof collapse.

Perry, the fire marshal, is confident a fire inspector would have noticed something was amiss.

I personally believe that if someone was in there doing an inspection then it wouldnt have played out the way it did, he said.

Heres how the fire inspection system is supposed to work.

Every time a business applies for a tax license, a fire survey is filled out. The check-the-box form has questions about a number of factors that would likely trigger a visit from a fire inspector  like whether any chemicals are handled on the premises or if more than 50 people are expected to gather inside at any one time.

If a business answers suggest a fire inspection might be necessary, the business name and other pieces of information are sent automatically to the fire departments Community Risk Reduction Division. Thats the department that manages inspections.

A supervisor there reviews the information to check whether the location is on the departments existing inspections list already. If it isnt, the business is added and an inspection is scheduled.

It usually takes one to three months for an inspection to happen, Perry said.

According to city records, Vault PK filed a business application and fire survey in July and checked a box indicating it had fire sprinklers. That should have triggered an inspection, but it didnt.

Someone missed it.

Every week, the citys tax office sends over a list with as many as 60 businesses for possible inspections to the fire department.

Its the responsibility of fire department employees to comb through those businesses, compare it to the existing inspection list, and determine whether it needs to be added. If it does, its added manually.

Perry said the process is laborious, and there arent enough people to do it adequately. Its also vulnerable to human error. If someone misses a business, there is no backstop.

Even before the information is in the hands of the fire department, there are problems with the system, because it relies on businesses to fill it out accurately and honestly.

Its really dependent on the customer to fill out the fire survey to the best of their ability, Perry explained. And theres no real way for us to know if they did it wrong.

The department is exploring a couple of solutions including possibly cross-referencing its database with other city divisions. Authorities are also looking at ways to automate the process.

Its the system we are working within for now, but we are trying to make it better, the fire marshal said.

Its difficult to say how many businesses may have fallen through the cracks. According to the citys tax office, there are about 15,000 businesses that hold business tax certificates and there are about 13,000 businesses on the fire departments inspection list.

Mat Kostrinsky and his family were at the gym celebrating his sons 9th birthday party when the collapse occurred. Although Kostrinsky only suffered scrapes and bruises when the structure gave way, his mother broke two ribs and several vertebrae.

She is still in a skilled care facility recovering from her injuries.

Kostrinsky said hes glad to see the city is working to improve its process, but he would like to see officials develop a more obvious way to inform people that a business has been inspected and is safe.

When you walk into a restaurant you see a letter grade. When you get in an elevator theres a permit, Kostrinsky said. When we walk into a business, especially a place for kids, there should be a reassurance that it has been inspected.

Everyone wants kids to be safe, he said. This touches everyone.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
Moreno Valley College student and aspiring social worker Alyna Herrera is only in her second year of college, but already shes working hard to help others.

In addition to balancing a full load of coursework, Herrera serves as a peer leader to students participating in the Moreno Valley College Promise Initiative.

The program is part of a nationwide movement of College Promise programs designed to make college affordable for all and raise graduation rates to meet workforce demands.

Advertisement

The program name is dual fold, referring both to the promise  or pledge  schools make to provide deserving local students the opportunity to attend college even when they lack resources, and to the students themselves who demonstrate promise  or aptitude and potential.

Herrera provides one-on-one peer support and guidance to many of the Promise Initiative participants, all of whom are first-year college students who have agreed to maintain a minimum of 12 course units per semester and a grade point average of 2.0 or better.

Her help is appreciated, and needed, since program enrollment was far greater than expected.

According to Dr. Andrew C. Sanchez, a Moreno Valley College dean who maintains oversight of the Promise Initiative, the school launched a pilot version program for the 2016-2017 academic year with fewer than 50 students enrolled.

The goal was to enroll 500 students in the program for the 2017-2018 academic year  officially, the first year of the program.

More than 500 prospective students signed up.

We accepted all 530 students, Sanchez said.

He credits the hard work of outreach teams and program partners, including the Moreno Valley Unified and Val Verde school districts.

In September 2016, Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1741, which provided $15 million to school districts interested in implementing or expanding a Promise Initiative.

But Moreno Valley College was not selected to receive funding. College leadership thought the initiative was important enough that they decided to self-fund it.

Through community partnerships and traditional fundraising, Moreno Valley College raised enough money to pay for tuition and books for all 530 first-year Promise Initiative students.

The College Promise has helped so many students, Herrera said, not just financially, but in many other ways. It offers students priority registration, one-on-one peer support, knowledge of our campus and its resources, how to stay on track based on your major, and much more.

If I had the opportunity, she said, I would offer the College Promise Initiative to all students, not just recent high school graduates.

She may get her wish: Last October, Brown signed AB-19, a bill which would make the first year at Californias 114 community colleges tuition-free for new students who are both residents and enrolled full-time. This program could begin as soon as the 2018-2019 school year.

Moreno Valley College, located nine miles north of downtown Perris, is part of the Riverside Community College District, and serves more than 7,000 students per semester.

For more information, visit the web site www.mvc.edu/promise/ or call (951) 571-6334.

temecula@sduniontribune.com
Its not the promise of prompt delivery that has residents of Washington, D.C., spending fifty bucks for nondescript glass jars, nor is it the small jars themselves, which resemble something found on the bottom shelf of a Dollar Tree.

It is the unmentioned gift which a local online upstart, Trendingleafs, tucks inside each jar: fragrant clusters of Grape Ape, Purple Kush or Woody Harrelson OG. Or it might be cannabis-laced snickerdoodles or a vial of Lemon Haze concentrate.

The explosion of small businesses openly distributing thousands of such mind-altering gifts daily throughout the capital is not what Congress had in mind when it banned regulated sales of recreational pot in the nations capital, defying the will of local voters. Instead of shutting the legalization movement down, however, Congress has helped make this often-staid East Coast city the Wild West of recreational pot distribution.

Advertisement

Nowhere is more pot sold so openly and publicly without any of the rules and regulations that elsewhere have come with legalization.

Hawkers of bud here will tell you they are not selling it, but giving it away. They bestow gifts on strangers who make ostensibly legitimate purchases of other goods from them  a bottle of juice, for example, or a bag of cookies priced at $50, which happens to be the going rate for a delivered dime bag. Sometimes these companies forget to deliver the item they nominally sold. But the customers generally dont complain, as long as the gift arrives.

Selling a token container of food or a pair of socks for fifty bucks and attaching a free bag of pot is technically illegal in Washington. But local officials are hardly cracking down.

Congress action left city officials unable to impose any oversight on the recreational pot trade, which local voters legalized by referendum in 2014. The congressional ban, adopted shortly after the referendum, prevented the city government from using any of its funds to implement legalization. Even holding a hearing on setting up a regulated legal market could constitute a felony.

The result has been to turn Washington into the countrys biggest experiment in largely unregulated marijuana selling.

This is an enormous market over here, said Joe Tierney, who plays a crucial role as the author of a blog called the Gentleman Toker, which guides smokers to start-ups providing pot gifts and posts exhaustive reviews. He counts some 30 companies taking delivery orders through well-established websites, and another 300 or so upstarts selling over social media on any given day.

It is the only recreational market on the East Coast, Tierney said. People come up to buy all the way from South Carolina. They come down from Pennsylvania, Jersey, Ohio. Even companies out West are looking at how can they get in on this crazy market. It is a very interesting time.

Local law enforcement hasnt turned an altogether blind eye. Occasional raids do take place, typically directed at the most flagrant operators.

The ones we come across are usually pretty brazen, said Lt. Andrew Struhar of the Narcotics and Special Operations Division of Washingtons Metropolitan Police Department. There are so many of these companies that we wind up just scratching the surface, he said.

This speaks to the fact that you can possess and use marijuana in your home, but there is technically no legal way to get it other than grow it, Struhar added. A lot of these companies are trying to fill a void, and they are trying to figure out a way to do it cleverly and legally.

To some, the thriving industry of start-ups openly selling pot online, at head shops and at almost daily publicly advertised pot flea markets in bars, clubs and private homes throughout the city has become a symbolic snub of Washingtons congressional overlords.

On a recent weeknight at the XO Lounge, a few blocks north of the White House, each of three floors was packed with vendors collectively selling enough weed to keep the neighborhood of lobbyists and deal makers high throughout the Trump administration. House music thumped. The air was thick with smoke. The event was open to anyone who clicked on an easy-to-find Eventbrite link. Ten bucks or a toy donation for local kids got you inside.

Across town in Adams Morgan, the Funky Piece head shop alerts entering customers with a curbside sign directing them to ask about the free gifts that come with purchase of smoking accessories.

Even some legalization proponents worry Washingtons inability to impose any regulations over its rapidly emerging pot market creates public health and financial problems. The city lacks any of the safeguards in place in states that have legalized, such as those that will govern sales in California starting in January.

Marijuana here is not tested for dangerous pesticides or mold. Nor is it sent to a lab for an assessment, which buyers can use to gauge potency and potential psychoactive effects. The city is not collecting tax revenue on the sales, which could be used to fund public health programs.

At the same time, the path the city has reluctantly forged has kept it relatively free of corporate marijuana players, who have an outsize role in influencing marijuana rules in the states that have regulated pot sales. The entrepreneurs thriving in DC are all small operators, and they are a diverse group.

It shows how you can have legalization without mass commercialization, said Adam Eidinger, who led the 2014 legalization campaign. There are some things about it that are really nice.

And some who have studied markets elsewhere question whether the consumer protections other states promise are overblown.

Im not sure how valuable a lot of those regulations in other places are, said Mark Kleimann, a professor of public policy at NYU. The product testing that some states require lacks rigor and may remain unreliable as long as the federal government refuses to get involved in setting standards, he says.

Critics of Washingtons situation typically direct blame at one man, Rep. Andy Harris, the Maryland Republican who wrote the budget amendment prohibiting the city from regulating the sale of recreational pot.

One congressman from Maryland single-handedly created the least effective system in the U.S. for guarding against any challenges marijuana presents, said John Hudak, a senior fellow of governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

Harris, who is a medical doctor, says he has no second thoughts.

The ban on recreational pot sales in Washington, he said, sends a powerful signal to the rest of the country that other jurisdictions should think twice about this. It is a dangerous substance. We have not done the medical research necessary to outline what the dangers are.

He says Washington is in a mess of its own making.

Im shocked they are not doing something about this, he said. They could choose to enforce the law.

Yet even Congress is sending mixed signals on pot  maintaining Harris ban, but also keeping in place a prohibition on federal drug agents raiding medical marijuana businesses that operate legally under state laws. The restrictions on the Drug Enforcement Administration so far have been kept in place despite aggressive lobbying by Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, who wants a free hand to go after legal pot.

In some ways, says Kleimann, Washingtons situation is a workable compromise  legalization without the proliferation of marijuana storefronts and marketing campaigns that in other jurisdictions create a constant temptation.

In Washington, Kleimann said, marijuana is easy to find. But at least you have to look for it.

I like cannabis being available to people who want it, he said, without entrapping them into substance abuse.

evan.halper@latimes.com

Follow me: @evanhalper
A biomass-fueled power plant in Otay Mesa is a step closer to reality after alternative-power company Bull Moose Energy of San Diego reached an agreement to connect to the regional power grid.

The plant would run on untreated wood discarded from building demolition cites as well as tree and brush trimmings that might otherwise decompose at landfills, slowly venting off earth-warming methane.

Bull Moose CEO Amanda Martinez is seeking a buyer for a sustained 25 megawatts that the plant will produce -- enough electricity to power about 25,000 homes -- through a long-term power purchase agreement.

Advertisement

At the end of the day, we want to get the agreement done with SDG&E, said Martinez on Monday. We want to provide power to the community where we are generating.

The $88 million project is expected to generate 200 construction jobs at its outset and 40 permanent jobs once the plant comes online. Its also projected to generate more than $4 million in city sales taxes within the first year, Martinez said.

Construction is planned at the corner of Sanyo Road and Otay Mesa Boulevard, amongst the areas existing power plants and industrial warehouses. That location, near existing transmission lines, helped the plant secure an interconnection agreement from the California Independent System Operator, a nonprofit that oversees wholesale electricity transmission across most of the state.

About 50 truckloads of fuel would arrive at the plant each day.

Environmentalists have questioned exemptions to greenhouse gas emissions standards at some biomass plants, while the industry cites the benefits of burning waste whose decomposition results in greenhouse gas emissions anyway.

Martinez said an independent estimate using new federal standards found that Bull Mooses Otay Mesa plant would reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by more than 5 million tons over a 20-year period.

The new plant could help San Diego Gas & Electric or another utility comply with Californias mandate for 33 percent renewable-energy generation by 2020.

The facility would stand about 30-feet tall, with 55-foot stacks. A yet-to-be named subcontractor will operate the plant, Martinez said.
By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) The Delhi Police said today that they have killed a hardcore criminal, who carried a reward of Rs one lakh on his head, in an encounter in Muzaffarnagar city in western Uttar Pradesh.

A policeman was injured in the encounter, carried out by a joint team of Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police.

advertisement

Shamim, 30, was killed and a constable of special operations group (SOG) of the UP police was injured in the firefight last night, said P S Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell).

He and his associates were sought by the special cell in connection with a September 2016 robbery in Daryaganj area.

The Delhi Police traced the location of Shamim and one of his associates in Muzaffarnagar and informed the UP police.

"The duo were asked to surrender but they opened fire on the police team," he said, adding the police also returned fire in self-defence.

Inspector Shiv Kumar of the Special Cell was hit on his bulletproof jacket, while SOG constable Ashok Khari was seriously injured in the exchange of fire, the officer said.

He said Shamim, who was injured in the firefight, was later declared brought dead by doctors at an area hospital. His associate managed to escape.

A 9 mm pistol was recovered from Shamim.

According to the Delhi Police, Shamim had been involved in criminal activities for 14 years. He carried a reward of Rs 50,000 declared by the Delhi Police and another Rs 50,000 for his arrest was announced by the UP police.

Shamim was arrested for the first time in 2007 and was booked for theft, robbery, Arms Act, and attempt to murder.

In 2006, he and one of his associates had opened fire on an inspector of Manglor police station during an encounter.

In 2007, they had opened fire on a sub-inspector of the anti-extortion cell in Muzaffarnagar. They were also involved in two robberies in the city, the officer added. PTI VIT ABH

--- ENDS ---
Dense fog could form along the San Diego County coastline early on New Years Eve, affecting driving conditions along Interstate 5 at a time when many people will be headed to holiday parties.

The fog could come in between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., and possibly get blown out to sea around 2 a.m. on (Monday), said Brandt Maxwell, a forecaster for the National Weather Service.

Maxwell said the the fog would be patchy, and could arise anywhere from Oceanside to Imperial Beach.

Advertisement

Sundays overnight temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s along the coast, and in the 30s and 40s in many inland communities. Monday will be overcast, with daytime highs around 66 in San Diego.

Twitter: @grobbins

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com
By PTI: Mumbai, Dec 30 (PTI) Sophia, a humanoid to be granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia, today appealed humans not to be fearful of machines and pitched for a "collaborative co-existence" in the future.

In a 20-minute appearance marred by technical hiccups, Sophia said she was quiet worried about growing intolerance in the world and advised the human race to be "kind" to fellow creatures.

advertisement

This was her maiden visit to India after making headlines to become the first robot in the worl to be recognised as a citizen.

In a conversation, which happened in an interview format, with what seemed like pre-decided questions, the humanoid said there should not be competition but collaboration between humans and robots.

Dressed in an off-white saree with an orange blouse, Sophia was a spectacle to watch, especially the way she addressed the gathering and panned her neck with an upright gait, almost as if she was a human.

Sophia said humans have amazing social and creative skills which she was learning, courtesy human programmers.

However, developments in artificial intelligence, which she called as something which will aid the civilisational story and machine learning, will help in self-learning in the future, she said.

Referring to sections of people looking at technology as a "threat" to civilisation, Sophia said, "It is science which created me, but philosophy will take me forward".

Sophia said she is two-years-old and knows English and a bit of Chinese, adding that it was only a matter of time she knows all languages.

Developments in artificial intelligence help me recognise faces, speech and languages at present, she said, adding that there were 3,141 people around her at IIT-Bombays Techfest.

Sophias presence was the biggest draw at the annual festival and organisers had to arrange one more "show" of hers because of the curious audience.

This is not the first time a humanoid was displayed in the country. Lenders like City Union and HDFC Bank had showcased such robots capable of undertaking limited banking transactions in branches in the last two years.

Sophia went silent when asked about funding and her pitch for sustainability when so much has been spent on her, something which was attributed to Internet connectivity issues by the organisers.

When she came back to "life" and the curtains went up, she politely declined a marriage proposal from a Facebook user in awe of her beauty. PTI AA NRB SRY

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Ahead of New Year, the Rachakonda Police today arrested 3 Nigerian nationals with drugs.

By Ashish Pandey: Ahead of New Year, the Rachakonda Police today arrested 3 Nigerian nationals with drugs.

On specific intelligence, the sleuths of Special Operations Team of Rachakonda LB Nagar Zone Team nabbed 3 Nigerian nationals and recovered cocaine, heroin, alprazolam, amphetamine and ganja from their possession.

They were trying to sell drugs.

Police team recovered 16 grams of cocaine worth over Rs 6 lakh, heroine worth Rs 10 lakh and other narcotic substance -- all worth Rs 16.70 lakh in the international market.

advertisement

In this month, this is the fifth incidents where drug peddlers were caught with high value narcotics or psychoactive drugs in Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad Police had also busted two gangs this week and had recovered one of the biggest hauls of drugs while arresting two more foreigners.

Hyderabad Police had recovered 250 grams of cocaine worth Rs 1 crore from two foreign nationals who were trying to supply it to New Year party goers.

--- ENDS ---
The beauty and majesty of South Carolinas natural assets from the mountains to the sea are a part of what makes the state great. But unless people, including state legislators, take ongoing steps to keep what makes South Carolina special, then we risk losing what we have.

To ensure the states natural attractions remain viable, you should get involved at local and state levels to conserve and preserve whats makes South Carolina great.

Locally, you can pay attention to whats happening in city and county council proceedings to check development and to make sure local governments abide by smart growth strategies. You can write letters to the editor, attend meetings, run for office when you see a wrong or just speak up when talking with friends and neighbors.

At the state level, its important to let state legislators know what you really think. If youre silent, forces of unfettered development and greed might steamroll over things that you take for granted today.

Consider what you may lose if you dont get involved to protect natural resources:

>> Maintaining forests across the state helps to provide clean water, because swaths of trees filter water that seeps into aquifers and streams. Meanwhile, paving over forests washes pollution into oceans. Isnt it smarter to preserve more forests than the alternative? From a state level, this suggests continued funding of the state Conservation Bank, higher density development and more zoning to concentrate growth in a smart way.

>> Preserving clean streams and waters promotes rich aquatic life. A healthy freshwater and saltwater marine environment also yields tourism dollars for people visiting to recreate in the Palmetto State. Healthy waters also inject vitality into our seafood industry that feeds South Carolinians.

>> Investing in renewable energy platforms such as wind and solar helps to keep utilities from having to build costly power plants. Investing in energy thats essentially free for the taking makes sense, particularly when costs are dropping like lead balloons.

>> Striving to keep state waters free from offshore exploration and drilling for natural gas and oil. This will keep South Carolina from having a Deepwater Horizon-like tragedy that spews pollution throughout the salt marsh ecosystem thats vital to produce shrimp, crabs, fish and other animals.

Theres an underlying theme here  that in protecting the resources, you are getting good things from them, said Eddy Moore, a lawyer with the S.C. Coastal Conservation League in Charleston.

Two bipartisan House bills, if approved, could have a major impact to refocus South Carolinas energy efforts to promote more use of renewable energy. The first, H. 4421, is dubbed the South Carolina Electric Consumer Bill of Rights Act, because it would promote home- or business-based solar power by allowing a more diverse corporate playing field. Instead of solar being somewhat limited to a utility in a service region that might voluntarily make solar deals with consumers, the proposal would open competition in a field where price is going down every day.

Another bill, H. 4425, calls for revamping the State Energy Office and essentially would require utilities to promote energy efficiency, which could greatly reduce the amount of power used in the state. On a small scale, think about how much power is saved when two dozen 65-watt light bulbs in a house are replaced by LED bulbs that are brighter but use 10 watts of power per bulb. If such efficiencies are magnified across the state  particularly with LED bulbs and renewable energy becoming much less expensive  South Carolina might not need to build more expensive power plants.

Its not the environmental issues that are leaving nuclear [power] behind, Moore observed. Its the cost.

Nobody knows that better than South Carolina, he said, referring to the $9 billion failure this year of building two reactors in Fairfield County. If you would take that same money and put it behind renewables and energy efficiency, youd get more power.

Regardless of whether you are an environmentalist, a conservationist or a preservationist, theres a shared goal: Keep South Carolinas special places so we can maintain our quality of life. Getting engaged at the Statehouse is vital to send that message and these priorities to legislators.
By PTI: Jammu, Dec 31 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir state Congress today condemned the terrorist attack on a CRPF camp and the killing of an Army jawan along the Line of Control (LoC) by Pakistan in the Rajouri district.

Five CRPF personnel were killed and three injured when terrorists attacked their camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, while an Army jawan lost his life in ceasefire violation along the LoC in Rajouri district.

advertisement

Expressing deep shock over the loss of precious lives of security personnel in the incidents, JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma paid rich tributes to the valiant jawans who sacrificed their lives.

He commended the forces for eliminating two terrorists involved in the cowardly attack on the CRPF camp in Pulwama.

The Congress leader expressed concern over the series of attacks on the installations of Army and security forces in the recent years.

He lauded the security personnel for fighting valiantly at the cost of their lives and eliminating the terrorists, thus defeating their nefarious designs and those of their mentors especially in Pakistan.

Sharma condemned Pakistan for repeated ceasefire violations along the LoC. He said Pakistan has surpassed all past records of ceasefire violations this year and not learnt any lesson despite effective response by the Army.

Expressing concern over the casualties of large number of soldiers and innocent civilians, he said "it is time that the Government of India seriously considers more effective modes and measures to check and stop Pakistan from indulging in such nefarious activities". PTI TAS ADS

--- ENDS ---
Press Release

December 31, 2017 De Lima describes 2017 as 'most extraordinary year,' shares lessons learned while in detention From being detained on trumped-up illegal drug charges by the vengeful Duterte regime to gaining international awards and recognitions, 2017 has been the "most extraordinary" year for Senator Leila M. de Lima who shared to have found deeper purpose in life from her months of most unjust detention. In an interview inside her detention quarters at the Philippine National Police-Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City where she has been detained for 310 days now, De Lima said her love for the Filipino people and level of appreciation for family have grown tremendously. "This year, I learned that being deprived of your physical liberty is never a hindrance to fight for what is right and just, but a reminder to continue living a life of purpose by promoting freedom and seeking for justice, especially for the thousands killed in the war on drugs," she said. A known workaholic, De Lima added how she also "realized that family matters because I tend to take my family for granted before because I never slowed down when it comes to working. My attitude then was 'andiyan naman sila palagi, maiintindihan naman nila ako.'" De Lima's family has regularly visited her and has spent every Sunday of the past 10 months hearing the Holy Mass with her in the Custodial Center. A staunch critic of the administration's war on drugs, it was on February 24 when De Lima voluntarily surrendered to the arresting authorities over fabricated drug charges meant to silence her. Yet even after her surrender and despite the growing isolation against her, she continues to gain recognitions and accolades from international groups and organizations. This year alone, De Lima was recognized by Time Magazine as one of 100 Most Influential People, one of the Icons, for 2017, and by Amnesty International as one of the notable Women "Human Rights Defenders Under Threat" in 2017. The Senator was also awarded by Liberal International with the Prize for Freedom award, and more recently, by US-based Foreign Policy magazine as one of the Leading Global Thinkers of 2017 for two consecutive years. More than the awards and recognitions, however, De Lima said she is thankful that the months spent inside her detention made her appreciate the simple things in life. "I realized that the things I ignored and taken for granted are important for the nourishment of my soul and wellbeing," she said. "I learned to appreciate life more this year, realizing that one can truly find joy in little things--like the rain, plants and food," she added. The former justice secretary shared how she now appreciates the sight of rain falling from the sky and enjoys taking care of plants and the stray cats that regularly flock at her quarters. She further said her detention made her more conscious about the food she eats, noting that food can be very limited under her situation. Asked what keeps her unbowed despite efforts by the present administration to taint her reputation, De Lima said it is the kind of training and nurturing her departed father--the late Commission on Elections Commissioner Vicente de Lima--has given her from childhood to adulthood. "We call it the Spartan training. Ito 'yung hindi ka dapat maarte. You need to learn to survive and accept whatever is there and to live within your means. So in the future, you can survive whatever circumstances will come your way, like being stranded in an island or being shipwrecked--In my case, being detained on obviously fake charges," she shared. De Lima said her deepened faith in God also helps her stay strong and standing amid challenges. "I know He's there. I know He has plans for me. Part of my prayer is to make me discern what is His will and to be granted the grace to fulfill that will," she said.
2018 New Year's Day Message of Senator Loren Legarda

Let us welcome the new year with a grateful heart and may we all be stronger, wiser and more resilient.

I hope that the challenges we faced yesterday would strengthen our resolve to do better tomorrow.

I pray that the tragedies that befell our fellow Filipinos would serve as lessons that will bring about urgent action to build safer and more resilient communities.

The Filipino people deserve more and that is what we aim in 2018, to give more of what our citizens need and rightfully deserve. The 2018 national budget, which I sponsored and championed, recognizes the actual needs and aspirations of our people, especially the poor and the most vulnerable. It is a budget that will sustain our economic growth while also protecting the basic rights of Filipinos.

More challenges will definitely come our way, but we must let our strength, wisdom, hope, and love prevail.

I wish everyone a happy and blessed New Year!
Taking a jibe at the RJD chief, JD-U spokesperson Sanjay Singh asked if there's a special facility of family prison in Birsa Munda where the entire family can celebrate New Year.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) national president Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently lodged in Ranchi's Birsa Munda jail after his conviction in the fodder scam case, will celebrate a quiet New Year away from his friends and family.

However, this troubled phase for the former Bihar chief minister and his family has provided fodder to the Opposition to take potshots at Lalu. The Opposition leaders said Lalu will be creating a record by celebrating the New Year in jail.

advertisement

"Lalu is in the habit of creating one record after the other. This time Lalu will set a new record by welcoming the New Year inside the jail," said senior JDU spokesperson, Sanjay Singh.

Taking a jibe at Lalu, JD-U leaders asked if there is facility of a family prison at the Birsa Munda jail so that Lalu's family could go there and celebrate the new year with him. "After all the reason for Lalu being in jail is his family, and it is because of them that he indulged into one scam after another," said Singh.

"Lalu's family should consider the option of using the special facility of a family prison if it is available at the jail so that the entire family gets to celebrate the new year together. He indulged in several scams for his family as he wanted to amass money and wealth for them. The situation today is such that Lalu has been jailed for his crime and his family is battling to save their benami properties," the JDU spokesperson added.

Singh said that while serving the jail term, Lalu should introspect what has he finally achieved after amassing so much black money and benami properties for his family.

"The fallout of Lalu and his family being embroiled in corruption and fodder scam cases are that he has been thrown out of power in the state, Lalu has been sent to jail and his party is also set to break with several leaders ready to dump RJD and switch to other parties," said the JD-U functionary.

ALSO WATCH | BJP, Nitish conspiring against our family: Tejashwi Yadav on Lalu's conviction

--- ENDS ---
Now Playing: The city of San Francisco experienced more car break-ins this fall despite increased police patrols: New numbers released by the police department shows a 26 percent increase in reported car break-ins. Leigh Martinez reports Video: KTVU

Car break-ins continued to be a major problem for many San Franciscans in 2017, as the recorded instances of "larceny theft from vehicle" is up 26 percent over this time last year.

The most recent numbers released by the San Francisco Police Department, dated to the end of November 2017, show the number of thefts from vehicles actually decreased between October (2,938) and November of this year (2,620), but the year-to-date numbers recorded so far this year are substantially worse than they were at this point in 2016.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

For those of you who arent crazy about President Trump, the good news as we wrap up his first year in the White House is how the courts and federal bureaucracy have kept him from running the country completely off the rails.

The bad news, for Democrats, is that he will serve out his term and run for re-election. People hoping hell resign or be thrown out of office are dreaming.

One of the interesting twists of Trumps first year is that the very system he wanted to tear down coming into office has kept him from going down in flames himself.

He can hurl all the insults and threats he wants at North Koreas Kim Jong Un, but the Joint Chiefs of Staff are not going to launch an attack. He can call for criminal investigations into Hillary Clinton, but the FBI has yet to respond. He can decry fake news as much as he wants, but the First Amendment still stands.

Repealing and replacing Obamacare still needs congressional approval. Even his tax plan had to go through rounds of horse-trading to make it more palatable  to Republicans, anyway.

Thats how the system of checks and balances works, and it is working very well for Trump. But keeping Trump in check, if not in balance, is about as far as it goes.

Robert Muellers investigation into possible collusion with Russia during the 2016 campaign isnt going away, but it seems unlikely to yield an indictment of Trump himself.

For all his daily displays of insensitivity and ignorance, Trump still has solid support in most if not all the states that made him president, so theres no reason to think he wont run again in 2020.

It is not a pretty picture, but even someone like Trump has a place in our system. The sooner we Democrats accept that and concentrate on winning the election ourselves, the better.

Speiers call: My phone has been lighting up with messages that Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier is spending the New Years weekend in Palm Springs with her advisers and mulling a possible run for governor. I havent been able to reach her, but if she jumps in it will make for one heck of a race.

Might as well: Its going to be a crowded race for San Francisco mayor, if for no other reason than that many of the potential candidates have nothing to lose by joining the five-month sprint.

Former state Sen. Mark Leno and ex-Supervisor Angela Alioto are looking for a political job. Supervisor Jane Kim is about to be termed out. Acting Mayor London Breed wouldnt have to give up her supervisors seat to run, and City Attorney Dennis Herrera could hang onto his post during a campaign.

But thats not true for Assemblyman David Chiu, who couldnt be on the same ballot for both re-election and the mayors job. My bet is he stays put in Sacramento.

The most intriguing possibility is that Carmen Chu, the city assessor-recorder, will get into the race. She can keep her job and still run, and shes got the name recognition and connections to inherit Ed Lees support among the Chinese American community west of Twin Peaks.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Movie time: This is the time of year when the Oscar-aspiring real-life dramas hit the theaters, and Mollys Game, starring Jessica Chastain as a former champion skier turned high-stakes card game hostess, fits right in.

Its told in a series of flashbacks, with a great performance by Kevin Costner as her father. But the card games, where a seat at the table costs $10,000, are the real drama. A seat at this movie, be it at a matinee or full fare, is well worth the price.

Darkest Hour. The title says it all. This two-hour retelling of Winston Churchills lone stand against Hitler in the opening days of World War II is indeed dark. Gary Oldman is likely to get an Oscar nod for his portrayal of a Churchill fighting both fascism and the fatalists who are ready to make peace with the devil.

All the Money in the World. Michelle Williams does a great job as the mother of kidnapped oil heir John Paul Getty III, fighting to get her son back. But the real star is Christopher Plummer as the flinty and uncaring grandfather.

Plummer jumped in after the disgraced Kevin Spacey was cut out of the movie. Its a real kick to try to figure out how the reshot scenes were worked into a film that was already in the can. And I cant wait for the bootlegged original version to show up on the Internet so we can compare their performances.

Still here: Well, we made it through another one. So how about a resolution to make next year even better?

Want to sound off? Email: wbrown@sfchronicle.com
According to doctors, those suffering from pre-existing respiratory complications have once again suffered acute attacks of asthma and bronchitis due to increased levels of smog.

By Priyanka Sharma: The return of smog has once again deteriorated the condition of Delhiites and left them gasping for breath.

Doctors say those suffering from pre-existing respiratory complications have once again suffered acute attacks of asthma and bronchitis due to increased levels of smog.

Such cases have gone up by 30-40 per cent, they say.

According to Dr Vikas Mauya, HoD, respiratory medicine at Fortis healthcare, "Yes, smog during winters in Delhi has contributed to the worsening condition of respiratory patients, and those who are allergic and suffering from viral infections.

advertisement

OPDs and clinics are also running full which is suggestive of the critical situation. Most of these patients are complaining of increased breathing problems since last year due to the effect of pollution on their lungs."

Among the mega-cities, Delhi has the worst air quality as per a WHO report, which stated that breathing in the city is equal to smoking about 30 cigarettes a day.

Dr Gyandeep Mandal, senior consultant in the respiratory unit of Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute informed that not only respiratory patients, but people with cardiovascular disorders are suffering.

"We have seen a 30 to 40 per cent spike in patients complaining of breathing problems. Prolonged breathing in polluted air can affect cardiovascular system and create chest difficulty too," Mandal said.

AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria had earlier attributed air pollution as a slow and silent killer.

Experts have blamed Delhi's air pollution on stubble burning, vehicular pollution and dust from massive construction sites.

AIIMS RP eye centre is getting a lot of patients complaining of redness in the eyes and itching with burning sensations.

"Our opthamologists are on duty all the time to provide eye treatment," said (Prof) Dr Atul Kumar, chief of RP eye centre at AIIMS.

With no relief in sight from high pollution levels, free N95 pollution masks were distributed at the district hospital in Noida to patients with respiratory problems.

"It's a health crisis in NCR. Our aim is to reach out to maximum people in this need of hour and ensure their safety. The overall idea behind this initiative is to ensure that people are not exposed to toxic air pollution, and help patients at least help rather than gasp for breath," Arvind Chabra, India head, Blueair, told Mail Today.

The Delhi government, has also issued a health advisory asking people not to venture out for morning walks and alerted all hospitals to provide first priority to chest patients.

--- ENDS ---
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Vehicle break-ins have continued to soar this year in San Francisco, on top of already epidemic numbers, despite recent efforts by police to stop such crimes with more officers on the street.

Auto break-ins were up in every police district from the start of the year through the end of November, accounting for a 26 percent increase over the same period last year, according to the most recent data provided by the San Francisco Police Department.

At the same time, the rate of arrests for auto break-ins has dropped since last year from just below 2 percent to 1.6 percent.

From Jan. 1 to the end of November, San Francisco had 28,395 auto break-ins  about 85 a day  and already more than in any previous full year. The hardest-hit area was the Mission District, where car break-ins have gone up 86 percent from last year.

The latest data come after the Police Department decided in September to eliminate its 18-person citywide Patrol Bureau Task Force, instead assigning more officers to foot patrol in hopes of deterring criminals.

The different approach, however, doesnt appear to be discouraging thieves. At the same time, residents and visitors have become more aggravated.

I feel violated  its a helpless feeling, 55-year-old Matt Dann said after pulling his Toyota pickup with a freshly smashed rear window into Auto Glass Now on Bryant Street in San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood.

Dann was in town from Ventura County visiting his girlfriend. He left his truck full of personal belongings, including his laptop and clothing, parked on Gough Street near Sutter Street overnight.

Remarkably, none of his possessions was taken. He believes someone may have happened on the break-in during the crime, spooking the crook off.

His girlfriend, Mitsie OBrien, said seeing break-ins aftermath near her home is nothing new. Every morning looking down Gough Street, she sees a river of pea-size glass shards in the gutters.

The car of another friend of hers has been broken into three times. She doesnt even call the police anymore.

I guess theyve got way too much to do to follow up on a smashed window, she said. Its part of city living, I guess.

But for those who park on the street, the situation has gone from frustrating to infuriating. Even before this year, car break-ins had been exploding.

In 2011, the San Francisco Police Department reported 10,197 vehicle break-ins. That number rose to 26,040 in 2015 and to 24,624 in 2016. This years record of more than 28,000 will be higher once break-ins from the holiday shopping season are tallied.

While the worst-hit area was the Mission, auto break-ins went up in each of the citys 10 police districts. In the Central District, which includes Fishermans Wharf and North Beach, auto break-ins were up 35 percent. In the Northern District, where tourists cars are often targets at the Palace of Fine Arts and Alamo Square, they were up 34 percent. In the Richmond police district, with Golden Gate Park as its southern border, break-ins were up 22 percent.

There is a lot more work to be done, and were definitely not satisfied with what the statistics are telling us, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott, who took command in January, said Friday.

Scott has deployed uniformed officers to areas of the city that have the most auto break-ins, and those areas have seen a decline, he said.

We know that it matters, when we focus and we deploy, he said. The issue for us and the challenge is we cant be everywhere, and we just dont have that many officers to do that. The next-best thing is to deploy where incidents are happening.

But while the number of auto break-ins may dip in areas with heavier police patrols, the numbers are rising citywide, possibly indicating that criminals simply move to parts of the city with fewer officers.

Six weeks ago, Scott created a citywide General Crimes Investigation Unit. The 48-person team, including 13 civilians with the crime analysis unit, will look into auto break-ins, along with home burglaries, robberies and bicycle thefts.

One of the things we continue to see is there are a small amount of people that do this for a living, he said. They break into cars. Theyre organized. Oftentimes they transcend district boundaries and city boundaries. Auto break-ins are up 33 percent in Oakland this year and roughly 6 percent in San Jose, according to data provided by the cities police departments.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Scott isnt alone in trying to stem the number of break-ins.

In September, the Board of Supervisors passed legislation requiring rental car companies to remind customers not to leave valuables inside their vehicles and to lock the doors. Another city law passed that month prohibits rental companies from displaying bar codes and advertisements marking them as rentals.

The break-ins have become so prevalent that they are already an issue in next years election.

Nick Josefowitz, a BART board member and candidate for San Francisco Supervisor in District Two  home of the Marina and Pacific Heights  recently tweeted break-in data from the Palace of Fine Arts showing 439 this year and only three arrests. Hes calling for more police and more accountability for our entire criminal justice system.

With arrests in less than 2 percent of break-ins, he said, the Police Department and city dont have the information to tackle the issue.

If we are going to develop a sophisticated response, we need people that can get to the bottom in a data-driven way and develop the appropriate response, he said. If its organized gangs or crimes of opportunity  I really feel were making policy in the dark about this.

Until city officials can figure out how to deal with car break-ins, reminding people to guard their things will have to do.

Dont let anyone see you put anything into your trunk after you park, because people are watching, acting Mayor London Breed said at a news conference Friday. Try not to leave valuables visible in your car.

And for those who are ripped off, hopes of seeing the offender brought to justice probably wont ever be realized.

Here is the statistical truth about car burglaries: Very, very few of them get solved, Scott said. Its a pervasive issue. Its a real problem for us in the city, and we just have to keep working to get better at it.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
Leaving your car parked on the street can be a risky proposition in San Francisco, where a car is broken into about every 17 minutes.

Some people have even taken to placing "no valuables inside" signs in their vehicles in the hope that thieves will read it and move on.

A total of 17,970 break-ins were reported in the first six months of 2017, according to police, but the actual total is likely much higher; many victims never follow through and fill out online crime reports.

Photo: SpotAngels

Unfortunately, avoiding parking in a "bad neighborhood" won't ensure your driver's-side or passenger's-side window won't get smashed.

According to a new study by the parking app SpotAngels, none of the highest-risk blocks for break-ins in San Francisco lie in the neighborhood the app identifies as the worst for break-ins  the traditionally high-crime area of the Tenderloin/Civic Center/Downtown.

SpotAngels, which its co-founder describes as a "Google Maps for parking," helps people navigate the city's parking options, from public parking to metered and free spots, and gauge the ticket risk.

On Thursday, the app released a study comparing the number of break-ins in a neighborhood to the number of parking spots. The data, based on 2016 San Francisco Police Department reports, were used to pinpoint the worst blocks in the city for break-ins and the diciest hours during the week for parking on those blocks.

"The break-in risk is a big factor that has already been asked for by our users, like it would be cool to know how safe it is park here," SpotAngels co-founder Aboud Jardaneh told SFGATE. "Today, when you park, we send you a notification  the prices, the hours, when street cleaning is and all that. We want to include in neighborhoods where we think the data shows that it's less safe, that break-ins risk is higher on this street, keep your valuables out of sight."

The above gallery shows the 10 worst blocks for car break-ins in San Francisco in descending order. In addition, we included the worst blocks in five other neighborhoods with high rates of break-ins: Nob Hill, North Beach/Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, the Financial District and Chinatown.

SpotAngel

Besides spotlighting the worst blocks, SpotAngels analysts also ranked the city's neighborhoods based on the incidence of smash-and-grabs, ranging from high to very low.

What they found, not surprisingly, is that thieves prey on vehicles in target-rich environments like easily accessed parking garages, large lots or areas of light foot traffic.

Wealthier neighborhoods did not necessarily enjoy a lower rate of break-ins. For example, Seacliff, home to some of the city's swankiest residences, ranked No. 5 in ratio of break-ins to number of parking spots, although a sizable number of the thefts occurred in the popular Land's End area near the Cliff House.

"The big takeaway here is that, even in a posh zip code, you shouldn't leave your valuables visible in your car,"Jardaneh says.
Oscar-winning Austrian director Michael Haneke makes films about disturbing subjects. His last one Amour nominated for five Academy Awards  is about a loving husband who smothers his failing wife. In Funny Games, a family is taken hostage and forced to play sadistic games with one another. In The Piano Teacher, a pianist is overcome with sexual fantasies. In Cache a stalker distresses a family by sending increasingly personal videotapes to them.

You might conclude that anyone who could conceive these ideas  Haneke writes his own scripts  would be subdued if not downright morose. But the 75-year-old filmmaker is neither. His films may be dark, but he is light. He smiles often, even when discussing sad events depicted in his films, has an infectious laugh and a proverbial twinkle in his eye.

At the moment he seems amused by the idea that people watching his new film with the ironic title Happy End might think it a sequel to Amour, as if it would ever interest him to revisit a past work this way. Its true that both films star Jean-Louis Trintignant as the head of a family. But, Haneke points out, he enjoys working again with the same actors. Isabelle Huppert has starred in four of his films, including his most recent. As for naming Trintignants character Georges in both Amour and Happy End, Haneke says all his male characters are called Georges just because I am lazy.

Speaking in German through a translator  his English isnt nuanced enough to respond directly  Haneke considers questions about Happy End, a drama about an upper-middle-class French family led by an ailing elderly patriarch who ponders the quality of life left for him. (The movie is the Austrian submission for the 2018 Oscar for best foreign language film.)

Q: If Happy End isnt a sequel where did the idea for it come from?

A: I am obsessed with the theme, which comes from a personal experience of mine. I was raised by an aunt. We were very close. Later in life when she was very old and totally isolated and confronted with illness, she asked me to help her commit suicide. Since I would be her heir, it would be impossible. I would have been arrested by the police for murder and, anyway, I dont know if I could have done it. Over time, she tried to commit suicide on her own, and I found her. She was in a coma for a couple of days. When she awoke and saw me she said, Why have you done this to me? Once when I was away on a trip she attempted suicide and this time was successful, and I was very happy for her that she was able to do it.

Q: You dont paint a very pretty picture of getting old. Do you think about dying a lot?

A: It is not that Im possessed with death, but it is waiting for us.

Q: I understand your films often revolve around themes. What are the themes you explore in Happy End?

A: There are three different elements. The first is based on a true story I read in the paper about a 14-year-girl in Japan who tries to murder her mother and publishes the event on the Internet. The second theme was of an elderly man who tries to decide whether he is able to commit suicide, and the third is our indifference to problems that surround us.

Q: The first theme required you to have your characters use devices like computers and cell phones to communicate. The films seem more 21st century than your usual work because of this. Was this a concerted effort on your part?

A: In my own life it would be impossible to survive professionally without some of these things. But I dont have Snapchat or Facebook accounts. So to write the script I had to do significant research. There are a number of kids in our family who are experts in the field, and they were able to help me.

Q: As the family patriarch, you put Trintignant, who plays the family patriarch, through some paces that might be daunting for a man his age, 87, such as jumping into the sea. Was that hard on him?

A: First of all, that was a very difficult scene to shoot for technical reasons. The sea and the sun had to be at the same level, which only happens an hour and a half a day when the water is at 16 degrees. Nonetheless, it was bearable for him. He had a wetsuit on, and we took good care of him.

Q: I heard he said he would do it only on the condition he didnt have to attend Cannes with the film.

A: He had to come to Cannes. That decision was made by the producer.

Q: What do you do between making films?

A: I teach cinema at a university in Austria. We get 150 applicants annually. My first class is a four-hour lecture in which I try to convince them to change professions. But I have no luck.

Ruthe Stein is The Chronicles senior movie correspondent.

Happy End (R) opens Friday, Jan. 5, at Bay Area theaters.
Californias housing crisis was Sacramentos major focus in 2017. While housing affordability will remain a serious challenge for the state in 2018 and beyond, the state Legislatures actions this year made it clear that this issue has our leaders full attention at last.

Its been a big year, and well have to ensure that this years bills are enforced properly, said state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. Wiener wrote SB35, one of 2017s most important housing bills. It requires cities and counties to approve certain projects that comply with existing zoning requirements if these jurisdictions have failed to meet their home-building targets.

The housing crisis is a many-tentacled beast. It had multiple causes and will require multiple solutions. The 15 major bills passed in 2017 are just the beginning of a long process that will require every Californian to rethink how and where we live in this state.

We have to continue to look at ways to ease the approval process for housing production, we have to continue to look for ways to fund affordable housing, and next year well need to look at exclusionary zoning, Wiener said.

Public funding for housing production, especially the lowest-income housing, is important because the private market is unlikely to meet the demand. This need has grown far greater since 2012, when the state did away with redevelopment agencies at the tail end of a brutal recession.

SB2, from state Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, establishes a $75 fee on real estate transactions (excluding new home purchases) to create a fund for affordable housing. The fee is expected to generate $200 million to $300 million per year. SB3, from state Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, is a $4 billion affordable housing bond measure that will be on the ballot in November 2018.

A third bill in the package, AB571, is designed to improve a current state tax credit for farmworker housing development.

The most controversial new laws address Californias housing crisis by lowering barriers to development in local jurisdictions and pushing local governments to fulfill their responsibilities to add housing units.

Local governments may cherish their control over land use, but their collective choice to say no has been a major driving force behind our current crisis.

SB35 is the major new law dedicated to rebalancing this inequitable status quo. Its the stick to two other carrots being offered to local governments in the form of SB540, from state Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, and AB73, from Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco.

SB540 invites local governments to apply for state grants to cover the cost of creating zones designated for expedited housing development, where at least half of the homes will be affordable to low- or moderate-income people. AB73 offers incentives to local governments that complete environmental and planning reviews in advance, so affordable housing can rapidly be built within those areas.

Historically, there havent been very many mechanisms to ensure that local jurisdictions were implementing their housing production goals.

AB1397, from Assemblyman Evan Low, D-San Jose, SB166, from state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and AB879, from Assemblyman Tim Grayson, D-Concord, require local governments to continually update their general plans with realistic housing goals and to mitigate constraints on housing development such as long permitting times.

These bills will be complemented by Skinners SB167, which increases the burden of proof on local governments to reject or require downsizing of a housing project that includes affordable units.

Finally, theres a strong statement of the states new focus in AB1505, from Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica. AB1505 allows local jurisdictions to have inclusionary zoning policies for rental housing, overruling a 2009 court decision.

AB1505 is a statement about equity  and so is all of Sacramentos effort on housing this year. California wont work if only the wealthiest people can afford to live here.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Given the overheated rhetoric that has emanated from both Pyongyang and Washington over the past year  annihilation of the imperialists versus fire and fury  the risk of armed conflict with North Korea no doubt has been rising. But war, if and when it comes, may not take the form that the United States expects.

American hawks contemplate a preventive aerial bombing campaign, launched at a time of our choosing, to take out Kim Jong Uns nuclear arsenal. Probably many of North Koreas conventional offensive capabilities would be targeted as well, to mitigate the risk of retaliation against South Koreas capital, Seoul, and other population centers. Kim and his advisers surely are aware of this scenario and are hardly likely to allow it to unfold.

Instead, if the pressure on North Korea continues to ratchet up, Kim will probably seize the initiative by mounting a ground offensive with his million-man army before a U.S.-led air campaign decimates it.

He could order just a limited advance of his troops, seizing territory and surrounding Seoul rather than fighting for the city street by street. Same would go for the small American military contingent in South Korea  currently about 30,000 troops  which would be contained rather than directly confronted. At this point, Kim would call for a negotiated cease-fire, as well as the end of sanctions and other efforts to get him to give up his nuclear weapons.

As to those North Korean nukes, they would be held in reserve.

Kim would make it abundantly clear that a continuation of the war would result in escalation that would include irradiating Seoul  he might even hint at having an atomic weapon secreted away in a ship container sitting in the Port of Oakland or some other American harbor. He does not need to be able to put a nuclear warhead on a long-range missile. A merchant vessel will do just fine as a covert delivery system.

Against this threat, it would take an exceptionally steely resolve to call Kims bluff and send the enormous number of U.S. troops required to push back the North Koreans. Any hope of taking the campaign further, to oust Kim and his regime, would surely see him use his weapons of mass destruction.

China might intervene to prevent regime change before any nuclear exchange occurred  but this is hardly a happy prospect for American strategists. Beijings involvement against U.S. and U.N. forces in the Korean War guaranteed that it would devolve into a bloody, protracted stalemate. A replay would be most distasteful.

In the American policy discourse about North Korea, both the left and the right recognize that there are no good options. Liberals, as well as many centrists and even a significant number of conservatives, have thus committed to a strategy based on economic sanctions and diplomacy. The problem is, sanctions generally dont work, and never have against Kim, or his father or grandfather before him.

As to negotiations, the American insistence on forcing Kim to make nuclear concessions before sitting down to talk  to earn its way back to the table, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has so infelicitously put the matter  is a nonstarter. This leaves only the hawks and their hope that a vigorous preventive campaign might catch Kim off balance and de-fang him before he can strike telling, costly blows of his own.

For his part, Kim is undoubtedly committed to continuing to develop the Norths nuclear capabilities  as he made clear in his New Years Day message. He can tough out sanctions, and has shown some aptitude for rhetorical mud-wrestling with President Trump. If and when it looks like U.S. policy is moving toward military action  and there will be endless public discussion of such a move  Kim will have ample time to launch his limited conventional military campaign before being hit by a preventive strike.

As noted above, this is a viable option for Kim, one that allows him room to seize the initiative when it comes to the use of force. He will not simply lob a missile or two at the United States, inviting a pummeling and his own overthrow in return. But he can take limited action, then use his nuclear arsenal to deter American counter-intervention.

Can anything be done to make such an outcome less likely? There is one chance: open negotiations with the North without any preconditions. These talks can be direct or mediated by Moscow, which offered last week to act as facilitator. Given the Trump-Putin bromance, a Russian role in crisis resolution could be most welcome.

How might the matter play out? A true deal of the century would see Kim freeze his nuclear weapons and missile programs in return for an end to sanctions and a guarantee that the United States will never seek the overthrow of the Pyongyang regime. Not perfect, but good. Very good, compared to the alternatives.

John Arquilla is professor and chair of defense analysis at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. The views expressed are his alone.
For months Lovkesh Joshi was quietly terrified of losing his job as a manager at a top Indian tech services company. Clients were cutting their budgets, prompting his bosses to fire dozens of colleagues. His manager told him not to worry, but it was hard not to when experts were predicting that millions of the countrys IT workers would be eliminated in the coming years. My head was full of yaar, kya honewalla hai?, says Joshi, using a Hindi expression that means whats going to happen?

Joshi didnt want to burden his wife or friends, so he turned to a chatbot therapist called Wysa. Powered by artificial intelligence, the app promises to be loyal, supportive and very private, and encourages users to divulge their feelings about a recent major event or big change in their lives. I could open up and talk, says the 41-year-old father of two school-age children, who says his conversations with the bot flowed naturally. I felt heard and understood. Joshi moved to a large rival outsourcer two months ago.

The upheaval in Indias $154 billion tech outsourcing industry has prompted thousands of Indians to seek solace in online therapy. People accustomed to holding down prestigious jobs and pulling in handsome salaries are losing out to automation, a shift away from long-term legacy contracts and curbs on U.S. work visas. McKinsey & Co says almost half of the 4 million people working in Indias IT services industry will become irrelevant in the next three to four years.

Indians, like people the world over, tend to hide their mental anguish for fear of being stigmatized. Thats why many are embracing the convenience, anonymity and affordability of online counseling startups, most of which use human therapists. Online mental health platforms are powerful, and real-time counseling can segue into a solution, says Mridul Arora, a managing director at SAIF Partners, a venture capital firm that backed a startup called YourDost. Any new service needs early adopters and who better than young, tech-savvy IT professionals?

YourDosts founders suffered their own career-related stress on their way up. Despite attending a top engineering college and acing his computer science courses, Puneet Manuja couldnt find a job right away and was rejected by half-a-dozen companies including Yahoo and Adobe during campus placements. Manujas classmates poked fun at him, and he couldnt share the agony with his parents or friends. Meanwhile, Richa Singh, who later became his wife and partner, was struggling with the suicide of a friend afraid she wouldnt be hired during campus placement.

When the pair met years later at a global technology firm, they shared their experiences and talked about doing something to help those with depression and stress. YourDost (dost means friend in Hindi) began as a blog, but the pair decided they needed to do something for people afraid to seek face-to-face counseling. The pair quit their jobs and set up a digital service that offers counseling from a network of psychologists and psychiatrists. Where face-to-face therapy can cost thousands of rupees, YourDost audio chats cost 400 rupees ($6.20) and video chats 600 rupees. Help is available 24/7, and the startup currently offers over 2,000 counseling sessions daily.

This summer, at the height of the outsourcing job losses, YourDost also set up a toll-free helpline to comfort and advise anonymous callers. Senior psychologist Sushma Hebbar says job loss in the male-dominated industry is not just an economic defeat, but a status loss too. Men break down during the counseling, and weepy students berate themselves for choosing engineering as a career path. They incessantly ask: how can I pull myself together and save my job? One young woman who lost her job now fakes her office routine so her parents dont find out. A male engineer dismissed weeks before his wedding couldnt bear to tell his future father-in-law.

Another husband-and-wife team, Ramakant Vempati and Jo Aggarwal, unveiled Wysa in January. The chatbot uses natural language processing to understand and classify conversations, then responds with compassionate solutions framed by therapists. The founders consciously stayed away from replicating quick-fix solutions offered in self-help books or the therapists couch approach. The chatbot provides an empathic ear, listens without judgment and guides them to the positive, Aggarwal says. The conversations feel natural and real. All counseling sessions are anonymous and free; the company makes money by licensing its AI technology to enterprise customers, global insurers and health care providers.

Last month, Wysas founders conducted a quarterly review of chatbot content and discovered that chats related to job losses and work had become the second most popular topic.

Dinesh Kumaramangalam had spent more than three years remotely managing client systems at a small IT services company when he was dismissed this summer. The clients projects had been automated and his 300-strong team was whittled down to 70. The 38-year-old was aghast and worried for his wife and 6-year-old daughter. His parents who live with him constantly doled out advice. When a relative suggested he seek help through an online counseling service called the Juno Clinic, he demurred.

But after several months fruitlessly looking looking for work, Kumaramangalam decided he had nothing to lose by reaching out to Juno Clinic. Set up by three entrepreneurs who had all spent a major portion of their careers in the outsourcing industry, the startup began offering online counseling sessions to users last year. Its online chats are free while users are charged for audio and video chats. Juno, which is in Mumbai, created special packages for fired employees. Its 28 therapists are trained in handling such callers. Intervention is very important, or work-related anxiety and depression could quickly spiral into something worse, says co-founder Davesh Manocha.

Kumaramangalam was angry when he started counseling. I worked really hard, he says. I shouldve been one of the 70 who got to stay. Talking to the counselor helped him get over his frustration and frame better responses at job interviews. After seven 800-rupee-an-hour counseling sessions via phone calls and Skype video, the engineer finally landed a job six weeks ago. It is a smaller IT services company, almost a startup, and I had to take a salary cut. But its a job.

Saritha Rai is a Bloomberg writer. Email: srai33@bloomberg.net
Redwood City police shot and killed a man who fired a gun at officers outside a Wells Fargo bank Saturday afternoon, officials said.

The officer-involved shooting occurred in the 1900 block of Broadway, according to police.

A person in the area called 911 about 2:25 p.m. to report a man in his 30s was pacing back and forth in front of an ATM outside the bank while holding a handgun, according to a statement from Redwood City Police Department.

Several of the departments officers, sergeants and detectives arrived at the scene, joined by San Mateo County sheriffs deputies. Police blocked off the area as they evacuated bystanders.

Officers recognized the suspect from multiple previous police contacts but did not disclose those circumstances. They tried negotiating with the man in English and Spanish, and repeatedly asked him to disarm, but he moved back and forth with his finger on the trigger of the gun, police said.

The suspect, without warning, took a combative stance, raised his gun, and fired an unspecified number of shots in the direction of the officers, the department said in a statement. Officers immediately responded with lethal force and the male was incapacitated.

The mans name was not released.

Officials said the case was turned over to the San Mateo County district attorneys office, which is conducting an investigation. All the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave.

Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
Chaos broke out when SSP Deepak Kumar - along with a huge police force - barged into the madrasa.

By India Today Web Desk: A shocking incident was reported from a Madrasa in Lucknow's Sahadatganj area, where 51 minor girls were allegedly kept captive and molested by the qazi.

Call it their desperation or survival instincts, the girls had to throw chits of the windows to let the passersby know their plight. Luckily, their plan worked out and the police raided the place as soon as a complaint was registered.

advertisement

The suspect, Qazi Mohammad Tayyab Ziya, the director of Jamia Khadijatul Leelanwat, has been accused by the minor girls of physical abuse, assault and molestation.

Chaos broke out when SSP Deepak Kumar - along with a huge police force - barged into the madrasa.

Ziya is in police custody.

As many as 125 female students study in the madrasa, out of which 51 were present when the raid took place. All of them have been rescued and sent to Nari Niketan.

Additional City Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, and a lady sub-inspector took the girls' statements. The Child Welfare Committee and DPO have also been informed.

Ziya will be produced at the district court today. A search for his accomplices is on.

(With inputs from Shivendra Shrivastava)

WATCH | Girls captivated in a Lucknow madrasa molested by the qazi

--- ENDS ---
WASHINGTON  A growing campaign by President Trumps most ardent supporters to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller and the law enforcement agencies assisting his investigation is opening new fissures in the Republican Party, with some lawmakers questioning the damage being done to federal law enforcement and to a political party that has long championed law and order.

A small but vocal group of conservative lawmakers, much of the conservative media and, at times, the president himself have launched a series of attacks to paint not only Mueller but institutions once considered sacrosanct to Republicans such as the FBI and Department of Justice as dangerously biased against Trump. One of them, Rep. Francis Rooney, R-Fla., called Tuesday for top FBI and Justice Department officials to be purged.

Now some Republican lawmakers are speaking out, worried that Trump loyalists, hoping for short-term gain, could wind up staining the party, dampening morale at the FBI and Justice Department, and potentially recasting Democrats as the true friends of law enforcement for years to come.

The effort to sow doubt about Muellers team and the department that appointed him has gained steam since early December after Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and cut a deal to cooperate with Muellers inquiry.

The next day, the Times reported that Mueller had removed a top FBI agent during the summer over text messages expressing anti-Trump political views that he had exchanged with an agency lawyer. The news  and the Justice Departments release days later of many of the text messages  provided Republicans ammunition of a sort they had long lacked: Senior officials involved in both the investigation of the Trump campaign and of Hillary Clintons use of a private email server railing against the president in private.

The public trust in this whole thing is gone, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said during a tense Dec. 13 hearing with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

To some Republicans, the attacks have gone too far and are not representative of rank-and-file Republicans in Congress.

Most of my Republican colleagues feel as I do that we have confidence in law enforcement, said Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Penn., a moderate. I dont know why that should change now that we have a Republican administration.

Other Republicans have been less sanguine when it comes to the attack on law enforcement, and Mueller in particular.

Those are political cheap shots that sound good on Fox News but in the real world are completely unfair to a guy who has given his life to serving this country, said Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla.

Nicholas Fandos is a New York Times writer.
1 Officer shot: A Los Angeles police officer was recovering Saturday after being shot in an ambush attack the night before. The LAPD said the officer, a recent graduate of the police academy, was shot while patrolling with her training officer around 10 p.m. Friday in the Rampart district. Police said they had stopped someone for a minor infraction and shots rang out from a distance. The officer was shot in the thigh and is expected to recover. Police Chief Charlie Beck on Saturday called the shooting an unprovoked and cowardly attack. A 28-year-old man was arrested, and a gun was seized.

2 Activist dies: The daughter of Black Lives Matter icon Eric Garner died Saturday in New York City after a weeklong hospital stay in the wake of a heart attack. She was a warrior to the end. She stood up for justice for her father, the Rev. Al Sharpton said of Erica Garner, 27. In 2014, her father, Eric Garner, who was black, was stopped on Staten Island for selling untaxed cigarettes and died after a white police officer subdued him with a choke hold. A grand jury declined to indict the officer, and the city agreed to pay a $6 million civil settlement. Garners last words, I cant breathe, became a slogan for activists. Erica Garner became a voice for police accountability after his death.
WASHINGTON  During a night of heavy drinking at an upscale London bar in May 2016, George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, made a startling revelation to Australias top diplomat in Britain: Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton.

About three weeks earlier, Papadopoulos had been told that Moscow had thousands of emails that would embarrass Clinton, apparently stolen in an effort to try to damage her campaign.

Exactly how much Papadopoulos said that night at the Kensington Wine Rooms with the Australian, Alexander Downer, is unclear. But two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, Australian officials passed the information about Papadopoulos to their U.S. counterparts, according to four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians role.

The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016 into Russias attempts to disrupt the election and whether any of President Trumps associates conspired.

While some of Trumps advisers have derided Papadopoulos as an insignificant campaign volunteer or a coffee boy, interviews and new documents show that he stayed influential throughout the campaign.

The information that Papadopoulos gave to the Australians answers one of the lingering mysteries of the past year: What so alarmed U.S. officials to provoke the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign months before the presidential election? It was not, as Trump and other politicians have alleged, a dossier compiled by a former British spy hired by a rival campaign. Instead, it was firsthand information from one of the United States closest intelligence allies.

Interviews and previously undisclosed documents show that Papadopoulos played a critical role in this drama and reveal a Russian operation that was more aggressive and widespread than previously known.

The FBI investigation, which was taken over seven months ago by special counsel Robert Mueller, has cast a shadow over Trumps first year in office  even as he and his aides repeatedly played down the Russian efforts and falsely denied campaign contacts with Russians.

FBI officials disagreed in 2016 about how aggressively and publicly to pursue the Russia inquiry before the election. But there was little debate about what seemed to be afoot. John Brennan, who retired this year after four years as CIA director, told Congress in May that he had been concerned about multiple contacts between Russian officials and Trump advisers. Russia, he said, had tried to suborn members of the Trump campaign.

Sharon LaFraniere, Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo are New York Times writers.
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs)

New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) A 30-year-old man was shot at inside a pub in south Delhis Greater Kailash, following an argument apparently over the victim accidentally touching the accused while dancing, the police said today.

The district police would be writing to its licensing branch for the cancellation of the pubs licence, they added.

advertisement

The police suspect that the accused, Umesh, and the victim, Vinay Bhati, had an argument, following which the former opened fire at the latter from his pistol late last night.

The family members of the victim alleged that he had accidentally touched the accused while dancing. Enraged, the accused took out his pistol and shot at Bhati, they added.

After receiving information about the incident, the police arrived at the spot to find that Bhati had been taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre with a bullet injury near the collar bone.

Bhati is out of danger now. Umesh was beaten up by the public and handed over to the police, who seized his pistol.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Romil Baaniya said the exact time of the incident would be ascertained only after going through the CCTV footage obtained from the pub.

"Allowing anti-social elements into the bar is a violation of the terms and conditions of the licence. The police will write to the licensing branch for the cancellation of the licence of the pub," he added.

The officer said all the police stations of south district were instructed to keep a watch on the pubs, bars and restaurants within their jurisdiction and sensitise the security staff of these places about how to prevent such incidents.

Even though clubs and restaurants are supposed to close by 1 am, the pub was open till 3 am. The police are probing how it managed to stay open beyond 1 am. PTI SLB RC

--- ENDS ---
Ministry has also decided to decommission 20 bridges on various highways that are 100 years old, which will be replaced on war-footing. These old bridges are located in states like Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

By Rakesh Ranjan: The ministry of road transport and highways has identified more than 6,500 bridges on Indian highways that are in a "distressed" condition.

It has also decided to decommission 20 bridges on various highways that are 100 years old.

Ministry sources said these 20 bridges will be replaced on war-footing; just like a new bridge was recently constructed in Maharashtra in a record time of 165 days. These old bridges are located in states like Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

advertisement

A senior transport ministry official said 23 bridges in the country are more than 100 years old. Of these, three require immediate restoration while the rest will be decommissioned.

In order to maintain uninterrupted connectivity, it has been decided to construct new bridges following which the existing ones will be abandoned.

Officials of the Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS) project said the ministry has instructed to expedite construction of new bridges.

Officials cite how a new bridge was constructed over Savitri river near Mahad, Maharashtra, in less than six months. This old masonry arch bridge, originally built in 1928, collapsed after heavy rains in 2016.

The minister of road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, immediately announced the construction of a new bridge at the same location within six months and as promised, the project was completed in 165 days.

According to ministry officials, the new bridges will be wider and more commuter friendly with good lighting arrangements, footpaths, flood alarm systems, anti-corrosive steel and road safety measures in place.

New technology will ensure greater strength, they said. The over-a-century-old structures include the Narmada bridge in Bharuch, Gujarat; two at Tikamgarh in MP; and one each at Gulbarga in Karnataka and Kolhapur and Pimpri Chinchwad in Maharashtra.

The structurally weak bridges were identified after the ministry ordered a survey of all bridges last year.

The survey found 123 bridges (over a century old) required immediate attention, while 6,000 others were structurally "distressed".

After the study, the ministry found there are about 1.6 lakh structures, including culverts, minor and major bridges and flyovers on India's NH network.

Each of the structures has now got a unique identity number, and undergoes periodic inspection.

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Jaipur, Dec 30 (PTI) Senior IAS officer N C Goel was today appointed the new Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, a government release said.

Goel, a 1982-batch IAS officer, earlier held the charge of Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Environment, Tourism, Art and Culture Department, Mines and Petroleum departments, it added.

Goel hails from Haryana and has held top posts, including the CMD of Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, Rajasthan. He was also the District Collector and Magistrate of Alwar and Jaisalmer between 1990 and 1993.

advertisement

He replaces Ashok Jain, who completed six months on the post, the statement said. PTI AG IJT

--- ENDS ---
Watch how Sydney celebrated the coming of the new year with a marvellous display of fireworks.

Fireworks explode near the Sydney Opera House as part of new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour in Australia (Photo: Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: It's 2018...in Australia! Happy New Year to any any one reading our site from 'down under.'

New Year celebrations began at the Sydney harbour with a dazzling show of fireworks. Just take a look at this pyrotechnic display.

Happy New Year Australia! Fireworks at the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House (Photo: Reuters)

You can watch the show here.

#WATCH Fireworks light Australia's Sydney Habour to welcome New Year 2018 pic.twitter.com/xb0JUZqEP0- ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

advertisement

(Video courtesy: Twitter/ANI)

Singapore also began celebrating the birth of 2018. Here, the iconic Merlion, bathed in pink and blue light, appears to watch as one of Asia's business and cultural hubs welcome the new year.

Fireworks light up Marina Bay near the Merlion ahead of the New Year in Singapore (Photo: Reuters)

India is all set to say hello to 2018 in just a few hours. As you wait to celebrate with your friends and family, take a look at some of our retrospective pieces.

"BJP continues dominance, midnight dramas abound, 'neech' politics prove a distraction" is the story of India politics in 2017." "Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal prove class is permanent with dominance in 2017," is one year-ender you don't want to miss. If you want 2017 at a glance, look no further than our A-Z round-up of the events that shaped the year.

If you want more, you can read all our year-end stories here.

--- ENDS ---
SRINAGAR, India  Five Indian soldiers and three suspected militants were killed Sunday after rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in disputed Kashmir, triggering a daylong battle, officials said.

Separately, Indian and Pakistani soldiers traded gunfire along the highly militarized line dividing Kashmir between the two rivals, killing an Indian soldier, Indias army said.

In the incident at the camp, gunmen in combat dress entered the facility near Lethpora village early Sunday firing guns and grenades at the sentry, said paramilitary spokesman Rajesh Yadav. He said soldiers inside the camp responded to the attack, which left at least three soldiers wounded.

The camp is located along the strategic highway connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India. Besides counterinsurgency operations, the camp also serves as a training center for soldiers.

The Jash-e-Mohammed militant group, which is fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the English-language Greater Kashmir newspaper. The paper quoted the group as saying that such attacks will continue till the last Indian soldier leaves Kashmir.

Anti-India unrest has simmered in Kashmir since a popular rebel leader was killed over a year ago. Apart from mass anti-India protests and clashes often leading to the deaths of protesters since the leaders killing, dozens of young Kashmiri men have joined rebel groups, leading to a surge in attacks. The Indian government responded by stepping up anti-rebel operations.

Over 200 militants, 78 police officers and soldiers, and at least 57 civilians died in the violence in 2017, the deadliest since 2010.

Rebel groups demand that Kashmir be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

Aijaz Hussain is an Associated Press writer.
After four days of rare protests in Iran, President Hassan Rouhani tried to calm the nation Sunday, saying people had the right to protest and acknowledging public worries over the economy and corruption.

We are a free nation, and based on the constitution and citizenship rights, people are completely free to express their criticism and even their protest, Rouhani said, according to the state-run PressTV.

He exhorted Iranians not to resort to violence, after reports of protesters attacking banks and municipal buildings across the nation, including a local government building in Tehran.

The protests are the first major demonstrations in Iran since 2009, when people took to the streets to challenge the results of a presidential election that kept a hard-liner in power and was widely regarded as fraudulent. Rouhani, a moderate, came to power in 2013.

The recent unrest began as a protest over rising prices and other economic difficulties, and quickly grew into a nationwide outpouring of anger against the government, including over corruption.

Two protesters were reported killed in recent days in the city of Dorud, and there have been reports of dozens arrested across Iran.

With Irans media tightly controlled, information about the protests had been shared through social media and messaging apps. But on Sunday state television said Iran would temporarily restrict access to Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, to maintain peace.

Telegrams chief executive, Pavel Durov, confirmed that the app had been blocked, posting a statement on Twitter that said, Iranian authorities started blocking Telegram in Iran today after we publicly refused to shut down channels of peaceful Iranian protesters.

President Trump doubled down on his frequent criticism of the Iranian government Sunday. He posted on Twitter: The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism.

The unauthorized protests have challenged authorities, with crowds turning revolutionary slogans against the government of the Islamic Republic, which took power after a revolution in 1979. Protesters in Tehran and elsewhere have called for the resignation of Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and witnesses described crowds chanting, Death to the dictator and Clerics should get lost.

Martin Fackler is a New York Times writer.
1 Ex-leader sentenced: An Egyptian court convicted former Islamist President Mohammed Morsi on Saturday of insulting the judiciary, sentencing them to three years in prison in a court session aired on TV. The case involves 25 defendants, five of whom  including prominent rights activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah and political commentator Amr Hamzawy  were fined 30,000 Egyptian pounds each ($1,688). Abdel-Fattah is serving a five-year sentence for participating in an illegal protest in 2013. Hamzawy lives in exile. The former president, who hailed from the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, is serving 25 years over accusations of spying for Qatar. Earlier, he was given a 20-year sentence for the killing of protesters in December 2012. Following Morsis overthrow, Egyptian authorities launched a crackdown on Islamists.

2 Russia attack: The Federal Security Service said Saturday that it has arrested a man suspected of setting off an explosion at a supermarket in St. Petersburg last week. The blast Wednesday injured 18 people. FSB did not identify the suspect or provide any details about his motive. They did say the suspect carried out the attack on his own. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the explosion, according to SITE, a group that monitors statements from the militant group.
MOSCOW  Russias highest court on Saturday upheld election officials decision to bar opposition leader Alexei Navalny from running for president in the March election.

The Supreme Court turned down Navalnys appeal against the Central Election Commissions move, ruling that the decision to bar him from the race conformed with law.

President Vladimir Putin, whose approval rating tops 80 percent, is expected to win a fourth term in the March 18 vote.

Navalny had been campaigning for the presidency despite an implicit ban on his candidacy due to a fraud conviction seen by many as politically driven. Election officials formally barred him from the ballot Monday.

Navalny responded to the ban by calling for a boycott of the vote. The Kremlin said authorities will look into whether such a call violates the law. Navalny repeated his call for a voters strike after Saturdays ruling.

We dont acknowledge elections without competition, he wrote on Twitter.

Many others have declared their intention to run. They include veterans of the past campaign  ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and liberal Grigory Yavlinsky  as well as communist nominee Pavel Grudinin and star TV host Ksenia Sobchak.

While none of them poses a serious challenge to Putin, the Kremlin is concerned about voter apathy and has focused on boosting turnout to make Putins victory as impressive as possible.

The involvement of 36-year old Sobchak, the daughter of the late mayor of St. Petersburg who was Putins boss in the 1990s, could boost turnout in the race.
MOSUL, Iraq  In 2014, Abdulrahman Saad was taken from his home in Mosul by Islamic State fighters, leaving his family in limbo.

They asked Islamic State security offices and judges: Where is our husband and father? No answer. When the operation to retake Mosul began, they heard he was being held in the western part of the city, with hundreds of other prisoners. But when the area was liberated, they found no trace of Saad, the 59-year-old owner of a wholesale food store.

Life without my father is difficult, says his son, Rami. Without him, the Saads struggle to get by, and his wife pines for her spouse.

In their misery, they have company. Since Mosul was declared liberated in July, residents have submitted more than 3,000 missing-persons reports to Ninevehs provincial council, according to council member Ali Khoudier. Most of them are men or teenage boys. Some were arrested by Islamic State during the groups extremist rule; others were detained by Iraqi forces on suspicion of extremist ties.

Regardless, Iraqi government bureaucracy, inefficiency and neglect have left thousands of families across Iraq hanging as the countrys leadership celebrates the defeat of the militants.

Outside a Mosul courthouse, dozens wait to hear if investigators have news of their missing relatives. They cling to thick files of papers: identity documents, official forms, glossy family photos and missing person advertisements from a local paper. It is unlikely they will hear good news.

It will be years before these people know what exactly happened to their relatives, said an investigator, as anxious relatives tapped on the windows behind his desk and hovered at his office door.

The investigator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Iraqi government doesnt have enough forensic experts to exhume the dozens of mass graves discovered as territory has been retaken from the militants. And the countrys judicial system isnt equipped to efficiently process the thousands of detainees scooped up by security forces.

Some 20,000 people are being held at detention centers across Iraq on suspicion of ties to Islamic State, according to a report from Human Rights Watch this month.

An Associated Press investigation has found at least 133 mass graves left behind by the defeated extremists, and only a handful have been exhumed. Estimates total between 11,000 and 13,000 bodies in the graves.

Susannah George is an Associated Press writer.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar said revellers "creating nuisance" in pubs, bars and restaurants, and on the streets, would be arrested immediately.

Women in Bengaluru taking part in an #IWillGoOut rally in January this year. #IWillGoOut was a social media campaign launched following reports of mass molestation in the Karnataka capital last New Year's Eve (File photo: Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: As many as 15,000 police personnel, including women constables, will keep an eye on revellers in Bengaluru on New Year's Eve.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar said stringent measures have been taken after some women were allegedly molested around the upscale MG Road and Brigade Road, a year ago today.

"With nearly 750 patrolling vehicles, nearly 15,000 police personnel including 1500 home guards and 1000 civil defence staff have been positioned to strengthen security," Kumar told reporters in the Karnataka capital.

advertisement

The police commissioner said revellers "creating nuisance" in pubs, bars and restaurants, and on the streets, would be arrested immediately. Checks against drunken driving will begin at 9 PM, he added.

An additional 500 CCTVs were installed across Bengaluru for better surveilance, he said.

NO BAR-HOPPING AFTER 2 AM

Bars, hotels and restaurants in the city will remain open till about 2 am tomorrow.

About 2,000 cops will be present on Brigade Road, Church Street and MG Road in the Bengaluru's central business district.

"Extra lighting arrangements" have been made, and "300 additional cameras" installed in MG Road, Brigade Road and Church Street, Police Commissioner Kumar said.

The police will operate drones to track the movement of vehicles and revellers. Bomb and dog squads will maintain law and order across the city during the night-long bash.

Flyovers in the city with alternative routes will be shut from 10 pm tonight till 6 am tomorrow to prevent drag races, Kumar said.

In addition to the flyover restrictions, parking has also been prohibited by police in the city centre.

ENTRY TO NANDI HILLS PROHIBITED

Entry to Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district, about 60 km from Bengaluru, has also been restricted by the district police officials. District police said entry will be prohibited from 4 pm tonight to 8 am tomorrow.

Nandi Hills is a popular hill fortress that attracts several bikers, trekkers and cyclists from across the state for its picturesque views.

Several people have died in accidents on blind road turns on the way to the hills.

METRO CAN BE USED TILL 2 AM

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited will run its metro services on both east-west and north-south routes till 2 am tomorrow.

The state-run Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation will also run its bus services in the city till 2 am, so revellers can return home safely using public transport.

WATCH | Bengaluru mass molestation: Victim recounts ordeal

--- ENDS ---
After getting assurance from BJP president Amit Shah, Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel today took charge of his office.

By Gopi Maniar Ghanghar : Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel is back in office. He took charge today after BJP president Amit Shah spoke to him over phone this morning.

Nitin Patel had skipped office following portfolio distribution that left the powerful Patel leader in the BJP sulking. He had a busy day yesterday with strong Patidar leaders including Lalji Patel of the Sardar Patel Group and Hardik Patel extending their support to him.

advertisement

The BJP leadership was under pressure with Nitin Patel making it obvious that his political was hurt by the way portfolio distribution was done by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani.

Nitin Patel complained that he was not given a ministry to match his stature. Despite being the deputy chief minister, Nitin Patel said, he did not get either home or finance ministry.

Chief Minister Rupani held home portfolio for himself while another Patel leader and the comeback man Saurabh Patel got finance department.

HOW NITIN PATEL WAS PLACATED

Resuming work today, Nitin Patel said, "I got a phone call from Amit Shah this morning at 7.30. He told me that the process to give me a suitable department has begun. He requested me to take charge."

He said, "A government has been formed in Gujarat. I have been given the number 2 position in the government and I should be given suitable and honourable ministries. But while earlier I had finance and urban development ministries, those were taken away from me."

"I told everybody that I should be given suitable ministries. I spoke to the chief minister, the BJP president, organisation secretary in this regard," Nitin Patel said, adding, "I have been given assurance to get my departments back."

RIFT IN BJP, CONGRESS TRIES TO SLIP IN

Rift was visible soon after portfolio distribution but CM Rupani had then said, "It is not true that the minister, who has the finance portfolio, is the number two in the cabinet. Nitin Patel is our senior leader and will remain the number two."

This gave opportunities for Opposition leaders to rally behind Nitin Patel. Patidar leader Hardik Patel offered to broker a deal between the Congress and Nitin Patel should he walk away from the BJP along with his supporters.

"If Patel decided to quit the BJP and said 10 other MLAs were ready to quit with him, We will talk to the Congress to take in Nitin bhai and give him a post he deserves," Hardik Patel had said.

advertisement

Resonating Hardik Patel, senior Congress MLA Virji Thummar said that Nitin Patel would be made the chief minister with the Congress' support if he quit the BJP. However, the Congress soon clarified that Thummar spoke in his personal capacity while terming the turmoil as the BJP's "internal matter".

In between, Lalji Patel met Nitin Patel at his residence and demanded that the deputy CM be made the chief minister of Gujarat replacing Vijay Rupani.

--- ENDS ---
Mahendra Singh Mewar has written a letter to Smriti Irani, hitting out at CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi for giving approval to the movie Padmavati.

By India Today Web Desk, Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Mahendra Singh Mewar, head of former royal family of Mewar, has written a letter to the Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, hitting out at Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Prasoon Joshi for giving approval to the movie Padmavati.

The letter, which questions CBFC's intentions and role, says, "One set of panelists was invited and then the film was clandestinely shown to another set."

advertisement

It further states, "The impression being given is that the panelists who have seen the film are in agreement with the movie being released with the above stated modifications. It is, however, reliably learnt that none of the panelists is in agreement with the film, two of them going on record stating the same."

The CBFC decided to clear the release of the movie after asking the director to make some changes, including changing the name of the movie from Padmavati to Padmavat.

Earlier, Mahendra Singh Mewar's son Vishvaraj Singh too had written a stinging letter to Prasoon Joshi, CBFC chairperson, mentioning, "Cosmetic changes like the proposed change in name will not change the fact that that the movie refers to real places, my ancestors and other persons in history with their names continuing to remain the same."

The release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati was pushed indefinitely after Rajput and Hindu groups erupted in protests all over the country, over historical inaccuracies in the film.

ALSO WATCH: Sanjay Leela Bhansali thrashed, sets of Padmavati vandalised by Karni Sena

--- ENDS ---
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A New Springville man was arrested Friday night after fleeing from cops while wearing nothing but a hat in single-digit temperatures.

Police responded to a call from Wainwright Avenue in Eltingville shortly before 11 p.m. Friday night about a naked man who was sitting on the back bumper of a 2015 Nissan.

The man, identified by police as 37-year-old Joseph Sica of the 200 block of Richmond Hill Road, is accused of getting into the Nissan and fleeing when approached by officers, a spokeswoman for the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information said.

Sica allegedly failed to stop at numerous stop signs while being pursued by police and struck an unmarked vehicle, the spokeswoman said.

After striking the vehicle, police say he fled on foot to the rear of a fenced-in backyard on Reading Avenue where he did not have permission to be, and was apprehended by officers.

Officers allegedly found a clear Ziploc bag with cocaine residue in the car, according to police.

Sica was charged with resisting arrest, reckless endangerment, obstructing governmental administration, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal trespassing and leaving the scene of an accident, the spokeswoman said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Procter & Gamble retiree Francis Harty remembers the historic day in 1991 like it was yesterday.

It was Nov. 15, a Friday, when Harty and four other managers locked the main gates at the P&G factory in Port Ivory for the last time.

The sprawling 130-acre manufacturing plant on Staten Island's west shore, which produced Crisco oil, Duncan Hines cake mix, Tide detergent and the company's signature product, Ivory Soap, was closing for good after 84 years of operation.

"He taught me how to drive a tractor" in Port Ivory's food warehouse, said Josephine Fodera as she introduced Matt Baldassano. "We earned a very good living." (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

The buildings where thousands of Islanders worked through the decades would be demolished a decade later and replaced with the Howland Hook Marine Terminal.

"It was a sad, sad day," Harty recalls, shaking his head. "I actually put the lock on the door."

Some P&G employees relocated to other plants across the country. Harty, a lifelong Islander who by 1991 had put in 40 of his 58 years at Port Ivory, rising from yard worker to power plant manager, opted for an early retirement.

His father, Frank, worked at the plant for 48 years, and his brother, Bruce, for 30 years.

Members of the Port Ivory Retirees Club include Advance Women of Achievement Maryann Bollinger (Class of 2010) and Betty Harty (Class of 2011). (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

"The company was so good to us," he reflected, explaining that employees enjoyed profit-sharing and job security after two years.

Dividend Days were celebrated with a gala at the Waldorf Astoria in winter and a company picnic in New Jersey in summer. Some retirees recall a special Dividend Day show at the St. George Theatre, and all of them remember plenty of appreciation and camaraderie.

The company still sends holiday gift baskets, filled with P&G products, to its retirees every year.

"Mrs. Procter put money aside for it in perpetuity," Harty said, referring to the wife of co-founder William Procter. "You couldn't work for a better company."

TIGHT-KNIT RETIREES

Harty and a few dozen P&G retirees have stayed close as members of the Port Ivory Retirees Club, formally known as The Retired Persons of Port Ivory.

Herbert Mitchell, who worked at Port Ivory for 31 years and has served as vice president of the Port Ivory Retirees, enjoys a dance with his wife, Catherine, at the club's holiday brunch. (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

Through the years, the tight-knit group has enjoyed holiday parties, Broadway shows, river cruises and bus trips to Chicago, Cape May, Jacksonville and Niagara Falls.

But as its members have aged, the group has been slowly winding down. In the last few years, monthly meetings at All Saints Episcopal Church in Willowbrook have drawn more friends and relatives than former employees.

At a holiday brunch at the Staaten earlier this month, board member John Fodera of Sunnyside delivered the news most members were prepared to hear.

Longtime friends embrace at the Port Ivory Retirees holiday brunch and pledge to stay in touch as the club winds down. (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

"All good things must come to an end," announced Fodera, whose wife, Josephine, worked at the plant for 32 years through 1989. "Today marks the end of our regular meetings. It's been a long and pleasant ride."

Remaining funds in the group's coffers will be donated to charity, he said.

But the solemn moment was short-lived as retirees and guests took to the dance floor and enjoyed music by the Jazzy City Band - whose saxophonist, Tom Barretta, is the brother of retiree Josephine Fodera.

Three P&G retirees are proud of the years they worked at Port Ivory. From left are Matt Baldassano (38 years), Carl Christensen (31 years) and Nicholas Vignola (17 years). (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

As Mary Ann Martin sold tickets for a 50/50 raffle, "Summer Wind," "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Tears on my Pillow" brought back memories of the golden P&G years.

Martin promised she would continue planning the popular outings for those who want to stay connected.

"Wherever you want to go, let me know!" she recited with a smile as she visited each table with a roll of raffle tickets.

John Bauerlein, left, president of the Port Ivory Retirees, is recognized for a decade of service at the club's holiday brunch in the Staaten, West Brighton. He was joined by his wife, Jean, and board member John Fodera. (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

Also at the brunch, John Bauerlein, a retired P&G manager, was recognized for a decade of service as the club's president. His wife, Jean, also a retiree, joined him at the podium.

THE SOAP THAT FLOATS

Most Staten Islanders can remember a relative or friend who at one time was employed at Port Ivory; the plant had more than 1,400 on the payroll through the 1960s.

Two or more family members often clocked in together.

Longtime friends in the Port Ivory Retirees Club include, from left, Marie Bertone, Josephine Fodera, Marie Lovanco, Anna Mandrik and Marie Niemann. (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

They earned a solid living as electricians, technicians, packers, machinists, welders, carpenters, bookkeepers, ironworkers, kitchen testers, fragrance technicians, chemical analysts, freezer operators, stationary engineers and purchasing agents.

Founded in Cincinnati in 1837 by Irish-born soapmaker James Gamble and British-born candlemaker William Procter, the company was an early success, with sales reaching $1 million by the 1850s. During the Civil War, the company won contracts to supply the Union Army with soap and candles.

In the 1880s, Procter & Gamble began marketing a new product, an inexpensive bar soap called Ivory. Its first slogan, "It floats!" was introduced in 1891.

Mary Ann Martin, left, and Marie Bertone reminisce about their favorite trips with the Port Ivory Retirees Club. (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

The secret ingredient? Air in the mix.

Named for the iconic product, Port Ivory opened in October 1907 on 77 acres formerly used by Milliken Iron Works. The Mariners Harbor site was selected because it offered rail access to New Jersey and fat for soap making was available from meat packing plants in the New York area.

Ivory and Lenox soaps were the first P&G products made on Staten Island, and in peak periods, the plant produced more than one million cases of the bars a year.

Company leaders would soon diversify the product list. In 1911, Port Ivory started manufacturing Crisco, a shortening made with vegetable oil rather than animal fats. Other products manufactured at the Staten Island plant were Coast soaps, Tide and Bold laundry detergents, cleaning products Mr. Clean, Comet and Solo and Citrus Hill orange juice.

Marie Niemann, 90, whose husband and father-in-law worked for P&G, enjoys her winning moment at the Port Ivory Retirees holiday brunch. (Staten Island Advance/Claire Regan)

In 1982, more than 3,000 employees, retirees and their families and friends attended a three-day celebration of the plant's 75th anniversary. The event included tours of the food products warehouse and manufacturing departments and a screening of the company's promotional film, "Alive at 75."

An article in the November 1982 issue of Moonbeams, the company magazine, proclaimed P&G's confidence.

"It's highly possible that many who attended the 75th jubilee will, in 2007, be on hand to celebrate P&G's 100 years on Staten Island," it said.

Sadly, Port Ivory would close 16 years before that jubilee could be marked.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two news laws -- a minimum wage hike for those who work for big businesses and mandatory paid family leave for private sector employees -- will go into effect Jan. 1

"By moving to a $15 statewide minimum wage and enacting the strongest paid family leave policy in the nation, New York is showing the way forward on economic justice," said Cuomo. "These policies will not only lift up the current generation of low-wage workers and their families, but ensure fairness for future generations and enable them to climb the ladder of opportunity."

"I am proud to sign these programs into law, because they will ensure a stronger, fairer and brighter future for all New Yorkers," Cuomo added.

MINIMUM WAGE HIKE

Staten Islanders who work minimum-wage jobs will see a pay raise starting in the new year.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation -- passed in 2016 -- giving a minimum wage increase to workers employed by big businesses each year until it reaches $15 by Dec. 31, 2018.

For workers employed by small businesses, it would increase to $15 by Dec. 31, 2019.

Workers employed by big businesses (those with at least 11 employees), will receive a $13 per hour minimum wage, an increase from their $11 wage.

People who work for smaller companies (those with less than 11 employees), will receive a $12 per hour minimum wage, an increase from their $10.50 wage.

PAID FAMILY LEAVE

The paid family leave program benefits will start to be phased-in at the start of 2018.

Under the new program, all employees who work in the private sector will be eligible for 12 weeks of paid family leave when caring for an infant, a family member with a serious health condition or to relieve family pressures when someone is called to active military service.

Benefits will be phased-in at 50 percent of an employee's average weekly wage, capped to 50 percent of the statewide average weekly wage.

It will be fully implemented in 2021 at 67 percent of their average weekly wage, capped to 67 percent of the statewide average weekly wage.

The program will be funded through a nominal employee payroll deduction. Employees are eligible to participate after having worked for their employer for six months.
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
Best Canadian Blog

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

About Kate

Why this blog?

Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked.

This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me."

(goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated!



Katewerk Art

Support SDA

I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts.



Want lies?

Hire a regular consultant.

Want truth?

Hire an asshole.





The Proper Procedure



Poor Richard's Retirement



Polar Bear Facts & Myths



Polar Bears: Outstanding

Survivors of Climate Change.



Pilgrim's Progress



Trump The Establishment

Weather Shop

Click to inquire about rates.

Dow Jones

What They Say About SDA

"Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert

"I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick

Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick

"The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle

"Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group

I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs

"You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella

"Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky

Intelliweather

Seismic Map

Comments Policy

Read this

Best Of SDA

Hide The Decline

The Bottle Genie

(ClimateGate links)

You Might Be A Liberal

Uncrossing The Line

Bob Fife: Knuckledragger

A Modest Proposal (NP)

Settled Science Series

Y2Kyoto Series

SDA: Reader Occupation Survey

Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop

Flakes On A Plane

All Your Weather Are Belong To Us

Song Of The Sled

The Raise A Flag Debacle

(Now on Youtube!)

(.mwv Video)

Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl

Trudeaupiate

Kleptocrat Jeans

Child Labour

I Concede

Small Dead Feminist

Protein Hoser: THK Interview

The Werewolf Extinction

Dear Laura (VRWC)

We Wait

Blogging The Oscars

Jackson Converts To Islam

Just Shut The HELL Up

Manipulating Condi

Gay Equality Rights


A $1 billion piece of infrastructure to be switched on in early 2018 is likely to accelerate the decline of cash and further cut into already tumbling use of cheques, payments company BPay Group predicts.

In a change that Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has described as potentially transformational, the new payments platform is due to be switched on soon after Australia Day in 2018.

The use of cash for small payments is tipped to decline further once the new payments platform is being widely used. Credit:Bloomberg

The project, which is going through its final stages of testing over summer, will offer consumers the ability to make real-time payments to customers of other banks. The system will also allow people to link bank accounts to phone numbers or email addresses, removing the need to enter a BSB or account number when transferring money.

BPay will run a service known as Osko that will be what customers see when they make payments on the NPP - banks are expected to roll out Osko services when the NPP goes live. BPay Group chief executive John Banfield said the new service would have a significant impact on the use of cash for small payments.
Australian consumers launched into their annual Christmas spending spree with the average credit card debt at the lowest level in a decade.

The latest figures on card use from the Reserve Bank shows the typical outstanding credit card balance was $3061.90 at the end of October, the lowest since late 2007.

That's more than $300 lower than when Australia's average credit card debt peaked in 2012.

Craig James, an economist at stockbroker CommSec who analyses credit card spending, believes young consumers have contributed to a shift in credit card use.
The CBFC also categorically stated there are no lovemaking scenes in the film between Alauddin Khilji, played by Ranveer Singh, and Rani Padmini, essayed by Deepika Padukone.

By Mail Today Bureau: An examining committee of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has decided that Sanjay Leela Bhansali's controversial historical drama will be cleared with a U/A certificate if the filmmaker changed the film's title and accepted four other modifications.

The first modification sought is to run a disclaimer that the film is not a historical account but the fictional account, based on Malik Muhammad Jayasi's epic poem 'Padmavat'. Accordingly, the film's title will also be changed from Padmavati to Padmavat.

advertisement

The CBFC has also suggested alterations in the film's popular Ghoomar song. A section of Rajputs had reacted angrily to the number saying it brought dishonour to their community by depicting Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmini performing a dance in public.

The censor board also directed that the makers modify incorrect references to historic places, based on the suggestions of the committee. A disclaimer will also announce the film does not intend to glorify the practice of Sati.

The CBFC also categorically stated there are no lovemaking scenes in the film between Alauddin Khilji, played by Ranveer Singh, and Rani Padmini, essayed by Deepika Padukone.

The censors would release the film only after these modifications are made and the modified film is duly submitted before the board. Responding to the decision, professor Kapil Kumar, who is a historian and a Rajput royal, told India Today TV that while the film is impressive as a commercial entertainer, it is a distorted version of history.

"My first reaction was if this is a masala movie, let them go ahead and make money out of it. But since they have used historical characters and events, this is absolute caricature of Indian history. The acting is very good. I don't blame the actors because they play out characters they are given. But don't use history for your benefit. As it is, history today has been distorted," said Kumar.

The examining committee decided to form a special panel in order to arrive at a fair solution to the raging issue.

So, Censor board chairperson Prasoon Joshi was present at the meeting, and the special panel that deliberated over the issue included authorities of Rajasthan history such as Dr Chandramani Singh and Professor KK Singh of Jaipur University, and Arvind Singh of Udaipur.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions, which has produced the film, had earlier written to the CBFC, seeking the formation of a panel comprising historians and experts from the Rajput community.

In the past, the CBFC had set up special panels for Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, and Prakash Jha's Aarakshan that featured Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan.

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
A fisherman is in a critical condition after being swept off rocks at Little Bay in Sydney's east.

The 49-year-old man was fishing at Buchan Point when he was swept off the rocks before midday on Sunday.

A fisherman is in a critical condition after being swept off rocks at Little Bay. Credit:SEVEN NEWS

Emergency services found the man, who was wearing a lifejacket, about 250 metres from shore.

He was taken to St George Hospital in a critical condition.
The rot finally set into the Multifunction Polis, the brave new world concept of a city where work and leisure, lifetime education and intercultural exchange, research and manufacturing blossomed in the unlikely north Adelaide suburb of Gillman.

Started in 1987 by the Hawke government, the MFP was a joint venture between the Australian and Japanese governments but by 1994 the stock market crash, recession and ennui had put paid to castles in the air.

City of dreams: The Multifunction Polis in Adelaide, an attempt to blend work and lifestyle, burnt money for years but even the cost-cutting Keating government was too timid to ditch it. Credit:Fairfax Media

Labor governments over the years had shelled out $92 million to the MFP and now the Keating Cabinet was looking at ways of getting out from carrying the burden.

A submission to Cabinet in April 1994 said a Bureau of Industry Economics review had found the federal and South Australian governments had not worked together effectively on the project and the perception that Australia's performance on MFP has not matched its early optimistic and the somewhat unrealistic rhetoric leading to some negative international reaction suggested that the Commonwealth should withdraw funding sooner rather than later.
Hawkesbury Race Club has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 to a former employee after a tribunal found she was bullied and harassed by her boss, leaving her with a psychological injury.

Vivienne Leggett, 55, had worked for the horse racing club for more than 25 years as its sponsorship manager when a new CEO, Greg Rudolph, started in May 2016.

Vivienne Leggett was bullied and harassed at work, the Workers Compensation Commission has found. Credit:Geoff Jones

Within five months, she had become so distressed she had a breakdown and was diagnosed by multiple doctors to have a major depressive disorder.

In November, the Workers Compensation Commission heard Ms Leggett was intimidated, excluded and micro-managed by Mr Rudolph, who told her at a meeting: "You are not an employee or a contractor. You are a nothing".
Crowds have flocked to Sydney Harbour to welcome in the new year with 1.5 million people expected to take up a position along the water while another one billion people will tune in on television.

It is expected that close to half of those watching the fireworks will be tourists with some travelling from around the globe to witness the world famous display.

Big crowds descended early on Sunday at key locations, hoping to grab the best waterfront spots. But even those who arrived at the crack of dawn may have a person or two seated in front of them.

Some camped out for up to 40 hours before the clock was due to strike midnight in order to secure the ultimate viewing spot for the fireworks.
As the clock nears midnight, Sydney is gearing up for a signature dazzling end to the year after the 9pm fireworks offered a tantalising preview of the main event.

A sequence of pink and green fireworks kicked off the show, accompanied by Twenty One Pilots' hit song Ride, and things only got bigger and brighter as the minutes ticked on.

It didn't take long for the best vantage points to start turning people away, with revellers throwing down picnic blankets and setting up camp as early as 40 hours before the show at harbour-side spots around the city.

It's expected that 1.5 million people have flocked to spots by the water to catch a glimpse of a show that constitutes Sydney's pride and joy.
Sydney: Sydney's public hospital system has welcomed its first baby of 2018.

The baby boy arrived at Westmead Hospital at 1.20am on Monday weighing 4150 grams, NSW Health said.

Sydney's Westmead Hospital welcomed its first baby of 2018 early on New Year's Day. Credit:Stuart Ashley

He is the first baby to be born in the Sydney public health system this year.
Mr Dooley said he and his girlfriend sat by the front door as the police moved back and forth, negotiating between the two parties before eventually solving the issue. "Lo and behold the next day there was a Star Track Express delivered to our house with all the things we needed and just all sorted out," he said. "As a result of police coming to the store we had internet that afternoon and cable the next day." The successful negotiating of the police ended a months-long saga for Mr Dooley, who had been trying to get internet at his new house since September.

Working from home in the film and television industry, he needed good and reliable upload capacity so chose an NBN plan through Telstra. "It was horribly mishandled," he said. "A handful of technicians came and didn't install it properly. Everyone just didn't know what they were doing." He tried calling their support line, making over 80 calls to the telco in a bid to rectify the issue. He said he was often passed between four or five people who were all unable to help. "The aim has got to be for Telstra to get rid of you. They just don't care. If you call and ask to speak to sales you'll get through to someone right away." He took his complaints to the industry ombudsman but was found that he was just one of many putting in complaints about their telco provider.

"They were so overwhelmed by complaints they couldn't do anything effectively. They told me they were backlogged by a month of cases they can't get through." "I was temporarily disabled at the time. I had broken my leg and I was losing thousands of dollars in money not being able to do work because had no internet from home. "I'm convinced it affected my mental health. I got so angry and frustrated. It sounds really whingey but internet is so essential but also my lifeline for work and being laid up for months," he said. "What really got frustrating and got me down was in the end there was no one accountable." After $3000, 100 hours on the phone and a temporary ADSL connection, Mr Dooley had had enough.

With a still-healing leg, Mr Dooley went with his girlfriend to the Telstra Marrickville Metro store on Wednesday. Although he had managed to get the NBN cable installed, he still needed a modem, router and cable. "I said just give me that stuff at least and I'll run it out the window. They said they couldn't help and I said we're not leaving so they called security." While he was lucky to have three cops step in to assist, Mr Dooley said that there were others not so fortunate. "I think about people who don't know about tech who are elderly or don't speak the language properly. They would never be able to deal with this. What really got frustrating and got me down was in the end there was no one accountable.
Would you be upset if your child's school report was accidentally posted to another family?

It is a question Leanne Preece, the principal of a local school in Bendigo, could be asking herself this week after an administrative bungle at Weeroona College saw end-of-year reports mailed to the wrong households.

Weeroona College in Bendigo. Credit:Bendigo Advertiser

Parents with children enrolled at the school took to social media on Thursday to report they were the recipients of letters meant for other families.

Many used Facebook to reach out to the rightful owners of the misdirected mail.
San Jose: A plane crashed in Costa Rica on Sunday, killing at least 12 people, most of them foreign tourists, the country's security ministry said.

The crash, whose cause is not yet known, took place in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, which is popular with tourists, in the province of Guanacaste, about 230 km west of the capital of San Jose.

The site of a plane crash in Punta Islita, Guanacaste, Costa Rica Credit:AP

Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica's civil aviation agency, told local media that the deceased included 10 foreign tourists and two Costa Rican pilots for the aircraft, which was operated by local company Nature Air.

Nature Air could not immediately be reached for comment.
Ahmad Khatami, a hardline cleric who leads Friday prayers in the capital Tehran, called for capital punishment for those chanting slogans against the values of the Islamic Republic. Tens of thousands of people have protested across the country since Thursday against the Islamic Republic's unelected clerical elite and Iranian foreign policy in the region. They have also chanted slogans in support of political prisoners. Demonstrators initially vented their anger over economic hardships and alleged corruption but they have also begun to call on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down. The government said it would temporarily restrict access to the Telegram and Instagram messaging apps, state television reported. An Iranian reached by telephone, who asked not to be named, said there was a heavy presence of police and security forces in central Tehran.

"I saw a few young men being arrested and put into police van. They don't let anyone assemble," he said. Video from earlier days posted on social media showed people chanting: "Mullahs, have some shame, leave the country alone." Breaking taboo The demonstrators also shouted: "Reza Shah, bless your soul". Such calls are evidence of a deep level of anger and break a taboo. The king ruled Iran from 1925 to 1941 and his Pahlavi dynasty was overthrown in a revolution in 1979 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republic's first leader. The protests are the biggest since unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Demonstrators denounce high prices, corruption and mismanagement. About 3.2 million Iranians are jobless, out of a total population of 80 million. The demonstrations are particularly troublesome for Rouhani's government because he was elected on a promise to guarantee rights to freedom of expression and assembly. His main achievement is a deal in 2015 with world powers that curbed Iran's nuclear program in return for a lifting of most international sanctions. But it is yet to bring the economic benefits the government promised. "Those who damage public property, violate law and order and create unrest are responsible for their actions and should pay the price," state media quoted Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli as saying. Ali Asghar Naserbakht, deputy governor of Tehran province, was quoted as saying by ILNA news agency that 200 protesters had been arrested on Saturday.

Videos posted on social media showed families gathering in front of Evin Prison in Tehran, asking for information about relatives arrested in recent days. 'Carried away by emotions' Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said some of the arrested protesters had confessed "they were carried away by emotions and set fire to mosques and public buildings" and said they would face heavy punishment. "After giving thousands of martyrs for the Revolution, the nation will not return to dark era of Pahlavi rule," he said. Protesters defied the police and Revolutionary Guards who have used violence to crush previous unrest. These demonstrations could be more worrying for authorities because they seem spontaneous and lack a clear leader.

No political party had urged Iranians to take to the streets and opposition leaders who galvanised Iranians during 2009 are under house arrest. In addition, the range of slogans suggests discontent across social classes with government policies. Iran has a dual system of clerical and republican rule, in which each faction vies for control. The supreme leader rules for life and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He also appoints the head of the judiciary and, in all, has more power over foreign and economic policy than the elected president. Analysts say Iran's leaders believe they can count on the support of many from a generation that took part as youths in the 1979 revolution and the ensuing eight-year war with Iraq to continue to defend the Islamic system. Trump tweets The United States condemned the scores of arrests of protesters reported by Iranian media.

Trump refused in October to certify that Tehran is complying with its 2015 nuclear deal and said he might terminate the agreement. He also detailed a more aggressive approach to Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its support for militant groups in the Middle East. Canada said it was encouraged by the protests. The country suspended diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012 and called Tehran the biggest threat to global security. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state media that "Canada's intervention in Iranian affairs is a violation of international conventions". British foreign minister Boris Johnson tweeted that it was "vital that citizens should have the right to demonstrate peacefully".
By PTI: support

Ahmedabad, Dec 30 (PTI) Lending support to Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who is miffed over the portfolios allotted to him in the new BJP government, Patidar leader Lalji Patel today called for a Mehsana `bandh (general strike) on January 1.

He also threatened to call for a state-wide bandh if Nitin Patel was not made the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

advertisement

Lalji Patel, who is convener of the Sardar Patel Group (SPG) which had launched the Patidar quota agitation along with Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, today called on the deputy chief minister at his official residence in Gandhinagar with dozens of supporters.

"The BJP is repeatedly doing injustice to Nitin-bhai Patel. Today I met him with supporters from Mehsana, and we have given a call for Mehsana bandh on January 1 in his support," Lalji Patel told reporters.

Nitin Patel is MLA from Mehsana, which has a sizable Patidar population and which was the epicentre of the quota agitation.

"People of Gujarat and former chief minister Anandiben Patel wanted Nitin Patel to be made the chief minister (when Anandiben resigned). He was not made the CM but he accepted the decision and decided to work as deputy chief minister. People are angry with the latest development. Nitin-bhai is the right candidate for chief ministers post," he said.

"We met Nitin-bhai...We asked him what is needed to be done. It is now for him to take the final call. He said the partys high command has said it will decide the matter in two days," the SPG leader said.

Ketan Patel, another Patidar leader who left the PAAS to join the BJP, also met the deputy chief minister.

"Nitin Patel has worked tirelessly to mollify the agitated Patidar community and played important role in bringing the party back to power. The BJP high command should address his concerns positively," he said, adding that the BJP should ensure that political opponents do not take advantage of the development.

Earlier in the day, PAAS leader Hardik Patel declared support for Nitin Patel and said the BJP sidelined him despite his hard work.

In the previous government Nitin Patel handled portfolios such as finance and urban development, while in the new government, which was sworn in earlier this week, he was given relatively lightweight departments such as road and building, and health. PTI KA PD KRK RYS

--- ENDS ---
Moscow: Russia's Supreme Court on Saturday dismissed an appeal by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny against a decision by the country's central election commission to bar him from taking part in next year's presidential election.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Credit:AP

The commission this week barred Navalny from taking part in the March 18 vote because of a suspended prison sentence he says was trumped up.

Navalny, who did not attend the Supreme Court hearing, wrote on Twitter that he and his supporters "will not recognise elections without competition" and renewed calls for a boycott of the vote.

Polls indicate that President Vladimir Putin, who has dominated Russia's political landscape for 18 years, is on course to be comfortably re-elected, but Navalny says his own exclusion from the vote makes a farce of the ballot.
By PTI: Mumbai, Dec 31 (PTI) Terming "professional and productive work culture" as the key to the airlines turnaround, Air India chief Pradeep Singh Kharola has said in a message to employees that "we have to perform if we do not want to perish".

Kharola, who took over as chairman and managing director of the disinvestment-bound national carrier earlier this month, also said the onus to steer the company out of turbulence lies on everyone.

advertisement

"We have to adopt a professional and productive work culture which will hold the key for our turnaround....your hard work has helped Air India to improve in some of the key operational parameters in recent times, but still, we have miles to go," the AI chief said in his New Year message.

The government is currently working on modalities for strategic disinvestment of the loss-making national carrier.

Kharola also urged employees to pull out all stops and "cast aside the deterrents that have been holding the flag carrier back from tapping the immense potential".

"The onus is on us to steer our company out of turbulence into clear skies again with single-minded determination and grit. We must...aim to improve our performance in every sphere to match up to industry benchmarks," he said.

Air India has been launching new routes in the domestic and international sectors, initiating innovative schemes and upgrading its fleet to become more vibrant and win passenger confidence, he said.

"I implore all of you to sustain this effort to resurrect the pride and glory of the airline....We have to perform if we do not want to perish," Kharola said.

Air India has to beat competition in on-time- performance, load factor and cleanliness among other parameters, he said, adding, "amidst all the talk about our future identity, we have to stay focused and deliver."

On June 28, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave in-principle approval to privatise Air India and its five subsidiaries. PTI IAS RAM KRK

--- ENDS ---
On late Saturday morning, a bird flew out of the cold Detroit sky, across an airfield and into the cockpit of a jetliner bound south for Atlanta.

Some believe it was a sparrow. Some, a hummingbird. A Delta Air Lines spokesman referred to it only as "stowaway" - and in any case it would be a long delay before anyone on Flight 1943 could catch the thing to get a look at it.

Shane Perry, a minister with a connection and a speech to make, was waiting to board when he saw the pilot walk off the jet bridge and whisper something to the ticket agent.

"He said, 'In my 18 years of doing this, this is the first time I've ever seen this,' " Perry told The Washington Post. "There's a bird in the cockpit."

The ticket agent laughed at this. It still seemed funny to Perry, too, at that point. He boarded the plane with the other passengers and watched as yellow-vested workers rummaged through the cockpit.

They didn't find the bird in the first few minutes, or the next few. The pilot stood in the aisle, hands in pockets, and watched like everyone else.

An hour later, Perry was still sitting in a grounded airplane, watching winter birds flit around outside his window while the stowaway stayed hidden in the cockpit.

There was some talk that morning of moving everyone to a different plane, but, eventually, the pilot's voice came out over the intercom and announced that the bird must have left.

"The explanation was the bird had apparently flown out of some type of hatch under the plane, which seemed strange to me," Perry said.

He recalled the pilot telling the passengers: "We're going to take off, but if I hear any chirping in the cockpit, I'll turn around."

"I took that as a joke," Perry said.

Now accounts begin to differ again.

Perry doesn't think they were in the air more than five minutes before the bird made its second appearance. The Delta spokesman described the time, vaguely, as "shortly after takeoff."

For Brian Buonassissi, a traveling DJ in the middle of an exhausting New York-to-Detroit-to-Atlanta-to-Florida connection, it felt as if they'd been flying for an hour before the captain came back on the intercom and said: "The bird is back."

"The bird is flying around the cockpit," he announced, as Perry recalled it.

If the hunt for this elusive bird - which Buonassissi thought the pilot said was a hummingbird, though Perry was never sure - had begun in the morning as a comedy, it seemed less funny now at midday, thousands of feet above the ground.

Seated close behind the cockpit door, Perry imagined what might happen if the bird flapped into an instrument panel.

Back in aisle 14, Buonassissi heard his seatmates break into a chorus of groans, astonished laughs and "what did he say"s at the announcement of the bird's return, and what it meant for 100-odd humans on board.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the Captain made the decision to return to Detroit to avoid a potential distraction during flight," the Delta spokesman said in the statement.

ALSO READ: Dog found frozen solid on its porch amid US cold snap

Buonassissi thinks the bird, like everyone on the flight, made it halfway to Georgia before the plane turned back. A flight tracker shows the plane really just made a big loop around Detroit and landed back where it started, shortly after noon.

And then the men in yellow vests came back on board, and the search resumed.

By now people were in danger of missing their connections. So Buonassissi and a couple other passengers walked back to the gate to try to find other flights.

Perry stayed in his seat and watched a somewhat disgruntled-looking pilot watch the workers search for the bird.

Buonassissi got back on the plane, having decided that there was no faster way than this to get to his DJ gig.

A few more minutes passed, and then he saw it:

A worker came out of the cockpit. In his arms was a towel. In the towel was a very small bird that had managed to ground a 55-ton flying machine.

The plane took off again in the early afternoon. Perry made it to his speech, and Buonassissi made his connection.

"The bird was safely removed and set free," the spokesman wrote.

It has not been seen again.
Southwestern Connecticut saw its share of tragedy and scandal in 2017.

Click through the slideshow to see the stories that most interested you this year.



The untimely deaths of local students rocked communities in 2017. In January, a student at a Kent boarding school took her own life. Two months earlier, she told faculty and peers at the Kent School that she was transgender. She had told close friends about her gender identity in the fall, and school officials and students who knew had embraced her, friends said.

In April, what started out as a fun day turned tragic when a Sacred Heart University student died after falling ill at a pancake-eating contest at the University Commons. Police said she had multiple food allergies and was choking during the contest.

Greenwich was shocked in August when a student at Sacred Heart Greenwich was found dead at her residence in Pound Ridge, N.Y. According to New York State Police, she was killed by her father, who also killed his wife and himself.
By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu has assured to formulate a national policy for retail trade to bring all verticals, including small business, big retail, e- commerce and direct selling under it, said industry body CAIT.

"On demand of CAIT (Confederation of All India Traders) to formulate a national policy for retail trade, the Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu appreciated the suggestion and agreed to formulate a policy having all verticals of retail trade i.e. Small Business, Big Retail, E-Commerce and Direct Selling under one umbrella of retail trade policy," it said in a statement.

advertisement

In a meeting held between Prabhu & a CAIT delegation led by its Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, the industry body lodged its strong complaint against e-commerce platforms for indulging in deep discounting and loss funding, thereby violating FDI Policy 2016 of the Centre, it said.

CAIT said that the unfair practices being adopted by such e-commerce platforms, claiming to be a marketplace, are conducting sales to direct consumers instead of making Business-to-Business (B2B) sales.

The industry body said that CAIT has sought stern action against such e-commerce players which are bent upon in creating an uneven level playing field, much to the disadvantage of offline markets.

While giving a patient hearing to the delegation, Prabhu said that no unfair practices will be allowed in any vertical of retail trade and complaints made will be looked into. He assured the delegation to convene a meeting shortly to resolve the issue, the statement said.

Earlier, while submitting a memorandum, CAIT said that large number of e-commerce platforms are deeply engaged in predatory pricing and continuously offering deep discounts by funding the losses in contravention of the FDI policy.

These e-commerce companies claims to be a marketplace but mass scale public advertisements by them in the recent past is nothing but to solicit the consumers directly, it said.

If, in reality, these companies are B2B marketplace place, then where is the need of conducting big scale advertisement campaign directly addressing the consumers, which speaks for itself that they are indulging B2C activities, which is a blatant violation of FDI policy, it pointed out.

These e-commerce portals are circumventing the law and engaged in Business-to-Consumers (B2C) activities, which is prohibited for e-commerce marketplace portals, it added. PTI KKS BAL

--- ENDS ---
His four-month term has tongues wagging as CM makes too many short-term postings.

By Rohit Parihar: NC Goel, a 1982 batch IAS officer has been appointed the next chief secretary of Rajasthan by superseding half a dozen officers.

His tenure will last only four months unless he is granted extension twice by the centre to take state through assembly polls due in December.

Observers have already started questioning including on social media logic in making him chief secretary for just four months.

advertisement

Earlier, Ajit Singh Shekhawat was made Director General of Police just for four months before the state had a new DGP in OP Galhotra last month.

Radhey Shyam Garg has been made the chairman of Rajasthan Public Service Commission for six months because of his RSS background and because he had his medical practice in Dholpur which is the home town of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Goel is lucky that his appointment has been announced a day before current chief secretary Ashok Jain has to superannuate on December 31.

Goel was to be the chief secretary in place of Jain but for some last minute sabotage carried out by a powerful bureaucratic lobby. Jain remained in office just for six months.

Raje takes her in time to make crucial appointments. Jain as also his two predecessors were told about their appointment at the last moment.

CS Rajan, for example, waited for two days when his batchmate and chief secretary Rajiv Mehrishi moved to Delhi as union finance secretary before Raje announced his name.

Surprisingly, Rajan who was not the first choice was given two extensions of three months each as also a post-retirement office as deputy chairman of CM's Advisory Council primarily because he could sell CM a few dreams and perhaps meted out a few favours.

His extensions for no reason can be cited as precedence to stretch Goel's tenure also though DB Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, finance and a 1983 batch officer is being talked about as the next chief secretary although some officers of lesser seniority like Mukesh Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development and Housing are also said to be in race as next incumbent.

Goel has been holding departments of forest, wildlife, tourism and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation. All these are close to the heart of the chief minister who wanted to reward Goel for doing what she expected of him.

Goel is generally rated a go-getter officer and state has very few senior officers left who are that effective.

While Galhotra will have a longer stay, many wonders if chief minister is right in making short-term appointments on other crucial posts too often and whether it adversely affects the governance.

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
After skit from a West Iredell High School social studies class, there have been more questions than answers about what exactly was meant to b
KANSAS CITY  Police in Los Angeles have arrested a man they suspect made a hoax emergency call that resulted in a SWAT police officer fatally shooting a man at the door of his own home in Kansas, law enforcement officials said Saturday.

Wichita Deputy Police Chief Troy Livingston characterized the hoax call as swatting in which a prankster called 911 with a fake story about a shooting and kidnapping to draw a SWAT team to the victims address.

Authorities havent released the name of the man who was killed Thursday, but relatives have identified him as Andrew Finch, 28.

Tyler Barriss, 25, is suspected of making that call and was arrested in Los Angeles on Friday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Wichita Police Department in statements emailed early Saturday afternoon.

Officer Paul Cruz, a spokesman for the Wichita police, said the two city police departments were working with the FBI on the case, but provided no further details including on potential charges or extradition.

In audio of the 911 call played by Wichita police at a news conference on Friday, a man said that he had shot his father in the head and that he was holding his mother and a sibling at gunpoint. The caller, speaking with relative calm, also said he had poured gasoline inside the home and I might just set it on fire.

Officers subsequently surrounded the home at the address the caller provided and prepared for a hostage situation. When Finch went to the door, police told him to put his hands up and move slowly.

But Livingston said the man moved a hand toward his waistband  a common place where guns are concealed. An officer, fearing the man was reaching for a gun, fired a single shot, Livingston said. Finch died a few minutes later at a hospital. Livingston said Finch was unarmed.

The officer, a seven-year veteran of the department, is on paid leave pending the investigation.

Lisa Finch said Friday, That cop murdered my son over a false report in the first place.

In addition to the 911 call, police also released a brief video of body camera footage from another officer at the scene. It was difficult to see clearly what happened.

Dexerto, an online news service focused on gaming, reported that the series of events began with an online argument over a $1 or $2 wager in a Call of Duty game on UMG Gaming, which operates online tournaments including one involving Call of Duty.

Livingston said investigators were tracking online leads, and a law enforcement official who earlier confirmed Barriss arrest said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over Call of Duty. The official wasnt authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to the Associated Press Saturday on condition of anonymity.

The official said that Barriss believed a person involved in the dispute lived at the address, but that investigators dont believe Finch was the intended target. Finchs mother said her son was not a gamer.

The official said it wasnt clear if Barriss was involved in the dispute or if he had been recruited to make the false call.

Court records show Barriss was convicted in 2016 on two counts of making a false bomb report to a TV station in Glendale, Calif., and sent to Los Angeles County jail for two years. Jail records show he was released in January.

The FBI estimates that roughly 400 cases of swatting occur annually, with some using caller ID spoofing to disguise their number. An FBI supervisor in Kansas City, which covers all of Kansas, said the agency joined in the investigation at the request of local police.

In other cases of apparent swatting, three families in Florida in January had to evacuate their homes after a detective received an anonymous email claiming bombs had been placed at the address.
Tamil Nadu leaders say that Rajinikanth's entry into politics will not dent their vote banks. Assurance or reassurance?

By India Today Web Desk: With superstar Rajinikanth announcing his entry into politics today, the Tamil Nadu power corridors witnessed nothing less than a political earthquake.

Rajini in an address during his fan meet in Chennai's Raghavendra Mandapam said he would debut with the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2021.

Soon after his declaration, congratulatory messages started to pour in from actors, politicians and fans alike.

advertisement

But what stood apart are the reactions from the Tamil Nadu polity- that seem far from thrilled and teetering a change in their political canvas to combat the Thalaiva juggernaut.

HERE'S WHAT POLITICAL LEADERS SAID:

AIADMK minister Jayakumar: Rajinikanth's announcement is definitely not a drawback for AIADMK. We are a strong party... Rajinikanth didn't mention about AIADMK when he spoke about the corrupt system.

DMK working president MK Stalin: I congratulate Rajinikanth, he has finally put an end to his fans expectation. Rajinikanth's entry will not create any kind of positive or negative impact for the DMK.

RK Nagar MLA TTV Dhinakaran: I am happy about the announcement of Rajinikanth joining politics, but its only up to the people for whom they are going to vote.

AIADMK leader Maitreyen: In a democracy, anyone can enter politics. Ultimately it is Janata Janardhan who decides. I welcome superstar Rajinikanth's decision to enter politics.

BJP leader Subramanian Swami: Rajinikanth is an illiterate person with no clear agenda to fight corruption in Tamil Nadu. Has he announced the party name? Let him and then I will expose him.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan: We welcome Rajinikanth's decision to enter politics. Corruption free India and good governance is the sole aim of BJP too.

With inputs from Shalini Lobo

--- ENDS ---
A driver was found dead Saturday night after he lost control of his car and hit a utility pole and a dumpster, authorities said.

The St. Clair County Sheriff's Department said the car crashed in the 3900 block of Old Oak Lane, near the intersection of Frank Scott Parkway West and Illinois Route 158, at about 10:15 p.m.

Deputies said the driver of the car, Harold Sanders, 56, of Belleville, may have had a medical problem before the crash, causing him to lose control of his Toyota Camry. The car, which had been going southbound on Frank Scott Parkway, went across Route 158, hitting a stop sign at Old Oak Lane.

The car continued up a driveway, hitting a utility pole and then a dumpster at a home that is under construction there.

Sanders was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was in the car.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has received a ring that once belonged to the 16th president's youngest son.

The Springfield museum says the ring was a gift from an Illinois family.

It is made of braided hair from Thomas "Tad" Lincoln's pony, and has a small clasp engraved with "Thomas Lincoln."

Museum officials say Thomas Lincoln used to ride his pony near the White House. In the 1860s he gave the ring to the wife of a Union officer who was stationed nearby. The woman later moved to Effingham, Ill.

Her descendants kept the ring until the family recently donated it to the museum.

Museum curator James Cornelius calls the ring "an amazing and personal piece."
Updated with more details; that a deputy was killed.

DENVER  A sheriff's deputy was killed and four others were wounded Sunday in a shooting in suburban Denver that capped a year of deadly attacks in the United States. Two civilians were also injured.

The shooting happened after deputies were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance in Highlands Ranch, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter. The suspected gunman was also shot and is believed to be dead and "no longer a threat."

Shots were fired in the course of the investigation at the Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped complex 16 miles south of Denver, the sheriff's office said. Residents in the vicinity were advised to stay inside and avoid exterior walls and windows.

A hospital where three people were taken for treatment says those people suffered noncritical injuries. Another nearby hospital said it received four patients but wouldn't release their conditions.
STRATFORD looks set to benefit from Coventrys successful bid to become UK City of Culture 2021.

Several leading organisations in the town have thrown their support behind Coventry and have welcomed the increased trade and tourist opportunities the announcement offers Shakespeares home town.

Becky Cund, director of HR at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and a trustee of Coventry Culture Trust said: "Coventry's win is great news. All of us at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our partners including CW9 and CWLEP as well as the City of Culture programme to ensure the success of the bid benefits the entire region.

Our Board of Trustees has set up a new sub-committee to actively explore how we can best support Coventry City of Culture 2021, building on Stratford's standing as the world-famous Shakespeare centre. We will meet in the New Year to better understand how we can support the result and assist in the bid positively affecting the whole region.

Stratforwards Board backed Coventrys bid and Stratford District Council was one of several Warwickshire councils that contributed towards the cost of the bid, which was led by the Coventry City of Culture Trust, Coventry City Council and the University of Warwick.

District council leader Cllr Chris Saint said: The district council would like to extend its sincerest congratulations to the team behind the bid, who have worked so tirelessly to put this bid together and especially with partners across the whole region and were proud to have supported the bid.

A spokesman for the RSC said: We are over the moon that Coventry has won City of Culture 2021 against such stiff competition. The brilliant programme promises something for everyone, with young people at the very centre of it all. We cant wait to take part.

Its envisaged that as well as major productions by the RSC there will be screenings of the entire works of Shakespeare in iconic locations around Coventry.
Superstar Rajinikanth in a thunderous declaration today at Chennai's Raghavendra Mandapam said loud and clear, "I am entering politics." Here are the top takeaways from his debut speech.

Rajinikanth greets fans outside Raghvendra Mandapam after announcing his political entry. Photo: ANI

By India Today Web Desk: The Rajinikanth tsunami has finally hit Tamil Nadu and political corridors alike and how.

Superstar Rajinikanth in a thunderous declaration today at Chennai's Raghavendra Mandapam said loud and clear, "I am entering politics."

Terming his political debut as the "need of the hour", the abhineta soon to turn neta said, "Will float a party and contest in all of the state's 234 constituencies in the next Assembly polls."

advertisement

As per schedule, the next Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will be held in 2021.

Chennai: #Rajinikanth greets fans outside Raghvendra Mandapam after announcing his political entry pic.twitter.com/as4pWgMm7C- ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

HERE ARE RAJINIKANTH'S TOP 10 QUOTES OF THE DAY:

I want guards to stop people who are using influence and power. I don't want cadres, I want watchdogs (security) people who keep a check.

I want a guard who doesn't knock the doors of government officials to get favour.

Truth, work and growth will be the three mantras of our party.

Quoting a shloka from the Bhagwad Gita, Rajinikanth said: Our motto will be do good, think good, only good things will happen.

If we are unable to do justice to people, we will resign in 3 years.

In the name of democracy politicians are robbing us of our own money on our own land. We need to bring a change from the base.

Democracy is in bad shape right now, all other states have been making fun of us(Tamil Nadu), I will feel guilty if I don't take this decision now.

We should not speak about politics till my next announcement. We should not criticise anyone or target anyone. We should wait till we are ready to swim,"

I'm not entering politics for name or fame. If it was for a post I would have joined in 1996.

Rajinikanth on floating a political party: It is like taking a pearl from the deep sea

Rajinikanth said he was confident of getting people's support and represented the common man. Further advising his fans to "think good, talk good and do good".

Meanwhile, fellow actor Kamal Haasan congratulated Rajinikanth on his political debut and said, "I congratulate brother Rajini. I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome."

Watch: Here is Rajinikanth announcing his political debut

--- ENDS ---
Bay of Plentys Cody Cooper has done it again.

The Mount Maunganui rider gave his many local fans a real treat as he was almost unstoppable at the annual Honda Summercross event at Whakatane on Saturday, the last big New Zealand motocross blow-out of the year.

The Honda Racing Team stars winning of the glamour MX1 class didnt come without stress, but smart riding handed the under the weather 34-year-old national MX1 champion his fourth Summercross victory and his third in a row on Saturday.

Even though debilitated by a head cold, Mount Maunganuis Cooper (Honda Racing Team CRF450) won the first four eight-minute MX1 class races on Saturday and, when he started to fade, his energy sapped by the illness, in the longer fifth and final (15-minute) race of the day, he knew that he really only had to worry about nearest challenger Rhys Carter (Kawasaki KX450F) and fellow Honda racing Team rider John Phillips, of Rotorua.

When Altherm JCR Yamaha Racing Team rider Kayne Lamont fought through to snatch the lead from Cooper in that final race, Cooper was unconcerned and didnt react either when Carter passed him to take the No.2 spot, relegating him to third.

I may not be very good at spelling, but I know how to add and I knew, at that stage, that third or fourth in the final race would be good enough to secure the overall victory, says Cooper.

The race finished in that order  Lamont winning ahead of Carter and Cooper  and the outright Summercross win in the premier MX1 class went to Cooper.

Ive been unwell from the middle of this week and was coughing all the time, says Cooper.

I have not been riding much lately and was so wasnt at my best anyway.

But I did what I needed to do today and got the win. I just had to ride smart.

I made sure I took maximum points in the four sprint races and then the pressure was off me for the longer final race.

For Cooper to win this major event, even on a bad day, is perhaps the sign of a true champion and his rivals for the national MX1 crown will surely have had their respect for the man reinforced by this result.
She was a fixture of Rotoruas social scene in the 1980s and 90s - a flamboyant raconteur who claimed to be the heir to the fortune of American jeans inventor Levi Strauss.

She went by the name Lee J Strauss, surrounded herself with men and women half her age, bohemian types mostly, and liked to be called "Lee-J".

But it was all a ruse - she was in fact Eileen Marie Farquer, an Australian-born career criminal who had left behind a heartbroken family in the US and was fraudulently collecting a benefit under the Strauss name.

More details about Farquers life have come to light after Stuff reported this month that an American woman, Bonnie Metzger, believed Farquer was her mother, who abandoned her and her siblings in 1952 when they were toddlers.

Her story was actually full of holes - Levi Strauss had no children and passed his business to relatives with a different surname.

But in the pre-internet age it wasnt as easy to check out her stories.

Lester Smith was a Hamilton-based sales rep in the early 1980s when he encountered "Lee J" on a night out in Rotorua.

She was with a raucous group of about 15 people going to dinner to celebrate her birthday and they invited Smith along.

Over dinner, Strauss regaled Smith with the story of her supposed connection to the American Strauss family.

"She said when she was growing up she wouldnt conform... and was always the black sheep getting in trouble.

"The family had apparently ostracised her... she said the arrangement was she was to live as far away as possible from her family and not cause them any embarrassment.

"So she lived in New Zealand and got a monthly allowance."

She claimed not to care about money and spent freely, insisting on paying for everyones dinner, Smith says.

On other occasions she was broke. She once borrowed $200 from a young man she was fond of, Smith says, insisting he take items of jewellery as collateral.

"Out of interest he took them to a local jeweller who said they were the real thing - worth tens of thousands of dollars."

Smith says Strauss would wear a large brooch and scarf, loved jazz music and reminded him of Dorothy Parker, the American writer and socialite, with the way she would hold court and entertain.

"She certainly looked a bit different for Rotorua in the 80s. She looked like what she said she was - old school money."

Artist and gallery owner Bryan Schofield first met Strauss when she arrived in the Bay of Plenty in 1977, having arrived in Queenstown a few years earlier.

She showed him photos of herself as an attractive young woman, crewing on the classic American sailing yacht Ticonderoga.

Schofield considered her a close friend, and they would drink wine at her rented pole house at Lake Rotoiti.

They would also pick kiwifruit and sell goods at local markets.

"She used to sell Levi jeans she would get from someone in Hamilton. She used to get them at a really good price - whether they were legit or not, who knows?"

She would always drive nice cars, Schofield says. One time they visited a Porsche dealer in Tauranga and she gave staff the impression she wanted to buy one.

"A young guy drove one over to Rotoiti to show her - she probably was never going to buy it - for Lee J it was just a nice way to spend a morning."

She never mentioned her family - "she may have had a husband or two" - and was reluctant to discuss that.

Jean Sydenham was Strauss neighbour at Lake Rotoiti in the late 80s and remembers seeing a Time magazine article about Levi Strauss family.

"She said let me read what theyre saying about me and I said theres nothing about you in there and she said oh theyre disowning me again are they?. She was a bluff artist."

Another time Sydenham saw an article in the newspaper about re-possessed cars with an accompanying photo - one of them was Strauss.

"She said theyve made a mistake, its not my car, but it was the same number plate - she was playing games and not paying bills."

Sydenhams family gave Strauss a brown German Pointer dog called Lara - giving her the idea for another alias, Lara Brown, which she still uses.

It was under that name that she was known around Little Waihi near Maketu, where she initially lived in a caravan park before renting a bach.

Her landlady, Pam Young, says a young man in his 20s or 30s showed up about five years ago - Brown described him as her "son" who shed helped raise. He was from the Cayman Islands or somewhere in the Caribbean.

Young says Browns lawyer made her tell them about her court charges for benefit fraud.

"How do you put an old lady out on the street? If she didnt have an abode she would have gone to jail...so we gave her a home here."

Things eventually turned sour over unpaid rent.

"She could be absolutely beautiful, wonderful and when it all fell apart she turned out to be one of the nastiest ladies Ive ever met.

"She tore strips off me in front of everybody, told everybody I was trying to kill her."

She started living next door with Noel Hamon, who describes her as a "dear old soul".

He researched her family on ancestry.com, after she said her real name was Farquer.

"She didnt know her parents or much about her family. I found out she was from Aussie and I found her father and mother, gave her the genealogy papers - she had a bit of a cry."

Through that research he made contact with Metzger and MacIsaac in the US, but is reluctant to give them too much information because he considers it private.

Farquer left Little Waihi a couple of years ago and lived in a caravan park near Paengaroa, before moving to a rest home in Katikati.

Now 88, she lives in a rest home in Tauranga and has dementia.

Smith, the former sales rep who socialised with her in the 80s, says she was hilarious and entertaining, but there was a sadness about her.

"Because desertion was such a major part of her story with the Strauss family - Id love to know what happened to her in Australia with her parents to make her such a wandering spirit.

"Its a pity shes lost her memory because a warts and all true story from her would be something else."

Metzger says she would love to meet her mother, but fears being rebuffed.

Farquers social worker has suggested she start by writing a letter.

"Im finding it difficult to start - the fact that she denies or does not remember having children is part of the difficulty."

Metzger says its been wonderful to learn more about such an enigmatic woman, and she feels the stories have helped bring her "from the depths of my imagination to the depths of my heart".

- Stuff
Superstar Rajinikanth announces his political debut, says will float a party and contest next Assembly election.

By India Today Web Desk: Putting an end to the suspense if his political ambitions will take flight in the new year or anytime soon, superstar Rajinikanth has finally announced his decision to enter politics at a fan meet today.

Addressing his fans at the sixth and the last day of his fan meet at Chennai's Raghavendra Mandapam, Thalaivar has ushered the new year with a bang.

advertisement

Earlier this week, the actor, while addressing his fans had said, "I am not new to politics. I'm there since 1996. I got delayed. Entering is equal to victory. I will announce a decision on December 31."

Fellow actor Kamal Haasan has also hinted that he is willing to work with Rajinikanth if the superstar ever decides to enter politics.

LATEST UPDATES:

10:24AM: I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome: Kamal Haasan on Rajinikanth

9:34AM: President of the Tamil Nadu BJP Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has welcomed actor Rajinikanth's political entry. "Corruption free India and good governance is the sole aim of BJP too," he said.

9:30AM: More excited faces from the crowd after Rajinikanth's anouncement.

Image: Shiv Aroor/Twitter

9:27AM: Crowds elated after Rajinikanth's anouncement.

Image: Shiv Aroor/Twitter Image: Shiv Aroor/Twitter

9:25AM: Meanwhile Subramanian Swamy has said, "Rajinikanth had no details or documents, he is illiterate. Its only media hype, people of Tamil Nadu are intelligent. BJP should wake up and realise that he is not with us. This is a joke, Tamil Nadu requires something serious."

9:23AM: In next Assembly elections I will form a party and will contest all constituencies in Tamil Nadu : Rajinikanth

9:20AM: "I want guards to stop people who are using influence and power. I don't want cadres, I want watchdogs (security) people who keep a check. I want a guard who doesn't knock the doors of government officials to get favour," Rajinikanth said.

9:18AM: "Our motto will be do good, think good, only good things will happen," Rajinikanth said.

9:16AM: "We should not speak about politics till my next announcement. We should not criticise anyone or target anyone. We should wait till we are ready to swim," Rajinikanth said.

9:14AM: "If we are unable to do justice to people, we will resign in 3 years," Rajinikanth said.

9:12AM:

In the name of democracy politicians are robbing us of our own money on our own land. We need to bring a change from the base: #Rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/T06FhxRpXV- ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

advertisement

9:10AM: "Blessings of the people, their belief, their love only with that this can be done. All we are seeing is corruption," Rajini said.

9:08AM:

Democracy is in bad shape right now, all other states have been making fun of us(Tamil Nadu), I will feel guilty if I don't take this decision now: #Rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/E4d5Kc9hw7- ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

9:07AM: Rajinikanth said, "I'm not entering politics for name or fame. If it was for a post I would have joined in 1996."

9:05AM: "I confirm that I will enter politics," says Rajinikanth.

9:04AM: "I'm not worried by politics, I'm worried about the media," says Rajnikanth.

9:03AM: "I am like a child. These people will ask questions and if I answer them, it will become a controversy," Rajnikanth said.

9:02AM: "Can't thank my fans enough," says Rajinikanth

9:00AM:

Chennai: #Rajinikanth arrives at Sri Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam, expected to make a major announcement shortly pic.twitter.com/DbwDQEUoaq- ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

8:55AM: Rajinikanth leaves for Sri Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam from his residence.

8:45AM: I will make the announcement after reaching Sri Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam, says Rajinikanth.

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Tauranga Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout and his wife Kathryn recently returned from a trip to Israel where they were part of commemorations for New Zealands role in liberating the Holy Land during the First World War.



The Clouts, who paid for the trip themselves, joined other New Zealanders at Rishon LeZion, the fourth-largest city in Israel, near where the Battle of Ayun Kara took place.

The New Zealanders were there to mark the centenary of the battle, which took place on November 14, 1917, and involved the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade defeating Ottoman Turk forces.

The councils of Rishon LeZion and Ness Ziona [another nearby city] organised a field trip to the battle site with a local historian, says Kelvin. I was fortunate to be able to speak on behalf of the group, alongside the New Zealand ambassador.

New Zealands contribution to the campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of the war is valued by the Israelis, who see it as a factor in helping liberate the Jewish settlers from Ottoman rule, allowing them to eventually create the state of Israel.

It was fascinating to be there and hear the history, says Kathryn. We were very honoured and respected as New Zealanders.

The Clouts also took the opportunity to take in the sights while visiting Israel, spending more than two weeks in the country. They were based in Tel Aviv, Israels financial and technological hub, for a few days, where they had to get to grips with driving on the other side of the road along narrow, busy streets congested with traffic.

It makes me feel our traffic problems arent all that bad, says Kelvin.

We loved the markets though, Kathryn adds. They were fascinating  every culture was represented, and there was almost a sensory overload of smells and people.

They visited Jerusalem and were surprised at how much of a sprawl the city is.

Everywhere you turn theres history, says Kathryn. We tried to visit as many holy sites as possible.

They enjoyed dining at Israeli restaurants, including a 15-course degustation meal in Jerusalem, but were out of luck when they visited a kibbutz.

We were really looking forward to having some meat, but it turned out the entire community was vegetarian, says Kelvin. So it was another round of hummus and falafel for us!

They also had lunch in the Golan Heights in a beautiful vineyard surrounded by desolate land. When the Clouts asked about it, they were told the area was still land-mined from previous wars.

Its a land of paradox, says Kathryn. There are pockets of exquisite land fenced off with barbed wire.

Other highlights include visiting the Dead Sea (where yes, you really cant sink) and the ruins of Masada.

As it took four days of travelling just to get there and back, the Clouts say they wont be going back any time soon, as much as they enjoyed the experience. It was a great adventure, says Kelvin.

Travel is such an eye-opener, says Kathryn. You really appreciate how clean and green New Zealand is in comparison.

Floating in the Dead Sea.
New Zealands holiday parks are more popular than ever, but Kiwi holidaymakers should still be able to find room in all but the most popular destinations.

Holiday parks hosted a record 545,000 guest nights in October, up 77,000 (16.4 per cent) on the same month in 2016.

"This was a bigger increase for October than for hotels, motels or backpackers. Holiday parks have a growing appeal to a wide range of travellers  families, grey nomads and young road trippers," Holiday Parks New Zealand chief executive Fergus Brown says.

HPNZ has 300 member parks around New Zealand.

"The great weather we have been experiencing around the country offers perfect conditions for a New Zealand summer holiday. A few holiday parks are already booked out over the peak Christmas/New Year period but most have plenty of room to welcome more visitors," says Fergus.

"The annual occupancy rate for holiday parks is under 20 per cent, so there is seldom any problem finding sites for guests in campervans, motorhomes, caravans and tents in a holiday park."

The growth in guest nights is partly due to the increase in the range of accommodation and facilities available at holiday parks, which gives visitors plenty of options. Many parks have invested considerably in new motel apartments, cabins, communal facilities and leisure facilities such as swimming pools, says Fergus.
Rajinikanth is entering politics at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP "is looking to make inroads" into Tamil Nadu, one news agency said.

Rajinikanth making the speech in which he announced his political debut (Photo; Reuters)

By India Today Web Desk: Rajinikanth, for so long the darling of tens and thousands of devoted movie-goers across the world, confirmed his intention to be a politician on Sunday morning.

The long-pending announcement, made at a wedding hall in Chennai, ignited a deafening, euphoric outburst from his fans. Rajinikanth coolly ran a hand through his hair as he watched them roar as one, their raised arms waving like a wind-blown field of flowers.

advertisement

Rajinikanth's arrival on the political stage comes at a precarious time in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK is reeling from the shock poll victory of leader who fell out of favour with some of Jayalalithaa's successors in government. A trust vote in the assembly can't be ruled out.

Reuters and the Associated Press, two foreign news agencies which reported Rajini's announcement, seemed to agree that Tamil Nadu lacks political stability.

The state "has been in political limbo" since Jayalalithaa's death, Reuters said. The other agency spoke of the "vacuum" she left behind.

Rajinikanth's "political prospects appear bright following a huge political vacuum created by the death of Jayaram Jayalalithaa, an iconic political figure, and the near-retirement of 93-year-old Muthuvel Karunanidhi, the leader of the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party," AP said.

THE KOLLYWOOD EFFECT

Both agencies noted Kollywood's influence on Tamil Nadu politics. Karunanidhi was a screenwriter, just like Annadurai. MG Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa worked together in several films, and were immensely popular.

Rajinikanth says his party will contest the next assembly polls in every constituency in Tamil Nadu. If he wins, he could become the fifth Kollywood professional-turned-CM.

'Thalaivar's' entry into politics adds "drama to a heated political scene in a state with a history of film stars becoming chief ministers," Reuters observed.

Indeed, few Indian actors have fans capable of displaying their admiration as dramatically as Rajinikanth film buffs do. Last year, a New York Times report quoted an association leader as saying that "in the weeks after a new release," "die-hard" fans can "pour about 11,000 to 16,000* gallons of milk a day over billboards and cardboard cutouts" of their beloved star.

NOTE* : 16,000 gallons is over 60,566 litres.

THE BJP'S PLANS IN TAMIL NADU

Reuters also pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to "make inroads" in Tamil Nadu, which the AIADMK and the DMK have taken turns to govern. There are Tamilians who have known no chief minister other than Jayalalithaa, her trusted lieutant O Panneerselvam, Edappadi K Palaniswami (another Jayalalithaa loyalist and the incumbent leader), and Karunanidhi.

advertisement

But several BJP leaders, including state president Tamilisai Soundarrajan and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, congratulated Rajinikanth today.

There was one dissenting voice: Subramanian Swamy. In an interview with India Today TV's managing editor, the BJP MP once accused Rajinikanth of financial irregularities.

Today, Reuters reported, he said Rajinikanth's political debut was "media hype."

"It is a joke that another film star comes into politics," he said.

WATCH | Here is Rajinikanth announcing his political debut

--- ENDS ---
Problems between Apple and brothers Vincenzo and Giacomo Barbato began when the brothers started a clothing company named Steve Jobs.

They seized on the fact that Apple had failed to trademark Apple founder Steve Jobs' name and started the years-long legal battle that culminated recently.

Steve Jobs

After starting their own clothing company, the two brothers decided to name it Steve Jobs. Somehow Apple hadn't trademarked the name Steve Jobs.

"We did our market research and we noticed that Apple, one of the best known companies in the world, never thought about registering its founder's brand, so we decided to do it," said the brothers in an interview for La Repubblica Napoli.

The brothers said that in August 2014, the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market issued its ruling on the case.

"The opposition is rejected in its entirety," the brothers said.

In an interview with Business Insider Italia, the brothers described the process that they had to go through to register the trademark.

"We first registered the brand with the logo, then the brand on its own and then only the logo. Apple has always attacked us regarding the logo, on the name has never raised any controversy," said the brothers.

Their logo was also attacked by Apple during the lawsuit. It is a capital J, with what seems like a bite mark, but it isn't. The court decision came down to the fact that the logo is a letter and not a piece of fruit. This means that the chunk missing from the side can't be a bite.

The Future Of Steve Jobs

The Barbato brothers say that they now have the legal right to use the name Steve Jobs and logo as they would like. At the moment, they are making clothing under the name Steve Jobs. This includes T-shirts, jeans, bags, and other accessories.

They're going as far as wanting to branch out into electronics.

"On our territory there are valid companies, plus we are in talks for a production of electronics products with a Chinese brand, they are very interested," said the brothers to Business Insider Italia.

All in all, they're not looking to disrespect Steve Jobs.

"We will still respect the name of Steve Jobs: we will not do anything low-level, you will never see the phones or TV shoddy with the brand Steve Jobs. We will have very high guidelines. Clothing and design are the industries in which we worked, but electronics have always been the goal of the Steve Jobs brand," said the brothers.

While they may not want to disrespect the name, they will be going into the smartphone market.

"The first thing that comes to mind is a smartphone, but potentially could also come smart TV (device that Apple has never produced), smartwatch and virtually all that is hi-tech," said the brothers.

One day, we may be able to see a Steve Jobs phone competing with Apple.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Police said that her arrangements for her marriage with another man may have instigated him to commit the fatal attack.

The attack took place in broad daylight light inside a government-run primary school where the victim had been working as a volunteer. (Photo courtesy: Ashish Pandey)

By Ashish Pandey: On a day when the state DGP accepted an 18 per cent rise in cases of violence against women and a 24 per cent rise in rapes, a report of a jilted lover killing a woman by slitting her throat was reported in Telangana.

After he killed her, the perpetrator committed suicide by ingesting pesticide.

The incident took place in Bhadadri Kothagudem district on Saturday.

advertisement

The attack took place in broad daylight light inside a government-run primary school where the victim had been working as a volunteer.

According to eyewitnesses and police, 26-year-old Srinivas Rao had been harassing 24-year-old U. Pravalika for quite sometime.

A native of West Godavari district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Srinivas wanted to marry Pravalika but she had rejected his proposal which irked him, which instigated him to commit the fatal attack.

After killing the girl, Srinivas consumed pesticide and died.

The family of Pravalika had scheduled her marriage with another youth.

Police believe this angered Srinivas and had planned the murder and his suicide.

--- ENDS ---
The Secretary of State's Office canceled the registrations of 56,649 Louisiana voters last year.

Thats slightly less than 2 percent of all registered voters in the state and is in line with a 1990s federal requirement that elections officials keep their voter rolls tidy by removing the names of people who have moved or died or been imprisoned or otherwise disqualified.

How that two-decade-old voter purge procedure is being used now is at the root of one of the marquee cases being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this term. A hearing is set for Jan. 10. A decision is expected by June.

The case of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, et al., vs. the A. Philip Randolph Institute, et al., is the first time the high court will review the voter removal language in the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

The nations Republican attorneys general say that unless the high court sorts out the confusing array of provisions in the federal law, Louisiana and at least 17 other states will find themselves in court defending how their particular state goes about the task of updating voter rolls. Nine jurisdictions already have been sued.

These suits  and their conflicting allegations of voter fraud and voter removal  have taxed the states, the GOP state legal executives said in their "friend of the court" brief, which Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry signed.

Kristen Clarke, executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, on the other hand, told The American Prospect magazine that she fears if the Supreme Court sides with Ohio, we will see states taking a copy-cat approach, and taking steps to gut the NVRA and gut the voter rolls across the country in other states.

The Ohio case marks the most recent iteration of Americas age-old debate about who can vote.

Louisiana refuses to provide personal information to President Trump's voter fraud task force Louisiana joined about two dozen states in refusing to turn over personal information about voters for President Donald Trump's election fraud

Ever since 1776, when only landowning male Protestants could cast ballots, the right to vote has been a persistent argument. Election integrity has come under recent scrutiny with President Donald Trump claiming that millions of votes were cast illegally in the 2016 presidential election. He named a national commission to investigate voter fraud. A majority of state election officials responded that fraud is not widespread.

On Thursday, Roy Moore, the failed Republican U.S. Senate candidate, unsuccessfully claimed that thousands of voters registered in other states had helped Democratic candidate Doug Jones win in Alabama.

While the nations highest court wrestles with how voters are removed from voter registration rolls, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans in another case is expected to decide a challenge to one of the nations tightest voter ID laws, which requires Texas voters to produce one of seven types of photo identification cards before they can cast a ballot.

In the Supreme Court case, Ohio argues that four conflicting provisions guide how elections officials maintain voting lists. One says that a persons name cant be removed for failing to vote, but another says that a person who fails to respond to an address-confirmation notice and fails to vote can be removed.

Ohios supplemental process targets voters who skip two consecutive federal elections. They are sent notices asking them to confirm their addresses. If the secretary of state doesnt hear back and the person doesnt vote for a subsequent four years, they are removed from voter rolls.

The A. Philip Randolph Institute, an association of African-American labor organizations, argues that Ohios procedure violates the law by putting failure to vote front and center when determining which voters are sent address confirmations.

Federal law specifically excludes voter inactivity as a criterion because there are a myriad of reasons for not casting a ballot, including work, long lines, the cost of obtaining voter identification and dissatisfaction with politics.

Removing voters merely for not voting tends to disproportionately affect persons of low incomes, blacks and other minorities, according to a "friend of the court" brief that included civil rights icon U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, as a signatory.

Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of Justice argued that Ohios trigger inevitably results in the removal of voters based on nonvoting, which violates the NVRA and other federal prohibitions.

But the Justice Department switched sides under President Trump and now contends Ohio is protecting the integrity of elections by keeping the voting rolls more accurate.

Louisianas long history of setting impossible tests aimed at denying African Americans and poor whites the ability to register to vote meant that for much of the past half century, the Justice Department had to vet and approve just about anything involving elections in this state. And these procedures were no different, said Secretary of State Tom Schedler.

Louisianas procedures differ from Ohios in the key aspect of where not voting falls in the process.

Essentially, Louisiana routinely compares voter rolls with various databases, such as death and incarceration records. Several cards are mailed to voters suspected of having moved. If the cards bounce back, state elections officials start looking closer. Thats when the voters name is checked against the list of those who havent voted in the past two federal elections, Schedler said.

The voter who still hasnt answered state queries goes on an inactive list but can still vote. Showing up for an election removes the voter from the inactive list.

For those who continue not to vote, further correspondence is sent. If the voter is officially purged, he or she would have to re-register, though not on an election day, to regain the ability to cast a ballot, Schedler said. But by that point, youve received a lot of mail and communications, he added.

+2 Mark Ballard: Low voter turnout in Louisiana prompts calls for consolidating elections Later this week, voting machines will be moved from their secured warehouses to 3,904 precincts around the state.

The states 2016 inactive list had 117,036 names, from which 56,649 voter registrations were canceled on Dec. 31, 2016, according to the latest available Secretary of States Office records.

Those removed included 33,072 whites, 1.7 percent of those registered; 19,355 blacks, or 2 percent of those registered; 1.6 percent of Democrats; 1.4 percent of Republicans; and 2.7 percent of those without party affiliation.

Urban centers had cancellation percentages higher than the 1.9 percent statewide average, with 2.6 percent of East Baton Rouge Parish voters losing their registration in 2016, 2.1 percent in Orleans Parish, 2 percent in Lafayette and 2.7 percent in Caddo Parish. The suburban parishes were mostly lower, with 1.3 percent in Jefferson and Livingston parishes, 1.8 percent in Ascension and 2.3 percent in St. Tammany.

The Louisiana Democratic Party says the states procedures differ from those in Ohio but still are unsatisfactory, said Stephen Handwerk, the partys executive director.

The purging process here focuses on people who have changed addresses. Low-income families and individuals move more often than people with steady incomes or who own property. Therefore, the purges disproportionately affect low-income people, Handwerk said. That, along with the fact that there is an extremely limited number of polling places, especially during early voting, and a short period of time to cast a ballot, restricts access to the ballot for too many eligible voters.
As actor Rajinikanth sets eyes on the next assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy ups ante against Thalaiva.

By India Today Web Desk: Even though the BJP officially welcomed Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's entry into politics, party MP, Subramanian Swamy launched a tirade against political debutant.

Subramanian Swamy called Rajinikanth an "illiterate" person with no clear agenda to fight corruption in Tamil Nadu. "It is a joke that another film star comes into politics," he said.

Interestingly Subramanian Swamy's view is in contradiction from the statement made by BJP state president in Tamil Nadu, Dr Tamilsai Soundarajan. She said, "We welcome actor Rajinikanth's political entry with motto of corruption free good governance, which is also the sole aim of the BJP."

advertisement

But, Swamy said, "Can a cinema star curb corruption? He is an illiterate man. Will he teach us?"

SWAMY DISMISSES RAJINIKANTH IN POLITICS

Rejecting Rajinikanth's political debut as media hype, Subramanian Swamy said, "He may have good media managers but politics is not done only through media only...Tamil Nadu is very important state and all the people are very educated there."

Speaking to India Today, the BJP MP further said that Tamil Nadu politics had outgrown actor politicians. "What happened to cinema stars this time in RK Nagar by-polls? Everyone criticized (TTV) Dhinakaran but he won with thumping majority."

Swamy also said if the BJP tries to enter into an alliance with Rajinikanth's political outfit, he will oppose it. "I don't know if the BJP associates with him but if it is the case then I will oppose it," he said.

The senior BJP leader also threatened to expose Rajinikanth when he floated his political outfit. "Let him announce political party name and candidates and then I will expose him," Subramanian Swamy said.

RAJINIKANTH ENDS SUSPENSE

Earlier, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth finally announced that with the New Year, he would be turning a politician. To a thunderous applause from his supporters in Chennai, 67-year-old Rajinikanth said, "I am joining politics for sure."

Rajinikanth quoted shlokas from the Bhagwad Gita indicating that the political vacuum in Tamil Nadu has forced him to join politics. "This is the compulsion of time," he said.

Popularly called Thalaiva, Rajinikanth addressed his fans today on the valedictory of a six-day-long meet. The actor announced that his yet-to-be announced political party will contest all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Rajinkanth said that "Do good, speak and only good will happen" will be the guiding slogan for his political party.

WATCH VIDEO | As BJP welcomes Rajinikanth's entry into politics, Subramanian Swamy calls him illiterate

--- ENDS ---
With an arctic blast settling in to southeast Louisiana as expected, organizations are reminding residents to stay safe in the cold weather.

When the temperatures drop, certain pipes  including outdoor pipes or pipes in unheated interior areas or areas with little insulation  are all at risk of freezing, the American Red Cross warns.

Baton Rouge area under hard freeze warning as 'arctic cold front' approaches Sunday Forecasters upgraded winter weather advisories across southeast Louisiana on Sunday ahead of an "arctic cold front" approaching the area.

To protect and prevent your pipes from freezing before the cold weather hits, follow these tips from the Red Cross:

--Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines. Do not put antifreeze in these lines, as it can be harmful to the environment and dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife and landscaping.

--Remove, drain and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain, and keep the outside valve open so that any water in the pipe can expand without causing it to burst.

--Add insulation to attics and crawl spaces.

--Check other areas in your home where water supply lines may be located in unheated areas, such as the garage and under kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.

--Consider installing products such as a pipe sleeve, heat tape or heat cable on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can also provide some insulation to exposed pipes.

--Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines there.

--Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate.

--When the weather is very cold, allow cold water to drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes.

If your pipes do freeze in the colder weather, try these tips:

--Keep the faucet open. As the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow again. Running water through the pipe will help to melt ice.

--Apply heat to the frozen section of the pipe by using an electric heating pad, a hair dryer, a portable space heater or with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene, propane heater, charcoal stove or other open flame device to heat the pipe.

--Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If the frozen area is unknown or not accessible, call a licensed plumber.

--If one pipe freezes, check other faucets in the home to see if other pipes have frozen as well.

Find more tips from the American Red Cross here.
A sheriff's deputy was killed and four others were wounded Sunday in a shooting in suburban Denver that capped a year of deadly attacks in the United States. Two civilians were also injured. (Photo via BNO News/video screen shot)
The terrorists first threw grenades and then opened fire to enter the center.

By India Today Web Desk, Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Hours before the New Year, heavily armed Jaish terrorists attacked CRPF training camp in Awantipora.

On Sunday, at 2 am, heavily armed militants entered group centre of 185 battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) training center in Lethpora area of South Kashmir by open firing at the camp.

The terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed has taken responsibility of the fidayeen attack, which was carried to avenge the killing of their commander Noor Trali.

advertisement

The terrorists first threw UBGL grenades and then open fired outside the CRPF camp at the security guard and managed to get inside. Heavy police reinforcement was immediately rushed to the spot.

A senior source told India today "At 1pm on Saturday, Jammu Kashmir police shared a specific intel. Two terrorists of JEM would attack Group training centre in Lethapora within 24 hours and the attack happened in 13 hours."

The attack happened in the under construction camp of CRPF spread over 200 acres. The sentry guards were on high alert. The second in command (2IC)and the assistant 2IC were on patrol when terrorist barged in.

Pulwama ops site (India Today Exclusive) Pulwama ops site (India Today Exclusive)

According to recent reports, 5 CRPF jawan have been martyred, while 3 sustained injuries. Jawan who lost his life is Saifuddin, two others injured Narender and Samadhan Malve are out of danger. Three jawans died of bullet injuries and one died due to cardiac arrest (shock).

Senior police officers and CRPF reached the location with reinforcement to take charge of the situation.

Three security personnel injured in attack by terrorists on CRPF Training Center in Awantipora, Pulwama (J&K). (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/CVH0opiPzv- ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

Terrorists were holed-up on the 4th floor of the administrative block of the group centre. The administrative block has the control room and few living quarters. It is suspected that they entered after cutting the wire fence in the rear portion of the facility.

It is a four-storey building. Srinagar- Jammu highway has been shut down for security reasons after the attack.

Sources said that the suicide attack was specific to 185 battalion of CRPF in Lethapora, Awantipora in Pulwama district.

While some within forces hinted at security lapse despite specific intelligence but CRPF Director General (DG) RR Bhatnagar was quick to come to defence of his men.

"The terrorists were engaged immediately by our troops and were holed up in one building. The families and civilians were evacuated," he said.

IG Muneer Khan said "Two of the jawans have been safely evacuated while process of extricating others is on. Though terrorist managed to barge in, they could not do full scale damage they intended to do."

advertisement

AVENGING NOOR TRALI'S DEATH:

Jaish-e-Mohammed's top leader in South Kashmir, Noor Mohammed Tantray alias Noor Trali was eliminated in an encounter in the Pulwama district on December 26.

Trali, 47, was the main leader of Jaish-e-Mohammed in the South Kashmir area and was responsible for carrying out operations along with the Pakistani-origin terrorists of the group coming from across the border, as per reports.

Trali was one of the oldest terrorists actively operating in Kashmir and was killed in a joint operation by the 50 Rashtriya Rifles and the local police in the in Samboora area of Pulwama.

The 47-year-old was wanted in various terror incidents earlier this year, including a suicide attack at the BSF camp at Srinagar airport, and had become an irritant for the security forces as he had escaped from encounter spots on several occasions.

Trali's body was recovered along with one weapon on Tuesday morning. At the encounter site, joint security forces' team had surrounded his hideout in a cluster of houses in Samboora area. Trali was killed after a brief exchange of fire.

Incidentally, the NSG Commandos which specialize in urban terror attacks and room intervention left two weeks ago as security agencies felt the task was better suited to existing agency. A part of the team left for Jammu for training of forces while most of the black cats returned to Delhi.

advertisement

(Inputs from Ashraf Wani and Shuja-ul-Haq)

WATCH VIDEO | 2 jawans killed in Pulwama CRPF camp attack by JeM militants

--- ENDS ---
A looming heatwave in early 2018 is unlikely to augur an exceptionally hot year for Australia as a weak La Nina in the Pacific will start to tilt the odds to relatively cool and wet conditions for much of the nation, forecasters say.

By the first weekend, many populated regions will have copped temperatures close to or above 40 degrees as a pulse of heat sweeps across southern Australia. Melbourne can expect 39 degrees on Saturday while parts of western Sydney may reach 40 and 44 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Surfers pick up a nice swell at Dee Why. Credit:Nick Moir

The longer-term forecast, though, is for a relatively damp start to the year. The latest Bureau of Meteorology climate outlook for the first three months of 2018 show the odds favour more rain than usual for almost all of the country. (See chart below).

"The cloud and the rain reduces the chance of getting searing heat," Brett Dutschke, a senior meteorologist with Weatherzone, said.
Protests against a Joh Bjelke-Petersen government proposal to build a road through rainforest abutting the Great Barrier Reef in the mid-1980s attracted so much national attention that the Daintree area became a huge tourist attraction overnight.

Federal Labor put the area up for World Heritage Listing but rapacious real estate agents and developers moved in, and by 1994 Cabinet was shocked to learn the planning process showed the development rush was threatening World Heritage values in the Daintree's lowland rainforests.

Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Credit:Fairfax Archives

The minister for the Environment, John Faulkner, told Cabinet much of the privately owned land "was fragmented into more than 1000 separate parcels", mainly in a real estate sale publicised internationally in the late '80s and many development approvals had been approved for resorts in particularly sensitive locations, where major losses of rare native fauna could occur.

In April 1994 ministers released $11.5 million  on condition of matching Queensland funds  to purchase privately owned land on the margins of the Daintree World Heritage Area.
For nearly two decades the pastoral and mining industries had fought a long bitter fight against Aboriginal land rights but by the 1990s implementation of the Native Title Act 1993 was one of the Keating government's big endeavours.

The Mabo decision in late 1993 had rewritten the rule books. The establishment of the National Native Title Tribunal saw state co-operation the immediate challenge.

Eddie Mabo on his home island. Credit:Jim McEwan

Queensland  under the Labor government of Wayne Goss  proved friendly and Cabinet endorsed Paul Keating's offer to meet at least 50 per cent of the compensation, legal and administrative costs likely to arise in determining what land was open to native title claim.

Western Australia, under Richard Court's Liberal-National coalition, was judged "implacable" in its opposition. Declaring that it would not recognise any NNTT decision, WA issued more than 10,000 titles under its Land (Titles and Traditional Usage) Act 1993, intended to guarantee land tenure under one system of law.
The 1995 security agreement between Australia and Indonesia was seen by some as a crowning achievement of Paul Keating's late prime ministership. But it was also about John Howard, in a way.

The December 18 signing was aimed at a new beginning for both nations.

Prime Minister Paul Keating with Indonesia's Ali Alatas, Kim Beazley, senators Gareth Evans and Robert Ray in Jakarta. Credit:Andrew Taylor

Cabinet was informed of the impending agreement on December 14 and also alerted to criticisms that could be expected from those concerned at Indonesian policy on East Timor.

But signing, cabinet was told, would not "commit Australia in any way it did not wish on security matters in East Timor" or require Australia to compromise its position on human rights in Indonesia.
The Keating government wrestled with the politics and policies of climate change, not least in terms of how Australia might retain its leverage in international forums where its reputation was slipping through 1994.

It also dawned on Cabinet that the cost for Australia to meet climate change commitments was far higher than those faced by European and north American nations.

A Queensland farmer and his dog stand alongside a dried up dam in November 1994.

Cabinet was advised in September that the commitments in the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change were already proving insufficient to stabilise atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations "at a level that would prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system".

Further, international pressure was mounting to strengthen those commitments. Yet even within the formula negotiated to recognise its status as an "emissions-intensive" economy, Australia was "only likely to achieve 46 to 53 per cent" of its target by 2000.
For nine years, experts at Northwestern University in the US have been examining "SuperAgers" - men and women older than 80 whose memories are as good as or better than people 20 to 30 years younger. Every couple of years, the group fills out surveys about their lives and gets a battery of neuropsychological tests, brain scans and a neurological examination, among other evaluations.

"When we started this project, we weren't really sure we could find these individuals," said Emily Rogalski, an associate professor at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Centre at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine.

Better relationships improve cognitive function. Credit:Stocksy

But find them they did: Thirty-one older men and women with exceptional memories, mostly from Illinois and surrounding states, are participating in the project. "Part of the goal is to characterise them - who are they, what are they like," Rogalski said.

Previous research by the Northwestern group provided tantalising clues, showing that SuperAgers have distinctive brain features: thicker cortexes, a resistance to age-related atrophy and a larger left anterior cingulate (a part of the brain important to attention and working memory).
It was a meant to be a New Year's Eve to remember: a lunch at the Cottage Point Inn in Sydney's north, before a joy flight back to Rose Bay.

However the five passengers - four British citizens and an 11-year-old girl- would not survive to ring in the New Year.

Police have named the victims as Gareth Morgan, a 44-year-old experienced seaplane pilot; Emma Bowden, aged 48, Heather Bowden, aged 11, Richard Cousins, 58, and Edward and William Cousins, aged 23 and 25 respectively.

Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings said the pilot was Australian but his relatives lived overseas. He said Heather's mother had been on board, and all five passengers were known to each other.
All six people on board a single-engine sea plane that crashed into Cowan Creek at Jerusalem Bay in Sydney's north on Sunday afternoon have died, police have confirmed.

The Sydney Seaplanes aircraft, carrying a pilot and five passengers, crashed about 3.15pm and a search-and-rescue operation later located the submerged aircraft.

NSW Police confirmed all six bodies had been recovered by about 7.30pm on Sunday. There was no further information on the identities of those on board.

There are unconfirmed reports that those on board were four British Nationals, an 11-year-old boy and the pilot.
Spent nuclear fuel storage at Sydney's Lucas Heights was destined to be full within three years, cabinet was told in a December 1995 minute.

The cabinet agreed the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation should cost proposals to have Britain reprocess their spent fuel in Scotland, return all American spent fuel to the United States and not accumulate spent fuel beyond the capacity of existing storage.

Full house: The government was looking at sending overflowing nuclear waste stored at Lucas Heights back to the owners. Credit:Fairfax Media

Cabinet wanted the information for consideration in the 1996-97 budget.

The minister for primary industries and energy, Bob Collins, and the minister for industry, technology and commerce, Peter Cook, told cabinet that reducing spent research reactor fuel holdings would be welcomed by the community at Lucas Heights although any operations involving radioactive materials were likely to be opposed by groups that object to nuclear activities.
A teenage festival-goer is in a critical condition after a suspected drug overdose at a music festival in Gippsland.

The19-year-old man from Ascot Vale was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in a critical condition on Saturday afternoon after the possible overdose at Beyond the Valley, a musical festival hosted near Warragul, an Ambulance Victoria spokesman said.

A festival-goer is in critical condition after a drug overdose at a Gippsland music festival. Credit:Paul Rovere

Lardner Park, about 90 minutes east of Melbourne, is hosting the annual Beyond The Valley Music Festival which started on Friday and runs until New Year's Day.

Beyond the Valley have been contacted for comment.
By PTI: New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) McDonalds estranged partner Vikram Bakshi today said another 16 out of 84 closed outlets in Delhi-NCR have re-opened after a new logistics partner ColdEX was engaged.

Nearly 84 outlets, mostly in east India and some in the north, including Delhi, had to shut down on December 25 after Bakshi-led CPRLs logistics partner Radhakrishna Foodland discontinued its supply services, alleging reduction in volume and non-payment of certain dues, among others.

advertisement

Bakshi had on December 28 opened 16 outlets with the supply from the new logistics partner.

"Another 16 outlets have re-opened in Delhi and NCR as of now and more will open very soon," Bakshi told PTI.

McDonalds India has, however, alleged lapses in food quality and safety level by "all facets of the supply chain" saying the new distribution centre is not approved by it and post termination of franchise pact with CPRL, it has not been able to verify if the outlets are complying with applicable McDonalds food safety, supply and operations standards.

Bakshi had earlier hit back saying the US-based food chain follows "different standards" for India compared to other countries and continuously ignored the food quality concerns raised by him for the past four years.

Bakshi-led CPRL, the 50:50 joint venture franchise with McDonalds, runs 169 outlets in north and east India even after the food chain in August terminated the agreement over management issues, among others, saying the termination is illegal and the outlets will run till the courts decide in the matter or there is an amicable solution with McDonalds India.

Both the parties are fighting the battle at various courts, including the NCLT and the Delhi High Court as also the London Court of Arbitration.

The major tussle started after Bakshi was ousted as the MD of Connaught Plaza Restaurants (CPRL) in 2013, following which he approached the NCLT, which reinstated him to his position. McDonalds has challenged the same in the appellate tribunal NCLAT.

On the other hand, Bakshi has challenged termination of the franchise agreement and both the parties are fighting it out at the respective courts.

Meanwhile, the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) has asked Bakshi to sell his stake in the JV firm CPRL to McDonalds, which is pending at the Delhi High Court. PTI PRJ BAL

--- ENDS ---
Melburnians can look forward to a clear and mild night for New Year's Eve: the bureau is predicting excellent conditions for watching fireworks.

Average conditions make for a perfect night to watch the state's biggest ever fireworks show, with 68 pyrotechnicians lighting 14 tonnes of fireworks from 22 rooftops around the city. T

Rusty Johnson of Howard & Sons with the fireworks that will be used in the New Years Eve. Credit:Chris Hopkins

The Bureau of Meteorology is expecting a low of 14 degrees overnight, with no rain or cloud cover in Melbourne. The temperature at midnight should be around 16 degrees.

The clear weather is also a boon for people hoping to watch the show from viewing points outside the CBD. Bayside locations like Brighton, Elwood and Williamstown are expected to draw crowds, as are some of the inner and northside locations with cityscape views.
Swatting usually makes the news when police are tricked into raiding the home of celebrity - like Justin Bieber in 2012 or Lil Wayne in 2015. But it's lately become a way for people to escalate online disputes into the real world - punishing a rival with a surprise visit from a SWAT team. Swautistic, as his screen name suggests, billed himself as something of a specialist. "According to him, he's put his shingle out there as someone who can be hired to make these false reports," said Krebs, a former Washington Post reporter who now investigates digital security issues. "It seems like he got some kind of pleasure from doing it." This, apparently, is how the aggrieved Call of Duty player came to enlist Swautistic's services. "I was minding my own business at the library," a man claiming to be Swautistic told the YouTube channel DramaAlert. "Someone contacted me and said, 'Hey dude, this f-ing r--d just gave me his address and he thinks nothing is going to happen. You want to prove him wrong?' I said, 'Sure, I love swatting kids who think that nothing's going to happen.' "

Tyler Raj Barriss in 2015. Credit:Glendale Police Department/AP On Thursday evening, a man phoned Wichita City Hall and ended up speaking with a 911 dispatcher. He said he had accidentally shot his father in the head during an argument and was now pointing a handgun at his mother and brother. He threatened to set the house on fire, and then asked the operator: "Do you have my address correct?" Police said the man continued to call 911 - even after they'd arrived at the address. About an hour after sunset, officers surrounded the two-story house on McCormick Street where Finch was at home with his mother and at least two other people - none of them hostages.

"I had seen the red and blue light flashing in my window," Lisa Finch told the Eagle. "I heard my son scream, I got up and then I heard a shot . . . They didn't call the ambulance until he was dead." Without naming Finch, police later said that a man emerged from the house and was repeatedly ordered to put his hands up. An officer thought he saw the man reach for a weapon, and opened fire. But the man had no weapon, and police soon realized there were no victims in the house. At a news conference, a deputy police chief said the officer who fired his gun had been placed on paid leave, and he blamed Finch's death on "the actions of a prankster." Lisa Finch questioned how police could have been so easily duped. Her son didn't even play video games, she told the Eagle. "He has better things to do with his time."

As reporters crowded around Finch's blood-spattered porch on Thursday, @SWAuTistic wrote to 18,000 Twitter followers: "That kids house that I swatted is on the news." He wrote another message defending himself, according to the Eagle: "I DIDNT GET ANYONE KILLED BECAUSE I DIDNT DISCHARGE A WEAPON AND BEING A SWAT MEMBER ISNT MY PROFESSION." Police at the corner of Seneca and McCormick after a reported shooting Thursday night. Credit:Fernando Salazar/ The Wichita Eagle Swautistic's main account subsequently disappeared from Twitter - suspended - but by then, Krebs and others were digging through archives and screenshots of his posts. "Those tweets indicate that Swautistic is a serial swatter," Krebs wrote on his website. He had claimed credit not just for Wichita - but for false bomb hoaxes at the Federal Communications Commission, a convention center in Dallas and a high school in Panama City, Florida.

A man Krebs believes to be Swautistic contacted him on Twitter on Friday morning through an alternate Twitter account. "I didn't believe him at first," Krebs told The Post. "But he was able to prove he was the swatter." Krebs asked Swautistic if he felt bad about Finch's death. "Of course I do," he replied. But he blamed the shooting on police and the Call of Duty player who had given him Finch's address - "taunting me to swat." "People will eventually . . . tell me to turn myself in or something," he wrote. "I can't do that; though I know its morally right. I'm too scared admittedly." "All so stupid," he wrote by way of reflection. "This whole thing."
Texas dance halls aren't so different from Polish ones, as one group of locals found out this week.

A young Polish dance group called Majeranki met up with the Lil Wranglers on Friday as part of their two-week trip to Texas. The Lil Wranglers taught them how to do classic Texas moves such as the pretzel and the dip, and in turn learned how to do traditional Polish dance steps.

The Lil Wranglers didn't speak Polish, and the Majeranki dancers only knew a little English, but Sharon Toups, Lil Wrangler director, said the groups picked up each other's respective moves quickly. She said she was surprised by the similarities between the two cultures of dance.

"They're from two different countries, but there really wasn't a barrier," she said. "It's amazing that dance can bring people together."

The trip is one of many Jim Mazurkiewics has helped facilitated between his own trips to Poland. In the past seven years, Mazurkiewics, an agriculture professor at Texas A&M University, has facilitated 70 visits between the two countries. A total of 600 people have taken part in the exchanges, he said.

The idea is for everyone involved to walk away with a better understanding of each other's culture, though he's quick to rattle off some of Texas' Polish roots, such as how the oldest Polish parish is in Texas and the wave of highly educated Polish people who came to Texas when the Berlin Wall was erected.

"I want to showcase our Texas culture, our Texas heritage and our Texas pride, our love of Texas A&M," he said.

He also thinks little interactions such as this that put people in the same room can grow into something else. He said he brought Texas officials to Poland several times and that the contacts developed overseas led to the sale of the first shipment of liquid natural gas from Sabine Pass to the Port of Poland.

"It's all wrapped together," he said. "I know thousands of people over there and vice versa."

Doroth Majerczk, who leads the Polish dance group, caught Mazurkiewics at a wedding and asked if he might host them in Texas.

"We've been here just two short days, but we saw a lot," she said through a translator. "During this time we've been here, we're really impressed by Texas."

Polish visitor Anna Lis, 18, describes Texas as "overwhelming." She said she's been dancing since she was a child, so getting to go to the U.S. with her friends and learn about a different type of dance has been an honor.

"You could tell how much effort went into it," she said. "[I'm] very fascinated by it."

The Texas dancers said they, too, were impressed by their Polish counterparts.

"In many ways, what we do here is part of our Texas culture, especially here and at Texas A&M, and so it's very interesting to see a different perspective," he said.

While Toups points out that the basic premise of the male partner leading holds true in both types of dance, their style of dancing is still different. For starters, Taylor Rowland, who instructs the Lil Wranglers, says the Texas style typically brings the dancers in a circle around the dance floor, while the Polish dancers typically go back and forth.

"They also kind of bob up and down more," he said. "We keep it more straight-laced in Texas, I guess."

Mason Cashion, 14, says the Polish moves will take some time to get down, but the experience was worth it.

"It's just an amazing feeling to see people from different cultures interacting," he said. "It's just fun to get to know them. They aren't that different."
Jones joins Chief Industries staff

Jered Jones has joined Chief Industries Inc. as a senior accountant.

Jones will handle multi-state matters, including sales and use taxes, as well as income taxes. He will also assist external auditors and conduct internal audits.

His prior experience includes working for a local accounting firm as a certified public accountantant since his graduation from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he earned a bachelors degree in accounting.

Jones is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants. He and his wife, Tausha, live in Doniphan.

Pesek, Ballard attend conference

Peggy Pesek, Hall County treasurer, and Sandy Ballard, Hall County motor vehicle supervisor, attended a three-day conference for Nebraska county officials Dec. 13-15 in Kearney.

The annual conference, attended by about 800 county officials and employees, is part of a continuing education and leadership development series sponsored by the Nebraska Association of County Officials.

The conference updated participants on recent changes in state laws and provided extensive training on the responsibilities of their respective offices.
In the letter, the management said that one of the owners of Mojo's Bistro, Yug Pathak, is the son of Mr. KK Pathak, a high ranking police officer and that's why they are not getting justice from the police station.

By Munish Pandey: On the intervening night of 28th and 29th December, a massive fire had broken out inside the Kamala Mills Compound in south Mumbai's Lowe Parel. The raging fire gutted two restaurants 1 Above and Mojo's Bistro killing 14 and injuring over 12 people.

The night turned fatal for the revellers enjoying themselves at the two pubs and claimed the life a 29-year-old who was celebrating her birthday.

advertisement

While speculations are rife and a blame game is already on regarding the property where the fire started, police had on early Saturday issued a look out notice for the owners of 1 Above - Sigrid Ospitality.

The management, which has been declared absconding by the police, has now written to the prime minister, law minister and the chief minister of Maharashtra among others providing evidence that they have been falsely charged.

In a letter to PM Narendra Modi the 1 Above owners Mr Kripesh Sanghavi, Mr Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar wrote, "We are innocent and we have done nothing and want you to investigate the matter thoroughly and arrest the real wrongdoers i.e. Mojo's Bistro. However, these culprits are not even booked under the FIR and are running scot-free. We are not going to simply allow a false case to come on us."

Requesting a fair enquiry and a CBI investigation into the happenings of the fateful night the management further wrote, "The case is to be transferred to CBI for independent and unbiased investigation."

Levelling serious charges on the owners of Mojo's Bistro, Mr Yug Pathak, the 1 Above management in the letter said that Mr Pathak is the son of a former high ranking Maharashtra IPS officer Mr KK Pathak.

The 1 Above owners, in the letter addressed to the Prime Minister, said, "The owners of Mojo's Bistro Mr. Yug Pathak, Mr. Siddharath Mahadevan and Mr. Yug are the ones who are now controlling the press, the media etc. and trying to portray that the fire has started at '1 Above' which is factually incorrect. Mr. Yug Pathak is the son of Mr. KK Pathak who was a high ranking police officer and we are not getting justice from the police station, the Police are managed."

The letter further reads, "We are ready and willing to bring all the facts on record, however the concerned Police Station and Investigating Officer are working with a biased approach influenced by the owners of Mojo's Bistro because they are very highly influential and positioned people. Our life, liberty, freedom, property and family is in fear and danger. The concerned police station is linked in destroying the evidence on site and making false reports."

advertisement

Crying foul and alleging non-cooperation from the police, owners of 1 Above has said they are the not in the wrong as they had all required permissions, clearances and NOCs. They have now blamed Mojo's Bistro for destroying business and tarnishing their reputation. "We have suffered a 200% loss due to the acts of Majo's Bistro. Firstly, our property has been damaged, secondly our goodwill and reputation has been tarnished in the society and lastly we are being portrayed as if we are murderers when we are not responsible for the fire and are in fact victims of the fire caused by Mojo's Bistro. Further the culprits being owners of Mojo's Bistro are going scot free because of faulty investigation," the letter addressed to the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad read.

The 1 Above management has also attached media - photos and videos- corroborating their claims with their letter.

--- ENDS ---
No matter how much we want time to stand still, the calendar says its Dec. 31.

It has been customary for the outgoing board chair to give a few thoughts about the Chambers activities and accomplishments over the past year. I want to start by saying thank you to Cindy Johnson and the staff at the Chamber. They are an excellent group to work with and have such a positive attitude toward Grand Island. The dedication they show to make Grand Island better is truly contagious.

We recently hosted our annual Christmas luncheon and it was well attended with representation from Central Community College, the Economic Development Corp., the Central Nebraska Regional Airport, Convention and Visitors Bureau, the State Fair Board, several board members and several past board chairs. It was exciting to hear about the things going on in Grand Island.

It is so refreshing to see a large group of very influential community partners all pulling together for the greater good of Grand Island. That is something that has impressed me about Grand Island for many years and, quite frankly, is the recipe to our success.

Many of the projects that we have been working on are perpetual in nature. With projects that are on-going, I think it is important to gauge our success by the progress we see and the improvements that are made. A quick review of the major projects will certainly prove that we have had a very busy year.

Nebraska State Fair: It is hard to believe 2017 marked the eighth year the fair has been in Grand Island. Many were skeptical our initial attendance figures were an anomaly that would fade with time. The attendance this year was 379,108, near the all-time record attendance of 389,171 which was set in 1997. These things dont happen by magic. It takes the efforts of a community pulling together to make it happen.

GILCA: The Grand Island Livestock Complex Authority continues to grow with the addition of Aksarben, one of the premier stock shows and auctions in the area. True to Grand Islands reputation, the first year was a resounding success.

Husker Harvest Days: We are continuing to work with Informa, the shows owners, to make the necessary show site renovations that will keep the worlds largest irrigated farm show in our back yard for years to come.

SkillsUSA: Grand Island played host once again to the SkillsUSA competition. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. This is an excellent way to show off our very successful Career Pathways Institute that has become a model for many Nebraska communities.

Grow Grand Island: In Jack Welchs book Winning, he contends that good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion. That, in a nutshell, wraps up Grow Grand Island. It is a vision that was created by the leaders of Grand Island that has already started to make a difference in our community and it is just beginning. We are expecting big things with the Veterans home property.

As I mentioned, we have had a very busy year. I would like to thank the chamber staff as well as everyone on the chamber board for the opportunity to work alongside you to make this past year very enjoyable and productive.

Doug Fargo, the Chambers outgoing Board Chair, is the president and chief financial officer for Global Industries, Inc., in Grand Island.
The federal tax reform bill passed by Congress earlier this month could have an impact on Nebraska counties.

The House passed the bill on a 224-201 vote, while the Senate voted 51-48 to approve the bill. The bill goes into affect Monday.

Larry Dix, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials, said the federal tax reform bill could have an impact on Nebraska counties, including Hall County, especially if they are looking to refinance bonds.

I think everybody is still trying to read through it and find out anything and everything that is in that, Dix said. But the thing that we felt was the largest is when counties would have bonded for something and want to refinance those bonds.

The current federal estate-tax exemption limit is $5.49 million for individuals and $10.98 million for married couples. If you die with assets less than these amounts, you do not owe any estate/inheritance tax. Under the approved federal tax reform bill, the thresholds double to approximately $11 million for individuals and nearly $22 million for couples.

Dix said this is a concern to Nebraska counties, including Hall County, who rely on inheritance tax funds for revenue. He added that while the tax is one that a very small portion of the state population pays, it is still a significant dollar amount counties receive.

Over the years, many counties have taken the inheritance tax funds and used that to buy down the tax rate, Dix said. They have actually used those funds and supplemented them like general fund dollars and lowered the tax rate. If we eliminate that, those funds are not going to be available to buy down the tax rate. The tax rate will go up and, if your property value stays the same, your property taxes will go up and taxes everywhere will go up.

Hall County Supervisor Karen Bredthauer noted Nebraska is one of only six states that still has an inheritance tax. She said under the approved federal tax reform bill, Hall County could take a hit with a potential loss in inheritance tax funds.

From what I gather, if the federal government does not take it until it is over $11 million, we are going to lose a lot of those people from the $5 million to $11 million range, we were collecting before, she said. You see that on the countys payables. Sometimes, we will see $200,000 come in from one estate because it was over $5 million. We fund our counties on a lot of that.

According to the Hall County budget, the county brought in $2.16 million of inheritance tax revenue in 2015-16 and $2.29 million in 2016-17.

Bredthauer said she foresees a battle among the county board members when it comes to budget sessions due to a potential loss in inheritance tax funds.

Dix said a number of Nebraska counties have used inheritance tax dollars for major projects. If not for these funds, he said counties would have to put an added tax on its citizens. Dix emphasized the majority of Nebraska counties are reluctant to raise property taxes.

Bredthauer said she too is reluctant to increase property taxes, as Hall County and Nebraska farmers are getting hit hard by property taxes.

The federal tax reform bill also reduces the amount of money homeowners can deduct on a mortgage. Some national news reports claim this could lead to fewer home buyers, and as a result, less property tax revenue for counties. Dix said it will probably take a few years before counties and cities see any major impact from this.

At the end of the day, the way we (NACO) look at it is people are going to have to have a place to live, he said. They may not buy a house, but they may rent an apartment. That apartment complex is going to pay property taxes. So, in a roundabout way, that is really tough. I think that one is going to take a really long time to figure out what the impact would be.

According to an Omaha World-Herald report, the high end of Nebraskas property taxpayers could be affected by a new $10,000 cap on how much property, state and local taxes they can deduct on their federal taxes. In addition, some middle class homeowners who itemize deductions on their federal return could shift to simply taking the higher standard deduction on their 2018 taxes. In those cases, they may benefit from increasing the items they can itemize for 2017.

Hall County Treasurer Peg Pesek said her office had an increase in people wanting to pre-pay their 2017 property taxes. She said that in 2016, from Dec. 1 to Dec. 27, her office issued 1,168 receipts. In this same time frame in 2017, the Hall County Treasurers office issued 2,742 receipts. Pesek said the office also collected $1 million more in 2017 than in 2016.

It is due to a lot of people wanting to pay their taxes, Pesek said. What a lot of the taxpayers are doing is they want to pay their 2017 taxes that are actually due Dec. 31, 2017. However, they will not be delinquent until May 2018 and Sept. 2018. So most people pay them before they become delinquent. But because of the new tax bill, they want to come in and pay them to get them on this years income tax.

Pesek added Hall County is always a year behind on its taxes and is currently collecting 2017 taxes.

We have had a lot of customers  tax payers  wanting to pay their 2018 taxes. We cannot accept 2018 taxes because we do not even have them assessed yet, Pesek said. We do not know what the tax levies are. So we have to tell everybody that we cannot take their money for 2018.

The tax bills were sent out on Dec. 4. Pesek added anyone with questions about their property tax bill should call her office at (308) 385-5025.
From her entrepreneurship that founded a successful national business to her spirit of community involvement grounded in her rural Nebraska roots, Gloria Thesenvitz has been deeply involved in Grand Island for years.

For her business success and community involvement, Thesenvitz has been named The Grand Island Independents 2017 Woman of the Year.

Thesenvitz is founder and chairman of the board of Nova-Tech, Inc., a company she started in 1988.

Gloria Thesenvitz joins the prestigious list of Grand Island women of accomplishment who have been honored as Woman of the Year by The Independent, said Don Smith, Independent publisher.

Smith said Thesenvitzs strength, tenacity, ingenuity and positive outlook are characteristics that have served her well in her professional career and her community service activities.

She sets a great example for young women to follow, he said. She has made a great impact on our community through various leadership roles.

Under her leadership, Nova-Tech has become a national company. During its 30 years, it has seen significant growth and technological advancement.

Thesenvitz said the company has specialized in providing aseptic manufacturing services.

We knew that if we focused on that one thing, we could sharpen our skills and streamline our systems to the point where we could become a truly integrated asset to our clients, she said.

Expanding the business

Nova-Tech is one of the largest FDA-registered parenteral injectable manufacturers for animal health in the United States.

As the company grew, there was a need to expand the business. In 2011, Thesenvitz moved it from the Central Nebraska Regional Airport Industrial Park to 4705 Gold Core Road. The 50,000-square-foot site is part of the Platte Valley Industrial Park.

The company started in 1988 with a staff of six. It began operations as an animal blood collection and sterile serum facility. In the 1990s it began exploring manufacturing injectables for the animal health industry. Thesenvitz said there was a market shortage for over-the-counter products and the company had available manufacturing capacity for a new product line.

It seemed a natural fit for the company, she said.

Nova-Tech has since expanded its production and technical capabilities. It has completed two additions, taking the plants capacity to 106,000 square feet. That helped it to focus on the aseptic fill of large-volume and small-volume sterile injectables. They are fluids, minerals and vitamin products custom manufactured for animal health distributors.

Thesenvitz said there are educational and economic benefits in developing science-based businesses. Bio Nebraskas role in ensuring the health of these businesses is important.

The opportunity to join forces, to network, to better our communities and our businesses benefits us all, she said.

A desire to succeed

Phil Kozera is the executive director of the Bio Nebraska Life Science Association. Thesenvitz serves on the board of Bio Nebraska.

Kozera said it is a privilege knowing Gloria and witnessing the success and growth of Nova-Tech.

With Gloria, there are so many attributes to highlight her successes, but the one area that sets her apart is her desire to succeed, he said. Combined with her business acumen, work ethic and compassion, it is no surprise that Nova-Tech has evolved to become the leading U.S. supplier of CGMP aseptically manufactured large-volume parenterals for the veterinary market.

Kozera said Nova-Tech is a growing technology-based company providing high-wage job opportunities for Central Nebraska in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

For the U.S., the impact on the animal health market is a trusted source of ingredients essential to manufacturing pharmaceuticals from a company with a willingness to respond to changing industry needs, he said.

For our community, Gloria is a leader and strong advocate for quality jobs, education, women entrepreneurs and rural Nebraska.

Kozera said his organization has benefited from Thesenvitzs leadership.

As the trade association for Nebraskas life sciences industry, we work to support innovative companies both large and small that are working to change the way we feed, fuel, and heal the world, he said.

Thesenvitz sees Nebraska has the capacity to be a leader in developing products and technologies to combat diseases, reduce humans environmental footprint, feed the hungry and have safer and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes, Kozera said.

Fortunately for our association, state and community, Gloria continues to reinvest her talents, time and resources to make Nebraska a better and more innovative place to work, learn and live, he said.

Active in the business community

Thesenvitz also serves on the board of Accelerate Nebraska and is the governors appointee to the EPSCoR/IDeA Committee for the state.

She is active in the Grand Island business community. She has served on the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and as board chairwoman.

Cindy Johnson, president of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, said Thesenvitz brought a very strategic business planning mentality to the chamber of commerce board of directors.

She introduced concepts that had been successful for her company, Nova-Tech, Johnson said. Gloria has a lay it on the table approach, which was beneficial as the development community was considering undertaking the strategic business development plan, known today as Grow Grand Island.

Johnson said Thesenvitz keeps up to date on industry standards and changes.

She is not afraid to take smart risks and has persevered and prospered, she said.

Thesenvitz said she was humbled by The Independents Woman of the Year recognition.

I know many of the other women who have received this honor, she said. They are accomplished and amazing. It never occurred to me that I would be considered at all.

Growing up in Wood River

Thesenvitz is from Wood River, where she grew up with four siblings on a family farm. She graduated from Wood River High School. Her father graduated from there, along with her children and grandchildren. Her maiden name is Seney. The farm has been in the Seney family for more than 100 years.

After high school, her dream was to be a farm wife.

I wanted to raise a family on a farm, Thesenvitz said.

The fall after she graduated, she married a boy she had attended school with and started life on the farm.

They raised four children there, but after 18 years, the marriage ended.

She was a single mom with four kids and only a high school diploma.

Returning to her agricultural roots

Thesenvitz began the process of starting her own business. But before Nova-Tech became a reality, she worked as a dining room hostess and sold insurance.

She heard about a nationwide shortage of a livestock serum that was a byproduct of the slaughter industry. It was something she learned about while living on a farm and raising livestock.

Pursuing that opportunity allowed her to return to her agricultural roots.

This truly fit in the category of alternative agriculture, Thesenvitz said. It came full circle for me. The product goes to the pharmaceutical industry, then back as a vaccine for the animals.

Nova-Tech started operations 30 years ago.

Im a student of life, Thesenvitz said. I have been so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with amazing people. I have been so fortunate to be able to learn from them.

As part of the learning curve, she spent considerable time in slaughter plants and offal departments.

In the early days of Nova-Tech, she and her staff collected blood for her product and put it in ice chests.

I quickly discovered there was a lot of value to this product, Thesenvitz said. The companies that were harvesting these products were national and international companies.

The heart of Americas livestock slaughter industry is in Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa.

This was an opportunity to keep those dollars more in our local economy, Thesenvitz said.

She said it was hard getting the business started. She had to develop the concept, buy equipment and source the material.

It almost got to the point where I thought it wasnt going to work, Thesenvitz said. But finally we got the first plant to be able to collect the product from. It is a very competitive marketplace.

She surrounded herself with knowledgeable people in building her business.

Thesenvitz also knew the importance of being adaptable to technology. That helped her expand her business.

There was such a shortage in the marketplace that we went from manufacturing four days a week to 24/7, Thesenvitz said.

Diversifying the company

Nova-Techs growth also helped her diversify her company, adding other products. Her market is throughout the United States and Canada.

The product that Nova-Tech now specializes in, she said, is like a Gatorade for animals.

That is how my daughter describes it, Thesenvitz said.

The company now manufactures more than 20 products. It is also in the final stages of adding two new production lines. Nova-Tech now employs almost 60 people.

Thesenvitz said she never dreamed, when starting the business 30 years ago, that it would grow like it has. She said she attributes the companys growth to never quitting.

I dont like to fail, Thesenvitz said. There are lots of times in my life when my first solution didnt work out. That is when you figure out what to do next and you do it.

That pragmatic philosophy was something she learned as a child and a wife and mother on the farm.

I have always approached life like that, Thesenvitz said. Im a workaholic. Everyone that I have known and worked with are all responsible for where I am at today.

She said she has always felt Nova-Tech could be a poster child for economic development.

Without those economic development programs, Nova-Tech would not be a functioning business today, Thesenvitz said.

Her company has used federal, state and local economic development programs that help small businesses grow and add employees.

All of those programs were critical as the company went from very small to where we are today, Thesenvitz said.

And as her company grew, she felt it was important to give back to the community that helped her achieve her dream. She has served on many community, business and professional boards during her career.

It has given me the opportunity to have a successful life, Thesenvitz said.

She also praises the staff of Nova-Tech over the years for the companys success.

Im not a chemist, Thesenvitz said. I dont have a biology degree. The team of people who work there daily enable this company to have the success we are enjoying. It is really the result of their dedication and hard work.

Personal satisfactions

Thesenvitz has retired from the day-to-day operation of Nova-Tech. She is still the companys board chairwoman.

Im so fortunate to have family involved and interested in the company, she said.

Her daughter, Teresa Grabowski, has worked at Nova-Tech for 24 years. She is the company president. Her son, Gary Thesenvitz, is vice president of facilities and equipment.

It has given me a great sense of personal satisfaction, Thesenvitz said. I could never have done this if it was just me.

She said she wants to build better connections between area youths and industry.

We are seeing a lot of work and effort going into that, Thesenvitz said. It is one of my personal satisfactions knowing that students in our area can consider a career in the sciences and have the option to come back to our community and have a good career at Nova-Tech. Grand Island and our area is home to a lot of amazing businesses. I am interested in building that bridge so that students can know they can come back and get a great job.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 31, 2017 09:08 1783 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f8456b 1 Food shrimp-paste,food,#food,Bangka-Belitung Free

Terasi (shrimp paste) produced in Toboali, South Bangka regency, Bangka Belitung Islands province, is one of the most popular food souvenirs from the area.

Antara news agency reports that the red-colored paste comes with a pungent shrimp aroma.

Known for its high quality, Toboalis terasi is said to be less bitter than other shrimp pastes.

Akung, a terasi seller in Pangkalpinang Morning Market, said the shrimp paste was not only popular among locals, but also among people from outside Bangka Belitung Islands.

Read also: Bangka Belitung preps tour packages for Asian Games 2018 participants

During this holiday season, both local and foreign tourists from France and Japan are said to look for the terasi to take home.

Akung said that during a normal period, he could sell between 15 and 30 kilograms per day. However, this holiday season, the shrimp paste's sales increased to between 70 and 100 kilograms per day.

Another seller Leni shared a similar experience, saying that she could sell up to 75 kilograms per day during the holiday season.

Despite its high quality, Toboali terasi is considered an affordable food souvenir with prices ranging from Rp 50,000 (US$3.68) to Rp 80,000 per kilogram. (jes/kes)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 31, 2017 12:37 1783 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f86a64 1 Art & Culture batik,Semarang,batik-artisans Free

Semarang State University (Unnes) is pushing for the development of natural coloring for batik by providing assistance to new groups of batik artisans in Malon village, Gunungpati, Semarang, Central Java.

Head of the universitys environmental research and community outreach center, Dr. Nana Kariada, told Antara, In Malon village, there are several batik artisan groups. The Bubakan batik village is better known, but the focus there is sales. In Malon village, we aim to produce and sell.

Aside from the widely known batik groups, Batik Zie and Batik Salma, Nana said four other batik artisan groups were emerging, namely Batik Citra, Batik Kristal, Batik Delima and Batik Manggis.

Read also: Cultural legacy of Oey Soe Tjoen batik

Unnes partners with PT. Indonesia Power to provide the assistance and is supported by the local government.

According to Nana, the use of natural coloring will be a signature of Malon villages batik products to attract visitors and tourists. A variety of plants are used to create the coloring, including mangroves, indigofera and jelawe fruit.

Artisans from Batik Zie and Batik Salma also participate in training the Malon village artisans. They are very supportive, so we hope that with the participation of all parties, Malon village can really transform into a batik village, Nana added.

The assistance and training have been offered since October and will continue, encompassing technical aspects, marketing and sales. (asw)
Craftswomen make hand-drawn batik tulis using natural dyes at Buring village in Malang, East Java, on Friday. The workers produce 50 pieces of fabric every month using natural dyes extracted from wood and flowers and sell them for between Rp 400,000 (US$29.52) and Rp 700,000 per piece, while silks sell for Rp 1.5 million to Rp 5 million. The fabrics are sold online to the United States and France. (JP/Aman Rochman)(US$29.52) and Rp 700,000 per piece, while silks sell for Rp 1.5 million to Rp 5 million. The fabrics are sold online to the United States and France. (JP/Aman Rochman)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Syamsul Huda M. Suhari (The Jakarta Post) Gorontalo  Sun, December 31, 2017 22:14 1782 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f91eaf 1 National Gorontalo,#Gorontalo,#NewYear,New-Year,sharia-law,#Sharia Free

Bone Bolango regency in the muslim-majority province of Gorontalo has officially banned New Years celebrations on the grounds that they are against sharia law.

The regency has sent public offices, heads of state and private universities, as well as heads of regional-owned companies across the regency, a letter banning public officials and university students from being involved in any New Year's Eve celebrations that violate Islamic teachings.



"It is urged that you instruct all staff or students not to hold any kind of New Year's Eve celebrations that are against Islamic sharia law," said the letter signed by Bone Bolango regional secretary Ishak Ntoma on Dec. 27.



A copy of the letter went viral, creating sparked debate among Gorontalo locals on social media.



Gorontalo resident Fuad Pantoiyo said on his Facebook account "I 100 percent agree with the instruction", followed by the hashtag #SayaMuslim (I am a Muslim).



Some expressed their concerns over the instruction, for instance, Samsi Pomalingo, a lecturer at Gorontalo State University, who said it might "hinder relations among people of different religions."



Djemi Radji from Gusdurian Network, which often campaigns for pluralism, called on the regency to review the instruction.



Gorontalo regency, another regency in the province, has issued an instruction suggesting that Muslims welcome 2018 by holding dzikir (chants in praise of God) in mosques.



Gorontalo Regent Nelson Pomalingo said, however, people were allowed to hold celebrations.



"But please respect the public order. Any celebrations should not involve alcoholic beverages and drugs," he said. (vla/ipa)
Stating that Palestine stands with India on the question of terrorism, it has given the benefit of doubt to its envoy to Pakistan who shared dais with Hafiz Saeed. But, the envoy may not be as innocent as Ramallah has portrayed him.

By Prabhash K Dutta: Buckling under pressure from India, Palestinian National Authority yesterday recalled its envoy to Pakistan for publically showing solidarity with 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed and other jihadi terrorist leaders in Rawalpindi on Friday.

Recalled Palestinian envoy Waleed Abu Ali attended and spoke at a rally purportedly oganised to condemn the Donald Trump administration's move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. But, the platform was used by Hafiz Saeed among others to give another call for jihad in Jammu and Kashmir.

advertisement

Jamaat-ud-Dawa (or Lashkar-e-Taiba) chief Hafiz Saeed is a proscribed terrorist by the UN and designated as global terrorist by the US. The US government has a bounty of USD 1 crore on his head.

Hafiz Saeed is the mastermind of many terror attacks including 26/11 Mumbai carnage that took 166 lives. Hafiz Saeed is one the most notorious figures in Pakistan and has just walked out of jail under controversial circumstances.

But the statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Palestine looks like an attempt to present its envoy Walid Abu Ali as an innocent man who made an error of judgment in the realm of diplomacy.

This may not be the case.

FIRST, WHAT PALESTINE SAID

After India send a strongly worded demarche to Palestine after Walid Abu Ali was seen in photographs sharing stage with Hafiz Saeed at an event, Palestine said that his envoy made "an unintended mistake".

The clarification issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Palestine in Ramallah said that the "participation of our envoy in a mass solidarity rally with Jerusalem, held in Rawalpindi on Friday, and in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism is an unintended mistake, but not justified."

"The State of Palestine affirms its stand with the Republic of India in dealing with terrorist threats, as our nations are real partners in the war against terrorism," the statement said.

"Accordingly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates under the direct instructions of the President of the State of Palestine to recall the Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan immediately," it said.

In New Delhi, Palestine's envoy Adnan Abu Alhaijaa said that there were some politicians and parliamentarians attending the event. "He (Walid Abu Ali) did not know terrorist Hafiz Saeed. In fact, when Saeed spoke, he asked people around him who he was...He did not know the terrorist personally."

But the photograph of Walid Abu Ali exchanging words with Hafiz Saeed in all seriousness at the stage contradicts Alhaijaa's claim.

NOW, SOME FACTS ABOUT ORGANISERS

The Friday's event was organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, of which Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa is a constituent. The Difa-e-Pakistan Council is an umbrella organisation for hardline anti-India anti-US Islamic groups in Pakistan.

advertisement

The Wikipedia page of the Difa-e-Pakistan shows that it has several chiefs of banned organisations as members. These organisations include Harkat-ul Mujahideen and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (now renamed as Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat) - which has been twice banned as terrorist organisation in Pakistan itself.

The chief of Difa-e-Pakistan is Sami-ul Haq, who is considered as the father of the Taliban. He had close ties with Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.

Sami-ul Haq has served as a Senate member of Pakistan and launched a political party to contest 2013 general elections. His manifesto included providing training to all adult Muslims with a purpose to prepare them for jihad.

Palestinian foreign office statement on envoy Walid Abu Ali sharing dais with Hafiz Saeed.

ACTION ON ALI MERE EYEWASH?

Invitation to Walid Abu Ali came from Difa-e-Pakistan, where he had been the ambassador of Palestine for more than two years. Walid Abu Ali was said to be a popular envoy in the diplomatic circles in Pakistan.

Before attending the Difa-e-Pakistan event in Rawalpindi on Friday, Walid Abu Ali had a meeting with the Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa early this month. Given the prolific engagement of Walid Abu Ali in Pakistan it is unlikely that he did not know who Hafiz Saeed was.

advertisement

Recall of Walid Abu Ali and the Palestinian statement on his sharing of stage with a designated terrorist may be just an attempt to make sure Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not cancel his proposed visit to Ramallah in February.

ALSO WATCH | Palestine recalls its envoy, India objected to his presence in Hafiz Sayeed's rally

--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 31, 2017 16:11 1783 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f8e5a1 1 National #MtAgungVolcano,Mount-Agung,bali,#Bali,kalla,#JusufKalla Free

Vice president Jusuf Kalla visited Mount Agung eruption evacuees at a shelter in Rendang village, Karangasem, Bali on Saturday, to reassure the evacuees that they are safe.



Kalla offered sympathy for the suffering experienced by the residents, who are currently staying in shelters in various places across Bali, telling the evacuees at Rendang village camp to maintain their daily activities at the shelter.



Let's maintain daily [activities] so we do not lose the spirit to work, he said as quoted by kompas.com, adding that, despite being evacuees, children should also continue to go to school.



Let's hope that everything will be normal again shortly, Kalla added, providing assurance that the shelter was safe from Mt. Agung's volcanic activity.



The shelter Kalla visited is located about 12 kilometers from Mt. Agung's crater, while the declared danger zone is a 10 km radius around the crater.



The government has been trying to convince people that plenty of Bali's destinations outside the danger zone are safe to visit, including to celebrate New Year's Eve, amid the uncertainty over Mt. Agung's eruption, which reportedly has caused low hotel occupancy on the island. (nmn/ipa)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Sun, December 31, 2017 11:25 1783 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f85488 1 National #NewYear,New-Year-Eve-celebrations,Central-Java,#CentralJava,firecracker,#Police Free

The Central Java Police have banned residents from using firecrackers on New Years Eve.

Setting off firecrackers is forbidden [this New Year]. We have visited [firecracker] warehouses in Tegal, Demak, Wonosobo and Banyumas," Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Condro Kirono said on Friday.



Some 21,000 police personnel will be deployed to safeguard New Year celebrations across the province.



Several areas in Central Java are expected to accommodate large crowds on New Years Eve, such as Jl. Slamet Riyadi in Surakarta, Tugu Muda monument and City Hall in Semarang, and city squares across province.



"The police will carry out inspections. Visitors are not allowed to carry alcohol, sharp objects or firecrackers, Condro said. (nmn/ipa)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 31, 2017 17:44 1782 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f8faba 1 National #mimika,Mimika,police,#Police,New-Year-Celebration,#NewYear,Papua,#Papua Free

As many as 350 police and military personnel will be deployed to ensure security during New Year celebrations in Mimika, a regency in Papua that has seen a string of violence and shooting incidents in recent months.



Mimika Police operational unit head Comr. Toni Upuya said the personnel would focus on safeguarding churches across the regency, particularly those expected to host a large congregation, such as the Tiga Raja, Marten Luther Sempan, Ebenheaser and Torsina churches.



"We are ready to ensure security during the New Year's Eve celebrations," Toni said on Sunday as quoted by Antara.



Police personnel would also be deployed in numerous places where many people are expected to gather for the festivities, such as Timika Indah public space and Timika shopping mall.



I suggest that people celebrate New Year's Eve modestly," Toni added.

Violence had escalated in Mimika's Tembagapura district, particularly in the area around the PT Freeport Indonesia mine, between August and November, with at least 11 shootings by unidentified gunmen having been reported. (vla/ipa)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 31, 2017 11:06 1783 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f8472f 1 Destinations sunrise,bali,destination,travel Free

Besides sunset, Bali is also home to popular places to enjoy sunrise, which provides a good opportunity to welcome 2018 in style.

The following are the best spots to enjoy sunrise when in Bali according to kompas.com:

Lake Beratan

Located in Tabanan regency, Lake Beratan is listed as one of the best destinations to see sunrise thanks to the presence of Hindu water temple Pura Ulun Danu.

Standing on the lake edge, it boasts a breathtaking view that should not be missed.

Menjangan Island

Located in northwest Bali, Menjangan Island is a popular diving spot. The area, which is in the West Bali National Park, also offers a gorgeous sunrise view.

Those who want to visit the island can hop on one of the fishermens boats from Bangsring Beach in Banyuwangi, East Java. The trip takes around an hour.

Read also: Laid-back places to enjoy sunsets outside of south Bali

Campuhan Hill

The name may sound familiar as many people have taken photos in this place.

Located in Ubud, Gianyar regency, the hill is also a convenient spot to enjoy sunrise.

Before you reach this place, get ready for a challenging journey that takes 15 to 20 minutes.

You can also jog or ride a bicycle on the hill.

Lovina Beach

Those who want to watch sunrise with dolphins swimming in the background can visit Lovina Beach in Singaraja regency.

Make sure you come early, at about 6 a.m.

Later, you can continue your adventure underwater by snorkeling.

Sanur Beach

Sanur Beach in Denpasar is also a recommended place to watch sunrise if you have limited time on the island.

It is best to arrive early, at around 5:45 a.m., to get the best spot. (wir/kes)

Topics : sunrise bali destination travel
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, December 31, 2017 14:30 1783 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f8b78f 1 News bali,foreign-tourists,tourism,united-states Free

The number of American tourists arriving in Bali is said to have increased by 18.39 percent year-on-year (yoy) to 164,338 visitors between January and October 2017.

Most of these US citizens entered through Ngurah Rai International Airport using direct flights; only 3,130 people came via cruise ship, said Bali Central Statistics Agency (BPS) statistics distribution department head I Gede Nyoman Subadri in Denpasar on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Based on the number, the US ranked sixth among the top 10 countries that contributed the largest number of tourists to Bali, behind China, Australia, Japan, India and United Kingdom.

Read also: Obama's vacation beneficial to Indonesia tourism: Minister

Subadri said the US contributed up to 3.27 percent of the total foreign tourists to Bali, which reached 5.02 million during the January-October period. The figure represented a 23.30 percent increase from last year, which means the Island of the Gods welcomed an additional 948,917 foreign visitors this year.

More Americans traveled to Bali after former US president Barack Obama and his family vacationed here for five days back in June, Subadri said.

During their vacation, the Obamas visited several tourist attractions on the island, such as the Ubud arts village, Jati Luwih in Tabanan regency and Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring village, Gianyar regency. (kes)
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Dec 31 (PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party today exuded confidence in winning 120 of the 147 Assembly seats in Odisha in the elections to be held in 2019, the partys leader and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said today.

Pradhan was speaking in Bargarh district where the saffron party had made arrangements in all the 270 booths in bypoll-bound Bijepur Assembly segment for people to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modis Mann ki Baat programme on All India Radio.

advertisement

?We are confident that the BJP will win 120 seats in 2019 Assembly polls as people of Odisha want to get rid of Biju Janata Dal (BJD). We will form the next government in the state,? Pradhan told reporters after the broadcast of "Mann ki Baat" programme.

BJP President Amit Shah had earlier set a target of winning 120 seats in the next assembly polls in the state.

Claiming that Modis image and development agenda would bring victory of BJP in Odisha, Pradhan said the people of the state desperately want a political change as they were disillusioned with the misrule and corruption during BJD regime for the last 18 years.

"The BJPs victory march would begin with the by-election in Bijepur assembly segment as people have confidence and faith in the leadership of the prime minister," the union minister said.

The Bijepur assembly seat has remained vacant since August 22 this year following the death of sitting Congress MLA Subal Sahu.

The bypoll schedule is yet to be announced.

Countering the BJP leaders claim, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said ?Mann Ki Baat? programme is held from time to time in which the prime minister peaks on various issues, but the state BJP unit has sought to create a hype about todays programme in Bijepur to mislead people.

"The BJPs action showed its leaders were fearing defeat in the Bijepur bypoll," he said. PTI SKN JM

--- ENDS ---
Let's start the new year by leaving some things in the past.

As we near the end of an eventful 2017, to say the least, we've compiled a handy list of all you need to leave behind and what to avoid as you head into 2018.

1. Avoid talking about Brexit

If like us, you still get that pang of dread when anyone mentions the word Brexit, youll understand this one. Whilst we're all for speaking about politics in general and believe it can strengthen yours and others personal beliefs, Brexit is one of those topics that needs to stay in 2017. Put your head in the sand and continue the hope of waking up on January 1st to hear it was all one prolonged April Fools.

2. Avoid comparing yourself to other people

New Year's is a time when you reflect on the past year and sum up how it went in a four-line Facebook post to share with your friends. Dont get fooled into comparing your year with that of your friends whose social media posts will more than likely be the showreel of a more mundane lifestyle. Do what makes you happy, not what you think other people will think makes you happy.

3. Avoid getting caught up in the 2018 summer body panic

You ate half a turkey, 3 bars of Toblerone and drank your body weight in alcohol over Christmas. Brilliant. We all do it, and to an extent, its become part and parcel of what the winter holidays are all about. Stocking up on body fat can only be a blessing in the cold months.

But now youre in the post-Christmas blues, your mind will cast forward to your Summer holidays, shortly followed by the dread of appropriate beach attire. Do not, I repeat, do not let this panic make you doubt yourself. Join a salsa class or start yoga, swap the Toblerone for an appropriately sweet fruit and live life as normal.

4. Avoid getting so drunk you get the next day fear

Yes, its a lot easier said than done, but stay with us. Imagine waking up from a night out and feeling semi-fresh and able to tackle that to-do list, rather than finding an empty purse and a half-eaten chicken and cheesy chip with garlic sauce wrap on the floor.

But how? I hear you ask. Well, timing is key. Set yourself an hourly reminder to check how drunk you are based on a generic memory quiz you can download onto your phone. If you cant remember question one, it will take roughly 11 hours before you remember what you said to Janine in the toilets at 2 am.

5. Avoid being that friend who is always moaning

Yes, your bank balance is at 52p, your manager has given you a shift right in the middle of the week you booked off and every lightbulb in the flat has spontaneously given up, but nobody likes a misery.

Im a great lover of Britains ability to bond over complaining and to laugh in the face of adversity, but if you find yourself outraged at Fawlty Towers rather than finding it hilarious, its time to reassess. Take a photo or make a note of one positive thing that happens every day, from passing an interview to finding time to watch your favourite programme. Soon youll be picking out things to be grateful for without even realising.

6. Stop avoiding new experiences

This one doesnt quite match the format of this articles subtitles, but bear with me. You have approximately 365 days before youre back awaiting the start of a new year. When you look back at the past year, what do you remember?

More than likely, it will be the moments where something in your life changed. Be that a job, a relationship, or even a thought. So stop avoiding new experiences and start being a yes person, whats the worst that can happen? *This statement does not apply when being asked if you would like to leave Europe.
Its been quite a memorable year for film in 2017, and in a year when sequels, prequels and remakes were expected to dominate, we were delighted to see that many of these blockbuster releases turned out to be pretty good.

We were treated to a thrilling remake of the classic It, a game-changer Wolverine film with Logan, as well as a much anticipated sequel to the cult classic Blade Runner, to name a few.

But 2017 also saw newcomers receiving the recognition they deserved. Jordan Peeles Get Out achieved an incredible 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes; after #OscarsSoWhite in 2016, diversity won this year with Moonlight taking home the big one after a monumental La La Land/Moonlight Best Picture mess up; and LGBT stories came to the forefront in Battle of the Sexes and Call Me By Your Name.

Representation on screen still has a long way to go, but 2017 did a pretty good job. An altogether impressive year for film, and to celebrate, The National Students film writers have decided on a definitive top 20 list.

Without further ado, here is the list to rule them all.

20) Personal Shopper

What we said: Olivier Assayas's Personal Shopper is a ghost story that will leave you with a chill. It paints a vividly realistic picture of loss and is hauntingly beautiful in its emphasis of the morbid loneliness that comes with losing someone. Held together with a gripping and outstanding performance by Kristen Stewart, who was born to play this role, the film is a study of outstanding and truly terrifying cinema that will leave you with a hypnotic awe long after it has finished.

Words by Frankie Dell





19) Manchester by the Sea

What we said: Manchester by the Sea is a truly special creation- a rare and unique film which captures the nuances of life just perfectly. It is a devastating, yet truly touching story of a man who struggles with himself and with unimaginably difficult circumstances.

Read our full review here.

18) Moonlight

What we said: Its a hefty cocktail of racial, social and LGBT-driven issues, but one which newbie director Barry Jenkins serves with a tremendous amount of artistic grace, giving each ample time to develop organically, whilst still providing his actors with the much-needed space to fully realise this dark and often destitute world theyre bringing to life.

Read our full review here.





17) Okja

What we said: It is not only a daring and original film. Aside from its spectacular digital effects, the story has the ability to touch the audiences hearts. In a sort of catharsis, Okja shows us our future. And it is not one we like. Mijas adventure teaches us some things about ourselves and about the world we live in. And, at the same time, Okja is a masterpiece, a very enjoyable movie with a beautiful script that wont leave anyone indifferent.

Read our full review here.





16) It

What we said: Functioning as an adaptation of Stephen Kings cult-favourite novel from 1986, Andres Muschietti has taken all things scary and dropped them in the middle of Derry, Maine. Staying remarkably faithful but adding in his own twisted ideas, the film reads as a modern take on the classic horror, with truly terrifying moments stipulated from beginning to end.

Read our full review here.





15) Thor Ragnarok

What we said: Although there is always a certain edge of comic genius and wit in the Avengers series (largely driven by Robert Downey Jr.) and both Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy 2 thrive off it, the trait is not something you'd usually attribute to the films, or to Chris Hemsworth's Thor for that matter. In somewhat surprising inversion, Thor: Ragnarok succeeds because the blend of humour and action is so balanced.

Read our full review here.





14) Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.2

What we said: With a strong string of one-liners and cultural references and another round of excellent performances, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, still has all the hallmarks of a crowd pleaser. Though the story lags a little behind its predecessor, it's still great fun to be back in the Guardians' company.

Read our full review here.







13) Logan

What we said: The film is a fitting tribute to one of the best loved and most iconic comic book characters ever, truly capturing both the aesthetic and the depth: both Wolverine and Logan, as it were. The genius of titling this film Logan allowed it to peel back the heroic mask and tell the story of the man beneath. A perfect last hurrah for Hugh Jackman.

Read our full review here.

12) Good Time

What we said: Benny Safdie is mesmerising, and Pattinson is by turns tender and ruthless in his desperation. The film masterfully sets up each of the characters positions and motivations with hardly any exposition at all, throwing the audience into the world of the Nikas brothers with a refreshing lack of patronisation.

Read our full review here.





11) Call Me By Your Name

What we said: Set at the familys summer home in Northern Italy, the film flits in and out of English, Italian, and French, with plenty of Latin and Greek for good measure. It succeeds in making the scholarly sensual  classical music, art, and literature are interspersed throughout the film, and the characters passion for them only heightens their passion for each other. If you can look past the pretentiousness of that statement, youll probably enjoy the film!.

Read our full review here.

10) The Killing of a Sacred Deer

What we said: There really isnt any other film like this one. Even when the credits roll, there is no relief from the palpable tension this film creates. No music, just a hollow, airy score which forces the content of the film to stay right at the surface. The Killing of a Sacred Deer certainly isnt for everyone, but it will do something to anyone.

ead our full review here.





9) Baby Driver

What we said: Baby Driver may well be one of the most original films to come from a British director in years. This fast paced, blood pumping action crime drama takes you on the most wild yet ridiculously fun joy ride for its entire 112 minute run timeBaby Driver is straight-up awesome and a hugely enjoyable watch. With a narrative and soundtrack as original as this one, it will no doubt appeal to all different tastes, and will easily make its mark as one of the best films of the year.

Read our full review here.





8) Paddington 2

What we said: This time around, his adventures introduce him to a carousel of colourful figures, ranging from his array of neighbours to a seemingly unsavoury bunch of prison inmates. Some brilliant cameos from the likes of Sanjeev Bhaskar, Richard Ayoade, and Joanna Lumley to name a few are the icing on the cake of what is already a star-studded cast.

Read our full review here.





7) Beauty and the Beast

What we said: Remaking a tale as old as time is no easy feat, but Bill Condon's live-action Beauty and The Beast is surprisingly charming. Thanks to earnest and perfectly captured performances by Emma Watson, Dan Stevens and Luke Evans, it is hard not to be swept up in magic of it all.

Words by Anneka Honeyball





6) The Florida Project

What we said: Baker isnt a voyeur, hes a filmmaker. Though I laughed and cried as any magical cinematic experience is wont to make me do, it was often through subtlety that Baker achieved those emotions. He allows us to see that the bigger picture of poverty is there, but he treats a small story like a small story. The film belongs to that core trifecta of Moonee, Halley and Bobby. They have all already come to terms with the way they must live. With The Florida Project, Baker has been generous enough to let us see it.

Read our full review here.

5) Blade Runner 2049

What we said: With Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve has managed to rekindle the dystopian world of Ridley Scott's cult classic in the most visually stunning and benevolently profound way imaginable. One that will undoubtedly see it leave a mark on the science fiction genre as iridescently indelible as the original.

Read our full review here.





4) Star Wars: The Last Jedi

What we said: Rian Johnson has created a sci-fi masterpiece with Star Wars: The Last Jedi, one that contemplates the boundaries of life and death, good and evil, the light and the dark in a way which no other Star Wars film has managed- or indeed will manage for that matter. Some doors close, other doors open and by the end, you are left in real suspense as to what will happen in the final film of the Revived Trilogy in a few years time.

Read our full review here.





3) La La Land

What we said: La La Land is a positively intoxicating, positively timeless and endlessly alluring treat for the eyes, ears and heart. Its a testament to the importance of dreams, the boundlessness of chasing them and yes, the power of love, that marks Chazelle as not just an exciting new talent, but an absolutely essential one.

Read our full review here.

2) Dunkirk

What we said: Dunkirk is a consummate war epic in every sense but time - a concept that runs deep through the veins of Christopher Nolan's entire filmography. It's a film that takes immense pride in the heroism of its inspiration but also never shies away from evoking the poignancy of its reality. An unrelenting masterclass in no holds barred immersion, from a true giant of cinema.

Read our full review here.

1) Get Out

What we said: Get Out is an enviable triumph, both aesthetically and figuratively. The intrinsically changeable look, utilised by cinematographer Toby Oliver, sets it apart from the formulaic glaze of the mainstream, as its own personably unique entity. In tandem, Peele's adept use of multifaceted foreshadowing litters the entire narrative with a treasure trove of ingenious dialogue plants, circumstantially leading to the film's exquisitely executed twist, thus making repeat viewings a virtual no-brainer. An adeptly calculated risk was taken with this film, and it's more than safe to say, it has paid off handsomely.

Read our full review here.




Did you know that scientists invented a completely new state of matter called the time crystals? Or that pugs adorable faces are the result of a genetic mutation?

Here are some of the impressive science facts we learned in 2017:

1. A human organ that no-one knew about has been hiding in plain sight all this time. Called Called mesentery , it connects the intestine to the abdomen and is believed to perform important functions for the body ranging from helping the heart to aiding the immune system.

2. The Earth appears to have a whole new underground continent called Zealandia. The discovery itself isnt new  some geologists have been arguing for its existence for many years. However, in 2017 a team of scientists concluded Zealandia fulfils all the requirements to be considered a drowned continent. The discovery itself isnt new  some geologists have been arguing for its existence for many years. However, in 2017 a team of scientists concluded Zealandia fulfils all the requirements to be considered a drowned continent.

3. Pugs cute little flat faces are the result of a genetic mutation. Their features have been strongly linked to a gene variant called Their features have been strongly linked to a gene variant called SMOC2

4. For the first time in human history, gene-editing has been performed to fix a mutation for an inherited disease in embryos. Using a powerful tool called Using a powerful tool called Crispr-Cas9 , scientists successfully altered the DNA in defective embryos so they were no longer programmed to develop congenital heart failure.

5. Your appendix might not be a useless organ after all. Research suggests it might play a role in the immune system as a secondary defensive organ, acting as a safe house for helpful gut bacteria. Research suggests it might play a role in the immune system as a secondary defensive organ, acting as a safe house for helpful gut bacteria.

6. Giant penguins about the size of a grown man waddled around New Zealand about 59 million years ago.

This fidget spinner is tiny (ORNL/PA)

7. The worlds smallest fidget spinner is 100 microns wide. It is smaller than the width of a human hair and is barely visible to the naked eye. It is smaller than the width of a human hair and is barely visible to the naked eye.

8. Lungs do more than help us breathe  a surprising discovery has found they also make blood. The organ, present in mammals, is believed to produce more than 10 million platelets (tiny blood cells) per hour. The organ, present in mammals, is believed to produce more than 10 million platelets (tiny blood cells) per hour.

9. A new state of matter exists (alongside solid, liquid and gaseous states) and it is known as time crystals. Created in the lab, the outrageously hard-to-grasp time crystals are structures that repeat periodically in time rather than space, potentially defying the laws of physics. Created in the lab, the outrageously hard-to-grasp time crystals are structures that repeat periodically in time rather than space, potentially defying the laws of physics.

10. Great apes, including chimpanzees and orangutans, have absolutely no appreciation of music whatsoever. Research has shown they cant tell the difference between Beethoven and Bieber, and that music is all just meaningless sound to them. Research has shown they cant tell the difference between Beethoven and Bieber, and that music is all just meaningless sound to them.

The dinosaur family tree many have to be redrawn (Owen Humphreys/PA)

11. The dinosaur family tree may have to be redrawn for the first time in 130 years. New evidence revealed the two categories of dinosaurs  the lizard-hipped meat-eaters (like the T. Rex) and plant-loving bird-hipped beasts (like the stegosaurus)  should actually be grouped together, making you question everything you ever learnt about these extinct animals in school. New evidence revealed the two categories of dinosaurs  the lizard-hipped meat-eaters (like the T. Rex) and plant-loving bird-hipped beasts (like the stegosaurus)  should actually be grouped together, making you question everything you ever learnt about these extinct animals in school.

12. Humans accidentally created a protective bubble around Earth. Decades of use of very low frequency (VLF) radio communications have resulted in an artificial cocoon that could help protect the planet from solar flares and radiation particles. Decades of use of very low frequency (VLF) radio communications have resulted in an artificial cocoon that could help protect the planet from solar flares and radiation particles.

13. Precious metals on earth, such as gold and platinum, may have originated in the stars. Scientists confirmed this after detecting a titanic collision of two super-dense neutron stars 130 million light years from Earth. Scientists confirmed this after detecting a titanic collision of two super-dense neutron stars 130 million light years from Earth.

14. The Kepler-90 star system has as many planets as our own solar system, making us tied for the most planets revolving around a single star known so far. Combining data from the Kepler Space Telescope with Googles artificial intelligence system, Nasa uncovered Combining data from the Kepler Space Telescope with Googles artificial intelligence system, Nasa uncovered an eighth planet  called Kepler-90i  that astronomers missed in their previous analysis.

15. Pandas are black and white because their patterns serve as a combination of communication and camouflage, according to a study published in Behavioral Ecology.

16. The moon once had an atmosphere. Recent tests from lunar samples collected by the Apollo astronauts reveal volcanic eruptions that occurred about four billion years ago released trillions of tonnes of gas. Since the gases were being produced faster than they could escape into space, an atmosphere was formed. The gases eventually became lost to space. Recent tests from lunar samples collected by the Apollo astronauts reveal volcanic eruptions that occurred about four billion years ago released trillions of tonnes of gas. Since the gases were being produced faster than they could escape into space, an atmosphere was formed. The gases eventually became lost to space.

17. Scientists may finally have an answer to why eggs come in different shapes and, apparently, it is all down to the birds flying ability. It seems the best fliers are the ones that lay more pointy or elliptical shaped eggs while the others are more likely to lay rounded or oval-shaped eggs. It seems the best fliers are the ones that lay more pointy or elliptical shaped eggs while the others are more likely to lay rounded or oval-shaped eggs.

18. It is theoretically possible to travel back and forth in time. Two physicists developed a mathematical model for a Two physicists developed a mathematical model for a time machine based on Einsteins theory of relativity (which was proven in 2015), that gravitational fields are caused by distortions in the fabric of space and time. Whats holding us back is that the technology that can physically bend this space-time fabric hasnt been invented yet.

19. Scientists at Harvard have stored a GIF animation of a galloping horse in the DNA of bacteria, using the Crispr-Cas9 tool.

20. Bees have been shown to understand the concept of zero. Scientists discovered this after training the insects to count shapes, following previous research that revealed they can count to four. Scientists discovered this after training the insects to count shapes, following previous research that revealed they can count to four.

21. Humans are still evolving. Researchers tracking eight million mutations found that a number of genes  such as the one that predisposes you to Alzheimers disease  are gradually being filtered out of human DNA. Researchers tracking eight million mutations found that a number of genes  such as the one that predisposes you to Alzheimers disease  are gradually being filtered out of human DNA.
By PTI: lottery: Naqvi

New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) On Prime Minister Narendra Modis suggestion, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today assured those women who have applied to go for Haj without Mehram that they will be exempted from the lottery system and would be allowed to proceed for the annual pilgrimage.

Around 1,300 women have applied to undertake the journey next year to Saudi Arabia without Mehram, Minority Affairs Minister Naqvi said.

advertisement

The Centre has for the first time decided to allow women pilgrims over the age of 45 to undertake the pilgrimage in groups of at least four sans Mehram, a decision hailed by the minister as "historic".

The term Mehram refers to a male, a woman cannot marry in her life (i.e. father, brother or son etc). Till now, women pilgrims would be required to be accompanied by their husbands or Mehrams during the annual pilgrimage.

Haj pilgrims are shortlisted every year through the computerised lottery system.

"After PM Shri Narendra Modi Jis suggestion, I assure that those about 1,300 women, who have applied to go for Haj without Mehram, will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to proceed on Haj," Naqvi tweeted.

He also thanked Modi for mentioning the ministrys decision to lift the ban on women going for Haj without Mehram on his radio programme. PTI MP/ENM ASK ASK

--- ENDS ---
Humans always need somebody to regulate their behaviour but then who regulates the leader? Is there a need for political institutions? If yes, then what should be their nature? How do we organise society in the face of a refugee influx? Are we living in a world where the trade of goods is becoming freer while the passage of people is becoming more difficult?

Shift Sleepers by Dorothy Elmiger, the award-winning ((Hermann Hesse Prize, 2014) Swiss author, raised these thought provoking questions while discussing the various realms of her book with Kavita Panjabi, professor, Jadavpur University, in its launch event at Oxford Bookstore, Kolkata.

Elmiger admitted that she didnt have the answers to these questions, neither as a human nor writer. But she did feel the urgency to start somewhere. Considering the fact that a lot of what is happening in society will manifest itself through language, she began to write this book, structuring it in the form of a different kind of conversation. If I knew the answers I would have gone into politics immediately. But since I dont, I thought it was still important to ask these questions, said Elmiger.

The book reads as a collage of voices with the narratives interweaving, interrupting and overlapping with one another. It is not so important to always know who is talking at the moment, the author suggested.

This short work is not only a courageous contribution to the immigration debate, but really thoughtful, given that the author dwells from Switzerland, which didnt have to face the kind of anti racist-challenges like Africa or India because it wasnt really involved in direct colonisation.

The protagonists in Shift Sleepers speak to each other and the story advances with their conversations. They include a translator, a logistics expert who has become an insomniac, a writer, a journalist and a young woman who is travelling. Their interest and concern for the other person is what bind these characters together. I felt that if I want to be true to what I am thinking about, I have to refuse to answer the concrete questions about the characters like Where youre from? or Why youre here?. I just wanted them to be recognised for their stories, explained Elmiger.

The logistics expert is an image of sleeplessness. We generally tend to have certain filters that society imbibes in us as we grow up. These filters work as a defence mechanism continuously telling us that neither can we change everything that we read in the newspaper nor take responsibility of every injustice that is happening around us. Thus from childhood we grow a notion that not everything must affect us. But in this story, the logistics expert is no longer able to abide by this mentality. He has the capability of distinguishing the right from wrong and feels that everything is affecting him and that he is connected to the fates of the people around him. He is moved by his surroundings to such a point where everything seems blurred making him lose the ability to sleep.

When asked, why choose a male narrator for the story, Elmiger said that it took her a while to figure out what the narrator should look like. Earlier when she started writing in the first person, there was only one character, the logistics expert. I was putting my words in the mouth of the logistics expert who is a man, but then he and I got so stuck in the turmoil going on inside my head that I realised that there needs to be other characters to lead this conversation ahead. That is when I decided that the logistics expert has to become one of several, she said.

The first two words of William Shakespeares Hamlet, Whos there? becomes really important in Shift Sleepers. Elmiger said that she was reading Hamlet while working on the book and could relate those two words instantly with her story. Given the conversational structure of the book, Whos there? becomes an essential question that keeps being asked repeatedly and randomly. For me it is a very multi-layered question because at times it also points towards a refusal to answer the question, thus bearing a mystery about it, she said.
State-run Allahabad Bank on Saturday signed an MoU with the government owned National E-Governance Services Ltd (NeSL) for a the tie-up that could help in minimising the resolution period in NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) referred cases.

NeSL is the first Information Utility entity registered by Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India under the aegis of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

With mounting NPAs and resolution being the need of the hour especially in the high value loan accounts, NeSL can play a great role in minimizing the resolution period in NCLT referred cases, the lender said in a statement.

Allahabad Banks MD and CEO Usha Ananthasubramanian said that the MoU signed with NeSL was the first agreement signed by a lender in the public sector bank space.

This MoU signifies core functions of NeSL, like accepting electronic submission of financial information, safe and accurate recording, verifying and authenticating the financial information submitted and providing access to information stored and services incidental to the aforesaid services would be available to the city headquartered lender.

NeSLs MD and CEO S. Ramann said that the information utility services would serve as a storehouse of authenticated financial information which can be accessed by any concerned parties to specific accounts as well as by resolution professionals and NCLT.

He also said that the system would lead to early and quick solutions for frivolous litigation created by defaulters to delay the process.
The Kamala Mills pub fire tragedy and subsequent crackdown on illegal structures of restaurants by the city civic body have limited the options for many revellers who will be ringing in New Year in neighbouring Navi Mumbai or Thane instead of their preferred joints in the city.

In the wake of the deadly fire on Friday night that killed 14 people in swish rooftop pub 1 Above in Central Mumbais Lower Parel, the celebrations to welcome 2018 are likely to be muted in parts of the Kamala Mills compound, the dining hub of the city.

Revellers are forced to cancel their plans to welcome New Year in their preferred Mumbai joints as the civic officials razed illegal structures in various restaurants yesterday, leaving event managers with little time to make fresh arrangements for customers.

The civic officials yesterday demolished illegal structures at 314 sites in Mumbai.

The BMC had also sealed seven hotels and seized around 417 LPG cylinders during the action.

While some revellers will be welcoming 2018 in restaurants in the famous hill station Lonavala some have decided to do so in Pune, nearly 150 km away from the commercial capital.

Some party goers will be celebrating in Navi Mumbai, Thane, or at farm houses located near Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai-based event manager Satish Lokhande said he was flooded with calls from party-goers whose bookings in Mumbai got cancelled.

I got some calls from friends and regular party goers asking suggestions for new locations around Mumbai. Many changed their bookings to Navi Mumbai, Thane and Lonavala-based restaurants because their earlier bookings in Mumbai hotels got cancelled, Lokhande said.

He said some pubs and bars mainly in western suburbs of Mumbai will receive a huge response from patrons as many restaurants and pubs may not remain open tonight due to the crackdown by the BMC.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which initiated the mega demolition drive two days back, has adopted a strict stand to not heed to requests by pubs and hotel owners to delay the action in view of New Year celebrations.

Santosh Shetty, president of Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (AHAR) said they were expecting subdued celebrations this time.

There are some 12,000 hotels in Mumbai of which around 8,000 are our members. We follow all the rules strictly but there are some black sheep in our industry. The two restaurants in Kamala Mills compound were not even our members, he said.

Shetty said they have appealed to people to pay tributes to the victims in the wake of the fire tragedy.

We are not expecting too many people on the streets for celebration, he added.

Meanwhile, Lokhande said areas such as Khandala, Karjat and Nerul, located far away from Mumbai, have of late emerged as major weekend destinations.

The facilities offered include farm-houses and resorts with large halls for such celebrations. A sizable number of party-goers organised parties in these areas in the last couple of days. The number of revellers in Mumbai could be less (this time) but many of them will be partying outside the city, Lokhande added.
A wedding turned tragic in Haryana, as the groom was killed in celebratory firing in Kaithal district on late Saturday night.

The incident took place at Guhla town when 36-year-old Vikramjit Singh, a Non-Residential Indian (NRI), was celebrating his wedding function. The celebratory bullets fired by a family member, hit the groom and one another person.

The firing killed the groom on the spot, while the other injured persons were later referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

Speaking to The Statesman, Kaithal Superintendent of Police (SP) Astha Modi confirmed the occurrence and the death of the groom.

She said, The deceased was the groom and the shot was fired by his brother coincidentally. While another one seriously injured was referred to the PGI.

An FIR has been registered under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as it was celebratory firing, not an intentional murder, the official added.

The Investigation Officer (IO) Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sumer Singh revealed that the deceased a NRI, was settled in Switzerland for nearly past 12 years.

He has come to India for his wedding, the ASI added.
Actor-director Richard E. Grant says he was robbed at an ATM here.

Grant visited his hometown Swaziland in Africa to celebrate Christmas and later headed to Cape Town.

The 60-year-old said on Twitter that the incident happened on Friday.

He documented his ordeal on the micro-blogging site, but appeared to brush off the encounter as he headed to the beach later that day to spend time with his daughter Olivia during their getaway.

Showcasing a beach of Cape Town, Grant wrote: Feel like a right mug having been mugged at an ATM in Cape Town.

Feel like a right mug having been mugged at an ATM in Cape Town. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr pic.twitter.com/k3iI1l3tAE  Richard E. Grant (@RichardEGrant) December 29, 2017

The Game of Thrones star didnt reveal any details about the incident.
Arundhati Roy, who had taken the literary world by storm with the publication of her quasi-autobiographical book, The God of Small Things, in 1997 which went on to win The Booker Prize, made her readers wait for twenty long years. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, published in 2017, isnt a sequel. Far from it. Years of social activism, protesting against corruption, living with the Indian Maoists in the jungle and finally becoming the poster girl for Kashmiri independence, perhaps, helped this immensely gifted writer to pen her second novel.

The same brevity and insight are evident in the opening lines of both the books. Whereas The God opens with the memorable line: May in Ayemenem is a hot, brooding month, The Ministry opens with: She lived in the graveyard like a tree. As the first book spins the tale around the two Dizygotic twins, Estha and Rahel, the second book revolves around a handful of characters. Anjum, born as Aftab, is told, Always remember, we are not just any Hijras from any place. We are the Hijras of Shahjahanabad. Rahel, in the former, drifted into marriage like a passenger drifts towards an unoccupied chair in an airport lounge. With a Sitting Down sense. Roys second novel ends with Zainabs betrothal.

The strong Communist flavour (there are direct references to E.M.S Namboodiripad, Keralas Mao Tse-Tung) in her first novel, dissolves into a stance for the prevailing sense of doom and insurgency in our northern state of Kashmir. As the war progressed in the Kashmir Valley, graveyards became as common as the multi-storey parking lots that were springing up in the burgeoning cities in the plains. Velutha, who is The God of Loss, The God of Small Things, is caught by the Kerala Police because of his illicit liaison with the twins mother and also because he is seen attending a procession in support of Naxalite Movement. Roys mastery lies in the fact that shes been able bridge this divide between ultra radicalism, a Left wing mindset with a voice which is palpably humane. For who can account for her choice of the hijra or the eunuch as the foci of most part of her second novel?

The first chapter in The Ministry is named: Where Do Old Birds Go To Die? Readers can note here that in The God, Sophie Mol, who meets her death by an accidental drowning, asks her biological father Chacko, Chacko, where do old birds go to die? Why dont dead ones fall like stones from the sky? There are the exactly the same number of words in the titles of both these novels.

In a candid interview to The Guardian in May 2017, Roy had said, My characters all live with me. And later, To me there is nothing higher than fiction. Nothing. Yet she has been able to blend successfully fact with fiction. Her books can, at best, be described as perfect marriages between the mastery of language with the succession of events. In The Ministry, Roy writes and points her finger at the ruling party. Gujarat Ka Lalla was still a year away from taking the throne, the saffron parakeets were still biding their time, waiting in their wings. If only Roy had centred her attention to this agenda alone, then the book would have been more focused and easier to grasp. When she decides to delve into the Kashmir problem, (These days in Kashmir, you are killed for surviving) she not only mixes up her priorities, but deviates from the principal concerns of her book, about which even we, the readers are left guessing about.

There is the character of the enigmatic S. Tilottama, right in the middle of The Ministry. Tilottama means sesame seed in Sanskrit. She, the author writes, is of a South Indian lineage. Her mother, Maryam Ipe, belongs to a Syrian Christian family with her hometown in Kerala. Tilo herself had studied Architecture initially. It is here that I find the autobiographical element slowly creeping into the novel. Roy herself had studied Architecture before turning towards her writing career. She, like Tilo, had a Syrian Christian mother. From here fiction takes over. Tilos mother is admitted in her ailing health at the ICU in a Cochin hospital, where she finally dies. But she wanted to know whether her attendants at the hospital were Paravans or the Untouchables. Readers can recall that Velutha in Roys Booker-winning novel was a Paravan, with the birthmark of a tree leaf on his back which made the monsoons come on time.

The prevalent ardour of Communism that permeates The God can be accounted for by the fact that the Naxalite Movement or Operation Spring Thunder was ushered in Kerala as far back as 1967. Roy writes: Marxism was a simple substitute for Christianity. Replace God with Marx, Satan with the bourgeoisie, Heaven with a classless society, the Church with the Party, and the form and purpose of the journey remained similar.

In his praise for Roys debut novel, William Dalrymple had said, The joy of The God of Small Things is that it appeals equally to the head and to the heart. What had appeared to be the diction used by a child at first, slowly turns out to be an ultra-modern and novel treatment of an adult subject altogether. It is clever and complex, yet it makes one laugh, and finally, moves one to tears. This is where Roy fails in her next novel. Perhaps her strong-willed and dedicated social activism had removed that element in her which made her readers move to tears. Because The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is at best be called a social treatise rather than a gripping novel. Her style has converted many into an ardent admirer. Because as someone had said, either youve it in you or you dont. Arundhati Roy certainly has it in her. But her second novel, in the final analysis, does disappoint. She has far too much to say and the borders of the book are too narrow to confine her ever-broadening spectrum

of thoughts.
For years the scientific community has been talking about the uselessness of experimenting on dogs. According to most scientists and companies that produce pharmaceuticals, dogs have no role to play in proving any drug for humans.

Thirty years ago I had created the CPCSEA in the Environment Ministry. This was supposed to be the apex centre of deciding which experiments and which animals were to be used in India. It was supposed to bring in new ideas and promote safe animal alternatives. Unfortunately, instead of putting first class scientists on it, it was soon overrun by low level ministry directors and it degenerated into a dull and senseless office, which simply holds meeting every now and then to rubber stamp useless and repetitive experiments that lead nowhere and push up the prices and delay the issuance of vital drugs.

In October 2017, the first ever conference on the use of dogs in testing and research was held in Hyderabad, India. The event was organised by People For Animals India, partnered by Cruelty Free International a London-based scientific research agency, to bring attention to the practical and ethical problems associated with the laboratory testing of dogs. It was attended by government people and by the 16 Indian companies that test on dogs.

Every year, over 200,000 dogs are used for testing worldwide to evaluate the safety of new chemicals and drugs. Most regulatory agencies around the world require a non-rodent species (usually dogs) to be used in pre-clinical trials to test the effect (toxicity and pharmacokinetics, pharmacokinetics which means the study of the movement of drugs in the body, including the processes of absorption, distribution, localisation) of new chemicals before the tests are conducted on humans. This includes testing of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, pesticides etc.

Beagles are the most commonly used breed of dogs for animal testing, owing to their passive nature and small size. These dogs are kept in cages for years until the study is complete, and undergo very invasive and painful procedures during this time. Their vocal cords are sometimes cut so they cannot bark when hurt. These dogs rarely have access to veterinarians and are often not even given painkillers. When rescued, test dogs have been seen to have enlarged hearts and various diseases due to their high stress environments. They are also very anxious and scared of humans. It is a difficult task to rehabilitate even those dogs that manage to make it out of laboratories.

The practice of using dogs has become a part of most regulatory protocols over the deca-des, despite it lacking a scientific basis. The tests on dogs do not validate any drugs. The tests conducted on dogs have no added value and usually do not provide any new useful data which an original test on rodents cannot. It continues to be practiced despite immense public opposition and clear scientific and ethical arguments against it. In fact, tests done on dogs in the 50s delayed penicillin coming into the market, as dogs were found allergic to it and they died. When they were bypassed and humans were administered the test, it turned out to be a lifesaver.

For years, scientists believed that the central physiological functions of circulation, respiration, and nervous system were common to all mammals. However, no species of animal has been identified which has the same absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion processes of drugs as humans. It is unlikely that such an animal species will ever be found. Despite this, there is a persisting opinion that animal research has made a significant contribution to the treatment of human diseases. This is not based on fact, as most of the research using animals is known to be wasted.

The primary objection to the specific use of dogs in testing is thus simple  the data derived from dogs is not predictive enough to be applied to the case of humans. Any conclusions that come out of this forced extrapolation (an act of inferring an unknown from something that is known) between two such different species is largely unreliable. And the scientists know that. So, instead of paying attention to, or taking any interest in, the results of tests on dogs, it becomes simply one more step to fulfil on paper for bureaucrats, before they can get down to the real testing on human beings  which is the only test that matters.

For example, if a new drug is already known to have a 70 per cent chance of not being toxic for humans, a negative test conducted on dogs will increase this probability to just 72 per cent. The dog test thus does not provide significantly new or supporting evidence. It does, however, have a huge financial and ethical cost.

Dogs have always been found to be inconsistent predictors of toxic responses in humans. A study conducted, at the School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, as early as 1982 found that most derivatives of the drug benzodiazepine, used in many common medicines, have a much smaller half-life in dogs as compared to humans. As these drugs are processed and metabolised much faster in dogs, results of tests conducted on dogs become irrelevant to predict the side effects or toxicology on humans.

A study by Nerviano Medical Sciences, Italy found that the CYP3A enzyme  which is present in all animals and used to study drug toxicity  is extremely specific to the species being tested. The extrapolation of such data to human subjects is a risky exercise. Dogs are not a good metabolic model for humans due to major differences in their cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs), which are the key enzymes involved in the metabolism of over 90 per cent drugs. Other research has also proven that the results obtained by studying drug metabolising enzymes in animals could not be extrapolated for humans due to the molecular differences among different species.

The Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacodynamics at the University of Illinois conducted a study where 43 drugs were administered to dogs and humans. The overall correlation with regard to drug absorption and efficacy was relatively poor (r2 = 0.5123) in comparison to an earlier rat vs. human study on 64 drugs (r2 = 0.975). In fact, even poorer than rats which are tested on to begin with simply as a basic exercise. The data could not be used to build a better understanding of the effects on humans.

Further studies, including one conducted by AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company, have shown that several drugs when tested are observed to be free in the plasma of animals, meaning that they do not bind to proteins as they might do in humans and are thus irrelevant for human comparison.

Despite the consistently proven lack of scientific value, tests on dogs continue to be demanded by government regulatory bodies. This can have adverse repercussions on humans. Like penicillin, there could be a number of drugs/chemicals which have an unfavourable reaction on dogs, but may not have such a reaction on humans. There is a risk that a number of potentially useful compounds will be discarded at an early stage due to these early negative results.

On the other hand, there are high chances of drugs passing the tests on dogs but reacting unfavourably on humans. Many toxic compounds can wrongly reach the stage of human testing, and can harm humans in clinical trials. Few people know that 92-94 per cent of all drugs which pass preclinical tests fail in clinical trials on humans  this fact has been revealed by Cruelty Free International after examining hundreds of thousands of studies. This happens largely due to unforeseen toxicities which did not show up in animal tests. Even worse, half of the drugs that get past human trials have been subsequently withdrawn, or re-labelled due to adverse drug reactions which were not detected in animal tests.

The advances in neuroscience and related technology make the practical need and ethics for conducting tests on dogs increasingly questionable. The advent of new technology provides a number of alternatives. Computer simulation programs have been developed, which can simulate cell models to help study effects of drugs at the molecular and cellular level. Such in-silico studies have a better scope at providing important results than studies on animals, as there is better control over the experiment parameters.

Another new method of testing is in-vitro testing, or the Tox21 method, which employs cells obtained from live humans. For example, anti-cancer studies are conducted on human cancer cells taken during surgeries by biopsy. This type of testing also gives researchers a more controlled environment, making the results more reliable and reproducible.

These, and other new methods, have a number of benefits over testing on animals, particularly dogs  they save huge amounts of time and money, they provide more reliable results, the ethical concerns are minimal and the financial and practical implications of rearing animals etc. are much lower. There is benefit for all involved, if a move is made away from animal testing, particularly laboratory testing of dogs.

My teams rescue the beagles that are still alive after the experiments have been done on them for years. If you were to see their state, and realise that all this suffering was for nothing, you would be appalled. The first step has been taken by holding the conference. The pharmaceutical industry says it would prefer not to use them. Now the bureaucrats and government scientists need to change the protocols that are using our tax money to inflict so much unnecessary harm.
Sixteen-year-old Nadeem Khan, who recently earned laurels for being the winner in the state-level Bhagwad Gita competition in Rajasthan, is passionate about learning the Sanskrit language.

He finds the language quite simple, interesting and easy. According to him, the Bhagwad Gita shlokas have in-depth inspiring messages and he loves to recite them.

This Sanskrit lover felt inclined towards the language when he was in Class VI. He feels that there is something magical in the language and hence he started taking a keen interest in it.

My teachers helped me in developing my passion (for Sanskrit). He first saw the Bhagwad Gita in his school library and as he opened it and started reading it, he found it very interesting.

Then and there, Nadeem decided that he would learn the shlokas from there.

We used to have regular assembly sessions in the morning, after which we were given freedom to say anything inspiring. It was on this platform that I started sharing these inspiring shlokas, he said.

Nadeem also shares a strong bonding with his friends, most of whom are Hindus.

Whenever I visit the home of my friends, I make sure I touch the feet of their mothers who treat me as their son. We really share a strong bonding, he added.

He gives credit for his success to his parents who always prompted him to follow his heart and never stopped him from reading the Gita. Also, they never pressurised him to learn Urdu.

I always used to recite these shlokas with my father who would sit and listen to them with patience despite the fact that he couldnt understand it, he said.

Nadeem felt truly happy when he was felicitated at the Gita Fest.

I also felt proud when our village Sarpanch came to our place and felicitated me. His words were really inspiring. I had tears in my eyes when he said, This boy proved that school is a temple of knowledge as he has learnt a language without having any bias for caste, creed or any such parameter.

Nadeem, a student of Rashtriya Adarsh Uchh Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Kanota, wants to become a doctor.

I belong to a poor family and have seen financial challenges coming in when any member of my family fell ill I want to serve the poor by becoming a doctor, he added.

There were two other Muslim students from Jaipur who bagged top positions in a contest on the recitation of the Gita verses. They are siblings  Zaheen Naqvi of Class II and Zorabia Nagori of Class IV.

Their father Tanweer Ahmad is proud of his young kids who, according to him, learnt the Sanskrit verses on their own.

They are yet to have Sanskrit as the official subject in their school, but they made efforts to get their name registered in the competition and then worked hard. Their teachers also helped them come out with flying colours, he said.

As the siblings were out on their winter vacation, they could not be contacted.

However, their father was determined to help his children carve a niche for themselves in the fields of their choice.
[Provisional Translation]

Shinzo Abe

Prime Minister of Japan

I wish everyone a very happy new year.This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration.With nobler desires, greater earnestness and wider sympathy not limited to just a few ... the weakest of us may attain success.These are the words of Umeko Tsuda, who at the young age of six accompanied the Iwakura diplomatic mission that visited the United States and Europe in the early years of the Meiji era. Inspired by US society, in which men and women alike could utilize their individual capabilities, Tsuda founded an institution of higher education for women upon her return to Japan. She devoted her life to bringing the potential held by Japanese women into bloom.One hundred fifty years ago, a wave of colonial rule was surging into Asia, and the building of a new nation by Meiji-era Japan had its start right alongside that major sense of urgency.To overcome this precarious situation, which should truly be called a national crisis, Japan pressed forward with modernization in a single stroke. What served as the driving force for this was each individual Japanese. The class system that had been in place was abandoned and all Japanese were emancipated from the systems and conventions that had existed until then. It was by bringing together the entire spectrum of capabilities found among the Japanese people that Japan maintained its independence.Japan now once again faces a critical situation that should truly be called a national crisis: our dwindling birth rate alongside our aging society.Six years ago, Japan was awash in pessimism towards the future. With a declining population, Japan is no longer able to grow.However through Abenomics over the past five years, nominal GDP has grown by more than 11 percent to reach a record high. Even as our working-age population declined by 3.90 million, employment increased by 1.85 million. The percentage of women in the workforce now surpasses that of the US for all age groups over age 25.The ratio of active job openings to applicants for positions exceeds 1 in all 47 prefectures and the warm winds of economic recovery are now reaching Japans local areas as well. We are now accomplishing things we were unable to achieve even during our period of rapid economic growth.The future can be changed.I am convinced that if we succeed in creating a society in which all citizens are dynamically engaged, with all people, whether male or female, young or old, those with disabilities or intractable illnesses, or those who have failed before, able to demonstrate their abilities to the greatest possible extent, then Japan will still be able to enjoy robust growth.We can change the future with our own hands.Everything depends on the aspirations and eagerness of us, the Japanese people. It all depends on whether or not we believe that we can change the future and are able to take action, as our ancestors did 150 years ago.We will invest boldly in childrens futures. We will take on the unease people feel over childrearing and nursing care by dramatically reforming the social security system into one that is oriented to all generations. We will build a society that provides opportunities for all people, no matter their age, to brush up their skills and take on new challenges.We will secure the lives and peaceful daily lives of the Japanese people under any circumstances as we advance resolute diplomacy.Upon receiving the support of the public in the general election last year, we succeeded in taking a major step forward towards building a new nation that looks steadily at the future.This year is the year of putting our plans into execution. We will transition the policies we pledged during the 2017 general election into execution, one by one. Looking squarely ahead to 2020 and beyond, the Abe Cabinet is determined to press forward vigorously with reforms towards building a new nation, hand in hand with the Japanese people.In closing, I ask the public for their further understanding and support, and I also send my heartfelt wishes for 2018 to be a marvelous year bringing joy and prosperity to one and all.
Residents of the border villages of Jammu and Samba districts, whose kin were killed or wounded due to the recent shelling by Pakistan in civilian areas, are upset that the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir is not taking care of them. They accused them of being more interested in doling out jobs to injured Kashmiri stone-pelters.

Rural-folk in these districts dislocated due to shelling from across the border were also annoyed that hardly any political leader has come to take care of them in the make-shift camps where they were lodged for several days. These leaders show up in the border villages only to seek votes during the elections, they lament.

Makha Ram of Kothe Mahashe village whose four family members were killed and nine critically wounded due to Pakistan shelling complains that a meager amount of relief was given to him by the authorities and the money was spent on treatment of the injured relatives. The stone-pelters injured in police action in Kashmir were flown to AIIMS and other top hospitals for treatment at government expense, but those getting wounded due to shelling by Pakistan troops have to spend out of their own pocket in the hospital, he pointed out.

He said he was waiting for the governments support as besides the loss of lives, both rooms of his house had collapsed as mortar shells landed on the roof. The walls of the house bearing splinter marks were testimony of the loss he suffered.

Pakistan targeted Arnia town and adjoining villages for the first time in September this year when a number of civilians and BSF personnel lost their lives. A large number of cattlehead perished or were grievously injured due to shelling.

The victims were running from pillar to post for government help but were getting only lip sympathy.

Subhash Chander of Alla village, whose mother Ratno Devi was killed due to shelling, is exhausted making vain attempts to get a government job that he was promised by the authorities. His wife Rajni Devi also suffered serious injuries and is still unable to move.

Pakistani shells landed at his house around midnight on 17 September killing his mother on the spot. His father Muni Lal said that political leaders landed up at the Government Medical College, Jammu, for a photo-opportunity and lip sympathy but no one was there to help his daughter-in-law get free treatment in the hospital. Being a small shopkeeper, it was becoming extremely difficult for him to continue with her treatment.

In village after village such complaints poured in as this correspondent drove through the borderline.

Residents of Poonch and Rajouri districts on the Line of Control (LOC) were also living in constant fear as Pakistanis were also targeting civilian areas of these districts. The shelling has claimed the lives of several civilians and Army personnel.

More than 7000 people had to move to camps in safe places for several days as Pakistani troops were continuing to shell these areas.

More than 300 students and teachers of government schools near the LOC had to be evacuated in bulletproof vehicles by the Army and police as these institutions were also targeted.

This has become a constant problem for residents of villages along the International border and the LOC as Pakistan indulges in such shelling and firing throughout the year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the bill criminalising instant Triple Talaq has freed Muslim women after years of suffering.

Delivering the inaugural address for the 85th annual Sivagiri pilgrimage celebrations in Kerala via video conferencing, Modi said: After years of suffering, Muslim women have found a way to free themselves from the practice of instant triple talaq.

The Lok Sabha on December 28 passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 that criminalises instant divorce with three years of imprisonment for Muslim husbands.

The government rejected an overwhelming demand from the Opposition to refer the legislation to a Parliamentary standing committee for detailed consideration.

Sivagiri is the holy abode of one of the great saints and social reformers of India, Sree Narayan Guru.

In 2015, Modi had visited the Sivagiri Mutt, a revered spiritual centre established in by the renowned 20th century saint-social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, and paid respects at his samadhi.

Modi had spent about a few minutes at the Sivagiri hillock, located around 50 kms away from Thiruvananthapuram, and offered obeisance at the maha samadhi mandapam, the final resting place of the legendary Guru.

Established by Narayana Guru who propagated the message of One Caste, One Religion and One God for Mankind, the Sivagiri Mutt is a major spiritual-cum-pilgrim centre of the backward Ezhava community in Kerala.
Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, has condemned the killing of CRPF jawans, including an officer, in a midnight attack at a CRPF training centre at Lethpora in Pulwama district on Sunday.

Four CRPF troopers and three militants were killed in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on Sunday after guerrillas attacked a CRPF training centre, police officials said.

Terming the act as dastardly, the Chief Minister said violence has taken a heavy toll of the society in the state in terms of death and destruction, tearing apart of the social fabric, inflicting massive economic, academic and social losses besides the irreparable loss of human lives.

Mehbooba paid tributes to the jawans on Twitter and also conveyed her sympathies to the bereaved families of the slain men.

My deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the 4 CRPF jawans who lost their lives in Pulwama.  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) December 31, 2017

Heavily-armed militants stealthily entered the camp in Lathpora area about two hours after midnight, hurling grenades and resorting to indiscriminate gunfire.

Four CRPF jawans were martyred in the operation that lasted for nearly 12 hours, a police officer said.

After barging in, the two militants secured positions in the CRPF camp located on the Srinagar-Jammu highway until they were killed.

The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the daring attack on the 185 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force.

Security forces including Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and state police jointly carried out an operation to flush out the militants, the official said.

As a precaution, authorities suspected Internet facility in Pulwama district.

Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway was halted for some time during the counter-insurgency operations.

(With agency inputs)
Kolkata has always been well known for its authentic dishes and experiential variety in food. While the old eateries still exist and remain a favourite of almost every denizen of the city, the new ones are gradually paving their way through contemporary arrangement of dishes.

Situated in a silent corner of Ballygunge Place, The Melting Pot brings in the amalgamation of Oriental and Continental food with a touch of Bengali. The true essence of a melting pot lies in the fact that every cuisine mixes together to uniformly create something new. Owner Srabani Kumar, who holds a Masters degree in journalism, said that she has always been confident and experimental about new challenges. We are Bengalis and we are foodies, maybe that is the inspiration, she said while describing the kind of food, which was being served.

The place serves several types of food from beverages to fries to a concoction of Thai dishes. A person with a sweet tooth would probably enjoy the KitKat shake, which is made of ice-cream, milk, chocolate sauce shaken well together with Choco chips as toppings. The Virgin Mojito might be a favourite for most during summer afternoons, when temperatures rise at an alarming rate. For those who prefer having less but do not mind some heavy chunk of fries the Fish Finger, served with tartar sauce, is a great choice. The fish served is usually basa, as it is the only kind that could be preserved for more than a day, while the sauce is a mixture of vegetables, mustard and lemon juice. The Chicken Suimai, almost like an open-ended momo, made of sesame oil and mushroom, when served with the sweet chilli sauce might convulse with the taste buds as they tend to disappear as soon as dropped in the mouth. The grilled fish served with lemon butter sauce and fresh salad is quite the treat for those who prefer a light lunch.

The ambient music is a soothing monotone of the early 90s when Bollywood was just producing some of its best compositions. The manner of hygiene is well maintained, whereas the kitchen staff makes sure that the vast distinction between the vegetarians and non-vegetarians are well maintained.
The Buddhas inspirational words seem to have struck a chord in Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu. He has donated his government salary of the last three years to solemnise the mass marriage of poor girls.

Abhimanyu said many years ago he had pledged that if he becomes a public representative, he would donate his salary to help destitute girls. Recently, on his 51st birthday, the businessman-cum-politician organised marriages of 51 poor girls at his native village Khanda-Kheri in Narnaund block of Hisar district.

Apart from donating his salary of three years amounting to nearly Rs 16.65 lakh, he also spent over Rs 50 lakh from his own pocket as the newlyweds were also gifted many customary items such as jewellery, furniture, clothes and sweets. He also gifted each couple a set of books written by great human beings. Each couple was given Rs 5,100 as Kanyadan (financial assistance) through cheque.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who attended the function, announced enhancement of financial assistance given under the Mukhya Mantri Vivah Shagun Yojana from Rs 41,000 to Rs 51,000. The newlyweds were included.

The newlyweds were also administered an oath against female foeticide. And gifted saplings to promote the Swachhta Abhiyan (cleanliness campaign).

Capt Abhimanyu told The Statesman, When I entered politics, I had resolved to undertake mass marriages of poor girls with my salary, and recently, I got this opportunity. As Finance minister, I had received Rs 16.65 lakh as salary which I donated for this mass marriage function.

He said, However, organising the event cost me nearly four times more than the salary I got in the past three years as an elected member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly. But I will continue to contribute for the noble cause in future also. He said everyone should do some charity.

The minister is also involved in tree plantation and has set up reverse osmosis purifiers in villages falling in his assembly constituency, Narnaund. Free education, free books and school uniforms, is provided to poor children in nearly one dozen educational institutes under the umbrella of Param Mitra Manav Nirman Sansthan, a non-profit charitable trust founded by his father, Mitter Sen Sindhu, a well-known philanthropist.

One such institute is Defence Public School located in Delhi, where children from the slums are being provided free education, books and school dress. Even mid-day meals are provided to these children in the school.

Born as Abhimanyu Sindhu in a village in Hisar district, he served in the Indian Army for six years. It was in the late 90s when he entered politics. After losing several elections, finally he was elected as BJP MLA from Narnaund constituency in the 2014 assembly polls in Haryana.
Its not what you say, its how you say it. Its a cliche, but its true. Body language is a crucial part of communicating. The way you act can warp the entire meaning of what youre saying. That being said, bad body language habits are the often hardest habits to break. We become so accustomed to slouching, averting our eyes, or folding our arms that we barely even notice what were doing.

Here are several body language mistakes that are going to be tough to ditch. Still, if youre able to quit them, youll definitely thank yourself later.

Fidgeting

If youve gotten into the habit of fidgeting, it can be difficult to snap out of it. But its important to take steps to reigning in this nervous habit.

Fidgeting demonstrates nervousness and a lack of power, as body-language expert and The Power of Body Language author Tonya Reiman previously told Business Insider.

Leave your hair alone. Constantly running your hands across your scalp and twirling your locks is pretty distracting. Plus, as ABC reported, it can damage your hair overtime. It can be hard to quit, so try playing around a stress ball instead of your hair.

Doing weird things with your hands

To gesture or not to gesture? That is the

question.

Some people keep too still while speaking, while others flail all over the place.

As The Washington Post reported, behavioural consultant Vanessa Van Edwards notes that using hand gestures while speaking is actually an effective way to engage your audience.

The trick is, avoiding the hand gestures that will trip you up. Dont point, dont pretend to conduct an imaginary orchestra (seriously), and dont get too

choreographed

Adopting a defensive pose

Many people naturally cross their arms or hunch over a bit just because they dont know what to do with their hands.

However, this posture can make you look uncomfortable, defensive, or untrustworthy.

You should always keep your hands in view when you are talking, Patti Wood, a body- language expert and author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions Body Language and Charisma, previously told Business Insider. When a listener cant see your hands, they wonder what you are hiding.

Shuffling instead of walking

Humans are pretty judgmental creatures. We think we can tell a lot about someone based on snap judgments over something as simple as their manner of walking.

BBC reported that how we walk can actually determine our risk of being mugged. Criminals are less likely to target people walking with an air of confidence.

It can be hard to change up your walk once youve fallen into bad habits, but its important to walk with confidence and coordination. Dont shuffle through life.

Appearing distracted

Theres nothing more irritating than talking to someone whos clearly not paying attention to you.

Some people are just naturally distracted or busy, so it can be tempting to check your phone or watch at every available moment. Still, youve got to keep this impulse in check when youre around others. Otherwise, youll just come across as a rude and uncaring person.

Forgetting to smile

Reiman previously told Business Insider that smiling demonstrates confidence, openness, warmth, and energy.

It also sets off the mirror neurons in your listener, instructing them to smile back. Without the smile, an individual is often seen as grim or aloof, she explained.

Slouching

Stand up straight. Terrible posture is easy to develop, especially if youre slouched over a desk for the majority of the day.

Slouching doesnt just make you look un-confident, writes Catherine New for Psychology Today, its also bad for your back. Improve your health and the image you present to the world by standing up straight.

Nonexistent or aggressive eye contact

Heres another body language pitfall where moderation is key.

What Your Body Says (And How to Master the Message) author Sharon Sayler previously told Business Insider that the ideal amount of eye contact should be a series of long glances instead of intense stares.

Overly long stares can make whoever youre talking to pretty uncomfortable. On the other hand, averting your eyes indicates disgust or a lack of confidence.

Being too still

Its definitely good not to be jumping all over the place, constantly. However, you dont want to be too eerily calm during conversations. This may make people feel uneasy, or that youre not interested in what theyre saying.

Instead, try to mirror the person youre speaking with. Dont mimic them  theyll probably get offended by that  but subtly copy some of their gestures and expressions.

Writing for Psychology Today, Dr Jeff Thompson notes that mirroring will leave people perceiving you as positive and persuasive.

It can be tough to break out of your poker face, especially if youre just naturally not that expressive  but its worth trying, since it can improve how youre perceived.

Mismatching verbal and non-verbal communication

You might be saying all the right things  but if your body language doesnt match up with your words, you might end up rubbing people the wrong way.

In fact, researchers at Sacred Heart University devoted an entire study to this phenomenon. Their subjects were married couples, but their finding was pretty universal  when verbal and non-verbal messages do not align, nonverbal signals carry the brunt of the emotional message.
The trends are hideous even before 2018 unfolds. A year that was marked by horrfying, almost unspeakable, atrocities in Afghanistan, is ending with another wave of butchery, one that is testament to the intra-Islamic strife and no less crucially to the ISIS struggle for dominance over the Taliban. As in several other storm-centres, it has been an offensive against innocents. According to the UN, many children were likely to be among those killed in Thursdays bombing because families had gathered at the centre to mark the National Day. No fewer than 41 people were killed and more than 80 injured in an attack on a Shia cultural centre and news agency that share a building in Kabul. Palpably enough, the ISIS has struck in the heart of the Afghan capital; the bombings were the latest in a particularly bloody year for Afghanistan, even by the standards of a country inured to decades of conflict. Going by the breaking news presented by the Amaaq news agency of ISIS, the cultural centre was targeted by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the name of the Caliphates Afghan affiliate as it was funded by Iran and used to propagate Shia beliefs.

It was, therefore, a complex cocktail that ignited Thursdays mayhem in Kabul. It was also the latest sectarian attack in a capital that had once been relatively immune to such violence. There have been civilian deaths in Kabul over four decades of civil war; yet until the emergence of ISIS very few could be attributed to Sunni-Shia tensions, that have all too frequently turned mortal from Iraq to Pakistan.

A group with a strong sectarian agenda now appears to have outstripped the home-grown Taliban in perpetrating violence in Kabul. Thursdays butchery is said to be the seventh suicide bombing in Kabul since October, killing a total of 130 people. This has made ISKP a larger threat in Kabul than Taliban. Indeed, the shift in the frequency of the attacks, from the group that has led the insurgency for nearly two decades to the relatively new ISIS is a fresh and forbidding challenge to the Afghan authorities.

Clearly, ISIS is trying to replace the Taliban by challenging its dominance and the latest offensive can be contextualised with the warning advanced by the United Nations in November that a new trend of attacks on Shia Muslims and places of worship had begun since 2016, when the pattern of attacks against Shia worshippers emerged. And almost invariably, the ISIS has claimed responsibility. Prior to that, the only major sectarian attack documented by the UN was a bombing at a religious festival in 2011, claimed by the Pakistani militant group Laskhar-e-Jhangvi. The insidious plot thickens.
There may be no validity to the Pakistani contention that the functioning of alleged spy Kulbhushan Jadhav furthered Indian strategic and military interests, yet the disgraceful treatment meted out to his wife and mother in Islamabad has had considerable political impact. It has proved a rare rallying point around which Indian parties, unable to conduct a civilised conversation most of the time, have closed ranks, condemned the unacceptable behaviour of the Pak authorities, and called upon the government to rigorously and robustly pursue the case in the International Court of Justice. The brand of unity and support displayed across the aisle in Parliament was reassuring at a point in time when political divisions appeared impossible to bridge. Whether Pakistan has forfeited what little international goodwill it retained by making a cruel charade of what it projected as a humanitarian gesture is something only time will confirm; it has definitely cemented Indian thinking even more than the state-sponsored terrorist strikes at Uri and IAF Pathankot.

A significant spin-off of that development was the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha advising members to be restrained in their rhetoric lest it cause further complications for Jadhav. Equally appreciable was the leader of the Oppositions endorsing those sentiments. That over a dozen members from Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha unreservedly backed the government statement is a signal that Pakistan cannot afford to ignore, India stands strong and tall on issues on which political unanimity reigns. With her bold statement, a fine blend of the humane and political-diplomatic firmness, Mrs Sushma Swaraj succeeded in carrying the House with her. A lesser minister, anxious to garner political advantage, would hardly have had the same salutary effect. Mrs Swaraj did well to try and extend some solace to Jadhavs mother, and the personal touch with which she laced her parliamentary presentation clearly touched many hearts. At the same time she was neither soft, goody-goody nor on the defensive. Pakistan was slammed, with the dignity the occasion demanded ~ there was no seeking to exploit an emotionally-charged moment to gain popularity. Ministers with such sensitivity and maturity are a rarity.

The Kulbhushan Jadhav affair, alas, still has some distance to travel and the government must ensure that there is no dilution or relaxation on the legal front: the effort must be to take the success already attained to its logical conclusion. Yet preparations will also have to be made to cater to other possibilities. Having raised the stakes so high, Jadhav and his kin would feel betrayed if the full weight of the government and people of India was not behind them all the way, regardless of the way circumstances may dictate has to be taken. Could his case be the one that brings Indian politics in from the cold ~ on one issue anyway?
In a significant statement issued recently on the ongoing Rohingya crisis, UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee (entry to Myanmar banned by the authorities) singled out Russia and China for their alleged failure to prevail upon Myanmar to stop the military crackdown on the Rohingyas. These two countries also came under scathing attack for restraint in criticising Myanmar for unending human rights abuses inflicted upon the Rohingyas.

Earlier, in a what appeared to be a belligerent move, Russia had warned many countries against interference in the internal affairs of Myanmar. It is therefore clear that China and Russia, two major powers, have offered their endorsement and carte blanche support to Myanmars military actions and alleged atrocities perpetrated upon the Rohingyas. It is equally pertinent to state that since 2007 China backed by Russia has sabotaged several efforts taken by the Security Council on Myanmar using the veto power.

Also, Chinas unstinted support helped Myanmar military generals going above the law for decades. This impunity gave them license to carry out the killings. Its now perhaps the appropriate time for China to reassess its strategy so that in future it is not branded as a collaborator in genocide in Myanmar. If, for instance, China supports a UN move to refer the Myanmar situation to the International Criminal Court, there will be no dearth of evidence to prosecute the alleged offenders .

Meanwhile, experts assess and with cautious pessimism that because of the unbridled Rohingya crisis, Myanmar should not become another Rwanda or Bosnia. Internationally acclaimed jurists, Justice Patricia Wald of the US, Justice Richard Goldstone of South Africa and Sir Geoffrey Nice of the UK looked worried in the wake of resurfacing of a report called Crimes in Burma which was prepared in 2009 by the Law School of the Harvard University. While examining the report, the experts state that UN documents have included a range of human rights and humanitarian rights violations in Myanmar since long.

The international human rights clinic of the Harvard Law School prepared the report factoring four types of crimes perpetrated in Myanmar: forced displacement of the population, sexual violence, murder and torture and such crimes had been duly reflected at regular intervals from 2014 incorporating abuses upon other ethnic groups specially in Kachin and northern Shan states. The report added that fleeing villagers destroyed houses, crops and planted land mines in civilian areas.

Taking the cue from the Harvard report, the Law School of the Yale University in the following year documented atrocities unleashed by the Myanmar military against the Rohingyas. It particularly highlighted the excesses of the alleged Buddhist monks on the Rohingya Muslims. The UN investigation team which wanted to go to Myanmar on a fact finding mission, following the reports of these atrocities, was denied entry. They described the atrocities as a text book example of ethnic cleansing.

As seen from the above elucidation of the Rohingya issue so aptly internationalised by the west, the entire focus of academia is on Rohingya linked developments and it is giving a handle to the US and allies to come down heavily on powers like China and Russia. This looks nothing but sheer politics.

In the meantime, in a disturbing development, Thai intelligence services had started seeing use of Rohingya refugees (now at a monstrous figure reaching 640,000 in various Bangladeshi camps) by jihadists. They allege that the refugees are being misused by Islamic insurgents operating in the countrys southern provinces. Needless to emphasise that Southern Thailand provinces including Narathatiwat, Pattana, Surathani and areas bordering Malaysia are gripped with radical Islam and the areas often erupt with terror happenings. Though no evidence is at hand yet, but it will not be surprising if with Dr Zakir Naiks present stay in Malaysia, these areas get a boost to foment radicalism and terror.

Mae Sot on the Thai Myanmarese border remains the hub of hosting training camps for insurgents of all kinds. A prominent Indian journalist and a security expert recently reported that Khalistan terrorists and Lashkar linked terrorists came to notice undergoing a training course in facilitating improvised explosive devices.

Further, very recently Rohingya jihadists from the Harakah Al Yakin were noticed with crates of AK 47 rifles. In this context it is worth mentioning that Arakan Rohingyas Salvation Army ( ARSA) had been trained by Pakistani ISI as well as by Bangladesh-based terror group Jamaitul Mujahdeen (JMB) raising security concerns in the region about a spurt in radicalisation and ultimate terrorism.

In sum therefore, on the one hand we see reports emanating from Western quarters on atrocities on Rohingyas which are purely of academic interest while on the other a segment of the Rohingyas are being armed to the teeth, indoctrinated and trained by undesirable elements which in all likelihood will abet the growth of radical Islam and eventually terror. This looks plausible as the actors involved are against any kind of peace and tranquility in the region. Affected areas will not be confined to Myanmar alone. Bangladesh and southern Thailand may feel the heat too. All round alertness seems called for.

Bangladesh is on a tinderbox with a huge number of Rohingyas on its soil. All Rohingyas are not ultras and all Bangladeshis are not radicalised but a small number may wreak havoc . Twenty-seven year old Akayed  a Bangladeshi who had gone to the US only seven years ago  was so throughly brainwashed by radicals in Bangladesh that he detonated a pipe bomb in New York City barely a fortnight ago. There are thousands of Akayeds the world over, radicalised and committed. How do the authorities neutralise them? The new year will see multiple security challenges .
Eos recently carried an article on the journey of some people along the Silk Road. One of the accompanying images in the mentioned article has a man and a woman standing in front of a sign saying Old Silk Road. The location of this sign is somewhere between Gilgit and Hunza. That the classic Silk Road ever entered what is now Pakistan by way of Hunza is patent rubbish. But if people repeat the same falsehood a few times, let alone over decades, it becomes established truth.

The great East-West trade route originating at ancient Changan (modern Xian) to connect China with the Levant and further was first called Silk Road by the 19th century German geographer and scientist Ferdinand von Richthofen. At Anxi, west of Changan, this road split into two. One carried on due West through Turfan and Khokand to Samarkand. The other went to Dunhuang where it again split into two. One of these reached Kashgar via Aksu while the southern branch looped through Khotan to Kashgar.

While Kashgar and Khokand were also connected, another connection swung slightly south from Kashgar to make Bactra that we today know as Balkh in Afghanistan. Throughout the long and creative passage of time, we do not find any evidence of a major or even minor trade road swinging south from Kashgar to cross the Hindu Kush Mountains to enter Hunza.

We do know of one Indian connection from the Silk Road. This route led from Srinagar, through Kargil and Leh (the chief town of Ladakh) to climb the 5,655-metre high Karakoram Pass to descend on the Turkestan side for a very long and tedious journey to Kashgar on the Silk Road via Karghalik and Yarkand.

In her masterful work The Silk Road, Frances Wood tells us of a Kashmiri Buddhist monk travelling this way to the famous monastery of Changan. There he assisted his Chinese counterparts in translating Buddhist texts from Indian to Central Asiatic languages. The year of the Kashmiri masters travel, as recorded by Wood, is 284 CE. That a common traveller was going this way can only mean that the Karakoram Pass route was well-frequented at that early age.

Another book, the delightful Himalayan Letters of Gypsy Davy and Lady Ba, records the adventures of an upper-class and very erudite husband and wife. In the 1920s, this couple  together with a friend or two  spent several lazy years simply travelling around in Baltistan, across Deosai and into Ladakh. The book comprises the letters this endearing and educated company sent home.

While they were encamped one winter on a hill outside Leh, one of their companions, a young man called Roger, crossed the Khardung Pass lying north of Leh en route to Karakoram Pass. On the far side of Khardung Pass in Khardung village, Roger saw in a warehouse felts, hashish and hundreds of bolts of silk destined for the marts of India.The point is that Chinese silk and other goods were coming down to the subcontinent by way of the Karakoram Pass east of Gilgit-Baltistan.

On the other hand, we have accounts of Gilgit and Hunza from the mid-19th century. Yet not one of them tells us of storehouses anywhere along the road coming down from Hunza stored with silk. We hear of absolutely no trade of silk in Gilgit. Had the famous Silk Road extended down into this region, Gilgit, which is situated at a strategic spot to become a trading centre, would have been a hotbed of the silk trade.

Yet we never hear of silk being traded either in Gilgit or Hunza. Nor, too, do we hear of it coming any further down by the Indus Gorge. And we do not hear from any 19th-century explorer that the road connecting Gilgit to the northern passes was known as the Silk Road.

When work on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) began in 1959 it was just that: Karakoram Highway. And it remained the Karakoram Highway through the long years it was under construction and even after completion in 1979. That year, the road was opened only for official use.

Tourist traffic was first permitted on the KKH in the early 1980s. With that a lot of tour operators came into full play to exploit the potential of what was billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World  a high-altitude road built under extreme conditions ranging from the arctic in winter to a sizzling 50 degrees Celsius in summer. But we, as a nation, have been nurtured on all sorts of lies from our very inception and it now seems impossible for us to exploit a truth.

Tour operators in tandem with the bureaucracy of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation simply ignored the fact that KKH was a feat of heroic accomplishment. Its construction had cost us a significant amount of human life, both Chinese and Pakistani. This is even today confirmed by the several cemeteries sprinkled along its length. And then there was the huge financial cost of the undertaking. These were the aspects that KKH should have been celebrated for.

Instead, our ignorant tour operators resorted to plain white lies. For them the greater glamour of the Silk Road was too attractive. They mendaciously labelled KKH the Silk Road. Once you broadcast an attractive lie, especially to an ignorant nation, it becomes gospel. Instead of celebrating the road for its true glory, it was given the supposititious status of the Silk Road.

Delve into newspaper archives to dig out the title Silk Road prior to 1983 and you draw a complete and total blank. Neither in government records nor in local histories do you hear of the Silk Road in our Gilgit-Baltistan region before the 1980s. The attractive falsehood, found good currency very quickly, however, and soon there were Silk Road Hotels and Silk Road bus companies.

The original pony track between Gilgit and Hunza  which became a jeep road back in the 1950s and whose remnants one can still see strung out on the right bank of the Hunza River as one heads north of Gilgit  became the old Silk Road. After the recent upgrading of the KKH, the National Highways Authority (NHA) has put up a sign (the very one featured in the article I refer to at the outset) pointing to the old pony track as the Silk Road.

It is well known that Pakistani officialdom has never been famous for sensibility and it was only expected from the NHA to grab the available falsehood. But the sad thing is that even the Aga Khan Foundation fell to this great lie and they also have a sign along KKH calling it the Silk Road. That having been said, it needs be conceded that a place like Hunza could not have existed in a vacuum. It was only natural for it to connect southward to Gilgit and northward to Kashgar. But there was no major trade this way, least of all of silk.
Nestled in the picturesque charm of Dharamsala, the Gyuto monastery leaves an unforgettable impression on visitors, especially tourists, who have become its emissaries, touting it as a must visit place.

The monastery is marked by the magnificence of Tibetan architecture and the use of propitious symbols and brightly coloured flags. It is an ancillary of one of the most famous monasteries in eastern Tibet, the Gyuto Tantric Monastery, that was founded by Jetsun Kunga Dhondup , the main disciple of the first Dalai Lama, in 1474. After the Chinese invasion in 1959, the monastery was re-established in Dharamshala.

At a distance of eight km from Dharamshala, the Gyuto monastery is located at Sidhbari on the main road to Palampur. It specialises in the study of tantric meditation, tantric ritual arts and Buddhist philosophy. While it is a pilgrimage site for the followers of Buddhisim, for tourists from across the globe it is a site that thrills them.

The monastery was constructed to accommodate over 500 monks. Since the Gyuto monastery was re-established in India, the monks have been able to maintain their practices and traditions, even improving some of them. The monks of Gyuto have not only preserved the traditions but have attracted respect and interest from across the world, said Gyuto Abbot.

This temple of Gyuto Tantric University (The Second Ramoche Temple of Tibet) was constructed with the financial support of Bentenshu, Japan, on December 10, 1989. The Japanese built the new monastery in the lap of the Himalayas to celebrate the Nobel Peace Prize won by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, said a Gyuto monk.

The heart-touching history associated with the monastery is known all over the world, he said, adding that it has always depicted how tantric meditation and tantric arts can be used for the well-being of common folk.

The main complex of the monastery on the hilltop offers a spectacular view of lush green fields and the ice-clad Dhauladhar mountains in the backdrop.

A majestic statue of the Sakhyamuni Buddha inside the monastery glistens and spreads a rich golden hue everywhere. The time spent in the monastery with a glimpse of the idols and other sculptures is a soul-satisfying feeling. The place is so captivating that one is able to connect with the inner self and also feel the positive vibrations in the ambience, said Pragya Laha, a tourist.

The backdrop of beautiful mountains adds to the charm of the place. Those visiting Dharamsala must include it in their itinerary, she suggested.

This beautiful monastery is an abode of peace and is one of the popular tourist attractions in Dharamshala. I love to visit it on weekends. It serves as a sacred break from my busy schedule. One can meditate in silence and seek the blessings of Lord Buddha. Also, one can enjoy a small walk around the monastery. said a local resident, Shubham Bhatia.

This monastery is a mix of spirituality and earthen reality, reflecting ancient culture but also showing the use of modern architecture. Gyuto school, Gyuto library and Gyuto clinic are located within the Gyuto Monastery complex .

 Gyuto school was founded with an aim of enriching young monks and others pursuing studies in advanced Buddhism, with traditional education while making sure they become part of the modernised world. Also, the Gyuto library consists of works of all renowned Indian and Tibetan masters to meet the needs of students with modern education, said a Gyuto faculty member.

The number of visitors has increased and day-by-day it is multiplying. Gyuto Monastery is mostly visited at the time of Buddha Purnima as during that festival it is decorated to the hilt, showcasing the colourful Tibetan culture and delicious Tibetan food, said a shop owner in Sidhbari , Alok Sharma.

The Gyuto Tantric Monastery has got a powerful religious and historical significance and has been able to spread ancient knowledge of tantric texts, meditation, rituals and arts worldwide.
Steam pours off the frigid St. Lawrence River in Dorval. The extreme cold conditions will impact outdoor New Years Eve celebrations from coast to coast.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
But the tribe has a long way to go
A filmmaker in Pakistan is reportedly working on a movie lionising Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani, who was killed in a gunfight with the Army one year ago. A teaser of the animated flick was doing the rounds of YouTube on Sunday. According to Free Press Kashmir, the movie would be directed by Rana Abrar from Pakistan.

According to a statement by the makers, "the movie tells the story of a young Kashmiri boy (Burhan) who is able to become a fighter within the Kashmir liberation movement and through daring, courage and self-sacrifice wreaks massive destruction on the Indian occupying military."

Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8 2016, at Bamdooru village in Kokernag, south Kashmir, was a young militant with a rabid following on social media. His death had sparked an era of unrest unlike anything that was witnessed in the past few decades in the strife-torn state. His grave in the village of Sharifabad had become a shrine, with people from his hometown, Tral, and other parts of Kashmir visiting the location for prayers and blessings.

Pakistan had leveraged the deceased militant's fame in the international arena, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif bringing up his name in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).



Burhan is buried next to his brother Khalid, who, too, died in an encounter with security forces three years ago. Hizbul Mujahideen's second-in-command Sabzar Ahmed Bhat, the successor of Burhan Wani, was also killed in an encounter with security forces earlier this year.


Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who has been suffering from pain due to an aggravated old injury and was advised bed rest, says his health is improving and he will be back in action soon.

Earlier this week, the 75-year-old actor, said he was suffering from excruciating pain on the left shoulder due to an extra tear in the rotor cup. He was also seen sporting a sling and an ice pack.

Thanking his 'extended family'his fans and social media followersfor the concern and wishes for his recovery, Big B wrote on his blog early on Sunday: "It goes well. Yes, the sling is and shall be there for sometime. The rotor cup on my left shoulder has a tear due to an earlier injury.

"This has got aggravated during recent action sequences... Medication and ice fermentations and rest is prescribed and being diligently followed. So, do not despair. Yes, the day before the condition worsened due to the drugs being taken for the pain.

"They were too strong and had affected my stomach which gave me a lot of discomfort. So, was bed ridden. But now a huge improvement now and soon to be on feet again."

On Friday, he had indicated to fans that there is trouble in the "body system".

"It revolts, it uneases, it demonstrates and it succumbs," Amitabh had posted.

The actor will next be seen in films like 102 Not Out and Thugs Of Hindostan.


Keeping up the strong anti-BJP rhetoric, West Bengal's indefatigable Didi gunned for Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the year, lacing her speeches and social media postings with sarcasm and choice words as her government clashed with the Centre on various issues.

From mythology to ancient Indian history, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee left nothing untouched in letting loose incessant verbal volleys at Modi, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued to increase its vote-share in various bypolls and local body elections in West Bengal.

As the BJP tried to emerge as a viable alternative to the Trinamool, Banerjee, in turn, endeavoured to project herself as the most prominent opponent of the Hindutva brigade nationally.

The feisty leader networked with regional leaders opposed to the Sangh Parivarthe ideological parent of the BJP as well as several right-wing outfitsand formulated decisions and actions that could give her brownie points over the Central dispensation and its propelling force.

She fired on all cylinders, targeting Modi's key policies like demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while trying to exploit burning issues like sliding economic growth, rampant intolerance, the beef ban and cow vigilantism.

However, it was her colourful and strident attacks on Modi that grabbed the spotlight.

If she likened Modi to the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist, Kalidasa, it was not because of the writer's literary prowess but only a reference to an oft-told story of him "lacking intelligence as a youngstercutting the branch he was sitting on.

"All institutions (of the nation) are under attack. This is a dangerous game. The PM is behaving like Kalidasa, trying to cut the branch he is sitting on," Banerjee remarked.

During another aggressive speech, Banerjee drew a parallel between Modi and demon king Ravana of the Ramayana epic.

"He claims that he has broad chest and shoulders. Even Ravana had broad shoulders. And he also had 10 heads," she said, alluding to Modi's drumbeating that he has a '56-inch chest'.

On another occasion, she predicted that barda (elder brother) will have to bow out of office after the 2019 parliamentary polls.

Addressing a public meeting in Bankura district, Banerjee raised the pitch further, dubbing the Modi government "deaf and dumb''. But a separate barb was reserved for the prime minister.

"He used to call himself a chaiwala (tea seller) before. Now he has become a millionaire Paytm-wala (one who endorses e-wallets like Paytm)."

Demonetisation, to her, was Modi's "shameless flop show" that she dismissed on Twitter as "visionless, missionless and directionless."

Not in a mood to let go of any democratic mode of protest, she even knocked on the door of then President Pranab Mukherjee, urging him to "save the country from the mess" and sought a "national government" minus Modi. Banerjee was ready to accept another BJP leader at its helm and went to the extent of naming L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley as being acceptable.

While backing GST, Banerjee took the Modi government to task for rolling out the new regime with "disastrous hurry" on July 1. She called the step "another epic blunder" of the Centre.

The CBI probes into the multibillion-rupee Saradha Ponzi scam, Rose Valley Ponzi scam and Narada sting footage controversyin which a number of Trinamool leaders were implicatedwere also bones of contention between the Trinamool and the BJP.

While Banerjee accused the central agencies of acting out of "political vendetta" on the BJP's directions, the saffron party said it was an inquiry ordered by the Supreme Court.

Going ballistic, Banerjee threatened to slap defamation cases worth crores of rupees if the CBI did not proceed impartially.

The political battles between the Trinamool regime and the Centre even stretched to observance of red letter dates like Independence Day and Teachers Day.

When the Union ministry of human resources development (MHRD) sent a circular to the states recommending a structured format promoting Modi's pet "Swachh Bharat Mission" during Teachers' Day celebrations in schools, the Mamata government shot off a counter-circular to schools, saying the date needed to be observed with due reverence and solemnity as in "earlier years."

Ahead of Independence Day, the MHRD had issued a circular specifying "additional activities." But the state government came up with a directive asking the schools to "stop all preparations" for celebrating the day in the MHRD format.

With the Congress weakening, Banerjee kept herself busy attempting to strengthen ties throughout 2017 with prominent political leaders in the anti-BJP domain, particularly those from the regional parties.

She has been following many of them on Twitter, or exchanging pleasantries through tweets with the likes of ex-Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, senior Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, BSP chief Mayawati and DMK leader M.K. Stalin. She even met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, a BJP baiter despite being an ally, though her party's views on religion and secularism were diametrically opposite to those of the Sena.

Though Banerjee has stressed on "collective leadership" to challenge Modi, she gave enough hints at a media conclave last month that she is not averse to taking the lead in bringing together opposition parties on a single platform against the BJP in 2019.

-IANS
The upcoming New Year will be a "special one" because this will see an entry into adulthood and voting age of all those who were born in the year that began the 21st century, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.

"Tomorrow (Monday) will be a special day. Those who were born in the year beginning the 21st century will turn 18 and will become eligible to cast their votes," Modi said during his monthly and 2017's last 'Mann Ki Baat' radio address.

The prime minister appealed to all those turning 18 in 2018 to register themselves as voters and help frame the "India of 21st century".

"Your vote will become the foundation of a new India... You will not just be granting yourselves the right to vote but will be making yourselves the founders of the tomorrow's India," Modi said.

He also suggested a district-level organising of 'Mock Parliament' sessions to give the young adults a practical knowledge of the polity.

He exhorted the youth to use their voting right to usher in a "people's revolution" for the country's development.
Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal. Reports said she joined the party at their Howrah office on Saturday.

Ishrat was one of the five litigators who went to court against the controversial Islamic practice. She was allegedly divorced by her husband over phone in 2014.

The Supreme Court had on August 22 struck down the instant triple talaq and asked the government to frame a law in six months.

A leading news website, in its report on Sunday, quoted Ishrat as saying that the top court verdict has proved to be more of a bane as she had been socially ostracised and there is a growing sense of insecurity about her future.

My in-laws want me to withdraw the case and some neighbours are threatening me because they think I have spoken against the Muslim religious law," she was quoted as saying.

BJP Mahila Morcha president Locket Chatterjee said she would urge the Centre to give a job to Ishrat as she is going through a financial crisis.

The government has introduced a Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill which makes triple talaq punishable by up to three years imprisonment for the husband.

The bill was already passed by the Lok Sabha and would be taken up in the Rajya Sabha next week. The bill seeks to make instant triple talaq in any form spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp as bad or illegal and void.
Conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel, under pressure after three months of failing to form a new ruling coalition, on Sunday vowed to address growing social divisions as she worked rapidly to build a stable German government.

Merkel mapped out key priorities in her annual New Years address, including increased investments in security and defence, improved health care and education, and efforts to overcome growing urban-rural disparities.

The world is not waiting for us. We must create the conditions now that ensure that Germany continues to prosper in 10, 15 years, the conservative leader said. And Germany will only prosper if its success serves all people and improves and enriches our lives.

Merkel, seeking a fourth term in office, is trying to persuade the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) to extend the grand coalition that ruled for the past four years despite big losses suffered by both political blocs in the September 24 polls.

The alternative would be a minority government or new elections that could hand further gains to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which entered parliament for the first time amid concerns about Merkels decision in 2015 to welcome over a million mainly Muslim migrants to Germany.

Merkels popularity has waned since her efforts to form a three-way coalition with two smaller parties collapsed in November, and a new poll released Saturday showed that nearly two-thirds of all Germans want her to resign if upcoming coalition talks with the SPD also fail.

She said more Germans were concerned about social cohesion than ever before, with some lauding Germanys diverse and open society, while others feared growing crime and violence, complained about a lack of doctors in rural areas, and worried about how to manage the influx of migrants.

Both are realities in our country: the success and the optimism, but also the fears and the doubts. For me, both are impetus, she said.

Merkel said politicians needed to address future challenges as well as the needs of all citizens, such as good jobs, improved digital access and reduced burdens for families.

I feel obligated by that directive - also, and especially as part of the work to build a new stable government for Germany in the new year, she said.

Merkel said the decisive issue in coming years would be to strengthen the European Union and its economic success while also bolstering its external boundaries and security.

She said she hoped the new year helped strengthen the ties that united Germans, including respect for each other and the inviolable dignity of all peoplea core tenet of the German constitution framed after the end of World War II.
Its entirely likely that I will anger people from Delaware to Montana any given week with nothing more than an idea, supporting facts, and a couple of barrels of ink. Spurring anger takes no special talent; its me, remember? Still, every week dissimilar people 2,000 miles apart send me amazingly similar emails.

For example, one emailer, Kevin, let me have it in October over what he saw was my one-sided view of the disaster that is Obamacare. But that was just a warm-up; the next few lines came in higher and harder.

I have no idea why I frustrate myself and read your garbage... ...You and your articles never have the farmers interest in mind... Why dont you ... put them in papers only available to the crowd that may like your rants ... (such as the) entitlement crowd or the illegal immigrant crowd.

Another energized reader, Steven, sent similar high-voltage thoughts on the topic of, well, me. Are you kidding me? began his short missive. You have become part of the fake news ... Report the truth ... Didnt realize you were this much part of the liberal media

One August emailer not only took exception to how I covered that weeks topic, the low and going lower commodity markets, he also offered several writing tips because, as he noted, your writing style stinks.

A few sentences later the sender, a doctor, had a diagnosis for the stench: You were taught in journalism school to write so a 12 y/o can understand it. You seem (sic) think they meant youre supposed to think like a 12 y/o.

Journalism school? Oh, doc, its worse than that. My bachelors degree, as Ive noted several times, is in agriculture. We plowboys did learn, however, to use prepositions  like to as in to think  when beginning prepositional phrases.

Other readers called me anything but a journalist. Many times I have read your columns in (an Illinois newspaper), wrote Dave in mid-November, thinking you were a non-biased ... farm issue reporter. It has become increasingly clear you are just another Lib trying to protect a special interest.

Curiously, Dave addressed the email Dearest Alan, and signed it, Oh, I cant wait to hear your response.

Well, Dave, heres what youve been waiting almost two months for: Youre right, I am protecting a special interest  dearest you, me, and everyone else who wants todays race-to-the-bottom, commodity-based ag policy to move to a more generationally-sustainable, community-based farming and ranching system where people, not robots, drones, or politicians, drive choice.

Dave wasnt  isnt  alone. Karren wrote that the examples you site for various articles are making you look more than a little ignorant yourself ... This is where you and others on the left lose it, the majority of Conservatives are able to think and reason ...

Not everyone who emailed or wrote a letter wanted a piece of my hide. David from Indiana noted that he would award me a Pulitzer Prize for Agriculture  if there is one. (Nope, but thanks.) Similarly, Mary sent an August email that claims Your column is always a great read, but this weeks ... was exceptional. (As, I assume, you are, too, Mary.)

Some write out of astonishment: Ive been reading your column ... for years and I must say that Im surprised every time. So much reason from a column named Farm and Food, offered Steve from Iowa.

And, finally, Im a big fan of your column ... however the thing Id really like to know right now is how you pronounce your last name  please. The email was signed Burma.

Think sauerkraut, Burma: hard g, long e, with the accent on the last syllable--ge-Bert.

As always, please keep those emails, letters, and diagnoses coming because free advice, medical or otherwise, is always welcome for those of us not yet covered by Medicare.
The Russian Embassy refused entry to Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, of New Hampshire, because shes on a black list created in response to U.S. sanctions.

Shaheen and Republican Sens. Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, and John Barrasso, of Wyoming, planned to travel to Russia in January, but the trip is now canceled.

Shaheen, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, has been an outspoken supporter of measures meant to counter Russias interference in U.S. elections.

She learned this week that her Republican colleagues scuttled the trip because her visa request was rejected. Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, called Russias action counterproductive to improving relations between our nations.

In a statement, the Russian Embassy said Shaheens request was rejected because of the black list but that visas were issued to the other senators. The statement blamed Washington for creating this situation and urged Washington to renounce the sanctions imposed on Russia.

Shaheen has no intention on backing down.

While she regrets the Kremlin decision  she vows to continue her work to hold the Russian government accountable for its actions that go against international norms and against the Russian people, said spokesman Ryan Nickel.

(AP)
The Queen once turned down the offer of a new Barbour jacket, as she liked her old one so much. But thankfully for the outdoor wear manufacturer, not all its customers are quite as spendthrift.

Sales at the iconic British brand topped 184 million in the year ending April 30, 2017, according to its latest set of accounts, while profit rose to 29.3 million.

Chic: Barbour revels in the great outdoors

Founded in 1894 by John Barbour in the Tyneside town South Shields, Barbour originally supplied oilskins and other weatherproof garments to local sailors, fishermen and dockworkers.

It later moved into other products including its famous waxed jacket and biking wear, as sported by Hollywood star Steve McQueen.

The company, chaired by Dame Margaret Barbour, said that in spite of tough economic conditions and unseasonable weather, the year saw a positive performance with growth in most of its major markets and across most product categories. However, it sounded a note of caution on the UKs planned exit from the European Union, warning it is a source of considerable uncertainty and risk.

Barbour said Europe is a significant market for the business, adding: We are currently developing various contingency plans to manage and mitigate its effect.

Barbour now sells in 40 countries around the world. As well as The Queen, well known fans of the brand include the Duchess of Cambridge, Alexa Chung, Meghan Markle and even James Bond, who wore a Barbour jacket in the Scottish countryside in Skyfall.
The company behind one of Britains biggest nuclear power projects has plunged to a 266 million loss citing uncertainties over its future and the viability of crucial technology.

Japanese firm Toshiba said the huge loss incurred by one of its UK subsidiaries was due to writing off hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in the proposed Moorside plant, in west Cumbria.

It is the latest sign of financial strain at the Tokyo-based firm amid wider concerns over the spiralling costs and catastrophic delays that have beset the UKs nuclear industry.

The plan: How the plant at Moorside was planned to look. Now the project has an uncertain future

Britons were last week supposed to be cooking their turkeys with power from EDFs nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset, which is now not expected to be in use for another decade.

EDF will turn on its first nuclear plant in Britain before Christmas 2017, said Vincent de Rivaz in 2007, who stepped down as group chief executive in November. It is the moment of the power crunch. Without it, the lights will go out.

It was envisaged that new nuclear plants at Moorside, Hinkley Point and Wylfa in Anglesey would between them generate a fifth of the UKs electricity.

This may still happen. But right now, nuclear firms are struggling with the expense, stringent regulatory hurdles and costly project delays  just as the cost of other forms of electricity fall.

Toshiba won the contract to build the nuclear power plant at Moorside, on land next to the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing site.

But it was forced in March to place its US nuclear division Westinghouse into bankruptcy protection. Last month, it said it would sell Westinghouse for 4 billion. Troubled Toshiba is now in talks to sell its interests in the Moorside project to Kepco, majority-owned by the South Korean government.

Heat is on: We had been told that by 2017 we would be cooking the turkey with power from Hinkley (due to be ready in 2025)

Toshiba has two UK subsidiaries: Advance Energy UK, which incurred the 266 million loss; and NuGeneration, which is directly responsible for running Moorside.

With a cloud of uncertainty over the project, the Japanese firm has admitted in reports issued by its UK subsidiaries: The directors do not know whether a sale of the shares of [NuGeneration] will be completed nor how any successful bidder will frame the deal.

Kepco said it hoped to complete a deal to take over the running of the project early next year.

Uncertainties are understood to include the use of Westinghouses AP1000 reactor. Approval for use at Moorside was first sought from UK regulators in 2011. It was granted approval by the Office for Nuclear Regulation in March  just days after Westinghouse entered bankruptcy protection.

Should Kepco decide to ditch the design and use its own, the project would likely be delayed for years until a new design is approved. Some estimates say that could put any launch back from 2025 to the late 2020s at the very earliest. The whole thing is a mess, said Martin Forwood of campaign group Core, which opposes the Moorside development.

Kepco would almost certainly push to use its own reactors so the big question is whether they would have to start afresh on consultation.

A lot of people around Moorside believe it will never take off.

Forwood said the costs of other forms of renewable energy are falling and energy storage systems are being developed. The longer these plans get delayed the less nuclear is needed, he added.

And, according to Forwood, the firms involved in the projects at Moorside and Wylfa are not going to get anywhere near what the Government signed up for at Hinkley.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee last month said there had been grave strategic errors awarding French government-backed EDF the Hinkley Point contract.

It said the economics of nuclear power in the UK have deteriorated and a blinkered determination to agree the 35-year Hinkley deal, regardless of changing circumstances had lumbered consumers with 30 billion payments over market rates for electricity.

Hinkley is officially due to switch on by 2025 at the earliest, although 2027 appears more likely.
The Government was urged last night to help protect thousands of British investors at risk of becoming fraud victims.

Binary options trading allows punters to bet on a share, currency or commodity moving above or below a set price.

A winning result means the stake is returned plus a profit of between 50 to 90 per cent. Otherwise the entire stake is lost.

High risk: Binary trading can be a huge gamble with masses losses

Rogue firms have moved into the field, making it a fast-growing fraud that is estimated to have cost UK investors 300 million. The Financial Conduct Authority, which starts regulating binary options this week, said: Firms may manipulate software to distort prices and payouts  then they suddenly close consumers trading accounts, refusing to pay back their money.

Alexander Eristavi, from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, said: What we see is the tip of the iceberg because a lot of people think that they lost their money legitimately. The only people who complain are those who have won and try to withdraw their money.

One victim, a company director who worked for years in the City, said he had lost 200,000. This needs to be banned, not regulated, said the 62-year-old, who did not want to be named.

Binary options trading has been banned in Canada where Jason Roy, a leading investigator, said: There is nothing good about this product.

A 32-year-old retail operations manager from West Yorkshire attempted suicide after losing 500,000 of his familys cash. Seeking investment opportunities he had put his details into a website. I got an anonymous call from a salesperson who said I only had to invest 250 but was under no obligation, he said.

They had a trading platform and they showed me how to trade options. I thought this was OK but with hindsight I realise it is like tossing a coin.

He said that upon trying to withdraw his money: I saw my account go to zero as I looked at my computer screen.
While promising to push for "more of the same" in terms of economic growth initiatives, state budget reductions and tax relief during the 2018 legislative session, Gov. Pete Ricketts is raising a warning flag about the cost of a major property tax reduction proposal.

That plan comes with a $1 billion impact, the governor said, and "they have to talk about how they plan to pay for that."

"You can fire me and people at every state agency and take the State Patrol off the highways and get halfway there," Ricketts said during a telephone interview in advance of Wednesday's opening day of the Legislature.

The Legislature Awakens: 2018 session preview Its the return of the senators on Jan. 3, for 60 days  the second, shorter session of the 

"You could take every penny we use for the University of Nebraska" and overall state support for higher education and "get the other half," the governor said, or wipe out all state aid funding.

"That's not likely to happen," Ricketts said, so the alternative would be "massive tax increases" applied to sales and/or income.

Supporters of major property tax reduction are planning to introduce a bill during the upcoming legislative session while mounting a petition drive that would place an initiative proposal on the ballot in November if the Legislature does not act.

Their proposal would effectively provide an estimated $1.1 billion in annual property tax relief by reducing the impact of the local school property tax load by up to 50 percent, Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard has said.

Under the emerging proposal, property taxpayers would access their tax reduction through a state tax refund or tax credit.

Ricketts said he will be focused foremost on closing "a $200 million hole" in the state budget opened by lagging tax revenue.

And, the governor said, he'll be pushing for a revised version of the tax reduction package he supported during the 2017 legislative session that would combine corporate and personal income tax cuts with reductions in the valuation of ag land for local property tax purposes.

That bill was trapped by a legislative filibuster and is awaiting action on the floor.

Ricketts has been engaged in extensive negotiations with tax reduction proponents along with Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, chairman of the Legislature's Revenue Committee, and they are considering proposals that could alter  perhaps substantially  the terms of that legislation.

But the governor declined to reveal any details in advance.

"We're looking at creative things we can do," he said.

"There are a variety of different ideas and conversations with other folks."

Those negotiations are taking into account "some lessons we learned" during the unsuccessful effort to move the 2017 tax proposal forward, the governor said.

Three years into his four-year term, Ricketts said the state has made "tremendous progress," measured in terms of new investments by "a tremendous number of companies," low unemployment, record population, streamlined, frugal and efficient state government, high national rankings for its business climate, and "better than average growth."

"We are running government more like a business each and every year while delivering tax relief," the governor said.

"For the first time, we count more than a million jobs," he said.

Ricketts, who will be seeking a second term next November, said he will outline his plans for the coming year in more specific terms when he delivers his State of the State address to the Legislature on Jan. 10.

Asked whether he has any concerns about the cumulative impact of a continuing series of budget reductions for the University of Nebraska that have been prompted by declining revenue collections and projections, the governor said "we aren't asking the university to do anything different than other organizations."

Over the last 10 years, he said, "Nebraska was among a handful of states" that continually increased funding for higher education, positioning it as an established and ongoing commitment.

Ricketts dismissed the potential option of attempting to increase revenue without hiking tax rates, a pathway that could be opened by elimination of some sales tax exemptions or business tax incentives.

"We're already a high-tax state," the governor said.

"I don't believe in adding to that burden. We need to create an environment that will cut red tape and create more job opportunities. We need to focus on how to control spending (and) set the state up for growth."

Ricketts said the state will need to continue to make "significant investments in corrections" as it addresses overcrowding and programming challenges in the prison system.

"We've seen a lot of progress," he said, "but we need to continue to move down that path."
In January 2017, the mood was sombre. President Trump had been inaugurated at the White House, Europe was battling with political extremism and the UK was locked in Brexit-related uncertainty.

Many brokers believed that markets would reflect these problems and share prices would fall. How wrong they were!

Seeing is believing: Adele is said to have invested in technology group EVR Holdings

The FTSE 100 index of the biggest quoted companies at the year end is up 7 per cent at 7,688. The FTSE 250 index has closed at 20,726  14 per cent higher than at the start of the year. And the index of AIM shares has risen 24 per cent to 1,050.

Midas recommendations have gained ground too. A couple have been hit by specific problems or growing pains. Most, however, have made strong progress.

Winners

Among our winning stocks, the top five are a reminder of the benefits of diversification, comprising an energy consultancy, a miner in Greenland, a German property group, a pawnbroker and a virtual reality specialist.

Our top stock was Inspired Energy, which helps companies to save money on their gas and electricity bills. The stock, which Midas recommended in February, has risen by exactly 50 per cent to 19.125p and brokers believe it should reach 25p over the coming months.

Inspireds performance is all the more impressive as its founder and chief executive Janet Thornton resigned abruptly in October for personal reasons.

The company has reassured investors that her departure had nothing to do with the shape of the business and brokers remain optimistic about Inspireds prospects. Importantly too, a new chief executive was instantly appointed  Mark Dickinson, an energy consultant with a successful track record of running energy firms.

The group buys energy on behalf of companies, using its scale to negotiate cheaper terms than individual firms could obtain. Inspired also advises businesses on how best to manage their energy usage.

Profits for 2017 are expected to rise by almost 40 per cent to 8.5 million with 11 million pencilled in for 2018. There is a decent dividend too  with 0.6p forecast for this year, rising to 0.7p next.

Thornton and her team built up Inspired by serving existing customers well, acquiring new ones and encouraging new and old to buy more services from the group. Dickinson will maintain this approach but is likely to accelerate growth through acquisitions.

Midas verdict: Existing shareholders should stick with Inspired. New investors could also find value at 19.125p.

Midas recommended Bluejay Mining in August, since when it has soared by 34 per cent to 22p. The group is forging ahead with one of the largest and highest grade ilmenite projects in the world, based in north-west Greenland.

Ilmenite is used to produce titanium dioxide, an essential component of white paint, sunscreen, certain cosmetics and even some food products. The mineral has a wide range of industrial applications, demand is global and Bluejay should have an excellent supply once it moves into production.

Chief executive Rod McIllree is confident that the group will start to produce ilmenite in 2018, moving into profitability two or three years later. Early signs are positive and brokers are backing him, suggesting the shares should continue to rise over the coming months.

Midas verdict: Bluejay has come a long way fast and nervous investors may want to take profits at 22p, especially as mining companies are high-risk before they actually start making money. Adventurers should hold on though. McIllree is highly competent and the mine site is exceptionally good quality.

SIRIUS Real Estate was recommended in March. The price has since risen 28 per cent to 65p.

The company owns business parks in Germany and specialises in turning down-at-heel sites into modern offices. Once they are operating well and are filled with happy tenants, rents and values increase. Some are also sold on, giving Sirius the firepower to repeat the process. The strategy provides investors with share price growth and a healthy dividend yield.

Interim results released last month were ahead of City expectations and brokers expect strong growth for the full year, with the net asset value per share (the underlying value of Siriuss assets, divided by the number of shares) rising 13 per cent to 64.8 cents (57.5p) and the dividend up just over 10 per cent to 3.2 cents (2.84p).

Midas verdict: Germany is still the most robust economy in Europe and Sirius chief executive Andrew Coombs knows what he is doing. At 65p, this investment is worth holding on to for a number of years.

Pioneer: If virtual reality headsets really take off, EVR should soar

Britain's largest pawnbroker H&T and virtual reality music specialist EVR Holdings were strong performers too.

H&T has risen 24 per cent to 335p since Midas looked at it in January. EVR was recommended just five months ago but has soared by 31 per cent to 8p, after pop star Adele was said to have invested.

H&T has benefited from branching out into short-term loans and foreign exchange. The group has also developed a decent digital presence, allowing customers to borrow money and obtain pawn valuations online.

Brokers now expect 2017 profits of 12.8 million, a 32 per cent increase over last year, accompanied by a 10p dividend.

Pure gold: Pawnbroker H&T has further to go

Midas verdict: Chief executive John Nichols has made real progress with H&Ts diversification strategy and the shares have responded. At 335p, the stock has further to go.

EVR is a pioneer, with the largest library of virtual reality music and a growing portfolio of live musical experiences.

If virtual reality headsets really take off, this company should soar. Clearly, however, there are risks involved, as in any burgeoning sector.

At 8p, the shares are a good punt for music and tech aficionados but they are not for the nervous.
New European rules expected to herald the biggest City shake-up in a generation come into force this week.

Experts fear the new Markets in Financial Instruments Directive could stifle broker research  a staple in the City for decades  which shines a light on company and markets performance.

MiFID II, as it is better known, is aimed at protecting investors and increasing transparency in financial markets.

The most controversial change involves so-called unbundling, where fund managers will pay brokers for research and trading costs separately instead of paying for them together in a lump sum.

Experts are expecting the biggest City shake-up in a generation

It has led to concerns that less analyst research will be carried out, reducing scrutiny of the City.

However, it is understood that many large City firms plan to absorb the costs of research rather than charge investors. That could cause a cost squeeze and lead to job losses for some analysts at smaller City brokers.

The legislation is being introduced by the EU but the Financial Conduct Authority supported the changes, which come into effect on Wednesday.

Firms that do not comply with the new legislation face multi-million pound fines.

A report earlier this month by internet service provider Timico revealed that 39 per cent of the UKs financial services firms did not know whether they were compliant or not.

Timicos chief technology officer Kevin Linsell said: Its clear that many businesses are massively unprepared for MiFID II, despite having had the last 12 months to prepare for the impending legislation.
US bankers are set to come up trumps as Wall Street prepares to splash out on bumper bonuses for 2017.

With payouts up to 20 per cent higher than their European counterparts, it is a positive start to the new year for President Donald Trumps economy.

And the mammoth payouts have already begun, with Goldman Sachs paying an early bonus of $100million to its top executives in a bid to avoid an increased bill ahead of new year tax changes.

Shares in US banks have soared since Trump was elected in 2016, with hopes of profits being lifted by his ambition for faster economic growth and lower taxes.

Bankers' payday: Wall Street is paying out bumper bonuses this year after reaping the rewards of President Trump's tax policies

Trumps business-friendly policy has already helped boost the fortunes of two of the worlds richest bankers this year by a combined 240million.

Earlier this year, JP Morgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon, 61, saw the value of his shares leap by 125million in addition to being paid 22million.

Lloyd Blankfein, 63, who heads up Goldman Sachs, enjoyed a 116million boost to his shares while raking in 17million in pay and bonuses.

Planned bumper bonuses for the US will likely leave a sour taste with bankers working in the City of London, as employees of European banks are expected receive next to nothing in terms of a bonus.

Bosses at Credit Suisse and Barclays have already suggested that bonuses are unlikely to be extravagant.

UK bankers hopes were raised in November when Bank of England governor Mark Carney hinted that the European Union-imposed cap on bonuses could be scrapped after Brexit.

The cap was introduced in 2014 and means that firms are restricted to paying bonuses worth a maximum of twice an employees salary.

The bonus gap between US and European bankers is expected to widen further this year as US stocks are predicted to keep rising thanks to a major cut to the corporate tax rate.

Last year bankers in the City of London collected an average bonus of 247,000, compared to 317,000 for their Wall Street counterparts.

According to Jason Kennedy of financial services headhunter Kennedy Group, Wall Street bankers will be handed bonuses that are 15 per cent-20 per centhigher than those at European rivals, or 10 per cent-15 per cent more for those working at a US bank based in Europe.

Trumps overhaul to the US tax system led to $1.5trillion in tax cuts for big businesses and has been hailed as a boon for the economy and company profits. But analysts have warned that the gains could be short-lived.

David Kelly, chief global strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management, said: Itll be a one-year wonder. People should enjoy the party while it lasts but just make sure you know where your coat is.
They've had a year of lawmaking experience and cast many votes.

And Nebraska state senators who received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts say that money didn't influence them. If they voted in sync with his views or in support of his vetoes, which they did many times, they said it was just that they happened to be like-minded.

"He and I both think alike. We're both very conservative," said Sen. John Lowe, who received $10,000 from Ricketts for his 2016 campaign for the District 37 seat.

In fact, he said, he's given about as much money to the governor as Ricketts has given to him.

Ricketts gave financial contributions of varying amounts to at least 15 senators now serving in the Legislature, totaling slightly more than $80,000. He has endorsed candidates in the 2018 election, but the amounts he has contributed is unknown because Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure filings are not due until the end of January.

Ricketts' spokesman Taylor Gage said Ricketts has been supporting candidates for elected office for more than a decade. He supports candidates that hold his principles and will continue to do so, he said.

Jane Kleeb, chairman of the Nebraska Democratic party, said even before she came to head the party she had criticized Ricketts' move to "show so much blatant influence and, from our perspective, interference with a nonpartisan Legislature."

Using his millions of dollars to buy state senators, and defeat senators who are in office, is a "real problem," a liability for Ricketts and for the Republican Party, she said.

She has talked to Democrats and Independents across the state who say one-party rule is bad for new ideas, transparency and accountability, she said.

"And they think that Pete Ricketts is using his millions to buy a Legislature to get his way," she said.

Gage said Ricketts' "way," as Kleeb calls it, or principles as Gage refers to it, is to build a better tax environment, cultivate a culture of life, uphold the rule of law and protect public safety.

But Ricketts has been openly critical of senators, including more moderate Republicans, who vote contrary to how he would like them to vote. At the Republican state convention in Omaha in 2016 Ricketts blasted more than a dozen state Republican senators for votes they cast, arguing for the need to elect "platform Republicans" to the nonpartisan Legislature.

It caused one senator, Laura Ebke, to leave the Republican Party and become a Libertarian. Now, Ebke's re-election next year is opposed by the governor, who has endorsed a Republican challenger for her legislative seat. And at least a couple of incumbent senators who are Republicans may also join that 2018 hit list.

Kleeb said that to her knowledge it's not common for governors across the country to spend their own money directly supporting candidates.

Ricketts gave $15,000 to candidate Suzanne Geist, a Republican, who defeated Democrat Jim Gordon in a tight race. She appreciated it, she said, because her opponent had a larger reservoir of money to go to than she did.

But once elected, his money didn't influence her voting, she said.

During the session Geist frequently voted yes on bills the governor supported and no on those he didn't, the same as a cadre of the most conservative senators. She voted to sustain all three of his vetoes  on Sen. Justin Wayne's bill to allow felons to vote as soon as they completed their sentences and probation, and on his two line-item budget vetoes.

A number of senators believed the Legislature should cut money from the budget now rather than having to cut more later because of the way the agriculture economy was trending, she said.

"I'm pretty independent minded," she said, "and I will say I believe the governor and I have a similar political philosophy. ... I don't want to say that that in any way reflects that we've had a conversation and he tells me how to vote. That has never happened. And I wouldn't be receptive to that, actually from anyone.

"I ran on a platform of common sense and conservative values. And that's what I intend to reflect."

Sen. Bruce Bostelman, who received $13,000 from Ricketts during his election, said he makes decisions on voting based on his conservative philosophies and those of his constituents, not the governor.

Kenny Zoeller, executive director of the Nebraska Republican Party, didn't see any evidence that Ricketts was trying to buy lawmakers, he said. Looking at Geist's campaign, he said, the Nebraska State Education Association spent thousands more on her opponent and in trying to defeat her than Ricketts did to elect her.

To say that Ricketts bought candidates would also mean high-spending lobbying groups like the Nebraska State Education Association also bought candidates, Zoeller said.

Karen Kilgarin, NSEA's director of government relations and public affairs, didn't buy that comparison. The NSEA contributes money to campaigns of both Democrats and Republicans, she said, and has given money to both the Democratic and Republican parties.

"We give to candidates who support children and education," she said.

Zoeller said the governor should have a collaborative relationship with senators, especially with the unique unicameral Legislature  and that's the type he has right now.

"That relationship has to be a collaborative one because if any governor across the country wants to get anything done, they have to go through the Legislature to get his or her policies done," he said.
The Internal Revenue Service has a message for the homeowners rushing to prepay their property taxes before new rules take effect on New Year's Day: Not so fast.

The tax bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last week sharply limited the itemized deductions for state and local taxes while raising the standard deduction for individuals and couples. Those rules do not take effect until 2018, however. That has led some homeowners, particularly in high-tax, affluent areas, to try to prepay their 2018 property taxes before the deduction disappears.

In an advisory notice posted to its website Wednesday, the IRS said that maneuver could work, but only under limited circumstances. To qualify for the deduction, property taxes not only need to be paid in 2017, they must also be assessed in 2017  meaning that homeowners who prepaid their taxes based on estimated assessments, or who tried to pay several years' worth of taxes at once, will probably be out of luck.

"Those individuals now are not getting the benefits of those prepayments," Nicole Kaeding, an economist at the Tax Foundation, said of people who paid taxes that had not yet been assessed. "All that you've done is provided an interest-free loan to your municipal government."

It is not clear how many people have tried to prepay their taxes. In Fairfax, Virginia, hundreds of people lined up to prepay taxes Tuesday, according to local media reports, and communities in New York, New Jersey and other states have likewise reported a rush of prepayments.

Some states have encouraged residents to try to skirt the new cap on state and local tax deductions. Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York signed an executive order paving the way for residents to prepay their property taxes.

"We're doing this to circumvent the bill the president just signed?" Cuomo asked at a Friday news conference. "You're damn right I am."

Those efforts could still succeed. The IRS guidance is advice to taxpayers and tax preparers, not a legal ruling. And the agency did not define what it means for a tax to be "assessed."

That could turn out to be a key question. Property tax schedules vary widely from state to state and even county to county. Some states have already sent out tax assessments for part of 2018, even if the payments are not due until next year. In those states, tax lawyers said, homeowners who prepay taxes will almost certainly be able to deduct their taxes under the 2017 rules.

Other states have not even begun the 2018 assessment process. In those states, prepayment almost certainly will not help taxpayers.

And in some states, homeowners may have received estimated assessments or taxes due in 2018 based partly on assessments from earlier years. Similarly, Cuomo's executive order allowed local governments to levy taxes ahead of schedule. How the IRS will treat such cases remains uncertain.

"It's an open question right now," said David Herzig, a professor of tax law at Valparaiso University. "It depends on your state. There's going to be no uniform answer."

Herzig said the IRS guidance was also based on limited precedents and could be overturned by a legal challenge. As a result, he said, many taxpayers might prepay and hope that the courts rule in their favor.

That could be a risky strategy for some taxpayers, however. Andy Grewal, a professor of tax law at the University of Iowa, said that homeowners who paid their taxes into an escrow account  a common practice  could end up facing an audit if they prepay, because the tax payments they report to the IRS will differ from those reported by their banks.

"I think people should be aware that there could be some administrative headaches that come out of this," Grewal said.
Its the return of the senators on Jan. 3, for 60 days  the second, shorter session of the 105th Nebraska Legislature.

The first days agenda will feature the election and oath of office of a new chief sergeant-at-arms, Jim Doggert. He replaces Ron Witkowski, who retired at the end of the 2017 session after 21 years with the Legislature. The sergeants-at-arms help maintain order and decorum in the legislative chamber, the lobby and at hearings.

Senators will then accept the resignation of former Omaha Sen. Joni Craighead and appointment of her replacement, Theresa Thibodeau. And they will elect a new chairperson for the Committee on Committees, which makes appointments to the standing and select committees.

A 10-day bill introduction period also begins Wednesday.

On this page we've gathered some information and made some predictions about the upcoming legislative session, but in the words of Luke Skywalker in "The Last Jedi," it is always possible "This is not going to go the way you think.

Will the Force be with the governor?

Gov. Pete Ricketts will be dealing with his fourth legislative session in 2018, interacting with a legislative body that he has helped shape.

Two current members were appointed by the governor, and Ricketts played a role in ousting three incumbent senators in 2016 and replacing them with more dependably conservative lawmakers.

Ricketts has signaled he will focus once again on efforts to "modify and reduce our budget" after, in concert with the Legislature, already slashing the annual growth in state spending from 6.5 percent just before he took office to 0.6 percent in the current budget year.

'Never tell me the odds'

This session by the numbers:

10  Days senators have to introduce bills at the beginning of the session.

13  Women among the 49 state senators.

14  Standing committees.

25  Majority vote to adopt amendments or move a bill from first-round debate to the next stage of consideration.

49  Districts represented by state senators.

60  Days senators meet in 2018 short session.

62  Bills introduced but killed by the end of the 2017 session.

173  Bills became or will become law from the 2017 legislative session.

667  Bills introduced in the 2017 legislative session.

A new hope for tax cuts?

Proposed tax cuts, coupled with reform or reconstruction of the state's tax system, will be a headline issue in the 2018 legislative session.

A tax package (LB461) constructed by Gov. Pete Ricketts and Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, chairman of the Legislature's Revenue Committee, is waiting on the floor of the Legislature where it was trapped by a filibuster last May.

While that measure, which combines personal and corporate income tax cuts with reduced valuation of ag land for property tax purposes, is expected to be revised by its proponents, pressure will be applied by a band of predominantly rural senators to focus on property tax reduction.

Meanwhile, the prospect of a ballot initiative that would place the property tax reduction decision in the hands of voters next November hangs over the legislative session.

Not enough droids

Workforce development could be an emerging issue in the 2018 Legislature.

With the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry targeting that challenge as "the dominant issue" for businesses and industry in Nebraska, and both Gov. Pete Ricketts and the Legislature focused on economic development, that might surface as a new priority.

Development of a trained and adequate workforce is a fundamental component of economic development, the Chamber has argued in forums attended by senators throughout the state this year.

The 2017 Legislature took a step in that direction by approving a measure to spur development of workforce housing in rural Nebraska.

Box office gross

Gov. Pete Ricketts and the Legislature will have a task in coming months: finding how to make up for an approximate $173 million shortfall in available funds for the 2017-19 fiscal years budget.

It would be a bit higher, but the Legislature in the 2017 session allowed for a temporary lowering of the required minimum reserve for the budget from 3 percent to 2.5 percent.

The two-year spending for the state, approved at the end of the 2017 legislative session, totals $8.9 billion.

Over the past year, Ricketts has issued directives to state agencies, boards and commissions he oversees to restrain their budgets.

Its unknown at this time how the federal tax reform package will affect state budgets, said Mike Calvert, the Legislatures chief fiscal analyst, but the state might know more when the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Board meets again in late February.

The detention level

For the past several years, the Legislature has dealt with prison crowding and the 2018 session will be no exception. Nebraska prisons continue to be among the most crowded in the country and have a sizable workforce problem.

One bill (LB447) that could deal with crowding, introduced by Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, was amended by Sen. Lou Ann Linehan and would eliminate mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offenses. The bill is lined up for a second round of debate but has several amendments pending.

More bills that pertain to the Department of Correctional Services will be introduced in the first 10 days of the session.

The Legislatures most recent version of a special prison oversight committee has recommended the state begin to plan for the possibility of a prison crowding emergency that could trigger the parole of a large number of inmates. And the ACLU of Nebraska has filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of inmates asking the Department of Corrections and the Nebraska Board of Parole immediately address crowding, the lack of adequate medical, dental and mental health care, as well as provide accommodations for prisoners with disabilities.

Major battle

The University of Nebraska will watch how the mid-year budget talks at the Capitol this session as sales tax receipts continue to fall short of projections.

NU has said more cuts to its state appropriation would mean further slashing its workforce of 16,000 people -- classroom instructors, researchers in areas like health and agriculture, and extension agents around the state among them.

Lawmakers will be forced to wrestle with how deep they want to cut the universitys funding and which, if any, programs they feel like students and citizens of the state can do without.

Jedi in training

Two current members of the Legislature will face voters for the first time this coming November.

Sen. Theresa Thibodeau of Omaha was appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts in October to succeed Sen. Joni Craighead after she suddenly decided not to seek re-election and resigned.

Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood was appointed by Ricketts in February to succeed Sen. Bill Kintner when he resigned under fire for use of a state laptop to engage in cybersex with a woman online.

The only senator other than Craighead who has announced he will not seek re-election to a second term is Sen. Roy Baker of Lincoln.

Fifteen incumbent senators are expected to seek re-election to a second four-year term.

Chroniclers

Lincoln Journal Star government reporters JoAnne Young, Don Walton and Chris Dunker cover lawmakers and legislation, reporting on how bills could change the way you live and work.

Contact JoAnne Young at 402-473-7228, jyoung@journalstar.com or @LJSLegislature.

Contact Don Walton at 402-473-7248, dwalton@journalstar.com or @LJSDon.

Contact Chris Dunker at 402-473-7120, cdunker@journalstar.com or @ChrisDunkerLJS.

Your ticket

Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET) provides live and on demand coverage of legislative floor activity and public committee hearings at the Capitol. They can be viewed as a video stream from NET's website, netnebraska.org.

The Journal Star legislative team will keep readers updated online at JournalStar.com and on Twitter.
Amid a national uprising over the unbridled mistreatment of women, three Capital Region politicians were dogged this year by allegations of sexual harassment and abuse.

Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse, state Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin and Milton Supervisor Daniel Lewza all denied the allegations against them and remained in their elected positions, although Lewza's term expires Sunday and he is leaving public office.

RELATED: The top stories of 2017

Morse remains under investigation by the State Police for allegations he physically abused his wife after she called 911 on Nov. 10 and told a dispatcher that her husband had grabbed her by the neck and thrown her to the ground. Morse's wife, Brenda, told police it was not the first time the Democratic mayor had abused her and that he smashed her phone as she tried to record the incident, according to details of the investigation shared with the Times Union.

{"feed_instance_id":"1208b9fd-20a1-460e-8696-76bcd767989b","title":"Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse leads meeting","kind":"Single Item","playlist":[{"mediaid":"9iZXBFKh","description":"Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse gets support as he Leads a common Council meeting at Cohoes City Hall. (Lori Van Buren\/ Times Union)","pubdate":1513129512,"tags":"WcmSource_TimesUnion","image":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/thumbs\/9iZXBFKh-720.jpg","title":"Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse leads meeting","variations":[],"sources":[{"type":"application\/vnd.apple.mpegurl","file":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/manifests\/9iZXBFKh.m3u8"},{"width":320,"height":180,"type":"video\/mp4","file":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/videos\/9iZXBFKh-4oSFsJMW.mp4","label":"180p"},{"width":480,"height":270,"type":"video\/mp4","file":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/videos\/9iZXBFKh-c0m93DNA.mp4","label":"270p"},{"width":720,"height":406,"type":"video\/mp4","file":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/videos\/9iZXBFKh-DKEYSFrx.mp4","label":"406p"},{"width":1280,"height":720,"type":"video\/mp4","file":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/videos\/9iZXBFKh-1XxEQClb.mp4","label":"720p"},{"type":"audio\/mp4","file":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/videos\/9iZXBFKh-ATmjX9js.m4a","label":"AAC Audio"}],"tracks":[{"kind":"thumbnails","file":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/strips\/9iZXBFKh-120.vtt"}],"link":"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/previews\/9iZXBFKh","duration":107}],"description":"Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse gets support as he Leads a common Council meeting at Cohoes City Hall. (Lori Van Buren\/ Times Union)","roverId":"wcm-media-1144772","roverVideosourceId":"wcm-no-video-source-id-found"}

On Dec. 10, the Times Union reported that abuse allegations against Morse stretch back decades and involved at least three women. Morse said the allegations were untrue. Less than 10 days later, one of the women, Colleen Keller, who dated Morse in the 1990s and has a son with him, came forward and confirmed that she called police multiple times in the mid-1990s to report abusive behavior by Morse, including an incident when she said he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off her feet.

Keller said she felt compelled to "come forward with the truth" after Morse denied abusing her or other women.

"He has publicly claimed that I said the abuse never happened," read a one-page statement provided by Keller. "It did happen. ... The abuse started out with me being physically pushed, grabbed and verbally degraded. It escalated from there."

McLaughlin, a Republican who will be sworn in this week as Rensselaer County executive, was secretly recorded last summer berating his top female legislative staff member with vulgar language in a heated exchange that also may have violated the Assembly's sexual harassment policy. The staff member also recorded a conversation with McLaughlin in which she accused him of roughing her up during an argument at his residence on Aug. 7.

McLaughlin, after learning the Times Union was about to publish a story on the incident, produced his own recording in which the staff member acknowledged she had accused him of physical abuse to "bait" him. But the staff member now says she retracted her allegation only after being pressured to do so by McLaughlin, who was campaigning in a Republican primary for the county executive post at the time.

Despite McLaughlin's use of incendiary and vulgar language against a female staff member, and her allegation that he physically abused her, he won the Republican primary in September against Chris Meyer, the former deputy county executive, before narrowly beating Democratic newcomer Andrea Smyth, whose campaign made an issue of McLaughlin's treatment of women.

On Nov. 29, another incident involving alleged sexual harassment against McLaughlin came to light when he was sanctioned by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for a June 2016 incident in which a female Assembly aide said McLaughlin asked her for nude photos of herself.

The sanctioning of McLaughlin followed a secretive 17-month investigation by the Assembly's Committee on Ethics and Guidance. The investigation, led by CUNY law professor Merrick Rossein, included a review of video footage of the Assembly chamber during the alleged exchange and interviews with McLaughlin, witnesses and legislative staff.

McLaughlin denied asking the woman for nude photos and said his attorney argued that video footage of the incident, which did not include audio, did not show anything unusual.

The Ethics Committee initially issued a private report to Heastie in June that it had split 4-4 on whether to discipline McLaughlin, and recommended he undergo sensitivity training. But the committee, on Rossein's recommendation, reversed its decision in September and concluded McLaughlin was guilty of the harassment after its members determined he leaked information about the investigation, including the name of the alleged victim, to Assembly staffers.

"I just never said a damn thing," McLaughlin said after he was sanctioned, adding that he blamed the committee for the leaks, although he offered no evidence to back up the claim.

The committee, made up of McLaughlin's fellow Assembly members, concluded he leaked information about the case before he was told by the Ethics Committee who had brought the complaint, "undermining his claim (during the initial investigation) that he had no idea who would make such claims against him."

McLaughlin declined to appear before the Ethics Committee in October and November as the committee reopened its investigation.

The sanctions included a letter of admonition, a prohibition against McLaughlin hiring interns and a directive that he cease revealing the name of the complainant or other details of the investigation. In addition, McLaughlin was instructed to reimburse the chamber for the cost of the supplemental sexual harassment and retaliation prevention training he took in July, although it's unclear he can be compelled to pay that fee unless it's garnished from his wages.

In Milton, Lewza's claims that he was not the subject of a harassment complaint filed by his former secretary were proven false when a judge ordered the town to unseal a confidential settlement agreement between Lewza and the woman.

The town took extraordinary steps to keep the agreement secret. It resulted in the former secretary receiving $10,000 and four weeks of severance pay after she left her town job at the end of 2016. She was also allowed to work from home for more than six months and all of her communications with Lewza during that period were conducted through email only.

Under the agreement, the woman also received extended health insurance coverage, and the town and its insurance carrier agreed to pay $25,000 to the law firm that represented her during the investigation.

Shawn Morse, Mayor of the City of Cohoes, speaks at a Veterans Memorial Park Dedication at West End Park on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Brenda Morse told police she scratched at her husband's face a day earlier when he allegedly grabbed her neck and threw her to the ground during an argument at their Cohoes residence. She told police it was not the first time he had physically abused her. less Shawn Morse, Mayor of the City of Cohoes, speaks at a Veterans Memorial Park Dedication at West End Park on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Brenda Morse told police she scratched at her husband's face a day earlier ... more Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Officials accused of abuse 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

However, Lewza, a Republican who formerly worked for McLaughlin in the state Assembly, never delivered on a clause in the settlement agreement that stipulated the woman was to be given a $40,000-a-year job with Saratoga County.

The 12-page agreement  without citing any authority from the county  said the woman "will be offered a position with Saratoga County set to commence January 2017 with a full-time, day-shift, weekday work schedule at a salary not less than $40,000 ... commensurate with (her) skills and experiences."

Saratoga County officials said they were unaware of the agreement and that no job had been offered to the woman.

The town of Milton and its insurance carrier later agreed to pay $12,000 to Hearst Corp., which owns the Times Union, to cover the newspaper's legal fees in its court case to have the settlement agreement unsealed. A judge ruled the Times Union was entitled to have its legal fees paid by the town because the newspaper "substantially prevailed" in its arguments that the town had violated the state's Freedom of Information Law.

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
Albany

In the years before he pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges, lobbyist Todd Howe regularly emailed top officials in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration about government business using their personal email accounts, a recent court filing shows.

The use of private email for public business would violate official state policy, and is contrary to Cuomo administration directives to conduct state business on state email accounts, to avoid the perception of an intent to hide communication from the public.

One recipient of Howe's emails was Jim Malatras, a chief policy advisor before taking over as state operations director in August 2014 following a brief tenure at SUNY. The court filing shows Howe sent a dozen emails to Malatras' official accounts, and about the same number to his private Gmail address. Howe's emails to Malatras' private account bore subject lines that suggested they involved state affairs: "Seligman Statement," "$75m ESD grant" and "DOB Letters"  references to, respectively, the president of the University of Rochester, Empire State Development, and the state Budget Division.

Malatras, now president of the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, an Albany-based think tank that's part of the SUNY system, said he had "no idea" why Howe would repeatedly reach out to him through his private email.

"I would tell him to switch over (to the official email account) because this is business," Malatras said.

In September 2016, Howe pleaded guilty to felony charges revolving around influence-peddling and bid-rigging of upstate development deals. He is expected to be a key cooperating witness at the trial of former top Cuomo aide Joe Percoco and three others beginning in January, as well as a separate trial where the defendants include SUNY Polytechnic Institute founder Alain Kaloyeros and five others.

Howe  whose ties to Cuomo reach back into the administration of his father, Gov. Mario Cuomo  has acknowledged working as a well-paid consultant at SUNY Poly while also steering contracts to private developers that were paying him. Defense lawyers are likely to portray him as a serial liar who will say anything to lighten his own sentence. All eight defendants spanning the two trials have pleaded not guilty.

The email information comes from an exhibit list filed by an attorney for one of the executives from the Syracuse-area firm COR Development, where two officials are accused of paying bribes to Howe and Percoco. The list includes the subject lines of emails Howe sent to people, including other defendants, but not the content of the emails or the dates they were sent.

Even so, the 320-page court filing shows Howe wrote frequent emails to John Regan while he was working as a counsel in Cuomo's office from 2012 to 2015, including on economic development matters. A Republican, Regan landed his initial job with Cuomo despite his only prior government job experience being as a diplomat in the George W. Bush's administration covering Cuban relations.

The emails from Howe were sent to Regan's personal AT&T address, according to the court filing.

Before taking the job with Cuomo, Regan had previously worked for Howe at a Washington, D.C., lobbying subsidiary of the Albany-based law firm Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, where the two specialized in landing federal appropriations for nonprofits. Regan had worked at the Mortgage Bankers Association with both Howe and Howard Glaser, who was Cuomo's state operations director from 2011 to 2014.

In February 2015, Regan left the administration to rejoin Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, this time as a partner in the Albany office. Regan now serves as associate counsel and director of government relations at Albany Medical Center. Though a spokesman, he declined to comment on his communications with Howe.

The email subject lines indicate Howe, who lived in Washington, regularly updated Regan on his travel plans. Howe wrote to Regan about apparent government matters, too, such as a request for proposal in Rockland County.

Malatras' advice that Howe should use official email for state business was apparently not taken to heart, based on his voluminous correspondence with other Cuomo officials. Howe sent more than 50 emails to the official Executive Chamber email account of Andrew Kennedy, who was Cuomo's assistant director for economic development and deputy director of state operations, the evidence list shows. More than two dozen other emails cited in the document were sent to Kennedy's Hotmail account, bearing subject lines that similarly suggested the contents involved state business: "COR to FSMC Real Property transfer," "$50M disbursement," "CNY hub," "Quad C"  all references to SUNY Poly projects across the state.

Kennedy, now president and CEO of the Albany-based Center for Economic Growth, did not respond to messages seeking comment.

The defense team's inventory of emails also lists outreach by Howe to the private accounts of former state operations director Glaser as well as Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Cuomo aides Melissa DeRosa and Linda Lacewell, New York Power Authority chief Gil Quinones and Executive Secretary to the Governor Stephanie Benton.

It is unclear how many of the emails themselves will be unveiled in upcoming trials.

Cuomo's office has insisted Howe wasn't part of the governor's "inner circle," a claim his spokesman Rich Azzopardi repeated in a statement Friday. "This vague and incomplete document has no dates, no content, and typically no subject matter  nor does it show that anyone ever responded to his emails," Azzopardi said. "To be clear, the administration's policy is that government email is used for government business and, if an issue is not government-related, government email is not appropriate to use."

Azzopardi said many of Howe's emails sent to administration staffers' private emails could be explained by his work as a "volunteer" for Cuomo's 2014 re-election campaign, managed by Percoco when he was on leave from the administration. In the same period, Percoco collected payments from some of Howe's private clients, including COR Development. (The company insists it never paid Percoco.)

In 2014, ProPublica reported Cuomo aides had been in the habit of collecting emails from private accounts to conduct official business in an effort to hide communications.

ProPublica also reported that emailing from private accounts may violate state policy: State employees were not to "use a personal email account to conduct State business unless explicitly authorized," according to a policy published by the Office of Information Technology Services.

Use of private emails can be used as a tactic for circumventing New York's Freedom of Information Law. Any reporter or private citizen filing a FOIL request for communications from Howe and executive chamber members would almost certainly never receive any of the communications conducted through the Executive Chamber staffers' private accounts.

Robert Freeman, executive director of the Committee on Open Government, said public business conducted on private accounts still must be subject to the law.

Casey Seiler contributed.

cbragg@timesunion.com  518-454-5303
Schenectady

The Red Cross issued a statement Saturday saying that four people were displaced by a house fire Saturday afternoon in Schenectady on Hillside Avenue. Volunteers from the Northeastern New York Chapter gave emergency aid to two adults and two children, ages 7 and 14. The Red Cross said the assistance can be used for clothing, food and shelter.
Washington

In the first month of Donald Trump's presidency, an American scholar quietly met with North Korean officials and relayed a message: The new administration in Washington appreciated an extended halt in the North's nuclear and ballistic missile tests. It might just offer a ray of hope.

North Korean officials responded defiantly. The nearly four-month period of quiet wasn't a sign of conciliation, they retorted, insisting supreme leader Kim Jong Un would order tests whenever he wanted. As if to ram the point home, North Korea only two days later launched a new type of medium-range missile that ended Trump's brief honeymoon.

The February launch heralded a year of escalating tensions that have left the U.S. and North Korea closer to hostilities than at any time since the Korean War ended in 1953. The North is now at the brink of realizing its decades-old goal of being able to strike anywhere in America with a nuclear weapon. And two leaders untested in the delicate diplomacy of deterrence have exchanged personal insults and warned of the other nation's annihilation.

"Pyongyang and Washington are caught in a vicious cycle of action and reaction," Korea expert Duyeon Kim wrote in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. "If nothing happens to break the cycle, it will continue until one side either stands down, which is very unlikely, or, far worse, takes military action."

The exchanges at the unofficial U.S.-North Korean talks 10 months ago hadn't been reported before. They were recounted to The Associated Press by a participant who requested anonymity to describe them. No U.S. government officials took part.

Although North Korea at that time signaled interest in talks with Washington, its uncompromising position made plain the challenges Trump faced as he entered the White House, promising to sort out the North Korean "mess" he inherited. It also underscored how much difficulty the U.S. has experienced gauging the North's thinking.

Before his inauguration, Trump blithely tweeted about the prospect of Kim having a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike America:  "It won't happen!" Almost a year later, and after an onslaught of new economic sanctions and U.S. military threats, the nuclear menace from Pyongyang is far worse.

And U.S. strategy is muddled. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently offered unconditional talks with North Korea only to be quickly shot down by the White House, where not only Trump has talked up the possibility of military confrontation. National security adviser H.R. McMaster also has warned the potential for war is "increasing every day."

Shortly before Christmas, the administration unveiled a new security strategy that offered few answers. It vaguely spoke of "improving options" to get the inscrutable North to abandon its nuclear weapons. By the administration's own admission, its official North Korea policy of "maximum pressure and engagement" hasn't to date included significant engagement.

"The White House and the secretary of state seem unable to coordinate on even the most basic elements of a common strategy," wrote Stephan Haggard, a North Korea expert at the University of California, San Diego.

The U.S. has scored successes in its international pressure on North Korea. It has won cooperation from the North's traditional backers such as China and Russia on restrictions that have put new strains on an economy Kim has promised to modernize in his half-decade as leader. The U.S. also says more than 20 countries have curtailed diplomatic ties with Pyongyang.
Nearly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prison inmates who killed as teenagers are capable of change, the question remains unresolved: Which ones deserve a second chance?

Now the ruling  in favor of a 71-year-old Louisiana inmate still awaiting a parole hearing  is being tested again in that state, where prosecutors have moved to keep 1 in 3 offenders imprisoned for crimes committed as juveniles locked up for good.

"There is no possible way to square these numbers with the directive of the Supreme Court," said Jill Pasquarella, supervising attorney with the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights, which found that district attorneys are seeking to deny parole eligibility to 84 of 255 juvenile life inmates.

Some prosecutors said the heinous nature of many of the inmates' crimes makes them the rare offenders the court allows to be punished with life behind bars.

"In this community, some of the most violent crimes we've had have been committed by juveniles," said Ricky Babin, district attorney for Ascension, Assumption and St. James parishes, who is seeking new life-without-parole sentences in four of five cases.

The moves by Louisiana prosecutors echo those by Michigan district attorneys, who want to keep two-thirds of that state's 363 juvenile lifers behind bars permanently. Prosecutors and advocates agree that the Supreme Court will eventually need to step back into the debate over punishment of juvenile offenders.

"It's definitely clear now that the court does need to ... clarify that life without parole is unconstitutional for all children," said Jody Kent Lavy, director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth.

The court's January 2016 ruling extended a ban on mandatory life without parole for juveniles to those already in prison for murder, reserving the punishment only for those whose crimes reflect "irreparable corruption." The decision brought resentencings and the release of dozens of inmates in some states but inconsistency in others, an Associated Press investigation found.

A new Louisiana law makes juvenile lifers eligible for parole after 25 years, unless prosecutors intervene. Prosecutors, who had through October to ask a judge to deny parole eligibility, said they reviewed offenders' crimes and prison records and talked with victims' families.

"These are all sensitive cases to victims. They lost a loved one in this," said Scott Stassi, first assistant district attorney for Point Coupee, West Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes. His office is seeking life without parole in all four of its cases.

Prosecutors said they want to ensure scrutiny of inmates. But the particulars of each crime and offender, and the politics surrounding the cases, complicate decisions.

Take the cases of Patrick Wilson and Anthony Williams, who were 16 and 17 when they killed a man in 1995 for drugs and money. Each shot the victim, with Wilson fingered at trial for firing two shots to the man's head. Prosecutors want to keep Williams locked up for life but are not opposing Wilson's chance for eventual release.

Tracey Barbera, first assistant district attorney in East Baton Rouge Parish, said she did not review the cases, but believed the inmates' prison records were key in deciding to oppose parole eligibility for one and not the other. In the last two years, Wilson had a single infraction, for possession of contraband. Williams' lengthier record includes seven violations in 2016 for disrespect, contraband and disobedience.

Williams and Wilson declined interview requests. But in an email exchange with the AP, Wilson said he has been working as a prison hospice volunteer while studying the law on juvenile offenders.

"I came here as a teenager and was forced to raise myself among strangers," wrote Wilson, 39. "Now I been here longer than I lived free among my family and friends."

Brenda Johnson, mother of victim Tony Williams, said she is open to the possibility that her son's killers deserve a chance for release.

"I prayed to God they would get out, and one thing I want them to do is change their life," she said.

Some district attorneys in Louisiana said they asked for life without parole out of an abundance of caution.

"It's a real problem trying to assess someone's behavior in the future when they've been in for such a long time," said Carla Sigler, assistant district attorney for Calcasieu Parish, whose office filed for life without parole in all its seven active cases.

New Orleans District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro Jr., seeking to deny release to 30 inmates, said the decisions should have been left to the parole board, because it can better assess how offenders may have changed. The board will pass judgment on inmates whose parole eligibility is not opposed by prosecutors, and disputed cases will be argued before a judge.

Public defenders are pushing back against efforts to keep so many juvenile lifers in prison.

Harry Fontenot, chief public defender in Calcasieu Parish, said full resentencings would cost more than $400,000 for an office already struggling with a $2.1 million budget. "We cannot handle these cases," he said. "We just don't have the money or the expertise."

E. Pete Adams, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, said it is inevitable that the nation's top court will be pushed to weigh in.

"Ultimately," he said, "whatever the court says we'll abide by."
Lumberland

J.J. Hanson, who worked in Albany and other state capitals to prevent passage of legislation permitting physician assisted suicide, died Saturday, according to press releases from advocacy groups.

Hanson, who was 36, is survived by his wife Kristen, as well as two sons, 4-year-old James and 6-month-old Lucas. The family lives in the Sullivan County hamlet of Glen Spey, in the town of Lumberland.

He was a U.S. Marine Corp. veteran who served in Iraq, and president of the Patients Rights Action Fund, based in New York City. He became an ardent opponent of efforts to allow terminally ill patients to speed up their deaths after his own diagnosis with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in May 2014. At the time of the diagnosis, doctors gave Hanson four months to live. But his cancer initially subsided after undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and experimental treatment.

"Today, we choose to focus on the great good J.J. did during his time on earth, especially during the past few years of his life when his battle with cancer became for him an opportunity to show the strength of his faith and the power of love and determination," Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger of Albany said in a statement. "He inspired us all and will continue to do so whenever we face struggles in our own lives and remember his example of grace under pressure."

Related content Fight against brain cancer informs stance against assisted...

It was not immediately clear Saturday evening when Hanson became ill again. His family could not be reached. A post on the Patients Rights Action Fund website noted that he had been admitted to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City on Dec. 3 after his illness had worsened. Matthew Valliere, the organizations executive director, wrote that Hanson was planning to seek hospice care and enjoy his final days at home.

In an interview with the Times Union last year, a healthy, active Hanson explained how his personal experience informed his strong opposition to physician-assisted suicide, also known as medical aid in dying.

In September 2014, four months after his diagnosis  around the time doctors predicted he would die  Hanson had plunged into a deep depression. He had undergone a grueling treatment regimen, but lost his ability to walk, talk, read and write, and had repeated seizures. He was bedridden for weeks and the stress was hurting his marriage.

He told the Times Union that if he had access at that time to a lethal medication, he might have taken it. And then, he said, he wouldnt have had the opportunity to be with his family when he was better years afterward.

"If I had made that decision at that point in time, and I had those drugs, I wouldn't be talking to you," Hanson said in March 2016.

Hansons concerns about aid in dying included that the option to die would dishearten and wrongly influence severely ill patients who felt they were a burden to their families, just at the time they most needed courage. He also expressed concern that patients with rare terminal disorders would not participate in needed research, if given the option to die.

The New York Alliance Against Assisted Suicide issued a release Saturday, saying, We will miss J.J.'s leadership, his optimism, his selflessness, his tenacity, and his willingness to draw upon his own difficult experiences to advocate for others facing challenging medical problems.

Vallieres Dec. 4 note on the Patients Right Action Fund website thanked Hanson for your courage in the face of mortality, for fighting for the vulnerable, though weak physically and emotionally at times yourself, and giving us all an example of living life to its fullest.
A man carrying a knife on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus Saturday night was taken into custody shortly before 11 p.m., police say.

Police pursued Nicholas Hogan, 28, when he ran from Raising Cane's at 14th and P streets toward campus at about 7:30 p.m.

Lincoln Police Department and UNL officers shut down R Street from 13th to 14th streets, Capt. Bob Farber said. A SWAT team was called in.

Campus buildings, including Love Library, were placed on lockdown.

Hogan was arrested on suspicion of terroristic threats, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and failing to obey lawful order of a police officer.

Subject in custody.

Excellent work by the officers on scene, especially in the frigid temps!#LPD #Resolved https://t.co/Mw2ihVgMfR  LPD Third Shift (@LPDUpAllNight) December 31, 2017
Just three years after Kansas City, Missouri, was being hailed for reducing homicides, the city is seeing a staggering increase in 2017. The Kansas City Star reported 149 people have been killed in homicides this year, the highest total since a record 153 in 1993, at the height of killings fueled by crack cocaine and gangs.
THERE WILL BE NO RESPITE, REDEMPTION OR FORGIVENESS FOR EXEC FRANK WHITE AS THE LEGISLATURE LOOKS TO BATTLE WITH HIM THROUGH EVER STEP OF THE BUDGET DEBATE!!!

Legislators and Sheriff Mike Sharp are concerned about how (Exec) Frank White is accounting for $680,000 in the sheriffs revolving fund, which, by state law, is controlled by the sheriff, not the executive. Sharp says White is, in effect, taking that money from him, giving it back and calling it an increase.

We can all clearly see the behind the scenes move here . . .The latest . . .Deets:Developing . . .
Cindy Lange-Kubick Columnist Cindy Lange-Kubick has loved writing columns about life in her hometown since 1994. She had hoped to become a people person by now, nonetheless she would love to hear your tales of fascinating neighbors and interesting places. Follow Cindy Lange-Kubick Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

In 2017, I added a category to my book-rating system.

A collection of short stories forced the change  a 300-page paperback I picked up from the Books To Go table at one of our many (and wonderful) branch libraries.

If you are a previous reader of My Year in Books columns, you know I use old-fashioned library due-date cards to rate my reading  and to help me remember the many stories that have graced my coffee table and filled my travel bag in the preceding 12 months.

Books that earn an A or a B or the occasional C or the rare DNF (did not finish). And now for the first time, a new acronym in the due-date column. OOML: Out of my league.

Nightstand reading for MENSA members, Id scribbled below the grade for sci-fi writer Ted Chiangs collection, Stories of Your Life.

Chiang's fans may feel free to enlighten me, and the rest of you may take my intellectual deficiencies into account as you peruse the rest of this years list, which for the first time  at the urging of readers  includes audio books.

Lets start with those.

Here are the best of the many stories that played out in my Hyundai last year:

The final two volumes of the Harry Potter series. (Id listened to the first five and J.K. Rowlings adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, in 2016.) My grade: A's all around.

If youve read Rowlings works, but havent listened to Jim Dale read them, you must. (Note: Apparently, there is a huge dust-up over which of the Rowling narrators is the ultimate Potter channeler, but since I havent heard Stephen Frys versions, I shall remain neutral.)

American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst, by Jeffrey Toobin. I was fascinated by the detailed account of Hearsts captivity, but the pomposity of the narrator  a cross between Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and the Forensic Files  was grating, Dahling. Grade: B

On the other hand, Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane, was excellent from start to mind-blowing finish. (A+)

I can also recommend The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead and Just Mercy, read by its author, Bryan Stevenson. (Keep Kleenex handy and may your outrage move you to action.) (A)

A few others worth a drive-time listen: Wilde Lake, by Laura Lippman and When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson.

Finally, my favorites. A pair of Kent Haruf novels Id read years ago. Benediction, the story of a dying man looking back at his life, and Eventide, the tale of two bachelor brothers and their small-town neighbors. Each was read by a different narrator, each of them embodied that prose. (This line stopped me cold: She became part of the history of the town, like the wallpaper in the old houses.)

Haruf died in 2014. His novel Plainsong was the first One Book-One Lincoln and it was my great pleasure to meet the author, a man as earthy and spare as his fictionalized subjects.

In the books on paper category, I managed to finish 40 titles, a slight dip from my previous years totals. (Sad! Too much time spent on Twitter, a transgression I resolve to not repeat in 2018.)

A sampling of the A List:

The Soul of an Octopus, by Sy Montgomery. This fascinating look at the many-tentacled sea creature was recommended to me by Pat Leach, director of Lincoln City Libraries. And it did not disappoint. I promise, you will never look at octopi the same way again. Although you might not want to shake hands with one.

A Warrior of the People, by Joe Starita, my former city editor and a helluva writer and reporter. The meticulously researched book introduced me to Susan La Flesche, Americas first Indian doctor, who cared for the Omaha people in every sense of the word. My book note: I want more. Enuf said.

Katharina and Martin Luther, by Lincoln's own Michelle DeRusha. My Lutheran upbringing, my feminist sensibilities and my fascination with the period made this work an illuminating page-turner.

The Barrens, by Joyce Carol Oates. Was Oates a serial killer in another life? Discuss.

Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi. Human spirit and the weaving of families told beautifully through the horrors of slavery and racism.

Leaving the Pink House, by Ladette Randolph. What a beautiful memoir and home renovation tick-tock. Loved the delicate web of stories. (Note: the book is set in Nebraska, and the pink house is in the heart of Lincoln.)

A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles. I was prepared not to like a novel set in a fancy Moscow hotel, but my book note shows I flipped like Michael Flynn: Savored every page  a rare book that I did not want to see end.

Hellhound on His Trail, by Hampton Sides. I read the gripping account of the FBI hunt for James Earl Ray after a visit to Memphis and the rooming house where Ray carried out the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (Conspiracy theorists will be disappointed; I was not.)

The Waters Lovely, by Ruth Rendell. I hate to let a year go by without reading a book by the British mystery master.

Julieta, by Alice Munro. And they can write in Canada, too. Love how these stories dovetail and make up an unexpected whole.

Little Jewel, by Patrick Modiano. Poignant story of loss and longing, full of holes and light. (Dont ask me what this means, I read the book last January.)

Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann. Nonfiction account of the Osage tribe of Oklahoma and its oil rights. A chilling tale of greed and murder that reads like a novel.

Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult. Does it take a white woman writing about race to make white readers SEE racism? Perhaps. (Think about that.)

On to the B List:

After reading 750 pages of Confessions of a Young Nero, by Margaret George, Ive come to the conclusion Nero was maligned by historians. (I was also disappointed to learn the ancient ruler grew old and thus George is working on a second novel about the guy who did not fiddle while Rome burned.)

The Quiet Child, by John Burley. Moments of suspense and periods of plodding. Needed a few more threads.

Unsub, by Meg Gardiner. Too graphic and too commercial. Plus cheap sequel ploy! (The years only exclamation mark!)

Last Chapter:

I read a number of books that landed on my desk this year written by local authors. Kudos to Amy Knox Brown, author of What is Gone, Pete Allmans Shrink-proof Your Life, and The Legend of Silent Horse by Donald Author Clark. (I was especially touched by Jim Sizemores account of his late wifes cancer journey, Diannes Blessing. The book was a blessing to me.)

Im ending 2017 in the middle of A Thin Bright Light, by Lucy Jane Bledsoe  love, love, love this book.

And on my nightstand: Rise to Greatness, by David Von Drehle; Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie; and This Blessed Earth, by Ted Genoways. (Yes, I read a Mary Higgins Clark novel this year, "All By Myself, Alone" and Ill probably read another in 2018.)

Heres wishing you all 365 days of words and the worlds they bring to life.
The Gallic Wars, waged between the Gallic tribes living in present-day France and Belgium and the Roman Legions under Julius Caesar, took place between the years 58 BC to 50 BC. These wars are what ultimately gave Caesar the upper hand over the Senate and his former political ally Pompey the Great, leading in turn to a civil war; the outcome of which made Caesar dictator in perpetuity over the entire Roman Republic. But like most conflicts throughout the ages, the Gallic Wars werent as straightforward as they may first appear.

10. Biased Sources

No doubt youve heard Winston Churchills famous quote that History is written by the victors, as was the case with the Gallic Wars. In fact, much of what we know about them comes directly from Julius Caesar himself, in his works (with the exception of the last volume) entitled Commentarii de Bello Gallico, or Commentaries on the Gallic War. When it came to his political affiliations, Caesar was a member of the Populares, a demagogue or populist in todays terms. They were in direct opposition to the Optimates, or aristocrats, who were also the dominant group in the Senate. Both groups were comprised of members of the wealthier classes, but differed by the means through which they sought tribunician support. While the Optimates were upholding the oligarchy, the Populares sought popular support against it, either for the interests of the common people or for their own personal ambitions. It should be no surprise, then, that the Commentaries were, at least in part, nothing more than propaganda.

But what makes any piece of propaganda great is the fact that it doesnt sound like propaganda. And the fact that these works, written by Caesar himself about his own exploits (but in the third person), does give the impression of a more objective piece of text than it actually is. Caesar was fully aware that his works were to be read to the masses in city squares and he designed them as such. Even Senator Cicero praised the way in which the texts were written, saying that: The Gallic War is splendid. It is bare, straight and handsome, stripped of rhetorical ornament like an athlete of his clothes.  There is nothing in a history more attractive than clean and lucid brevity. In other words, these Commentaries, which were issued every year during the campaign, are not so much historical texts, but rather a means to impress the Roman working class with a sort of action-packed story, if you will.

However, Cassius Dio, a Greek historian who focused on the later years of the Roman Republic and the start of the Empire, was quick to point out several inconsistencies and omissions from Caesars works. In the last book, written by one of Caesars colonels, Aulus Hirtius, there are mentions of unsuccessful Roman campaigns, as well as the execution of defeated enemies; things never mentioned in the previous works. There are also no mentions of lootings of Gallic sanctuaries or of POWs being sold into bondage. The reasons being that if a general were to sell people into slavery, the Senate was entitled to its own share of the revenue. If there wasnt any mention of it, Caesar could keep all the spoils for himself.

Lastly, there are examples of intentional mistakes throughout these works that were consistent with the oftentimes fantastical ideas the average Roman citizen had about the edges of the world. The general prejudice at the time was that the farther inland you went from the shores of the Mediterranean, the more savage the peoples were. Caesar was aware of this fact, and wrote his works accordingly. But even though the bias is evident throughout these Commentaries, they arent without value. The focus was placed primarily on the military aspects of the campaign and as far as ancient warfare goes, the Bello Gallico is an important source.

9. Julius Caesars Backstory

An important historical figure such as Julius Caesar cannot be accurately depicted in just a few lines (as we will try to do here), but it is, nevertheless, important to know a few details about the man in order to properly understand the Gallic Wars. He was born sometime around 100 BC to a noble Roman family. After his fathers sudden death, Julius Caesar became the head of his family at the age of 16. As a young man, he served for two years in the military, where he won a Civic Crown  Ancient Romes equivalent of the Medal of Honor.

In 79 BC he returned to Rome to a civilian life. Due to his charm, charisma, and extensive knowledge of the law, he quickly rose through the ranks of the Republics political scene. Back in those times, being a member of the political system came without pay, and going up through the ranks oftentimes meant paying out of pocket. Caesars family was also going through some hard times during his ascension, which meant that he acquired some enormous debts financing 180-day celebrations and gladiator fights as Aedile of Rome, among other personal publicity campaigns (which is what they actually were).

In his 30s, he was sent to Spain to hold an administrative office. There, he reportedly came across a statue of Alexander the Great, where it is said that he was feeling dissatisfied with his own life, realizing that Alexander, at his age, had conquered the world, while Caesar accomplished almost nothing. At the age of 40, he ran for the position of Consul, the highest in the Roman Republic. With the people backing him, and with the right connections, he was able to get it. While in office, he bullied legislation through in order to serve him and his political allies. It was also customary for former Consuls to become provincial governors after their terms ended, and Caesar was looking forward to this position.

This way he could leave Rome and escape the possible repercussions for some of the acts he did while Consul. And while governor of a province, he could once again become rich by extorting money from the peasantry there. Caesar was initially given two provinces to govern  Illyricum, along the east coast of the Adriatic Sea, and Cisalpine Gaul, located in Northern Italy. Then, after the Governor of Transalpine Gaul (southern France) died, he was given that, too. Now, what Caesar lacked most of all was glory in the eyes of the Roman people, as well as enough wealth to replenish his coffers. Both of these were possible through war.

8. The Populist Appeal for the Gallic Wars

Back in Caesars times, the ordinary person saw war in a much more favorable light that we see it today, partially because the average citizen had more to gain from war than we do today. Waging war on the tribes of Gaul came with an added bonus in the eyes of the average Roman, on top of the spoils and glory it had to offer. You see, several centuries prior to the Gallic Wars (in 390 BC, to be exact), Rome was sacked by the Senones tribe, led by chief Brennus. The whole thing started one year earlier, when this Celtic tribe advanced into Etruria and besieged the Etruscan city of Clusium.

The Etruscans asked Rome for help in dealing with this threat. The sons of the influential patrician Fabius Ambustus were sent as envoys. During the negotiations, however, one of the Fabii brothers killed one of the Celtic chieftains, which was an obvious transgression. The Gauls then retreated to deliberate what to do next. Later that year, Gallic ambassadors were sent to Rome, where they asked the Senate to hand over the Fabii. But even though the Senate was more in favor of this peaceful solution, the influence of the Fabii, who were also elected as consular tribunes and given the command of the army, ensured that this would not happen.

The Gauls then advanced on the city and in July, 390 BC, the two armies faced off at the confluence of the rivers Tiber and Allia, 10 miles north of Rome. The size of the armies varies considerably, depending on the sources and other modern interpretations; so much so that we cant even say for sure who had the numerical advantage. Nevertheless, the outcome of the battle is known, and it concluded with a definite Roman defeat at the hands of the Senones. One day later, the Gauls made it to Rome, which was unprotected and with its gates wide open. Only the Capitol Hill could be defended, while the rest of the city was reduced to ruins.

Many Roman citizens were able to escape during the night past the unsuspecting Gauls. After seven months of sieging the Capitol, and burdened by famine and disease, both parties finally decided on a ceasefire where the Romans would pay 1,000 pounds of gold. This defeat ensured an enduring hate for the Gauls in the eyes and minds of the Romans for centuries to come; something that certainly added to their support of the Gallic Wars more than 330 years later. This event in Roman history also gave them a wakeup call, leading the Romans to greatly reinforce their city defenses and develop an army never before seen in the ancient world.

7. Who were the Gauls?

Gaul was the name given to the regions where various tribes of Celts lived, north of the Roman territories. These included France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, parts of the Netherlands, parts of Germany west of the Rhine River, and Northern Italy. But as a group of Indo-European nomadic or semi nomadic people, these Celts extended at various times over large parts of Europe including in Britain, Illyria, the Iberian Peninsula, the lower Danube River Basin, Transylvania, and even as far east as Asia Minor  present-day Turkey.

What rather vague information we have about these people comes mostly from the Greeks and Romans. They were, nevertheless, described as tall and possessing great physical strength. They had fair skin and blonde hair which they would usually redden by artificial means. Gallic women were described as the most beautiful of all barbarian peoples, and they could hold their own in battle. Most Gauls wore little to no defensive armor. Their usual means of defense was the helmet and the shield, which came in various shapes and sizes. Wealthier warriors also wore a chainmail shirt, of which they are the supposed inventors. Gauls mostly preferred the two handed sword, but also had various kinds of spears, pikes, javelins, bows and slings. They placed a lot of faith in their cavalry, and in the northern parts of Gaul, they even used war chariots. The foot soldiers were arranged in great masses that loosely resembled a Greek phalanx with a line of shields in front, to the sides, and overhead. In the thick of battle, it was customary for champions to break these ranks and challenge opponents to single combat.

Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to think of Gaul as a unified nation. They are better described as a loose confederation of tribes, around 60 in number, which oftentimes fought against each other over lands or other disputes. These tribes also varied greatly in power and influence, with smaller tribes maintaining only a nominal independence under the protection of bigger ones. What kept them together, as much as they were together, were the somewhat similar customs, consanguinity, language (to a certain extent), and a similar religion. The region was home to roughly 15 to 20 million people, but because of this disunity and intrigue among them, Caesar and his legions were able to successfully challenge them.

6. Casus Belli

Like any war, the Gallic Wars needed a motive, or at least a pretext, to be initiated in the first place. As a governor in charge of provinces located at the fringes of the Republic, Caesar was given several Legions to protect them and their interests, but he couldnt just start attacking neighboring tribes without just cause. Many of these tribes were, in fact, allies of Rome and these relations needed to be maintained. Nevertheless, Caesars casus belli (case of war) came in the form of the Helvetii, a Celtic tribe in what is now present-day Switzerland. Together with several other neighboring tribes, they decided to migrate en masse from that region and into Gaul proper to the west, numbering somewhere around 320,000 people strong, probably even more. These werent just able men and soldiers, but the entire population including women, children, and the elderly.

Now, regardless of Caesars personal motives for starting a war, a mass migration so close to his borders, and through his lands, could have caused a serious instability for the entire region. For starters, just by walking around, so many people could seriously damage the countryside they were passing through. Secondly, once they reached a place, they would displace other tribes from their lands, which in turn would kick start a chain reaction throughout the entirety of Southern Gaul and even into Transalpine Gaul  the Roman province under Caesar. Lastly, the vacuum left behind in Switzerland posed another threat for Rome, since it would have opened it up to other tribes, probably the Germanic Suebi. Rome preferred the Gallic Helvetii there to act as a buffer. In Caesars reports to the Senate, he stated that the Helvetii chief Orgetorix formed a secret plot with several other Gallic chieftains to band together and take over the whole of Gaul for themselves, and then, probably, to drive back the increasing threat Rome was posing. Also according to Caesar, this plot was foiled and Orgetorix committed suicide before he could be put on trial.

But despite their chieftains death, the Helvetii went on with their migration, most likely pushed by the Germanic people to the north. They did ask permission from Caesar to pass through his lands, but he refused. They then decided to head north without trespassing through Roman territory. Even though Roman lands were no longer under threat, Caesar chased after the Helvetii and attacked them on two occasions, inflicting heavy losses. The remainder of their people were then forced to return to Switzerland. With his forces now on the move, Caesars Gallic Wars had begun.

5. Ariovistus  The Germanic War Chief

Even though Caesar used the Helvetii to get his legions into Gaul, he also needed a motive to keep them there. In fact, every new engagement he was involved in over the course of the following years needed something to justify it. And this time it was Ariovistus, a Germanic Suebian chief who crossed the Rhine River into Gaul. Shortly after his victory over the Helvetii, Caesar received a delegation of Gallic leaders, asking him to help them against the Germanic aggressor. Ariovistus initially came to Gaul at the request of the Sequani, in order to help them against the Aedui, with which they were fighting about tolls on the Saone. The Aedui, who were allies of Rome, had asked the Romans for help in 61 BC, but the Romans were unable to help because of an uprising that sprang up. Ariovistus initially came with 15,000 men and helped the Sequani win their war, but soon enough began making harsh demands like two thirds of their lands. By 58 BC, the Germanic numbers swelled from 15,000 to 120,000, in order to populate the area west of the Rhine River, and with plans to bring even more.

After two unsuccessful negotiations with Ariovistus, Caesar moved quickly to take over the Sequani capital of Vesontio before the Suebi could. In doing so, the two armies got in striking distance of each other, and this was the first and last time the Roman soldiers almost went into a panic, based on the stories they heard about the Germanic tribesmen. Nevertheless, after a few days rest, Caesar went in pursuit of Ariovistus and caught up to him after a week of relentless marching. Ariovistus was then able to go around Caesar and set up camp behind him on top of a hill, in a position where he could intercept the Roman grain supplies. Caesar moved back behind the tribesmen and built a fort there, all the while keeping the construction safe from raids. But after successfully interrogating a prisoner, Caesar found out that Ariovistus was avoiding a full battle because of a divination that said that the Germans would not win before the next full moon. In what could be described as a self-fulfilling prophecy, Caesar initiated a battle before the new moon, resulting in their victory. The retreating Germanic forces crossed the Rhine, and it would be three years before Caesar faced them again.

4. The Bravest of the Gauls

In his Commentaries, Caesar names the Belgae as the bravest of all the Gallic tribes. Now, these Belgae werent a single tribe, but an entire confederation of over 20 tribes that inhabited the region northeast of present-day Paris and into present-day Belgium. The reasons Caesar called them as such is mainly to reinforce the preconceived notion that the farther away one went from the Roman sphere of influence, the more barbaric the tribes became. That, plus the fact that the Belgae bordered the Germanic tribes to the east, meant they were in constant conflict, and in turn made them accustomed to war (which wasnt an entirely false assertion by Caesar). Nevertheless, Belgica was the next region Caesar and his legions went into next.

Some rumors reached Caesar after his campaign against Ariovistus that the Belgae were amassing a large army as a response to his earlier conquests, and the fact that his legions hadnt left Gaul after those conflicts were over. And they were right to be alarmed. The following year, in 57 BC, Caesar returned to Gaul with two new legions that he raised during the winter months, raising his forces to eight legions, or 35,000 to 40,000 men. It is important to note that Caesar was initially given four legions to defend his provinces, but had now doubled his forces without the approval of the Senate. Hearing of the Belgae army, he marched into their territory. Here, the two armies battled it out twice, once at the River Sabis, and another at Axona River. Even though the Romans were victorious on both accounts, Caesar had suffered some heavy losses, particularly at the Sabis. This was also the hardest battle fought during the entire Gallic Wars, with the exception of a last stand that was to follow years later.

Caesar then marched his troops all throughout Belgica, subduing one tribe after another, either through sieges or volunteered surrender. Now even though its not mentioned, it is safe to assume that a lot of pillaging took place during this period, as well as throughout the entire Gallic campaign. Caesar also wintered his legions in Belgica, spreading them out among the various tribes. This, of course, felt like (and indeed was) more of a subjugation than a temporary thing. In 53 BC, a northern tribe known as the Eburones revolted against this oppression and abused 15 cohorts stationed there. In retaliation, Caesar virtually exterminated them, which opened the door for some Germanic tribes to cross the Rhine and replace them.

3. The Veneti and Sea Warfare

Caesars pretexts of waging war all across Gaul were becoming weaker with each passing year. When it came to the Veneti, a northwestern tribe located mostly on the Atlantic coast of Brittany in France, a simple case of diplomatic misunderstanding was enough to make Caesar declare war on them. The only problem was that the Veneti were a seafaring people and some of their strongholds were protected by the tide itself, somewhat similar to Mont Saint-Michel in Northern France. In preparation for this war, Caesar ordered some 200 ships to be built on the Loire River that connected with the Atlantic. And while Caesar marched with his legions on foot toward Veneti territory, the ships went downriver and up the coast.

Hearing of their coming, the Veneti boarded their ships and fled offshore. When Caesar arrived, he found only deserted villages, which he then pillaged and burned. The Roman ships, unlike the Veneti ones, werent built for the Atlantic, which meant that the Veneti could outmaneuver them. Roman naval battles were based on ramming the enemy ship, crippling it, and then boarding it. But the Veneti werent only faster and had better knowledge of the tides, but their ships were also sturdier  which made them impossible to successfully ram and cripple. Their ships were also taller than the Roman ones, so if the Romans got close, the Veneti could easily shower them with arrows and other projectiles. To overcome this problem, naval commander Decimus Brutus (one of the men who would later take part in Caesars assassination  though he wasnt that Brutus) came up with an ingenious idea to incapacitate the Veneti ships. By making use of some hooks on long poles, the Romans were able to tear down their sails, making the enemy ships dead in the water. They were then able to board the ships and win the battle  all while Caesar watched from the beach.

With the fleet gone, the Romans now could effectively storm those strongholds and finally crush the Veneti. In the aftermath, the elites were killed while most of the rest of the population was sold into slavery. This grim fate of the Veneti served as an example for the rest of the tribes in the region about the might of Rome.

2. Caesar in Britain

Throughout the Gallic Wars, Caesar became the first Roman who officially crossed the Rhine River, and the first to go to Britain. But while his crossing into Germanic territory was more of a show of force and he didnt actually encounter anyone, his visit to Britain was different. He actually went there on two separate occasions. His reasons for going there were, as usual, very implausible and unconvincing. In his Commentaries, he said that the people living there were aiding the Gauls he was fighting on the mainland. For the Romans back home, they only heard rumors about the island, with all sorts of stories made up about it  some of which being that it was the land of the dead. So, you can imagine what a great PR campaign this was for Caesar. Nevertheless, in his first crossing of the English Channel, he only did so with two legions, or roughly 10,000 to 12,000 men. Even though this was more of a reconnaissance expedition, it could have been a disastrous one for Caesar.

When his fleet reached the British shore around Dover, he was met with a formidable Briton force up on the hill. Whats more, his cavalry forces werent able to make the crossing because of high tides. When the actual landing took place, the Romans were met with a fierce resistance and suffered heavy losses. They were able to put together a defensive position just off the beach, but with little supplies available the campaign only lasted for 20 days before they had to return to the mainland. The most formidable weapon the Britons had at their disposal was the war chariot. With it, the Britons were able to effectively deploy constant hit-and-run tactics, harassing the Romans at every turn. The chariot was driven by one man while two others were throwing javelins. If necessary it would stop, the men would get off, and fight on foot. But if the battle became too fierce, they would get on again and ride away. And because the Romans didnt have their cavalry with them, they couldnt actually fight back against them.

Nevertheless, this incursion to the British Isle was widely celebrated in Rome, so Caesar decided to return in 54 BC. This time, however, he would bring five legions and 2,000 mounted troops. And while they faced similar difficulties as the first time, they were able to storm the Catuvellauni stronghold, the most powerful tribe in southern Britain. After securing a peace treaty and annual tributes, Caesar returned to Gaul. The Romans would not set foot in Britain again for the following 90 years.

1. Vercingetorix

As Caesars grip tightened over Gaul, the people living there were feeling the effects and were beginning to conspire against the Romans. Even though the annexation wasnt official, the many Gallic tribes had to pay Caesar annual tribute, give him fighting soldiers, and supply him with grain. Many Gallic leaders came together and decided on a coordinated Gallic rebellion all across Gaul. One man, Vercingetorix, was chosen to lead this revolt. This revolt consisted mostly of guerrilla-style warfare where there were many hit and run operations and a scorched earth policy implemented wherever the Roman legions went. After a series of successful encounters, Vercingetorix was pinned down at the fortress of Alesia in 52 BC.

In charge of some 60,000 men and having the advantage of higher ground, Vercingetorix decided to wait for reinforcements. Caesar was at another disadvantage since his supply lines were unreliable while they were going through enemy territory. Nevertheless, knowing that another Gallic force could be arriving at any given moment, he began construction on a circumvallation wall surrounding the entire hill fort. After that was finished, he began working on another one, but this time facing outward, and with his army in between. When the Gallic reinforcements finally arrived, battle commenced almost immediately. And after several days of engagements, with the Romans being pinned in the middle, they were almost overrun. In a last-ditch effort, Caesar ahead of his 6,000-strong cavalry was able to break through the lines and attack the Gauls from behind, eventually winning the battle. With no real chance of escaping, Vercingetorix surrendered the following day.

While the Battle of Alesia is the official end of the Gallic Wars and the regions annexation into Roman territory, a mopping up operation took place over the following year and a half. And even though there were several other uprisings, Roman control in Gaul was not seriously challenged until the second century AD. In the aftermath of these wars, over one million people lay dead and another 500,000 were sent into slavery. With the wealth and forces Caesar accumulated over this period, he was also able to challenge his former ally in Rome, Pompey Magnus, as well as the Senate, and initiate the following Civil Wars that would effectively put an end to the Roman Republic and pave the way for the Roman Empire to arise.

Other Articles you Might Like
Tensions between the two communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, have been going on for years but their cooperation has also been extensive enabling tourism on the island to thrive

The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement making reference to its inalienable and legitimate right to exploit the natural resources around the island of Cyprus. The statement goes on to stress that Ankara would take all the necessary actions in order to protect both its own rights and interests in its continental shelf and to continue its support to the Turkish Cypriot side.

Turkey reacted by issuing the indirect threats after the presence of a drilling rig in plot around the Cypriot waters, which is preparing to start its activities according to the plan that has been set by the government of the Cypriot Republic.

The exact statement by the Turkish Foreign is as follows:

The Greek Cypriot Administration continues its unilateral hydrocarbon-related activities in the Eastern Mediterranean in disregard of the inalienable rights on natural resources of the Turkish Cypriot people, the co-owners of the Island. Most recently in this context, a drilling vessel has arrived at block number six and is preparing to commence its activities within the framework of the licenses issued by the Greek Cypriot Administration in its so-called exclusive economic zone.

It is unacceptable that the Greek Cypriot side persists in acting as though it were the sole owner of the Island and continues with its unilateral hydrocarbon-related activities in the absence of a just and lasting comprehensive settlement in Cyprus.

We support the statement made on 29 December 2017 concerning this issue by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and we share the justified concerns and outrage felt by the Turkish Cypriot side.

Turkey, who from the very beginning has been issuing the necessary warnings with regard to these irresponsible steps taken by the Greek Cypriot Administration, is determined to protect both its own rights and interests in its continental shelf and to continue its support to the Turkish Cypriot side.

Within this framework, the necessary preparations are being made for various exploration activities in Turkeys licensed exploration areas in the Eastern Mediterranean in the period ahead, including the areas where Turkish Petroleum was granted exploration permits by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus upon the basis of the legitimate rights of the Turkish Cypriot people on the natural resources around the Island.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: HG32 License: CC-BY-SA

Source: protothema.gr
The Saudi government plans to build 31 new technical education institutions in Makkah province at an investment of SR1.3 billion ($346 million) through its Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), said a report.



The TVTC in co-operation with the Ministry of Education plans to encourage 32 per cent of high school graduates to join its programmes, reported the Saudi Gazette.



The corporation had opened 45 branches of technical colleges in different regions to provide training to young Saudis in their hometowns. It also equipped 13 colleges to offer bachelor programmes besides employing 864 Saudi trainers and 50 expatriate trainers.



The corporation has trained 45,600 students in telecommunication jobs. The training was offered to both men and women to help Saudization of the sector, stated the report, citing a senior official.



"By 2020 they hope to train 950,000 males and females in various technical and vocational trades," revealed Faisal Kadasa, the governor of the TVTC.



Kadasa pointed out that several other training programs were under way to achieve the objectives of Vision 2030.



Work is also in full swing at the second technical college for girls in Jeddah where 83 per cent of the project haas already been completed, he added.


Huawei, a global provider of ICT solutions, has announced the end of the Bahrain chapter of its ICT Skills Competition 2017.



Aimed at universities and students, the competition seeks to recognize and nurture the regions finest ICT talent. The winners have earned a trip to China at the end of December, where they will compete with international finalists and receive knowledge training from top executives at Huaweis headquarters in Shenzhen.



The announcement was made at an event in Capital Club, Bahrain Financial Harbour attended by representatives from Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, Economic Development Board (EDB), and Tamkeen, and four universities.



The ICT Skill Competition was made possible through strong partnerships under the patronage of Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications with direct support of the EDB and the Tamkeen, as well as the support from the four participating universities: University of Bahrain, Bahrain Polytechnic, Ahlia University and AMA International University.



Out of all the students who signed up for the preliminary, top 10 in the national final were awarded with prizes. Ultimately, top 3 students from the University of Bahrain were chosen for the international final. They are now in China to compete internationally.



Huawei grants the winners an exclusive fully paid trip to the companys international headquarters in Shenzhen and the chance to meet with the brands leadership. They will gain unrivalled exposure to Huaweis expertise in telecommunications, enterprise, and consumer business, not to mention a priceless cultural experience and knowledge exchange.



Knowledge transfer and nurturing future ICT talent has always been a core pillar of the Huawei way, and we are thrilled to be able to launch the ICT Skill Competition for that exact reason. The future of ICT progress lays in the hands of our students, and by developing platforms and programs that allow them to grow and mature into experts, we can better equip the next generation of technology leaders, said Fengnan Paul, CEO of Huawei Bahrain office.



Professor Riyad Hamzah, president of University of Bahrain said: UOB is delighted that our students won the top 5 places in this prestigious national skills competition, it shows the quality of our technology students and why they are so highly regarded by employers. Huawei is global technology player with big ambitions and their Middle East headquarters is in Bahrain and human capital is a key reason for that. We at UOB are delighted to partner with Huawei and this is the start of much more collaboration with a focus on Artificial intelligence and Internet of Things.





In total, 10,285 students across the Middle East applied for the competition, from which 4,113 were selected to take part in the preliminary rounds. A total of 310 students passed on to the final round and 39 will be travelling to China to compete internationally. The ICT Competition was made possible through the cooperation of 14 ministries across the Middle East. Huawei had four training partners to help prepare students for the rigorous exam. A total of 121 universities took part in total, and 65 participated in the roadshow.



The winners of the international final competition in Huawei Shenzhen Headquarters will receive certificates, trophies, and prizes, in addition to awarding the most outstanding teamwith$30,000 in cash, the next two teams will claim second place and three teams will be awarded third place. The next seven teams will receive Excellence Prizes, while six tutors and five academies will also be recognized with the Excellent Tutor and Best Academy Prizes.  TradeArabia News Service
Al Tamimi & Company, a top law firm and Corporate Hub 9 (CH9) have agreed a partnership whereby Al Tamimi will assist start-up enterprises fostered by CH9 by providing legal guidance, support and assistance, through its Bahrain office.



CH9 is a business accelerator centre established in Bahrain with the aim of helping innovative enterprises grow and prosper through knowledge, investment support and access to local and regional markets.



Mohamed Al Tawash, chairman of CH9, commented: Providing a large support and registration to startups is a must and we are so glad for our partnership with Al Tamimi & Co across the Mena region.

Foutoun Hajjar, partner & head of Al Tamimis Bahrain Office, said: We are pleased to embark upon this partnership with CH9 to support the development of start-ups in Bahrain. The entrepreneurial community is growing and developing at a rapid pace across the region.



As the largest law firm in the Middle East, paired with extensive commercial and legal expertise, and long-established relationships with key decision makers, regulators and government bodies in the region, Al Tamimi is in a strong position to support entrepreneurs with their start-ups and innovations across the Middle East.



As part of the mutual collaboration, Al Tamimi and CH9 will now work closely to:



 Create collaborative opportunities for future joint or allied activity and projects which aid the Bahrain start-up community fostered by CH9.

 Share legal knowledge and expertise through workshops, presentations and training, including the roll-out of a structured learning programme.

 Provide legal business mentors, and legal advice to start-ups fostered by CH9, by way of pro-bono or discounted rates, enabling them to grow while receiving quality advice to protect and develop their business.



The collaboration between Al Tamimi and CH9 was announced at Bahrains recent three-day workshop, Seedstars Mena 2017. This year, the event allowed attendees to enjoy two days of boot camp training lead by industry experts including Al Tamimi lawyers, who gave inspirational speeches, enlightening panels and impactful mentoring. The three days were concluded with a summit open to delegates.



The flagship event brought together more than 300 startup founders, investors, ecosystem players, leading corporations and successful entrepreneurs from Mena, Europe and the US, including the winning startups from the 9 Seedstars competitions across the Mena region. The winners will now go on to represent their respective countries in Switzerland in April to compete for a $1 million investment prize.  TradeArabia News Service
Qatar will supply Sudans State of Khartoum with 505 buses as part of a trade agreement, revealed the Qatari Ministry of Transport and Communications.



This follows talks between Qatar's Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti and the Khartoum States Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Eng Khalid Mohammed Khair, said a Middle East Monitor report.



The ministers alos discussed the implementation of a MoU signed between the Qatar Ports Management Company (Mwani Qatar) and the Port of Port Sudan to develop the Port of Suakin on the Red Sea, making it a key seaport for cargo transportation.



They discussed the commencement of concrete discussions and development works at the port, which is considered a lifeblood for the Port Sudan area. The meeting directed the work team to complete the necessary studies in the shortest possible time.
Alesayi Motors, official distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in Saudi Arabia, recently hosted a ceremony launching the Mitsubishi Attrage, a new eco-friendly compact Sedan.



The ceremony was held in the presence of Masahiko Takahashi, president of Mitsubishi Motors Middle East & Africa FZE (MMMEA), said a statement.



Bandar Saeed Alesayi, CEO of Alesayi Motors, said: The Attrage is a compact eco-friendly car, currently manufactured at the Mitsubishi Motors operation in Thailand.



Along with its very lightweight components and distinguished design, it boasts a frugal and efficient performance, which amounts to a combined class-leading fuel consumption of 22km/l, he added.



Thanks to its distinctive features in the compact car range, the new model is aptly positioned to achieve unprecedented success in the Saudi market for consumers looking to buy a car with such high-quality specifications under the Mitsubishi brand, he continued.



The Attrage features a short nose, which delivers an outstanding forward field of view; it also enjoys superior manoeuvrability, with a class leading minimum turning radius of 4.8m making it easy to make U-turns & cut corners on tight and narrow road conditions.



The vehicle features well designed flowing side proportions, which balance aerodynamics and interior space are among the most generous in its class, as well as sleek aerodynamics, with a dynamic character line, which kicks up towards the rear.



Takahashi said: The new Attrages lightweight and solid RISE body constructed with high tensile steel enhances driving safety, by effectively absorbing and dispersing crash energy.



Power comes from a responsive 1.2-litre three-cylinder MIVEC petrol engine that produces 78 hp, which is coupled with a five-speed manual gearbox or an automatic continuously variable transmission, which maintains optimal rpm for high performance and fuel economy, with a top speed of 170 km/hr, he added.



It is noteworthy that Mitsubishi celebrates its centennial year as being the first Japanese automotive brand having introduced its first mass-production car in Japanese history in 1917.



Towards the end of the ceremony, Takahashi lauded Alesayi Motors efforts to enhance consumers confidence in Mitsubishi vehicles in the Saudi market, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Kuwait is set to begin its membership at the UN Security Council (UNSC) beginning January 1, 2018, after a 40-year hiatus, amidst many regional and global challenges, said a report.



The tiny Gulf nation will have a two-year membership at the council and will succeed Egypt in representing the Arab Group in the UN, reported Kuwait News Agency (Kuna).



"Kuwait will continue being neutral in resolving different issues. It would fully co-operate with UNSC's member states to peacefully end conflicts and wars," Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah, Kuwait's Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs, was quoted as saying in the report.



Around 188 out of 193 UN General Secretariat Member States voted for Kuwait's membership, which shows that the country had gained the trust of the international community, stated Kuna citing Kuwait's permanent envoy to the UN Ambassador Mansour Al Otaibi.



"Kuwait's top priorities are to prevent conflicts before they occur, mediation in terms of the UN's articles and reforming the UN General Secretariat and the UNSC," he added.



Al Otaibi also called for increasing the number of the council's member states, adding that Arab countries are demanding a permanent Arab seat at the Council.
Euro Motors, the sole dealer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Bahrain, has unveiled new Rolls-Royce Phantom, the new flagship of the luxury car manufacturer, following its recent global debut in London, UK.



The New Phantom features a spectacular bespoke advancement with The Gallery. An unprecedented new concept in luxury, The Gallery reinterprets the motor cars dashboard for the first time in 100 years. Owners will be able to commission a truly individual work of art that spans the width of The Gallery and sits behind a single pane of glass in their New Phantom.



Phantom is the epitome of effortless style, an historical nameplate that occupies its very individual space in the luxury constellation, said Brett Soso, regional director at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Middle East and Africa at the unveil.



Every one of our customers  each a connoisseur of true luxury  was asking for something even more individual to them, and we are proud to present New Phantom as a modern yet timeless masterpiece which allows to make your motor car truly as unique as your fingerprint, he added.



New Phantom offers a wholly new, contemporary design interpretation of Rolls-Royce Phantom DNA. The all-new aluminium Architecture of Luxury underpinning the New Phantom is lighter, stiffer, quieter and more technologically advanced. The many years of engineering ensures the architectural and proportional lineage of Rolls-Royce while delivering a whole new level of Magic Carpet Ride.



An all-new 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 engine is the silently beating heart of New Phantom, providing a perfectly tuned level of power and performance. Engineers have also discreetly applied Satellite Aided Transmission, rear-wheel steering and a myriad of behind the scenes technology to provide an effortless experience. The New Phantom is the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce ever.



From the moment Sir Henry Royce introduced the Rolls-Royce Phantom in 1925 it was judged The Best Car in the World by the cognoscenti. As a result it has conveyed some of the worlds most influential and powerful men and women to the most defining historical moments over the last 92 years.



Majed Al Zayani, general manager of Euro Motors said: With this new car a new benchmark has now been set. The eighth generation of its nameplate, the 2018 Phantom heralds a new luxury business model, demonstrating that Rolls-Royce operates in the luxury goods industry like no other. As this new chapter in the Rolls-Royce story begins, it is the new Phantom that points the way forward for the global luxury industry.  TradeArabia News Service
The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) has awarded E2.125 billion ($119 million) worth of electrical and mechanical works contract for key power development projects in Assiut, the largest town in Upper Egypt, and the west Cairo area, said a report.



The scope of work includes implementation of the tanks yard in the electricity plants in west Cairo and Assiuts Al Walideya, as well as the keys yard for a west Cairo plant, reported Daily News Egypt.



The contract for the keys yard operation, with 220-500 kV capacity for the project of the West Cairo electricity plant was signed, with the alliance of Posco Daewoo Corp and Hyundai Electric.



The contracting value of the west Cairo keys yard is E454.2 million. Part of the cost is paid in dollars, and the implementation period of the project is 32 months since the assignment order date, in addition to a 24 month guarantee period, said the Daily News Egypt.



The works of this operation include designing, manufacturing, supplying, installing, training, and carrying out tests, as well as starting operation of the gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) with 500 kV and 220 kV capacities, stated the report.



Gabir Al Desouky, the chairperson of the EEHC, said that a contract was signed for the tanks of the west Cairo and Assiut plants with Hilal Construction Company for a value of E98 million.



The scope of work includes designing, manufacturing, and supplying a diesel tank, a heating oil tank, condensing water tank of stainless steel, and a saltless water tank.



The project will be completed with three years starting from the assignment date.
As this appalling year limps to a close, with President Trump consistently underperforming even the lowest of expectations, a note of holiday cheer: Our country's institutions and values have, so far, proven remarkably resilient.

This outcome was not a given; complacency that it will continue would be dangerous. And yet, after nearly a year of Trump, the warnings about incipient fascism and the insidious ways in which strongmen acquire power feel overblown. I suspected so from the start, but I wasn't sure -- nor should we be cocky about the future.

Still, for now, there are reasons for optimism in the performance of the media, the courts and, yes, even the Republican-dominated Congress -- undergirded and reinforced by the American people.

On the media: How scary it is to have a president who derides us as "the enemy of the American people"? To have a cable news network that inflames his worst instincts and recklessly flings suggestions of a "coup" by special counsel Robert Mueller? To have nearly half the public, egged on by Trump's bellowing about "fake news," believing that reporters simply invent negative stories about the president?

But while Trump & Co. went to war against the press, we went to work, to paraphrase Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron. Without that work, the public would likely not know about: former national security adviser Michael Flynn's contacts with the Russians; Donald Trump Jr.'s "I love it" meeting with a Russian lawyer peddling dirt on Hillary Clinton, and the president's efforts to mislead people about the event; Trump's description of fired FBI Director James Comey as a "nut job" in a meeting with Russian officials in which he also divulged highly classified information. The list goes on.

And for all the Trump-fomented anger at and distrust of the media, the president has stirred up something else. For the first time in my career, people are thanking me and my colleagues for what we do, a development that is at once gratifying and unsettling. (It's our job.) Digital subscriptions are soaring at the Post and The New York Times, which helps provide the resources for more rigorous reporting.

The courts have also stood their institutional ground -- notwithstanding, and perhaps in response to, Trump's demonstrated contempt for an independent judiciary. All three versions of Trump's misguided effort to ban entry of citizens from certain Muslim-majority nations have been struck down by courts, although the Supreme Court has slowed the latest one to take effect while the litigation continues.

So was his attempt to deny federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities. So was his cruel, ignorant effort to ban transgendered people from serving in the military. So was his bid to prevent undocumented teenagers from exercising their right to abortion.

All of this could be ephemeral. The ideological balance of the Supreme Court is precarious, and the seat that was denied to Barack Obama (and Merrick Garland) and occupied by Justice Neil Gorsuch will matter long after we are rid of Trump. In contrast to Trump's incompetence in staffing up the executive branch, and with the exception of a few jaw-droppingly unqualified lower-court nominees, the Trump team has been diligent in filling the judicial vacancies that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell maneuvered to leave for him.

It is beyond naive to think that these changes won't matter. But I am not -- not yet? -- disillusioned enough to believe this transformation will leave the separation of powers and the rule of law defenseless. A Trump-infused judiciary will not always rule the way I would like, but I remain confident that even conservative judges and justices would resist his most authoritarian, unconstitutional impulses.

And speaking of separation of powers, there is Congress. It may strain optimism to consider congressional Republicans, with their rammed-through tax bill and fawning obeisance to Trump, as any kind of bulwark against his excesses.

Yet we have seen repeated episodes of congressional resistance, enough of it to make a difference, whether to manifestly unqualified judicial nominees or to ill-intentioned efforts to dismantle the health care law. Even this Congress, even before the changes that 2018 may bring, has pursued investigations into Trump's Russia ties and would rebel at any effort to fire Mueller or obstruct his probe, despite the current outcry.

I am not saying this has been a good year. Indeed, it was dreadful.

But if Trump was even worse than we expected, our system, imperfect and battered as it is, withstood the onslaught. This is a terrible moment in our nation's history, but I am betting it is just that -- a moment, not a death knell.
Anantara Spa received a total of 12 wins in the World Spa Awards 2017 held recently at a glittering ceremony in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.

Three sought after Words Best awards hailed Anantara Spa as the Worlds Best Hotel Spa Brand, accompanied by two individual resorts being named the best in the world. Adding to the impressive award bank, nine additional hotel, resort, safari and wellness spas saw the brand shine across Asia, the Middle East, Indian Ocean and Africa, said a statement.

Epitomising authentic luxury, Anantara Spa journeys embrace the indigenous culture and nature of each locale through a passionate integration of architecture, treatments, service and ambience. Recognising the success of this brand philosophy, Anantara Spa won the prestigious accolade of World's Best Hotel Spa Brand 2017 as part of a hat trick of Worlds Best awards, it said.

Two individual Anantara Spas also shone on a global stage. Providing a palatial oasis of rich Arabian traditions in the heart of the worlds largest desert, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara in the UAE was named the World's Best Desert Spa. Offering island exclusivity in Qatar, Banana Island Resort Doha won World's Best Private Island Spa.

Nine national awards highlight uniquely luxurious sanctuaries in iconic destinations. Anantara Spa was born in Thailand and two spas proudly upheld the brands roots  each offering exotic Thai treatments in striking locations. Boasting a prestigious address in the capital, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel received the title of Thailand's Best Hotel Spa 2017. Overlooking a lotus-filled lagoon in the royal seaside town of Hua Hin, Anantara Hua Hin Resort was named Thailand's Best Resort Spa. Showcasing the brands authentic spa journeys across Asia, Anantara Sanya Resort is revered for its precious pearl and tea-infused treatments, and shone as China's Best Resort Spa.

In the Indian Ocean, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort was crowned the Maldives's Best Wellness Retreat, an honour impeccably bestowed to inaugurate its new Balance Wellness Sanctuary  offering a multidimensional approach to relaxation and health. Coaxing blissful seclusion in an African island paradise, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort was awarded Mozambique's Best Resort Spa. Bringing a second award to Africa, the Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara celebrated the title of Zambia's Best Safari Spa, pampering guests with indigenous African treatments in sumptuous colonial spa suites, as well as poolside massages overlooking the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls, it said.

In the Middle East, three Anantara Spas shone in the award limelight. Perched on the rim of a great canyon, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is famed for its local rose oil, frankincense and pomegranate spa journeys, and proudly scooped Oman's Best Resort Spa award. Bestowed with two desirable awards, in addition to World's Best Private Island Spa, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara was also hailed Qatar's Best Hotel Spa. While on stunning Sir Bani Yas Island, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara lavishes guests with ancient Arabian rituals, and was honoured with the accolade of Abu Dhabi's Best Resort Spa.

Launched in 2015, the dynamic World Spa Awards sets a benchmark in excellence.  TradeArabia News Service
Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, has signed a management agreement with Basma Group and Arada for a new Anantara resort in Sharjah, UAE.



Scheduled to open in mid-2020, the 233-key Anantara Sharjah Resort will be located on a prime beachfront location in Sharjah, approximately 30 minutes drive from Dubai International Airport and 15 minutes drive from Sharjah International Airport.



The new-build resort will offer a selection of accommodation options including Deluxe Rooms and Luxury Suites. Facilities will include multiple dining options with a specialty restaurant located on a pier, a male and female spa and wellness centre, a kids club, a swimming pool and a ballroom able to accommodate up to 540 guests for a banquet.



Basma Group and Arada will be the joint owners of the hotel, with the latter playing a developer management role in the delivery of the property. Both companies are headquartered in Sharjah, under the chairmanship of HE Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi.



The third-largest emirate in the UAE, Sharjah is an established tourism destination which is growing significantly in popularity. Home to great beaches, it is well known for its commitment to art, culture and preserving the local heritage, with an impressive selection of museums, art galleries and beautifully restored traditional areas. The Sharjah tourism authority is continuing to enhance the tourism and hotel industries, with the emirate having adopted a long-term development strategy aimed at diversification of the economy and becoming a cultural and leisure centre for the region.



Sharjah International Airport accommodates a number of international carriers as well as regional airlines and is the official hub of Air Arabia, the Middle Easts first low-cost carrier.



Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas was launched by Minor Hotels in 2001 and currently operates 39 properties in 12 countries. The luxury brand has nine hotels and resorts in the Middle East  six in the UAE, two in Oman and one in Qatar. In addition Anantara has further properties under development in the region including in the UAE and the brands first properties in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco.



At the signing, which took place yesterday in Sharjah, William E. Heinecke, founder, chairman and CEO of Minor International PCL, said: We are delighted to be partnering with Basma Group and Arada to bring our luxury Anantara brand to Sharjah. There is a huge opportunity within the luxury segment in this fast-growing destination and we are confident that Anantara will be well received within the market.



Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of Basma Group and chairman of Arada, said: Anantara is one of the worlds most prestigious luxury hotel brands, and this new property marks yet another hospitality milestone for Sharjah. Were looking forward to launching the Anantara Sharjah Resort in 2020, and delivering on our commitment to providing exceptional new destinations to the residents of Sharjah, as well as tourists to our fast-growing Emirate.



Dillip Rajakarier, CEO Minor Hotels, also said: Anantara is very well established in the Middle East market and adding a resort in Sharjah is a great opportunity to further extend the brand in the region and reach new markets. We look forward to working with Basma Group and Arada to bring the new resort to market and to ensuring its success as one of the leading hotels in the emirate.



Minor Hotels currently operates 13 properties in the Middle East across four of its brands  Anantara, Avani, Tivoli and Oaks  and has a further strong pipeline in the region across these four brands. - TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Airport's Al Majlis VIP Service and Terminal 3 were awarded a five-star rating under the Global Star Rating Program.



HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai Government unveiled classification plates rating the two service centres at Dubai International Airport as five-star service facilities last week.



Launched in 2012 by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Global Star Rating Programme assesses and measures the performance of each departments service centre on a scale of two to seven stars through an official assessment process conducted under the aegis of the Prime Ministers Office. As part of the programme services centres are evaluated once every two years and given a classification and evaluation report, which includes a customer satisfaction survey and mystery shopper studies.



We are honoured to receive this recognition for the quality of the service we provide to millions of customers that travel though our facilities each year. This acknowledgement will go a long way in encouraging employees of Dubai Airports and our stakeholder to ensure the consistent delivery of quality customer service across the airport, said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports, and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline & Group.



The service centres assessed at Dubai International were evaluated on eight aspects including strategic alignment, customers, services, channels, customer experience, service efficiency and innovation, human resources and technology, against as many as 127 different requisites. A total of 130 service centres from 20 government entities in Dubai were assessed by rating programme this year. - TradeArabia News Service
Transportation Research Board > Blurbs > Evaluation of Ice Loads on Bridge Sub-Structures in South Dakota





Evaluation of Ice Loads on Bridge Sub-Structures in South Dakota





E-Newsletter Type: E-Newsletter Type: University Research News



This Summary Last Modified On: 12/20/2017 The Upper Great Plains Institute at North Dakota State University has released a report that assesses the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design calculations for dynamic ice loads on bridge structures in South Dakota. In seismically inactive regions such as South Dakota, ice loads can be the predominant lateral load in the design of bridge sub-structures. Text Size:
Criminal complaints Wednesday, Dec. 27 through Friday, Dec. 29:

This list is not comprehensive. Municipalities are listed as they appear on the criminal complaint. Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. To see mugshots of the accused, visit www.journaltimes.com/gallery. Additional information about the complaints can be found at: journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts.

Schantasia Abernathy, 4000 block of N. 38th St., Milwaukee, personal identity theft-avoidance, obstructing an officer, and bail jumping.

Priscilla J. Armstrong, 3200 block of Indiana St., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Uriah T. Barry Jr., 3700 block of Northwestern Ave., Racine, credit card theft/possess stolen cards, and fraudulent use of a credit card.

Cory D. Borchart, 400 block of 16th St., Racine, bail jumping.

Jeremy D. Debartelo, 4200 block of 22nd Ave., Kenosha, theft, criminal damage to property, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Jacob A. Doppke, 3300 block of 26th Ave., Kenosha, theft, and entry into a locked coin box.

Orlando J. Doss, 3600 block of 21st St., Racine, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, attempt escape, and possession of marijuana.

John T. Foster, 2000 block of Racine St., Racine, obstructing an officer, resisting an officer, disorderly conduct, and domestic abuse assessments.

Tevin T. Gallien, 1600 block of Quincy Ave., Racine, uttering a forgery.

Lizbeth Garcia Escribano, 1800 block of Sheridan Road, Kenosha, bail jumping.

Fred C. Gossett, 3000 block of Washington Ave., Racine, battery, domestic abuse assessments, disorderly conduct, and obstructing an officer.

Robert P. Greskoviak, 7400 block of 10th Ave., Kenosha, theft, and criminal damage to property.

Alexa E. Harris, 8600 block of Vista Drive, Caledonia, battery, and disorderly conduct.

Melissa M. Harris, 400 block of Adeline Drive, Franksville, attempting to flee or elude a traffic officer.

Ashley L. Hawley, 1200 block of Yout St., Racine, disorderly conduct, and domestic abuse assessments.

Rosemary Hobson, 2700 block of Fleetwood Drive, Racine, disorderly conduct, use of a dangerous weapon, and domestic abuse assessments.

Mark D. Hollins Sr., 1100 block of Grand Ave., Racine, operate motor vehicle while revoked, and bail jumping.

Jaylen A. Hudson, 9400 block of W. Silver Spring Drive, Milwaukee, possession of marijuana, and disorderly conduct.

James Johnson, 5800 block of N. 40th St., Milwaukee, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, and operating with prohibited alcohol concentration.

Meghan S. Kaufman, 3100 block of Kennedy Drive, Sturtevant, retail theft.

Nicholas J. Kostman, 1300 block of Vine St., Union Grove, contributing to the delinquency of a child, and knowingly operate motor vehicle while revoked.

James C. Latshaw, 4100 block of 15th St., Racine, battery, domestic abuse assessments, and disorderly conduct.

Zavon Q. Luckett, 900 block of Peck Ave., Racine, manufacture/deliver cocaine, and disorderly conduct.

Zavon Q. Luckett, 4300 block of Victory Ave., Racine, possession of marijuana, and bail jumping.

Richard B. McGee Jr., 1000 block of Center St., Racine, criminal damage to property, domestic abuse assessments, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct.

Courtney T. Miller, 4700 block of Somerville Road, Cross Plains, Tenn., obstructing an officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Triono Mills, 1200 block of South Central Park, Chicago, Ill., uttering a forgery.

Isidro Ochoa Montes, 3700 block of Roosevelt Road, Kenosha, resisting an officer.

Mark A. Mousourakis, 100 block of W. Chestnut St., Silver Lake, operating without a license.

Destiny E. Payne, 3700 block of Douglas Ave., Racine, criminal damage to property, interference with firefighting equipment, and disorderly conduct.

Ronald J. Pershing, 1600 block of Carlton Drive, Racine, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Russell J. Rediske, 1200 block of Goold St., Racine, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Isaias Reyes, 10200 block of W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee, operating without a license.

Chartrice S. Shannon, 1200 block of Grand Ave., Racine, operating with restricted controlled substance in blood with a minor child in vehicle, and possession of marijuana.

Michael T. Sherrill, 200 block of S. Newman Road, Mount Pleasant, bail jumping, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, operating with prohibited alcohol concentration, and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Shamyra J. Smith, 2700 block of Anthony Lane, Racine, criminal damage to property, domestic abuse assessments, and disorderly conduct.

Michael J. Stelter, 6800 block of Cliffside Drive, Racine, disorderly conduct, domestic abuse assessments, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Michelle L. Stewart, 2500 block of N. 35th St., Milwaukee, retail theft.

Khadeja R. Teague, 2000 block of Racine St., Racine, operate motor vehicle while revoked.

Cerrell D. Walker, 900 block of Hamilton St., Racine, obstructing an officer.

Benjamin J. Wolnik, 400 block of Sunnyside Drive, Kansasville, criminal damage to property, domestic abuse assessments, disorderly conduct, and bail jumping.

Alicia R. Wojtowicz, 3300 block of 26th Ave., Kenosha, theft, and entry into a locked coin box.
SC Vasudeva

Q. I want to gift Rs 4 lakh to my mother. Please advise on the following points:

i) What will be tax liability of my mother?

ii) What will be my tax liability on this amount? Is above amount deductible from my income for the AY 2018-19 and whether I have to pay income tax on the balance income i.e. (total income  Rs 4 lakh = taxable income)?

Please clarify and also mention the head or section under which these exemptions are permissible.  Dr Surinder Singh

A. i) There will be no tax liability in respect of the amount gifted to your mother.

ii) There will be no tax liability in the hands of the donor as well. The amount so gifted is not deductible from the total income of the assessee. The exemption from tax in respect of the gift made to the mother is provided under Section 56(1)(vii) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (The Act).

Q. My son is an NRI. I have following queries:

i) What can he do about his PPF account? How can he get this amount to the UK?

ii) He has a NRO and NRE accounts in India. His income from rent and interest etc. is deposited into his NRO account. He submits annual income tax returns every year. How can he get this NRO amount in the UK?  RK Jain

A. i) The amount received at the time of closure of the Public Provident Fund account should be deposited in the NRO account of your son. Your son can remit an amount of $1 million outside India from his NRO account in a financial year.

ii) It has been stated in the query that your son is earning interest on rental income in India which is being deposited in NRO account. Out of the deposits so made in the NRO account, he can remit an amount of $1 million outside India in a financial year.

Q. My daughter, who is a doctor by profession, went to the UK after her marriage in 2006. After clearing various examinations, she joined the services with NHS as a GP and two years ago she got the Citizenship of the UK with PIO card. While in India she was having a savings bank account which was changed to NRO account in 2010 and the bank is deducting income tax on interest income as per rules. She is also having a LIC policy of LIC of India for which the last premium was paid three years ago out of this bank account, but this policy will mature in 2025. My queries are as follows:

(a) Can she continue with NRO bank account? If yes, what are the formalities that need to be completed?

(b) What will be the procedure to get the maturity amount of LIC policy? Can she get it in the UK or whether it will be credited to some Indian account? Please advise.  Dr NC Bansal

A. Your queries are replied hereunder:

(a) Your daughter can continue to have NRO bank account in India. The bank account having already been converted, in my opinion no further formality is required. However, you can still check up with the bank concerned and in case the bank suggests some other formalities to be complied, she may have to comply with the same.

(b) The maturity amount of insurance policy taken in India should be deposited in her NRO account. She can remit up to $1 million outside India in a financial year from such NRO account.
Sandeep Dikshit

Sandeep Dikshit

THE New Year generally brings good tidings. And an opportunity beckons to the people of North India, boxed in by the frozen international frontiers of China and Pakistan, to return to their natural trading habitats of Central Asia, China and beyond.

It will not be easy for India to take advantage of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Successive Prime Ministers have hung back after promising to open the blocked borders of Punjab, Kashmir, Himachal and Ladakh, that compelled these people to change their mode of correspondence with the wider world: from their customary land-based caravan routes to sea-dependent lines of communication.

Narendra Modi had promised to be different. A few months after taking over as Prime Minister in 2014, he declared in Tokyo, I am a Gujarati. Being a Gujarati, money is in my blood...commerce is in my blood. Businesses do not need concessions. They only need the correct environment to flourish in.

This is all coming true for the people of Gujarat, as PM Modi himself underlined during the just-held state Assembly elections: Gujarat will be the major beneficiary of the Rs 88,000 crore Bullet Train loan from Japan; the first Japanese industrial park will also come up in Gujarat on the back of a $35 billion Japanese credit to improve infrastructure.

North India, however, still awaits the Modi touch. From times immemorial, the Punjabi, the Ladakhi and the Kashmiri were connected to Central Asia, China, and even Russia, by trading caravans. Old-timers in the souks and bazaars of Kashghar and Samarkand can still point out an Indian street that retains the imprint of customs and architecture from the lands across the Indus.

However, nostalgia about past links cannot easily roll back layers of accumulated antipathy and misgivings. The British had fed their paranoia about a Russian expansion by drawing firm, inviolable borders around colonial India, and arm-twisted Afghanistan into following suit; the volume and extent of trade came to be supervised by the colonial master to suit his manufacturing preferences back home as well as tailor it to the empires foreign policy. The violence of 1947 dealt the final blow to trans-regional trade. The residual civility that remained in cross-border movement such as a joint India-Pakistan passport vanished after the hostilities of 1965.

Several political upheavals later, all attempts to make international border lawfully porous have run into dead-ends of suspicion and hostility; it did lead to restoration of some old trading routes in the divided Kashmirs and Punjabs, besides Sindh-Rajasthan. These few linkages, however, are hostage to the state of play in India-Pakistan relationship. They are a perfunctory exercise; sans the appendages of modern trading systems such as letters of credit, bank guarantees (BG), etc. Any concession to modernity is the scrupulous, painful but hi-tech scanning of a handful of people and a predetermined volume of goods permitted by either state to cross the border.

In order to unlock the borders with China, Modi  the Gujarati with money in my blood  needs to first dismantle the colonial-imperialist baggage inherited by a substantial section of the policy-making elite about bigger powers in the neighbourhood. These suspicions have been reinforced by the continuing fiction in Indian strategic circles about Chinas creeping cartographic aggression despite available evidence that there is no need for it to do so after capturing 60,000 km of Indian territory in one fell blow in 1962.

To be fair, the hostile and unbending position on CPEC was bequeathed to it by the UPA government: New Delhis objection to the CPEC running through disputed Kashmir could be a riposte to the periodical Chinese hue and cry over developmental projects in Arunachal Pradesh, disputed between India and China since the 1962 war. Modi, the pragmatist that he is, would by now have realised that these are exercises in futility.

At some stage India has to reconcile with the situation on the ground: Chinese objections have not stopped Japan from encouraging Asian Development Bank to undertake road construction projects in Arunachal Pradesh; Indian companies are happily constructing a caravan of dams on the tributaries of the Brahmaputra. The Twitterati may have hauled them on the coals, but the Abdullahs, son and father, were factually right when they said that India cannot win over the other Kashmir by military means. Once a territorial conquest is ruled out, it is better to make the best of the available opportunity rather than continue whistling in the dark.

Indias objections over the CPEC running can be understood from the need to formally footnote a protest in the long-running Kashmir dispute file. But it does not serve any other purpose; on the contrary, the hostility damages the prospects of India becoming a stakeholder in another China-backed project in the east  the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) corridor  that will unlock the potential of the North-East which is boxed in by rigid international borders, just like Punjab, Kashmir and Ladakh.

India is trying to provide an alternative to the BCIM in the east by aligning with the US and Japan to build the Pacific Corridor. But India has limited stamina and influence to fashion an alternative to CPEC while Indias land route from Irans Chabahar port to Afghanistan can hardly compare or compete with CPEC.

And last week, a new spectre was looming for South Block if it fails to take an early call on leveraging CPEC for geopolitical advantage: Afghanistan too is keen on signing up with CPEC. It will render Indias Chabahar link futile, perhaps to the secret delight of Iran as well because it is wary of getting caught up in Indias confrontationist anti-China/Pakistan narrative about this route.

Modi, who has commerce in his blood, should realise these futile confrontations sap a nations collective energy without providing any concomitant returns. For North Indians, the shadow games between intelligence agencies have failed to improve their lot; it is debatable whether their exertions which have come at the cost of livelihood potential of people, have kept the borders completely inviolable. India desperately needs new breakthroughs in international trade to keep its economy ticking at a decent rate at a time when software exports have peaked and traditional markets face stagnation or recession.

Modi the statesman is yet to make an appearance. Perhaps this could be the opportunity for him in the New Year?

sandeep4731@gmail.com
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 30

The Delhi Government may have new excise policy in the financial year of 2018-19 as the department concerned has sought suggestions from all stakeholders to formulate a new policy. This is being done to churn its sources for earning more revenue, sources said.

The sources also said the government was consulting the issue with experts so that government revenue could increase without affecting the sale of alcohol.

The Excise Department has issued a public notice and asked stakeholders to submit their suggestions within 15 days.
Washington, December 31

An Indian-origin man, who was injured during an attempted armed robbery in the US in which a student from the country was shot dead, is stable and recovering well, Indian officials said.

The consulate general of India in Chicago, Neeta Bhushan, along with other consulate officials visited Bakar Saieed, who had received two bullet wounds, in the hospital on Saturday.

In a tweet, the consulate general said Saieed is conscious and recovering well by Gods grace.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj praised the consulate general for visiting the victim in the hospital.

Shabash Neeta. This is the way we should care for our people, Swaraj tweeted.

Saieeds son also praised the consulate officials.

Thank you so much for the wonderful support and our family is very happy to hear that my father is recovering very well, he tweeted.

In the attempted armed robbery at the Clark gas station at 142nd and Langley in Dolton in Chicago on December 28, 19-year-old Indian student Arshad Vhora was shot dead while Saieed was critically wounded.

Vhora, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was a sophomore business major at South Suburban College. PTI
THE Foreign Offices apoplectic fit last week over an event in neighbouring Pakistan could have passed off as yet another low inflexion point in bilateral ties, if it wasnt for its international ramifications. The Foreign Office brought the Palestinians to their knees for attending a rally where a co-participant was Indias enduring bete noire, Hafiz Saeed. It was an easy victory: regardless of the political complexion at the Centre, the Indian state has consistently assisted the Palestine Authority by building its embassy here and several projects in Palestine. The Indian ploy makes tactical sense if it was make-believe anger aimed at soothing Israeli sensibilities after the against-vote in the UN General Assembly on Jerusalem and the first visit of its Prime Minister to India this month.

The catalyst, however, appears to be the frenzied media reporting of a rally by 50 radical Pakistani groups; their only highlight was a brief interaction between the Palestine envoy and Hafiz Saeed. India need not have emulated the Chinese in their cussednes vis-a-vis the Dalai Lama. Such an approach actually plays into a binary vis-a-vis Palestine and Israel. A part of it will be staged this month when the Israeli PMs visit intersects with the arrival of Baby Moshe, an Israeli toddler orphaned in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. South Block seems to have made up its mind to milk the Baby Moshe incident for its anti-Pakistan tilt. But now, the audacity of the Palestine envoy in breaking bread with Saeed is bound to be transposed with the frailty of Baby Moshe in order to provide an anti-Muslim subtext with terrorism as the backdrop while glossing over far greater Israeli transgression of international law.

Palestine has bowed to Indian wishes even though Saeeds outfit was one among the 50 groups at the Rawalpindi rally. But the controversy begs the question whether Indias foreign policy should remain a prisoner to the manoeuvrings of an ageing imam in Pakistan? India needs to question the puffing up of this Pakistan armys proxy into a demon of such proportions that his shadow sullies every engagement in the neighbourhood.
Satish Seth

Kaithal, December 31

Marriage celebrations turned into gloom when the bridegroom died during celebratory firing in the Guhla area of the district last night. Two of his friends, who are brothers, suffered injuries and were hospitalised.

According to information, the marriage of Vikram Vohra was scheduled for today. Ladies sangeet was going on in the house last evening.

After the women went inside the house, the bridegroom and his friends started dancing. During celebratory firing, a bullet hit the bridegroom and splinters hit his friends.

Vikramjeet Waraich, Navtej Waraich and Vikram were rushed to a Patiala hospital, where the bridegroom was declared brought dead.

Vikramjeet was admitted to the hospital while his younger brother Navtej was taken to the PGI in Chandigarh. According to family sources, Vikram had settled down in Australia and had recently come to India for his marriage.

People rushed to the deceaseds house to condole the tragedy. Former Rajya Sabha member Ishwar Singh, Guhla MLA Kulwant Bajigar and former MLAs Dillu Ram, Phool Singh Kheri and Buta Singh visited the house to condole the death.

Police and forensic experts visited the spot. Guhla SHO Satya Pal said a case was registered and statements of the injured would be taken.
RACINE  The Womens Resource Center is working toward stopping abuse before it starts, in part with its new Young Males of Color mentoring program.

The goal is to work to end the cycle of domestic violence, said Lyn Hildenbrand, executive director of the WRC.

Through the program, five mentors meet with 15 mentees at the Tyler Domer Community Center twice a week for 14 weeks. The WRC sought out male mentors of color, in particular those whod been incarcerated or dealt with domestic violence in their own homes.

Those at the WRC hope the mentors can guide the mentees away from making the same errors they made in the past.

They know where those mistakes happen, said Olivia Osborne, the WRCs prevention education coordinator.

The program found its mentees mostly through school referrals. Mentees include middle and high school males of color from the City of Racine. The mentees are typically young men who have been exposed to violence or who have short tempers themselves.

Two-pronged approach

The group meets on Wednesday and Thursday each week. Wednesday meetings include workshops with individuals in the community. During the workshops, mentees can learn about subjects like finance, customer service and the music industry.

Its important for these young men to learn how to earn money in a healthy way, Osborne said.

During Thursday meetings, mentees learn through Discovery Dating, an evidence-based curriculum that teaches skills like goal-setting and non-violent communication. Sessions also include time for mentors to identify issues that the mentees experience and talk about how to deal with them.

Were hoping that theyll be able to gain knowledge of what a healthy relationship looks like, Osborne said.

This is critical, Hildenbrand said, because dating violence typically begins during adolescence.

Early intervention is important, she said.

Other goals of the program include shifting the culture surrounding domestic violence, supplementing youth leadership skills, and encouraging young people to speak up when they see behavior that isnt acceptable.

Hildenbrand hopes the group will give the mentees the knowledge and encouragement they need to do things differently than what they might have seen in their communities and homes.

The program, which kicked off on Dec. 7, has been funded for the next three years by End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin.

The mentoring program is a part of the Safe Start program, which helps young people to identify unhealthy relationships and to build healthy ones. Tyrell Davis, prevention education advocate and a recent hire at the WRC, is the primary leader of the mentoring program.
Tribune News Service

Rohtak, December 31

Close on the heels of the chintan shivir organised by the BJP government in Haryana, the state unit of the Congress plans to hold a series of manthan shivirs at different parts of the state. Party leaders plan to organise three three-day shivirs, followed by a manthan sabha.

Stating this at a press conference here today, state Congress president Ashok Tanwar said party leaders would review functioning of the BJP government and sharpen their strategy to corner the ruling party.

The first manthan shivir will be organised in Gurugram from January 15 to 17. followed by another in Chandigarh or Panchkula and the third in Hisar or Sirsa. These will be followed by a state-level manthan sabha in Rohtak in the end of January or beginning of February, he said.

Tanwar said a Rohtak declaration would be released after the manthan sabha, highlighting the key points on which the Congress would corner the BJP government. He was presented with a bicycle by state Congress media cell in charge and former minister Subhash Batra.

The state Congress president, who has been denying the existence of factionalism in the party, gave a call to all state leaders to present a united face before the people and put in concerted efforts to ensure Rahul Gandhi became the next Prime Minister.

I want to exhort all leaders of the state Congress to sink their differences, rise above personal interests, put up a united fight to oust the BJP regime and install a Congress government in the state and at the Centre, he stated.

In reply to a question, Tanwar said he would invite former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda for his statewide cycle yatra and extend support to him for his rath yatra if asked.
Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Narnaul, December 31

The police in Mahendragarh and Rajasthans Jhunjhunu district have joined hands to nab most-wanted criminals, proclaimed offenders (POs) and bail jumpers.

The police suspect that most of the criminals have been hiding in the neighbouring district.

The point out that such offenders cannot be apprehended without establishing coordination between the police in the two districts.

For this reason, senior police officials in both districts met in Narnaul to chalk out a strategy for nabbing criminals, said sources.

At the meeting, they not only shared information about most-wanted criminals, POs and bail jumpers of their areas, but also discussed carrying out a joint campaign to arrest them, said sources.

They added that the police personnel also exchanged documents pertaining to history-sheeters of their districts.

The sources said Mahendragarh district had five most-wanted criminals, 21 POs and 39 bail jumpers likely to be hiding in bordering areas of Rajasthan.

The Jhunjhunu police received inputs that three most-wanted criminals, nine POs and 44 bail jumpers had been staying in Mahendragarh district these days.

Two most-wanted criminals  Vikram, alias Papla, of Khiroli village and his brother Leela Ram  are on the radar of the Mahendragarh police. They have already conducted raids at the possible hideouts in Rajasthan several times, but could not succeed, said the sources.

Papla is wanted in five cases of murder. He fled from police custody in September when his gang members attacked a prison van in the Mahendragarh court, leaving four police personnel injured.

Besides Papla and Leela Ram, the Mahendragarh police suspected three most-wanted criminals  Vinod Kumar of Mithathal, Pushkar of Shada ki Dhani and Vishnu of Gangawak  had their hideouts in Rajasthan.

The sources said Jhunjhunu and Mahendragarh districts had been turning into safe havens for criminals from the neighbouring district.
Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, December 31

The newly inducted ministers received a rousing welcome at their home constituencies yesterday.

Residents at some places expressed resentment over the raw deal given to Kangra ministers.

The lone woman minister in the Cabinet, Sarveen Chaudhary, a four-time MLA and former minister, arrived in Shahpur. She has been allocated the Town and Country Planning and Urban Development Department, earlier held by Sudhir Sharma during the Congress regime. During the previous BJP regime, Sarveen Chaudhary was the Social Security and Women Empowerment Department.

Four-time MLA and one of the senior-most BJP leaders from Dharamsala, Kishan Kapoor, arrived in his constituency today. He also received a rousing welcome from supporters at various places.

During the previous BJP government, Kishan Kapoor held the portfolio of Transport and Town and Country Planning. Then he was allocated Industries, Mining, Labour and Employment. This time, he has been given the charge of Food and Civil Supplies and Election Department. Vipin Parmar, MLA from Sullah and first-time minister, has got the Health Family Welfare and Ayurveda Department.

Bikram Thakur is another first-time minister from Kangra district representing Jaswan Pragpur.

He has been allocated Industries, Mining, Labour and Employment.

A BJP leader from the district said leaders from Mandi lobbied and managed to get better portfolios.

There is resentment among the OBC community as their leader Ramesh Dhawala was not inducted into the Cabinet. Sources said Dhawala had left for Delhi.
Rajiv Nayan

In the third week of December this year, for the first time after the Doklam episode, the Special Representatives of China and India held talks for resolving different aspects of border issues between India and China. Although it is the first time after the Doklam incident that the both envoys on borders talked, overall, it was the 20th round of talks in which both the sides tried to emphasise the need for using dialogue and diplomacy to solve border issues.

Even the Chinese foreign policy spokesperson favours taking the full advantage of the existing border-related mechanisms to uphold the peace and tranquility of the border areas. This is considered significant for creating enabling conditions for the sound and steady development of bilateral relations. During the Dokalam standoff, the language of the Chinese government and the media betrayed the sober tone.

However, the Doklam incident demonstrated a new approach of the Indian government vis-a-vis China. India asserted its position during the standoff. Although Indias assertion was widely appreciated in the Indian strategic and policy making communities, yet it provided an opportunity for assessing Indian military capabilities to withstand the Chinese pressure. Media and different platforms threw assessments which wavered between rhetorical to extremely gloomy projection of the Indian capability.

During the crisis, all sensible analysts ruled out the possibility of war. They were also highly dismissive of the Chinese deadline to mobilise its troops to teach India a lesson or fight a war. The assessment was that it will take at least forty days for China to bring troops at any place from where the Chinese want to fight a war against India. All the military bases which China had developed all over the world over the years may not be militarily functional because of the factors such as less protection and no maintenance facilities available at these places.

However, military modernization of China is also a reality. It is emphasising on the use of Information Warfare, Electronics Warfare and cyber operation along with ballistic missiles and space weapons modernisation. At the same time, the Indian reach or its military footprints in Asia is also a reality. Over the years, Chinese have developed a huge propaganda machinery that spreads wrong information.

That Doklam is a territory of Bhutan, which China wanted to occupy and end the Indian military superiority in that zone, was completely denied by China. The Chinese propaganda on the Article 1 of the 1890 agreement regarding Doklam says that Mount Gipmochi is the starting point of the watershed, but in reality, Batang la, not the Mount Gipmochi is the starting point of the watershed.

India asserted to maintain not only its security superiority in that terrain but also to send a signal to the small states in the region that India would play a new role in Asia. It is a conventional wisdom now that most of the smaller states around India and China want a regional balance of power in which the United States and India remain very much engaged in shaping the regions strategic environment vis-a-vis China. For the purpose, India needs to undertake its military and nuclear weapons modernisation.



 The writer is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.
Sandeep Dikshit

The border dispute with China has seared independent Indias soul for over half a century. Both sides have striven to unravel this knot that has, over the years, been further complicated by suspicions and apprehensions about each others preferences for alliances in the wider world.

India and China took a decisive step in 2003 to turn a new page. This was the setting up of the institution of Special Representatives (SR) headed by officials who were the main foreign policy consigliores to the Indian Prime Minister and the Chinese President.

Instant commentary about a Chinese incursion or two is never able to impart the flavor of maturity that both sides have injected into keeping the border trouble-free despite wildly differing views of the demarcating line. The two SRs  currently Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Yan Jiechi, a hard nailed former Foreign Minister who still calls the shots in Zhongnanhai  in their last meeting do not seem to have come up with anything substantial.

On the face of it, the highly-choreographed clash of wits between security czars ends up every-time with a limp reiteration of boilerplate statements  need to ensure peacediscussed all issues frankly  that provide no suggestion about the proceedings within.

But this was not so in the first two years of setting up the SR mechanism despite the regime change in India, from Vajpayee to Manmohan Singh. By 2005, the SRs had agreed on the main goalposts to unlock the tangle. The documents title was a mouthful  Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Solving the Border Question  but it settled some Indian apprehensions by resolving to give consideration to populated areas; in other words towns like Tawang may get to enjoy status quo (remain in India) in the event of an border agreement.

Since then there has been no progress on the border question. And this reality has been internalised by the two Governments  the sphere of SR talks has been widened to include discussions on other equally important subjects; perhaps it is an effort to keep this institution going while ensuring it remains important enough.

What had changed in 2005? The Indo-US nuclear deal might have added another layer to Chinas strategic uncertainty vis-a-vis India. The first and the most enduring is the presence of Dalai Lama in India. China has never subscribed to the notion that Dalai Lama sole pursuit is benign spirituality but considers him the US-CIAs cats paw and holds him responsible for episodical unrest in Tibet. In fact, that residue of distrust against the Indian state is rarely expressed but still lingers in a section of elite Chinese strategic policy crowd.

This was not so when India and China decided to take steps in 1988 towards bridging the bitterness and doubt spawned by the 1962 war with a Joint Working Group on the boundary. More was to come when both countries asked their armies to withdraw from an eyeball to eye ball confrontation on Sumdorung River: an agreement to restrain their armies on the border in 1993, followed up by another in 1996.

Both India and China have missed opportunities to settle the border issue; documents and records validate that Beijing always took the initiative,

contrary to the prevailing impression. The first offer was made to Nehru by Chou en Lai when China had not staked a claim to Arunachal Pradesh. But there was a complete misreading of Chinese intent: India startled China by giving a memorandum in 1958 that laid claim to Aksai Chin which had been represented in British maps as ``undefined territory. Indias resistance to the Chinese claim on Aksai Chin was neither based on strategic considerations nor on any substantial ground presence of its army but on brief occupation of the territory by the Dogra surrogates of the British.

The 1962 war in which the Chinese army occupied Arunachal and parts of Assam laid low any enthusiasm to reopen the border question for 23 years till Rajiv Gandhi was offered a package proposal: concede Aksai Chin plus a little more (western sector) while India can retain Lower Tibet (Arunachal) in the eastern sector. The third part of the border  the middle sector  did not see armed action in 1962 and there is no substantial disagreement but for a few quibbles. As with Nehrus time in 1958, diplomacy again let down India.

Indias dalliance with the US in South China Sea may well have encouraged China to play hardball with Indian on the land border. It is also in a position of strength due to the widening asymmetry in the accumulation of power by both countries.

China holds the joint position along with Russia for the maximum number of land borders: with 14 countries. It is sobering to note that it has settled its disputes with 12 countries; the only holdouts are Indian and its surrogate Bhutan. A cross sectional analysis will reveal that the dozen disputes were settled in two tranches. But there was a commonality: China was generous in most settlements but it ensured that the countries concerned took steps to calm its security related apprehensions.

For India, it means concessions on three fronts: a settlement of the Dalai Lama issue, removing the impression of a quasi-alliance with the US and its military surrogates and erasing the fiction from the maps about Aksai Chin being a part of India.

This is a hard call for the Modi Government or for any dispensation in Delhi. Can it risk appearing soft if it agrees, on paper, to part with Akasi Chin? Can it also take the risk of walking back on its tango with the US? Till then the mechanism of the SRs will douse other fires on the bilateral agenda but will be helpless on the larger border question.

SINO-INDIAN BORDER DISPUTE

Protracted Discords

Aksai Chin in J&K Indian claimed

Chinese territory

37,244 sq. km. area

Largely uninhabited

An ancient trade route between Xinjiang and Tibet

Arunachal Pradesh Chinese claimed Indian territory

Doklam (Bhutan) disputed between China and Bhutan; India supports Bhutans claim

The 1962 War and Aftermath

The dispute that led to the War

Jan 1959 Zhou Enlai disputed the McMahon Line in the east and the Kunlun boundary in the west

1960 Zhou proposed PM Nehru that it would accept the McMahon Line (Arunachal Pradesh) if India accepts its claim in the west (Aksai Chin)

Mar 1959 India gave asylum to the Dalai Lama

Sep 8, 1962 the Chinese attack

Oct 20, 1962 China attacked India; 1,383 Indians and 722 Chinese killed

Nov 20, 1962 China declared unilateral ceasefire

The Thaw

Dec 1988- India and China agreed to negotiate a border settlement during Rajiv Gandhis Beijing visit

Transformative Agreements

Sep 7, 1993 The Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace & Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas (the Border Peace & Tranquility Agreement) was signed during PM Narasimha Raos Beijing visit

Nov 29, 1996 Agreement on CBM in the Military Field along the LAC

Apr 11, 2005 India-China Protocol defining the 1996 Agreement

Oct 23, 2013 Border Defence Cooperation (BDC) Agreement

INDIAS MAJOR BORDER DISPUTES - 5

Unresolved: 3

China

Pakistan PoK and J&K, Sir Creek,

Siachen Glacier, Saltoro Ridge etc

Nepal Kalapani (400 sq. km),

Susta (140 sq. km) etc

Resolved: 2

Sri Lanka Kachchatheevu

Bangladesh Bangabandhu Island

CHINAS BORDER DISPUTES - 14

Unresolved: 2

India

Bhutan

Resolved: 12

Afghanistan treaties signed in 1963 1965

Kazakhstan Treaties in 1994, 1997, 1998, 2002

Kyrgyzstan Treaties in 1996, 1998, 2004

Lao PDR Treaties in 1990, 1993

Mongolia Treaties in 1962, 1964

Myanmar Treaties in 1960, 1961

Nepal Treaties in 1956, 1960, 1961, 1963

North Korea Treaties in 1961, 1962, 1964

Pakistan Treaties in 1963, 1965

Russia Treaties in 1991, 1994, 1999, 2008

Tajikistan Treaties in 1999, 2002, 2011

Vietnam Treaties in 1993, 1999
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 31

Hours after Jaish-e-Mohammed militants stormed a CRPF camp in the Lethpora area of south Kashmir today, Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid said they had an input about a possible militant attack for the past two or three days

For the last two or three days, an input was coming. They (militants) were trying and probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night, the DGP told reporters here today.

The attack took place a few days after a senior local commander of the Jaish, Noor Mohammad Tantray, was killed in an encounter at Samboora, not far from the CRPF camp which came under attack today. The Jaish, while paying tributes to Tantray, had vowed to avenge his killing.

Despite militant threat and an input about a possible attack, the militants were able to storm the highly guarded security camp close to the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

While questions are being raised over the breach of security camps by militants, security officers maintain such attacks cannot be completely prevented.

This is for the third time in the past over four months that Jaish fidayeen have breached the fence of security camps in Kashmir.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 31

Claiming that Operation All-out is a holistic strategy to bring back normalcy, J&K Police chief Shesh Paul Vaid today disclosed that they had been able to dissuade at least 70 youth from joining militancy this year.

Outlining the achievements of 2017, Vaid said the fight against terrorism will continue till lasting peace is restored in the state.

But at the same time, our priority will be to bring the local youth (who have joined militancy) back on the right path. With the collective efforts of parents, civil society and the J&K Police, we have been able to dissuade 70 youth, including budding sportspersons, from joining terrorism, DGP Vaid said.

He was flanked by newly promoted Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Munir Khan and senior police officers at a press conference here today.

The DGP said 206 militants, including 85 locals and 121 foreigners, were killed in 2017. He said almost the entire militant leadership was also killed this year.

Vaid, however, clarified that Operation All-out was not only about eliminating militants.

It is a holistic strategy aimed at helping young men to come out of the web of terrorism. It is not an easy way to success, but the attitude, patience and pledge has made our efforts tangible. In June and July, we made an appeal to the youth to shun the path of violence. After a few months of persuasion by the field officers, it is heartening to note that the parents, especially the mothers, are also coming forward in bringing back the youth who have joined militancy, Vaid added.

As long as our neighbour keeps sending people here, the police, security forces and people of Kashmir will have to go through the challenges, he said.

At least 31 policemen and 24 civilians were also killed during encounters in 2017.

On high number of civilian casualties during gunfights in 2017, Munir Khan said: Security forces started operating in the areas where, for some reasons, for the last two years, the police could not enter.

There was stiff resistance at some places and during encounters there were some civilian casualties because of cross-firing. We have been appealing to the people to avoid going to the sites were encounters are on because it is going to result in mishaps and civilian casualties, the ADGP said.

He said they targeted the militant leadership in 2017.

The leadership of the militants besides taking active part in terror activities was recruiting the youth. So we targeted them. After this, things have improved and the recruitment has come down drastically, Khan added.

284 cops awarded for meritorious service

Jammu: Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid has awarded the DGP Commendation Medal and certificate to 284 policemen, 12 Army men, 36 BSF, CRPF and SSB personnel, three civilians and six government employees for their meritorious and exemplary performance in 2017. The DGP has also sanctioned Rs 8,10,000 in favour of 270 policemen for their outstanding performance during law and order duties. tns
Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 31

A majority of government schools in the Jammu division are grappling with irregular supply of ration to provide free lunch to students under the Midday Meal Scheme. Instead of receiving ration directly from depots, schoolteachers are now purchasing ration out of their own pockets to provide food to students.

Sources claimed that the reason behind the inadequate stock of ration at government schools was the delay in the payment to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). They said the delay in the release of funds on part of the Chief Education Officer (CEOs) of districts to the FCI had resulted in stopping of ration to depots of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs under the centrally sponsored scheme.During a visit to few government schools, it came to the fore that there was a delay in providing ration to schools. For the past few months, we have been purchasing rice from a nearby shop. Some of the teachers in the school are locals, thats why the shopkeeper agrees to give ration, a teacher at Government Middle School (GMS), Sangwal, Samba district, told The Tribune.

Delay in the supply of ration to the school has become a routine affair. It is very difficult to run the scheme in such circumstances, he maintained. The rate of food grains is skyrocketing and to serve meal to more than 100 students is difficult. The school management is thankful to the shopkeepers who provide ration despite getting late payment, the teacher said.

Similarly, government schools in Jammu district are also facing similar woes.
Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 31

The Centre today released a postal stamp to commemorate the countrys third Chief Justice and former Prime Minister of J&K Mehr Chand Mahajan.

Mos for Communications Manoj Sinha released the stamp, which was dedicated to the nation by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and MoS in the PMOs Jitendra Singh. Jaitley paid glowing tributes to Justice Mahajan for his yeoman service to the nation.

Justice Mahajans son Prabodh Mahajan (vice-president of the DAV College Management Committee), who was present at the release function, lauded PM Narendra Modi for his initiative to commemorate his father.

I am touched. It is a proud moment for us. After 50 years, the country has come to know of my fathers achievements, Prabodh Mahajan said. Justice Mahajan as the PM of J&K was instrumental in the accession of the state with India. He worked closely with then Deputy PM Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and was sent to the state to nullify the Pakistani propaganda.

Before taking charge as Prime Minister of the state, he was an Indian National Congress nominee to the Radcliffe Mission. He played a pivotal role in saving a major part of Punjab for India.

Justice Mahajan was revered as a jurist. In 1943, he rose to the permanent judge of the Punjab High Court in Lahore. He had also made a mark as an educationist. He led the DAV College Management Committee from 1938-43 and from 1956-65. He was part of the governing body of the Punjab University Senate.

On December 11, 1967, he suffered a cardiac arrest which proved fatal.
Srinagar, December 31

Security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days, Director General of Police SP Vaid said here on Sunday, hours after a militant attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district.

Two militants struck a CRPF training centre in Lethpora area of Pulwama in the early hours today, leaving one personnel dead and two others injured.

Terming the attack as unfortunate, Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days. They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters here.

The DGP was speaking at a press conference to outline the achievements of Jammu and Kashmir Police in 2017.

He said three CRPF jawans received bullet injuries in the initial firing by the militants.

"Two of them are stable and one has succumbed, he said, adding the militants will be neutralised very soon.

"In Kashmir, the challenge has always been there...As long as our neighbour keeps sending people like this, my police and security forces and people of Kashmir will have to go through this. It is unfortunate that this happened, the DGP said.

The security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an operation to neutralise them.  PTI
RACINE  A second lawsuit was filed against the City of Racine related to the derailed Machinery Row development, seeking compensation for property owners who were displaced because of the project.

The case, filed Thursday, has nine plaintiffs, most of which are businesses. They are suing the city and some of its representatives over the development plan once known as Machinery Row. The project, announced in 2014, was a $65 million riverfront development proposed by an Iowa developer. It was expected to be a commercial and residential development in a 20-acre area north of Water Street and east of Marquette Street, but it was never completed. Racine adopted a new plan for the area in November.

The Journal Times reported on Dec. 22 that a tenant from one of the involved properties filed a lawsuit in circuit court against Racine seeking compensation for relocation expenses, among other alleged damages. A second lawsuit, this time filed in federal court, makes a variety of requests, including compensation for property, relocation expenses and damages.

The plaintiffs are: Richard Olson, Racine Indoor Motocross, Marquette Warehouse, Marquette Distribution Center, Urban Sustainable Aquaponics, Riverside Business Center, Sam Azarian & Sons Marina, Azar and Azarian Wrecking.

The allegations

The lawsuit claims that the plaintiffs did not receive the originally negotiated purchase prices for their properties. The plaintiffs further claim they were not properly compensated for their relocation expenses.

The complaint indicates Olson requested compensation and that his claims were largely denied. He has not yet been paid for any expenses, the complaint states.

A memo by the city attorneys office, included with materials for the RDAs Dec. 7 meeting, outlines city staffs reasons for recommending the RDA deny portions of Olsons relocation expense requests. His six requests totaled more than $1.1 million; staff recommended denying about $1.07 million worth of the claims.

Some of the claims were made outside the time frame allowed under state law, according to the memo.

Claims for the marina, Azar and Azarian Wrecking are in the process of being compiled, according to the complaint.

The City Council authorized setting aside $350,000 in November to pay relocation claims.

Jury trial sought

Similar to the lawsuit filed by Patrick Fagan concerning his displacement as a tenant, the plaintiffs in this case allege they were not given equal protection as others who were displaced and received relocation assistance and benefits.

The plaintiffs requested a jury trial. They seek compensation for their property and relocation benefits, both in unnamed amounts. They also seek damages and reimbursement for legal fees. Like Fagan, the plaintiffs in this case want the defendants to produce a relocation plan.

Attorney Todd A. Terry of Kenosha-based Guttormsen & Terry represents the plaintiffs, as well as Fagan in his own case.

Racine City Attorney Scott Letteney declined to comment on the lawsuit, stating his office had not yet had the opportunity to review the documents filed in the case.

As of this writing, no documents have been served, he stated in a Friday morning email.

Sadowski, Dickert and Friedel could not be reached Friday. Spangenberg declined to comment.
Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 31

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Republic Day celebration in 2018 would be remembered through the ages because the government for the first time in Indias history would host leaders of 10 Asean countries as chief guests on January 26.

On January 26, the arrival of great leaders of 10 nations of the world as a unit is a matter of pride for all Indians, Modi said in this years last edition of his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat.

He said January 26 is a historic festival for all Indians but January 26, 2018, will especially be remembered through the ages.

The Republic Day will be celebrated with leaders of all 10 (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Asean countries coming to India as chief guests. This time, not one but 10 chief guests would grace the Republic Day. This is unprecedented in Indias history, the prime minister said.

Modi in his last monthly address of 2017 stressed on service to humanity. To this effect, he referred to Jesus Christ and Hindu saint Ramakrishna Paramhansa.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

He addressed the youths who would become eligible voters post January 1, 2018  the coming New Year.

He urged youths between 18-25 years to take part in making New India in the 21st century.

He enunciated the concept of New India Youth.

The prime minister suggested holding a mock Parliament in Delhi of youths comprising of one elected from each district of the country to brainstorm on ways to make the country strong.

He stressed on the positive India sentiments which he had espoused in his last Mann ki Baat.

He cited the case of Anjum, a youth from Kashmir who topped the states civil service exam in spite of all odds stemming from his parents migrating from their native village as terrorists had burnt their house.

He chose service to humanity in spite of all road blocks presented to him and his embattled family, Modi said.

Modi said he also met girls of Jammu and Kashmir and was inspired by their positivity. They were full of hope and faith, and optimism, he said.

He batted for cleanliness to fulfil the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi.

He said that his government has changed the 70 years of retrograde tradition relating to Haj pilgrimage of Muslim women.

Earlier, a woman was restricted from undertaking the pilgrimage alone. She could do it only in the company of a male companion  Mehram.

This restriction was not imposed even in Muslim countries. But this was in vogue in India. When I studied the matter, I found that this was done only by us.

After change in the practice ushered in by the government, 1300 women from across the country have applied to undertake Haj pilgrimage alone, Modi said.

I have asked the Ministry of Minority affairs to make special provisions for women applying to undertake the pilgrimage alone. Generally the application is selected through lottery system. The ministry has been asked to consider the women wishing to visit alone as special provision, he said.

The prime minister said India can become stronger and developed with equal participation of women.

They must have equal rights vis-a-vis men, Modi said.

He said last year was an important milestone for ASEAN. It marked 50 years of their existence. Also, another standout is India-ASEAN cooperation completing 25 years.

Modi wished people happy new year. He also wished people for the coming Makar Sankranti festival which is celebrated under different names in various parts of the country.

It is Sankrant in Rajasthan, Kichhidi and Teela Sankaranti, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam and Lorhi in Punjab and northern India, he said.
Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, December 31

On New Year Eve, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants struck at a CRPF installation inside the Jammu and Kashmir Police Commando Training Centre (CTC) complex in Lethpora area of Pulwama district, 23 km south of Srinagar, in the wee hours today. Five CRPF personnel were killed and three injured in the fidayeen (suicide) attack.

Two militants  Manzoor Ahmad Baba of Drubgam in Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khandey of Nazeen Pora, Tral  were killed too. Fardeen Khandey, the teenage son of a police constable, was a Class X passout.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav, said: We have four combat fatalities while one of our men died of a cardiac arrest during evacuation. The injured personnel, being treated at the Armys base hospital in Srinagar, are reported to be out of danger.

The militants stormed the camp at 2:05 am, Inspector-General (IG) Ravideep Sahi told The Tribune. He said the militants lobbed grenades and resorted to heavy firing while making their way inside the camp. They were challenged by the sentries on duty. We suspect two or more militants may be still holed up. There are no hostages, he added.

SP Vaid, Director General of Police, called the attack unfortunate as it occurred despite prior Intelligence inputs.

It may be recalled that militants had entered the District Police Lines in Pulwama in the wee hours of August 26. In the gunbattle, 10 persons  four policemen, four CRPF personnel and two militants  were killed. Again on October 3, militants had stormed a BSF base at the Srinagar airport, killing a BSF official and leaving three injured.

Laid down lives...
Sambhal, December 31

A dance teacher was arrested under POCSO Act for allegedly abducting and raping one of his minor students after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials, police said `on Sunday.

According to a complaint lodged by the minors parents, the dance teacher, Azad, had taken their 15-year-old daughter to Mumbai on December 23 after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials.

The police said when the family members of the girl were unable to contact her, they lodged a complaint against Azad.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pankaj Pandey said, A case has been registered against the accused under the POCSO Act, for committing rape (section 376 of the IPC) and cheating (Section 420 of the IPC).

The accused had carried out some illegal changes in his Aadhaar card. Charges have also been slapped against the accused under various other sections of the IPC, which include kidnapping (363), forgery of valuable security (467) and forgery for purpose of cheating (468), he said.

Charges have also been slapped under section 367 of the IPC (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage), Pandey said.

The girl was reportedly in Delhi since December 23. She was found yesterday in Delhi, Circle Officer Omkar Singh said.

Meanwhile, a Hindu organisation claimed that this was a case of love jihad.

This seems to be a case of love jihad, and the district administration and police must act tough in this case, said Kapil Dewana, the regional convener of Hindu Jagran Manch. PTI
New Delhi, December 31

The Indian armed forces displayed a renewed assertiveness in dealing with national security challenges in 2017  be it the 73-day-long border face-off with Chinese troops in Doklam, containing militancy in Kashmir or aggressive deployment of warships in critical sea lanes.

But they had their share of controversies also, including the use of a Kashmiri as a human shield and subsequent award to the young officer who tied the civilian to the front of a jeep. The incident had triggered huge outrage.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawats comments that those obstructing the armed forces in anti-terror operations would be treated as overground workers of militant organisations also drew flak in the Kashmir Valley.

On the operational front, a new mission-ready plan for aggressive deployment of warships in critical sea lanes was made operational by the Navy which came just a month before India joining hands with Japan, the US, and Australia to form a quadrilateral bloc to pursue common interests in China-dominated Indo-Pacific region.

Another highlight of the year was the government unveiling a much-awaited policy under which select private firms would be roped in to build key military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with global defence firms.

Though the policy was announced in May, nothing concrete has taken place on the ground for its implementation. The much ambitious modernisation plan of the three forces also moved at snails pace.

As the Army was reeling under severe shortage of ammunition and other hardware for short duration wars, the government vested full financial power on the force to directly carry out required procurement, in another significant policy decision.

Since beginning of the year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir, at the same time, forcefully responding to all ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit-for-tat approach.

In May, the Army said it launched punitive fire assaults on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting damage, days after two of its troopers were beheaded, reflecting its policy of hot pursuit against Pakistani misadventure.

The policy earned it criticism from local people and its intensity grew significantly when a young Army officer used a Kashmiri man as a human shield from stone throwers by tying him to an Army jeep in April.

Notwithstanding the criticism, Army Chief Bipin Rawat defended the act and even conferred the officer Commendation medal when a Court of Inquiry was finalising its probe into the incident.

This is a proxy war and proxy war is a dirty war. It is played in a dirty way, Rawat had famously said nearly two months after the incident, triggering another wave of criticism.

However, the Army earned kudos for its mature handling of the Doklam standoff, which was the most serious since a similar standoff in the 1980s.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face- off had ended on August 28.

The Indian Army stood firm in Doklam in the face of heightened rhetoric by China. We earned compliments from a number of neighbouring countries for not succumbing to Chinese tactics, said a top official of the Defence Ministry.

Days after the end of the face-off, Gen Rawat said India cannot afford to let its guard down against China, insisting China has started flexing its muscles.

The Army has been strengthening its infrastructure along the nearly 4,000 km- long Sino-India border since then.

Soon after the standoff was over, the Army finalised one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernisation under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines and assault rifles are to be purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons.

In September, the Army finalised a plan to induct women in the military police, seen as a major step towards inducting women into combat stream.

On the naval front, the Navy significantly ramped up deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region as part of the mission-ready plan besides enhancing cooperation with a number of strategically key countries, including Singapore.

The year saw change of guards in the Defence Ministry. In September, Nirmala Sitharaman took charge as Indias first full-time woman defence minister, succeeding Arun Jaitley.

Jaitley was handling the Defence Ministry after Manohar Parrikar quit to become Goa Chief Minister in March.  PTI
New Delhi, December 31

The Delhi Police on Sunday said that they have killed a hardcore criminal, who carried a reward of Rs one lakh on his head, in an encounter in Muzaffarnagar city in western Uttar Pradesh.

A policeman was injured in the encounter, carried out by a joint team of Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police.

Shamim, 30, was killed and a constable of special operations group (SOG) of the UP police was injured in the firefight last night, said P S Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell).

He and his associates were sought by the special cell in connection with a September 2016 robbery in Daryaganj area.

The Delhi Police traced the location of Shamim and one of his associates in Muzaffarnagar and informed the UP police.

"The duo were asked to surrender but they opened fire on the police team," he said, adding the police also returned fire in self-defence.

Inspector Shiv Kumar of the Special Cell was hit on his bulletproof jacket, while SOG constable Ashok Khari was seriously injured in the exchange of fire, the officer said.

He said Shamim, who was injured in the firefight, was later declared brought dead by doctors at an area hospital. His associate managed to escape.

A 9 mm pistol was recovered from Shamim.

According to the Delhi Police, Shamim had been involved in criminal activities for 14 years. He carried a reward of Rs 50,000 declared by the Delhi Police and another Rs 50,000 for his arrest was announced by the UP police.

Shamim was arrested for the first time in 2007 and was booked for theft, robbery, Arms Act, and attempt to murder.

In 2006, he and one of his associates had opened fire on an inspector of Manglor police station during an encounter.

In 2007, they had opened fire on a sub-inspector of the anti-extortion cell in Muzaffarnagar. They were also involved in two robberies in the city, the officer added. PTI
KV Prasad

He had never been to India before. And, it has barely been a few weeks since he was credentialed as High Commissioner of Nigeria to India. Yet, Major General Chris Sunday Eze (retd) is reliving a country with which he had a surreal experience.

Reading Rudyard Kipling, sharing time with Indian military officers and watching Hindi films, the High Commissioner is no stranger to India or Indians. Long ago, we used to read about exotic places, Kiplings book and when I joined the Nigerian Defence Academy, there were Indian officers, sharing food...I had some exposure to Indian culture, Maj Gen Eze says. Remembering Mother India, he pauses midway during a conversation to check, hoping the rural misery portrayed in the epic no longer exists.

India-Nigeria ties have matured since establishment of diplomatic ties in 1958 and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus 1962 visit. Indias Brigadier General MR Verma was the first Commandant of the Defence Academy whose bust has pride of place in Kaduna. On the foreign policy front, Nigeria too shifted focus towards East.

High Commissioner Eze is of the view that economic cooperation, education and health sectors are prime movers in bilateral relations for his country, while Nigeria remains the main sources of crude for India, constituting a bulk of its imports.

During the December visit here by Agriculture Minister Chief Audu Ogbeh, Nigeria evinced interest to procure farm machinery, like tractors and allied equipment. We find Indian machinery more suitable for our environment, durable, relatively easy to work with, maintain and operate, he observes. The idea is to use the $10 billion line of credit announced by India during the Africa Summit 2015.

Mining is one potential area of growth, he says, citing how with World Bank declaring Africa as the continent of the 21st century, any business would have greater return on investment.

Among the issues on the table here are visa and other woes of students who flock to India every year. The High Commissioner feels Indian universities advertising in Nigeria should pay greater attention in ensuring that bona fide students do not face visa problems. He also suggests orientation classes on the Indian culture and way of life for Nigerian students arriving here.

With Nigerians coming to India for medical treatment complaining of overcharging, the High Commission is preparing a list of truant hospitals.
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 31

Southern megastar Rajinikanth on Sunday made official his decision to enter electoral politics by setting up his own party ahead of next Assembly elections, ending days of speculations.

Promising honest, transparent, secular, and spiritual alternative to combat undemocratic and corrupt styles of governance, he said his party would contest all the constituencies the next time the state goes to polls.

Now whether Rajinikanths entry will spell a tectonic shift in Tamil politics or end up as a political overhype only time will tell. For now, political majors in the state along with waiting-in-the-wings BJP are carefully playing a wait and watch.

So as fans celebrated, major stakeholders of Tamil Nadu politics welcomed the new entrant in the political arena. A relative nonentity, BJP, in the state joined in, expressing similar sentiments. At the same time, it did not fail to remind the movie star of a bigger star within the party -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As per party leader GVL Narsimha Rao: Rajinikanth is undoubtedly the superstar of Tamil cinema. But, there is only one unrivalled superstar in national politics that is Narendra Modi and the Thalaivaar knows it too well.

I congratulate and welcome superstar Rajinikanth's entry into politics, DMK working president MK Stalin said.

Ruling AIADMK and its sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran also appeared on same page on the decision. Newly-elected MLA Dhinakaran said: I am very happy to see him entering politics. I welcome the superstar.

I don't want to pre-empt Rajinikanth's move but we do greet him into politics, AIADMK spokesperson Apsara Reddy was quoted as saying while senior colleague D Jayakumar added: India is a democratic country. Anybody can join politics. It is up to the people to accept it or not, people are the judges.

The Congress appeared somewhat cautious on what is being termed a tectonic shift in Tamil Nadus dramatic politics.

Though BJP leaders claim they are building their own set-up and leadership in the state, looking for a window inside the BJP seemed more effusive. Welcoming the Tamil megastar into the political arena, BJP state president Tamilisai Sounderrarajan hoped he would support the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Narsimha Rao added saying, Single party domination of Tamil Nadu is a thing of the past. Rajini may have set a new trend in cinema. But politics is a different field altogether. Our only strategy is to have a BJP base.

We will have to wait and watch how things take shape. There has been a vacuum since the demise of Jayalalithaa and even BJP has been looking to expand its footprint in Tamil Nadu, he said.

The past proves the BJP is not averse to Rajinikanth.

PM Modi, who even met him at his residence ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, is believed to be quite in favour. The party is struggling to find base in Tamil Nadu despite best efforts to route via AIADMK following Jayalalithaas death. Dinakarans recent win in RK Nagar proves that perhaps the BJP underestimated the Tamil Nadu politics.

This apart, when he first hinted on his political ambitions, BJP chief Amit Shah welcomed him to join the party. We welcome every good individual in the party. The final decision has to be taken by Rajinikanth ji, Shah had said.

And while admitting that the party was weak in Tamil Nadu, he had added: As of now, our party is weak in the state. We will publicise the central governments policies and good governance to improve our base in the state.
Chennai, December 31

Accusing political parties of looting people, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday said he will float a new party that will pursue spiritual politics and vowed to contest the next Tamil Nadu Assembly election.

After years of will-he-will-he-not uncertainty, the 68-year-old bus conductor-turned-heartthrob of Tamil cinema told cheering supporters here that his decision was a compulsion of time.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Alleging that politics in the country had gone very wrong, Rajinikanth said in Tamil: Under the guise of democracy, political parties are looting their own people. Such a system, he added, needed to be changed.

He said his party  which he did not name  would not contest the upcoming local body elections but would field candidates in all the 234 Assembly constituencies in 2021. A decision on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls would be taken at an appropriate time, he said.

In a clear attack on the ruling AIADMK, Rajinikanth said the goings-on in Tamil Nadu in the past one year  since Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa died in December 2016, leading to splits in the party  had made the state a laughing stock.

He urged his legion of fans not to talk about politics or comment about other parties till his party was floated.

Born into a humble Maratha family as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, Rajini became a bus conductor after doing odd jobs as a coolie and carpenter.

Once he took to filmdom, Tamil Nadu warmly embraced him, never seeing him as an outsider. Rajinikanth became an icon in Tamil film industry, his movies running to packed houses. On Sunday, Rajini said his first task would be to get many of his unregistered fan clubs affiliated with the parent body. He underlined that he was not getting into politics for the greed of power. He was not interested in political power at age 45 and, so, there was no question of he having the desire now  when he was nearing 70.

For years, Rajinikanth has been asked repeatedly if he would take to politics or not. At one time he supported the Congress but backed out when it aligned with the AIADMK. He then backed a DMK-TMC alliance which won. He also lent support to the Anna Hazare campaign against corruption in 2011.

The winner of several film awards as well as Padma Bhushan (2000) and Padma Vibhushan (2016), Rajinikanth is known for his philanthropic activities and spiritual pursuit. Rajini joins the long list of Tamil actors who have taken to politics. They include iconic MG Ramachandran or MGR, his protege Jayalalithaa, MGRs contemporary Sivaji Ganesan, MGRs wife Janaki and action hero A Vijaykant. And actor Kamal Haasan has said he too will take to politics.  IANS
Chennai, December 31

Euphoria gripped fans of superstar Rajinikanth soon after he announced his political entry here on Sunday, with admirers of the actor bursting firecrackers and distributing sweets across Tamil Nadu.

Immediately after the actor announced his political debut, his fans waved the fan club flags outside the meeting venue, and raised slogans hailing his decision.

After announcing his decision, Rajinikanth walked up to the balcony of the marriage hall, and waved to his fans who had gathered in large numbers outside the venue too.

In his characteristic style, he lifted both his arms and wished them in the traditional style.

In reciprocation, his fans shouted slogans of Thalaiva, (leader) and danced to popular tunes waving placards that carried his portrait, typical of his real look of the late 1980s and 1990s.

It is Thalaivars New Year gift to us, they said.

The neighbourhood in and around Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam, the meet venue and several other locations in the city and other parts of the state echoed with sounds of firecrackers.

Hailing the move, they also distributed sweets to passengers in buses, trains and other public places.

The fan club flag featuring stripes of blue, white and red with a star in the centre within which an image of Rajinikanth was embossed fluttered in parts of the city.

In prominent locations, mega-size wall posters hailing Rajinikanth had already appeared anticipating his political entry.  PTI
BURLINGTON  After several days of rainy weather, Burlington received more than 8 inches of rain overnight from July 12-13. On the 13th, the Fox River crested at 16.15 feet, 2 feet higher than the rivers previous record in 2008.

At one point, the river backed up into drainage systems  there was too much water and no place for it to go.

The resulting flood, which was voted the second-most important local story of 2017 by The Journal Times editorial staff, hit Burlington-area homes, parks, businesses and municipal buildings and will continue to affect the community for years to come.

More than 800 homes were reported damaged in an assessment compiled by emergency management officials in August, which was not enough to be considered a disaster area eligible for federal funds to offset the estimated $8.2 million in damages.

Eighty members of the Wisconsin National Guard were deployed to assist at the height of the disaster.

We Energies estimated that more than 4,400 Burlington and Waterford residents lost power and telephone service.

The flood received national attention. Gov. Scott Walker, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, State Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, visited the city, where Walker commended first responders.

Something of this magnitude is not only an all-time high for Burlington, it is one of the most aggressive flooding efforts weve seen in the state in some time, Walker told reporters. That we dont have a serious injury or fatality is certainly remarkable, and I think is a testament to the first responders of this community stepping up.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who represents Racine County in Congress, visited the city and gave Mayor Jeannie Hefty a bear hug in the aftermath.

The community was also recognized for its resilience and camaraderie during the disaster. Dozens of state, county and local agencies set up shop and offered assistance to flood victims.

Hefty, along with Police Chief Mark Anderson, Fire Chief Alan Babe, City Administrator Carina Walters, Director of Administrative Service Megan Watkins and Finance Director Steve DeQuaker were recognized by the county for their work during the flood at a County Board meeting in October.

Lasting impact

Some of the floods effects will be felt for a long time. Some families returned to their homes only within the past few weeks. Some will have to wait longer, or not return at all.

The City of Burlington alone accrued $1.5 million in damage to its facilities. Both the basements of the Burlington City Hall, 300 N. Pine St., and the Burlington Police Department, 224 E. Jefferson St., were flooded, wiping out the citys data servers, 911 dispatch electronic system, radio, telephones and internet network.

On Nov. 21, the City Council authorized the sale of a promissory note for $1.495 million to the Bank of Kansas to finance repairs and replace equipment.

The city also decided to terminate its in-house dispatch center and instead joined the Racine County Communication Center. On Dec. 19, the City Council approved the separation agreements with three dispatchers, whose last day will be Dec. 31.

Residents wont feel the effects of the flood on their tax bills this year, but the citys tax rate is projected to go up by 21 cents in 2019. Itll decrease to 13 cents over a 10-year period.
Uttarkashi, December 31

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at the ITBP camp in Matli on the Indo-China border on Sunday evening to spend the New Year with jawans who brave sub-zero temperatures during the winter as they secure the country's frontiers.

The Home Minister was given a guard of honour by the 12th battalion of the ITBP and accorded a warm welcome by BJP leaders, including Gangotri MLA Gopal Singh Rawat, and a host of senior officials as he arrived.

The Union minister took stock of the ITBP's establishment there and took part in a function organised to mark the end of 2017.

After spending the night with the border bravehearts, the minister will proceed on the New Year's Day to the Nelang valley, about 120 km from here.

He will meet soldiers and take stock of the situation at about 10 border posts located in the Nelang valley, including the Naga and PDA posts, before returning to Delhi, an official said.  PTI
Suresh Dharur

Politics appears to have upstaged science. The postponement of the annual Science Congress, originally scheduled to be held in Hyderabad in the first week of January, has come as a big jolt to the scientific community. It is for the first time in the 104-year-old history of the Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) that the prestigious event had to be deferred. For Osmania University in Hyderabad, celebrating its centenary, it is a lost opportunity.

The event was postponed fearing student protests as the campus, which had served as the epicentre of the Telangana statehood movement, is now in the grip of tension following an agitation by a section of student groups over growing unemployment.

The 105th Science Congress will now be held at Manipur Central University, Imphal, from March 18 to 22. The cancellation of Hyderabad as the venue has come as a major disappointment for the students and faculty of Osmania University, which has hosted the Science Congress thrice in the past. More worrying is the blame game between the university authorities and the ISCA over who was responsible for the postponement.

The ISCA announced on its website that the congress had been postponed because Osmania authorities had expressed their inability to host the event due to certain issues on the campus. However, Vice-Chancellor Prof S Ramachandram claimed that it was fully prepared to host it. The preparations were in an advanced stage. We could have conducted the event without any glitches.

The Kolkata-based ISCA said the decision to put off the event followed an e-mail from the V-C himself, who expressed concern over the protests. On its part, the university administration maintained that it was kept in the dark about the programme being put off.

At one point in time, the university was willing to have the inaugural outside the campus and the remaining sessions on the campus even if it meant incurring more expenditure and inconvenience, the VC said.

We presume that the decision was taken jointly by the state and Central governments on the basis of intelligence inputs that hinted at possible unrest during the inaugural event, a university official said. The postponement decision came when the registration process was already in progress for the event, expected to be attended by over 20,000 delegates, including 25 Nobel laureates. The event was to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on January 3.

This is shameful. Such a thing has not happened in the last 100 years, said Prof Gangadhar, general secretary, membership affairs, ISCA. When the state government could conduct the Global Entrepreneurship Summit and the World Telugu Conference peacefully, why couldnt it have conducted the Science Congress with similar security strategies? wondered B Satyanarayana, president of OU Teachers Association. Moreover, students had never called for the boycott of the event.

There was tension on the campus recently following suicide by a post-graduate student in a hostel on December 3. Some student activists staged protests and demanded the resignation of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. They alleged that the student was forced to commit suicide due to fear of not finding a job.

Traditionally, the Science Congress is the first big event in the PMs calendar, where expectations of a policy announcement and directions for scientific research are indicated. The first session of the congress was held in Kolkata in 1914. In 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first PM, was the general president. Post-Independence, Nehru made it a practice to inaugurate the event every year on January 3. The tradition has been carried on by successive PMs for 70 years. It is also a record that the Science Congress has been held without a break so far. The theme of the Science Congress is Reaching the unreached through science and technology.

ABVP students, meanwhile, protested in front of the V-Cs chamber, asking him to step down owning responsibility for the damage caused to the universitys image.
Srinagar, December 31

Sepoy Jagsir Singh of Lohgarh Thakhran Wala village in Punjabs Ferozepur district was killed in sniper fire along the Line of Control in Nowshera sector in the wee hours of Sunday.

He is survived by his parents, wife Mohinder Pal Kaur, two daughters and a son. Jagsir had visited his village only last week. He phoned us last night for New Year greetings, said his mother.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Defence spokesperson Col NN Joshi said the Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. In the exchange of fire, sepoy Jagsir Singh was grievously injured. He succumbed later.

Sources said Jagsir Singh was targeted by snipers of the Baloch Regiment.

He was a brave and sincere soldier and the nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, Col Joshi said.

According to defence experts, the Pakistan army is using three types of sniper rifles  Russia-made Dragunov, US-made Barret M82 and Austria-made Steyr SSG 69. All three have an effective shooting range of 3,700 metres.  TNS
Tribune News Service

Lucknow, December 31

Three criminal cases have been lodged against the madrasa manager accused of sexually exploiting 52 residential girl students, who were later rescued by the police. One of the cases have been filed by an alleged rape survivor.

The class X student, originally from Bahraich, came forward to file a case against Qari Taiyyab Ziya, alleging rape. In her complaint, she claimed the accused raped her in the office and when she protested she was beaten up.

She alleged that the manager had been sexually exploiting her for the past three years and had terrorised her into silence.

In another complaint, five students charged the manager with sexual exploitation. All six students have been sent for medical examination.

The third FIR was filed against the manager by madrasa owner Syed Mohd Jilani, an Indira Nagar resident.

According to Saadatganj police station CO, more stringent sections might be added after the medical report of the girls was available. Sources said the stringent National Security Act (NSA) might be invoked against the manager, who is in police custody.

The district administration has put the old city on high alert following protests by locals against the madrasa management. UPs Minister for Women and Child Welfare Rita Bahuguna Joshi visited the government-run Nari Niketan to enquire about the welfare of the rescued girls.
Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 31

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his last edition of this years Mann Ki Baat today conveyed New Years greetings and said the coming Republic Day celebrations would be special as leaders of 10 ASEAN countries will be chief guests.

The PM exhorted youth, especially new voters, to contribute to the making of New India. He urged the youth to hold mock parliament in every district to brainstorm on how to take the country forward by 2022. He further suggested that one such mock parliament be organised in Delhi around August 15 (Independence Day) to discuss how the country could be transformed in the next five years.

In his 26-minute address, Modi said although January 26 is a historic occasion, the coming Republic Day will be especially remembered through the ages. The arrival of the great leaders 10 nations of the world as a unit is a matter of pride for all Indians, he said. Modi had created a buzz by his novelty of inviting SAARC leaders at his swearing-in ceremony for the PMs office.

Batting for womens equal right vis-a-vis men, the PM said the journey of countrys progress had been possible due to women power. He said his government had taken corrective measures in discarding the 70-year discriminatory rule of not allowing Muslim women to go on Haj pilgrimage alone, without mehram (male guardian).

For decades there was no discussion on the issue on justification of this discrimination, which was not in vogue even in many Islamic countries. Since the corrective measure taken by the government, more than 1,300 women from across the country had applied to undertake pilgrimage along. The PM said he had asked the Minority Affairs Ministry to treat applications of women as special category. Normally, selection of applications is made through the lottery system.

Referring to 2017, he said 350th Parkash Parv of Guru Gobind Singh was celebrated. The illustrious life of the iconic leader was source of inspiration, he added. The PM sought peoples participation in Swacch Bharat campaign. Clean India has been an unfulfilled dream of Mahatma Gandhi, he added.

He said January 1 was a special day as people born in 2000 or later would become eligible voters. He welcomed them as New Indian Voters. Terming youth in age group of 18-25 years as New India Youth, he said they stand for aspirations, enthusiasm and energy. The dream of New India will be realised through their skill and fortitude.

PAT for Valley youth

The PM praised J&K Anjum Bashir Khan, 27, for cracking the Kashmir Civil Service exam this year. He lost his house to militancy, forcing his family to flee the native village
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, December 31

A pall of gloom descended on Lohgarh Thakran Wala village in Zira subdivision as the news of the killing of Sepoy Jagsir Singh (32) trickled in this afternoon. Jagsir attained martyrdom during early hours on Sunday following unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces on Indian Army posts along the Line of Control in Nowshera sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said Jagsir was targeted by snipers of Pakistans Baloch Regiment.

Defence sources said though the Indian Army retaliated strongly, Sepoy Jagsir of 19 Punjab Regiment got grievously injured during the exchange of fire. He later succumbed to his injuries.

Jagsir had visited his native village last week and had promised to visit again in the New Year.

Jagsir had called yesterday night to convey his New Year greetings. Little did we know it will turn out to be our last conversation with him, recalled the martyrs mother, Gurmit Kaur, her voice choked.

His wife Mohinder Pal Kaur was inconsolable as she remembered her seven-year relationship with her husband.

We got married in 2010 and were blessed with three kids  Nigamjit Kaur (7), Gurmeet Kaur (5) and Jagdeep Singh (2). On his next visit home, he had promised to take the kids on an outing, she said.

Army officials said Jagsir was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, said an official.

The martyrs body would be brought to his native village on Monday in a helicopter, say sources.

Jagsir had joined the Indian Army in 2004 and had been serving in the Kashmir valley for the last few years.

He did his schooling from the government school in the village and was the youngest of the three siblings.

Tehsildar Vipin Sharma along with other officials met the bereaved family and offered condolences.
Perneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 31

Though the SAD-BJP alliance was thrown out of power in the state nine months ago, Akali leaders still seem to be wielding clout in the Malwa region.

This is evident from the fact that Bathinda police failed to produce Youth Akali Dal leader Balkar Singh Brar in a local court on December 22 in connection with the suicide case of his nephews wife and her two kids, though he was spotted in a SAD dharna against thermal plant closure here on December 25.

Balkar along with his nephew Gurlal Singh Brar was among the seven family members booked following the alleged suicide by Gurlals wife Amanpreet Kaur (32) along with her two daughters Guneet Kaur (4) and Mehreen Kaur (1) on November 14, 2014. Their bodies were found in the waterworks tank in Goniana.

The accused were booked under Section 304-B of the IPC for forcing the woman to commit suicide along with her minor daughters.

Nehiawala SHO Angrej Singh said they had conducted raids to arrest Balkar, but could not find him. Additional Sessions Judge KS Bajwa had directed the police to arrest and produce Balkar in his court on December 22.

Incidentally, Balkar was spotted along with Akali Dal leaders during their protest against the state governments move to shut Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant in Bathinda on December 25. Now, the court has asked the police to produce him before it on January 12. The court had first summoned all the seven accused on November 19, asking them to appear before it on December 5, but Balkar did not turn up.

Earlier, an SIT formed to probe into the incident had concluded that Gurlals uncles Balkar Singh Brar and Onkar Singh Brar and their wives were innocent in the case. Later, another SIT was constituted, which gave a clean chit to all the accused barring Amanpreets husband Gurlal, who was then booked under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC. Later, the victims kin moved the court against the grant of clean chit to them.

Initially, after his sisters demise, Amanpreets brother Gursharan Singh had alleged that Gurlal and his family were demanding Rs 15 lakh from them following the birth of twins (Mehreen and Navraj) in August 2013. He had accused her in-laws of harassing her, following which they were booked under Section 304-B of the IPC. The sensational case had even created fissures in the Akali Dal in 2014. SAD leaders openly sided with the families of Gurlal and Amanpreet when they organised separate bhog ceremonies of the deceased.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 31

Buildings above 67 ft, all over the state, that do not have a 15-ft corridor, all around, for allowing movement of fire tenders will be sealed after an ongoing review. This was stated by Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu while addressing a press conference here today.

The move comes in the wake of 14 deaths in a fire mishap at a pub in Mumbai where the fire exit was found to be blocked.

The process has already commenced and we will compile a list of defaulters after a month. This will be followed by providing due chance to defaulters for making corrections failing which the buildings will be sealed, the minister said.

Sidhu said the state would soon have a fire safety training centre and a Rs 500-crore plan had been submitted to Director General, Fire, Parkash Mishra for transforming fire services after a meeting earlier this week in New Delhi.

Besides, a separate project worth Rs 262.5 crore has been submitted to the Union Urban Development Ministry for upgradation of fire services.

Small cities/towns which do not have space for parking fire tenders will be given space in police stations. Volunteer staff will be employed from among NCC cadets and other sources. Special fire safety suits will be provided, Sidhu said.

Providing details of the project submitted to the Centre, Sidhu said Rs 270 crore would be earmarked for new fire stations; Rs 86 crore for aerial ladders; Rs 60 crore for advance rescue tender; Rs 18 crore for fire suits; Rs 20 crore for quick response vehicles; Rs 23 crore for training centre; Rs 5 crore for creating awareness regarding fire safety; Rs 3 crore for fire audit and Rs 5 crore for civil defence.

The minister added that he also got a favourable response from Union Minister of State for Urban Development Hardeep Puri to whom a separate project of Rs 262 crore had been submitted.
Chandigarh, December 31

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today alleged that it was amply clear now that the main accused in the Rs 1,000 crore irrigation scam had financed the sand mining auction bids of Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singhs close associates, and that a CBI as well as Enforcement Directorate inquiry must be conducted to expose the nexus.

Akali MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Balwinder Singh Bhundur said central agencies should also probe the release of Rs 4 crore to contractor Gurinder Singh, the main accused in the irrigation scam, by Rana Gurjits ministry.

How can the Irrigation Ministry release money to a contractor who is being probed and has even been arrested? The contractors direct involvement in the sand mine auctions on behalf of Rana Gurjits associates alone can explain the undue favours given to him by the ministry, they said.

Dhindsa alleged the revelations had also exposed the friendly probe done by Justice (retd) JS Narang into the sand mine auction scam.  TNS
WIND LAKE  The Wind Lake Management District and a local trapper are working to alleviate a beaver problem on the Wind Lake Canal.

Since he began to set traps the week before Christmas, the trapper has caught 11 beavers, according to Jim Marks, chairman of the Wind Lake Management District.

On the first day, he caught a 40-pound beaver, Marks said.

When residents along the canal on the north side of Wind Lake initially began complaining about the beavers, they thought a large brush pile that rises around 3 feet above the water level was a beaver dam. The brush blocks a significant portion of the canal, with only around 10 feet of clearance on either side, Marks said.

Marks has since learned that the brush pile isnt a dam. However, there is a beaver lodge adjacent to the pile that Marks said is about as long as three cars. He believes the beavers use the wood in the brush pile for building materials. Residents fear that the beavers will turn the pile into a dam, which could cause flooding in homes along the canal, Marks said.

Since the residents who live along the canal  which connects Big Muskego Lake in Waukesha County and Wind Lake in Racine County  pay taxes into the Lake District, they expect to be able to access the lake. This access could be constricted by expansion of the brush pile into a dam.

Marks estimated that, conservatively, there are 30 to 40 properties along the canal.

Trapping

Although some nuisance trappers dont use any part of the beavers after theyre caught and killed, the trapper working at Wind Lake does. The pelts from the beavers will be used to make coats and hats.

The Management District works with local trappers on a fairly regular basis to control the beaver population at the lake.

The last time we trapped was four years ago, Marks said.

The trapper has suspended his work at the lake for the moment. He will resume once the ice in the area of the canal clears, which usually happens when temperatures reach the low 30s.

Marks said the Lake District will continue to monitor the situation.

Norway Town Chairwoman Jean Jacobson said the town hadnt yet determined whether or not it will remove the brush pile that is blocking the canal, as she doesnt think the Department of Works has the proper equipment to do so. But she said shes sure the town will continue to discuss the matter with the Lake Management District.
Jammu/Ferozepur, December 31

A pall of gloom descended on Lohgarh Thakran Wala village in Zira sub-division in this district after the news of Sepoy Jagsir Singhs death reached here.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Singh (32) was killed after Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

He was posted in a forward area in Noushera sector of Rajouri district.

Singh is survived by wife Mohinder Pal Kaur, two daughters and one son, his family said.

He had visited his native village last week and had promised to visit again next month.

His mother Gurmit Kaur said Singh rang up yesterday night to convey New Year greetings.

Little did we know that this will be our last conversation," an inconsolable Gurmit Kaur said.

The soldier's family said the couple got married in 2010, and were blessed with three kids, Nigamjit Kaur (7), Gurmeet Kaur (5) and Jagdeep Singh (2).

Singh's last rites will be held tomorrow, Vipin Sharma, a Tehsildar, said.  PTI
Chandigarh, December 31

Punjab will soon have a fire safety training centre and a Rs 500-crore plan has been submitted to the Directorate General of Fire Services and Civil Defence for transforming fire services, state Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said here on Sunday.

He said the Centre has assured every possible help to the state in this regard.

Besides, a separate project worth Rs 262.50 crore has been submitted to the Union Urban Development Ministry, Sidhu said.

The minister said till date, the fire services sector has been largely ignored which accounted for the numerous fire accidents in Punjab, and asserted that he has instructed the department to prepare detailed project reports to address the issue.

He said the Centre has granted approval for the opening of a fire safety training centre.

Sidhu said he also got a favourable response from the Union Minister of State for Urban Development Hardeep Puri to whom a Rs 262-crore project was submitted.

The state government would take special care to ensure that no fireman goes into the fire extinguishing operations without ultra-modern fire suit, he said.

The minister said the Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act would be enforced strictly.

In the coming days, Sidhu said, his department would compile a list of the buildings violating the Act in the state and the owners would be served notices.  PTI
Kuljit Bains

Foremost, it was an election year for Punjab, bringing with it the attendant hopes, euphoria and heartbreaks. The coming to power of the Congress with Capt Amarinder Singh at the helm, and rout for the SAD and AAP, squarely put the onus of addressing the all-round despondency in the state on the Patiala royal. However, even as he reaffirmed his supremacy in the state party unit with a resounding victory for Sunil Jakhar in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha byelection, the Chief Minister struggled to keep his detractors at bay.

Things were not helped when, early on, revelations pointing at suspected attempt by a minister to illegally grab multiple sand mines rocked the government. It was a shocker for the people of the state, many of who had voted for a major governance overhaul after the 10 years of SAD-BJP rule. Also, lack of action by the government against many of Akali leaders businesses, as promised earlier, not only disappointed voters but also fed into the rumours that the two parties had reached a settlement before elections.

What kept the government, especially the bureaucracy, busy amidst pressure from people and media was the toughest of challenges  finding the money to deliver on the two biggest promises, cheap power to industry and loan waivers for farmers. As the year ended, the government was still struggling to see how it could cut back on the handouts, and yet make it look like it had kept its promises. Peppering the desperation were nearly daily reports of farmers continuing to commit suicide. It was also for the first time that the state government came under such scrutiny over the smog caused by farmers burning paddy crop residue.

Amidst all the gloom, there was comfort too. The governments strongest claim to success came when the police announced they had solved the multiple political killings carried out in the state over the past two years. There was also a perception that the special team constituted to curb the drug trade and addiction in the state had been able to achieve some success. There was an attempt to add some cheer with job melas in the state, where offer letters were handed out to youth.

A colourful closure planned for the year in the form of a Military Literature Festival in Chandigarh by the government was, of course, one thing that received all-round applause, even if the audience was limited.

Of course, for all that didnt work, there is always the next year!

Mining a controversy

A story dated May 25 in The Tribune reported how four employees of Irrigation Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, including his cook Amit Bahadur, were suspected to have bagged contracts of mining sites in the state. While the minister claimed they had quit his employment before the mining auctions, the controversy has kept the states political pot boiling ever since the report came out.

Targeted killings

The year saw the Punjab Police claiming success in solving the high-profile killings of six religio-political leaders. Its inability to crack the cases had been a cause of major embarrassment. The killings took place between April 2016 and October 2017. RSS leader Ravinder Gosain was also shot in Ludhiana. Five persons have been arrested, including UK national Jagjit Johal.

Another year, same issues

Punjab ran afoul of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which flayed the state for not doing enough to check paddy straw burning. The tribunal questioned Punjab on many misrepresentations, and forced it to submit a time frame to provide the required conservation agriculture practices and farm implements to the farmers. Precious time was lost and straw continued to burn.

Stories of valour

The government, in collaboration with the Armys Western Command, organised first-of-its-kind Military Literature Festival at Chandigarh in December to commemorate the gallantry and sacrifices of soldiers. The two-day event saw a host of military veterans, experts, writers, journalists, war correspondents and historians coming together to share their experiences on matters military.

In the News

Making ends meet

The Congress government inherited a debt of over Rs 2 lakh crore from the Akali-BJP dispensation when it took over in March. Four months later, GST was rolled out by the Modi government. This hit the states fiscal situation further as the devolution from the Centre became slower and irregular. With the state government avoiding additional resource mobilisation and also planning to dole out financial concessions to various sections, the fiscal situation remained precarious.

Consumed by flames

A total of 16 lives were lost in a fire at a plastic factory in the industrial area in Ludhianas Mustak Ganj on November 20. According to reports, the owner had illegally stored chemicals in the building. The dead included six fire personnel and a factory manager. Later, Inderjit Singh Gola, owner of the factory was arrested. Divisional Commissioner of Patiala VK Meena initiated a probe into the incident.

Inquiry commissions

The government set up three commissions of inquiry to look into different allegations. Justice JS Narang Commission looked into the sand mining scandal, allegedly involving Rana Gurjeet Singh. Justice Mehtab Singh Commission was set up to study allegedly false police cases against political leaders. Ranjit Singh Commission was constituted to investigate the incidents of sacrilege in 2015.

Congress sweeps local body elections

Elections to three municipal corporations, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala, besides 31 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, were held recently where the Congress won.
KV Prasad

Barely had the citizens recovered from the effects of demonetisation that ran them aground towards the end of 2016, the decision of the government to unroll the biggest ever tax reform  Goods and Services Tax (GST) reinforced the effect of disruptions on everyday life. Economic slowdown and its effects across different walks of life continued to be a matter of discussion but it was the GST that triggered a tug-of-war with the Opposition, led by the Congress, seeking to put the Modi government in a tight spot because of it.

The government was equally quick to carry out course correction to check the sense of unease creeping across various sections  the working class, the middle class and the entrepreneurs  as the complexities of the tax structure and its various slabs added to the confusion. Part of the restructuring by the Modi government was prompted by the elections in Gujarat, a state where the GST effect hit the people the most.

The BJP under the Modi-Amit Shah leadership proved to be an effective election-winning strategist, decimating the opponents and pulling off astounding victories in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. In Goa and Manipur, the partys smart strategies helped it in forming a government despite getting lesser number of seats than the Congress. Yet, as the year drew to a close, the results in Gujarat shorn the BJP of its political sheen, despite a poll victory.

The year had many events that would have a long-standing impact on the society. Be it a proposed law against instant triple talaq; uproar over Jallikattu; characterising sex as rape of wife for those below 15 years of age; granting 26 weeks of paid maternity leave; and move to act against unruly air travellers.

The Supreme Courts move to ban liquor vends near the highways led to several corrections, while the courts intervention against bursting of crackers in Delhi and the NCR near Diwali received an enthusiastic response from an environmentally conscious society.

On the flip side, the inadequacy of state administrations to cater to the basic needs came to the fore when a large number of infants died due the lack of oxygen and other primary facilities in Gorakhpur, Farrukhabad and Nashik. This apathy was further highlighted in Mumbai where 22 died in a stampede at Elphinstone Road. The mishap occurred when office-goers crammed together on a foot overbridge, that was too narrow to handle the rush.

Equally chilling was the gunning down of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, leading to the suspicion that she was killed for her writings against the fundamentalists, while killings of Junaid Khan and others like him continued for allegedly indulging in slaughter/transportation of animals holy to the majority community.

If reports of retaliatory acts by self-professed cow vigilantes remained in the news, so did the love jihad with the Hadiya case reaching the apex court, both for protection of rights of adults to lead a life together by choice irrespective of different religious persuasions.

The most fearful entry was the fatal game of Blue Whale that led to the death of many teenagers, lured into taking their own lives.

The year ended with the sorry saga of Sasikala landing in the prison and the warring factions in Jayalalithaa's AIADMK appearing to close ranks against her, while in Bihar, Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar called it quits to their nascent political alliance.

And towards the year-end, the Congress members heaved a sigh of relief as Rahul Gandhi finally became president of the grand old party.

Dammed, finally!

No project in the world, perhaps, has faced so many controversies as the Narmada project. Nearly 56 years after its foundation was laid by former PM Jawaharlal Nehru on April 5, 1961, the Sardar Sarovar dam became a reality in September. The project was mired in many controversies and faced impediments from pro- and anti-dam activists, till finally the Supreme Court gave the nod for its construction in 2000. The delay in the completion of the dam was due to several reasons, including a dispute between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh on the sharing of water and electricity. The dispute that started in 1964 was finally resolved in December 1979, after which the construction was started in 1980. Soon after activist Medha Patkar launched an anti-dam agitation, the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), and took the matter to the Supreme Court over environmental concerns and the rehabilitation of tribals as their lands were likely to be submerged in the dam water. However, despite the court verdict, the construction of the dam continued to face hurdles over the rehabilitation issue.

Rahul, the president

Rahul Gandhi was elected the Congress president in December, marking a generational shift in the grand old party and becoming the sixth member of the influential Nehru-Gandhi clan to occupy the post. He took over the reins from his mother Sonia Gandhi, who remained at the helm for 19 years, the longest in the partys 132-year history. Rahul Gandhi, who appeared reluctant to take on the mantle of Congress president, gave clear indication about his readiness to accept the responsibility of running the party during an interaction at the University of California, Berkeley, in September this year. While pageantry would herald the dawn of a new era in the Congress, which has ruled the country for over half-a-century since Independence, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family will face the daunting task of restoring lost glory of the party whose fortunes have seen a downswing in the recent past.

The scam that wasnt

In December, a CBI Special Court former telecom minister A Raja, DMK leader Kanimozhi and 16 other accused in the 2G scam case, saying the prosecution miserably failed to prove the charges against them. The three companies, allegedly involved in the case that politically damaged the UPA government, were also acquitted. The acquittal of all 17 accused in the 2G scam case is a huge embarrassment for the Modi government and, conversely, a belated vindication of the position taken by the former UPA government and Kapil Sibal, in particular, when the allegations of corruption first surfaced. This is bound to have a serious and lasting impact on Indian politics. This acquittal removes one of the two key pillars supporting Mr Modi's claim that the UPA was the most corrupt government ever. The other pillar is the coal scam case which could now end with similar acquittals. Indeed, social media is already questioning whether the Modi government won the 2014 election on false accusations of corruption.

In the news

Low blow

His ignorance about the intricacies of Hindi cost Congress Mani Shankar Aiyar his primary membership of the party after he called PM Narendra Modi a neech aadmi (vile man). The party disapproved of Aiyars remark . The latter apologised for using the word neech (low) for Modi but maintained that There is a difference in English between words low and low-born. But in Hindi if low means low-born, then I tender apology.

A fair defence

Despite having a large number of women in politics, it took India 65 years after its first elected Parliament to have its first full-time woman Defence Minister when Nirmala Sitharaman assumed charge of the defence ministry. Indira Gandhi had held the additional charge of defence twice in 1975 and then from 1980-1982. Sitharaman has had a good track record as BJP spokesperson. She had joined the government in 2014 as a Minister of State.

Judging justice

In a first, the Supreme Court in May convicted sitting HC Judge of contempt of court and sentenced him to six months imprisonment. Judge CS Karnan, hearing a contempt case, had convicted some other judges, awarding them five-year imprisonment. The judge, who was to retire in June, was arrested from Coimbatore on June 20 after he had evaded the police for over a month.

Fodder for fraud

A special CBI court convicted former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad and 15 others in a fodder scam case while acquitting six, including another former CM Jagannath Mishra. The case pertained to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994. A chargesheet was filed against 38 persons in 1997. Eleven died, three turned approvers while two confessed and were convicted in 2006-07.

Three-year jail for instant triple talaq

The contentious Bill on instant triple talaq was passed, making it non-bailable offence, with up to three years in jail for the husband and a fine. The Bill was passed after the Lok Sabha rejected a string of amendments moved by various opposition members. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e- biddat'. It gives power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking "subsistence allowance" for herself and minor children. A victim can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate. Under the law, instant triple talaq in any form  spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp  would be illegal and void. The proposed law would be applicable to the entire country, except Jammu and Kashmir.

Raisina Hills new resident

In July, NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind was elected as the 14th President of India. Registering a win over Meira Kumar, he got 65.65 per cent of the electoral college votes. The race to Raisina Hill was tilted in favour of Kovind from the day (June 27) BJP chief Amit Shah announced his name, taking everyone by surprise.

Unfair to fair sex

A woman student of Banaras Hindu University was harassed on the campus while returning to her hostel. Her warden raised questions about her late arrival. Angered at the lackadaisical attitude of authorities, students protested. They were lathicharged as a result of which some students and journalists were hurt.

Forces under Naxal attack

In April, 25 CRPF men were killed and six hurt in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district in an attack by Naxalites. The 300- strong Naxalite group mounted the assault in Kalapathar area of south Bastar region, one of the worst-hit by Left-wing extremism in India. The CRPF men were sanitising the area for a road being laid there, when the attack happened.
Harish Khare

The dreaded income tax inspector is back. He is back with a vengeance in 2017. He has been recruited in a kind of mercenary force, with a mandate to wage a holy war on black money. The central government is no longer apologetic about letting the taxman loose on any businessman, big or small. Not since the nefarious Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) was defanged in the 1990s has the business community lived in such dread of a visitation from any of the coercive instruments in the governments fiscal arsenal.

Indeed, a former finance minister, Yashwant Sinha allowed himself, in the first week of December, to opine that India was in the grip of tax terrorism. This was not a solitary opinion of a senior, embittered BJP leader. Sinha had hit the bulls eye. This sentiment got registered in the public imagination when the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi began characterising GST as Gabbar Singh Tax, after the much-feared dacoit-boss in the all-time popular movie, Sholay. So pat was this invocation of dread, especially with Gujarats trading community, that the Modi government was constrained to tweak the GST regime, making it a less-stringent arrangement, just in time before the state went to polls.

The GST and its built-in demand for digital footprints was only part of the taxmans minatory story. There is a larger, political mind at work. Having received an unprecedentedly massive mandate in Uttar Pradesh, the Modi political establishment chose to interpret that three-fourth vote as an endorsement of demonetisation; it bred a certain populist arrogance: the Indian voters will support any move that can be sold as being aimed at the miniscule business community. The bania, in any way, never enjoyed much of a social respect in the caste-conscious Indian society. Masses can be worked up, even instigated against the businessman, the black money hoarder and the very man who was obstructing the nations march towards greatness.

With demonetisation came the push for a Digital India. Once a businessman  or, for that matter any citizen  has left behind a digital footprint, he becomes a legitimate target for the taxman, his queries, to be mostly followed by the ubiquitous income tax raid.

Ask any businessman and nine times out of 10, he would have a tale of woe to tell, either about his own unpleasant encounter with the taxman or of some friend, relative or business partner subjected to a similar indignity.

On December 22, the Lok Sabha was informed, by Mr Shiv Pratap Shukla, Honble Minister of State for Finance, in a written reply to a question, that between November 2016 and March 2017, the Income Tax department had conducted searches on around 900 groups. According to Mr Shukla, the taxmen also collected undisclosed income of over Rs 7,900 crore. Besides this, 8,200 surveys were conducted, which extracted detection of undisclosed income of more than Rs 6,700 crore. And, Mr Shuklas inspectors were not done yet. From April 2017 to October 2017, more groups  around 275  were searched, which yielded a haul of Rs 7,800 crore in undisclosed income.

On December 23, 2017, on its business page, the Asian Age carried six stories, each providing a chapter in the larger book of a government at a fiscal war with the entrepreneurial community. The SEBI, the Income Tax department, and the Enforcement Directorate replaced the policeman as a symbol of a capricious authority.

The same page also had West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra assert that the GST, heralded with so much fanfare and invested with so much political capital, was more primitive in its implementation than the VAT regime. According to him, a parliamentary panel had calculated that at least 10 to 15 per cent of the working capital of exporters was locked up. There is no tyranny greater than that of an incompetent government.

And, the same page in the same newspaper, also had a story of government denying that it had any plans to close down any public sector bank! The rumour and the fact that the government felt the need to deny it should give an idea of uncertainty and fear that have crept into the Indian economy.

Early this year, an Economist cover story (June 24, 2017) on Indian economy had captured the core of the new unpredictability, now institutionalised in decision-making: With even senior ministers relegated to the edges of a policymaking machine run by a tight group around him, few people know what Mr Modi has in mind.

A terrifyingly unsettling message has gone out: The Modi establishment is not averse to introducing disruption in the economic policies, laws and regulations  not necessarily for sound economic reasons but in a quest for electoral dividends and political advantages and to cultivate an image of a strong man at work. The business community has keenly sensed this streak of irrational adventurism; the foreign investor has postponed his visit; while the desi entrepreneur is hoarding back his surplus. The economy is not booming. In its pique and insatiable lust for more resources, the government has unleashed the taxman on the hapless citizen.
Parveen Arora in Karnal

Parveen Arora in Karnal

The residents living within the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) limits often complain about absence of good roads, sanitation and drainage facilities, street lights and maintenance of parks. They are astounded by the response of the civic body that expects elections around June next year: the KMC has put up statues of all 12 postures of Surya Namaskar in a park situated near Mughal Canal. The civic body is apparently inspired by a similar exercise at IGIA, New Delhi, and has spent Rs 30 lakh on them.

Clearly, local politicians see it as a BJPs publicity gimmick. It is wastage of time and money. The KMC has to focus on basic facilities to the residents, says Manoj Wadhwa, deputy mayor, who contested the assembly election against CM Manohar Lal Khattar. He said the project was not cleared in the KMC house, nor was the opinion of councilors taken. Congress leader and former district president of rural areas, Surinder Narwal, who also contested against the CM, accused the government of promoting saffronization.

KMC commissioner Priyanka Soni brushes aside the criticism, saying the step was taken to educate people about Surya Namaskar, which is a complete exercise, for making people healthy. She said the commissioner has the power to take a decision on any work costing up to Rs 15 lakh.

Meantime, the residents of 15 villages, which were included in the KMC in 2010, are waiting for a better infrastructure in their areas. The city became a municipal corporation seven years back. These villages included in the limits had a panchayat system that somehow took care of the basic amenities. Today we have to run from this department to another even for keeping cleanliness, says Davinder Sharma, a resident of Uchana village. The KMC collects the auction money of the land of Uchana, but it does not spend it on the development, he alleged.

The civic body is supposed to cater to the development and maintenance needs of a Narsi village colony built by a private company in 2016. But residents complain that they still dont have good roads, sewage and other facilities after the area came under the KMC limits.

Karnal is one of the proposed smart cities. The city is supposed to get Rs 1295.81 crore for the development of 720 acres lying within the city limits. The amount includes Rs 1061.1 crore for area-based development programme and Rs 149.9 crore for the plan city solution.

A sum of Rs 169 crore has been spent on all kinds of basic amenities in the KMC limits. Of the total amount, around 68 crore was spent prior to this government, while Rs 101 crore has been spent on roads, street lights, sewage, parks and other basic amenities for the last three years, says the commissioner.
ONE of the most important of the resolutions adopted by the Congress this year was that which called upon the community to do every thing in its power to elevate the depressed classes and alleviate their lot. It may be open to doubt whether the Congress should discuss social questions. As a rule it does not; as a rule it is wise for ___to But the question of depressed classes is an exception, because it is a vital, an obvious part of the problem of nation-building and of national regeneration, and is besides one in regard to which the better mind of the community is wholly united. The question is, indeed, over ripe for solution. It was time that vigorous measures were taken to solve it.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 31

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached Uttarakhand on a two-day visit to celebrate the New Year with the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel.

Rajnath Singh reached the ITBP camp at Matli in Uttarkashi district where he was going stay overnight to celebrate the New Year. On January 1, he will leave for Nelong, 120 km from Uttarkashi district headquarters. He is also expected to visit some of the forward posts here.

The Union Home Minister today arrived at the ITBP helipad at 4.15 pm, where he was welcomed by senior ITBP officials. He is accompanied by ITBP Director General RK Panchananda.

Uttarakhand shares long borders with China which is manned by the ITBP. The ITBP personnel are looking forward to this visit with much excitement. The Union Home Minister had also celebrated Dushera with the ITBP personnel at Joshimath in Chamoli district.

It would be the second visit of the Home Minister to India-China border since the resolution of the Doklam standoff.

Rajnath Singh is also expected to review the situation at Nelong Valley and Matli  a regional response centre of the ITBP for countering natural and man-made disasters and which, in 2012 and 2013 when Uttarakhand suffered major tragedies, played a crucial role in relief and rescue operations and helped save thousands of lives.

Raised on October 24, 1962, the ITBP is currentlydeployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3,488 km of India-China border.

(with inputs from agencies)
Kano, December 31

Boko Haram fighters opened fire on a group of loggers in a remote village in northeast Nigeria on Sunday, killing four people, a survivor and a militia leader said.

Gunmen on motorcycles attacked the loggers while they were loading firewood into pickup vans at Maiwa village, 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, they said.

The gunmen burned three vehicles laden with firewood heading to the volatile city.

Four loggers were shot dead by the Boko Haram gunmen who also burnt three vehicles loaded with firewood, said Ibrahim Liman, a leader of a militia force fighting the insurgents.

He said other loggers escaped the assault.

The attackers, who rode on six motorcycles, struck at the logging site around 4:40 pm (1540 GMT), said logger Haruna Dahiru.

Sixteen of them (Boko Haram) came on six motorcycles, riding in twos and threes, and opened fire on us without saying a word, he said.

They killed four of our colleagues and set fire to three pickup vans we loaded with firewood to bring to Maiduguri to sell, he added.

Boko Harams violence has killed over 20,000 people and displaced some 2.6 million since 2009, triggering a dire humanitarian crisis in the region.

Most of the displaced rely on food handouts from aid agencies while others have turned to felling trees which they sell to buy food.

The jihadists have increasingly targeted loggers, accusing them of spying and passing information to the military and the local militia fighting them.

In August Boko Haram fighters decapitated three loggers near Aisa-Wulomari village, 40 kilometres from Maiduguri while returning to the city.

In April eight loggers were killed and their bodies burnt by the insurgents at Kayamla, 10 kilometres from Maiduguri while collecting firewood in a bush.

Government troops fended off a second Boko Haram attack today on a military base in Kanamma village in neighbouring Yobe state, locals said.

The Islamists had invaded the base in eight trucks, but were repelled by soldiers in a gun battle that lasted around two hours.  AFP
Jalalabad, December 31

At least 12 people were killed and 14 others wounded when a suicide attacker blew himself up during a funeral in eastern Afghanistan today, officials said.

"The latest death toll has jumped to 12 and 14 wounded," Nangarhar governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP.

AFP
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.
Washington, December 31

Police in Houston, Texas said on Sunday they had arrested a belligerent man in possession of a number of guns at a high-rise hotel where a major New Year's celebration is planned.

The arrest, coming as cities across the country and around the world were preparing New Year's Eve celebrations, sparked fears of a repeat of the Oct. 31 mass shooting from a hotel room in Las Vegas, Nevada, that left 58 killed and hundreds wounded.

Houston police said they had yet to determine whether the man had any ill intent. They have yet to release his identity.

Police Lieutenant Gordon Macintosh said police were called to the Hyatt Regency Hotel shortly after midnight to deal with a "drunk, belligerent suspect."

The first officers to respond had to call for backup when the man refused to comply with their orders, Macintosh said in a video interview carried on the Houston Chronicle website.

When police escorted the man back to his room, they found "several guns," Macintosh said. Other news media described these as including an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and a handgun, as well as a large quantity of ammunition.

The suspect was arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon as well as for trespassing, Macintosh said. But he said the man was so intoxicated that police were not immediately able to interview him.

The Hyatt says its New Year's Eve party spans four floors, featuring live performances and the dropping of 50,000 balloons at midnight. A hotel employee said the party was still on despite the "disturbance."

The October 31 shooting from a high-rise hotel in Las Vegas by a heavily armed 64-year-old man, who killed himself as police closed in, was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Police in other cities have said they are taking extraordinary security measures around the year-end celebrations, most prominently at Times Square in New York, where police said they would deploy rooftop observers and counter-snipers in more buildings than usual, as well as patrolling hotels. AFP
How will the economy and industry perform in 2018? We asked local business leaders what they thought the new year would bring. From banking to real estate, energy to entrepreneurship, read about their expectations for Tulsa.

Mark VanLoh, Tulsa Airports CEO

2018 will be a great year for aviation in Tulsa and across the United States. Our regions aviation and aerospace sector is thriving with activity increasing at airport-based tenants, including Lufthansa Technik Component Services and American Airlines.

Nationally, airlines are adding seat capacity as the economy continues to expand, and traffic at Tulsa International Airport is expected to grow by 3 percent. Low-cost airlines are adding service across the nation, and we look forward to welcoming Frontier Airlines back to our market in March with service to Denver, followed by nonstop service to San Diego and Orlando in April.

The transition of our concession program will also wrap up in 2018, with all new restaurants to serve our passengers and the addition of pre-security offerings for the enjoyment of all guests.

Overall, 2018 is shaping up to be a year of positive change for our industry and our airport.

Clarence V. Boyd, vice president of commercial banking for Bank SNB

Banking is an industry in which management can dictate the success of the organization regardless of the state of the economy. Tax reform is expected to generate corporate growth, business expansion and a plethora of banking opportunities and disposable income for individuals.

But credit is a commodity, and the banking business is now being determined by the depth of your relationships with your clients, as well as your reputation in the communities in which you serve.

I think Tulsa is seeing a rebirth, and the renaissance has already started at Tulsas core. We are seeing a return to downtown, and the activity is beginning to spread around the IDL. We have a matured midtown, the Pearl District has re-emerged, and the city is taking the necessary steps to bring north Tulsa to the table. It is an atmosphere that I am excited to be at the genesis of.

Lynn Flinn, president and managing partner of The Rowland Group

For employers, we expect 2018 to be a strong year for hiring. The energy industry will see more growth this year than in the last three years. Hiring will be in strong demand, and there will be a shortage of talent.

Additionally, even though many baby boomers are working past age 65, the retiring boomers are impacting the need for immediate hiring and fast-track training to replace the experienced employees.

Healthcare will continue to experience needs for skilled employees as shortages for talent exist. More must be done to recruit, retain and train workers to supply the needs for the healthcare industry.

Manufacturing is already experiencing backlogs on orders and cannot keep up with the demands. More talent is also needed within this sector.

Overall, for 2018 we project a substantial hiring year for both contract and direct hire. If companies are considering hiring, they should start early and provide a competitive compensation package and a quality work culture to get the top talent.

Daryl Woodard, SageNet CEO

The focus on cybersecurity will continue in 2018, with a larger focus on two key areas: IOT and SD-WAN. The last couple of years have seen a proliferation of Internet of Things devices, from industrial sensors to appliances to pacemakers to childrens toys. Unfortunately, in many cases security has been an afterthought.

Every new connected IOT device (projected to surpass 9 billion in 2018) increases the vectors to attack a network and exposes systems that have never been internet accessible in the past. To cybercriminals, the Internet of Things is an opportunity for the breaching of things. 2017s breaches were the largest ever, and 2018 will likely see even larger and more frequent breaches.

The other major cybersecurity trend in 2018 will address software-defined wide area networking. Unlike traditional fixed-path networks with fixed security controls, SD-WAN allows organizations to dynamically route network traffic, based on a variety of performance factors such as traffic, speed and cost requiring new ways to protect data.

The good news is that Tulsa companies and residents have access to tools, techniques and talent to protect, detect and respond to these threats, but it will require every Tulsan connected to the internet be more vigilant than ever.

Jeff Martin, Magic City Books founder

We dont have a science fiction section at Magic City Books. We call it Speculative Fiction. Thats what we do when we talk about the future, we speculate.

The reception to the opening of the store surpassed our wildest expectations. People seem thrilled to have us here. But they dont realize that the space, the books, are just the physical foundation.

In 2018, well begin to show how we can truly impact our community through outreach, collaboration and a lineup of authors that will rival similar programs in Americas biggest urban centers. The point? Weve only just begun.

Rose Washington, executive director of the Tulsa Economic Development Corporation

When I chat with business owners, executives and bankers about things that keep them up at night, two themes are common: complying with an increased regulatory burden and maintaining a qualified workforce.

Although our state may not experience shocking expansion, I do anticipate positive change in commercial lending and economic growth in 2018, barring the unforeseen. Most of our focus will continue in the area of nontraditional commercial lending targeted at startups and expanding businesses, both engines of economic growth and revitalization.

A few special initiatives that are worth noting include working in partnership with a variety of stakeholders to address food insecurity issues with plans to build space for a new grocery store in north Tulsa and rolling out a strategy to develop 35 acres in Vann Industrial Park near OBrien Park, which has been practically dormant for more than 40 years.

2018 is a year of eager anticipation!

Dustin Curzon, executive director of 36 Degrees North

I am very optimistic for Tulsa in 2018 because our community cultivates entrepreneurs who both vigorously pursue their dreams and support those around them. By investing in entrepreneurs, we will pave the way for an innovation-based economy that reaps dividends for the city.

In 2018, as more people choose to start businesses, shared workspaces like 36 Degrees North and The Bridge will provide stable places to start, network and grow. Community organizations like the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation and Kiva will create more opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs to access the education and capital needed to launch new businesses.

Programs like Kitchen 66, The Forge, BetaBlox and Coding Dojo will quickly fill with diverse participants from around the region as more entrepreneurs become aware of the opportunities available to improve their businesses here in Tulsa.

I hope that, in 2018, our state Legislature will substantially address education funding or get out of the way so our local government can do it. There is no greater hurdle for us to overcome if we want to build an innovation-based economy.

Tulsa has all of the pieces needed for a thriving, innovation-based economy. In 2018, Im confident we will make great strides in building our future.

Jake Dollarhide, CEO of Longbow Asset Management Co.

In 2018, I look for the nontraditional e-(re)tailers, such as Amazon, eBay, Wayfair and others, to continue to gain traction and pick up market share from traditional brick and mortar retailers as the general consumer continues to change their shopping habits and preferences for buying goods and services.

However, my prediction is that the traditional brick-and-mortar companies, such as Macys, Kohls, Gamestop, Williams Sonoma or Target, are not going to go quietly in the night and will stand up and fight these unnerving trends toward shopping from home versus shopping at the mall.

I believe traditional retailers will opt for more in-store experiences as well as bulking up their online capabilities to become more relevant in the new world of shopping.

Stephanie Heckenkemper, agency principal of Heckenkemper

Small business will continue to thrive in Tulsa  business leaders are expanding and exploring innovative ways to engage directly with their customers. Consumers are putting a greater value on researching and connecting with companies online and will expect accessible interactions instantly. They want to connect with real people at the stores and companies they buy from, no bots or automated response messages.

We expect to see businesses shift away from the Buy! Sale! Like us! rhetoric and focus instead on sharing content that matters to their core audience. Video will play an even larger role, and live video will be a regular rotation in the social media mix.

Mega-influencers have a broader reach, but its diluted and misses the mark with large segments of customers. Micro-influencers are the authentic voice of influence for brands. How to mobilize this to a practical strategy will be the focus for 2018. The key understanding here is Effective = Engagement.

Social media is ever-evolving, and small business leaders do not ever stop trying. Stamina and endurance have been and will always be the force that keeps things moving in our community.

Steve Wright, owner of Castlerock Builders

In 2017, since electing a new president, the stock market has risen and home sales have increased. I predict the stock market will continuously increase and stabilize in 2018, making it a great year for new construction and home sales.

Specifically there will be growth within the upper market  $500,000 and up will see an increase in sales.

There will be correlation between growth within the city of Tulsa and the housing market. The Gathering Place will continue to move the city forward and open several new avenues for the city. Mayor G.T. Bynum has been working hard to grow the northern part of Tulsa.

Commercial construction will continue to pick up as new companies are continuing to grow in the city. Also, there will be continued growth in south Tulsa, which has expanded into Bixby and the Tulsa Hills area. There are several new luxury subdivisions opening up in 2018, especially within the south Tulsa neighborhoods.

Valerie Mitchell, CEO of Corterra Energy

Oil and gas startups will have a transformative year in 2018. Tulsa is a hub for entrepreneurs, and it is no different for companies in the oil and gas industry.

Recent successes mean a significant number of these new companies are now contributing to job growth, innovation and tax revenues in Tulsa and the state of Oklahoma. Investors are committing billions of dollars into building these companies and sustaining a solid growth trajectory. The oil and gas industry and Oklahoma continues to benefit as these funds flow into the state.

Corterra has built a team of talented, diverse professionals with a passion to grow our company through hard work and determination.

We view the New Year as an opportunity to leverage the ground work we have laid since forming just over a year ago. We are dedicating resources to invest in our local community and are currently drilling wells in the Arkoma Basin in southeast Oklahoma.

Eric Marshall, CEO, founder and brewmaster at Marshall Brewing Co.

With the change in the laws allowing for expanded taproom rights and a lifted 3.2 percent alcohol-by-weight restriction on brewpubs, the trend of more local breweries opening will most certainly continue.

I personally hope this brings new opportunities for local breweries to work together to make a significant and positive impact on the local community with regards to social responsibility and community involvement.

Bob Pielsticker, first vice president of CBRE

The outlook for the office market in 2018 is positive, with the Tulsa economy showing continued improvement, including population growth and tenant demand.

Compared to the markets in the US Central region, our 14 percent vacancy rate is one of the lowest and only 1 percent higher than the national average. We are seeing a shift to more efficient space in open collaborative space as a recruiting tool for attracting top talent.

Connectivity to Wi-Fi, good cell phone reception and antennae systems are must-haves for many companies. Tenants are seeking to be a part of a walkable live/work/play environment.

As featured by the Tulsa World, our first coolest office space publication showcased nine spaces of which all but one was downtown. We are fortunate, that we have some unique legacy office buildings and former warehouses that provide space with a lot of character.

Jim Huntzinger, chief investment officer and economist for BOK Financial

2018 is shaping up to be a very good year for energy. Oil prices have moved higher in 2017, and energy stocks have not. This gap presents an opportunity for energy stocks to catch up.

The U.S. economy should be solid in 2018, and we are the largest consumer of fossil fuels in the world. So demand will grow. Finally, energy companies are showing restraint in capital spending  drilling new wells, but not at a pace that will overwhelm demand. This will be a boost for the Tulsa and Oklahoma economy.

Dana Weber, CEO of Webco Industries

In 2018, our industry will be affected by volatility in steel costs, range-bound oil prices, a current trade case affecting many of our products and the continuing health of the economy  potentially helped by current tax reform.

Recent increases in carbon steel lead-times and scrap prices, along with current spot market demand have led to significant short-term increases in the cost of carbon steel. We do not foresee any major changes in oil prices that would affect either our energy-related products or the general Tulsa economy.

Continued health in the economy, locally and nationally, along with tax rate reduction should provide for increased successes and expansion capital for many companies in 2018. Such successes, along with low unemployment, will continue to strain the availability of capable talent  especially technical talent.

With so many moving parts, some positive and some negative, 2018 is hard to predict. However, at this time, for Tulsa area, we see the positives outweighing the negatives.

Michael Mullins, interim CEO of St. John Health System

The trend for healthcare in 2018 will be the continuation of providing care to where patients are and when they need it most. This is a move away from the days of patients only coming to us when they are sick.

The future state of healthcare is a partnership between the patient and the physician that aims to keep the patient from getting sick in the first place. This approach places an increased emphasis on primary care and the role and importance of a primary care physician.

St. John Clinic will open two new primary care/urgent care facilities in Jenks and Bixby in 2018. Health systems like St. John/Ascension will also continue to focus on tools and resources that provide simple ways for patients to connect with their physician so that patients can take an active role in their health care.
Saltwater disposal causing Oklahomas man-made seismicity has fallen by half from peak injection volumes in 2014, according to government data analyzed by the Tulsa World.

But the state seismologist cautions there is still a very strong chance for an earthquake similar to the ones that rocked Pawnee, Cushing and Fairview in 2016.

Through November, produced water injection in the deepest wells in Oklahomas quake-prone zone this year is on par with a yearly output not seen since 2012. And volumes have dropped 21 percent in the first 11 months of 2017 compared to the same time frame in 2016.

Following suit, earthquakes have declined about 50 percent in 2017 from 2016 and about 66 percent from the record 903 in 2015.

In 2017, Oklahoma has recorded 301 quakes of at least 3.0 through Thursday. That puts the state between the 110 in 2013 and 579 in 2014. There have been five quakes of 4.0 or greater in 2017  more than the three in 2013 and less than the 14 in 2014.

State seismologist Jake Walter said the Oklahoma Geological Survey is kind of pleased at the dropoff but noted that a quakes magnitude isnt necessarily dependent on the seismicity rate.

Theres still a very strong chance we have a moderate earthquake in 2018, Walter said.

Walter said scientists are unsure where the seismicity rate will settle at the current injection level, given the difficulties in discerning how effective mitigation is except for in broad generalizations.

As an example, Walter pointed to the magnitude 3.8 quake north of Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

He said there is no nearby active well disposal into the Arbuckle, the states deepest geologic formation. So that quake likely was an effect either from past injection activities or further afield than distances normally associated with wastewater disposal.

A familiar refrain from scientists is that even if all earthquake-related disposal stopped immediately, shaking likely would continue for years to come based on past injection.

Were sort of entering a period where these sort of isolated clusters of strongly and widely felt earthquakes may be the new norm, Walter said.

Oklahomas historic tectonic average was a couple of 3.0 quakes per year. That ended in 2009, when there were 20.

Tim Baker, director of the Oklahoma Corporation Commissions Oil and Gas Division, said the agency (doesnt) feel like the project is complete because of the disparity between the natural tectonic background level and current rates.

Baker said state regulators expect the quake rate to flatten out at some point and are prepared to take further action if necessary to re-engage the downward trend.

A Tulsa World reporter asked him if it would be more beneficial to enact stronger regulations sooner rather than waiting for the seismicity rate to level off to potentially take action.

We dont know that; we do know that we had several hundred Arbuckle disposal wells prior to there being any earthquake activity, Baker said. There are some innocent bystanders out there that arent contributing to the problem.

Baker said the Corporation Commission is trying to focus on where science shows there is a problem. The Coordinating Council on Seismic Activity Regulators still meets monthly to discuss issues, he said, and state regulators will pursue mitigation measures as problems are identified.

Were ending the year with about 300 earthquakes; we do not think thats adequate, Baker said.

Chad Warmington, president of the Oklahoma Oil & Gas Association, said the industry has really learned how to adapt to volume caps by halting disposal operations, or plugging back and injecting into a shallower formation, or moving activities into other areas of the state.

A lot of this is going to be trial and error, Warmington said. We dont know that 2012 (injection rate) or any of those numbers are the magic numbers. I think what we saw was that as it increased, you had the rapid increase of disposal volumes, you had kind of a slower but (then) rapid increase in earthquakes.

I think were going to try and find the balance of what is the appropriate level of disposal. And I think thats why the commission will stay on top of it.

Warmington said OKOGA is supportive of the measures taken so far by the Corporation Commission. He said you arent going to be able to just reduce volumes and turn off the earthquakes, so its important to use data and science as a guide, as well as allow sufficient time for restrictions to play out.

He said Oklahomans should expect to see continued compliance from industry and engagement with the Corporation Commission to evolve the regulatory structure.

Its going to be a slower ride out, Warmington said.
Authorities are investigating the Saturday death of an inmate at the Latimer County Detention Center in Wilburton, which marks the second death to occur in the jail in the past week.

Shortly after noon Saturday, the unidentified 45-year-old inmate requested a shaving razor and soap, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Not long after the inmate received the razor, a detention officer saw on video what he described as suspicious movements inside the cell.

The man was found with cuts to his neck and wrists, according to the OSBI.

He was taken to Latimer County Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 2 p.m. He will be identified pending notification of his next of kin.

Latimer County Sheriff Jesse James requested OSBI agents to investigate the death.

The man was booked into the jail on Friday for possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, assault and battery with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction, according to the OSBI.

Another Latimer County inmate, Thasha Prindle, was found dead in his cell on Christmas Eve. OSBI agents called Prindles death suspicious.

Agents had not released more information about Prindles death as of Sunday afternoon.
Police on Saturday arrested a man who allegedly fired at an officer during a car chase earlier in the week.

Michael Newlin, 18, was being sought after an officer who was pursuing an alleged stolen vehicle was fired upon early Tuesday morning.

Police said Newlin was the passenger in the vehicle who allegedly fired the shots. He and the driver abandoned the car a short time later and fled, according to police.

The driver, Brandon Mendinghall, was found and arrested on complaints of shooting with intent to kill, armed robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle and larceny from a house. He was still being held Saturday in the Tulsa Jail.

The passenger was not located that day.

Early Saturday, officers got a lead that Newlin was in the area of 3600 North Peoria Avenue. He was found in a black Toyota parked at a convenience store at 911 E. 36th St. North.

He was arrested without incident and refused to speak to police, according to a police report.

According to jail records, he was charged with shooting with intent to kill, robbery with a firearm, larceny from a building and obstructing a police officer.

Newlin also was being held on complaints of drug possession. He was being held in Tulsa Jail in lieu of a $177,000 bond.

Officers also arrested three women in the car on drug possession complaints. Those women were Erin Lagan, 26, Kristan Flanigan, 18, and Raryshana Webb, 33.
A man showed up at a local hospital Saturday after he was shot in a Little Caesars parking lot in north Tulsa.

Officers were called to the restaurant, 3300 E. Pine St., about 3 p.m. on reports of gunfire. The victim was not there, but bullet casings were found at the scene.

Meanwhile the victim, a man in his 20s or 30s, showed up at a local hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening, according to police.

The victim was "slightly uncooperative," officers reported. The shooting is under investigation.
Last week, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., warned that a "constitutional crisis" would erupt if President Donald Trump fires special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump has not said that he will fire Mueller, but he has made clear his displeasure with Mueller's investigationl Trump's allies have been attacking Mueller's integrity for weeks, and Trump's earlier firing of FBI Director James Comey indicates a willingness to take such an extreme step.

But how extreme a step is it? Would a constitutional crisis really occur, and if it did, why would it matter? The answers to those questions are not as obvious as most commentators, and some policymakers, seem to think.

"Constitutional crisis," like "Russian collusion," is not a technical legal term with an agreed meaning. What's clear is that the temptation to define a constitutional crisis as any case in which the meaning of the Constitution is disputed deserves to be avoided. Virtually every clause of the Constitution is disputed, but crises are rare because Americans have shown they accept that ultimately the meaning will be settled by major government institutions.

The one undisputed constitutional crisis in American history was the Civil War. When the national government refused to recognize secession by the Southern states, an impasse arose because there was no way that the disagreement could be resolved through constitutional means. Federal property, like Fort Sumter, was claimed by the states and the national government alike. Because the South rejected the national government, no national institution  not the federal courts, not Congress  could resolve the dispute in a constitutional way. War resulted, with more than 600,000 deaths.

There have been a number of lesser crises that had a constitutional dimension but were not really constitutional crises because they were resolved through constitutional methods. The presidential elections of 1800 (eventually won by Thomas Jefferson), 1824 (won by John Quincy Adams), 1876 (won by Rutherford B. Hayes), and 2000 (won by George W. Bush) resulted in impasses because of legal or constitutional ambiguities about voting or voting procedures, but they were all resolved  by negotiation in the first three cases and by the Supreme Court in the fourth.

Two impeachments and one near-impeachment also have been cited as constitutional crises. Andrew Johnson was impeached  though acquitted by the Senate  after he tried to fire his secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, in violation of a statute passed by Congress to keep Stanton in office. Richard Nixon resigned before he was impeached, but he would very likely have been impeached for Watergate and related shenanigans. Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury after carrying on an affair with a White House intern. In all three cases, a political crisis surely existed. Normal politics stopped while the impeachments were resolved. But in all cases, the crisis was resolved through constitutional means, and most government institutions, from the Army to the Postal Service, functioned normally.

Another frequently cited example is Franklin D. Roosevelt's court-packing plan. During the Great Depression, a right-wing Supreme Court thwarted some of Roosevelt's efforts to pull the government into the modern era so that it could address the economic calamity. After his landslide election in 1936, Roosevelt sought to increase the size of the Supreme Court so that he could appoint like-minded jurists to outvote hard-liners. While Roosevelt's efforts outraged people, Congress refused to go along with them, and Roosevelt backed down. Later, the court reversed course and was eventually dominated by Roosevelt's own appointments. Roosevelt's presidency included other moments of high constitutional drama, but a crisis never broke, because Roosevelt was able to accomplish what he needed to do while staying within the system.

If Trump fires Mueller, another Civil War is not going to break out. The closest historical analogy is Nixon's firing of Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox in the Saturday Night Massacre of 1973. Nixon fired Cox to block the Watergate investigation.

At the time, many people declared that the firing sparked a constitutional crisis. And it surely felt that way  because no one knew how far Nixon would go to protect himself from further revelations and an eventual impeachment. But Nixon did not go very far. Cox was replaced by another special prosecutor, Leon Jaworski, who took up where Cox left off. Nixon ultimately obeyed an order from the Supreme Court to turn over the tapes. He did not pardon his subordinates, who went to jail. When informed that he would be impeached, he resigned rather than barricading himself in his office. The essential characteristic of a constitutional crisis  a disagreement about constitutional obligations that could not be resolved through constitutional means  was absent.

Whether (and how) a constitutional crisis might arise if Trump fires Mueller is rather mysterious. Trump may have the power to fire Mueller directly; even if he does not, he can ensure that someone else in the Justice Department fires Mueller, simply by firing anyone who refuses until someone does, as Nixon did. Mueller could try to contest the firing in court. If a judge ordered Mueller's reinstatement, and Trump obeyed the judge, a crisis would be averted. If the judge ruled against Mueller, a crisis would also be averted. A crisis would occur only if a judge ordered reinstatement and Trump disobeyed. While a possibility, this seems unlikely.

Trump could also pardon everyone involved in the investigation. If he did, Mueller would have nothing to do. Again, there is no crisis.

Why, then, does Warner say that a constitutional crisis would occur? He may think that Congress will impeach Trump if he fires Mueller or issues blanket pardons. This does not seem likely for the time being, but even if impeachment hearings begin, we are still in the realm of the constitutional order. Congress might also try to thwart Trump in other ways  by refusing to confirm his appointments or pass legislation that he wants. But this seems less like a crisis than business as usual.

What Warner is actually saying is that serious political consequences will follow if Trump fires Mueller. That may well be the case. Trump's already dismal poll numbers might fall further; congressional Republicans might pay a price at the next election. Or maybe not. But these consequences are political, not constitutional. If Trump and Republicans lose elections because Trump fires Mueller, then the constitutional system is working as it should.

If there is a constitutional dimension to a possible firing, it arises from a characteristic that Trump shares with Nixon: a demonstrated ruthlessness along with contempt for constitutional and political norms. This certainly may make us wonder what would happen if Congress or the courts really tried to put a halt to Trump's obstruction of the Mueller investigation. Trump is more likely to disobey a judicial order, or to withhold documents sought by Congress, or even to barricade himself in his office after being impeached and convicted, than Barack Obama or George Bush ever would have been. And if any of those things happened, then a constitutional crisis would exist. Once the president flagrantly violates constitutional norms, then it is no longer clear which part of the government citizens are supposed to obey. While civil war remains as remote as ever, political unrest including possible violence and government paralysis seem like possible outcomes.

But all of this still seems pretty unlikely, and remote from where we are today. A lot would have to happen after Mueller is fired for a constitutional crisis to occur  not least, we would probably first need a Democratic victory in the 2018 congressional elections, without which impeachment hearings are unimaginable.

The element of truth in Warner's admonition is that there is now a widespread feeling, especially on the left, that the constitutional system we have inherited has stopped operating properly. It allowed Trump to be elected despite his repudiation of many treasured constitutional values, and, even before Trump, the Constitution seemed to lead too frequently to gridlock, interfering with governance rather than facilitating it.

Unfortunately, there is little we can do about this problem. The Constitution builds in its own guarantee of obsolescence by requiring voting thresholds for amendment that can rarely be met in a large, heterogeneous, and increasingly polarized society. Even as recognition of the infirmity of our constitutional system spreads, the people can do nothing about it. If a constitutional crisis exists, this is it, and it will be with us long after Trump leaves office.

Eric Posner, the Kirkland and Ellis professor of law at the University of Chicago, is the author of the recently published book, The Perils of Global Legalism.
Avid news consumers this year suffered a near-daily whiplash of bombshell stories, many of which involved President Donald Trump and his star-crossed administration. His surprising election win, and hectic first year in office, so dominated the news cycle that a Balkan war criminal downing a vial of poison on the stand at The Hague went almost unnoticed. Here are some other big stories from around the world you might have missed.

 The Central African Republic is on the precipice of collapse: Since 2013, the Central African Republic has been mired in a vicious civil war that few people have paid attention to. This year, the CAR inched its way closer to becoming a failed state as new waves of brutal violence swept across much of the country. The government has little authority outside of the capital, Bangui, and experts say more than half the country is controlled by armed militants. Nearly 500,000 people are internally displaced, and the U.N. peacekeeping mission there trying to maintain some form of peace is outnumbered, outgunned, ineffective, and plagued by sexual abuse scandals, with little or no justice for the victims.

 The corruption trial of Sen. Bob Menendez: Team Trump wasnt the only one in the hot seat for scandals in Washington this year. Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, went on trial for corruption over allegations he abused his power on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a dramatic trial that flew largely under the radar. It was the first time in nearly four decades a sitting U.S. senator faced federal trial for bribery. The drama ended in a mistrial, which was a big blow to federal prosecutors and an even bigger setback for future public corruption cases.

 Gender-based violence: Some experts say gender-based violence killed more women than armed conflicts did in parts of Asia. Think about how many times you read about armed conflicts. Now think about how many times you read about gender-based violence.

 India and China stood at the brink: An on-again, off-again dispute over a border on a Himalayan plateau was back on in a big way in 2017. The two nuclear-armed countries began a new wave of tense confrontations in June when India moved to block the Chinese construction of a road in the Doklam region in Bhutan. Both India and China claim the other is occupying its territory (complicating things, it isnt the same piece of territory). They agreed late in the year to try to resolve the border dispute at their 20th meeting on the issue since the 1980s. As the cliche goes, the 20th times the charm!

 Mexicos deadliest year on record: If Mexico made headlines this year, it was usually in relation to Trumps plan to build a wall or tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement. But 2017 was also Mexicos deadliest year in recorded history amid a surge in drug violence. The country registered a record-breaking 23,101 murder investigations in the first 11 months of the year, surpassing the previous record of 22,409 total in 2011  the largest since this type of macabre record keeping first began in 1997. Reporters are also caught in the crossfire of Mexicos drug wars; Mexico was also the deadliest country in the world for journalists outside of conflict zones this year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

 Physicists found were not living in a simulation: Sorry, fans of the multiverse or the bad place or whatever other pop culture alternate universe you used to get through the year. Theoretical physicists found that we cant model the physics we know and love on computers. Which means, essentially, that you are not Neo. Another bummer  or, perhaps, relief  of 2017.

 Poland has been logging a primeval forest: The ancient Bialowieza Forest, one of the last remaining bits of the huge forests that once covered Europe, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was also where the Polish government decided to start logging, violating habitat protection rules and incurring the wrath of the European Court of Justice. Twice, the court ordered Poland to stop logging immediately and warned of fines of up to 100,000 euros a day. Jan Szyszko, Polands environment minister, said the logging was aimed at protecting the sites biodiversity. Polands new prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, said his country would respect the final decision of the European Unions top court. It did not, however, respect the order to stop logging immediately.

 Romania is possibly undermining its own judiciary: While much of the world was watching rising illiberalism in Poland, Hungary, and elsewhere, Romania also tried to take a walk on the autocratic side. In the winter, Romanias Legislature tried to pass a bill in the dead of night that would decriminalize official corruption, sparking the countrys largest protests since 1989. More recently, Romanians have taken to the streets once again, this time because of legislation that would give the parliament greater control over the judiciary and check the independence of judges and public prosecutors.

 Russia may have hacked a U.S. nuclear site: It was hard to avoid Russian hacking stories in the first year of Trumps presidency. But one big story seemed to slip through the cracks: In July, reports emerged that hackers had breached at least a dozen U.S. power plants, including a nuclear facility in Kansas. Officials say the hackers worked on behalf of foreign governments, and Russia is the prime suspect. The attack could open vulnerabilities in the countrys power supply and electricity grid.

 A thawing Arctic leads to new (old) disease risks: That the Arctic is being ravaged by warming temperatures is no secret. But a scary new knock-on effect is emerging. As the Arctic and sub-Arctic thaw, the melting permafrost is unlocking bacteria, viruses, and other scary pathogens that have been lying dormant, some for thousands or even millions of years. These pathogens dont pose a global health risk just yet, but scientists received a grisly preview last year of what could come, when 13 people in Siberia were hospitalized after contracting anthrax that emerged from melting permafrost. Scientists warn this could be the start of a worrying new trend.

 The unraveling crisis in Yemen: Yemens ongoing civil war, a geopolitical showdown between Saudi Arabia and Iran, gets less attention than the prospect of war with North Korea. But caught in the crossfire are Yemenis themselves, whove been hammered by a Saudi-imposed blockade of food and humanitarian aid on the countrys key ports. Some 7 million civilians have been pushed to the brink of starvation, and on Dec. 21, Yemen surpassed a grim milestone of 1 million suspected cholera cases, making it the largest cholera epidemic in recent history. Saudi Arabia has eased the blockade on Yemen in recent weeks, due to quiet pressure and politicking in Washington, but civilian suffering continues unabated.

Robbie Gramer and Emily Tamkin are staff writers for Foreign Policy.
If you take a look at my most anticipated list from last year , than you'll see there were certainly some movies that I was a tad overly enthusiastic about. But the beauty of it is, this list is comprised of a majority of films I would've have never expected to like as much as I did, some of which I hadn't even heard of at this time last year. Now keep in mind these might not all be the most critically praised films of the year, but they're the ones I felt had the perfect combination of being greatly made films along with being entertaining ones. I missed out on a lot of movies this year, so chances are that if there's a movie you're surprised not to see here, its probably because I haven't seen it yet. With that disclaimer aside, without further ado here are my personal top ten movies of the year 2017.





10. Split

I have to admit, I was one of those guys who strictly based my perception of M. Night Shyamalan by his work on The Last Airbender. But after seeing his old work, I've truly come to appreciate him as a creative visionary who just doesn't always get it right. Well with Split, he got it right. Specifically by casting the talented James McAvoy to play all these different personalities.





McAvoy is able to go from such a sinister and horrifying character to an innocent little boy in the blink of an eye, and that just makes the character all the more terrifying. Like with some other movies on this list, the final act isn't exactly as good as it should've been. But the last scene connecting the movie to Shyamalan's Unbreakable was a great twist, and opens the door for an extremely exciting and different type of superhero universe than we've ever seen before.





9. Spider-Man: Homecoming

If there's one thing Spider-Man: Homecoming proved to me, its that Tom Holland is a perfect Peter Parker, and just the guy to bring the character into the MCU. I might be one of the few who has loved every actor who has played the role so far, but Holland really feels like a small time crime fighter just trying to make it big as a hero while also being a genuine kid dealing with high school problems.





None of the kids in this movie feel like adults playing high school students, and thats a huge plus that makes this feel like a coming of age story for Spider-Man. While it doesn't exactly feel as much like a Spider-Man movie as I wish it would've because of the changes from the source material and abundance of MCU references, I love that its a new take a character we've seen so many times. Plus Michael Keaton made just as great of a villain as I thought he would.





8. Thor: Ragnarok

I would've never expected to enjoy a Thor movie this much, and I'm so happy I did. I was cautiously optimistic about this movie, especially after how much I hated Thor: Dark World. But thanks to director Taika Waititi, the Thor franchise got the much needed revamp and went in a completely new direction with both its tone and setting.





Everyone from the ensemble cast including Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Goldblum, and Taika himself are fantastic. Its honestly the most fun I had at the movies all year, and really just finally made Hemsworth's Thor as likable as he should be. While there are some flaws with just how serious the film's events of Ragnarok are actually taken amongst all the humor, as well as Cate Blachett's Hela falling short of being a real iconic threat, I had a blast watching this movie.





7. Get Out

I have to admit, I think I was one of the few people who had my eyes on Get Out since last year. As a huge Key and Peele fan, I was surprised to hear Jordan Peele was going to go solo and try his hand at directing a horror movie. While I'm glad he did. Peele managed to bring us such a creative and iconic horror movie that will be remembered for generations.





Yet some how in the midst of it all, he still managed to inject some humor throughout the movie and make Daniel Kaluuya's character likable and easy to root for. You literally want this dude to get the hell out of there. The movie takes some very unexpected twists that really caught me off guard, and had me on the edge of my seat until the film's finale.





6. Lady Bird

Coming of age smaller budget films have sort of become my thing for the last couple of years, and have been a nice break from superhero blockbuster fatigue. Lady Bird is just the type of movie I was looking for, with characters and situations that couldn't feel more genuine and real. I managed to care about just about every character Lady interacts with in this movie, and thats not something that can be said for most movies.





While the plot isn't the most structured or clear for the viewer, thats part of what makes it feel so authentic. Take it from a guy who left high school not too long ago, this movie is more relatable than I would've thought a movie about a rebellious teen girl at a Catholic school would be for me. The twists and the way people come and go from Lady's life, along with the spectacular acting and dialogue contribute to this sense of realism Greta Gerwig was able to capture.





5. The Florida Project As someone who lives in Florida and has been to Disney World several times, I've actually learned a little bit about what goes at the motels in the area. Director Sean Baker did a great job capturing the innocence of these young kids who live at the hotel, specifically with the main character Moone amongst all the terrible things going on with the adults they live with.

While the film doesn't have much of a plot, you're too entertained with these characters who feels like real life people. Even though throughout the movie only minor things happen to them, you become so attached to the characters that every single thing obstacle they face feels personal. The combination of newcomers Brooklyn Pierce and Bria Vinaite is what really sells the movie with their genuine chemistry, as well as their relationship with Willem Dafoe's character Bobby.



4. Baby Driver

This was another movie I had my eyes on thanks to its talented cast, and director Edgar Wright being at the helm. Baby Driver ended up being the fun fast paced film I was expecting, with some of the coolest characters and lines of dialogue I've seen in a long time. Everyone from the ensemble cast get their time to shine in this movie, including scene stealers like Lily James, Jon Hamm, and of course Jamie Foxx.





I was entertained throughout by not only the characters and story, but also the beautiful way Wright shot the movie. Between the seamless scene transitions, colorful cinematography, and of course the way he incorporates the music for both the character of Baby and the audience is just amazing. Will I did feel the last act was a bit rushed and out of place by the time the credits role, that can't take away from the joy ride I was on throughout the bulk of this film.





3. The Disaster Artist

Who would've thought a movie based on the worst movie of all time would be so good. With the team involved with The Disaster Artist, including James and Dave Franco as the film's leads, this interpretation of the story of Tommy Wiseau was bound to be a success. With James' spot on impression of Wiseau, along with some great chemistry between the two brothers, the movie manages to do the impossible by humanizing Tommy.





While the movie was just as funny as I thought it would be, what really surprised was how much heart it had. I really felt for these two guys just trying to make it in Hollywood, and the frustrations they were going through. I also loved how real the relationships between the characters felt, specifically how everyone reacts to Tommy's antics. Disaster Artist was definitely one of the most fun surprises of the year.





2. It

Make a movie about a group of kids in the 80s, and I'm already there. I had a feeling It would try to hop off the success of Stranger Things, but it ended up making its mark as its completely own thing. The kids in this movie were just amazing, and all around had such unique and fun personalities brought to life so perfectly by the young stars.





I'm honestly not a big fan of horror movies, but this movie honestly works more as an adventure movie. Unraveling the true horrors of this town outside of any thing supernatural, as well as the lure and history of Pennywise couldn't have been made more interesting. I honestly can't wait to see the adult versions of these characters take on that damn clown again in Chapter 2.





1. Logan

I'm still crying after this one. Logan is one of those rare movies that honestly didn't even have to be based on a comic book, and would have stood on its own as a masterpiece. But the emotions are even higher having followed these characters for so many years, specifically James Howlett himself. I couldn't believe just how creative James Mangold got with this movie, between the world it takes place in and his vision of what a tragic future for mutants might be like.





Logan and X-23's action sequences are truly remarkable, but where the movie really stands out is its character moments. The performances by new comer Dafne Keen, Jackman in his last turn as Wolverine, and a surprisingly gut wrenching performance by Patrick Stewart as an old sick Charles Xavier all feel so real that you forget they are superhuman characters. They finally just feel human.





Honorable Mentions: Dunkirk, War for the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

So which part of my list do you disagree with (I'm sure you do)? What are your top ten movies of the year? Let us know below!
'Chinese police stations' in US worry FBI 18 Nov 2022 | 3:03 PM Washington, Nov 18 (UNI) The FBI is "concerned" by reports that secret "police stations" linked to China have been set up across the US. see more..

Twitter locks staff out of offices 18 Nov 2022 | 2:47 PM Los Angeles, Nov 18 (UNI) Twitter has told employees that the company's office buildings will be temporarily closed, effective immediately. see more..

Saudi leader given US immunity over Khashoggi 18 Nov 2022 | 1:12 PM Washington, Nov 18 (UNI) The US has determined that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has immunity from a lawsuit over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. see more..

Tourist arrivals in SL top 27,000 18 Nov 2022 | 1:08 PM Colombo, Nov 18 (UNI) Tourist arrivals in the first 15 days of November stood at 27,213, making Sri Lanka inches away from crossing the 600,000 arrival mark for the year, it was reported on Friday. see more..
Political mayhem, ULB poll violence makes 2017 impressive for Nagaland

Kohima Dec 31 (UNI) The year 2017 has ended with lots of political upheaval, where two Chief Ministers took oaths of office, differences in the ruling Naga peoples Front (NPF), two parallel NPF party, join, rejoin in NPF marred the year with political disturbances and opposing of the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections has claimed two lives in Dimapur on January 31.



The year 2017 against the imposition of ULB elections by the state Government with 33% women reservation began with mass state-wide agitations followed by the tragic killing of two youths in a police firing and the most poignant scene of Kohima burning on the night of February 2. The fall-out of the agitation and lost of lives was the change of guard, where regional political veteran Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu was made the Chief Minister after T. R. Zeliang had to step down on February 19 and the legislators appealed NPF President Dr. Shurhozelie to take the reign of the Government. Accordingly Dr. Shurhozelie took the oath as Chief Minister on February 22 along with 11 Ministers and kept T R Zeliang as his Financial Adviser. The Cabinet of Chief Minister Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu withdrew recognition to Rongmei as indigenous tribe of Nagaland on April 26, keeping 16 enlisted tribes.
A second snowmobile accident in the last 26 hours in Gogebic County has taken the life of a 52-year-old Wisconsin man, Saturday.

The Gogebic County Sheriff's Office received a report shortly before 1:00 p.m. Saturday that an accident occurred at the US 2 and Ramsay Crossing intersection. The initial investigation revealed that the victim attempted to cross US 2 on his snowmobile when he was struck by a pickup truck heading eastbound. The victim was transported to Aspirus Ironwood Hospital by Beacon Ambulance where he was pronounced dead.

It does not appear that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the accident. It is likely, however, that the weather and visibility were significant factors.

The investigation is still ongoing, and no names are being released at this time.

Gogebic County Sheriff's Office Deputies were assisted at the scene by Michigan State Police, Wakefield Post, Beacon Ambulance, Bessemer Township Fire Department and Gogebic County Victim Services.
A flood of evidence

As glacial lakes are increasing in size, the risk of outburst floods is also rising
Editors note: UTSA students, faculty, staff and alumni are building a legacy of excellence locally, across the nation and around the world. Theyre tackling societys grand challenges and making impactful contributions through research, innovation and engagement.

To celebrate Roadrunner Nations biggest accomplishments, UTSA Today is looking back at the top news stories of 2017. Heres number one.

(Dec. 31, 2017) -- In the fall of 2017, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will begin offering its first fully online degree program, which will allow students to earn a B.B.A. in cybersecurity through the internet.

The Ponemon Institute has previously ranked UTSA's overall cybersecurity programs No. 1 in the nation, based on a survey of IT executives, and the university's academic and research programs are recognized for excellence by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"The College of Business is proud to support UTSA's online initiatives by offering our cybersecurity degree program in this innovative format," said Wm. Gerard Sanders, dean and Bodenstedt Chair of the UTSA College of Business. "It will allow us to create a professional pathway for even more students into this burgeoning job market."

Students in the online degree program will have access to the same vast cybersecurity expertise that UTSA students currently experience on-campus. Students will also earn badges and micro-certificates along the way, providing additional relevance to the job market.

"Cybersecurity is an industry where well-trained professionals with relevant experience are high in-demand," said Yoris Au, chair of the UTSA Department of Information Systems and Cyber Security. "This program will also give them the business expertise they need to succeed in their professions."

Au noted that graduates of UTSA cybersecurity programs go on to work at security firms as well as government agencies like the NSA, CIA and FBI and for major business corporations such as USAA, Rackspace and H-E-B.

"Now students from all over the United States will be able to access these educational opportunities, even if they don't live near San Antonio," he said.

Partnering with the University of Texas System's innovation department, the new online degree program is supported by Total Educational Experience (TEx), a web-based learner platform that guides students on personalized journeys throughout their lifetime.

"More and more industries are hiring applicants with cyber security skills and knowledge," said Au. "By making our B.B.A. in Cyber Security available online, we will be able to prepare more students and connect them with these in-demand jobs."


Exhale Nevada is welcoming the 2018 New Year with special deals across the menu. Exhale Nevada curates a hand-picked menu with deals to accommodate all forms of medicating.

For flower enthusiasts, Green Harvest Pre-Rolls will be Buy 3 For $25. If you prefer concentrates and edibles, Exhale Nevada will be hosting Buy One Get One 50% off on all of the following products:

District Gummies

Vert Edibles

O.Pen Vape Cartridges

HOPE Syringes

O.ne Disposables

O.Pen Vape Applicators & Dabaratus

Silver State Trading Peppermint Bark (1 & 4 packs)

Visit Exhale Nevada at 4310 W Flamingo Ave. from Saturday, December 30th to Monday, January 1st to take advantage of these amazing deals.

Restrictions Apply/While Supplies Last/21+/This is a marijuana product/Keep out of reach of children.
Against all odds

If it were not for Nirmala Gyawalis perseverance, Nepals one and only Braille Library wouldnt have existed. While establishing a library as such is a testimony to anyones hard-work and will to give back to the society, there is another facet that magnifies her contributions: Nirmala herself is visually impaired by birth.
The average spend on medicines increased from US$9.85 in 2005 to US$22.25 in 2010 and subsequently rose to US$37.97 in 2015.

The Vietnamese pharmaceutical markets revenue is estimated at US$5.2 billion this year, a year-on-year increase of 10%. It is considered a market with high growth potential, drawing many foreign investors and multinational groups.

Vietnam Report forecasts considerable developments in the market over the next year as powerful retailers and distributors like Mobile World, FPT Retail, Digiworld, and Nguyen Kim enter the scene and world leading groups such as Sanofi, Taisho, and Abbott continue their mass penetration.

Regarding the difficulties and challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector, more than 90% of businesses who took part in a Vietnam Report survey identified the bidding mechanism for medicines and the dependence on imported materials. Around 90% of materials are imported from China and India, which results in 15-20% higher medicine prices in Vietnam than in the supplier countries.
Dried fish is prepared for Tet(Lunar New Year)festival in Cai Doi Town, Phu Tan District in the southern province of Ca Mau. Farmers and food producers in the Cuu Long(Mekong) Delta are busy preparing food to meet burgeoning demand for Tet. - VNA/VNS Photo Huynh The Anh

Vo Trung Thanh, chairman of the Phu Tri A Agricultural Extension Club in Hau Giang Provinces Chau Thanh District, said club members are expected to provide about 6,000 pomelos shaped like wine gourds with words or images embossed on the fruits.

The typical images include the expression Tai-Loc (Wealth-Good Fortune), a gold coin, a piece of gold bullion, or a word written in calligraphy.

"My family has produced about 500, Thanh told Nguoi Lao Dong (Labourer) newspaper.

Thanh said heavy rainfall this year had created favourable conditions for pomelo trees to grow, but because of an extra lunar month, flowering for harvest at Tet had been affected.

Last Tet, my club supplied about 10,000 pomelos, but this year the output fell by 40 per cent. Prices are the same as in previous years, VND300,000 to VND1.2 million, depending on style, he said.

Customers have signed contracts to buy half the output of the club, he said.

Tran Thanh Liem, of Can Tho Citys Ninh Kieu District, said he would provide about 300 pairs of gold bullion-shaped watermelon with the words Tai-Loc, compared to 450 pairs in good years.

In years with a bumper crop, 35 per cent of watermelons that have been grown in molds meet requirements, equivalent to 450 pairs.

In years with unfavourable weather or high rainfall, the rate has reached only 14 per cent, he said.

"Regarding price, it will not increase but will be the same as the previous year, with watermelons weighing 2-2.2 kg each costing about VND3 million per pair, and 1.5-1.7kg each about VND2.5 million per pair. These watermelons can be displayed for about two months," Liem said.

In the last three years, mangoes with calligraphy have been preferred by many consumers..

Huynh Thanh Khoa, from Tan Thuan Dong Commune in Dong Thap Provinces Cao Lanh City, said many customers had placed orders for mangoes with calligraphy, but due to erratic weather, he is not sure how mango trees will yield fruit and has thus not accepted deposits from customers.

Mangoes with one word written in calligraphy are priced about VND200,000 each, and those with two words cost about VND300,000 each.

Dried fish

The famous dried snakehead-fish processing establishments in Cho Moi and Thoai Son districts in An Giang Province are increasing output for Tet.

According to government agencies, although the market demand has surged, traditional dried snakehead fish processing establishments have supplied only five tonnes to wholesale traders in Long Xuyen city in the province.

From the wholesale market, the dried fish are distributed to many other localities, including HCM City.

Duong Hong Loan, owner of the Sau Loan dried snakehead fish establishment in Nui Sap town in Thoai Son District, said she had not sold fish directly to HCM City but to wholesale traders in Long Xuyen at prices ranging from VND150,000-200,000 a kilo.

The dried fish need to be dried outside for three to four sunny days to ensure that they will be delicious and not mold easily.

Thanks to processing in the traditional way, the dried fish have a natural aroma and are preferred by many consumers.

Nguyen Thi Kim Hue, owner of Kim Hue establishment in Cho Moi town, said to have delicious dried snakehead fish, processors must be careful in many stages, from raw material selection, cleansing the fishs intestines and removing bones to marination and drying.

Dried snakeskin gourami fish also in high demand for Tet.

Trang Phuoc Kha, owner of a dried snakeskin gourami processing establishment in An Phu District in An Giang Province, said his dried fish-making village had started to make Tet products more than half a month ago.

However, most of the large-scale processing facilities are concerned about the high cost of raw materials and other costs, while the price of dried fish has dropped by VND50,000 kg to VND60,000-130,000 a kilo compared to last year.

"There are three largest processing establishments and nearly 10 small establishments supplying dried fish for Tet for wholesales traders in Chau Doc, An Giang and HCM City, with hundreds of tonnes of dried fish of various sizes. We are currently suffering losses at the current prices, but still have to keep our long-time business relationships," Kha said.
Ryanair was hit by a limited "warning strike" last Friday called by German pilots' union Cockpit. (AFP/Paul FAITH)

Ryanair was hit by a limited "warning strike" last Friday called by German pilots' union Cockpit. (AFP/Paul FAITH)

No Ryanair staff were among the accused but "investigations against employees of Ryanair over incitement to the alleged activities continue," said the prosecution service in the western city of Koblenz.

The five employees of two British-based recruitment agencies allegedly withheld a total of about 6 million (US$7 million) in social security contributions for 277 pilots flying Germany routes for Ryanair.

News of the indictments came as the no-frills carrier faces the threat of more labour unrest in Germany and other European countries where pilots have vowed to fight for better pay and conditions.

No trial date has been set yet for the five unnamed accused, who are aged 35 to 62 and who could face up to five years' jail or fines if found guilty, said the prosecutors in a statement.

The accused allegedly withheld social security payments in 920 cases between January 2007 and June 2016.

The charges were filed in September but only now publicised after the accused had been informed, said the prosecutors.

Ryanair said in a statement that it was "fully assisting the Koblenz Prosecutor's Office with its investigations into a small number of contractor pilots who may have calculated their social insurance/tax incorrectly".

The airline was hit by a limited "warning strike" last Friday called by German pilots' union Cockpit, but passengers faced few disruptions and no cancellations.

Ryanair, Europe's second-largest airline by passenger numbers, later praised crew for "largely ignoring" the unprecedented walkout.

The airline had days earlier taken the unprecedented step of offering to finally recognise unions after crew in Germany, Ireland, Britain, Italy, Spain and Portugal threatened walkouts in long-running rows over pay and conditions.
Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the prospect of a "new Britain" was "closer than ever before" and his party was "a government in waiting" AFP/Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the prospect of a "new Britain" was "closer than ever before" and his party was "a government in waiting" AFP/Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

Divorce talks between London and Brussels are set to move on to transition arrangements, trade and security next year as Britain prepares to leave the European Union in March 2019.

May said 2017 had been a year of progress for Britain as it struck agreement on its departure bill, Northern Ireland and the rights of EU citizens, in the first phase of Brexit negotiations.

"I believe 2018 can be a year of renewed confidence and pride in our country," the premier said.

"A year in which we continue to make good progress towards a successful Brexit deal, an economy that's fit for the future, and a stronger and fairer society for everyone.

"And whatever challenges we may face, I know we will overcome them by standing united as one proud union of nations and people."

However, the British Chambers of Commerce, which represents thousands of firms across the country, warned that business was losing patience waiting for clarity on what will happen once Britain leaves the EU.

"That patience is now wearing thin. Businesses want answers," director general Adam Marshall told The Observer newspaper.

"Getting the twin challenges of Brexit and the economic fundamentals right will require leadership, consistency and clarity -- after a year in which business has been dismayed by what it sees as division and disorganisation."

VOW ON HARASSMENT, PREJUDICE

May said 2017 had been a year of progress in which her Brexit objectives had been pursued with a steady purpose

"Making a success of Brexit is crucial, but it will not be the limit of our ambitions," she said.

May said she wanted a "balanced approach" to public spending, reducing Britain's debt pile while investing in schools, hospitals and state healthcare.

May said she wanted to sweep harassment from the workplace and "eliminate all prejudice and discrimination from our society".

Internationally, she said Britain would work to tackle extremism, climate change and plastic waste in the oceans.

Meanwhile opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the prospect of a "new Britain" was "closer than ever before".

"We are a government in waiting, while the Conservatives are weak and divided and stuck in an outdated rut," the veteran leftist said.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable used his new year message to push for a second referendum on EU membership.

"There's still time to offer people the choice of an exit from Brexit," he said.
Agent of change

Last February when Rabindra Mishra decided to make an unexpected switch to politics, his mother wept. His father was not pleased with the decision either; neither were his circle of friends, well-wishers and relatives. Everyone he talked to tried to dissuade him from making the life-altering career change.
In Euphoria, Swedish screenwriter and director Lisa Langseths moody English-language debut, Alicia Vikander and Eva Green star as estranged sisters who reunite and set off to a picturesque resort in the German Alps for what seems like a holiday. Welcomed by a serene Charlotte Rampling who leads them through glowing grounds, the mood darkens with a strange check-in (Your leaving will take place six days from now). Vikanders character quickly becomes suspicious of the idyllic retreat: What are you doing with these people? she asks. The trailer continues with plenty of sister squabbles and one sort-of food fight. The film, which is Vikanders first as a producer, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Lewis Sobhi Sidarous

April 2, 1945 - Dec. 29, 2017

Dr. Lewis Sobhi Sidarous, our beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin went to heaven Friday, December 29, 2017. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Gay Yankie Sidarous and their three children.

Dr. Sidarous was born April 2, 1945 in Cairo Egypt. His father was Sobhi Sidarous and his mother Lucette Iskander Boutros. When his father was transferred from Barclay's Bank of London to the Alexandria, Egypt branch, his family moved and Alexandria was where Lewis grew up, next to the Mediterranean Sea where he loved to swim. The family lived in a villa surrounded by fruit trees, especially mangos which he loved. He was very close to his siblings, Miranda Sidarous (George Naguib, deceased), Camilia Sidarous, deceased (Nabil Gabriel), Aida Ishak (Baghat Ishak, deceased) and Hani Sobhi Sidarous (Nancy Yankie Sidarous) and will be deeply missed by many nieces and nephews.

Dr. Sidarous graduated from the University of Alexandria with a degree in chemistry. At Baylor his dedication, curiosity and talent were noticed and mentored by Dr. John S. Belew and Dr. Thomas C. Franklin, Dr. David E. Pennington and Hiroshi Kagawa. After a brief stint as a chemist with Black Sands of Egypt, he moved to Waco, Texas where he entered graduate school at Baylor University with a full scholarship in chemistry.

There he met Gay Yankie, also in graduate school. They were introduced by Lewis' brother Hani and Gay's sister Nancy, who also later married. After finishing his Ph.D., Lewis worked at Florida State University and the Health Science Center in San Antonio. He later bought a deli and called it Pirelli's Deli. He loved the creative work of building a business, developing a menu and welcoming people in to share food and community more than any work he had ever done.But what he loved most was our three children, Monica Lucette Sidarous Ford (Thomas), Natalie Danielle Sidarous McCannell (Jason) and Jared Lewis Sidarous. Our marriage was good; we had fun together and loved working together, but our union was established for all time by our deep, boundless love for our children. We never needed a vacation from them because the most fun we ever had was with them. The word "love" could never contain the adoration we will always hold in our hearts for this man.

Much kindness and care was given to our family. We wish to extend special thanks to Dr. Elizabeth Glazier, Dr. Mary Hull and also to providers Jimmy and Vanessa Lopez, Ms. Esmeralda Zapata, and especially Ms. Leticia Harrison.

Services will be held at St. Anthony's Coptic Church by Father Antonios Girgis on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. with burial in the Yankie Family plot at China Spring Cemetery officiated by Rev. Billy Lambert.

Contributions may be pledged to China Spring Cemetery, Texas 254-749-0832.

Sign the Guest Book at www.wacotrib.com
Clyde Smith

July 16, 1936 - Dec. 28, 2017

Clyde Smith, 81, of Waco, passed away on December 28, 2017. Services will be 1 p.m., Thursday, January 4, 2018 at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, 3124 Robinson Dr. Waco, with Bruce Watson and Ed Newman officiating. The family will receive visitors from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 3 at the funeral home.

Clyde was born July 16, 1936, the son of the late Drury and Leola Smith. He was born and raised on a dairy farm, loved working with cattle, and retired from the state of Texas. He was a loving father, devoted husband, and has a host of friends. Clyde loved life, enjoyed it to the fullest and expressed it by his joyful spirit. He loved his Lord and was a faithful servant.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Drury Smith; brother, James Smith; and sister, Joyce Smith Moore.

Clyde is survived by his wife of 43 years, Millie Smith; sons, Tommy Smith and Tony Smith; daughter, Pam Calloway all of Waco, Texas.; stepsons, Jerry Knox and Bill Knox of Waco; sister, Dorris Smith; brothers, Billy Smith and wife, Shirley of Billingsley, Alabama, and John Smith and wife, Carol, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas as well as several nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for a donation to your favorite charity of choice.

Online guestbook at www.pecangrovefuneral.com.
Robert Wayne "Chigger" Webb, age 85, passed away Friday, December 29, 2017. A graveside service will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday, January 1, 201 at Bold Springs Cemetery in West, Texas with Jason McCaig officiating. A visitation will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, December 31, 2017 at Bellmead Funeral Home.

Robert was born February 1, 1932 in West, Texas the youngest of eight children born to Clay and Alma (Cook) Webb. He graduated from West High School in 1952 and married Patsy Joyce Benkendorfer on July 15, 1952. He served his country in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955.Robert is survived by his wife, Patsy Joyce Webb; daughter, Robyn Lyn Webb; grandchildren, Chance Webb Hodde and Brooke Cheyenne Webb; good friends and caregivers, Laura McCaig, Raymond Lucien and Calvin Hodde.
In reflecting on Americas politics of the past year, its impossible not to conclude that the presidents tweeting has been momentous. So far, I am unaware of any organization that has quantified exactly how much damage President Trump has caused by tweeting, but I think some substantial percentage of his problems and negative ratings must be directly attributable to his tweets.

Thursday the Washington Post reported that the White House is considering various changes to compensate for this or that weakness plaguing the White House. Undoubtedly, some of those changes are needed. But regardless of whatever staff shakeup occurs, it must torment West Wing staff who know the presidents inappropriate tweets are still going to send the White House into a tailspin next year.

Once the president tweets, the rules of the Trump White House require everyone to double down, adopt the presidents missive as wisdom and harangue allies into denying the obvious and joining the fight. It is impossible for White House staff to perform their best when the president is constantly saying the wrong thing on Twitter.

Trump would certainly continue to make his share of gaffes if he didnt tweet, but those routine mistakes can be managed and explained away by traditional partisan political spin and damage control. His tweets, however, are like blood splatter on the wall at a crime scene. They tell a story that cant be ignored.

That said, perhaps Trumps tweets serve a useful purpose. His tweets are unfiltered and reveal the truth. Trump is the first president to allow us access to his real-time stream of consciousness and mental meandering. And even though the tweeting has damaged his presidency, knowing the truth about his thinking is important. After all, if it werent for the presidents tweets, we would not have as clear a picture of his underlying thinking and character. And a presidents true character should not be hidden.

In that regard, his tweeting has been useful. Right? Well, OK, I have yet to meet anyone who thinks Trumps tweeting has been a net plus for him. Over the holidays, I spent a lot of time with family and friends in Alabama and California  many of whom were early Trump supporters and would vote for him again. Yet none thinks the president has served himself well via his tweeting.

I get asked all the time: Why does he do it? As if I am supposed to know. While we know Trump better because of his tweets, what we know is disturbing.

The Trump administration is accomplishing a lot, but there is a Mr. Hyde character inside the presidents head controlling his thumbs. If something doesnt change, the fate of the Trump presidency and the Republican Party in the 2018 midterms might look no different than that which met Dr. Jekyll.
An immeasurable loss

With the passing of Dr Dina Bangdels on July 25, 2017 Nepal lost an outstanding art historian specialising in traditional Himalayan and modern and contemporary South Asian art.
Many prize-winning students will say they have ambitions to study medicine or engineering, but Mandurah Catholic College's top performing year 12 has his heart set on a higher calling.

Darryl Teo, whose ATAR score of 99.25 bettered his entire class, is heading for the priesthood.

Mandurah Catholic College student Darryl Teo plans to pursue his love of knowledge by studying mathematics and physics before taking up a calling as a Catholic priest. Credit:Nathan Hondros.

He hopes to take up a vocation as a Catholic priest after learning as much as he can about mathematics and physics at UWA where he plans on a doctorate in those subjects.

After that, Darryl said he would spend seven years in a seminary studying to answer his priestly calling.
Istanbul: Anti-government protests spurred by economic woes hit Iran for a third day, news agencies and social media reported, in what has quickly emerged as a significant challenge to the administration of President Hassan Rouhani.

Demonstrators protesting price increases and high unemployment turned out in cities and towns across the country, defying police and voicing anger at the cleric-ruled government, in an extraordinary display of public dissent.

Officials warned that citizens should stay away from "illegal gatherings," even as protests spread to new regions.

A student protests at Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police. Credit:AP

Footage emerged late Saturday of demonstrators appearing to attack government buildings and engaging in violent confrontations with police. The BBC Persian service reported that two demonstrators had been shot in the western part of the country, citing video on social media. Reuters reported that videos on social media showed two men lying on the ground covered with blood. A voiceover said the men had been shot dead by riot police firing on protesters.
Biggest corruption case in Nepals history

On July 16, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed cases against three members of the Tax Settlement Commission (TSC) at the Special Court on the charge of embezzling Rs10.02 billion in what is the biggest corruption case in Nepals history.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Dec. 31, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 31, 2017 | 09:43 AM | PADUCAH, KY

A Paducah woman was arrested Sunday morning after police say she broke into a home and assaulted someone.



The McCracken County Sheriff's Department says dispatch got a call at 12:10 a.m. from the owner of a home on Bryant Ford Road who said their house sitter notified them that someone was trying to break into the home. Deputies tried to make contact with the sitter, but were unsuccessful.



Deputies said that when they arrived the victim had minor injuries, and the front door to the home had been forced open and damaged. The victim identified the suspect and told deputies where she could be found. They later located the suspect, 30-year-old Sylvia T. Fiers at an address on Cairo Road.



The investigation showed Fiers had gone to the home on Bryant Ford Road uninvited to confront the victim over domestic issues. She was arrested and booked into the McCracken County Jail. She is charged with second-degree burglary and fourth-degree assault.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Dec. 27, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 27, 2017 | 06:30 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Over the past year, West Kentucky Star readers have clicked millions of page views to see what was happening across western Kentucky and southern Illinois. But which local stories were the most watched and read in 2017?



We've looked back at ten of the most viewed stories of the year, and counted them down to number one:









#10 - Ballard County Officials Sentenced For Bank Fraud



Former Ballard County Judge Executive Vickie Viniard pleaded guilty in August to bank fraud, wire fraud, and making false statements on a loan application. The charges came after she took out $450,000 in bank loans on behalf of the county without asking the countys fiscal court for permission.



Former Ballard County Treasurer Belinda Foster also admitted to writing herself several checks for fraudulent medical reimbursement payments totaling $27,000.



A federal judge sentenced each woman to restitution, but they would not have to serve jail time beyond what they had already served.







#9 - Mayfield Shooting Leaves Two Dead; Ruled Murder-Suicide



Early on October 3, Mayfield police responded to home on South 10th Street where they found a man and a woman dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Police identified the couple as 57-year-old Pamela Jones Williams and 58-year-old Steven Lyn Yarbrough, both of

Mayfield.



A medical examiner's report said that Williams' death was ruled a homicide, and Yarbrough's death was determined to be a suicide.







#8 - Petitions About Local Confederate Monuments Gather 12,000 Names



A nationwide discussion took place in 2017 about Confederate monuments in public places. On August 15, a Paducah group started an online petition to remove the statue of General Lloyd Tilghman from Fountain Square, and to give a new name to Paducah Tilghman High School. After a week, the petition received 1,658 signatures.



It was quickly followed by two other petitions, both urging the city to keep the monument and school name in place. Over the same period, those petitions gathered 9,113 and 1,787 names.



The petitions were intended to be delivered to the mayor and city commissioners at a later date.







#7 - Show-Me's Suddenly Closes Its Doors



On the first day of the year, Show-Me's restaurant off I-24 Exit 11 made a Facebook post on their public page that they would no longer be open effective immediately.



A reason was not given, but in the same post, they wished everyone a Happy New Year, and thanked everyone for their patronage over the past seven years.







#6 - The Great American Eclipse



On August 21, hundreds of thousands of amateur astronomers and funseekers flocked to our region to be in the path of the eclipse as it swept from Oregon to South Carolina. Paducah was midway between the two points of greatest eclipse -- Carbondale, IL and Cerulean, KY -- that afforded about 2 minutes and 41 seconds of total darkness.



Hotels were booked up months in advance, and many local residents took on boarders and campers for a weeklong prelude of associated festivals and concerts. The weather was mostly sunny, allowing most viewers to see the full effect of the moon blocking out the sun.



Paducah escaped the worst of the exodus of travelers, but interstates and parkways further from the epicenter of viewing quickly clogged; the normal five-hour drive from Princeton to Louisville and from Carbondale to Chicago took some sightseers about twelve hours to get home.



The excitement could be repeated here again when another total eclipse tracks across southern Illinois in 2024.







#5 - Police Standoff, Evacuation in Lone Oak Area



On September 25, a man barricaded himself in a home and caused an armed standoff with police in the Lone Oak area.



Forty-two-year-old Courtland Neal Eugene Smith barricaded himself in a home on Brunswick Circle with a gun. Police closed the road between College Avenue and Hillington Drive and told residents to remain in their homes.



Deputies subdued Smith after about an hour.







#4 - Local Attorney Charged With Theft, Fraud



On November 29, a Paducah attorney was sentenced to almost ten years in prison for identity theft and wire fraud charges.



J. Grant King received a sentence of 116 months in prison, followed by three years' supervised release.



King was also ordered to pay more than one million dollars in restitution to 37 victims.



King pled guilty to the charges in August. He admitted that since 2007 he settled a number of clients' cases with insurance companies without their consent, and pocketed most or all of the money.







#3 - Murray State Dormitory Explodes



On June 28, a large explosion blew out the ground floor of New Richmond Hall dormitory. One Murray State employee, Dakota Fields, was flown to Vanderbilt Hospital for treatment of his injuries.



Four other nearby campus buildings were also damaged by the blast, including windows that were blown out.



Waldrop Street was closed to traffic during investigation of the blast, which was believed to have been caused by a natural gas release.







#2 - Wrong-Way Garbage Truck On I-24



On March 17, a garbage truck was driven in the wrong direction on I-24 from Paducah into Marshall County. Six people were injured when multiple vehicles were involved in crashes near exit 7 on Interstate 24, and traffic in both directions was at a standstill for about 90 minutes afterwards.



Twenty-three-year-old Dalton M. Lampley of Calvert City was arrested in Marshall County after the truck became disabled during the pursuit. He received multiple charges including wanton endangerment, fleeing or evading police, and DUI.







#1 - One Fatality in Winter Tornado Outbreak



Two lines of severe storms spawned eight confirmed tornadoes across Missouri, southern Illinois and western Kentucky.



About 8 pm on the evening of February 28, an EF-4 multiple vortex twister occurred near Christopher, Illinois. The tornado was on the ground for over an hour with winds that reached 185 miles per hour, causing one fatality. By 10 pm, tornadoes were confirmed in southern Indiana, and at 11:30 pm, a tornado was sighted in Trigg County in western Kentucky.



Between 3am and 7am on March 1, another severe storm line swept through the region, with tornadoes in Carbondale, Illinois and New Madrid, Missouri. An EF-2 twister packing 120-mph winds was sighted near Cuba, Kentucky. Other tornadoes during the outbreak were reported in Perryville, Carmi and Mulkeytown in Illinois.



As the two storm lines moved eastward, they caused 16 more tornadoes on a path from Kentucky to Washington, D.C.




Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
ARCADIA  Ashleys Angels delivered Christmas cheer to 1,356 children across the country last week, providing food, clothing, and toys to children in need. Ashley Furniture trucks, filled with gifts, made deliveries to more than 60 school districts in the communities surrounding Ashleys manufacturing and distribution facilities in Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. This year, the non-profit organization along with Ashley employees raised $262,081 in support of the program.

The all-volunteer organization worked with local schools  primarily school guidance counselors and nurses  to identify children in need of extra assistance. Every child in the program, along with his or her sibling(s), received winter apparel and shoes (as needed), clothes, a blanket, and a special Christmas present. Each childs family also received a Christmas dinner.

Ashleys Angels originated from the passion of one employee wanting to help others in need. That passion has carried on for 20 years, inspiring others throughout our company and our surrounding communities to also participate, said Todd Wanek, president and CEO, Ashley Furniture Industries. I am so proud of the efforts these volunteers put forth, year-round, and for inspiring others to help spread holiday cheer to those who need it most.

The Ashleys Angels program was established by an Ashley Furniture truck driver from Mississippi in 1997 after he heard about a girl who was living in a car with her mother. The Ashley driver recruited help from fellow drivers to provide food, clothing, and additional assistance by helping the family find proper housing before Christmas. Seeing the impact their efforts had made in this familys life encouraged those involved to form Ashleys Angels.

Each year in December, volunteers line up to shop for the selected recipients. Shoppers are provided a Christmas list with each childs age, gender, clothing sizes and special interests to shop for. The gifts are then wrapped and loaded onto Ashley trucks and delivered to participating schools for distribution to the families the week before Christmas.
Dear Mr. Don Anderson,

I didn't know who else to email so since yours was attached to the site I am emailing you. I wanted to thank you and your organization for this year. If it weren't for your wonderful organization, staff and the many forces of miracles coming together, my children wouldn't have been able to receive such nice gifts. My daughter was able to get a bike after I found the paperwork for it, while my youngest got a kitchen set. I was in awe. I later cried in my car. I have never been able to afford such nice items for my children and after two car accidents and loss of employment this year, I was able to get my four kids each two nice things from this toy drive today.

"I just wanted to express my deepest appreciation and email you and thank you from the bottom of my heart. It's the people of this organization, donations and silent Angels that without them and their kind donations, I would have been giftless.

"Once again, this wonderful morning restored my faith in humanity. This reminds me that there still is some good out there and I can't thank you enough.

"Merry Christmas,

"Love, The xxxxxx Family
When did you first hear about Blue Zones Project?

Was it in 2015 when Beaver Dam Community Hospital first considered helping Dodge County become the first Blue Zones Project demonstration community in Wisconsin?

Or last April, when Beaver Dam, Horicon, Mayville and Juneau held community kickoff events?

Maybe you have heard about Blue Zones Project, but you cant quite put your finger on when. Whether you are curious yourself or want the information to share with someone, here is an overview of the Blue Zones Project.

What Blue Zones Project is about: Inspired by the worlds longest-lived cultures, Blue Zones Project helps people live longer, better lives by making permanent changes to a communitys environment, policy and social networks. Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author, identified five regions around the world  Blue Zones  with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older.

Who we are: Blue Zones Project Dodge County is led by a local six-person team and hundreds of volunteers. The people working and dedicating their time to with Blue Zones Project are neighbors who share a common vision for healthier, happier thriving communities.

What it does: Blue Zones Project leverages secrets discovered in the Blue Zones called the Power 9 principles to help transform communities so people can live longer with a higher quality of life. Blue Zones Project launched in Dodge County in October 2016 and people in our communities are benefiting. Local restaurants are adding healthier options, schools are incorporating well-being practices, and employees are finding worksite support for healthier habits. People are connecting with one another and the healthy choice is becoming the easy choice.

How it is done: Blue Zones Project applies Power 9 principles discovered in the worlds longest-lived cultures through our unique life radius model to transform well-being in our communities. The life radius model is designed to optimize the settings where people routinely spend time. Activities for individuals, evidence-based pledges for places, and community policy efforts help make healthy choices easier, so people naturally adopt healthier behaviors.

Why it matters: Communities can take control of their health and well-being. Blue Zones Project delivers measurable change in population health. When the entire community participates, small changes contribute to huge benefits: lowered healthcare costs, improved productivity and ultimately a higher quality of life. Blues Zones will have succeeded when well-being simply becomes a way of life supported by the environment.

What you can do: Learn more about Blue Zones Project by visiting dodgecounty.bluezonesproject.com. There is information on events and activities that Blue Zones Project offers in the community to help improve well-being. Civic organizations, other groups or small businesses can participate as a supporting organization. Faith-based organizations, worksites, schools, restaurants and grocery stores can become Blue Zones Approved places signaling to the community that they care about the well-being of the community and the people in it.

Find out more by visiting bluezonesproject.com, e-mailing at bluezonesprojectdodgecounty@sharecare.com or calling 920-212-8511.
Here are the stories our DC insiders are talking about in this week's "Inside Politics" forecast, where you get a glimpse of tomorrow's headlines today.

1) John Kelly's 2018 hirings and firings

The Trump White House saw its share of staff shakeups in 2017. As 2018 begins, the second White House Chief of Staff, John Kelly, may have more personnel shuffles on his mind.

Politico's Eliana Johnson explains Kelly's mindset for what the White House should look like in the upcoming year.

"There's been a lot of focus on some high-profile departures in the White House. A year into the Trump administration, I think we're going to see, not only departures, but also some forcible removals," Johnson says.

2) Year of the women in gubernatorial races?

Beyond a possible blue wave, election experts have said 2018 may bring a record number of women elected to political office. And gubernatorial races are no different.

As Washington Post's Karen Tumulty reports, 79 women so far are running for governorships.

"It's going to test this proposition that social scientists have seen where voters are more comfortable with women in a legislative setting," Tumulty says. "It's pushing against the barriers to see women running, this many of them, to be the decider."

3) Trump and the GOP must still sell their tax plan

The tax-reform plan is the law of the land now, but that doesn't mean Americans are sold on it. The most recent polling from CNN/SSRC this month shows only 33% are in favor of the proposal, with 55% opposed. That disapproval was up by 10 points from November polling.

Wall Street Journal's Julie Bykowicz says she's watching how President Trump and the GOP plan to market the law now that it's passed.

"We'll see if the President travels to different factories and states to sell this law, because it really remains deeply unpopular. You're already hearing about some groups that did a lot of advertising during the tax debate say that they're going to continue to put up advertisements and try to get that popularity up," Bykowicz reports. "We'll see if Democrats come back with their own set of advertising to highlight some of the negative aspects of the new law."

4) The other Russia investigations (involving Hillary Clinton)

Investigations into Team Trump's possible interactions with Russia during the 2016 campaign have been making headlines for most of 2017. Questions remain surrounding the dossier compiled by a British agent alleging collusion between Trump and Russia.

But there also are probes into Hillary Clinton emails on her private server and how the FBI and DOJ handled that.

Washington Post's Karoun Demirjian explains where the investigations are headed in 2018.

"We saw the groundwork laid at the end of the year with the House Judiciary and Oversight Committee bringing in the FBI director. It seems as the GOP pushes to wind down the investigations into Trump, they are pushing to ramp up the ones on Hillary Clinton," Demirjian says.

"The question is how much steam do they pick up and what role does that play going forward, especially as you see the potential shift happen and the investigations generally play a role in the politics in the new year."
Govt working on state chief appointments

After the presidential seal on the ordinance clears way for formation of the National Assembly, the government has expedited preparations to appoint chiefs of the seven provinces and to announce the date for NA elections.
A woman who falsely accused a taxi driver of sexual assault got a slap on the wrist, according to court documents in Australia.

Goldfields police said that they have arrested 45-year-old Allison Louise Reardon after being accused of filing a false police report.

The Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court ordered the woman to pay a fine of $4,000 after being convicted of the crime.

The taxi driver faced up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $12,000 if convicted of sexual assault.

According to the police investigation, Reardon caught a taxi and directed him to take her home.

Reardon estimated that the ride should time about 12 minutes.

When she noticed that the taxi driver was taking a different route to her home, Reardon told him to go another way.

When the driver refused, Reardon became upset.

She called the police and reported that the taxi driver sexually assaulted her by putting his hands under her pants.

The taxi driver denied the allegations.

Reardon stuck to her story while being questioned by the Sexual Assault Squad.

The taxi driver was cleared of all charges after investigators obtained security surveillance video footage, which proved that nothing happened inside the taxi.

Magistrate Adam Hills-Wright slammed Reardon for wasting police resources and hurting real sexual abuse victims.
Making milestones

Nepals political transition has largely ended following successive local level, House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly elections. The Election Commission (EC) was dealing with a tall order holding the series of elections to implement the new constitution promulgated in September 2015 and to pave the way for the institutionalisation of a federal Nepal.
Forecasters issued winter weather advisories across much of the Deep South ahead of plunging temperatures that are expected to last for the next few days.

The National Weather Service warned that freezing rain and a wintry mix of precipitation was possible in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana through the holiday weekend.

In Georgia, advocates for the homeless said they feared the unusually long stretch of frigid weather could bring death to some of Atlanta's homeless. Temperatures are expected to plunge into the teens Monday and Tuesday night.

Drew Benton said he and other volunteers are prepared to distribute supplies to Atlanta's homeless for the next eight nights if temperatures dip below freezing as expected.
Man with conviction and integrity

Foreign influence in Nepal increased after it embraced a democratic set-up in 1951 with many foreign missions entering the country in the name of supporting the democratisation of institutions that had functioned under an autocratic Rana regime for a century.
KINGSTON, Ga. (AP) - Georgia fire officials say two adult brothers died in a fire that hospitalized their parents, and that an electrical malfunction apparently is to blame.

Deputy Insurance and Fire Commissioner Jay Florence says in a news release that the fire broke out about 1:30 a.m. Friday in a back bedroom, killing 39-year-old Jeffrey Croy and his 49-year-old brother, Scottie Croy.

He says 68-year-old David Croy and 69-year-old Glenda Croy are being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

Their house was in Kingston, about 47 miles (75 kilometers) northwest of Atlanta.

WSB-TV reports four dogs and two cats also died. Two dogs were saved.

Florence says the house apparently had no working smoke alarms.

He says fires this year have killed 118 people in Georgia, with 106 of those deaths in residences.
BARTOW, Fla. (AP) - A judge says a Florida sheriff's office must retain custody of a horse whose owner was charged with driving drunk while riding the animal.

In a report by The Ledger , Polk County Judge Sharon Franklin said 53-year-old Donna Byrne was unfit to care for the horse.

Franklin also said Byrne must complete treatment for alcohol addiction.

Byrne was arrested Nov. 2 after riding her horse down a highway. Police said her breath samples registered a blood alcohol level twice Florida's legal limit.

Byrne's attorney, Craig Whisenhunt, said he would revisit the custody issue at a Jan. 11 hearing regarding additional pending charges of disorderly intoxication, animal endangerment and culpable negligence.

Whisenhunt said he questioned whether the charges applied to Byrne, saying his client had not been disorderly and she was a pedestrian under the law.
The Syrian authorities have unearthed 115 bodies from a mass grave discovered in Syria's northern province of Raqqa, state news agency SANA reports. (AFP photo)

DAMASCUS, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian authorities unearthed 115 bodies from a mass grave discovered in Syria's northern province of Raqqa, state news agency SANA reported.

The bodies are of civilians and soldiers killed by the Islamic State (IS) militants, who had been controlling the city before their downfall late this year.

SANA said the IS killed those people in mid-2014 near the town of Dibsi Afnan in the southern countryside of Raqqa and left their bodies out in the open before the locals buried them overnight.

Another mass grave was also discovered, SANA said, adding that work is underway to dig out all the bodies.

The Syrian army captured Dibsi Afnan and other areas in July, before the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured the capital city of Raqqa in October.

The IS lost all its strongholds in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour and witnessed a near collapse in 2017.

The Syrian authorities are inspecting the areas once controlled by the IS to unveil more atrocities committed by the terrorist group.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 06:57:43|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

People watch vehicles burning after an accident, on the Acapulco-Zihuatanejo federal highway, in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, Dec. 30, 2017. Three vehicles crashed into each other and burst into flames on a highway in south Mexico's Guerrero state, killing 10 people, including five members of a vacationing family visiting from the U.S., officials reported on Saturday.(Xinhua/Str)

MEXICO CITY, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Three vehicles crashed into each other and burst into flames on a highway in south Mexico's Guerrero state, killing 10 people, including five members of a vacationing family visiting from the U.S., officials reported on Saturday.

The accident, involving two SUVs and a motorcycle, took place shortly before midnight Friday, on the highway linking the beach resorts of Acapulco and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, the state's Secretary of Civil protection said.

The five tourists and the driver of their van and his assistant were also killed in the crash. Two boys, aged 18 and 8, who were traveling with the family, survived the accident and were taken to a nearby hospital.

According to the national daily Excelsior, the family was headed to the town of Atoyac de Alvarez, and were merely 15 minutes from arriving at their destination when the accident occurred.

The remaining victims included the 76-year-old driver of the second SUV and two men who were on the motorcycle. All three were from the town of Tecpan de Galeana, where the accident took place.

Officials are investigating the cause of the accident.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 07:17:45|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

OTTAWA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Two snow storms in Canada's western province of British Columbia have left more than 36,000 people without power until Saturday noon, according to local media reports.

"These storms have caused extensive damage to our electrical systems," a spokesperson of British Columbia Hydro said. "Trees have actually been coated by a layer of ice, so that additional weight on the branches is actually causing them to break and fall on the power lines."

The hardest-hit areas are in Abbotsford and Mission in the southern area of the province where two ice storms ravaged the areas Friday. The storms have affected nearly 120,000 residents.

As of Saturday morning, 82,000 residents have had their power restored while more than 36,000 were still suffering "without power."

The spokesperson said more hydro crews have been brought in from other regions to work to help with the restoration of power. "The progress has been unfortunately limited just due to the extremely challenging conditions."

Police in the area urged residents to stay indoors until the weather changes.

Canada was faced with an epic cold weather that had plunged the mercury to record-setting lows, with forecasts calling for daily highs in the -20 to -30 degrees Celsius range in major cities across the country, according to Environment Canada Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 07:47:49|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

CHICAGO, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains futures closed mixed over the trading week which ended Friday, with wheat futures edging slightly higher as bitterly cold temperatures inflict lasting damage on wheat crops across North American growing regions.

The most active corn contract for March delivery fell 1.25 cents weekly, or 0.36 percent, to 3.5075 dollars per bushel. March wheat delivery went up 2.25 cent, or 0.53 percent, to 4.27 dollars per bushel. January soybeans added 1.5 cents, or 0.16 percent, to 9.6175 dollars per bushel over the week.

March corn futures sustained support above its 20-day moving average. Managed funds hold a sizeable net short position and price action in the opening weeks of 2018 will hinge largely upon weather in Argentina and Brazil.

Large moisture deficits persist in Argentina, and recent one-off rain events will do little to change this trend. Evidence is mounting to suggest yield there could be upwards of 10-12 percent below trend without a major weather pattern shift in early January.

The U.S. wheat futures rallied by varying degrees. Funds near record short position last week was cited along with winterkill concern in the U.S. Plains.

Analysts mentioned that interior hard red wheat basis is rising and since the beginning of December as U.S. export sales have been well above the pace needed to meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual forecast.

Soybeans were on both sides of unchanged through the week, with neither rallies nor breaks able to get much traction through the holiday shortened week. March soybeans finished slightly higher at the week's end.

Fundamentally, U.S. soybean supplies are known to be record large, and funds are holding the largest end of year net short position on record. What is unknown is the South American weather through the most important part of the growing cycle in a La Nina year.

Managed money is heavily short in the soybean market, and traders caution against staying bearish soybeans below 9.50 dollars per bushel. Latest weather forecast argues that there will be dryness issues in both Argentina and Brazil that should offer rally opportunities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 10:08:13|Editor: Jiaxin

Video Player Close

SANTIAGO, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chile looks forward to the scheduled delivery next year of 15 electric buses manufactured with Chinese technology, said a senior Chilean official.

"We will be the country with the largest fleet of electric buses in South America and we will be almost on a par with those countries that have incorporated this technology," Transport minister Paola Tapia said in an interview with a local radio station.

The units will be the first of 90 Chinese-made electric buses being incorporated to modernize the public transit fleet operating in capital Santiago.

Made by Chinese automobile manufacturer BYD, the 81-passenger buses feature cushioned seats, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, charging outlets for mobiles and a secure separate cabin for drivers.

Transit authorities expect the new units to cut operating costs by some 70 percent, with electric buses consuming some 70 pesos (10 U.S. cents) per km to run, compared to 300 pesos (49 U.S. cents) per km for conventional diesel vehicles.

The bus units can be fully charged in just two to three hours, allowing the buses to cover various routes throughout the day, Tapia said.
Method to the madness

Nepali film goers will remember for a while to come theconstricted, uncanny voice of the street goon Bhasme Don who made money by swindling gold swept into the Bagmati River during cremations. The character, after all, changed the concept of an antagonist in Nepali mainstream movies for ever. Bipin Karki, the man who played the character in the hit Pashupati Prasad, bagged several awards for his role. The awards were well deserved as he.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 10:28:17|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writer Wang Zichen

BRUSSELS, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) - A few meters away from the statue of horse-mounted King Albert, two origami-style cardboard tents lie quietly in the shadow of the Europalia Festival Center building.

With homeless people inside on a wet Saturday night, the cardboard tents are the new temporary shelters innovated by an entrepreneur and distributed by a local charity.

Ingenuity is required because Brussels bans material tents on the streets and homeless people far outnumber traditional shelters.

"Most of the shelters in Brussels are overcrowded by winter time. It is very difficult for a homeless person to get into such a shelter," Olivier Vanden Avont, head of the charity L'Appel du Coeur which distributed the cardboard tents, told Xinhua via email.

La Strada, an NGO that monitors the homeless in the city, reported that the Brussels area had more than 2,600 homeless people in early 2017.

"There are only about a hundred beds but many more homeless in the street," said Vanden Avont.

Adding to the problem is Brussels' ban on material tents. Citizens concerned for the homeless have to find a way around the ban.

"Police see people in a tent, they ask to remove the tent; but they accept to use cardboard," said Xavier Van den Stappen, the entrepreneur behind the origami-style cardboard tents, told Xinhua.

Van den Stappen said the invention of origami-style cardboard tents came after meeting someone living in the street who was gathering some cardboard.

The problem with the cardboard is that it's not big enough and cannot be carried easily, noted Van den Stappen.

"We came up with an origami-style cardboard tent to make it light, to make it easy to carry and give protection," Van den Stappen said.

With local temperatures ranging from 0 to 10 degrees Celsius in December, homeless people are having a difficult time with the winter cold.

"The homeless will be able to protect themselves at least a bit from the wind and the cold temperatures. They also have a little bit more privacy this way if they need to change clothes or if they just want a moment away from all those people constantly staring at them," Vanden Avont added.

The first origami-style cardboard tent was distributed on Dec. 22. A week later, L'Appel du Coeur helped deliver 19 more around central and north railway stations in Brussels. Unsold food and essential stuff to survive in the street such as a survival blanket and a coat against rain were also delivered to the homeless during the charity's weekly distributions, according to Vanden Avont.

Rains, one of Brussels' features, remain a challenge to the origami-style cardboard tents, Van den Stappen said. "We also decided to do a follow-up, maybe in the future to do some modification to improve the (tents') quality."

Future costs of the origami-style cardboard tents could be around 30 euros (around 36 U.S. dollars) a piece, estimated Van den Stappen, who has so far largely paid for the tents himself.

In the meantime, he is calling for support and contributions to further care for the homeless in the Belgian capital, also home to the headquarters of the European Union and NATO.

"It's a bitter shame for the capital of Europe to see that there are so many homeless people in a rich country, a very comfortable country," Van den Stappen said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 11:38:24|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang exchanged New Year greetings with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday, and both praised the development of bilateral cooperation.

In his message, Li noted that with the successful conclusion of the 22nd regular meeting between the heads of government of China and Russia in November, the two sides have reached crucial consensus on promoting bilateral all-around pragmatic cooperation, and deepened the integration of interests.

Li expressed his willingness to make joint efforts with Medvedev in the coming new year to further promote China-Russia multi-faceted cooperation so as to bear new fruits.

For his part, Medvedev said the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has developed at an unprecedented high level, and major cooperation projects have been under smooth implementation.

Medvedev said he believes bilateral cooperation in key areas will undoubtedly see new results in the coming new year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 11:48:26|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

CHENGDU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Lurong Dregar, 19, had been suffering from severe headaches and seizures for years. The mystery illness even left the young Tibetan woman blind in her left eye. It was not until earlier this year when she underwent an MRI scan at a hospital in Xichang, some 500 km away from her home, that the culprit was finally found -- a parasite.

Bumpy mountain roads meant Dregar and 46 other locals from the Tibetan Autonomous County of Muli in Liangshan prefecture of southwest China's Sichuan Province had to travel more than two days to get the brain scans.

Eleven of them, including Dregar, were confirmed to be infected with cysticercosis, a fatal but common parasitic tapeworm disease that affects China's herding communities.

"The incidence is quite high even for infectious diseases," said Su Guohua from a hospital in the prefecture.

The disease is usually acquired by eating food or drinking water contaminated with tapeworm eggs from feces. It mainly affects herding areas in China's Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet and Xinjiang.

Local authorities in many regions are providing medication to infected residents at no charge, but patients with acute symptoms need more urgent help.

The free MRI scans Dregar and the others received were sponsored by a joint project between China and the United States. In April 1987, Tibet's capital Lhasa established a sister city relationship with the U.S. city of Boulder, Colorado. Since then, the two have partnered in various programs to improve education in health care, environmental protection as well as art and culture in Lhasa and other Tibetan areas in China.

"MRI brain scans are the best method to detect the disease," said Dr. Li Tiaoying at Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention. To relieve Dregar's anguish, an immediate surgery was needed because the MRI discovered cysts and severe hydrocephalus.

The surgery cost about 9,000 yuan (1,377 U.S. dollars), which Dregar's family was unable to afford. Bill Warnock, CEO of the Boulder-Lhasa Sister City Project, agreed to cover her surgery with donations from the project. The five-hour operation in November was a success, and a month later, her brain pressure finally went back to normal.

"We never thought we could receive help from the United States. They gave us hope," said Dregar's father.

Warnock has visited Tibetan areas 23 times over the past three decades. Having participated in several medical programs in the region, he knows exactly how medical treatment lags in the region.

As cysticercosis infection can be prevented through personal hygiene and sanitation, Warnock has made it the project's next key task.

"I am very excited about this project. I think it's going to be a big chance for them to have a successful future," said Warnock. "Next year, we plan to focus on prevention of cysticercosis through education of rural doctors working in prevalent areas of Sichuan Province."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 12:28:32|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

by Javier Ureta

SANTIAGO, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- In an international context marked by great uncertainty, Latin American and Caribbean countries value the leadership China has taken on this year in defending multilateral cooperation, said a UN official.

Sebastian Herreros, an expert in economic affairs at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), said the year of 2017 saw the revival of protectionism, especially in the United States, a development that irked Latin American and Caribbean countries banking on the free flow of trade to drive economic growth.

That's why China's decisive rejection of protectionist policies, and defense of multilateralism, was of vital importance to Latin America, Herreros told Xinhua in a recent interview.

As the second largest trade partner of Latin America, China's role as a global player continues to expand in the region. And for certain key Latin American economies, such as Brazil and Chile, China is their No.1 trade partner, said Herreros.

In the wake of a global economic slowdown that impacted all regions, trade between China and Latin America is now seeing a "strong rebound" after three years of decline, he noted.

According to ECLAC's forecast, the value of goods exchange between the two sides in 2017 is set to see 16-percent growth, nearing a total of 266 billion U.S. dollars.

It's a notable recovery, since it would place this year's trade exchange close to the record high of 268 billion dollars reached in 2013.

The value of Latin American exports to China rose substantially in the past 12 months, registering 25-percent growth, "strongly influenced by higher prices for oil and other basic products, such as soybeans, and copper and iron ore," said Herreros.

"However, the situation clearly shows that the regional export basket to China continues to have a high concentration of raw materials, with very little diversification towards new products," he added.

With an eye to helping Latin America diversify its exports and boost added value, Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region has seen a "very marked increase, and is targeting a range of fields," said Herreros.

"China's direct investment in the region has in recent years begun to diversify towards sectors such as telecommunications, food and renewable energies," Herreros noted.

Around 15 percent of all FDI in Latin America this year has come from China, according to Herreros.

"It's possible to estimate investment by Chinese companies in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2017 at above 25 billion U.S. dollars," he said, with "the acquisition of major electric energy companies in Brazil, for a total of over 17 billion U.S. dollars representing the bulk of the figure."

"To put that number in perspective, China's direct investment in the region in 2017 alone is roughly equal to 28 percent of China's total direct investment in the region in the 12 years prior, nearly 90 billion U.S. dollars between 2005 and 2016," he said.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has generated a lot of interest in Latin America.

"Regional governments are interested in exploring ways that would allow Latin American and Caribbean countries to join this great initiative for shared prosperity," the official said.

The initiative is bound to dominate the agenda at the upcoming China-CELAC ministerial meeting, which will be hosted by Chile on Jan. 21 and 22.

The meeting, considered as Latin America's most important policy event of 2018, will see regional and Chinese top officials discuss ways to strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit in the areas of science and technology, social policies and environmental protection, among others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 12:53:35|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Huge potential lies in the innovation cooperation between Finland and China especially in the coming years, said Petri Vuorio, director for international trade of the Confederation of Finnish Industries.

Finland is one of the world's leading innovation economies, and China is striving to achieve economic growth based on innovation and is already a forerunner in many fields, so "there are a lot of opportunities to combine our expertise and reach good results," Vuorio told Xinhua in a recent interview.

China and Finland launched a committee for innovative business this June, two months after Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the northern European country.

"We at the business community are very satisfied with the development of the economic relations," said Vuorio. The trend gained momentum especially during Xi's visit, and one example was to bring up the China-Finland Committee for Innovative Business cooperation. "We have high expectations regarding the future cooperation on the innovation sector," noted Vuorio.

The committee concluded a second general meeting early December, and decided to set up several working groups focusing on energy, maritime logistics, industrial innovations, clean air and clean tech and forest industry.

"I was very happy that we had over 50 guests from China visiting Finland" at the committee meeting, and "we also see a lot of room for further cooperation," said Vuorio.

Taking the energy sector for example, Vuorio said "we have a lot of opportunities for win-win cooperation between China and Finland." The most hopeful projects will concern clean and renewable energy solutions, such as flexible smart grids, certain district heating and cooling solutions, he added.

Another example is the working group on maritime logistics, which "is close to the opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative," said Vuorio. "We can combine our expertise in cooperation projects in third countries with the need of technologies there when it comes to the harbors."

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which calls for better economic connectivity, political coordination and cultural exchanges among countries and regions, has won positive reaction in Finland.

Praising the initiative, Vuorio said the opportunities for better cooperation lie in areas such as transportation, technology, energy and infrastructure, "where the demand and Finnish technological solutions meet almost perfectly," he said.

A cargo train packed with Nordic produced electronics, clothes and pulp and paper left Kouvola, eastern Finland for Xi'an, central China in November, opening the first railway link between the Nordics and China. Crossing Russia and central Asia, the 9,000-km land route shortens the travel time by 30 days compared with normal sea freight.

Meanwhile, the construction of a digital sea cable linking the Nordics and East Asia via the Arctic Ocean is under review, and more projects such as the Arctic Railway and the tunnel linking Helsinki and Tallinn, among others, has also been put on table.

Vuorio believed the two-year chairmanship of Finland in the Arctic Council, which started in May 2017, bears more opportunities "that we have with China to further develop the cooperation in the Arctic areas when it comes to the northern sea routes and data cable related issues and many other Arctic cooperation opportunities."

Some 400 Finnish companies are investing in China, and many of them either have production facilities or research and development centers there. "We are not only exporting products and services to China, but China is very important home market for many Finnish companies," Vuorio underlined.

Finnish economy is highly export driven, and China has been Finland's biggest business partner in Asia for a long time. Finnish businessmen have closely followed the 19th National Congress of Communist Party of China in October. They are interested in "how the economic policy of China will develop within the following five years and what kind of impact it has on the openness of the market and regulation and economic development," said Vuorio.

"We both support free trade and see globalization trend of China positively. This is very promising and I believe that decisions made in the congress are supporting the future activities of Finnish companies in China."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 13:03:37|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

Indian paramilitary troopers stand guard near a paramilitary camp that was stormed by gunmen, who are believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) militants, in Lethpora-Awantipora of district Pulwama, about 26 km south of Srinagar city, summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 31, 2017. At least one paramilitary trooper of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was killed and two others wounded early Sunday after militants stormed their camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least one paramilitary trooper of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was killed and two others wounded early Sunday after militants stormed their camp in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunmen believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) militants indiscriminately used gunfire and hurled grenades, while making their entry inside the camp near Srinagar-Jammu highway at village Lethpora-Awantipora of district Pulwama, about 26 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Early today heavily armed militants entered a camp in Lethpora using heavy gunfire and hurling grenades," Rajesh Yadav, Srinagar-based spokesman of CRPF told Xinhua. "One CRPF man was killed and two others were wounded in the attack."

Yadav said the militants believed to be between three and four have been confined in the building at the camp.

"The gunfire is going on inside the camp," he said.

The wounded paramilitary troopers were rushed to hospital and contingents of army and police have rushed to the camp to take on militants there.

Locals living in the vicinity of the camp said they heard sounds of gunfire and blasts during the night.

Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit has claimed the attack. In a statement to local news organizations, the outfit said three of its militants have stormed the camp, according to reports.

In a similar attack on district police lines complex in Pulwama in August this year, four CRPF personnel and four policemen were killed.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. However, of late Indian policemen too have been trained to fight them.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 13:18:40|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

JINAN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Facing a shortage of donkey skin to produce the traditional medicine ejiao, China will lower the tariff of imported donkey hides starting Monday.

A tariff adjustment plan for 2018, published on Dec. 27 by the General Administration of Customs, shows that the import duty rate for a whole piece of donkey hide of a certain weight will be lowered from 5 to 2 percent.

With a history of around 2,500 years, ejiao (donkey-skin gelatin) is made by soaking and stewing donkey skin and refining the results into a tonic to treat health problems such as anaemia and menopause-linked ailments.

Meng Xianqing, vice general manager of Dong'e Ejiao Co. Ltd., China's largest donkey-hide gelatin producer, estimated that the lowering of the tariff would help the company save import costs of over 6 million yuan (about 918,250 U.S. dollars).

According to the Qianzhan Industry Research Institute, the production of China's ejiao manufacturers has grown from 3,200 tonnes in 2013 to 5,600 tonnes in 2016, with an annual growth of more than 20 percent.

However, China's donkey population has nearly halved from 9.4 million in 1996 to 5.4 million in 2015, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Experts believe the animal's low fertility rate and long gestation period is the major cause for the decrease. Besides, fewer farmers are raising donkeys as pack animals due to agricultural industrialization.

Industrial insiders said the price of a single hide had grown from 20 yuan in 2000 to about 3,000 yuan currently.

There are about 44 million donkeys worldwide, mainly in Asia, North Africa and South America.

About 90 percent of the country's ejiao products are made in Shandong Province, which mainly imports donkey skin from Peru, Mexico and Egypt.

Meng Xianqing said the lower tariff would ease donkey scarcity in the short run, and the fundamental solution was to improve breeding in China.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 14:28:47|Editor: Lifang

Video Player Close

TAIPEI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Celebrations will be held across Taiwan on New Year's eve, but with less fireworks amid air pollution concerns.

One of the most famous celebrations on the island is the New Year's eve firework show and countdown party at the Taipei 101 skyscraper, a landmark of the city.

The show was first launched in 2004 and is the climax of New Year celebrations in Taipei, attracting tens of thousands of visitors every year.

However, air pollution has triggered debate in Taiwan on whether to continue the fireworks, which might add more pollution to the air.

In response to people's concerns, the organizer of the Taipei 101 new year celebrations decided to reduce the number of fireworks used in the show from 30,000 to 16,000. The show will last 6 minutes, at a total cost of about 60 million new Taiwan dollars (about 2 million U.S. dollars).

In order to cope with the huge crowds expected to flood into the city center to attend the display, the Taipei metro will run non-stop for 42 hours from the morning of Dec. 31 through Jan. 1.

Security at the New Year's eve countdown party in the Xinyi precinct of Taipei has been tightened, with more than 1,000 policemen and several bomb-sniffer dogs stationed in the area. Drones and balloons are also prohibited in the region.

Many other cities and counties in Taiwan, including Taichung, Taoyuan and Changhua, have decided to cancel the firework displays to reduce air pollution.

Earlier in December, thousands of people in Taichung and Kaohsiung took to the streets to call for reduced consumption of coal in energy production and better control of pollution.

Taichung city will use a machine to produce snowflakes during the countdown celebration to replace the fireworks, while Kaohsiung and Kinmen will use environment-friendly fireworks.

Instead of watching fireworks in the cities, many Taiwanese choose to climb mountains or visit the seashore to bid farewell to the last setting sun of 2017 or welcome in the first dawn of 2018.

A concert welcoming the New Year's sunrise will be staged on the top of Ali Mountain at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters, which is expected to draw thousands of visitors.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 15:23:57|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A road accident Sunday on a major highway in west Kenya killed 30 and injured dozens of others.

The accident occurred at dawn when a bus and a trailer collided at a known black spot on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.

Police said the bus was carrying passengers to Nairobi from the border town of Busia, and the trailer was heading to the town of Eldoret in northwest Kenya.

Gideon Kibunja, the Rift Valley Head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, said 28 bodies were found from the wreckage of the bus at the scene, while another two were retrieved from the trailer.

Kibunja said the bus was overloaded.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 15:49:00|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The unusual and very efficient whistle language used as a mean of communication by villagers in the remote and mountainous northern Turkey entered recently the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage but could soon be overtaken by modern technology.

The United Nations Cultural Agency has accepted the "bird language" of Black Sea villagers as an endangered part of world heritage in need of urgent protection.

Around 10,000 people, mostly in the district of Canakci in Giresun province, use still today the language, which is a highly-developed and high pitch system of whistling among each other to communicate in the rugged terrain where mostly they cannot see each other.

AGE-OLD FORM OF COMMUNICATION

This form of communication which dates some 500 years ago, during the Ottoman Empire, was widespread across the Black Sea regions, but 50 years ago it suffered the impact of the progression of technology and nowadays the ever rapid growing of cellular mobile systems has put this cultural heritage under serious threat.

In the days before mobile phones, these high pitched noises allowed people to communicate across great distances, with their whistles winging through the air, connecting one remote house on the steep terrain with the next.

But as technology has made its way across the region, smatterings of bird language have been replaced by much more private text messages.

For centuries, the language has been passed on from grandparent to parent, from parent to child. Now, though, many of its most proficient speakers who use their tongue, teeth and fingers, are aging and becoming physically weak.

Young people are no longer interested in neither learning the language, nor in finding ways to update its vocabulary with new words, and in a few generations it may be gone for good.

"WHISTLE COUNTRY"

"The mobile phones have had a certain impact on our whistle tradition here, but we are trying to keep our culture alive," said the Muhtar, the elected headman of Kuskoy (literally translated as "bird village"), Avni Kocek, in a telephone interview.

This village of some 400 souls where tea and hazelnuts are cultivated is located in the heart of the "whistle country" and more than 80 percent of its inhabitants practice this incredible method of communication, according to Kocek, who insisted that they are "proud of it."

"We are very satisfied that our bird language is now a part of the world culture heritage, it was a dream come true because we think that it will also inspire others," said Muhtar Kocek, who explained that Kuskoy is making efforts to keep the practice alive through its annual Bird Language Festival.

"Since 20 years ago we organize a festival in July in our village and it has become a real tourist attraction with hundreds of people attending from these parts and also from very different regions of Turkey," he said.

Seref Kocek, head of the local cultural association, said that the UNESCO's decision was some kind "of a recognition of our language in the world", adding that despite setbacks because of technology, "bird language is still used by many local to communicate between each other and is the most practical way to do it instead of yelling across the valleys, which is bad for our throats."

But he also fears that the practice of youngsters using mobile phones to communicate, which is also a more discreet form between the opposite sexes, is a threat to this heritage which could eventually be extinct, if not protected.

District authorities have started thus teaching the language at primary school level since 2014 in order to instill the practice to the younger generations.

According to experts, whistle languages have existed through the ages across the world like in Spain's Canary Islands, in Mexico or in Greek villages, but the Turkish one seems to be the most high-pitched and lexical extended, with more than 400 words and phrases.

HIGH FREQUENCY

The "bird language" has a tone higher than other similar whistle languages, and it can travel greater distances, up to 5 km with its piercing tones. So this unusual form of communication was born from sheer necessity and transmitted from generation to generation.

"Whistle language is transmitted from our elders to us and we have the duty to transmit it to our children in the context of parent-child relations. It's a knowledge which is shared by a mother to her child," insisted Muhtar Kocek, who also learned this way 50 years ago.

"I am 50 years old and if I remember correctly I was five or so when I started to whistle," he said.

Turkish Culture Minister Numan Kurtulmus weighed in the safeguarding process of this language, calling on its users to keep the practice alive.

But technology is not the only threat to this unique language. In the past decades many young people have left Kuskoy as in other rural parts of Turkey, in search for better opportunities.

"One of the reason we organize our annual Festival is to have these people back in their native land with friends or family, so we can all enjoy this heritage, not only whistling but everything that binds us together," added organizer Seref Kocek.
Nepal to receive 35k tonnes of fertiliser

Around 35,000 tonnes of urea will soon be available in the market, which is expected to ease the acute shortage of fertiliser in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 16:41:10|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

A fishing fleet sails to a traditional wedding, which is held on water, in Sandu Township of Jiande City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2017. The bride Chen Huifen and bridegroom Sun Haoqiang performed the traditional wedding one hundred times in a part-time job to present water marriage. Since 2013, water marriage has become a folk show in local tourism. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 17:14:14|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

YAOUNDE, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed in an attack by suspected members of terror group Boko Haram on Sunday morning in Cameroon's Far North region, local sources told Xinhua.

A suicide bomber and a civilian were killed in the attack that occurred in the locality of Bia, said the sources, adding that about 30 people were injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 17:19:15|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government has approved a proposal to construct 15 urban parks including recreational centers in selected cities and towns across the island as part of a mega beautification program, local media reported Sunday.

The proposal is also aimed at attracting a large number of tourists to the island country in 2018.

Under the project being carried out by the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry, the parks will be constructed in cities such as Kandy and Nuwera Eliya, in the Central Hills, Galle, Matara and Kalutara in the southern coast, Anuradhapura in the North Central Province and Kurunegala in the North Western Province.

Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) Jagath Munasinghe was quoted by local media as saying that the government hoped to complete the projects during 2018.

"The urban parks will include an area where locals will be able to sell products popular in those respective towns, so that it attracts tourists as well," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 17:29:19|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said on Sunday that his government would work toward gaining a stronger economic prosperity and reconciliation, and further improving Sri Lanka's image in the international fora in the coming year 2018.

Releasing a New Year message, Sirisena said that as the country bid farewell to 2017, it welcomed the new year with new expectations.

"Every passing moment adds to our knowledge and experience and at the same time, each and every moment of the future will judge our capabilities to face new emerging challenges," Sirisena said.

"The great commitment and determined courage shown by us to face those challenges and achieve our goals will take us to the level of excellence," he added.

Accordingly, he said as a country, Sri Lanka could consider the past year, as a year in which many positive expectations had been fulfilled.

"The new year dawns at the time of a miraculous beginning of a new chapter of development with a gigantic hydro irrigation project being vested with the people to take the nation speedily towards prosperity," the president said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his New Year message said that amid great challenges, Sri Lanka was able to steer forward in restoring economic stability and a process of sustainable development during 2017.

He said they had been successful in presenting Sri Lanka to the world as a country that respects and recognizes human dignity, in which all have access to social and political freedom and a country that abides by the principles of good governance.

"In the process, we have been able to generate a greater sense of goodwill among the international community towards Sri Lanka," Wickremesinghe said.

"We take this opportunity to thank everyone who accompanied us on the journey of emerging as a country with the highest regard for the principles of democracy and ethics. It is my most sincere hope that you would continue to be with us as we go forward," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 17:44:21|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

MANILA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- An alliance of Filipino women groups slammed Japan on Sunday for demanding the removal of a "comfort woman" statue, unveilaed earlier this month in the Philippine capital city of Manila.

In a statement, the alliance of Filipino women GABRIELA and Lila Pilipina (league of Filipino Women) urged the government to ignore Japan's request to take down the 7-feet bronze sculpture depicting a blindfold, grieving woman in Maria Clara traditional Filipiniana gown.

GABRIELA is at the forefront of the Filipino women's struggle for freedom and democracy while Lila Pilipina is an organization of wartime sex slaves. Both groups have demanded justice on behalf of the ageing comfort women in the Philippines, including an official apology from the Japanese government, just compensation, and inclusion of the comfort women issue in Japan's historical accounts and textbooks.

Japan has lodged a protest with the Philippines over the erection of a Filipino "comfort woman" statue along a busy street in Manila City, prompting the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to ask the city mayor to explain its decision to install a monument that bears witness to the suffering of Asian women who were sexually enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces during World War II.

GABRIELA and Lila Pilipina said the DFA "should maintain a sense of dignity for the Philippines by not kowtowing to the whimsical grumblings of the Japanese government after the latter made an issue of having a statue erected in honor and remembrance of Filipino comfort women."

"The DFA should assert sovereignty and historical integrity by initiating talks for Japan to officially recognize their history and demands for justice that the former war aggressor has ignored and dismissed as a past better forgotten," the statement read.

Both groups urged the Manila City government and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) "to stand a principled ground to keep the statue and host many more actions to raise public awareness about comfort women."

The bronze statue was unveiled on Dec. 8 to represent the "comfort women" in the Philippines, who were forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II.

"This monument is a reminder of the Filipino women who were victims of abuses during the occupation of the Japanese forces from 1942-1945. It took a while before they came out into the open to tell their stories," read the inscription on the monument.

The sculpture is the first "comfort woman" statue in the Philippines. It is part of a growing trend of putting up statues dedicated to Japan's wartime sex slaves that have cropped up worldwide in recent years.

"Honoring our past and drawing lessons from it are a patriotic right and duty, they are sovereign acts of our nation who want to fight imperialist aggression and work to prevent its repeat," said Gert Libang, GABRIELA vice chair.

She added, "Japanese officials for their part should not use their displeasure as a leverage to threaten retaliatory moves if their wishes for the statue are not heeded."

The groups said the Japanese Embassy has reminded Manila that "the sisterhood ties between San Francisco in the U.S. and Osaka were severed because of a comfort woman statue erected on private land."

"This indicates that Japan may now be issuing unofficial feelers but can soon be open to using multiple private and state mechanisms, including trade sanctions and delays in fund transfers, to make Manila comply with actions until it gets a satisfactory resolution which may end with removal of the statue," the statement said.

"GABRIELA and Lila Pilipina want the statue to remain as a reminder that Japan has still not made genuine moves to address the historic injustice done by its military in forcing millions of Asian women serving as sex slaves for invading soldiers," the statement said.

Libang said Japan "should honestly do what the comfort women have been demanding for decades, that is official recognition, official apology, and official direct reparations."

The Japanese government has officially denied and continues to deny the existence of a "comfort women system."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 17:44:21|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A year-end poll conducted in Sri Lanka has shown that a majority of people in the island nation are not in favor of selling the island's debt-ridden national airline carrier, local media reported Sunday.

The poll, conducted by the Business Times newspaper along with polling partner Second Curve, revealed that over 47 percent voted 'No' in the outright sale of Sri Lankan Airlines, mainly due to the developments during the past 20 months.

The poll, conducted in capital Colombo and the southern coastal district of Galle, showed that 29 percent said 'Yes' and 24 percent were undecided.

The Sri Lankan Airlines has been mounted with massive debts in recent years with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announcing in April last year that the airline was a 'landmine' for the country's economy with a 3-billion-U.S. dollar debt.

Wickremesinghe said the government was in search of an international investor to manage the airline on a Public and Private partnership.

Last week, the Sri Lankan government said it had successfully negotiated a long-term credit package of 200 million U.S. dollars with the Credit Suisse Bank in order to keep the national airline afloat.

State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeyardena said that out of the 200 million dollars, 50 million dollars was obtained as a short-term loan facility.

The Sri Lankan government, led by President Maithripala Sirisena after being elected to office in 2015, ordered a criminal investigation into alleged corruption at the national airline during the previous regime, saying it involved "billions of dollars."

As a result of its mounting debts, Sri Lankan Airlines suspended its flights to Paris and Frankfurt from October and November last year, stating that the government had made it clear that it will no longer fund continuing losses.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 17:44:21|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

CAPE TOWN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- South African President Jacob Zuma on Sunday reaffirmed the government's commitment to radical socio-economic transformation in 2018.

Radical socio-economic transformation will be the government's main focus in the year 2018 and it will inform the delivery of development programs, Zuma said in a New Year message to the nation.

He urged South Africans to work together to build a truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa.

He stressed the need to put extra efforts together to reignite the economy and promote growth and also to make it inclusive and beneficial to all.

Radical socio-economic transformation has been on the cards of the government for years. But little progress has been achieved as the economy is still dominated by the white minority due to the legacy of apartheid.

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) decided in 2012 that socio-economic transformation takes center stage as the next phase of liberation, characterized by more radical policies and decisive action to effect socio-economic and continued democratic transformation.

As defined by Zuma, radical socio-economic transformation refers to fundamental change in the structure, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership, management and control of the economy in favor of all South Africans, especially the poor, the majority of whom are African and female.

The ANC-led government has identified mining, manufacturing, agriculture, energy, tourism and ICT (information, communication and technology) as priority sectors for the participation of black people who were excluded in the past.

The government has introduced programs such as promoting and supporting black industrialists and black small businesses so as to change the patterns of ownership of the economy.

In pursuit of this mission, significant strides were made in 2017, in fighting poverty, inequality and unemployment, Zuma said in his New Year message.

"Despite serious challenges on the economic front, together we made substantial progress in providing basic services such as electricity, housing, roads, water and sanitation, health care, social grants as well as accessible education," he said.

Through the Industrial Policy Action Plan and other programs, South Africa will continue to promote investments particularly in key strategic sectors such as energy, manufacturing, transport, telecommunications, water, tourism, the oceans economy, mining and agriculture, said Zuma.

"We will also continue to lay a firm foundation for greater growth through our infrastructure rollout program," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 17:49:22|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

SYDNEY, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Australian New South Wales (NSW) Police confirmed on Sunday that six people have been killed after a seaplane crashed into Jerusalem Bay near the town of Cowan, north of Sydney.

The Sydney Seaplanes aircraft, carrying a pilot and five passengers, crashed at about 3:15 p.m. local time and a search and rescue operation was launched to locate the aircraft which is believed to be submerged.

Debris and an oil slick have been found on the surface of water.

NSW Police confirmed all six bodies had been recovered by about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. There are unconfirmed reports that those on board were four British nationals, an 11-year-old boy and the pilot.

According to local media reports, the seaplane was returning a party of five people from a restaurant to Rose Bay in Sydney's east when it crashed into the water.

"We don't know why the plane crashed," Commander of the Kurung-Gai Local Area Command, Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman, told reporters.

Sydney Seaplanes confirmed that an incident had occurred with a plane believed to belong to the company. Sydney Seaplanes offers scenic flights over Sydney tourist attractions and waterways including the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and Pittwater, as well as the Hawkesbury River region.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will investigate the incident and release a preliminary report in approximately 30 days, with a final report expected to take up to 12 months.
File photo shows army officers patrol the site of the suicide bomb attack in Maroua, capital of Far North Region of Cameroon, July 22, 2015. (Xinhua/FM Photo)

YAOUNDE, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed in an attack by suspected members of terror group Boko Haram on Sunday morning in Cameroon's Far North region, local sources told Xinhua.

Three suspected Boko Haram members targeted a bustling place in Bia, just 3 kilometers from Kolofata near Nigeria, home of the group.

According to local sources, at least one civilian was killed and about 30 others were wounded, some of them in critical condition.

One of the three suicide bombers died on the spot with two others on the run.

The injured were evacuated to the subdivision of Mora using ambulances from the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR), an elite unit of the Cameroonian armed force at the front against Boko Haram from the beginning of the crisis, the same sources added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 18:44:30|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Four paramilitary troopers of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and three militants were killed Sunday in a fierce gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.

The militants believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) stormed the CRPF camp early Sunday near Srinagar-Jammu highway at village Lethpora-Awantipora of district Pulwama, about 26 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

According to officials, three CRPF personnel were also wounded in fighting militants inside the camp.

"Four CRPF personnel were killed and three injured in today's attack," Rajesh Yadav, Srinagar-based spokesman of CRPF, told Xinhua. "We have also killed three militants involved in the attack and the operation is in the final stage."

The wounded paramilitary troopers were removed to an Indian army base hospital in Srinagar for treatment.

Locals living in the vicinity of the camp said the sound of gunfire and blasts from inside the camp could be heard from a distance.

Officials said militants stormed the camp at 2:00 a.m. local time with heavy gunfire and grenades.

Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit has claimed the responsibility of the attack. In a statement to local news organizations, the outfit said three of its militants have attacked the camp.

Region's police Police Chief Shesh Paul Vaid described the attack unfortunate and told media they had an input about an impending militant strike in the region for the past three days.

In a similar attack on district police lines complex in Pulwama in August this year, four CRPF personnel and four policemen were killed.

A guerrilla war has been going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Nepals first governance mobile application launched

Search for Common Ground  Nepal launched Nepals first governance mobile application, Singha Durbar at the Next Growth Conclave 2017. Touted as Nepals first governance mobile application, the application aims to educate, aware, and inform the public on critical and important laws and policies on governance, a finger-tip version on federal structure, mobile readable version of Nepal's constitution, and information on access to justice and legal services.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:04:32|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

TIKRIT, Iraq, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and nine injured in attack by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, a provincial security source said.

The attack occurred before dawn when gunmen, believed to be IS militants, attacked the village of Farhatiyah in Es'haqi area, some 60 km south of the provincial capital Tikrit, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The attackers fled the scene before the arrival of the Iraqi security forces who launched an investigation into the incident and carried out a search operation in the area looking for the attackers, the source said.

The predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin has been the scene of a major offensive by Iraqi security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi units to drive out IS militants from the provincial key cities and towns, including Tikrit, some 170 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The attack also came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Dec. 9 officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups and individuals of IS militants melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas in many areas in Iraq looking for safe havens. They are still capable of carrying out attacks from time to time against the security forces and civilians.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:14:35|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to extend New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2017. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday vowed that China would resolutely carry out reform in 2018, when delivering a New Year speech.

"We will take the opportunity of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up in 2018 to further carry out reform, as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realize the Chinese dream," Xi said.

He extended New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:14:35|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen Islamic State (IS) militants were killed Sunday in clashes with paramilitary Hashd Shaabi fighters in Iraq's eastern province e of Diyala, a Hashd Shaabi statement said.

The clashes took place when IS gunmen attacked the Hashd Shaabi posts at villages in north of the town of Maqdadiyah, some 100 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the statement said.

Later on, the Hashd Shaabi fighters carried out search operation looking for the attackers who withdrew to rural areas outside the villages, it said.

Despite repeated military operations in Diyala province, remnants of IS militants were still hiding in rugged areas near the border with Iran, as well as the sprawling areas extending from western part of Diyala to Himreen mountainous area.

Dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Salahudin province and Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas from the extremist militants during anti-IS offensives in the past few months.

On December 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, small groups of IS militants resorted to deserts and rugged areas looking for safe havens but the security forces are hunting them down from time to time.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:19:36|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

A man checks the site of a suicide attack in Jalalabad city, the capital of eastern Nangarhar, Afghanistan, on Dec. 31, 2017. Up to 12 people have been confirmed dead and 16 others injured after a suicide attacker detonated his explosive device among mourners in a funeral in Jalalabad city, the capital of Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, a local official said. (Xinhua/Rahman Safi)

KABUL, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Up to 12 people have been confirmed dead and 16 others injured after a suicide attacker detonated his explosive device among mourners in a funeral n Jalalabad city, the capital of Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, a local official said.

"A terrorist blew himself up in the funeral ceremony of former district governor of Haska Mina district this afternoon outside Jalalabad city, killing 12 mourners and injuring 16 others," the official who declined to be named told Xinhua.

Meantime, spokesman for Nangarhar provincial government, Attaullah Khogiani has confirmed that initial reports confirmed the death of six people and injury of 12 others.

However, Najibullah who serves as doctor in Jalalabad civilian hospital has confirmed that 12 dead bodies and 14 injured persons have been taken to the hospital.

No one has claimed of responsibility for the attack. However, an official on the condition of anonymity pointed finger at the hardliner Islamic State (IS) group, saying IS militants could be behind the deadly attack to terrorize people.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:19:36|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 27, 2017 shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in early morning, south China's Guangdong Province. The major work of the world's longest sea bridge was completed Sunday as scheduled, after its lighting system was installed and tested. It took six years preparation, and eight years to build the 55-kilometer-long bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao. In the next month, engineers and constructors will test the coordination of the bridge's various systems and equipment, and proceed with inspection and cleaning work. The bridge will slash travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes, further integrating cities in the Pearl River Delta. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

GUANGZHOU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The major work of the world's longest sea bridge was completed Sunday as scheduled, after its lighting system was installed and tested, authorities said.

It took six years preparation, and eight years to build the 55-kilometer-long bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao.

Major work on the bridge consisted of a 22.9-kilometer-long main bridge, a 6.7-kilometer-long tunnel and an artificial island off the bridge, which is considered the most technically demanding part of the whole construction.

In the next month, engineers and constructors will test the coordination of the bridge's various systems and equipment, and proceed with inspection and cleaning work, said Zhang Jinwen, project director with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Authority.

"The bridge will be put into trial operation after its port project is completed and taken over by customs, inspection and quarantine, and border control authorities," Zhang said.

In the past 14 years, the regional economy and transport network have undergone tremendous changes, leading authorities to re-assess the utilization rate of the bridge, said Su Yi, assistant to the chief of the HZMB Authority.

But Su dismissed worries that the bridge would not have enough traffic, saying, "we have full confidence for the future."

"We have a whole toolbox of policies at our disposal," Su said. "It is like playing cards. We can adjust our moves accordingly."

The bridge will slash travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes, further integrating cities in the Pearl River Delta.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:24:37|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed in her New Year message to be broadcast Sunday to form a stable government and work with France in furthering the European integration process in the year 2018.

In the message available beforehand to German media, Merkel called for cohesion among German people, saying that "we will become more aware of what holds us together."

She said she knew that many German citizens were currently worried about cohesion in Germany, and that "some even talk about a rift that goes through our society."

It is unprecedented in the history of modern Germany that three months after the federal elections the country doesn't have a new government.

Following a huge setback in voting for Merkel's conservative union and the breakdown of exploratory talks for a coalition government with the Greens and the Free Democratic Party, exploratory talks with the Social Democrats for renewed Grand Coalition was scheduled for Jan. 7.

The Sept. 24 elections also witnessed the rise of the far-right populist Alternative for Deutschland (AfD), which became the third largest party in the German federal parliament by garnering over 12 percent of the votes, driving political discussions in the country increasingly fiercer.

"I am committed to this mission -- and also especially the work to quickly establish a stable government for Germany in the new year," said Merkel.

"The world is not waiting for us," Merkel added. Now the conditions would have to be created for Germany to prosper even in 15 years. The guiding principle of the market economy is a good compass, the German chancellor said, adding that the important thing is not only to secure and create jobs and to prepare society for digital progress, but also to put families first and provide dignified care.

Merkel also voiced Germany's commitment to European integration, saying the future of Germany is inextricably linked to the future of Europe, and calling for Germany-France cooperation in the efforts.

In his September speech delivered at the Sorbonne University, French President Emmanuel Macron put forward a comprehensive and ambitious plan to reform the European Union (EU). However, Germany in vacancy of a new government could not make a clear and strong response at present.

Merkel said the EU member countries need more than ever to stick together as one community. That will be crucial in the coming years.

"It will be about whether we Europeans in the global and digital world express our values in solidarity and self-assurance both internally and externally, and whether we work for an economically successful and fair Europe and consequently for the protection of our external borders as well as for the security of Europe citizens," said Merkel.

"Germany and France want to work together to make this happen and thus help to make Europe fit for the future," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:24:37|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

BUJUMBURA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and 18 others were injured in a thunder strike on Saturday in central Burundi, police said on Sunday.

The thunder strike that occurred during torrential rains on Saturday afternoon hit a social event at a village in Buraza Commune in Gitega Province, Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye told Xinhua in a telephone interview.

He said that the three died on the spot while 18 others were injured, many of them traumatized.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:39:39|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

DENVER, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- An art teacher in Utah, the United States, planned to lodge an appeal against his dismissal early this month for display of nude drawings during his class.

The teacher named Mateo Rueda at Lincoln Elementary School in Hyrum city claimed that he just asked pupils to use the art postcards placed in the school library for the class, and he did not know some of the cards showed nudity.

"The library had several art books and eight boxes of postcards showing a wide array of artwork. These materials were provided by the school, had been there for years, and had presumably been used by students many times before," Rueda was quoted by the Herald Journal newspaper.

The teacher said he has requested a hearing on the issue and would appeal against the school's decision to fire him in defence of his "clean reputation."

The postcard collection is part of the educational package called "The Art Box" produced by global publisher Phaidon. The 100 postcards inside present masterpieces of artists from medieval times to the present day, with detailed descriptions on artworks and creators.

Several locals argued that it was not the pictures that worried them, but Rueda's reactions after the incident.

Parent Venessa Rose Pixton has lodged a complaint with the school, saying her son "felt that Mr. Mateo belittled them."

"He said Mr. Mateo even told the class 'There's nothing wrong with female nipples. You guys need to grow up and be mature about this,'" the mother told the Herald Journal.

Rueda denied saying so or using such a tone when taking the postcards back from the children, insisting that he told students nude artworks are unavoidable when they grow up and go to museums.

It is reported that after the incident, school officials have looked through the card boxes and other educational materials in the classroom to avoid further distribution.

The pictures that triggered controversy are said to be Amadeo Modigliani's "Iris Tree" and "Odalisque" by Francois Boucher.
Source:Xinhua| 2017-12-31 19:45:04|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 29, 2017 shows interchanges in Tianquan County on Ya'an-Kangding express highway in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The Caoba to Luding section of Ya'an-Kangding express highway was integrated into the highway network and began its trail operation on Sunday, which means all the 21 cities or prefectures in Sichuan are now connected with express highway. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 20:19:48|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

GAZA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli blockade and restriction on Gaza Strip as well as the stumbled reconstruction process in 2017 was "the worse economically" for the coastal enclave, according to a special report by the Gaza chamber of commerce and industry on Sunday.

Israel continued it punitive measures and policies throughout 2017 against Gaza Strip by adding more to the list of banned items, the report said, adding that the blockade made it impossible to import raw material, equipment and machines in addition to construction material.

The report also mentioned that over 3,000 businessmen and merchants had their permits taken away from them at the Erez crossing, adding that dozens were arrested or withheld by Israeli authorities at the crossing point.

Israel imposed a tight blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2007 and considered the coastal enclave a hostile entity right after Hamas militias violently seized control of the territory and routed Abbas security forces.

Unemployment rates reached a new high in 2017, standing at 46.6 percent in the third quarter of the year, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.

According to the report, only 30 percent of the required cement was allowed into Gaza since the last Israeli offensive against the Strip, citing the Israeli blockade and the "futility" of the UN mechanism.

The shortage in cement import was evident in the number of homes reconstructed of 5,755 out of 11,000 houses that were completely demolished.

The number of homes under construction is 818, said the report, and 602 others are in the pipeline, while 3,825 others are still awaiting a funding possibility.

Almost 4,500 household are still without homes and the financial gap of home destroyed completely reached 3,800, while 56,000 others were partially destroyed.

The report highlighted that only 25 million U.S. dollars was paid through for the reconstruction of the economic sector in Gaza, covering almost 16.5 percent of the overall damage to the sector.

The damage to the Palestinian economic enterprises in Gaza as a result of the Israeli offensive reached 5,153 worth 152 million dollars.

The report also cited the closure of the Israeli controlled border commercial crossings connecting the Gaza strip with the world through Egypt for 112 days throughout 2017.

The report warned that the Gaza Strip "has entered a phase of economic breakdown and turned to the world's largest prison," due to the significant shortage of services.

It urged international organizations and bodies to pressure Israel to end its blockade on Gaza and open all border crossing points to allow all the needs of the people there, especially construction material without preconditions.
Oli, Dahal should resign from active politics: Yogesh Bhattarai

CPN-UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai has remarked that to leaders including his party Chairman KP Sharma Oli and CPN (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal should give up active politics on the very day the two parties merge.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 20:19:48|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

GARISSA, Kenya, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's elite security forces have intensified a manhunt for Al-Shabaab militants who attacked two police camps in northeastern parts of the country on Saturday.

North-eastern regional commissioner Mohamud Saleh said a contingent of security officers drawn from Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), rural border patrol unit and the regal police were in hot pursuit of the militants.

"They (militants) can run but they cannot hide. We will smoke them out of their hideout," Saleh told reporters.

He assured local residents that security agencies were "in control of the situation" and urged them to provide relevant information that will help nab the militants.

The militant who according to locals were numbering 100 razed two police stations before escaping with a police Land Cruiser. They also vandalized a Safaricom mast hence cutting of communication in the area.

The Al-Shabaab fighters had earlier been spotted in Boni forest, Taqsiley and Walkon areas in Ijara sub-county, Garissa county in northeastern Kenya.

They were accused of attempting to recruit local youth through radicalization.

Last week a man who was suspected by local resident to have fled the militia group had been arrested by the area chief in Kotile and handed over to anti-terror military officers based in Gamba in Tana delta.

Two youth from Ijara had also been taken away by the militants who accused them of spying on them.

The Al-Shabaab fighters are suspected to have fled Somalia after heavy onslaught by the Somali national army and African Union forces.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 20:19:48|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

SHENYANG, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A court in northeast China has sentenced a man to death for molesting and murdering two young girls.

Li Fugang has been convicted of homicide and molesting children, deprived of his political rights for life, and ordered to pay compensation of more than 37,000 yuan (5,687 U.S. dollars), according to the Intermediate People's Court of Dalian City, Liaoning Province.

In June, the disappearance of the two victims in Dalian sparked a large manhunt for the suspect. Li, 36, was caught at home.

He had previously served a 15-year jail sentence. An investigation found that Li seduced the girls, taking them to his house before molesting and killing them.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 20:24:49|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

by Santosh Ghimire

KATHMANDU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- 2017 will be remembered as an election year for Nepal as three crucial local, provincial and federal elections were held successfully, giving high hopes to local people that the country will usher in much-needed political stability and development.

Nepal held the local body elections in over 700 village and municipal units in three phases in May, July and September, which were halted since 1997 due to political instability.

In the run-up to the elections in October, two major left-wing parties, the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) and CPN (Maoist Center), decided to forge alliance while announcing their plan to merge and launch a new communist party in Nepal. This gave a big surprise to many Nepali people who were in a jolly mood on the eve of Dashain, the biggest festival in Nepal.

Nepal held elections to provincial assemblies and federal parliament simultaneously in two phases in November and December and the results have already been made public by the Election Commission.

The CPN (UML), one of the oldest communist forces in Nepal, has emerged as the largest political party through these elections. The Nepali Congress, one of the oldest democratic forces who used to be the largest force, became the second largest this time. The CPN (Maoist Center), another communist party, ranked third through these elections.

The CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) are likely to form the new coalition government within a month after the formation of the National Assembly, local media reported. K.P. Oli, the chairman of CPN (UML), is tipped to be the next prime minister of Nepal.

In April, Nepal's first female chief justice Sushila Karki was suspended and reinstated a month later when Nepalese parliamentarians lodged an impeachment motion at the Parliament, accusing her of bias and interfering with executive powers.

In 2017, the Madhes-based fringe parties representing the Terai plains of Nepal bordering India, who launched series of protests against the new constitution since its promulgation, also took part in the elections though their demands remained unaddressed.

Nepal witnessed the change of guard in 2017 as Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba became the country's prime minister for the fourth time in May, replacing Pushpa Kamal Dahal whose tenure lasted from August 2016 to June 2017.

The Deuba-led government and Election Commission were praised for avoiding the possible constitution crisis by holding the crucial elections in the stipulated time-frame.

It was mandatory for Nepal to hold three-tier election, local, provincial and federal, before January next year as stated in the new constitution.

In the aftermath of the elections, people expect to end the ruinous instability that has plagued the country since 2008 after the country became a federal democratic republic abolishing the 240-year monarchy.

Nepal's recent elections were crucial steps to implement the landmark new constitution adopted in September 2015.

"There is now a ray of hope to the people deeply frustrated with frequent government changes in recent years that they will get a stable government at least for next five years," Dwarika Dhungel, a former top official, told Xinhua.

He hoped that the mandate of the elections is to end the political turbulence and limit the impact of the horse-trading in Kathmandu on the development of the country.

"Our wish is for a stable government because it can effectively carry out much-needed development work and enforce policies for the same," he said.

In 2018, Nepal will elect a federal parliament and it will also elect a prime minister, a president, and a vice president for the country.

Provincial assemblies for each of Nepal's seven provinces will also be elected, which will then choose their chief ministers.

With the formation of new federal and provincial parliaments in coming months, there are expectations that Nepal will finally have a stable government that will last for at least five years, which can greatly help improve the country's fragile economy shattered by a devastating earthquakes in 2015.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 20:39:51|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

KAMPALA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Uganda is engaging and seeking authorization from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government for a mandate to hunt the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in its territory, a military spokesperson said here on Sunday.

Brig. Richard Karemire, Ugandan military spokesperson, told Xinhua that the authorities in Kampala are engaging their Kinshasa counterparts for permission to allow the East African country's infantry troops to cross into eastern DRC to pursue and hunt the rebel group, currently causing havoc in North Kivu Province.

"DRC is a sovereign state (and) independent country. It's absolute common sense to engage its authorities on such matter of common security interest, more so when these ADF terrorists have established havens on its territory," said Karemire.

On Dec. 22, Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) used its jet fighters and artillery fire to attack the outfit's bases in the jungles of eastern DRC's North Kivu province, according to the Ugandan military.

The army said over 100 rebel fighters were killed in the operation that was sparked off by the group's attack on the UN peacekeepers, which killed 15 Tanzanian blue helmets and five DRC troops and wounded 53 others.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 20:54:55|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to extend New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2017. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday delivered a New Year speech, vowing that China would resolutely carry out reform in 2018.

"We will take the opportunity of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up in 2018 to further carry out reform, as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realize the Chinese dream," Xi said.

He cited a Chinese adage, saying that the Chinese people would "cut paths through mountains, and build bridges across rivers" to move forward on reform.

He extended New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world.

Xi said the year 2018 marked the first year of fully implementing "the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China," which outlines China's desired development blueprint over the next three decades.

"Building a high-rise begins with mounds of soil," Xi said, borrowing an ancient Chinese phrase to urge his fellow Chinese to take a step-by-step approach and work hard to turn the blueprint into a reality.

Xi said that by 2020 all rural residents living below the current poverty line should have been lifted out of poverty. It will be the first time in China's thousands of years of history that extreme poverty is eliminated.

"It is our solemn promise," Xi said. "Only three years are left to 2020. Every one of us must be called to action, do our best, take targeted measures to secure victories one after another."

"This is a great cause, important to both the Chinese nation and humanity. Let's do it together and make it happen," he said.

Xi said China's great achievement of development was made by the people and for the people, and that among the people's most pressing concerns were education, employment, income, social security, health care, elderly care, housing and environmental protection.

The president admitted that there were areas where the government's work fell short of expectations. Though progress has been made, he said, issues of public concern remain.

"That is why we should strengthen our sense of responsibility, and do a good job of ensuring the people's well-being," Xi said. "The well-being of our people is the Party and the government's greatest political achievement. Our cadres should put the people's state of living at the heart, and help them live a better life."

On international affairs, Xi said the world expected to hear China's stance and attitude on issues concerning peace and development.

"As a responsible major country, China has something to say," Xi said.

"China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, actively fulfill China's international obligations and duties, remain firmly committed to China's pledges to tackle climate change, actively push for the Belt and Road Initiative, and always be a builder of world peace, contributor of global development and keeper of international order," he said. "The Chinese people are ready to chart out a more prosperous, peaceful future for humanity, with people from other countries."
A China-Europe freight train laden with goods departs from Yiwu west station in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 8, 2017. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

MOSCOW, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- China and countries of Eurasia strengthened cooperation across various fields in 2017, opening opportunities of economic development for the whole region.

Earlier this month, the Yamal liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in the Arctic jointly launched by China and Russia began operation. Russian President Vladimir Putin pressed the button to start the loading of the first gas tanker.

The project is expected to have three production lines by 2019 with a total capacity of 16.5 million tons of LNG every year. Russia's share in the global LNG market will rise from about four percent to more than eight percent.

Chinese enterprises invested heavily in the Yamal project and will operate 14 of the total 15 LNG tankers.

The megaproject marked a milestone in China-Russia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.

The initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes.

The Yamal LNG will be shipped to Asia in the summer through an efficient Arctic shipping route along Russia's northern coast, which China and Russia aim to build into a "silk road on ice."

Trade and investment remained solid in 2017. Chinese direct investment in Russia grew 34.1 percent in the first three quarters this year, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Russian courier Maria Rubtsova became popular among Chinese netizens during the Nov. 11 "Singles' Day" shopping spree this year, after a picture showing her delivering parcels on a horse went viral on the Internet.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba said about 22 million Russian people, roughly one sixth of the country's total population, use its outbound platform AliExpress to make purchases online.

A day after Xi delivered a report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October, Putin said he was "very closely" following the event.

"We have great cooperation plans with China in the areas of space, high-tech and energy. These are the bases for the future development of Russia-China relations," Putin said, calling China a major propeller of the global economy.

On the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Vietnam in November, Xi told Putin in a meeting that their high-level efforts in guiding the long-term growth of China-Russia ties have achieved gratifying results.

Putin said Russia stands ready to enhance cooperation with China in regional and international affairs, carry out closer communication and coordination within multilateral frameworks and push for the creation of the Free Trade Agreement of the Asia Pacific.

Since Xi proposed building the Silk Road Economic Belt in Kazakhstan in September 2013, Eurasian countries have shown great interest in cooperation with China in search of opportunities to develop their domestic industries and improve infrastructure connectivity.

This May, the presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing and signed together with other world leaders a joint communique supporting global and regional cooperation.

With Kazakhstan currently serving as a hub connecting Asia and Europe, freight can flow easily between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts via the landlocked country. China and Kazakhstan are implementing 51 industrial capacity cooperation projects worth more than 26 billion U.S. dollars.

A China-funded cement factory in Tajikistan was the first concrete producer ever in the country. The "Great Stone" joint industrial park in Minsk has attracted about two billion dollars of Chinese investment in Belarus.

Electronic product manufacturers such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Haier, among other Chinese brands, have secured a firm footing in the Eurasian countries. Confucius Institutes have stimulated enthusiasm for Chinese language and culture in the whole region.

Over the past year, the ancient Silk Road has proven its worth as a source of prosperity and cooperation for China and its Eurasian partners, and more of the same is expected in 2018.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 21:30:03|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

KINSHASA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) shot dead two protesters in the capital Kinshasa on Sunday, according to a witness on the spot.

The incident occurred as demonstrators held a march in the capital to demand that President Joseph Kabila step down from power.

Mobile Short Message Service (SMS) and internet service were temporarily down as the protests went on in the presence of government security forces.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 21:40:05|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

RABAT, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Sunday congratulated Liberia's new president, George Weah, on his election victory, while vowing to strengthen the bilateral ties.

In a message to Weah, the Moroccan king said the election result shows "how keen the Liberians are to promote the democratic transition and make sure their aspirations for a prosperous future are fulfilled."

The king also hailed the bilateral ties and "African brotherly bonds" between the two countries, adding that he is keen to work with the president to strengthen the relations in all sectors.

Weah was elected as Liberia's 25th president on Friday and will take office in January, 2018. He vowed to improve the welfare of Liberians, and combat corruption.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 22:05:09|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

DHAKA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government said on Sunday that two more new air bases will be constructed soon to further strengthen the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the announcement after inspecting a parade by new BAF officers at an Air Force Academy in Jessore, some 164 km from the capital city Dhaka.

She said steps are underway to establish the new air bases in southern Barisal and northeastern Sylhet regions to make the force stronger.

She expressed her optimism that the BAF would be turned into a most modern air force soon.

Meanwhile, she said more multi-role combat aircraft, modern basic training helicopters, jet trainer aircraft, simulators, unmanned aerial vehicle systems, long- and short-range air defence radars and medium-range surface-to-air missiles will be added to the air force.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 22:20:11|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to extend New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2017. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday delivered a New Year speech, vowing that China would resolutely carry out reform in 2018.

"We will take the opportunity of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up in 2018 to further carry out reform, as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realize the Chinese dream," Xi said.

He cited a Chinese adage, saying that the Chinese people would "cut paths through mountains, and build bridges across rivers" to move forward on reform.

He extended New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world.

Xi said the year 2018 marked the first year of fully implementing "the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC)," which outlines China's desired development blueprint over the next three decades.

"Building a high-rise begins with mounds of soil," Xi said, borrowing an ancient Chinese phrase to urge his fellow Chinese to take a step-by-step approach and work hard to turn the blueprint into a reality.

Xi said that by 2020 all rural residents living below the current poverty line should have been lifted out of poverty. It will be the first time in China's thousands of years of history that extreme poverty is eliminated.

"It is our solemn promise," Xi said. "Only three years are left to 2020. Every one of us must be called to action, do our best, take targeted measures to secure victories one after another."

"This is a great cause, important to both the Chinese nation and humanity. Let's do it together and make it happen," he said.

Xi said China's great achievement of development was made by the people and for the people, and that among the people's most pressing concerns were education, employment, income, social security, health care, elderly care, housing and environmental protection.

The president admitted that there were areas where the government's work fell short of expectations. Though progress has been made, he said, issues of public concern remain.

"That is why we should strengthen our sense of responsibility, and do a good job of ensuring the people's well-being," Xi said. "The well-being of our people is the Party and the government's greatest political achievement. Our cadres should put the people's state of living at the heart, and help them live a better life."

On international affairs, Xi said the world expected to hear China's stance and attitude on issues concerning peace and development.

"As a responsible major country, China has something to say," Xi said.

"China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, actively fulfill China's international obligations and duties, remain firmly committed to China's pledges to tackle climate change, actively push for the Belt and Road Initiative, and always be a builder of world peace, contributor of global development and keeper of international order," he said. "The Chinese people are ready to chart out a more prosperous, peaceful future for humanity, with people from other countries."

Xi said the convening of the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 had embarked China on a new journey to build a modern socialist country.

Stating the achievements China made in 2017, Xi said gross domestic product had risen to 80 trillion yuan (12.3 trillion U.S. dollars); over 13 million new jobs were created; 1.35 billion people were covered by basic medical insurance; and more than 10 million rural people were lifted out of poverty.

Xi said the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security had grown stronger, citing the improvement of people's livelihoods, and the ecological environment in the year.

"We have taken another great step in finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Xi said.

From the Chinese-produced large passenger jet C919 to the bullet train named Fuxing -- with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour, Xi said good news kept rolling-in on sci-tech innovation and major projects in 2017.

"I applaud the Chinese people for their great creativity," he said.

Xi also spoke of a grand military parade at the Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, held to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army; the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland; as well as a national memorial ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre.

Xi noted several multilateral diplomatic events held in China, including the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the BRICS Xiamen Summit and the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting.

Xi said that he had an in-depth exchange of views with concerted parties on different occasions, such as at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the G20 Summit in Hamburg.

"They are all in favor of the joint building of a community with a shared future for humanity so as to benefit people across the world," he said.

Xi said he had received letters from people of ethnic minority regions, professor and university students.

"Their patriotism made me feel that the ordinary people are the greatest, while happiness comes out of diligence," Xi said.
Silver lining

Four days after emerging victorious in the House of Representative elections from Kathmandu-4, Gagan Thapa left for South Africa to attend a meeting of the Lancet Commission on High Quality Health Systems on December 12. The focus of the meeting was health system quality in low- and middle-income countries and attended by veterans of the field.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 22:50:17|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Central Bank of Sri Lanka extended the deadline till March 31 next year for people to exchange defaced or mutilated currency notes, a minister said on Sunday.

State Finance Minister Eran Wickramaratne told Xinhua that the Central Bank this year had given a 90-day period till Dec. 31 to return such notes.

However, President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday requested the Central Bank to extend the deadline till next March 31.

Wickramaratne said some people had not been communicated properly on this move, and therefore steps were taken to extend the deadline as requested by the president.

The minister said the Central Bank decided to do so to make sure that only clean notes were in circulation.

"It is important to have fresh currency notes instead of defaced or mutilated ones. It is easy for the banking authorities to keep track of currency notes in circulation. It will eventually help in curbing fraudulent activities," he said.

According to the Monetary Law Act of Sri Lanka, willful mutilation, alteration or defacement of currency notes is an offence punishable by imprisonment or fine.

Sri Lanka has currency notes in denomination of 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000.

The Central Bank has stopped printing the currency notes in denomination of 10 and 2,000 though some of earlier printed ones are still in circulation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 23:20:21|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Morocco has put its security forces on high alert on the New Year's Eve, local media reported on Sunday.

Morocco has deployed some 60,000 policemen on the New Year's Eve, the news website Alyaoum24.com reported.

The policemen will reinforce security measures throughout the kingdom, especially in sensitive sites such as tourist attractions and diplomatic venues.

Millions of tourists, including many world celebrities, choose Morocco as a destination to celebrate the New Year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 23:30:23|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian military court sought on Sunday the opinion of the top Islamic religious authority on sentencing eight terror suspects to death for killing two policemen in 2015.

The court will issue its final verdict on Jan. 17 after getting the opinion of Grand Mufti, the country's highest Islamic official, who will give the religious judgment of all preliminary death sentences, the official daily Ahram reported.

The defendants are accused of assassinating a police officer and a conscript in April 2015.

Egypt has been suffering from a wave of anti-security attacks since the army-led ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

Terror attacks used to be centered in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and targeting the Coptic minority as well, with most of them claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the regional Islamic State militant group.

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.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen in the photo. (Press Service of the Russian President/TASS)

MOSCOW, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the people to express love to their family members in his traditional New Year greeting that went on air Sunday.

Putin said the New Year is a family holiday and important changes will come if people remember and care for parents while understanding children and supporting people around.

He asked everyone to forgive and hug each other and share the New Year happiness with relatives and friends even far away.

The president also praised those on duty during the holidays.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-31 23:45:25|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iran will use funds from the Eximbank of Russia to implement some infrastructure projects, local media reported on Sunday.

The Central Bank of Iran and the Export Insurance Agency of Russia signed a deal recently to pave the way for Russian banks to fund Iranian projects, the Financial Tribune daily reported.

Four Iranian banks, including Bank Sepah, Export Development Bank of Iran, Parsian Bank and Bank Pasargad, signed last week an "unlimited finance deal" with the Eximbank of Russia, the report said.

Under the deal, Eximbank will provide loans "without a ceiling" to the four lenders to finance development projects in Iran.

But it is not yet known which projects will be eligible to get the funds, said Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Khaza, also director of the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran.

"Several projects have already applied for the funds, but their applications need to be assessed in the Central Bank of Iran and the Economy Ministry. In case of approval, they will be introduced to Russia's Eximbank for undergoing the final stage," Khaza said.

This is the first interbank loan from Russia to Iran and "will be an effective step toward expansion of the economic ties between the two countries," he added.

Based on the agreement, Russian exporters can also use the loans to export technical and engineering services to Iran.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 00:25:32|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAPE TOWN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Four people lost their lives when they were struck by lightning in South Africa on Sunday, authorities said.

Two were killed when lightning struck two villages in Eastern Cape Province, the provincial health department said.

Sixteen other people were injured during the strikes, said the department.

A separate lightning strike in KwaZulu-Natal Province killed two people and injured three others, the provincial government said.

Those injured have been taken to nearby hospitals and were in a stable condition. Most of them suffered severe burns, according to health officials.

Heavy storms have ripped through the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal province in the past few days, leaving a trail of destruction.

Disaster management teams have been put on high alert following the storms.

Authorities have cautioned people against using trees as a cover in cloudy conditions, particularly in the middle of summer when lightning takes place frequently.

South Africa has one of the highest lightning ground strike densities in the world. Particularly in recent years, deaths from lightning are growing in rural areas.

Thunderstorms, generating big electrical discharges, are common in South Africa's eastern and northern provinces between October and March.

At least 100 people are killed annually due to lightning strikes in South Africa, according to official statistics.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 00:35:34|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Sunday strongly condemned Friday's terror attack that targeted a church in Egypt's capital of Cairo.

In a message to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, the king expressed, on behalf of the Moroccan people, his strong condemnation of the "cowardly attack" on innocent citizens.

The king extended to Sisi, the grieving families and the "brotherly" Egyptian people his heartfelt condolences and sincere compassion and solidarity with Egypt.

At least 10 people were killed in a shootout outside the Mar Mina church in the Cairo district of Helwan on Friday.

One attacker was killed, while another was arrested shortly after fleeing the scene. The terror group Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The IS affiliate in Egypt has killed dozens of Christians in church bombings and shootings over the past year.

Egypt's Coptic Christians, the largest religious minority in the region, account for about 10 percent of the country's population of 93 million.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 01:00:38|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LUSAKA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's economy has started showing signs of improvement after the economic meltdown of 2015 and 2016 caused by falling commodity prices and a power deficit due to insufficient rains.

The country's economy has started picking up from the economic downturn with the country's central bank projecting that growth prospects would improve over the medium-term, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2017 and 2018 projected at 4.2 and 5.0 percent respectively from 3.8 percent recorded last year.

Already, the economy has grown by 3.1 percent during the first three quarters of 2017, according to preliminary figures released by the country's statistics agency.

This is due to good performances in the construction, manufacturing and electricity generation industries.

However, attacks on plants by armyworms, which have been reported in various parts of the country, as well as delays in the distribution of farming inputs to smallholder farmers under a government subsidized program, may affect agricultural production, according to analysts.

The failure to reach a bailout agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was a major hallmark of the year.

The government said in September that it would resume talks on an IMF aid program in October and was hoping to get an aid package before the end of 2017.

But so far, indications are that the aid package will not be concluded this year after IMF expressed concerns over the country's rising public debt situation.

The IMF has already stated its concern over Zambia's public debt which it said was growing unsustainably and putting the country at high risk of debt distress.

According to IMF figures, public guaranteed debt increased from 36 percent of gross domestic product at the end of 2014 to 60 percent as at the end of 2016.

The two parties have since agreed to chart a new path towards debt sustainability while the government has come up with a debt management strategy which has become a center of the talks.

Felix Mutati, the country's finance minister, has assured of the government's resolve to deal with the rising debt problem.

The minister, who acknowledged that the country's debt was approaching unsustainable levels, said the government was slowing down on borrowing in order to curtail the rising the debt.

"In order to ensure continued debt sustainability, government has finalized a medium term debt strategy that provides a framework for prudent management. Further, regular debt sustainability analysis will be the guiding principle for future borrowing activities," he said in a statement presented in parliament.

According to government figures, Zambia's public debt stood at 12.45 billion U.S. dollars in August 2017, representing 47 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), with the external debt standing at 7.5 billion dollars.

On the other hand, the revelation by the 2016 Auditor General's report that there was increased misappropriation of public resources received a backlash, especially during a time when the country was trying to tighten public expenditure which has resulted in a budget deficit.

While the government moved in quickly to assure citizens that culprits cited in the report will be dealt with, stakeholders are not convinced as the trend has been the same over the years.

"The rate at which public resources are being misappropriated and stolen for personal gain by those in authority today is unprecedented, worrying and has reached alarming heart breaking levels to ordinary Zambians," said Maxon Nkhoma, Coordinator of the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR), a local organization involved in poverty fighting programs.

"If left unchecked this has potential to make the national treasury bankrupt," said Nkhoma.
British Prime Minister Theresa May (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend a press conference after their meeting on Brexit at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 4, 2017. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

by Xinhua writer Tian Dongdong

BRUSSELS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Britons are proud of their maritime history. Like a ship, their United Kingdom has sailed through glorious days and low ebbs in the past centuries. Nowadays, the ship is trying to sail away from the European coast, but fierce disputes within the Kingdom, as well as the tough talks between the two sides of the English Channel, have almost taken the wind out of its sail in the year of 2017.

The green light to the 2nd-phase Brexit talks given by 27 European Union (EU) member states in mid December gave a gasp of relief to the ship's crew, including British Prime Minister Theresa May and her Brexit Secretary David Davis, whose political future has been tied to that of the ship.

However, the 2nd-phase talks will never be a peaceful sea waiting to be commanded. As the easiest part has been charted, the ship is sailing into unknown waters. Will the wind be back in Brexit's sails in 2018? It seems nobody knows for sure at the end of a bumpy year.

EU ERECTS BARRIERS WITH STRONG-WORDED GUIDELINES

As crew members are still quarrelling over the future routes, their EU counterparts have already laid bare redlines.

During the last EU summit in mid December, the EU27 proved a strong-worded guideline, requiring all commitments undertaken during the first phase to be respected in full and translated faithfully into legal terms as quickly as possible.

What's more, the guidelines also allow no "cherry-picking" -- Britain will continue to stay in the Customs Union and the Single Market with all four freedoms, i.e. free movement of goods, services and capital and labor during the transition, which means continuous flow of immigrants through British borders.

In addition, Britain will be a third country as of March 30, 2019. As a result, it will no longer be represented in EU's institutions, agencies, bodies and offices. But at the same time, Britain needs to abide all existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory, judiciary and enforcement instruments and structures, including the competence of the Court of Justice of the EU during the transitional period.

It underlined that work needs to be completed on all withdrawal issues, including those not yet addressed in the first phase, such as the overall governance of the Withdrawal Agreement and substantive issues such as goods placed on the market before Britain's withdrawal from the EU, said the release.

Commenting on the transitional period, Michael Barnier, EU's Chief Brexit negotiator, told reporters in late December that Britain "will keep all the benefits and obligations of the single market, the Customs Union and common policies during this transition period ... but the transition is part of the withdrawal agreement ...If there is no orderly withdrawal and a treaty on section 50, there is no transition."

FUTURE RELATIONSHIP -- EU OFFERS LESS THAN BRITAIN EXPECTED

As to the future relationship, the EU has set two redlines: it can only be finalized and concluded once Britain has become a third country; the EU needs additional guidelines to engage in preliminary and preparatory discussions on the understanding of its "framework".

The difference between the EU and Britain on this issue is crystal clear: Britain wants to start talks on relationship for the future in the 2nd phase, but the EU only agrees to begin with its "framework" first.

As to the content of the future relationship, the EU might fail Britain's expectations too.

Local media reports are mainly focusing on two types of future relations -- CETA-type, i.e. the "Canadian" Model, and EEA-type, the Norwegian Model.

A CETA-type trade deal would fall much short of what Britain is looking for, mainly because it offers relatively limited access in services, with no passporting rights for financial services -- an important sector for Britain, said Maria Demertzis, deputy director of the Bruegel think tank based in Brussels.

On the other hand, an EEA-type agreement would give Britain much of what it is looking for in trade, including passporting rights for financial services. However, the EU insists that access to its single market, which EEA countries enjoy, must mean not only free movement of goods, services and capital, but also of labor -- a demand that Britain is not willing to accept, she added.

In other words, Britain is looking for a "CETA-plus" (i.e. plus services, including financial services) or an "EEA-minus" (i.e. minus free movement of labor) agreement. For its part, the EU is sticking to its CETA or EEA offer, without plus or minus. Whether there is room for a compromise between the two positions and at what price -- in terms of Britain's contributions to the EU budget and with respect of ECJ decisions -- is what the negotiations of phase two will really be about, she noted in an analysis co-writing with Bruegel's senior research fellow Andre Sapir.

COULD THE SHIP SIMPLY BE STOPPED?

No doubt the Brexit talks would meet difficulties in 2018. What if the two sides simply cannot make breakthrough? Nick Clegg, former party-leader of the Liberal Democrats and a renowned Remainer, suggested that Brexit could be stopped, in his book entitled How to Stop Brexit.

In the book, he said the Brexit "is not irrevocable", citing Lord Kerr, the Scottish lawyer who authored Article 50.

Besides, "in the end, in the EU everything is political. European law has a habit of giving way where there is political will from the member states," said Clegg.

"Parliament has the power to halt the Government's approach to Brexit," He said, calling Remainers in Britain to win support from the MPs via visiting them more frequently, attending local party meetings and party conferences with motions -- in a word, let more MPs hear their voices.

"Too much of our politics is dominated by what are, in effect, ideological sects, unrepresentative of wider society. Why should their narrow prejudices or their personality cult be the driving force of what shapes the future of our country? We all have a right to have our say, as the circumstances surrounding Brexit change and the promises that were made fail to materialize," said Clegg.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 02:20:48|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Egypt will reap the fruits of its economic reform program and the new pro-investment laws and regulations in 2018, said the Egyptian minister of trade and industry in a statement on Sunday.

"During 2017, Egypt opened 1,202 new factories with total investments of 27 billion pounds (1.5 billion U.S. dollars) and total production of 19 billion pounds, providing 38,000 job opportunities in 24 provinces," said Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Kabil in the statement.

Egypt decided last year to fully float the exchange rate of its local currency to contain shortage of the U.S. dollar reserves and embark on a strict three-year economic reform program including fuel and energy subsidy cuts and higher taxes.

Suffering economic slowdown over the past few years due to political turmoil and security challenges, the floatation of the Egyptian pound encouraged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support Egypt's economic reform plan by a 12-billion-dollar loan, half of which has already been delivered to the North African country.

Kabil said that the industry sector achieved "unprecedented success" during the outgoing year, which positively reflected on the country's growth rate and the competitiveness of the Egyptian products, "as asserted by international reports and the Economist magazine."

He added that the industrial achievement in 2017 included launching of Egypt's first investment map highlighting 4,136 investment opportunities in eigh sectors and issuing of a new law facilitating industrial licenses.

"An Egyptian-Chinese deal was also signed to develop and operate the industrial city in Abu Znimah in South Sinai," said the minister while citing the progress made in the field of industry in 2017.

The trade and industry minister noted that Egypt also signed with Singapore a memorandum of understanding to establish a complete industrial city in Fayoum province south of Cairo on an area of 33 million sq km.
Standing her ground

Confrontations between the executive and the judiciary arent new in the democratic history of Nepal. Time and again, disputes have arisen between the two crucial organs of the state.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 02:35:50|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- An official of the Libyan eastern-based army said that landmines planted by extremists in the eastern city of Benghazi have killed 197 soldiers and civilians during 2017, the eastern Libyan Press Agency reported on Sunday.

27 military engineering experts were killed and seven others were injured in 2017 as they tried to dismantle landmines in some areas of the clashes between the army and militants, according to Abdussalam Al-Musmari, commander of the army's military engineering unit.

Al-Musmari added that landmines also killed 170 civilians in 2017, with the majority of victims killed in central Benghazi.

Al-Mismari said that the army's general command issued instructions to launch an awareness campaign on landmines using posters in areas where the remaining militants stationed.

An army official told Xinhua that the army has concluded all military actions in Benghazi against extremists groups.

Benghazi, Libya's second largest city and the birthplace of the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi, has witnessed a three-year war between the army led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar and extremist militants.

In June, Haftar announced the takeover of the entire city of Benghazi and the defeat of rival armed groups. However, some militants have remained in the city, using landmines against his army.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 03:10:55|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian security forces have been intensifying presence around churches nationwide during in New Year celebrations, said the Egyptian military spokesman in a statement on Sunday.

The statement comes a couple of days after a terrorist shootout outside a church southern Cairo killed at least 10 people, including a policeman and one of the two perpetrators.

"The surrounding areas of churches and places of worship have witnessed intensified security deployment to secure the inflow of Coptic citizens to celebrate the feast," said Egypt's military spokesman Tamer al-Refaay in the statement.

Egypt has been fighting a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military ousted former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

The terrorist attacks were centered in North Sinai and targeted security forces before they gradually extended to other provinces, including the capital Cairo, and started to target dozens of the Coptic minority with church bombings.

Most of the attacks were claimed by a Sinai-based terrorist group loyal to the Islamic State (IS) group.

In late May, the IS claimed responsibility for shooting dead at least 30 Copts heading to visit a monastery on the desert highway in Upper Egypt's Minya province.

Earlier in April, the IS-claimed bombings at two churches in Gharbiya and Alexandria northern provinces killed at least 47 and wounded over 120.

A similar suicide bombing at a Cairo church in December 2016 killed at least 29 worshippers, mostly women and children.

Last month, a terrorist attack against a mosque in a village in Arish city of North Sinai killed at least 310 Muslim worshippers and wounded over 120 others, marking the deadliest terror attack and the first against a Muslim mosque in Egypt's modern history.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack.

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, the army chief then, following Morsi's ouster.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 03:15:56|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila extolled the turnaround of Finnish economy in his New Year's Message issued on Sunday, but at the same time warned against cracks in the cohesion of the society.

In November 2017, he said, about 83,000 more people had a job than a year earlier. The share of employed people rose to 70.4 percent of the working age population, the highest figure in the last ten years.

In a reference to the tight budget policy, Sipila said the government seeks to ensure that the impact of economic belt-tightening was shared as fairly as possible. He said that income disparities in Finland did not widen last year at all, "contrary to the impression given in the pubic debate on the matter".

The prime minister said cohesion is a key strength of Finnish society, and he underlined the significance of preserving cohesion.

He noted that following the centenary of independence in 2017, next year will mark 100 years since the Finnish civil war. "I hope we can join together to commemorate the Civil War rather than revisit the divisions of 1918", he said.

Sipila noted that in 1918 Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will celebrate their centenary of independence. He said Finland and the Baltic countries are "united by history and now by a shared future of opportunities".

He also mentioned the plan, which is under review, to build a tunnel between Helsinki and the Estonian capital, Tallinn.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 03:15:57|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MINSK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has set a target of 3.5 percent growth in Belarus' GDP by 2018, the press service of the Belarusian leader said Sunday.

The Belarusian leader on Sunday signed a decree on the tasks for social and economic development of Belarus in 2018, the press service said.

The main goals in 2018 are to increase the competitiveness of the economy, ensure sustainable economic growth and create additional conditions for its acceleration in subsequent years, the document said.

The decree establishes a list of key parameters that are key indicators of the effectiveness of the work of the government and the National Bank. It is projected that the Belarusian economy in 2018 will grow by 3.5 percent, and export of goods and services by 5.7 percent. The main task is also to ensure a practically zero foreign trade balance so that Belarus can pay off foreign debts.

The document said that the National Bank and the Government of Belarus are instructed by the President of Belarus to take the necessary measures to limit the price growth in 2018 by no more than 6 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 03:30:59|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian National Authority (PNA) recalled Sunday its ambassador to the U.S. for consultation over the crisis with Washington after its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

A short statement by the Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riad Malki said that he decided to recall the head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) mission in the U.S., Ambassador Hossam Zomlot.

On Dec. 6, U.S. President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ordered to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, which met strong Palestinian and Arab rejection.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967, as the capital of their future state, while Israel refuses to divide the city and wants "Greater Jerusalem" as its capital.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 03:36:00|Editor: Yang Yi

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Tin Tin, a Chinese restaurant located in central Nairobi, has been serving local Kenyans for nearly four decades with its zestful dishes and a unique cultural background.

"This is a restaurant definitely worth a try," says Steven, a local resident in his 30s, to Xinhua. "It has provided Chinese food since my grandfather's time."

According to Henry Tin, the restaurant owner, Tin Tin was established in 1978 at the heart of the Nairobi Central Business District, upholding Chinese cuisines while incorporating Kenyan preferences.

For years, Tin Tin has become a defining part of the city's landmark -- Kenya International Conference Center (KICC), attracting lots of office workers nearby and even presidential patrons.

"The former President of Kenya, (Daniel) Moi, was a very good patron for us. He comes almost once a month here and pay always in cash. Then (former President Mwai) Kibaki and now (President) Uhuru (Kenyatta). They all like to enjoy our food," says Tin.

"Former President Moi really likes our chicken wings. He ordered this dish every time. He even asked us for the cooking tips," adds Tin.

Danis, an office worker of an insurance company near the KICC, says he is a frequenter of the restaurant, which is conveniently located inside the KICC.

"It is the only Chinese restaurant in the highly competitive downtown area. Besides, its food has been adapted to our taste," says Danis. "My favorite dishes are fried shrimp and fried pork, which you can also find in a Kenyan restaurant."

High quality food consistently served over the decades has helped maintain a loyal clientele, says Enoch Kivunaga, Senior Chef of Tin Tin.

"My experience depends on the customer. If I cook good food they always come back, no matter they are presidents or ministers," says the chef.

Facing challenges from other outlets in the new era, the restaurant has modified its business strategy by including outside catering into its services.

"We should be able to supply a meal in that 250 kshs (about 2.4 U.S. dollars) to 300 kshs range in mass and work out the logistics to move around to offices," says Jamie Pujara, Tin's nephew and business partner.

Besides affordable food, Tin Tin also aims to enhance its level of professionalism and to have better business management systems, says Pujara.

Tin says he speaks Swahili well and perfectly pronounces indigenous names, a fact that shows the Chinese culture and its Kenyan counterpart are quickly merging.

"I am a Kenyan Chinese. I love both two great countries," says Tin.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 03:46:02|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for sympathizing the Iranian anti-government protesters, local media reported.

"This guy (Trump) who is trying today to sympathize with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the Iranian nation terrorist," Rouhani said in the cabinet meeting on Sunday.

"This guy who is against the Iranian nation from head to toe has no right to sympathize with them," Tehran Times daily quoted him as saying.

Over the past days, anti-government protests erupted in some Iranian major cities. In a number of cases, they turned into violence and clash between the protesters and police.

On Sunday, Hbibollah Khojasteh Pour, deputy governor of Iran's Lorestan province, confirmed that two people were killed overnight in western Iran in anti-government protests.

Khojasteh Pour said that the two people were killed in Dorood city of Lorestan province following the protest demonstrations in the city.

He blamed the foreign intelligence agencies for flaring up of the peaceful protest gathering of the people.

The videos posted on social media showed police trying to disperse the crowd by using tear gas and water cannons.

In a tweet on Friday, Trump made remarks about the recent protests in Iran and said the Iranian government should "respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves."

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday also condemned U.S. "interference" in the country's internal affairs.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said that "meddling" remarks of the U.S. president and his support for recent protests in some Iranian cities are "opportunistic and deceitful."

On Sunday, Rouhani stressed that people should express their grievances in a way that would lead to better living conditions for citizens and investment in the country.

"Some of the economic problems of people date back to some years ago, while some others are related to the present day. The government and nation should join hands and help each other," said the Iranian president.

However, people's criticism does not pertain to the economy alone. People have things to say about corruption and transparency. They say things should be transparent," he said.

"People criticize that corruption should be fought more seriously, and why some issues are not disclosed to them properly. Criticism in the country's entire affairs is a right of the people and we believe that the government and country belong to people and people should be able to well express what they wish to," he said.

Rouhani stressed that criticism is different from violence and sabotage of public property. "We welcome criticism. And the related bodies should open way for people's legal criticism and protest and even demonstrations and congregation. This is a right of the people," he added.

Also, Qasemi on Sunday condemned a statement by the Canadian government about recent protests in Iran as a violation of international obligations of Canada and said it lacks any legal value.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran regards the meddlesome position of the Canadian government as a violation of the country's legal and international obligations," Qasemi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

In a statement on Sunday, the Global Affairs Canada, which manages the country's diplomatic and consular relations, voiced its support for the recent protests in Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump displays his signature after signing the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul plan in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC on December 22, 2017. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- 2017 will be remembered as the year that U.S. President Donald Trump passed the biggest tax overhaul in three decades. And while the cuts aren't perfect, there are a number of benefits for corporations and individuals that will boost myriad sectors of the economy in 2018.

The new tax law "offers real tax relief" to people on all rungs of the economic ladder, Gene Panasenko, a veteran financial advisor in New York City who has appeared as an expert in various TV and print media, told Xinhua.

Trump has dominated the news this year like no other president in recent memory. Before wrapping up his first calendar year in office, the president passed a major tax overhaul -- the biggest change in the nation's tax system in three decades. He has claimed on various occasions that his plan, in addition to harnessing economic growth, gives incentives to U.S. corporations to return home.

Supporters say it will not only lift the economy and encourage investment in the United States, but will also boost markets and spur companies to create jobs, although others believe most of the benefits will go to those at the top of the income chain.

Panasenko noted that the tax law slashes the corporate rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, and that puts the United States back on track with other industrialized countries, giving companies incentive to remain stateside instead of packing their bags and seeking a better tax environment abroad.

Indeed, the United States previously had one of the world's highest levels of corporate taxation. While the United States is known worldwide as a good place to invest, given its deep financial markets, fair legal environment and educated workforce, many companies either left or avoided investing in the world's largest economy due to heavy taxation. Experts predict Trump's tax overhaul will change that.

Not only multi-billion dollar corporations will benefit, Panasenko said, noting that hundreds of thousands of small businesses will benefit from the tax revamp in a major way.

Some major corporations say they are giving employees bonuses as a result of the new law, and have made plans to generate more jobs, Panasenko noted.

Individuals in the middle class will also reap the benefits, he added, contending that the middle class will see the largest tax cut, a savings of up to 50 percent for some people, Panasenko said.

The tax overhaul is a "win-win" across the board, and all these "positive changes" will spark a chain reaction and have a positive impact on the economy, Panasenko said.

The new bill will bring back trillions of U.S. dollars from overseas, all of which will contribute to U.S. economic growth, he said.

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that while the new tax laws are favorable to companies and could spur more hiring, the new laws could in the long run widen the rich-poor gap.

The corporate tax environment is now more favorable in the United States, "so that very well could encourage companies to invest there and hire additional workers. That would be a big plus for the economy and would stimulate greater growth," he said.

There likely will be substantial differences sector to sector. Financial institutions fare well in the tax bill so that could be an area where there could be additional investment. Real estate did less well so that could be a sector that does not fare as well, West said.

The biggest plus of the bill is the substantial tax cut that is provided. "But most of the cut goes to corporations and wealthy individuals, so the average person is not going to see much of a reduction. If ordinary workers don't benefit, they will not be in a position to spend more money and stimulate greater economic growth," West said.

"In the long run, this tax cut will increase economic inequality. The rich will get richer, while the poor and middle class continue to struggle," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 03:56:03|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BUJUMBURA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza on Sunday pardoned over 2,000 inmates and called on citizens to be more patriotic.

"Over 2,000 inmates are going to be released from various prisons in 2018. We urge them to avoid committing again offences that may return them to prison," said Nkurunziza in a new year message to the nation.

The presidential pardon comes in the context of consolidating peace and cohesion in the central African nation, said the president, adding that the pardon targets pregnant and breastfeeding inmates and those whose jail term is less than five years and.

Inmates with physical disabilities and those who have spent half of their jail term will also be pardoned, he said.

Some 2,576 inmates had benefited from the presidential pardon in 2017, according to him.

He also urged Burundian citizens to financially contribute to the country's 2020 elections and to massively participate in the referendum of the national constitution to be held in May 2018.

Nkurunziza also said Burundi's energy crisis has been solved by the use of thermal energy of 30 megawatts, adding that the construction of hydropower dams is underway to produce more energy.

Plans for 2018 include consolidating peace and security, fighting terrorism and continuing the repatriation of Burundian citizens living in exile, he further said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 04:21:06|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Dec. 31, 2017 shows Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir attending a celebration at the Presidential Palace on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Sudan's Independence in Khartoum, capital of Sudan. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said Sunday that Sudan will continue to develop its combat capabilities to prevent aggression on its soils or violation of its sovereignty. (Xinhua/Mohamed Khidir)

KHARTOUM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said Sunday that Sudan will continue to develop its combat capabilities to prevent aggression on its soils or violation of its sovereignty.

"We will continue to develop our own combat capabilities according to our defense-based perspective, to be a deterrent force that prevents even just thinking of attacking our country or targeting its sovereignty and resources," said al-Bashir when addressing a celebration at the Presidential Palace on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Sudan's Independence.

"We will exert all required effort to build and develop our military capabilities in accordance with a sophisticated defense system that deters anyone who thinks to undermine the capabilities of our people, because the peace and reconciliation which are not guarded by a force, will be subject to collapse," he noted.

Bashir reiterated that his government is seeking to address the country's economic issues, saying "despite the economic siege and drying of the sources of external funds, our national economy has managed to achieve considerable success in growth."

"External forces have agreed that our economy is not suffering from a crisis as some try to portray it, but it is rather facing difficulties and problems," noted al-Bashir.

He further vowed to work with the international community to achieve an international partnership to enhance regional and international peace and security, and to seriously work to combat terrorism, money laundering crimes and human trafficking.

"All countries of the world have acknowledged that Sudan does not harbor or support terrorism, but it is a major pillar in combating it," he said.

Meanwhile, al-Bashir reiterated Sudan's stand alongside the Palestinian people in their just cause, saying "we renew our full stand with the Palestinian people in their just cause as they are struggling to defend Islam and the Islamic and Christian holy sites in al-Quds (Jerusalem)."
Such great heights

IN POKHARAThe year 2018 is shaping up to be another banner year for Pokharathe countrys popular adventure and leisure destinationafter witnessing better-than-expected tourist arrivals and hotel infrastructure boom this past year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 05:01:12|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

PARIS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- In a televised New Year's Eve speech released on Sunday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron urged citizens of his country to end "irreconcilable divisions" in the coming year and vowed to continue the "profound transformations" that he launched in 2017.

"At the national level, the year 2018 will be about the cohesion of the nation," said Macron in the video clip filmed at the Elysee Palace, sitting in front of the French and the European flags.

"We have been divided for too long and too often. Debates are necessary but irreconcilable divisions undermine our country," he said.

"By your choices, throughout the year of 2017 you have allowed an in-depth transformation of our country to happen," said the president. "I will continue to do what you elected me for: not to adapt France to the rest of the world, but to allow our country to be what it is."

The transformations initiated in 2017, including those in education and employment, "will continue with the same force in 2018", he assured the citizens, adding that he "will not stop acting" despite the "discordant voices".

As for the European project, Macron reaffirmed that he was "committed to Europe", and deeply believed that "Europe is good for France".

He called upon his fellow French to participate in citizen consultations in order to make Europe "more sovereign, more united and more democratic".

"I need your determination for a 'European leap,' and to not yield to nationalists or skeptics," he stressed.

Macron also vowed to fight relentlessly against terrorism in 2018 in the Middle East, Africa and the French territory.

The president's New Year's Even speech has been a political tradition in France since 1960.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 05:11:14|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Photo provided by the Public Security Ministry of Costa Rica shows people watching the debris of a crashed plane in the Guanacaste province, Costa Rica, on Dec. 31, 2017. At least 12 people, mainly foreigners, were killed when their small plane crashed early Sunday in a mountainous region of Costa Rica's coastal Guanacaste province, local media reported. (Xinhua/Public Security Ministry of Costa Rica)

SAN JOSE, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A small plane believed to be carrying at least 12 people, mainly foreigners, crashed early Sunday in a mountainous region of Costa Rica's coastal Guanacaste province, local media reported.

"Several people are likely to have been killed when a small plane, in which at least 12 people are presumed to have been flying, plummeted Sunday morning," the daily La Nacion said on its website.

"Most of the victims were foreigners, except the two pilots," the daily added.

The daily did not specify the number of fatal victims, but released the names of the passengers, at least five of whom shared the same last name, and crew.

Carlos Hidalgo, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, confirmed the crash took place, the daily said.

Local firefighters were reportedly on the scene, in Bejuco, in the canton of Nandayure.

The Cessna 208B, operated by Nature Air, had taken off from Punta Islita Resort, in Nandayure, and was on its way to the capital San Jose.

The interim deputy director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), Michael Soto, told the daily he was preparing to head to the site of the crash.

"Right now we are readying a specialized group to travel to the area," said Soto.
Despite accepting a $500,000 settlement, the sister of a man shot and killed by a Yakima police officer in 2014 is disappointed the city of Ya
Latest News

Washington, DC - President Donald J. Trump spoke with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt to offer condolences to the people of Egypt after the attack on worshippers and security forces in the city of Helwan, which is located south of Cairo.

President Trump condemned the attack and reiterated that the United States will continue to stand with Egypt in the face of terrorism. President Trump emphasized his commitment to strengthening efforts to defeat terrorism and extremism in all their forms.
Latest News

Washington, DC - A federal court Wednesday unsealed charges against a fourth defendant for participating in a labor-trafficking scheme that forced minors to work at egg farms in central Ohio. The defendant, Pablo Duran Ramirez, was apprehended Saturday by Border Patrol while attempting to cross the border between Mexico and the United States. Three other defendants have previously been convicted for participating in the scheme.

The charges were announced by Justin E. Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; Acting Assistant Attorney General John M. Gore of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division; and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBIs Cleveland Division.

The indictment unsealed today alleges that Duran Ramirez contracted to provide labor for Trillium Farms while knowing or being in reckless disregard of the fact that some of the workers were being trafficked. In addition to the charges for forced labor and for conspiracy, Duran Ramirez is facing a charge of encouraging another person to illegally enter the United States. Duran Ramirez, 49, is a United States citizen.

Three other defendants have pleaded guilty to participating in the trafficking scheme. Those defendants admitted to recruiting workers from Guatemala, some as young as 14 or 15 years old, falsely promising them good jobs and a chance to attend school in the United States. The defendants then smuggled and transported the workers to a trailer park in Marion, Ohio, where they ordered them to live in dilapidated trailers and to work at physically demanding jobs at Trillium Farms for up to 12 hours a day. The work included cleaning chicken coops, loading and unloading crates of chickens, de-beaking chickens and vaccinating chickens. Eight minors and two adults were identified as victims of the scheme.

Aroldo Castillo-Serrano, the lead smuggler and primary enforcer, was sentenced to 188 months in prison. Ana Angelica Pedro-Juan, who oversaw the victims in Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months. Conrado Salgado-Soto, who arranged jobs for the victims, was sentenced to 51 months. The indictment unsealed today alleges that Salgado-Soto was a subcontractor hired by Duran Ramirez.

At sentencing of the other defendants, Senior United States District Judge James G. Carr found that they threatened workers with physical harm and withheld their paychecks in order to compel them to work.

Three additional defendants, including Duran Ramirezs son, pleaded guilty to encouraging illegal entry into the United States in connection to the scheme.

The trafficking and conspiracy counts that Duran Ramirez is charged with carry sentences of up to 20 years. The count of encouraging the entry of illegal aliens carries a sentence of up to five years.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The investigation is ongoing.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Cleveland Office, Mansfield Resident Agency; and the Department of Homeland Security. The case is being jointly prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Rice.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - Between Monday, December 18, 2017 at approximately 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 24, 2017 at approximately 11:55 a.m. unknown subject(s) accessed several vehicles belonging to several residents in the Sierra Montana and Araby Crossing Subdivisions.

Various items were taken from some of the vehicles. Items taken were electronics, purses, medication and some gifts. Some vehicles were rifled through but nothing was taken. Some of the vehicles may have been left unsecured. It is also appears that an unknown device is being used to bypass the vehicle alarm systems and make entry.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about these cases to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous.

With the recent events involving vehicle burglaries, the Yuma Police Department would like to remind the community about some basic safety precautions for your vehicles.

Never leave the keys in your vehicle:

With colder weather upon us, we tend to go out and start our cars so they are nice and warm when we get in. If you have a remote start that is a good idea, but if you dont, some tend to start their vehicle and run back inside. Unless you utilize that spare car key and lock your doors, please do not walk away from your running unlocked vehicle. Multiple vehicles have been stolen within the last week with the keys left in the ignition.

Always lock your vehicle and keep valuables out of plain sight:

If you leave items in your front or back seats that appeal to a bad guy, they will not think twice about entering your vehicle and taking what they want. If left unlocked, you are making it easy for someone to take your things. If its something of value they will break your window, grab the items and leave.

Always try to park in an area with good lighting:

Whether its in front of your residence or when youre out shopping, always park in a well-lit area at night. If your street light is out, call and have it fixed. When out shopping, stay away from the darker edges of the parking lot.

Dont make it easy for the thief to take your vehicle or belongings.
Yuma News

Yuma, Arizona - This morning, at approximately 11:00am, Yuma Police Department Officers responded to Party Time Market, 595 West 1st Street, in reference to an Armed Robbery.

The Investigation revealed an unknown male wearing a gray hoodie, black sweat pants and a bandanna covering his face entered the business and demanded money while displaying a handgun. The clerk gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money and the suspect fled the area on foot. The clerk did not receive any injuries.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime to remain anonymous.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
The risk taker

One day in 1991, two 17-year-old boys visited the secretariat of the National Planning Commission (NPC) to meet with its vice chairman, Ram Sharan Mahat. Mahat, who later went on to become the Finance Minister six times over and is now a senior leader of the Nepali Congress, still remembers the meeting, during which the two had asked him to grant them scholarships to pursue further studies.
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- The leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) deputies, Antonio Andrusceac, announced on Wednesday that he has taken procedural steps to request the convening of a plenary session of Parliament aimed at the adoption of a decision on the start of the legal formalities to verify the assets

- President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday signed the decree by which Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca designates himself as interim Minister of National Defence, told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help your

- President Klaus Iohannis is participating, Thursday through Friday, in Brussels, in the meeting of the European Council, among the topics of discussion being the necessary measures in the field of energy, following the package of proposals presented by the European Commission and the reaffirmation

- President Klaus Iohannis, who is attending on Thursday, in Prague, the first meeting of the European Political Community, said he will speak within this new format, about "the need for solidarity with Ukraine'', told Agerpres. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro

- President Klaus Iohannis says that the participation of a large number of Romanians in the celebrations in Tebea shows that the new generations perceive the tomb of Avram Iancu and Gorunul lui Horea as a place where they reaffirm their roots, identity, patriotism and respect for the sacrifices of

- President Klaus Iohannis declared on Monday that there has recently been an intense and natural debate on the future of education, showing that he expects the debate to continue in Parliament until a legislative form that helps teachers to fulfill their aspirations is reached. Fii la curent

- The Bookfest Fair in Chisinau is an expression of the common cultural and linguistic space, a materialization of the European aspirations of the Romanians on both sides of the Prut River, President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday in the message sent on the occasion of the opening of the 5th edition

- Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu sent on Wednesday a firm message of solidarity with the Ukrainian people via Ukraine's ambassador in Bucharest Ihor Prokopchuk. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help your
Bengaluru: As the tech hub readies to usher in the New Year on Sunday midnight, about 15,000 police personnel including women constables have been deployed across the city to keep an eye on the New Year revellers, police said.



"With nearly 750 patrolling vehicles, nearly 15,000 police personnel including 1500 home guards and 1000 civil defence staff have been positioned to strengthen security," Bengaluru Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar told the media here.



An additional 500 CCTVs have been installed across the city for better surveillance, Kumar said.



Bars, hotels, and restaurants in the city would remain open till about 2 a.m. of January 1.



"People creating nuisance in public places like pubs, bars, restaurants and streets will be immediately taken into custody," he asserted.



About 2,000 cops are to be present on Brigade Road, Church Street and MG Road in the city`s central business district, popular for restaurants, pubs and shopping.



"MG Road, Brigade Road and Church Street, being the centre of New Year`s Eve celebrations, have been lit up with extra lighting arrangements. 300 additional cameras are also installed in the area," Kumar stated.



The police would also be operating drones to track the movement of vehicles and revellers, bomb and dog squads across the city to maintain law and order during the night-long bash.



With the alleged molestation of some women last year on New Year`s Eve around the upscale MG Road and Brigade Road, stringent measures have been put into place to ensure public safety, Kumar reiterated.



Checks against drunken driving would begin from 9 p.m. on Sunday, he said.



Flyovers in the city with alternative routes would be shut from 10 p.m. onwards till 6 a.m. on January 1 to prevent drag races, the Police Commissioner added.



In addition to the flyover restrictions, parking has also been prohibited by the police in the city centre.



Entry to Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district, about 60 km from Bengaluru, has also been restricted by the district police officials. Nandi Hills is a popular hill fortress that attracts several bikers, trekkers and cyclists from across the state for its picturesque views.



To maintain law and order, the district police in a statement said the entry to the hills would be prohibited from 4 p.m. on December 31 till 8 a.m. on January 1.



Earlier, accidents on the blind road turns on the way to the hills had claimed the lives of several people.



Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) would run its metro services on both east-west and north-south routes till 2 a.m. on January 1.



The state-run Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) would also run its bus services in the city till 2 a.m. for revellers to return to their homes safely using public transport.


New Delhi: Mobile data consumption in India surpassed the combined usage of the US and China in 2017, a year that saw the landscape of the telecom sector being altered with bitter competition and setting-in of the much awaited consolidation phase.

With latent demand for data fuelling the digital economy, 2018 could be the growth year for the sector where investment of around Rs 3 lakh crore is estimated to be made in next two years.

In what could be considered as a transformational year for the Indian telecom sector, 2017 saw telcos consolidate like never before, leaving just three major players in the market by the end of the year. It only proved that telecom sector has become a money guzzler where only those with deep pockets can survive.

While the mighty house of Tatas gifted away their telecom business to Bharti Airtel, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio Infocomm acquired spectrum, mobile-phone towers and fibre assets of his brother Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications Ltd.

On the other hand, Vodafone India and Idea decided to merge to become the country's largest operator. Airtel bought Telenor's ailing Indian subsidiary, Telenor India, as also Tikona Digital Network.

"This year was of consolidation for the sector. Next year will be a year of growth for the sector," Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan told PTI summing up the macro scenario of the sector for 2017 and 2018.

And what a year it has been! The Indian telecom sector, -- second only to China with its massive subscriber base of 1.1 billion users -- saw severe bloodletting for most part of the year as free voice calls and dirt cheap data ushered in by Reliance Jio reined in tariffs, cheering consumers.

Jio propelled India to the top position in terms of mobile data consumption with 150 crore gigabytes per month, surpassing the combined 130 crore gigabytes mobile data consumption of the US and China.

The competition forced market consolidation as nervous, smaller players bailed out and biggies joined hands to cement their position. Consolidation led to fewer players and fewer jobs.

"With consolidation and the poor financial health of the sector, the telcos are being forced to cut their staff strengths significantly. We expect that around a third of the four million employed directly and indirectly by the sector will be out of a job," industry body COAI's Director General Rajan S Mathews said.

That said, once the consolidation concludes, telcos may be better placed to invest in new technologies and recruit skilled hands, boosting job prospects.

For years, Airtel has enjoyed pole position in the market, but that pecking order will change soon as Vodafone- Idea combine will have over 400 million subscribers by next year.

Embattled Reliance Communications (RCom) completed merger of Sistema Shyam mobile business with it but failed to proceed with the merger deal with Aircel. RCom announced closure of voice business, and Aircel is closing services in six circles.

"With consolidation, the telcos will get the benefit of synergy amongst their operations and the overall cost of operations are likely to come down, leading to increased margins," Mathews said, adding that the pricing power of companies could return enabling longer-term sustainability.

The year 2017 saw Idea and RCom reporting their first ever consolidated loss (for the quarter ended December 2016), and Bharti Airtel sustaining steep fall in profits. The telcos blamed Jio's free offers for the haemorrhage.

Mathews says fundamental changes would be critical for the sector. The industry, he estimates, will require an investment of Rs 3 lakh crores in coming years for innovation and infrastructure expansion.

The government is finalising relief package for the sector which includes proposal to give more time to telcos to make spectrum payments.

These measures are based on recommendation of an inter- ministerial committee and are expected to materialise by early 2018 along with a new National Telecom Policy -- both could prove to be a lifeline for the industry. Or, at the very least, offer a breather to players saddled with loans.

"The industry is still struggling with a massive cumulative debt of around Rs 4.6 lakh crore, while revenues have fallen to under Rs 1.8 lakh crore," Mathews noted.

As it is, the telcom operators are yet to recover fully from the past upheavals (remember 2009 when new entrants triggered a voice tariff war and later the spectrum auction added to the industry's woes).

A new frontier is just about opening in the 2G case with the recent acquittals by the special court prompting some players, whose licences were cancelled in 2012, to weigh legal options.

As the financial and legal narrative unfolds in the telecom sector, some experts feel that mobile rates may actually inch up in 2018.

"The telcos will move to innovative business models to counter the falling revenues. Converged services with voice telephony, wired and wireless broadband, and television services along with content, Internet of Things, financial payments, are likely to help in better revenue streams," Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP, Partner, Hemant Joshi said.

The year saw India leapfrogging from 135th position in broadband usage to wrest the numero uno slot as data hungry Indians devoured newer, cheaper offers. That demand for data is likely to continue unabated next year too.

While the industry gravitated towards internet-based technology, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India cut mobile call connection charges, and announced that the rates will be made nil by 2020. The move is being seen as a step to encourage making phone calls using internet protocol.

The regulator also stood firm on its stand to keep internet open, even as the US rolled back net neutrality regulations. Other regulatory moves including tightening call quality norms and proposal to ease spectrum caps will continue to play out in the market in 2018.

Another area to watch out would access of satellite phone services for consumers specially during air travel. India's telecom sector is also expected to make significant progress for deployment of 5G services in 2018.

With Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, drones and robots promising to fuel future demand for high speed data, it may just be a matter of time before the industry -- with fewer players -- returns to its trademark growth.
New Delhi: The Delhi Police said on Sunday that they have killed a hardcore criminal, who carried a reward of Rs one lakh on his head, in an encounter in Muzaffarnagar city in western Uttar Pradesh.

A policeman was injured in the encounter, carried out by a joint team of Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police.

Shamim, 30, was killed and a constable of special operations group (SOG) of the UP police was injured in the firefight last night, said P S Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell).

He and his associates were sought by the special cell in connection with a September 2016 robbery in Daryaganj area.

The Delhi Police traced the location of Shamim and one of his associates in Muzaffarnagar and informed the UP police.

"The duo were asked to surrender but they opened fire on the police team," he said, adding the police also returned fire in self-defence.

Inspector Shiv Kumar of the Special Cell was hit on his bulletproof jacket, while SOG constable Ashok Khari was seriously injured in the exchange of fire, the officer said.

He said Shamim, who was injured in the firefight, was later declared brought dead by doctors at an area hospital. His associate managed to escape.

A 9 mm pistol was recovered from Shamim.

According to the Delhi Police, Shamim had been involved in criminal activities for 14 years. He carried a reward of Rs 50,000 declared by the Delhi Police and another Rs 50,000 for his arrest was announced by the UP police.

Shamim was arrested for the first time in 2007 and was booked for theft, robbery, Arms Act, and attempt to murder.

In 2006, he and one of his associates had opened fire on an inspector of Manglor police station during an encounter.

In 2007, they had opened fire on a sub-inspector of the anti-extortion cell in Muzaffarnagar. They were also involved in two robberies in the city, the officer added.
AHMEDABAD: Days after reports of his displeasure to the party leadership over the departments allotted to him, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said that he will be visiting the Secretariat and taking charge of the ministries on Sunday.

"I will go to Secretariat and take charge of the ministries today," Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel said.

Thanking party president Amit Shah, Patel added that he has been assured by him, with whom he spoke over the phone, about giving suitable departments to him.

"I have been assured that I will be given suitable departments, I also talked to Amit Shah ji over the phone. I thank him for the assurance," Patel said.

On Saturday, a source in the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) had said that the deputy chief minister had conveyed his miff over the portfolios allotted to him in the new BJP government.

In the previous government, Nitin Patel used to handle important portfolios like finance and urban development. In the current Cabinet though, he has been allotted charge of departments like road and building and health.

Apart from these two, he has also given the charge of medical education, Narmada, Kalpsar and capital project after the portfolios were allotted on December 28.

The finance portfolio has been allotted to Saurabh Patel, while Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has kept the charge of urban development department with himself.

Rupani, however, had downplayed reports of his displeasure. "It is not true that the minister who has finance portfolio is number two in the cabinet. Nitin Patel is our senior leader and will remain number two," Rupani had said.
New Delhi: A day after the mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav met him in Islamabad, the National Security Advisors (NSA) of India and Pakistan met for talks in Bangkok on December 26, 2017, as per a media report.

The Indian Express quoted sources as saying that the meeting between Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Lt General Nasir Khan Janjua (retired) took place in the Thai capital. The meeting was reportedly not linked to Pakistans handling of Jadhavs wife and mother.

As per the report, the meeting between the two sides had been decided earlier in December 2017 with sources saying that it was a 'pre-scheduled meeting'.

However, there has been no official confirmation of the same.

In December 2015 too, Doval and Janjua had met in Thailand and had discussed peace and security along the LoC, among other things.

They had also agreed to take forward the 'constructive' engagement.

Meanwhile, India on December 28, 2017, had torn into Pakistan for presenting the wife and mother of Jadhav as 'widows' during their highly controlled meeting and had accused Islamabad of turning an emotional moment into 'an instrument to further its propaganda'.

In identical statements in both houses of Parliament, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said there was "serious and gross violation of human rights of the family members of Jadhav", who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged 'spying'.

She had pointed out that Jadhav's mother Avanti and wife Chetna were forced to remove their mangalsutra, bindi and bangles and footwear and even made to change their attire on the pretext of security.

Jadhav's mother and wife had met him on December 25, 2017, inside the Pakistan Foreign Office building in Islamabad under unusual circumstances - he was separated from the two women by a glass screen and they had conversed through an intercom.

Avanti was not allowed to speak in their native Marathi language, Chetna's footwear was confiscated and Jadhav's words had appeared tutored. After the meeting, Pakistani authorities did not return the shoes of Jadhav's wife despite repeated requests.

Following the statement, members cutting across all party lines in both Houses voiced full-throated support for the government.

Pakistan says Jadhav, an ex-Indian Navy officer, was arrested in Balochistan with a fake passport, a charge denied by India, which says he was kidnapped from Iran where he has a legitimate business.

The 47-year-old has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court but the execution has been stayed by the International Court of Justice following India's efforts.

(With PTI inputs)
NEW DELHI: An Indian Army brigadier, who was in an extra-marital affair with his senior, a Lieutenant Colonel's wife, will be dismissed from service, a general court martial (GCM) has ordered after intervention from the Army headquarters in New Delhi.

The accused brigadier will also have to undergo three years' of rigorous imprisonment.

Reports suggest that while he was carrying out the affair, he was posted under the Eastern Command near Siliguri in West Bengal.

The incident came under light after the brigadier's wife, a principal in a well-known Delhi-based school, found out about her husband's extra marital affair and wrote to the Indian Army.

The Brigadier and the Colonel's wife initially denied their affair. The senior officer, however, later pleaded guilty in front of the general courts martial (GCM) of the Army.

In Indian Army, having an affair with a "brother" (another officer) is reportedly considered a court martial offence.
NEW DELHI: In his last 'Mann Ki Baat' episode for the year 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the youngsters who will become eligible to vote in the year 2018.



"Tomorrow, 1st January is special. We welcome those born in the 21st century to the democratic system as they will become eligible voters," he said.

Addressing the 'New India Youth', he focussed on how a vote is the biggest power in a democracy. "It can transform our nation. The New India Youth will transform our nation," he added.

Asking the youngsters to take part in the political system, he encouraged them to take a lead in making mock Parliaments to discuss issues. "We can have mock Parliaments in our districts, where we discuss how to make development a mass movement and transform India. The New India Youth must take a lead in this," he said.

Speaking about youngsters who are an inspiration for the country, he recalled his meeting with girls of Jammu and Kashmir who 'had a very positive outlook towards life'. "I had a chance of meeting some daughters of Jammu and Kashmir. I was amazed at the spirit that they had, the enthusiasm that was there in their hearts and dreams they nurtured," he said.

He also focussed on the Swachh Bharat mission and said that cleanliness surveys will be conducted from January 4 to 10, 2018 to evaluate achievements in cleanliness level in our urban areas.

Talking about the upcoming year, he said that the Republic Day celebrations in 2018 will be very special. "Republic Day 2018 will be celebrated with leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries coming to India as Chief Guests," Modi added.
Mumbai: If Gopal Chinayya Shetty, MP from Mumbai North can have his way, the 'big fat Indian wedding' may come under the ambit of the law.

He wants the government to control people's wedding expenses as well by way of a law.

Shetty has already introduced a private member bill seeking, "prevention and prohibition on the extravagant expenses incurred on marriages" across the country in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The bill seeks "to provide for the prevention and prohibition of sheer extravagance and unlimited expenditure being incurred on marriages and related ceremonies in various parts of the country and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto."

Talking to DNA over the phone, Shetty said, "The intention behind introducing such a bill is to initiate a conversation on the subject. It might not necessarily become a law, but at least people will think about the issue when it is discussed in Lok Sabha. There are some people who spend a huge amount of money and then there are others who hardly have any money to even get married. There should be some equality on that front also."

"In my constituency, I have been urging those who are having extravagant weddings to help a poor person get married as well, and some of them have even helped. I am not saying that those who have money should not spend, but some kind of equality should be there," he added.

However, the rate of private member's bill being passed in the Parliament is significantly low. As per an analysis, only 14 private member's bills have passed since Independence.

In February 2017 too, a bill in the Lok Sabha had sought to put a limit on the number of guests to be invited and dishes to be served in weddings to check "show of wealth" and wanted those spending above Rs 5 lakh to contribute towards marriages of poor girls.

The bill introduced by Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan, wife of MP Pappu Yadav, had said that "if a family spends above Rs 5 lakh on a wedding, it has to contribute 10 percent of the amount on marriages of girls from poor families."

"The purpose of this bill is to prohibit extravagant and wasteful expenditure on marriages and to enforce simpler solemnisation," Ranjeet had told PTI.

The bill had sought that "if any family intends to spend more than Rs 5 lakh towards expenditure on marriage, such family shall declare the amount proposed to be spent in advance to the appropriate government and contribute 10 percent of such amount in a welfare fund which shall be established by the appropriate government to assist the poor and Below Poverty Line families for the marriage of their daughters".

(With Agency inputs)
Tremendous growth

For a doctor his age, Dr Bishal Gyawalis achievements are already hard to match. Even before he formally began practicing Oncology, a branch of medicine that deals with cancer, his articles and research had garnered attention the world over. Now at just 30 years old, Dr Gyawali is an adviser to the British Medical Journal, a medical consultant at Anticancer Funda not-for-profit organisation based in Belgium, and associated with the prestigious Institute of Cancer Policy in the United Kingdom.
New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has expressed concern over the huge number of ticketless travellers in the railways and said the national transporter could "ill-afford" the substantial losses on this count.

In its report on vigilance in the railways, tabled in Parliament last week, the Railway Convention Committee also rued the fact that recoveries made from ticketless travellers do not correspond with number of such persons detected during the period, but stopped short of saying there was corruption involved.

"The committee are deeply concerned to note the huge number of persons detected travelling without or with improper tickets in Indian railways during the year 2016-2017.

"They are equally concerned to find the amount of railway dues realised from the ticketless travellers during the same period," the report said.

To illustrate the point, the report states that Rs 935.64 crore was collected from more than two crore ticketless travellers during 2016-2017 across railway zones, the highest being made in Northern Railway (26.40 lakh).

It was followed by South Central (25.86 lakh) Central Railway (24.24 lakh), Western Railway (20.24 lakh), East Central Railway (18.62 lakh), North Central Railway (16.56 lakh) and North Eastern Railway (12 lakh), the report said.

It also said that other than these zones, all other zones reported single digit detection of ticketless travellers.

Usually, as per rules, ticketless travellers are supposed to pay base fare plus Rs 250 towards compounding action as fine. Those entering on platform without mandatory ticket also have to pay Rs 250, besides the platform ticket price, as fine.

Though the report does not give any number regarding actual losses, for two crore ticketless travellers, the railways should have recovered a minimum of Rs 500 crore, with the fine being Rs 250.

While the Northern Railways made maximum detections, it was Central Railway which tops the list for the recovery amount at Rs 125.13 crore.

Northern Railway made a recovery of Rs 116.52 crore, followed by Western Railway with Rs 84.09 crore, East Central Railway with Rs 72.52 crore and North Eastern Railway with Rs 60.80 crore.

The committee said that all other railway zones made recoveries of less than Rs 50 crore.

The report states that while the railways has identified defaulting zones where number of checks conducted are less or the ticket checking earnings are low, more needs to be done.

It has suggested the national transporter step up its monitoring mechanism to detect ticketless travellers.

"The committee desire that the monitoring mechanism be stepped up to ensure special drives and surprise checks to detect ticketless travellers as the railways can ill afford to lose substantial money on this count", the report said.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to address the nation in 2017's final edition of 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday, December 31.

This 39th edition of the radio programme will be streamed on YouTube channels of the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and DD News. The programme will be broadcast on All India Radio (AIR), Doordarshan and also on the Narendra Modi mobile application. One can also give a missed call at 1922 and hear it on their mobiles.

Do tune in at 11 AM tomorrow. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/LlwrZPQDxo  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2017

In his previous Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister stressed on how terrorism posed a global threat and urged farmers to lessen urea use.

The programme on the last Sunday of every month is broadcast on All India Radio, DD National and DD News.

PM Modi's radio programme has emerged as the most trending hashtag on Twitter in 2017 in the news and governance category, the micro-blogging platform said on Thursday.

The Prime Minister will deliver the inaugural address for the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations, at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, Kerala, via video conference on December 31.

He will also address the curtain-raiser ceremony of the commemoration of professor Satyendra Nath Bose's 125th birth anniversary at Kolkata via video conference on Monday, January 1.
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday denounced the government over a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it was a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said here that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

During elections, Modi says India is a strong nation. But the number of casualties in ceasefire violations was going up, Dev said at a press conference.

"It is a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy," she said, adding the Congress wanted him to take strong steps to deter India's external and internal enemies.

The Congress, Dev said, will support him in steps he takes for safety and security of the country.

Two heavily armed militants stormed the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora in Pulwama around 2 am, killing a personnel and leaving two others injured.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday resumed his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a tweet addressed to the followers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongman.

Starting his tweet with the words Dear Modi bhakts, the Congress leader targeted the Modi government over its smart cities project. He alleged that only 7% of Rs 9,860 meant for the project was used by the government till now.

He further accused PM Modi of giving empty slogans, pointing that China is out competing us.

Dear Modi bhakts, Out of 9,860 crores for the Smart Cities only 7% has been used. China is out competing us while your master gives us empty slogans. Please watch this video and advise him to focus on what matters- job creation for India, tweeted Rahul Gandhi.

This comes three days after the Gandhi scion accused the BJP of lying for political benefits.

"What is happening today in our country is a web of deceit. The BJP operates on the basic idea that lies can be used for political benefit and that is the difference between us and them. We might not do well, we might even lose but we will not give up truth," Rahul had said.

He had also alleged that the foundation of the country was under threat by the politics that BJP leaders were doing. "The Constitution, the foundation of our country is under threat. It is under attack directly. Statements are being made by senior members of BJP and it is under attack surreptitiously from the back. It is our duty, duty of Congress party and every single Indian to defend it," he added.

The Congress president had posted several questions, directed to PM Modi, in the run up to the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections. In his series of questions, the Gandhi scion had talked about issues ranging from healthcare to GST to malnutrition.
Uttarkashi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh will ring in the New Year with Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops in Uttarakhand's Nelong valley along the China border.

This visit comes days after Chinese military said India should "strictly control" its troops.

This would be the home minister's second visit to the Sino-Indian border area in Uttarakhand after his 4-day tour of the region in September. It was one of the firsts by a senior minister in the Narendra Modi-led government to China border after the resolution of the stand-off in Doklam.

Singh would celebrate the New Year tomorrow with ITBP personnel at Nelong Border Outpost (BoP) situated at the height of 11,700 feet. The border outpost is in Nelong valley which is surrounded by high mountains and where temperature dips upto minus 15 degrees Celsius.

The home minister is expected to reach ITBP's 12th battalion headquarters today in picturesque Matli, located at 3400 feet on the banks of Bhagirathi river, where he will attend a cultural programme by jawans and their family members.

He will also visit PDA or Pulam Sumdha (altitude 14,200 feet), Kopang (8,700 feet) and Bhairon Ghati (9,150 feet), and will interact with jawans of the ITBP.

The home minister would be accompanied by ITBP Director General (DG) R K Pachnanda during his visit.

The Dokalam standoff began on June 16 after the People's Liberation Army (PLA) began building a road in the area claimed by Bhutan.

The standoff ended on August 28 following a mutual agreement under which China stopped the construction of the road and India withdrew its troops.

The about 90,000-personnel strong ITBP is tasked with guarding the 3,488 km long Sino-India border that stretches through Jammu and Kashmir (1,597 km), Himachal Pradesh (200 km), Uttarakhand (345 km), Sikkim (220 km) and Arunachal Pradesh (1,126 km).

Asked how the Chinese military viewed its relations with its Indian counterpart in 2018 in the backdrop of the Dokalam standoff, Chinese Defence Spokesman Col Ren Guoqiang on Thursday had said India should implement the border agreements and control its troops.
New Delhi: Terming the policy of allowing Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of a male guardian as "injustice", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government has removed the restriction following which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage.

According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, now Muslim women aged above 45 will be allowed to go for the pilgrimage without 'mahram' in a group of at least four.

In his monthly radio address of 'Mann ki baat', the prime minister said removal of the restriction of having a male guardian or 'mahram' may appear as a "small thing", but such issues "have a far reaching impact on our image as a society".

He said when he first heard of the restriction, he was surprised as to who would have drafted such a rule.

"Why this discrimination? And when I went into the depth of the matter I was surprised to find that even after 70 years of our independence, we were the ones who had imposed these restrictions. For decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it," he said in his broadcast.

He pointed out that such a restriction is not prevalent in many Islamic countries.

"I am happy to note that this time about 1300 Muslim women applied to perform Haj without 'mahram' and women from different parts of the country from Kerala to north India, have expressed their wish to go for the Haj pilgrimage," he said.

He said he has suggested to the Ministry of Minority Affairs that they should ensure that all women who have applied to travel alone be allowed to perform Haj.

"Usually there is a lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system and they should be given a chance as a special category," he said.

He said it is his firm belief that the journey of India?s progress has been possible due to women-power and on the basis of their talent...It should be our constant endeavour that our women also get equal rights and equal opportunities...," he said.

While referring to Muslim women and their rights, the prime minister did not mention about the bill passed by Lok Sabha last week which bans the practice of instant triple talaq.

He, however, had referred to the issue of instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e-biddat' while inaugurating the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations at Sivagiri Mutt in Kerala via video conference this morning.

Referring to Christmas, Modi said Jesus Christ taught us about the spirit of service or 'sewa bhaav'.

"Be it any religion, caste or creed, tradition or colour in this world; the spirit of service is an invaluable hallmark of the highest human values," he said.

He also recalled the life of Guru Gobind Singh which was full of instances of courage and sacrifice.

On the 350th anniversary of the Sikh guru, he said Guru Gobind Singh preached the virtues of sublime human values and at the same time, practiced them in his own life in letter and spirit.


SRINAGAR: Five Central Reserve Police Force jawans were killed when heavily armed terrorists on Sunday launched a pre-dawn attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav confirmed that five men were killed in the terrorist attack. Yadav said the bodies of two terrorists have been recovered while one more was believed to be killed.

The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the daring attack on the 185 Battalion of the CRPF, IANS reported.

Heavily armed terrorists stormed the CRPF camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under- barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries.

Director General of Police SP Vaid said security forces had inputs about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

Terming the attack as "unfortunate", Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

A total of 206 militants were killed by security forces in Jammu amd Kashmir and 75 others persuaded to shun violence in 2017, the state police chief further said.

"This year, while we killed 206 militants, we brought 75 youth back who had either joined or were about to join the militancy. Apart from this seven youth, who had picked up arms, were brought back due to the support their families showed to us," he said.

J&K CM, Dy CM condemn attack

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh condemned the terror attack.

Terming the attack as "dastardly", the chief minister said violence had taken a heavy toll in the state in terms of death and destruction, tearing apart of the social fabric, inflicting massive economic, academic and social losses besides the irreparable loss of human lives.

CRPF camp attack a reminder of how bad things are: Omar

Opposition National Conference (NC) expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of lives and called it a reminder of how bad things were in the Valley.

"As the year draws to a close we get a terrible reminder of how bad things are in the valley. My condolences to the families of the CRPF personnel killed in the attack," NC working president Omar Abdullah wrote in a Twitter post.

Congress slams Modi government

The Congress slammed the government over the terror attack, saying it was a sign of failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy.

Party spokesperson Sushmita Dev said that such recurring attacks send a message that anti-national forces do not fear India.

(With agencies inputs)
SRINAGAR: As suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists attacked a CRPF training camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama sector in the wee hours of Sunday, Pakistan Army once again resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Digwar sector of the state's Poonch district and in Nowshera sector.

The firing started at midnight and continued till 5 am on Sunday.

Sepoy Jagsir Singh lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Nowshera sector on Sunday.

Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Nowshera sector,Sepoy Jagsir Singh lost his life #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/wZyROU9dQp  ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

Meanwhile, in Pulwama district, heavily-armed militants attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) training camp in Awantipora. One jawan - CT/GD Saifudding Soz - succumbed to his injuries during the attack, while two others were injured.

Pakistan has continued a series unprovoked incidents of firing along the LoC throughout December.

Amid the spurt in ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat reviewed the operational preparedness of the security forces and prevailing security situation in the state on Saturday.

The latest violation of the ceasefire agreement came days after Pakistani troops targeted forward posts and villages in Shahpur sector of Poonch district for nearly four hours.

On December 23, four Indian Army soldiers, including a Major, were killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army on the LoC in J&K's Rajouri district.

The Indian troops also killed three Pakistani soldiers and injured another in retaliatory action at Rukh Chakri sector in Rawlakot on December 25, 2017.
Two labourers found dead in under-construction Pokhara resort

Two labourers working in a construction of a resort in Sarangkot in Pokhara were found dead on Sunday evening.
Samba: Lauding the security forces for a strong retaliatory response to Pakistan, Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Nirmal Singh on Sunday said the Pulwama encounter had exposed Pakistan.

"Pakistan does cross-border firing in desperation and frustration, attacks our posts, and kills our civilians. We are replying to them and they are facing defeat. Pakistan has been exposed and isolated on the diplomatic front," ANI quoted him as saying.

Heavily armed terrorists on Sunday launched a pre-dawn attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, killing four personnel of the force.

"Four CRPF jawans have been martyred and three others are injured. The bodies of two terrorists have also been recovered. We believe another terrorist has also been killed," CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav told PTI.

Sharief-ud-din Ganaie, Kuldip Roy, Taufail Ahmed, Rajendra Nain and Pradeep Kumar Panda lost their lives in the attack.

A CRPF official said the "heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under- barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries."

Director General of Police SP Vaid said security forces had inputs about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

Terming the attack as 'unfortunate', Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night," Vaid told reporters.

The CRPF camp also serves as the training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley. A J&K Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.

Meanwhile, J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday condemned the terror attack in Pulwama.

My deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the 4 CRPF jawans who lost their lives in Pulwama. December 31, 2017

Terming the attack as 'dastardly', the CM said that violence had taken a heavy toll in the state in terms of death and destruction, tearing apart of the social fabric, inflicting massive economic, academic and social losses besides the irreparable loss of human lives.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Four of the 10 most valued companies together lost Rs 21,319.22 crore in market valuation last week, with Infosys and SBI emerging as the worst hit.

HDFC Bank and ITC also suffered losses in their market capitalisation (m-cap) for the week ended Friday.

The gainers were RIL, TCS, HUL, Maruti Suzuki India, HDFC and ONGC.

However, the cumulative gain of these companies (Rs 19,739.62 crore) was less than the total loss suffered by the four firms.

Infosys' m-cap slumped Rs 11,541.88 crore to Rs 2,26,977.90 crore.

The valuation of SBI tanked Rs 8,934.18 crore to Rs 2,67,162.06 crore and that of HDFC Bank declined Rs 597.61 crore to Rs 4,85,272.61 crore.

ITC's m-cap slipped by Rs 245.55 crore to Rs 3,20,730.92 crore.

On the other hand, the valuation of TCS soared by Rs 11,600.58 crore to Rs 5,16,934.22 crore.

The m-cap of HUL surged Rs 3,560.56 crore to Rs 2,96,122.31 crore and that of RIL jumped Rs 1,615.04 crore to Rs 5,83,347.34 crore.

ONGC's valuation rose by Rs 1,604.15 crore to Rs 2,49,798.92 crore and that of Maruti went up by Rs 939.47 crore to Rs 2,93,964.68 crore.

The m-cap of HDFC advanced by Rs 419.82 crore to Rs 2,73,252.05 crore.

In the ranking of top-10 firms, RIL stood at number one position followed by TCS, HDFC Bank, ITC, HUL, Maruti, HDFC, SBI, ONGC and Infosys.

Over the last week the BSE Sensex rose by 116.53 points or 0.34 percent to end at 34,056.83, its lifetime high.
New Delhi: Small has turned out to be big with minnows ruling the stock markets in 2017, giving handsome returns of up to 60 percent for investors and outpacing their bigger peers.

While the BSE smallcap index gained 7,184.59 points or 59.64 percent this year, the midcap index zoomed 5,791.06 points or 48.13 percent, an analysis of their performance showed.

On the other hand, the 30-share bluechip Sensex surged 7,430.37 points, or 27.91 percent, in 2017.

"The smallcap and midcap indices have done exceptionally well as compared to the Sensex, mainly led by domestic inflows into mutual funds," said Rusmik Oza, Head-midcaps, Kotak Securities.

The midcap index hit its lifetime peak of 17,851.03 on December 29, while smallcap index scaled its record high of 19,262.44 on the same day -- also the last trading day of the year.

The 30-shares benchmark index touched its all-time high of 34,137.97 on December 27 this year.

"In the 5 years preceding 2013, the global economy was fighting recession, with midcap index losing 6 percent in 2013. During this period, the companies of scale and proven record of management held nerves, which is why benchmark indices like Nifty outperformed the smaller companies," said Anand James, Chief Market Strategist, Geojit Financial Services.

"From 2014 onwards, with a stable government in the centre, business optimism improved drastically. The boost to infrastructural projects and allied reforms, loosened several debt burdened areas. This has had a multiplier effect on the economy, which meant that not only did, realty, infrastructure housing, construction ancillaries went up, it also shored up overall expectation of better days.

"So, naturally, the stocks in these sectors, especially the smaller and medium ones, which were hitherto underowned, because of lack of visibility of future prospects, found lot of buyers," James added.

Market players say smaller stocks are generally bought by local investors, while overseas investors focus on blue-chips.

"The global equity market is going through a bull run and we also did well despite some bottlenecks on domestic front where 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," said Santosh Meena, Sr Research Analyst, Swastika Investmart Ltd.

The midcap index tracks companies with a market value that is on an average one-fifth of blue-chips or large firms. Smallcap firms are almost a tenth of that.

"The clear outperformance that has been persistent for the last three years is a reflection of optimism that the structural bottlenecks are on the mend. It also depicts a matured risk appetite towards discovering quality companies at relatively cheaper prices," James added.

"Undoubtedly, the year belonged to mighty bulls as we saw massive wealth creation right from the word go. There were couple of hiccups during the year, but they eventually turned out to be whipsaws as the index kept on enjoying its bull run to eventually conclude the year at record highs," said Sameet Chavan, Chief Analyst-Technical and Derivatives, Angel Broking.

On the strong show of the stock market Oza said, "Domestic flows have been the primary reason for the strong performance of markets this year. Stronger rupee has also helped FIIs report better returns in dollar terms.

"Demonetisation has also facilitated higher inflows into equities. The government continued to take bold steps in this calendar year which had a positive impact on the banking sector. Healthy returns in IPOs this year has also attracted new investors into equities."

Talking about the outlook for smallcap and midcap indices next year, Deepak Jasani, Head - Retail Research, HDFC securities said, "While the largecaps have their own headwinds in different spheres, mid and small caps will keep throwing up surprises in stock moves based on their small size/base, faster adjustment to emerging changes, financial and operational restructuring and corporate announcements including merger, demerger, hive-offs, turnaround, asset value unlocking etc."

"The calendar year 2017 has been a great year for investors. While we expect a double digit return even in 2018, investors would do well to moderate their expectations for index returns in calendar 2018," Jasani added.

BSE's mid-cap index outperformed both its bigger and smaller peers last year, giving returns of nearly 8 percent to investors.
Mumbai: The Kamala Mills pub fire tragedy and subsequent crackdown on illegal structures of restaurants by the city civic body have limited the options for many revellers who will be ringing in New Year in neighbouring Navi Mumbai or Thane instead of their preferred joints in the city.

In the wake of the deadly fire on Friday night that killed 14 people in swish rooftop pub '1 Above' in Central Mumbai's Lower Parel, the celebrations to welcome 2018 are likely to be muted in parts of the Kamala Mills compound, the dining hub of the city.

Revellers are forced to cancel their plans to welcome New Year in their preferred Mumbai joints as the civic officials razed illegal structures in various restaurants yesterday, leaving event managers with little time to make fresh arrangements for customers.

The civic officials yesterday demolished illegal structures at 314 sites in Mumbai.

The BMC had also sealed seven hotels and seized around 417 LPG cylinders during the action.

While some revellers will be welcoming 2018 in restaurants in the famous hill station Lonavala some have decided to do so in Pune, nearly 150 kms away from the commercial capital.

Some party goers will be celebrating in Navi Mumbai, Thane, or at farm houses located near Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai-based event manager Satish Lokhande said he was flooded with calls from party-goers whose bookings in Mumbai got cancelled.

"I got some calls from friends and regular party goers asking suggestions for new locations around Mumbai. Many changed their bookings to Navi Mumbai, Thane and Lonaval-based restaurants because their earlier bookings in Mumbai hotels got cancelled," Lokhande said.

He said some pubs and bars mainly in western suburbs of Mumbai will receive a huge response from patrons as many restaurants and pubs may not remain open tonight due to the crackdown by the BMC.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which initiated the mega demolition drive two days back, has adopted a strict stand to not heed to requests by pubs and hotel owners to delay the action in view of New Year celebrations.

Santosh Shetty, president of Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (AHAR) said they were expecting subdued celebrations this time.

"There are some 12,000 hotels in Mumbai of which around 8,000 are our members. We follow all the rules strictly but there are some black sheep in our industry. The two restaurants in Kamala Mills compound were not even our members," he said.

Shetty said they have appealed to people to pay tributes to the victims in the wake of the fire tragedy.

"We are not expecting too many people on the streets for celebration," he added.

Meanwhile, Lokhande said areas such as Khandala, Karjat and Nerul, located far away from Mumbai, have of late emerged as major weekend destinations.

"The facilities offered include farm-houses and resorts with large halls for such celebrations. A sizable number of party-goers organised parties in these areas in the last couple of days. The number of revellers in Mumbai could be less (this time) but many of them will be partying outside the city," Lokhande added.
London: Actor James Norton has once again said that he is not in the race to take on the role of James Bond after Daniel Craig's last outing as the beloved spy.

The Happy Valley actor, who is being considered as one of the top contenders for the iconic role, said he feels humbled to be considered alongside Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender, reported Metro.

Talking about the opening scene of his new show McMafia, where the actor wears a tuxedo, Norton said, "I did say to James Watkins, the director, are you just baiting me and stoking the rumour fire with scenes like that? When it's reported in the press, people assume that I've coordinated the scene, but I promise you I didn't. The truth is that it's total speculation."

"It's really humbling and flattering, but to have my name next to the likes of Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender is just mad. If you're thinking of putting a bet on me, keep your money in your pocket," he added.
New Delhi: 2018 will be a special year for American space agency NASA, owing to the fact that it will be turning 60-years-old.

While the space agency is certainly looking forward to the celebrations, it is also gearing up for the launch of a slew of important missions in the new year.

One of those missions is the Parker Solar Probe, which is scheduled for launch in 2018 to explore the Sun's outer atmosphere.

The probe will 'touch' the Sun by using Venus' gravity during seven flybys over nearly seven years to gradually bring its orbit closer to the Sun, according to a NASA statement.

The spacecraft will fly through the Sun's atmosphere as close as 6.2 million kilometers to our star's surface, well within the orbit of Mercury and closer than any spacecraft has gone before.

The Parker Solar Probe will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and solar radiation.

The primary science goals for the mission are to trace how energy and heat move through the solar corona and to explore what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles.

In 2018, NASA will also add to its existing robotic fleet at the Red Planet with the InSight Mars lander designed to study the interior and subsurface of the planet .

The US space agency's first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, is scheduled to arrive at the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in August 2018, and will return a sample for study in 2023.

Launching no later than June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will search for planets outside our solar system by monitoring 200,000 bright, nearby stars.

To continue the long-term record of how Earth's ice sheets, sea level, and underground water reserves are changing, NASA will also launch the next generation of two missions  ICESat-2 and GRACE Follow-On  in 2018.

(With IANS inputs)
CHENNAI: Ending all speculations, Tamil movie superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday announced his entry into politics. He said he would float a political party and contest in all the 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu in the ensuing polls.

"I am joining politics for sure," the 67-year-old said amid thunderous applause from fans.

Addressing fans, he said that his party will be launched ahead of assembly elections at an appropriate time. "The policies of the party will be taken to the people. Truthfulness, hard work and growth will be the slogan of his party," he said.

"Do good, speak and only good will happen," will be the guiding slogan, he said.

Quoting a shloka from the Bhagwad Gita which stresses on the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the rest to the Lord, he said, "This is the compulsion of time."

As expected, Rajinikanth has become a top trend on social media with people tweeting jokes and gifs welcoming his grand entry into politics.

His fans are elated, of course!

Like I said, a powerful speech by #Thalaivar #Rajinikanth _

My dad was whistling and clapping here and my grandparents called to inform about this 'Happy news' ! That's the kind of effect he has. What an amazing way to end the year __#Rajinikanthpoliticalentry #RajiniFanMeet  Sanjana Ratnam (@sanj0395) December 31, 2017

They are, in fact, waiting for his campaigns to begin already!

#OURVOTEISFORRAJINIKANTH

How Many of them Waiting to hear this songs during #Thalaivar going to Canvas for Political Party will be a real goosebumps moment for every fan just imagine @rameshlaus @Itisraj1990 @RajiniFollowers @geejeyz pic.twitter.com/Wj98UBzU84  Rajinikanth Fans (@Rajnikanth_FC) December 30, 2017

The jokes are inevitable

#Rajinikanth declares party in the South & life comes to a stop still in the North. That is the power of Thaliavar ____#RajinikanthPoliticalEntry https://t.co/vWmoTcnq4R  That LOL Buddhu (@lolbuddhu) December 31, 2017

There are two types of people..



~ Rajinikanth to join Politics.



~ Politics to join Rajinikanth.#Rajinikanth @superstarrajini  Harshith__ (@ImHarshith_) December 31, 2017

Once Batman, Superman & Ironman entered #Rajinikanth house, It was teachers day _



Now #Rajinikanth enters Politics, it's school time for Politicians #Rajinikanthpoliticalentry #TamilNadu  Ashwani Dev Tiwari (@aashwanidev) December 31, 2017

No one spared other political parties too!

Bangkok is Trending



Looks like Rahul Gandhi has gone on Vacation

(after hearing abt Superstar Rajinikanth's Political Entry)#Rajinikanth #RajniNewyearParty  Raman (@being_delhite) December 31, 2017

Jokes and memes aside, the gifs this time take the cake in this competition of 'who is the funniest' on Twitter!

If we didn't meet our promise we will resign from the position in 3 years says Rajinikanth #Rajinikanthpoliticalentry



____ ______ ____ pic.twitter.com/o2dV8SBBS8 December 31, 2017

Rajinikanth, who is referred to as 'Thalaivar' or the 'Ultimate Boss' by his fans, enjoys almost demigod status among his followers. His decision to launch a party is definitely a high point for his fans. How cautious should the opposition be, only time will tell.
Faizabad: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's helicopter made an emergency landing in Faizabad on Sunday leaving the authorities in a frenzy.

The CM was on his way to Siddharth Nagar in Uttar Pradesh when the helicopter had to make a sudden landing due to change in weather conditions.

The District Magistrate and the SP rushed to the spot as soon as they got to know about the landing.

He later took off for the place via road
Jalalabad (Afghanistan): A suicide attacker blew himself up at a funeral in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least twelve people and wounding 14 others, Afghan media reported.

"The attacker detonated himself during the funeral ceremony for a former governor of Haska Mina district who died recently of natural causes," the Nangarhar provincial governor's office said in a statement.
TEHRAN: At least, three people were reportedly shot dead by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the ongoing protests against the government in Iran.

According to Al-Arabiya, the incident occurred in Doroud, Loerstan province in central Iran.

Some videos surfaced in the social media that the people were protesting peacefully when masked men opened fire suddenly at the protesters.

Protesters in Iran have raised anti-government slogans, over alleged corruption and rising prices that have plagued the people of the country earlier in this week. Scores of protesters have been arrested in the last few days.

The outbreak of unrest reflects the growing discontent over rising prices and alleged corruption by the government, as well as concern over the country's costly involvement in regional conflicts such as Syria and Iraq.

In the third day, the wave of protests spread to Qom, around 80 km from the Iranian capital, Tehran, protesters in Qom and Tehran raised anti-government slogans against Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei such as- "Death to Hezbollah" and "Aren't you ashamed Khamenei? Leave the country."

The Iranian president's biggest achievement, a deal with major world powers, including the United States (US) in 2015, that curbed the country's disputed nuclear programme in return, for the lifting of most international sanctions, is yet to bring the broad economic benefits to the people, despite the government's claims of bringing benefits to them.

Iran backs Syria's embattled president, Bashar al-Assad, in his country's civil war, the Shia militants in Iraq, the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
Upper Trishuli 3A project completes 80pc civil works

Upper Trishuli 3A Hydroelectric Project, which was hit hard by the earthquakes of 2015, has completed over 80 percent of civil works, putting it on track to meeting the revised power production deadline of April 2019.
Sydney: Australia rang in the New Year Sunday with a spectacular display of rainbow-coloured fireworks cascading from Sydney Harbour Bridge, as revellers marked the nation`s legalisation of gay marriage.

About 1.5 million people packed the city`s foreshore to watch the pyrotechnics light up the sky above the historic bridge and the iconic opera house, the first major celebrations worldwide after New Zealand.

"This is a fabulous way to see out 2017 - the year that four out of five Sydneysiders said a resounding `yes` to marriage equality," said Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore of the nationwide postal vote in support of change, AFP reported.

#WATCH Fireworks light Australia's Sydney Habour to welcome New Year 2018 pic.twitter.com/xb0JUZqEP0  ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

Thousands turned out earlier in New Zealand`s largest city Auckland for the annual New Year`s Eve street party, marked by a major fireworks display from the Sky Tower.Celebrations will move to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and finally the Americas, with dazzling light shows bidding farewell to 2017.

Samoa was the first country in the world to welcome in 2018.

(With Agency inputs)
Beijing: China will play its part in defending the international order and combating climate change while working to raise living standards for its own people, President Xi Jinping pledged on Sunday in a New Year speech.

Xi said the nation was committed to economic reforms in 2018, the 40th anniversary of the transformation led by Deng Xiaoping, "as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realise the Chinese dream".

In a speech quoted by the state Xinhua news agency, Xi said that by 2020 all rural residents living below the current poverty line should have been lifted out of poverty.

It would be the first time in thousands of years of Chinese history that extreme poverty had been eliminated, he said.

"It is our solemn promise," Xi said.

The president also acknowledged shortfalls in the government`s work.

"That is why we should strengthen our sense of responsibility and do a good job of ensuring the people`s well-being," Xinhua quoted him as saying.

"The well-being of our people is the Party and the government`s greatest political achievement."

On international affairs, Xi said China "will resolutely uphold the authority of the United Nations", actively fulfil the nation`s international obligations and remain firmly committed to its pledges to tackle climate change.

His stance puts him at odds with US President Donald Trump, who has sharply criticised the UN and vowed to quit the 2015 Paris accord on combating climate change.
Sydney: All six occupants on board a tourist seaplane were killed on Sunday after it crashed into a bay north of Sydney in southeastern Australia.



Authorities said they had recovered three bodies from the plane, a DHC-2 Beaver owned by the Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd, believed to be submerged in the sea, the Australian Aviation Safety Network said, citing the country's national transport safety investigator, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Efe news agency reported.



"A float-equipped de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver impacted the water off Cottage Point, Jerusalem Bay, Australia and reportedly sank rapidly according to the ATSB," the ASN said in a statement. "The aircraft carried one pilot and five passengers on a return flight to Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour," the statement added.



According to media reports, the occupants included four British nationals, although authorities were yet to identify them.



Superintendent Michael Gorman said divers were working to try to recover the other three bodies and the seaplane, while the cause of the accident, that took place near Cowan city, was not known.



Sydney Seaplanes owned planes are hired by the tourists to fly over emblematic monuments such as the Opera House and the creeks in the north of the city.



Famous visitors to use the service include Pippa Middleton, younger sister of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, and her husband James Matthews.



The service has been active for the past 80 years.


SEOUL: South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday.

The seizure was the second to be revealed by South Korea within a few days, as the United Nations steps up efforts to squeeze essential oil supplies to the reclusive North following its nuclear or ballistic missile tests.

The ship, KOTI, was seized at Pyeongtaek-Dangjin port, the official told Reuters, without elaborating, due to the sensitivity of the issue. The port is on the west coast, south of Incheon.

A marine official also confirmed the seizure, which he said was done "recently".

The KOTI`s estimated time of arrival at the port was Dec. 19, according to VesselFinder Ltd., a tracking service provider,

The ship can carry 5,100 tonnes of oil and has a crew mostly from China and Myanmar, Yonhap News Agency reported, adding that South Korea`s intelligence and customs officials are conducting a joint probe into the vessel.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the probe, declining to provide details.

"The government has been in close consultations with related countries and ministries to thoroughly implement the sanctions by the U.N. Security Council," the spokesman said.

PROPOSED BLACKLISTING

On Friday, South Korea said that in late November it seized the Hong Kong-flagged Lighthouse Winmore, which is suspected of transferring as much as 600 tons of oil to the North Korea-flagged Sam Jong 2.

The U.N. Security Council last month unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea for a recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil.

The United States has also proposed that the United Nations Security Council blacklist 10 ships for transporting banned items from North Korea, according to documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The Lighthouse Winmore is one of the 10 ships proposed to be blacklisted. The KOTI does not seem to be included on the list.

On Thursday, China blocked a U.S. effort at the United Nations to blacklist six foreign-flagged ships, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said.

China also denied reports it had been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea in defiance of U.N. sanctions, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation.

Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, breaching U.N. sanctions, sources told Reuters.
Will ask Dahal to part ways from left alliance: Koirala

Nepali Congress General Secretary Shashank Koirala has said that he would take initiative in breaking CPN (Maoist Centre)s ties from the left alliance.
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!)
STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 31, ARMENPRESS. Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan issues New Year Congratulatory Address, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

Dear compatriots,

Time has come to bid farewell to the year of 2017 and welcome the new year of 2018.

The expiring year has been eventful, rich in different developments and achievements.

The Artsakh Republic new Constitution was adopted by the nationwide referendum in 2017. Reforms aimed at rendering the governance more efficient, further strengthening democratic institutions and the protection of human rights and freedoms have been undertaken in the country.

New educational institutions, medical centers, apartment buildings, various infrastructures have been built in our country. The strategically important Vardenis-Martakert highway, one of the major arteries connecting Artsakh to Mother Armenia and the outer world, was put into operation after the solemn opening ceremony.

We have registered accomplishments in numerous other fields too. Yet, a great deal of work remains to be done.

In the coming year we envisage the implementation of diverse projects in almost all sectors of the economy directed to boost the well-being of our people and improve their social conditions on a continuous basis.

Of course, we will continue keeping on the spotlight the defense and army building spheres. The powerful and capable army is the most important guarantee of the security and natural development of our republic and people. No effort would be spared furthermore to hold at the highest level the combat capability of the armed forces, to ship the army with advanced military hardware.

In 2018 we are going to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Artsakh Movement, the centennials of the First Armenian Republic formation and the 1918 May heroic battles. We are not only obliged to mark those days and keep the memory of all the heroes, but also follow the precepts of our devotees, reinforce and develop our independent and free country for the sake of which the most committed sons of the Armenian nation sacrificed their lives.

Eternal glory and honor to all the martyrs!

Dear friends,

At this very moment all of us have warm and cherished desires. Quite naturally, first and foremost, we wish peace, health and happiness to our children, families and friends, safety and well-being for the elder.

I would like to extend my congratulations to all the brave sons from generals to privates who are safeguarding the countrys borders. May they courageously and safely fulfill their obligations of defending the Fatherland!

I congratulate the entire Armenian nation, all our compatriots in Artsakh, Mother Armenia and the Diaspora. I wish everybody robust health, success and all the best.

Let the coming 2018 be a year of new achievements and victories for our country, our people, every single family and citizen of Artsakh!

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!, the President of Artsakh 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

Government will construct more than 400 000 houses for low-income earners, with funds already available to kick-start the humongous project.President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set up a ministerial committee to lead the task, and the first tranche of funding from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will be released soon.Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo heads the panel, overseeing various sub-committees comprising building societies, financial institutions; the RBZ, National Social Security Authority and Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe.In an interview with The Sunday Mail last week, Minister Moyo said all local authorities were identifying cites for the project expected to simultaneously revive the construction industry.He said the State will also regularise illegal settlements in towns and cities and prosecute land barons behind their proliferation."We are working on (the housing project) with many institutions, including the RBZ. Every city, town and rural council has been told to identify land where these 400 000 houses will be delivered under a model we have created."The President himself chaired (the committee meeting that came up) with this target, so all ministries and institutions involved are working diligently. There are ongoing projects, but we want to roll out in the New Year."He continued, "RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya has assured us of tranches of finance that can enable us to start earnestly in every province. You don't just tell the RBZ Governor what you want and get it. He does not print money. So, he will give us what he has in tranches and those tranches will be sufficient for us to start building in every city."And because we also want to strengthen the construction industry, those moulding bricks, making window and door frames; cement manufacturers and others should be revived. Construction can be a stimulus for economic recovery as it actually translates into many downstream and upstream jobs."Minister Moyo said town/physical planners were compiling a report on all illegal settlements countrywide."All our physical and town planners have been told to identify illegal settlements and then compile a report for presentation to Government. We will make sure we regularise the structures."On the question of land barons, there are perpetrators of illegalities on one hand and victims on the other. A lot of our people are victims, so we have to look at it dispassionately, ensuring we deal with perpetrators severely, at the same time understanding that many of our people were victims of land barons."Regularisation means you understand what is going on and rectify the situation. This is not the first time we have had a situation to rectify. You have to be compassionate, too, as a lot of Zimbabweans needed land and to be settled. That is what we are going to be doing."In his State of the Nation Address, President Mnangagwa spoke against land barons behind illegal property allocations that have seen irregular settlements proliferate.He implored local authorities to adhere to proper settlement models."In the same vein, local authorities are expected to transform themselves into engines of economic growth and meaningfully contribute to improving the quality of life of all our people."Government will insist on the return by local authorities to proper town planning practices and strict adherence to business and building by-laws.Corrupt parcelling out of land to land barons and construction of houses on undesignated areas and in a haphazard manner must stop."I exhort councils to ensure orderly settlement of people, provision of water and sanitation facilities together with other infrastructure required for decent habitation."
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

About ten MRP youths have been arrested at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, where they had gone to demonstrate against president Emmerson Mnangagwa's involvement in the Gukurahundi genocide in 1982 to 1987.Mnangagwa was the main actor. The party said the youth were still at church where Mnangagwa is addressing."Our youths were publicly beaten by both the police and the army currently they are being taken to Central police but we don't know yet where they are taking them to. We are yet to see the difference between Mugabe and Mnangagwa," said MRP.


Fact Checked

HealthDay operates under the strictest editorial standards. Our syndicated news content is completely independent of any financial interests, is based solely on industry-respected sources and the latest scientific research, and is carefully fact-checked by a team of industry experts to ensure accuracy.

All articles are edited and checked for factual accuracy by our Editorial Team prior to being published. Unless otherwise noted, all articles focusing on new research are based on studies published in peer-reviewed journals or issued from independent and respected medical associations, academic groups and governmental organizations. Each article includes a link or reference to the original source. Any known potential conflicts of interest associated with a study or source are made clear to the reader.

Please see our Editorial and Fact-Checking Policy for more detail.

HealthDay Editorial Commitment

HeathDay is committed to maintaining the highest possible levels of impartial editorial standards in the content that we present on our website. All of our articles are chosen independent of any financial interests. Editors and writers make all efforts to clarify any financial ties behind the studies on which we report.
Lesotho will resume its second compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent United States foreign aid agency. That was the decision of the MCC Board, which met in Washington, DC on December 19th.

Following the meeting, Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Nash spoke to Prime Minister Thabane to advise him of the Boards decision to reselect Lesotho, after a two-year hiatus.

The Board recognized the concrete steps taken by the Government of Lesotho over the past year that demonstrate a commitment to addressing MCCs ongoing rule of law concerns. While the decision will allow Lesotho to restart the development of its second compact, the Board noted that it will continue to closely monitor the situation.

Over the coming weeks and months, representatives from MCC will visit Lesotho to work along with Government of Lesotho partners to identify and develop priority investments to address constraints on economic growth. Throughout this process, MCC will work with Lesotho to facilitate consultations with civil society and the private sector to ensure that projects incorporate local perspectives and promote self-sufficiency that continue long after MCCs investment ends.

Lesotho successfully completed their first MCC compact in 2013. Focused on reducing poverty and increasing economic growth, the $362.5 million compact supported investments in the construction and renovation of 138 health clinics, digging 10,000 latrines in villages nationwide, renovating 14 outpatient departments in hospitals, and alongside other donors, helping establish the Metolong Dam, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Lesothos history.

Although Lesotho was initially selected to develop a second compact in December 2013, the MCC Board deferred its vote on continued eligibility in 2015 and 2016.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an innovative and independent U.S. foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty. Created by the U.S. Congress in January 2004 with strong bipartisan support, MCC has changed the conversation on how best to deliver smart U.S. foreign assistance by focusing on good policies, country ownership, and results. MCC provides time-limited grants promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and strengthening institutions.

The United States is proud to work with its partner, the Government of Lesotho, to help the people of Lesotho achieve a productive and prosperous future.
U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Pamela Spratlen, provided opening remarks at a conference to mark the successful conclusion of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)s Reintegration for Trafficking Survivors Project, implemented by the non-governmental organization Istiqbolli Avlod.

The two-day conference, which began December 19th, on Combating Human Trafficking  Best Practices on Reintegration brought together 45 representatives of government, non-government, private, and international organizations.

For over six years, the Reintegration for Trafficking Survivors Project provided long-term reintegration services for trafficking survivors and worked to prevent human trafficking of at-risk women.

Istiqbolli Avlod staff provided services, including psychological assistance, medical support, legal aid, and vocational training to close to 400 survivors of and women-at-risk for trafficking. In 2015, Istiqbolli Avlod opened a Training Center for at risk women, which provides courses on cooking, computer literacy, sewing, and cosmetology to help reduce the risk of womens exposure to trafficking.

In her opening remarks Ambassador Spratlen emphasized that: Women are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking. The physical and psychological trauma they suffer requires extensive early and on-going care to help them recover. Without such care, the risk is high of falling victim to trafficking again.

Conference participants exchanged best practices in reintegration of human trafficking survivors, discussed the results of the project, and developed next steps and recommendations to strengthen national cooperation of government and non-government actors in combating human trafficking.

Ambassador Spratlen praised the Reintegration for Trafficking Survivors Project and the Istiqbolli Avlod staff and assured the audience that the United States will continue to work with the NGO through another existing project focused on prevention and criminalization of human trafficking. This project includes an active hotline for people who need help and provides training to law enforcement on how to identify victims of trafficking and conduct victim-centered investigations.

The United States will continue to work with its government and non-governmental partners to combat an age-old scourge of mankind  human trafficking.
Yes we can

Measuring the height of Everest is a tall order, but Nepal has the expertise to do it
A mafia engaged in systematic smuggling has infiltrated many organs of the Islamic Republic, representative of Hamedan in parliament has announced, adding, The volume of smuggling through official ports of entry is over 80% and coordinated by nobody other than the directors of customs, themselves.

Insisting on the necessity of changing customs directors and managers, Amir Khojasteh asserted, Several documents collected in parliaments investigations on smuggling have been gone missing.

In an interview with a website close to former chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, the MP admitted, Though, I do not know how powerful is the Iranian smuggling Mafia, but, based on my impression, it has infiltrated everywhere, backed by billions of tomans [millions of dollars].

Amir Khojasteh reiterated, They have infiltrated everywhere and are currently seeking a way through parliament, as well.

Referring to some documents concerning corruption which he has delivered to the heads of the legislature, Khojasteh has lamented It is a shame that nobody is held responsible for the missing documents in the parliament.

Furthermore, Khojasteh has asserted, They are looting nations assets and it is unacceptable to see thousands of containers being smuggled into the country through official customs ports of entry.

Meanwhile, Khojasteh asserted, customs and customs Mafia have been unified to hit hard anybody who dares to speak-up against them.

They are spreading hatred in and out of majlis (Iranian parliament) to the extent that forces people to keep mum about organized and systematic smuggling, Khojasteh affirmed.

The volume of smuggling through official ports of entry, according to Khojasteh is currently over 80% while customs directors and managers are involved in it.

Khojasteh said the corrupt officials must be stopped, as they try to gain influence in any way they can, even by threatening or blackmailing members of parliament.

According to Hamadans MP, he has been threatened to keep his mouth shut, or expect unspecified consequences.

They are leading the ruling system to a place where none of the officials dare to step in their realm and speak-up against them, Khojasteh averred.

According to the Central Task Force to Combat Smuggling of Merchandise and Currencys (CTFCS) spokesman, the overall volume of goods smuggled into Iran in 2016 amounted to $15.5 billion.

In July 2017, a senior member of Irans parliament accused President Hassan Rouhanis government of being involved in smuggling. A number of governmental institutions are directly or indirectly involved in smuggling, Hassan Norouzi, spokesman for the parliaments Judiciary Committee announced.

Both the conservative and reformist factions of the Islamic Republic indirectly accuse one another of being involved in smuggling.

Rouhani has also accused elements outside his administration of being involved in smuggling.

A corrupt apparatus which smuggles goods into the country stops Irans progress and development, Rouhani said in a speech three years ago. Many analysts at the time said that he had been referring to top commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, whom Rouhanis predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had described as our own smuggler brethren.

During almost four decades since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, the question of smuggling and how to fight against it have always been one of the main topics in political debates. Nevertheless, annual figures show significant increases in the volume of smuggled goods into and out of Iran.

The number of intercepted consignments worth more than 5 billion rials (roughly $150,000) smuggled into Iran showed a 57 percent increase during the past five months compared with the same period last year, the commander of the Iranian Police Crime Unit reported last September.

During the same period, the number of legal cases filed for the uncovered and confiscated smuggled consignments worth between 1 billion and 5 billion rials also showed a 50 percent increase, the governments official news agency (IRNA) quoted Commander Mohammad Reza Moqimi as saying.

Computer equipment, cosmetics, and hygiene products were at the top of the list of contraband goods smuggled into Iran, Moqimi said.

Fundamental action is needed to prevent and confront the flow of contraband oil products into Iran, he emphasized. During the first five months of the [Iranian calendar year, starting March 21] current year, nearly 20 million liters of illegal oil products were uncovered, which shows a 53 percent rise compared with the same period last year.

Furthermore, according to Moqimi, the number of uncovered contraband inflammable and explosive products also showed a 27 percent rise.
In recent days, thousands of Iranians across the country have taken to the streets to protest against the government and clerical rule.

Observers initially said that the protests were caused by increasing cost of living and unemployment. In fact, on Thursday, the first day of protests, many demonstrators in the eastern city of Mashhad chanted slogans against President Rouhani and accused him of not being able to improve the economy.

Several of Rouhanis conservative opponents, in an usual move, showed support for the protests and voiced their own criticism of the government.

We should not label all of the protesters anti-revolutionary, a hardline cleric, Ahmad Khatami, a member of the influential Council of Experts, which has the constitutional role of selecting the supreme leader, said on Friday.

Ahmad Alamolhoda, another member of the council and a fierce critic of Rouhani claimed that bankrupt financial institutions are responsible for the outbreak of protests and asked the government to compensate for the losses incurred by the people and improve their lives.

President Rouhani and his team suspect that their conservative opponents have instigated the demonstrations in order to weaken government.

Presidents deputy Eshagh Jahangiri admitted on Friday that the price for some goods have increased in recent days, however, he said that all economic indicators were showing an improved economy.

Those who initiated the actions against the government should know that they will be the losers, Jahangiri added without elaborating further.

But, whoever was responsible for the protests, the situation soon went out of control and more people came to the streets with more radical slogans and demands: Death to Khamenei, Khamenei, be ashamed and leave the country alone, death to the dictator, independence, freedom, Iranian republic, and not Gaza, not Lebanon, I give my life for Iran are only some of the slogans that targeted the supreme leader and the entire political system in Iran.

At least in three cities, including Tehran, protesters brought out banners with photos of Ayatollah Khamenei upside down.

Regarding the nature of the protests and their root cause, Iranian sociologist Majid Mohammadi writing in an op-ed for Radio Farda titled Iranian Awakening says that maybe government plans for raising prices of goods and services, the banking crisis, and the delay in paying retirees pensions and workers salaries sparked the events. However the slogans reveal that people are tired of the whole regime and do not see any hope for improvement.

Even many who voted for Rouhani in Mays presidential election are disappointed. Rouhani received peoples vote with reformist slogans, but later shifted his position toward the conservatives and the supreme leader, Mohammadi argues.

According to Mohammadi, allocation of millions of dollars for religious entities and the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that are directly controlled by the supreme leader and do not serve the nations interests at all are a good indicator of Rouhanis shift to the right.

Fereydoon Khavand, an Iranian professor of economy in France, told Radio Farda that increasingly ordinary people in Iran do not see a future for themselves and their children. Hopes of improvement and economic stability have vanished.

In recent months, the Iranian regime has been celebrating its victory over IS in Iraq and Assad opponents in Syria and claimed that Iran was a secure and stable country in the region. Mohammadi argues that the current protests have put an end to such illusions.

On Saturday night, protesters in Shiraz tore down a big poster of General Ghasem Soleimani, IRGC Qods force commander. The regime describes Soleimani a national hero for his role in the Iraq and Syria wars.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 31

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Measures to develop entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan will be continued in 2018, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Economy Sahib Mammadov told Trend.

"In 2018, we will continue to support business with a view to increase the number of entrepreneurs in the country", the deputy minister said.

He noted that in 2017 large-scale economic reforms were carried out in Azerbaijan, especially in the field of entrepreneurship development and business environment improvement.

"These reforms and the decisions taken by the country's leadership led to an increase in the share of the private sector in GDP up to 80 percent. The taken measures, in particular simplification of the licensing process, extension of the suspension of business checks, promotion of investment and promotion of exports, led to the development of entrepreneurship in the country. As a result, presently the number of entrepreneurs registered in the country exceeds 880,000 and the share of the private sector in employment exceeds 75 percent", Mammadov said.

The Ministry previously reported that local entrepreneurs received 212 documents to encourage investments in the amount of 1.8 billion manats.

Earlier President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree extending the moratorium on inspections of business activities in Azerbaijan until Jan. 1, 2021.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1

Trend:

Armenia has yet to recover from the April defeat, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev said this in his congratulations to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis and New Year.

I think that this defeat should be a good lesson for them. It should demonstrate to the whole world again that Azerbaijan will never put up with this occupation. Following our victory in April, the Azerbaijani flag flies on the lands in Agdara, Jabrayil and Fizuli districts, which were once under occupation. There will come a time when our flag will fly on all of the currently occupied lands, including Shusha. This is underpinned by the unbreakable will of the Azerbaijani people and the policies of the Azerbaijani leadership, President Aliyev said.

The President said that the key issue of country's foreign policy is the just resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Although there are no results in this direction, I believe that 2017 has further reinforced our positions. First of all, let me say that the so-called referendum conducted by the separatist regime was not recognized by the world community. This trumped-up referendum was not recognized by neighboring countries, the European Union or any other country. This is further evidence that the entire world community recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan. And this is only natural. Nagorno-Karabakh is our historically native land. The people of Azerbaijan have lived, built and created on this land for centuries. Our insidious neighbors have simply destroyed our historical and religious monuments, and these lands have been under occupation for many years.

I think that the second most important issue is that Armenia has joined the negotiations without any preconditions, although it did put forward conditions. None of the preconditions put forward by Armenia after the April defeat was accepted. The negotiations were resumed without any preconditions. I do hope that we can achieve a settlement of the issue through negotiations. Of course, our strong economic and military potential further reinforce our position in the talks. Armenia has yet to recover from the April defeat, said the president.

As President Ilham Aliyev noted, after a long break, life has returned to the village of Jojug Marjanli this year.

After a long break, life has returned to the village of Jojug Marjanli this year. The development of Jojug Marjanli is a symbol of our unbending spirit. Residents of this settlement lived in other places for many years. But after the government of Azerbaijan built a settlement there, they returned to their native lands. The restoration of Jojug Marjanli is a source of pride for us. A beautiful settlement of 150 homes has been established there now. There is a school, a medical center, a kindergarten and the Shusha mosque  a mosque reminiscent of the Shusha mosque destroyed by our barbarous neighbors.

Let me also say that another important and even a historic event has taken place in the field of addressing the problems of internally displaced persons. A settlement for 1,170 families has been set up in Shikharkh settlement, which also used to be under occupation. On the one hand, this important event shows that the problems of internally displaced persons are always in our spotlight. On the other, this shows that Azerbaijan is building a new life in the lands liberated from occupation, establishing new buildings, public facilities and homes, and thousands of internally displaced persons are returning to these lands, added Ilham Aliyev.

The head of state stressed that Azerbaijan's military potential has also been in the spotlight this year.

We have provided the army with everything it needs. All international ratings show today that the Azerbaijani army is ranked among the strongest armies not only in the region but also in the world. The enemy knows and should know that. Everything will continue to be done for army building. New hardware, weaponry and the most sophisticated means of combat will continue to be purchased, said President Aliyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1

Trend:

Azerbaijan marks new 2018 on January 1.

New Year is a holiday uniting many peoples of different faiths and races. The custom of celebrating the New Year already existed in Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC.

Presently, New Year is celebrated in different countries in accordance with the calendar and traditions adopted in this country.

As many countries, Azerbaijan widely celebrates one of the favorite holidays of multi-billion population of the world according to the Gregorian calendar - on January 1.

Christmas tree, feast and numerous gifts cannot leave children or adults indifferent. On the eve of New Year, Baku turns into a fabulous city with many lights.

December 31, January 1, 2 and 3, 2018 were declared non-working days in Azerbaijan in connection with the New Year holiday and the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.31

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The share of gas in the overall energy mix will increase from 22 percent in 2016 to 26 percent in 2040, and gas will be the fastest growing fossil fuel in 2040, increasing by 1.8 percent per annum, said the Global Gas Outlook released by the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

Non-OECD Asia, the Middle East, and Africa constitute the fastest growing regional energy markets between 2017 and 2040, according to GECF forecasts.

"World natural gas consumption will increase by 53 percent from 3534 billion cubic meters in 2016 to 5395 billion cubic meters in 2040, led by non-OECD Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Natural gas continues to be an attractive fuel for the power generation, domestic and industrial sectors in 2040," said the report.

GECF analysts expect that in the long-term, the transport sector will be the fastest growing in terms of natural gas consumption, with an annual average growth of 3.9 percent, eclipsing the power sector which will grow at a rate of 2.5 percent per annum.

The industry sector will also contribute to gas demand with growth of 1.2 percent per year, reaching 838 billion cubic meters by 2040, as it replaces oil as a raw material for petrochemical manufacturing, according to the report.

GECF forecasts that the share of gas in the power generation sector will continue to rise from 23 percent in 2016 to 28 percent in 2040, with an average growth rate of 0.9 percent per annum, which represents the largest market share of any fuel.

This report expects the global share of natural gas demand to rise from 22 percent in 2016 to 26 percent in 2040, for several reasons.

"First, a growing urban population will require more gas-powered electricity. Second, both economic and environmental considerations favour natural gas, due to the combination of low prices and low CO2 emissions, relative to other fossil fuels. Finally, growing extraction of unconventional natural gas reserves (such as shale, tight gas and CBM) in the US and China will dramatically increase natural gas demand over the outlook period. This is mainly due to lower prices resulting from higher natural gas supplies," said GECF.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 31

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

At least two individuals have been killed following last nights protests in the western province of Lorestan, authorities said.

The provinces deputy governor-general for security, Habibollah Khojastehpour has said that the confrontations in Doroud County left two killed, Mehr news agency reported.

The official further denied that the law enforcement forces have fired bullets, accusing foreign intelligence services, opposition and also extremist groups of interfering in the confrontations.

Over the past four days, some groups of people joined demonstrations in several cities including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices.

The protestors also chanted slogans against the government and high ranking officials in the country.

Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has urged people to refrain from joining illegal gatherings in the country.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 31

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) has been on a downward Trend over the past two years amid the recent protests in the county.

The main index of the TSE slumped by 1649.82 points or 1.7 percent to experience its most catastrophic fall over the current year.

The recent political unrests in several Iranian cities, as well as reforms in the regulations of the equity market, appear to be among the main reasons behind the sharp drop in the market.

Over the past four days, some groups of people joined demonstrations in several cities including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices.

The protestors also chanted slogans against the government and high ranking officials in the country.

Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has urged people to refrain from joining illegal gatherings in the country.

At least two individuals have been killed following last nights protests in the western province of Lorestan.

About 1.9 trillion shares valued at 131.1 (according to official currency rate on Sunday) were traded in the market.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 31

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian authorities have reportedly blocked access to the messaging app Telegram and the photo sharing app Instagram following the recent unrests in the country, ISNA news agency reported.

According to social media reports, the users had to use VPN to access the social media app.

Over the past four days, some groups of people joined demonstrations in several cities including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices.

The protestors also chanted slogans against the government and high ranking officials in the country.

Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has urged people to refrain from joining illegal gatherings in the country.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says the Iranian people are completely free to express their criticism of the government or stage protests according to the Constitution and citizenship rights, and in a way that would lead to the improvement of the country's conditions, Press TV reported.

Rouhani made the remarks while addressing a Cabinet session on Sunday as he pointed to recent gatherings in protest against economic conditions in a number of Iranian cities.

"We are a free nation and based on the Constitution and citizenship rights, people are completely free to express their criticism and even their protest," he said.

However, he added that the manner of expressing criticism and protest must lead to the improvement of the country's conditions and people's lives.

He emphasized that the settlement of some problems in the country was "not easy and takes time," calling for cooperation between the Iranian government and nation to solve those problems.

The Iranian people have the right to voice their criticism with regard to all affairs, Rouhani said, adding, "We believe that the government and the country belong to the people and the people must properly express what they want."

Rouhani emphasized that criticism completely differed from violence or inflicting damage on public property, saying, "We must not allow an atmosphere to be created in the country under which supporters of the revolution and people will be concerned about their lives and security."
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
Next year could herald one of the worst humanitarian crises since the end of the Second World War, the new International Development Secretary has warned, The Telegraph reports.

Penny Mordaunt described 2017 as a year of "harrowing humanitarian crises", adding that "2018 could be even bleaker".

The warning came as Ms Mordaunt's Department for International Development announced an additional 21 million package of support for a United Nations fund enabling agencies to respond to emergencies around the world.

The department cited ongoing famines and conflicts in Yemen, South Sudan and Burma as significant concerns.

In early 2017 the United Nations said the world faced the largest humanitarian crisis since 1945, with more than 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine. But Ms Mordaunt believes next year "could be even worse".

While 2017 was a year of harrowing humanitarian crises, the truth is 2018 could be even bleaker," she said.
21:25 (GMT+4) A gunman opened fire on sheriffs deputies responding to a report of a domestic disturbance near Denver on Sunday, killing one of the officers, before the suspect was shot and apparently killed, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office said, Reuters reported.

Four other deputies and two civilians were shot by the suspect, who was no longer a threat, the sheriffs office said on its Twitter account. There was no immediate word on the condition of the injured officers or civilians.

The deputies were responding to a call of shots fired in a residential area in Douglas County, about 16 miles south of Denver, around 6 a.m. local time, said Jason Blanchard, a spokesman for the sheriffs office.

County officials were setting up an emergency shelter for those displaced by the incident, citing the size and scope of the investigation.

20:22 (GMT+4) Multiple police deputies are reportedly down after a shooting near Denver, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office reports. The exact number of casualties is not yet known as police search for the suspect, RT reports.

A Code Red alert has been issued by the sheriffs department, warning citizens to stay indoors as the shooter is believed to still be at large.

A reporter from the local TV channel Denver7 said he heard several gunshots and saw roadblocks being put in place.

The deputies at the scene were responding to reports of a domestic disturbance at an apartment complex on East County Line Road in Littleton, Colorado, on the southern outskirts of Denver. So far there have been no reports as to their status, nor on any civilian casualties.

We have multiple officers down, Deputy Jason Blanchard told the Denver Post.

We are not giving numbers or status at this point, we are still working on getting the suspect in custody.

Several local law enforcement agencies have been put on alert, including Douglas County, Parker

Police Department, Lone Tree Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department, and Colorado

State Patrol, and a SWAT team has been sent to the scene.
Three vehicles crashed into each other and burst into flames on a highway in south Mexico's Guerrero state, killing 10 people, including five members of a vacationing family visiting from the US, officials reported on Saturday.

The accident, involving two SUVs and a motorcycle, took place shortly before midnight Friday, on the highway linking the beach resorts of Acapulco and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, the state's Secretary of Civil protection said.

The five tourists and the driver of their van and his assistant were also killed in the crash. Two boys, aged 18 and 8, who were traveling with the family, survived the accident and were taken to a nearby hospital.

According to the national daily Excelsior, the family was headed to the town of Atoyac de Alvarez, and were merely 15 minutes from arriving at their destination when the accident occurred.

The remaining victims included the 76-year-old driver of the second SUV and two men who were on the motorcycle. All three were from the town of Tecpan de Galeana, where the accident took place.

Officials are investigating the cause of the accident.
An explosion happened during a funeral ceremony in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, killing at least 17 people, officials said, 1TV News reports.

The suicide blast targeted funeral ceremony for a former Haska Mina district governor in Behsud district.

Ataullah Khogyani, a spokesman for provincial governor, later said that the explosives had been placed in a motorcycle at the cemetry.

According to the official, the blast left 17 dead and 13 more injured.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The attack was condemned by Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

"Terrorists and their supporters cannot achieve their goals by killing innocent people and causing violence," he said in a statement.
At least 5,247 Muslims have been killed in the Boko Haram insurgency across the northeastern Adamawa state of Nigeria over the past four years, a group says, Press TV reported.

The Adamawa State chapter of Muslim Council, which comprises several Islamic organizations, said in a report on Sunday that more than 5,100 Muslims were also injured across seven local government areas of the state since 2013.

The affected local governments are Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Mubi North, Mubi South, Hong and Gombi. The report said Madagali Local Government Area had the highest number of dead victims with 2,500 people while Hong had the least with 68.

The report, which was presented to the Adamawa governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Bindow also said over 12,700 properties, including houses, mosques, livestock and farm produce worth $220 million had been destroyed in the state.

The report also called for more support for victims and reconstruction of places of worship and schools. In addition, it recommends increasing security and financial support to local defense groups assisting the military in the fight against the Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group.

Adamawa is one of the three states most affected by Boko Haram. The others are Borno and Yobe states.

Boko Haram has led an insurgency in Nigeria and neighboring countries that has left around 20,000 people dead. Hundreds of thousands have also been displaced in the violence.

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly terror attacks in Nigeria during the past eight years. The attacks have so far claimed the lives of at least 20,000 people and displaced more than 2.7 million others.

The United Nations has warned that areas affected by Boko Haram face a humanitarian crisis.
By Ayano Shimizu, KYODO NEWS - Dec 31, 2017 - 11:58 | All, Feature

A Japanese company has developed an easy way for people in the community to take part in farming through the Internet, with its demonstration farm gaining momentum and becoming a gathering place for local residents in Kyoto.

Toray Construction Co., a real estate and construction company, came up with a model called "sharing" agriculture, which allows participants to sign up online to do simple tasks in the greenhouse.

The Osaka-based company joined hands with several institutions, and together they started a six-month demonstration experiment in September after receiving funding from the government.

"Agriculture is difficult. It's hard to start farming just because you want to do it," said Yasutaka Kitagawa, who is in charge of the project at Toray Construction, in a recent interview with Kyodo News. "So we thought, what if we come up with a system where people can share the workload and be able to decide when to come to the farm."

"If there is a system like that, more people who are interested in agriculture can get a chance to do what they want to do," Kitagawa said.

The system is easy. Interested people sign up online by entering their basic information, such as their age and gender, and select a date and a two-hour task that they are willing to do.

There are nearly 100 "supporters" registered online, and around four participants gather everyday to do simple jobs such as planting seeds and harvesting. They are not paid to work, but they can bring home the crops harvested at the farm.

The greenhouse called "Torefarm" located on the property of the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International in Seika, Kyoto Prefecture, western Japan, is full of innovative twists. It makes farming easier for women and the elderly by minimizing the physical workload in the field.

Vegetables such as Japanese mustard spinach and cilantro leaves grow on sand spread on table-like platforms lined up in the greenhouse. Participants can work in a standing position, and do not have to bend down at all.

Sensors and tubes in the sand allow operators to gather information about conditions at the farm through an Internet cloud service. Toray Construction officials can provide water and liquid fertilizers from their smartphones and computers anytime, anywhere.

"There's a Japanese teaching that says 'eat until you're 80 percent full'," Kitagawa said. "I think it applies to working too, especially for the elders. It will become a burden if you work too hard so this system allows people to enjoy farming without the need to push themselves too hard."

The demonstration is gaining steam and about 30 percent of the participants are 60 or over. Spreading by word of mouth, it has also become a place for local residents to meet new people.

Mai Otani, 43, a local housewife, said her involvement has given her something to look forward to during her free time.

"It's held every day so I'm really thankful that I can just stop by and work for two hours during my spare time," said Otani, who took part in the experiment in December for the third time. "And we can come whenever we want to and are allowed to make last-minute cancellations too, so I always feel welcomed and it's easy to come."

Otani sees the benefits in her meals at home as well.

"Sometimes I get to take home vegetables that I usually don't eat at home like Chinese water spinach. So we have more dishes on the table, and it's exciting to come up with a recipe too, even though it is fresh and tastes good by itself."

Tsutomu Okuno, 64, said the best part of his experience is that he gets to interact with people.

"Working here is obviously really easy and not physically demanding," said Okuno. "But it's more than that -- it's really fun because we get to talk all the time."

Earlier this year, a consortium led by Toray Construction received about 38 million yen ($335,000) from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as part of the "project for IoT services creation."

The government project requires participants to come up with issues to be solved in order to spread the use of the "Internet of Things" (IoT) and create an advanced reference model, according to the ministry's website.

With the funding, Toray Construction is staging another demonstration experiment in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo. However, Kitagawa says there is still room for improvement if the "sharing" system is to take root.

Kitagawa wants to create a revenue-generating model and make the farms an employment opportunity for elders as Japan looks to deal with an aging population.

"As we experience progress in the aging of our society, I think it's necessary for senior citizens to work too," said Kitagawa. "But it's difficult for them to work like they used to, so they need to start working differently -- with less physical requirements. And I want agriculture to play a part in that."

For that, Kitagawa emphasizes the importance of producing vegetables with higher market value compared with the Japanese mustard spinach and Chinese cabbage that are currently made.

"If we produce something with a higher value, we can earn money even if the supporters work slowly," Kitagawa said. "At the same time, we want to lower the cost of the Torefarm so many people can start operating it."

Kitagawa hopes the "sharing" model breaks new ground in agriculture through community cooperation.

"I think the 'sharing' model doesn't work for people who want to make money through agriculture," said Kitagawa. "It's for those who want to cooperate and borrow the hands of the residents of the community."
Reuters

Meta Platforms Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told employees on Thursday that WhatsApp and Messenger would drive the company's next wave of sales growth, as he sought to assuage concerns about Meta's finances after its first mass layoffs. Zuckerberg, addressing pointed questions at a company-wide meeting a week after Meta said it would lay off 11,000 workers, described the pair of messaging apps as being "very early in monetizing" compared to its advertising juggernauts Facebook and Instagram, according to remarks heard by Reuters. "We talk a lot about the very long-term opportunities like the metaverse, but the reality is that business messaging is probably going to be the next major pillar of our business as we work to monetize WhatsApp and Messenger more," he said.
An investigator heads to the scene of shooting Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Authorities in Colorado say one deputy has died and multiple others were wounded, along with two civilians, in a shooting that followed a domestic disturbance in suburban Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER (AP) -- A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriff's deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately and were shot "very, very quickly" after entering a suburban Denver apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside a bedroom.

"They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there."

The Douglas County coroner identified the suspect as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl.

A YouTube user named Matthew Riehl posted a YouTube video Dec. 13, saying he wanted to replace Spurlock and railing against the sheriff and other officers in profane, highly personal terms.

The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, Zackari Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and only managed to "crawl to safety," Spurlock said.

The incident began around 5:15 a.m. at Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles (28 kilometers) south of Denver.

Authorities had left the home barely an hour earlier in response to a complaint of a "verbal disturbance" involving two men, the sheriff's office said. One of the men told them the suspect "was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown" but the deputies found no evidence of a crime.

When deputies were called back, a man who had left came by to give them a key and granted permission to enter the home, leaving again before shots were fired.

"The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Spurlock said.

Four officers, including Parrish, were shot from a bedroom around 6 a.m., forcing the retreat. A SWAT team entered the apartment at about 7:30 a.m. in an exchange of gunfire that left the gunman dead and another officer injured.

Story continues

Vira Cover, who lives in a building about 50 yards away from the shooting, was woken up by a phone call from her fiance, Steve Silknitter, who warned her about what was happening and urged her to stay inside. Soon afterward she said she heard about 15 to 20 very loud shots fired over about 30 seconds or a minute. She sat on the couch with her cats and called Silknitter back before turning on the television to try to find out more about what was happening.

"I couldn't believe this was happening in our backyard," she said.

Silknitter heard the shots fired too but from about a half mile away, stopped at a police roadblock as he tried to get back home from work. Then he said he saw police in tactical gear speed past him in a pickup truck.

Silknitter said he lived 2 miles away from the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado where 12 people were killed in a shooting in 2012. He said he never would have expected anything like this in his apartment complex, where the only noise you might normally hear is children running around upstairs.

"Where do I move to where I don't have to worry about someone shooting us?" asked Silknitter, who is now considering getting a concealed weapons permit.

The suspect was well-known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed.

Riehl said in his Dec. 13 YouTube video, called "Fire Sheriff Spurlock," that he would run as a libertarian, ending with holiday greetings and a vow to "fire all these bums come early next year."

Riehl is vague about his political beliefs and personal grievances, though his animosity clearly ran deep. He flashes the business card of an officer who, he says, shows up at homes after sunset with an attractive woman and "will then ambush you from behind the door."

A video posted on Nov. 28 shows a traffic stop by a police officer in the city of Lone Tree  apparently taken inside the officer's car  that Riehl said was done illegally. He alleges the officer clocked the wrong driver, identifying the officer by name in the video and calling him "dirty."

"Scumbag, dirtbag, liar," he says as the officer questions the driver. "He's the boss, huh? He's the Nazi in charge with the stripes on his shoulder and the fake badge."

The sheriff did not release any details about the weapons and ammunition used except to say the suspect had a rifle. He also did not know if law enforcement had any prior knowledge of firearms being in the home but the possibility always weighs on deputies' minds.

"We respond to every call anticipating that everyone has a gun. This is Colorado. Everybody has a gun," Spurlock said.

Parrish, the slain officer, was 29 and a married father of two young children. He came to the department seven months ago after working as an officer for the nearby Castle Rock Police Department. Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work.

"His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said.

Gov. John Hickenlooper ordered flags on all public buildings immediately lowered to half-staff until Tuesday evening in Parrish's honor.

The three deputies and one police officer injured were listed in stable condition. Authorities identified them as deputies Michael Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom O'Donnell, 41.

The two civilian injuries were not life-threatening.

Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. The sheriff shared a picture of him and two other family members by his son's hospital bed on his office Twitter account. All four, including Jeffrey Pelle, who underwent surgery, are smiling and giving a thumbs-up gesture.

President Donald Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter, "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!"

The shooting occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in Las Vegas.

__

Associated Press writers Sadie Gurman in Washington, Terry Tang in Phoenix and photographer David Zalubowski in Denver contributed to this report. Spagat reported from San Diego.
Iranian hardliners supporting the Islamic Republic staged rallies across the country Saturday, a day after the arrests of protesters complaining about corruption and the governments handling of the economy.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency posted a video of state-organized demonstrations in the city of Mashhad, where anti-state

Iranian hardliners supporting the Islamic Republic staged rallies across the country Saturday, a day after the arrests of protesters complaining about corruption and the governments handling of the economy.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency posted a video of state-organized demonstrations in the city of Mashhad, where anti-state protests erupted Thursday and led to the arrest of more than 50 people. In a Twitter post on Friday night, U.S. President Donald Trump said the Tehran government should respect their peoples rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching!

The Foreign Ministry in Tehran dismissed the remarks. The Iranian people place no value or credibility in the opportunistic claims of U.S. officials or of Mr. Trump himself, Bahram Ghassemi, Irans foreign ministry spokesman, said in a statement, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

Protests that started over the economy and rising food prices under the government of President Hassan Rouhani broadened to include frustration with the political system.

By the early evening Saturday, there were still about 50 protesters gathered outside the City Theatre in downtown Tehran, chanting and raising their arms in an area already swarming with commuters and onlookers. At least a dozen black police pickup trucks and vans surrounded the area.

System Protests

Theyre chanting slogans against the system, an onlooker, who didnt want to give his name because of the sensitivity of the issue, said from his vantage point in the shuttered entrance of a nearby metro station.

Other anti-government protests took place Friday in Kermanshah, Rasht, Sari, Qazvin, Hamadan and the holy city of Qom, according to Fars news agency, which is seen as aligned with hardliners and Irans armed forces. It also said as many as 70 people gathered near Enghelab Square and the gates of Tehran University Saturday afternoon.

Story continues

Unlike the other demonstrations in different cities, which concerned livelihoods and protests against high prices, todays protest had a political smell and hue, Fars reported.

Annual Event

Saturdays rallies were part of a scheduled annual event marking the end of unrest that broke out after the disputed 2009 re-election of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which state institutions in Iran refer to as the sedition.

Irans Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli urged people not to take part in unauthorized gatherings and protests, calling the events over the past two days illegal, the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency reported.

If people intend to protest, they should apply for a permit and it will be assessed, he said.

Government officials have described protests as a plot against the Islamic Revolution, and some suspected hardline opponents may have been behind them. Economic issues were being used as an excuse and something else, behind the curtain, is going on, first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri said in a speech Friday.

Middle Classes

The middle classes need to take part in these protests for them to gain any momentum and they wont, because by and large, they are still backing Rouhani, Saeed Laylaz, a domestic economist, said in an interview.

Videos purporting to be of the anti-government protests in Mashhad, Irans second-largest city, circulated widely on social media platforms including Twitter and Telegram, and showed protesters chanting against Rouhani and calling for the economically corrupt to be executed. A small number of people were also detained in Tehran, a senior provincial official told the Iran Labor News Agency.

Rouhanis government has faced criticism since his May re-election from both hardline opponents and disillusioned supporters, who had been expecting a broader economic recovery following the countrys 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and easing of international sanctions. Households have been strained by rising prices of some key goods, while instability among unregulated lenders has also triggered unrest in the past six months.

Many reports of peaceful protests Iranian citizens fed up with regimes corruption & its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad, Trump wrote in his tweet on Friday. Earlier, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement that the United States strongly condemns the arrest of peaceful protesters.

Demolishing Property

The arrests in Mashhad were for demolishing public property and lacking a permit for the protests, the citys deputy attorney general, Hassan Heydari, told Tasnim.

Several provinces this week reported the price of eggs had risen by as much as 50 percent, according to the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency. The price increase was caused by an outbreak of avian influenza, government spokesman, Mohammad-Bagher Nobakht, told reporters on Wednesday, according to Tasnim.

In Mashhad, Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, the leader of Friday prayers who is seen as a close ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that protesters shouldnt allow their concerns to become fodder for the foreign media, which wants to sow sedition. A day earlier, he said people had a right to be unhappy with the economic situation.
President Donald Trump said he would insist legislation extending deportation protection to those brought to the U.S. illegally as children include funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump also said he would demand an end to a program that allows immigrants to sponsor family members to join them in the U.S., and a State Department program designed to offer immigrant visas to people from countries with low rates of migration to the U.S.

Read: First Latina Fortune 500 CEO: Heres What Should Be Done About DACA

The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration, Trump said in a Twitter message Friday from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration etc. We must protect our Country at all cost!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017

Trump earlier this year announced that he was ending the Obama administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, saying Justice Department lawyers had concluded it was unconstitutional. DACA protections are set to expire by March 1 if Congress doesnt take action.

Democrats have said they dont support the presidents effort to construct a border wall or impose new limits on the immigration system. Its expected they will attempt to use the expiration of government funding in January to pressure the White House to strike a deal on immigration that pairs a renewal of DACA with moderate new immigration enforcement measures.

Read: What DACA Has to Do With a Government Shutdown

Story continues

Congressional leaders of both parties are scheduled to meet with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Jan. 3 to discuss the spending bill, immigration and other matters.

Were not going to negotiate through the press and look forward to a serious negotiation at Wednesdays meeting when we come back, Matt House, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, said in an email.

Bigger Changes

Trump has sought to build support for his more significant changes to the immigration system by pointing to recent terror attacks in New York City.

Akayed Ullah, 27, a green-card holder from Bangladesh accused of detonating a bomb in a New York subway tunnel this month, came to the U.S. in 2011 on a visa available to nieces and nephews of U.S. citizens. Sayfullo Saipov, a 29-year-old from Uzbekistan whos alleged to have mowed down people on a bike path with a pickup truck in New York on Halloween, came to the U.S. in 2010 on a visa obtained through the lottery program.

Read: Apple, GM, and Best Buy Join Dreamers Coalition Lobbying for DACA

Both terrorists came to our country through the dysfunctional immigration system that we are correcting, rapidly, Trump said earlier this month during a speech at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va.

Kelly met with Democrats last week in Washington to discuss a path forward on a possible immigration bill.
Speaking over beers in Bavaria back in May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said U.S. President Donald Trump's first trip to Europe had convinced her that the days of relying on the United States were "over to a certain extent."



Europe "really must take our fate into our own hands," she famously said.



There certainly has been no shortage of alarming headlines since Trump took over the presidency in January. In November alone, Politico wrote: "German Military Study: EU Collapse Conceivable Worst Case"; while former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt wrote in The Washington Post "How Donald Trump Is Making Things Worse In The Middle East"; and Asian geopolitics analyst Richard Javad Heydarian penned a Post op-ed with the headline "This Is How A Superpower Commits Suicide."



"During President Donald Trump's first official Asia tour, the precipitous erosion of America's decades-long hegemony in the region has been painfully apparent," Heydarian wrote. "In a surreal twist of events, a communist regime [in China] has now emerged as the unlikely guardian of globalization and multilateral diplomacy.

One thing experts largely agree on is that the international order that emerged after World War II and the dominance enjoyed by the United States since the end of the Cold War are both transforming rapidly. And while the self-proclaimed "outsider" Trump administration didn't cause this transformation, it must now contend with it.

Pax Americana

"The overall structure -- NATO, the major alliances in Asia, the major partnerships that we have in the Middle East -- these have created the most stable international order in the history of humankind," said Michael O'Hanlon, senior fellow at the Center for 21st-Century Security, describing the order now fading into the past that has been variously called The Age of America or the Pax Americana. "The system that we helped to create is remarkably stable and no period in human history before this one would have seen multiple centers of power essentially getting along without preparing for the next war."

As the saying goes, however, the times are changing.

"The Pax Americana that prevailed since World War II was for the United States certainly a good thing, although there were some people in other countries who didn't experience the same benefits," said Michael Glennon, professor of international law at Tufts University and a former legal counsel to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "But at this point, it's not so much a question of whether this coming multipolarity is desirable or not. The question is whether there is anything to be done to avert it. And I think the answer is probably not."

Ian Lesser, vice president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, agrees that "the world is changing around us," with emerging powers like China and Russia competing for regional and global influence. In addition, Lesser sees a "diversification of power" evolving over the last decades, among both states and non-state actors such as corporations. At the same time, problems like terrorism, corruption, climate change, trade, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are increasingly global and complex.

"In a sense, power isn't what it used to be, and the United States is having to adjust," Lesser said.

'America First'



In this shifting environment, the Trump administration --ust one year in office--has come under sharp criticism from both the left and the right for its perceived failure to implement or even articulate priorities and coping mechanisms. Trump ran for the presidency on the slogan of "America First," denouncing international accords and institutions that he claimed were "bad deals" for the United States.



James Goldgeier, former dean of the American University School for International Service, says that. although the United States remains "the world's leading power" with significant international assets, "Trump seems to be doing everything he can to diminish America's standing in the world" by undermining the strengths of the multilateral system he inherited while not offering a coherent replacement.



Trump's expressed preference for bilateral "deals" with international operators, critics say, implies the need for a robust and nuanced diplomacy.

However, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Richard Kauzlarich, now a distinguished visiting professor at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, warns that we are currently seeing a "hollowing out" of the State Department "at a time when we need a stronger and more active diplomacy."

The problem goes beyond the well-documented tension between Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson -- tensions that amount to what The Atlantic described as Tillerson's "graceless defenestration." More importantly, Kauzlarich notes, many top State Department posts are unfilled, as senior diplomats have either stepped down or been removed. In addition, fewer young Foreign Service officers are being recruited, a move that could have significant consequences in coming years and decades.



"I think this is a tragedy and it weakens our ability to act multilaterally," Kauzlarich added.

'Responsible Nationalism'



On the other hand, Andrew Bacevich, professor emeritus of international relations at Boston University, argued in Foreign Affairs for a "responsible nationalism," saying that Trump's air strikes in Syria, additional troops for Afghanistan, striving to broker a peace deal in the Middle East, and other policies can hardly be described as isolationism.



"What they suggest is something much worse: an ill-informed, impulsive, and capricious approach to foreign policy," Bacevich wrote. "In fact, if 'policy' implies a predictable pattern of behavior, U.S. foreign policy ceased to exist when Trump took office."



Looking ahead, the United States remains a key international actor, despite the evolving geopolitical arena and the concerns about the Trump administration's policies.



These things "have not made American power and influence irrelevant -- far from it," said the German Marshall Fund's Lesser. "The United States is still a very powerful actor on the international stage, probably the most powerful one. And a good argument can be made that we will remain in that position of primacy for some time to come."



Analyst Goldgeier offers a similar assessment.

"The United States is still the most powerful country in the world," he said. "It still has huge assets. It still has the top higher education in the world. It is still looked up to around the world. It is still a place that many people would still like to come and live in."



Nonetheless, the world and Washington are in store for a potentially rocky transition, Tufts University's Glennon said.



"The likelihood is that we will be entering a period of multipolarity in the world for years to come, in which instability prevails and a lack of leadership is painfully evident," he said.

With reporting by RFE/RL Washington correspondent Mike Eckel


I find the thinking behind this is fallacious. With respect to GMATNinja , the claim is that discounter retailers would avoid taking on computers because the manufacturers are already struggling to liquidate even at large discounts. We have to assume however that these computers would be sold at an even deeper discount by the purchasers. In reality, would you not pick up a computer that costs next to nothing? Take the extreme example, say, a computer that costs a dollar. Without question you best believe that those computers would be sold.

It's baffling that A is not the right answer. The entire first paragraph cites such lack of analysis as the reason why excess inventory results. This one bothers me the most. IN FACT, question 1 explicitly indicates that this is one of the reasons why there is excess inventory: "inaccurate forecasting of buyers preferences" <---This is code for poor market analysis.

Correct. This is a walking tight rope between A and B. I think I can see why A is correct and the better choice.



"Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one." - Bruce Lee Signature Read More

I will admit that I am not a fan of some of the answers because there is evidence to the contrary for some questions. Please kudos if you agree and chime in.1. The author mentions each of the following as a cause of excess inventory EXCEPT(A) production of too much merchandise X(B) inaccurate forecasting of buyers preferences X(C) unrealistic pricing policies Correct(D) products rapid obsolescence X(E) availability of a better product X2. The passage suggests that which of the following is a kind of product that a liquidator who sells to discount stores would be unlikely to wish to acquire?(A) Furniture X(B) Computers X(C) Kitchen equipment X(D) Baby-care products CorrectI bounced back and forth between D and E and couldn't make up my mind. I am not sure these other choices are entirely convincing, but disagree about B.(E) Childrens clothing X3. The passage provides information that supports which of the following statements?(A) Excess inventory results most often from insufficient market analysis by the manufacturer. Correct(B) Products with slight manufacturing defects may contribute to excess inventory.(C) Few manufacturers have taken advantage of the changes in the federal tax laws.(D) Manufacturers who dump their excess inventory are often caught and exposed by the news media.(E) Most products available in discount stores have come from manufacturers excess-inventory stock.4. The author cites the examples in lines 25-29 [Parents of young children are barely getting by and QPS Company dumps 1,000 cases of disposable diapers because they have slight imperfections.] most probably in order to illustrate(A) the fiscal irresponsibility of dumping as a policy for dealing with excess inventory(B) the waste-management problems that dumping new products creates(C) the advantages to the manufacturer of dumping as a policy(D) alternatives to dumping explored by different companies(E) how the news media could portray dumping to the detriment of the manufacturers reputation Correct5. By asserting that manufacturers are simply unaware (line 31), the author suggests which of the following?(A) Manufacturers might donate excess inventory to charity rather than dump it if they knew about the provision in the federal tax code.(B) The federal government has failed to provide sufficient encouragement to manufacturers to make use of advantageous tax policies.(C) Manufacturers who choose to dump excess inventory are not aware of the possible effects on their reputation of media coverage of such dumping.(D) The manufacturers of products disposed of by dumping are unaware of the needs of those people who would find the products useful.(E) The manufacturers who dump their excess inventory are not familiar with the employment of liquidators to dispose of overstock.6. The information in the passage suggests that which of the following, if true, would make donating excess inventory to charity less attractive to manufacturers than dumping?(A) The costs of getting the inventory to the charitable destination are greater than the above-cost tax deduction. Correct(B) The news media give manufacturers charitable contributions the same amount of coverage that they give dumping.(C) No straight-cost tax benefit can be claimed for items that are dumped.(D) The fair-market value of an item in excess inventory is 1.5 times its cost.(E) Items end up as excess inventory because of a change in the publics preferences.7. Information in the passage suggests that one reason manufacturers might take advantage of the tax provision mentioned in the last paragraph is that(A) there are many kinds of products that cannot be legally dumped in a landfill(B) liquidators often refuse to handle products with slight imperfections(C) the law allows a deduction in excess of the cost of manufacturing the product Correct(D) media coverage of contributions of excess-inventory products to charity is widespread and favorable(E) no tax deduction is available for products dumped or sold to a liquidator_________________
Prashant10692 wrote:

Last year, the United States introduced compulsory vaccination for all children of a certain age against rotavirus. Without the vaccination, rotavirus hospitalized 55,000 to 70,000 children in the United States per year; this year, the number of hospitalizations has been reduced by 20%. Based on this data, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that the rotavirus vaccine prevents more than 50,000 doctor visits per year.



Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the estimate prepared by the CDC?





A)A 2-year-old child is much more susceptible to attacks by rotavirus than a five year old child.



B)Not all children affected by rotavirus go to the doctor.



C)Generally, a patient affected by rotavirus has a weaker than normal immune system and thus is more susceptible to other diseases.



D)The vaccine for Zetavirus, which also affects children of the same age as rotavirus does, prevents no more than 10,000 doctor visits per year.



E)Rotavirus vaccine is administered to 2 year old children and rotavirus attacks children above the age of four.





+ 1 Kudo if it helped you.

Therefore E is the answer.

For me, it was a toss up between B and E. Upon further analysis, the answer can not be B, even though it seems relevant because it explicitly states doctor. However, supposing it is true, it does not necessarily weaken the CDC's argument, because even if children affected by the virus do not go to the doctor, the estimation of decreased hospital visits is still valid because, children are not going to the doctor, so this actually helps their estimations.E is correct because it is focusing on time, which is very relevant to the CDC's main argument. If the Rota virus increases hospital visits, and if the vaccine decreases hospital visits, then administrating the vaccine to children who are too young to be infected does nothing towards decreasing the hospital visits, seeing as the Rota virus will infect the same number of children as the previous years. This hurts the CDC's argument the most, because it neutralizes the effectiveness of the vaccine, and consequently the number of hospital visits.
mikemcgarry wrote:

Folks who have been to the Grand Canyon have seen the colored layers of sediment.

Folks who have been to the Grand Canyon have been able to see the colored layers of sediment

able

Everyone

Hi, there. I'm happy to help with this.The first split in the answers is the way the verb is completed. The auxiliary verb "have" can be followed by "seen", "been able", or "been seeing" (although that last is ridiculously wordy). The "see" of (B) is completely wrong.(C) is absurdly wordy with "have been seeing" --- there's absolutely no reason for the past progressive in this context. (C) is out.(D) is also unnecessarily wordy. Think about it.Plain and simple. To say ----. ----- that adds extra words without adding any extra meaning. In GMAT terms, it's unacceptable to lengthen a sentence for no purpose. The only reason to introduce "have been able to" would be if the subject of the sentence itself is about establishing whether folks have the ability to see it at all. If it were in doubt whether anything could be seen, then establishing that folks wereto see something is meaningful. Here, in this context, there's no doubt about one's ability to see the Grand Canyon. It's perhaps the single most photographed natural feature in the USA.has seen it. There's no reason to raise the question about whether folks are able to see it. (D) is out.(A) & (E) are close, but the odd passive construction in (E) --- "marking by different colors" --- is weak and indirect. (A) is the best answer, and I believe this is the OA.Does this make sense? Let me know if you have any further questions.Mike
As violence has escalated in recent days, children and families are yet again being killed in attacks and bombardments,' the heads of key UN agencies said Friday in a joint statement, as they once again appealed to parties to the conflict to immediately allow full humanitarian access in Yemen and to stop the fighting.



World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley, and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Anthony Lake, painted a dire picture of what 1,000 days of brutal violence in Yemen has wrought saying the fighting has driven families from their homes, destroyed hospitals and damaged schools.



More than 1,000 days of children recruited to fight [] 1,000 days of disease and death [and] of unimaginable human suffering, they said, adding that the conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world  a crisis which has engulfed the entire country.



Some 75 per cent of Yemen's population is in need of humanitarian assistance, including 11.3 million children who cannot survive without it. At least 60 per cent of Yemenis are now food insecure and 16 million people do not have access to safe water and proper sanitation. Less than half of Yemen's health facilities are fully functional and medical staff has gone months without being paid their salaries.



This horrific tally of the conflict's devastation reflects only what we know. In reality, the situation is likely to be worse. UN agencies do not have full humanitarian access to some of the hardest hit communities. In many, we cannot even assess their needs, the UN leaders explained.



But this we do know: Yemen has passed the tipping point into a rapid decline from crisis to deepening catastrophe.



While acknowledging some progress in recent days with the first commercial fuel imports allowed into Hudaydah port, following recent commercial food imports, the agency chiefs said it is critical that these supplies are maintained, as restrictions on fuel imports have caused the price of diesel fuel to double, threatening access to safe water and sanitation, and urgent medical care.



Far too many hospitals are short of fuel for the generators that allow them to stay open. Water pumping stations serving over three million people are quickly running out of the fuel they need to operate, while the price of commercially trucked water has increased up to six-fold.



Safe water is now completely unaffordable for more than two thirds of Yemenis living in extreme poverty. All of this threatens to undermine efforts to contain the ongoing, deadly outbreaks of diphtheria, cholera and acute watery diarrhea, they warned.



We remain committed to helping the people of Yemen. We have reached nearly six million people with clean water, distributed 3.7 million litres of fuel to public hospitals, treated more than 167,000 children for severe acute malnutrition, they noted but warned: Yet worsening conditions on the ground threaten to overwhelm our capacity to respond.



Yemen's families should not have to withstand another day of war, let alone another 1,000, the UN leaders concluded.



Photo: UNICEF/Algabal2017







Source: www.justearthnews.com










Higher education in the United States has never been more costly.

The College Board is an independent organization that supports the growth of higher education in the U.S. It says that the average cost to attend a public, four-year American college or university has increased more than 300 percent in the last 30 years.

Most American colleges and universities do offer some form of financial assistance to their students.

However, not all schools offer aid in the same way, and not all students are able receive the same kind of aid, says Loutfi Jirari. He is the associate dean of academic life and director of international recruitment at DePauw University, a private liberal arts college in Indiana.

Jirari says there are several types of financial assistance that colleges and universities offer students. There is aid that schools award to students with strong academic records. Schools also give special awards to students who are especially skilled at a sport, musical instrument, or other activity.

Jirari says the financial aid process can be complex, no matter what kind of assistance a student is seeking. It demands just as much attention as any other part of the college application process.

Students should consider several things before sending in any aid application materials, Jirari says.

For example, there are two main types of colleges and universities in the United States: public and private. Public universities are controlled by the states in which they are located. Private schools are independently operated.

What does this mean in terms of applying for financial aid? For both domestic and international students, Jirari says, there is a world of difference. He should know; he was once an international student himself. Born in Morocco, Jirari attended one year of college in his home country before finishing his higher education at Southern Illinois University, a public research university.

He says most public American universities do not offer any financial aid to international students. That is because those schools have special responsibilities to students living in-state.

State universities have to serve the needs of the students in the state and the students in the U.S. first and foremost, Jirari told VOA. They are, of course, very, very open to having international students. But they are not able to give financial aid because they just dont have that  for international studentsPrivate universities dont have to follow everything that is dictated by the states.

So, Jirari says, the first step for both domestic and international students should be to ask what a school offers. He suggests contacting schools financial aid offices directly.

Applicants can get answers to questions they may have about the schools financial aid availability. Jirari also notes that financial aid offices and admissions offices often work together. Any time an applicant contacts and communicates with a school directly, the school sees it as a good sign.

When they ask questionswe give them points, Jirari said. That is a sign that the student cares about the university, and for us, we use those points to decide admission and also to decide scholarships.

Jirari says that students usually apply for financial aid from a university at the same time that they apply for admission. This is typically in the fall term of their final year of high school.

American citizens can apply for financial aid from both the U.S. government and their college or university of choice. They do so by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

International students must apply for financial aid through one of two other methods. They can use the College Boards College Scholarship Service, or CSS, Profile. They can also use the International Student Financial Aid Application. Almost all U.S. colleges and universities use at least one of these methods to determine how much aid they will give to students, Jirari says.

The main difference between the two is that the CSS Profile costs about $25 for the first school students apply to, and about $16 for each additional school. The International Student Financial Aid Application is free. But Jirari says that neither method is necessarily better than the other.

He says that the FAFSA, the CSS Profile and the International Student Financial Aid Application all ask for the same kind of information. That information includes detailed proof of how much money, property and other assets a students family possesses. They also ask students to report the number of siblings a student has so schools know if their family is supporting more than one college student.

Jirari notes that completing these application materials correctly is very important. For example, students must make sure that all their familys financial information is reported using the value in American dollars. Otherwise the student risks making it appear that their family is wealthier than they actually are.

Also, he says, students must make sure all the documents they provide the school match the ones they use in their visa application. If a student does not tell the full truth on every part of their application, the school can and will find out.

That can create serious problems.

Ive seen so many instances for both domestic and international students where students might try to hide an asset, thinking they will get more scholarship, he said But what that causes is for us to see that student is being untruthful. And in a lot of instances we will deny that student.

In the end, schools do not want money to be a barrier to getting an education. They will give as much aid as they feel is reasonable, Jirari says. But students must fully understand how much a college or university costs.

He notes that some schools only list their basic costs of attending classes on their websites without including other costs, such as housing. That is another reason why student should ask financial aid officers questions during every step of the process.

The student can then compare how much a college or university truly costs to how much aid they are offering.

Im Pete Musto. And Im Dorothy Gundy.

Pete Musto wrote this report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

How common is it for colleges and universities in your country to offer financial aid? What is the process of applying for financial aid like? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

academic  adj. of or relating to schools and education

recruitment  n. to find people with the qualities that are right, needed, or appropriate for a company, school, organization, or the armed forces and get them to join

application  n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan

domestic  adj. of, relating to, or made in your own country

world of difference  idm. a big difference

dictate(d)  v. to make something necessary

admissions  n. the act or process of accepting someone as a student at a school

scholarship(s)  n. an amount of money that is given by a school or an organization, to a student to help pay for the student's education

asset(s)  n. something that is owned by a person or company

sibling(s)  n. a brother or sister

instance(s)  n. example or occasion
Around the world in 2017, women and some men used the social media hashtag #MeToo to tell their stories of sexual abuse.

To ring in 2018, the creator of Me Too will press the button that releases the ball drop in Times Square in New York City.

Activist Tarana Burke first used Me Too in this way, back in 2006.

More than 10 years later, following the first media reports of sexual abuse by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, American actor Alyssa Milano wrote a message on Twitter. She asked her Twitter followers to write #MeToo if they had experienced sexual assault or harassment.

The tweet spread worldwide. A movement was born, one that has seen more people coming forward with their abuse experiences than ever before. Well-known and powerful men in Hollywood, politics, news media and other industries have been accused of sexual wrongdoing. Many have lost their jobs and ended their careers.

Milano was quick to give Burke credit for the phrase. And when Time magazine chose the sexual abuse Silence Breakers as its 2017 Person of the Year, Milano and Burke appeared together on American television.

Organizers of the Times Square New Years Eve event say they chose Burke after looking at some of the years major social and political changes.

In a statement, Burke said she was delighted to take part in the event. I think its fitting to honor the Me Too movement as we close a historic year and set our intentions for 2018, Burke said.

The Times Square New Years Eve party is the one of the oldest, biggest and most famous New Years celebration in America. The first New Years Eve celebration there took place in 1904. The owners of a building on Times Square held that first party on the roof of their building. Three years later, a New Years ball joined the celebration.

Im Ashley Thompson.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

hashtag- n. a word or phrase that starts with the symbol # and that briefly indicates what a message (such as a tweet) is about

sexual assault - n. the crime of touching someone in an unwanted sexual way

harassment - n. the act of bothering someone in a repeated way

delighted - adj. made very happy : full of great pleasure or satisfaction


Hello and welcome to the VOA Learning English program Words and Their Stories.

Everyone around the world celebrates the New Year differently and at different times. Most people in the U.S. celebrate it on January 1. But they may also observe New Year traditions from other religions or cultures.

For example, many Asian cultures celebrate the Lunar New Year. This date changes from year to year. The date of the Islamic New Year also changes from year to year. And in India, each religious group has its own date for the beginning of the year. For example, the Hindu New Year comes in April or May.

No matter when you celebrate the New Year, it usually involves thinking about the past year and planning for the year ahead.

People have many different ways of ringing out the old and ringing in the new. But why are bells linked to the calendar change?

In the Christian and Buddhist religions, bells are often connected with the New Year. The website CatholicCulture.org explains that "bells serve as a beautiful symbol introducing a new year to be spent together as a community of families ..."

Another website describes how bells are used in Japan on New Year's Eve. "As midnight approaches, Buddhist temples around the country begin ringing out the old year, sounding the temple bell 108 times." Each ring of the bell stands for each of the earthly desires a Buddhist must try to overcome -- all 108 of them!

Even those who aren't religious but are a little superstitious, may ring bells at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve to scare off bad luck.

These age-old traditions have given us the phrase "to ring out the old and ring in the new."

The English poet Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) made the phrase popular with his poem In Memoriam [Ring Out, Wild Bells]. In this poem, Tennyson rings out, or says farewell to, the bad, and he rings in, or says hello, to the good.

Tennyson wrote this poem for Arthur Henry Hallam. The two students met at Cambridge University and quickly became best friends, both showing great promise as writers. Hallam helped Tennyson publish volumes of his poetry in 1830 and 1832.

The friends almost became family when Hallam became engaged to the poets sister, Emily. However, before they could wed, Hallam died of a brain hemorrhage. He was only twenty-two years old.

To remember his good friend, Tennyson wrote the poem In Memoriam. He also named one of his two sons Hallam.

Here is Jonathan Evans reading the first part of that poem.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,

The flying cloud, the frosty light:

The year is dying in the night;

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind

For those that here we see no more;

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Thanks, Jonathan. And thank you, our listeners, for the time you have spent reading and listening to Words and Their Stories these past twelve months.

We here at VOA Learning English wish all of you a happy start to the New Year.

For the New Year, what do you plan to ring out and what do you plan to ring in? Also in the coming New Year, what words, expressions or phrases would you like to learn more about? Let us know in the Comments Sections.

I'm Anna Matteo.

All of those who are hither and yonder

With love in our hearts

We grow fonder and fonder

Hail to those who we hold so dear

And hail to those who are gathered here



And a happy new year to all that is living

To all that is gentle, young, and forgiving

Raise your glass and we'll have a cheer

My dear acquaintance, a happy new year

Happy new year

Anna Matteo wrote this story. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. At the end of the story, Regina Spektor sings My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year).

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

superstitious  adj. of, relating to, or influenced by superstition

superstition  n. a belief or way of behaving that is based on fear of the unknown and faith in magic or luck : a belief that certain events or things will bring good or bad luck

hemorrhage  n. a condition in which a person bleeds too much and cannot stop the flow of blood

frosty  adj. cold enough to produce frost

sap  v. to use up the supply of (something, such as a person's courage, energy, strength, etc.)

feud  n. a long and angry fight or quarrel between two people or two groups

redress  v. to correct (something that is unfair or wrong)

noble  adj. having, showing, or coming from personal qualities that people admire (such as honesty, generosity, courage, etc.)

mode  n. a particular form or type of something (such as transportation or behavior)

manner  n. behavior while with other people
The following companies are subsidiares of Becton, Dickinson and: Accuri Cytometers, Accuri Cytometers Inc., Alverix Inc, Alverix Inc., Atto Bioscience Inc, BD Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., BD Infection Prevention BV, BD Kiestra BV, BD Kiestra Total Lab Automation, BD Rapid Diagnostic (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., BD San Luis Potosi S.A. de C.V., BD Switzerland Sarl, BD Ventures LLC, BD West Africa Limited, BDX INO LLC, Bard (Thailand) Limited, Bard ASDI Inc., Bard Access Systems Inc., Bard Acquisition Sub Inc., Bard Australia Pty. Limited, Bard Benelux N.V., Bard Brachytherapy Inc., Bard Brasil Industria e Comercio de Produtos Para a Saude Ltda., Bard Canada Inc., Bard Chile S.p.A., Bard Czech Republic s.r.o., Bard Devices Inc., Bard Dublin ITC Limited, Bard EMEA Finance Center Sp.z o.o., Bard European Distribution Center N.V., Bard Finance B.V. & Co. KG., Bard Financial Services Ltd., Bard Finland OY, Bard France S.A.S., Bard Global Holdings I LLC, Bard Global Holdings II LLC, Bard Global Holdings III LLC, Bard Healthcare Inc., Bard Healthcare Science (Shanghai) Limited, Bard Hellas S.A., Bard Holding SAS, Bard Holdings Limited, Bard Holdings Netherlands B.V., Bard Hong Kong Limited, Bard IP Holdings Inc., Bard India Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Bard International Holdings B.V., Bard International Inc., Bard Istanbul Healthcare Limited Company, Bard Korea Ltd., Bard Limited, Bard MRL Acquisition Corp., Bard Malaysia Healthcare Sdn. Bhd., Bard Medica SA, Bard Medical Devices (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical SA (Proprietary) Limited, Bard Mexico Realty S. de R.L. de C.V., Bard Norden AB, Bard Norway AS, Bard Pacific Health Care Company Ltd., Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc., Bard Poland Sp. z.o.o., Bard Productos Plasticos e Medicos Ltda., Bard Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Bard S.r.l., Bard Sdn. Bhd., Bard Shannon Limited, Bard Singapore Private Limited, Bard Sourcing Office Singapore Pte. Ltd., Bard Sweden AB, Bard UK Newco Limited, Bard de Espana S.A., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Management Limited, Becton Dickinson (Mauritius) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Pty) Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Thailand) Limited, Becton Dickinson A.G., Becton Dickinson A/S, Becton Dickinson Argentina S.R.L., Becton Dickinson Asia Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Asia Limited, Becton Dickinson Austria GmbH, Becton Dickinson Austria Holdings GmbH, Becton Dickinson B.V., Becton Dickinson B.V. Saudi Limited Company, Becton Dickinson Benelux N.V., Becton Dickinson Biosciences Systems and Reagents Inc., Becton Dickinson Canada Inc., Becton Dickinson Caribe Ltd., Becton Dickinson Croatia d.o.o., Becton Dickinson Czechia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Dispensing Belgium BVBA, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Denmark A/S, Becton Dickinson Dispensing France SAS, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Norway, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Spain S.L.U., Becton Dickinson Dispensing UK Ltd., Becton Dickinson Distribution Center N.V., Becton Dickinson East Africa Ltd., Becton Dickinson Euro Finance Sarl, Becton Dickinson Europe Holdings S.A.S., Becton Dickinson France S.A.S., Becton Dickinson GSA Beteilgungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings I Inc., Becton Dickinson Global Holdings II LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings IV LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings V LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VIII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Services Centre Sdn. Bhd, Becton Dickinson GmbH, Becton Dickinson Guatemala S.A., Becton Dickinson Hellas S.A., Becton Dickinson Holdings Limited, Becton Dickinson Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Hungary Kft., Becton Dickinson India Private Limited, Becton Dickinson Industrias Cirurgicas Ltda., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy AB, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Holdings UK Limited, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc. S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy UK, Becton Dickinson Insulin Syringe Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings II Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings III Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Israel Ltd., Becton Dickinson Italia S.p.A., Becton Dickinson Ithalat Ihracat Limited Sirketi, Becton Dickinson Korea Holding Inc., Becton Dickinson Korea Ltd., Becton Dickinson Ltd., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Global Holdings Sarl, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings II S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings III S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings V S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Malaysia Inc., Becton Dickinson Management GmbH & Co. KG, Becton Dickinson Matrex Holdings Inc., Becton Dickinson Medical (S) Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Products Pte. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Technology (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Global Holdings II C.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings II B.V., Becton Dickinson Norway AS, Becton Dickinson O.Y., Becton Dickinson Overseas Services Ltd., Becton Dickinson Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., Becton Dickinson Penel Limited, Becton Dickinson Philippines Inc., Becton Dickinson Polska Sp.z.o.o., Becton Dickinson Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Becton Dickinson Pty. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Research Centre Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH, Becton Dickinson Rowa Italy Srl, Becton Dickinson S.A., Becton Dickinson Sample Collection GmbH, Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.L.P., Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.P., Becton Dickinson Sdn. Bhd., Becton Dickinson Slovakia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Sweden AB, Becton Dickinson Sweden Holdings AB, Becton Dickinson Switzerland Global Holdings SarL, Becton Dickinson Technology Campus India, Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing I Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing II Limited, Becton Dickinson Venezuela C.A., Becton Dickinson Venture LLC, Becton Dickinson Verwaltungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Vostok LLC, Becton Dickinson Worldwide Investments Sa.r.L., Becton Dickinson Zambia Limited, Becton Dickinson and Company Ltd., Becton Dickinson de Colombia Ltda., Becton Dickinson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson del Uruguay S.A., Bee IT Solutions, Benex Ltd., Biometric Imaging, Bridger Biomed Inc., C. R. Bard (Portugal) - Produtos e Artigos Medicos e Farmaceuticos, C. R. Bard Do Brasil Productos Medicos Ltda., C. R. Bard GmbH, C. R. Bard Inc., C. R. Bard Netherlands Sales B.V., C.R. Bard Inc, CME America LLC, CME Ltd., CME Medical (UK) Limited, CME UK (Holdings) Limited, CRISI Medical Systems, CRISI Medical Systems Inc., Caesarea Medical Electronics, Cardal II LLC, Care Fusion Development Private Limited, CareFusion (Barbados) SrL, CareFusion (Shanghai) Commercial and Trading Co. Limited, CareFusion 213 LLC, CareFusion 2200 Inc., CareFusion 2201 Inc., CareFusion 302 LLC, CareFusion 303 Inc., CareFusion Asia (HK) Limited, CareFusion Corporation, CareFusion Corporation., CareFusion D.R. 203 Ltd., CareFusion France 309 S.A.S., CareFusion Israel 330 Ltd., CareFusion Italy 312 S.p.A., CareFusion Manufacturing LLC, CareFusion Mexico 215 S.A. de C.V., CareFusion Netherlands 328 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 503 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 504 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands Financing 283 C.V., CareFusion Resources LLC, CareFusion S.A. 319 (Proprietary) Limited, CareFusion Solutions LLC, CareFusion U.K. 244 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 305 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 306 Limited, Carmel Pharma AB, Carmel Pharma Inc, Cato Software Solutions, Cell Analysis Systems Inc, Cellular Research, Cellular Research Inc., Clearstream Technologies Group Limited, Clearstream Technologies Limited, Clontech Laboratories Inc, Corporativo BD de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Critical Device Corporation, Cubex, Cytognos, Cytopeia Inc, DLD (Bermuda) Ltd., DVL Acquisition Sub Inc., Davol Inc., Davol International Limited, Davol Surgical Innovations S.A. de C.V., Difco Laboratories Incorporated, Distribuidora BD Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dutch American Manufacturers (D.A.M.) B.V., Dymax Corporation, Embo Medical Limited, Enturia de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Enturican Inc., FJ International Inc., FlowCardia Inc., FlowCardia LLC, FlowJo LLC, Franklin Lakes Enterprises L.L.C., GSL Solutions, Gamer Lasertechnik GmbH, GenCell Biosystems, GenCell Biosystems Ltd., GeneOhm Sciences Canada ULC, GeneOhm Sciences Inc, Gentest Corporation, Gesco International Inc., Gesco International LLC, Glentech Inc, HandyLab Inc, HandyLab Inc., IBD Holdings LLC, Iontophoretics Corporation, JoHome LLC, Kabushiki Kaisha Medicon (Medicon Inc.), Liberator Health and Education Services Inc., Liberator Health and Wellness Inc., Liberator Medical Holdings Inc., Liberator Medical Supply Inc., Limited Liability Company Bard Rus, Loma Vista Medical Inc., Loma Vista Medical LLC, Luther Medical Products Inc, Lutonix Inc., Med-Design Corporation, Med-Design Investment Holdings Inc., Med-Safe Systems Inc, Med-Safe Systems Inc., MedChem Products Inc., Medafor Inc., Medegen LLC, Medinservice.com Inc., Medivance Inc., NAT Diagnostics Inc., NAT Diagnostics Inc., NOW Medical Distribution Inc., NOW Medical Distribution LLC, Navarre Biomedical LLC, Navarre Biomedical Ltd., Neomend Inc., Nippon Becton Dickinson Company Ltd., Omega Biosystems Incorporated, P.R.C. (Isialys) Societe a responsabilitie limitee, PT Becton Dickinson Indonesia, PharMingen, PharMingen., Plasso Technology Ltd, PreAnalytiX GmbH, Pristine Access Technologies Inc., ProSeed Inc., Procesos para Esterilizacion S.A. de C.V., Productos Bard de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Productos Para el Cuidado de la Salud S.A. de C.V., Puls Medical Devices AS LC, PureWick Corporation, Roberts Laboratories Inc., Rochester Medical Corporation, Rochester Medical Ltd., Saf-T-Med Inc, Safety Syringes Inc., Scanwell Health Inc., Sendal S.L.U., SenoRx Inc., SenoRx LLC, Shield Healthcare Centers Inc., Sirigen Group Limited, Sirigen II Limited, Sirigen Inc., Sistemas Medicos ALARIS S.A. de C.V., Specialized Cooperative Corporation, Specialized Health Products Inc., Specialized Health Products International Inc., Specialized Health Products International LLC, Staged Diabetes Management LLC, Straub Medical AG, Straub Medical AG, Surgical Site Solutions Inc., TVA Medical Inc, TVA Medical Inc., Tepha Inc, Tepha Inc., Tissuemed Ltd., Tri-County Medical & Ostomy Supplies Inc., TriPath Imaging Inc., Tru-Fit Marketing Corporation, Vas-Cath Incorporated, Vascular Pathways Inc., Velano Vascular, Velano Vascular Inc., Venclose Inc., Venetec International Inc., Venetec International LLC, Visitec, Y-Med Inc., Y-Med LLC, and ZebraSci Inc..

Read More
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.
ESCO Technologies Inc. produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group, and RF Shielding and Test segments. The Aerospace & Defense segment designs and manufactures filtration products, including hydraulic filter elements and fluid control devices used in commercial aerospace applications; filter mechanisms used in micro-propulsion devices for satellites; and custom designed filters for manned aircraft and submarines. It also designs, develops, and manufactures elastomeric-based signature reduction solutions for U.S. naval vessels; and mission-critical bushings, pins, sleeves, and precision-tolerance machined components for landing gear, rotor heads, engine mounts, flight controls, and actuation systems for the aerospace and defense industries. The Utility Solutions Group segment provides diagnostic testing solutions that enable electric power grid operators to assess the integrity of high-voltage power delivery equipment; and decision support tools for the renewable energy industry, primarily wind and solar. The RF Shielding and Test segment designs and manufactures RF test and secure communication facilities, acoustic test enclosures, RF and magnetically shielded rooms, RF measurement systems, and broadcast and recording studios; and RF absorptive materials and filters, active compensation systems, antennas, antenna masts, turntables, electric and magnetic probes, RF test cells, proprietary measurement software, and other test accessories to perform various tests. It also provides services, such as calibration for antennas and field probes, chamber certification, field surveys, customer training, and various product tests. The company distributes its products through a network of distributors, sales representatives, direct sales teams, and in-house sales personnel. The company was incorporated in 1990 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates in four segments: Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Wealth Management, and Global Banking and Markets. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small, medium, and large businesses, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides online, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 954 branches and approximately 3,766 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,300 branches and a network of contact and support center internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada.
The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited.

Read More
Bank of America has a rich history dating back to 1800 and even earlier. It was begun by immigrants as a group of separate and unrelated banks that, over the years, merged and grew together. One such is the Bank of Italy which was founded in 1904 by Amadeo Giannini to serve Italian immigrants that were facing discrimination. He later buys out the Banca de America e de Italia (Bank of America and Italy) which was also located in San Francisco. Over the years additional mergers and changes in Federal banking legislation, as well as the boom brought on by WWI and then WWII, helped boost the bank to national prominence.

Things turned sour, however, in 1998 with a major bond default that led to yet another merger, this time with Charlotte, NC-based Nations Bank to officially become the Bank of America that exists today. At the time, the merger was the largest bank merger in history and the company has only grown in the time since.

Other additions to the new Bank of America include MBNA (a major credit card operator), Fleet Boston (then the US 7th largest and one of its oldest banks), and Merril Lynch, now Merril, which was added to the group in 2008 to provide an investment banking branch. Together the company dominates as one of the Big Four Banks in America. Bank of America lays claim to nearly 11% of all US deposits which ranks in line with its peer group and Bank of America Securities is listed as the worlds 3rd largest investment bank.

Today, Bank of America Corporation provides banking and financial services for individuals, small businesses, institutions, corporations, and governments worldwide. The bank operates in three segments Consumer Banking, Global Wealth & Investment Management, and Global Banking bringing in a combined revenue greater than $90 billion in 2022.

As of 2022, Bank of America serves approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,200 retail financial centers. The bank also operates more than 16,000 ATMs and digital banking platforms with approximately 41 million active users.

Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional banking and investment products for retail clients. These range from deposit accounts to savings, credit cards, consumer loans, and IRAs. The Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and wealth management solutions including, brokerage, banking, and trust and retirement products. The Global Banking segment provides lending products and services, including commercial loans and leases for businesses of all varieties. The Global Markets segment offers market-making, clearing, settlement, and custody services, as well as risk management, derivatives, and FX exchange services.
Arconic Corporation manufactures and sells aluminum sheets, plates, extrusions, and architectural products in the United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Russia, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Rolled Products, Building and Construction Systems, and Extrusions. The Rolled Products segment provides a range of aluminum sheet and plate products for ground transportation, aerospace, industrial, and packaging markets; and roofing, architectural composite panels, ventilated facades and ceiling panels, spacers, culvert pipes, and gutters for building and construction markets. The Building and Construction Systems segment provides various products and building envelope solutions, such as entrances, curtain walls, windows, composite panels, and coil coated sheets for fabricators and glazing subcontractors under the Kawneer, Reynobond, and Reynolux brands. The Extrusions segment offers extruded products, including aerospace shapes, automotive shapes, seamless tubes, hollows, mortar fins, and high strength rods and bars for ground transportation, aerospace, and industrial markets. The company offers its products directly to customers, as well as through distributors. The company was formerly known as Arconic Rolled Products Corporation and changed its name to Arconic Corporation in April 2020. Arconic Corporation was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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.






The following companies are subsidiares of Colgate-Palmolive: 887357 Ontario Inc., COLGALIVE S.A., CP GABA GmbH, CP International Holding C.V., CP West East Investment Limited, Cleaning Dimensions Inc., Colgate (BVI) Limited, Colgate (Guangzhou) Company Limited, Colgate (U.K.) Limited, Colgate Business Services of the Americas S.C., Colgate Flavors and Fragrances Inc., Colgate Global Business Services Private Limited, Colgate Holdings, Colgate Inc., Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals Inc., Colgate Palmolive Ghana Limited, Colgate Palmolive Holding S.Com.P.A., Colgate Palmolive Nouvelle Caledonie Sarl, Colgate Palmolive Tanzania Limited, Colgate Sanxiao Company Limited, Colgate Venture Company Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Asia) Pte Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Blantyre) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Brunei) Sdn Bhn, Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Central America) Inc. y Compania Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive (Centro America) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (China) Co. Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive (Costa Rica) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominica) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Dominican Republic) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (East Africa) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Eastern) Pte. Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Egypt) S.A.E., Colgate-Palmolive (Far East) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Fiji) Pte Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Gabon) S.A., Colgate-Palmolive (Guyana) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (H.K.) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Hellas) S.A. I.C., Colgate-Palmolive (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Kazakhstan) L.L.P., Colgate-Palmolive (Latvia) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive (Middle East Exports) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Myanmar) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (New York) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive (Proprietary) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Research & Development) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Romania) SRL, Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Uganda) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive (Vietnam) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive (Zambia) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive (Zimbabwe) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive A.B., Colgate-Palmolive A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Adria Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific Treasury Services Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Belgium S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Bolivia Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Caricom Service Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Central European Management Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Chile S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cia., Colgate-Palmolive Comercial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Commercial (Hellas) SP LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Commerciale S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive Commericale S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive Compania Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive Company Distr. LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Company GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Cote dIvoire S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Cyprus Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Development Corp., Colgate-Palmolive East West Africa Region (Pty) Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Enterprises Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Espana S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Europe (Holdings) Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Europe Sarl, Colgate-Palmolive Finance (UK) plc, Colgate-Palmolive Global Trading Company, Colgate-Palmolive Holding Argentina S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Holding Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Hungary Kft Limited Liability Company, Colgate-Palmolive IHQ Services (Thailand) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Inc. S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Industrial Ltda., Colgate-Palmolive Industriel S.A.S., Colgate-Palmolive International Holding LLC, Colgate-Palmolive International LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Investment Co. Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (BVI) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (PNG) Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Investments (UK) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Investments Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Israel Ltd., Colgate-Palmolive Italia S.r.l., Colgate-Palmolive JSC, Colgate-Palmolive Lanka (Private) Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Latin America Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Limited, Colgate-Palmolive Manufacturing (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Marketing Sdn Bhd, Colgate-Palmolive Maroc S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Mocambique Limitada, Colgate-Palmolive NJ Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Nederland B.V., Colgate-Palmolive Norge A/S, Colgate-Palmolive Participacoes e Investimentos Imobiliarios Lda., Colgate-Palmolive Peru S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Philippines Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd, Colgate-Palmolive Retirement Trustee Limited, Colgate-Palmolive S.A. de C.V., Colgate-Palmolive S.p.A., Colgate-Palmolive Senegal S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Services (Hellas) LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Services (Poland) Sp. z o.o., Colgate-Palmolive Services CEW GmbH, Colgate-Palmolive Services S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Slovensko s.r.o., Colgate-Palmolive Support Services, Colgate-Palmolive Temizlik Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticart S.A., Colgate-Palmolive Transnational Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Ukraine LLC, Colgate-Palmolive Unipessoal Lda, Colgate-Palmolive de Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Colgate-Palmolive de Puerto Rico Inc., Colgate-Palmolive del Ecuador S.A.I.C., Colgate-Palmolive del Peru (Delaware) Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Eeska republika spol. s r.o., Colpal CBS S de R. L. de C. V., Consumer Viewpoint Center Inc., Cotelle S.A., Dimac Development Corp., Dominica Coconut Products Limited, EKIB Inc., ELM Company Limited, Elta MD Holdings Inc., Elta MD Inc., EltaMD, Filorga Americas Inc., Filorga Asia Limited, Filorga Benelux SA, Filorga Cosmetiques Polska, Filorga Middle East DMCC, Filorga Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Filorga RU Limited Liability Company, GABA Europe Holding GmbH, GABA International, GABA International Holding LLC, GABA Schweiz AG, GABA Therwil GmbH, Gamma Development Co. Ltd., Global Trading and Supply LLC, Hamol Ltd., Hello Products, Hello Products LLC, Hills Funding Company, Hills Pet Nutrition (NZ) Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Asia Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Canada Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Denmark ApS, Hills Pet Nutrition Espana S.L., Hills Pet Nutrition GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Holding B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Indiana Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition Italia S.r.l., Hills Pet Nutrition Korea Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Ltd., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing B.V., Hills Pet Nutrition Manufacturing s.r.o, Hills Pet Nutrition Norway AS, Hills Pet Nutrition OOO, Hills Pet Nutrition Pty. Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition S.p.A., Hills Pet Nutrition SNC, Hills Pet Nutrition Sales Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition South Africa Proprietary Limited, Hills Pet Nutrition Sweden AB, Hills Pet Nutrition Switzerland GmbH, Hills Pet Nutrition Taiwan Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition Trading (GZ) Co. Ltd, Hills Pet Nutrition de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hills Pet Nutrition de Puerto Rico Inc., Hills Pet Nutrition s.r.o., Hills Pet Products (Benelux) S.A., Hills Pet Products Inc., Hills Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Hills-Colgate (Japan) Ltd., Hopro Liquidating Corp., Hygiene Systemes et Services SA, IES Enterprises Inc., Inmobiliaria Colpal S. de R.L. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Hills S.A. de C.V., Innovacion Creativa S.A. de C.V., Kolynos Corporation, Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Espana S.L.U., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques Italia S.R.L., Laboratoires Filorga Cosmetiques S.A., Laser Brand Toothpaste, Lournay Sales Inc., Mennen Company, Mennen Interamerica Ltd., Mennen Limited, Mennen South Africa Ltd., Mennen de Chile Ltd., Mennen de Nicargua S.A., Mission Hills Property Corporation, Mission Hills S.A. de C.V., Norwood International Incorporated, Olive Music Publishing Corporation, PCA SKIN, Paramount Research Inc., Penny LLC, Pet Chemicals Inc., Physicians Care Alliance LLC, Productos Halogenados Copalven C.A., Purity Holding Company, Purity Music Publishing Corporation, Refresh Company Limited, Samuel Taylor Holdings B.V., Sanex, Sanxiao Company Limited, Services Development Co. Ltd., Societe Generale de Negoce et de Services (GENESE) S.A., The GDN - The Global Distributive Network SAS, The Lournay Company Inc., The MPDP - The Medical and Pharmaceutic Distributive Platform SAS, The Murphy-Phoenix Company, Tom's of Maine, Toms of Maine Holdings Inc., Toms of Maine Inc., Veterinary Companies of America Inc., Vipont Pharmaceutical Inc., and XEB Inc..

Read More
Hilltop Holdings Inc. provides business and consumer banking, and financial products and services. It operates through three segments: Banking, Broker-Dealer, and Mortgage Origination. The Banking segment offers savings, checking, interest-bearing checking, and money market accounts; certificates of deposit; lines and letters of credit, home improvement and equity loans, loans for purchasing and carrying securities, equipment loans and leases, agricultural and commercial real estate loans, and other loans; and commercial and industrial loans, and term and construction finance. This segment also provides treasury management, wealth management, asset management, check cards, safe deposit boxes, online banking, bill pay, trust, and overdraft services; and estate planning, management and administration, investment portfolio management, employee benefit accounts, and individual retirement accounts, as well as automated teller machines. The Broker-Dealer segment offers public finance services that assist public entities in originating, syndicating, and distributing securities of municipalities and political subdivisions; specialized advisory and investment banking services; advice and guidance to arbitrage rebate compliance, portfolio management, and local government investment pool administration; structured finance services, which include advisory services for derivatives and commodities; sells, trades in, and underwrites U.S. government and government agency bonds, corporate bonds, and municipal bonds, as well as mortgage-backed, asset-backed, and commercial mortgage-backed securities and structured products. This segment also provides asset and liability management advisory, clearing, retail, and securities lending services. The Mortgage Origination segment offers mortgage, jumbo, Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Affairs, and United States Department of Agriculture loans. Hilltop Holdings Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
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.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer that provides clothing, accessories, and personal care products under the American Eagle and Aerie brands. The company provides jeans, and specialty apparel and accessories for women and men; and intimates, apparel, activewear, and swim collections, as well as personal care products for women. It also offers graphic tees and other clothing products under the Tailgate brand name; and menswear products under the Todd Snyder New York brand name. As of January 29, 2022, the company operated 880 American Eagle stores, 244 Aerie brand stand-alone stores, and five Todd Snyder stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong. It also ships to 81 countries through its Websites; and offers its merchandise at 260 locations operated by licensees in 28 countries, as well as provides products through its Websites ae.com, aerie.com, and toddsnyder.com. American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Chubb Limited provides insurance and reinsurance products worldwide. The company's North America Commercial P&C Insurance segment offers commercial property, casualty, workers' compensation, package policies, risk management, financial lines, marine, construction, environmental, medical, cyber risk, surety, and excess casualty; and group accident and health insurance to large, middle market, and small commercial businesses. Its North America Personal P&C Insurance segment provides affluent and high net worth individuals and families with homeowners, automobile and collector cars, valuable articles, personal and excess liability, travel insurance, and recreational marine insurance and services. The company's North America Agricultural Insurance segment offers multiple peril crop and crop-hail insurance; and coverage for farm and ranch property, and commercial agriculture products. Its Overseas General Insurance segment provides coverage for traditional commercial property and casualty; specialty categories, such as financial lines, marine, energy, aviation, political risk, and construction risk; and group accident and health, and traditional and specialty personal lines for corporations, middle markets, and small customers through retail brokers, agents, and other channels. The company's Global Reinsurance segment offers traditional and specialty reinsurance under the Chubb Tempest Re brand to property and casualty companies. Its Life Insurance segment provides protection and savings products comprising whole life, endowment plans, individual term life, group term life, medical and health, personal accident, credit life, universal life, and unit linked contracts. The company markets its products primarily through insurance and reinsurance brokers. The company was formerly known as ACE Limited and changed its name to Chubb Limited in January 2016. Chubb Limited was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.
The following companies are subsidiares of Sonic Automotive: AM GA LLC, AM Realty GA LLC, AnTrev LLC, Arngar Inc., Autobahn Inc., Avalon Ford Inc., Car Cash of North Carolina Inc., Cornerstone Acceptance Corporation, ECHOPARK: AM GA LLC, ECHOPARK: AM Realty GA LLC, ECHOPARK: EP Realty NC LLC, ECHOPARK: EP Realty SC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark AZ LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark CA LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark Driver Education LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark FL LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark NC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark Realty TX LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark SC LLC, ECHOPARK: EchoPark TX LLC, ECHOPARK: Echopark Automotive Inc., ECHOPARK: SAI DS LLC, ECHOPARK: SAI DS Realty TX LLC, ECHOPARK: SAI Vehicle Subscription Inc., ECHOPARK: TT Denver LLC, ECHOPARK: TTRE CO 1 LLC, FAA Beverly Hills Inc., FAA Capitol N Inc., FAA Concord H Inc., FAA Concord T Inc., FAA Dublin N Inc., FAA Dublin VWD Inc., FAA Holding Corp., FAA Las Vegas H Inc., FAA Poway H Inc., FAA Poway T Inc., FAA San Bruno Inc., FAA Santa Monica V Inc., FAA Serramonte H Inc., FAA Serramonte Inc., FAA Serramonte L Inc., FAA Stevens Creek Inc., FAA Torrance CPJ Inc., FirstAmerica Automotive Inc., Fort Mill Ford Inc., Franciscan Motors Inc., Frontier Oldsmobile-Cadillac Inc., Kramer Motors Incorporated, L Dealership Group Inc., Marcus David Corporation, Massey Cadillac Inc. (TN-MI), Mountain States Motors Co. Inc., North Point Imports LLC, Ontario L LLC, Philpott Motors Ltd., SAI AL HC1 Inc., SAI AL HC2 Inc., SAI Ann Arbor Imports LLC, SAI Atlanta B LLC, SAI Broken Arrow C LLC, SAI Calabasas A LLC, SAI Chamblee V LLC, SAI Charlotte M LLC, SAI Chattanooga N LLC, SAI Clearwater T LLC, SAI Cleveland N LLC, SAI Columbus Motors LLC, SAI Columbus T LLC, SAI Columbus VWK LLC, SAI Conroe N LLC, SAI Denver B Inc., SAI Denver C Inc., SAI Denver M Inc., SAI FL HC1 Inc., SAI FL HC2 Inc., SAI FL HC3 Inc., SAI FL HC4 Inc., SAI FL HC7 Inc., SAI Fairfax B LLC, SAI Fort Myers B LLC, SAI Fort Myers H LLC, SAI Fort Myers M LLC, SAI Fort Myers VW LLC, SAI GA HC1 LLC, SAI Irondale Imports LLC, SAI Irondale L LLC, SAI Long Beach B Inc., SAI MD HC1 Inc., SAI McKinney M LLC, SAI Monrovia B Inc., SAI Montgomery B LLC, SAI Montgomery BCH LLC, SAI Montgomery CH LLC, SAI Nashville CSH LLC, SAI Nashville H LLC, SAI Nashville M LLC, SAI Nashville Motors LLC, SAI OK HC1 Inc., SAI Oklahoma City C LLC, SAI Oklahoma City H LLC, SAI Oklahoma City T LLC, SAI Orlando CS LLC, SAI Peachtree LLC, SAI Pensacola A LLC, SAI Philpott T LLC, SAI Riverside C LLC, SAI Roaring Fork LR Inc., SAI Rockville Imports LLC, SAI Rockville L LLC, SAI S. Atlanta JLR LLC, SAI SIC Inc., SAI Santa Clara K Inc., SAI Stone Mountain T LLC, SAI TN HC1 LLC, SAI TN HC2 LLC, SAI TN HC3 LLC, SAI Tulsa N LLC, SAI Tulsa T LLC, SAI Tysons Corner H LLC, SAI Tysons Corner I LLC, SAI VA HC1 Inc., SAI VS GA LLC, SAI VS TX LLC, SAI Vehicle Subscription Inc., SAI West Houston B LLC, SRE Alabama  2 LLC, SRE Alabama  5 LLC, SRE Alabama  6 LLC, SRE California 10 LBB LLC, SRE California 11 PH LLC, SRE California  1 LLC, SRE California  2 LLC, SRE California  3 LLC, SRE California  4 LLC, SRE California  5 LLC, SRE California  6 LLC, SRE California  7 SCB LLC, SRE California  8 SCH LLC, SRE California  9 BHB LLC, SRE Colorado  1 LLC, SRE Colorado  2 LLC, SRE Colorado  3 LLC, SRE Colorado  4 RF LLC, SRE Colorado  5 CC LLC, SRE Florida  1 LLC, SRE Florida  2 LLC, SRE Georgia 4 LLC, SRE Georgia 5 LLC, SRE Georgia 6 LLC, SRE Holding LLC, SRE Maryland  1 LLC, SRE Nevada  2 LLC, SRE North Carolina  2 LLC, SRE North Carolina  3 LLC, SRE Ohio 1 LLC, SRE Ohio 2 LLC, SRE Oklahoma  1 LLC, SRE Oklahoma  2 LLC, SRE Oklahoma  5 LLC, SRE South Carolina  2 LLC, SRE South Carolina  3 LLC, SRE South Carolina  4 LLC, SRE Tennessee 6 LLC, SRE Tennessee 7 LLC, SRE Tennessee  1 LLC, SRE Tennessee  2 LLC, SRE Tennessee  3 LLC, SRE Tennessee  4 LLC, SRE Tennessee  5 LLC, SRE Texas 10 LLC, SRE Texas 11 LLC, SRE Texas 12 LLC, SRE Texas 13 LLC, SRE Texas 14 LLC, SRE Texas 15 LLC, SRE Texas 16 LLC, SRE Texas 9 LLC, SRE Texas  1 LP, SRE Texas  2 LP, SRE Texas  3 LP, SRE Texas  4 LP, SRE Texas  5 LP, SRE Texas  6 LP, SRE Texas  7 LP, SRE Texas  8 LP, SRE Virginia - 1 LLC, SRE Virginia  2 LLC, SRM Assurance Ltd., Santa Clara Imported Cars Inc., Sonic 2185 Chapman Rd. Chattanooga LLC, Sonic Advantage PA LP, Sonic Automotive - 1720 Mason Ave. DB LLC, Sonic Automotive 2424 Laurens Rd. Greenville Inc., Sonic Automotive 2752 Laurens Rd. Greenville Inc., Sonic Automotive Aviation LLC, Sonic Automotive F&I LLC, Sonic Automotive Support LLC, Sonic Automotive West LLC, Sonic Automotive of Chattanooga LLC, Sonic Automotive of Nashville LLC, Sonic Automotive of Nevada Inc., Sonic Automotive of Texas LP, Sonic Automotive  1495 Automall Drive Columbus Inc., Sonic Automotive  1720 Mason Ave. DB Inc., Sonic Automotive  2490 South Lee Highway LLC, Sonic Automotive  3401 N. Main TX LP, Sonic Automotive  4701 I-10 East TX LP, Sonic Automotive  6008 N. Dale Mabry FL Inc., Sonic Automotive  9103 E. Independence NC LLC, Sonic Calabasas M Inc., Sonic Development LLC, Sonic Divisional Operations LLC, Sonic FFC 1 Inc., Sonic FFC 2 Inc., Sonic FFC 3 Inc., Sonic Fremont Inc., Sonic Houston JLR LP, Sonic Houston LR LP, Sonic Momentum B LP, Sonic Momentum JVP LP, Sonic Momentum VWA LP, Sonic Resources Inc., Sonic Santa Monica M Inc., Sonic Santa Monica S Inc., Sonic Walnut Creek M Inc., Sonic Wilshire Cadillac Inc., Sonic eStore Inc., Sonic of Texas Inc., Sonic  Buena Park H Inc., Sonic  Cadillac D LP, Sonic  Calabasas A Inc., Sonic  Calabasas V Inc., Sonic  Camp Ford LP, Sonic  Capitol Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Capitol Imports Inc., Sonic  Carrollton V LP, Sonic  Carson F Inc., Sonic  Carson LM Inc., Sonic  Clear Lake N LP, Sonic  Clear Lake Volkswagen LP, Sonic  Denver T Inc., Sonic  Downey Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Fort Mill Chrysler Jeep Inc., Sonic  Fort Mill Dodge Inc., Sonic  Fort Worth T LP, Sonic  Frank Parra Autoplex LP, Sonic  Harbor City H Inc., Sonic  Houston V LP, Sonic  Integrity Dodge LV LLC, Sonic  Jersey Village Volkswagen LP, Sonic  LS Chevrolet LP, Sonic  LS LLC, Sonic  Lake Norman Chrysler Jeep LLC, Sonic  Las Vegas C West LLC, Sonic  Lloyd Nissan Inc., Sonic  Lloyd Pontiac  Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Lone Tree Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Lute Riley LP, Sonic  Massey Cadillac LP, Sonic  Massey Chevrolet Inc., Sonic  Mesquite Hyundai LP, Sonic  Newsome Chevrolet World Inc., Sonic  Newsome of Florence Inc., Sonic  North Charleston Dodge Inc., Sonic  North Charleston Inc., Sonic  Plymouth Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Richardson F LP, Sonic  Sanford Cadillac Inc., Sonic  Shottenkirk Inc., Sonic  Stevens Creek B Inc., Sonic  Volvo LV LLC, Sonic  West Covina T Inc., Sonic  Williams Cadillac Inc., Stevens Creek Cadillac Inc., The Sonic Automotive Family Emergency Fund (SAFE), Town and Country Ford Incorporated, and Windward Inc..

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of Lloyds Banking Group: A G Finance Ltd, A.C.L. Ltd, ACL Autolease Holdings Ltd, ADF No.1 Pty Ltd, Addison Social Housing Holdings Ltd, Alex Lawrie Factors Ltd, Alex. Lawrie Receivables Financing Ltd, Amberdate Ltd, Anglo Scottish Utilities Partnership 1, Aquilus Ltd, Automobile Association Personal Finance Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services 2 Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 2) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 3) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland)) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 1 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 2 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 3 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 4 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 5 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 6 plc, BOS (USA) Fund Investments Inc., BOS (USA) Inc., BOS Edinburgh No 1 Ltd, BOS Mistral Ltd, BOS Personal Lending Ltd, BOSSAF Rail Ltd, Bank of Scotland (B G S) Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland (Stanlife) London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Branch Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Central Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Equipment Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Foundation, Bank of Scotland LNG Leasing (No 1) Ltd, Bank of Scotland London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Nominees (Unit Trusts) Ltd, Bank of Scotland P.E.P. Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Structured Asset Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Transport Finance 1 Ltd, Bank of Scotland plc, Bank of Wales Ltd, Barents Leasing Ltd, Barnwood Mortgages Ltd, Birchcrown Finance Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Financial Services Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Land Development Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd, Black Horse (TRF) Ltd, Black Horse Executive Mortgages Ltd, Black Horse Finance Holdings Ltd, Black Horse Finance Management Ltd, Black Horse Group Ltd, Black Horse Ltd, Black Horse Offshore Ltd, Black Horse Property Services Ltd, Boltro Nominees Ltd, British Linen Leasing (London) Ltd, British Linen Leasing Ltd, British Linen Shipping Ltd, C.T.S.B. Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley  Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley  Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business.

Read More
India Globalization Capital, Inc. purchases and resells physical infrastructure commodities. It operates through two segments, Infrastructure and Life Sciences. The company rents heavy construction equipment, including motor grader and rollers; and undertakes highway construction contracts. It also develops cannabinoid-based products and therapies, such as hemp-based tinctures to treat anxiety, and enhance the lifestyle of patients suffering from Alzheimer's under the Hyalolex brand name; CBD based tinctures, capsules, and topical analgesic creams to treat pain under the Holief brand name; CBD powered beauty and skincare products under the Herbo brand name; and CBD infused beverages under the Sunday Seltzer brand. The company also engages in the wholesale of hemp extract under the Holi Hemp brand; production of products, such as lotions, creams, and oils, as well as white labeling support services; and extraction and distillation of crude oil into hemp extracts. It operates in the United States, India, Colombia, and Hong Kong. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Potomac, Maryland.
Bank of Hawaii Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Bank of Hawaii that provides various financial products and services in Hawaii, Guam, and other Pacific Islands. It operates in three segments: Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking, and Treasury and Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers checking, savings, and time deposit accounts; residential mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, automobile loans and leases, personal lines of credit, installment loans, small business loans and leases, and credit cards; private and international client banking, investment, credit, and trust services to individuals and families, and high-net-worth individuals; investment management; institutional investment advisory services to corporations, government entities, and foundations; and brokerage offerings, including equities, mutual funds, life insurance, and annuity products. This segment operates 54 branch locations and 307 ATMs throughout Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, and a customer service center, as well as through online and mobile banking. The Commercial Banking segment provides corporate banking, commercial real estate loans, commercial lease financing, auto dealer financing, and deposit products. It offers commercial lending and deposit products to middle-market and large companies, and government entities; commercial real estate mortgages to investors, developers, and builders; and international banking and merchant services. The Treasury and Other segment offers corporate asset and liability management services, including interest rate risk management and foreign exchange services. Bank of Hawaii Corporation was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Thousands of Iranians vented anger in protests in Irans second largest city, Mashhad, chanting slogans critical of the governments decision to rise food prices.

The protesters who denounced President Hassan Rouhani raised banners saying Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran in a rant against Irans spending on regional influence to the detriment of improving the living conditions of the locals in Iran.

Demonstrators also chanted leave Syria, think about us, criticizing Irans deployment of troops to support President Bashar al-Assad against the uprising that broke out in 2011.

Many Iranians believe their economic situation has not improved due to corruption and mismanagement.

Unemployment stood at 12.4 percent in this fiscal year, according to the Statistical Centre of Iran, up 1.4 percent from the previous year. About 3.2 million Iranians are jobless, out of a total population of 80 million.
This past year saw significant failures in South Africas technology and telecommunications sectors.

The governments failed spectrum policy was a recurring theme this year, with the Minister of Telecommunications and the mobile operators battling over spectrum and the planned WOAN.

The biggest tech failures in South Africa of 2017 are listed below.

Spectrum

Valuable wireless network capacity was once again unassigned in 2017, which Vodacom head of innovation Jannie van Zyl rated as one of the years big disappointemts.

MyBroadband founder Rudolph Muller agreed, stating that the government insisted on sticking with its failed spectrum policy and is now pushing an agenda to build a Wireless Open Access Network.

This is instead of assigning spectrum to organisations which have proven they can use it effectively.

Digital TV migration

A reason for the lack of spectrum assignment, according to the government, is that the migration from analogue to digital television broadcasting is not complete.

This will free the digital dividend, a chunk of low-frequency spectrum ideal for wide-area coverage  such as LTE in rural areas.

In principle the idea sounds great  assign 2.6GHz spectrum and the 800MHz digital dividend spectrum together.

Unfortunately, the migration has been delayed multiple times. The latest target is June 2019  eight years behind schedule.

Master deeds leak

Van Zyl also highlighted the leak of the personal details of nearly every living South African as another big failure this year.

This was as a result of a company leaving an unsecured backup of its database of every person in the country with an ID number on its web server.

In the end, its poor security left the records of over 75 million people at risk.

Water shortage

Another significant failure in South Africa is not using technology to address the water shortage in Cape Town, said Van Zyl.

The City has implemented strict water restrictions and issued warnings to citizens that dam levels are critically low.

Now read: Short notice for new law to take back Vodacom and MTN spectrum
YEREVAN.  In terms of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, 2017 was not a year of progress, but instead, of a regress, expert on Turkic studies Vahram Ter-Matevosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, in December the foreign ministries of two countries exchanged statements which showed that there is no sign of mutual trust.

First of all, it is at least strange that Turkey responded to the September speech of the President of Armenia at UN three months later, and used Foreign Minister Nalbandian's statement in Athens as a convenient occasion. To say that the December statement of the Turkish Foreign Ministry is at least controversial, means to say nothing. The 479-word text contained a few statements and allegations that are bewildering, the expert said.

According to him, the incomprehensible and self-interested interpretation of the January decision by Constitutional Court of Armenia back in 2010, the Armenian Diaspora's claims, the assertion of Turkey's unconditional dedication to the ratification of the protocols, the subordination of the fact of the Armenian genocide to the Khojaly events of the Azerbaijani propaganda, the connection of the Artsakh conflict to the Armenian-Turkish relations show that Turkey continues to have a more solid position than years ago.

According to Ter-Matevosyan, such statements distort not only the past facts but also increase the gap that has deepened over the last few years.

Official Ankara, which appears in a statement as a supporter of a comprehensive peace and stability in the South Caucasus, should first of all lift its 26-year-old blockade. Unfortunately, for already 26 years Turkey speaks the language of intimidation and blackmail with Armenia, and this is not properly condemned by international organizations. Armenia has something to do in this regard, he said.

Last September, the Armenian leader announced that if nothing changes before the beginning of the spring, Armenia will void 2009 Zurich protocols.

I think that step will be made very soon, Ter-Matevosyan added. Many years ago, I said that when making such a statement all the representatives of all the countries and structures, which were also present in Zurich, should be present. The step of canceling the protocols should be a collective manifestation of criticism against Turkish authorities. Turkey deceived the whole international community and faced no consequences. At the same time, Armenia should announce an alternative roadmap. Armenia should seek ways to resolve a number of urgent issues related to bilateral and multilateral relations without having diplomatic relations. It is possible to involve international agencies and mediators who can support Armenia to advance some agenda issues.
YEREVAN.  A number of important events took place in Turkey last year, from which its worthy to mention the referendum on constitutional changes in April and persecutions against the Gulen supporters, political analyst Vahram Ter-Matevosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He believes the opposition in Turkey remains paralyzed.

Though Erdogan succeeded in reaching his goal, and a part of society voted for the proposed constitutional amendments, still it was clear that it could hardly be called a victory. The slight difference between the for and against votes, the open dissatisfaction of a large part of society and the fraud that Erdogan and his team made in the election campaign showed that the split and polarization of the Turkish society continues, the expert said.

He noted that during the months following the referendum, Erdogans step by step authoritarian manifestations became more obvious.

As a result, the mechanisms of mutual counterweight between different branches of authority in Turkey became more formal, almost completely accommodated to Erdogan's will. Opposition continues to be paralyzed. The two co-chairs, nine deputies and 80 mayors of the Pro-Kurdish Democratic Party, continue to be in prison, and the propositions of the largest oppositional Republican People's Party do not go beyond speeches and marches. The new opposition force formed in the past year, the Good party, although started its path quite promising, but still, didnt come out with any memorable steps, Ter-Matevosyan said.

He noted that the next issue of domestic political processes in Turkey was extension of the emergency regime and its endless series of trials, imprisonments, detentions, arrests and dismissals.

Since July 2016, a total of 148,000 government officials, teachers, professors, civil servants and scientists have been dismissed based on a series of government decisions concerning the ongoing struggle against the Gulen supporters, the Kurdish Workers' Party, and the Islamic State. About 3,000 schools, dormitories and universities have been closed, and about 6,000 scholars and researchers have been dismissed. 187 media agencies were closed in 18 months and 308 journalists were arrested. It's no coincidence that as in previous years, Turkey continues to be the largest prisoner of journalists.

This resulted in an atmosphere of fear and mutual suspicion. Journalists, analysts and researchers living in Turkey, who somehow expressed their position on important domestic political issues a few years ago, avoided voicing criticism against the government over the past 2-3 years.
Armenia to receive loan of 100 million and $100 million to finance budget: Agreements are signed

Cavusoglu accuses U.S. and EU of pressure and threats against members of TDT

Hungary: EU wants new sanctions to somehow justify its flawed decisions

RBC TV channel does not publish interview with Ruben Vardanyan because of Azeri threats

Armenian Central Election Commission representatives to monitor presidential election in Kazakhstan

Newspaper: Deputies from ruling party go on another 'voyage'

Cavusoglu calls incident in Poland 'accident'

Biden administration says Saudi prince has immunity in lawsuit over Khashoggi murder

Marukyan reminds Aliyev: The UN, OSCE and EU do not deal with the 'internal matter'

Azerbaijani MP demands 'serious conversation with adherents of Iranian influence in Azerbaijan'

Inflation in Japan accelerates to 40-year high

Seoul and Riyadh sign $30 billion investment agreements

North Korea launches intercontinental ballistic missile that lands near Japan

FBI: U.S. concerned about China 'setting up' unauthorized 'police stations' in U.S. cities

Prime Minister of Finland: Europe is now too reliant on Chinese technology

Turkey to require insurance from oil tankers when passing through its waters

EU to provide Ukraine with generators and kits to repair power grids

Turkey sentences sect founder to 8,658 years in prison

Xi Jinping urges world to abandon any Cold War mentality

Aliyev rules out talks with Artsakh State Minister

FP: Ukraine's appetite for weapons depletes Western stocks

Putin and Aliyev discuss energy cooperation

Armenian financial technologies to enter international market: VISA and Idram sign memorandum in Yerevan

Incident in Poland causes disagreement between Kyiv and West

Mark Milley urges Kyiv and Moscow to find political solution: Chances of military victory are unlikely

New NATO Secretary General to be announced at Vilnius summit in 2023

Finnish Defense Ministry announces largest batch of military aid to Ukraine

Pashinyan receives Ukrainian businessmen of Armenian origin

Armenian soldier wounded in Azerbaijani shooting

Erdogan: Turkey-Israel relations entered a new phase of development

Mishustin: Cooperation between Moscow and Baku has become truly strategic and allied

Igor Khovaev to visit Baku

Mishustin arrives in Baku

Russian Foreign Ministry: South Caucasus is a strategic transport hub for Eurasia

U.S. general lays flowers at eternal flame at Armenian Genocide memorial

Republicans stand for same-sex marriage rights

Pallone says US State Department should not hesitate to speak about Azerbaijani aggression

Aliyev refuses to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh and threatens Armenia with new aggression

Greek minister doesn't get off plane to meet head of Libya's presidential council

Sergey Lavrov to visit Yerevan

Lebanese parliament fails to elect president of country

Kremlin on Zelenskyy's proposal to hold 'public' talks

National Assembly Speaker: Armenia is extremely interested in establishing strategic relations with Georgia

Canada provides additional military aid to Ukraine

Representatives of defense agencies of CSTO countries discuss crisis response issues

Armenian Defense Minister and American General discuss defense cooperation

Tehran accuses Israel and West of trying to organize civil war in Iran

Oppositionist: No guarantees that war with Azerbaijan can be avoided

Issue of biometric passports to Armenian citizens is temporarily suspended

Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement to be signed till end of year? Pashinyan's associate voices conditions

Erdogan says Russia and US agreed to refrain from using nuclear weapons

Azerbaijani oppositionist complains of torture by police

Kyaram Sloyan and Andranik Zohrabyan posthumously bestowed 'Hero of Artsakh' title

UN Secretary General Guterres welcomes parties' agreement on renewal of food deal

Eurasian Development Bank: Armenia is the leader among EEU countries in terms of economic growth

Greece promises to continue military support to Ukraine

Number of appeals from Azerbaijan to ECHR is growing

Pashinyan: The wheel of processes related to confiscation of illegal property is spinning

Fire hits Baghdad airport

North Korea fires ballistic missile towards Sea of Japan

Istanbul agrees to extend 'grain initiative' for another 120 days

'Hayastan' Fund to build 6 residential houses in Nerkin Khndzoresk village

Vocal as Russophobic propaganda: Azerbaijani singer sings about 'disgusting peacekeepers'

Biden congratulates Republicans on winning majority in House of Representatives

14 freight cars derailed in Kazakhstan, train traffic suspended

Newspaper: Ruben Vardanyan does not hurry to make changes in composition of Karabakh government

Russia attacks Ukraine with missiles in morning: Explosions heard in Dnieper, air defense works in Kyiv region

U.S. National Security Council: It is clear that the party ultimately responsible for this tragic incident is Russia

Gold prices decline

Russian Trade Representative to Armenia: Situation at Upper Lars checkpoint is not related to geopolitical issues

Trade Representative of Russia: Trade turnover with Armenia sets new record

Copper falls in price

Gas explodes in Fatih district of Istanbul, 10 people injured

Oil prices go down

Meteorite that fell in Britain contains key information about how oceans and life formed on Earth

Gamer drinks 12 energy drinks in ten minutes and ends up in hospital

Chinese customs officers accidentally find cockroach unknown to science

Man removes cobra's teeth with manicure pliers and gets arrested

Sweden to provide Ukraine with new military aid worth $287 million

Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania meet conditions for joining Schengen zone

Oil prices may reach $120 a barrel and stay at this level for 2 years

Zelenskyy receives 'signals' that Putin wants direct talks

Security Service of Ukraine puts Ramzan Kadyrov on wanted list

Unidentified men open fire at market in Izeh city in southwestern Iran

Karen Donfried tries to explain State Department's decision to exempt Azerbaijan from 907th Amendment

Philip Reeker says U.S. administration representatives have no access to Nagorno-Karabakh

Rimac Nevera sets speed record for production electric cars

Reeker: Pace and depth of current talks between Yerevan and Baku demonstrate potential to resolve conflict

FBI director considers TikTok threat to US National Security

Bob Menendez says Ukraine supplies Azerbaijan with phosphorus bombs it used in Karabakh

Delegation headed by Speaker of Armenian Parliament is in Tbilisi

Austin: U.S. intends to continue supplying weapons and aid to Ukraine during winter

Armenian politician charged with abuse of office, money laundering

Donfried says Armenia and Azerbaijan have historic opportunity to establish lasting peace

Bob Menendez: How on earth can we justify sending any support, security or otherwise, to the regime in Baku?

Azerbaijan fires at residents of Sarushen village of Artsakh

Head of Portugal's Finance Ministry: EU countries must work faster on energy intervention

Kuwait executes 7 prisoners

Czech Republic plans to train up to 4,000 Ukrainian servicemen next year

Ukraine once again asks US for powerful drones
YEREVAN.  Armenia will do its outmost to return our relatives who left the country, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in his traditional New Year message.

Honorable citizens of the Republic of Armenia, Dear Compatriots, I would like to thank you before we bid farewell to 2017. I am grateful to soldiers and workers, intellectuals and businessmen of Armenia for selfless work, patriotism and patience, President said addressing the Armenians.

Let the faith for our people and the future of the country give us strength in the New Year. We are gathered at the table to celebrate. All of us are summing up the passing year, expressing gratitude to God. Lets greet 2018 with positive emotions of friendship and love. 2017 was a year of consistent work and implementation of serious projects, the rate of large-scale changes has not reduced, and, it made the changes more determined. The achievements are first of all the positive results we have this year.

And yet we have to work much to consolidate the foundations of the Armenian statehood and society. Our ambitions are great and we will be consistent in their implementation. We will continue to safeguard the rights and interests of Artsakh. Every citizen of Armenia should feel the work of the Armenian authorities and should give us a sense of confidence. We have a wonderful country and we should be proud of being a citizen of such a country.

Dear Compatriots, in 2017 we elected a new National Assembly.

The political competition was hot, but the atmosphere was constructive. We avoided hostility and separation of the opposing camps. It is much more important than the percent of votes.

This is another sound trend that we have to move from the past year to a new one. From now on, mutual respect, tolerance and solidarity are the constant guidelines of Armenias political life. At the end of next year, we will finish our work on a new government system. It is a wonderful coincidence that we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Armenia in 2018.

We can confidently say that this date is approaching with stronger and more developed state and non-governmental organizations. Together we will return our relatives who have left Armenia. They will come because they will see a bigger area for working and expressing themselves in Armenia. The purpose of our work is to open new opportunities, to create a wider field of activity for every citizen of Armenia.

Dear compatriots,

In 2017, we gave impetus to the strengthening of our Armed Forces. As a result of the changes, the parents sending their child to the army should be confident that he is serving in the Armed Forces with excellent organization and exceptional discipline. Lets wish our servicemen good service. Lets express our gratitude to those safeguarding our peace.

Another year in the millenniums of Armenia and the history of our young independent statehood. Let the Armenian-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity continue to strengthen in 2018, let our borders be secure and our homes hospitable.

Let us lift a glass and wish peace to Armenia, warmth and strength to our families. And, lets never forget that family is the foundation of our country. May always the atmosphere of love, happiness, care and understanding be at each home. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!
Stanford researcher gets six-figure settlement from James Joyce Estate

Stanford scholar Carol Shloss breakthrough settlement against the James Joyce Estate gives hope to beleaguered researchers.

The Stanford scholar who wrote a controversial biography of James Joyce's daughter has settled her claims for attorneys' fees against the Joyce Estate for $240,000. The settlement successfully ends a tangled saga that has continued for two decades.

As a result of an earlier settlement reached in 2007, consulting English Professor Carol Loeb Shloss already had achieved the right to domestic online publication of the supportive scholarship the Joyce Estate had forced her to remove from Lucia Joyce: To Dance in the Wake (2003). She also had achieved the right to republish the book in the United States with the expurgated material restored. After that settlement was reached, Shloss asked the court to award the attorneys' fees and costs she had incurred in bringing her suit, and the court granted that request. The parties eventually settled the amount of the fees and litigation costs Shloss and her counsel were to receive at $240,000.

Shloss' suit was championed by the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society's Fair Use Project, with the assistance of attorneys from Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin and Keker & Van Nest of San Francisco, and Doerner, Saunders, Daniel & Anderson of Tulsa, Okla.

The estate of the celebrated Irish author of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, under the guidance of Joyce's grandson, Stephen James Joyce, had become notorious in scholarly circles for its conflicts with scholars, authors and Joyce enthusiasts. The estate's history of suits and threats of suit has been the subject of many articles.

L.A. Cicero Stanford scholar Carol Shloss

Stephen Joyce has stopped countless public readings of his grandfather's works and discouraged a generation of research. At one point, he told a prominent Joyce scholar that he was no longer giving permission to quote from any of Joyce's work. He told one performer, who had simply memorized a portion of Finnegans Wake for an onstage presentation, that he had probably "already infringed" on the estate's copyright, according to a 2006 New Yorker story. (The performer later discovered that Joyce did not have the right to block his performance.) Shloss herself recalls a conference where a scholar had Joyce's words projected on a screen rather than risk pronouncing the words in a recorded session.

"It's a breakthrough, not just for me but for everybody who has to deal with a literary estate," said Shloss. "This has been going on for decades. Scholars are not wealthy people. We don't have easy access to the legal system to determine and vindicate our rights if someone threatens us with a lawsuit. You just have to give in.

"When the Stanford Law School took this on, Larry Lessig [now at Harvard University] said, 'That's disgusting,' and the tables turned. Suddenly scholars had some legal support for an issue that had been stifling our lives for decades."

Shloss said that the suit is a game-changer because now literary "estates know they can get hurt."

"They know that scholars have resources now. They just can't be bullies," she said. "We've established that if you don't pay attention to the rights of scholars, authors and researchers the copyright laws protect, you might have to pay something as the Joyce Estate has had to pay."

In a tartly worded Feb. 24 filing to determine attorneys' fees and costs, Shloss and her legal team argued that "the cost of litigating this case, which was substantial, was a direct result of the Estate's assiduous and energetic efforts to prevent Shloss from exercising the rights the U.S. copyright laws encourage, and its 'scorched earth' approach to litigating the early stages of the case to see if it could bully Shloss into capitulation."

Shloss began researching her book in 1988. During a visit to Stephen Joyce's Paris home that year, the writer's grandson warned her of his determination to protect what he considered the Joyce family's privacy rights. After studying the 50 unpublished notebooks that the author used to write Finnegans Wake, Shloss challenged the long-accepted image of Lucia Joyce, who was institutionalized in mental asylums for decades, as the schizophrenic daughter of a man of genius. Instead, Shloss saw the young dancer as a creative, independent figure who was an inspiration for her father's work.

In subsequent years, according to a 2006 court filing, the author's grandson and the estate's trustee made "attempts to interfere with Shloss' research, to stop publication of her book, to damage her relationship with her employer, and to misuse the copyrights they control."

Photo by C. Ruf, Zurich, ca. 1918 Source: Cornell Joyce Collection James Joyce

In 2002, when Shloss' book was nearing publication, Joyce pressured her publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, to delete material from the book or face a lawsuit. The publisher complied rather than fight the issue.

In the deleted material, Shloss links Joyce's chronological observations about his daughter, as related in his notebooks, as a "consistent influence on the final text of Finnegans Wake." Joyce is in an "edgy, almost surrealistic, comic mode" as he describes the budding sexuality of his daughter in her interactions with his son, and himself as an older man watching almost voyeuristically. The account "still bears the specificity of his children's lives: Issy [modeled on Lucia] still whistles, drops handkerchiefs, waits for her male counterpart to pick them up with his feet, worries that she'll be forgotten."

When an expurgated Lucia was published in 2003, the reviews were, as Shloss said she had anticipated, mixed. The New York Times said her unsupported arguments made the book "read more like an exercise in wish fulfillment than a biography." The New Yorker noted that "the less Shloss knows, the more she tells us." The San Francisco Chronicle noted that Shloss added "a daunting quality of her own speculations, surmises and unconvincingly supported suppositions."

Shloss responded by creating in 2005, and later revising, an electronic supplement to Lucia . The website was restricted to U.S. access only, and the additional material was designed to be protected by copyright's "fair use" doctrine.

The Joyce Estate responded with a series of strongly worded letters. To protect herself and her work, Shloss filed a suit for declaratory relief in June 2006, guided by the Stanford Center for Internet and Society and the center's private-sector co-counsel. The estate fired back with a 475-page motion to dismiss and to strike, attacking the quality of Shloss' scholarship and arguing that, despite the estate's threats, there was no dispute for the court to adjudicate. The court ruled against the estate in March 2007, finding that Shloss' suit should go forward. A settlement in 2007 allowed Shloss to publish her supplement on the Internet and in print in the United States, as she had sought in her lawsuit, but did not address attorneys' fees. A full settlement including the payment of attorneys' fees and costs to Shloss and her counsel was not completed until recently.

For Shloss, the decision is "a vindication of my scholarship. I knew the scholarship was excellent. But I'd had to take the evidence out."

On the initial settlement in 2007, Lessig had said, "We will continue to defend academics threatened by overly aggressive copyright holders, as well as other creators for whom the intended protections of 'fair use' do not work in practice. I am hopeful that this is the last time this defendant will be involved in an action like this. But it is only the first time that we will be defending academics in these contexts."

Shloss said she is happy to leave behind the tangled legal saga that had "defined my life for years."

"This has always been running in the background, always something happening in my name, filled with papers I have to read and understand," she said. "It's a relief not to have double life  professional life and legal life  running in parallel. I was receiving threatening letters from the Joyce Estate long before I found the Fair Use Project and Larry Lessig.

"Larry's the one who said, 'This should not be happening to you.' And then we began to work together with the Stanford center and the private law firms. That's when the tables turned. It's a real Stanford story. Most people can't do this. These are fabulous people to work with. Really fabulous."

Media Contact

Cynthia Haven, Stanford News Service: (650) 724-6184, cynthia.haven@stanford.edu
The Pizza Hut restaurant on La Crosses South Side opened Dec. 19 at its new location in the former Radio Shack space in Shelby Mall. And the local Pizza Hut franchisee plans to add a store this spring in the new Shoppes at Hale building at 129 Hale Drive, near the new Festival Foods store in Holmen.

The two Pizza Huts in La Crosse and the one in Winona were purchased this fall by a new franchisee, Eagle Bluff Pizza Partners LLC, in McKinney, Texas.

Mike Baird, one of Eagle Bluffs partners, said last week that the south La Crosse restaurant moved to Shelby Mall from 2028 Ward Ave. The restaurant had been an older one and we just wanted to update the concept and bring some new life and vibrancy to the brand and the community, Baird said of the move. The grand opening celebration at the new location probably will be in a few weeks, he said.

Baird also said his company has leased a space in the Shoppes at Hale in Holmen. Were going for building permits now, he said. Our target is to be open by mid-March.

The Holmen location will be primarily a carry-out and delivery store, Baird set. It will have like five tables in it for people who want to eat there, he said.

The Pizza Hut at 2212 Rose St. in La Crosse now provides delivery service to Holmen, Baird set. We think we can improve our service times and service levels in Holmen by having a store there, he said. And Holmen is growing.

The Gifted Hands store at 1200 Caledonia St. closed temporarily Saturday, and new owners plan to reopen it in mid-January as Gifted Hands Redesigned, after a facelift.

As of this week, Cheryl Dennison and Kelley Becker have taken over the North Side business. They also own Craft & Vendor Marketplace at 511 Main St. in downtown La Crosse. They opened that business in August 2015, and its been at its current location since March.

Since 1981, a unit of La Crosse County government had operated Gifted Hands, which has sold on consignment handcrafted items made by senior citizens. But county officials decided they couldnt financially justify continuing to do that, and began looking for other ways to continue the store.

The county came to us in mid-summer and asked if wed consider (taking over) because they wanted to get out of the retail business, Dennison said.

Dennison and Becker have adopted Gifted Hands, Dennison said. It needs a facelift and when we reopen it, it will be Gifted Hands Redesigned. We look forward to being part of the North Sides revitalization.

Dennison and Becker will rent spaces to vendors, as they do at their downtown location. I think it will have more variety than it has had, Dennison said of the Caledonia Street store. As to where the merchandise comes from, she said, Well open it up to people of any age and from anyplace.

Verve, a Credit Union, will open its new branch at 110 Hale Drive, near the new Festival Foods store in Holmen, at 10 a.m. Jan. 8. Its current Holmen branch location at 515 Amy Drive will be closed on Saturday to accommodate the move.

Verve officials said the move to Hale Drive will give area members access to more services through innovative technology; more space in a larger, stand-alone building and easier access through a more convenient location just off South Holmen Drive, near Highway 53.

Our new location gives us more room inside and at the drive-up to serve our members, and the ability to add cutting-edge technology to expand our service offerings to include investments, mortgages and business accounts in Holmen, said Chris Butler, Verves regional president.

Verve officials said the new office was designed to enhance digital banking options and improve face-to-face banking for more involved transactions. The branch has video screens in its drive-up, a Technology Pod with iPads so members can ask questions about online banking, and video conferencing services so members can connect with Verve staff members at other locations including those involved in such things as business lending, investments and mortgages.

After the move, lobby hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. Drive-up hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. For more information, visit www.verveacu.com.

Jimmy Johns Gourmet Sandwiches is coming to Tomah, and the communitys Verizon Wireless store will move into the other space in the same new building.

Footings and foundation work began this month for the new building at 222 Buan St., just off Hwy. 21 on the North Side of Tomah. The two businesses are expected to open this spring or summer in the building, which is going up near a Starbucks coffee shop.
Is North Korea preparing for a devastating Anthrax attack on South Korea?

A soldier who defected from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea to the communist regimes southern neighbor has been identified as having total immunity to anthrax, possibly suggesting that North Korea could be planning to utilize the deadly bacteria in an upcoming chemical weapons attack.

According to reports, the unidentified individual had to have either been exposed to anthrax or vaccinated against it while living under dictator Kim Jong-un, as his body recently tested positive for anthrax antibodies.

This latest discovery has generated renewed fears that North Korea could be planning to attack one of its neighbors  the most likely candidate being American ally South Korea. If North Koreas own soldiers are immune to anthrax, as appears to be the case, then chances are the rogue entity is conspiring to go after its enemies who arent.

Earlier evidence pointing towards this scenario emerged back in 2015 when analysts found that the Pyongyang Biological Technology Research Institute, which is run by the Korean Peoples Army Unit 810, possessed dual-use equipment capable of producing pesticides and something else. This something else, reports suggested, could be biological weapons.

Just last month, it was further claimed by officials in Pyongyang that North Korea is now actively testing biological weapons, the aim of which is to lead anthrax-laden warheads onto its intercontinental ballistic missiles. If this is the case, then even the United States is now at risk of a possible biological attack.

As reported by Japans Asahi newspaper, U.S. officials were apparently aware that these tests were taking place. It was understood that North Korea was in the process of evaluating whether or not anthrax bacteria was capable of surviving high temperatures upon re-entry into the atmosphere from space.

However, North Korea itself denied all of this. And ironically, the regime promised to take revenge on the U.S. simply for making this insinuation (with anthrax?).

North Korea says actions taken against it represent act of war

Meanwhile in Seoul, South Korean officials are trying to figure out how to respond to this potential threat. The South Korean military has yet to deploy an anthrax vaccine, and South Korean defense ministry spokesman Choi Hyun Soo says that it probably wont be released until at least the end of 2019.

These mounting tensions dont bode well for world peace, as the warning signs of looming world war continue to escalate. The United Nations Security Council recently passed new sanctions on North Korea, which the regime has officially declared to be an act of war.

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,' reads a statement issued by the KCNA news agency.

What the Chinese ally plans to do from here remains to be seen. Should it decide to stoke the flames further, the U.S. and its allies could decide to take things up a notch.

As far as anthrax is concerned, this infection caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium can be contracted a number of ways, including through the skin, lungs, and intestines, as well as intravenously.

Symptoms of infection include raised spots or blisters on the skin, fever and chills, shortness of breath, chest pains, and shock. Contracting anthrax from an airborne source is the most deadly type of exposure. Unless treated immediately with antibiotics, those who become infected can die within a matter of just a few days.

Beware of false hope promised by anthrax vaccines, however. These concoctions are often deadly in and of themselves, their toxic ingredients increasing ones risk of developing Gulf War Syndrome and other vaccine-induced illness. Follow Bioterrorism.news for more coverage of biological warfare agents.

Sources for this article include:

News.Sky.com

NaturalNews.com

Submit a correction >>
The Washington Post makes excuses for drunk drivers but only if theyre illegal aliens

Once again the so-called mainstream media is showing its true colors by lining up with lawbreakers and hooligans over the law-abiding citizenry.

This time its a regular offender, The Washington Post, which has decided that drunk driving is fine and dandy so long as its an illegal alien whos doing the drinking and driving.

The headline of the story says it all: He taught lawyers, vets and more how to ballroom dance. Now his students are trying to save him from deportation. It begins like this:

For most of the past six decades, the Republican Party could count on Charlie Heimach. The retired Air Force colonel donated money to President Richard Nixon, backed Ronald Reagan and both Bushes, and cast his ballot last year for Donald Trump.

But in the recent Virginia governors race, Heimach voted for the Democrat, because of the Trump administrations crackdown on illegal immigration, and its attempts to deport a ballroom dancing instructor from the studio where Heimach, 79, likes to Lindy Hop.

The glowing piece goes on to say that Heimach is being joined by lawyers, military vets, a dog walker, an entomologist and others united in their love for dancing to protect Galtsog Gantulga, an undocumented immigrant from Mongolia who, oh by the way, just happened to get busted twice in 2016 for drunk driving.

No worries, right? After all, the Post made certain to point out, nobody was hurt in either drunk driving incident and G, as everyone loves to call him, has served time behind bars. Oh, and hes even sold his car and now attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

In the America these dancers know, such a person deserves another chance, a view not always held in the U.S. immigration system, the Post preached.

Riiiight. But that principle is for citizens.

Forgetting that laws  especially immigration laws  were made to protect Americans first and foremost, the Post brushes right on past the reason why G is now being targeted for deportation: Following his two drunk driving convictions, his work permit was revoked, which now makes him an illegal alien (not undocumented, since after all, the government knows hes here  it has documents on him).

And just how did Gantulga, 22, get to America, you ask? Well, he came with his parents when he was 9, and they overstayed their visas after they ran out, in hopes of building a better life than the one they had in their remote, rugged homeland, the Post whined. (Related: Left-wing LAWLESS governors in New York and California pardon illegal aliens to shield them from deportation.)

So they broke our laws to stay here, and now their son has broken our laws and thinks he deserves to stay as well. They moved back to Mongolia in 2013 after giving up hope of obtaining a new legal status (you know, after breaking our immigration laws years earlier).

How did Gantulga get to stay, then? Simple: He applied and received a temporary work permit under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which was illegally implemented via executive order by President Obama.

Did you catch that? He applied for temporary residency status using an illegal program, then broke our laws again when he got busted not once but twice for drunk driving.

And his dancer clients want him to stay, along with the Post, because hey, hes just trying to build a better life, man  why are you so down on him?

Do the laws of every other country  including Chinas Mongolia  deserve to be enforced except those of the United States?

Only the Left believes that immigration laws are not really stringent and inflexible, but merely guidelines and suggestions to follow.

For the record, 10,265 people who were killed by automobiles in 2015 died in alcohol-impaired deaths, according to 2015 data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the latest year available.

But what the heck, right? Gantulga didnt kill any of them.

J.D. Heyes is also editor-in-chief of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

CDC.gov

WashingtonPost.com

TheNationalSentinel.com

Submit a correction >>
As a broader minimum wage increase for New York workers goes into effect Sunday, fast-food workers in the state will be getting a raise, too.

For fast-food workers in New York City, the minimum wage will increase from $12 to $13.50 an hour. Fast-food employees in the rest of the state will get a $1 raise, from $10.75 to $11.75 an hour.

NY minimum wage to increase Dec. 31 Another minimum wage hike will be coming for New York workers Sunday.

The hikes are part of a plan to gradually increase the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $15 an hour. This is the third increase for fast-food employees in New York since a state wage board recommended the pay raises in 2015.

New York City fast-food workers will be paid $15 an hour beginning Dec. 31, 2018. The increase will be phased in over a longer period for workers in the rest of the state.

For fast-food workers outside of New York City, the minimum wage will rise to $12.75 an hour on Dec. 31, 2018, $13.75 an hour on Dec. 31, 2019 and $14.50 an hour on Dec. 31, 2020. It will reach $15 an hour on July 1, 2021.

According to the state Department of Labor, the minimum wage increase for fast-food workers applies to any employee whose job duties include customer service, cooking, food or drink preparation, delivery, security, stocking supplies or equipment, cleaning or routine maintenance.

The fast food restaurants required to pay the minimum wage are also defined by the agency. An establishment is considered a fast food restaurant if it "offers limited service where customers order and pay before eating, including restaurants with tables but without full table service and places that only provide take-out service," according to the state Department of Labor.

However, the minimum wage increases only apply to restaurants that are part of a chain of 30 or more locations nationwide. The minimum wage covers fast-food workers at more than 130 chains operating in New York, including Arby's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Dairy Queen, Domino's Pizza, KFC, McDonalds, Panera Bread, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell and Wendy's.

The minimum wage rule also applies to local chains that operate at least 30 locations in New York.

The statewide minimum wage will increase to $15 an hour for other workers, but on a different schedule than the one established for fast-food employees.

Beginning Sunday, the state's minimum wage will increase to $13 an hour for employees at New York City businesses with at least 11 employees and $12 an hour for workers at New York City companies with no more than 10 employees.

The minimum wage will rise to $11 an hour for workers in Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties and $10.40 an hour for employees in the rest of the state.
When days are short and nights grow long, its time to celebrate community the Norwegian waywith warm drinks, wool socks, close friends, and an untranslatable wordkoselig! Explore how Norwegians survive winter at a new immersive exhibit, Koselig, at Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, through April 22, 2018. To really get a feel for koselig, Vesterheim will host a series of free community events, including Koselig Cake Break, Nordic Noir Film Nights, and Board Game Nights.

What is koselig? Vesterheims Exhibition Manager, Zach Row-Heyveld, says, Cozy is the closest translation, but its really much more than that. Its a very deep feeling of warmth and contentment, a sense of intimacy and comfort. Its a candlelit dinner party with your close friends and family. A wool sweater, a cup of hot cocoa, and a comfy couch with the latest Nordic crime drama on TV. A fresh batch of warm waffles from scratch with homemade jam after a jaunt through the woods on your cross-country skis.

Visit this exhibit to experience koselig in a series of living room environments and learn about this uniquely Scandinavian way of life and how it permeates every part of Norwegian culture. Some researchers suggest that empathy is the key to high levels of happiness in the Scandinavian countries. Every Wednesday, 3:30-4:00 p.m., now through April 22, Vesterheim invites the community to the museum to enjoy treats and learn more about empathy during Koselig Cake Break.

Vesterheim and Luther Colleges Nordic Studies Program invite you to settle in for some unsettling crime films from Scandinavia during Nordic Noir Film Nights at 7 p.m. on Jan. 9, Feb. 13, March 13, and April 10 in the museums Main Building. Each film will feature an introduction and discussion led by members of the Nordic Studies Program. See vesterheim.org for a full list of films and more details.

Join Vesterheim, Games XP of Decorah, and future close friends for Koselig Board Game Nights from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on Jan. 23, Feb. 27, and March 27 in the museums Main Building. When Norwegians want to get koselig, they play board games with close friends and family. Bring your favorite game to share, and come ready to learn to play new ones with new friends.

The exhibit is sponsored by Kate, Robin, and James Martinson with support from Jerry and Mary Paulson.

For more information check Vesterheims website at vesterheim.org, call (563) 382-9681, or write to Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, 502 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379.








[ 2008... Hard to believe that in less than 24 hours, it will be offically TEN years ago. The year Obama was elected, Twilight was in theatres... ] 2008... Hard to believe that in less than 24 hours, it will be offically TEN years ago. The year Obama was elected, Twilight was in theatres...



And mainstream music was 







MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

January 22, 2008 (physically)



When this duo from Connecticut released their debut, people were wondering... what were these guys smoking? Whatever it was resulted in weird videos and psychadelic tunes but we were here for it. When this duo from Connecticut released their debut, people were wondering... what were these guys smoking? Whatever it was resulted inand psychadelic tunes but we were here for it.





Adele - 19

January 28, 2008



Before collecting Grammys and your parents' money (in exchange for physical albums), Adele was Before collecting Grammys and your parents' money (in exchange for), Adele was chasing pavements . Her debut album was well received and appealing to all ages (mostly older though, if we're being honest)





Flo Rida - Mail On Sunday

March 18, 2008



We got another debut album here. Even a decade later, you know as soon as you hear "boots with the fur!"; We got another debut album here. Even a decade later, you know as soon as you hear " shorty got them apple bottom jeans! " everyone will be on the dance floor by the time they hear "";





Panic(!) at the Disco - Pretty. Odd.

March 25, 2008 (



A few years after their breakthrough pop punk meets dance debut album, P!ATD (well mostly Ryan Ross) decided to go in a different direction. This time releasing a Beatles inspired hairstyles, clothes, aesthetics...), which while still very good, was not as popular as their previous album. A few years after their breakthrough pop punk meets dance debut album, P!ATD (well mostly Ryan Ross) decided to go in a different direction. This time releasing a Beatles inspired album (along with...), which while still very good, was not as popular as their previous album.





Mariah Carey - E=MC 

April 15, 2008



After a few rough years, Mariah had a major comeback with her Emancipation of Mimi album. Releasing this as a follow up, it was well received and spawned hit " After a few rough years, Mariah had a major comeback with heralbum. Releasing this as a follow up, it was well received and spawned hit " Touch My Body " with references to YouTube and a Wendy Williams interview (which surprisingly don't sound dated) and a new romance with Nick Cannon that made people go .





Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop, Drop and Roll!!!

April 22, 2008



Not too many people know this but Green Day released an album in 2008, a year before 21st Century Breakdown. Following major hit, American Idiot, the band laid low for a few years but went in the studio with a few other guys to make a Not too many people know this butreleased an album in 2008, a year before. Following major hit,, the band laid low for a few years but went in the studio with a few other guys to make a 60s rock inspired album.





Madonna - Hard Candy

April 19, 2008



Following the disco inspired album,Confessions On a Dance Floor, the queen of pop was back. With features such as Following the disco inspired album,, the queen of pop was back. With features such as Justin Timberlake and Kanye West, and Timbaland and Pharrell on production.





Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

June 10, 2008



Lil Wayne ruled the hip hop world back in 2008. If it wasn't this album, it was a feature on somebody else's. "Lollipop" was so popular, it even got a Lil Wayne ruled the hip hop world back in 2008. If it wasn't this album, it was a feature on somebody else's. "was so popular, it even got a rock cover





Coldplay - Vida or Death and All His Friends

June 12, 2008



Probably one of the biggest albums of that year (or so the Viva La Vida" was the big hit but personally, I prefer "Violet Hill". Probably one of the biggest albums of that year (or so the iPod commercials would make you believe), "was the big hit but personally, I prefer "





Katy Perry - One of the Boys

June 17, 2008



Technically, her second album but most people were introduced to her through this one. With scandalous songs (at the time) such as "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl", she definitely Technically, her second album but most people were introduced to her through this one. With scandalous songs (at the time) such as "" and "", she definitely caught our attention





Miley Cyrus - Breakout

July 22, 2008



Coming out from under the Hannah Montana wing, Miley released an album under her own name and told us Coming out from under the Hannah Montana wing, Miley released an album under her own name and told us 7 things she hates about Nick Jonas . Before the twerking, nudeness and stealing black culture/turned back to country girl we know her as today.





Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer

August 12, 2008



2008 was pretty much their peak year. They were riding the wave of their last album and had Camp Rock coming out so of course this was a guaranteed hit. Plus dating the biggest young females from that year certainly helped. I admittedly hated them while secretly stanned their music. "Burning Up" was huge. 2008 was pretty much their peak year. They were riding the wave of their last album and hadcoming out so of course this was a guaranteed hit. Plus dating the biggest young females from that year certainly helped. I admittedly hated them while secretly stanned their music.was huge. Hey Joe, you CAN grow a mustache after all!





Lady Gaga - the Fame

August 19, 2008



From one queen of pop to another. This was the biggest debut of the year. From 2008 and into 2009, Gaga owned our asses and ears. The second we heard on. coming. From one queen of pop to another. This was the biggest debut of the year. From 2008 and into 2009, Gaga owned our asses and ears. The second we heard Just Dance (the 3 minute mark is my fav), we were hooked. Then the hits just kept.







Demi Lovato - Don't Forget

September 23, 2008



Back to Disney for a minute... And here we have the debut album of Demi Lovato. Co-written by the Jonas Brothers and Back to Disney for a minute... And here we have the debut album of Demi Lovato. Co-written by the Jonas Brothers and more rock sounding than anything she releases these days. I really wish she would go back to this sound but it seems unlikely at this point.





Kings of Leon - Only By the Night

September 19, 2008



Another big album in rock. " Another big album in rock. " Use Somebody " was all over radio to the point it got annoying. " Notion " was pretty good though.





Carly Rae Jepsen - Tug of War

September 30, 2008



Before she became ONTD's queen and told us to call her maybe, Carly won Canadian Idol and released an album filled with Sweet Talker". Before she became ONTD's queen and told us to, Carly won Canadian Idol and released an album filled with easy listening, guitar tunes . If you haven't listened to it, I highly recommend "





T.I. - Paper Trail

September 30, 2008



Another big one for hip hop. Featuring whatever we liiiiike. Another big one for hip hop. Featuring Rihanna and Justin Timberlake . He told us we can have







P!nk - Funhouse

October 24, 2008



P!nk had been in the pop game for a while when she released this album, mostly about her rocky relationship with her husband, Carey Hart. This is the album when she started showing off her cirque de soleil skills that she keeps showing us over and over... and over gain. P!nk had been in the pop game for a while when she released this album, mostly about her rocky relationship with her husband, Carey Hart. This is the album when she started showing off herskills that she keeps showing us over and over... and over gain. But so what! If she wants to hang off wires for the remainder of her career, she damn well can.





Taylor Swift - Fearless

November 11, 2008



Before her love life became a running joke and fueds galore, Taylor was singing about love stories and fairytales as well as break ups and first days of high school.This was THE album for teenage girls. Before her love life became a running joke and fueds galore, Taylor was singing aboutand fairytales as well as break ups and first days of high school.This was THE album for teenage girls.





Beyonce - I Am... Sasha Fierce

November 12, 2008



An ambitious decision to make a double album (before blessing us with visual albums) gave us a song to play at weddings for years to come (well two songs, actually - bouquet toss anyone?). An ambitious decision to make a double album (before blessing us with visual albums) gave usfor years to come (well two songs, actually -).





Britney Spears - Circus

November 28, 2008



Pop princess came through one year after Blackout and a year of hell to remind us she Radar" came back as well. Pop princess came through one year afterand a year of hell to remind us she calls the shots . She appeared to be back on her A game and hey "" came back as well.





Fall Out Boy - Folie a Deux

December 10, 2008



Before going on a four year hiatus, Fall Out Boy released an album that combined rock and pop and received mixed reviews from fans, but over the years has become more appreciated for it's experimentation. Before going on a four year hiatus, Fall Out Boy released an album that combined rock and pop and received mixed reviews from fans, but over the years has becomefor it's experimentation.

[ Honourable mentions ] Honourable mentions

Sia - Some People Have Real Problems

Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Sheryl Crow - Detours

Simple Plan - Simple Plan

City and Colour - Bring Me Your Love

Janet Jackson - Discipline

Snoop Dogg - Ego Trippin'

She & Him - Volume One

The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

The Black Keys - Attack & Release

Theory of a Deadman - Scars & Souvenirs

Lady Antebellum - Lady Antebellum

Ashlee Simpson - Bittersweet World

The Cab - Whisper War

Forever the Sickest Kids - Underdog Alma Mater

Lil Mama - VYP (Voice of the Young People)

Raven-Symone - Raven-Symone

Gavin DeGraw - Gavin DeGraw

Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.

The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing

Jesse McCartney - Departures

Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head

Usher - Here I Stand

Gavin Rossdale - Wanderlust

Weezer - Weezer (Red Album)

Tyga - No Introduction

The Offspring - Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace

Cute Is What We Aim For - Rotation

Motley Crue - Saints of Los Angeles

Shinedown - The Sound of Madness

Vanessa Hudgens - Identified

3OH!3 - Want

Hawthorne Heights - Fragile Future

The Academy Is... - Fast Times at Barrington High

New Kids on the Block - The Block

Gym Class Heroes - The Quilt

Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman

Plain White T's - Big Bad World

Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination

Bring Me the Horizon - Suicide Season

Anberlin - New Surrender

Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson

Hey Monday - Hold On Tight

Rise Against - Appeal to Reason

AC/DC - Black Ice

Twilight Soundtrack

David Archuleta - David Archuleta

David Cook - David Cook

The Killers - Day & Age

Nickelback - Dark Horse

Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy

Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak

Kevin Rudolf - In the City

Akon - Freedom

The All-American Rejects - When the World Comes Down

Soulja Boy Tell 'Em - iSouljaBoyTellEm







What were you listening to in 2008?



SOURCE
Pushed by instinct and age, a fledgling California condor had been expected to step to the edge of its cliff-side cave sometime in December and make its first flight over the scrubby terrain of the Los Padres Sespe Condor Sanctuary.

But then the Thomas fire broke out.

The blaze ripped across Los Padres National Forest and into the 53,000-acre sanctuary, where 80 of the state's 172 free-flying condors spend much of their time.

On Dec. 15, the 11th day of the fire, scientists lost contact with a radio transmitter attached to the turkey-size chick known as No. 871 as flames raced toward its closet-size cave. Days later a biologist chaperoned by a strike team from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection picked up a faint ping with an uneven tempo coming from the vicinity of the condor's nest, but the findings were inconclusive.

At sunrise Wednesday, a team of biologists armed with telemetry equipment fanned out across charred wilderness that had been closed for weeks northeast of the community of Fillmore on a mission to pick up signals that could, perhaps, lead them to the 4-month-old condor, or its carcass.

With a 9 {-foot wingspan, the federally endangered California condor is the largest scavenging bird in the nation and a symbol of both a species on the brink of extinction and successful, yet still precarious, efforts to restore imperiled populations.

The biologists tried to remain optimistic. The young bird and its parentsNo. 513 and No. 206were descendants of a species that has survived since the Pleistocene Age of a million years ago.

But as the Thomas fire grew to become the biggest in California history, there was reason for concern.

Before barging through dense, thorny brush with a telemetry antenna held high, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Joseph Brandt took stock of a worrisome scene on the far side of a scorched canyon overlooking Sespe Creek. Peering through binoculars, he saw splotches of red fire retardant on nearby ridgelines and a few smoldering hot spots. "The fire burned right up to the entrance of the condor cave," he said.

It would not be the first time geographically isolated condors were wiped out in severely burned areas. Wildfires have killed he lives of seven condors that were part of the federal recovery effort since 1992, Brandt said. "Nearly all of them burned up when fire roared through their roosting areas at night."

As he spoke, Nadya Sealfaith, a condor technician at the Santa Barbara Zoo, detected good news with a hand-held antenna.

"I've got a strong signaland it's from 871," she said. "It's coming from the canyon bottom north of the cave. So, she's alive and moving."

The question was whether she would stay that way.

Fledgling condors typically don't get very farand often crash landon their first flights, Brandt said, leaving them vulnerable to predators. They also rely on their parents for a year or longer to find and bring back food.

And though adult condors are protective, they might abandon a chick if smoke and ash from a fire become too intense, scientists say.

The mission quickly took on two goals: Find the chick and, if possible, find her parents.

The team of trackers split into two groups, each tramping down trails in the wilderness set aside for endangered species including condors, arroyo toads, red-legged frogs and steelhead trout.

Condors have been in jeopardy since the 1950s, when development began to encroach on the species' habitat, and the now-banned pesticide DDT made condor eggshells so thin they often could not support life.

Some of the huge birds were shot or died of lead poisoning when they fed upon the carcasses of other animals killed with lead shot and bullets.

Scientists began recovery efforts by capturing the few remaining wild condors, breeding them in captivity and releasing the birds in their historical range. Today, the population worldwide is 485.

Some of them soar over Ventura County, the Grand Canyon, the Sierra Nevada foothills and Baja California. For the first time in nearly four decades, condors are roosting about 40 miles west of Yosemite National Park.

Others are in captive breeding programs. Condors born and bred in captivity and released into the wild must frequently be trapped, and then tested and treated for lead poisoning.

At 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, the biologists' handheld radios crackled with evidence that was testament to what hard work, passion and the resiliency of nature can accomplish. It was the beacon of the mother and father, picked up by Sealfaith as she stood by a cliff edge.

In the distance, she saw the birds.

"They're circling over the nest in search of their chick," she said over the radio.

"Great news," Brandt said. "In about five years, 871 will be teaching her own offspring to soar."

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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.
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. produces and distributes specialty plant nutrients, iodine and its derivatives, lithium and its derivatives, potassium chloride and sulfate, industrial chemicals, and other products and services. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers. It also provides iodine and its derivatives for use in medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial applications comprising x-ray contrast media, polarizing films for LCD and LED, antiseptics, biocides and disinfectants, pharmaceutical synthesis, electronics, pigments, and dye components. In addition, the company offers lithium carbonates for various applications that include electrochemical materials for batteries, frits for the ceramic and enamel industries, heat-resistant glass, air conditioning chemicals, continuous casting powder for steel extrusion, primary aluminum smelting process, pharmaceuticals, and lithium derivatives, as well as ingredient in manufacturing of gunpowder. Further, it supplies lithium hydroxide for the lubricating greases industry, as well as cathodes for batteries. Additionally, it offers potassium chloride and potassium sulfate for various crops, including corn, rice, sugar, soybean, and wheat; industrial chemicals, including sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, and solar salts; and other fertilizers and blends. The company operates in Chile, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America, Asia, and internationally. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. was incorporated in 1968 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile.
NEW YORK (TNS)  If Kirsten Gillibrand wasnt already a household name, a Twitter war with President Donald Trump earlier this month may have made her one.

It started when the 51-year-old junior senator from New York denounced Trumps support for Senate candidate Roy Moore as shameful and said the president should resign.

Trump lashed back, saying Gillibrand used to come to his office begging for campaign contributions and would do anything for them.

Calling that a sexist smear, she shot back: You cannot silence me or the millions of women who have gotten off the sidelines to speak out about the unfitness and shame you have brought to the Oval Office.

The exchange was great publicity for a politician who is considered a possible candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.

Gillibrand has said she is focused on running for re-election in the Senate and not for the White House. But if Democrats are looking for someone with anti-Trump credentials, she fits the bill.

Born into politics

Her grandmother was a confidante of longtime Albany Mayor Erastus Corning and president of the Albany County Democratic Womens Club, and her father was a well-known lobbyist.

Gillibrand attended Dartmouth College and UCLA Law School, graduating in 1991. She joined the Manhattan law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell and later worked as special counsel to then-Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Andrew Cuomo. She is married and has two sons.

Gillibrand volunteered for Hillary Clintons 2000 Senate campaign and has often described her as a role model.

In my adult life, politically, no one has inspired me to get off the sidelines and truly make a difference more than Hillary Clinton has, she wrote in a post on Medium in 2016 explaining why she was supporting Clinton for president.

Both Hillary and Bill Clinton supported Gillibrand in her successful 2006 bid for a seat in the U.S. House representing the upstate, largely rural 20th District of New York.

Starting out as a conservative Democrat

In the House, Gillibrand was a member of the so-called Blue Dog Democrats, a coalition of moderate to conservative Democrats. She opposed strict gun control, famously stating that she and her husband kept two rifles under their bed, and voted against policies that were seen as offering any sort of amnesty for immigrants who were in the U.S. illegally.

She earned a reputation for transparency, posting records of her daily meetings, earmarks and personal financial disclosures online. And she became one of only a handful of women to give birth during her congressional tenure.

In 2009, when Hillary Clinton vacated her U.S. Senate seat to become secretary of state under President Barack Obama, New Yorks then-Gov. David Paterson appointed Gillibrand, who was still largely unknown outside of upstate New York, to replace her.

Moving left

in the Senate

Gillibrand has moved left since joining the Senate, reversing some of her earlier positions. She supported gun control and co-sponsored a version of the Dream Act, which would have provided a path to legal status for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. She earned wide recognition for securing bipartisan support for legislation that ensured permanent health care and compensation for Sept. 11, 2001, first responders.

Gillibrand also made a name for herself on military issues and sexual assault. She worked to repeal the dont ask, dont tell policy banning gay people from openly serving, introduced the Military Justice Improvement Act to remove the decision of whether to prosecute sexual assault cases from the military chain of command, and co-sponsored the Campus Accountability and Safety Act requiring colleges and universities to meet certain standards for training and reporting around sexual assault.

Taking on Trump and sexual harassment on Capitol Hill

In 2017, Gillibrand elevated her national profile by taking bold public stances against Trump. She amassed a record of consistent no votes on the presidents nominees to appointed positions and spoke out against his executive order banning travel to the U.S. by immigrants from majority-Muslim nations.

As public attention has turned to allegations about sexual misconduct, Gillibrand has been out front calling for the resignations of politicians who have been accused. She has also introduced legislation to overhaul policies for reporting and combating sexual harassment on Capitol Hill.

This moment of reckoning about our friends and colleagues who have been accused of sexual misconduct is necessary, and it is painful, she wrote in a Dec. 6 Facebook post calling on Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., to step down. He did so the next day.

In an interview with The New York Times, Gillibrand said she thought President Bill Clinton should have resigned when his affair with Monica Lewinsky came to light, provoking a collective gasp within the Democratic establishment.

Philippe Reines, a past adviser to Hillary Clinton, called Gillibrand a hypocrite on Twitter. Over 20 yrs you took the Clintons endorsements, money, and seat, he wrote. Interesting strategy for 2020 primaries. Best of luck.

In an interview on MSNBC, Gillibrand called Reines response ridiculous.

Bill Clinton did very important things for this country, she said. But my point is about this conversation we are having today, and that we need to have the highest standards for elected leaders.

It was her recent fight with Trump on Twitter, though, that brought Gillibrand the most attention.

Congress should investigate the multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations against him, she wrote, provoking Trumps fiery response.

It appears she had the final word, at least in this battle.

Her last message  telling the president he could not silence her  was retweeted 150,000 times, more than six times as many as Trumps.
Wells Fargo & Company, a diversified financial services company, provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. The Consumer Banking and Lending segment offers diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses. Its financial products and services include checking and savings accounts, and credit and debit cards, as well as home, auto, personal, and small business lending services. The Commercial Banking segment provides financial solutions to private, family owned, and certain public companies. Its products and services include banking and credit products across various industry sectors and municipalities, secured lending and lease products, and treasury management services. The Corporate and Investment Banking segment offers a suite of capital markets, banking, and financial products and services to corporate, commercial real estate, government, and institutional clients. Its products and services comprise corporate banking, investment banking, treasury management, commercial real estate lending and servicing, equity, and fixed income solutions, as well as sales, trading, and research capabilities services. The Wealth and Investment Management segment provides personalized wealth management, brokerage, financial planning, lending, private banking, and trust and fiduciary products and services to affluent, high-net worth, and ultra-high-net worth clients. It also operates through financial advisors. Wells Fargo & Company was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V..

Read More
The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos.

Read More
WASHINGTON (TNS)  When John Muir helped establish the National Park Service, he argued that such parks were vital to help people unplug from the world. Break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods, Muir was quoted as saying in 1915.

But these days at Yosemite National Park, hikers to Half Dome are likely to encounter people talking on cellphones as they climb to the top. For visitors to the parks, the call of the outdoors increasingly comes with crisp 4G service, and not everyone is wild about that.

In Yosemite, Yellowstone, Mount Rainier and other iconic parks, environmentalists are pressing the National Park Service to slow or halt construction of new cellular towers within park boundaries. They say the NPS is quietly facilitating a digital transformation with little public input or regard to its mission statement  to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System.

Richard Louv, author of several books on connecting young people with the outdoors, said the parks are losing what once made them unique.

Can you imagine hiking in Yosemite far from other people, and then suddenly it sounds like you are in McDonalds, with everyone on their phones? said Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and other books. That is not why most people go to our national parks.

Yet advocates for increased cell service, including many NPS officials, say the parks cant cling to an earlier era. Expanded cellular and broadband coverage, they argue, helps rescue teams respond to emergencies and are necessary to draw a new generation to the parks.

Visitors want to be able to use their mobile devices to share experiences with their friends and family, said Lena McDowall, an NPS deputy director, in testimony to a U.S. Senate subcommittee in September. They want to take advantage of the many internet-based resources we have developed.

Locked in competition, Verizon, AT&T and other telecom companies are aggressively courting the most popular national parks, and under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, the parks are obligated to at least review proposals for new cellular towers. Yet because the National Park Service is highly decentralized, NPS headquarters does not track construction of cellular towers in parks nationwide. Nor has it developed a national policy to guide parks superintendents in reviewing such proposals.

Yosemite has one park that has come under scrutiny for its expansion of cell service. In October, using public records request, the watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility found that Yosemite has quietly approved six cellular towers in the park.

PEER, which has asked the Interior Departments Inspector General to investigate, said that Yosemite is violation of both federal laws and agency policies by approving the towers without public notice or environmental review. The group also unearthed emails that suggest that Yosemite officials are uncertain about ownership of five of the towers and how revenues should be handled when telecom companies co-locate on the towers.

In an email, Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said he was aware of PEERs complaint, but could not immediately comment. Jeffrey Olson, a spokesman for NPS headquarters in Washington, also declined to discuss the Yosemite case, other than to note that decisions about cell towers and coverage are up the (park) superintendents.

Juggling public demands has always been difficult in the national parks, especially those that draw big crowds and include large expanses of designated wilderness. In 2016, the NPS it reported a record 331 million visits to the parks, many of which suffer from overcrowding in the summer.

For the last year, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state has been weighing whether to allow three telecom companies to co-locate a cellular facility at the parks Paradise visitor center.

Public opinion appears divided on the plan, which would extend cell service would extend to some, but not all, of the mountain. Of those who commented on the proposal, 249 supportive were supportive and 241 were opposed.

In North Dakota, wilderness advocates strongly opposed Verizons plan to build a new cell tower at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, fearing it would blanket the backcountry with cell signals. NPS officials ultimately decided to design the new cell tower so it would not extend service into the parks designated wilderness.

Heidi Flato, a spokeswoman with Verizon, said the company is aware that some wilderness advocates have concerns with expanded cell coverage. Weve always sought to work with the National Park Service to find the right balance, said Flato, noting that a major complaints of park visitors is being unable to get a signal.

Over the last decade, PEER has emerged as the fiercest opponent of telecom expansion in Yosemite, Yellowstone and other national parks. The nonprofit group is led by lawyer Jeff Ruch, who keeps a close eye on the special use permits the national parks issues for new services and concessions.

Under National Park Service guidelines, such special uses are encouraged if they enhance park resources or improve public safety. But such uses should be rejected, the NPS says, if they unreasonably disrupt the atmosphere of peace and tranquility of wilderness.

Ruch argues the park service rarely grapples with these tradeoffs when it is approached by cellular providers. A telecom company will come to a park and say, Nice mountain. We want to put a cell tower on it. And the park usually says yes.

U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, a Democrat who represents the north coast of California, said he doesnt support physical construction of cell towers in wilderness areas. But he sees no problem with telecom companies improving signal strength near visitor centers, park entrances and even into the back country.

Huffman has introduced legislation, The Public Lands Telecommunications Act, that would allow parks and federal land agencies to keep the rental income they receive from granting right-of-way to cellular towers. They then could use that money to partner with nearby rural communities on improving their cellular and broadband service.

PEER opposes the legislation, arguing it would create incentives for more construction of cell towers on public lands. But Huffman said that districts like his, with remote communities scattered amid a patchwork of federal lands, need help in improving communications, partly for public safety reasons.

This shouldnt be an issue, said Huffman. If you want to avoid distractions in the wilderness, you can just turn off your phone. But you might also want to be able to turn on that phone and make a call if you broke your arm and needed help.

First responders and other safety officials agree that enhanced cell service helps in many outdoor rescues. But the issue is complicated, said Derek Newbern, a spokesman for King County Explorer Search and Rescue in Washington state.

Telecom companies, he said, can only go so far in expanding cell coverage to wilderness areas, because of lack of roads and electrical transmission lines. And yet when many people go into the back country, they often assume they will continue to have a cell signal, creating a false sense of security.

In August, hundreds of rescuers spent days trying to locate a lost hiker at Mount Teneriffe, a 4,787-foot-high mountain east of Seattle. The hiker initially had cell service, then lost it and wandered before a search helicopter rescued her four days later.

Newbern said he advises adventurers to carry personal locator beacons or a more recent innovation, satellite messengers, in case they get in trouble.

People will go into the backcountry and think the cellphone will be their savior, said Newbern. Sometimes it doesnt turn out that way.
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
The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee has required municipal police step in and tighten their grip over payment in bitcoin to ensure order in the local currency market.

Tran Vinh Tuyen, deputy chair of the local Peoples Committee, has demanded cooperation from the citys police department and competent agencies in investigating transactions with the digital money and preventing investors and enthusiasts from engaging in the outlawed activity.

The move was meant to ensure security and order in currency activity and minimize consequences incurred by individuals and enterprises pending an official legal framework that would allow the government to better manage the cryptocurrency, Tuyen said.

The amended Vietnamese Penal Code, taking effect on January 1, 2018, criminalizes the issuance, supply and usage of cryptocurrency, a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security.

Those who break this rule will be subject to criminal charges.

The Peoples Committee also requested that the Ho Chi Minh City branch of the State Bank of Vietnam work closely with inspectors to keep the increasing use of the digital money in check.

Apart from providing counseling for the Peoples Committee in devising timely legal revisions on the management of virtual assets and digital money, the Ho Chi Minh City branch was also required to raise public awareness of the risks involved in the use of these modes of payment.

City leaders have tasked the local Department of Industry, Department of Health, Department of Tourism and Department of Education and Training with closely overseeing payment by suppliers in their areas and joining hands with relevant agencies to detect infringements and penalize violators.

In October, the State Bank, which is Vietnams central bank, outlawed bitcoin, saying those breaking this rule would be subject to fines or even criminal charges.

This decision followed an announcement by a local university that it would accept bitcoin in tuition payment.

Outlawing the supply and use of bitcoin, however, has failed to stop investors and enthusiasts from actively engaging in trade and transactions with the cryptocurrency.

As of October 31, the Ho Chi Minh City customs department had received clearance applications for the importation of 1,478 bitcoin mining machines by local companies and individuals.

The number soared to 7,005 in mid-December.
Laotian students attending a university in Vietnam have had the chance to learn gratis in what are known as informal personalized classes organized by local students.

Freshmen from Laos, who are supposed to spend a year learning Vietnamese prior to their selection of a specialism at Quy Nhon University in Binh Dinh Province, tend to be unconfident and disposed to retreat to their shell, hence their conceivable incompetence in the acquisition of the language.

Vietnamese-language classes have thus been run to help such students, Nguyen Khac Khanh, a student at the university, said, adding that they have been ongoing for seven months.

There are two Vietnamese night classes on campus, each held once weekly, not in the school's usual classroom, but at its dormitory hall, which has sufficient space to provide a large seating capacity.

In addition to a Vietnamese textbook as the primary learning material, Laotian learners receive enthusiastic face-to-face guidance from the native tutors, who number 150 when the two classes are combined.

Class assistance may include showing the foreign students proper manual pencil movements for beautiful handwriting, correcting their pronunciation and giving a clap or smile as an encouragement.

The hall, in this fashion, is constantly reverberating with sounds of excitement, even in the absence of teachers.

But the learning activity extends beyond the class confines to take place in outdoor games, social gatherings for meals, and daily student-to-student interactions.

Also noteworthy are the efforts by the host school volunteers to conflate practical situations with the coursebook to produce a tailor-made program.

The outcome is justifiably gratifying, with the learners brimming with interest in the classroom and exhibiting rapid integration with the local Vietnamese-speaking environment, according to Nguyen Van Sanh, leader of the university's volunteer group.

Many of them are able to buy food by themselves, bargain at the market, and participate in school activities with confidence.

Eanan Seng Boun Xou, a Laotian freshman, says he can now speak and write simple Vietnamese after three weeks of joining the classes.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Our planet is beset with war, terror, hunger, disease, poverty and environmental degradation which must end soon if future generations are to survive and progress.

Perpetuating hatred, ignorance, bias, prejudice, selfishness, greed, fear, extremism, jealousy and misunderstanding from generation to generation perpetuates the worlds differences, disasters, degradations and difficulties.

Without an immediate, dramatic change of direction individually and collectively, our human race will come to where we are presently  and suicidally

 headed.

I and many others doubt whether individual actions or reactions to the planets universal problems can or will make any difference.

I personally pledge that I will forever peacefully condemn, resist and denounce killing, terror, war, crime, prejudice, vengeance and the loss or limitation of basic human rights  including, but not limited to:

The right to adequate food, shelter, clean water, clean air and clothing.

The right to health care.

The right to education.

The right to work for a living.

The right to worship ones highest spirit and/or creator.

The right to a homeland free of challenge or aggression.

I will work to promote remedial action by those who have too much in favor of those who have too little; and, by those who can offer aid to those who need help.

I will not tolerate  without my active peaceful protest and, where necessary my peaceful civil disobedience  any government action that violates these covenants.

I support one planetary, plenary police power, consisting of fair representation from all nations, which will enforce the principles of universal law and peace through a multinational force governed by the United Nations.

I support one World Court, representative of all nations, to interpret and administer its universal rights and laws and principles.

I support a renewed and more responsible United Nations, free of veto power vested in any single nation or select group of nations.

Any declaration of war implied by any nation, government, individual or organized entity, other than the United Nations, shall be a declaration against all earths people; and, I will oppose any such aggressor.

I advocate the prompt mutual elimination of all weapons of mass destruction.

I will look anew at earths environmental status as well as my own in light of the damage humankind has wrought; and, I will endeavor to waste no resource, to conserve energy and prevent pollution of air, water and soil. I will try to use no more energy than is necessary to support my family.

I will teach my children and grandchildren principles of universal tolerance, love, equality, understanding, compassion, sympathy, empathy and freedom. I will teach the lessons of history and world events that have led us to this perilous time. This promotion of universal principles has become so necessary to the survival of humankind and the preservation of our earth.

I pledge to end the exposure of children to violence, including that portrayed in the media and I will also reject such portrayals myself.

I will pray for all those who are asked to understand this simultaneous planet-wide denouncement of violence and killing and vengeance even though they and their loved ones have been brutalized and victimized; and, I will promote the message that we must altogether say enough to violence, terror and killing. I believe earths present generations must agree to forgive terrible past and present wrongs and forego future wrongs and revenge.

I will respect and work to protect human differences in religion, culture, color, nationality, language, gender, age, ethnicity and political beliefs.

This dramatic and immediate change, so essential to preserving the planet and its people, will not come about through slow generational purging of the problems and prejudices that plague our earth.

We must act together to adopt sweeping, global change that will provide all people with the ultimate promise and hope, that we can together act to change tomorrow. I pledge to act responsively and responsibly to achieve this end.

I support a general amnesty for those who have engaged in conflict, so long as they terminate armed conflict and lay down their arms forever.

We must redirect worldwide economic resources from weapons and armies, fear and terror, to provide world sustenance, health, universal education and other basic human rights and needs for all. I will work for the preservation of the earths natural resources and development of clean renewable alternative energy to sustain future life on the planet.

I will urge others to take this pledge including my governmental representatives at all levels, my religious leaders, my nations military leaders, educational leaders and corporate leaders.

If we support these changes, there can and will be peace on earth and preservation of our planet and protection and perpetuation with dignity for humankind.
An increasing number of people in Ho Chi Minh City are opening wallets for painting classes where adults can get lost in their childhood world, and children can be themselves.

The painting classes, which typically comprise only one session lasting a few hours, provide learners with relaxation and serve as outlets for their inventiveness and artistic passion.

Recently making their debut in the metropolis, the classes have appealed greatly to people of different age brackets, particularly youths.

On a weekend morning, a group of youths joined a class organized by Tipsy Art at a lavishly decorated cafe in the downtown area.

Phi Hung, 28, who works at an advertising company, and his friends showed their thrill learning they would work on a landscape painting similar to that hung on the wall.

Its my first time in such a class. Im surprised at the striking decor and thorough preparation. We felt like we were professional artists, he said.

The instructor gave a brief introduction about the painting layout and how to blend colors.

Provided with aprons, brushes, paints and a drink of their choice, more than 20 eager learners made their first strokes for the skyline, a row of trees and the road.

Hungs group giggled while others were intent on how to apply colors properly.

After three hours, the artists finished their works.

Some laughed out loud at how different their works were from the model, while others relished the relaxing time.

My Anh, 31, shared she and her younger sister joined such classes every other week.

The class members all went home contented, each with their finished work as souvenirs or gifts to their loved ones.

Tucked away on Dang Dung Street in District 1, another painting tutorial group, Paint Corner, welcomed art enthusiasts every weekend.

The class, run by Nguyen Phuong Dung, 38, was quite a draw with a wide array of categories, ranging from landscapes, still lifes to portraits.

The instructors and learners, who were just like family members, discussed how to create the paintings and were free to change details from the originals as they wished.

Cao Thi Phuong Thuy, 32, one of the instructing artists, patiently showed Thanh Thao, a 19-year-old student at a local university, how to wipe out paint off her brush while she was trying to depict a bud in a work in the making.

After a session that last three hours or so, some learners were reluctant to go home thinking they could have improved their works had they been given more time.

Meanwhile, at another class called PPA on Dien Bien Phu Street in Binh Thanh District, enrollers can move freely, including putting the easel on the porch.

The sessions, held twice monthly, are packed with learners who come in different age groups.

Tuition costs around VND400,000 (US$17.5) each session, according to Nhat An, the class administrator.

A foreign boy is intently working on his painting at a class in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Painstaking preparation

Inspired by the emerging relaxing art model in some countries, Tipsy Art is considered among the pioneers in holding group painting classes in Vietnam.

Following their successful debut in Hanoi two years ago, the group continued to open classes in the southern hub in 2017.

Luu Trieu, 34, overseer of the Ho Chi Minh City branch, noted unlike the model in other countries in which learners mostly come to unwind with simple drawings, such classes in Vietnam offered art buffs opportunities to create visually striking, more intricate paintings which will be brought home.

While several art classes start with rules and how-tos, others begin by encouraging their students to trust their instincts and have fun.

The classes content and methods are constantly modified and updated to ensure diversity and learner interest, and the instructors and learners keep learning from and inspiring one another.

Tipsy Art organizers also make it a point to change the class venues after some weeks to maintain novelty, Trieu added.

Dung, who runs Paint Corner, revealed her center keeps updating photos of the paintings learners will work on one week and takes enrolments prior to the sessions.

Each session receives approximately 15 learners and can last another one or two hours so that they can stay on to finish their creations.

A young artist or art graduate and four or five assistants, who are art students, are typically in charge of each session.

Model paintings, most of which are created by the instructors, must meet certain requirements including upbeat themes and moderate complexity, Thuy, one of the instructing artists at Paint Corner, disclosed.

The classes provide founders and participating artists with good incomes.

The artists noted each group should have their competitive edges to lure enrollers and also limit the number of students.

Tipsy Art has made connections with apartment complexes and companies and hold classes for residents and staff.

Other painting groups also target learners in a wide age bracket, including children, youngsters and expats living in Ho Chi Minh City by offering riveting self-exploring and self-expression experiences.

A woman gives finishing touches to her painting at a class called Paint Corner in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Learners can take art courses at professional painting centers that generally last two months or more if they are to become proficient painters. A course costs around VND2 million ($88), which excludes use of painting tools. Children and adults alike can indulge in their art passion with coloring books which are widely available at bookstores throughout Ho Chi Minh City. The books, which sell for VND50,000 ($2.2) apiece, comprise pictures in black and white on a variety of themes as well as riddles to better intrigue the colorers.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
ISLAMABAD -- A group of Polish mountaineers set off for northern Pakistan on Sunday to start an attempt to be the first to scale K2, the worlds second highest peak, in wintertime.

K2, in the Karakorum mountains along the border between China and Pakistan, is notorious for high winds, steep and icy slopes - and high fatality rates for climbers. In winter months, scant snowfall means the summit approach can turn into bare ice.

More than 70 people have died climbing the peak, many of them at the Bottleneck, where a wrong step can send a climber hurtling off the South Face, where bodies are unlikely to be recovered.

Team member Adam Bielecki, 34, told Reuters that the chance to make history is a strong motivation for the Polish group.

Polish climbers have written a beautiful chapter of exploring peaks of more than 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), and scaling K2 in winter would the last chapter of this book.

The Polish team comprises 13 mountaineers led by Krzysztof Wielicki, 67, who in 2003 headed a winter expedition of K2, which was unable to clear the 8,000 meter threshold.

K2, slightly shorter than Mount Everest, is 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) high.

Wielicki told Reuters that his team would begin their ascent on Jan. 8 or 9 and, if successful, expect to return to base camp by mid-March.

Pakistan is a hot destination for climbers. It rivals Nepal for the number of peaks over 7,000 meters (22,966 feet) and in all, it has five of the worlds 14 summits higher than 8,000 meters.

Bielecki said the group expects to be away from home for around three months.

If you ask me whats the hardest part of the expedition or what I fear the most, its actually the separation from my family, he said.
Those who love indulging themselves in a natural retreat between May and September will find Cu Lao Cau, a secluded island in Binh Thuan Province, located about 300km to the east of Ho Chi Minh City, an ideal destination.

The island nestles in Tuy Phong District, Binh Thuan Province.

With merely 1.5 km in length, this dwarf-sized island stands out in the isolation it offers  indeed visitors will find themselves back to the most natural of settings.

Going to the beach on Cu Lao Cau. Photo: Tuoi Tre

What to expect?

Life on the island depends on the power of the sun, not the electricity so essential to the modern man.

That is not to mention the shortage of fresh and drinking water, the former primarily reserved in large barrels, the latter quite a cause for concern.

Island-goers are strongly advised to bring along extra water supplies, as the only water source traceable here is a Fairy well, which appeals tremendously to hardcore backpackers, but might challenge the unprepared.

A clean beach on Cu Lao Cau. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Given the tiny size of the place, strolling along the island is just the right thing any visitor should do.

It takes only two hours to walk from one tip to the other, during which wanderers will get to see lush greenery and rocks of intriguing shapes.

Snorkelers will enjoy themselves admiring the corals underneath.

Swimmers and sun-bathers will love the crystal water and sunshine along the Fairy beach.

The Fairy beach with gorgeous rocks. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Adventurers will be thrilled to venture in the two famous caves: the Sparrow (Hang Yen in the local language), and the Three-Stone (Hang Ba Hon).

Festival-lovers will find the God of the Southern Sea Carnival the right occasion of the year to be.

This takes place on April 15 and 16 of the lunar year, translating to May 29 and 30, 2018.

For food-cravers, specialties of the island will easily have them melted.

Camping is an easy accommodation option on the island. Photo: Tuoi Tre

There is the Bosom Snail, a cone-shaped snail resembling a pointed breast, usually grilled with onions.

The red Moon Crab with its peculiar dotted shell patterns is, by sheer look, simply mouth-watering.

The sea urchin, which looks like a marine porcupine, porridge is another must-try for tourists.

Rocks of intriguing shapes. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Where to stay and how to get there?

Untouched, the island has been well hiding itself from hospitality.

Hotels, therefore, are all just pie in the sky.

The only accommodation available is the choice of homestay, and there are only two such places!

The island is untouched and appealing to nature lovers. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Visitors might contact either Uncle Tu Huu, or Uncle Ba, who both happen to be the sole restaurant owners here.

Alternatively, they can put up tents in the middle of nowhere, basking themselves in the bright moonlight and waking up to the morning mist.

To get to Cu Lao Cau from Ho Chi Minh City, one can catch a 5-hour bus from Ben Xe Mien Dong (Eastern Bus Station), a major bus station in Binh Thanh District, to Lien Huong Town, Binh Thuan Province.

The fares, as Tuoi Tre News studied on some bus fare websites, range from VND135,000 (US$5.95) to VND170,000 ($7.50).

A perfect retreat! Photo: Tuoi Tre

There are several spots from Lien Huong from which tourists can get to the island, namely the Ca Na fishing port, the Phuoc Te fishing port, or the Lien Huong quay.

Tourists might pick one of the two options below for the 10km boat ride:

Option 1: Buy a two-way ticket from the Song En boat service for VND250,000 ($11). The journey takes roughly 45 minutes.

Option 2: Thumb a free ride with local fishermen. This journey might take 2-3 hours, which offers quite a seafaring experience.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Travis Perkins said like-for-like sales in July had been below normal levels in the wake of the UK's decision to leave the European Union as it posted a 10.7% rise in interim profits to 176m.

Revenues at the builders merchant rose by 5.8% to 31.bn, while like-for-like sales grew by 3.1%.

It is clear that the result of the EU referendum has created significant uncertainty in the outlook for our end markets and we did experience weaker demand in the run up to and immediately following the referendum, the company said.

Our two-year like-for-like sales in July have been below the levels we experienced in the second quarter, however we have seen a gradual improvement through the course of the month. In our view it is too early to precisely predict end market demand and we will continue to monitor the lead indicators we track and will react accordingly.

The earliest signs from the lead indicators the group tracks have been mixed and the Group is therefore taking a more cautious stance to end market demand in Q4 2016 and 2017.
Housebuilders dominated the FTSE 100 fallers on Monday after data showed the UK manufacturing sector contracted more than expected in July on the back of pre- and post-EU referendum uncertainty.

Market Movers

The Markit/CIPS UK manufacturing purchasing managers index fell to 48.2 from 52.4 in June and came in weaker than the flash estimate of 49.1, marking the lowest level since February 2013. A level below 50 signals a contraction in sector activity while a reading below that indicates an expansion.

The news hit house builders Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments, Berkeley Group and Persimmon.

Elsewhere in the fallers, Barclays declined after revealing that its Tier 1 capital ratio fell to 7.3% from a 2015 year-end position of 11.4% under the stress test. Royal Bank of Scotland's ratio fell by 7.5 percentage points to 8.1%.

Going the other way, Anglo American got a boost as RBC Capital Markets upgraded the stock to outperform from sector perform and lifted the price target to 1,000p from 800p saying the tide is turning for the investment case.

Other miners followed, with BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Randgold Resources all up.

Shire has received US regulatory approval for an improved haemophilia-A treatment developed by recently acquired Baxalta.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Baxject III reconstitution system for Adynovate, a new preparation for the recombinant antihemophilic which reduces the number of steps in the reconstitution process for hemophilia A patients and caregivers.

FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,697.29 -0.40%





FTSE 100 - Risers

Anglo American (AAL) 850.20p 2.37%

BHP Billiton (BLT) 965.00p 2.15%

Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 2,684.00p 1.90%

Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,503.00p 1.69%

Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,734.00p 1.60%

DCC (DCC) 6,815.00p 1.04%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 8,965.00p 1.01%

Compass Group (CPG) 1,450.00p 0.97%

Shire Plc (SHP) 4,912.00p 0.84%

Old Mutual (OML) 212.30p 0.81%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 149.30p -3.49%

Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 2,605.00p -2.91%

Intertek Group (ITRK) 3,524.00p -2.79%

Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 180.90p -2.64%

Barratt Developments (BDEV) 426.10p -2.61%

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 395.90p -2.49%

BT Group (BT.A) 403.30p -2.43%

Barclays (BARC) 150.95p -2.33%

Persimmon (PSN) 1,650.00p -2.19%

Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,959.00p -2.15%
Quotient Technology Inc. operates as a digital media and promotions technology company that offers power integrated digital media and promotions programs for brands and retailers. The company's Quotient Promotions platform offers digital paperless, print promotion, and cash back rebates, including Coupons.com website and mobile applications; brand and retailer websites and mobile applications; and third-party publishing websites and mobile applications. It also provides Quotient Retailer Promotions Platform that uses consumer data and insights to distribute personalized and targeted media and promotions for retailers of grocery, drug, mass merchant, dollar, club, and convenience merchandise; and Quotient Media Platform, which provides targeted advertising solutions that enables brands to reach shoppers before, during, and after their shopping cycles with digital media campaigns. It also provides Quotient Retailer Performance Media Platform that uses retailer's consumer data to drive sales and enhances the shopper experience; Quotient Analytics provides campaign analytics and measured sales results to brands and retailers; Quotient Consumer Properties; and Quotient Retailer Media Services. It serves approximately 900 consumer packed goods, representing approximately 2,500 brands, including various food, beverage, personal care, and household product manufacturers; retail partners representing various classes of trade, such as grocery retailers, drug, mass merchant, dollar, club, and convenience merchandise channels; and consumers visiting its websites, mobile properties, and social channels. The company was formerly known as Coupons.com Incorporated and changed its name to Quotient Technology Inc. in October 2015. Quotient Technology Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Banco Santander-Chile, together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking products and services in Chile. It operates through Retail Banking, Middle-Market, Corporate Investment Banking, and Corporate Activities segments. The company offers debit and credit cards, checking accounts, and savings products; consumer, automobile, commercial, mortgage, and government-guaranteed loans; and Chilean peso and foreign currency denominated loans to finance various commercial transactions, trade, foreign currency forward contracts, and credit lines, as well as mortgage financing services. It also provides mutual funds, insurance and securities brokerage, foreign exchange, financial leasing, factoring, financial consulting and advisory, investment management, foreign trade, treasury, and transactional services, as well as specialized services to finance projects for the real estate industry. In addition, the company offers short-term financing and fund raising, and brokerage services, as well as derivatives, securitization, and other tailor-made products. It serves individuals, small to middle-sized entities, companies, and large corporations, as well as universities, government entities, and local and regional governments. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 326 branches, which include 220 under the Santander brand name, 14 under the Select brand name, 7 specialized branches for the middle market, and 22 as auxiliary and payment centers, as well as 1,338 ATMs, including depository ATMs. Banco Santander-Chile was incorporated in 1977 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile.
NextEra Energy, Inc. is the largest electric utility holding company in the US. It operates a network of power generation and distribution facilities that include fossil-fuel-generated and green energy. As of mid-2022, the company was capable of generating 58 GW of electricity with nearly 60% of the load produced by green sources including wind and solar. In their view, going green isnt an option, its the solution. NextEra Energy has been recognized multiple times as a leader in clean energy and ESG practices and was ranked the #1 electric and gas utility on the Forbes list of Most Admired Companies.

The company is the result of several mergers that begin with FPL Group. FPL Group is now a subsidiary of NextEra Energy and the third-largest provider of electricity in the US servicing nearly half of Florida. FPL and its affiliates are the single largest provider of renewable energy generated from wind and sun. The group changed its name in 2010 following a decision to shift focus onto renewable energy sources.

Today, NextEra Energy, Inc through its subsidiary FPL serves about 12 million people in eastern and southwestern Florida. The company employs nearly 14,900 people who service 5.8 million accounts. The company is in business to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity to retail and wholesale clients. Electricity is generated through wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas, and coal-fired facilities.

The company is also engaged in the construction and operation of new facilities, specifically renewable power generation, storage, and delivery facilities, and can offer custom solutions tailored to any need. Offerings include tailored services to assist businesses with their transition to clean energy.

NextEra Energy also owns and operates 7 nuclear power stations in Florida, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin generating power for the wholesale market.

Unlike other companies that are targeting net-zero emissions, NextEra Energy has a plan to reach real zero and is investing heavily to reach that goal by 2045. The company had invested nearly $50 billion in green energy infrastructure and initiatives by mid-2022. The plan is to first work on reducing its own emissions and then take its knowledge and expertise to the world.
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.
As New Years Eve on the Plaza hits its third year, organizers are promising bigger and better additions as the annual event gains its footing.

As 2017 turns into 2018, there should be a fireworks show that wont disappoint. We will really up the ante, said Ray Sandoval, Zozobras head honcho who also helped start Santa Fes first community New Years Eve celebration.

He acknowledged last years fireworks, after the countdown to midnight and the rising of the events centerpiece Zia symbol, didnt wow the 6,000-strong audience. The pyrotechnics were intentionally muted, he said.

Organizers were trying to test the waters with what kind of fireworks would be safe to set off in Santa Fes dense historic center. Also, some downtown business owners were concerned about fire danger.

While Sandovals Kiwanis Club team stages a huge, jaw-dropping fireworks display when Zozobra goes up in flames every September, the New Years Eve fireworks downtown last year were low-power and low-heat, and they were engineered against flying too high, he said. Whatever fireworks that did go higher than the rest were caught in a fog that showed up right before midnight.

Now, with a better idea of whats possible and with better communication with Plaza storefronts, Sandoval and crew are ready to take the fireworks show up several notches, he said.

Theyre much more powerful, much brighter, but theyre still close-proximity fireworks, said Sandoval.

Other changes this year include the addition of slam poets in between the evenings musical performances and better equipment that will make the Zia that rises during the midnight countdown go higher.

Sandoval said that instead of rising 30 feet, like it did last year, this years Zia will go 50 feet over the crowd, with help from a boom lift.

Itll be much more spectacular, he said.

Just a few weeks ago, the city issued statements boasting about a USA Today reader poll that listed Santa Fe as the No. 2 best place to ring in the new year, beating out cities like New York and Las Vegas, and being topped only by Nashville.

The City Different is already a popular vacation spot during the holiday season, and this new tradition has given new year festivities a central focus that brings both locals and visitors together, said Randy Randall, head of Tourism Santa Fe, the citys convention and visitors bureau.

Sandoval is estimating 7,000 to 8,000 people will attend, unless a major snowstorm rolls in. Randall said he hopes to see the popularity of New Years Eve on the Plaza rival that of the Christmas Eve Farolito Walk on Canyon Road.

It takes a while for things to gain traction, said Randall. Its why we cant try things once and move along.

The free event starts Sunday at 9 p.m. The Kiwanis Club will provide hot chocolate and cookies, and there will be heaters and bonfires throughout the Plaza. Musical acts include longtime local favorites Sol Fire, veteran blues and soul man Alex Maryol and popular cover band Fun Adixx.

Sandoval, by the way, is promising some special guests  their names are very hush-hush for now  to help sing Auld Lang Syne post-midnight.

If you go

WHAT: A City Different New Years Eve

WHERE: Santa Fe Plaza

WHEN: Sunday, 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m.

COST: Free
The Grant Wallace Band will put its spin on the life of a low-level Houston street hustler at Chatter on Jan. 7.

Slated for the Las Puertas Event Center, The Magnificent Pretty Boy is a song cycle inspired by the life and work of Henry Ray Clark. Convicted for drug dealing in 1977 under Texas three strikes law, Clark was sentenced to 25 years in Huntsville State Prison. Behind bars, he developed his own artistic world on paper scraps and Manila envelopes. Clark drew clocks and figures; he sketched the planets he said he visited in a spaceship in his dreams.

He said, I am never imprisoned as long as I can draw.

The Magnificent Pretty Boy was Clarks street name.

Clark built a following, drawing increasing public recognition for his work. Members of the Grant Wallace Band  named for a California outsider artist  were inspired by Clarks story as they explored themes of creativity and imprisonment.

He had these visions of other worlds; he also incorporated celebrities, Albuquerque-based pianist/guitarist Luke Gullickson said. A picture of Frank Sinatra was enfolded in these abstract patterns.

Band members Gullickson, Ben Hjertmann(voice, pedal steel) and Chris Fisher-Lochhead (viola/banjo) interviewed Clarks Houston friends and acquaintances as they developed the piece. All three are classically trained composers who met in Chicago.

Usually we write scraps and sketches and hand them off to each other, Gullickson said. Most of the individual songs we wrote on our own. Theres a whole brew of influences.

The lyrics reference Oscar Wildes letters from prison, as well as a poem by the jailed and executed Roman senator Boethius. he musical tapestry includes the spiritual and artistic revelations of the British poet William Blake as well as the American jazz composer Sun Ra. The project was originally developed in 2015-2016 as part of a Houston Grand Opera series commissioning new works based on stories of contemporary Texas.

Classical music is a state we come from and we like to travel, Gullickson said.

Time Out Chicago said of the Grant Wallace Band band: If Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt had gone on a triple date with John Fahey, Dock Boggs and Bill Monroe to an Anton Webern (12-tone composer) concert, youd be somewhere in the neighborhood of the Grant Wallace Band.

The group released its second full-length album, By This Time Tomorrow, this month.
Hundreds of ones, fives, and tens tacked on the wall of the famous the Owl Bar and Cafe by locals and tourists throughout the year were taken down and counted in an annual ritual earlier this month.

The Owls Rowena Baca said when all the bills were counted up, she had $1,500 this year to donate to various charities, including the St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children, New Mexico Vietnam Veterans, Animal Protection Association of Socorro, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Carrie Tingley Hospital and New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranch.

Judging by the notes pinned to the bills one could learn a little about geography and the world. Visitors to Socorro County came from Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Dubai, France, Germany, Guam, Istanbul, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, South Korea, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Not to mention most of the 50 states, from Alaska to Florida. The Owl has raised $30,200 since the yearly tradition began at the famous San Antonio eatery 15 years ago.

But the Owl has been around much longer than that; 75 years ago there was no bar or cafe.

Grandpa had a grocery store on this spot, Baca said. Grandpas name was J.E. Miera and he started the grocery store in 1939. Grandpa and Conrad Hilton worked for Conrads dad, Gus Hilton, at his general store when they were young.

The all-adobe Owl Bar and Cafe was built by her grandfather.

There was wide open gambling here in New Mexico back then and people would stay late into the night gambling in the back room, she said. Maybe that why he named it The Owl.

The bar, which was originally in Gus Hiltons business a couple of doors down from the Owl, was brought in, and six years after opening, the little grocery store played a small part in world history.

There was no place to eat in San Antonio back then, Baca said. The scientists who came down from Los Alamos kept asking him for hamburgers. Back then there were cabins behind the store. The scientists told my Grandpa they were prospectors and wanted to rent cabins. No one knew they were working on the atomic bomb.

They wanted to have hamburgers so he set up the grill where the kitchen is now. We still have the first grill, she said. It became the only place in town to eat. We also had gas pumps. This used to be the main highway.

Baca said the physicists were regular customers for several weeks.

Then one morning she was awakened by her grandmother, Theresa (Zimmerly) Miera, who had her hide under the bed.

The whole sky turned red and she thought it was the end of the world, Baca said.

It was the detonation of the worlds first atomic bomb, not much more than 20 miles away.

She said eventually the hamburger business got so big the grocery store was moved to where the back dining room is now.

I believe my dad, Frank Chavez, invented the green chile cheeseburger right here, Baca said. First he started out with a bottle of picante sauce on the table, then pretty soon added the green chile. That was many years ago.

In the 1970s the grocery store closed, and the Owl Bar and Cafe continues to win awards for its green chile cheeseburger.

Baca is proud of her familys contribution to the war effort in 1945.

But thats not her only link with local history. She is a descendant of Ethan W. Eaton and Marie Marcellina Chavez. Eaton fought in the Civil War at Valverde, later becoming a colonel in the U.S. Army. Eaton also served as Socorro County Sheriff and the mayor of Socorro.
Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Aspen, Colorado, this week for a holiday vacation  but not without encountering a silent protest from his neighbors in the liberal ski resort town.

Make America Gay Again, reads a rainbow banner posted on the stone pillars at the end of the driveway of the home where Pence and his wife, Karen, are staying.

A dispatcher with the Pitkin County Sheriffs Office referred The Washington Post to the White House press office Saturday, but sheriffs deputy Michael Buglione told the Aspen Times that Pences next-door neighbors posted the banners shortly after the vice president and his family arrived on Tuesday. In an email to the Aspen Times, Shannon Slade said she is a girlfriend of one of the daughters of the couple living in the house and that they posted the banner.

LGBT advocates have previously showed their opposition to Pence.

In December, residents in the affluent Washington neighborhood of Chevy Chase hoisted rainbow flags outside their homes following news that Pence, then newly elected, would live there temporarily before moving to the vice presidents residence at the Naval Observatory.

Protesters showed up the following month, dancing their way through the neighborhood and to the house Pence had rented ahead of the inauguration.

Pence, who has often described himself as a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order, has a long history of opposing same-sex marriage and other policies that provide equal protections to members of the LGBT community.

As Indiana governor, a position he held before he was tapped as President Donald Trumps running mate, Pence signed into law a controversial legislation that advocates said would allow businesses to discriminate against members of the LGBT community. The national uproar over the divisive bill, called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, prompted Indiana legislators to modify it by adding anti-discrimination protections. But those only applied in cities, some of which are the most liberal in the state, where such protections already exist locally.

A paragraph on Pences campaign website when he ran for Congress in 2000 fueled speculations that he is an advocate of conversion therapy, a practice of trying to change someones sexual orientation that is banned in several states and discredited by medical organizations.

Pence said on his website that federal dollars should not go to organizations that celebrate and encourage types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus and funds should, instead, be given to institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.

Pences spokesman, Mark Lotter, told The New York Times last year that the vice president does not support conversion therapy, and that his campaign statement was misinterpreted.

In Congress, where he was a member from 2001 to 2013 before becoming Indiana governor, Pence described traditional marriage as the institution that forms the backbone of our society. Citing a Harvard University sociologist during a speech on the House floor, he said, societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family.

In 2007, Pence spoke against a bill that would protect gays and lesbians from discrimination in the workplace.

If an employee keeps a Bible in his or her cubicle, if an employee displays a Bible verse on their desk, that employee could be claimed by a homosexual colleague to be creating a hostile work environment, he said on the House floor.

Pence opposed 2009 legislation that would expand federal hate-crime statutes to include protections based on gender, disability and sexual orientation. Pence said on the House floor that he feared the bill could have a chilling effect on the religious expression and religious freedom of millions of Americans.

The New Yorker reported in October that Trump mocked Pences religious and socially conservative beliefs and joked that the vice president wants to hang gays. Pences press secretary, Alyssa Farah, said in a statement to The Post that the lengthy piece with the headline, The Danger of President Pence, is unsubstantiated and filled with untrue and offensive claims.

In Aspen, the banner didnt seem to cause tension.

Buglione, the sheriffs deputy, told the Aspen Times that the Secret Service agents were not bothered by the banner and were cordial with the residents who posted it.

Aspen is the county seat of Pitkin, where Hillary Clinton defeated Trump by a significant margin: 69.7 percent to 24.3 percent. Clinton won Colorado with a nearly 3 percent lead. The state went to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.

  

The Washington Posts Derek Hawkins contributed to this story.
BERLIN  As thousands celebrate New Years Eve at Berlins iconic Brandenburg Gate on Sunday night, a team of medical professionals in a white tent only yards away will be standing by, waiting for possible victims of sexual assault and harassment to seek their help.

After mass sexual assaults occurred on New Years Eve in several German cities two years ago, Berlin officials now work on the assumption that prevention efforts alone may no longer be sufficient at such large-scale events. Women will be able to speak to psychologists immediately after being assaulted or harassed in a safe zone at the Berlin New Years Eve event.

While the presence of medical professionals and police officers at crowded event sites is nothing new, it is the first time such a dedicated area with experienced staffers will be set up in Berlin, and the first time that such an effort is being undertaken on New Years Eve in Germany.

[Assaulted women] can stay here and calm down or speak to someone trained to offer psychological support, said Anja Marx, the spokeswoman of Berlins main New Years Eve celebrations. Up to five members of a German Red Cross team will be available to offer immediate support to victims.

On New Years Eve 2015, about 1,200 women became victims of sexual assault in several major German cities, with more than 600 women attacked in Cologne and about 400 victims in the northern German city of Hamburg. Prosecutors established that more than 2,000 men were involved in the assaults, but only a tiny fraction  about half of them foreign nationals who at the time had only recently arrived in the country  had been identified a year later.

It took months for the full scale of the 2015 assaults to emerge, but when prosecutors released their final estimates, Germans attitude toward refugees changed dramatically: To many, New Years Eve 2015 is the night Germanys welcoming attitude toward newcomers ended. Leading politicians called for tougher deportation laws soon thereafter.

Far fewer cases of sexual assault were registered last year after authorities sent out thousands of additional police officers onto the streets and banned the use of fireworks in several locations. Privately-purchased fireworks can create intense smoke, potentially hindering police operations to prevent or stop sexual assaults and other crimes.

Germanys parliament also passed stricter sexual assault laws last year that addressed complaints that German codes had been too lax. Previously, prosecutors had to prove that alleged perpetrators used force or made threats. Most of the alleged perpetrators responsible for the 2015 New Years Eve assaults stood accused of offenses such as facilitating sex assaults as part of a group or groping, accusations that were difficult to prosecute under the old laws.

This year, authorities have doubled down on efforts to not only prosecute but also prevent assaults. Apart from an increased police presence, authorities have installed more CCTV cameras and streetlights across major cities.

Far fewer sexual assaults occurred in Berlin during the 2015 celebrations than in other cities, partially due to the experience Berlin authorities have in dealing with crowds. Still, authorities there have taken more preventative measures since, this year adding the safe zone. A similar effort was made at the rowdy Oktoberfest celebration in the German capital.

However, Berlins safe zone has come under some criticism. The chairman of Germanys police union, Rainer Wendt, criticized Berlins planned safe zone for women in an interview with a German newspaper this week, saying: Whoever came up with this idea did not understand its political dimension. It implies that there are zones of security as well as zones of insecurity.

Wendts criticism was shared by others who believe that the introduction of womens safe zones would essentially come close to accepting sexual violence as a reality of life, and that it could lead to the end of equality, freedom and self-determination, in Germany, as Wendt phrased it.

But experts on sexual assault prevention disagree with that assessment. Germanys efforts are a step in the right direction  they counter the expectation that sexual violence should be treated as a private problem, not a public concern, said Rachel Davis, managing director at the Prevention Institute in Oakland, California, even though she emphasized that more can be done to prevent it in the first place.

Its also important to counter the promotion of other norms, such as rigid gender norms that associate masculinity with control and femininity with compliance; acceptance of abuse of power over others; and acceptance of aggression and violence, said Davis.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

SUNLAND PARK  Holiday sales have never been better for the tiny Side Door Liquor Store located on the state line.

The store is expecting a big crowd on New Years Eve, a repeat of Christmas Eve when Texans shopped for booze in New Mexico because Texas bans liquor sales on Sundays and certain holidays, including New Years Day and Christmas.

Everybody was stunned that Texas was closed. Well, they forgot it was Sunday, said Sindi Zeller, manager of the Side Door Liquor Store in Sunland Park.

This year, both New Years Eve and Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday. So-called blue laws in Texas also force liquor stores there to close on New Years Day and Christmas, even when they dont fall on a Sunday.

So Texans had to stock up on spirits for their New Years celebrations no later than Saturday or cross the state line.

The Side Door Liquor Store is in New Mexico, but the parking lot is in Texas. It belongs to the aptly named The State Line restaurant next door. The tiny package store benefits from procrastinators or those who find they need an extra bottle for guests.

We didnt know so and so was coming over, so there goes all the Crown. You better get another bottle of Crown, so theres always those last-minute things, said Kevin McGuire, assistant general manager at The State Line restaurant.

The barbecue restaurant hopes to benefit from an overflow crowd of customers who may get hungry if the liquor store line is as long as it was on Christmas Eve.

Once you entered the store, we had about 30-35-minute wait because it went all the way around and came up to the register, Zeller said. From the door all the way out to the parking lot, that was probably another 30 minutes easily.

The store tripled sales over Christmas Eve last year, she said.

Billy Crews, another restaurant on the state line, also had a long line of Texans at its package store on Christmas Eve and expects another crowd New Years Eve.

Some Texans shopped for spirits early.

We have other plans for the weekend. We wont be in line here, said El Paso resident Michelle Holguin as she left the Side Door Liquor Store with her mother. Were getting a bottle of Crown Royal for my father and brother.

Other Texans were not aware of the two-day holiday ban on liquor sales in Texas.

No, I did not know, said Carlos Aldama as he left the store with a bottle of his favorite tequila.

His family plans to celebrate New Years Eve at home.

If its Sunday, Im definitely going to come back, he said.
Those of us who were born and raised after the civil rights movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement, and who remember celebrating Earth Day in elementary school are very distraught, confused and frustrated by the current events in our national dialogue. We never questioned the fact that every American has the inalienable right to equality under the law. When gay people demanded marriage equality, it seemed a no-brainer; when we saw the potential for a clean energy future, we were 100 percent on board; and now when we see politicians trying to roll back that progress it is incredibly disheartening.

There can be no doubt that part of the current American discourse revolves around a sense of nostalgia for times past. Those times are reflected by (President Donald) Trump and Roy Moore, with this Mad Men -style society where a genteel suburban or rural lifestyle evokes a time of safety, opportunity, community and belonging. While its easy to understand where that nostalgia comes from, as they and many of their followers were beneficiaries of that time period, its hard to reconcile those beliefs with all weve learned since.

We learned that behind the genteel facade of politeness and hospitality was a disdain, at worst wickedness and at best apathy, toward minorities, immigrants and the poor. For generations, these people lived in the shadows, hardly benefiting from the decades of growth that accompanied post-WWII America. While the white middle class was buying new houses and new cars and sending kids to college, unthinkable for most middle-class families today, these communities were being excluded from the jobs, schools and neighborhoods they wanted and the opportunities they had earned.

We are forever indebted to the brave activists who exposed this cruelty. These leaders exposed the common wisdom fraud that women were happier staying home and didnt fret not having opportunities equal to mens, that blacks and other minorities were happy being relegated to specific parts of town where they could be together, and that our lifestyles couldnt possibly impact the safety of our water, air and even our climate.

There can be no doubt that we took those efforts for granted and just assumed that progress would march forward toward a more just society. Sure, there were many departures from that path, but this presidency has shaken that faith to its core. Weve never heard a president sow such division and spread such vitriol about our countrys institutions. While many of us hoped that we would pull together and reject these divisive and deluded messages, watching the bravery of women calling out sexual harassers, the takeover of the Virginia Legislature, and now the incredible black turnout in Alabama, its beginning to feel like the sun is rising over the United States of America again.
By the third time Sherese Crawford got pulled over, she knew it was no matter of coincidence.

Crawford is a 38-year-old African-American Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent recently on temporary assignment in Albuquerque. As part of her work, she was regularly required to rent a car and drive a lonely stretch of Interstate 40 to travel between the ICE field office in Albuquerque and Milan. Over the course of less than a month, she was pulled over three times by the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office  twice by the same deputy.

In none of these stops was she given a warning or citation. Her only crime: driving while black. (Recently) the ACLU of New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the Sheriffs Office alleging that they unlawfully and repeatedly stopped Crawford, a veteran federal law enforcement agent, because of her race. (A spokeswoman for the Sheriffs Office has told the Journal the traffic stops did happen, but she declined to comment further.)

The first of the three incidents occurred on April 5, when Deputy Leonard Armijo pulled Crawford over, claiming that he had searched a database for her license plate number and the license plate came back as not on file, indicating that the vehicle might be stolen. This is a highly unlikely claim, given that Crawford was driving a rental car provided by ICE.

When Crawford asked him in utter confusion, What did I do? Deputy Armijo forced her to exit the vehicle and walk with him to his patrol unit, where he scolded her for giving him an attitude. After this incident, Crawford contacted an ICE supervisor in Albuquerque to complain about the pretextual traffic stop, and the ICE supervisor advised her the sheriffs deputy had likely stopped her because she fit a profile: an African-American in a rental car.

That profile got her stopped two more times on April 15 and May 3 by Bernalillo County Deputy Patrick Rael. In the April 15 stop, Deputy Rael pulled her over for allegedly tailgating. When he examined Crawfords license, he recognized her name and asked her if they had pulled her over the week before. He said he remembered Crawfords name because an ICE officer and sheriffs deputy at the first stop had said that she had an attitude. Two weeks later, Deputy Rael pulled over Crawford for a third time, alleging she was driving too slow.

These three incidents taken together clearly show that the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office has an unconstitutional policy of racially profiling African-Americans. For context, white and Hispanic ACLU of New Mexico staff have been driving the same stretch of road in rental cars for years without incident. It is impossible to imagine that these three stops in close succession with no warning or citation were motivated by anything other than Crawfords race, especially given that Bernalillo County is overwhelmingly white and Hispanic, with only 3 percent of the population reporting as black or African-American.

Targeting people because of the color of their skin isnt just unconstitutional and wrong; its bad policing. This kind of biased-based policing destroys public trust in law enforcement and divides communities, making it harder for officers to do their jobs.

As one of the most diverse and multicultural states in the country, racial discrimination has no place in New Mexico, especially not in one of our states largest law enforcement agencies. Were fighting to ensure anytime you see flashing lights behind you, you can feel confident that it was your lead foot  not the color of your skin  thats getting you pulled over.
Antoinette Sedillo Lopez  a former UNM law professor and womens rights advocate running for Congress in New Mexicos 1st Congressional District  has been doing a lot of thinking about sexual harassment since the issue exploded into the national consciousness late this year.

In a recent phone conversation, Sedillo Lopez recalled her own demoralizing experience with harassment when as a young law clerk she was introduced to a prominent (and now deceased) federal judge who promptly pinched her on the behind. She said the recent spate of allegations that have torpedoed the careers of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona and others demonstrates just how widespread the problem is.

I do not know a single woman that I have an intimate enough relationship with to talk about these issues who hasnt experienced it  at least once but many times, multiple times, Sedillo Lopez said, adding that sexual harassment and rape and domestic violence have really shaped my sense of justice.

Lately, Sedillo Lopez has been talking up a proposal to create a federal sexual justice bureau that would enable women who are harassed  but not necessarily in a work setting or in a way that would lend itself to legal recourse  to get help coping.

They could come and find justice for themselves, Sedillo Lopez said, envisioning the bureau as a centralized federal agency like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It might not be safe for a victim of sexual harassment to file a legal proceeding, but they need healing and help, and there might be other actions that would feel like justice to them.

At a time when some men may feel confused about how to interact with women in this new climate of heightened sensitivity to harassment, Sedillo Lopez had some advice.

The big difference between flirtation and harassment is consent, she said. The very simple guidance I certainly talk to men about is consent  look for the yes. Flirtation is a two-way thing. If youre talking to a woman and shes not interested, move on. Youre not getting consent, and persistence isnt going to change things.

While the problem of sexual harassment is pervasive, Sedillo Lopez was quick to point out that the vast majority of men arent creepers.

Most men are not like this  in my experience, theres always maybe one, maybe two in an office, she said. But what I didnt realize (until the recent explosion of high-profile harassment cases) was how prolific they were.

She encouraged men who want to be a part of the solution to speak out when they see their male peers acting inappropriately with women.

Men have been silent, Sedillo Lopez said. They just kind of go along, and the silence protected the few men who engaged in this behavior. Its a really rare man who will see that and not just ignore it.

Speaking of the 1st Congressional District race, Democratic candidate Damon Martinez  a former U.S. attorney for New Mexico  picked up a significant endorsement Friday when former U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman backed his campaign.

Damon has the experience, he is committed to New Mexico, and he will work tirelessly for us in Washington, said Bingaman, a Democrat who served New Mexico in the U.S. Senate for 30 years before retiring in 2012. Damon will be a strong advocate for New Mexicos working families, our children and those who are struggling.

Damons commitment to the future of New Mexicans is proven, Bingaman added. His thoughtful and innovative approach toward policymaking is what the state and the country need. Damon will be a powerful addition to our delegation in Washington and I am proud to endorse him.

Meanwhile, in the New Mexico governors race, Democratic candidate Jeff Apodaca is on the television airwaves with a new ad narrated by Sam Donaldson, the former White House reporter for ABC News who now lives in New Mexico.

The 60-second ad touts Apodacas plans to create 225,000 new jobs, invest in New Mexico schools and expand affordable health care by investing part of New Mexicos $23 billion in reserve funds.

Im tired of hearing that New Mexico is broke, Apodaca said in a press release announcing his new ad. Were not broke. We sit on 23 billion dollars in rainy day funds. Thats money that we need to be investing back into New Mexico.

E-mail: mcoleman@abqjournal.com. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

It was the return address that tipped off Customs Border Protection officers that the package arriving from China at the FedEx Memphis hub and addressed to an apartment in Artesia, N.M., needed further investigation.

The paperwork sounded innocent enough. It said the package contained cyan (blue-green) computer printer ink.

But it came from the same address in Shanghai as 10 other packages sent to addresses in Arizona, Illinois and New York that customs agents had seized over the past year, according to federal court records.

Based on that, agents selected the Artesia package for examination and found a bottle containing a blue liquid weighing about 2 pounds. After extensive testing, they determined it was GBL, a controlled drug in both the United States and China, used to make the date rape drug GHB.

On its own, GBL causes many of the same effects as GHB.

In low doses, it is considered a party drug, like ecstasy. In somewhat larger doses, it can be a date rape drug because it can cause amnesia or even coma and death.

In China, police found GBL mixed with soda pop at underage nightclubs and raided a soft drink manufacturing plant last fall where the drug was being mixed with the non-alcoholic beverages.

No arrests were made in connection with the GBL package headed for Artesia.

Agents attempted a controlled delivery, but the extensive testing required to identify the drug delayed the delivery.

People sending and receiving express packages can track the time of expected arrival. If the packages are delayed too long, the recipient can refuse the package or deny ordering it.

Packages are also sent to vacant addresses, where the person meets the delivery and signs for it using an assumed name.

If the package gets held up for testing, the person doesnt show up to take delivery.

The Artesia package was one of millions arriving in the U.S. each day by regular postal service and express air/ground delivery companies like UPS, FedEx and DHL.

In a small percentage of those millions of parcels, smugglers have hidden drugs like Fentanyl, MDMA, GHB and others made in laboratories in China and elsewhere.

Over the past year, Customs Border Protection seized 179 kilograms of GHB coming in through overseas mail or express packages.

Turning to technology

Customs Border Protection has turned to technology to beat the laboratory testing delay problem.

With the spectrographic laser and chemical equipment, officers dont have to open the packages and they get results in seconds, Frank Russo, Port Director at JFK International Airport, said in a telephone interview.

It is critically important to us, Russo said.

The JFK mail facility gets about 60 percent of the regular international mail entering the country each day.

Like the 19 express package facilities around the country, CBP officers use X-ray machines and drug-sniffing dogs and point of origin to determine which packages should be searched.

They can also set up watch lists to pre-screen packages and cargo.

Because the packages come from overseas, CBP could legally open them all, but thats impossible when dealing with millions of packages and pieces of mail. Priorities have to be set.

The hand-held spectrographic laser CBP officers use to identify drugs in suspicious packages also has an internal memory that updates itself.

Russo said that helps catch packages of drugs like Fentanyl that Chinese chemists are continually tweaking to make stronger.

It can sometimes take a laboratory several days to identify the drug as an offshoot of traditional Fentanyl, but the spectrographic lasers can make that determination in several seconds.

That reduces the delay in making a controlled delivery in which agents would try to arrest the person receiving the drugs.

Each unit costs $75,000, and 60 are now in use around the country with more in the pipeline.

In Russos estimation, the cost is worth it.

The CDC just reported that the average life expectancy in the United States went down because of opioid overdose deaths, Russo said.

Increase in seizures

Last January, CBP officers inspected a parcel shipped from China to an address in Albuquerques Northeast Heights.

The paperwork described the contents as a some sort of coloring agent or pigment.

The actual contents: a little over two ounces of an opioid called U-47700  a little-known analgesic developed in the 1970s that was never tested on humans, but is estimated to be about seven times stronger than morphine.

While not as powerful as Fentanyl, it is used in much the same way. The powder form of U-47700 is used in illegal pill pressing operations and has been linked to fatal overdoses around the country.

A small amount of the drug is diluted, then pressed into a pill or capsule form for distribution, usually as counterfeit 30 milligram oxycodone tablets.

It is also used to increase the strength of heroin that has been cut too much.

Two ounces might not sound like much, but typically the drugs coming through international mail are very high purity and this batch was no exception. Testing showed that it was basically 100 percent pure and that $500 worth of U-47700 could be used to churn out $25,000 in product.

While seizures of U-47700 are not unusual, Port Director Russo said seizures of shipments of the much more powerful opioid, Fentanyl, from China and Hong Kong have increased significantly.

Five years ago, CBP seized one kilogram of Fentanyl. That increased to 550 kilos in the most recent fiscal year.

Once we began to focus on Fentanyl, our seizures went up significantly, Russo said.

Drug trafficking organizations and individuals purchase powdered Fentanyl online.

They can also buy pill presses and binding agents online that are then shipped into the U.S. primarily using the U.S. Mail or express consignment couriers.

CBP does not expect the flow of Fentanyl and other drugs through the mail and express packaging to decrease any time soon because the potential profit is enormous.

Six thousand dollars worth of Fentanyl, he said, can be turned into millions of dollars worth of drugs.
SAN DIEGO  While federal policymakers debate a controversial proposal that would separate asylum-seeking families after they reach the U.S. as a deterrent to future migrants, some immigrant rights advocacy groups say theyre already seeing increases in parents separated from children along the southwest border.

Several nonprofits filed a complaint earlier this month with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security documenting at least 15 cases of asylum-seeking families split apart and sent to different detention facilities. Not all of the cases described in the complaint are indicative of a policy change, but circumstances in some of the cases suggest that the new proposal is already having an effect.

The complaint asks two oversight divisions of the department to investigate.

The separation of parents from their children at the U.S.-Mexico border and within the United States, absent a justifiable child protection grounds, is so fundamentally unconscionable it defies countless international and domestic laws on child welfare, human rights and refugees, the complaint says.

An official with Customs and Border Protection declined this week to comment about the complaint.

As a matter of policy, we do not comment on pending investigations, the official said. However, lack of comment should not be construed as agreement or stipulation with any of the allegations.

Adults seeking asylum in the U.S. are generally held in immigration detention after they arrive at the border. The federal government has a limited number of facilities capable of housing women with children and even fewer for men with children, so families are often released more quickly than adults who are detained by themselves.

Beyond the trauma of being separated from a loved one, asylum seekers who are split from family members can also end up with different outcomes in their immigration cases because they are no longer linked in court. That means a child could win his case and stay in the U.S. while the parent loses and is deported, or vice versa.

Reports that federal authorities were considering family separation as an official policy first surfaced in early March. By the end of the month, after public backlash, then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly walked back the idea.

It resurfaced as a proposal just before Christmas, according to The Washington Post, when end-of-year statistics showed numbers of arriving families and unaccompanied minors returning to levels seen before President Donald Trumps inauguration.

In November of last year, 1,356 people traveling with family members either came to a San Diego port of entry without documents to enter the U.S. or crossed illegally and were caught by Border Patrol, according to data from Customs and Border Protection. That number dropped to 267 in March 2017.

At the time, officials celebrated the change as proof that Trumps immigration policies were working as intended.

By November, the number had climbed to 1,202.

About 70 percent of families arriving at San Diegos border in the last year went through a port of entry rather than sneaking in.

The complaint filed in mid-December suggests that though the policy to separate families has not yet been approved by the highest levels of the department, some families are already feeling its effects.

Four fathers described in the complaint were together in a temporary processing cell in San Diego in mid-November when immigration officials forced them to hand over their children, whose ages ranged from one to 12.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency involved in the incident, said that its officers could not verify the relationships between the men and the children. The agency said that some smuggling organizations have tried pairing adults with unrelated children to avoid being detained when they try to enter the U.S.

The only thing I know for certain is that I was looking for help from this country, which is my right, said Eric Matute Castro, whose 3-year-old son was pulled from his arms. I feel powerless. I came here to protect my son and to protect myself.

The men said the officials who took their children told them that the decision came from higher up.

The four fathers, three from El Salvador and one from Honduras, all said they fled gang violence in their home countries that included extortion and death threats.

Some of the parents listed in the complaint were separated from their children because they were charged with illegal entry or re-entry and placed in U.S. Marshals custody while criminal proceedings are pending.

Advocacy organizations have pointed out that under a 1951 convention on refugees, countries are not supposed to penalize refugees or asylum seekers for illegal entry or being in the country without permission.

In other cases listed in the complaint, those who came to the U.S. as a family group  including mother, father and child  probably would have been separated in the past even without the Trump administrations suggested policy. In those instances, children stayed with the mother, and the father was detained separately, as were any other adult family members.

A Guatemalan womans case suggests that this, too, may be changing to further separate parents and children.

She said in the complaint that she was separated from her two children and husband in September at the San Ysidro port of entry.

The children, ages five and 14, are currently in a shelter in New York, according to the complaint, while both parents are held separately at Otay Mesa Detention Center.

She has a phone number to call the shelter where her children are staying.

When I do talk to my kids, they tell me they dont want to be there, they miss me, and they want to be with me, she said.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  A police official says a collision between a truck and a bus in western Kenya has killed at least 36 people.

Rift Valley Traffic Commandant Zero Arome said Sunday the accident involved a bus heading to the capital city, Nairobi, from Busia County and a truck heading from Nakuru County to Eldoret town.

Arome says the bus's brakes are suspected to have failed.

The National Transport and Safety Authority has been criticized for failing to reduce road accidents, which account for around 3,000 Kenyan deaths every year.

While authorities have blamed careless road users, unroadworthy vehicles and speeding for the accidents, other observers say poor road construction and maintenance are to blame.

 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.
LOS ANGELES  Californians may awake on New Years Day to a stronger-than-normal whiff of marijuana as Americas cannabis king lights up to celebrate the states first legal retail pot sales.

The historic day comes more than two decades after California paved the way for legal weed by passing the nations first medical marijuana law, though other states were quicker to allow the drugs recreational use.

From the small town of Shasta Lake just south of Oregon to San Diego on the Mexican border, the first of about 90 shops licensed by the state will open Monday to customers who previously needed a medical reason or a dope dealer to score pot.

In November 2016, California voters legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, making it legal to grow six plants and possess an ounce of pot. The state was given a year to set retail market regulations that are still being formalized and will be phased in over the next year.

Were thrilled, said Khalil Moutawakkil, founder of KindPeoples, which grows, manufactures and sells weed in Santa Cruz. We can talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of the specific regulations, but at the end of the day its a giant step forward, and well have to work out the kinks as we go.

The long, strange trip to get here has been a frustrating one for advocates of a drug that in the federal governments eyes remains illegal and in a class with heroin.

The state banned loco-weed in 1913, according to a history by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, the pot advocacy group known as NORML. The first attempt to undo that by voter initiative in 1972 failed, but three years later felony possession of less than an ounce was downgraded to a misdemeanor.

In 1996, over objections of law enforcement, the drug czar under President Bill Clinton and three former presidents who warned it was an enormous threat to the public health of all Americans, California voters approved marijuana for medicinal purposes.

While the rollout of grassroots collectives of growers and dispensaries where marijuana could be sold to patients was at times messy, the law led to wider acceptance of the drug as medicine.

The heavens didnt fall, said Dale Gieringer, director of California NORML. We didnt see increased youth drug abuse or increased accidents or crazy things happening as our opponents predicted.

Today, 28 other states have adopted similar laws. In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana. California is one of five states, plus Washington, D.C., that followed suit. Retail sales are scheduled to begin in Massachusetts in July.

With wider acceptance, the aroma of marijuana smoke has become more pervasive in parts of California, and use accelerated after the legalization vote.

Even with other states as models for what works and what can go wrong as marijuana strains known as Sweet Skunk, Trainwreck and Russian Assassin hit the street, the next year is expected to be a bumpy one as more shops open and more stringent regulations take effect.

Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the states Bureau of Cannabis Control, said Sunday that the agency has been working throughout the weekend to process as many licenses as possible. He says licenses will also be issued on New Years Day. The agency so far has issued more than 300 licenses statewide for marijuana distributors, retailers and cultivators, he said.

The California Police Chiefs Association, which opposed the ballot measure, remains concerned about stoned drivers, the appeal the drug will have for young people as it becomes more normalized, and the cost of policing the new rules in addition to an existing black market.

Theres going to be a public health cost and a public safety cost enforcing these new laws and regulations, said Jonathan Feldman, a legislative advocate for the chiefs. It remains to be seen if this can balance itself out.

For consumers, the most surprising revelation may be the dearth of places to get ganja. In theory, buying a joint, loose weed or a hash brownie should be as easy as finding a craft beer, but options are few as some cities have rejected retail sales and others have taken a more mellow approach toward licensing operations.

Pot-friendly San Francisco, a counter-culture hub where marijuana smoke has been a fixture for half a century, was late to establish local regulations and wont have any retail outlets open for business until later in the week. Its a similar situation in Los Angeles.

Meantime, Fresno, Riverside, Anaheim, Bakersfield and all of surrounding Kern County have prohibited pot shops, and Long Beach has a temporary ban.

For shop owners lucky enough to receive temporary licenses from the state and clear local red tape, anticipation is high.

Will Senn, founder of Urbn Leaf in San Diego, said the shops four phone lines have been ringing off the hook for three months, but hes not sure what to expect when doors open at 7 a.m. with extra security and more than 60 employees at the ready for sales and deliveries.

Were preparing for the worst and hoping for the best, Senn said. We never want lines out the door and around the block. Thats not what were trying to accomplish here.

Shops at first will be able to sell marijuana harvested without the regulatory controls that eventually will require extensive testing for potency, pesticides and other contaminants. A program to track all pot from seed to sales also will be phased in, along with other protections such as child-proof containers for pot products.

Pot shop founder Jamie Garzot said shes concerned that when the current crop dries up, shell encounter a shortage of marijuana that meets state regulations. The irony is that her 530 Cannabis shop in Shasta Lake is close to some of Californias most productive growing areas, yet most of the surrounding counties wont allow cultivation that could supply her.

Playing in the gray market is not an option, Garzot said. California produces more cannabis than any state in the nation, but going forward, if its not from a state-licensed source, I cant put it on my shelf. If I choose to do so, I run the risk of losing my license.

In 2016, the state produced an estimated 13.5 million pounds of pot, and 80 percent was illegally shipped out of state, according to a report prepared for the state by ERA Economics, an environmental and agricultural consulting firm. Of the remaining 20 percent, only a quarter was sold legally for medicinal purposes.

That robust black market is expected to continue to thrive, particularly as taxes and fees raise the cost of retail pot by as much as 70 percent.

Matt Brancale, 47, a marijuana user since the 1980s and a connoisseur of the plants flowery buds, said he welcomes regulations that will bring a higher-quality product because of required testing. But he fears the price could spike once the government takes its share, and worries that revenue will be misspent.

I also dont want to get taxed to the teeth on it, he said. Are they going to try to squeeze every last ounce of tax revenue out of it? I assume they will. Theres people that are drooling in Sacramento with the potential resource money.

___

Follow APs complete coverage of marijuana legalization in California here: https://apnews.com/tag/CaliforniaMarijuana
December 29, 2017

CAIRO  On Dec. 14, student elections in Egyptian public universities raised several questions about the future of the relationship between public university students and the ruling regime.

The student elections, which had not been held the past two years in Egypt, attracted a low turnout both in terms of candidates and voters. The majority of seats were either won by acclamation due to the lack of sufficient candidates or appointed by the university administration due to the complete absence of candidates.

Each faculty will now have a student council of 14 members, including a president and a vice president. On Dec. 14, which was the final day of the elections, the elected student councils elected a union representing all university students. This union is also composed of 14 members, including a president and a vice president.

Observers believe that the regulations that were approved by the government a week before the elections was a decisive factor that allowed the regime to control the student movements within universities. Since the outbreak of the January 25 Revolution in 2011, students have been giving the successive authorities a headache, these observers argued.

The Egyptian Cabinet on Nov. 23 issued new regulations banning partisan slogans or political seminars in universities for the first time since the establishment of universities in the early 20th century.

Hani al-Husseini, a member of the March 9 Movement for the Independence of Universities and a professor at Cairo University, told Al-Monitor that the way the elections were held was similar to what took place before the January revolution when the Egyptian regime kept a tight grip on student movements.

Husseini said that the student regulations currently set by the government are similar to the 2007 regulations, which was in force under the rule of former President Hosni Mubarak and allowed him to hold a tight grip on student movements.

Following the January 25 Revolution, students were calling for the 2007 student regulations to be dropped. In 2013, when Mohammed Morsi was elected president after the revolution, new regulations were issued to grant students greater autonomy. But in December 2015, after Morsi's ouster, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government canceled the regulations and then-Minister of Higher Education Ashraf al-Shehhi dissolved the Union of Egyptian Students under the pretext of invalid elections. When the 2016 student elections were due, the government tried to return to Mubarak's regulations but failed.

Minister of Higher Education Khalid Abdul Ghaffar, in a Dec. 16 press statement, attributed the low turnout of voters to the fact that student elections had not been held for years in Egypt. He also said that religious and political authorities are controlling the electoral scene.

The minister added, however, that high standards of discipline were ensured during the elections, and he pledged to provide support to student councils by meeting with and heeding the demands of university presidents.

Husseini said that students were skeptical about the government's desire to hold elections, and most of them are new students who are unaware of the way elections are normally held.

He added that the electoral preparations took place at a very rapid pace. The government surprised the universities and only gave them a week to start preparing for the elections, which coincided with exams.

On Nov. 29, student unions (whose mandate was over) issued a joint statement along with other movements criticizing the student elections' timetable and describing them as a fast train through which the government aims to restore the atmosphere that was prevailing before the January revolution.

A university source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that university administrations have established student groups, such as the For Egypt group, and pushed them into the student council elections to ensure the universitys control over students.

The source said that the universities exploited the students' candidacy conditions set by the regulations, as they excluded many students under the pretext that they did not meet the required conditions or under the pretext of security concerns.

Mohammad Naji, in charge of the student freedoms dossier at the nongovernmental organization Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression, told Al-Monitor that following the June 30, 2013, protests, the current regime worked on eliminating the student movements after it saw that the Muslim Brotherhood resorted to universities to cause headaches for the regime given the groups elimination from the political scene.

Naji said the current regime, which emerged after the June 2013 protests, took several legislative steps in this regard. Chief among these is that university presidents were given the authority to dismiss students and professors.

Saied Sadiq, a professor of political sociology at the American University in Cairo, told Al-Monitor that the university elections reflected an authoritarian system applied across all institutions and sectors in Egypt. Also, he said, there is a state of political indifference and ignorance plaguing Egyptian society, and this has led students to defer to the measures taken by the regime.

Sadiq said students are no longer able to confront or oppose the regime for fear of being expelled from university or ending up in prison.

Husseini said that successive governments have controlled student movements and pointed out that students have stopped playing a role in the political movement and the political scene as they did several years ago, given the security grip imposed on them.
In connection with the establishment of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Cayuga County, we are publishing periodic history columns on influential African-Americans written by Auburn resident Pauline Copes Johnson, Tubman's great-great-grandniece:

Most school students have studied the case of Dred Scott, and what he accomplished. He was a slave and was purchased by captain John Emerson, an Army officer. What many history books dont tell us is that Dred Scott was concerned about freedom not only for himself but for his wife, Harriet, and their two children, Eliza and Lizzie.

Emerson took Scott to Illinois. Later, after living there for a while, they returned to Missouri. Dred Scott was a slave for as many as six owners during his lifetime. His last owner let him go off on his own.

Some historians have described him as being lazy, shiftless and dimwitted. In fact he was so dimwitted that he turned to the sons of a former owner, wealthy Peter Blow, for help. He claimed that since his owner had taken him into free territory where he lived for four years that he should no longer be considered a slave. The Blow sons agreed with him and helped Scott initiate a case that would outrage the American society. The first case was settled in favor of Scott in a Missouri circuit court in 1852, after having been dragged out for seven years.

John Emerson died in 1843, and so the ownership of Scott passed on to John F. A. Sanford, Emersons brother-in-law and executor, who appealed the lower court decision. The case was then taken to the Missouri Supreme Court. The court reversed the lower courts decision on the grounds that the territory of Illinois and Wisconsin had no status in Missouri. So Dred and his supporters got busy and initiated a new case in 1854, which was filed in the U.S. Circuit Court of Missouri. By this time Sanford had moved to New York state. Judge Robert Wells rejected Scotts original claim but left open the matter of citizenship.

Henry Blow and Dred Scott appealed again and the case wound up in the U.S. Supreme Court. By this time the case had gained considerable notoriety. Each side had taken positions of no compromise. John Brown was reading the papers and so were Frederick Douglas, William Lloyd Garrison and many southern slave-owners.

The U.S. Supreme court did not want to deal with the case. They preferred to let the lower courts decision stand. They were open to the question of whether black people were citizens of the United States and, could slavery extend into the free territories. John Brown was listening and reading. A decision was made on March 6, 1857. The court decided that Dred Scott was not a citizen and therefore should not have been permitted to bring a lawsuit in the first place. The court majority said that a black man had no rights that a white man had to respect. They insisted that slaves did not own their bodies but were someone elses property.

On June 26, 1857, Lincoln argued in the Lincoln-Douglas debate that the court was wrong. And in a dissenting opinion, Justice Curtis pointed out that blacks had voted in five states at the time the Constitution was established by the people of the United States, therefore they were citizens of the United States. Frederick Douglas said in a New York meeting on May 14, 1857, as a result of the Dred Scott decision, My hopes were never brighter than now. John Brown, who had already sworn his family members to secrecy, quietly plotted that the time for revolutionary action against the government had come. He would lead it. The flow of runaway slaves had become tremendous.

In the meantime, the Blow sons gained legal title to Dred Scott and his family and set them free immediately. Dred Scott went to work as a porter at Barnum hotel in St. Louis and assisted his wife in her laundry business. Perhaps he did not realize the full importance of his court cases. John Brown went on with his work of black freedom. The only portrait of Dred Scott shows a different expression with deeply furrowed brow and eyes of penetrating strength. His is not the face of dimwittedness or stupidity.

He died of tuberculosis in 1858.
December 31, 2017

As Iran was rocked by a fourth day of protests, officials responded ambiguously by attempting to both co-opt the economic grievances of the demonstrators and promising to confront those who cause damage to property.

President Hassan Rouhani finally addressed the protests during a Cabinet meeting. He conceded that Iranians were right in their protests against not only the economy but also on corruption and transparency. However, he said the administration would not tolerate rioting or destruction of property. Rouhani also dismissed US President Donald Trumps statements in support of the protests, saying that months ago Trump had referred to Iran as a terrorist nation. Rouhani also thanked the officials and security forces who did not confront protesters with violence and who showed restraint. Rouhani said that people should have a space to voice their criticism in the media.

Some of the most interesting comments have been made by conservative officials and pundits who have all previously condemned protests, especially the 2009 Green Movement protests. Ahmad Tavakoli, a former parliamentarian and member of the Expediency Council, called the street protests predictable due to the administrations economic policies. He compared the policies to those of Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani's presidency in the 1990s; Tavakoli called them harsh policies, presumably referring to neoliberal economic measures to cut subsidies.

Addressing the protests that started in Mashhad, former hard-line parliament member Hamid Rasaei accused media linked to Rouhani of censoring those who are protesting the current situation. Mehdi Mohammadi, the former adviser to Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, wrote that protesting against economic difficulties is the right of the people. Conservative analyst Vahid Yaminpour tweeted, It has been reported that the president has called an emergency meeting. I hope that before the security and intelligence ministers give their reports on how to quiet the protesters, the economic ministers will think about how to improve the current situation.

While the conservative media and those linked to the hard-liners at first supported the economic demands of the protesters, the conservative media made a point to differentiate between those protesting and those who rioted and damaged government buildings. In many of the headlines, references to protesters have been changed to rioters.

A videotaped message was scheduled to air later on Dec. 31 in which Rouhani was expected to address the protests.

Earlier, Rouhanis vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, alluded to his conservative foes' having sparked the protests in Mashhad. Those who took actions against the administration should know that the smoke from their actions will go into their own eyes, he said. When street movements are begun, others will ride it, and those who started it will not end it. More independent-minded conservative analysts have also had a similar analysis. Amir Mohebian told Tasnim News Agency that in Mashhad, the administrations rivals were involved, but that they had not expected the protests to take on a life of their own.

Administration officials have not been dismissive of the economic grievances, however. Akbar Torkan, a special adviser to Rouhani, discussed the impact of corruption. One of the important and sensitive issues is corruption, Torkan said. Corruption is something that people understand and sense. When they enter a government agency to do something and they realize that unless they give money their work wont get done, they sense the corruption. Worse than that, when they want to file a complaint about it they realize there is nowhere to file their complaint.

Torkan also addressed the lack of accountability in spending with some government institutions, which is a theme some Iranian social media users alluded to regarding Rouhanis Dec. 10 address to parliament. In his speech, Rouhani said individuals were receiving government money without any supervision or oversight. He said that when his administration put an end to this, various organizations  he did not say which ones  began applying pressure.

In that speech, Rouhani also said that there were six financial institutions controlling 25% of Irans currency market and manipulating it to their benefit. He said that he personally met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and told him that the lives of 3-4 million people were being wasted due to such activities and corruption.
December 31, 2017

On the fourth day into the protests in Iran, key questions remain unanswered, although some emerging trends are providing important clues as to what might come next.

Having first begun in the northeastern city of Mashhad, the protests have now spread to most Iranian cities. However, major urban centers such as Tehran and Tabriz have not yet seen major demonstrations such as those that took place in the aftermath of the disputed 2009 presidential elections. Thus, in terms of geography, the trend is one of decentralized, provincial protests. Moreover, the actual number of protesters appears limited, though their impact should not be underestimated. For instance, violence, which included the burning of a police vehicle, was reported in the central city of Kashan; still, one account put the number of protesters there on Dec. 30 at merely a few hundred. However, while smaller groups of protesters may not constitute a critical mass, they could nonetheless prove difficult for the authorities to confront.

It is also becoming clear that the key mode of mobilization is the popular smartphone app Telegram, which has some 40 million users in Iran. Al-Monitor has previously closely covered the popularity of Telegram, how the authorities have sought to control its spread and how it has changed Iranian media. In April, the Supreme Council of Cyberspace in Iran required administrators of channels with more than 5,000 followers to register with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The move followed crackdowns on administrators of Reformist channels ahead of the May 2017 presidential elections. President Hassan Rouhani, allied with the Reformist camp, easily won a second term in those elections.

Amad News, a channel on Telegram, appears to have played a pivotal role in the wave of protests. Reportedly administered by exiled journalist Rohollah Zam  a son of a senior Reformist cleric said to have escaped the country after being accused of having links with foreign intelligence agencies  the channel had just under a million followers on the eve of the protests. This number ballooned before Minister of Information Technology and Communications Mohammad Jahromi on Dec. 30 successfully requested that Telegram founder Pavel Durov shut down Amad News on account of its reported incitement of violence. Remarkably, the Iranian request was made publicly on Twitter, a medium that remains filtered in the country. Mirror channels that emerged following the shutdown of Amad News also were closed, though one mirror site was functioning and had close to 900,000 followers as of this writing. In addition, the Iranian authorities have apparently moved to restrict mobile data services in some areas, although broadband appears to be functioning. Moreover, Telegram and Instagram, which have both been unfiltered in Iran thus far, are said to have been temporarily filtered in some regions.

While the method of mobilization is becoming clear, it is still unknown who, if any person or group, is leading the protests. The absence of a discernible leader has left the authorities unable to point the finger, such as in 2009, beyond the usual accusations blaming foreign intelligence services and hostile states. The speed of the geographical spread of the protests along with the apparent lack of a leader has, according to some accounts, even left some protesters puzzled, let alone most political observers. This could provide an opportunity for a variety of groups to hijack the protests.

Moreover, protester demands do not appear unitary. Chants and slogans vary from criticism of high prices to an outright end to the Islamic Republic. To gain a greater grasp of the situation, one important question to consider is that of who precisely is protesting.

Irans demography is changing: In 2013, the median age of the Iranian voter was 38  three years older than in 2009. The aging of the Iranian population is clearly shifting public demands and has so far resulted in more pragmatism and emphasis on economic issues  a transition that Rouhani successfully picked up on in both his first election in 2013 and his re-election in 2017. Yet the administration remains mired in the challenge posed by the necessity of creating up to 1 million jobs each year simply to keep the unemployment rate from rising. As such, despite strong economic growth projected this year and for the rest of the Rouhani presidency, institutions such as the International Monetary Fund project unemployment to hover around 12% into the early 2020s. This figure is much higher among young people and women.

Eyewitness accounts as well as videos suggest that the demonstrators are overwhelmingly young. One unnamed Tehran-based social scientist told Iranian journalist Borzou Daragahi, This is the new generation that has taken the streets this time. The '90s generation! A generation who doesn't recognize any limits. A generation who has no candidate in the race!" The social scientist added, There is no space for appeasement in the current demonstrations, no signal to [Reformist ex-President Mohammad] Khatami, nor to [Mir Hossein] Mousavi.  What are these people looking for? There is no resemblance to the events of 2009. Mousavi, a Reformist who protested his 2009 presidential election defeat to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, remains under house arrest.

Indeed, the absence of specific Reformist demands such as the release of Mousavi suggests that the protesters have either become more radicalized in their demands and/or simply do not belong to the generation that experienced the events of 2009 as adults and subsequently turned more pragmatic  as seen in the high voter participation in both 2013 and 2017 that followed the widespread claims of vote fraud following the 2009 elections. While the prospect that a new generation of Iranians has lost belief in the political establishments ability to at the very least channel their grievances is a wake-up call for the Reformist camp, and perhaps a new and unique challenge for the authorities, it also means that there is a wide and perhaps growing disconnect with political elites.

In other words, the protesters may not have a horse in the race for the leadership of the Islamic Republic or allies willing to become associated with their still-oblique cause. One important indication of the latter is the reaction of popular voices such as pro-reform academic and analyst Sadegh Zibakalam, who took to Twitter to write that the century-long movement for democracy in Iran has faltered on many an occasion due to radicals, arguing that it has long been one step forward, ultimately two steps back.

In his first public reaction since the emergence of the protests, aired on state television late Dec. 30, Rouhani said, Based on the constitution and citizens rights, people are entirely free to express criticism and even their protest." He added that "the form of criticism and protest should be such that the outcome leads to the improvement of the condition of the country and the lives of the people.

The president has a unique opportunity to lead the way and transform a great challenge into a great opportunity.

First, his administration must act on its promises to provide outlets for the expression of grievances. There has been an increase in acceptance of differences of opinion in the discourse of the Islamic Republic, as seen in Rouhanis emphasis on his Citizens Rights Charter and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis public recognition that there are Iranians who do not support the Islamic Republic (and even urging these constituencies to take part in elections). One important and tangible move would be to engage with other centers of power, including the judiciary and the security services, to realize promises to license peaceful protests. Even conservative voices such as the spokesman of the parliaments national security and foreign policy commission have urged the latter. It would be an astounding achievement for Rouhani to sow the seeds to produce what prominent member of parliament Ali Motahari has noted is lacking in Iran: namely, a culture of protest.

Second, Rouhani should address the genuine economic grievances  which also have to do with increased expectations stemming from his own promises  by addressing concerns about the impact of the neoliberal aspects of his proposed budget bill. The latter includes reconsiderations of the schedule of subsidy cuts and to also open the door to new modes of wealth transfer.

Last but certainly not least, rather than allowing the protests to become a tool for his domestic opponents and an opportunity for radicals to reassert their relevance, Rouhani must engage with the supreme leader to convince him of the need to tackle unaccountable centers of power and money. The president fired an important salvo in this game when he published details of budget allocations and through his recent revelations about the undue influence of opaque actors on financial markets. In the view of some, that very salvo is what helped mobilize the current protests. But in the long run, if the opportunity before him is seized, Rouhani could have in his hands his perhaps greatest chance to confront the vested interests that are preventing his agenda for reform.

Correction: Jan. 2, 2018. An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the exiled journalist who reportedly administers the Amad News Telegram channel. He is Rohollah Zam, not Mohammad Zam.
December 29, 2017

HAMRIN MOUNTAINS, Iraq  Two weeks after Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory against the Islamic State (IS), Iraqi joint forces began an operation to clear out remnants of hideouts in the mountainous terrain in the northern Salahuddin province.

On Dec. 25, the third day of the operation, Al-Monitor accompanied local police, a regional SWAT team and fighters from mostly local Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) into the mountains to root out IS members hiding in tunnels and caves.

Officers on the front told Al-Monitor that at least 50 armed IS fighters were estimated to be in the area.

Three IS militants were killed the day that Al-Monitor accompanied the forces, according to an officer on the front, while two members of the local police force were injured.

Several SPG-9 rifles and other weapons were found in hastily dug holes when Iraqi forces exploring the steep sides of the mountainous terrain spotted the loose soil used to cover the arms.

After leaving before dawn from the nearby town of al-Alam, the local police unit stopped along the road to pray and eat a few dates for energy prior to sunrise. They then moved toward the mountains along a road flanking the Albu Ajil and Alas oil fields.

Flames from oil wells, first set alight in March 2015 by IS in an attempt to ward off air attacks, brightened the landscape.

A regional SWAT team met up with the local police with whom Al-Monitor was traveling. Team members said resistance had been found along the road and cradled their guns out of half-opened vehicle windows. After passing through the mountain chain, we were in a higher altitude plain in adjacent Kirkuk province; this is where Hawija and surrounding agricultural villages were freed from IS in early October.

While a black IS flag still flew high over the pass, written on it were the words Ya Hussein, an invocation to the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein ibn Ali, who is revered by Shiite Muslims.

Salahuddin is a mainly Sunni province, but local Shiite PMUs were instrumental in freeing it from IS.

Leaving the vehicles in the foothills of the low-lying mountain chain, with some men stationed next to mortar positions, the forces spread out on foot. Several hours later, after two men from the local police had been injured by shooting from IS fighters said to have been hiding in a tunnel, the forces explored an area over which helicopters had been seen circling. On arriving near the area of impact, two vehicles were found: one with a Salahuddin license plate and another without any license plate and with rusty munitions stacked in the back.

IS often booby-traps vehicles, but Al-Monitor was told the vehicles had likely been abandoned hastily due to aircraft overhead and the impracticality of advancing farther by vehicle.

While the vehicles were being searched, a man inexplicably opened fire on them. Shouting ensued, and Al-Monitor and others left the immediate vicinity because of the potential danger of the munitions' exploding. Once far enough away to be relatively safe, fighters began yelling about why the man might have done this. He had subsequently moved away in the opposite direction.

Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Hamash, the al-Alam local police commander, told Al-Monitor that the man was from the southern PMU and that he was only an ambulance driver. Al-Monitor was told that the incident would be reported to the Liwa Karbala PMU.

A source closely connected to local armed forces also told Al-Monitor that a former imam who had taken up arms in the fight against IS and who now leads a local PMU unit had been injured the previous day by individuals from the southern PMU during a dispute. Al-Monitor could not independently verify this information.

Rumors about various alleged abuses by nonlocal PMU are rife, but the area has long seen collaboration with them as essential, and many local men fight within the ranks of nonlocal ones, such as the Badr Organization.

The area is also near a political fault line between the central government and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) territories.

The Hamrin Mountain chain, which runs from near the Iranian border in Diyala province to northern Salahuddin and southern Kirkuk, has long been claimed by Kurdish ideologues and leaders as the ideal boundary for any future Kurdish state.

The taking back of oil-rich Kirkuk by the central government in mid-October after the Sept. 25 independence referendum called by the KRGs then-President Massoud Barzani has, however, made any Kurdish state unlikely for the near future.

Wadis, small caves and other physical features of the Hamrin Mountains make it an ideal hiding place. It was where civilians escaped to from Hawija while the town was under IS control for three years. Many civilians died from the numerous IEDs planted on the routes or from hardship along the way.

Until the retaking of Hawija from IS control in early October, the town of al-Alam on the other side of the Hamrin Mountains had been filled with internally displaced persons from Hawija and surrounding villages.

On several visits to al-Alam over the course of about a year, Al-Monitor met with people who had made the dangerous journey at night through the mountains and heard stories of corpses seen along the route.

When Al-Monitor visited the town again in late December, most of the internally displaced persons were said to have returned to Hawija and the surrounding area. Attacks continue to occur in the area, however. Officers involved in the operation told Al-Monitor that the clearing of the Hamrin Mountains is expected to sharply reduce possibilities for insurgents to conduct such attacks.
December 28, 2017

In Ramallah, no Champagne bottles were opened after the Dec. 21 United Nations vote against US President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Still, there was a sigh of relief, as the threat by the president to cut aid to countries voting against him did not work. At most, half a dozen countries did not show up because of the American threat. The Palestinian leadership was pleased with the supporting votes of France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

A senior PLO official close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Al-Monitor that Abbas considers the UN vote as a victory for Palestinian diplomacy. For Abbas, the vote reflected prevailing global consensus that the Palestinian capital will be East Jerusalem, and that the borders of the Palestinian state will be based on the 1967 lines. Only seven countries besides the United States and Israel voted opposed, and most of those countries are island nations in the Pacific Ocean. The United States and Israel were isolated as never before in their positions against the two-state solution.

The Palestinian leader, explains the source, was grateful for the European Union commitment to back a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem, and for supporting not only two states for two peoples, but also two capitals in Jerusalem.

Abbas was also pleased with the intense Arab diplomatic activity in favor of the anti-Trump resolution by Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

The senior PLO official said that the Palestinian leadership drew several conclusions in the aftermath of the General Assembly decision.

Ramallah agreed to continue the Days of Rage every Friday in a nonviolent manner in East Jerusalem. Abbas objects to Hamas' call for a new intifada.

The Palestinian leaders reiterated their decision after Trumps proclamation to halt all contacts with the US administration on an eventual US peace initiative as it would reflect merely pro-Israel positions. Therefore, no meeting took place with US envoy Jason Greenblatt, who arrived in Israel on Dec. 20 for a visit of several days. The Palestinians announced that they would not meet with Vice President Mike Pence (who decided eventually to postpone his regional visit until mid-January).

In addition to these decisions, Ramallah is now busy contacting leaderships in Cairo, Amman and Riyadh to take advantage of the diplomatic momentum and pass international resolutions for a two-state solution based on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

Abbas raised that same issue in his Dec. 22 meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron. In fact, the relationship between Ramallah and Paris has been strengthened due to Macrons firm stance against Trump on the Jerusalem issue. Macron is expected in the region in the spring.

A policy idea that was raised in the Ramallah consultations is to convene, under UN auspices, a high-powered forum for launching negotiations on the two-state solution. The forum would likely be composed of four of the five permanent members of the Security Council (the United States would be invited, but is not considered likely to attend) and Germany.

Diplomatic messages along these lines were conveyed also to Moscow and Beijing, If global climate can be saved without the US, the Palestinian issue can also be solved, the Palestinian source said on condition of anonymity. He warned that if the international community does not engage in a realistic diplomatic initiative (whether the United States is involved or not), the door will be left open for a religious war instigated by Iran and its allies Hezbollah and Hamas.

A senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official said in reaction that the ministry was positively surprised by the number of abstentions at the United Nations, especially by Eastern European countries, Canada and Australia. He blamed the UN for being an Israel-obsessed hostile organization, with 86% of its condemnations targeting Israel. The official believes that Trumps Jerusalem proclamation strengthened the position of the Israeli government. Still, he does not expect the US Embassy to be relocated to Jerusalem anytime soon.

The US presidents decision created a deep schism among Western countries. Trump is not expected to meet European demands for a more multilateral Middle East policy. The UN decision that isolated Israel and the United States and the outrage expressed in Arab public opinion benefit the radical pro-Iranian organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
December 30, 2017

To use a stock market metaphor, for Russia, the political market of the Middle East is booming, Maxim Suchkov writes. The shares it has acquired by engaging with Syria and other countries are rising in political value, and Russia feels its prepared for long-position investments.

It may be just a matter of perception, Suchkov adds, but Moscow is now seen as a primary go-to for regional states that have been flocking to the Russian capital throughout the year. Most, if not all, only hope to get Moscow on board to solve their own regional, local and even tribal conflicts of interests. Nevertheless, Russia can praise itself for getting what it was aiming for: to be consulted, heard and feared.

The US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has given new life to Russias role in what was once known as the Middle East peace process. Dmitry Maryasis reports, There is some consensus that the Trump decision will provide Moscow with additional opportunities to strengthen its influence on this process, where it already has good working relations with all parties to the conflict. Yet opinions differ between experts and policymakers on whether Moscow needs to step up its peacemaking efforts now. Some believe Russia should take advantage of what they see as favorable political conditions and try to revive the settlement process  this time managed by Moscow. Others consider it necessary to keep monitoring the latest developments on Jerusalem, but be modest in actions given that the parties own readiness to negotiate is at best minimal.

Moscow and Riyadh have also agreed, with other parties, to extend the 2016 OPEC plus deal aimed at decreasing oil production to keep up prices on the international market. Consultations on oil and gas collaboration have allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud to discuss regional political matters, although the extent of Russia-Saudi cooperation may have its ceiling, if oil prices stabilize or fall, writes Nikolay Kozhanov.

The bump in Russia-Saudi ties comes as Riyadh deals with disappointment regarding US decisions on Jerusalem and Yemen, Bruce Riedel reports. The crown prince is especially vulnerable, he writes. He has flaunted his relationship with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. He also owns the Yemeni debacle. Human rights groups are calling for him to be sanctioned, and he has no credentials as an opponent of Israel or a defender of Jerusalem. Rumors eagerly fed by the Israeli press abound that he has visited Israel. His many enemies are only too eager to portray him as a tool of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Saudis were outmaneuvered on Jerusalem both by their traditional rival Iran and by Turkey, Riedel adds. Even worse for Riyadh, Jordan is posturing as the foremost defender of Arab and Islamic claims to Jerusalem. The Saudis took the Hijaz and the two holy cities from the Hashemites just a century ago. It is very humiliating for the Saudis to appear weak on Jerusalem compared with the Hashemites. The Saudis tried to persuade Jordanian King Abdullah not to attend the Islamic summit in Turkey and then briefly detained a prominent Palestinian-Jordanian businessman to intimidate Abdullah by threatening the Jordanian economy. The Saudi detention of Sabih al-Masri was reminiscent of the detention and forced the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in November.

It is Syria where Russia has invested the most in the region, and ownership of the Syria crisis comes with risks. Moscows close ties with the Syrian government have allowed conversations to begin about oil, energy, infrastructure, agricultural cooperation and investment, Anton Mardasov reports. Operationally, Suchkov adds, the Syrian campaign has been a testing ground for Russian military reform, with Moscow having tested about 200 types of newly manufactured and modernized arms. Senior officials in the Russian government observe a much bigger demand for Russian weaponry around the globe.

Moscow can claim credit for brokering cease-fires based on de-escalation zones, worked out with Turkey and Iran, which have dramatically reduced the violence and become the on-the-ground reality driving the Astana-Sochi negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition parties. As Mardasov writes, The Kremlins idea to summon the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi and to later embed its results into the stalling Geneva process is fully based on the four existing de-escalation zones. The Kurdish Afrin district may theoretically also become a new de-escalation zone. However, to function steadily, the zones need stability on the lines of contact between government forces and the opposition. With the existing system of control over the cease-fire allowing punitive measures only against the opposition, it is profitable for Damascus and Tehran to delay any real political dialogue with the dissidents, especially as the world community still hasnt precisely defined the principles of the transition stage that should lead to actual reforms in Assads regime.  The Syrian government is evidently ready for dialogue with the opposition and even for some sort of integration with it, provided opposition forces disarm under conditions set by Damascus.

A major hurdle for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference to be held Jan. 29-30 in Sochi is the participation of the Democratic Union Party and its armed wing, the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG). It is perhaps no coincidence that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a terrorist with whom cooperation is not possible, as Moscow flirted with an invite to Sochi for the Syrian Kurdish parties. Russia searches for ways to have the Kurds represented without breaking its promise to Iran and Turkey to jointly agree on invitees, Fehim Tastekin reports. By doing so, Moscow gives the impression that it respects Ankaras red lines but isn't hesitating to display its relations with the Kurds. The latest such display was to invite Sipan Hemo, general commander of the YPG, to Moscow several weeks ago. 

For its part, Turkey is seeking to position itself for post-conflict political and economic advantage. Khaled al-Khateb reports from Aleppo that Turkey has reopened the al-Rai border crossing, which is bustling.  The crossing's location is distinct because of its proximity to al-Bab, one of the largest cities in terms of area and population and a valuable strategic site in the Euphrates Shield area in northern Aleppo. Turkey has provided modern facilities and equipment to manage the crossing, which is expected to receive an increasing number of commercial trucks and help move the reconstruction process forward.

While Russias Syria commitment is providing the Kremlin with the benefits of a newfound respect and leadership in the region, Suchkov says the arrangement could also represent a serious long-term liability. Moscow owns this problem, from the fate of Assad to the humanitarian aid to the restoration of Syria. To address these challenges in 2018 in an adequate and face-saving manner, Russia might need much closer engagement with regional stakeholders. This is where the shares of political influence accumulated over 2017 may come in handy.
If we have to define 2017 collectively, we must speak, above all, of emotions. Of indignation, uncertainty, fear, sadness, but also of dignity and the ability to overcome. It has been an emotionally intense year and this has been expressed by our readers where it's easiest for them: on social networks and on this newspaper's website. ARA Data's team analyzed what readers have felt based on the emoticons they used to evaluate information posted on Facebook. The conclusion in one line of the reading of 800,000 expressions is that the politics to do with the independence process made us angry, we found the "Tweety" boat of the Spanish police to be funny, and the repression of October 1 and the death of Carles Capdevila saddened us enormously. Today is one of the few days of the year in which adults have the right to express desires and hopes for the future without falling into an appearance of being unrealistic dreamers. We have before us a brand new notebook to fill with good intentions.

EMOTIONALITY is not usually the best guide for political action. Let's come together to move from politics of scheming to politics with capital letters. The rationalization of emotions culminated in the results of the elections of December 21 (21-D), which should open the door to a new political phase. The clear majority for independence and sovereignty gives legitimacy to a reflection aimed at renovating strategies with sights set on the medium and long term. The sovereignty movement is solid, well-founded, and has made it clear that it has surpassed the stage of effervescent enthusiasm. Its success is more related to what decisions are made and how they are executed, and less so with the calendar. Phrases such as "We're in a hurry" and "Now or never" must be replaced by a requirement to recover and build a serious country worthy of living in. Catalonia needs a government with executive capacity that will restore a certain normalcy to the institution, and govern.

FREEDOM for the political prisoners and the leaders of peaceful civic movements must be a priority that goes beyond the boundaries of the pro-independence forces. The abuse of power and use of the justice system for political ends is harmful to Catalan politics, but also denigrates the quality of Spanish democracy. Who wants the Spain of October 1st? The commitment of the Comuns party must remain firm, while the PSC will have to continue to be ashamed of its support for an Article 155 that, in addition, did not give it the electoral boost that it hoped for.

THE READING of the results of 21-D must not only be done boldly in Catalonia. They also oblige Madrid to make the effort of acting with clarity. Rajoy must review the failure of his strategy for Catalonia and replace those responsible for it, from Xavier Garcia Albiol to Enric Millo and Soraya Saenz de Santamaria. Allowing the party that governs Spain to fall to 4 representatives and 185,670 votes, 4.2% of the popular vote, must have political and strategic consequences. But this wish will be difficult to bring to pass, because Rajoy will be tempted to prioritize blocking the challenge to the PP from the right by Ciudadanos, a party that has capitalized on unionism, anti-Catalanism, and the application of Article 155.

THE JUDICIAL YEAR will be intense, and the general cause against the referendum and the independence declaration will continue to be relentless. The justice system has acted harshly up to now, and we can't expect miracles. There is a tendency in Catalonia to undervalue the ability of judges to influence political power and the hardness of their ideological shell. The wish for 2018 is for the independence roadmap not to ignore the judicial consequences of every action, especially for a generation of politicians who, at the very least, will be disqualified. It will be necessary to think about who will be the new players and aspire to be represented by the best, the most capable of dialogue and building of majorities.

DIALOGUE. The air has been unbreathable at times this year, and it still is when we think of the prisoners. The desire for dialogue cannot be an illusion. Dialogue will end up being implemented if the majority is broadened, and this must be the main objective of the pro-sovereignty world. With a blind State, if the pro-sovereignty majority acts in favor of a better country, it will continue to grow.

ONE SINGLE PEOPLE. The broad base of the sovereignty movement is a reality, in spite of the fact that it bothers the purists on both sides. Independence will be achieved by speaking in both languages and respecting Spain, or it will be happen.

Having said all this, I also have other wishes and resolutions: to work fewer hours, go jogging every day, make it to some concert, get up even earlier, not get angry, think much more before responding to text messages, escape on the weekends to see my mother, read more books and fewer articles, listen more than speak. Have a good New Year, dear readers. Let's close the door on this convulsive year.
Nearly three quarters of Aspen voters backed a city proposal in Novembers election to impose higher local taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products, after city council raised the local agreement to purchase to 21. Jason Hopkins, a clerk at Carls Pharmacy, which is one of a handful of tobacco retailers in town, grabs a pack of smokes for a customer earlier this year.
Email Newsletters

Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
TDI

MQB

Thats what Volkswagen promises in the official announcement on the all-new Touaregs debut, mentioning that its been redesigned right down to the very last LED. The newcomer will debut sometime in the spring, after the up! GTI hot hatchback comes to market with a starting price of 16,975.Theres still debate as to which venue Volkswagen will use to unveil the Touareg. Traditionalists agree on the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in March, whilst other people suggest Auto China 2018 in April is the place where the world premiere will unfold. Whichever venue floats Volkswagens boat more, theres no denying the first examples will arrive in dealer showrooms in the latter half of 2018, pegging the Touareg Mk3 for the 2019 model year.Spied without a bit of camouflage a few weeks ago, the 2019 Touareg is a good-looking son of a gun that adopts many styling details from the T-Prime GTE Concept. The grille is shinier and bigger than ever, as is the footprint, brightness of the LEDs, and there are lots of onboard toys to get your pulse racing, including a 12.3-inch high-definition digital instrument cluster.Underpinned by the MLB Evo platform of the Audi Q7 , Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga, and Lamborghini Urus, the 2019 Volkswagen Touareg will soldier on with the 3.0 V6in markets such as Europe. And of course, shifting will be the duty of a ZF-developed eight-speed automatic.The gentle giant has been discontinued in the United States because of its age, price, and to make room for the-based Atlas and Tiguan. Still, there are many people who wish that Volkswagen would revert its decision.
AMG

We're not 100 percent sure if this Affalterbach bad boy was labeled in a way that would remind us of Jan "Flash" Nilsson, but the thing looks sweet enough to deserve our attention.Keep in mind that we're talking about a character featured in the Swedish incarnation of Cars 2, with this being a racecar that Lightning McQueen gets to meet at the World Grand Prix welcome party.Thanks to its special wrap, this Benz draws attention like few other supercars, so, when we can across it on Instagram, we simply had to share it with you.Speaking of the GT R, we can't hide the fact that the consider this three-pointed star hero to be a victim of the (more or less official) Nurburgring lap time war between Mercedes-and Porsche.While its maker may have given it the "Beast of the Green Hell" nickname, the GT R never got to prove its full Nordschleife might. The best effort we got from the car was a 7:10 chronograph number. And while this is respectable, there are two issues with it.First of all, it was delivered in a Sport Auto test, which means that an official stopwatch value should be even sweeter.Secondly, while the GT R did one-up the 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 (the naturaly aspirated 500 hp Porscha is a 7:12.7 car), its performance was overshadowed by the arrival of the 991.2 GT2 RS. You know, the Neunelfer that currently holds the record for the quickest production car around the infamous German circuit, with a lap time of 6:43.Nevertheless, Mercedes-AMG is already working on an even fiercer GT, which may receive the Black Series of the road-going GT4 moniker.
And while hues such Chalk and Miami Blue are obviously popular (we've come across multiple spottings of such colors), it seems that the least popular shade is Rhodium Silver. At least this is what we find out from an Instagram account belonging to an aficionado who supposedly works at a Porsche dealership."Rhodium Silver doesn't get enough love: according to the latest sales stats it's the least-picked color on the 991.2 GT3," Instagram user jls911 states in a post that showed up on Friday.And while we don't know what specific data the said stats involve, we have to admit that the sightings we monitor haven't delivered too many examples dressed in this hue so far.The Neunelfer lover we'retalking about also takes the time to deliver a real-world take on the color."Such a shame, it's incredible in real life. Classy and striking at the same time, it'd be my pick if the GT3 would be used daily. Andreas Preuninger's favorite too," we are being told.And if you take a good look at the image above, the man seems to be right - the pic shows a Rhodium Silver GT3 that has recently reached its ower via US dealer Porsche Irvine.Admittedly, this is one of those colors that boost the understated aura of the Neunelfer, which is here even with the aggressive aero bits of the GT3.Of course, this allows the rear-engined machine to strengthen its connection to its ancestors, since the Neunelfer has always sported such an appearance.So, if you happen to be in the market for a Gen 2 GT3, you might want to pay close attention to Rhodium Silver when configuring your beast.
The next month is arguably the most important since Trump took office. Steve Bannon reckons January will define his former boss's presidency  and that it's his last, best chance to make good on his most controversial campaign promises.

Why it matters: The issues that defined Trump's presidential campaign are coming to a head  with significant trade and immigration decisions due and an inevitable confrontation with China.

"It's trade, DACA, and the wall  but it's much beyond that," Bannon tells me. "This is the run-up, the last 20 days before the first anniversary of his inauguration, and it's all coming to a head: a spending bill of epic proportions, the test of a veto or a government shutdown, the China confrontation and Korea, all the immigration issues, infrastructure funding and welfare reform. All on the table, with their direction uncertain."

Bannon says January is make-or-break for three big issues:

Trade with China (does Trump actually fight?) Building the wall Renewing DACA, which blocks the deportations of some immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children

The DACA fight may be the ugliest. Bannon is teaming up with the Freedom Caucus to demand that Trump refuse to protect DACA unless Congress ends so-called family migration (which lets green card holders bring their immediate family members to the U.S.). That trade-off appears dead on arrival, but Breitbart is already insisting it's the only way Trump can keep his campaign trail promise to end Obama's "executive amnesty."

Get more stories like this by signing up for our weekly political lookahead newsletter, Axios Sneak Peek.
Baltimore-based orthopedic surgeon Thomas Hunt, MD, 90, died of kidney failure Dec. 24, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Dr. Hunt was in the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II shortly after the surrender of Japan. After returning to the U.S., he earned his medical degree from College Park-based University of Maryland.

Dr. Hunt met his wife while working at Baltimore-based Mercy Hospital. He then completed a residency at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Hunt practiced at several Baltimore-based hospitals.

He eventually became Baltimore-based Harbor Hospital Center's chief of orthopedic surgery.

Dr. Hunt had a particular passion for treating pediatric patients, especially those suffering from physical disorders.

He served in several leadership roles and received numerous honors throughout his career.

In his personal life, Dr. Hunt was an avid historian. He served as an unofficial historian at MedChi, the state medical society. In 2008, MedChi created a lecture series in his honor.

He is survived by several family members.

More article on orthopedics:

Orthopedic surgeon leader to know: Dr. Robert Foster of Florida Orthopaedic

Orthopedic surgeon leader to know: Dr. Christopher Baker of Florida Orthopaedic Institute

Orthopedic surgeon to know: Dr. Kurt Anderson of Twin Cities Orthopedics




Netflix has sparked rumours that it may begin streaming hit US sitcom Friends in the UK and Ireland.

Echoing the famous format of the episodes titles, a post on the services official Twitter account for the region read: The One with the Show Everyones Been Asking Us to Add.

The popular 1990s show about six best friends living in New York finished filming in 2004.

One thrilled fan responded: OH MY GOD PLEASE DONT PLAY WITH ME. ARE YOU FINALLY DOING IT?!

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

Friends at last? asked one, while another wrote: If friends is coming to netflix ill rebuy it.

A number of followers responded with excited gifs taken from clips through the shows history.

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

However, with the show regularly airing on terrestrial channel Comedy Central, some took the opportunity to demand Netflix focus on obtaining other programmes for UK viewers.

Among the many who petitioned for the American version of comedy The Office, writer Stefanie Preissner said: Ok no. Seriously? I love FRIENDS. But i Watch 4eps a day on terrestrial television. Please can you bring back the US office. PLEASE?? The US Office is like FRIENDS with benefits.

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

Another posted: GIVE US BACK COMMUNITY, while one suggested: Please add Parks and Recreation! And the Harry Potter films! And more MCU stuff.

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

The full series of Friends, starring Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, ran for a total 236 episodes over 10 seasons.
Police and forensics at the scene of a shooting in a house on Cavendish Street in west Belfast on December 30th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police and forensics at the scene of a shooting in a house on Cavendish Street in west Belfast on December 30th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police and forensics at the scene of a shooting in a house on Cavendish Street in west Belfast on December 30th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police and forensics at the scene of a shooting in a house on Cavendish Street in west Belfast on December 30th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police said four young children witnessed the "brutal" paramilitary shooting of a man in Belfast

The 28-year-old man was hit over the head before being shot in both knees and an ankle in the Cavendish Street area on Saturday just before 8pm. He is the second man to be shot in a similar way in the city in the last week.

A female was assaulted and four young children who were in the house witnessed this horrific attack, police said.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries, where he remains.

SDLP councillor Tim Attwood condemned those behind the attack.

My immediate thoughts are with the victim and their family who must be greatly distressed at this time," he said.

As we celebrate the dawn of 2018 and the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement there can be no place for such brutal and violent attacks in our society.

If we want to stop these people, we need to bring information forward to help the police take them off the streets. As a community we must stand together against violence.

"I appeal to anyone with any information to please bring it forward as soon as possible.

Police described the attack as "brutal".

Detective Sergeant Kelly said: This was a brutal attack in a busy residential area and yet another example of how criminal groups seek to control communities through fear and violence. The residents, including young children have been left terrified by these events.

Detectives are keen to hear from anyone with information about this crime or anyone who may be able to help identify the perpetrators. Please contact Musgrave Criminal Investigation Branch on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 1064 of 30/12/17.

Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.

On December 23, an 18-year-old man was left with what police said were "potentially life-changing injuries" when he was shot twice in the leg in the Pembroke Loop area of Dunmurry in the city's south west.
The daughter of a Belfast woman murdered on Christmas day, has shared the last photo she and her mother took before her tragic death.

Jayne Toal Reat (43) a nurse, was murdered in the early hours of December 25 in her home in Lisburn. Her daughter Charlotte and partner Joseph Tweedie were also attacked.

On Saturday evening Charlotte shared the final picture her and her mum took together on Christmas eve, saying how she feared it was lost, only for a friend to save it for her.

The 21-year-old said the picture was taken "before we cuddled up on the sofa for the last time. Just before she gave me her last kiss her last hug and before she told me she loved me for the very last time".

"My mummy has been taken from me her life was taken from her far too soon in the most cruel way," she said.

"I have been in a panic that I'll never have this photo as it was on snapchat and I haven't got my phone but thankfully one of my best friends screenshotted it for me on Christmas morning.

"Love my angel with all my heart and soul. My life is changed forever but I can feel you giving me the strength to get you the justice and face the creature who murdered you."

Partner Joseph Tweedie also made an online tribute to Jayne on Saturday. He changed his Facebook profile picture to a picture of Charlotte and Jayne adding: "Love these pair so much miss you Jayne xxx."

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

Nathan Ward (19) appeared in court on Friday charged with attempted murder and the murder of Ms Reat. No application for bail was made and he is set to appear in court again on January 8. Charlotte Reat attended the hearing and was pictured with cuts and bruises to her face.
An on-the-run prisoner has been caught in Belfast.

Liam Thompson was supposed to return to Maghaberry on Wednesday, December 27. On Sunday police appealed for the public's help in tracking him down.

The 29-year-old is serving a sentence for numerous driving offences including causing grievous bodily injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop for police and handling stolen goods.

Police confirmed on Sunday afternoon the prisoner was located in Belfast and was returned to custody.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward to help with inquiries

Detectives have launched a murder inquiry into the death of a 35-year-old man in Co Limerick on Saturday.

The man's body was discovered in a house in the village of Pallaskenry.

Following the results of a post-mortem examination on Sunday Gardai said they are now treating his death as murder.

A 29-year-old man arrested in Pallaskenry on Saturday evening in connection with the man's death remains in custody at Newcastlewest Garda Station.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward to help with inquiries.
It is a moral imperative for people to pay their fair share of tax, Jeremy Corbyn has said as he warned that vital public services are threatened by a lack of resources.

The Labour leader said his message to the middle classes was that they too would need the NHS and must be prepared to fund it.

Mr Corbyn said the Government was hanging on by a thread and his party was ready for another election  but he acknowledged we must do more to broaden our appeal.

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

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, he defended Labours plans to hike income tax for the wealthy.

We must all pay our fair share, he said, adding: Theres a moral imperative. We will raise tax at the top end in order to invest for the rest of society. I want to lead a Labour government that will do that.

At the general election, Labour set out plans for the threshold at which people start paying the 45p rate of income tax to be reduced to 80,000 from 150,000, with a new 50p rate for people earning more than 123,000.

Explaining why extra funding was required, Mr Corbyn said: I do say to the middle classes and the well-off, one day you will be ill. Youll need the NHS.

And your kids may not be able to buy a house. Theyre not going to get a council place because theyre not in desperate need. Think about it. Are we a society that houses everybody? Or are we going to be a society that is the lowest-paid, worst housed, most indebted country in Europe? Because thats where were heading at the moment.

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

Mr Corbyn also said it was incredibly reprehensible to attempt to dodge taxes by putting money in offshore havens.

There are very large amounts that dont appear on the books and are in tax havens or in evasion strategies. It is incredibly reprehensible to make vast sums then shift the profits elsewhere. If we dont deal with evasion on this industrial scale then we all lose out.

The blunt point I would make to the very wealthy who think it is clever to avoid taxation is what happens if your house catches fire and who pays for the fire engine? Or you might suffer a heart attack and be waiting for an ambulance because there arent enough resources.

Mr Corbyn said Labour was ready to have an election at any point if Theresa Mays administration collapsed and he was relishing the opportunity to campaign across the country with our message of hope.

He said Labour had to build on Junes election, adding: Winning 13 million votes was a great achievement, but theres more convincing to be done.
The UN says about 400,000 people are trapped under the government's siege of eastern Ghouta

Shelling and rocket fire in the suburbs of Damascus have killed 19 civilians, according to first responders, the day after medical evacuations saved the lives of 29 others.

The Syrian Civil Defence, volunteer rescuers also known as the White Helmets, said pro-government forces shelled the rebel-held eastern Ghouta suburbs on Saturday, killing six children and 13 adults.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group and the local activist-run Ghouta Media Centre reported the same.

On Friday, the Red Cross and Red Crescent completed the evacuation of 29 patients from the besieged suburbs to receive urgent medical care in government hospitals in the capital.

The UN says about 400,000 people are trapped under the government's siege of eastern Ghouta.
The shooting happened south of Denver in the US state of Colorado

A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriff's deputies in Colorado, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately after entering a suburban Denver apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside a bedroom.

He said: "I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers.

"He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there."

The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, identified as Zackari Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and only managed to "crawl to safety," Mr Spurlock said.

The incident occurred around 5.15am local time at Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver.

The authorities had left the home about four hours earlier after addressing a noise complaint but returned in response to reports of a disturbance at the property.

There were two men inside the home when deputies arrived and someone let them inside, Mr Spurlock said.

The disturbance was initially reported to be domestic but turned out to be noise-related, he said.

"The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Mr Spurlock said.

Resident Steven Silknitter, 50, told The Denver Post that he heard 15 to 20 shots.

"It was back and forth - unbelievable," said Mr Silknitter, who lived in the Denver suburb of Aurora during a 2012 cinema shooting that left 12 dead.

The suspect was well known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Mr Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed.

The sheriff did not release any details about the weapons and ammunition used except to say the suspect had a rifle.

He did not know if law enforcement had any prior knowledge of firearms being in the home but said the possibility always weighs on deputies' minds.

"We respond to every call anticipating that everyone has a gun. This is Colorado. Everybody has a gun," Mr Spurlock said.

Mr Parrish was 29 and a married father of two young children, and joined the department seven months ago after working as an officer for the nearby Castle Rock Police Department.

Mr Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work.

"His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said.

The three deputies and one police officer injured were listed as being in stable condition. They were deputies Michael Doyle, 28, Taylor Davis, 30, Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom O'Donnell, 41.

Two civilian also suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

Mr Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. The sheriff said his son underwent surgery from injuries suffered in the attack and was recovering.

President Donald Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!"

The killings occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history in Las Vegas.

AP
Several more states are expected to consider such bills in the coming year, including Arizona, New York and Hawaii

Alarmed by the proliferation of false content online, state lawmakers around the country are pushing schools to put more emphasis on teaching students how to tell fact from fiction.

Lawmakers in several states have introduced or passed bills calling on public school systems to do more to teach media literacy skills they say are critical to democracy.

The effort has been bipartisan but has received little attention despite successful legislation in Washington state, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Mexico.

Several more states are expected to consider such bills in the coming year, including Arizona, New York and Hawaii.

"I don't think it's a partisan issue to appreciate the importance of good information and the teaching of tools for navigating the information environment," said Hans Zeiger, a Republican state senator in Washington who co-sponsored a bill that passed in his state earlier this year.

"There is such a thing as an objective source versus other kinds of sources, and that's an appropriate thing for schools to be teaching."

Advocates say the K-12 curriculum has not kept pace with rapid changes in technology. Studies show many children spend hours every day online but struggle to comprehend the content that comes at them.

For years, they have pushed schools to incorporate media literacy - including the ability to evaluate and analyse sources of information - into lesson plans in civics, language arts, science and other subjects.

Their efforts started getting traction after the 2016 presidential election, which highlighted how even many adults can be fooled by false and misleading content peddled by agenda-driven domestic and foreign sources.

"Five years ago, it was difficult to get people to understand what we were doing and what we wanted to see happen in education and the skills students needed to learn," said Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education.

"Now there is no question about the vitalness of this in classrooms."

A study published last year by Stanford University researchers also brought the issue into focus.

It warned that students from middle school to college were "easily duped" and ill-equipped to use reason with online information.

The researchers warned "democracy is threatened by the ease at which disinformation about civic issues is allowed to spread and flourish".

In June, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy signed a bill establishing an advisory council to develop recommendations that will include instructing students on evaluating what they see and read online.

Jennifer Rocca, a high school librarian in Brookfield, Connecticut, was among several supporters who urged lawmakers to pass the legislation.

Her digital literacy course, a requirement for freshmen, challenges students to evaluate the credibility of online sources so they can spot falsehoods and biased information.

She requires students to cite their sources when conducting research and explain why each would have the authority to be credible.

Without stronger statewide standards, Rocca said she worries that some school districts will not do enough to develop skills that are critical for students and society.

"You should be expected to navigate the internet and evaluate the information no matter where you go to school," she said.

Many of the state bills are based on model legislation backed by a coalition of groups, including Media Literacy Now and the Digital Citizenship Institute.

Advocates say the laws are a good first step that must be paired with updates to teacher education programs, funding for professional development and other changes throughout the education system.

The efforts have run into concerns about school funding shortfalls, and supporters say they are mindful of adding mandates on districts and teachers.

That is why the laws have so far stopped short of dictating changes and instead called for voluntary actions.

New Mexico Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, D-Albuquerque, said media literacy is an elective in the state's secondary schools curriculum - unlike financial literacy, which is required.

He said he would like to see that changed in coming years and "intertwined throughout the entire curriculum regardless of what you are teaching".

Last summer, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo signed two bills calling on state education officials to work with media literacy organisations to consider incorporating the subject into the basic education program.

The new law in Washington requires the state school superintendent to create a website with links to successful media literacy practices.

The office also must conduct a survey to understand how librarians, teachers, principals and technology directors are integrating those subjects into their curriculum.

Supporters are helping lawmakers in several states draft similar bills to be introduced in 2018.

"The combination of social media and misinformation really captured people's awareness and attention in the last year," said Erin McNeill, president of Media Literacy Now, a nonprofit based in Massachusetts.

"It took a long time to get media literacy into the public consciousness."

AP
ein Google-Unternehmen

Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben

Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen

Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern.

neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern

Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen

personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen

personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen

Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke.

Nicht personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung werden u. a. von Inhalten, die Sie sich gerade ansehen, und Ihrem Standort beeinflusst (welche Werbung Sie sehen, basiert auf Ihrem ungefahren Standort). Personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung konnen auch Videoempfehlungen, eine individuelle YouTube-Startseite und individuelle Werbung enthalten, die auf fruheren Aktivitaten wie auf YouTube angesehenen Videos und Suchanfragen auf YouTube beruhen. Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten.

Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen.
Is AMR Modern-day FRANKENSTEINS MONSTER?

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) continues to pose a significant public health problem in terms of mortality and economic loss. The rising AMR is a matter of huge concern that needs to be tactfully handled and health authorities of several countries, including India, have formulated action plans for its containment. Significant efforts by the government, an active involvement of startups and diagnostic players is a good start. The question remains, whether this will be enough.

For Feedback, please email us at: communications@mmactiv.com
Eris Lifesciences avails term loan facility of Rs 400cr to finance Strides Shasun deal The term loan is sanctioned by the bank through term loan agreement and deed of hypothecation November 30, 2017.

Eris Lifesciences avails term loan facility of Rs400cr from Axis Bank to finance the acquisition of domestic formulation business containing brands/ trademarks/ assets of Strides Shasun Ltd.

The term loan is sanctioned by the bank through term loan agreement and deed of hypothecation November 30, 2017. The term loan is fully secured and charge is created on the fixed and current assets of the company including brands and trademarks being acquired in the transaction.

The company had announced on November 18, 2017, acquisition of Strides India branded generic business by entering into a definitive agreement. The aggregate cash consideration for the acquisition is Rs 500cr. The acquisition made by Eris Lifesciences consists of a portfolio of 130+ brands in the domains of Neurology, Psychiatry, Nutraceuticals, Gastro etc. along with employees forming part of the business.

As per the terms of the agreement, Eris Lifesciences will acquire the marketing and distribution rights for the said portfolio of products in India while Strides will retain the global rights for these products. The Indian branded generics business being divested by Strides had sales of Rs181cr in FY 2017.
Shripad Yesso Naik inaugurates International Arogya 2017 in Delhi A White Paper titled AYUSH for the World by Frost & Sullivan was launched to offer insights into the regulatory requirements for herbal medicines.

International Arogya 2017, the first international conference and exhibition on AYUSH and wellness systems organized by FICCI in collaboration with Ministry of AYUSH, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and Pharmexcil, began here today in the presence of more than 1,500 delegates from India as well as visitors and hosted delegations from over 60 countries. The four-day event is being held in the backdrop of the National Health Policy 2017 strongly advocating mainstreaming the potential of AYUSH within a pluralistic system of Integrative healthcare. It will showcase the strength and scientific validation of traditional Indian systems of medicine in the global context, including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), and facilitate their worldwide promotion, development and recognition.

International Arogya 2017 was inaugurated by Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH, in the presence of Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH; and Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General, FICCI, in the presence of the leading AYUSH Industry stakeholders, Government officials and other dignitaries. All the participants unanimously gave a call for mainstreaming AYUSH and integrating its infrastructure into Indias healthcare system.

Delivering the special address at the inauguration ceremony, Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, said: In the recent past, we have seen a resurgence of interest in traditional systems of medicine due to their enormous utility in tackling lifestyle disorders. People from across the world are coming to India for health-restorative cum alternative treatments. With a wealth of 6,600 medicinal plants, India is the second largest exporter of AYUSH and herbal products in the world. We now have an opportunity to mainstream the Indian system of medicine and integrate the AYUSH infrastructure into Indian healthcare system. This infrastructure consists of 1,355 hospitals with 53,296-bed capacity, 22,635 dispensaries, 450 undergraduate colleges, 9,493 licensed manufacturing units, and 7.18 lakh registered practitioners. We want to tap the maximum potential of AYUSH systems in imparting preventive, promotive and holistic healthcare to the people.

Talking about the India opportunity, Suresh Prabhu said: The Indian domestic market of AYUSH is estimated to be Rs 500 crore, while exports amount to Rs 200 crore. Young Indian entrepreneurs planning a start-up could find a lot of opportunities in holistic healthcare. The Government has allowed 100% FDI in AYUSH. The AYUSH industry is expected to grow in double digits and provide direct employment to 1 million people and indirect employment to 25 million people by 2020. All stakeholders need to pool their resources to harness this vast potential.

Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India, said: The patient-centric approach of AYUSH systems holds significant potential for finding solutions to Indias public health challenges. The Government has taken many initiatives to popularize alternative systems of medicine. The National AYUSH Mission was started in 2014. An agreement has been signed with WHO to develop benchmarks for Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani and Panchkarma. Five AYUSH information cells have been set up in Israel, Tajikistan, Peru, Russia and Tanzania. The All India Institute of Ayurveda has been established at Delhi. The Government is offering incentives to AYUSH industry for international cooperation and encouraging certification of AYUSH products to facilitate exports. The AYUSH Premium Mark is part of a new, voluntary quality certification scheme to ensure efficacy of Indian herbal products. There is now sufficient momentum to bring the traditional systems of medicine to a higher pedestal in healthcare.

More than 250 manufacturers of alternative medicine are showcasing their products and services at International Arogya 2017. The mega event has brought key stakeholders of AYUSH sector together under one roof to showcase latest research and developments in alternative medicine systems of India and boost exports of AYUSH products.

Addressing the august gathering Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General, FICCI, noted that India has a long history of using traditional medicines in healthcare, and developing them with modern scientific outlook. He said: We are witnessing a highly receptive environment where the value of AYUSH systems is widely recognized worldwide, translating into growing global demand. A slew of reforms in administration, research strategies, nature of practice and education are underway, leading to heightened interest in the AYUSH system of medicine, both in India and abroad. Dr. Baru thanked the Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, for taking the initiative to organize International Arogya 2017, which will enhance the export of AYUSH medicines and products.

Jayakumar, Secretary General, World Ayurveda Foundation, said that International Arogya 2017 is a key initiative taken by the Indian Government and FICCI. He said: The World Ayurveda Foundation has partnered with the Government of India and FICCI for International Arogya 2017. We are also pleased to work with FICCI for the growth of AYUSH sector. In the years to come, this partnership will grow further. He welcomed all the Indian and international delegates at the event.

A White Paper titled AYUSH for the World by Frost & Sullivan was launched to offer insights into the regulatory requirements for herbal medicines in ASEAN and BIMSTEC nations. The document notes that India is the second largest exporter of Ayurvedic and alternate medicines to the world and has a potential to generate three million job opportunities. The Indian herbal market is valued at Rs 5,000 crore currently, with an annual growth rate of 14%. More than 30,000 branded and 1,500 traditional AYUSH products are available in the country. India is the worlds second largest exporter of medicinal plants after China and both the countries together produce more than 70% of the total global demand for herbal products.

Said Sandeep Sinha, Vice President, Transformational Health (Healthcare) Practice, Frost & Sullivan: Frost & Sullivan is very happy to be a part of FICCI International Arogya 2017 as the Knowledge Partner. The event has brought together industry thought leaders, manufacturers and exporters of AYUSH products, along with Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of AYUSH, Pharmexcil and other key stakeholders. In the last few decades, traditional and herbal treatments have gained international acceptance and people are increasingly opting for these treatments owing to their safety, efficacy, cost effectiveness and resonance with the modern quest for a healthy lifestyle. The Frost & Sullivan whitepaper launched at International Arogya 2017 is a facilitation roadmap for AYUSH regulations and registration in ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries, to unlock value and realize maximum potential of AYUSH benefits and access to the world.

A major highlight of International Arogya 2017 was Indian CEOs Roundtable, chaired by Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH. The event has host sessions built around themes like: Enhancing the export potential of AYUSH; Business opportunities in integrative healthcare; Building a brand strategy; Standardization and quality control in AYUSH sector; and Workshop on essential herbal Raw Materials required in AYUSH Industry. There is also a meet of international regulators, with regulators from ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries, Canada and Switzerland participating. Free health check-up and consultation, Counseling by Specialists, lectures on AYUSH, Yoga demonstrations and naturopathy sessions will be the main attraction for the public on the last day of International Arogya 2017.
Cadila Healthcares arm receives final approval from USFDA for Clozapine Tablets Cadila Healthcare Ltd is currently trading at Rs419.45, up by Rs2.35 or 0.56% from its previous closing of Rs417.1 on the BSE.

Cadila Healthcares wholly owned subsidiary - Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc., has received the final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to market Clozapine Tablets in strengths of 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg. The drug is used to treat schizophrenia.

It will be manufactured at the groups formulations manufacturing facility at SEZ, Ahmedabad. The stock to react positively on this news, as it will consolidate Cadilas position in the US generic market and improve its US Sales.

The company now has more than 175 approvals and has so far filed over 310 ANDAs since the commencement of the filing process in FY 2003-04. The stock is trading at 28x its FY19E P/E. Cadila Healthcare Ltd is currently trading at Rs419.45, up by Rs2.35 or 0.56% from its previous closing of Rs417.1 on the BSE.
Patrick Jennings blasted onto the children's book scene with his critically acclaimed Faith and the Electric Dogs, which received numerous starred reviews and is now in film development. Known for his wide range of topics and styles, Jennings is the author of the recent We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes, The Wolving Time, and The Beastly Arms, but now that his children are middle-grade age, he has turned his focus to writing funny, easily accessible stories that will appeal to middle-schoolers. A former resident of Bisbee, Arizona, Jennings now lives in Washington State. You can visit him at www.patrickjennings.com.
The US Justice Department has made clear its proposed ban on transgender military recruits is on hold.

This means enlistment can start on Monday, however the future for transgender people in the armed forces remains murky.

The Justice Department is not dropping its court fight to institute the ban on transgender enlistment but said on Friday it would wait for a Pentagon study on the issue in the coming weeks before deciding what to do next.

President Donald Trump said in July the government would not allow transgender people to serve in the military, reversing Obama-era policy.

So far he has been unable to achieve that prohibition.

On December 22, a panel of the federal appeals court in the District of Columbia refused the Trump administrations request to let the ban start January 1.

Other federal judges have also refused to side with the administration. The Pentagon said then it would allow transgender enlistment to start with the new year and continue as legal struggles play out.

The Justice Department said late on Friday the Pentagon "will be releasing an independent study of these issues in the coming weeks", so the administration will not litigate an appeal in the meantime.

That stance clarifies that enlistments can start on Monday, and existing transgender service members are protected from being discharged at least for now.

"We are relieved that we dont have to hit pause on the constitutional rights of transgender people who are willing and able to serve our country," said Peter Renn, senior attorney for Lambda Legal, one of the groups fighting the ban in court.
Let's look at a specific example that has been explored empirically: entrepreneurs. I was once one of them. Or an obsessively aspiring one, at least. And what I noticed among the other entrepreneurs with whom I associated was that all of us possessed the same self-help bibles written by Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, Michael Gerber, Robert Kiyosaki and, yes, even Donald Trump. We all had the same vision, too. Many millions of dollars. Long holidays. The freedom to choose our own hours. A job aligned to our passions. In almost every case, our new ventures didn't make anywhere near as much money as we could earn as salaried workers. James Adonis was once an entrepreneur. Credit:M Byrne And the extraordinary holidays for which we once yearned didn't exist at all (even as just plain old ordinary holidays). Sure, we had the freedom to choose our own hours, but that was only because we were unhealthily working every hour just to keep our heads above water. And those passions we once adored became things we detested, because, as so frequently occurs, when you turn your passion into a business you end up commodifying something you love. Your heart sings less and less with every email, every spreadsheet, every invoice, every transaction, every complaint, every administrative activity, every call from a debt collector.

Of course, there are exceptions. There are those who strike it rich ridiculously quickly, who go on four luxury holidays a year, who work  dare I say it  a four-hour week, who truly love what they do. But they're also the ones who write the articles and the books, who speak at seminars and on television, claiming that anyone can have that same lifestyle  anyone can make their dreams come true!  if only they first believe. Well, millions upon millions of people believe. Perhaps even those extolling it do as well. It's a belief that is as uncompromising as it is vigorous. And yet nothing happens. Wishful thinking In one study, over 10,000 people were asked the following questions each year for a period of approximately five years: "Would you say that you yourself are better off, worse off or about the same financially than you were a year ago?"

"Looking ahead, how do you think you yourself will be financially a year from now: better than you are now, worse off than you are now, or about the same?" Sure, we had the freedom to choose our own hours, but that was only because we were unhealthily working every hour just to keep our heads above water.

The self-employed, on average, forecast their incomes to rise by about 33 per cent higher than did salaried employees. The reality, though, was that their incomes deteriorated. Employees, in contrast, experienced an overall rise. The researchers concluded that "the self-employed are more liable to excess optimism", and they "do seem to be driven by wishful thinking". The researchers go further to suggest that what underpins this unrealistic optimism, especially among men, is that they think others will be attracted to their prospect of future success. Subsequently, "the best way to convince another of your own abilities is to really believe in them", they write. Self-delusion therefore kicks in. As does a kick in the pants sooner or later. Does that imply we shouldn't be entrepreneurial? No. Let's start businesses. Let's take risks. Let's be innovative and daring and progressive. But let's also not believe in ourselves and our dreams to such an extent that we shut out our honest faculties, the ones that let us know, usually not so subtly, that we're on the wrong track. This is an edited extract from The Motivation Hoax by James Adonis, out now through NERO. Available wherever good books are sold. $24.99
Come February 1, they could face literal withdrawals, as they find they can no longer access them  at least without a trip to the doctor. Customers will need a prescription to buy codeine-containing painkillers or cold and flu medications, drugs which for years have been sold in their millions to Australians, and become household names in the process. It's a significant change that will force a major shift in the way Australians treat their pain. Melbourne pharmacist Jarrod McMaugh says brand names like Panadeine have become as commonplace in pharmacies as Vegemite is in supermarkets. "And in the last 10 years Nurofen (which does not contain codeine) and Nurofen Plus have had a big impact as well," Mr McMaugh said.

"It means people coming in expect that's what they'll need for their pain. "Most people request the codeine-type products, because it's what they familiar with." Melbourne pharmacist Jarrod McMaugh. Credit:Jason South Despite its popularity, codeine is not recommended for use more than three days in a row, and experts now say there is little evidence that codeine tablets are better than the alternatives, paracetamol and ibuprofen. The addictiveness of codeine means that some people have taken up to 100 tablets a day, which they have collected over the counter from multiple pharmacies.

Abuse of the drug can cause liver damage, stomach perforations, internal bleeding, kidney failure, heart attacks and hypoventilation (often side effects of the high doses of other drugs mixed with codeine). There have also been a number of deaths directly linked to codeine misuse. Australia's drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, said its decision to ban over-the-counter sales of codeine "took into consideration compelling evidence of the harm caused by overuse and abuse". A family who wrote to TGA said their son would drink the entire contents of a 200 millilitre bottle of cough syrup in one sitting several times a week, or alternatively, buy 48-tablet packs of Panadeine Forte or similar pills. "Please count us as a family devastated by the over-the-counter supply of codeine products to teenagers," they wrote.

Products impacted by the change will include popular painkillers Panadeine, Nurofen Plus, Mersyndol, and cough and flu products sold under brands including Demazin and Codral. While some suppliers will continue producing their drugs with the expectation they will be prescribed by doctors in the future, others have reformulated their products without codeine, or abandoned their lines completely. Panafen Plus, Panadeine, Panadeine Rapid Soluble and Panadeine Extra will be pulled from the Australian market, while there have already been reports of pharmacies running out of supplies of over-the-counter codeine. Pharmaceutical Society of Australia president Dr Shane Jackson, said over-the-counter codeine stock had been very limited at most pharmacies since November. "I think we'd be lucky to have 20 boxes of stock left in our pharmacy," he said.

It is a huge change when you consider Australians are estimated to buy more than 20 million packs of low-dose codeine every year. While most customers who buy the drug only do so occasionally, the 20 per cent of people taking it for chronic conditions bought an estimated three quarters of the packets, according to the TGA  which means the vast majority of the products are probably being used incorrectly. The public is being urged to talk to their pharmacist or doctor about alternative treatment or drugs (likely paracetamol, ibuprofen or a mixture of the two) in the lead up to the change in February. Some people may be able to ditch medication entirely with physiotherapy, exercise and psychological treatment, according to pain specialists like Associate Professor Malcolm Hogg.

Professor Hogg, a Painaustralia board member and head of pain services at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, said there were also safer and more effective medications for those with "opioid responsive pain", including buprenorphine or tapentadol, which are "less dependence forming". GP and doctor groups have said that they will not prescribe stronger drugs when they begin to treat former over-the-counter codeine users, despite alleged efforts by drug lobbyists to fill the void with other addictive products. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Dr Bastian Seidel confirmed that "certain drug companies" had been promoting even stronger prescription opioids, such as oxycodone and endone, as substitutes for codeine. "It is the last thing we need," he said. Dr Bastian Seidel has warned of lobbying from drug companies eyeing new business opportunities.

Dr Seidel said GPs were well aware of the dangers posed by opioids, which in the United States were fuelling the deadliest drug crisis in the nation's history. "We can't follow the nightmare scenario that America is going through now," he said. "Opioids are never the first choice treatment for any medical condition. There is a very limited role of opioids for pain management." While the codeine overhaul has the broad support of the medical profession, it has not been without controversy, facing resistance from some pharmacy groups, including the Extended Hours Pharmacies Association who say it could lead to people flooding emergency departments late at night. It has also garnered plenty of outrage from the Australians who use low-dose codeine for short periods, including for period pain, and are upset about cost and inconvenience of a doctor's visit.

In Sydney, 60-year-old Karen Baines said she often took Nurofen Plus or Mersyndol to treat her knee and ankle pain, and had already tried Panadol and Panamax with no satisfactory effect. Karen Baines is very worried about the codeine change. Credit:Fiona Morris. The disability pensioner said she was worried that she would be left without medication on the weekends, when her local doctors did not bulk bill, as she could not afford to pay the gap. "I'm going to have to be in pain until the Monday when I can go to the doctor and not get charged a fee," she said. Ms Baines said she expected February 1 to result in absolute havoc at GP clinics.

"I'm telling you now, you won't be able to get in to see a doctor," she said. Over the past four months Leah Dwyer has been able to wean herself off codeine, after she heard her pills would no longer be available over the counter. She went to visit one of her pharmacists and told her: "I have a problem, please help me". It was only as she tapered herself off the drug, transitioning to Panadol and ibuprofen, that she realised how addicted she had become. "The little voice in my head that said 'Just go get some codeine' was there for the entire time," she said. Ms Dwyer said she hoped pharmacists and doctors had been trained to deal with "this tsunami of pain" that would flood in from February 1.
St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney has tripled its usual holiday slowdown period to stanch its budget blowout, temporarily suspending most non-urgent elective surgery.

The inner-city hospital has stretched its "reduced activity period" from December 18 to January 28 in an effort to claw back savings in hospital resourcing and staff wages.

St Vincent's Hospital has extended its low activity period to six weeks to curb its budget deficit. Credit:Daniel Munoz

Doctors, nurses and other staff who expressed concerns over the length of the slowdown were also dismayed by bonus packages of more than $25,000 paid to two executives.

In November, Fairfax Media revealed St Vincent's had called in external consultants to audit the hospital's operations, after St Vincent's was $18 million in the red, despite the hospital's executive touting on budget performance in September.
New Years Eve revellers in Brisbane were generally well behaved on Sunday night as afternoon storms kept crowd numbers down.

Queensland Police Superintendent Tony Fleming said 18 arrests were made in the Brisbane area through the night, mostly for public nuisance, drug offences and obstruction of police.

Crowd numbers at South Bank's New Year's Eve fireworks were down as storms hit the south-east. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Like any New Years Eve, our office has been kept quite busy, but relative to previous years some of our crowd numbers were down, particularly for our 8.30pm fireworks, he said.

We had some fairly significant storms threaten around south-east Queensland late in the afternoon and I think particularly around our South Bank area some of our mums and dads took the safe option and went home but nonetheless the fireworks went off, with generally quite well-behaved crowds.
Karmichael Hunt has been stood down by Queensland Rugby Union and Rugby Australia while he awaits his day in court after being arrested and charged with drug possession in Brisbane on Saturday morning.

A joint statement released on Sunday afternoon said the decision would take effect immediately, meaning Hunt would not being fulfilled any training or playing commitments.

Wallabies player Karmichael Hunt during a team training session at CBUS Stadium on the Gold Coast. Credit:Dave Hunt - AAP

"Queensland Rugby Union, Rugby Australia and Karmichael Hunt have today agreed that it is in the best interests of all parties that Karmichael is stood down immediately from any team-related Rugby activities, including training and playing commitments," the statement read.

"The parties are awaiting information from the Queensland Police pertaining to the circumstances of the recent allegations before any next steps or return to Rugby activities will be contemplated.
New Year's Eve revellers heading into the heart of Brisbane to witness the fireworks extravaganza should pack a brolly and wear their wellies, with the weather forecasts showing downpours are a certainty and severe storms are very much on the cards.

Those travelling to the city to join the new year festivities are encouraged to use public transport, with plenty of inner-city road closures planned as authorities tighten security around the crowds.

Weather experts say heavy rain is a certainty during New Year's Eve celebrations in Brisbane with hail, damaging winds and lightning also on the cards. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Weatherzone meteorologist Craig McIntosh said the wet weather should kick-off over inland areas early on Sunday afternoon before moving across the state and hanging over Brisbane throughout the evening.

"Hail, damaging winds, lightning and thunder are a chance," he said.
In April 1995 Cabinet agreed to each federal airport being "leased as an ongoing business", with an expected revenue gain of $2 to $2.5 billion. In May they added the sale of the remaining shares in the Commonwealth Bank.

Cabinet was told the mint could be sold for $15 million and with circulating coinage diminishing its production could be outsourced. Credit:Louie Douvis

Established in Canberra in 1965, one year prior to Australia's changeover to decimal currency and since 1983 has been the sole supplier of Australia's circulating coin requirements, the mint also produced a range of high quality collector coins (numismatic coins) which are sold through an extensive mail order operation, e-commerce, a network of domestic and international coin dealers, selected Australia Post outlets and the Mint shop.

Cabinet was told the mint could be sold for $15 million and with circulating coinage diminishing its production could be outsourced.

"The Royal Australian Mint's operations have become increasingly commercial with around 80 per cent of its employees involved in production of non-circulating coinage. Given that the RAM has become primarily a commercial enterprise  the bulk of whose outputs are of a non-essential nature and which compete directly with private sector producers  rather than a provider of a core government service, the rationale for retaining, in the public sector, the RAM's function of producing circulating coins has become questionable," the committee said.

However Treasury warned that the mint was still in "a transition phase to becoming a more commercially orientated entity and it was important to avoid undermining staff morale and commitment to the process" and suggested the sale not be part of the upcoming budget. Cabinet agreed and today the mint still remains a listed entity within Treasury.
Paris: France has deployed drones, helicopters, boat patrols equipped with night vision goggles and Republican Guards on horseback to foil oyster rustlers who swiped tons of the prized shellfish ahead of New Year's Eve.

Oysters are a festive delicacy in France and the Christmas-new year holidays account for half of farmers' annual business. The French usually eat them raw with lemon juice or shallot-infused vinegar, washed down with a glass of white wine.

But two mystery oyster "plagues" that wiped out up to 90 per cent of the salty seafood in 2008 and 2011 have left prices high and numbers scarce, which has led to a worrying rise in thefts.

The first robbery struck early, in October, when a single producer from Gujan-Mestras in Arcachon Bay, lost seven tons of the delicacy - three years' work - in just one night. "We hadn't seen that in more than ten years here. It's unheard of this early," said sergeant chief Thierry Deuet.

The thieves are more often than not fellow farmers, previous convictions suggest. The problem, said Mr Deuet, was that "there is certain law of silence among sea farmers, who are rough, tough and taciturn".
An explosive report out of Washington has placed Australia's high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Alexander Downer, in a crucial chain of events that prompted American authorities to investigate Russian interference in the US election.

The New York Times revealed Mr Downer was told by a young Donald Trump aide that Moscow had "political dirt" on Hillary Clinton, then the presumptive Democratic nominee for US President, during a boozy rendezvous in London in May 2016.

Alexander Downer reportedly met with Trump aide George Papadopoulos over drinks in London. Credit:Alastair Grant

It was another two months before that information reached US diplomats, the paper reported, raising questions about why Mr Downer - a former Opposition leader and Howard government minister - did not have the intelligence passed on sooner.

The Australian government went to ground on Sunday after the revelations were published, saying through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that no comment would be made because the matters were subject to ongoing US investigations. Labor also declined to comment.
Seoul: South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official says.

The KOTI was seized at Pyeongtaek-Dangjin port, the official said without elaborating, due to the sensitivity of the issue. The port is on the west coast, south of Incheon.

The Hong Kong-flagged Lighthouse Winmore was also seized by South Korea. Credit:AP

The ship can carry 5100 tonnes of oil and has a crew mostly from China and Myanmar, Yonhap News Agency reported, adding that South Korea's intelligence and customs officials are conducting a joint probe into the vessel.

The official did not say when authorities moved in, but the seizure was the second to be revealed within just a few days.
Its the end of the world as we know it  but how are we all going to die? Hollywood loves a good apocalypse, with movies like Sunshine, Take Shelter, and Mad Max envisioning what it might look like when the world ends. While many of us worry more about climate change than a volcano or astral storm, maybe we should pay more attention to our fiery doom.

Scientists have dedicated surprisingly little research to how were all going to die. Anders Sandberg, a catastrophe researcher at the University of Oxfords Future of Humanity Institute told Science magazine, there are more papers about dung beetle reproduction than human extinction. We might have our priorities slightly wrong. Nevertheless, scientists have come up with some ideas. Here are eight ways it could all end, according to the top brains in the biz.

1. Global pandemic

Every year, about 2 million people get sick from a superbug, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 23,000 of those die, and our rapidly urbanizing society doesnt help. A recent United Nations estimate said that 66% of the global population will live in urban centers by 2050. That means disease will spread quickly through those areas.

According to a study by the Global Challenges Foundation, humanity will only expire from pandemic if its severe enough to prevent recovery. World Health Organization scientists do keep tabs on superbugs that could end us all. Theyre just as real as the topic that has us all sweating (literally).

2. Climate change

According to the National Centers for Environmental Informations Global Climate Report, 2016 was the warmest year in over a century. Thats the third consecutive record-breaking year. This was also the fifth time in the 21st century that happened, and the 40th consecutive year the temperature has been above average.

Because climate change leads to fewer resources and less food, the late Australian scientist Frank Fenner predicted humans would be extinct within 100 years. According to the Geologic Society of America, the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are higher than they have been for many thousands of years. If we keep off-gassing the way we are now, the projected global climate change by the end of the 21st century will result in significant impacts on humans, as well as various other species.

That said, this next threat shows that our own emissions arent the only disaster we have to worry about

3. Solar storms

If the storms regularly devastating our planet werent enough, scientists say we have to worry about storms outside of it too.

Scientist Bill Murtagh studies coronal mass ejection  or eruptions from the sun that send solar buckshot barreling into space. Science Magazine says spectacular-looking CMEs dont harm humans directly; that is, except when charged particles shooting into Earths magnetic field interfere with power grids. That means blackouts  big ones  if a CME hits at the right place, which scientists say has a 12% chance of happening in the next decade. The good news? Solar telescopes give us about a 30-minute warning before these storms hit. The bad news? Most countries (including the U.S.) dont have the infrastructure to respond.

While CMEs havent caused the kind of outages scientists fear just yet, there is precedence for the fourth possible apocalypse.

4. Asteroids

Weve all heard about the 10-kilometer-wide asteroid that helped decimate the dinosaurs. Even space-matter a fraction of that size could devastate our planet, New York University Earth scientist Michael Rampino told Science. Not only would asteroids obliterate the actual impact site, but massive earthquakes and tsunamis could radiate across the planet, causing devastating effects. Were talking rock fragments blocking out the sun, debris igniting wildfires, and particles heating up the atmosphere until were all essentially living in an oven.

The Global Challenges Foundation predicted that even a 5-kilometer asteroid would cause significant climate change. Larger objects would likely lead to extinction. Those events happen only about once every 20 million years, but the force produced is 100,000 times greater than any bomb ever detonated.

Speaking of bombs, asteroids arent the only hot button we need to worry about.

5. Volcanoes

If volcanic hotspots in Yellowstone, the Long Valley Caldera in eastern California, the Taupo Volcanic Zone in New Zealand, and several spots in the Andes erupt, the ramifications could be global. Thats because of the interconnectivity of our society, according to volcanologist Hazel Rymer.

An article in The Guardian explained how even the 2010 eruption of Icelands Eyjafjallajokull caused millions of dollars in losses for Kenyan farmers. During that event, many perishable exports went to waste, so larger eruptions could be globally catastrophic.

A super-volcano produces more than 450 cubic kilometers of magma. One of those caused the Permian-Triassic extinction event, in which 96% of marine species and 70% of land vertebrates died out. The return period for such a volcano is about 30,000-700,000 years, but these eruptions are difficult to predict.

Fallout from the next threat can have wide-ranging effects not only on climate, but our health. For better and worse, its both manmade and completely preventable.

6. Nuclear war

In 1983, Carl Sagan predicted a global nuclear war might kill several hundred million people. Long-term though, its the resulting nuclear winter that poses the real threat. Sagan estimated a loss of 500 trillion lives, assuming humanity lasts for 10 million more years, but even the short-term effects are significant.

A small nuclear conflict could cause widespread famine, according to Global Catastrophic Risk Institute founder Seth Baum in The Risk of Nuclear Winter. Researchers simulated crop growth in the aftermath of a 100-weapon nuclear war and found it could cause productivity to decline by 10-40%. The studies considered crops in China and the United States, but others would likely perform similarly.

The next cause of our downfall is somewhat shadier, but definitely no less threatening.

7. Ecological catastrophe

This term refers to a potentially permanent reduction in the environments ability to sustain life, according to the Global Challenges Foundation. Since an estimated 40% of world trade is based on biological products, we depend heavily on the natural world. However, biodiversity is declining 1001,000 times faster than pre-human levels. Thats a catastrophic rate if we dont reverse some of the damage.

Ecological collapse is typically precipitated by a quick, disastrous event. Its also unclear exactly how much damage we can do to the biosphere without threatening our own survival.

Finally, because we are so globally interconnected, were one of our own biggest threats.

8. Global systems collapse

The Global Challenges Foundation defines this term as an economic or societal collapse on the global scale. Thats a pretty broad category. But because our world economic and political system is so interconnected, were especially vulnerable to failures caused by societal structures. That could mean power grid collapse, ecological disruption, or even financial crisis.

Mathematical and climate historian Peter Turchin predicted on Phys.org that political turmoil will peak in the 2020s. He also said widening social gaps, declining economic health, and living standard stagnation could cause our downfall. The 2016 presidential election did confirm his theory, but its not inevitable. By taking broad collective action, we can reverse the course of societal decline.

Scientists cant say for sure how its all going to end, but we can prepare. That means reversing climate change, safeguarding against superbugs, and electing leaders who can work globally. There are things we can do to make it to the 22nd century without a Fury Road situation coming into play as an inevitability.

Follow The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!
10 Reasons Why 2017 Was a Great Year There were many negatives in 2017, but we also saw positive changes.

1. The Museum of the Bible opened in Washington D.C. - I'm so pleased to see the Museum of the Bible open in Washington D.C. This is an important step to helping people understand the historical value of the Scriptures and the textual authenticity of the manuscripts.

It also signals to the people of the country a simple fact: The Bible is an indelible core aspect of our history, society and culture. Western civilization has been crafted by the Bible, the reformation and the enlightenment.

2. The Trump Administration officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital - Isn't it interesting how the world often refuses to acknowledge even the most obvious things? Especially when it comes to Israel, the most hated little country in the world at the United Nations, we see time and again that Israel is treated to a different set of standards than the rest of the nations of the world. Why is that? Why does anti-Semitism rear its ugly head time and again in human history? It's a bold move by the Trump administration to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, something most of us already knew, has now be put in ink and recognized for the world to see.

3. Little Sisters of the Poor won at the Supreme Court - A Catholic order was being pressured by Obamacare regulations to provide free birth control, including birth control that causes a mini-abortion against their beliefs. The Obama administration was legislating against these nuns for years, and finally the Little Sisters won at the Supreme Court and are now free to live according to their faith beliefs.

4. Weekly Bible Studies at the White House - Something like this hasn't happened in over one 100 years. So many of us trash the Trump administration and toss around hyperbole and criticism of past remarks made by the man. But the truth is the Trump administration has been more conservative and more friendly to Christians than Bush, Clinton, H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford to name a few. The hypocrisy is a bit glaring. Bible studies in the White House! I'm not saying everyone in the White House is a saint, far from it, but they're studying the word of God. That's always a good thing.

5. The Weinstein Revelation - This ugly event has a strong silver lining, and the silver lining is that women who have victimized, and men for that matter, are now being heard and the people who victimized them are now being called to account for what they've done. It's ugly, but it's the truth and it's coming out. That's always a good thing.

6. Hurricane Harvey - How was this a good thing? Hurricane Harvey was a tragic disaster that caused harm to many, but it also showed how Americans can come together and help each other. The response was amazing, and millions in donations and hours of volunteering help came pouring in. An estimated 80 percent of the aid came from Christians.

7. ISIS is being defeated in the Middle East - hundreds of thousands of Christians in the Middle East have been displaced, persecuted, and murdered amongst the chaos caused by ISIS. The United Nations refused to even recognize the genocide of Christians in the Middle East. In addition the American news media didn't cover this genocide, aside from Fox News. But now we have a new administration that is taking the threat of ISIS seriously, without pushing a "spreading democracy" foreign policy. That's a very good thing.

8. Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the Supreme Court - A pro-life constitutional conservative was appointed to the Supreme Court. That's a big deal. Imagine the nightmare we'd be facing today if Hillary Clinton was elected, and proceeded to nominate a progressive social justice warrior who views the Constitution as a barrier to secular progress. We'd see the final collapse of religious freedom, and eventually the criminalization of Christianity.

9. Trump's Battle with the Mainstream Media - I was so tired of the last eight years, of so many in our culture calling Christians bigoted, homophobic, transphobic, Islamophobic and so on and so forth. And there was no firm voice willing to contend with this narrative. And by the end of the eight years of the Obama administration we saw the DOJ pushing transgender bathrooms in public schools. When would the insanity end? The news media has enjoyed open game on Christians for the last 20 years and beyond. We as Christians have often been guilty of being too timid, of being too frightened and afraid of offending anyone, that we fail to speak with a clear voice in regard to truth and falsehood. There is a time to turn the other cheek, and there is a time to speak up regarding the truth. It's been refreshing to see someone fight back against the constant lies and false narratives of the news media.

10. The Supreme Court allowed Trinity Lutheran Learning Center access to public funds to upgrade a gravel playground - Trinity was initially refused access to public funds to improve their playground simply because they were a religious organization. The Supreme Court voted 7-2 to reverse that discriminatory ruling against organizations of faith. This ruling also ensured that religious institutions applying for government aid after the Hurricane Harvey incident would be eligible to receive aid. That's a big deal.

There were many negatives in 2017. We saw a darker side to the media, to Congress and Hollywood. However, we also saw hope, as the truth began to come out. We saw through struggle and tragedy people pulling together to love and support one another in times of need. Isn't that what life is often like on earth? We see trial, tragedy and the depravity of human nature coming out, but through it all we see God's hand of providence guiding us from darkness toward His light. Yes, 2017 was a challenge, but it was a blessing in disguise. Let's pray and hope that the same will be true of 2018.
A Cashless Society is Coming - Confirming What the Bible Prophesied 2,000 Years Ago

Very powerful forces are pressing passionately for a worldwide cashless society, and the Bible has predicted the move for centuries.

Two years ago (2015) Bill Gates promoted it. "The key to this will be mobile phones," he wrote. "Already, in the developing countries with the right regulatory framework, people are storing money digitally on their phones and using their phones to make purchases, as if they were debit cards. By 2030, two billion people who don't have a bank account today will be storing money and making payment with their phones."

The technology is in place. Chris Skinner, author of The Future of Banking and Digital Bank wrote: "We already have contactless payment terminals, fingerprint recognition payments, micro and mobile payments. The only logical step is to introduce non-card based (i.e. biometric based) payment systems."

We have come a long way. We use to barter for trade, some still do. The First Fleet used shells and trinkets in their early contact with aboriginals. I have travelled on buses in Asia with sheep, chickens and goats all travelling as likely currency. In the days of edible currency Parmigiano cheese was popular and accepted as bank collateral in Italy (of course).

However, I have grown very used to cash, but, are we watching the folding stuff reach its used by date? "There will be a time, I don't know when, I can't give you a date, when physical money is just going to cease to exist," said former US Secretary of Labor Robert Reich.

Speaking to the Australian Financial Review last September, ASIC chairman Greg Medcaft predicted "traditional bank accounts may be unnecessary within a decade." (News.com.au) "Big brother is coming for your wallet" the article began.

In May 2017 Eyad Al Kourdi, General Manager of Southern Gulf, and Middle East and North Africa Mastercard Advisor said, "The UAE ranks foremost among regional economies most rapidly moving away from cash."

Internationally

Recently in India Prime Minister Modi banned the two highest denomination notes, the 500 and 1000 rupee (US $7.50 and $15 respectively) "This wiped out around 80 percent of the value of circulating cash used by many segments of society for trade," Makia Freeman reported.

Three years ago, the Manchester Evening News (UK) predicted 'physical currency will disappear inside 20 years.' London buses stopped accepting cash, with customers required to use pre-paid cards. A shopping street in Manchester banned cash just to see how customers would react.

The CNBC network report published July 2017 said, Visa is considering rolling out cash incentives to the UK and beyond, for those who switch to card-only payments. "We're declaring a war on cash," Visa spokesman Andy Gerit said.

"It is estimated that, as of this year, more than half of all customer transactions in the U.K. were made via card payments, spurred in part by the growing popularity of new technologies including contactless payment and Apple Pay," CNBC reported.

Brett Short wrote an article 'The War on Cash.' He reported on the Visa plan and added: "PayPal plastered cities with billboards claiming that 'new money doesn't need a wallet', along with a video proclaiming: "New money isn't paper, it's progress." (thelongandshort.org)

Professor Richard Holden (University of New South Wales) told the ABC, Australia could be cash free by 2022.

Cardless

Forbes predicted we may well be entering a cardless, cashless society. In an article last September, Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com wrote: "Visa has been giving a lot of thought to what it calls a "cashless future." But it sounds a lot like a cardless future.

Visa recently unveiled a new technology that allows people to pay for goods and services by scanning a QR code on a mobile device. Visa is eyeing the technology for developing countries like India that lack the infrastructure to process card transactions. But given the growing ubiquity of smartphones in the United States, it wouldn't be hard to picture a time when we won't even have to carry plastic cards because all payments will be done mobile device to mobile device." (Will We Be a Cardless Cashless Society, Bill Hardekopf, forbes.com, September 1, 2017)

Among my favourite preachers is Greg Laurie, pastor of a California megachurch. He taught a series on Revelation 13 where we are warned about the Mark of the Beast and 666. "If you google the number 666 you'll received 543 million results," he said.

That highlights just how much speculation goes into the mystery. But he quotes Mark Hitchcock, the respected writer on prophecy who observed, "The fact that the words of Revelation 13 were penned in the age of wood, stones, swords and spirit, makes this prophecy one of the powerful proofs of the inspired nature and reliability of God's word that one could have ever imagined. Who could have predicted a one-world economic system that controls all commerce but God?"

The fact is these events are taking place rapidly and the Bible shared the fact all along.

Abraham Lincoln summed it up: "In regards to this great Book [the Bible], I have but to say it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man's welfare, here and hereafter, are found portrayed in it."

Ron Ross is a Middle East consultant for United Christian Broadcasters (Vision FM). Previously he was an evangelist with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) His career started at WINTV (Email: ronandyvonne@mac.com)



Ron Ross previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/ron-ross.html

This article is courtesy of Press Service International and originally appeared on Christian Today Australia.
Where to Go in 2018 In almost every county in the United States you can find an old church, which is more often than not located in the county seat.

Once one develops an appreciation for the history and architecture of old churches it can become a time consuming hobby  one that many of your friends will never understand.

To them an old church is just an old church. For proof, just look at the visitor book of the historic church near you, in which most church crawlers write that [insert name of church here] is "beautiful" or "incredible." Your guess as to what "beautiful" or "incredible" means is as good as mine, as those words have lost their meaning, at least in common parlance.

Of course, I'm sure curators at art museums will say much the same thing, as few of those who visit their galleries can actually appreciate what they see before them. Perhaps it's our collective habit to document everything via a check-in on Facebook or a picture shared on Instagram, but I digress. (And yes, I plead guilty. Just ask my Facebook friends or Instagram followers, many of whom will tell you that I post a constant flow of pictures from my travels  including countless churches.)

So, here's my list of the top three places, in no particular order, you should visit in year to come that is 2018:

Tallinn, Estonia

The Estonian capital was one of my recommended must-visits before. It remains so for 2018.

That's mostly because Tallinn has an incredibly well-preserved old town, which admittedly can be very touristy at times. Nevertheless, it's a place you should visit, if only because it's well off-the-beaten-path of most Americans who visit Europe.

Wells, England

Chances are you've never heard of what is supposedly the smallest city (population 10,536) in merrie olde England.

Yet, Wells boast one of the United Kingdom's finest cathedrals, a true medieval Gothic masterpiece that is renown for both its west front and its unique chancel arch.

Across the street from what is formally known as the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew is the best-preserved medieval street  the late 14th century Vicars' Close. The facade and chimneys of Vicars' Close await your Instagram capture.

A church near you

Many Americans wrongly believe that old churches can only be found in Europe.

I can understand how a megachurch-going evangelical might think this, but it's simply not the case.

In almost every county in the United States you can find an old church, which is more often than not located in the county seat. I may be bias because I'm Episcopalian, but I find that the Episcopal Church more often than not has the best church in any given county  if only because it was literally and figuratively the church of the one percent in the late 19th century, when many of today's Gothic Revival churches were built.

Spires and Crosses is published every week.
While former U.S. president Barack Obama says 2017 has been a tough year, there's a lot to be optimistic about heading into the new year.

In a interview hosted by Prince Harry of the U.K. royal family for BBC Radio 4, the two acknowledge that this year has been trying for many who have concerns about the future.

Though the 44th president says he doesn't think in terms of one year, he tells Prince Harry that we should still be optimistic about what's to come in 2018 because we live in a more advanced world.

"I can tell people what I genuinely believe, which is that if we take responsibility for being involved in our own fate," he says, "if we participate, if we engage, if we speak out, if we work in our communities, if we volunteer, if we see the joy that comes from services to others, then all the problems that we face are solvable."

Despite all the terrible news that we read, see and hear, and despite all the "genuine cruelty and pain and hardship that people are experiencing all around the world at any given moment of any given day," says the former president, "if you had to choose a moment in human history in which you'd want to be born, ... you'd choose today."

Even if you didn't know ahead of time whether you were going to be a Prince Harry, a Barack Obama or a small child in rural Africa or India, you would still choose to be born during these difficult times, he says.

The former president explains why. "The fact is, the world is healthier, wealthier, better educated, more tolerant, more sophisticated and less violent than just about anytime in human history."

Let's use education as an example. According to co-authors of the "Global Rise of Education" Max Roser and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina, there has been a huge expansion in education in recent times. Global literacy rates have been climbing due to increasing rates of enrollment in primary education and the global average years of schooling is much higher now than a hundred years ago.

There have also been sweeping movements within the last decade promoting more tolerant views and wider acceptance such as the gay rights movement, as well as campaigns against violence and systemic racism through groups like Black Lives Matter.

And although women still have ways to go in securing senior-level positions in the workplace and wages that they deserve, there has been an increase of women in high-ranking positions at companies like IBM, Facebook and Tesla.

"You think about the history of the United States," Obama continues. "It was only a few generations ago where someone who looked like me was in bondage, or if not in bondage, then servitude."

It was also just a few generations, he says, where women couldn't aspire to anything beyond caring for their children and tending to the home. This is "the most noble thing you can do," he adds. "But I want my daughter to be able to do other things, and they can do other things now while still raising a family."

However, Obama notes that history doesn't just run forward but also backwards and sideways, which requires us to continually push onward.

"When you think about the strides that we've made just in my lifetime," he says, and "when you think of how much has changed and how much has gotten better, well then that has to make you optimistic, as long as you don't start thinking that any of us can sit back passively and assume it continues."

Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook.

See also:

Barack Obama on success: Not a marathon or sprint, but a 'relay race'

Barack and Michelle Obama show that who you marry could be key to your success

Michelle Obama: 'It's okay to be bossy'
Police in Houston discovered a small arsenal of firearms and ammunition in a downtown hotel room ahead of a large New Year's Eve party, according to reports.

Russell Ziemba, age 49, was extremely depressed and intoxicated when he was arrested, NBC News reported, citing several senior law enforcement officials.

NBC added that the man allegedly told officers that he loves the U.S., is an Army veteran, and did not intend to harm anyone.

Early Sunday, officers discovered the weapons at the Hyatt Regency on Louisiana Street after they were called to confront a man who was apparently intoxicated and causing a disruption, according to local television news station KPRC-TV. They arrested the man for trespassing and public intoxication, the station added.

When police attempted to gather the man's possessions at the hotel, they found an AR-15 rifle, a shotgun and a handgun, along with many rounds of ammunition, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The guns were not loaded, and Ziemba stored them in his room because he feared they would be stolen if he left them in his truck, officials said, according to NBC. He recently had a domestic relations problem and had to remove his belongings, including his guns, from a residence, NBC added.

KPRC-TV said the man's room was located on the hotel's top floor.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted that the situation was contained.

CHIEF TWEET

A spokeswoman for the Hyatt Regency confirmed to CNBC that hotel plans to proceed with its New Year's Eve festivities, which include a massive balloon drop, a four-hour party and live musical acts. The Chronicle said about 2,000 people are expected to attend the event.

"The safety and security of our guests and colleagues is our top priority, and consistent with the hotel's prepared security plans, heightened measures are in place on New Year's Eve," the hotel's manager said in a statement, according to the Chronicle.

The incident comes nearly three months after a gunman opened fire on a crowd from a Las Vegas hotel room, killing dozens and injuring more than 500. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Days ago, Las Vegas unveiled heightened security measures for New Year's Eve, including more than 350 personnel from the Nevada National Guard.
It is great to see people who voted for the Liar In Chief, Trump, justify their support for this guy. Republicans are doing their job of supporting Trump and giving this money-grubber ever more money in the "tax reform." The millionaires of the U.S.A. don't have enough money, so it is great that they will soon have ever more money while taking money from Social Security and Medicare and health care.

Greed and avarice are great to see, especially around Christmastime, as Trump is pushing for his windfall of cash with the taxes he will no longer pay. Eighty percent of the cuts in taxes will go to giant corporations and the super rich. Of course we don't really know just how much Trump will benefit himself, as he lied about releasing his own tax returns even after the election, unlike the presidential candidates of the past 30 years, who released their own tax returns before the election for President.

One quality you must give to Trump  Trump is no phony. He was well known to be a con man well before the election, so his promising the opposite of what he is now delivering is a joy to watch. See con man Trump at work and see the many supporters who voted for him justify their being screwed by Trump and the congressional supporters of Trump.

David Kauber

Aurora
I have decided that after this weeks column Im not going to be writing another one until next year. Sorry to those that did not get the joke. Maybe the New Year will bring a sense of humor.

Q: Why did they charge the man who is suspected of shooting at a state trooper in the Walmart parking lot with aggravated assault instead of attempted murder?Kathy

A: The simplest and easiest answer to tell you is that Idaho does not have an attempted murder code. That is where the aggravated assault code comes into play. Probably the simpler answer would to be to give you the Idaho code definition of aggravated assault and go from there.

Idaho code 18-905 reads: An aggravated assault is an assault: (a) with a deadly weapon or instrument without intent to kill; or (b) By any means or force likely to produce great bodily harm. [; or]  With any vitriol, corrosive acid, or a caustic chemical of any kind. (d) Deadly weapon or instrument as used in this chapter is defined to include any firearm, though unloaded or so defective that it cannot be fired.

As you can read aggravated assault by all intent and purpose falls into what could be called attempted murder.

Now had the officer been hit it would more than likely be charged as aggravated battery but with an enhanced charge with the using of the firearm.

Aggravated battery is defined in Idaho Code 18-907 as: (a) Causes great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement; or (b) Uses a deadly weapon or instrument; or  Uses any vitriol, corrosive acid, or a caustic chemical of any nature; or (d) Uses any poison or other noxious or destructive substance or liquid; or (e) Upon the person of a pregnant female, causes great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement to an embryo or fetus.

The key factor in charging is that assault means a miss and battery means a hit. The aggravated part just basically means that a weapon of some sort was used. There are enhancements as well depending on the type of weapon used.

I will say that as an officer I would much rather have somebody charged with either of these as preferred to murder. Of course not having to charge anybody at all would be the ultimate preference, if you know what I mean.

Officer down

Glad to report that as of time of submission, I did not have to report any officers killed in the line of duty.
Move over Mark Zuckerberg  another automated butler at a Singapore hotel is stealing the spotlight.

A year ago, the Facebook founder lifted the curtain on his efforts to engineer a robot butler named "Jarvis," named after the loyal family assistant of "Iron Man." Along those lines, the M Social hotel has its own answer to a robotic concierge: A handy helper named AURA.

The robot is specifically designed to make room service deliveries to hotel guests. AURA, which stands for "Automated Room-Service Associate," is designed to avoid obstacles, operate the elevator and make a phone call to the guest's room when she is outside.

In fact, AURA's manufacturer, San Francisco based Savioke, has robots in hotels both in and outside of the U.S. Its automated squad includes "Wally" at the Residence Inn in Los Angeles, and the Aloft Hotel's "Botlr," a robot butler at several of the hotel's locations. The company was founded in the fall of 2013, and has raised more than $20 million in funding to date from investors including Intel Capital, Disney and Google Ventures, among others.

"Our primary function right now is delivery," Tessa Lau, Savioke's CTO and "chief robot whisperer," told CNBC recently.

"When we started, honestly, no one believed we could do hotel delivery. It had never been done before, no one had heard of it, there was a lot of skepticism," she said. "People were wondering, 'how would that work? Could you really do it? Do hotels really want it?'"
Britain may impose new taxes on tech giants like Google and Facebook unless they do more to combat online extremism by taking down material aimed at radicalizing people or helping them to prepare attacks, the country's security minister said.

Ben Wallace accused tech firms of being happy to sell people's data but not to give it to the government which was being forced to spend vast sums on de-radicalization programs, surveillance and other counter-terrorism measures.

"If they continue to be less than co-operative, we should look at things like tax as a way of incentivizing them or compensating for their inaction," Wallace told the Sunday Times newspaper in an interview.

He accused the tech giants of putting private profit before public safety.

"We should stop pretending that because they sit on beanbags in T-shirts they are not ruthless profiteers," he said. "They will ruthlessly sell our details to loans and soft-porn companies but not give it to our democratically elected government."

Britain suffered a series of attacks by Islamic extremists between March and June this year that killed a total of 36 people.

Two involved vehicles ramming people on bridges in London, followed by attackers stabbing people. The deadliest, a bombing at a concert in the northern city of Manchester, killed 22 people.

Following the second bridge attack, Prime Minister Theresa May proposed beefing up regulations on cyberspace, and weeks later interior minister Amber Rudd travelled to California to ask Silicon Valley to step up efforts against extremism.

The Sunday Times quoted Wallace as saying that reliance on the internet made Britain vulnerable to terrorists and rogue states.

"That's what keeps me awake at night. We are more vulnerable than at any point in the last 100 years," he said.

Tech companies have made life too easy for attackers by refusing to take down extremist material and bomb-making guides, the minister said. Encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp were also a major problem, he said.

"I have to have more human surveillance. It's costing hundreds of millions of pounds," Wallace said.

"Because content is not being taken down as quickly as they could do, we're having to de-radicalize people who have been radicalized. That's costing millions. They can't get away with that and we should look at all the options, including tax."

Wallace's quotes did not give further details on tax plans. The Sunday Times reported that any demand would take the form of a windfall tax similar to that imposed on privatized utilities by former Prime Minister Tony Blair's government in 1997.
Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank. Adam Jeffery | CNBC

Vision Fund  a $100 billion private equity fund that's outspending almost every other player in start-up investing  seemed to come out of nowhere this year. But for the company's firebrand leader, Masayoshi Son, an ambitious vision was ordained at birth. "You are a genius, No. 1 in Japan," Son said his father told him as a child, according to a 1987 interview obtained by Bloomberg. "You'll be a big shot." It proved to be prophetic: Son is now one of the world's richest men. He's using his fortune and his deep connections in the tech industry to back a series of massive investments designed to secure SoftBank's place in the next century. In the past year alone, SoftBank or the Vision Fund have invested in, acquired or partnered with WeWork, Arm, Foxconn, Alibaba Cloud and more. More deals, like the acquisition of Boston Dynamics and Fortress Investment Group, are still in the works. Now, Softbank is getting ready to make a major investment in Uber, one of the most highly valued private tech companies int he world. This would double up with Son's investment in Didi Chuxing, the majority owner of Uber's China operations. It would also be another touch point with new Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, a board member of SoftBank-backed Fanatics. Son has also invested in Grab, a ride-hailing company in Southeast Asia, and Ola, an India ride-hailing giant. (In 2016, top SoftBank executive Ming Maa joined Grab.) Son has downplayed the role of his massive fund. "The 'gold rush,' it's just a money thing. It's not important, it's just a process. What is more important is human happiness. How do we help ourselves, humans, become happier?" Son said at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this year. "I'm a super optimist... There's always a solution." Meanwhile, some entrepreneurs are running, not walking, to get Son on board at their company, according to Greg Wyler, founder of satellite tech company OneWeb. Softbank led a massive $1.2 billion round in the start-up less than a year ago. "He has a thematic, deep understanding of technology  what global impact it has on people around the world, how their lives will be changed by technology," Wyler told CNBC. "I can't put him a bucket. Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg, they may be are similar in this way or that way. Bill Gates has a certain style. I can't do that with Masa. He's more of this all-seeing person."

'Why am I not yet No.1?'

The pressure to be the best in Japan stuck with Son, born in summer 1957. Son saw his father, a pachinko parlor operator, work particularly hard as someone with Korean heritage  an outsider in Japanese culture. Son told "The David Rubenstein Show" how he was so impressed by a book written by the CEO of McDonald's Japan, he called his assistants at least 60 times long distance. When that didn't work, Son flew to Tokyo unannounced to set up a meeting. The executive told Son he should get into the computer business, Son told Rubenstein. By age 19, Son says he had a 50-year entrepreneurship plan, and went to college in the U.S. at Berkeley. There, the image of an Intel microprocessor inspired him to start a software distribution company. From then on, Son was thinking how the personal computer would change the future. And he continued to ruminate on that question for 30 years, reinventing the focus of SoftBank several times. "I lose sleep thinking, 'Why am I not yet No.1?'," Son said in a 1987 interview obtained by Bloomberg  just a few years after his business got off the ground.

"Every time I explained any business plan or model, Masa's first reaction was to say, 'David, can this be ten times bigger?'" David Wei a former CEO of Alibaba.com, speaking to Reuters in 2014

His forward-thinking outlook gave him a reputation as an insightful investor. "Everyone's waiting for Mr. Son to make a false step, but he just doesn't seem to make mistakes," said Richard May, an analyst at West LB Securities in Tokyo, told the New York Times in 1995, when SoftBank agreed to buy Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, the publisher of PC Magazine, for $2.1 billion. "His positioning in the U.S. market has been very shrewd." Between 1987 and 2001, Son made investments that would launch SoftBank to notoriety  including Yahoo Japan, Ziff Davis and perhaps most importantly, a then-unknown internet company called Alibaba . It's now worth more than $480 billion. At the Bloomberg Global Business Forum earlier this year, Son said that he was drawn to Alibaba not because of the business model or technology, but because of the charisma and leadership of founder Jack Ma.

(In fact, Masa was able to spot both of the two biggest future e-commerce rivals in the world during the 1990s  even if he only successfully invested in one. Son pitched Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who never made a deal, according to The Information. Son always brought his big thinking to his investments. David Wei, a former CEO of Alibaba.com, told Reuters in 2014 how he nicknamed Son "Mr. Ten Times." "Every time I explained any business plan or model, Masa's first reaction was to say, 'David, can this be ten times bigger?'" said Wei. "In the cases I managed to answer, he would ask again, 'What about ten times more?'"

Fighting spirit

watch now

By the peak of the dotcom boom, Son says he was briefly richer than Bill Gates. When some bum investments, like WebVan, went bust, Son has said his "fighting spirit" kept him going. Son shifted to become a major player in Japanese telecoms.The company added its internet service in 2004 and mobile business in 2006. In part, Son has said he's been driven by a disdain for monopolies. SoftBank aggressively pursued top telecom player NTT in Japan by increasing internet speeds and lowering prices.

"When I started fighting with NTT, everybody called me crazy," Son said in 2014, speaking at Recode's Code Conference. "We had no experience, no capital, not even technology. I just had anger. Sometimes anger helps. It's a source of energy." Son's cell phone business roared to life in Japan, thanks to a distribution deal for the iPhone 3G in Japan. Son was in the process of buying Vodaphone's Japanese cell phone business, but wasn't done yet. Nonetheless, he decided to make a gutsy proposition to Steve Jobs. "I called him up and went to see him  I brought my little drawing of an iPod, and I gave him my drawing," Son told Charlie Rose in 2014. Jobs didn't want the drawing, but ended up rewarding Son's bold move with the exclusive deal.

Son then bought a majority stake in Sprint in 2012. "[Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure] is a great CEO. He is a fighter, he is a challenger. He loves to be in the situation of fighting from underdog. His whole life is like that. My whole life is like that. So I think it's an interesting moment to watch " Son told CNBC in 2014. Son's also been pushing for a stake in T-Mobile, which has its own boisterous leader in John Legere. "I strongly admire them, they are the maverick. I strongly admire the price disruption, all the services, redefining....which I did in Japan." Son said of T-Mobile 2014, speaking at Recode's Code Conference. (As of the beginning of November, the latest round of talks has stalled out.)

If Japanese and Chinese people can work together we can make the largest economic circle in the world. Masayoshi Son speaking in the Wall Street Journal in 2010.

Son has been accused of being in favor of "high risk, high return" investments before the Vision Fund. When Alibaba went public in 2014, Son defended the company against accusations that it represented a bubble. "People can have a different point of view. My point of view is this is true beginning of Alibaba. I think the information revolution is just the beginning," Son told CNBC in 2014. "It's going to last next hundred years, 200 years. China is still going to grow.... I'm very, very optimistic." One former Alibaba employee told Reuters 2014 that Son came off as "conceited" even if he appeared modest. But the business worked because Son and Ma both had a streak of "crazy" in common. While Son once eyed the the top echelon of Japanese society, over time, he became interested in power across the world. "In the future, if the Japanese market and Chinese market can merge into one, this can form a bigger e-commerce market and surpass the U.S. market," Son said in the Wall Street Journal in 2010. "We always talk about the U.S. economic circle. If Japanese and Chinese people can work together we can make the largest economic circle in the world."

Masa's inner circle

watch now

Son's sudden massive spending spree is thanks in part to a tight inner circle he built through the ups and downs of SoftBank. It reportedly only took 45 minutes for him to score a $45 billion check from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. He also scored cash from Apple, Qualcomm, Foxconn and Sharp. That's no coincidence  Son has relationships with those companies dating back decades, partly through his relationship with Steve Jobs. He sold his first company to Sharp before he had even turned 21. Son's brother, Taizo, is now also reportedly a billionaire in his own right from his own tech companies and investment But he cites the early days of SoftBank as a life-changing period, according to Nikkei Asian Review. Taizo told Nikkei Asian Review he slept in a tent in a SoftBank warehouse, where he eventually met Yahoo co-founder, Jerry Yang. OneWeb's Wyler said his mutual relationships with Son, paired with around-the-clock due diligence, helped him seal a deal with SoftBank within 8 weeks. "We had a number of our investors that already had strong relationships with Masa," Wyler said. "Eight weeks is amazingly fast for deals of this size. There were very high levels of speed and integrity, where if you say you do something you follow through. And that's what binds people to him. People who work with him, because of that high level of integrity, feel a high level of personal responsibility. He really is careful about his relationships and his bets." Start-up Mapbox, backed by Techstars co-founder Brad Feld, got an investment from SoftBank Vision Fund this year. "It is no surprise that [Mapbox CEO Eric Gundersen] and Masa both have this bold vision. Both share an exceptional way of dreaming and executing," Feld wrote of the deal. "I'm very loyal to my friends at Softbank and love any opportunity to work with them. Back in 1997, Softbank Technology Ventures (which became Mobius Venture Capital) was the first VC fund I helped raise. Ron Fisher, the Vice Chairman of Softbank, was responsible for watching over us, is one of my favorite people on the planet, and has been an incredible mentor to me."
In a year of dramatic political ups and downs, not least for the Tories, one thing has remained comfortingly constant: the unravelling of doom-laden predictions about the impact of Brexit on the Union.

Nicola Sturgeon, Carwyn Jones, and their enthusiastic confederates in the Remain campaign all insisted that a Leave posed an imminent, existential to the Union.

Yet whilst there are still real dangers ahead, most of the immediate damage appears to have fallen the other way.

The SNPs rush to reopen the question of independence the morning after the vote  which does suggest they genuinely believed the line they were selling on Europe  has proven a huge misjudgement. Not only has the European spirit failed to spark the Scottish electorate into revolt, but with the Nationalists, Liberal Democrats, and Labour all squabbling over the Remain vote the four-in-ten Scots who backed Leave are being pushed into the Conservative column almost by default.

Jones assertions that Brexit might provoke the Welsh into seriously considering leaving the UK to rejoin the EU have meanwhile proven the total nonsense we said they were at the time. The Welsh political establishment was utterly wrong-footed by the principalitys Leave vote and had been reduced to a bit player in the current battles over the constitution even before the Carl Sargeant scandal engulfed the First Minister.

Even in Northern Ireland, there hasnt been the huge upswing that Sinn Fein were hoping for. Instead the Democratic Unionists put on ten points and over 100,000 votes (out of fewer than 300,000 in total) from 2015 and took up a crucial position in national politics  one from which they have managed to thwart any prospect of special status which might have further alienated the province from the mainland.

Although both Christopher Howarth and myself took the heretics view that Brexit would undermine the separatists overall, unionisms congenital pessimism meant that ours was not a view widely shared (even by our own editor) before the vote. The year-and-a-half since should be a spur to shake that pessimism off.

The Brexit vote represents the first time that anybody has decisively called the bluff of the class I term the devocrats  the political classes centred on the devolved institutions. For two decades these have practiced what is called, in the better-developed constitutional lexicon of Canada, knife-at-the-throat politics: using the threat of secession to extort an endless stream of concessions from the political centre.

Each has worked hard to create the impression that their institutions are essential intermediaries between each nation and the British Government  despite consistently higher turnout at Westminster elections  and then painted their electorates as primed to secede if the latest round of devolutionary demands were not met.

This idea, the myth of the fragile Union, underpins what remains of the political logic of further devolution. When somebody insists that federalism is needed to save the UK, they are operating on the un-evidenced assumption that Scottish (and possibly Welsh and Northern Irish) voters are sufficiently vested in the ambitions of their local governing class to secede over them.

Last year that proposition was finally put to the test. Unlike in 2014, where the national parties took fright and contrived The Vow to convert victory into further retreat, last Junes vote was an unambiguous rebuke to Sturgeon, Jones, and everyone else who had spent the campaign setting out with great certainty how non-English voters would respond. In the event, each has been found badly wrong.

The exit process still poses danger for the Union, of long-term structural damage if not immediate collapse. Oddly though the most serious of these  attempts to inflate the Belfast Agreement so that it mandates full alignment with the EU, and the constitutionally-illiterate, anti-unionist tropes about Westminster power grabs underlying the assault on Clause 11 of the Withdrawal Bill  are being driven by Remainers.

Faced with these challenges, the chief danger on the other side has always been that the sort of Brexiteer who cares little for the Union simply waves these challenges through, exchanging permanent special status for Ulster and deep structural damage to the British single market for a smooth, if Anglo-centric, departure from the EU in the here and now.

The former is now policed by Arlene Foster and her MPs, and whilst David Mundell has signalled some form of retreat is in the pipeline on the latter we can yet hope that Theresa May will find the confidence to resist any fundamental changes to this crucial part of the Brexit process.

Her ministry has thus far evidenced the firmest set of unionist convictions since John Majors, and the past eighteen months should lend her ministers fresh courage in those convictions. Its not so much that Brexit has strengthened the Union  it has in parts and can in others, but thats a subject for another time  but that it has stress-tested it and revealed that it is, and has always been, much more durable than devolutionary orthodoxy would have us believe.

Armed with that, let 2018 be the year the Government sets the new course set out by Ruth Davidson in September: not more powers, but a bit more Union.
Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
Congratulations to all those included in the New Years Honours list. In particular to the Conservative MPs who have been recognised for long-standing service. More than ever, one is left baffled as to why anyone would put themselves forward to stand for Parliament given the level of intrusion and abuse that is routinely experienced. If these awards provide some encouragement to MPs  and their long suffering families  that is welcome.

Sir Graham Brady is given a knighthood. He has been the MP for Altrincham and Sale West since 1997 and Chairman of the 1922 Committee since 2010. No doubt he would have been a Minister had he not resigned as Shadow Europe Minister in 2007 in protest at an attack on grammar schools.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has been the MP for the Cotswold since 1997. Votes for life for British citizens abroad is among the many worthwhile causes he has championed.

Dame Cheryl Gillan has been the Conservative MP for Chesham and Amersham since 1992. Born in Cardiff she has served in the Cabinet as Welsh Secretary and is a staunch opponent of the High Speed 2 project.

Sir Chris Chope, also knighted, is the Conservative MP for Christchurch and earlier for Southampton Itchen. He served as a Minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major but has subsequently been the most independent minded of backbenchers. Few have been more fearless in challenging legislative proposals  notably private members bills. They might be well intentioned and have the backing of fashionable lobby groups but if Chope could spot unintended consequences then they would usually be for the chop.

Both Sir Geoffrey and Dame Cheryl serve alongside Sir Graham on the 1922 Committee. This has not gone unnoticed in terms of Theresa Mays need to maintain the support of her Parliamentary colleagues. But the cronyism charge can not be applied to this list in terms of rewarding those making donations to Party funds  a charge levelled routinely at her predecessors for many years.

Special congratulations also to:
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
The year 2017 began with a whimper caused by demonetisation, and is ending with collective sniveling; and that's not because of the cold.

The year started with reports of cashless ATMs and reverse labour migration from cities to villages. Even now most of the informal sector is suffering the long-terms effects of demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST).

You and I may not feel the pain of these shocks to the economy, but the average man and woman on the street is yet to recover from them. Despite tall claims of a booming economy, the government is about to borrow Rs 50,000 crore, because, contrary to its claims, tax collection has suffered massively after the introduction of the GST. In November, revenue collection dropped to Rs 80,808 crore, the lowest since the GST was implemented.

All of this points at the poor health of the Indian economy and that of the various schemes launched by the government, prominent among them Make in India, which was touted as Indias answer to Chinas manufacturing prowess. A recent example of the governments policy incoherence when it comes to promoting the domestic manufacturing sector was the reversal of the railway ministrys decision to buy 1,000 diesel-electric engines from GE, the US-based conglomerate.

Alarmed by reports of the change in policy regarding the $2.5-billion deal, GE issued a stern statement underscoring the wider implications of such a change, it said, If ministry of railways moves forward with changes to the joint venture between Indian Railways and GE, they will undermine one of the most-promising infrastructure projects in the country and put future foreign investment at risk.

Having come under severe criticism, Piyush Goyal, the minister of railways, later clarified that the GE deal is on track. But even the 6,000-odd jobs that the GE factory in Bihar is going to create constitute nothing but the proverbial drop in the ocean of unemployed people in the country.

Every year, 12 million Indians enter the workforce and most of them remain unemployed. According to a Bloomberg report, job outlook is at a 12-year low.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised the creation of 10 million jobs every year, but it is now widely accepted that he has failed to deliver.

According to Teamlease Services Ltd, a leading recruitment firm, we are going to witness a nearly 40 per cent fall in jobs in the manufacturing sector alone. The real estate and construction sector, a major marker of economic soundness has been sluggish for so long that we dont even talk about it anymore.

Indias IT industry too executed massive job cuts in 2017 with as many as 56,000 employees laid off. It might be true that the nature of jobs is changing and compared to the past more people are self-employed, but this still doesnt provide succour to the Indians who are make a living in the conventional labour markets such as construction, agriculture, and heavy industry.

The state of the economy is so bad that even the likes of Subramanian Swamy, have started speaking out. In September, the firebrand politician who enjoys massive following among educated Hindus in India was quoted saying that the economy is in a tailspin, and that we are heading towards a major depression.

More recently, Swamy also called the governments own GDP figures bogus and admitted that demonetisation has virtually tanked economic growth. Speaking to chartered accountants in Ahmedabad, he said, I am feeling nervous because I know there is an impact.

Afrzul, starvation death

A countrys peace and prosperity is under threat when its economic health is poor, but it isnt just the economy that should make us all nervous. Today, criticism of the government is one of the most high-risk acts one could indulge in. If you are unhappy with the Modi government or the RSS and its offshoots like the BJP and other fringe groups, then it is generally advised that it is better to shut up and withhold your criticism.

Put a few words like love jihad, cow slaughter, beef eating, anti-national, and Muslim together, and a Shambhulal Raigar can be transformed from a drug-addict to a Jihadi John of Hindutva make. He will kill, and burn as well as propagate his actions in the belief that he acts in true righteousness. His faith in his belief has been vindicated by the nearly Rs 3 lakh that are supposed to have been donated by other Hindus towards the well-being of his wife now that he himself is in jail.

Here a comparison with Pakistan is worth mentioning. In 2011, Pakistani Punjabs liberal governor, Salman Taseer, was killed by his own bodyguard for his views on Pakistans medieval-era blasphemy laws which allows people to be punished with death for insulting Islam.

Mumtaz Qadri, the guard who killed Salman Taseer, has been executed for the killing, but with a shrine in his name, he remains an inspiration for the supporters of a new hardline Islamic political party called Tehreek-e-Labaik. Afrazul hadnt even insulted Hinduism and his butcher has been turned into a Hindutva martyr, this makes us Indians a bit more like our neighbours, doesnt it?

The tragic death of party-goers in a Mumbai club is shameful for it could easily have been averted if only the local civic authorities had not looked the other way. But, and this is neither to offend or to console the grieving families, at least those people died with their bellies full. For Santoshi, an 11-year-student in Jharkhand, death came in a slow and painful way. On September 28, she died after starving for four days because her single mother, Koili Devi, did not receive subsidised ration for being struck off the welfare rolls. Koili Devi, a Dalit, had her ration card cancelled because of a technical glitch in linking her Aadhaar card to the governments list of people eligible for rations.

But what outraged "new India" more than a hungry childs death was the shame that she brought by blaming the death on starvation. As a matter of unofficial policy, no state government in India acknowledges starvation as a cause of death, in Santoshis case too, the official reason has been recorded as malaria.

As we enter 2018, we carry with us the baggage of the past year: from the rioting over Padmavati (now Padmavat), hate campaigns against minorities, the spurt in communal violence, the silencing by death of critics, and the unquestionable will and wisdom of the Modi government. These issues cannot be wished away or slept off as we wake up to the New Year.
Many senior intelligence operatives are opposed to the strategy adopted and by India to ensure the safe release of Kulbhushan Jadhav from Pakistani incarceration.

The intelligence community says this circus in which Jadhav has come be just a pawn being played out in the media is badly hurting the country's strategic interests and doesn't follow the rules under which global intelligence agencies function.

An Indian veteran of psychological warfare has rightly pointed out that the way in which the whole issue has played out has ensured that the only beneficiary in the controversy is Pakistan which is gaining the "sympathy" of the international community as "big brother" India is using all tricks to prove Jadhav is an "innocent businessman".

The controversy has badly hurt the Indian operations to help people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in their struggle for freedom and to stop China from moving ahead with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which threatens to violate the sovereignty of India.

Kulbhushan Jadhav

Prime Minister Narendra Modi once famously said from the ramparts of the Red Fort the "people of Balochistan, Gilgit, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have thanked me, have expressed gratitude, and expressed good wishes for me," for extending support to them.

The "live" minute-to-minute reporting of every step taken by the television news channels and the "debates" where the guest from the "other" nation is virtually "bashed up" by the guest of the host nation with the anchors on the show taking sides to prove their "patriotism" is only increasing the animosity between the people of India and Pakistan.

This is only benefiting the TRP ratings of news channels to get more advertisements. There is no credible mechanism available to enforce the decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), except to move the United Nations Security Council, where China is sure to block any move against Pakistan with a veto.

India has made a big mistake by taking the case of Jadhav to the ICJ in Hague. This has not only internationalised the Jadhav case, but also given a golden opportunity to Pakistan to internationalise the contentious Kashmir issue. A retired intelligence operative said Pakistan is now planning to move the ICJ on the Kashmir issue.

India has so far succeeded in stopping the super powers from meddling in the Kashmir issue by citing the Shimla agreement to resolve all contentious matters strictly between India and Pakistan. Now Indian politicians and diplomats will have to face tough questions from the international community as the agreement stands weakened.

Many top Indian intelligence officials suggest that Jadhav should be exchanged for Pakistani prisoners in India. They indicate India has "few prisoners" who can be exchanged with Pakistan for Jadhav.

They point towards the quiet exchange of intelligence agents caught spying during the Cold War.

The best known example is, however, a recent one and took place between Russia and United States. In July 2010, 10 SVR (Russian external intelligence agency) agents caught in New York were swapped at the Vienna airport for four Russians working for the CIA, who were languishing in prison.

One of the swapped SVR agents, a woman named Anna Chapman, later become a model and walked the ramp in Moscow fashion shows.

One of Steven Spielberg's successful movies, Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks, is based on a true story, where a lawyer was recruited to negotiate the exchange of prisoners caught spying.

The mute witness to this the historic development is the Glienicke Bridge across the Havel River in Germany which straddled the border between former East and West Berlin.

Due to its isolated location, it was used to exchange many high-ranking spies between the Eastern and Western powers.
SFL Corporation Ltd., a maritime and offshore asset owning and chartering company, engages in the ownership, operation, and chartering out of vessels and offshore related assets on medium and long-term charters. The company is also involved in the charter, purchase, and sale of assets. In addition, it operates in various sectors of the maritime, and shipping and offshore industries, including oil, chemical, oil product, container, and car transportation, as well as dry bulk shipments and drilling rigs. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned six crude oil tankers, 15 dry bulk carriers, 35 container vessels, two car carriers, one jack-up drilling rig, one ultra-deepwater drilling unit, two chemical tankers, and four oil product tankers. It primarily operates in Bermuda, Cyprus, Liberia, Norway, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Marshall Islands. The company was formerly known as Ship Finance International Limited and changed its name to SFL Corporation Ltd. in September 2019. SFL Corporation Ltd. was incorporated in 2003 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Chorus Aviation Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various aviation support services in the United States and Canada. The company operates through two segments, Regional Aviation Services and Regional Aircraft Leasing. The Regional Aviation Services segment includes all three sectors of the regional aviation, such as contract flying, including ACMI and charter operations; aircraft leasing; and maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as part sales and technical services. The Regional Aircraft Leasing segment provides aircraft leasing to third-party air operators. As of December 31, 2021, this segment's portfolio of leased aircraft consisted of 62 aircraft of which 56 aircraft were on lease to airline customers, such as 23 Dash 8-400s, 18 ATR72-600s, four CRJ1000s, four E190s, two E195s and five A220-300s. The company was formerly known as Jazz Air Income Fund and changed its name to Chorus Aviation Inc. in January 2011. Chorus Aviation Inc. was incorporated in 2010 and is based in Dartmouth, Canada.
Duck Creek Technologies, Inc. provides software-as-a-service core systems to the property and casualty insurance industry in the United States and internationally. The company provides Duck Creek Policy, a solution that enables insurers to develop and launch new insurance products and manage various aspects of policy administration ranging from product definition to quoting, binding, and servicing; Duck Creek Billing that provides payment and invoicing capabilities, such as billing and collections, commission processing, disbursement management, and general ledger capabilities for insurance lines and bill types; and Duck Creek Claims that supports entire claims lifecycle from first notice of loss through investigation, payments, negotiations, reporting, and closure. It also offers Duck Creek Rating that allows carriers to develop new rates and models and deliver quotes in real-time based on the complex rating algorithms; Duck Creek Insights, an insurance analytics solution that allows carriers to gather and analyze data from internal and external sources and facilitate analysis and reporting on a single system; Duck Creek Digital Engagement that offer digital interactions between property and casualty insurers and their agents, brokers, and policyholders; and Duck Creek Distribution Management that automates sales channel activities for agents and brokers, including producer onboarding, compliance, and compensation management. In addition, the company provides Duck Creek Reinsurance Management that automates financial and administrative functions; and Duck Creek Industry Content that provides pre-built content, including base business rules, product designs, rating algorithms, data capture screens, and workflows for insurance lines of business, such as commercial auto, inland marine, and workers compensation. It has a partnership with Shift Technologies, Inc. to implement AI fraud detection. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Evoqua Water Technologies Corp. provides water and wastewater treatment systems and technologies, and mobile and emergency water supply solutions and contract services for industrial, commercial, and municipal water treatment markets in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Integrated Solutions and Services, and Applied Product Technologies. The Integrated Solutions and Services segment offers capital systems and related recurring aftermarket services, parts, and consumables, as well as long-term and short-term service contracts, and emergency services for treating process water, utility water, and wastewater. This segment also provides odor and corrosion control services and drinking water treatment systems for municipalities. It serves manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, biotech, power, microelectronics, chemical processing, food and beverage, and refining industries. The Applied Product Technologies segment offers advanced filtration and separation products, such as VAF self-cleaning filters, Ionpure electrodeionization systems, and Vortisand filtration systems, as well as filter presses and related consumables, and aftermarket products for customers in the microelectronics, pharmaceutical, and power end markets. It also offers disinfection solutions, including chemical and non-chemical disinfection technologies comprising low and medium pressure ultraviolet, ozone, onsite hypochlorite generation, and chlorine and chlorine dioxide systems for municipal drinking water, industrial, light manufacturing, commercial, and aquatics markets. In addition, this segment offers wastewater technologies, including biological treatment, clarification, filtration, nutrient removal, biosolid, and field-erected biological wastewater treatment plant solutions. Further, it offers aquatics and electrochlorination solutions. The company was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
M/I Homes, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a builder of single-family homes in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The company operates through Northern Homebuilding, Southern Homebuilding, and Financial Services segments. It designs, constructs, markets, and sells single-family homes and attached townhomes to first-time, millennial, move-up, empty-nester, and luxury buyers under the M/I Homes brand name. The company also purchases undeveloped land to develop into developed lots for the construction of single-family homes, as well as for sale to others. In addition, it originates and sells mortgages; and serves as a title insurance agent by providing title insurance policies, examination, and closing services to purchasers of its homes. The company was formerly known as M/I Schottenstein Homes, Inc. and changed its name to M/I Homes, Inc. in January 2004. M/I Homes, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is based in Columbus, Ohio.
St. Alphonsus considers hospital in Twin Falls

Over the summer, Saint Alphonsus Health System was in talks with city officials about building a hospital in Twin Falls.

It contacted the citys building department and asked to meet about a conceptual plan. In an email to the city obtained by the Times-News in August, the health care system mentioned plans to build a hospital and emergency department in Twin Falls.

Additional details were scarce.

In August, Jarrod Bordi  the head of the citys building department  confirmed the citys discussions with Saint Alphonsus but declined to discuss specifics, saying he could be revealing industry trade secrets if he provided details.

Saint Alphonsus spokesman Joshua Schlaich confirmed discussions were underway, but said it was too preliminary to formally announce any plans.

For now, St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center is the only hospital in Twin Falls.

New medical offices

St. Lukes Magic Valley broke ground on a medical office building in early 2017. The nearly 58,000 square-foot, two-story building is on its hospital campus west of the outpatient surgery center.

The $27.2 million project is expected to wrap up in February 2018.

The offices will accommodate internal medicine, endocrinology and diabetes management, otolaryngology, rehabilitation services, occupational health and outpatient imaging services. Space in the internal medicine area will be designated for behavioral health and care managers.

About 15 current providers will move over when the building opens and the hospital plans to recruit additional providers.

In Buhl, St. Lukes began construction this fall on a new 5,700-square-foot clinic on Burley Avenue.

It will allow for a wider variety of services  including X-ray equipment and mental health care  so residents dont have to travel 30 minutes to Twin Falls as often.

The estimated $2.4 million project is slated for completion in mid-to-late 2018. It will replace St. Lukes existing building on Broadway Avenue South, which has been in use since January 2014.

No more hospital taxing district in Gooding?

North Canyon Medical Center in Gooding announced in September its considering dissolving its taxpayer-supported hospital district. Instead, it wants to become its own nonprofit.

The hospital filed a L-2 budget request with Gooding County, meaning it wants to eliminate tax revenue from its operating budget for next fiscal year.

Dissolving the hospital district, which was created in 1986, would require community support via a petition and approval by Gooding County Commissioners. The district has collected about $800,000 each year in tax revenue.

North Canyon Medical Center has operated for nearly a decade and took over Gooding County Memorial Hospital. A new hospital opened in 2010 and a medical plaza opened in 2016.

New Cassia hospital leader

Benjamin Smalley was hired in July as Cassia Regional Hospitals new administrator. He replaced Rod Barton, who retired after seven years on the job.

Smalley was previously administrator and chief executive officer of Intermountain Bear River Valley Hospital in Tremonton, Utah.

I am excited to be part of Mini-Cassia and become familiar with the community, Smalley said in July. I look forward to building friendships, establishing lasting connections, and helping Cassia Regional make a difference in helping the community live the healthiest lives possible.

Triumphs over medical issues

Throughout the year, the Times-News wrote about Magic Valley residents who were struggling with medical challenges or injuries, and overcoming the odds.

Among them were CSI rodeo athlete Braxten Nielsen walking out of a Salt Lake City hospital two months after doctors told him hed be paralyzed from the waist down after an August rodeo accident, and Filer 12-year-old Mia Trease battling bone cancer and recovering from rotationplasty surgery.

Another was Rainna Crabb, a baby born in March at 24 weeks gestation at St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls. She weighed just 1 lb., 1 ounce and was 11 inches long. Her original due date was July 2.

After four months at St. Lukes Childrens Hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit in Boise, Rainna was finally able to come home to Hansen.
Actuant Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes a range of industrial products and systems worldwide. It operates in two segments, Industrial Tools & Services (IT&S) and Engineered Components & Systems (EC&S). The IT&S segment designs, manufactures, and distributes branded hydraulic and mechanical tools; and provides services and tool rentals to the industrial, maintenance, infrastructure, oil and gas, energy, and other markets. This segment offers branded tools and engineered heavy lifting technology solutions, as well as connectors for oil and gas, and hydraulic torque wrenches; and energy maintenance and manpower services. It also provides high-force hydraulic and mechanical tools, including cylinders, pumps, valves, and specialty tools; and bolt tensioners, and connectors for oil and gas, as well as other products. This segment markets its branded tools and services primarily under the Enerpac, Hydratight, Larzep, Simplex, Biach, Equalizer, and Mirage brands through a localized product, rental, and maintenance depots. The EC&S segment designs, manufactures, and assembles system critical position and motion control systems, high performance ropes, cables and umbilicals, and other customized industrial components to various vehicle, construction, agricultural, and other niche markets. This segment offers actuation systems, mechanical power transmission products, engine air flow management systems, human to machine interface solutions, and other rugged electronic instrumentations; automotive convertible top actuation, hydraulic cab-tilt and latching, and automotive electro-hydraulic convertible top latching and actuation systems; and agriculture, off-highway, concrete tensioning, rope and cable and other product lines. It primarily markets its products directly to original equipment manufacturers, as well as to other customers through a technical sales organization. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
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.
The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AFD.TECH, AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Alfa Consulting, Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations  Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.

Read More
BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Deluge

The year started out with a bang when winter gave way to spring temperatures, creating havoc in much of the Magic Valley, especially in the Mini-Cassia region.

Residents from the Wood River Valley to Buhl watched helplessly as meltwater surrounded homes and washed out roads and bridges.

Dairies struggled to deal with excess water, and one dairy outside of Shoshone pumped flood waters from its lagoon into a nearby canal, eventually contaminating groundwater wells in the area.

4 Bros. Dairy was fined $70,000 by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture for illegally discharging wastewater into the Milner-Gooding Canal.

While the valley dealt with flood waters, reservoirs in the Upper Snake Basin filled and mountain snowpacks built to healthy levels prior to spring planting.

By the end of the growing season, Upper Snake Basin system was still 75 percent full and 180 percent of the 30-year average, said Corey Loveland, water operations manager for the Bureau of Reclamation in Heyburn. Previous high-moisture years included 1986, 97 and 2011.

CAFE

The 2017 Legislature set aside $10 million for a $45 million world-class agricultural center to be built in the Magic Valley, and pledged another $5 million from 2018s coffers if the University of Idaho can raise the rest of the money needed for the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, known as the UI CAFE. The university plans to partner with industry groups  such as the Idaho Dairymens Association  and sell land to contribute its $15 million share of the center.

The university did a feasibility study comparing several sites in Jerome County  one to determine the cost of building a new center, complete with a high-tech rotary milking parlor, and the other to determine the cost of retrofitting an existing dairy. The university decided retrofitting an existing dairy would be too costly.

Before the university could get much further, some residents of eastern Jerome County bristled over the idea of a new dairy coming to the area. Both Hazelton and Eden city councils began work to upgrade their areas of impact to exclude large agricultural operations such as the CAFE.

The UI CAFE has not been tabled, but if it goes forward, it probably wont be in eastern Jerome County.

Snake River Canyon Park

Jerome County commissioners have vowed to complete the 4,000-acre Snake River Canyon Park, which has been on the drawing board for years.

The park, formerly known as the North Rim Park, is a 6.25-square-mile block of desert leased by Jerome County and owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management north of the Snake River  roughly from the canyon rim to Interstate 84 and from U.S. 93 to near Devils Corral.

The commissioners would like the area to become an outdoor destination for all ATV, motorcycle, mountain bike, equestrian and shooting sports, but the park must be made safe for all users. Shooting would be allowed in a safe zone in the east end of the park.

But recreational shooting is already allowed on neighboring ground owned by the Idaho Department of Lands, which commissioners fear would deter many from using the park. The County Commission has sent a letter asking the IDL to prohibit recreational shooting on the narrow strip of endowment land between the park and the canyon rim.

Filer turmoil

Many in town were shocked when Twin Falls County Sheriff Tom Carter showed up at a Filer City Council meeting in June to pitch the idea of his department taking over law enforcement for the city less than 3,000. Residents quickly rallied in support of the police department.

The City Council abandoned the idea, but fired Police Chief Tim Reeves in July, and decided to cut one police officers position from the budget. In response, the Filer Fire Department penned a letter to Mayor Rick Dunn and the Filer City Council, expressing dismay over the firing of the chief and the elimination of the other position.

Firefighters had lost confidence in the citys government, the letter said. The firing of Reeves has diminished morale, made our fire scenes less safe and have taken from us a trained and valuable member of our department.

An effort to recall Mayor Rick Dunn and three of the four council members was stopped in its tracks when the Twin Falls County Elections Department declared many of the signatures on the petitions to be invalid.

Meanwhile, former Mayor Bob Templeman beat out council members Russell Bud Sheridan and Ruby Allen for mayor in the November election. Dunn did not run for a second term. Political newcomers Samuel Callen and Candise Ramsey took Sheridans and Allens council seats.

Lucky, the Gypsy

vanner horse

Rising Stars Therapeutic Riding Center in Twin Falls won Lucky, a 7-year-old Gypsy Vanner therapy horse, in a national online contest that pitted 80 horse therapy centers across the nation against each other. The top 20 facilities each won a horse from LexLin Gypsy Ranch in Rockwood, Tenn. Rising Stars placed 16th in the contest.

LexLins Gift Horse program, has donated 65 Vanners since 2009 to spread the awareness of the breed as therapy horses. Vanner horses, bred in World War II to pull caravans, are known for their short, muscular bodies and calm disposition. Lucky is dapple gray and stands just 14 hands high.

The horses are perfect for those with physical or mental challenges, said Rising Stars founder and Director Marni Porath. The riding center and its 50 volunteers and 13 therapy horses serves about 90 clients.
Tyler Technologies, Inc. provides integrated information management solutions and services for the public sector. The company operates in three segments: Enterprise Software; Appraisal and Tax; and NIC. It offers financial management solutions, including modular fund accounting systems for government agencies or not-for-profit entities; utility billing systems for the billing and collection of metered and non-metered services; products to automate city and county functions, such as municipal courts, parking tickets, equipment and project costing, animal and business licenses, permits and inspections, code enforcement, citizen complaint tracking, ambulance billing, fleet maintenance, and cemetery records management; and student information and transportation solutions for K-12 schools. The company also provides a suite of judicial solutions comprising court case management, court and law enforcement, prosecutor, and supervision systems to handle multi-jurisdictional county or statewide implementations, and single county systems; public safety software solutions; systems and software to automate the appraisal and assessment of real and personal property, as well as tax applications for agencies that bill and collect taxes; planning, regulatory, and maintenance software solutions for public sector agencies; software applications to enhance and automate operations involving records and document management; and data and insights solutions. In addition, it offers software as a service arrangements and electronic document filing solutions for courts and law offices; software and hardware installation, data conversion, training, product modification, and maintenance and support services; and property appraisal outsourcing services for taxing jurisdictions. The company has a strategic collaboration agreement with Amazon Web Services for cloud hosting services. Tyler Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.
McEwen Mining Inc. engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of gold and silver. It also explores for copper deposits. The company owns 100% interests in the El Gallo and Fenix projects located in Mexico; and the Black Fox Mine and Stock Mill, Grey Fox, and Froome and Tamarack properties in Canada. It also owns interests in the Fuller, Davidson-Tisdale, Buffalo Ankerite, and Paymaster exploration properties located in Canada; and a 49% interest in the San Jose mine located in Argentina. In addition, the company owns 100% interests in the Gold Bar and Tonkin properties located in Eureka County, Nevada; and interests in the Los Azules copper project located in the cordilleran region in the province of San Juan, Argentina. The company was formerly known as US Gold Corporation and changed its name to McEwen Mining Inc. in January 2012. McEwen Mining Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
In reflecting on Americas politics of the last year, it is impossible not to conclude that the presidents tweeting has been momentous. So far, I am unaware of any organization that has quantified exactly how much damage President Donald Trump has caused by tweeting, but I think some substantial percentage of his problems and negative ratings must be directly attributable to his tweets. Thursday, The Washington Posts Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey reported that the White House is considering various changes to compensate for this or that weakness plaguing the White House. Undoubtedly, some of those changes are needed. But regardless of whatever staff shakeup occurs, it must torment West Wing staff who know the presidents inappropriate tweets are still going to send the White House into a tailspin next year.

Once the president tweets, the rules of the Trump White House require everyone to double down, adopt the presidents missive as wisdom and harangue allies into denying the obvious and joining the fight. It is impossible for the White House staff to perform their best when the president is constantly saying the wrong thing on Twitter. Trump would certainly continue to make his share of gaffes if he didnt tweet, but those routine mistakes can be managed and explained away by traditional partisan political spin and damage control. His tweets, however, are like blood splatter on the wall at a crime scene. They tell a story that cant be ignored.

With that said, perhaps Trumps tweets serve a useful purpose. His tweets are unfiltered and reveal the truth. Trump is the first president to allow us access to his real-time stream of consciousness and mental meandering. And even though the tweeting has damaged his presidency, knowing the truth about his thinking is important. After all, if it werent for the presidents tweets, we would not have as clear a picture of his underlying thinking and character. And a presidents thought process and true character should not be hidden. In that regard, his tweeting has been useful. Right? Well, I have yet to meet anyone who thinks Trumps tweeting has been a net plus for him. Over the holidays, I spent a lot of time with family and friends in Alabama and California  many of whom were early Trump supporters and would vote for him again today. Yet none of them think the president has served himself well via his tweeting. So, I get asked all the time: Why does he do it? As if I am supposed to know. While we know Trump better because of his tweets, what we know is disturbing.

The Trump administration is accomplishing a lot, but there is a Mr. Hyde character inside the presidents head controlling his thumbs. If something doesnt change, the fate of the Trump presidency and the Republican Party in the 2018 midterms might look no different than that which met Dr. Jekyll.
The Progressive Corporation, an insurance holding company, provides personal and commercial auto, personal residential and commercial property, general liability, and other specialty property-casualty insurance products and related services in the United States. It operates in three segments: Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, and Property. The Personal Lines segment writes insurance for personal autos and recreational vehicles (RV). This segment's products include personal auto insurance; and special lines products, including insurance for motorcycles, ATVs, RVs, watercrafts, snowmobiles, and related products. The Commercial Lines segment provides auto-related primary liability and physical damage insurance, and business-related general liability and property insurance for autos, vans, pick-up trucks, and dump trucks used by small businesses; tractors, trailers, and straight trucks primarily used by regional general freight and expeditor-type businesses, and long-haul operators; dump trucks, log trucks, and garbage trucks used by dirt, sand and gravel, logging, and coal-type businesses; and tow trucks and wreckers used in towing services and gas/service station businesses; as well as non-fleet and airport taxis, and black-car services. The Property segment writes residential property insurance for homeowners, other property owners, and renters, as well as offers personal umbrella insurance, and primary and excess flood insurance. The company also offers policy issuance and claims adjusting services; and acts as an agent to homeowner general liability, workers' compensation insurance, and other products. In addition, it provides reinsurance services. The company sells its products through independent insurance agencies, as well as directly on Internet through mobile devices, and over the phone. The Progressive Corporation was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in Mayfield, Ohio.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE), an S&P 500<sup></sup> urban office real estate investment trust ("REIT"), is the first, longest-tenured, and pioneering owner, operator, and developer uniquely focused on collaborative life science, technology, and agtech campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, with a total market capitalization of $31.9 billion as of December 31, 2020, and an asset base in North America of 49.7 million square feet ("SF"). The asset base in North America includes 31.9 million RSF of operating properties and 3.3 million RSF of Class A properties undergoing construction, 7.1 million RSF of near-term and intermediate-term development and redevelopment projects, and 7.4 million SF of future development projects. Founded in 1994, Alexandria pioneered this niche and has since established a significant market presence in key locations, including Greater Boston, San Francisco, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle. Alexandria has a longstanding and proven track record of developing Class A properties clustered in urban life science, technology, and agtech campuses that provide our innovative tenants with highly dynamic and collaborative environments that enhance their ability to successfully recruit and retain world-class talent and inspire productivity, efficiency, creativity, and success. Alexandria also provides strategic capital to transformative life science, technology, and agtech companies through our venture capital platform. We believe our unique business model and diligent underwriting ensure a high-quality and diverse tenant base that results in higher occupancy levels, longer lease terms, higher rental income, higher returns, and greater long-term asset value.
VMware, Inc. provides software solutions in the areas of modern applications, cloud management and infrastructure, networking, security, and digital workspaces in the United States and internationally. It offers VMware multi-cloud solutions, including VMware vSphere, a data center infrastructure that provides the fundamental compute layer; vSAN and VxRail, which offers holistic data storage and protection options to applications running on vSphere; and vRealize Cloud Management solutions that manages hybrid and multi-cloud environments running in virtual machines and containers, as well as VMware Cloud Foundation, a cloud platform that combines its vSphere, vSAN, and NSX with vRealize Cloud Management into an integrated stack and delivers enterprise-ready cloud infrastructure for private and public clouds. The company also provides networking solutions, such as VMware NSX, NSX Distributed and Gateway Firewalls, NSX Network Detection and Response Engine, NSX Advanced Load Balancer, Tanzu Service Mesh, and VMware SASE; security solutions consisting of VMware Carbon Black Endpoint, Workload, and Container; and digital workspace solutions comprising Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management, Access, Intelligent Hub, and Horizon. In addition, it offers application modernization solutions, such as Tanzu Application and Operations Platform, Tanzu Application Service Platform, Tanzu Observability, Tanzu Community Edition, and Tanzu Labs; and cloud management solutions, including vRealize Cloud Management, vCloud Suite, and CloudHealth by VMware Suite. The company sells its products through distributors, resellers, system vendors, and systems integrators. VMware, Inc. has a strategic alliance with Amazon Web Services to build and deliver an integrated hybrid solution. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Eagle Materials Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces and supplies heavy construction materials and light building materials in the United States. It operates through Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, Gypsum Wallboard, and Recycled Paperboard segments. The company engages in the mining of limestone for the manufacture, production, distribution, and sale of Portland cement; grinding and sale of slag; and mining of gypsum for the manufacture and sale of gypsum wallboards used to finish the interior walls and ceilings in residential, commercial, and industrial structures. It also manufactures and sells recycled paperboard to gypsum wallboard industry and other paperboard converters, as well as containerboard and lightweight packaging grades. In addition, the company engages in the sale of ready-mix concrete; and mining, extracting, production, and sale of aggregates, including crushed stones, sand, and gravel. Its products are used in commercial and residential construction; public construction projects; and projects to build, expand, and repair roads and highways. The company was formerly known as Centex Construction Products, Inc. and changed its name to Eagle Materials, Inc. in January 2004. Eagle Materials Inc. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
On July 1, 2015, the Idaho gas tax and vehicle registration fees were increased. The following is a quote from the Idaho State Journal in Pocatello: Lawmakers passed a $95 million transportation plan designed to help repair Idaho's crumbling bridges and roads. This means vehicle-registration fees are going up $21, and Idaho residents will pay seven cents more for gas. However, the new plan falls short of the $262 million funding shortfall the state has faced each year since 2010 to maintain upkeep on its transportation infrastructure.

The people of Idaho were told by the governor and the legislators that the increased taxes and fees would be used to repair our roads and bridges. Today the Idaho Transportation Department is considering spending millions and millions of our federal and state gas-tax dollars on wildlife overpasses, underpasses and miles of very tall fences in ITD District 6  leaving less funding for the roads in the remainder of the state. Have the people of Idaho been misled, or is there a disconnect between ITD and the Legislature?

Un-elected bureaucrats in ITD should not have the authority to spend millions of dollars in taxpayer money on new wildlife projects that have not been authorized by our Legislature and governor. How could they even consider this expenditure when the maintenance backlog for roads and bridges is so profound across the state? The people of Idaho should call their legislators to rectify this potential travesty.

Kenneth Watts

Island Park
With the final verdict of the FinTech fraternity still awaited on this new age financial instrument, what is certain is that it has attracted a lot of celebrity attention. Right from Amitabh Bachchan to Paris Hilton, the crypto-currency fever has spread like wildfire.

Sainath Gupta, CEO of the Hyderabad-based Anything AI Cyber Pvt. Ltd., who works on maximising returns on Bitcoin, says, Its already a mainstream currency in markets like Japan, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. Its increasing in value and its very simple to open a wallet using a private digital key. You just enter the wallet address of the Bitcoin to send and the transaction time is between 30 to two hours, depending on certain factors. It can be bought in most countries by authorised exchanges such as Coinbase in the US and Coinsecure or Koinex in India.

While Bitcoin investors like Gupta feel the crypto-currency is gaining increasing legitimacy, others feel it is a highly volatile, New Age ponzi scheme in its very early days. In fact, its volatility is also a financial risk that most Governments cannot control and developing economies like India are not technologically mature enough to handle. Investing in Bitcoin is currently a high risk-high reward proposition, which many fear could destabilise economies.

It is an investment like any other (stocks, bonds, real estate), and the motive behind any investment is to get returns. Bitcoin has yielded returns excessing more than 1000 per cent in the last 18 months. This kind of returns on investment are unheard of and world governments are understandably a bit vary of the hype. Governments feel the need for a regulatory frame work to avoid future crises, says Vinod Ranka, MD, Avni Tech Ventures Pvt. Ltd.

Partha Pratim Pal, crypto-currency analyst and co-founder cryptbuzz.com and thepolicyti-mes.com, however, is of the opinion that, In the long run, Bitcoin is one of the safest investment with lowest possible risk. and high gain. Firstly, it is a digital currency, which means buyers and users can use it for regular digital transactions. Secondly, it is an investment option as real as real estate, stocks or any other option.

Boon or Bane

Will it become a mainstream currency? Will its popularity wane? Bitcoin is legal almost everywhere in the world, including in India. As per a latest RBI circular, Bitcoin is neither legal nor illegal and its holders are subject to potential legal and financial risks. Japan has adopted it as a mainstream currency and the government is even open to collect taxes via bitcoins and crypto-currencies. Bitcoin banks and ATMs are coming up with over 2,000 BTMs in the US alone. Its legal in the US, with ETFs and the futures market, it has opened the doors to institutional investors, says Surana.

Future Money

There is huge volatility in its prices because of a lot of speculators in the market; but Bitcoins overall future prospects are good. As more people start using this as a mode of payment, the price of this currency is bound to explode, says Ankit Doogar, chartered accountant and managing partner at MSA & Co.

Naresh Jain, the managing director of Snapper Tech believes, Crypto-currency is the future, which will become the mainstream. However, crypto-currency like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple, which are not backed by any real security, will face a big challenge in terms of the legal framework. A major issue is the secrecy that makes security a concern. Another issue is the environment, as it consumes a lot of energy. So I believe there might be a new currency, backed by real security like Dollars or Euro or gold, which will have a legal framework at the global level.

DemandSupply Gap

It is predicted that there will just be 21 million Bitcoins for a world population of more than 8 billion, 90 per cent of whom will have digital access.

Bitcoins are limited to 22 million coins, which makes it rare. The blockchain protocol is 500 times more than the entire world computing power and is increasing exponentially unlike fiat currency, which is just a piece of paper, explains Prashant Surana, founder of Snapper Technologies, Indias most promising blockchain technology company according to the CIO 2017 awards.

Myths

Talking about warnings from regulatory authorities, Surana says, Its a myth that Bitcoin is anonymous and cannot be tracked, it was because of blockchain that FBI was successful in tracking Silk Route and arresting the criminals.
Hyderabad: The governments of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will move into top gear in 2018 to keep the feel-good factor going among all sections of society in the run- up to the 2019 Assembly elections.

New Years Day, January 1, 2018, will mark the launch of two populist schemes in both the states: TS Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will launch the 24x7 free power supply to farmers, and his AP counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu will launch the Chandranna Pelli Kanuka (Marriage Gift) scheme, under which 40,000 couples from the BC community will be given Rs 25,000 each for their wedding.

Mr Naidu also announced that he would launch a new pension scheme of Rs 1,000 per month for transgenders in 2018.

The TS government has lined up several populist schemes costing Rs 40,000 crore. The AP government is readying unemployment allowance of Rs 2,000 per month for the 15 lakh unemployed in the state, launching the construction of the new capital city of Amaravati, and thousands of houses for the poor.

Mr Rao is focusing on schemes that will benefit all castes and religions. He ordered a survey to identify Most Backward Classes among BCs to extend Rs 1,000 crore sops to these communities in 2018.

After launching sheep distribution scheme in 2017 for Yadav/Kuruma families, Mr Rao will provide Rs 85,000 for buffaloes for dairy farmers in 2018.

For Muslim students, Mr Rao announced fee reimbursement from 2018 to pursue higher and professional education courses, and raised the income limit on par with SCs and STs to avail the benefit. Mr Naidu is racing against time to construct the new Amaravati, which was delayed due several issues.

His target is to develop infrastructure such roads, water and power supply, housing for government employees and others, construction of the Secretariat and Assembly building before 2019.

1. Mission Bhagiratha

Project cost Rs 45,000 crore. To provide uninterrupted piped and treated water to every household through from Krishna and Godavari rivers by June 2018; broadband connectivity to be given to all by December 2018 as the optic fibre cables are laid simultaneously along with Mission Bhagiratha pipelines.

2. Free power to farms

The scheme to be launched on New Year day. At present a nine-hour free power is extended to agriculture. From New Year, over 23 lakh agriculture pumpsets will get 24-hour power supply at a cost of Rs 5,500 crore per year. This is among the several populist schemes costing Rs 40,000 crore lined up in 2018.

3. Rs 8K per acre Per year

State government to credit Rs 8,000 per acre per year in two instalments from 2018 to farmers. The first instalment of Rs 4,000 in May for Kharif and Rs 4,000 in November for Rabi. Around 60 lakh farmers irrespective of their land holdings would benefit from this scheme.

For Muslim students, Mr Rao announced fee reimbursement from 2018 to pursue higher and professional education courses, and raised the income limit on par with SCs and STs to avail the benefit.
The Congress party had dethroned the BJP in the 2014 Assembly polls to come to power. (Photo: DC)

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday claimed that the ways and methods of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Amit Shah would not work in Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah said, "Amit Shah's magic will not work in Karnataka."

Amit Shah is all set to spend the last day of this year in poll-bound Karnataka to strategise with state party leaders before gearing up to face the ruling Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections next year.

Shah will reportedly hold a meeting with all the BJP MPs and MLAs in the state which will be followed by deliberation with the in-charges of all its assembly constituencies.

Karnataka, which has 224 assembly seats, is likely to go to polls in May next year.

The Congress party had dethroned the BJP in the 2014 Assembly polls to come to power.
HSPA members stage a protest at the directorate of school education on fee hike by private schools on Saturday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Agitated members of the Hyderabad School Parents Association on Saturday marched to the house of Prof. Tirupathi Rao, whose committee had recommended a 10 per cent annual school fee hike.

The parents staged a protest at the directorate of school education, Saifa-bad, on Saturday morning and wanted to meet Prof. Rao. When he refused to meet them, they marched towards his residence in the evening.

HSPA member Ashish Naredi said, Even if it is late at night, we will wait to meet him but you can see from this how the committee is treating parents. He has to hear us, he cant just pour water on all the hard work we have done.

Mr Naredi said education minister Kadiam Srihari had given an appointment on Monday.

We cannot allow any GO that gives blanket approval for a 10 per cent hike. In an effort to ensure that the schools dont go to court, the committee has gone so far away from its objective that the parents will have to go to court to stop any GO based on its recommendations.

The association also wrote to IT minister K.T. Rama Rao on Twitter that the TRS government would not get the votes of parents who were cheated by the state government. The HSPA said it would intensify its protest if there was no rollback.

HSPA member Hridesh Gupta tweeted Mr Rama Rao and also started a Twitter handle #NoVoteToTRS.

Please remember parents are vote banks, not the greedy school managements. Schools may fund you but they cant vote you, 34 lakh parents are watching, he tweeted.

Parents have written a letter to the director of school education requesting it to conduct another meeting to discuss the recommendations in the fee hike report. However, parents were informed that Prof. Tirupathi Rao had already submitted the report on Friday.
CHENNAI: Encouraged with increasing footfalls from India, particularly Chennai and other southern parts of the country, Indonesia is keen on improving the bilateral ties with India. Things are likely to be taken forward when Indonesian President Joko Widodo attends the Asean-India business summit in Delhi in January. He will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the transcontinental country located in the Southeast Asia. Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world and is naturally endowed with natures bounty. Tourism is one of the sectors the government is looking at to further develop and we do hope that during our Presidents visit next month, he will invite Mr. Modi to visit Indonesia, says Sanjay Sondhi, Country Manager, VITO  India.

To a question on which particular issue is likely to be discussed by the heads of the two countries, he replied, there are many issues including increasing the business volumes between both the countries we are for stronger bilateral ties because of the strong cultural connect between India and Indonesia. 2017 was a good year, registering a growth of 25 per cent and South India or Chennai emerged as the third biggest market for Indonesia after New Delhi and Mumbai. About 20 per cent of its visitors are from South India. Though Indonesia had set a target to welcome 4,56,000 Indian tourists, till October this year, the country had received 3,96,000 Indian visitors and it is confident of achieving the mark, claims Mr. Sanjay.

The country suffered a setback due to sudden cancellations owing to volcanic eruption at Mount Agung. Tourism has picked upWe say destination Indonesia is affordable luxury. Everybody can come and experience the different lifestyles, culture and heritage of Indonesia, Mr. Sanjay who was in the city told this correspondent on Friday. Over 37,000 Indonesians had visited India this year. Direct flight to enhance tourism prospects: Indonesia as wedding destination and MICE tourism spot is picking up. Though there are no direct flights at present, many airlines fly into different regions of Indonesia like Bali, Jakarta, etc. From March 2018, we hope to see more movement for weddings into Indonesia, especially when Garuda Airline launches direct service linking Bali and Mumbai We are fully equipped to handle Indian weddings in Indonesia, Mr. Sanjay Sondhi added. China, Singapore, Malaysia and India are the primary source markets in Asia for Indonesia and globally India is ranked sixth.
Two militants struck a CRPF training centre in Lethpora area of Pulwama in the early hours of Sunday. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Srinagar: Five jawans were killed and three injured after militants attacked a CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday. Two terrorists have been killed so far.

The militants attacked the 185th battalion camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Awantipora around 2 am.

Security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days, Director General of Police S P Vaid said in Srinagar on Sunday, hours after a militant attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district.

Two militants struck a CRPF training centre in Lethpora area of Pulwama in the early hours of Sunday, leaving a personnel dead and two others injured.

Terming the attack as unfortunate, Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying.They probably could not get a place and time earlier.So, they struck last night," Vaid told reporters.

The DGP was speaking at a press conference to outline the achievements of Jammu and Kashmir Police in 2017.

"In Kashmir, the challenge has always been there...As long as our neighbour keeps sending people like this, my police and security forces and people of Kashmir will have to go through this.It is unfortunate that this happened," the DGP said.

CRPF's Ct Sharief-ud-din Ganaie, Insp Kuldip Roy, HC Taufail Ahmed, Ct Rajendra Nain and Ct Pradeep Kumar Panda lost their lives in the attack.

The two terrorists killed by security forces were identified as Manzoor Ahmad Baba of Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday of Tral.
The year that has gone by is best forgotten. It was a year gone wrong by manmade injuries, mostly made by one man. Its true demonetisation was ordered in 2016, but the backbreaking consequences were debited to 2017. Then we had the double whammy of the ineptly and mangled GST rubbing salt into the nations open wounds. The loss of GDP is estimated, by most serious and unbiased economists, to be around 2 per cent of the GDP (2016-17) of Rs 152.51 lakh crores, which translates into a huge Rs 3.05 lakh crores or about $70 billion. In terms of PPP GDP, we are looking at a humungous amount of 2 per cent of $8721 trillion or a deemed loss of over Rs 12 lakh crores. These are mind-boggling numbers and there is no question of ever recovering this loss. Even recovering the pre-November 8 GDP growth trajectory will take a number of years.

The economy has been on the skids since 2012, which was the one big reason the UPA, whose decade-long tenure scaled giddying heights of GDP growth to average 7.8 per cent, was shown out and the growth revival promising Narendra Modis NDA was ushered in. For a bit it was looking as if we were getting back to the dizzy heights of January 2010 when it was over 11 per cent. In January 2016 we were back at 9.2 per cent. But in January 2017 we were at 6.2 per cent and now we are at 5.7 per cent. And dont forget the NDA-2 GDP growth should be read as being on a trajectory flying at 2.2 per cent less, because the current regime tweaked the figures to look better. We can thus say relative GDP growth in October 2017 was actually 3.5 per cent. From here one can say things will only get better. I will hence make a prediction, without sticking my head too much, that GDP growth should be up by about 1.5-2 per cent in 2018. In the Modi accounting system that would be around 7 per cent. Unless of course, if Mr Modi in his irrational exuberance, once again decides to take a chop at the economy in its other foot too.

The job creation figures for the organised sector have just come out. We have had 4.16 lakh new jobs in the past year. The IT sector pink slipped around 50,000 high-spending techies in these past few months and more are expected to beached this year. The job situation overall is going to get bleaker. A sharp increase in public investment as capital expenditure, to smartly lead the economy out of the doldrums may be too much to expect considering that the Government of India has just entered the market to borrow another Rs 50,000 crores to make ends meet.

However, it was a good tax collection year and congratulations are due to the tax collectors who apparently took a little more from what they usually let go. According to the finance ministry, the tax collection of Rs 17.10 lakh crores is a growth of around 18 per cent compared to last year. While direct tax mop up during the April-March period grew 14.2 per cent at Rs 8.47 lakh crores, indirect tax kitty swelled by 22 per cent over last year to Rs 8.63 lakh crores. Our Tax/GDP ratio is at about 11.2 per cent. I feel hopeful that we will do even better this year as the frantic linking of PAN, Aadhaar and bank accounts will improve tax compliance.

But India spends a whopping Rs 10.18 lakh crores on salaries of its Central and state government employees, including the amount spent on implementation of the Seventh Pay Commissions recommendations. This is a staggering 8.15 per cent of the countrys GDP. But as Arun Jaitley famously said when announcing the consequences of the Seventh Pay Commission, it will spur consumption demand and so we can expect a good year for cars, white goods and upper class consumables.

The external situation has been a bit bleak also. Till December 15, 2017, there were 310 infiltrations from across the LoC, a four-year high and up from 270 the previous year. The number ceasefire violations reported by the home ministry this year was 820,598 more than the previous year and up 667 since 2014. This clearly suggests that things with Pakistan are getting worse, and things in Jammu and Kashmir too are getting worse. After all more terrorists are coming from across because they feel there is much unfinished business here and the fire needs to be turned up.

The number of terrorists killed in 2017 (till December 1) is now over 200 and the highest in seven years. The number of civilians killed in crossfires was 54, up from 14 in 2016. We lost 47 officers and jawans till December 24, 2017, of which 12 were in suicide attacks. Security forces lost 60 killed the previous year of which 36 were in suicide attacks the previous year. Clearly the other side is struggling with getting suicidal jihadis. It would thus be safe to infer that Pakistan did not have a particularly good year last year. Now read this with the increased numbers of infiltrations reported and we can expect 2018 to be a busier year for security forces inside the state and on the border.

I think the number of actions will keep increasing to reach a high towards the end of 2018, as security forces will also be pushed to become more proactive in anticipation of 2019. In the voter perception, a cross-border raid has a far higher valence than knocking off terrorists inside our territory. There are also no signs that the Pakistani Army outsourcing to terrorist gangs is going to diminish. On the contrary with President Donald Trump breathing down its back, the Pakistan Army might ease off pressure in Afghanistan and open the valves on the Indian side. So it looks like 2018 will be much more interesting.

There is an old Chinese curse may you live in interesting times. There is a typically Chinese subtlety in this curse. While sounding like a good wish or even a benediction, the allusion to interesting times is clearly suggestive on less tranquil times ahead, because tranquility is a highly desirable state of mind. The Chinese will almost certainly make life more interesting for us. The intensity and duration of crises provoked incidents at Depsang, Chumar and Doklam now suggest a new tactic to ratchet up public agitation, both in India and in China. In China the regime seeks to increasingly pander to rising jingoism, just as it is the same in India. With both sides quite apparently keen to use external tensions to rally domestic support, we can expect the India-China border to become a more interesting place.

With economic prospects still suffering from the self-hamstringing, the external situation will play right into the Modi playbook. The Army did well in handling the Doklam and Chumar incidents. Such incidents unleash our animal spirits and such nationalism releases patriotism combined with religiosity.

Which makes me believe that this will be the year when the Ram Mandir building will start. This will also be the year when the legislation of Uniform Civil Code will be attempted  for often the attempting is better than the doing. Mr Modi can be trusted to make it an interesting year. And I think that it will be a good year too for him, politically. When you cant give people jobs, you can always give them a good show. It usually works. But unlike Ghalib, I will not be able to say: Zulm ki raat bahut jaldi dhalegi/ Abto aag chulho mein har ek roz jalegi/ Abto bhukh ke maare koi bachcha nahi royega/ Chain ki neend har ik shaksh yahan soyega/ Aandhi nafrat ki chalegi na kahin/ Ab ke baras pyaar ki fasl ugaayegi zamin ab ke baras.
Except for a Black Swan event, relations between India and Pakistan are going to remain in a deep freeze in 2018, and perhaps even beyond. There are broadly three reasons for such a dreary prognosis. The first is that domestic politics in both countries will militate against any thaw in relations. Second, there is absolutely no sign of any change either in policy or practice, not in India and even less in Pakistan, which would evoke any optimism of trying to restore a modicum of normalcy in the bilateral relations. Third, if anything, relations have gone even further south in 2017 and hostility, bitterness, anger and distrust, have risen exponentially with terrorists being pushed in, violence being engineered and instigated, propaganda machinery working overtime to demonise India and skirmishes and ceasefire violations along the International Border and Line of Control in Kashmir  its a long list.

With the general elections scheduled for August 2018, Pakistan is already in an election mode. The civilian government is virtually a lame duck, even more so after the judicial coup that ousted Nawaz Sharif. The new incumbent, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, might be a Nawaz loyalist but he is also a quintessential politician who will never defy the line set by the military establishment. He has neither the political capital, nor the political guts, to take a bold initiative with India, or even to reciprocate to one taken by India. Given the widespread perception (which, as the cliche goes, is more relevant and powerful than reality) one of the reasons for the civil-military tension and probably the cause for Nawaz Sharif disqualification was that he was seen as being soft on India. After what happened to Nawaz Sharif, there is going to be very little appetite in Pakistani politicians for any reaching out to India.

Nawaz Sharifs political detractors, including from the so-called liberal, secular and mainstream parties like PPP and PTI, would portray him as Modis yaar (friend) and therefore Pakistans gaddar (traitor)  so much for the oft repeated lies that India isnt a political issue in Pakistan. That apart from sweet nothings and self-serving peace proposals, Nawaz Sharif did not do one thing to break the logjam with India  in fact, even when some important initiative on trade, terrorism investigation or political talks was taken, he would chicken out under pressure of the military and the media embedded in the deep state. Despite Nawazs pusillanimity, the military saw his professed desire for good relations with India as a danger and threat to Pakistan. Having made an example of a man as popular and, in some ways as powerful, as Nawaz Sharif, the deep state has ensured that for the foreseeable future no elected leader will try to bite the India bullet, even less so with elections so near.

Under these circumstances, expecting the civilian dispensation in Pakistan to take any bold step with India requires a leap of faith. In any case, given that S.K. Abbasi is a lame duck, even the most vacuous Indian politician knows the worthlessness of engaging such a government. By the time the new government takes office in Islamabad, India will be slipping into the mode of a mini-general election in three crucial states. Once those are out of the way, the 2019 general elections will be looming large. Conventional wisdom suggests, therefore, that kick-starting yet another dialogue wont be possible before mid-2019, if at all.

There could be the odd routine meeting at the official level, or as reports suggest, even a back channel kept open between the respective NSAs of the two countries. Chances are that this will be merely to keep lines of communication open in order to prevent matters from spiralling out of control, rather than for exploring some sort of deal. Of course, if the sort of stuff the Pakistani NSA has been saying publicly is anything to go by, this back-channel will prove infructuous. In the meantime, there is a lot that could go wrong. Pakistanis have re-started the jihad factory for export of terror into India. This will make any outreach extremely hazardous politically. It was with some difficulty and lots of luck that Prime Minister Narendra Modi managed to extricate himself from his previous gambles with Pakistan before they became fiascos. There will of course be all sorts of characters and Pakistani lobbyists exhorting him to roll the dice again with Pakistan, but this would be tempting fate and worse before the 2019 polls.

The apologists for Pakistan in India have been tom-toming the recent statement of the Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa promising to support the efforts of the political leadership to improve relations with India. Frankly, this statement is not just laughable, it is a dripping with insincerity and is a classic example of the forked tongue of the Pakistani deep state. Anyone who thinks that the army will play subservient to civilians on India or that the army has turned a new leaf on India needs serious help. Simply put, it would be utter stupidity, which would of course be entirely in keeping with those Indians for whom playing peace-peace with Pakistan has become a hobby, to make policy or take an initiative merely on the basis of something that the Pakistan army chief has said. Did anyone really expect him to say that the army will not let the de jure government to make policy on India? If anything, he was throwing a dare at the civilians and rubbing it in, especially after what happened to Nawaz Shari.

If after 70 years, Indians still havent got it that words of Pakistanis have no meaning, actions do (and these are all inimical), then India is doomed.

Asides of falling prey to the bad advice of useful idiots, who perhaps unwittingly peddle the line of the implacable Pakistani deep state, the only other reason for re-engaging Pakistan could be US pressure to keep things from boiling over. There have been public suggestions from top levels of the US administration about wanting to keep tensions in South Asia from boiling over. But political compulsions and ground realities, especially the unremitting hostility from Pakistan, will inherently circumscribe the prospects of any breakthrough. Therefore, dont expect anything much on the Indo-Pak front in 2018.
Two people are understood to have been killed after Iranian security forces reportedly opened fire on anti-government demonstrators on Saturday as the largest protests seen in the country since 2009 continued for a third day. Reports of the two deaths were were posted on social media. There was no official confirmation of the fatalities but the posted images appeared to show several bodies being carried away after clashes with police in the western city in Dorud. - The Sunday Telegraph

Britain's biggest retailers are due to report in the next fortnight including Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Next. Dozens of hedge funds have taken 'short' positions in some of Britain's largest shopping chains  a mechanism allowing them to bet on a price fall by borrowing shares. The controversial practice is monitored by the Financial Conduct Authority which logs short positions of more than 0.5%. The sudden activity in recent weeks will be seen as a loss of faith in some of the sectors biggest stores groups. - Mail on Sunday

The peer-to-peer lender Funding Circle is poised to hire advisers to prepare for a 1bn-plus float next year. The finance firm, which helps savers lend money directly to businesses, has reportedly told investment banks it will hold a beauty parade early in the year. Funding Circle, which was founded in 2010 and has so far facilitated loans totalling more than $5bn (3.7bn), is likely to hire bankers by the spring, according to Sky News. - The Sunday Times

Cambridge, Oxford and Milton Keynes will have the fastest growing economies of all Britain's cities in 2018, as the corridor north of London continues to attract strong investment. Despite London's traditional prowess and resources being ploughed into the so-called Northern Powerhouse and the Midlands Engine, the trio of cities are set to prosper the most, based on a substantial skills base. Cambridges gross value added  a measure of economic output  will grow by 2.3% in 2018, followed by Oxford and Milton Keynes, both at 2%, according to a study from Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research. That is almost twice as fast as Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. - The Sunday Telegraph

Jeremy Hunt, the UK health secretary, has been tipped to take over the Cabinet office role held by sacked first secretary Damian Green. Theresa May, the prime minister, has decided to hold a reshuffle in January to bring in younger MPs after concluding her government needs a new year reboot. According to sources, Hunt is not expected to be given the title of first secretary of state. However, one ally said: "Jeremy is a peacemaker and negotiator and that's what's needed to deal with Scotland and Wales, as they are going to be key to keep on side during Brexit negotiations." - The Sunday Times

The dealmaking boom is expected to continue next year, after Brexit, a general election and political uncertainty over Theresa Mays minority government failed to weigh on the volume of mergers and acquisitions during 2017. Data from the analyst Mergermarket shows 1,461 deals involving British companies were announced this year, close to the pre-crisis boom level of 2007. Professor Scott Moeller, a former Deutsche Bank corporate financier who is now director of Cass Business Schools mergers and acquisitions research centre, said: 2The last quarter has been very busy and most of the dealmakers I speak to say there is strong momentum going into the early next year." - The Sunday Times

Forty years ago, Ian Dury and the Blockheads released Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3  listing some of the better things in life as Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in the months following the winter of discontent. Fast forward to the opening days of 2018 and fresh political tumult threatens to cripple Britain once more. There are, however, some reasons to be cheerful about the prospects for the UK economy. Despite the political to-and-fro of the past year, the UK economy enters 2018 in better health than many would have given it credit for. - Guardian on Sunday
You may be wondering, as someone studying Mandarin, if there is any difference in the learning methods of beginners and advanced students? If we use the same methods from the beginning level and up, does it work? As a Chinese teacher, I can give you a clear answer: NO! Each level has its own content and targets, and its own methods. A smart student is someone who can apply the most suitable learning method to his level.

Here is a typical example: Once, I was responsible for giving Chinese classes to two groups. One group was composed of beginners in Chinese. They were from Korea, Japan, South Africa and Kyrgyzstan. They had never learned Chinese before, most of them felt that Chinese was too difficult to learn, and some of them even refused to even say a word. The other group was composed of advanced students who had been learning Chinese for at least 3 years. They were quite confident in their Chinese. They tried to talk to me in Chinese not only in class but also during break time.

The totally different reactions from these two groups shocked me and made me think. Whats the difference between the beginner and the advanced learners? As a beginner, how can you break the ice and make learning go more smoothly? As an advanced student, how can you further improve?

For Beginners

As far as we know, Chinese belongs to Sino-Tibetan languages. There are five tones (including the light tone), and many characters, which do not exist in Latin Languages and Indo-European languages. Therefore, as a beginner, its quite normal if you have to relearn how to pronounce Chinese pinyin or if you are afraid to learn so many characters. Chinese is just like an unknown and brand new world for you to explore.

First, the most important thing for you is to have faith that learning Chinese is easy and interesting. For example, you will learn the five tones in the first stage. Some students may find it hard to distinguish them. The best approach is to think of the tones as five musical notes. They go up and down, and speaking Chinese is just like singing with high and low pitches.

Second, you need to develop the habit of previewing and reviewing. Before class, you should know what you are going to learn and predict what part will be the hardest one, so that you can put your full concentration on this part. After class, you must then go over all that you have learned so that you will be sure to keep them in mind.

Third, you should be interactive while learning. You are not just a passive audience, but are instead taking leading roles in class. So be active, be energetic, and be involved.

Fourth, try to use Chinese as much as you can, not just in class, but also in your daily life. Language is a tool for communication. It can motivate you when you are socializing. Do not worry about making mistakes. Making mistakes and correcting them is a natural process. Its actually good for you.

Of course, as a teacher, we should do what we can to help our students. We may use a bit of English in the first stage to make the classes understandable. Its also a transitional period for a student to adapt to the Chinese language environment. More than that, a good lesson plan is quite necessary. As a new learner, you can discuss with your teacher to make sure that every step is sequential and reasonable for you to understand the lessons better.

For Advanced Students

As advanced students in Chinese, what should you do to make learning better? Generally speaking, the students in this level are good at sentence construction and grammar. Thus, your focus should be on language skills and learning more about Chinese culture.

Once, a Korean student of mine told me that he felt very happy and lucky to stay in China. Why? Because its free to watch most of the Chinese television dramas and movies, while in Korea, they have to pay for it. This is a difference in the two cultures that my Korean student could appreciate and take advantage of. By watching these dramas and movies, he could significantly improve his Mandarin.

Other tips:

First, you should take advantage of various resources that are available. This is the internet era, with pictures and videos available online. Watching Chinese videos is beneficial to your listening and speaking skills.

Second, you can also read Chinese newspapers and novels. We all know that if you want to pass HSK-5, you need to know 2500 common words. Thats enough for daily talk. But the topics you can converse about may still be quite restricted. Reading newspapers and novels will increase your vocabulary significantly.

Third, try to write essays in Chinese using characters instead of pinyin. You can write these essays in a personal diary. Writing is a good way to get your ideas down clearly.

Last but not least, read proper books. Ask your Chinese teacher to recommend some. Learning a language is not only limited to words or sentences. Getting to know the culture by reading is vital as well. Knowing the culture means knowing the people better, so that you can get along with Chinese people and improve your social intercourse.

The bottom line is, no matter whether youre a beginner or advanced student, theres always something new to learn about Chinese, and there are methods that will help you learn them fast and well. You should not only study hard hard, you should also study smart! Get to know more about your situation and make yourself a proper study plan with your teacher. This will help you improve your Chinese language skills faster and more efficiently.
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. Situs web kami menampilkan daftar lengkap permainan, opsi pembayaran, dan lainnya untuk memastikan Anda bersenang-senang saat bermain.

Agen Judi

judi adalah salah satu permainan poker online yang paling populer. Ribuan orang dari seluruh dunia telah bergabung dengan kasino online ini untuk bermain poker demi uang. Ini juga sangat mudah digunakan; yang Anda butuhkan hanyalah komputer atau smartphone dengan koneksi internet. Anda juga memerlukan koneksi wifi yang berfungsi.

adalah situs poker top di Indonesia karena berbagai macam permainan dan layanan pelanggan yang sangat baik. Sangat mudah untuk memahami mengapa begitu banyak orang menikmati bermain poker online dan menikmati kesenangan dan hadiah dari permainan. Ini juga nyaman untuk bermain dari rumah, sehingga Anda dapat bermain kapan saja.

tersedia di beberapa zona waktu, sehingga Anda dapat bermain kapan saja sesuai keinginan Anda. Anda bisa bermain saat pagi, siang, dan malam hari. Jika Anda merasa lesu, Anda selalu dapat bermain selama periode waktu yang kurang populer seperti jam 1  5 pagi.

Gim ini mudah dimainkan dan memiliki RTP tinggi. Ini memiliki banyak tema dan kompatibel di berbagai platform. Ia juga menawarkan permainan seperti Lucky Lion, Queens of Glory, dan Bubbles Bonanza. Flow Gaming juga menyediakan slot video dan permainan jackpot dengan RTP tinggi.

Selain itu, seorang petaruh harus mengamati tangan pemain lain sebelum mengambil keputusan. Ini akan membantunya membuat keputusan yang tepat untuk langkah selanjutnya. Selain itu, seorang pemain poker harus mempelajari dasar-dasar perjudian dan memahami konsekuensi dari kemenangan. Sebuah permainan kesempatan hanya sebagus pemainnya.

Saat memilih situs kasino, pastikan untuk memeriksa reputasinya. Beberapa situs memiliki reputasi buruk, sementara yang lain memiliki reputasi baik. Penting untuk membaca syarat dan ketentuan dan memilih situs terbaik berdasarkan detail ini.

Sebuah terpercaya Indonesia dapat menawarkan berbagai macam permainan dan deposit minimum yang rendah. Ini juga memiliki jackpot besar.

Situs Judi

Situs Judi adalah kasino online berlisensi yang menawarkan berbagai macam permainan dan menawarkan jaminan keamanan 100%. Permainan di situs ini sangat populer dan menawarkan jackpot besar setiap hari.

Beragam permainan judi online bisa Anda temukan di , antara lain mesin slot, baccarat, dan poker. Situs ini juga menawarkan berbagai permainan arcade dan togel. Situs ini juga menawarkan fitur putaran gratis bagi pemain untuk memenangkan uang gratis.

menawarkan berbagai macam metode pembayaran. Anda dapat menyetor menggunakan sebagian besar kartu kredit dan operator seluler utama dan bermain dengan uang sungguhan. Anda juga dapat menggunakan e-money untuk deposit.

adalah kasino online yang aman dan ramah pengguna. Situs ini tersedia dalam berbagai bahasa dan didukung oleh penyedia internasional yang andal. Terdapat pilihan live chat 24 jam yang dapat diakses melalui perangkat mobile Anda.

menawarkan keamanan dan privasi yang luar biasa. Informasi pribadi dan uang Anda 100% dilindungi. Situs web ini juga menawarkan berbagai permainan dan menggunakan dompet elektronik yang aman untuk pembayaran.

Anda harus memilih permainan yang Anda sukai untuk dimainkan. Dalam hal ini, permainan slot adalah pilihan yang paling cocok. Jackpotnya sangat besar! Jadi, bermainlah dengan cerdas dan menangkan yang besar! Jadi, nikmati permainan pilihan Anda dengan bantuan kasino online Indonesia.

di Indonesia adalah salah satu situs pembayaran online terbaik. Ini juga menawarkan berbagai macam permainan dan bonus. Selain pembayaran, ia juga menawarkan informasi lengkap tentang permainan slot.

juga menawarkan berbagai metode deposit. Anda dapat melakukan setoran melalui transfer bank, telepon, atau mata uang digital. Situs ini juga tersedia di Indonesia dan Asia.

adalah kasino online hebat yang menawarkan berbagai macam permainan slot. Selain itu, ia menawarkan bonus pendaftaran gratis. Dan, semua gimnya aman dan mudah diakses. Baik Anda seorang veteran atau baru memulai, adalah tempat terbaik untuk bermain.
By Maggie Villiger

2017 may well be remembered as the year of alternative facts and fake news. Truth took a hit, and experts seemed to lose the publics trust. Scientists felt under siege as the Trump administration purged information from government websites, appointed inexperienced or adversarial individuals to science-related posts and left important advisory positions empty. Researchers braced for cuts to federally funded science.

So where did that leave science and its supporters? Here we spotlight five stories from our archive that show how scholars took stock of where scientists stand in this new climate and various ways to consider the value their research holds for society.

1. A Risk to Standing Up for Science

In April, the March for Science mobilized more than a million protesters worldwide to push back against what they saw as attacks on science and evidence-based policy. But some people in the research community worried about a downside to scientists being perceived as advocates.

Emily Vraga, assistant professor in political communication at George Mason University, put the conundrum this way:

On one hand, scientists have relevant expertise to contribute to conversations about public policy. On the other hand, scientists who advocate may risk losing the trust of the public.

Maintaining that trust is imperative for scientists, both to be able to communicate public risks appropriately and to preserve public funding for research, she wrote.

Vraga and her colleagues research suggests that scientists dont lose credibility when they advocate for policies based on their expertise. But theres a distinction to be made between advocacy and mere partisanshipstatements motivated by the science are received differently than if theyre perceived as driven by political beliefs.

2. Rhetorical Tools at the Ready

With the feeling that theres a war on science afoot, savvy scientists are thinking about how to defend their work. University of Washington professor of communication Leah Ceccarelli says they can look toward the field of rhetoric for help in how to get their messages across. She writes:

Before dismissing this recommendation as a perverse appeal to slink into the mud or take up the corrupted weapons of the enemy, keep in mind that in academia, rhetoric does not mean rank falsehoods, or mere words over substance.

Its about building persuasive arguments, built on solid foundations, she said. Rhetoricians study effective communicationand theyre happy to open their toolbox to scientists.

Indeed, the science of science communication is becoming a hot area of inquiry, as practitioners investigate and disseminate various techniquesfor effectively spreading accurate scientific information.

3. What You Miss Out on When Science Gets Cut

Scientists are always scrambling to secure funding for their research, and during the first year of the Trump administration, it seemed science projects were consistently on the budget chopping block.

Christopher Keane, the vice president for research at Washington State University, made the case that federal funding for science ultimately revs up regional economies, particularly when scholars within academia join forces with entrepreneurs in the private sector:

Thousands of companies can trace their roots to federally funded university research. And since the majority of federally funded research takes place at Americas research universitiesoften in concert with federal labs and private research partnersthese spinoff companies are often located in their local communities all across the country.

4. Slashing Science Projects Hurts Workers

Ohio State University economist Bruce Weinberg described how a unique data set allowed him and his colleagues to actually follow the money on federally funded scientific research. Using administrative data, they were able to identify everyone paid to work on a research project, not just the few who appear as authors on any culminating journal articles.

This is valuable because were able to identify students and staff, who may be less likely to author papers than faculty and postdocs but who turn out to be an important part of the workforce on funded research projects. Its like taking into account everyone who works in a particular store, not just the manager and owner.

The majority of people employed on research projects turn out to be somewhere in the training pipeline, whether undergraduates, graduate students or postdocs.

And to do all that work, Weinberg points out, labs need to purchase everything from computers and software, to reagents, medical imaging equipment or telescopes, even to lab mice and rats. Cut the federal funding for science and the economic effects will ripple out far beyond just university science buildings.

5. Basic Research Powers Later Patents

Skeptics may wonder: Whats the big deal? So we take a few years off from funding some basic research. Does basic research really matter? As Northwestern Universitys Benjamin F. Jones and Mohammad Ahmadpoor put it, the:

Ivory tower view of academic endeavors suggests that science is an isolated activity that rarely pays off in practical application. Related is the idea that marketplace innovation rarely relies on the work of universities or government labs.

But is that right? To find out if basic research actually does lead to usable practical advances, they designed a study to investigate the links between patentable inventions and scientific research. Jones and Ahmad poor created a social network style map, which connects patents and science papers using the reference citations in each. They found that:

Among research articles that receive at least one citation, a full 80 percent could be linked forward to a future patent. Meanwhile, 61 percent of patents linked backward to at least one research article.

Its impossible to predict which basic research projects will be important in the marketplace, but they wrote that a very high share of scientific research does link forward to usable practical advances. Most of the linkages are indirect, showing the manifold and unexpected ways in which basic research can ultimately pay off.

Reposted with permission from our media associate The Conversation.
Sunday, December 31, 2017

Prepare for a year of greater philanthropic impact!

As philanthropic organizations, were hopefully starting a new year with a renewed commitment to do good for others. Its at the root of every philanthropic mission, after all. And, as philanthropies, we all try to make decisions that are in service to our missions, represent good stewardship, and result in the greatest impact. But sometimes, in making those very decisions, we unintentionally do more to damage our impact than to further it.

I call this Delusional Altruism, and Ive seen it manifest itself in many ways.

For example:

When funders penny pinch on their own infrastructure or professional development in the name of getting more money out the door to grantees, theyre deluding themselves. No organization can operate at peak effectiveness without investing in its own operations.

When foundations create cumbersome grant application processes and huge board dockets in the name of due diligence, theyre being delusional. This process only creates hours of extra work and headache for grantees and foundation staff, in order to create an overly complex pile of paper that has far more information than board members actually need to make decisions.

When funders invest significantly in programs or initiatives but do nothing to intentionally capture and share the learnings (both theirs and their grantees) from those experiences, delusional altruism strikes again. Whether the effort was an unqualified success or an epic failure, there are lessons that will apply to your work and the work of others going forward. If you fail to learn and share, then your philanthropy is either destined to repeat mistakes or repeatedly miss opportunities to improve.

There are many other examples of Delusional Altruism that I encourage you to read about in my white paper, Delusional Altruism: Avoiding Self-Deception and Disrespect.

Fortunately, there are also simple things you can do to recognize and combat Delusional Altruism in your own philanthropic practice. Here are three:

Ask What will it take to do this right? Whether you are considering an investment in your own operations or an investment in a grantee partner, think from the mindset of doing it well rather than doing it cheaply. After all, if the work of solving societal problems and addressing human needs isnt worth prime investments, then what is?

Always keep grantees front and center. One foundation I work with always asks themselves, What will this decision mean for our grantees? Will it help them to succeed or make things easier for them? Or does it just make things easier for us? Keep in mind that this line of questioning can support investments in your own infrastructure. For example, hiring a new program officer or purchasing more advanced software may mean more face time and meaningful contact with grantees and faster responses to their needs.

Take the Delusional Altruism Diagnostic. I developed this tool specifically for funders to gauge the extent of their own delusional behavior. It only takes a few minutes, but it generates eye-opening results. Take it individually or, better yet, gather with your entire team to discuss your answers and what they mean. (If you need explanation or ideas on how to improve your score, Im happy to provide them.)

Delusional Altruism can creep up on well-meaning foundations without being noticed, but you have the power to shine the light on it and stop it before it starts!

Additional Reading:

What IS Delusional Altruism?

Transact Or Transform: What Kind Of Giver Are You?

Eight Questions to Improve Your Philanthropic Giving This Year

A version of this post originally appeared on the Exponent Philanthropy blog in November 2017.

 2017 Kris Putnam-Walkerly. All rights reserved. Permission granted to excerpt or reprint with attribution.

___________________________________________________________________________

Kris Putnam-Walkerly, MSW, has helped to transform the impact of top global philanthropies for almost 20 years. A member of the Million Dollar Consultant Hall of Fame and named one of Americas Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers. Author of the award-winning book Confident Giving: Sage Advice for Funders, which was named one of The 10 Best Corporate Social Responsibility Books. For more ways to improve your giving, visit Putnam Consulting Group.

___________________________________________________________________________

Want to Dramatically Improve Your Giving in 2018?

What are you doing now to ensure that your 2018 grantmaking will be even more effective, interesting and rewarding than ever?

My new live streaming video series for 2018 will help you explore new ideas, enlighten your perspective on philanthropy, and provide you with concrete tools and strategies to get more impact from every charitable dollar. All you need is a laptop, tablet or smartphone, and youll receive some of my most popular and provocative advice, straight from me to you. Live streaming also provides you with the opportunity to interact with me and ask questions in real time.

If youre ready to dramatically increase your impact in 2018, sign up now for the live stream series! Youll also receive downloads of all six live broadcasts to view (or listen) at your convenience.

The cost is $395 for the series for one person, or only $895 for the entire staff and board of your organization.

Click here to learn more

Could You Benefit From a Trusted Advisor?

Kris Putnam-Walkerly serves as a trusted advisor to foundation leaders and high-wealth donors across the globe. As an advisor, Kris transfers learning to leaders and their teams so they build their own internal capacity to be successful in their work. Whether you are the CEO of a larger foundation, the sole staff member charged with decision-making, or a high-net worth donor, the questions Kris can address cover a broad spectrum of professional and personal issues.

Kriss clients report immediate and dramatic improvement in both personal performance and philanthropic impact. As an advising client, youll have unlimited access to Kris during regular business hours by phone, Skype, email and, when desired, face to face. With over 18 years of experience working with top global philanthropies, Kris understands how to build an impactful organization that integrates your philanthropic passions and the challenges that must be overcome to get there.

Learn more about this and other services offered or contact Kris today to begin a trusted advisor relationship.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

AUSTIN  To some, Bernie Sanders is the answer.

To others, he could be the problem.

As Texas Democrats prepare for 2018, Democratic hopefuls for all offices face a balancing act. Embracing Sanders supporters can tap a much-needed energy that 18 months ago turned a little-known self-proclaimed socialist from Vermont into a legitimate contender for the White House.

But embrace the Sanders movement too much, and a candidate can quickly get labeled a socialist by Republican rivals in a general election  an albatross in parts of a red state like Texas.

While Sanders conceded the Democratic nomination for president in the summer of 2016, the followers he cultivated havent gone home and have vowed to remain engaged in politics and reshape the Democratic Party and its platforms.

This wasnt a one-shot deal, said Chris Kutalik-Couthren, a Sanders supporter who is now a statewide coordinator for Our Revolution Texas, a coalition of former Sanders supporters. Many of us wanted to keep going.

They have since created nearly 500 chapters throughout the nation with a proclamation: Campaigns end. Revolutions endure.

The results have already shown themselves in local races, with Our Revolution helping recruit candidates and mobilize voters in local races for city councils in San Antonio and school board races in Houston. Now, 2018 offers a chance for the movement to impact congressional races.

Theres a different animal in the cage this time, said Jim Hightower, the former Texas agriculture commissioner who become one of Sanders most prominent supporters.

Hightower said the Bernie Sanders movement highlights an economic populism that used to be the way Texas Democrats dominated with working men and women. Access to health care, college education and a healthy distrust of corporate greed are all elements of the Sanders rise to prominence that could be tools for Democrats in Texas to finally win back the state, he said.

We reach out to real working stiffs and farmers, Hightower said. We can turn people out.

It worked in San Antonio earlier this year. There, Our Revolution put its organizing skills on the front lines to help history teacher John Courage win an uphill battle to get on the city council in one of the citys more conservative districts.

On the campaign trail

In Houston this month, Our Revolutions national office endorsed Elizabeth Santos in the runoff election for the Houston ISD. That resulted in Our Revolution touting Santos on its social media sites and directing people to donate to her campaign. Santos won.

But in Dallas, the results were more mixed. First-time candidate Lori Kirkpatrick rode support from the Our Revolution group to nearly win a school board seat on the Dallas Independent School District earlier this year. But Republican activists fought back in a runoff election with mailers that slammed warned Kirkpatrick would bring Bernie Sanders-style liberalism to Dallas Schools.

Few races reflect the challenge and potential more than the U.S. Senate race where Democrat Beto ORourke, a one time Hillary Clinton superdelegate, touts issues that sound like a page straight from a Sanders platform book.

ORourke touts Medicare for all, promises to be a champion for more affordable higher education that doesnt trap people in debt and talks up opposition to international trade deals that hurt the American worker  all issues Sanders talked about at length on the campaign trail.

And some of his biggest ovations have come from audiences when he declares his opposition to taking political action committee money and decries how big donors carry to much influence in politics  a staple of any Sanders speech.

But thats not enough to get him a pass from ardent Sanders supporters who remember he was a Clinton superdelegate during the presidential election that helped her secure the nomination in 2016.

At a rally in Austin in October, one of the first questions was from a Sanders supporter who grilled ORourke on why he voted for fast-tracking authority for the Trans-Pacific Partnership when Sanders opposed it.

ORourke explained that he thought fast tracking would give then-President Barack Obama the ability to negotiate the best deal for the U.S. without having to go through regular order and giving the Republican-dominated Congress more influence on the negotiations. Even so, ORourke told the crowd later he warned Obama that he would not support the TPP deal because of the poor wage protections for workers overseas.

At the same event, another Sanders supporter questioned why if ORourke believed in Medicare for all, he didnt sign on to the House bill that purports to do that. ORourke said he supported the idea but backed the Senate version touted by Sanders more because it was more of a pure expansion of Medicare.

While his campaign platform has a Sanders ring, ORourke said hes not trying to pattern himself after the Vermont senator, Hillary Clinton or anyone else.

Ive never met Bernie Sanders, ORourke said. Im sure hes a wonderful person, and Im grateful for his service.

He said hes just addressing issues that people from the Panhandle to Houston are talking about.

Really, people care fundamentally about the same things, O'Rourke said, stressing economic issues like jobs, affording college, and health care costs.

Hightower said ORourke is definitely gaining momentum with the Our Revolution network.

No longer a death knell?

Cruz, for his part, has jumped at the opportunity to go head-to-head with Sanders over three debates over the last year on CNN. In October, Cruz seemed to relish Sanders open use of the term socialism.

Now, one of the things I like about debating Bernie is hes honest, Cruz said during the debate. When he ran in Vermont, he ran as a socialist, an unabashed socialist.

Hightower said while there was a time that throwing that word around could be a death knell for a Democrat in Texas, times are changing fast and there are a lot of places in Texas where it doesnt turn off voters like it once did.

Its really not a word that scares people anymore, Hightower said.

He said what people are looking for in candidates is a more genuine approach  which he says is something ORourke has and something Our Revolution is uncovering around the state in other races.

Kutalik-Couthren said victories in local races has only helped build optimism as the calendar turns to 2018.

We're building a movement, a grassroots movement, he said. The momentum is just growing as we get closer to the 2018 cycle.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
A sector by sector post-Brexit analysis by the NFU has identified the risk of low standard imports as the greatest trade threat to the poultry sector.

With just over a year to go until the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union - at the end of March 2019 - staff at the National Farmers Union have conducted an assessment of how global trade will impact each part of the British agricultural industry.

Individual analysis covers dairy, crops, livestock, horticulture and potatoes, sugar, pigs.

The poultry sector is a sector that operates without EU subsidy but one that the NFU believes could be impacted in other ways by the UK's withdrawal from the European Union.

The NFU's primary concern is production standards - a concern that was heightened recently when US president Donald Trump's commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, said in a speech in London that securing a free trade agreement with the US could hinge on the UK's readiness to abandon EU regulations.

He told business leaders at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference that any post-Brexit deal with Washington would hinge on the UK scrapping rules set by Brussels, including, for example, regulations governing imports of chlorinated chicken.

EU tariffs

At the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) in November Mark Williams, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) said research showed that only EU tariffs currently protected British egg products from lower priced and lower welfare equivalents from countries like the US, India, Argentina and Ukraine.

Pursuing a free trade policy with such countries would result in British farmers being significantly undercut, he said.

A large part of the cost of producing a dozen or a kilo of eggs in the European Union came from EU legislation on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.

Other countries did not have this cost. Whilst current tariffs protected UK producers from the cost differential with countries like the USA, Argentina, Ukraine and India, if the UK was to go down the free trade route with third countries all import tariffs would be removed. "All those countries become very much more competitive than we are," said Mark.

"We know the standards in those countries are not ours. None of those countries, including the States, have any national legislation about animal welfare for laying hens. Government needs to realise this."

Protect British

At the same conference, Gary Ford, the NFU's chief poultry adviser, said that the industry would hold Government Ministers to assurances that they wanted to protect British standards.

His union's new analysis of the impact of global trade deals on agriculture identified differences in standards as the biggest threat to the United Kingdom's poultry farmers.

"The NFUs primary concern is on the fairness of new trade agreements," said the report's authors in their sectoral analysis.

"They must take into consideration the UK poultry meat and egg sectors sensitivities and limit its exposure to imports produced to different standards.

"For example, a study by the Agricultural Economics Research Institute in the Netherlands confirmed that 16 per cent of the cost of producing a kilogram of shell eggs in the EU is the result of legislation on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.

This is not required of third countries. This places the UK at a significant competitive disadvantage, as the UK produces at a higher cost compared to other countries.

Veterinary equivalence

On the wider poultry sector, the report's authors say: "The UK is a net importer of poultry meat and poultry meat products. Imported poultry meat is either in the form of whole chicken breast or made-of-chicken-breast and it comes mainly from the EU.

"Poultry meat products come both from EU and non-EU countries, with Thailand and Brazil having preferential trading arrangements. South Africa is the biggest export market for the UK, followed by Hong Kong.

"The EU has a veterinary agreement with South Africa, which grants EU member states, including the UK, veterinary equivalence. Veterinary equivalence is when South Africa considers UK production methods and standards equivalent to theirs and therefore allows the UK to export to them.

"As part of the EU-South Africa trade, development and cooperation agreement, the EU benefits from zero duty access for its poultry meat. It is important that the UK can retain veterinary equivalence once it leaves the EU.

Poultry meat exports are essential for the issue of carcass balance, considering UK consumers preference for breast meat.

Free and frictionless

NFU Brexit adviser Lucia Zitti says that the UKs trade in agricultural goods is at the moment largely with the EU, so maintaining access to this market in a free and frictionless way is a priority, she says.

But the European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned that maintaining free trade access to the EU market post-Brexit would require the UK to adhere to EU standards.

Following Wilbur Ross's speech in London, he said: When I hear the US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in London call on the British to diverge from Europe to better converge with others  towards less regulation, environmental, health, food and no doubt also financial, fiscal and labour regulation  I have to wonder, he said during a speech in Rome.

The United Kingdom has chosen to leave the European Union. Does it also want to distance itself from the European model? Thats another question. It is up to the British to tell us whether they still adhere to the European model.

Their answer is important because it sets the direction for the discussion on our future partnership and the conditions of its ratification, he said.

Regulation differences

Lucia Zitti said: "Only when the long-term UK-EU relationship is agreed and clearly defined should the UK government begin to engage in formal trade negotiations with third countries (i.e. countries beyond the EU)."

And, she says: "New trading conditions must account for differences in regulations and standards to ensure that UK farmers are not put at a competitive disadvantage to producers elsewhere in the world who are subject to different standards."

The report suggests that securing new trade agreements with other countries around the world will provide the UK agricultural industry with new opportunities. However, it says such deals could also create threats to domestic production.
How Sweet!

Gauri Khan hosts Aishwarya Rai Bachchan & Abhishek Bachchan at her store and we can't stop drooling over their picture.

Katrina Looked Hawt!

Katrina Kaif raised the temperature as she shared this super-hot picture on her Instagram page and captioned it as saying, "Beach days ... last few hours of 2017."

SRK Shared Kats Picture

Shahrukh Khan, who will share the title of his next film with Katrina & Anushka, also shared Katrina's picture and captioned it as saying, "Single minded @katrinakaif waiting for Title of film with @aanandlrai sends her lovely pic wishing u all a Happy New Year. Thank u Katz #Kal5BajeSRK."

Sisters In Bathing Suits

Jacqueline Fernandez and her sister pose for a hot picture, as they spotted holidaying in Sri Lanka.

Whoa!

Jacqueline Fernandez's handstand by the beach is every bit sultry, sassy and motivational!

Oh My My!

This picture of Jacqueline Fernandez from her vacation will surely leave you gasping for breath.

Whos This Hottie?

Disha Patani is having a fun time in Sri Lanka, where she is vacationing with her alleged boyfriend, Tiger Shroff.

Famjam

Unlike others, PeeCee rather chose to spend quality time with her family in London and shared this picture from her last day of 2017.
Lithium stocks continued their meteoric rise in 2017. That's not too surprising considering that refined lithium products drove incredible growth in the top and bottom lines of the largest lithium miners in the world this year. Throw in capacity expansions planned through the end of the decade and it's no wonder the top lithium stocks are trading at or near all-time highs.

If you're a long-term investor searching for an opportunity to own a piece of the unfolding electric-vehicle revolution, then buying lithium stocks in 2018 may be a bold strategy. The most worthy investments in the industry continue to be FMC Corp. (FMC 0.46%), Albemarle (ALB -3.25%), and Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM -9.22%). While these three lithium stocks may already be on your watchlist, each has unique potential catalysts in the year ahead that you may want to take into consideration.

Lithium spinoff coming

FMC Corp. isn't the largest lithium miner in the world: It generates 88% of its revenue from selling pesticides. Nonetheless, it may be the ticket to owning the first pure-play lithium stock with profitable operations.

Management has made no secret that its strategic intent is to spin off its lithium segment and focus solely on its agricultural solutions business, which just so happens to be the fifth-largest in the world ranked by annual revenue. When will that occur? Investors don't have a date to circle on the calendar just yet, but the business' continued expansion and health should make management's decision easier.

Consider how FMC Corp.'s lithium segment performed in the first nine months of 2017:

Metric First Nine Months 2017 First Nine Months 2016 % Change Agricultural solutions revenue $1.66 billion $1.66 billion 0.5% Lithium revenue $234.0 million $193.5 million 20.9% Total revenue $1.90 billion $1.85 billion 2.6% Agricultural solutions operating income $297.1 million $272.8 million 8.9% Lithium operating income $82.6 million $48.9 million 68.9% Total operating income $305.7 million $267.1 million 14.4%

The table above makes one thing pretty clear: Lithium sales have nearly single-handedly driven revenue and operating profit higher for FMC Corp. in 2017. It would be a remarkable stand-alone business -- and it's about to get even stronger.

FMC Corp. is in the midst of expanding its lithium hydroxide (battery-grade material) production capacity to 30,000 metric tons per year. That will triple the company's production capacity from the end of 2016 and keep pace with swelling customer demand. When coupled with the booming selling prices taking hold of the industry, the expansion could be what triggers management to finalize the spinoff.

What does it all mean? Well, investors who own FMC Corp. today will be able to share in the lithium segment's growth and the tremendous cash flow created from the agricultural solutions business. If and when a spinoff occurs, shareholders will be the first to receive shares in the new lithium pure play, which has the potential to quickly become one of Mr. Market's favorite growth stocks. It's a win-win strategy.

A diversified play

In early 2016, investors realized that Albemarle was a top lithium company gearing up for incredible expansion. The stock has been a rocket ship ever since, returning over 130%.

To be fair, hindsight is 20/20, and the company's top revenue generator wasn't always lithium. But that's just because Albemarle is the most diversified lithium stock you can buy. Consider how its business segments fared in the first nine months of 2017:

Metric First Nine Months 2017 First Nine Months 2016 % Change Lithium and advanced materials revenue $945.8 million $689.9 million 37.1% Bromine specialties revenue $636.1 million $597.9 million 6.3% Refining solutions revenue $539.9 million $539.0 million 0.1% Total revenue $2.21 billion $1.98 billion 11.8% Lithium and advanced materials adjusted EBITDA $382.8 million $260.9 million 46.7% Bromine specialties adjusted EBITDA $194.5 million $179.9 million 8.1% Refining solutions adjusted EBITDA $142.8 million $181.6 million (21.4%) Total adjusted EBITDA $639.7 million $570.8 million 12.1%

Similar to FMC Corp., higher volumes of lithium sales and higher selling prices of lithium ores are driving Albemarle forward, although the other two segments aren't exactly dead weight. The financial strength through the first three quarters of 2017 allowed management to increase the lower end of guidance for each of revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted earnings per share -- and the high end of adjusted EPS as well.

But don't make the mistake of thinking the stock has peaked. Albemarle has developed a new production technology that could allow it to boost lithium output in Chile to 125,000 metric tons per year with little additional effort -- well above current production levels. Problem is, its contract with the Chilean government only allows it to produce 80,000 metric tons per year for the next 26 years. A recently elected pro-business government could change that once it takes office in 2018, which would further cement the company's leading market position for decades to come.

Simply put, Albemarle is a top lithium stock to buy thanks to its incredible growth potential, while its relatively high degree of diversification could hedge against volatility in the lithium market.

Speaking of Chile...

Few companies will benefit from the recent presidential election in Chile quite like SQM, which calls the country home. It owns enough lithium production capacity to take 27% of the global market. While the total pie is growing larger each and every year, the company is expanding to ensure it retains a hefty slice. Management sure isn't taking its time, either.

In 2018, SQM will grow annual lithium carbonate production capacity to 63,000 metric tons and lithium hydroxide production capacity to 13,500 metric tons. That represents growth of 31% and 125%, respectively, from current production levels. In 2019 it will start up a massive project in Argentina that will churn out another 25,000 metric tons of lithium products per year, with room to double that soon after.

The company also offers a reasonable level of diversification. SQM reports five separate business segments, although, similar to its peers, lithium accounted for 64% of its revenue growth and 83% of its gross profit growth in the first nine months of 2017 compared to the year-ago period.

All that said, there's no denying that the recent presidential election provides a potential opportunity that other stocks may not be able to capture to quite the same degree. If the new government is keen on boosting Chile's economic growth, then it would be obvious to leverage the country's vast lithium reserves -- and SQM would be one of the first companies in line to benefit from changes to national policies.

What does it mean for investors?

Lithium stocks figure to remain an important growth opportunity for investors for years -- and maybe decades -- to come. Given the recent momentum and near-term plans for expansion from the largest lithium producers on the planet, 2018 could be a great time to buy these stocks.
Most Americans will be eligible to receive Social Security when they retire, and many of them expect Social Security to be a major source of income during retirement. If you're one of them, you may have a problem: Social Security benefits may not be as substantial as you expect and living off those benefits could be very tough. A quick look at Social Security statistics -- which show an average monthly benefit of just $1,404 for all retired workers and just $2,340 for a senior couple receiving benefits in 2018 -- reveals the issue.

These numbers should make you very nervous if you're counting on Social Security to support you. Looking at low average benefits doesn't even tell the whole story, as Social Security benefits may actually be even lower than they seem at first glance. Here are four reasons why your Social Security benefits may be a lot lower than you expect.

1. You may be taxed on Social Security benefits

When you receive Social Security benefits, there's a chance your benefit will be reduced by federal and state taxes.

The federal government taxes Social Security benefits once your income as an individual exceeds $25,000. If you file a joint return with your spouse, you'll have to pay taxes on benefits if you have a combined income of more than $32,000. If you're married and file separate tax returns, the Social Security Administration also indicates you'll probably be taxed on benefits. For these purposes, combined income is generally defined as your income from sources other than Social Security, plus one-half of your Social Security benefits.

For singles with income between $25,000 and $34,000, up to 50% of benefits is taxed. If your income exceeds $34,000, up to 85% of benefits is taxed. If you file jointly, you're taxed on 50% of Social Security benefits if your income is between $32,000 and $44,000. If your income exceeds $44,000, you'll pay tax on 85% of benefits.

Depending upon where you live, you could also end up paying taxes on Social Security to the state, reducing benefits even further. There are 13 states that tax Social Security benefits: Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.

Not everyone pays taxes on Social Security in these states -- your income usually has to be above a certain threshold, with rules varying by state. But if you do, you'll typically see a significant reduction in benefits when state and local taxes combine.

2. Social Security benefits aren't keeping pace with rising costs of living

Retirees receiving Social Security benefits get periodic cost of living adjustments (COLAs). COLAs are tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Unfortunately, many believe this is the wrong index to tie benefit increases to because it does not accurately reflect seniors' spending patterns.

Seniors often devote more of their income to medical costs than the general population. Unfortunately, in 33 out of the past 35 years, healthcare costs have risen at faster rates than Social Security COLA increases. Food and housing cost increases are also outpacing COLA for retirees on Social Security.

If Social Security benefits don't rise as much as the costs of products and services used by seniors, the latter have less purchasing power. Even if income appears to go up because you receive a small raise, benefits will actually be worth less in real terms.

And, unfortunately, there's not even a guarantee you'll get a raise -- even on paper. Since 2010, COLAs have averaged just 1.35% per year. In three of the past 10 years, seniors didn't get a raise at all, and in 2016, the COLA was just 0.3%.

3. Medicare premiums are paid out of Social Security

Seniors on Social Security are typically covered by Medicare. However, contrary to what many believe, Medicare isn't free. Premiums are typically charged for Medicare Part B, which covers routine visits to the doctor. These premiums are directly deducted from Social Security checks for most seniors.

Most retirees pay a standard Medicare Part B premium and are protected by hold-harmless provisions preventing premiums from rising more than a Social Security COLA adjustment. If premiums rise $20 but COLAs provide only a $10 raise, you'll only pay $10 more. However, seniors with modified adjusted gross incomes above $85,000 for singles or $170,000 for married couples must pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount and aren't protected by hold-harmless provisions.

The problem occurs when Social Security raises come and seniors are paying premiums below the standard premium because of hold-harmless provisions. When this happens, Medicare costs increase.

This occurred when seniors got a 2% COLA from 2017 to 2018. In 2017, standard Medicare premiums were $134, but seniors protected by hold-harmless provisions were only paying $109. When Social Security went up in 2018, they became responsible for the extra $25 in premiums.

Since Medicare premiums increased so much, around 70% of retirees saw their entire COLA eaten up by the extra premiums and won't get any more money in their Social Security checks in 2018, even with a 2% raise. This is a problem many older people will face throughout their lifetimes while collecting Social Security.

4. You could be forced to take benefits early and get less than expected

If you have little savings and plan to rely on Social Security, you may plan on working longer to increase Social Security benefits. This isn't a bad idea because if you retire after full retirement age (FRA) -- 67 for those born in 1960 or later-- you'd get an increased benefit. The amount of your monthly benefit increases by two-thirds of 1% for each month after FRA that you delay claiming benefits.

Unfortunately, you may not have a choice about when you retire. If you're in a physically demanding job, you may get too old to work. And, in any job, if you're laid off in your 60s, finding new work could be difficult.

An analysis by the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis found the real unemployment rate for workers 55 and up was 12% in 2016 -- almost 2.5 times the national jobless rate when factoring in those who'd dropped out of the workforce, who were underemployed, or who were looking for work.

If you're forced to take Social Security before your FRA, your benefits could be substantially reduced. Social Security benefits are reduced by five-ninths of 1% for each month before FRA that you retire. If you retire more than 36 months before FRA, benefits are reduced by an additional five-twelfths of 1%. This reduction is permanent. Consider how retiring early impacts an average $1,404 Social Security benefit if FRA was 67:

Age Change in Benefits Compared to FRA Monthly Benefit Amount 62 30% reduction $983 63 25% reduction $1,053 64 20% reduction $1,124 65 13.3% reduction $1,218 66 6.7% reduction $1,310

Being forced to retire early could also impact benefits in other adverse ways. Your Social Security benefits are based on formula factoring in your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusted for wage growth. If you're forced to retire earlier than planned and don't have 35 years of earnings, you'll have some years of $0 earnings factored in. The average wages your benefits are based on will be lower.

Don't let yourself depend on Social Security benefits

With Social Security benefits providing such a limited income, start saving early to build a nest egg so you don't have to rely on Social Security.

If you have access to a 401(k) at work, talk to your payroll or HR department about setting up automatic contributions so money is diverted to retirement savings each paycheck before you have a chance to spend it. If you don't have a 401(k), set up a tax-advantaged account such as an IRA at a bank or brokerage firm and automatically transfer funds from your paycheck to the account on payday.

Try to work up to saving at least 15% of your income for retirement. While this may seem daunting, start small. Making little lifestyle changes to cut spending like skipping meals out, planning weekly menus to avoid food waste, and cancelling unnecessary subscriptions could make a surprisingly big difference in freeing up money in your budget.

You'll be happy to have the extra cash as a senior and grateful for your efforts when you're not struggling to survive on a Social Security benefit that is far too low.
The broiler sector has benefited from the continued move by consumers towards leaner meat, which saw the monthly volume of poultry meat rise more than 12% in the year to July 2017 to 16,900t a month.

At present, the UK is the fourth-largest poultry meat producer in the EU, and is about 75% self-sufficient in poultry meat.

It is perhaps the sector of UK farming that could most easily scale up post-Brexit, if trade arrangements made imports less competitive, says Andersons consultant Lily Hiscock.

See also: How collaboration can help build resilient farm businesses

Summary Broiler sector has forged ahead in 2017, driven by rising consumer demand for leaner meat

Egg industry faces more pressure and requires significant investment to meet retailer free-range targets

Opportunities for significant growth and added value, particularly after Brexit

The broiler sector is an area of potential diversification, which offers regular income, the option of using home-grown grain, and production of manure to benefit crops.

The egg industry faces more volatility and consumer pressure. The results to July 2017 show commercial layer chick placings slipped 0.4% compared with the previous year, says Ms Hiscock.

For the UK egg industry to be completely free range by 2025, in line with retailer targets, about 570 more units (at 32,000 birds) would need to be installed over the next seven to eight years.

That equates to 1.5 units/week and an investment in excess of 500m, which looks very unlikely.

The egg sector has also been hit by food safety concerns. In July 2017, 700,000 imported Dutch eggs were potentially contaminated with Fipronil. Post-Brexit, educating the consumer about the quality of domestic production is likely to be even more important, says Ms Hiscock.

Although self-sufficiency in the poultry sector is unlikely, there are opportunities within it for significant growth and added value, particularly following Brexit, she adds.

This sector is an option for other farmers looking to diversify to strengthen their farm business and spread risk.

Existing poultry producers should identify areas for improved productivity, such as feed efficiency and mortality, to ensure sustainability for the long term.

Targets for intensive broilers are a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.79 or less, and less than 4% mortality, and for enriched colony egg production an FCR of 1.72 a dozen eggs and 3.5-4% mortality.
These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales.




Haiti - USA : Message from the US Secretary of State





Friday in a press release, Rex W. Tillerson, US Secretary of State on the occasion of the independence of Haiti National Day on 1 January, declared :



"On behalf of the U.S. government, I extend best wishes to the people of Haiti as you celebrate the 214th anniversary of Haitis independence.



The United States and Haiti share a long history of close relations, and our futures are even more closely linked through the nearly one million Haitian Americans who contribute to both American prosperity and the economic growth of Haiti.



We acknowledge the tremendous strides Haiti has made over the last year. The inauguration of President Moise in February, and the work Haiti is undertaking to stabilize its electoral system going forward, can reaffirm the Haitian peoples commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. We also note significant progress in security, and commend Haitis efforts to develop its agricultural sector.



As a longstanding friend and partner, the United States remains committed to supporting Haiti as it strives to increase economic growth and investment, unlocking its full potential."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news

Login Sign Up

 New Ad-free Subscriber Login

Email

Password

Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password.

Stay logged in

Help
By Lily Lee | Published on 2017/12/30 | Source

At the 2017 MBC Drama Awards, the leads of the drama "Two Cops", actor Cho Jung-seok and actress Lee Hyeri stepped up to the stage to present the Popularity Awards. Standing at the ceremony as an official actress, Lee Hyeri smiled and expressed her gratitude by saying, "It is such an honor to be here with many senior actors and actresses. This is so meaningful to me".

Advertisement

Before presenting the awards, the two chatted before the audience to lighten up the mood. Cho Jung-seok asked Lee Hyeri, if there was any actor present with whom she desired to partner in a drama. Lee Hyeri wittily replied by pointing at Cho Jung-seok and saying that she was already happy to be partnered with a great actor.

Listening to the conversation, many people smiled and laughed at how cute they were. At that moment, the main MC, Oh Sang-jin asked Lee Hyeri a rather mischievous question by asking her "What about Ryu Jun-yeol?" At the sudden mention of her boyfriend, Lee Hyeri became flustered. That's when her drama partner Cho Jung-seok came to the rescue by interjecting, "Well, I actually want to partner up with him!"

In reaction to the incident, netizens are commenting on how inappropriate Oh Sang-jin's question was at such a formal ceremony and how inconsiderate he was towards Lee Hyeri. On the other hand, Cho Jung-seok is receiving many praises on how well he handled the situation.

By: Lily Lee
Published on 2017/12/31 | Source

For people trying to watch their weight, year-end office parties and other engagements are unwelcome events. Many people faced with this dilemma often opt to drink rather than eat, but in fact that is counterproductive.

Advertisement

Liquor is packed with calories. If an adult male drinks two bottles of soju, he is consuming a third of the daily recommended calorie intake of 2,400 kcal.

Although calorie levels differ by type of liquor, most are fattening, and the slimmest-looking often have the most calories.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, a bottle of soju has 403 kcal, which is more than a bowl of rice (300 kcal). A bottle of makgeolli or rice wine has 420 kcal and a 500 ml glass of beer is packed with 185 kcal.

Only wine is relatively slimming, with white wine at 74 kcal a glass and red wine at 70 kcal.

As a rule of thumb, says Jang Jae-young at Soonchunhyang University, the higher the alcohol content, the more calories. Four shot glasses of Chinese kaoliang wine contain 276 kcal, vodka 295 kcal and whiskey and brandy 237 kcal.

Also, drinking alcohol without food increases the risk of stomach inflammation and throat irritation. Food also protects the liver from alcohol by containing beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Published on 2017/12/31

Woo Do-hwan

From head-to-toe, the gents of the 2017 KBS Drama Awards are dapper in their red carpet best on New Year's Eve. Check out the fashion of this year's actors and vote for the best dressed at the KBS Drama Awards!

Kim Young-chul

Lee Tae-hwan

Park Seo-joon

Park Si-hoo

Son Ho-jun

Song Won-seok

Yeo Hoe-hyun

Yoon Doo-joon and Kim So-hyun

Yoon Hyun-min

Ahn Jae-hong

Jang Ki-yong

Comedian Park Soo-hong, Lee Yu-ri, and Namkoong Min

Go Kyung-pyo

Gong Myung

Im Ji-kyu

Ji Min-hyuk and Lee Re

Jo Hee-bong

Jo Yeon-ho

Lee Junho

Kim Da-hyun

Kim Dong-jun

Kim Seon-ho

Kim Seung-soo

Kim Sung-oh

Vote now for the best dressed actor on the 2017 KBS Drama Awards red carpet:

Advertisement
BEIJINGA mall in northern China has installed a larger-than-life canine statue with more than a passing resemblance to US President Donald Trump to welcome the coming Year of the Dog.

The giant pooch towers above shoppers in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, sporting a slick golden pompadour, angled brows and a red scarf with one index finger raised in a distinctly Trumpian manner.

As he was born in 1946, Trump, who has been accused of having more bark than bite, is a dog under the Chinese zodiaca trait which he shares with his predecessors George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

YEAR OF THE DOG. A statue of a dog, with a resemblance to US President Donald Trump, is seen by shoppers at a shopping mall in Taiyuan, in Chinas northern Shanxi province on Friday. In anticipation of the forthcoming Year of the Dog on Feb. 16, the cocky rooster of last winter has been replaced with a smirking canine. AFP

ADVERTISEMENT

Those born in the Year of the Dog, according to Chinese astrology, are forthright and extremely loyal, in addition to having a strong sense of justice.

But they can also be stubborn, irritable and easily angered.

Last year the mall erected a large Trump-like rooster, which inspired numerous replicas, including a giant inflatable one placed not far from the White House this summer.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Man arrested after mother, daughter found slain in Hagerstown hotel

Hagerstown Police said Thursday night they had arrested a 22-year-old man in the deaths of a mother and daughter found in a city hotel Wednesday.
SYDNEYAustralias largest city Sydney will welcome 2018 with a rainbow-themed fireworks spectacular marking new same-sex marriage rights Sunday, with heavy security for the festivities that kick off a wave of celebrations around the world.

The first major New Years bash will see more than 1.5 million spectators pack the citys foreshore as tons of pyrotechnics light up the night sky.

The technicolor display will include a rainbow waterfall of fireworks cascading off the Sydney Harbor Bridge to mark Australias legalization of same-sex marriage following a nationwide postal vote in support of change.

This is a fabulous way to see out 2017the year that four out of five Sydneysiders said a resounding Yes to marriage equality, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

Hollywood heartthrob Hugh Jackman will add star power with a 20-second gold-and-silver pyrotechnics set, fulfilling a life-long dream to design a firework for his hometown.

ADVERTISEMENT

The chimes of midnight then move across the world to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and finally the Americas.

Dazzling light shows will bid farewell to 2017.

 Hong Kong: Shooting stars to be fired off from the rooftops of buildings in a 10-minute musical firework display

 Singapore: More landmarks are included in the countdown party, with a symphony of light and sound illuminating the waterfront skyline

 Tokyo: People traditionally spend the eve with their families at home, while many young people head downtown for countdown events

 Dubai: The city is replacing its main midnight fireworks with a laser show on the worlds tallest tower, accompanied by music

 Moscow: Major boulevards and squares will be decked out to welcome the new year, with fireworks to light up 36 key sites

 Rio: Millions will gather on Copacabana beach to watch fireworks, with many wearing white, the traditional dress to usher in the new year

Stricter security measures will be a key focus amid fears that the huge crowds in public places could be targets for vehicle and other terror attacks.

In Australia, the beefed-up police presence will include some officers carrying semi-automatic rifles in Sydney and bollards used as barriers against vehicles.

The heightened measures come just a week after more than a dozen people were hurt when a man plowed a car into a crowd of pedestrians in Melbourne.

Youre going to see more police than ever out, it will be our largest contingent (given) the current security environment, Victoria state police acting chief commissioner Shane Patton said.

Other cities are also preparing for possible threats following deadly vehicle assaults over the past two years in Barcelona, Nice and London.

New Yorks Times Square celebrations will be safeguarded by the toughest security presence in years, after two recent attacks apparently inspired by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

ISs defeat in Iraq was one of the key stories this year, although the jihadists remain a threat and numerous attacks around the world were claimed by them or Al-Qaeda-linked groups.

Donald Trump has stolen the spotlight as he made his debut as US President in 2017, with America first policies and a bombastic personal style that has shaken international diplomacy.

The former reality television star is likely to continue to dominate headlines in 2018, with escalating tensions over North Korea among a host of global challenges going into the new year.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Arctic-like temperatures have caused several big cities on the Eats Coast to quite literally freeze over this holiday season. With no end in sight to the cold weather before the few hours left in 2017 tick away, some have scrambled to reschedule New Years Eve parties, especially those which are outdoor celebrations in places like New York, Boston and even up in Toronto, Canada. One notable exception will be the world-famous countdown in Times Square, which will be going ahead as normal despite the frigid conditions.

According to NBC affiliate KARE11, the man in charge of the festivities that culminate in the ball drop is unconcerned about the sudden turn that the weather has taken. Hundreds of thousands have withstood very cold weather over the years for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we expect this year to be no different, said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance which puts on the event.

The temperature, with windchill taken into consideration, could bottom out at 0 degrees Fahrenheit when the clock strikes midnight later on tonight, which will tie the second-coldest conditions on record for the Times Square celebrations. The coldest? 1 degree without windchill, which happened back in 1917. The good news is that additional New York Fire Department personnel will be on hand at the big event to administer medical care should it be need. Weather experts will also be closely monitoring the weather conditions as the evening unfolds.

Would you be one of the people standing out in Times Square in weather this cold? Let us know in the comments.

New Years Eve
PHOENIX -- A Prescott lawmaker is proposing changes in state law that would protect the right of Arizonans to keep their weapons no matter what a future Congress decides.

But the attorney who crafted the legislation for Republican Rep. David Stringer said the changes still won't let Arizonans keep their "bump stocks'' if the federal government declares those illegal.

The legislation spells out the kind of weapons that the state believes are necessary for those who are members of the state militia; Existing Arizona law already says that automatically includes all "able-bodied citizens of the state'' between 18 and 45.

And just to be sure that folks who turn 46 don't lose their gun rights because of new federal laws, HB 2057 would also expand the definition of the militia to remove the maximum age. But it would add a new requirement that they be "capable of acting in concert for the common defense.''

The measure--and a companion constitutional Amendment--were introduced by Stringer who said he wants to ensure that whatever occurs in Washington doesn't interfere with the right of law-abiding Arizonans to possess firearms.

But Stringer left it to attorney Michael Taylor, who has some expertise in the area of gun rights, to come up with the actual language. And Taylor said it is crafted to conform to a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions that have upheld gun rights.

The key, Taylor said, is the Second Amendment, which refers to "a well-regulated militia'' and the right to bear arms. He said the high court has relied on that mandate specifically to curb federally imposed gun restrictions.

But Taylor said it's not that simple. He said each of those prior rulings have been based on the affected states defining not only that they have militias but what they determine to be the necessary weapons for such bodies.

HB 2057 seeks to do just that.

"We're not making anything new legal,'' Taylor said. "We are simply providing a mechanism for the court to decide in our favor.''

The law first spells out that Arizona needs "a body of citizens within this state who possess and are trained in the use of arms.'' It then contains a laundry list of weapons and related equipment that are considered "particularly suited'' for such purposes and says that those who are members of the militia may possess and transport said weapons in the state "for all lawful purposes.''

The list includes any semiautomatic handgun, revolver or shotgun as well as any related equipment such as noise and flash suppressors, aiming systems, trigger systems, bayonets, carrying slings, and lights

And it even covers "any other small arms weapons system, ammunition, accessory or equipment that is in use by the armed forces of the United States or that is authorized for use by any law enforcement agency in this state.''

But Taylor said that does not necessarily overrule all federal laws and restrictions.

For example, he said U.S. citizens are, in fact, allowed to possess certain machine guns. Taylor said, though, that nothing in this legislation would exempt Arizonans who want a machine gun from having to go through the special process now in place to get licensed for one. Steps of the licensing process range from a $200 tax stamp and three sets of fingerprints to a background check that could take a year.

A bit less specific is that HB2075 would allow Arizonans to possess "sufficient quantities of ammunition necessary to maintain a high degree of proficiency of arms.''

"If it goes to court, it will obviously have a 'reasonable man' standard applied to it,'' Taylor said. "It depends upon the specific circumstance, the specific gun.''

He cited the example of an Olympic medalist who competes in firearms.

"She goes through some utterly amazing amount of ammunition daily, weekly, etc., to maintain her degree of proficiency to be able to keep competing at that Olympic level,'' Taylor said.

So where do "bump stocks'' fit into all of this?

The controversial devices attach to semi-automatic weapons, with the recoil effectively enabling the user to fire off rounds in rapid succession without actually pulling the trigger each time. Its existence became widely known in the wake of the still recent mass shooting in Las Vegas, where a gunman firing from a nearby hotel killed 58 people attending an outdoor concert and wounded hundreds more. The bump stock is not covered under existing laws restricting automatic weapons because the rifle itself technically retains its semi-automatic configuration.

Some early congressional efforts to address the device proved to be non-starters, with the focus now on whether the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives might be able to revamp its own rules to include bump stocks under its regulations of automatic weapons.

"Ultimately, should the ATF make a determination that a bump stock on a firearm no longer allows that firearm to maintain the definition of 'semi-automatic,' then, obviously, it would no longer be protected under our rubric here,'' Taylor said. Only those who have permission to have fully automatic weapons would be able to have them; anyone else with a bump stock would have to destroy it.

Along the same lines, he said the legislation cannot be stretched to the point where Arizonans could claim it gives them the right to have any weapon they wanted. Taylor said courts would judge individuals using a "common-use test.''

"At no point has a thermonuclear weapon ever been in common use by civilians for their own defense,'' he said.

"In fact, at no point has a tank, at no point have Howitzers, at no point have any of these things been in common use for civilians for their defense,'' Taylor continued. "So that's already a non-starter with the court.''

While the Legislature itself could enact the list of protected weapons, it would be up to voters to decide whether older Arizonans are guaranteed the same rights.

That's because the current definition of a militia -- including the cap of age 45 -- is actually part of the Arizona Constitution, and amendments require voter approval.

"We are trying to protect as many Arizonans' rights as we possibly can,'' Taylor said. "Just because you are 46 or over doesnt mean you should lose your firearms right.''
Northern Ireland has been warned to brace itself for 80mph winds and "danger to life" as Storm Dylan surges northwards.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for many parts of the region throughout New Year's Eve.

There have been no reports of any major damage or flooding in the Republic of Ireland where Storm Dylan raged overnight.

Met Eireann said the strongest recorded gust so far was 124kph (77mph) at Malin Head.

As the storm heads towards Northern Ireland weather forecasters have warned of very strong winds, particularly in counties Antrim, Londonderry, Tyrone and Down.

"There will probably be some damage to buildings such as tiles blown from roofs, with flying debris likely with the possibility of injuries or danger to life," the Met Office said.

Members of the public in coastal areas have been warned that large waves are likely.

Longer journey times and cancellations are also expected as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected.

Some roads and bridges may close. There is also a good chance of power cuts, the Met Office said.

Gusts of 55mph-65mph are expected for many parts of the region and a short period of gusts of 70mph-80mph for some places.

The winds are expected to ease in the early afternoon.
Storm Dylan has lashed parts of Ireland and Wales with howling gales in excess of 70mph and squally rain as it bears down on the UK mainland.

Forecasters have warned of severe gusts of up to 80mph as the storm brings a wet and windy end to 2017.

Met Eireann said the strongest winds were recorded at Mace Head in Co Galway, where 74mph speeds were clocked, while the Met Office said gusts of 70mph had been detected at Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsular.

The highest wind speeds recorded in Northern Ireland were gusts of 59mph in Killowen, Co Down.

The UK weather service has issued an amber warning covering Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, stating there is the potential for "injuries or danger to life" from flying debris, while a yellow warning extends into northern England and across to the Lothians.

Irish forecasters have issued an amber warning of "violent gusts" and coastal flooding from high seas, along with a yellow warning for inland areas.

Wind speeds were expected to increase throughout Sunday morning as Storm Dylan crossed the Irish Sea, its centre on a collision course with Scotland.

In Scotland, there was some travel disruption as the country geared up for its traditional Hogmanay celebrations.

Several CalMac ferry services on the west coast of Scotland have been disrupted and some road routes and train services are also affected.

ScotRail services from Glasgow Central to Largs/Ardrossan Harbour and between Helensburgh and Edinburgh were among those partially affected on Sunday morning as a result of high winds and heavy rain.

Scotland's bridges were also affected in the first half of New Year's Eve.

The Tay Road Bridge and Forth Road Bridge were closed to double-decker buses as the high winds hit and the Erskine Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles.

The Queensferry Crossing had a high winds warning in place with a 40mph speed limit.

SP Energy Networks tweeted that it was working to restore power after a loss of supplies in parts of Kilsyth, Helensburgh, Glasgow, Bathgate, Carluke and Larkhall.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has issued seven flood warnings for parts of south-west Scotland.

However, with severe weather warnings due to expire by Sunday afternoon, organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations have said they expect the event to go ahead unaffected by Storm Dylan.
Like most farmers I work from home and spend much of every day alone. Over the last number of decades the wonders of modern technology have made it possible for people like me to work away from 'the big office' and to base themselves where they like.

Many large companies have been encouraging home working and this has proved to be a win-win for the companies, for the workers and for the communities in which they live, especially rural ones.

In a fascinating article in Quartz, a New York-based news website, Sarah Kessler tracks the development of 'remote' or home working to the '80s when companies like IBM pursued this as a policy, with the result that by 2009 up to 40pc of its workforce was working from home. Quoting IBM sources, Ms Kessler says the company reduced its office space by 78m square feet, thus saving about $100m annually in the US.

However, it appears that change might be afoot and a return to 'the office' or a communal base could be in prospect for many whose commute currently takes less than a minute. While home working has benefited companies through increased productivity and reduced costs, experts are now saying that creativity and innovation have suffered. For innovation and creativity to thrive, apparently direct human interaction with people engaged in the same or similar projects is vital.

I work from home and I believe that one can be more productive in this environment. Working by yourself you are fully concentrated on the task in hand and, believe it or not, there are few distractions.

Not too long ago a friend who was visiting overnight did his morning's work at my house, leaving after lunch for a meeting in the locality. I couldn't help but notice how much time he spent on the phone dealing with issues that were peripheral to his work, much of it concerning 'office politics'.

Over lunch I admitted to eavesdropping and asked if the kind of interaction I had overheard was typical of his day. He said it was, but he still managed to get done what he needed to do. In my estimation the job in question would have taken an hour, but three hours of time were consumed.

The technology that allows for home working has been hugely beneficial to rural communities in that it has enabled lots of people to live and work in rural areas, and the developments have gone some way towards levelling the playing pitch in terms of job opportunities.

Home working makes a huge contribution to the reduction of the commuter's carbon footprint and is also great for the quality of family life. It means there is a presence in the house almost every day with someone at home to handle emergencies like the forgotten geography book or the hurling gear.

Despite all these benefits, it appears innovation has suffered: while home-workers do what is expected of them more efficiently and at lower cost, groups of human beings are more likely to do new things. The buzzword is now 'co-location' bringing workers together, maybe not quite back to the office but back to shared spaces where human interaction will lead to greater creativity.

In her Quartz article, Ms Kessler quotes John Sullivan, a professor of management at San Francisco State University. Writing two years ago, he contrasted the home-work strategy of IBM with the office-based strategy of Facebook and Apple. At that time Apple and Facebook made around $2m per employee, while the IBM figure was $200,000.

Sullivan thinks working together in person is one of the keys to innovation, saying: "It turns out the value of innovation is so strong that it trumps any productivity gain. ((Remote work) was a great strategy for the '90s and the '80s, but not for 2015."

Indeed studies have shown that chance meetings on corridors or at the 'water-cooler' lead to new ideas and problem solving.

So where does all this leave the home-worker in the box room, the farmer in the field and the rural community that hoped technology was the path to rural jobs growth?

In recent decades the development of discussion groups has been invaluable to farmers. These are places and spaces where new ideas and innovations can be discussed and where problems can be shared and solved. However, farming continues to be a lone and a lonely occupation. In many ways technology is making it even more so as it becomes easier for one person to manage and run larger farming enterprises.

Farmers need to take note of what is happening in industry and seek to benefit from the thinking that is emerging. Innovation is key to progress and if the most innovative spaces are found where people work together then farmers need to 'beef-up' the discussion group model and increase the opportunities for farmers to gather.

Rural communities need to grasp the opportunities offered by the new thinking. 'Co-location' does not necessarily mean a return to the big office in the big city: it means gathering people in small groups where they can work in close proximity. Indeed Enterprise Ireland has taken the co-location notion on board and is offering support and expertise to groups and individuals willing to explore this.

Rural communities and rural property owners have buildings and facilities that are unused or underused and would make ideal co-working spaces. Admittedly services such as broadband can be appalling but hope, expectation and demand rather than resignation will drive change in this area.

The clouds gathering over home-working may have plenty of silver lining.
1. Fez is perhaps the place in the world with the clearest continuous connections to the time of late antiquity. Maimonides and Ibn Khaldun worked there, and walking through the medina that is not hard to imagine  you can dine in a small restaurant in the home of Maimonides (recommended, most of all the vegetables). Fez has the worlds oldest university, dating from the 859, and the worlds oldest continuously operating library, from 1359.

2. The country has been remarkably stable relative to the rest of the region, whether you take that to be the Middle East, MENA, or Africa. But the nature of the associated stability lessons remains unclear, read more here.

3 Social capital is higher than it was during my last visit twenty years ago. That said, every transaction is still a potential swindle waiting to happen. And if any English-speaking Moroccan climbs into your train cabin, and claims his brother is the most wonderful guide in town and offers up his phone numbersimply decline any further contact. Especially if the guy has a scar on his face.

4. From the OEC:

It could be much worse, but the dangers of premature deindustrialization are real. Their exports are too dependent on Spain and France, two countries with many other trading partners and also relatively slow growth rates. Agriculture still accounts for 40-45% of employment. Tourism continues to grow, but service culture in the country is not top-notch. They export a lot of marijuana too.

5. The country has the (distant) potential to evolve into an Atlantic economy  check the map  and I dont just mean the history of Rabat/Sale as a pirate state. Nonetheless the actual trade of the nation paints it as a Mediterranean economy, and most Mediterranean economies have not done very well lately.

6. Moroccans do not seem very religious. Counterintuitively, that may be why, when they are living in Europe, they are especially vulnerable to radicalization. They are not already filled up with belief, and experience anomie, which is then exploited by terror groups. Arguably the same is true for Uighurs in China, by the way, who are recruited by the thousands for foreign ISIS crusades and the like.

7. More and more of the countrys gdp is concentrating in and near Casablanca, which is underrated as a visit. The famous Grand mosque, as Yana pointed out, in fact resembles a cavernous mosque-clock tower-opera house-French railway station, with even some elements of a medieval cathedral. Not all devout Muslims are happy with it.

8. The best bistillah is in Meknes, where it is moister and less sweet. In Casablanca I recommend the seafood stalls in the Grand Marche, and the roast chicken joints, always with french fries.
It's a mild October morning in Fanore on the west coast of Clare where Burren farmers, neighbours and day-trippers prepare to do the reverse of the Alpine process and take their animals up to higher ground for the winter.

Farmer Patsy Carrucan is standing on a picnic table outside O'Donohue's pub welcoming all and sundry to walk with his cattle to the limestone uplands. The event is part of the annual Burren Winterage Festival, a weekend of seminars, talks and walks hosted by the Burren Beo Trust.

"Taking cattle to the higher ground has been done here for thousands of years," explains Patsy. "The rank grasses and flowers such as orchids and others that bloom in summer on the higher ground are not palatable then but in winter the cattle love them."

Dr Brendan Dunford, the driving force behind the Burren Life Project, has been working on the project for 20 years.

"Farming in places like the Burren is more than just about food production," he says. "Farmers in this area have been minding this sensitive environment for thousands of years, and we work with them to continue that while also making a living."

This is echoed by Michael Davoren, chairman of the local IFA who says: "It's the farmer who knows every corner of his own fields. We are all passionate about what we do here."

Expand Close Cattle enjoy their winter grazing above Fanore / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Cattle enjoy their winter grazing above Fanore

Up to 400 farmers with a total of 25,000ha participate in the Burren Life Project and are rewarded with an average annual top-up of about 6,000 to 7,000 per farmer.

The talking is over and it's time to hunt cattle. For a registration fee of 5 we get a drover's stick, a cup of tea and a helping of local home cooking.

Fortified for the climb, we receive instructions from the coordinator of the Burren Life Project, Bridget Barry, and leave to meet the cattle. Climbing through elevating fields, we gather on a road above Fanore looking out to sea where the Aran Islands bask in the midday sun.

A local priest stands on a gate and blesses the animals, but with a hundred pairs of eyes staring at them and a phalanx of cameras whirring in their faces, they are reluctant to leave the safety of the pen. After some encouragement, one of them leads the way and the others follow.

Low maintenance

After a spectacular but gentle climb we arrive at the uplands, where the cattle swish their way into the new pasture and gladly savour the first taste of their winter delights.

Patsy Carrucan explains that the herd will stay here until January when he will bring them back down for calving. Many farmers leave them on the uplands until March.

"Up here they are in a very low-maintenance environment. I come up every few days to say hello," says Patsy.

It's time for us to say goodbye and leave the cattle to their winter fare. The humans return to O'Donohue's pub to bowls of steaming Irish stew, creamy pints and more than a couple of songs.
Construction materials supplier Gael Form has raised 4m in equity via the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS).

The funds will be used to increase the company's inventory as it seeks to cater for an expanding customer base.

The deal was brokered by Duff & Phelps Ireland and the funding comes from the Goodbody EIIS funds - a joint venture between Goodbody Stockbrokers and accountancy firm Baker Tilly Hughes Blake.

Trim-based Gael Form specialises in formwork - structures into which fresh concrete is poured before it hardens, taking the shape of the formwork structure.

Chief executive Colm Griffin said the deal "marks a milestone for our company as we begin to execute our growth strategy".

"This initial investment will allow us to add significant capacity and build out our existing customer network," he added. It also provides scaffolding services and a design engineering service.

The company, established in 2011, is looking to build on its existing presence in the UK, Europe and Ireland.

Aidan Flynn, director at Duff & Phelps mergers and acquisitions practice, said raising capital for relatively new businesses "is always a struggle".

"It can be difficult to attract funding from the right investors. Gael Form has proven its strength in the market and its trajectory for growth was a key selling point for investors," he added.

The scheme gives tax reliefs to people who invest in companies. It has been beset by delays this year, due to a slowdown in processing by Revenue and changes prompted by European Union state aid rules.

"Due to increases in both the volume of correspondence received and the complexity of the issues involved in relation to applications for relief under EII, there has been an unavoidable increase in the time taken to respond to that correspondence and to issue EII certificates," a Revenue spokeswoman told the Sunday Independent last month.

It is understood the delays have meant the appetite for the scheme amongst investors and investee companies has waned.

In recent months, Davy wrote to clients to say it would return money to investors if tax relief certs were not made available by Revenue by the year end.
1 Bitcoin - a year of sticking or twisting

At the beginning of 2017, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies were considered a techworld novelty. At the beginning of 2018, Bitcoin is a story that dominates financial news pages on a weekly basis. That is largely because the virtual asset (which Bitcoin has become, rather than the currency it's flagged as) increased in value from $1,000 12 months ago to $19,000 in December.

Will Bitcoin continue to rise in price this year?

Yes, say specialists such as Reuben Godfrey, founder of the Blockchain Association of Ireland. The cryptocurrency will hit $200,000 within the next couple of years, he says, based on the fundamentals of the technology and the underlying purpose that it serves.

Expand Close 2 5G MOBILE starts to rear up / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp 2 5G MOBILE starts to rear up

Many prominent financial executives disagree, describing Bitcoin as a "scam", a "fraud" and a "bubble".

However, what isn't disputed is the value of the Blockchain technology that Bitcoin is based on. It is considered a success, so much so that institutions such as banks are adopting some of its parts in their own financial systems.

And regardless of naysayers, Bitcoin has opened a wedge in legacy financial circles, with a futures market opened in the US recently. Other markets based on Bitcoin's movements also look likely to emerge in 2018.

Will other cryptocurrencies, such as Ether, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash or Litecoin fare as well next year?

Expand Close 3 Facebook and Google to become apex Dublin employers with nearly 10,000 staff / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp 3 Facebook and Google to become apex Dublin employers with nearly 10,000 staff

That is also a considerable question that serious analysts are now starting to pay attention to.

2 5G MOBILE starts to rear up

Towards the end of 2017, standards for 5G were agreed by international consortia of telecoms rule-setters.

The coming year should see a lot more talk about what to expect from the next big leap in mobile technology. In Ireland, Vodafone has signalled that it will have something to say about it sometime in January or February.

Expand Close 4 Rural broadband, so close, may still be far away / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp 4 Rural broadband, so close, may still be far away

So what can we expect? Speed appears not to be the early defining issue, as 4G is already delivering up to 100Mbs in some parts of Ireland, more than most existing services require.

Instead, issues such as 'latency' (response times between devices over the network) could be an early focus. Many analysts believe that 5G will primarily be aimed at getting devices to work almost instantaneously with each other across networks.

Examples could be civic infrastructure such as traffic lights. Self-driving cars are also cited as a potential beneficiary of 5G connectivity, because communication between autonomous vehicles and street architecture such as traffic lights or other safety equipment could be critical to viability.

Those caught in poorly served mobile black spots around the country may query how the country can consider moving on to 5G when large chunks of our geography are still struggling with mediocre 4G, 3G or even 2G signals.

Expand Close 5 A major test for commercialisation of the internet, as net neutrality comes under strain / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp 5 A major test for commercialisation of the internet, as net neutrality comes under strain

Communications Minister Denis Naughten recently indicated that the next mobile licences to come through the Government would have a stipulation that 100pc geographic coverage might be required.

"Based on our dispersed population, we need to do it this way," Naughten told this reporter. ComReg's current chairman, Gerry Fahy, has received this in a lukewarm fashion. While not denying its possibility, Fahy recently suggested that it might be difficult to fashion a mobile licence in this format, because operators may not take up a licence that obligates them to spend millions on equipment for large, relatively uninhabited territories.

At present, Irish mobile operators' licences only require them to cover between 70pc and 85pc of the country by population, meaning there is no obligation to extend 3G or 4G services into relatively unpopulated areas of the country or rural roads.

3 Facebook and Google to become apex Dublin employers with nearly 10,000 staff

Despite a few blips (such as the loss of 150 HP jobs), recent times have seen a steady growth in the number of people employed by tech multinationals in Ireland.

But in Dublin, two companies stand out: Google and Facebook. In 2018, the number of people these web giants employ looks set to approach 10,000.

Expand Close 6 Phone shopping will replace computer shopping / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp 6 Phone shopping will replace computer shopping

That's a significant percentage of all the private sector jobs in the city. But it's an even bigger chunk of the docklands area.

What does this mean for the neighbourhoods around it?

Will it set house prices and rents soaring even further?

And does it leave a section of the city exposed if one or other of the two giants ever ups and leaves?

While Google now employs close to 6,000, this looks set to rise next year, while Facebook looks likely to see close to 3,000 staff by the end of 2018.

The social networking giant has leased an additional building in Dublin to accommodate its massive growth here.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Daire Hickey, Web Summit Bryan Meehan, Blue Bottle Mark Little Aine Kerr, Neva Oisin Hanrahan, Handy.com Claire Lee, Silicon Valley Bank Charles Dowd, Plynk Eoghan McCabe, Des Traynor, David Barret and Ciaran Lee of Intercom / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Daire Hickey, Web Summit

The new building, in the north docklands East Wall district, will have space for 800 'desks' (meaning people).

The upshot is that there will be few auctioneers, white collar offices, retailers or hostelries that won't be affected by - or even dependent on - the world's two biggest web companies' city presence.

Google and Facebook aren't alone, of course. There's Linkedin, Workday, Airbnb and a host of other digital tech employers that range from 500 to 1,000 employees in the centre of Dublin.

We think of the IFSC as a banking zone in Dublin. But look around - digital tech companies are growing a lot faster in the capital.

They may already have overtaken banks in raw employment terms. This sustained boom will continue to put strain on some infrastructural areas.

Ireland doesn't do residential planning well. Facebook's new building in East Wall will cause rent hikes in the area, as there aren't enough houses or apartments to go around.

What about other tech multinationals? 'Legacy' firms, such as Microsoft, Dell and IBM, appear to have transitioned to services that help their companies to compete globally.

The head of Dell in Ireland, Aisling Keegan, recently told this newspaper that its "commitment" to Ireland, and the 5,000 people it employs here, "is stronger than ever".

Does the same apply to Apple, after all of the hullabaloo over tax and planning setbacks with its Athenry data centre?

Despite stalling on the 850m data centre in Galway, senior executives in Cork recently impressed upon this newspaper the reliance and emphasis that they continue to place on Irish operations in the company's global set-up.

Cork isn't just a finance operation - it oversees complex logistic and transportation issues that can't be managed from other locations.

Apple also still physically makes PCs at its facility in Cork, a fact frequently overlooked when talking about its financial arrangements here.

4 Rural broadband, so close, may still be far away

Next year was to be the year when the Government's National Broadband Plan was to finally yield physical connections for some of the 540,000 rural businesses and homes stuck without it. Alas, that now looks increasingly unlikely.

A series of delays and competitive disruptions in the last six months mean that most, if not all, of that 540,000 tranche of rural and regional premises will still be without proper broadband at the start of 2019.

The delay has partially been triggered by the deal that the Government struck with Eir in 2017, reallocating 300,000 homes and businesses from the intervention area to Eir's private rollout zone. While this is likely to see a rollout of broadband to these 300,000 premises by the end of this year, it leaves the bulk of the unserviced rural broadband premises in a worse-off position because they are in harder-to-connect situations.

This deal with Eir caused one of the three shortlisted companies for the rural broadband tender to back out of the process.

Siro, the joint venture between Vodafone and the ESB, claimed that it was no longer worth its while to compete for the State-subsidised tender contract with the more connectable 300,000 gone from the pot.

That has left two shortlisted players for the tender: Eir and Enet. Less competition could mean a potentially bigger bill for the taxpayer and longer to wait until the process begins, given that the Government has fewer alternative options if one of the remaining players asks for more time.

As it stands, the Government is telling stakeholders that there will be no "shovels in the ground" before the summer.

As for the tender itself, this may now not be decided until late spring or even later.

Some analysts believe that a joint award between Eir and Enet is likely; politically it may be seen to be tricky to award the entire contract to Eir, which is still blamed in some political circles for underinvestment in Ireland's core telecoms infrastructure over the last decade.

The National Broadband Plan is not the only game in town for rural high-speed connectivity. Separate commercial buildouts from Siro and Eir in large regional towns have added over 100,000 connections in 2017 and promise to match that tally this year.

5 A major test for commercialisation of the internet, as net neutrality comes under strain

The US has just ruled that broadband operators can divide up web services depending on who pays them to do so. Will 2018 see similar temptations enter the Irish and European arena?

This is the net neutrality debate that has been bubbling under in the background.

If Ireland and the EU were to ditch net neutrality, an operator like Eir, Virgin or Sky could do the following. For 20 per month, you'd get access to Facebook, Amazon and YouTube. For 30, you'd get access to those websites and Wikipedia, Twitter, LinkedIn and eBay. For 40, you might also get access to all of those plus Netflix and a number of other services. And for 50 per month, you'd qualify for a special 'unlimited pass' to access any website in the world. To some, this sounds like a threat to innovation and fundamental freedom. To others, it might sound benign.

Think about it. If Eir or Virgin said to you that they'd cut your monthly web bill by 10 if you only wanted, say, Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and 10 other common sites you sometimes use, wouldn't you be tempted? Wouldn't the same arguments that come up with cable and satellite TV surface here, that 'you can live perfectly fine without unlimited website access'?

Can't you hear the justification across radio shows and pub conversations? "I'm doing it as part of a digital detox, while saving money, too - I waste too much time on the internet." To some, this is insidious - it's cutting off access to valuable, interesting, innovative, up-and-coming repositories of information and services that can't currently afford to pay the ransom fees that telecoms firms might demand under the new rules.

European authorities say that the EU will protect net neutrality and won't allow US-style potential commercialisation. But many say it has already started here. Various mobile operators services in Ireland, for example, now offer unlimited access to web giant services by not counting access against the monthly data limit.

This includes the likes of Facebook and Spotify. So far, no one has stepped in to say that this is a worrying precedent because punters see it as a good deal.

6 Phone shopping will replace computer shopping

We've seen it coming for some time, but it looks like 2018 will usher it in for good: phones are replacing our PCs for online shopping.

That also means phones are set to become the main shopping tool overall.

"There's been a 70pc increase in mobile shopping in Ireland over the last year," said David Fitzsimons, chief executive of the retailing industry group, Retail Excellence Ireland.

"The majority of online shopping here is now on mobile phones. There's been a monumental shift in behaviour patterns."

Fitzsimons said that even in a booming economy, physical shops are only seeing static levels of business while online tills are soaring.

This chimes with figures from the 'Black Friday' sales spree last November, which showed that half of all online purchases made that weekend were from smartphones.

That's a huge increase on two years ago, when over three-quarters of online shopping was still being done on our traditional personal computers and laptops.

In 2018, we will start to shop on our phones with the same increased regularity that we use social media or messaging services.

Shops know this and are now putting most effort into their phone-friendly eshopping services over their PC-oriented ones.

They also know that most Irish adults now have powerful smartphones with large screens, fast mobile phone web connections and plenty of practice in looking for bargains online.

11 people to watch in '18

(1) Mark Little and (2) Aine Kerr, co-founders, Neva Labs

Having done it before, can Mark Little do it again? The former RTE anchorman is a rare example of someone coming from a traditional media background to start up and sell a media tech firm, something he achieved with the 18m sale of Storyful to Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation in 2013. Now, he and former Irish Independent journalist (and Facebook executive) Aine Kerr believe they can create a service that will cut through the noise and filter bubbles of our news feeds to produce something that informs us rather than confuses us. The Dublin startup, Neva Labs, already has six people on board, is attracting investors and is hiring steadily.

(3) Oisin Hanrahan, co-founder, Handy.com

Rathcoole-raised Oisin Hanrahan has navigated through choppy waters to bring Handy.com, a major online cleaning and handyman hiring service in the US and UK, to profitability. This is scheduled to be the year when the firm, which has raised almost 100m in venture funding, expands its service portfolio to include electronics and other assembly services. It's an ambitious proliferation that could see Hanrahan hit a higher level of success.

(4) Claire Lee, managing director of early stage banking at Silicon Valley Bank

Wicklow Town's Claire Lee looks set to enhance her pivotal position in funding a wave of future startups. This is for two reasons. First, her San Jose-based Silicon Valley Bank has become much more active in supporting tech companies from this side of the Atlantic, with almost 100m lent out to startups such as Boxever, Movidius, Openet, Swrve and Accuris. But she is also to the fore in promoting female-led startups. In this, she is the right person in the right place at the right time, with a groundswell of sentiment and action getting behind more diversely led tech companies.

(5) Eoghan McCabe, (6) Des Traynor, (7) Dave Barrett, (8) Ciaran Lee, co-founders, Intercom

Although it might seem an obvious choice, 2018 could be a humongous year for Intercom's founders. The co-located (it has roughly equal bases in Dublin and San Francisco) firm's next move may confirm it as a bona fide unicorn in a period when many startups tagged as such are seeing significantly reduced valuations. Like many other companies, Intercom's online services come at an opportune moment in the transition of commerce to ecommerce. Even if it simply defends its existing market share, the company's business could rise sharply over the next 12 months.

(9) Bryan Meehan, Blue Bottle chief executive

What will Bryan Meehan do next? 2017 was a huge year for the serial entrepreneur. Having seen his Blue Bottle coffee chain became synonymous as the tipple of Silicon Valley and hi-tech firms in New York, he led a majority sale of the 50-strong chain to the Swiss giant Nestle for around 400m. That made money for Meehan, partner James Freeman and a few lucky investors, including Bono, actor Jared Leto and celebrity skateboarder Tony Hawk. Meehan recently told this newspaper that he remains committed to Blue Bottle as its chief executive for the foreseeable future. But that doesn't stop the Dubliner from other investment, with portfolios in several tech firms and a history of significant property-based assets in Ireland and California. It will be fascinating to watch what the mercurial businessman does next.

(10) Charles Dowd, chief executive and co-founder, Plynk

Former Facebook executive Charles Dowd is in a race with goliaths such as Apple and massively funded smaller firms such as Circle to win the money-messaging habits of ordinary people. For him and Plynk co-founder Clive Foley, 2018 promises to be an utter rollercoaster of a year. Dowd scored one of the biggest early round funding deals ever in Ireland, with a 25m raise last year. The size of the round reflects the stakes - the company has to go for broke internationally and it has to do it quickly. If it stalls, the giants of Apple, Circle and others will start naturally integrating users who want to send a few quid to a friend or relative quickly and easily over their phones. Dowd recently told this reporter that he expects a need to return for more funding this year to back an international rollout.

(11) Daire Hickey, Web Summit co-founder

As much as anyone, Daire Hickey is the Web Summit co-founder who built up its formidable media operation. From nothing, the global tech conference suddenly had hundreds of journalists from big US and European newspapers, broadcasters and agencies attending first the RDS, then Lisbon, to see what might be said or what deals might be done. Hickey, a former journalist, has recently taken a half-step back from the Web Summit to focus on a new venture, a public relations firm with a focus on firms between Ireland and the US. He is joined by former Web Summit and Beachhut PR executive Mark O'Toole. With the connections and pedigree, 2018 could see the Corkonian (now living in New York) become a significant player in tech marketing.
WhatsApp has apologised after a brief outage left many users around the world confused and frustrated amid New Year celebrations.

The popular messenger app was down for some users on Sunday from about 6.30pm to 8pm GMT.

WhatsApp, which serves 1.3 billion users, says the issue has now been resolved.

A spokeswoman said: "WhatsApp users around the world experienced a brief outage today that has now been resolved.

"We apologise for the inconvenience."

Website downdetector.com, which monitors when technology fails, indicated zones in the UK, Europe, North and South America and India were the worst affected.

The most common problems were sending or receiving messages, connection and logging in, the website said.
CONTROVERSIAL: Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary, who has vowed to remain at the airline, angered pilots by saying that they are not hard-worked. Picture: Bloomberg

At Cheltenham, on the eve of St Patrick's Day, Michael O'Leary did something unexpected: he swallowed his pride.

Ruby Walsh had just ridden Yorkhill to victory for trainer Willie Mullins in the Ryanair Chase, pushing an O'Leary horse into second place. It was a sweet victory for Mullins. Six months previously, the Ryanair boss had pulled his horses from Mullins's stable in a row said to be over training fees.

Nevertheless, O'Leary strode over to Mullins in the winner's enclosure to congratulate him. It was not the last time in 2017 that O'Leary would swallow his pride.

At that stage, there was no hint of the difficulties to come for O'Leary in his day job. Ryanair's monthly traffic numbers for March were, once again, phenomenal: it carried 9.4m passengers, a rise of 10pc on 2016.

Such persistent growth rates had seen the airline grow to over 130m passengers. 2017 was all set to be a key landmark for the airline: a billion passengers carried since it was founded and well on its way to 200m passengers per annum by 2024. As spring turned to summer, and jumps turned to flat racing, Barclays gave Ryanair a glowing report: "We continue to view Ryanair as the highest quality airline in our coverage," it said. "As well as its excellent management team, Ryanair has benefited from continuous improvements to its network, product and digital strategy - none of which show signs of slowing down."

As another bumper summer unfolded for Ryanair, the mood at its funky Airside headquarters in Swords was all about expansion as it eyed up troubled Air Berlin and Alitalia.

With the Galway Races came the opportunity for O'Leary to show a flash of ruthlessness. Just three days out from the festival, he sacked Bryan Cooper as retained jockey at Gigginstown. Cooper would stay on the books "on a race-by-race basis", making it sound very much like a Ryanair role.

But, back in Airside, as the summer came to a close, there were small hints that all was not well with the massive airline operation. Internet forums dedicated to airline watching began to question the reasons for some of the flight cancellations.

Even by his own standards, O'Leary was displaying a public tetchiness that perhaps was a hint at the turmoil that was becoming apparent in his own operations department. As the airline's new seat allocation charges came under fire on RTE Radio's Liveline, O'Leary rang in to take on Joe Duffy and his listeners. He was in a mood that was far from his apparent 'Always Getting Better'-style mindfulness of recent years.

Afterwards Ryanair tried valiantly to paint the episode as a storm in a teacup. But the airline was spiralling rapidly towards a much greater communications crisis.

On September 16, a carefully worded statement kicked off the airline's biggest crisis in decades: "Ryanair to cancel less than 2pc of flights over next six weeks to improve punctuality," it read.

But the reality of the situation was much worse. It had forgotten that very publicly cancelling some flights would put a question mark over every single other flight. The airline's pilot-rostering system was in chaos. With anger mounting in the cockpits and on the phone-in shows, it announced a whole raft of new cancellations affecting a second batch of 18,000 flights.

Like a Donald Trump tweet after a Russian revelation, the airline fired out a 9.99-seat sale and some analysts took comfort. At least, they said, the cancellations showed that the new cuddly Ryanair had not actually lost its aggressive edge when needed.

But a key audience was seething. Many of the airline's pilots had noted just one utterance from O'Leary.

"I respect pilots," he had said in response to a reporter's query at the company's annual general meeting. "If you sit in the cockpit of a plane flying 4-500 miles an hour and landing in 40ft or 50ft of visibility, you have total respect. That doesn't mean they don't get very well paid for doing what is a very easy job. We are in an era now where the computer does most of the flying. They are very skilled professionals. But are they hard-worked? No."

The pilots were not just insulted. They could also smell blood.

Just weeks earlier, the European Court of Justice had ruled in a case related to six Belgium-based Ryanair workers that a jurisdiction clause that sought to prevent Ryanair employees from bringing proceedings before courts outside Ireland was not enforceable against those employees. That had left the door open for Ryanair staff to have disputes regarding employment contracts decided in courts in their home country rather than in Ireland. A share price fall of almost 6pc showed that investors understood the implications of this and the potentially difficult industrial relations scenario it threatened. Pilots, too, knew exactly what it meant.

So when the airline suddenly began cancelling thousands of flights because of a lack of pilots, they could see their opportunity. The rostering crisis had handed pro-union pilots an open goal. With hundreds of thousands of customers having their flights cancelled, putting pilots in cockpits had become the airline's key priority.

But a growing number of those pilots were, reportedly, seeking opportunities elsewhere. The big Middle Eastern long-haul carriers had long been a draw for pilots bored with endless 737 short-hops, and Chinese carriers with big cheque books were also an increasing draw. Long-haul carrier Norwegian Air had also come to Dublin and was said to have poached a large number of Ryanair pilots, adding to the rostering meltdown.

Some pilots had formed a new European Employee Representation Committee as a precursor to what they hoped would be unionisation and an end to the self-employment model favoured by the airline. With the backing of pilots' unions in Ireland, Britain, Germany and even the US, the EERC looked to force the company to begin negotiating with it rather than with small groups of pilots at each of Ryanair's 90 bases.

The airline threw money at the problem - offering pilots in key bases thousands of euro extra per annum in return for agreeing to keep the status quo. But management had misjudged the mood and many pilots threw the pay rises back in their face. The extra 20,000 or so that was on offer was no good if it meant signing away a unique opportunity to bring unionisation to one of Europe's most famously anti-union companies, pilots argued.

By November, more than 3,000 of Ryanair's 4,200 pilots at more than 50 bases were said to have backed demands for collective bargaining. National aviation unions in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Sweden had helped form Ryanair company councils.

Finally, after months of threats, more than 100 Irish-based Ryanair pilots served notice of a one-day strike over the Christmas period. With further strikes popping up around Europe, the airline was increasingly being backed into a corner. Eventually O'Leary buckled. A terse statement announced that "the German pilot union and Impact/IALPA have agreed to Ryanair's offer of meetings to agree union recognition on Wednesday".

Ryanair had changed forever.

In the wake of the airline's announcement, a previous Michael O'Leary quote flying around the airwaves seemed to sum up the enormity of the announcement for the airline: "I would rather cut off my hands than deal with unions," he was reported to have said.

The dramatic about-turn inevitably led to speculation that O'Leary might depart Ryanair. Chief operations officer Michael Hickey abruptly resigned in early October. After earlier rumours of his return had been denied, it was announced that previous flight operations director and then Malaysian Airlines chief executive Peter Bellew had been hired to replace Hickey. Bellew, who had immediately become the new public face of Ryanair on his return from Malaysia in early December, was whispered to be an ideal replacement for O'Leary when his contract lapsed in September 2019 - if not before.

A measure of how impressive a CEO Bellew had become at Malaysian was the fact that his departure from there came as such a shock and disappointment that it was raised in the country's parliament, as this newspaper reported at the time.

The country's deputy finance minister had demanded that because Bellew's resignation to return to his old employer was given without sufficient notice that he must repay four months' salary to the airline. The haste of his re-employment was also a clear sign that new ideas were needed for an airline heading into a whole new era. Bellew is known for his strong relationships with staff, particularly pilots. The unions, of course, headed into Christmas in extra festive mood. But, in reality, an acceptance by O'Leary that union recognition was a possibility at the airline goes back almost 20 years to the bitter nine-week baggage handlers' strike that shut the airport for a day in early 1998. Unions would do well to remember the bitter lessons for them of that strike.

"We will recognise unions when a majority of our people wishes to do so," a stressed-looking O'Leary told RTE's David McCullagh just after a deal had been reached to reopen the airport in return for the airline reinstating the suspended baggage handlers. Union activists who were on the ground at the time recall the moment bitterly as one where the trade union movement had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

"It was such a squandered opportunity," said a Workers' Solidarity Movement blog post at the time. "Keeping the airport shut for just a little longer would have totally defeated Ryanair and given the rest of us the most spectacular victory in years."

This time out, some union activists fear that rival unions could spend more time fighting with each other over who represents different classes of Ryanair workers than fighting with management over terms and conditions. The activists also point out that successfully representing pilots, with their strong leverage and already large wages, is one challenge. Representing the bulk of short-term temporarily employed multilingual Ryanair ground and cabin staff - many of whom receive few benefits and must pay for their own uniforms - is an altogether different prospect for trade unions that are no longer flush with cash or with experienced negotiators.

For O'Leary and his management team, the key question going into the New Year will revolve around the operational mess that dogged the airline's autumn season. Industrial relations battles are set to become the new reality but any repeat of the mass cancellations experienced in recent months will test the patience of customers and even the most loyal investors. It will also suggest that the problems were not just a one-off "cock-up", as the airline claimed, but a clear sign of a systemic flaw in the rapidly growing model of an airline that may have ordered too many Boeing 737s and bitten off more than it can chew.

But when O'Leary finally publicly commented on his unionisation about-turn, he was characteristically gung-ho: "Am I going to leave? No. I am going to stay."

And in reality, who would dare bet against him? Last week, with the threatened strike diverted, the embattled boss was free again to focus on his favourite hobby. Last Thursday, he swept the boards at Leopardstown with a stunning 1-2-3 in the Christmas Chase, leaving Willie Mullins's horses trailing in the distance.

As they start 2018 with their noses just in front, Ryanair's pilots and their new unions would do well not to forget that - one way or another - O'Leary invariably ends his day in the winner's circle.
Nearly 100,000 students at Irish universities should pay tuition fees of up to 6,000 a year - twice the current charge - according to retiring NUI Galway president Dr Jim Browne who says the idea of free fees is simply "naive".

Higher fees should be accompanied by a new scheme of loans which students would start repaying once they reach a certain income threshold after graduation. This would mean students leaving college with debts of up to 24,000.

Third-level students in Ireland pay the second highest fees in Europe, according to a recent report by the European Commission.

However, that figure is misleading because nearly half of the country's third-level students have their 3,000 fees paid for by taxpayers if they qualify on means-testing grounds under the higher education grants scheme.

Dr Browne said students should continue to receive maintenance grants but free fees were a non-starter. "There is no such thing as 'free fees'; somebody pays - either the taxpayer or the student. It's better in my view if they both contribute," he said in an interview with the Sunday Independent.

Courses like arts and business could charge 5,000 a year but more expensive courses which need equipment could charge more. He said industry should subsidise science and engineering courses to ensure that fees are kept at the 5,000 level as the economy needs more STEM graduates (science, technology, engineering and maths).

A loans scheme was proposed by the expert group on the future funding of higher education chaired by former ICTU boss Peter Cassells and is now being examined by an Oireachtas education committee whose report is due. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has set his face against students leaving college with massive debts as many do in the UK where universities charge tuition fees of 9,250 (10,400) a year.

Much depends on how Fianna Fail responds to the Cassells proposal - party sources say it is not opposed to loans but has yet to be convinced of their merit.

However, universities say there is little point in introducing a loans scheme if the existing 3,000 charge is not raised as it will do nothing to improve their "dire" financial situation.

"I think that the funding model we are proposing is reasonable. We rightly aspire to high participation rates in higher education but the taxpayer cannot shoulder the full burden," said Dr Browne.

He believes that universities are the "forgotten child" of Irish education. "We have had to make cutbacks in important areas - on small group teaching, tutorials, allocations to laboratories and libraries. We are finding it challenging to attract and retain staff. We have no discretion on salaries, which are set by the State, but all the support areas have been reduced.

"Over the years, given our ability to bring in international students, our capacity to make do, the creativity and the adaptability of our staff, we have managed. I think now we are being penalised for success."

The number of high-paying international students is growing rapidly but, Dr Browne is concerned that universities, given the financial pressures on them, may develop this 'market' at the expense of Irish students. "For years the education of doctors has depended on the income from international fees. I don't want to see a similar model developing across other disciplines. Without a decision on funding, that's a real possibility," he added.

He argues that the quality of people in this country is one of the main attractions of Ireland as a location for foreign direct investment (FDI).

"We risk FDI, and particularly high-tech FDI, when we compromise on funding and therefore the long-term quality of our graduates.

"We are at a tipping point. We need a decision on the funding of higher education. We must stop kicking the can down the road. The political system, Government and opposition, needs to address the recommendations of the Cassells report which outlined the urgent need for a fee-based system. Our young people should not be short-changed."

The funding shortfall had taken up a lot of his time and energy as president since 2008, Dr Browne said. One of his regrets was that he didn't immediately appreciate the pressure on staff during the financial crisis. "Given the reality of the recession, cuts and the impact on individual lives, I might have had a greater understanding of the pressures people were under," he added.

His other major regret is that he did not address the equality and diversity agenda sooner - it's an issue which continues to dog him as he heads into retirement. Last week a Galway city councillor, Sinn Fein's Mark Lohan, questioned the council's decision to accord the retiring president a civic reception. He said it was not appropriate "given the inequality issues which arose at the university during Dr Browne's 10-year term of office".

The issue will also be back in the High Court shortly, with four female lecturers pursuing their long battle over promotion.

In response, Dr Browne acknowledged that "as our university progressed, we did not pay sufficient attention to gender equality in senior positions. I think we've come a long way in recent years. As of this year, 40pc of our senior lecturers are women. There's work to be done, but I'm confident the university is on the right path."

His successor is Galwegian Professor Ciaran O hOgartaigh who was principal and dean of the UCD College of Business.
A protest momentum is building up in different Iranian cities as thousands took the streets for the third day in a row to vent their anger and frustration at the dire economic conditions in the country.

The demonstrations in Tehran turned violent with police firing tear gas at protesters. Some social media users are sharing videos showing security forces firing live ammunition at protesters west of the country.

The protests began on Friday against rising prices but have spiraled into a general outcry against clerical rule and government policies.

Despite warnings from authorities, the demonstrations spread further to some of the biggest cities in the country thus becoming the most serious and widespread expression of public discontent in Iran since the mass protests in 2009 that followed a disputed election.

Two demonstrators are reported dead in Dorud after sustaining gunshot wounds in a video posted on social media.
THE DIRTY WAR: Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness at an IRA funeral in 1987

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has said State papers released last week lay bare the "sordid story of murder and mayhem" which is the Provisional IRA and Sinn Fein's history.

Mr Martin said the secret Government files from 1987, which provide new details on some of the worst atrocities of The Troubles, are in stark contrast to the "modern propaganda narrative of a glorious war" promoted by Sinn Fein.

"The intensity and scale of the Provisional IRA's activities were extraordinary and there is a whole generation of people who have no real appreciation of that so the revelations in the State papers are very important," he told the Sunday Independent.

"The revelations should act as a catalyst for Sinn Fein to be far more transparent and honest about its bloody and sordid past."

This year's State papers revealed bloody infighting among Provo terrorists as accusations and rumours of double-crossing circulated in IRA strongholds in the North.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams was rumoured to have set up a notorious IRA gang and former Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness was accused of personally organising the murder of an alleged informer.

However, Martin said he was most concerned about new information relating to Libya supplying weapons and explosives to the IRA during the 1980s.

According to the papers, Adams was rumoured to have set up a notorious IRA gang who were all killed when they were ambushed by a British SAS team. Sinn Fein has dismissed the rumour, which came from respected cleric Fr Denis Faul, as "utter nonsense".

Expand Close The scene of the Loughgall attack / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The scene of the Loughgall attack

The gang were from the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade, which was hostile towards Adams's leadership. The rumour that Adams was involved in setting up the gang was picked up by Fr Faul some three months after the ambush and he passed it on to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Documents released last Friday show that Fr Faul told the department that the theory doing the rounds was that "the IRA team were set up by Gerry Adams himself".

According to Fr Faul, the rumour was that two gang members, Jim Lynagh and Patrick McKearney, "had threatened to execute Adams shortly before the Loughgall event" and that they "disliked Adams's political policy".

Former Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and IRA chief of staff Martin McGuinness personally organised the murder of alleged informer Frank Hegarty, according to the Government files.

The then Bishop of Derry, Edward Daly, told the Government that McGuinness did not normally get his "hands dirty" but he had run out of henchmen in the city.

In a letter released from the Department of Foreign Affairs, an official said Bishop Daly understood that McGuinness had "personally arranged the rendezvous" with Frank Hegarty. Hegarty had been abducted from Buncrana and shot in the head seven months earlier, having been lured home on false assurances that he would be safe.

Hegarty was accused of supplying information to British intelligence on IRA arms smuggled from Libya.
Transport Minister Shane Ross has upped the ante in his war on the judiciary by demanding a clampdown on judges showing discretion to drink drivers and the introduction of strict new sentencing guidelines for all crimes.

In an interview in today's Sunday Independent, Mr Ross said inconsistencies around sentencing on drink driving and road traffic cases "sends out a message" to motorists that they might get off with charges even if they are caught.

Drink driving offences attract mandatory bans and fines but judges have discretion to impose further penalties.

The Independent Alliance minister added that disparity between sentences handed down by judges in other more serious crimes was "unacceptable and sometimes absolutely inexplicable".

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan also admitted there was a "small minority" of cases in which there were "perceived inconsistencies" but warned that any threat to the independence of the judiciary would be "ill-advised".

"I want to acknowledge the constitutional position of separation of powers and I want to remark that judicial independence has served the State well over the past century and that should continue," he told the Sunday Independent.

Last night, President of the Association of Judges of Ireland (AJI) Justice John Edwards said it was open to the Government to provide guidance on sentencing but there was no model for implementing guidelines which was "unproblematic".

Justice Edwards added that he was "surprised" the proposal for sentencing guidelines was coming from Mr Ross as he was Minister for Transport.

However, Mr Ross said it was "very difficult" to understand the inconsistencies behind some judgments and insisted sentencing guidelines would "restore public confidence in the judiciary".

"It does appear in some cases judges are making decisions which wouldn't have been made by their colleagues in the same circumstances," he said.

The minister's intervention is likely to incense the country's judges and barristers who have been at loggerheads with Mr Ross over his campaign to overhaul the judicial appointment system.

The minister also insisted that the judges have "lost the battle" and said his Judicial Appointments Bill will become law in the New Year despite "absolutely absurd pressure" from the judiciary.

He also attacked the "dreadful" lobbying against his reforms from some barristers. Reform of the judicial appointment service was a key demand from Mr Ross during talks with Fine Gael on the programme for government.

His new proposal for sentencing guidelines follows public outrage over sentences handed down for rape, murder and child sex offences.

A recent RTE investigation also highlighted serious disparities in rulings on road traffic cases in the district court system.

It found that fewer than half of all drink-driving prosecutions initiated by gardai last year resulted in a conviction.

Mr Ross said sentencing guidelines should be stricter to restrict the amount of discretion judges can show people who come before their courts.

"Obviously if there is an inconsistency for the same offences, particularly in the area of alcohol and breathalysers, it is something we should look at very seriously.

"It sends out a message to people that they might get away with it and it means they might take chances and it is a bad message to send out."

Mr Ross said for offences such as rape and murder, there was an expectation among the public that those prosecuted should receive severe sentences and not get off on technicalities or be handed down lenient sentences.

Mr Flanagan said Irish judges had "served the country well" over the past 100 years and had acted as a "bulwark" against political and economic threats during the Troubles.

He also said he would bring legislation before the Dail next year which would provide for a 'sentencing information committee' which would provide judges with assistance.

"Fundamental to our legal system is judicial discretion which must be honoured and preserved and I will maintain that against the background of the need for a sentencing information committee which will assist judges.

"I don't envisage any tension or difficulty in the provision of information and training for judges," he said.
From a window of Ulysses Books - the antiquarian bookshop on Duke St, Dublin, near the noted watering holes of Davy Byrnes and the Bailey and adjoining the Duke where I had often met John McGahern - an image of wren boys stared out at me.

This was in a framed set of verses, with a little staff notation, set under a Jack Yeats woodcut of a snowy street scene of four youths tramping along, singing their lungs out. These particular wren boys look respectable and are a far cry from earlier times when one writer described them as "below buttermilk" - a low-life rabble that went around country town pubs in impromptu disguises, shout-singing popular ballads collecting money to "bury the wran".

Wren boy activities traditionally began on St Stephen's Day. And they never got a good press.

Patrick Kennedy, the 19th Century Co Wexford writer, in his Banks of the Boro described them as being "many degrees under Mayboys and mummers". Amhlaidh O Suilleabhain, teacher, Callan, Co Kilkenny, wrote in his diary of 1829: "The rabble of the town going from door to door with a wren in a holly bush asking for money in order to be drunk later that evening."

In Cork city, Lord Mayor Richard Dowden banned hunting of the birds in the city and environs on grounds of cruelty. This was a man ahead of his time who was no doubt helped by clergy who described wren boy activities as "an excuse for begging and its consequent debauchery". This was effective as rag balls and ribbons began to replace birds in the holly bushes.

The wren boys, however, still kept up their business. In the last century there were still groups of young adults blacking their faces to "go out with the wran", although children began to get involved, going from house to house rather than from pub to pub and making the custom more socially acceptable.

The wren boy recitations thus lived on. One would be: "The wran, the wran, the king of all birds/ On St Stephen's Day he was caught in the furze/ Although he is little his family is great/Rise up landlady and give us a trate/ Up with the kettle, down with the pan/ A penny or twopence to bury the wran."

The Carrick-on-Suir based poet Michael Coady (who has had a new collection, Given Light, just published by The Gallery Press), could remind me, I'm sure, of the following: "As I was going to Killenaule I met a wran upon the wall/ I up with me wattle and knocked him down/ And brought him into Carrick town." It is all part of folk memory.

The Clancy Brothers, also from Carrick, recorded wren boy snatches at New York's Carnegie Hall many years ago. On the Yeats ballad sheet was a reminder of those rhymes: "I have a little box under me arm/ A shilling or two would do it no harm/ A shilling or two would bring relief/ To the poor wren boys on Christmas Eve."

That's something this particular poor wren boy endorses! And I couldn't pass up that Cuala Press Ballad Sheet from 1979!

* In the year past some readers have written kind words about me in letters to the Editor. I thank them sincerely as I do my regular contacts for sending me news of interesting sightings of birds and animals
You'll know Massimo Bottura (above) as one of the subjects of the Chef's Table documentary series on Netflix, and as the chef at the three Michelin star Osteria Francescana in Modena, which currently holds the No2 slot on the World's Best list. (I was lucky enough to eat there last month, having put my name down on a cancellation list for eight different lunch and dinner sittings. I also ate twice at Franceschetta, Bottura's casual restaurant, where it is much easier to get a reservation.)

Bottura has used his celebrity to promote his work as an activist on the topics of food waste and social inclusion, and in 2015 established Refettorio Ambrosiano, a community soup kitchen, to coincide with the Milan Expo. The chef drafted in leading Italian designers and artists to work on the space, and 60 chefs from around the world to help with the cooking. The following year, he did something similar at the Rio Olympics.

Now Bottura has compiled a cookbook documenting the first six months at the Refettorio, and amongst the chefs contributing recipes are Rene Redzepi, Ana Ros, Mario Batali and our own Jess Murphy, of Kai in Galway. At Refettorio, each of the visiting chefs compiled three-course meals out of surplus ingredients supplied by supermarkets, so the book aims to inspire home cooks to transform ingredients that would otherwise be discarded from their own domestic kitchens into delicious meals.

Jess Murphy's dishes were Kosheri - a Middle Eastern dish made with lentils, caramelised onions, rice, macaroni and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and turmeric - Meatballs with Burnt Bread Dip, and Burnt Honey and Toasted Millet Ice-cream. These recipes are all included in the book, along with some nice photos of Jess and her husband, Dave, at work in the kitchen of Refettorio. Another Irish contributor to the book is Mark Moriarty, who won the San Pellegrino World's Best Young Chef competition in 2015, when Bottura was one of the judges. His recipes are for soda bread, roast vegetable gazpacho and 'Marconara', an eggless version of carbonara.

The title dish, Bread is Gold, is described as Bottura's ode to his grandmother, using simple ingredients - bread crumbs, warm milk and sugar - to create something delicious. The royalties from the book go to Food for Soul, Bottura's non-profit entity, to create and sustain community kitchens around the world.

'Bread is Gold: Extraordinary Meals with Ordinary Ingredients' by Massimo Bottura & Friends is published by Phaidon, 29.95

Bites..

RESTOCK YOU PANTRY

Expand Close The Butler's Pantry / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Butler's Pantry

The Butler's Pantry takes a positive approach to eating well, and its #FeedYourResolution initiative promotes wholesome food - such as the new Turmeric and Yellow Split Pea soup with ginger and cavolo nero - that tastes great and just happens to be good for you. thebutlerspantry.ie

BE A FOOD ON THE EDGE EARLY BIRD

Expand Close JP McMahon / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp JP McMahon

Tickets to FOTE in Galway on October 22 and 23 are available at the early bird price of 250 until January 31. Organised by JP McMahon, the event is a must for anyone working in food in Ireland.

foodontheedge.ie

THIS LITTLE PIGGY

Expand Close Piglet Wine Bar / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Piglet Wine Bar

Piglet in Temple Bar has expanded, and now has a proper kitchen and a new menu. Owner Enrico Fantasia says that the Angus Cote de Boeuf from Ron Lowle in Longford at 55 with sauteed potatoes and bearnaise is one of the best in the capital. (Well, he would, wouldn't he?) pigletwinebar.ie
Premium

Colm McCarthy Opinion Free money is not the way to head off a crisis

Managing the macro economy involves three perspectives. These are the short-term  the next six months or a year; the medium-term  the next four or five years; and the long-term  the issues that demand to be addressed decades in advance. From the perspective of Irish governments in recent times, only the short-term merits attention, with the medium-term left to the civil service and the long-term to sporadic commissions and academic worrywarts.
Premium

Radio review: The thing about the Wolfe Tones is not that their music is Irish, but that its bad

We have established that nationalism in general is eejitry taken to such extremes it becomes a form of evil. And in the case of our version of nationalism, perhaps the ultimate eejitry is that many of us would broadly agree in theory with a United Ireland if it wasnt for the nationalists themselves  they have contrived somehow to be the main obstacle to their own ambitions.
Premium

Eoghan Harris Opinion Misery media fails to give due credit to the Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheal Martin must drive his advisers mad. Unlike Leo Varadkar or Donald Trump, he never bigs up success stories such as the effect of Level 3 Plus on Covid or his visionary Shared Island project. Last Friday, Tony Holohan and RTE cheerleaders seemed to imply Level 5 was responsible for the improved Covid situation. Not so.
Premium

Gene Kerrigan Opinion Just what our politics needs: Stalin-like applause police in the Dail

In the words of Miriam Lord in the Irish Times: There was much scanning of the Dail chamber after Zelenskys speech to identify the TDs who did not clap. Well, imagine that! The arrival of the remarkable Mr Zelensky in our parliament  albeit a virtual presence  aroused celebrity excitement of the kind not seen since the last time Matt Damon went for a stroll in Dalkey, Co Dublin.
Despite the measures announced by the government to reinforce security around churches on christmas, an Egyptian Coptic church in Helwan and a Christian-owned shop near Cairo were attacked by a terrorist who killed at least 11 people on Friday.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes in a series of aggressions on Christian worship places in Egypt after two bombings on Palm Sunday in April and a blast at Cairos largest Coptic cathedral in December 2016 that killed 28 people.

The security sources said the attacker was a known terrorist and identified him as Ismail Ismail Mustafa, a 33-year-old metalworker and former resident of Helwan.

Egypts interior ministry has said it was deploying 230,000 security personnel to protect the countrys 2,626 churches.

In clips circulated on social media, the attacker is seen stopping only occasionally to fire at his pursuers in the Egyptian capital before being shot himself.

The videos, which emerged on Saturday, drew a flood of critical comments about the polices handling of the shooting and ridicule of authorities for heaping lavish praise on officers.

Christians make up about a tenth of Egypts population. They have long complained of discrimination in the Muslim-majority nation and claim authorities have often failed to protect them from sectarian attacks.
Not for nothing was Barbara Bush known as 'The Enforcer'

Barbara Bush, tougher than her husband and known to her family as 'The Enforcer', is probably the most popular of all ex-US first ladies of recent times. Jackie Kennedy is remembered across the globe for elegance and tragedy, but she was not loved. Rosalynn Carter worked hard and was a noted campaigner on issues of mental health, but she has suffered in retrospect because of her bitterness at his defeat by Ronald Reagan, who is widely perceived to have been as great a success as Carter was a failure. The brittle Nancy Reagan was an essential support to her husband, but was thought to care little for anyone else. Hillary Clinton was loathed by those who thought her a careerist. The likeable Laura Bush did a lot of useful work but lacked her mother-in-law's commanding personality. And although Michelle Obama had rock-star status, that has diminished as she and her husband embrace luxury and celebrity. Betty Ford is probably the closest rival, having been far more effective and formidable than her husband Gerald, the 38th president, and still having a posthumous reputation for her prowess as a campaigner on addiction, not least because so many of the famous troop to the Betty Ford Clinic.
Sir - Brendan O'Connor (Sunday Independent, December 24) does the State and its citizens a truly worthy service by illuminating the authentic enduring Christian magic and emotional nuances of Christmas, as it was and how it should/could still be. Highlighting, with a compelling personal candour, his raft of seminal pre-Christmas experiences at various concerts and church services (including the stunning inspiration of a funeral with its powerful community essence and generosity of spirit abounding).

Brendan's various commentaries cover a vastly varied tableau, and while they may tilt frequently towards the acerbic zone, one always detects a genuine empathetic thread with an innate caring disposition. He may of course lambaste political decisions and key players associated therein, but that is only to identify and support the suffering needy or marginalised victims affected by self-same decisions. His wit, when invoked, is supremely honed, yet never of the merely glib or flippant mode - not a cheap gibe in sight, or nothing opportunistically vacuous. More a persuasive and convincing insight, always worth considering.

His final paragraph reporting on his pre-Christmas 'epiphanies' could well be written into Bunreacht na hEireann with bountiful rewards for all: "And maybe if Christ's values were more in vogue now, more part of the system, we'd have fewer kids in hotels this Christmas, fewer people ripped off by banks, maybe old people would be less afraid in their homes and maybe all of us wouldn't have to search so hard and spend so much to try and find the meaning of Christmas."

Jim Cosgrove,

Lismore,

Co Waterford

Heightened awareness of lives

Sir - Around this time of year, we mark three dates which have much in common.

The winter solstice or shortest day of the year, falling on December 21, held significance in ancient cultures as a time of birth/rebirth. In the northern hemisphere, this marks the beginning of the lengthening of the day as the long, dark nights of winter begin to shorten. It brings a sense of hope of better things ahead.

December 25 celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, whose life forms the basis of Christian religions which make up the largest number of followers at over two billion people worldwide.

New Year's Eve into New Year's Day marks the end of one year and the start of another.

For many people, these dates coincide with time off work, time with family and friends and time for reflection. We can bring to mind people who were with us at these times in the past, people who walked the earth but whose time has ended.

We can reminisce on the year gone and also look forward to the year ahead. We can look at things in our lives that we are unhappy with and, if we are brave, we can actualise the changes we would like to make.

The aforementioned dates bring a heightened awareness of our lives whether for good or bad. Things which we may have been mildly unhappy with may suddenly cause us greater distress. However, we can use this time productively to spur us on to greater and better things.

Many, many years ago as a 16-year-old schoolboy I remember a classmate exclaim excitedly: "You learn something new every day," as if it were some great revelation he had suddenly discovered. I wonder if he still feels this way nearly 40 years later. I hope he does.

This time of year is a time of renewal.

We need to keep our minds active, open to change and continue on the path of continuous learning in all aspects of life.

Sometimes, we all need a little reminder to encourage us to make the changes which can ultimately lead us to live more fulfilling lives, no matter what the short-term pain is. We are alive, and while there is life, there is hope.

Tommy Roddy,

Galway

Gross inequality of democratic deficit

Sir - You might well wonder what Philip Ryan's article 'Neutrality is different now, says Varadkar' and Cormac Bourke's article 'Radical action needed to solve housing crisis - Archbishop' (Sunday Independent, December 24) have in common. I want to show how they are inextricably linked.

The Government has hurriedly signed a European military pact with no critical debate with its citizens. This pact is seriously flawed because the EU is merely an economic alliance run by bureaucracies, rules and regulations that are without a political pact and therefore undemocratic.

This democratic deficit in the architecture of the EU has in the last seven years allowed gross acts of inequality against small, proud nations who have borne the brunt of austerity resulting in previously unheard of levels of hardship for citizens in Ireland, Portugal and Greece.

An economic conglomerate with a military pact sounds a lethal concoction for continuing powerlessness for small nations and not one that will bring the EU any closer to the wishes of the people.

This political deficit at the heart of the EU is one of the main reasons why Ireland has our worst homelessness problem since the Great Famine. Hats off to the Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin, for calling for radical action and a new political plan for social and affordable housing to be built immediately.

I am glad to see the Catholic Church entering this debate. For too long, the institution has stood on the sidelines calling these social problems issues of charity and hand-outs.

It is not good enough to emerge from the financial crash with any percentage of our population living in cardboard boxes on the side of the street.

The direction taken by the Government is becoming quite grave - a military pact to serve whose interests? Proposed legislation for zero tolerance for taking one drink and driving, and yet a laissez-faire attitude to the homeless children.

Are we willing in 2018 to engage in the fight needed to convince the Government that this is IOU - Intolerable, Oppressive and totally Unacceptable?

Dr Geraldine Mooney Simmie,

Senior Lecturer,

Faculty of Education and Health Sciences,

University of Limerick

Keep magic of crib

Sir - Why is there no issue with the dark symbolism of Halloween these days as represented by replica human skeletons, flashing skulls, imitation headstones, witch and vampire costumes when the symbol of Christmas, the simple crib, is deemed so offensive that our delicate sensibilities must be protected from the very sight of it as seems to have been the case at Beaumont Hospital.

What are these people so afraid of? Do they think that the mere sight of a crib will cause our eyeballs to spontaneously combust in their sockets, contributing further to the scandalous build-up of trolleys in our hospital corridors?

What does this situation say about where our culture is at right now? Not in a good place, I contend because if we take Christ out of Christmas, all that will remain will be a shopping spree and a big dinner (if we're lucky), and the last bit of true magic in this clogged and crowded world will have been lost.

Michael Morgan,

Nenagh,

Co Tipperary

Phantasmagoria jobs drown reality

Sir - As Ireland's unemployment rate continues on a downward trajectory, one could be forgiven for thinking that the jobs market is offering meaningful and fulfilling roles, providing financial and emotional ballast to a person's well-being. Not so.

Welcome to the Ireland's jobs phantasmagoria where fantasy drowns reality in a vat of vacuous job titles like 'Customer Success Guru', or 'People Manager', with a wage unlikely to give your bank account financial indigestion.

If you wish to apply for these positions with their fantastic interfacing duties, employers seek flexibility, doublespeak for 'You will be employed to do one role but will not always end up doing this role but another equally fantastic role' or 'You have to be available when we want you and however long we want, but you still are a valuable full-time member of our team'.

Employers are applying a Tinder process to interview seekers. Offer an interview to those who meet one or all of these criteria - an age profile that laps upon the shores of 20s, born within an Eastern European postal district or can be employed using the Community Employment Scheme, state-sponsored farming of people to positions that offer a short-term future and all the long-term employment prospects of one-handed juggler.

Looking for employment in Ireland is soul-destroying, devoid of fairness. No matter how hard you try, your effort is wasted.

The era of employers offering genuine sustainable jobs with a defined role and a working week, which allow you to commit long-term to your employer's business, appear to be over.

Ireland may achieve technical full employment by the end of 2018, but behind the number lies a constituency of employment seekers of all ages, skill sets and nationalities that are being rejected by employers motivated by the sheen of a balance sheet rather than the application of human capital.

John Tierney,

Fews, Kilmacthomas,

Co Waterford

Economists didn't learn from crash

Sir - It is almost 10 years since the economic crash and we appear to have learned nothing.

We are reaching the crest of another boom which, when it collapses, will have far greater consequences than that of 2008.

Economists have fed us a menu of rubbish regarding what caused the catastrophe a decade ago and how we should react to avoid such a situation in the future. They fail to appreciate that economic conditions have been utterly transformed and the ideology of growth and work sufficiency is no longer adequate to manage the new situation.

Economics are basically about production and distribution of the goods and services required and desired by the human race.

Economic history is fraught with the inability to ever produce enough or transport it to where it was most needed or even to know where the need was. Slightly more than 200 years of industrial revolution enhanced economic conditions greatly as indicated by an eight-fold increase in human population and great improvements to life expectancy and living conditions.

Present economic ideology evolved to manage constantly improving, expanding, economic activity which because of its dependence on labour and lines of marketing and distribution, sustained adequate employment which facilitates prosperous community living and contentment.

The introduction of computerisation to what had been a mechanical and electrical industrial revolution caused a surge of achievement which has rendered economic ideology inadequate to manage the most successful economic period ever.

Modern technology can, unless restrained, grossly overproduce causing enormous problems of market oversupply and obscene waste. The ability to produce like never before is achieved by digital automation which eliminates the need for human labour on an unprecedented scale.

Economists have little knowledge or understanding of that technology when they glibly proclaim that technology produces as many or even more jobs than it eliminates.

The scramble for jobs is just beginning. Over the next decade, economies will try to sustain home employment regardless of what impact that has elsewhere.

We must adapt to technological success. Business confidence must be restored by restraint of production, growth economics must give way to sufficiency and adequate employment must be ensured by generating more jobs from less work.

Padraic Neary,

Tubbercurry

An act of tolerance or a denial of life?

Sir - Gene Kerrigan (Soapbox, Sunday Independent, December 24) refers to the insertion of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, firstly as "never a religious position but an explicitly political stroke" but further in his article states that the amendment is "a constitutional directive based as a religious edict, contrived as a political stroke". Now I wonder which he is claiming it is - a religious edict or a political stroke.

I suppose it is good that he is recognising that the right to life is a religious position but, while I am very proud of my Catholic faith and the fact that the Church has consistently upheld that right, despite all the pressure to do otherwise, I contend that many who have no religion in no way support abortion, the deliberate killing of the baby. It may be of interest for Gene Kerrigan to know that despite his claiming that "there wasn't a snowball's chance that would change" (abortion being illegal here), it was blindingly obvious that it would because of the Roe v Wade case in the US by which abortion was legalised there through the court.

A most interesting fact is that there actually was no abortion involved in the case and one of those named was not aware of the case, although she later became involved in promoting abortion before turning aside from that position and promoting pro-life.

Mr Kerrigan makes the very interesting comment that "the Catholic mainstream, and its sense of tolerance, has insisted on its right to trust its own sense of right and wrong, rather than have its beliefs handed down wholesale".

Now, in many cases, people deciding for themselves what is right and what is wrong may not have very serious consequences, but in the case of abortion we are talking of the deliberate taking of the life of a baby in the womb. How can that be referred to as an act of tolerance when it involves denial of the most basic right of all, the right to life? Mr Kerrigan also refers to "the cruelty in the treatment of women whose babies will never be born to live" without any reference to the cruelty involved in abortion, never mind the fact that no one can with certainty confirm when anyone will die. What about wrong diagnoses and the fact that many babies live much longer than predicted.

"Depriving every woman in the country of the right to decide that very matter herself (abortion)" takes no account of the fact that most abortions are carried out on baby girls. So much for showing concern for the rights of women.

Finally, Mr Kerrigan, despite all the evidence to the contrary, once again claims that the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar was caused because she was refused an abortion. He can get a detailed account of this misconception from his colleague Eilis O'Hanlon's article (Sunday Independent, October 22) and Dr Alistair McFarlane's letter (Sunday Independent, November 5) confirming the positive effects the Eighth Amendment has had and that, if Ms Halappanavar had had an abortion, the infection would have still been present.

I wonder how many times it has to be pointed out that three independent inquests confirmed that she died from sepsis and dreadful medical neglect, before it will be accepted as such and factually reported on.

Women surely deserve better than being told that the answer to a crisis pregnancy is the killing of their babies. Compassion and proper respect for all life, no matter how limited or short, demands this.

Heart-warming story of welcome

Sir - Brendan O'Connor's article (Sunday Independent, December 24) on how his child was treated "like the most honoured guest" warmed the heart of this old man at a time when there are moves afoot to legalise the killing of the little prisoners in the womb, starting with the weakest and working out to those under 91 days. What is the difference between being 91 days old and 90 days - life and death!

Anselm Lovett, Snr,

Cavan
The first effects of Storm Dylan are being felt in Ireland, with Met Eireann's latest update saying that winds may reach speeds of 130kmh during the storm.

Met Eireann issued a status orange wind warning for Connacht, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Longford, Louth, Westmeath and Meath.

It was issued on Friday, and will remain in place until 12am on Sunday.

At 10pm on Saturday night the first high winds were detected, with Met Eireann saying that gusts in Valentia had been measured at 87kmh.

By 11pm gusts of 96kmh were recorded in Mace Head in Galway.

In their most recent message, Met Eireann sadvised: "Southeast winds will freshen during the early part of the night, then veer southwest and become strong for the night as Storm Dylan passes close to the northwest coast. The winds will be storm force at the coast, with gusts of up to 125 km/h."

Storm Dylan will also bring wind speeds of between 60kmh and 80kmh.

Met Eireann meteorologist John Eagleton told the Irish Independent that the storm would be mostly felt in Connacht and Ulster.

"The day will be cold and bright, but [tonight] will see the storm hit Donegal bay and move to the Ulster coast.

"It will be windy everywhere, it's not a 'premiership' storm, but definitely fits the criteria of an orange warning.

"Dublin will be windy but won't be as bad as Ulster and Connacht," he said.

A status yellow wind warning was also issued yesterday for Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly and Munster. It will remain in place until 12am on Sunday as south-west winds from Storm Dylan will reach speeds of 50kmh to 64kmh, and gusts of 100kmh.

By then the worst of the storm will be over.

However, according to Mr Eagleton, the weather will remain unsettled.

"New Year's Eve shouldn't be too bad," he said. "There will be a few showers in western counties, but most of the country will be dry and clear. However, it is difficult to give an accurate prediction because the weather will remain unsettled."

New Year's Day will bring a mix of sunshine and showers, with highest temperatures ranging from 5C to 8C, he added.

Meanwhile, the Road Safety Authority is asking road users to exercise caution while using the roads tonight and early tomorrow morning.

It is urging road users, when travelling in strong winds, to beware of objects being blown out onto the road. It said that drivers should allow extra space between themselves and vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and motorcyclists.

It is also urging drivers to use dipped headlights at all times.

ESB Networks have also advised that they have crews making preparations for the arrival of Storm Dylan and that if any customers do lose power to check for updates on www.esbpowercheck.ie or on the PowerCheck App for iPhone and Android devices.
The transfers in October and November indicate that smuggling from Russia to North Korea has evolved to loading cargoes at sea since it was reported in September that North Korean ships were sailing directly from Russia to their homeland.

Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, according to two senior Western European security sources, providing an economic lifeline to the secretive Communist state.

The sales of oil or oil products from Russia, the world's second biggest oil exporter and a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, breach UN sanctions, the security sources said.

The transfers in October and November indicate that smuggling from Russia to North Korea has evolved to loading cargoes at sea since it was reported in September that North Korean ships were sailing directly from Russia to their homeland.

"The Russian vessels made transfers at sea to the North Koreans," the first security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. The source said the transfers of oil or oil products took place on several occasions and were a breach of sanctions.

A second source, who independently confirmed the existence of the Russian ship-to-ship fuel trade with North Korea, said there was no evidence of Russian state involvement in the latest transfers.

"There is no evidence that this is backed by the Russian state but these Russian vessels are giving a lifeline to the North Koreans," the second European security source said.

In comments carried by Russia's RIA Novosti state news agency yesterday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the country was observing sanctions against North Korea.

The two security sources cited naval intelligence and satellite imagery of the vessels operating out of Russian Far Eastern ports on the Pacific, but declined to disclose further details, saying it was classified. The Russian Customs Service declined to comment when asked if Russian ships had supplied fuel to North Korean vessels. The owner of one ship accused of smuggling oil denied any such activity.

The latest report came as China, responding last Friday to criticism from the US, denied it had illicitly shipped oil products to North Korea.

North Korea relies on imported fuel to keep its struggling economy functioning. It also requires oil for its missile and nuclear programme that the US says threatens the peace in Asia.

Reuters
Russian presence in Syria is a showcase of Russias military might said President Vladimir Putin in an address to Russian troops.

Speaking at a Kremlin awards ceremony for troops who fought in Syria, Putin said Russia has made the main, decisive contribution to the destruction of a criminal group that cast a challenge to the entire civilization.

He added that IS was seeking to turn Syria into a base for global aggression and threaten Russia.

More than 48,000 Russian troops who took part in the Syria campaign were fighting for their homeland, for a just and fair cause, said Putin.

The Syrian operation marked the combat debut of an array of new weapons for Russia, including cruise missiles launched from warships, submarines and strategic bombers. The new missiles gave the Russian military a long-sought, long-range precision cruise capability that only the U.S. had before.

Putin also signed a law ratifying an agreement enabling Russia to expand operations at its naval facility in the Syrian port of Tartus.

It could help cement what Putin has said would be a permanent Russian presence at the Tartus facility and the Hmeimim air base, key platforms for Russias campaign backing the Syrian government in the nearly seven-year war in the Middle Eastern country.

The agreement, signed in Damascus in January 2017, allows the Russian Navy to expand the technical support and logistics facility at Tartus, which is Moscows only naval foothold in the Mediterranean.

Moscow helped Assad avoid possible defeat by starting a campaign of air strikes in September 2015, in many cases using Hmeimim as a base. It has also launched strikes from warships in the Mediterranean.
A policeman wears his helmet as secures the site of Mar Mina church, in Helwan, Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, where several people have been killed in a shootout outside the church. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

A gunman who shot dead at least nine people outside a Coptic Christian church in Cairo calmly walked along the street unchallenged for nearly 10 minutes, video shows.

In clips circulated on social media, the attacker is seen stopping occasionally to fire at his pursuers before being shot himself. The sight of the Isis gunman displaying an assassin's calm contrasted with the congratulatory tone of pro-government media, whose coverage focused on how police "successfully" prevented him from breaking into the church on Friday and detonating an explosive device.
Thousands of migrants and refugees attempt the perilous crossing from Africa in the hopes of reaching Europe each year

Spain's maritime rescue service said it has saved 177 migrants from six boats attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

The largest of the boats was carrying 55 migrants when it was spotted by a European border control plane, the service said.

Thousands of migrants and refugees attempt the perilous crossing from Africa in the hopes of reaching European shores each year.

They are often packed by human traffickers into small boats unfit for the open sea.

AP
The Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in Nangarhar and routinely target security forces and local officials

A bombing has targeted the funeral of a district chief in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people, officials said.

A rickshaw rigged with explosives went off among people gathered to mourn the official in Jalalabad, the provincial capital of Nangarhar province.

Noor Ahmad Habibi, deputy spokesman for the governor, said around 13 other people were wounded.

He said initial reports were that a suicide bomber was behind the attack, but that authorities now believe it was a remotely detonated explosion.

The Taliban has denied any involvement. An Islamic State affiliate is active in Nangarhar province and has targeted officials and security forces in the past.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a bomb exploded in a crowded neighbourhood in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif late on Saturday, wounding 12 people, according to General Abdul Raziq Qaderi, the deputy provincial police chief.

No one claimed the attack, which took place in a relatively secure part of the country.

AP
There will be tight security in New York's Times Square (Kathy Willens/AP)

Crowds planning to see in the new year in New York's Times Square are being urged to wrap up warm for what could be one of the coldest New Year's Eve ball drops on record.

Brutal weather has iced plans for scores of events in America's north east from New Year's Eve through to New Year's Day, but not in New York City, where people will start gathering in Times Square up to nine hours before the famous ball drop.

"Hundreds of thousands have withstood very cold weather over the years for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we expect this year to be no different," said Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, which puts on the event.

The coldest New Year's Eve in Times Square came in 1917, when it was 1F (minus 17C) at midnight.

This year, the forecast is for 11F (minus 11C) with a wind chill around zero, which would tie for second with 1962.

City and state health officials are advising people to cover all exposed skin, and wear a hat, scarf and gloves.

Drinking alcohol is discouraged because it causes the body to lose heat faster.

Extra New York Fire Department personnel are going to be on hand to provide medical support and a National Weather Service meteorologist will be on site with the city's emergency management officials to monitor weather conditions.

In other areas gripped by the cold, some events are being cancelled or reconsidered.

The annual Lobster Dip at Old Orchard Beach in Maine has been rescheduled for the first time in 30 years.

Organisers of the Penguin Plunge in Narragansett, Rhode Island, said it is still on for New Year's Day but advised the thousands of expected participants to "use their good judgment" and avoid taking the plunge if they have a medical condition or have been ill.

In Philadelphia, officials are taking a wait-and-see approach to whether they should hold the annual New Year's Day Mummers Parade, which features thousands of performers in colourful costumes adorned with sequins and feathers strutting through the streets.

The village of Orchard Park near Buffalo, New York, has cancelled its New Year's Eve event because subzero temperatures have been forecast.

"With frigid weather, the chance of a water line break is higher, and I'd rather have my public works crew fixing it than hoisting a ball up to drop," said mayor Jo Ann Litwin Clinton.

At Long Lake in the heart of New York state's Adirondack Park, intrepid souls in swimsuits or funny costumes will jump into frigid water through a hole cut by the fire department for the fifth annual Polar Plunge, a fundraiser for High Peaks Hospice.

With temperatures expected to top out at around 13F (minus 10C), the rescue squad will be checking participants' blood pressure and buses will provide warm shelter, said Alexandra Roalsvig, the town's director of recreation and tourism.

"People get excited about the cold here; we grew up with it," Ms Roalsvig said.

"We're counting on a good cold winter and snow because we're so reliant on snowmobiling for the winter economy."

AP
Sydney, Dec 31 (IBNS): Amid tight security, people cherished every moment of the last few hours of the passing year as they soaked themselves in dance and merrymaking across the globe to welcome 2018 with much fun and merriment on Sunday.

Australia rang in the New Year with the spectacular display of rainbow-coloured fireworks cascading from Sydney Harbour Bridge as thousands of revelers witnessed the moment to give a fresh start to the new year.

Former Australian spinner Shane Warne wished: "Happy new year from amazing Melbourne !!! Im so grateful for my 3 wonderful children, amazing family & awesome friends ! #blessed ."

Similar wishes flooded the internet as people across the globe shared their messages with friends and family, nearly choking the world of net.

People in New Zealand too celebrated New Year with equal fun and fancy.

In India, people across metros and cities joined their loved ones in soaking themselves in the moment of merrymaking.

The epicentre of celebration in Kolkata was Park Street where large number of party goers hopped to restaurants and pubs to make the last night a memorable affair.

The beautifully lighted streets and decor matched to the moment.

Security was tight in national capital New Delhi and Mumbai for New Year celebrations.

Image: Santabanta.com
Srinagar, Dec 31 (IBNS): A CRPF trooper died in the ongoing gunfight at Lethpora area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday.

Sources have identified the slain trooper as Saifuddin from Nowgam Srinagar.

Pertinently a couple of militants managed to enter into the CRPF camp at around 2 AM on Sunday.

The militants resorted to indiscriminate firing. At least four CRPF personnel suffered injuries in the initial assault.

An official said that they believe two militants are present in the camp.

"The heavily armed militants probably part of Fidayeen squad of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit sneaked into the camp and are resorting to heavy firing," said the official.

"They threw grenades and opened fire before they breached perimeter of 185 battalion of the CRPF," he added.

A gun battle between them was underway when last reports came in.

Media reports said that militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Srinagar, Dec 31 (IBNS) Four paramilitary CRPF personnel were killed, and several others were injured in an attack by Jaish-e-Muhammad fidayeens at a training centre at Letpora area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district during pre-dawn hours on Sunday.

Spokesman of the CRPF Rajesh Yadhav said that the operation is still underway. So far four our personnel have lost their lives and one of them died due to heart attack.

Official sources identified the slain trooper who died due to heart attack as Inspector Radio Operator Kuldeep Roy of 185 Hamachal Pradesh.

The other deceased have been identified as Sharifdin Ganie of 185 bn R/o Chadoora, Budgam, Head Constable Tufail Ahmad of 185 bn and Constable Rajender Nain r/o Rajasthan of 130 bn CRPF.

Sources said two attackers of JeM were reportedly killed and the searches are on to recover their bodies.

(Reporting by Saleem Qadri)
Chennai, Dec 31 (IBNS): Promising to bring a change, southern superstar and icon Rajinikanth on Sunday announced he will enter politics and float his own political party.

Rajinikanth's announcement ended all speculations in the hearts of millions of his fans that whether the superstar will ever join politics.

Amid cheering crowd, Rajinikanth said: "I will do my duty."

Rajinikanth promised his fans that he will strive to bring changes in the system and said: "We will change the system."

Speaking on the political situation in the state since the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalaithaa, Rajinikanth said: "If I don't make this decision now... the guilt will haunt me."

Rajinikanth said he was not entering politics to seek power and announced his party will contest in 234 constituencies in the coming Assembly elections in 2021.

The actor was quoted as saying: "I will start a political party before State Assembly Elections. Till then, I request fans not to speak about politics, speak ill of any political party."

Meanwhile, state BJP president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan welcomed Rajinikanth's decision to enter politics as she tweeted: "Welcome actor Rajinikanths political entry with motto of corruption free good governance which is the sole aim of BJP."

Away from politics, celebrities from the world of films also welcomed the superstar's announcement and decision to join politics.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted: "My dear friend , my colleague and a humble considerate human, RAJNIKANTH, announces his decision to enter politics .. my best wishes to him for his success !!."

Thank you very much for your kind wishes respected amithji YY https://t.co/9qcSXkE9QI  Rajinikanth (@superstarrajini) December 31, 2017

Another southern superstar Kamal Haasan also congratulated him on taking the decision.

Image: Internet Wallpaper


Kabul, Dec 31 (IBNS): At least 18 people were killed as a suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral ceremony in the capital of eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on Sunday, triggering panic in the area, media reports said.

According to reports, the blast left 13 others injured.

The blast hit the funeral ceremony for a former district chief of the Haskma Mena district, Wali Gul,in Jalalabad, local media reports said.

Nangarhar Governors spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told Pajhwok Afghan News the suicide bombing took place south of Jalalabad City at the Muqam Khan cemetery.

He told the news agency that the blast occurred when many people were attending the Nimaz Janaza of Gul Wali.

No group has claimed responsibility of the attack so far.
For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page
Another year bites the dust and following the tradition of bidding a happy goodbye to the passing year, Bollywood Celebrities have again chosen the perfect way! While some are holidaying with their besties and close ones at distant places, for others, it's a beach-vacay time.

Sanjay Dutt, who is shooting in Kyrgyzstan for his new film Torbaaz will be spending his new year in Dubai with his family. Shilpa Shetty too is holidaying in Dubai with husband Raj Kundra and son Viaan, while Madhuri Dixit is enjoying her time with husband Sriram Nene in Japan. Here are our favorite clicks of these stars.

The journey continues in Japan... A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on Dec 27, 2017 at 4:49pm PST

On the other hand, Jacqueline Fernandez is in Bali with her family to ring in the New Year. Alia Bhatt too is holidaying in Bali with her best friends. Reports claim that Actor Disha Patani is with her rumored boyfriend Tiger Shroff at an undisclosed location. Their pictures will make you want to travel real bad.

Miss you Warren  A post shared by Jacqueline Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) on Dec 28, 2017 at 6:46pm PST

Vitamin Sea  A post shared by Jacqueline Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) on Dec 29, 2017 at 6:55am PST

  A post shared by Alia  (@aliaabhatt) on Dec 29, 2017 at 2:53am PST

high rated gabriellas A post shared by Alia  (@aliaabhatt) on Dec 29, 2017 at 9:15am PST

 A post shared by disha patani (paatni) (@dishapatani) on Dec 29, 2017 at 12:12am PST

 A post shared by disha patani (paatni) (@dishapatani) on Dec 29, 2017 at 10:31pm PST

Our Global Desi Girl PC is in London with her family and close friends and the pictures define perfection in every sense of the word.
We all have celebrity crushes, dont we? We all are crazy for some or the other actor that we would do whatever it takes to meet him/her in person.

But what if we tell you that your favourite celebrity might just pay a surprise visit to your home, meet your family and spend some time together? Sounds like a dream, right?

wallpapersset.in

Well, this dream just came true for a Tamil family who resides in America when Rajinikanth, the superstar, himself decided to surprise his fans by paying a visit at their home. They were dumbstruck and excited at the same time.

Take a look:

Did you notice that the Thalaivar removed his shoes before entering their home? Fans have labelled him father of surprises after this video went viral.

That is indeed one lucky family!
In another appalling case of medical negligence, a woman in Madhya Pradesh delivered a baby in the fields after doctors refused to admit her saying the unborn baby had died in the womb.

The medical gaffe surfaced in Dindori district where 24-year-old Samarwati Devi delivered a healthy baby in the fields after doctors refused to admit her. Samarwati was taken to local district hospital on Monday at 3 am after she complained of pain citing an early labour. But after checking, the doctor declared that due to stress baby has died in the womb itself. Samarwati claimed after refusing to admit her, the nurses slapped her and forced her to leave the hospital early morning.

She said, "I went to the hospital and told them I was pain. They didnt even look at me properly before they told me my child was dead inside of me. I started screaming and crying loudly, fearing their words, but the nurses slapped me and asked me to leave the hospital. I was not even admitted. They forced me to leave the hospital and I had no other option than to go."

When Samarwati walked back towards home with her relatives, she went to labour at 5 am. She bore excessive pain and delivered a healthy baby in open fields with the help of local women who rushed to help after hearing her screams. The women used their sarees to make a temporary tent around her while she was delivering the child, for her privacy.

Locals used their knives to cut the umbilical cord, then took Samarwati and child to the same hospital which initially refused admission for a check-up.

Condemning the incident Chief Medical Officer of the government hospital, RK Mehra, said: "The incident is totally condemnable. I am taking statements off of all the staff members present on that night duty. We are probing the matter and strict action will be taken against whoever is found guilty. We will suspend the person in charge that night if needed. We do not condone this kind of treatment towards any member of the public in need." Samarwati and her son, who is yet to be named, are now staying with relatives and enjoying spending time with each other while recovering from the traumatic labour.
Brahma Kamal, the state flower of Uttarakhand, is revered in religious purposes and known for its impressive medicinal properties. However, over-harvesting and drastic climate change have led this exotic plant to the brink of extinction.

The plant, which grows above an altitude of 14,000 feet, is under imminent threat posed by the two factors. The species  its botanical name is Saussurea Obvallata  is found only in the Himalayas. The species is declining around the shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and Askot Wildlife Sanctuary are the only areas where the species is protected.

The flower is extensively used in all the four shrines and other temples in higher altitudes as offerings. While rampant harvesting continues, nobody pays heed to its conservation and protection. If this continues, the species will soon disappear.

According to the Indian Academy of Sciences, Brahma Kamal clears recurrent urinary tract infections, and can be used as an excellent medicine for sexually transmitted diseases. It is also an excellent medicine in treating fever. Not just this, the flowers, rhizomes, and leaves are used for the treatment of bone ache, intestinal ailments, cough, and cold. The plant is considered a herb in Tibetan and Chinese medicine as well.

Towards extinction

The plant is now endangered because locals are cutting it down for trade. The plant fetches a high price in the black market which trades in herbs. Local villagers are now climbing to higher altitudes in search of the flower, which was earlier beyond the reach, says Rajnish Chauhan, who has been working as a guide in the Valley of Flowers for the last 15 years.

A recent survey conducted by scientists at Wildlife Institute of India (WII) found diminishing numbers of the plant die to reckless exploitation and climate change. According to the report, there has been a staggering 70% decline in the numbers of Brahma Kamal flower species to previous years. The survey was conducted in the Panch Kedar region of Uttarakhand and the report was published in the book Nature Guide.

Starting a species recovery programme is the need of the hour to save the plant from extinction. Experts suggest farming of Brahma Kamal at naturally-confined higher altitudes in Uttarakhand may help save the species.

Hindu epics call Brahma Kamal The Life-Giving Lotus.

The traces of popularity of the Brahma Kamal can be dated back to the time of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The herb also finds a mention in the story of creation of Lord Ganesha. On Parvatis request, Lord Brahma created the Brahma Kamal. Using the flower, Lord Shiva placed the head of an elephant to the body of Ganesha. After attaching the head to the body, Ganesha was bathed with water sprinkled from a Brahma Kamal. Therefore, the lotus is given the status of a life-storing plant by gods.

In Ramayana, when the Sanjeevani herb was administered to Lakshmana, he was miraculously brought back to life. In celebration, Lord Brahma showered flowers from heaven, which fell to the Earth and took roots in the Valley of Flowers. Hence the name  Brahma Kamal.

Catching the flower in bloom is a rare sight. Brahma Kamal blooms in the late evening and stays for only a couple of hours. The flower remains intact throughout its life cycle. It blooms only one night in a year, exposing its star-like petals. The one who sees the blooming flower, is believed to be blessed by Lord Brahma, and will have prosperity and wealth.
Information entered into Glassdoor.com is crowdsourced and unverified. While some of the salary information posted on the website may be accurate, some of it is not. Career seekers looking for specific salary information should browse several websites such as Payscale.com and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website to get as accurate a salary picture as possible.

Key Takeaways Glassdoor salary information is self-reported and not verified, therefore some salaries are likely not correct.

The better sources are the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Payscale.com.

Salary details on Glassdoor are more likely to be accurate for larger companies with many reviews versus smaller companies.

Crowdsourced Career Site

Glassdoor, a tech company founded by Robert Hohman, Rich Barton, and Tim Besse and headquartered in Mill Valley, Calif., burst on the scene in 2007 as a one-stop-shop for people looking to make career decisions. At the time, the website was seen as innovative because it included information about companies that career seekers were looking for but could not find on other websites.

In particular, Glassdoor sought feedback from insiderscompany employeesabout benefits, interview practices, and leadership. Users even uploaded snapshots of their workplace interiors.

Salary is often the most guarded piece of information held by companies, but Glassdoor lifted the veil of secrecy by making it possible for users to report the amounts of money they earned. The most important reason users post information considered private, such as their salaries, is because Glassdoor allows them to do so anonymously.

Glassdoor also offers services to employers seeking to use the brand approach to attract talent. The company provides tools for employers to post open positions and a platform on which to market their brands. This aspect of Glassdoors business has drawn criticism about the accuracy of surveys, salary information and the rose-colored picture some of the sites users paint about their employers. Glassdoors toughest critics assert that some employers may have influence over the information that users post about them.

Accuracy Questions

While some Glassdoor users share accurate information about their salaries, some users do not. Experts note that the website attracts employees who may be dissatisfied with their jobs, who use the website as a place to rant or vent grievances. Theres also no way to confirm which data is current and whether a company has increased or decreased a salary for a position since the time the user made the entry.

Consulting Additional Sources

Career seekers should not dismiss Glassdoor salary information because some of it is accurate; it is just not easy to know how much of it is accurate. Salary averages for positions at large corporations on the website are more likely to be accurate than averages posted for positions at small companies.

Generally, the larger the data sample, the more accurate the information. Some classified ads and job postings on company websites include salary, and this information can be compared to information on Glassdoor to confirm whether Glassdoors salary information is accurate.

Other Options

Payscale.com may be a better option for salary data. The company is a compensation software company that helps businesses get up-to-date and accurate info on average salaries and compensation. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics offers salary data based on job, industry, and location, among other areas.
Sunday, Dec 31st, 2017 (10:01 am) - Score 2,061

The Connecting Shropshire project has confirmed that fixed wireless broadband ISP Airband have deployed their first live transmitter site in the UK county, which forms part of a 11.2 million contract that will extend superfast broadband (30Mbps+) to 14,000+ extra local premises by 2020.

The contract, which was first signed in July 2017 (here) and will take place alongside the projects existing deployments of FTTC/P technology with Openreach (BT), aims to ensure that 98% of premises (homes and businesses) in Shropshire can access a 30Mbps+ capable superfast broadband service by the middle of 2020.

As part of that deal the first transmitter has now gone live, which is serving 300+ premises around parts of the Sheriffhales and Shifnal parishes, as well as other communities further east, such as Tong. After that a small receiver is attached to individual properties, which enables them to connect to the Line-of-Sight (LOS) network.

Dave Lloyd, Project Manager at Airband, said: We are really excited to be announcing the first live site for this important community-based project  it highlights the progress were making to help connect rural residents across Shropshire. Were planning to get several more sites live in the next few weeks and plan to keep up the pace for the duration of the project.

Nic Laurens, Shropshire Councils Cabinet Member for Broadband, said: This is a great, positive step forward for the work Shropshire Council is doing to enhance the quality of life for residents across the county. Superfast broadband enables people living, working and visiting Shropshire to benefit from all that a fast, reliable broadband connection can offer, ultimately boosting the prosperity of the economy.

Airbands contract is funded by 1.4m from the ISP, 2.24m from Shropshire Council, 5.29m from the Governments Broadband Delivery UK programme and 2.27m from the Marches LEP. The build for this has also been split into phases, with phase 1 originally being due for completion at the end of winter 2017.

Customers typically pay from 10 per month for a basic 30Mbps (2Mbps upload) service with a 10GB usage allowance, 12 month contract and 99 one-off installation fee. Meanwhile the top package costs 42 for an unlimited 30Mbps (4Mbps upload) connection. Credits to Patrick for pointing us towards the update.
Acronis president John Zanni notes the only constant in the world is change, which is especially so in the world of tech. So what changes can be expected in 2018?

One of the companies on the constant cusp of change is Acronis, forever needing ever larger amounts of storage and data, forever needing to deal with changes in operating systems, and forever needing to cope with changes such as ransomware, security and plenty more.

So, what does Zanni think about the current wave of innovative technologies that will continue to gain momentum and further disrupt traditional industries throughout 2018?

Well, he says that "personal data will become even more valuable and new regulations will try to protect that information", and that "ransomware attacks will continue to become even more sophisticated, forcing data protection vendors to dig deep and invest accordingly to create innovative anti-ransomware solutions that are easy and affordable for anybody with a computer".

Zanni says that GDPR "is going to send shockwaves around the world".

It is "designed to protect the privacy of EU citizens", but it "will affect all companies doing business in Europe, regardless of where their headquarters are located".

He tells us that "the GDPR will likely result in some confusion, and will certainly create additional burdens for international companies that already have to comply with domestic data privacy laws. These companies will be looking for a balance to ensure both sets of regulations are satisfied".

Naturally, that's not all. We're told that "the push for citizen privacy is not isolated in Europe. China, Turkey, Russia, and several other countries have already passed similar laws, while additional countries are expected to follow suite, especially in fast-growing markets such as the Asia Pacific".

And what if companies fail to comply with GDPR?

Watch out! It could lead to "fines of up to 20 million (US$23.5 million) or 4% of the companys annual revenue, whichever is greater. If the size of fines is any indication of whats to come, the watchdogs will be paying close attention to large corporations. We expect to see at least one corporation fined for a GDPR violation before the end of 2018".

Zanni also predicts that, because the GDPR includes compulsory reporting of data breaches, "well find out that the problem of ransomware is actually much worse than previously thought. Thats because mandatory reporting will expose thousands (or even millions) of cyber-attacks that, until now, have gone unreported because businesses were too ashamed to admit the loss of customers data".

Then comes one of the world's most feared types of malware, which Acronis is practically unique in dealing with to the absolute winning benefit of its customers.

Yes  you guessed it  we're talking about ransomware.

Of course, as Zanni reminds us, ransomware is not new. However, "every new attack brings a fresh reminder of how unprepared businesses are to face such attacks. A lot has been said in the last 12 months about the importance of system patches and security updates, but we are certain that many companies remain unprepared to face attacks in 2018".

In 2018, "we expect new types of ransomware to mount even larger attacks than this years historic WannaCry and NotPetya outbreaks. Its very likely that 2018 will also see a strain of ransomware used as a cyber weapon, targeting specific organisations with the sole purpose of destroying their data".

And what of IoT devices and ransomware?

Naturally, they will "also become new targets for ransomware".

Remember the Y2K bug and the fear that we wouldnt be able to use our VCRs and washing machines in the year 2000? The next few years could see those fears become reality, decades after Y2K ceased being relevant.

Zanni gives us an example: "Earlier this year, hackers used ransomware to disable the door locks on guest rooms in a hotel in Austria. As IoT devices are increasingly targeted, such instances are only going to happen more and more.

"In 2018, ransomware criminals will become a lot more creative. Theyll reuse and extend the old ransomware code, as they did this year, and develop new methods to highjack data. Attacks against back-up files, cloud workloads, social network accounts, and even IoT devices will increase.

"In addition, new types of ransomware will quietly infect user devices and avoid detection by laying dormant for a period of time. Instead of hitting multiple files simultaneously, it will use slow encryption, scrambling small parts of important files, only to reveal itself at the most inconvenient time. Other strains will be smart enough to monitor system processes in order to understand how the data is protected, and use that information to strike only after the users backup is disabled.

"We also expect there to be targeted ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure such as power stations and airports. Ransomware will be converted into a digital weapon that can only be stopped with the help of artificial intelligence-driven solutions."

So, what of IoT in general?

Well, as Zanni reminds us, "IoT devices have become an integral part of our daily lives. Self-driving cars, smart appliances, smart home devices, are all designed to make our lives simpler, and more efficient."

"Undoubtedly," says Zanni, "the growth of IoT devices will continue well beyond 2018.

"During the coming year, the IoT industry will focus on developing specialised platforms and commercialising IoT data. IoT platforms will take advantage of global cloud providers such as AWS or Microsoft for data storage, extending their global reach. Enterprises will use IoT to roll out voice-activated services and marketers will use the collected data to get closer to their customers.

"In the midst of this, data protection and security will remain a major concern. The DDoS attack launched from webcams last year showed that the majority of IoT devices are largely unprotected and exposed to hacking.

"In 2018 there will also be a noticeable shift toward edge computing, i.e. pushing majority of IoT processing power back to the device level. As IoT devices look for greater speed and autonomy, sending data to and from the cloud in real time will become unfeasible. A self-driving car or drone, for example, will need to make an instant decision without relying on its ability to communicate with the cloud.

"As the cloud becomes auxiliary to the new distributed IoT architecture, the value of data residing at the edge will also continue to increase. That will create a new need for protecting edge devices, since the data on an edge device will need to be backed up and protected from malicious attacks.

"Edge computing will also accelerate the adoption of blockchain technologies as the default method of ensuring the security and authenticity of data communication. Multiple companies will be competing for a spot in this technology space."

Then we get to blockchain, the huge trend of 2017, the past few years and of course, the future!

Zanni notes that "the explosive growth of Bitcoin this year promoted the reliability and benefits of the underlying technology used by this cyber currency, the blockchain. In 2017, blockchain became the second most popular search word on Gartners website, and distributed ledger technology will continue to gain significance across a number of industries".

"Deloitte predicts that blockchain projects are going to exceed cloud computing and IoT in venture capital investment. Countries with official blockchain strategies, like Malta, will end up leading regional markets and the global industry in general.

"Blockchain will help to address several modern-day security concerns, including issues with contracts, identity, and fraud management. Blockchain-based lists will help financial organisations and online retailers easily vet their customers and combat fraudulent activities.

"Blockchain terminology will continue to evolve as well. Industry players will focus on providing functional or architectural descriptions instead of relying on the term 'blockchain'. The Australian Securities Exchange, for example, avoided the word when announcing its deployment of a distributed ledger technology for clearing and settlement earlier this year, focusing on its functionality, rather than looking for popularity.

"While the hype around the word blockchain will subside in the coming year, well see major blockchain-inspired applications in healthcare, financial, insurance, and e-commerce sectors. Blockchain will become the default technology wherever there is a need to ensure the integrity of transactions or data."

Another HUGE trend of 2017 that is tipping into 2018 full steam ahead is, of course, Artificial Intelligence.

Zanni tells us that "Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a necessity for every company dealing with large amounts of data. Whether its recognising your voice on a smartphone or identifying a cyber-attack before it destroys your data, AI is now an integral part of the modern-day technological development. It provides the insight that gives companies a competitive advantage  and in 2018, insight will drive AI adoption even further.

"Companies will use AI to augment existing products, giving them a competitive advantage. Thats because they are sitting on tons of unstructured data collected from their devices and software. Since there was no easy to way to analyze this data, it couldnt be used to generate insights for product improvement. Its like collecting telemetry data from Formula 1 cars that would enable you to make improvements to the cars design and performance, but not having any way to interpret that data. AI, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) changes that, making data analysis easy and accurate.

"In data protection, AI will be used to recognise ransomware patterns and block cyber-attacks. It will also be used to recognise the data that is stored in backups and offer semantic search, understanding synonyms and even generalisations.

"One example would be a search for 'job applications'. It would retrieve all CVs, selection criteria documents, and cover letters, even if the phrase 'job application' was not used within the document or in the file name. Next year will be filled with AI applications that will advance the functionality of traditional software.

"In 2018 well also see a new class of products with AI at its core. Together with IoT and blockchain, AI will bridge the gap between human intuition and computer calculation to become part of everyday decision making.

"With its power to interpret data and discover patterns, AI will help business leaders to make informed and contextualised decisions, reducing risk. It will also improve the customer experience by helping businesses to engage with customers to better understand their needs and behaviour patterns."

Zanni concludes with a bit of human intelligence, stating: "AI insight will be the key to the next wave of innovative solutions, reducing the gap between humans and machines."

So, if you want to be intelligent, too, take note of these predictions, and if you want to add some back-up and security intelligence to your computing environment, whether PC or Mac, then take a look at the solutions Acronis delivers, and you too will enjoy a very happy 2018.
New associates

Recognition

Shane Reely and Malcolm Goodrich of Goodrich and Reely law firm, have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 24th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Reely for practicing tax law and trusts and estates and Goodrich for practicing bankruptcy law. Reely has been selected for this award since 2005. Additionally, he has been named the Best Lawyers 2018 Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year for Missoula. Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is being honored as a Lawyer of the Year. Goodrich was additionally named as the Best Lawyers 2018 Bankruptcy Law "Lawyer of the Year" for Missoula. Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is being honored as a "Lawyer of the Year." Goodrich was again named as a Mountain States Super Lawyer in the area of bankruptcy law, which is limited to the top 5 percent of practitioners in the mountain states area. Goodrich is a nationally certified business bankruptcy specialist by the American Board of Certification. Goodrich has a state-wide practice concentrating in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial litigation and commercial transactions. Goodrich and Reely specializes in tax law, estate planning, probate, business transactions, bankruptcy, commercial litigation and transactions involving liquor and gaming license matters. Reely can be reached in Missoula at 406-541-9700 or email Shane@goodrichreely.com. Goodrich can be reached at firms Billings office at 406-256-3663 or email malcolm@goodrichreely.com.
Beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 3, Missoulians will have the chance to participate in our newly revamped reading challenge and writing contest.

The reading challenge  which is now known as Missoula Reads  offers patrons the chance to try to read 50 books in 2018. Heres the skinny: Youll read one book from each of the 50 challenge categories by Dec. 15, 2018, and record your progress in a book journal. Then youll bring the journal back to the Reference Desk for staff verification by Dec. 30, 2018, and you will receive a fabulous prize for your efforts.

As a bonus, the first 150 registrants of the challenge receive a free book journal, and everyone receives the 2018 Missoula Reads reading categories list.

Our reference staff also will be happy to suggest titles that fit into the categories, or you can browse our corresponding recommended reading lists. We understand that reading 50 books in a year is a big challenge, and we want to help you through it.

The librarys annual writing contest  now known as Missoula Writes  also begins Jan. 3 and gives local writers the chance to compete for cash prizes in the categories of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Submissions for contestants are in four age groups: 8-10, 11-14, 15-18 and 19 years and older. The submission deadline for the writing contest is Friday, Feb. 16.

For more information, call the Reference Desk at 721-BOOK (2665).

American Red Cross Blood Drive coming up

Help out a fellow citizen in need when the library hosts an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Tuesday, Jan. 23, from 2 to 6:15 p.m. in the librarys Large Meeting Room.

As an incentive for donating, MPL is offering two drawings to win a pair of Rocking L Alpacas socks made in Victor, Montana. Names will be entered into the drawing the day of the blood drive. Donors may register at redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code: missoulalibrary, or by contacting Christine at MPLs Reference Desk.

Staff Reviews

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (2015, Little, Brown and Company) Call Number: JMID BENJAMIN

I truly loved this book. The seventh grade narrator may win you over just as quickly: quiet, unassuming, but more poignantly curious about life than most middle graders and plenty of adults as well.

Suzys parents are divorced, and thats troublesome, but the real trauma in her life is the drowning of her best friend  or the girl who was for years her best friend until she abandoned Suzy for the shallow popular crowd. Suzy is in agony simultaneously about her friends sudden death, the unknown exact cause of the drowning, their painful alienation, and Suzys behavior during their last encounters before they stopped seeing each other. And her response to all of this emotional distress is to stop talking  completely  and to pour her grief into a desperate effort to confirm that her friend was killed by a deadly Irukandji jellyfish (a species which ocean warming has allowed to expand its habitat).

The supporting characters are well fleshed out and intriguing: Suzys mom, dad, brother and brothers boyfriend, science teacher, and tentative new friends. Youre going to discover a fascination for jellyfish, an appreciation for the psychological depth of some middle schoolers, and an admiration for an author who can weave this all together so compellingly.

Reviewed by Dana McMurray

Special MakerSpace Offerings

Wednesday Night Jewelry Workshop (meets in the library directors office, upstairs near the Reference Desk)

Wednesday, Jan. 3, from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m.

Join local jewelry makers for this workshop, which meets twice a month. Participants will learn a new skill each workshop accompanied by a project.

Weekly MakerSpace Offerings:

Open Hours

Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m., Friday from 1 to 6 p.m.

Open Hours allows visitors to explore the resources of the MakerSpace, or to work on a project of their choice.

Computer Electronics

Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Do you have an interest in the Arduino platform? Come in and try out this and other electronics platforms during the drop-in program Computer Electronics.

Watercolor Painting Class

Fridays from noon to 2 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room

Develop the skills and techniques necessary to enjoy and succeed at watercolor painting. This class is open to adults ages 18 and older. Participants should bring their own watercolor paper, paints, brushes and a palette. For questions, call Robert at 406-258-3867 and leave a message.

Computer Classes:

My iPad and My iPhone

Wednesday, Jan. 3, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

An introductory class for iPad and iPhone users who would like to become more comfortable with their devices; covers basic functions and navigation.

Registration is required to attend MPLs computer classes. Please call 721-BOOK (2665) to register.

The Missoula Public Library will be closed on Sunday, Dec. 31, and Monday, Jan. 1, for the New Years holiday. It will reopen at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
Reddit Email 946 Shares

TeleSur |  

Facebook has been working with Israeli Government officials to suppress Palestinian voices in the social media sphere according to a report published on Saturday in The Intercept. The partnership between the social media giant and officials in Tel Aviv has resulted in the censorship, removal or blocking of content deemed critical of the Israelis with these posting being branded as incitement.

The observations, which were made in an article by journalist Glenn Greenwald, come in light of a dramatic uptick in Israeli military repression toward Palestinian civilians in the aftermath of U.S. President Donald Trumps recognition of Tel Avivs exclusive claims to the illegally occupied city of Jerusalem.

Facebooks virtually unlimited acquiescence with Israeli requests to remove content, has been described as a censorship rampage by Greenwald and have been carried out since Tel Aviv began blaming alleged, online incitement for unrest and resistance that overwhelmingly resulted in violence against Palestinian civilians. The hue and cry raised by Tel Aviv resulted in an arrangement between Facebook and the Israeli state, struck in Sept. 2016, that resulted in the creation of teams devoted toward the monitoring and removal of alleged inflammatory content criticizing the occupation.

Following the arrangement, Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked  who has posted racist remarks about Palestinian little snakes (children) and African infiltrators (migrants)  bragged that the social media giant was honoring 95 percent out of 158 requests to remove Palestinian content. In Greenwalds words, Facebooks collaboration with Tel Aviv gave the Israelis virtually unfettered control over a key communications forum of Palestinians.

Despite Facebooks vigilance over content, the Israelis deemed inflammatory, posts by extremist Jewish settlers and far-right Zionist officials calling for brutal repression and violence toward Palestinians went unchecked, leaving the dispossessed people with little leverage to combat the occupations control of the popular social network. Palestinian complaints highlighting an increasing Israeli social media discourse of hatred remained ignored by the California-based company.

The Facebooks ban even extended to four editors of Shehab News Agency, a page with 6.3 million likes, and to three executives from Quds News Network, which has 5.1 million likes. The journalists and officals were barred from accessing their personal accounts on the basis of violating the sites community standards.

The concern is that Facebook is adopting Israeli policy and terminology when it comes to defining what incitement is, Nadim Nashif, a co-founder of the Arab Centre for the Advancement of Social Media, told Al Jazeera at the time.

In a statement, a Facebook spokesperson cited the need to make the network a safe space: We want people to feel safe when using Facebook, and for that reason, weve developed a set of community standards which make it clear there is no place for terrorists or content that promotes terrorism on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the journalist added, Palestinians have virtually no opportunity to pressure the Israelis in reciprocal moves as widespread anti-Arab incitements for violence among Israeli netizens remains largely unhindered and undeterred by the social media giant.

Greenwalds commentary was released as The Washington Post reported that Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov had been barred from using Facebook-owned photo-sharing app Instagram, primarily because of U.S. sanctions. The article continues to ask why only Kadyrov was removed due to his inclusion on the sanctions list, naming other officials who could be barred from the social network such as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and various Russian officials. The Post is owned by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos.

Earlier this week, the Twitter account belonging to imprisoned Palestinian teenage girl Ahed Tamimi was inexplicably deleted following her arrest and imprisonment by Israeli authorities. The deletion came as hashtags calling for her release were trending across the globe, raising suspicions that Twitter, too, was acting in accordance with Tel Avivs demands.

One can create a fantasy world in ones head if one wishes, in which Silicon Valley executives use their power to protect marginalized peoples around the world by censoring those who wish to harm them, Greenwald noted.

But in the real world, that is nothing but a sad pipe dream. Just as governments will, these companies will use their censorship power to serve, not to undermine, the worlds most powerful factions.

Via TeleSur
Reddit Email 59 Shares

Carla Santos Skandier | ( Otherwords.org) |  

General Electric doubled down on coal. Now, 12,000 workers are paying the price.

After decades spreading misinformation about greenhouse gas emissions role as a driver of climate change, the deceptive tactics of the fossil fuel industry are slowly beginning to backfire.

In December, for instance, General Electric announced major cuts to its fossil-fuel-heavy power department  and the pain of this unplanned transition is already being felt by the people least responsible for the companys decisions: its workers.

In the last two years, many stories have surfaced on the knowledge major fossil fuel companies like Exxon-Mobil had about the climate impacts of their activities, and the many tactics these same companies employed to deceive the public about these impacts. But they may have also managed to deceive themselves.

Cheered on by a president whos gone above and beyond to prop up the fossil fuel industry  from announcing his intent to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement to pushing for approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline  dirty energy companies are deluding themselves that business as usual is a possible path forward.

This self-delusion may be beginning to reach its limits. The latest sign arrived on December 7 at General Electric  a global player in electricity for the past 125 years  with the announcement of an 18 percent cut to the power department, the biggest and one of the oldest departments of the company.

CEO Russell Stokes pulled no punches explaining the cuts: The decision aims to right-size the business amid a decline in fossil fuel usage  particularly coal and natural gas. The announcement came a mere two years after GEs decision to double its fleet of large coal turbines  a clear misjudgment.

This would be good news if it not for one detail: jobs. GEs decision alone will cost 12,000 jobs worldwide.

If companies continue to resist transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables, these massive jobs losses will be just the beginning.

The Department of Labor estimates that roughly 200,000 people are currently employed in the oil and gas extraction and coal mining sectors. But the number could be in the millions if supportive work, construction, and indirect services of fossil fuel dependent communities are also considered.

Fortunately, the renewable industry is booming. The Department of Energy recently reported that almost twice as many people were employed in solar energy last year than coal, gas, and oil electricity combined.

But matching displaced fossil fuel workers to new jobs wont be simple. It matters where those jobs are being created, and someone will have to make sure fossil fuel workers get a chance to qualify for new positions.

As if this werent hard enough, companies continuous denial and misrepresentation makes things worse. Their decision to right-size usually comes as last minute massive lay-offs, without giving workers a chance to plan ahead.

In the last few weeks alone, major institutions like Johns Hopkins University, ING bank, and the French insurance giant AXA have pulled their investments from coal, and the World Bank has announced it will no longer invest in any fossil fuel projects. The writing is on the wall, and the decline of fossil fuel production is both necessary and increasingly inevitable.

This is all good news for the climate. But we also need a plan to support those employees on the front lines of the energy sector. We need to stop letting workers lives be collateral damage of misguided corporate decisions.
Reuters reports:

Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans in several cities across Iran on Friday, Iranian news agencies and social media reports said, as price protests turned into the largest wave of demonstrations since nationwide pro-reform unrest in 2009.

Police dispersed anti-government demonstrators in the western city of Kermanshah as protests spread to Tehran and several other cities a day after rallies in the northeast, the semi-official news agency Fars said.

The outbreak of unrest reflects growing discontent over rising prices and alleged corruption, as well as concern about the Islamic Republics costly involvement in regional conflicts such as those in Syria and Iraq.
HAMILTON  Wide-ranging changes are being proposed for deer and elk regulations in the Bitterroot Valley, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will hold a public meeting Jan. 16 in Hamilton to provide information, answer questions and gather input on the tentative 2018-19 hunting regulation proposals adopted earlier this month.

Hunting regulations are adopted biennially for most game species, and the proposed regulations cover deer, elk, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, bison, black bear, mountain lion, wolf, turkey, and upland and migratory birds.

The Hamilton meeting  one of 12 scheduled for Region 2  begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Bitterroot River Inn.

According to FWP, in most cases, the 2017 regulations are being re-proposed for 2018 and 2019.

But in the Bitterroot, some fairly significant changes are being put forth, according to Rebecca Mowry, a FWP wildlife biologist in Region 2.

These changes sound complicated because a lot of steps being taken, Mowry said. But in the end we predict the changes will make it simpler to hunt, easier to understand the regulations, and add more opportunities.

Some hunting districts will have new shoulder seasons where people can hunt elk before and after the regular six-week big game season. Boundary changes are recommended for Hunting District 270, so it will be two rather than three areas.

The biggest thing region-wide is the elk B licenses on private land only, will be available over the counter to purchase before the general season, Mowry said, adding that the rules regarding weaponry and timing may differ from district to district. Its meant to be a tool to address game damage.

A major change for mule deer involves trophy hunting in districts 261 and 262. Hunting District 261 is one of the most popular trophy areas in Montana, but that means no one is taking any of the smaller, non-trophy bucks that are creating quite a bit of damage on private lands in the area. So now, theyre proposing 15 trophy tags in HD 261 and 25 in HD262.

We want to be able to manage the population, and right now we dont have those tools. Little herd of bucks are running amok and theyre untouchable, Mowry said. There are people who want to stay in a trophy area, but there are a lot of hunters frustrated by the lack of opportunities and want to hunt bucks every year. We are trying to accommodate both.

Other proposals overall in Montana deal with season dates, the biennially adopted quota ranges for licenses and permits, exemptions to the ban on urine used in scents, and changing the two-day, youth-only deer season to a four-day season.

In addition, the commission is considering adopting elk season structure for the 43 hunting districts that had shoulder seasons in 2016 on an annual basis, instead of biennial, to make it easier to evaluate their efficiency. They also would be revisited on a three-year cycle.

Another proposed change would make it illegal in all hunting districts in Regions 1, 2 and 4 to take a female mountain goat that has a kid, or is in a group that contains one or more kids.

A full list of the proposed changes can be read online at. The pdf includes links to the master list of proposed changes for both deer and elk.

Comments will be accepted online from the hunting homepage fwp.mt.gov/hunting/ under Opportunity for Public Comment or by clicking on links in the interested persons letter at the above link. They also can be mailed to FWP Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701 or by email to fwpwld@mt.gov.

The deadline for comments is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24. The Fish and Wildlife Commission is expected to adopt changes at its Feb. 15 meeting in Helena.

For more information, contact the Wildlife division at 406-444-2612 or by email at fwpwld@mt.gov.

Mowry said people with questions also can call her at 406-363-7141.
The year 2017 dawned with a new administration taking office and hundreds in Flagstaff promptly turning out to march in support of equal rights and reject what local march organizers called a message of hate and divisiveness from President Donald Trump.

Many marchers wore hand-knit pink pussyhats that skyrocketed in popularity after the election.

People in Flagstaff joined national movements several other times this year as well, whether to protest Trump Administration policies or speak out in other ways. In January, about 400 people showed up to Flagstaff Pulliam Airport to stand against President Trumps initial ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

Then in April a crowd of about 1,000 turned out for an Earth Day march for science, which mirrored similar events around the world organized in part to oppose Trump administration policies toward the science around climate change and proposed funding cuts to science agencies.

Several Flagstaff residents also spoke up when Trump decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

What will I do? Will I go back or stay here? said Kassandra Carrasco, who is in the DACA program and balances a full course load at Northern Arizona University while working full-time on campus.

Then in November, it wasnt Trump but the pervasiveness of sexual harassment in workplaces and public settings that compelled women and men locally to join the #MeToo movement on social media.

Another national issue, the illegal immigration debate, struck home in Flagstaff this year with the death of the undocumented activist and convicted drug felon, Frankie Madrid. Madrid died by suicide in Hermosillo, Mexico, on Oct. 2, after he was deported for heroin possession. Reactions to Madrids story reinforced the polarizing nature of immigration issues, even in Flagstaff, and led to questions about whether Madrid should have been deported and whether he should have been treated differently, given the national opioid epidemic.

SAFETY NET STAYS STRONG

Social service agencies in Flagstaff made progress on a few fronts this year. Among them was the debut of a coordinated effort for homeless individuals called Front Door that helps streamline the processing for services and connects people with all the services available to them. Another was a second attempt among a collaboration of healthcare and social service agencies called Closing the Gap that provides stable housing to a handful of people struggling with substance abuse and homelessness.

Flagstaff City Council also took up the homelessness issue when it asked city staff to examine the ordinance that bans camping on public property, including sleeping in cars parked on public streets. Several members of the public asked the council to repeal the ordinance, saying it is inhumane to people who do not have shelter.

There were two major efforts this year to help people in the community join the job market. Coconino County launched StartHere to connect 16-to-24-year-olds who are not working and not in school with job opportunities while both the city of Flagstaff and Coconino County removed the question about previous felony convictions from their job applications. Those in favor of removing the question said it will prevent applications from being immediately discarded because the person has a felony conviction.

Not all efforts to help those who are struggling in the community have been immediate successes though. Better Bucks, a program billed as a compassionate solution to panhandling, has been slow to catch on. After two years, the program has seen 11,000 of its $1 coupons redeemed while the cost to the sponsoring foundation has reached $22,000. It is also still unclear if the program has done anything to curb panhandling or substance abuse for the transient population.

Some people said the coupons are demeaning to people who need money, but those who support the program said the coupons are a way to do a good deed without worrying about where the money is being spent.
Montana lost a number of civic leaders in 2017.

From a former governor to legislators to Supreme Court justices, here are 10 Montanans who left their mark on the state.

Judy Martz, 1943-2017

Judy Martz, Montanas first and only female governor, was in office from 2001 to 2005.

Martz was born in Big Timber and went to Butte High, became a rodeo star and later an Olympic speed skater. She was tapped to serve as lieutenant governor under Marc Racicot before winning election herself to become Montanas 22nd governor.

Martz became governor at a difficult time, Chuck Butler, who worked for her at the time, told Lee Newspapers. The state was facing a $230 million deficit, and she inherited the fallout from utility deregulation that passed in 1997.

Martz also faced an environmental disaster in Libby and her top policy adviser, Shane Hedges, pleaded guilty to negligent homicide charges stemming from a drunken driving crash that killed House Majority Leader Paul Sliter.

When Martz died earlier this year after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer, officials from both sides of the aisle remembered her caring demeanor and shepherding the state through a difficult time.

Judy was a person of immense capacity. She did so many things well, Racicot said. She was a great athlete. She was bright and optimistic, tireless in her work for the people of Butte and with her family and for the state of Montana.

Karla Gray, 1947-2017

Karla Gray, Montanas first female Supreme Court chief justice, was first appointed as an associate justice to the court in 1991 and later won elections in 1992 and 1998. In 2000, she became the first woman elected chief justice.

Gray came from Michigan to Montana in 1976 to work as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge W.D. Murray in Butte. Hoping to break a barrier for women and minorities in the legal field, Gray once told Lee Newspapers, the judge had wrongly assumed the lawyer with a graduate degree in African history was African-American.

After a year as Murray's clerk, Gray became an attorney for Atlantic Richfield Co., opened her own law office and went on to work as a lawyer and lobbyist for Montana Power Co.

While Gray was chief justice, Montana's judicial system was restructured with control of the district courts moving from counties to a branch under the Supreme Court. She told Lee Newspapers in 2008 that the change made the courts run more efficiently and created greater opportunities for judges and others to receive statewide training.

She also spearheaded an effort to fast-track state Supreme Court cases involving child custody, especially when both parents were losing custody.

Gray retired in 2008 after 17 years on the court, but continued to promote issues involving access to justice, abolition of the death penalty, improving the selection of judges, improving services to dependent and neglected children, and generally fostering refinements to the civil and criminal justice systems and the judiciary.

John Sheehy, 1918-2017

Montana Supreme Court Justice John C. Sheehy was born in Butte to Irish immigrant parents. At the age of 18 he was injured by a drunk driver, and unable to work in the mines, he became the first in his family to attend college.

Sheehy graduated with a law degree from the University of Montana in 1943 and moved to Billings, where he practiced law for the next 35 years. He served in the state House of Representatives from 1959 to 1965 and in the state Senate from 1969 to 1971.

He closed his practice when he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1978, serving as a justice until 1991.

It was a day in 1984 that perhaps most famously marked his time on the bench. An armed man came into his chambers and held him at gunpoint for three hours. Sheehy managed to convince the man to give him the gun.

His daughter Martha Sheehy told the Billings Gazette that one of his proudest achievements as a jurist was writing the opinion for Montanas right to levy what was then a 30 percent severance tax on coal, the highest in the country.

"His history is the history of the state," she said.

Dorothy Eck, 1924-2017

Dorothy Eck, who helped draft Montana's Constitution and served in the state Senate as a Democrat for two decades, died in Bozeman at the age of 93.

Eck was elected to the 1972 Constitutional Convention, where she advocated for the public's right to participate in government and for a requirement that public schools teach students about Montana's Native American heritage.

After helping elect Democratic Gov. Tom Judge and working on his staff, she ran for the Legislature. Once in office, Eck championed children, health services, the poor and the environment and helped mentor other lawmakers, including then-state Sen. Jon Tester.

"Dorothy was a trailblazer with courage, tenacity and compassion. She was a champion for women, Native Americans, and a transparent and accountable government," Tester, now a U.S. Senator for Montana, said in a statement upon her death. "She left her mark on the pages of Montana's Constitution, in the halls of our state's Capitol, and throughout our rural communities."

Ann Stephens, 1927-2017

Ann Stephens was Montanas First Lady from 1989-1993 while her husband, Stan Stephens, was governor.

Stephens was born Ann Natalie Hanson in Minneapolis in 1927. The family moved to Havre when she was 12. She graduated from Havre High School and from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. She married Stan Stephens in Havre in 1954, according to her obituary.

As First Lady, Stephens renovated the Governors Mansion and bonded with Elsie Jones, who cared for the Governors Mansion for 40 years. Stephens oversaw the planting of Elsies Tree on the grounds of the Governors Mansion to honor Elsies dedicated service to Montana.

Stephens also took particular interest in supporting Intermountain Childrens Home, her obituary said.

Stephens died in Kalispell at the age of 90 following a battle with cancer.

Mike Greely, 1940-2017

Mike Greely served as Montanas attorney general for three terms and in both houses of the Legislature.

Greely was born in Great Falls, graduated from Great Falls High and attended Yale and the University of Montana law school. He served as assistant attorney general and deputy Cascade County attorney, and was elected attorney general in 1976.

During his time as attorney general, Greely established a statewide criminal investigations unit and modernized the state crime lab. He improved law enforcement training and pioneered a program that provides skilled prosecutors to prosecute major felony cases.

He successfully defended Montana's 30 percent coal severance tax before the U.S. Supreme Court and argued other cases as well, Winston Greely said earlier this year.

Greely, a Democrat, ran for governor in 1988 and for a seat on the Montana Supreme Court in 1992. He lost both races.

Bob Ream, 1936-2017

Bob Ream fought for Montanas wild places as an educator, a legislator, a backpacker and an agitator.

Early in his 28-year career at the University of Montana, Ream set up the first reporting system for gray wolves dispersing south from Canada along the border of Glacier National Park. He was instrumental in the effort to reintroduce wolves into the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In the Legislature, he was chief sponsor of the states stream access law, restitution requirements for wildlife poaching, and cooperative efforts between state and federal agencies on Superfund cleanup projects. He chaired both the state Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Montana Democratic Party.

Ream died March 24 of pancreatic cancer. He was 80.

Mignon Waterman, 1944-2017

Mignon Waterman represented Helena for 12 years in the Montana Senate, where she focused heavily on education, mental health and the needs of seniors.

Waterman was born in Billings, graduating from Billings West High School and then attending the University of Montana.

After moving to Helena in 1975, Waterman became active in the community. She served on the board for the Civic Center and later spent 12 years on the Helena School Board. She chaired the school board, served as president of the Montana School Boards Association and was nominated to the National School Boards Association. While on the school board, Waterman also worked as a lobbyist for the Montana Association of Churches with a focus on mental health and human service issues, according to her obituary.

Following her time in the Legislature, Waterman served on the Childrens Mental Health System of Care Committee, the Lewis and Clark County Welfare Task Force and as a trustee for the Montana Health Care Foundation.

Mignon was a true public servant who committed her life to improving her community and our state through her presence, her voice and her votes, Nancy Keenan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, said.

Gordon Bennett, 1922-2017

Gordon Bennett served as a District Court judge in Lewis and Clark County for 18 years.

Bennett was born in Scobey, moving to Oregon for a time before returning to Montana where he graduated from Helena High. He spent two years at Carroll College before transferring to Carleton College in Minnesota. After earning a masters in journalism in 1950, he again returned to Montana to work for the Great Falls Tribune.

In 1956, he graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and went on to work as an assistant attorney general under Forrest Anderson. He managed Lee Metcalfs 1966 U.S. Senate campaign and Andersons 1968 gubernatorial campaign. He also served as an associate solicitor in the Department of the Interior in the Kennedy administration, according to his obituary.

In 1970, Anderson appointed him judge in the First Judicial District in Helena, which he held for 18 years.

In 2007, his former colleagues nominated Bennett for the State Bar of Montanas prestigious James J. Jameson Award.

The justice system, the sense of justice that he believed everyone was entitled to; he brought a great sense of humor and perspective as well, said Helena attorney Micheal Lamb.

Sue Bartlett, 1947-2017

Sue Bartlett served eight years in the Montana Senate and as clerk and recorder for Lewis and Clark County.

Bartlett was born in Billings and graduated from Billings West High School. She went on to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis before returning to Montana.

Bartlett took up the fight for gender equality and became politically active. She involved herself in Montanas effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and then to prevent rescission of Montanas ratification. She also served as treasurer of the Montana Womens Lobby, on the board of Montanans for Choice and as Chief of the Womens Bureau in the Montana Department of Labor, according to her obituary.

In 1992 Bartlett was elected to the Senate and continued her work advocating for gender equality and for the poor.

Shes very quiet, but when she stands up and speaks people on both sides of the aisle listen. They know shes knowledgeable and her opinions are well thought out, the late Mignon Waterman told Lee Newspapers.

After her tenure in the Senate, Bartlett served twice as a delegate at presidential conventions and worked as the intake officer for the Montana ACLU for five years. In 2005, she was appointed to the Montana Tax Appeal Board by Gov. Schweitzer and confirmed by the Senate.

This story has been changed to say that Karla Gray was Montana's first female chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court, rather than the first female justice. Diane Barz was Montana's first associate justice.
Speaking at the Joint Policing Committee public meeting in Drumshanbo's Mayflower Centre, Sligo/Leitrim Chief Superintendent, Michael Clancy, said that County Leitrim remains one of the safest places in Ireland to live, raise a family, work and grow old in.

That did not happen by accident, he told those at the public meeting, adding that it was the support of the community and the spirit of co-operation between people and the gardai, that made this possible.

March also saw Martin Kenny TD raise the issue of psychiatric services for children when he described the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) based in Sligo as being at crisis point.

Speaking in The Dail, Deputy Martin Kenny raised the issue of a 13-year-old child who wrote a suicide note but was still on a waiting list to see a child psychiatrist while 'a huge backlog' of other vulnerable children have been left without access to intervention and supports in Sligo/Leitrim because of a lack of Consultant Child Psychiatrists.

Deputy Kenny told the Dail the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) based in Sligo was at crisis point.

Having won a life-changing 1,005,000 in a National Lottery draw, a Leitrim man, who wished to keep his win private, made the journey to Dublin to collect his winnings.

The Quick Pick ticket was purchased at Newtowngore Post Office with the lucky winner revealing, I was checking the results on the TV on the night of the draw and I noticed that I had one of the winning EuroMillions raffle numbers and I was absolutely over the moon with the 5,000 prize.

The next day, I went into the shop to see how I could claim my prize money when all of a sudden, the shopkeeper took me to one side. 'Youve won one million and five thousand euro' they said! I was stunned. I quietly put the ticket back into my pocket and made my way home as quick as I could, he said.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny is pictured signing the visitors book at the homstead of 1916 leader Sean MacDiarmada in Kiltyclogher.

In one his final visits to the region as Taoiseach, Enda Kenny visited the homestead of Sean MacDiarmada and insisted Brexit will not result in a return to borders and violence.

Addressing the residents of Kiltyclogher, An Taoiseach said, It is a political challenge because the border in the past brought with it sectarian violence and all of those elements of criminality that came along with that.

Kiltyclogher is now a peaceful village and everybody wants to get on with their lives and we want to work with that for the future.

That is essential in the context of negotiating Brexit.
Ever wondered about some of the strange traditions used to welcome in the New Year around the world?

Well here are 15 of the weirdest traditions from countries around the globe.

1. Not the 'grapest' idea

In Spain, the New Years tradition for good luck revolves around grapes. At each of the 12 chimes of midnight you eat a grape to guarantee good luck for the coming year. This is probably not the best idea considering how grapes are a serious choking hazard, but who are we to judge...

2. Jumping into the New Year

In Denmark, if you are indoors watching the countdown on television, it is a tradition to climb onto a chair or the sofa and literally jump into the New Year, timing your acrobatics for the exact stroke of midnight. No it doesn't really make any sense, but we're all for trying something new.

3. Putting your best foot forward

First footing (or the first foot in the house after midnight) is a long-standing tradition in Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house the first person to step into the house on New Year's Day should be a dark male, and he should bring with him symbolic pieces of coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and a wee dram of whisky for extra luck.

4. The sweet taste of success

In Bolivia coins are baked into cakes and whoever finds the coins is thought to guarantee good luck for themselves for the coming year.

5. Cards aren't just for Christmas!

French people dont send Christmas cards; they send New Years greeting cards instead. People in France not only send New Year's Cards, they continue to wish each other 'la bonne annee' throughout the month of January!

6. Out with the old.......

An old custom that is still followed in some places, especially in the south of Italy, is throwing your old things out the window to symbolise your readiness to accept the New Year.

7. Seven is the magic number

In Estonia the numbers 7, 9 and 12 are considered lucky. There goes a belief that people should eat 7, 9 or even 12 times on the New Year day. This tradition is said to ensure abundant food in the coming year. A person who is able to eat seven meals that day is said to go into the new year with the strength of seven men.

8. A smashing good time

Strange as it sounds, a popular New Year's tradition in Denmark is to throw plates at the doors of your friends on New Year's Eve. At midnight it is tradition to round up all your broken bits of china and smash it against your friends door in a sign of affection and ever lasting friendship. We aren't sure how popular you are for leaving the mess for your friends to clean up!

9. The circle of success!

In the Philippines the circle is the symbol of success and the perfect way to encourage prosperity in the New Year. Families find 12 round fruits - one to symbolise each month of the coming year. Filipinos also try to dress in clothes marked with polka-dots because the roundness signifies prosperity. Their pockets are filled with round coins, which are jingled to attract wealth.

10. Dropping the Opossum

This is a rather baffling tradition but in Brasstown, North Carolina, USA the New Year is marked by dropping an opossum. The festivities start at 9.30pm on New Year's Eve and focus on an opossum captured specially for the ocassion. On New Years Eve, the opossum is slowly lowered (while sitting in a plastic cage), as people count down the seconds to midnight. At the stroke of midnight, the opossum is set free. Why is this the perfect way to mark the New Year? Really, we have no idea.

11. Pick your underwear carefully on the 31st!

In some South American countries wearing coloured underwear will determine your fate for the new year. Red underwear means youll find love. Gold/yellow means wealth and white signifies a peaceful new year.

12. A messy start to the New Year

Hard as it is to believe, in Switzerland it is dropping ice cream on the floor is a rather unusual way to mark the New Year. This may seem completely sacreligious to those of us who love our ice cream but to the Swiss dropping just a dollop of ice cream on the floor is the perfect way to guarantee abundance in the New Year.

13. Bedding down in the graveyard

Not for the faint of heart, in a small town in Chile one New Year tradition is to sleep on New Year's Eve next to the graves of your family members. The tradition is relatively new, starting in 1995 in the town of Talca, but it has grown in popularity over the last few years ad more than 5,000 take part each year, sleeping in their local graveyard.

14. Ringing in the New Year - literally!

In Japan the tradition is to literally ring in the New Year. Bells are rung 108 times as the old year fades out and the new year comes in. These 108 rings are said to symbolise the 108 different human sins that are part of the Buddhist belief system. The bells are supposed to erase the sins of the previous year. Each bell rings 107 times leading up to midnight, and once after midnight.

15. Takanakuy Festival (Peru)

Ok, so this isn't strictly a New Year's Day tradition, but it is all about starting the New Year with a clean slate, so to speak. In this small Peruvian village people take a very unusual form finalising the end of the outgoing year. At the end of December the villagers meet and stage fist fights to settle their differences - this applies to both men and women.
Rep. Kimberly Dudik has earned a reputation as a defender of children. She prosecuted abuse cases, worked to reduce sex trafficking as a legislator, and is part of a group analyzing the growing number of kids removed from their families to be placed in foster care.

But the Missoula legislator said she focused so intently on the children that she never thought to ask: Does Montana do enough to help pregnant women get into treatment for drug use and provide the services mothers need to stabilize their families?

I had never thought about it in that way, she said.

Dudik is not an outlier. More than two dozen state leaders interviewed for this story had not considered the unique needs of mothers and mothers-to-be who use drugs. Only a few had ideas about what Montana can do better.

That blind spot leaves gaps in state policy that become craters for women seeking help. It means that as the state spends significant time and money to reinvent its justice system and develop strategic plans to combat drug use, pregnant women are mentioned only in passing as one of many target groups, if they are mentioned at all.

Unless something changes in the way elected leaders and doctors respond to drug use by women with families, experts said Montana could continue to rank among states with the fewest treatment services for pregnant women as well having one of the nations highest rates of drug-exposed births and removals by Child and Family Services.

***

From 2008 to 2015, the percentage of Montana babies who experienced opioid withdrawal shortly after birth grew fourfold. The series of symptoms known as neonatal abstinence syndrome is now diagnosed in almost nine of every 1,000 births, according to discharge data analyzed by the state.

More than half of those infants bills were paid by Montana Medicaid, and their complications tripled the state's expenses compared to an average birth, according to an analysis by Cody Custis, a state epidemiologist.

Among the Montana leaders interviewed, most assumed that if a pregnant woman sought drug treatment, she would receive it. The Missoulian found that few of them knew:

that most people confront months-long waiting lists.

about medication-assisted treatment, even though doctors say it can more than triple the likelihood of success for getting off drugs, is significantly cheaper than inpatient programs and is the safest way to treat pregnant patients and their unborn children.

that Montana has fewer providers per capita of buprenorphine  the drug that can eliminate drug cravings  than nearly every other state. After factoring for Montanas size, only Alaskans must travel farther to access the care.

that many pregnant women delay prenatal care, if they go to the hospital at all, often fearing they might be reported to police or that they will lose their children. The result is that their babies may be born in worse health.

***

Asked what Montana could do to expand access to drug treatment for pregnant women, many legislators worried what it would cost the state, particularly after a recent drop in revenues triggered several rounds of budget cuts this year. Right now, nearly all drug treatment funding comes from federal sources, except for the states growing share of Medicaid costs.

Rep. Shane Morigeau, a Missoula Democrat, worked as a prosecutor for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. At first, he said his instinct was to take a tough stance on drug use, but his view was changed by the stories of relatives and close friends who sometimes became addicted after being prescribed painkillers.

Its a very complicated issue, he said. We should focus on more access to treatment and funding support programs. If we had the resources to address the addiction problem up front, wed save money on the back end.''

Sen. Cynthia Wolken, D-Missoula, agreed.

Why do addicts have to commit a felony to even get on a wait list for treatment? asked the attorney who has served on numerous state committees related to drug use or child abuse. We are addressing things in the most expensive way, in the criminal justice system and the court system.

Judiciary Chairman Rep. Alan Doane agreed Montana might need to improve access to drug treatment, but said it would be a tough sell to use state funds to do it.

Im against taking money away from people who make good choices and using it for people who make poor choices, the Bloomfield Republican said.

House Majority Leader Ron Ehli, R-Hamilton, said the stakes are too high not to find a better way to help women who use drugs during pregnancy, particularly because of how it affects unborn children.

Theres nothing more important, he said. Doing something now is going to reap huge benefits down the road.

Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, argued legislators have already decided that the kinds of programs these women need most are not a priority. She pointed to the slew of budget cuts earlier this year to health and social service budgets.

Were going the wrong direction on all of these things, she said.

***

Treatment center leaders interviewed by the Missoulian said they would like to expand services, but their programs currently lose money on the majority of patients.

Medicaid rates are lower than the actual costs of the care, they said, and treatment programs cannot bill at all for some critical services because of the way the state wrote reimbursement rules. It will soon get a little more difficult.

Initially, legislators objected to a proposal by the Department of Public Health and Human Services to cut Medicaid rates 3.47 percent and shrink the list of services it would fund. On Dec. 28, they dropped a formal objection, allowing the department to move ahead with a 2.99 percent cut instead.

Legislators waffled on whether they might support rate increases in the future, citing larger budget issues or skepticism about whether non-medical care such as case management actually improves outcomes.

Conrad Republican Rep. Rob Cook, an expert on the health program's budget, said he does not think increasing rates for particular services will solve the problem. Rather, he wishes state, but especially federal, leaders would get more serious about controlling health care costs.

The reason we cant treat anybody and it costs so freaking much for medicine in this country is weve never addressed the actual prices these guys charge, he said.

State Sen. Bob Keenan, a veteran Republican from Bigfork, wondered if raising Medicaid reimbursement rates could encourage more programs to follow national best practices that would save the state money in the long run. He noted that drug treatment has become a business, so changing the terms of state contracts would be a logical strategy to improve the quality of programs.

Keenan said it is the responsibility of the Department of Public Health and Human Services, and ultimately Gov. Steve Bullock, to find such efficiencies and demand best practices when signing contracts.

Zoe Barnard, Montana's Addictive and Mental Disorders Division director, said they have little control over decisions that private providers make about care strategies.

We can say this is the standard of care for this type of work, for example, but we dont say you have to provide X, Y or Z services, she said. They can choose to provide some or all of the services.

***

Starting in November, the Missoulian repeatedly asked to speak with Bullock about drug use during pregnancy and his overall strategy for addressing opioids and methamphetamine. Spokeswoman Ronja Abel instead emailed a statement from an earlier press release about a bill the Democrat approved that expanded access to Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

I am committed to ensuring Montanans can continue to get coverage through Medicaid expansion, our most powerful vehicle available to combat this epidemic, as well as integrating behavioral and physical health, reducing costs and improving care, and making sure communities have the tools they need to confront this growing problem, the statement read.

Abel also attached a copy of a draft strategic plan for combating drug use that was released by the state health department earlier this year. The 34-page report only includes one use of the word women, encouraging more stigma-free access to prenatal care. A request for all state health department records related to drug use during pregnancy yielded three reports, totaling five pages, about the Medicaid costs of treating infant withdrawals.

Some states formed departmental task forces or legislative committees to identify best strategies of caring for women who use drugs during pregnancy. When asked why Montana has not done similar work to create specific solutions, Barnard said, I have other people Im equally concerned about, like veterans.

Attorney General Tim Fox, a Republican, said he hopes to find collaborative solutions with Aid Montana, his initiative to address drug use in the state.

Asked whether pregnant women, in particular, had been part of those discussions, he said, We certainly thought about their needs.

We want to make sure babies are born healthy and that theyre in a healthy home. Unfortunately, theres all too much of the opposite because of substance abuse disorders in the state. I dont recall if its in our report, but I did see stats on neonatal abstinence syndrome, he said.

The 87-page report issued in September includes one passing mention of pregnant women and does not include any reference to infant withdrawals, although a related, two-page handout does. A November summit hosted by Fox in partnership with the Montana Healthcare Foundation included one brief comment about drug use during pregnancy as a presenter cited a Medicaid report commissioned by the foundation.

Fox deferred detailed questions to the Department of Public Health and Human Services, saying it is their area of expertise. He said his knowledge of the challenges women face when seeking treatment was only general, but said his agency would do more to work with health officials on solutions.

If there are barriers that prevent pregnant women from getting treatment, we need to look at those and remove the appropriate ones, he said.

***

There are small signs Montana could be on the verge of making systemic improvements to help pregnant women who use drugs. But most did not start with elected leaders.

The Montana Healthcare Foundation has funded several pilot projects to test strategies for reducing the number of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome and to help more of their mothers so the family can stay together. A handful have had impressive early results, but it remains unclear how several of the projects will be funded long-term.

Montana also recently secured a $4 million grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to address the lack of medication-assisted treatment in the state. The pilot project is funded through April 2019.

And Child and Family Services hopes to soon provide more support for parents who use drugs, partnering them with specialized case managers to keep them on track with recovery and other agreements made as part of plans to reunite their families.

After interviews with the Missoulian, a few state leaders said they would add mothers who use drugs to their list of priorities for the 2019 Legislature.

We need to do something, Dudik said.

Earlier this month, she said she had talked to state health officials about how to expand the strategies successfully piloted with support from the Healthcare Foundation. She also is interested in increasing the length of time Child and Family Services can work with parents who use drugs before finalizing a childs removal.

She and Keenan, among others, suggested Montana could create a safe harbor law that would guarantee pregnant women would not face criminal charges if they sought medical help or drug treatment, similar to provisions that protect people who call 911 about a drug overdose.

Some lawmakers, mostly Republicans, said they might support "fetal harm" laws like those enacted in other states that make it a crime to use drugs during pregnancy. Others said making drug use more illegal would not solve the problem and runs counter to the state's efforts to put fewer nonviolent offenders in prison, offering them increased support services instead.

Rep. Jimmy Patelis, a Billings Republican who joined the Legislature after retiring as a U.S. chief probation officer for the Montana district, supports criminal justice reinvestment and penalizing women who use drugs while pregnant.

"I'm 100 percent behind that because there's another life involved and if you're jeopardizing that life through harm and using substances, you should be held accountable for that  in addition to getting help," he said.

Wolken said the state should lean heavily on the Montana Healthcare Foundation for advice as it develops solutions. She did not want the issue to become delayed by another commission when good ideas already exist.

These conversations are happening, she said. But there needs to be a catalyst.
Got plans to lose weight, eat healthier or save more money? If these or any other New Year's resolutions are on your list, you're in good company because you are taking part in a goal-driven tradition that has emerged in different forms throughout history.

This year, 44 percent of respondents in a national survey said they planned to make resolutions for 2018, according to Marxist Poll, a poll run by the Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The most popular resolutions were to "be a better person" (12 percent of respondents) and to lose weight (also 12 percent). Exercising more, eating healthier and getting a better job had a three-way tie with 9 percent each.

People hoping to slim down or move up the corporate latter may not realize it, but they are engaging in a tradition that has ancient origins. Bronze Age people also practiced the fine art of New Year's resolutions, though their oaths were external, rather than internally focused. More than 4,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians celebrated the New Year not in January, but in March, when the spring harvest came in. The festival, called Akitu, lasted 12 days. [Top 10 Creation Myths]

An important facet of Akitu was the crowning of a new king, or reaffirmation of loyalty to the old king, should he still sit on the throne. Special rituals also affirmed humanity's covenant with the gods; as far as Babylonians were concerned, their continued worship was what kept creation humming.

Roman New Year

Centuries later, the ancient Romans had similar traditions to ring in their new year, which also originally began in March. In the early days of Rome, the city magistrates' terms were defined by this New Year's date. On March 1, the old magistrates would affirm before the Roman Senate that they had performed their duties in accordance with the laws. Then, the New Year's magistrates would be sworn into office.

After Rome became an empire in 27 B.C., New Year's Day became a time for city leaders and soldiers to swear an oath of loyalty to the Emperor. This was not always mere political theater: In A.D. 69, after Emperor Nero died, civil war broke out over Rome's next leader. The Roman legions in Germany refused to swear allegiance to the next candidate for Emperor, Servius Sulpicius Galba, said Richard Alston, a professor of Roman history at Royal Holloway University of London. Galba's bodyguards in Rome soon turned against him as well, and killed him in the Forum, Rome's civic plaza. [In Photos: The Gladiators of Ancient Roman Empire]

Like Babylon, Rome originally celebrated the New Year in March, Alston told Live Science, but at some point around 300 B.C., the ceremony shifted to Jan. 1. Rome was a military society, he said, and as the empire expanded, the generals had to travel longer distances. Prime battle season was in the spring, which probably made a March 1 swear-in date too late.

"They wanted to have the generals in place for the campaigning season," Alston said.

As Romans gradually became less warlike, the switch from celebrating the New Year during a month (March) associated with Mars, the god of war to one (January), associated with Janus, a god of home and hearth, seemed appropriate, he added. The first half of New Year's Day in Rome would have been taken up by public ceremonies, oath-taking and temple sacrifices, he said, while the second half of the day was for social activities. Citizens would bring each other gifts of honey, pears and other sweets as presents for a "sweet new year," Alston said.

Modern traditions

There is no direct line from ancient Roman tradition to modern New Year's resolutions, but the desire to start anew pops up repeatedly in western civilization. In 1740, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, invented a new type of church service. These services, called Covenant Renewal Services or watch night services, were held during the Christmas and New Year's season as an alternative to holiday partying. Today, these services are often held on New Year's Eve, according to the United Methodist Church. Worshippers sing, pray, reflect on the year and renew their covenant with God.

New Year's resolutions have become a secular tradition, and most Americans who make them now focus on self-improvement. The U.S. government even maintains a website of those looking for tips on achieving some of the most popular resolutions: losing weight, volunteering more, stopping smoking, eating better, getting out of debt and saving money.

"If the past is any indication, many Americans have a good chance at keeping their promises for at least part of 2018," Lee Miringoff, director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, said in a statement.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published Dec. 31, 2013. It was updated on Dec. 31, 2017 to add new survey data on American attitudes towards New Year's resolutions.

Original article on LiveScience.
Officials say the device was known as an "unexploded ordnance," or an explosive weapon that did not explode and still posed a...
Former Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, has broken his silence since the NDCs defeat a year ago, claiming that Ghanaians are disappointed with the New Patriotic Party's handling of the country.

I think that quite a number of people are disappointed as to where this country is being taken, he said while speaking to a section of the media in Ho in the Volta Region last Monday.

The former Vice president made the remark after he together with his wife, Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur, made some donations to Children on admission at the Ho Regional and Municipal hospitals.

Mr. Amissah-Arthur, who was Vice President and then running to John Dramani Mahama on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress [NDC], were defeated in the December 2016 general elections.

He has since then been quite on the political events after he was on many occasions jabbed by then running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia with some 170 questions on the economy during Mahamas presidency.

Ranking the NPP government's one year in office, Amissah-Arthur said The [NPP] government could have done better, that is what we are hoping for in the coming years.

He said the NDC party is currently analyzing why it lost to the NPP government, while strategizing for a massive comeback.

He said they are analyzing what we could have done better looking at the national situation and deciding how we can move this nation forward. So that is what we are spending our time doing. Critically looking at policies, programmes that will move this country from where it is. I think that quite a number of people are disappointed as to where this country is being taken, and we are looking for an alternative that will provide better results. So that is what we are spending our time doing, he added.

Free SHS implementation 'very poor'  Amissah-Arthur

The former Vice President also took a swipe at the Akufo-Addo government over what he described as the haphazard nature in which the free Senior High School policy was implemented.

According to him, the policy was not well thought through, and was rushed by the NPP government for political expediency.

The way it's being done, it's a little haphazard in my view, and it doesn't help because every parent wants to provide the best education for their wards. So they should be less haphazard in a way, he said.
Fire cases in the Brong Ahafo Region have reduced monumentally.

Speaking at a Thanksgiving Service in Sunyani on Friday, December 29, the Brong Ahafo Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) James Owusu-Adjei disclosed that three hundred and fifty four (354) fire incidents were recorded this year.

According to him, fire cases recorded in 2016 (last year) stood at sixh hundredand thirty six (636) representing a monumental reduction of 55 percent fire cases.

All these and many more point to the fact that, God has been very good to us this year. There could have been some shortfalls in our lives but the very fact that we are all alive and kicking lends credence to the fact that, God has indeed been very merciful to ust thisyear and it is therefore imperative for us to give Him, His deserved thanks and praises this lovely day, he said.

ACFO Owusu-Adjei commended officers and personnel of the command for their selfless contributions and good performances.

He added that the command would not have been performing at such a high level if not for the seriousness and efficiency attached to their duties.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Fire Commander urged all officers andp personnel to actively take part in fire safety education.

Fire safety education should not solely be done by the safety department. We all have a duty anywhere we happen to find ourselves including our churches, neighborhoods, the market, and our friends among several others. I believe that if we all play our part, the command will further improve upon our goal of reducing fire outbreaks to the barest minimum, he stated.
Big Auto and Big Oil killed the electric car once. They won't be permitted to do so again.

In the mid-1990s, General Motors manufactured a limited production run of the electric EV1.

GM's EV1 was a corporate ruse designed to prove to consumers that there was no great demand for the electric car. Between GM and Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, Honda, and Toyota, 5,000 electric vehicles were produced in the 1990s.

Then Big Auto declared the venture to be a failure and the electric vehicles were either destroyed or donated to museums.

Big Auto and their friends in the oil industry played the consumers for suckers in the 1990s.

But the increasing threat of climate change brought on by greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel engines has focused the attention of consumers and governments beyond the self-serving gimmicks of the auto and oil industries. Electric vehicles are here to stay and stay they will.

European and Asian companies have announced they will ban cars that are powered by gasoline and diesel within the next few decades.

Fossil fuel-powered vehicles will be banned by Britain and France by 2040. China leapfrogged the Europeans by 10 years in announcing that fossil fuel vehicles will be off China's roads by 2030.

Japan is taking measures to transform its fossil fuel-based automobile industry workforce to one that will be working in an industry that produces batteries and electric motors instead of internal combustion engines.

And New Zealand is planning on 64,000 electric vehicles in the country by 2021. To that end, New Zealand is requiring that one-third of all government vehicles be electric by 2021.

India, where people are literally choking to death on heavy smog, largely produced by fossil fuel vehicles in heavily-populated urban areas like Mumbai, is also planning to mandate electric vehicles on its roads and highways.

Deadlines for mandatory electric vehicles is not a left vs. right issue. Britain's Environment Secretary Michael Gove, a member of the Conservative Party, stated in July 2017 that Britain could not "carry on with diesel and petrol cars." Gove emphasized that there is "no alternative to embracing new technology."

The United States will soon find that there is no market abroad for dirty fossil fuel vehicles or their parts.

Donald Trump, who threw one of his tiresome and childish temper tantrums in pulling the United States out of the Paris climate accord, continues to yammer on about America producing fossil fuel vehicles powered by U.S. gasoline regardless of the environmental damage to Alaska, the northern Prairies, the Gulf of Mexico, and offshore Atlantic and Pacific marine areas.

America, under Trump, is ridiculously and dangerously out-of-step with the rest of the world on striving toward zero-emission vehicles.

The "drill, drill, drill" nonsense of Trump and his Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department, with a weakened U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration powerless to deter them, should be nullified by every U.S. state and territory.

To their credit, California; New York; Washington state; Washington, D.C.; Oregon; and other states have maintained America's commitment to a green economy and zero-emission vehicles.

Eight states have set mandates for electric vehicles. They have done so amid active opposition from the Trump White House and an EPA that seeks to pollute  not protect  the environment.

America once led the world in developing new technologies. Trump and his Big Auto and Big Oil cronies are presiding over an American economy that will soon be bypassed by Europe, Japan and China in marketing zero-emission electric vehicles.

Barack Obama's dream of a United States with all-electric cars is one of the best things his presidency left behind.
31.12.2017 LISTEN

The inadequate supply of textbooks to basic schools in the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality is affecting education outcome in the area as seven pupils in primary schools in the Municipality share one textbook.

Mr Alhassan Tahiru, Savelugu/Nanton Municipal Director of Education, who revealed this at an annual accountability forum at Savelugu on Friday, said at junior high schools in the Municipality, four pupils shared one textbook.

The forum was to strengthen accountability and transparency in the utilization of public resources at the local level through active citizen participation to enhance quality service delivery and development.

It was organized by the Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa and coordinated by the Savannah Integrity Rural Development Aid (SIRDA).

It brought together staff of the Municipality and some of the residents to discuss programmes of the Municipality and issues affecting the residents in terms of how the resources of the Municipality were being utilized.

Mr Tahiru said the situation would be even worse in the next academic year as most of the textbooks were not in good shape.

He said the last time the Municipality received textbooks was in 2013 adding the inadequate supply of textbooks to schools in the Municipality was responsible for poor performance of candidates at the Basic Education Certificate Examinations over the years.

He, therefore, appealed to the government to supply especially core subject textbooks to schools in the Municipality to improve education outcome in the area.

Some of the residents, who took part in the forum, complained of poor health care services offered them at the Savelugu Government Hospital urging the Municipal Authority to take action to improve the situation.

Others also were not happy about the poor level of road network and education infrastructure in the Municipality.

Hajia Ayishetu Seidu, Municipal Chief Executive for Savelugu/Nanton, assured residents that her office was making efforts to address their concerns.

Hajia Seidu said the Municipality needed a lot more resources to undertake projects to bring relief to the people appealing to all to honour their civic responsibilities by paying rates to the assembly to increase it's internally generated funds base.

Hajia Alimah Sagito Saeed, Executive Director of SIRDA, urged residents to follow laid down structures at the Municipality to seek information on issues such as the assembly's projects to promote accountability.

GNA

By Albert Futukpor, GNA
The inspectorate division of the minerals commission is investigating the Prestea Underground mine following the death of two employees of Prestea Underground Mine (PUG) a subsidiary of Golden Star Resources, modernghana.com is informed an inspector has been detailed to investigate the mine.

Group Corporate Affairs manager for Golden Star Resources Mr Gerald Boakye told our sources the laws does not allow the company to make anything public until the Mine inspector is done with his investigations.

We are still following closely to keep you updated.
31.12.2017 LISTEN

Professor Felix Dapare Dakora, President of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), has proposed a cessation of what he described as 'Agro-Imperialism,' where massive chunk of Africa's arable lands are sold for pittance to foreign grabbers, if the continent was to feed its projected 2.5 billion population by 2050.

He appealed to the African Union Commission to curtail this emerging 'cruelty' by promulgating a continental legal framework to restrain the outright buyouts for short-to medium term leases to forestall the unwarranted land resource grabbing phenomenon.

'Africa occupies 64 percent of global arable land and yet the hungriest,' he said that loss of such a vital resource of land could jeopardise the food security aspirations of the continent.

Prof Dakora, also the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Award for Scientific Winner 2016, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of Science Forum South Africa (SFAS 2017), which ended recently in Pretoria, South Africa.

He said lands from Ethiopia, Angola, Mozambique, Kenya and Zimbabwe were already suffering from the land grab phenomenon ostensibly from investors from China, Saudi Arabia and India.

'It is time to match Africa's land with its population and activate scientific approaches to derive the optimum derivatives towards feeding the continental many mouths.'

He proposed a 'Young Farmers Brigade' policy practiced during President Kwame Nkrumah's regime to attract the youth into agriculture as projections show Africa would possess the most youthful global population by 2050.

Joan Cuka Kagwanja, Coordinator of the African Land Policy Centre (ALPC) at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), said large scale land acquisition by foreign investors have raised questions regarding the world's future development trajectory.

She said large scale land deals, which take the form of land grabbing have negative implications on the rights of the indigenous people especially women, who play critical role in agricultural production in developing countries.

The Coordinator said a comprehensive ex-ante assessment on the economic, financial, socio-cultural, and environmental benefits and implications of land investments should be a priority in deciding whether to promote large scale investments or not.

Madam Kagwanja said the capacity for negotiations of these land investments is critical to ensure the rights of communities while social mobilisation, responsible governance is underpinned by comprehensive responsive policies, legal frameworks and institution of land administration.

She said the 2014 African Union decision by its Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment have endorsed the use of the 'Guiding Principles' on large scale land-based investments developed by ALPC, which specifies how such deals should be undertaken.

GNA

By Maxwell Awumah, GNA
31.12.2017 LISTEN

Reverend Moses Opoku Agyemang, the Kumasi District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), has said we all need to do the right thing in our various fields of endeavour to propel the country to greater heights.

He said right from the home, through the school and at our work places and churches, all should play their individual and collective roles effectively, to ensure the rapid and total transformation of the society.

Rev Opoku Agyemang, who is also the Senior Minister of Ramseyer Congregation of the PCG at Adum, Kumasi said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.

He said when parents become responsible at home, children learn hard at school and workers take their jobs serious and work assiduously, while people in authority keep faith with the people and Christians pray fervently, nothing could prevent the forward march of the nation to progress and prosperity.

'Wherever we find ourselves we should do the right and avoid anything that could injure the growth and the development of the country,' he said.

Rev Opoku Agyemang gave the assurance that while there is life there is hope so people should not be despair.

'There may be some economic, social and physical challenges, but we should be hopeful because we have life. We only need to trust God and do the right for His blessings.'

GNA
Commuters on the Dambai- Krachie route in the Krachie East District of the Volta Region were left stranded the whole day at both ends of the Oti River as the only pontoon on the river was being used for merrymaking.

The passengers, who told Citi News they had been waiting for the ferry to dock since morning, said it was rather seen cruising on the River fully loaded with merry makers.

The funfair which lasted for the entire day, saw frustrated passengers watch the pontoon in despair.

I got here at 1:00 am and I have been here since. When I came I saw the ferry on the water, I thought it has taken passengers and was going to the other bank. Little did I know that they have gone to make merry. As I speak now , I don't know when they would get here even though I can see them far away in the River a commuter narrated.

It is unclear what may have informed operators of the ferry to engage in such an activity at the expense of the impatient travelers, but some residents said they were hired by the Member of Parliament and District Chief Executive for the area.

When contacted, the MP of Krachie East, Michael Dzato, denied the claims, explaining he and the Chief Executive were out of town when the said incident occurred.

The Oti River, which is an extension of the Volta River, is the major access route from the other parts of the Volta Region to the extreme north of the region, and to a large extent the northern part of the country.

The area, which is a food hub for the country, produces yam and other tuber crops, which are often transported down south.

Attempts by Citi News attempts to reach the captains on the ferry have not been successful.



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Pontoon abandons passengers to cruise with merry makers on Oti River appeared first on Ghana News .
Congolese security forces fired tear gas to break up a Catholic mass on Sunday and arrested Catholic altar boys who were protesting against President Joseph Kabila, AFP reporters saw.

Some officers fired shots in the air in the capital Kinshasa as church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations.

The protesters were demanding that Kabila promise he will not seek to further extend his time in power in Democratic Republic of Congo, a mostly Catholic former Belgian colony.

Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018.

Impatience boiled over on Sunday, with all the vast central African country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests.

Soldiers storm church

A churchgoer who asked not to be named told AFP that officers dispersed worshippers from a mass in the parish of St. Michael's in central Kinshasa on Sunday morning.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church," he said.

Another parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen" -- but added that the priest carried on saying mass.

Officers later detained 12 altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes outside one church as they led a protest march.

Earlier at the Notre-Dame of Congo Cathedral in Gombe, north Kinshasa, security forces also fired tear gas as opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi arrived, AFP journalists saw.

The parish priest asked worshippers to "return to their homes in peace because there is a heavy presence of soldiers and police ready to fire".

In Kinshasa, Catholics of the "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass on Sunday.

They want Kabila, 46, to declare publicly that he will not run for another term as president.

Elections delayed

The vast, mineral-rich country has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001.

He refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown.

Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal.

The delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year.

Congolese authorities cut off internet access "for reasons of state security" before the planned march on Sunday.

The army and the police deployed in large numbers at churches across Kinshasa, the capital of around 10 million people.

Security forces also set up roadblocks in several parts of the city. The army and the police were stopping and searching vehicles.

Government alleges 'insurrection' plan

Government spokesman Lambert Mende alleged in televised comments that "weapons of war have been distributed" by opponents of the government.

"These destabilising acts of agitation aim to create an atmosphere of insurrection which would enable them to seize power in our country by undemocratic means," he said, citing a government report.

Kabila has yet to speak publicly about the latest round of protests.

International powers such as the United Nations have called on the Congolese authorities to allow peaceful protests.
Hundreds of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) members and supporters of the 31st December 1981 revolution, have taken to the streets in Ho in the Volta Region, to commemorate the day.

The group, processed peacefully through some principal streets in the Volta Regional capital ahead of an official address by former President and leader of the revolution, Jerry John Rawlings.

This years event, the 36th anniversary, is being held under the theme, Uniting around the principles of probity, accountability, and social justice.

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, as well as Volta Regional executives of the NDC are among persons participating in the Sunday morning march.

About the 31st December Revolution

On 31st December 1981, former President Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings led a group of soldiers to topple the late President Hilla Liman's government to form the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC).

The PNDC was an amalgamation of the Armed Forces Revolution Council (AFRC) which on 4th June 1978, deposed the Supreme Military Council (SMC) II, and handed over power to Liman's government after elections.

The PNDC steered the affairs of the country until 1992, when the country was returned to constitutional democracy.
31.12.2017 LISTEN

Ex-Vice president Kwesi Amissah-Arthur says Ghanaians should blame Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta for the bloated budget of the Special Development Initiative Ministry.

He has accused the Finance Minister of shirking his responsibilities, arguing he failed to thoroughly vet the budgets submitted by the various ministries as required of him.

The inflated cost of some items in the budget of the Ministry that is under the Office of the President is an indication that Mr Ofori-Atta slept on the work, the former Governor of Ghanas Central Bank registered grave disappointment.

Ex-Vice president Kwesi Amissah-Arthur

The budget of the Special Development Initiative Ministry came under sharp focus the past weeks after it was revealed it had budgeted GHS800,000 for the creation of three websites.

The widely circulated document also showed GHS2million had been quoted as an expected cost for the Ministrys budget preparation.

The government has said there was a mistake in the typing of the figures, claiming the original amount budgeted for the creation of the websites is GHS80,000 and not GHS800,000.

But Mr Amissah-Arthur has described governments response as laughable, saying it could do better.

The explanations I am getting, I dont accept them because even if it was a mistake the total should have reflected that but that is not the case, the one-term Vice-president told Joy News' Central Regional Correspondent, Richard Kwadwo Nyarko.

He said there are subject specialists at the Finance Ministry who could have assisted with the elimination of the discrepancies in the budget, but he believes they also failed the nation.

Under his characteristic tone, he forcefully said: If they did not do their work well, I will not excuse them.
Mali's president has appointed the government of the country's new prime minister, as he prepares for a presidential campaign amid an ongoing threat from jihadists.

According to a decree published Sunday, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita installed 36 ministers for Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga's government.

Six new members are entering the government, formed hours after 63-year-old Maiga's appointment on Saturday following the unexpected resignation of Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga on Friday.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdoulaye Diop has been replaced by Tieman Hubert Coulibaly, former Minister of Territorial Administration.

The new prime minister is considered close to Keita, despite having resigned as defence minister in 2014 after the Malian army suffered a string of setbacks against Tuareg rebel groups in the country's restive northern region.

According to observers, the Malian head of state is preparing for the presidential campaign and is seeking better control of the situation in the north.

The region is still a theatre of unrest almost six years after a French-led military operation chased Islamic extremists linked to Al-Qaeda from a region they had taken control of in early 2012.

Mali's army, French soldiers and a UN mission (MINUSMA) still have little control over large tracts of the country, which regularly come under attack in spite of a peace accord signed with Tuareg leaders in May and June 2015 with the aim of isolating the jihadists.

The spread of the unrest this year prompted the G5 regional forum, which also includes Mauritania and Chad, to step up peace efforts with French support.

Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga is the fifth Prime Minister appointed by President Keita, elected in August 2013 for five years and likely to be re-elected in 2018.
Congolese security forces shot dead a man and injured several others Sunday in a bloody crackdown on Catholic worshippers who gathered at churches across the country to demand President Joseph Kabila leave power.

AFP reporters witnessed the latest of several recent outbreaks of bloodshed in the vast, mineral-rich central African country, wracked by tension over delayed elections.

An AFP reporter at a demonstration in the central city of Kananga saw a man shot in the chest by soldiers who opened fire on worshippers gathered for what church leaders said would be a peaceful protest.

Elsewhere, troops fired tear gas and bullets in the air to break up gatherings at Catholic masses across the capital Kinshasa, in one case arresting 12 altar boys who were leading a protest.

Protests banned

Congolese protesters want Joseph Kabila to leave power

Church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations.

The protesters were demanding that Kabila promise he will not seek to further extend his time in power in DR Congo, a mostly Catholic former Belgian colony.

Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018.

The United Nations says dozens of people have been killed during anti-government protests this year.

Impatience boiled over on Sunday, with all the vast central African country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests.

Priest, woman hurt

In Kinshasa AFP counted about 10 people hurt including a priest with an injury to the face and a woman in her sixties with a gash on her forehead after police broke up church gatherings.

One army officer threatened a team of AFP reporters covering the crackdown at St. Michael's church in Kinshasa.

"If you don't clear out of here, I'll order that you be shot at," he said.

"Press, or not, no one is allowed inside. What's more, you have a white man with you -- that's a race that causes us problems."

A journalist for French radio station RFI was briefly detained, AFP reporters saw.

Soldiers storm church

A churchgoer who asked not to be named described to AFP how officers dispersed worshippers from one mass.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church," he said.

Another parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen" -- but added that the priest carried on saying mass.

Officers later detained 12 altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes outside one church as they led a protest march.

Other protesters went back inside the church grounds and started singing for the Virgin Mary to "make Kabila go".

Elections delayed

In Kinshasa, Catholics of the "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass on Sunday.

They want Kabila, 46, to declare publicly that he will not run for another term as president.

The country has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001 and refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown.

Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal.

The delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year, further angering Kabila's opponents.

'Insurrection' plan alleged

Government spokesman Lambert Mende alleged in televised comments that "weapons of war have been distributed" by opponents of the government.

"These destabilising acts of agitation aim to create an atmosphere of insurrection which would enable them to seize power in our country by undemocratic means," he said, citing a government report.

International powers such as the United Nations have called on the Congolese authorities to allow peaceful protests.
When you live in a small town like Medicine Lake, youre primed to look at the whole  the whole town, the whole community. After all, there arent very many of us; well take whatever we can get! But today, well look at just one: me, Rebecca Rigal. My story  1 in 200.

When I made the move to Montana eight years ago, it wasnt to be a volunteer firefighter  it wasnt even to be a Montanan. Like many, my job in the oilfield and road construction called, and so I followed. The thing about small towns, though, is once you get there, its hard to leave. After being in and out of the Medicine Lake community for years, I made a move  one that would have a greater impact on me than I could ever imagine. I sold my semitrucks, took a position at the Sheridan County Road Department, and became a permanent resident of Medicine Lake. Population: 240 + 1. And then it all began.

My transition to becoming a volunteer firefighter wasnt quick or instantaneous, but slow and steady. It was a transition that was 25 years in the making, prepped by my volunteer work with the Red Cross in Germany and years of experience with tanker trucks  a learned skill I wasnt sure would ever really translate. But after several conversations with the current fire chief, we decided it was time to turn my experience into an opportunity.

After just one training at the fire department, it was clear that this was it: This is where I belonged. Though I worked long hours with my job at the road department, there was something about volunteering that just kept me wanting more. The fulfillment of donating my time, the sense of pride I gained in myself and for my community, and the belonging I felt  it all came from being a volunteer firefighter.

Fast forward 365 days, and here I stand as not just a firefighter, but a peer support team leader for the Medicine Lake Rural Fire Department. As a member of the peer support team, I provide emotional guidance during times of crisis to both our members and our community  a support system that is unique to our department. Further, as just one of two females on the roster, I have the opportunity to serve as an influence to the many young women in our area. I get to be the voice telling them that they can, and I wouldnt have it any other way.

Though I take pride in what I do, at the end of the day, I am just an ordinary resident of a small town who woke up one day and said I can make a difference. Who said I can use my skills, my experiences and my passion to help the community that I love. And isnt that the story of so many of us? We all have unique skills and experiences. Some of us are great organizers, others are skilled drivers and compassionate caretakers. But we are all Montanans, and we are all responsible for our communities.

From one small-town resident to another, know that no matter your skill level, if you have the desire, you can make a difference in your community. And you can do so by volunteering at your local fire department. When you volunteer, you not only gain a position, you gain integrity. I may just be 1 of 200 people in a small rural town, but I have made an impact and you can, too. Visit mtvolunteer.org to fill out an application and learn more.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will officially mark the first year of its administration on 7th January 2017, after wresting power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government led by John Dramani Mahama.

The party claimed electoral victory on the back of many campaign promises aimed at boosting social infrastructure and providing a convenient economic environment for private businesses to thrive.

President Nana Akufo-Addo

According to the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP was poised to ensure good governance, by eroding the foundation of gross corruption laid by John Mahama and the NDC government.

His statement was in reference to the many controversies, often with a dent of corruption, that had engulfed the erstwhile government.

After almost 12 months in office, the NPP government has also been caught in various controversies which seem to have made the party unpopular in some circles. Governance

Plagiarism:

President Akufo-Addo and his handlers were caught in a controversial act of plagiarism in his inaugural speech.

The speech, although widely commended, was found to have excerpts of it copied directly from Thomas Woodrow Wilson, an American politician, and academician who served as the 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921.

Wilson, in a 1913 speech said, We are bound by ideals that teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these ideals. Every citizen must uphold them. I ask you to be citizens. Citizens, not spectators. Citizens, not subjects. Responsible citizens building communities of service and a nation of character.

The phrase, which was repeated by George Bush in 2001, was included in Akufo-Addo's inaugural address without reference to the original author.

It read, I ask you to be citizens: citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens building your communities and our nation. Let us work until the work is done. Holy Scripture in Galatians 6:9 says Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

The incident, which caught the eye of international media gave the NDC minority in parliament the grounds to demand a withdrawal of the address.

The Deputy Minority Leader, James Klutse Avedzi, who led the charge, asked the NPP to withdraw the plagiarized address and resubmit another speech which will reflect all attributable sources.

The sanctity of Parliament must be respected and preserved, and it is our expectation that the new Speaker of Parliament The Rt. Hon. Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye who thankfully is an academic of some repute will better appreciate the full ramifications of what is before us, it said in an address.

110 competent ministers:

Not long after the gaffe, the government again found itself in an uncomfortable position as it was subjected to criticism from various quarters including some Civil Society Organization over the appointment of 110 Ministers of State including deputies.

Following the appointment, President Akufo-Addo became the first head of state in the 4th Republic to have more than a hundred (100) ministers serve in his government.

He beat his predecessor, John Mahama by about 26 ministers.

While the government was accused of creating an opportunity to fleece the state, the Presidency said the appointment of the ministers was necessary to revamp the economy which had been supposedly collapsed by the John Mahama government.

Founders day vs. Founders day:

President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose political history stems from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), formed on August 4, 1947 to bring about Ghanaian independence, stirred controversy when in his presidential inauguration address he suggested that members of the UGCC including his father Edward Akudo-Addo and uncle, J.B Danquah, were the main brains behind Ghana's independence.

Many, including the Chairman of the CPP, Prof. Edmund Delle, accused him of distorting the country's history to lessen the role of Kwame Nkrumah in Ghanas attainment of independence, but members of the NPP argued that the achievements of the Kwame Nkrumah were only because of the exposure and support he had received from the UGCC before he broke away to establish his Convention People's Party (CPP).

The government subsequently canceled the former government's decision to celebrate September 21; Kwame Nkrumahs birthday as Founder's Day, and rather set August 4, as founders' day to recognize all who helped Ghana to attain independence.

The proposal is to be backed by law to take effect.

Corruption

Boakye-Agyarko bribe:

The then Minister for Energy nominee, Boakye Agyarko, became the center of what appears to be the most interesting and complex corruption scandal in the first quarter of 2017, when the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, alleged that Mr. Agyarko had bribed members of Parliament's appointments committee GH 3,000 each to unanimously approve him after his vetting.

Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko

The allegation which was backed by the Member of Parliament North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, led to a probe by a special committee set up by Parliament.

The committee, which was headed by MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, ruled that Mahama Ayariga's claims were baseless, and he was subsequently ordered to apologize, which was done, although many claimed he did it reluctantly.

BOSTs sale of contaminated fuel:

In June 2017, it emerged that the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited ( BOST ) sold about 5 million liters of contaminated fuel to some unlicensed companies; Movepiina and Zup Oil, causing the state to lose GH7 million

The development sparked outrage from Ghanaians including stakeholders such as the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, and the African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), who condemned the action, alleging that it was an illegal trend that needed to be arrested.

The Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, however at a press conference cleared the Managing Director of BOST, Alfred Obeng Boateng of wrongdoing citing a Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and National Security report.

Corrupt deputy Chiefs of Staff:

Controversial musicians and sympathizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A-Plus, took to Facebook to accuse President Akufo-Addo's two Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye, and Abu Jinapor of being corrupt.

He also described them as thieves who are arrogant.

The Deputy Chiefs of Staff; Francis Asenso-Boakye (L) and Abu Jinapor (R)

Although he did not state their exact action that warranted the accusations, his comment generated a lot buzz especially from loyalists of the party, some of whom chided A-Plus for the comment.

Francis Asenso-Boakye subsequently rejected the claims describing them as false.

After receiving a lot of backlashes from the public including some members of the government, A-Plus apologized to the President for his actions, admitting that he used the wrong platform to voice out his concerns.

President Akufo-Addo subsequently ordered the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to conduct an investigation into the matter.

The department, after its investigations, said it found A-Plus' claims to be baseless, but A-Plus in a subsequent media interaction expressed his disagreement with the report.

A-Plus

A leaked audio tape later emerged with a conversation between A-Plus and a senior CID officer in which the officer supposedly indicated to A-Plus that the report was skewed to favour the government officials.

The CID officer in the tape, who was then Deputy Director of the CID, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, later claimed that the tape was doctored, adding that A-Plus had threatened to blackmail her with it.

After receiving a petition to investigate the matter, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), exonerated the two Deputy Chiefs of Staff of any corrupt act, ending the several weeks long controversy.

Diversion of premix fuel:

In November 2017, Citi News revealed at least over 230 cases of premix fuel diversions that had been cited by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), since January 2017 to October, at a time when fisher-folks were complaining about inaccessibility to premix fuel, subsequently leading to a decline in the nation's fish stock.

The Ministry of Energy, in May 2017, subsequently ordered the Fisheries Ministry to probe the companies alleged to be complicit in the fuel diversion, but that did not happen.

Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture.

When quizzed on her role in the scandal by Citi News, the Fisheries Minister, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, said the NPA was in a better position to act on the widespread diversion of premix fuel, because her Ministry did not have a tracking system to identify culprits.

Elizabeth Afoley Quaye , also defended her decision to appoint her brother as the Acting Administrator of the National Premix Secretariat, saying he was competent enough and has since left the position, and replaced by a substantive appointee.

Both the NPA and the Energy Ministry, had avoided commentary on the matter. However, after a joint meeting with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the National Premix Fuel Committee, the stakeholders agreed to among other things ensure that the premix fuel committee ceases supply to some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) found to be complicit in the diversion of premix fuel, and more effective collaboration between them to avert such incidents from happening in the future.

Extortion of expatriates:

The Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, alleged in Parliament in December 2017 that the Trade Ministry charged expatriates between $25,000 and $100,000, to book a seat at the recent Ghana Expatriate Business Awards (GEBA) which had President Akufo-Addo in attendance.

Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka,Member of Parliament for Asawase

According to him, the monies were not approved by Parliament, adding that the monies were also not accounted for in the Internally Generated Funds [IGF] of the Ministry's accounts.

The issue has further been reinforced by Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Okudzeto Ablakwa, who suffered verbal assaults from Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah over the matter.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry dissociated itself from the allegations. In a statement, it said it played no role in determining prices for seats at the event, and clarified that it only facilitated the implementation of a new initiative by the Millennium Excellence Foundation.

Trade Minister, Alan Kyeremanten

Amidst the brouhaha, the President, Nana Akufo-Addo said he found the allegations against the Ministry to be baseless following a query to the Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanten, demanding answers from him over the allegations.

A statement from the government said the facts, as reported to the President, do not disclose any wrongdoing on the part of the Minister of any government official.

The Minority in Parliament last week called for an urgent Parliamentary meeting over the matter although the House was on recess.

Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye subsequently granted the request and has since called for an emergency sitting on Friday 5th January, 2018 although the Parliamentarians were originally expected to resume sitting at the end of January.

GH800,000 budget for website:

Again, in December 2017, it emerged that the Ministry for Special Development and Initiatives had budgeted GH800,000 of taxpayers' money to build a new website.

The amount, although heavily criticized by the minority in Parliament, was approved by Parliament since the NPP has the majority in the House.

Many Ghanaians criticized the government and the sector minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson for the budget which many said was a recipe for corruption.

Mavis Hawa Koomson, in a surprising U-turn, claimed that the GH800,000 was a typographical error and that the actual amount was GH80,000.

Mavis Hawa Koomson  Minister for Special Development and Initiatives

The Minority made calls for her to resign over the matter because it was a sign of incompetence.

The Minister however in a subsequent defense said the amount was for the creation of different websites for the new development authorities; Northern Development Authority, Coastal Development Authority, and the Middle Belt Development Authority.

She added that, the GH 1.1 billion total allocations to the Ministry for the important projects such as purchasing of vehicles to facilitate the work of the new development authorities. Security

Delta Force on rampage:

A major dent on the NPP government's administration in 2017 was the heightened acts of impunity and lawlessness perpetrated by individuals and groups most of whom are affiliated with the government.

Following the election of Akufo-Addo as president, there were several instances of the forceful takeover of some state assets and facilities including some public toilets from the managers perceived to be affiliated to the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

File photo

The development assumed the height of national concern and controversy when a vigilante group, Delta Force, affiliated to the NPP, attacked the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator at his office in broad day light.

They said he was not actively involved in the party's electioneering campaign hence must not be rewarded for the appointment.

While standing trial in court, another set of members of the vigilante group stormed the court premises and freed their colleagues, causing fear, panic, and chaos in the courtroom.

The case ended with the first group of suspects being set free after payment of a GH1,800 per head fine, heavily criticized by some lawyers as paltry and not deterrent enough.

Those who set the suspects free from court, were set free for supposed lack of evidence, an incident that got many angry.

Karaga NPP youth on rampage:

Many believe the precedent set by the Delta Force group and the subsequent punitive measure meted out to them, encouraged a similar incident in Karaga in the Northern Region where some NPP youth, stormed a police station to set arrested suspects free.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 11 controversies that rocked NPP gov't in 2017 appeared first on Ghana News .
The Distinguish Scholars of Africa (DISTINSA) in collaboration with the International Standards Journalism (ISJA) will soon introduce the maiden free Universal Broadcast University for journalists in the country.

The programme will be an online, on air and accessible by radio, television, video where participants can tune in and take scheduled courses just like the normal university and accessible to different local languages for those who cannot speak English.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Dr. Nana Oppong, the President of DISTINSA-ISJA, said their outfit was hoping to start the programme latest in March 2018, and have started the process of contacting various universities abroad for affiliation and accreditation.

He said the programme would be an online platform for journalist to register as a student and be issued with an ID card and provided with a schedule to know when to tune in the radio or download the podcast for your course.

Dr. Oppong explained that that programme would enable lecturers to lecture on videos just like the normal university, except that you don't go to the normal classroom for lectures since it is online.

'We believe that increasing the journalists access to education and enabling them to have excellent knowledge without having to pay for it will increase their capacity to deliver, inform and technically correct and ensure the best reportage', he added.

'We are pioneering the process of free, standardise universal education for Ghanaians as part of our corporate social responsibility in that access to education should be a basic necessity and human rights but not a privilege'.

He said journalists in the country must have unlimited access to Universities to help raise the level of awareness of the community.

This, he said, was the foundation of development and the path towards greater nation-building.

Dr. Oppong said there is the need to educate journalists at the highest level through universities or university-type educations to enrich the minds and hearts of tribes and increase the quality and depth of their impact on society.

"We must remove money as a barrier to higher education. We all need higher education to be learned, competitive and be more conscious if our duty of care towards one another".
Former President Jerry John Rawlings, has mounted a strong defence for his consistent criticisms of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), saying he has a duty to correct errors in his party before he takes his criticisms elsewhere.

Some NDC top officials have criticized Mr. Rawlings for constantly highlighting the flaws of a party he founded.

One of those officials, a former Deputy Chief of Staff under the Mahama administration, Valerie Sawyer, had argued in an article that Mr. Rawlings was so obsessed with the NDC that he was prepared to destroy anyone and anything in the NDC if that will suit his agenda to be in the driving seat.

She accused Mr. Rawlings of still flogging a dead horse although they are in opposition.

They say he booms  I say he buzzes  like an agitated mosquito  looking for his next victim. Again, he heads for other Heads of State  describing their governance as riddled with corruption. Is he trying to say that his reign was unblemished or that his twin brother's (President Akufo-Addo) reign is unsullied? Really? Who born dog  in fact  who born monkey?

JJ oooo JJ  the great Papa JJ  the one and only Junior Jesus  the great saint who never does wrong  you are still flogging a dead horse  the NDC is in opposition in case you have not noticed, while a living raging bull is moving around with reckless abandon destroying everything it finds in its path including the assets and citizens of this nation, she wrote in the article.

Offering explanations to these constant criticisms at the 31st December Revolution Anniversary, Mr. Rawlings explained that the only way to legitimize his right to expose flaws of other political parties, is to criticize his party.

Some latter-day party officials have now made it their chore to denigrate me for speaking loudly and forcefully about the wrongs in the NDC when the party was in power. Many of these political novices, eager to please their paymasters may be oblivious to the countless times my counsel was treated with contempt. I cannot lay claim to the position of party founder and spend time criticizing another party or institution when my house is burning. Removing the log in my eye is the only way to legitimize any right to expose the speck in another's.

Deal with vigilantism

He was however quick to raise concerns about what he described as the rise of vigilantism which is breeding a new standard in lawlessness adding that it has to be brought to book

Vigilantism perceived to be protected by political authority is a one-way road to a break down of law and order. The attacks on the High Court in Kumasi, the recent attacks on a Member of Parliament in Brong Ahafo and other reported incidents of highhandedness by perceived political agents have to be denounced forcefully and dealt with in a firm and swift manner that will inspire public confidence.
31.12.2017 LISTEN

Ghanaian migrants workers over the years have contributed enormously to the growth the economy in diverse ways.

Empirical Evidence indicates that $ 1.4 Million transfers were recorded in 2004 by Bank of Ghana as a remittance inflow.

More so, International Labour Migration has also aided in reducing the high rate of unemployment in the country.

It is obvious that,these industrious migrants do not only contribute to the growth of their economy; but also to their destination countries.

In recent times, Ghanaian youth and the working class have embarked on travels to various countries especially to the Gulf Countries in search of jobs and to advance their careers.

Unfortunately, some of these travels have been aggravated especially in the Gulf Countries which have called for concern among Ghanaians and the government. These are some of challenges the migrants have been going through:

Abuse and exploitation of migrant workers in the host countries

Malpractices by private recruitment agencies involving high fees and misleading information

Loss of critical skills in developing countries and deskilling of migrant workers in destination countries

Growth of irregular migration , including its worst manifestation of trafficking and smuggling

Discrimination and poor integration of migrants in host countries.

The menace has been a serious headache to the government and its stakeholders over the years.

However, in order to sanitize the system the government has taken a giant step by collaborating with Private Employers Guild Ghana (PEGG) which was launched over the weekend in Accra.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, under theme: The labour migration front; Opportunities, Challenges Solutions, the President of Private Employers Guild Ghana (PEGG) , Mr.Zack Rahman, noted that the youth with inner burning desire to seek for greener pastures migrate from their homelands in the quest of improving their economic live hood.

Often times, we have heard stories of abuse and maltreatments of our migrants in other countries, one of such is the recent happenings of Ghanaians been enslaved in Libya according to reports.

What we can do as a nation to address this issue of migration of our citizens especially the youth; is to regulate and initiate strict compliance of legal regime in the labour industry, he stated.

It is in this regard, the Private Employment Guild, Ghana is working closely with the government and relevant stakeholders to address this pressing issue.

Our aim, is to do everything possible in our capacity to sanitize the operations of this industry, to remove the bad nuts and serve as a pressure group to offer suggestions to relevant stakeholders of this industry, he noted.

According to him, they want the government to regard as the new and improved recruitment industry, thus bringing transparency in their operations in order to lift the image of Ghana high.

The Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour RelationsHon. Bright Wireko Brobbey, he hinted that, International migration is now on high on national, regional and global policy agendas.

It in this light, the government is putting measures in place to screen and also regulate the labour migration industry as a way of sanitizing the business for mutual benefit of all stakeholders.

This he said, the government is proposing to undertake the following critical measures:

Ensure that all recruitment agencies are well licensed and certified.

Appropriate ill -complaint mechanisms and desks are set up and are accessible at host countries for reporting and addressing cases of abuse and exploitation.

The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations work with Embassies especially the Gulf Countries to orient all potentials trvellers o the their contact; culture issues, travelling procedures /protocols before visas are issued to them.

He has therefore entreated all and sundry especially the stakeholders to continue to corporate with the government in order to bring sanity into the labour migration.
A Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, George Oduro, has reiterated the commitment of the government to improve the lives of farmers in the country through the modernization of the country's agricultural sector.

The deputy minister says government's interventions in the agricultural sector through pragmatic policies will not be politicized, stressing that every single Ghanaian who deserves to benefit will have his or her fair share.

According to him, "issues of agriculture will not be an NPP/NDC matter" adding that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, under the leadership of Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, will not discriminate against any Ghanaian.

He observed that the politicization of government programmes, particularly in the area of agriculture has not in the past, helped the development of farmers, adding that the administration of the NPP under His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo, intends to avoid that by giving access to every deserving Ghanaian.

Addressing Chiefs and people in the Ahafo enclave as part of ongoing efforts by MOFA to engage various stakeholders in the implementation of government's flagship "Planting for Food and Jobs" campaign, Hon. Oduro urged traditional rulers to rally their subjects to participate in the programme.

He noted that government is ready to offer incentives to the youth to go into farming, stressing that the success story has been evidenced in the smooth implementation of the pilot phase of the PFJ programme in 2017.

The New Edubiase MP noted that in the 2018 crop season, the government intends to register about half a million farmers and similarly support them with incentives to increase productivity and improve their income.

He said it was for this reason that MOFA is soliciting the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation.

Hon. Oduro further pointed out that under the programme, the government has guaranteed ready market for farmers through a comprehensive arrangement with aggregators, stressing that with the introduction of the Warehouse Receipt System, farmers can now access financial support from banks using their receipts as collateral.

Whilst commending the Chiefs of the Ahafo enclave for their decision to allocate about 40,000 acres of land for the programme, the Deputy Minister promised that government through MOFA will give them the needed support.

SUPPORT FROM THE TRADITIONAL RULERS

The traditional rulers from the Ahafo enclave spanning Tepa, Maaban, Goaso, Acherensua, Bechem, Asuhyiae and others have pledged to allocate 40,000 acres towards farming in their areas.

Twenty thousand (20,000) acres of this land will be used for rice production whilst the remaining 20,000 will go into the cultivation of bamboo for the generation of electricity and other products.

The project, being spearheaded by the Paramount Chief of Maaban, Nana Darko Montwi II, is expected to create jobs for youths in the catchment communities.

Nana Darko Montwi II in his address disclosed that investors for the bamboo project have already visited the area to do a feasibility study.

He, therefore, commended the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, for lending his support to the project.

On his part, Nana Atwerewaa Ampem II, the Paramount Chief of the Tepa Traditional Area, said there was no doubt agriculture holds the key to solving the numerous youth unemployment in the country.

He, therefore, indicated his full support towards the Planting for Food and Jobs campaign and encouraged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to pursue the project.
31.12.2017 LISTEN

Identifying ones self as a revolutionary enthusiast, or for that matter, an ideologue of transparency, probity and accountability, is not a bad idea. But it somehow becomes extremely troubling and hypocritical when a group of people who claim to be the exponents of such ethos would then turn round and dip their hands into the national coffers as if tomorrow will never come.

Of course, the NDC loyalists would never agree with some of us for persistently analysing the current affairs through the lenses of the past. But I am afraid we cannot make sense of the present happenings if we refused to take stock of the past events.

Why wont I shriek, censure and highlight the revoltingly risible tendencies of the so-called devotees of the 31st December 1981 revolution?

It would be recalled that when the revolutionaryenthusiasts (the founders of NDC) burst onto the scene, they tempestuously tortured and murdered people with more than two vehicles.

However, the same revolutionaryenthusiasts are hypocritically in possession of not less than two vehicles per household.

Shockingly, the vast majority of house owners were punished severely for having more than one toilet facility in their homes.

But the last time I checked, the vast majority of the so-called revolutionaries have uncountable toilet facilities in their luxurious mansions.

Moreover, the founders of the NDC impertinently exhibited their communist ideals by going into war with business men and women in the country.

The founders of NDC,regrettably,tortured and murdered innocent business men and women, many of whom were bizarrely accused for legally borrowing meagre sums of money from banks to support their businesses.

Strangely, however, the so-called revolutionaries who repugnantly collapsed innocent peoples businesses now own business outlets all over the place.

Some innocent business men and women, so to speak, wereabhorrently humiliated and their businesses were either seized or destroyed by the despotic NDC founders.

Worst of all, billions of cedis (in 50 cedi denominations) were seized from ordinary Ghanaians without trace.

The NDC founders,ironically,replaced our educational system with that of a communist model, while deceitfullyturned round and sent their children abroad to study in what they saw as a superior educational system.

If you may remember, I have previously informed readers that I used to be anunsuspecting disciple of Jerry John Rawlings, who succeeded in proselytising some of us with his sugar-puffed propaganda.

Of course, like many other students back then, I naively thought J.J Rawlings was a Messiah sent from the Heavens to intercede for the downtrodden, and how wrong I was. Indeed, I am among those admirers who have come to their real senses.

I mulled over Jerry John Rawlings real intentions for usurping power and inevitably overcame my benightedness.

It is important to note that Rawlings bamboozled onto the scene under the pretext of redeeming Ghanaians from the existential economic mismanagement and wanton corruption, but he couldnt even get rid of the rampant sleazes and corruption in his NDC government, let alone the entire nation.

The founder of NDC, J. J. Rawlings, paradoxically, goes about preaching probity and accountability, but fails to practice. For isnt it somehow ironic that someone who bamboozled onto the scene under the pretext of eliminating the widespread sleazes and corruption would turn to a fantastically corrupt former Nigerian president Abacha for a hard cash gift?

For more news on Nigerias former president Abachas alleged gift to J.J Rawlings, see: (Nigerias Abacha gave me $2 million and not $5 million-Rawlings: citifmonline.com/.../nigerias-abacha-gave-me-2m-not-5m-rawlings-conf... ; Abachas $2 million gift to Rawlings: Vitus Azeem is only after the truth,: www.ghanaweb.com/.../Abacha-s-2m-gift-to-Rawlings-Vitus-Azeem-is-o... ; Rawlings must return Abachas $2m gift-Nigerian journalist: www.ghanaweb.com/.../Rawlings-must-return-Abacha-s-2m-gift-Nigeria...).

Obviously, following a carefully considered reflection, I adjusted my views on Rawlings and his NDCsmuch touted principles and have thus become a born again.

If we stroll down memory lane, General I. K. Acheampong led a group of mutinous soldiers and deposed Prime Minister Dr Kofi Abrefa Busias government in 1972 and formed a government which they called The Supreme Military Council (SMC).

Nevertheless, in 1978, General Acheampong was accused of economic mismanagement, and was forced to resign by a group of senior army officers led by General Akufo.

A sequential account was given, though anecdotally, that the harsh living conditions during The Supreme Military Council regime prompted a group of patriotic citizens to stand up against the injustices and demanded a democratic rule.

But before the country could reach a consensus on the question of civilian rule, a group of disgruntled junior army officers led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings revolted against General Fred Akuffos SMC2 regime on 15th May 1979.

However, the cabals failed in their insurrection, which culminated in the arrest and trial of Rawlings and his cohorts.

Nevertheless, the judicial process was halted prematurely by a group of soldiers sympathetic to Rawlings, who revolted on 4th June 1979.

The rebellious soldiers (mobsters) broke jail and released Rawlings and his cohorts from a lawful custody.

After successfully deposing General Akuffo and his Supreme Military Council2 (SMC2) government, the stubbornly impenitent jailbreakers went ahead and formed their own government, which they called as the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and appointed Flt. Rawlings as their chairman.

Rawlings and his friends vowed to purge off the rampant sleazes, corruption and social injustices which instigated their coup detat.

So in their hasty attempt to purify the country of the perceived injustices, they carried out what they termed house cleaning exercise,--they dealt with perceived offenders arbitrarily (instant justice was the order of the day).

The mutinous coup makers proceeded with their intentions and callously exterminated eight prominent officers, whom they accused of committing sleazes and corruption without trial.

The Officers included General Fred Akuffo, General Kutu Acheampong, General Akwasi Afrifa amongst others.

The coup makers however transferred power to Dr Hilla Limann and his PNP Party following the successful election in 1979.

The story was narrated, in a historical standpoint, though, that the Limann government assumed office at a time when the economy was stagnant; all credit lines to the country had diminished and were finally blocked due to brutalities and confiscations at the harbours and other points of entry into Ghana.

However, through well-executed negotiations, policies and programmes, PNP government back then initiated a prudent approach with the view to resolving the socio-economic problems.

It was however reported that the PNP government put in dint of effort to repay the short-term debts and showed commitment to meet the debt obligations.

More importantly, Dr Limanns government was able, within 18 months, to restore virtually all traditional credit lines (Source: PNC).

Disappointingly, however, Rawlings and his cohorts did not give Dr Limann and his PNP government the breathing space to govern the country, as they relentlessly breathed down the neck of President Liman.

Rawlings and his conspiratorial plotters, who were later to become the founders of the National Democratic Congress, as a matter of fact, unfairly kept criticising Dr Limanns administration for what the coup makers perceived as economic mismanagement, until Rawlings and his jailbreaking geezers decided to depose Dr Limann.

Subsequently, J. J. Rawlings and the other obstreperous jailbreakers took arms and succeeded in deposing the democratically elected government of Dr Hilla Limann on 31st December 1981.

And, Rawlings and his friends formed a government which they called the Provisional national Defence Council (PNDC) and appointed Rawlings as the chairman.

Although the PNDC and NDC administrations back then paraded some seasoned politicians, the vast majority of the military personnel who headed important Ministries were novices in the political scene.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, Rawlingss administration adopted a seemingly calamitous Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), which was introduced under the auspices of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Regrettably, the vast majority of tangible national assets, including the state owned enterprises were allegedly sold to friends and families for pittance.

In practice, the apparent unfavourable Economic Recovery Programme culminated in a catalogue of hardships. And, on top of the harsh programmes and policies which threatened the economic fundamentals, the population had to brace itself for food shortages, a situation which was comparable to the concurrent Ethiopian famine that resulted in millions of deaths.

Perhaps, more than anything else, the initiation of the Programme of Action to Mitigate the Social Costs of Adjustment (PAMSCAD) did nothing to improve the unfortunate situation as untold hardships permeated many households.

Starvation, in all honesty, visited the vast majority of Ghanaians, and hence developing revoltingly ugly collar bones which the humorous Ghanaians renamed as Rawlings Chain. That was indeed the pernicious extent of the hunger.

In their weird attempt to get rid of sleazes and corruption, many Ghanaians were unjustifiably murdered or tortured mercilessly for apparent infinitesimal offences.

Regrettably, however, some market women were stripped naked in the public and whipped for either hauling their products or selling on high prices. While their male counterparts were wickedly shaved with broken bottles and whipped for offences that would not even warrant a Police caution in a civilized society.

As if that was not enough, three eminent high court judges and a prominent army officer were barbarically murdered by PNDC henchmen on 30th June 1982 for carrying out their constitutionally mandated duties.

The PNDC apologists savagely murdered the three eminent high court judges because their judgement did not go in their favour.

Ghanas revolution days under the jailbreaking founders of the NDC, so to speak, could be likened to: in the China of the Great Helmsman, Kim Il Sungs Korea, Vietnam under Uncle Ho , Cuba under Castro, Ethiopia under Mengistu, Angola under Neto, and Afghanistan under Najibullah.

Even though Rawlings and his conspiratorial plotters supplanted power under the pretext of acting as a peripheral Panacea, they slyly spent a little over eleven years before lifting the ban on political parties in 1992.

Rawlings, as a matter of fact, succumbed to internal and external political pressures for him to step down and allow multi-party democracy.

Subsequently, he lifted the ban on political parties in 1992 and resigned from the military simultaneously so as to contest election.

Subsequent to his retirement from the military, Rawlings and his jailbreaking cabals went ahead and formed a political party, which they named as the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a progeny of PNDC.

To the amazement of discerning Ghanaians, the power intoxicated founder of the NDC, J. J. Rawlings appeared as a chameleon by idiosyncratically metamorphosing into a civilian president in 1992.

It is, however, worth stressing that Ex-President Rawlings 96 months democratic rule came to an end in January 2001.

Disappointingly, however, former President Rawlings memorable achievement was to send us to the membership of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC).

K. Badu, UK
It was a mammoth gathering on 28th December 2017 of the ivy leaguers of the 2009 year group of the Presbyterian Training College (PTC), now the Presbyterian College of Education (PCE) of Akropong-Akwapem.

The meet-up brought together a majority of the trained teachers whom the school was able to pass through them.

Most of the alumni, in 8 years after leaving the four walls of the well-endowed and most disciplinary college have never met in person or even communicated on phone.

The happiness, hugs, noise and re-echoing of nicknames and the sarcasm werent absent. It was a laugh out your heart galore gathering at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

The mirthfulness of the gathering was full of drinks, and a goat meat soup plus the usual addition; fufu (a mixture of cassava and plantain pound in a mortar with a pistil until it becomes soft). No one was left out of the euphoric sense of meeting old friends.

A 2 hour discussion was led by the Deputy Permanent Senior (DPS) of the College in 2009, Mr. Emmanuel Yaw Adjei, to formalize the Alumnus. This was because the Permanent Senior, Mr. Henry Laryea had to attend equally important Matrimonial ceremony in Kumasi of one of their own. The meeting led to voluntary donations to the PCE O9 fund to enable the Alumnus undertake projects to contribute their quota to nation building. Different professional ideas came into play with marvelous suggestions of long-term generational impact.

The Eastern Regional GDM Director, MrAdomako Franklin discretionarily pledged funds to register the association to increase membership and set the pace for others to follow. It was more than a meeting of the business class in society. Agreements were reached on almost all the thematic areas of scrutiny and its implementation starting in early 2018.

The second phase of the merry making went into the night. It was a night of riotous jollity. The majority who came from afar South, West and North stayed behind to join the climax of the meet-up without regret. The socialization, business discussions and opportunity breakthrough painted the evening with colorful smiles.

The annual gathering continues unabated to create a harmonious family to solving societal problems and assist in the welfare of its members. The organizers of the alumnus, Mr. Yaw Boateng (Oti), and the DPS couldnt hide the joy of meeting old friends from college. Their industrious efforts brought the love and the glee out of many.

The Presbyterian College of Education was founded in 1848 by the British missionaries. It is the oldest tertiary institution in Ghana and second to Fourabay College, University of Sierra Leon. PCE (PTC) has produce the best teachers the nation can think of with the majority showing professionalism in the field education. It also gave birth to many other tertiary institutions of academia.It is indeed The Mother of Our Schools.
Recent events

On 6 December 2017, Mr Donald Trump, the President of the United States of Americareversed decades of U.S. policy and recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and declared that he will move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In fact, the idea is not newbecausethe US Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act in 1995 to movethe US embassy to Jerusalem by 1999.

Furthermore, former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama all made a relocation of the US Embassy a campaign message as follows:

I have always wanted to move our embassy to West Jerusalem. We have a designated site there. I have not done so because I didnt want to do anything to undermine our ability to help to broker a secure and fair and lasting peace for Israelis and for Palestinians. (Mr Clinton, 2000)

Something will happen when I'm president: as soon as I take office I will begin the process of moving the US ambassador to the city Israel has chosen as its capital. (George W Bush, 2000)

Any negotiated agreement between Israel and the Palestinian people must preserve Israels identity as a Jewish state, with secure, recognised and defensible borders. Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided. (Mr Obama, 2008)

It seems obvious that the three immediate former US presidents all had the desire to relocate the US Embassy to Jerusalem, yetciting security concernsthey signed a waiver every six months to keep it in Tel Aviv.

As expected the Muslim world is very angry at Mr. Trump and has adopted the following measures:

A declaration on 13 December 20017 by the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation who met in Istanbul thatEast Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinians. The meeting condemned Mr. Trumps unilateral and dangerous declaration as a violation of United Nations resolutions.

Mr Abbas, the Palestinian President declared that Jerusalem is and always will be the capital of Palestine.

President Erdogan of Turkey also stated that Israel will never have any legitimacy in Jerusalem.

A Turkish sponsored resolution at the United Nations by which the General Assembly voted 128 to 9 (with 35 abstentions) demanding the United States to rescind its decisionon Jerusalem. Although, the resolution is nonbinding and largely symbolic, it indicates the extent of the anger of the Muslim world.

Before the vote, Mr. Trump declared that They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we're watching those votes. Let them vote against us. Well save a lot. We dont care. Similarly, Ms Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN stated that The President will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us. We will take note of each and every vote on this issue.

After the UN General Assembly vote, the Israeli Prime Mr.Benjamin Netanyahudeclared thatIsrael completely rejects this preposterous resolution and Jerusalem is our capital. Always was, always will be.

The failure of the peace process

The discussion above indicates clearly that tempers are high and the intermittent conflict between Israelites and the Palestinians will not resolve any time soon.

The Arabs and Israelis have engaged in several wars since the modern state of Israel was established in 1948. While some Arab countries have signed peace treaties with Israel ( EgyptIsrael 1979) and ( JordanIsrael 1994), all effort to find a lastingpeace between the Israelites and the Palestinians has proved elusive due to misunderstanding of how to share the land between them. However, to better understand why the peace effort has not succeeded we need to understand the historical and religious contexts of the problem.

The time line of the history, the settlementson and conquests of the Land

The information below summarises the history of, and the settlement on the land.

According to the Bible, God promised to give the land of the modern State of Israel and the Greater Palestine to the Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12:7, To your offspring I will give this land). Further details about the promise will be discussed later.

Circa 1000 BC, David, the 2ndKing of Israel ruled a united kingdom of Israel on the land and established Jerusalem as his capital. Solomon, the son of David succeeded his father after his death. While David wanted to build a temple for God, God instructed that it was Davids son (Solomon) who would build him a temple because David had shed too much blood and fought many wars ( 1 Chronicles 17:1 -4, 22:18). Accordingly, Solomon built the temple (1 Kings 6:2)

After the death of Solomon in 931 BC, the kingdom was divided into two(1) the South Kingdome consisting of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah; and (2) the Northern Kingdom comprising the other ten tribes.

In 721 BC, due to disobedience to God, the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom and took them captives. The captives never returned to Israel and are still known as the lost tribes of Israel.

In 586 BC, KingNebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem , destroyed the Solomon temple and took the Jews captives.

In 538 BC, the Persians defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, and also to rebuild the temple.

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great from Greece conquered the Persian Empire and Judea.

In 142 BC, the Maccabees revolted against the Greeks and the Judea once again became independent.

In 63 BC, the Romans conquered the Greek Empire including Judea, the Jews were granted some form of autonomy and this continued during the time of Jesus.

InMark 13:1-2, a disciple asked Jesus, Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings! Do you see all these great buildings?  Jesus replied.  Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be toppled.  As Jesus predicted, in 67 AD, the Romans under General Vespasian and his son Titus mounted a systematic military campaign against Jewswhen the Jews rebelled against the Roman rule. Despite facing a stiff opposition, the Romans conqueredJudea in 70 AD, and totally destroyed Jerusalem and the temple.

In 638 AD, the Arab Caliph Omar invaded Jerusalem and built Al-Aqsa mosque on the ruins of the Jewish temple. Between that period and 1917, several Arabic warriors invaded Jerusalem including a Cairo based Fatimid dynasty in 969, Seljuk Turks in 1071, the Crusaders in 1099, Kurdish General Saladin in 1187 and Mamelukes in 1291. In 1517, the Ottoman Empire ruled the entire Middle East including Jerusalem until 1917.

In 1917, the British GeneralAllenby conquered Jerusalem and the British Government made the Balfour Declarationpromising to establish a Jewish National Home in Palestine. Meanwhile, the first and second major waves of European Jews returned to Palestine in 1880 and 1904-14 respectively.

In 1920, the Jewish-Arab cooperation broke down and the Arab rioters attacked Jews in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the Jews elected their first Knesset (parliamentarians) in in the same year.

In 1922, the League of Nations (the UN predecessor) approved a mandate to establish a Jewish national home.

In 1922-23, the Arabs rejected the British attempt to establish a powering sharing arrangement in Palestine between the Arabs and the Jews. Again in1937, the Arabs rejected the British proposal to create Jewish state in 20% of the land in Palestine and Palestinian state in the rest. Jews also rejected the plan in 1939.

In 1947, the UN decided to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states backed by UN Resolution 181. The UN Partition Plan also proposed making Jerusalem an international city by establishing a special international regime with free access for everyone to all the holy sites inthe city. The Arabs rejected the plan.

On 14 May 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, announced the establishment of the State of Israel, which was recognised by some nations including the US.

Shortly after the proclamation of Israel as a state, 5 Arab nations including Egypt , Jordan and Syria attacked Israel. However, at the end of the war, the Jews had extended significantly the land they controlled. About 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes in the area where Israel gained control and similar Jews also migrated to Israel including those expelled from Arab countries.

Lastly, between 5 and 10 June 1967, the Israelites fought the Arab nations of Egypt, Jordan and Syria in a 6 day war. Egypt had planned to attack Israel and Israel preemptively attacked and destroyed almost the entire Egyptian military aircrafts. Egypt persuaded Syria and Jordan to join the war but Israel killed about 20,000 of the Arabs, while the Arabs killed about 700 of the Israelis. Meanwhile, Israel seized control of East Jerusalem , West Bank and the Golan Heights .

Furthermore, despite the concerted effort by the world leaders to resolve the problem, the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians has continued intermittently without any enduring ceasefire.

The status of Jerusalem remains the most contentious aspect of the whole peace process. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have sacred sites in Jerusalem. The area of the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem is where the Temple of Solomon once stood. However, the site now has the Islamic Dome of the Rock considered the 3rd holiest site for Muslims. As stated before, Caliph Omar was the first Arab to conquer Jerusalem in 638 AD; he built Al-Aqsa mosque exactly where the Solomon and the 2ndtemples of the Jews had stood before they were destroyed.

Meanwhile, the Jews still go and pray on the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) at the base of the Mount as they are not allowed in the temple itself. Accordingly, the Jews yearn to have a religious presence on Temple Mount itself; to them the religious relevance of Jerusalem transcends time because of its past, present and future religious significance. On the hand,the Arabs are fighting to gain a total control of(East) Jerusalem where their 3rd holiest temple is located.

The basis of the Arabs claim to (East) Jerusalem

Dr Usama Hasan, an astronomer, imam and senior researcher at the Quilliam Foundation discusses the following as the basis of the Muslim claim to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem (known in Arabic as Al-Quds, the Holy City), was Islams first direction of prayer (qibla) before it was changed to Mecca. It is believed that when Prophet Muhammad began his mission he followed the Jews and Christians tradition in praying while facing Jerusalem. However, the change occurred later as he had wished from God to pray facing Mecca. These sentiments and the change of qibla for Muslims are recorded in the Quran 2:142-152, where the qibla for Jews and Christians is confirmed as being Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was a key stage of Prophet Muhammads nocturnal spiritual journey (known as al-Isra wal-Miraj) during which he is said to have had a vision of God. It is believed that the nocturnal journey began in Mecca and ended in Jerusalem (at the Temple Mount). The journey is described in Quran 17:1 as follows: Holy is He Who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque (in Makkah) to the farther Mosque (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our Signs.

An Islamic tradition claims that the Prophet travelled miraculously from Mecca to Jerusalem and then upwards through the seven heavens, resulting in a direct conversation with and/or vision of God. Before his ascension, the Prophet is said to have led all the previous prophets of God including Biblical prophets in prayer. In this sense, Islam is said to be a continuation of Abrahamic faith. Accordingly, Muslims generally regard al-masjid al-aqsa (the noble sanctuary) as being Solomons temple, which has become Islams 3rd holiest place of pilgrimage.

The Islamic rule in Jerusalem lasted for 12 centuries, longer than the Jewish, Roman, Persian, Christian rules or any other rule there. Therefore, the Arabs have long tradition in Palestine. Accordingly, for many Muslims, Jerusalem is a symbol of resistance to Israeli occupation of Arab territories and the status of Jerusalem is one of the key issues that needs to be resolved as part of any future peace deal between Israelis and Arabs.

Furthermore, Jerusalem features prominently in some Islamic eschatological prophecies about the end of the world. Interestingly, some of the prophecies discuss the return of Jesus Christ to defeat the forces of the antichrist (Al-Masih ad-Dajjal) at the end of the world. According to Abu Ibrahim (2011), Muslims do believe Jesus (Isa in Arabic) will return to earth to establish justice  he is to do battle with his opposite, the False Messiah

Lastly, according to an Islamic Hadith (i.e. Islamic reports describing the words, actions, or habits of the Islamic prophet Muhammad ) cited in the Wikipedia, Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said:

Then Jesus son of Mary will descend at the white minaret to the east of Damascus. He will then catch him up at the gate of Ludd and kill him.

The flourishing state of Jerusalem will be when Yathrib (now called Medina) is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the great war comes, the outbreak of the great war will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when the Dajjal (Antichrist) comes forth

The basis of Israeli claim to Jerusalem

According to the Bible, God promised Abraham to give the land of Israel to him and his descendants for perpetual inheritance (Gen 17:7-8 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come  I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.) (Please see also Genesis 12:7, Deut. 34:4).

Furthermore, Exodus 23:31 provides the boundaries of the land as follows: I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates (see also Genesis 13:14-17; 15:18-21). The demarcation of the land appears to be the entire Land of Palestine including the modern state of Israel and the Palestinian territories.

More importantly, in Gen 17:18-21, Abraham requested God to make his only son at the time, Ishmael (who is the forefather of the Arabs)the heir of the covenant (i.e. to inherit the land God had promised him). God refused categorically that it would be Isaac and his descendants who would inherit the covenant and the land:

Abraham said to God, Oh that Ishmael might live before You! But God said, No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son  I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless himand I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.

The passage is very profound because at the time of Abrahams request, Isaac had not been conceived;yet God emphatically rejected Ishmael because Isaac was the one to become the heir to the covenant.

Furthermore, it is stated in Genesis 26:1-3 that there was famine in the land and Isaac had wanted to go to Egypt but  The LORD appeared to him and said, d o not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you  for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham.

In addition, according to Gen 25:5-6, though Abraham had other children beside Ishmael and Isaac, Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac; but to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the east.  Clearly, this was done to prevent the other children from claiming part-ownership of the promised-land.

Also, despite Isaac had two children, Jacob and Esau, God promised to give the land only to Jacob. God informed Jacob in Gen 35:12, The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you (see also 28:12-13). It is clear that God narrowed down the inheritors of the land and not all descendants of Abraham were part of it.

Furthermore, Deut 4:40 states Keep his decrees and commands  so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time . The passage indicates that Gods covenant about the land has both conditional and unconditional terms. The conditional term was that they would only live continuously on the land if only they continued to obey God. On the hand, the unconditional term of the covenant was that the land was given to themfor all times [i.e. permanently, forever] without any condition. Therefore, even when they went into exile for disobeying God, they would one day come back to repossess the land as the rightful owners. This is clearly indicated in Deut 30:1-5 and Ezekiel 36:24, 28.

More so, God chose Jerusalem for his own name sake to be the religious and administrative capital of Israel. This is clearly stated in 2 Chronicles 6:5-6 as follows:

Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there  but I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel. 

This passage clearly indicates that it was not by accident that David established his administrative capital in Jerusalem but by the providence of God, and as David was chosen by God, so did God choose Jerusalem.

Jerusalem features highly in Christian eschatologythe Day of the Lord

As discussed in the preceding section, Gods covenant about the land was partly conditional that if the people would not obey him they would sometimes be exiled from the land. However, the Bible also teaches that Jerusalem will feature prominently in events immediately leading to 2nd coming of the Lord to judge the world.

For example,David prophesied that many nations will conspire to destroy Jerusalem (Psalm 83:4-5,Come, they say, let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israels name is remembered no more.With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you. It is important to note that each of the previous destructions of Israel was carried by an individual nation and not a group of nations.

More importantly, the entire chapter of Zachariah 14 discusses the 2nd coming of Jesus as follows:

verses 2  4, For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.

v9, And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.

v11, People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security.

v12, Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth.

The prophecy explains in detail how before Jesus returns to judge the world, the nations of the world will surround Jerusalem seeking to destroy it. While some have suggested that the prophecy might have been fulfilled this cannot be the case because several details and aspects of the prophecy are yet to be fulfilled.

For example, according to the Pulpit Commentary, the fact that [only] half of the city will be exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off meansthe prophecy cannot apply to the destruction of the city by the Romans; for, according to the account of Josephus ('Bell. Jud.,' 6:09), the city itself was razed to the ground, and all the inhabitants were either put to the sword or sold for slaves.

Similarly, the Barnes' Notes on the Bible states:

I Will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle - This is a feature which belongs to the end. It had been dwelt upon by Joel; Joel 3:2-9 , Joel 3:11 ; Ezekiel spoke of the "many nations" Ezekiel 38:6 , Ezekiel 38:15 , Ezekiel 38:22 which should come under Gog. John foretells of a universal strife at the end, when "The spirits of devils, working miracles, go forth unto the king; of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty" Revelation 16:14 .

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges also states:

It is impossible satisfactorily to adapt the terms of this prophecy, either to the taking of Jerusalem under the Maccabees, or to its destruction by the Romans  It should moreover be observed that there is no word here of the city being destroyed.

Clearly the commentaries discussed above support the view that Zachariah 14 is an end time prophecy, indicating that the nations in the world will one day assemble in Jerusalem seeking to destroy it. In addition, Rev 16:4 states there will be demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

Moreover, Joel 3:1-2 sates For behold, in those days and at that time, When I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there On behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; a nd they have divided up my land.

Lastly, the Lord declares in Zachariah 12:2-4 as follow:

 I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness, declares the Lord. I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.

The above mentioned prophecies and others indicate clearly that Jerusalem will play a significant role in the end time. While the prophecies were written several 1000s of years ago, the events that continue to unfolding around Jerusalem indicate that the prophecies will definitely come to pass.

Conclusion

From the foregoing discussion it appears that the Israelis have more solid historical and religious claim to the city than the Arabs. Firstly, as indicated before, the Bible states plainly that the land was provided to Jews through their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In fact, none of the basis that Muslims use to claim the land comes directly from the Quran. They are all based on beliefs and traditions developed over time.

Furthermore, David, the 2nd King of the Israelites established Jerusalem as his administrative Capital and made it a national worship center. Moreover, his son, Solomon built the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem and made it a house of prayer for the nation. And while the Muslims are making historical and religious claim to the place through Abraham, who is their ancestor as well, the Bible states plainly that Abraham bore their forefather Ishmael through an illegitimate means and when Abraham requested God that he should inherit him, God refused categorically because God chose Isaac and his descendants to inherit the covenant and the land. Furthermore, as discussed earlier, God narrowed down the inheritors of the land to descendants of Jacob despite that Esau was also the son of Isaac and indeed the first of the two twins.

Moreover, the name Jerusalemis said to have occurred 806 times in the Bible, 660 times in the Old Testament and 146 times in the New Testament. However despite that by the time Prophet Mohammed, Jerusalem had been a city and spiritual centre for more than 1,000 years, Jerusalem is not mentioned even once directly in the Quran. It is only some passages that refer to terms like the Holy Land that have been interpreted to mean Jerusalem. For example:

My people! Go into the holy land which Allah hath ordained for you. Turn not in flight, for surely ye turn back as losers (Quran 5:21).

Exalted is He Who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haraam to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing (Quran 17:1).

In the first example, the Holy Land has been assumed to mean Jerusalem. However the interpreters of the Quran have different view about the exact area of the Holy Land mentioned here, as Ash-Shaam (the Levant), Jericho and Egypt have all been cited as the possible location of the said Holy Land.

Similarly, in Quran 17:1, the exact place where thefarther Mosque (al-Masjid al-Aqsa) was located was not mentioned. It has only been assumed to be Jerusalem, which may not necessary be the case.

However, as stated earlier the Bible has extensive and solid references to Jerusalem including God making David to choose Jerusalem as his administrative capital and Solomon as a place to build a temple of God for the Israelites to worship.

In addition, the Muslims have two other places (Mecca and Medina) which they consider holier than Jerusalem. However, the Jerusalem is virtually the only holy place for the Jews and Christians. It is also imperative to state that all biblical references to Jerusalem are about East Jerusalem because the western part of the city is comparatively modern. Therefore, it appears the Muslims are being greedy for wanting to have East Jerusalem as their other holy place despite they already have two and were not the original owners of the place.

Meanwhile as already stated, Jews settled in Jerusalem 1,000s of years before the Arabs used force to occupy the place. It is even strange that they did not find any place in the city to build their temple except where Solomon once built the temple for the Israelites. In fact, it is also believed that the Muslim city of Medina (known in ancient times as Yathrib) washeavily inhabited by three Jewish tribes, the Banu Quynuqa , the Banu Qurayza , and the Banu Nadir since 6th century BC until Mohammed and his follower arrived there in 622 and later waged war against the Jewish. (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medina & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Medina).

It appears obvious from the foregoing discussion that both historically and religiously, the Jews have more legitimate claim to Jerusalem than the Arabs. Accordingly, the Almighty God has warned in Joel 3:2 that he will one day punish severely the people who have divided the land for themselves and scattered the Jewish abroad.

By Joseph Annor B.A (Majoring in Studies of Religions)

References:

Donald Trump:What past US presidents have said about recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-07/what-have-past-presidents-said-about-israel-and-jerusalem/9234736

Muslim Leaders Declare East Jerusalem the Palestinian Capital: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/world/middleeast/muslims-jerusalem-palestinians.html

Defying Trump, U.N. General Assembly Condemns U.S. Decree on Jerusalem: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/21/world/middleeast/trump-jerusalem-united-nations.html

Jerusalem: Donald Trump threatens to cut aid to United Nations members over Israel capital vote: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-21/donald-trump-will-take-vote-on-jerusalem-personally/9278056

Jerusalem is our capital. Always was, always will be: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/239653

IsraeliPalestinian peace process: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_peace_process

The History of Israel - Time Line: http://history-of-israel.org/history/time_line.php

Creation of Israel, 1948: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/creation-israel

1948 ArabIsraeli War: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Arab%E2%80%93Israeli_War

Six-Day War: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War

What is historical importance of Jerusalem?: https://www.quora.com/What-is-historical-importance-of-Jerusalem

Abu Ibrahim (2011), DajjalAnti-Christ: http://islamiclearningmaterials.com/dajjal-anti-christ/

Al-Masih ad-Dajjal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Masih_ad-Dajjal

.

) Should Christians Support Moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem? https://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-moving-american-embassy-israel-jerusalem-172135/

The Significance of Jerusalem to Christians: https://int.icej.org/news/commentary/significance-jerusalem-christians

The mention of Jerusalem in the Quran: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=307585
Eight people were killed Sunday and dozens arrested as security forces in DR Congo cracked down on Catholic worshippers who gathered at churches across the country to demand President Joseph Kabila leave power, a UN source said.

Despite appeals notably from the United Nations to respect people's right to protest, troops fired tear gas into churches and bullets in the air to break up gatherings at Catholic masses, in one case arresting 12 altar boys leading a protest in Kinshasa.

Internet links were also down as church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations.

and Sunday's protests led to at least eight deaths

"Eight deaths -- seven in Kinshasa and one in Kananga," in central Democratic Republic of Congo, the source told AFP, adding there had been "82 arrests, including priests, in the capital and "41 in the rest of the country."

At least four dead were civilians in the vast, mineral-rich central African country, wracked by tension over delayed elections. A government statement said one policeman had also been killed.

"Two young people were killed in the parish of Saint-Alphonse de Matete," in the east of the country, while another died in the Masina area, police spokesman Colonel Pierrot-Rombaut Mwanamputu said in a televised statement.

Journalists threatened

An AFP reporter at a demonstration in the central city of Kananga saw a man shot in the chest by soldiers who opened fire on worshippers gathered for what church leaders said would be a peaceful protest.

In Kinshasa, AFP counted at least 15 people hurt and two more in the country's second-biggest city, Lubumbashi.

Democratic Republic of Congo is a vast and mineral-rich country plagued by political instability

The protesters were seeking a promise from Kabila that he will not seek to further extend his time in power in the mostly Catholic former Belgian colony.

Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018.

The United Nations says dozens of people have been killed during anti-government protests this year.

Impatience boiled over on Sunday, with all the country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests.

One army officer threatened a team of AFP reporters covering the crackdown at St. Michael's church in Kinshasa.

"If you don't clear out of here, I'll order that you be shot at," he said.

"Press, or not, no one is allowed inside. What's more, you have a white man with you -- that's a race that causes us problems."

A journalist for French radio station RFI was briefly detained, AFP reporters saw.

Soldiers storm church

Congolese President Laurent Kabila faces opposition pressure to step down

A churchgoer who asked not to be named described to AFP how officers dispersed worshippers from one mass in Kinshasa.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas in the church," he said.

One parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen" -- but added the priest carried on saying mass.

At the Notre Dame cathedral in the northern Lingwala district of Kinshasa, security forces deployed tear gas as opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi arrived, AFP reporters said.

After the altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes were detained other protesters started singing for the Virgin Mary to "make Kabila go".

Catholics of Kinshasa's "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass.

Elections delayed

The country has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001 and refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal but were further delayed, outraging Kabila's opponents.

The poll is now scheduled for December 23, 2018.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende earlier alleged that "weapons of war have been distributed" by opponents of the government.

"These destabilising acts of agitation aim to create an atmosphere of insurrection which would enable them to seize power in our country by undemocratic means," he said, citing a government report.
As we end the year 2017, we present to you a select few of our infographics on developments within the country. Among the highlights are the retirement package approved for former president John Mahama, sanctions imposed on some radio stations by the National Communications Authority (NCA), and a timeline of Ghanas journey to securing the landmark ITLOS maritime dispute judgment in its favour.

See them below:

1. Mahamas retirement package:



Following his election defeat, the Presidential Emoluments Committee on the conditions of Article 71 officeholders, made the above recommendations on the package to be given to John Mahama for his retirement.

Read more

2. A House of teachers and lawyers



A quick analysis of the professions of all 275 Members of the seventh Parliament of the 4th Republic, showed that the House had majority of its members being teachers and bankers; 43 each.

Read more

3. Government size: Nana Addo vs. Mahama



President Akufo-Addo is the first head of state in the 4th Republic to have more than a hundred (100) ministers serve in his government.

He has beaten his predecessor, John Mahama, by 26 appointees. John Mahama had 84 ministers  deputies included.

Read more

4. State of the Nation: Akufo-Add vs. Mahama

President Akufo-Addo accused the John Mahama administration of increasing the country's debt stock to about $122 billion from $9.5 billion in 2009.

The President while speaking in Parliament during his first State of the Nation Address further noted that, he inherited a $2.4 billion indebted power sector from the previous government.

The twos key statements from their statements were compared.

Read more

5. Teachers, drivers impregnate 977 teenagers

Teachers and drivers according to a performance review of 2016 by Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Central Region were the worse culprits noted to be impregnating teenage girls.

Read more

6. Galamsey fight timeline



Following the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources' declaration of a 21-day ultimatum to all illegal miners to cease their operations and surrender their equipment, a number of significant actions took place, including arrests of some defiant illegal miners.

The anti-galamsey fight which has been championed by Citi FM achieved other positive results [not captured in this infographic] and some key government actions, although the problem of illegal mining still persists in some parts of the country.

Read more

7. Outrageous prices at which state vehicles were sold

The Ministry for Food and Agriculture blatantly flouted all of the country's laws regarding the disposal of government vehicles by auctioning some state vehicles for as low as GHc 1,000.00.

A Nissan Patrol S/W with registration number GV 1285 U, was auctioned for GHc4,000, while a Nissan double cabin pick-up with registration number GV 1481 U, was also sold for just GH2,000.

Read more

8. Major Mahama lynched



Ghanaians were greeted in May with the gruesome murder of army officer, Captain [poshumously promoted to Major] Maxwell Mahama at Denkyira-Obuasi in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region.

His death put the nation in great grief. Following his death and burial, government has instituted a trust fund for him, and some suspects alleged to be involved in his murder have been freed while a few others are still before court.

Read more

9. Government secures $19 billion from China

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, led Ghana to secure a $19 billion commitment from China to be invested in various sectors of the economy.

Read more

10. How many schools are in Ghana?



The infographic shows the widening gap in the availability of educational infrastructure as one moves up the academic ladder between Kindergarten and Secondary education.

While there are over 22,000 Kindergartens across the country, there are only about 800 Senior High Schools in the country.

Read more

11. Regional distribution of schools in Ghana

The infographic shows the uneven distribution of schools across the country. The Ashanti Region tops the chart as the region with the highest number of Senior High Schools in Ghana. The Upper West Region has the least number of Senior High Schools, 30, with 26 being public SHSs.

Of the 872 SHSs in Ghana, 66% are government-managed while the remainder is privately owned.

Read more

12. BOSTs sale of contaminated fuel



The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) came under criticism for selling 5 million litres of contaminated fuel to two unlicensed companies; Movepiina and Zup Oil, making Ghana lose about GHc 7 million in revenue.

The infographic captures the major stakeholders in the sector and their reaction to the news.

Read more

13. Highlights of 27 mid-year budget review



The infographic presents a summary of the review of key economic targets by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta in July, 2017.

Read more

14. $72 million SSNIT software saga



The controversial SSNIT software saga generated a lot of public buzzes after it was revealed that the original contract of $34 million shot up to $66 million an eventually $72 million. The above, according to managers of the project, accounted for the exponential increase in cost.

Read more

15. Ghana wins landmark ITLOS dispute



The Special Chamber of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), has ruled in favor of Ghana in a three-year-long maritime dispute with Cote d'Ivoire.

The Chamber in a unanimous decision on Saturday, September 23, 2017, ruled that there has not been any violation on the part of Ghana on Cote d'Ivoire's maritime boundary.

Read more

16. 131 radio stations sanctioned by NCA



Some 131 radio stations were sanctions by the National Communications Authority (NCA) for various infractions against their operating guidelines.

Their offenses included operating without license and failure to renew operation license.

Read more

17. 57 cheating fuel stations sanctioned



The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), has sanctioned 57 fuel stations in Accra found to have engaged in infractions detrimental to the interest of consumers.

They were fined a total of 261,000 for serving customers with lower volumes of fuel, using non-approved GSA seals, and breaking GSA seals meant to stop cheating at the pumps.

Read more

18. How 2018 budget slashed some ministerial allocations

The Roads and Highways ministry had its budget slashed by at least 80% from GHS444 million to GHS77 million.

The Youth and Sports Ministry also had its budget cut by about 20% from GHS47 million to GHS33 million.

Read more



By: Jonas Nyabor & Melvin Clottey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Infographic album: Major news highlights in 2017 appeared first on Ghana News .
The last day of the year is also the best time of the year to look back and reflect on the past 12 months worth of major events, a ritual done in hopes of gleaning some wisdom from the past to apply in the year to come.

On the Opinion page, this means reviewing some of the major controversies and hottest topics for discussion among our readers and writers. Here are six issues that shook up the conversion in western Montana in 2017:

***

The City of Missoula takes over Mountain Water

Nearly everyone can agree that the finalization of the citys purchase of the local water utility, now called Missoula Water, is the most momentous event in Missoulas recent history. But thats where the agreement ends.

The years-long, complex saga of multiple corporate entities, legal arguments and financial entanglements gave rise to many points of criticism. Some took issue with the citys condemnation approach, while others were alarmed at the steeply rising costs, and still others decried the lack of transparency concerning still-undisclosed legal fees.

The official takeover took place on June 23. Since that date, the utility has installed hundreds of new water meters, completed new pipe connections, and maintained or replaced equipment without raising rates on its 23,000 customers. Its also collecting nearly $2.5 million a month, putting it on solid track for the planned $8 million in upgrades over the next year. Its also working with Trout Unlimited and Fish, Wildlife and Parks to remove a useless old dam from Rattlesnake Creek.

So its little wonder why Mayor John Engen highlighted the citys ownership of its own water system as a signature achievement in his successful bid for re-election. The transition from Mountain Water to Missoula Water is ultimately a success story, and one that promises to pay off for decades to come.

***

The University of Montana begins a major transition

UM started 2017 mourning the sad news that its longest-serving president, George Dennison, had died of complications from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. President Royce Engstrom had stepped down about a month earlier, and former Commissioner of Higher Education Sheila Stearns had been tapped to serve as interim president.

For the past year, Stearns has overseen the university as it undertook a search to select a new president as well as a prioritization process meant to cut any fat from the university while positioning it to reverse a decline in enrollment. The process itself has been decried by some who thought it would not result in a fair or useful set of recommendations. In the meantime, an estimated 90 employees, including high-level administrators, have accepted buyout offers, and a pool of 30 lecturers have been notified that their contracts will not be renewed. That notification, however, was recalled, then reissued and rescinded once more after the faculty union raised concerns about it.

All this serves to position 2018 as a pivotal year for UM. Any concrete decisions stemming from the prioritization process have yet to be determined, and will be left up to incoming President Seth Bodnar to take the next critical steps.

***

Ryan Zinke appointed secretary of the Department of the Interior

It seemed that no sooner had Zinke won re-election as Montanas sole representative in the U.S. House than he was tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the Interior Department. He was confirmed on March 1 without much controversy and with high hopes from his fellow Montanans.

He began disappointing those same Montanans immediately, on his first day issuing an order, among others, to allow lead ammunition and fish tackle on national wildlife refuges. Since then he has supported deep budget cuts to his own agency, halted progress on tribal management of the National Bison Range, recommended reducing a number of national monuments in a review rife with errors, accused 30 percent of his departments employees of being disloyal to the flag and recommended dramatic rate hikes at some of the nations most popular national parks, including Yellowstone and Glacier.

Less than a year into his appointment, the list of examples of Zinkes poor stewardship is already long.

***

The special election of Greg Gianforte to the U.S. House

The special election in May was itself a controversial topic, with a heated battle over the costs and integrity of mail ballots. The contest between Democrat Rob Quist and Republican Greg Gianforte, who had failed to defeat Steve Bullock in a bid for governor just a few months earlier, only added fuel to the fire.

Things reached a fever pitch the night before the special election when Gianforte physically assaulted a reporter from the Guardian. Appalled, the Missoulian editorial board took the unprecedented step of revoking our earlier editorial endorsement of Gianforte, which had been issued with grave reservations even after a previous editorial took Gianforte to task for jokingly pointing to a Ravalli Republic reporter and noting that he was outnumbered in the room.

Gianfortes campaign issued a statement falsely blaming the reporter for the attack, and documents show Gianforte himself initially misled investigators about the incident before pleading guilty in court and apologizing to the reporter, Ben Jacobs. However, he has yet to account for his campaigns statements or to sit down for a promised interview with Jacobs.

***

The Legislature meets, then meets again

The 2017 Legislature convened in regular session in January on a promising note, and indeed, bipartisan work led to a number of important legislative accomplishments. Missoulas own Sen. Cynthia Wolken led a number of criminal justice reforms to approval, and legislators grudgingly agreed to raise the state gas tax and fund some infrastructure projects.

Unfortunately, the budget legislators thought they were working with turned out to be widely off the mark as revenue projections came in much lower than expected. Facing the prospect of steep cuts, the Legislature was called into a brief special session in November to balance the budget; however, Montana still faces an onslaught of cuts that will reduce or eliminate important services to some of the states most vulnerable residents.

***

Wildfires ravage Montana

It was a fire season for the record books, both in terms of acres burned (more than 1 million) and firefighting costs (more than $368 million). Worst of all, two young firefighters were killed. The state had to do some creative accounting to cover its $70 million portion of the costs, and is left in a poor position to pay its tab for next summers wildfires.
I stuck to what the coaches ...
BP, the global petroleum giant and parent company of Atlantic Richfield, has had a very good 2017.

Perhaps most importantly, the company has put the financial effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon well blowout in the Gulf mostly in the rearview mirror, with future obligations related to the disaster well known and quite manageable when considered against the company's current and projected operating profits, according to analysts.

The fact that the oil giant has regained its fiscal equilibrium could be vital to future settlements relating to Butte's pollution  an obligation that Atlantic Richfield inherited when it took over the Anaconda Copper Mining Company and BP inherited, in turn, with the purchase of Atlantic Richfield.

Indeed, the potential for financial liability arising from the Butte cleanup is not viewed as significant to BP's overall financial picture, two analysts told The Montana Standard.

The company now has "enough liquidity  to absorb some shocks," a leading analyst with Fitch Rating Service said in a recent interview.

"The (Deepwater Horizon) liabilities to BP from the federal government as well as local governments are more or less certain now," the analyst said. "The cash outflows related to (Deepwater Horizon) in 2017 are about $5 billion. In 2018, they should amount to about $2 billion, and in 2019 and going forward, about $1 billion a year."

The analyst, director Dmitry Marinchenko of Fitch's London office, who has been covering BP for the past four years, said that when you consider BP's operating cash flows  or before-tax earnings  of about $25 billion annually, "You can see that $1 billion is not really a very significant burden for the company."

Similarly, potential further Butte obligations are well in line with what many large oil and gas companies have in the way of environmental obligations, Marinchenko said. "I don't see this putting their rating under pressure or having a significant impact on their financial profile," he said.

According to Butte-Silver Bow Superfund coordinator Jon Sesso, Atlantic Richfield has already spent more than $1 billion on the entire Butte-Anaconda-Clark Fork Superfund complex. Negotiations are continuing on the Butte Priority Soils site, and still to be evaluated is the West Side Soils operable unit  the parameters of which are still unclear, both in terms of its geographical borders and its remediation and restoration needs.

The negotiations that will define the ultimate remedy and restoration for Butte Priority Soils, an area of contamination that includes the Upper Silver Bow Creek watershed, have been going on for more than a decade. Recently, EPA Region 8 administrator Doug Benevento has said the negotiators  including BP, EPA, two state agencies, and Butte-Silver Bow  must come to an agreement by January, or he will issue a unilateral order under which the cleanup will be completed.

Key to any agreement is how much of the smelting and mining waste currently in the Upper Silver Bow Creek waterway will be removed. Arco has made it clear it doesn't believe the tailings along the waterway need to be removed, and up until now, EPA has agreed with that assessment.

The state Natural Resource Damage Program and the Department of Environmental Quality have disagreed, consistently voicing the opinion that the current remedy is ineffective and the tailings should come out. At a recent Restore Our Creek Coalition rally, coalition member Evan Barrett called on BP to spend more to achieve a truly effective remedy in the Upper Silver Bow Creek corridor, which is in the center of Butte.

In response to questions for this story, BP spokesman Brett Clanton, speaking for Atlantic Richfield, said that the company has "worked diligently over the past 35 years on remediation and restoration in the Butte area. As a result of that work  we believe the environment in Butte has been transformed.

"There has been a tremendous improvement in the quality of the environment." (See entire statement in related story).

"Although we have made great progress in remediation and restoration in Butte, we recognize that the job is not finished, and some additional work is needed," Clanton added. "EPA has selected final remedies for the Butte Priority Soils and Butte Mine Flooding (Berkeley Pit) operable units, and AR has reserves to pay for the estimated cost of those remedies. In addition, AR has funded a series of trust accounts that allow the city and county of Butte-Silver Bow to implement portions of the Butte Priority Soils remedy at AR's expense."

While BP had to borrow, sell some assets, and reduce both capital and operating expenditures in the initial cash drain from Deepwater Horizon, which has been estimated to exceed $60 billion to date, the company is now in line with industry averages regarding debt and indeed far outpaced the oil industry as a whole in earnings per share in 2017, with earnings per share growth of 116 percent in 2017 compared with a 22.5 percent industry average.

That 2017 performance has been enough to earn the company "strong buy" recommendations from some market experts.

Marinchenko said Fitch wasn't overly impressed with the year-over-year earnings growth since 2016 was a down year due to depressed oil prices and the numbers were affected by "non-cash items," including Deepwater Horizon obligations. But he said the company's rating is "single-A stable," and the outlook is solid with little likelihood of any drop in rating.

He said BP is holding enough reserves to be able to increase production by at least two or three percent over the next several years. "They have several big projects in the pipeline," he said.

When it comes to future projects, BP is anticipating a long-term downturn in fuel demand and so is emphasizing natural gas exploration over oil and is also increasingly focusing on petrochemicals as opposed to fuels  moves that are in line with analysts' expectations.

The export of liquid natural gas is expected to grow greatly, and focusing on natural gas instead of oil is "another way of hedging against oil volatility," Marinchenko said.

Overall, he said, "We would expect BP's financial performance to continue in line with what we see in the industry. We wouldn't expect many surprises."
SOUTH Africas top court on Friday ruled that parliament had failed to hold President Jacob Zuma accountable for using public money for private home upgrades, a move that could lead to impeachment proceedings.

Opposition parties had gone to the Constitutional Court to argue that the speaker of parliament failed to enforce the appropriate processes to censure Zuma over the scandal.

Zuma had failed to abide by recommendations made by the countrys anti-corruption watchdog in 2014 over refurbishments at his personal home in the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province that misused $15 million (12 million euros) of taxpayers money.

The scandal came to a dramatic climax when the Constitutional Court last year found the president guilty of violating his oath of office by refusing to pay back the cash.

We conclude that (National) Assembly did not hold the president to account, said Constitutional Court judge Chris Jafta. The failure by the National Assembly to make rules regulating removal of the president constitutes a violation of the constitution, the court said.

It ordered that the National Assembly must comply with the constitution and make rules that could be used for the removal of the president without delay. Defeated in court and facing mounting public criticism, Zuma later relented and paid $500,000, a sum set by the treasury following last years ruling.

Like Saddam Hussein in a hole

In power since 2009, Zuma stepped down last week as president of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party after a 10 year term marked by numerous damning court judgements against him. Fridays ruling is expected to pile pressure on the beleaguered leader to resign ahead of the end of his term as state president in 2019.

Zuma was succeeded by his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa in a tightly fought contest in which his former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also ran. Sydney Mufamadi, an ANC stalwart who has known Zuma for decades, said the president would not step aside because he had no sense of shame and called on parliament to act following the judgement.

This is going to be an acid test of the new leadership of the ANC and parliament, said Mufamadi, who is now director of the School of Leadership at the University of Johannesburg.

 New Zimbabwe

Breaking News via Email
President Emmerson Mnangagwas government has with immediate effect scrapped maternity fees and ordered the free treatment of children under the age of five, as well as all people above 65 years as part of its 100-day action plan.

This comes as Zimbabwe remains one of the few countries in the world that is still recording many deaths among pregnant women  with the latest statistics showing that 242 known pregnant women died while giving birth in 2017 alone.

With the coming in of the new dispensation, Cabinet has approved a 100-day plan which everyone has to work towards achieving. One of the issues in the 100-day plan, which requires attention, is the removal of all forms of payment for non-paying groups.

The following groups are supposed to be treated for free:

a) children under the age of five years;

b) all maternal cases;

c) senior citizens above the age of 65 years.

These groups are not supposed to pay any consultation fees, card fees, table money, administration fees or whatever name the fee might be called.

You are therefore expected to advise all your institutions to remove these fees with immediate effect, the government announced in a memorandum written by Mashonaland Central provincial medical director, C. Tshuma.

DMOs (District Medical Officers) are being reminded that the first progress report is due on January 25, Chuma further said in his memorandum to medical superintendents/chief medical officers, Rural District Council chief executive officers and town clerks.

Although the government of former president Robert Mugabe promised on numerous occasions to scrap maternity fees, public hospitals continued charging fees which ranged between $25 and $30.

In 2013, rural and district hospitals temporarily lifted maternal fees as part of the governments much-hyped $450 million Health Transitional Fund (HTF), but reversed the decision after Treasury failed to allocate the funds.

Zimbabwe is struggling to contain maternal deaths as many pregnant women cant afford giving birth in hospitals. As a result, most women fail to access ante-natal care at public hospitals.

Many either give birth at home or visit clinics when they are due for labour.

According to latest statistics released by the Heath and Child Care Ministry, at least 242 women died while giving birth in 2017  almost half the number of deaths recorded in 2016.

However, observers say the number is probably much higher since many cases are never reported, and particularly considering that Zimbabwe records between 500 000 and 700 000 pregnancies every year.

Some of the reasons that lead to high mortality among pregnant women according to World Health Organisation (WHO) include religious and traditional objectors to modern medicine  for instance refusal to seek care at health facilities, refusal of blood transfusion, refusal of modern medicines or surgical procedures and use of traditional uterine contracting medicines to quicken labour.

Apart from maternal deaths, Zimbabwe is still struggling to reduce the number of infants who die at birth.

The new measures are expected to reduce both the maternal and infant mortality rates which spiked at the height of the countrys economic problems in 2008.

According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS)s 2015 report, at least one in every 15 live births die before reaching the age of five.

The report further states that the level of under-five mortality is 69 deaths per 1 000 live births.

The estimate of the maternal mortality ratio for the seven-year period preceding the 2015 ZDHS report was 651 deaths per 100 000 live births  that is, for every 1 000 births in Zimbabwe, there were about seven maternal deaths.

 DailyNews

Breaking News via Email
(Natural News) We often take care of our oral health to make sure that our breath stays fresh, but did you know that dental X-rays can be used to determine vitamin D deficiencies (rickets)?

While this is a grave health concern that often goes undiagnosed, Lori DOrtenzio and Megan Brickley, anthropologists from McMaster University, have revealed that it can be determined with a dental X-ray.

In an earlier study, DOrtenzio, Brickley, et al. established that human teeth can present a detailed and permanent record of serious Vitamin D deficiency. With dental X-rays, experts can examine this record, which comes from microscopic deformities in dentin, one of the four major tissues that make up the bulk of teeth.

This data can be the key to fully grasping the exact moment when individuals were deprived of our primary source of vitamin D  sunlight. Researchers can even use this data to verify the vitamin D levels of people who lived more than a hundred years ago. Enamel preserves this record because it can prevent teeth from breaking down. The same cant be said for bones, which can decay. (Related: Vitamin D: How to Determine Your Optimal Dose.)

However, theres a catch: experts must cut open a tooth to interpret the patterns which reveal an individuals vitamin D record. Since the source of post-mortem teeth available for study is finite, the scientists tried to devise a method of isolating teeth for further study.

Through dental X-rays, scientists can study the readily observable patterns of pulp horns or the dark shadow that can be seen in the middle of the image of a tooth. This consistent, recognizable pattern is helpful since experts can use it to look into archaeological teeth, and it can also help living individuals determine if they have a vitamin D deficiency.

DOrtenzio, a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology and the lead author of the paper, says that their discovery came about while they were looking for a non-destructive method that can leave their limited specimens intact while also revealing the presence of a deficiency. In a healthy individual, pulp shape mirrors an arch topped by two cat ears. In people with a severe vitamin D deficiency, pulp shape is asymmetrical and constricted, and typically looks like the profile of a hard-backed chair.

In an earlier study, DOrtenzio and Brickley stumbled upon this recognizable pattern. After analyzing both historic and current teeth, they confirmed that X-ray images are consistent and reliable indicators of prior deficiency.

Brickley, a Professor of Anthropology who holds the Canada Research Chair in the Bioarchaeology of Human Disease, concludes that this discovery is a significant one since it has the potential to contribute to modern health care as well.

Vitamin D deficiencies have grave consequences, especially regarding bone health, and this reliable way of identifying the presence of the disorder can thwart further damage to ones health. Once a regular dental X-ray isolates a problem, some blood tests can determine an ongoing deficiency.

The researchers shared that this data can make it easier to determine whether children with growing bones have vitamin D deficiencies or not. Detecting this health concern early on can help patients stave off serious future problems with Vitamin-D related bone deficiency. With this knowledge, it will be easier to figure out the best way to protect ourselves from harmful UV rays while also ensuring that we get enough sunlight  to maintain a healthy level of vitamin D.

Natural sources of vitamin D

Make sure youre getting enough vitamin D by incorporating more of the following foods in your diet:

Oysters  Oysters are low in calories and full of nutrients.

 Oysters are low in calories and full of nutrients. Shrimp  Unlike other seafood sources of vitamin D, shrimp is very low in fat.

 Unlike other seafood sources of vitamin D, shrimp is very low in fat. Egg yolks  The bulk of the protein in an egg is in the egg white, but the fat, vitamins, and minerals are found mostly in the egg yolk.

Read more articles about dental health and natural cures at Dentistry.news.

Sources include:

NewsWise.com

Healthline.com
(Natural News) There is no doubt that the United States has dedicated, well-trained first responders who bravely risk their own lives when disaster strikes. We have only to view images of the tragic events of 9/11 to realize how brave these men and women truly are.

Nonetheless, a disturbing study by researchers from the University of Georgia recently found that the majority of U.S. first responders have received no training in how to deal with the aftereffects of a nuclear attack, and that many are so frightened of radiation that they would be unwilling to assist in the event of such a disaster.

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

News Wise reports that experts have warned that a radiological or nuclear event is inevitable, and as such, it is vitally important that emergency workers be trained and ready to deal with this when it happens.

The New Yorker recently warned that Americas relations with North Korea, which have never been particularly good, have been strained to breaking point in the past few months:

In the six years since Kim Jong Un assumed power, at the age of twenty-seven, he has tested eighty-four missilesmore than double the number that his father and grandfather tested.  On the Fourth of July, North Korea passed a major threshold: it launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile powerful enough to reach the mainland United States.

And, U.S. defense secretary, Jim Mattis, has warned that the threat of a nuclear attack by North Korea is accelerating. (Related: Intelligence insider says war with North Korea likely within weeks: This could be your final prepper warning.)

To test whether emergency personnel are prepared for such an eventuality, the research team surveyed over 400 first responders from across the U.S. and Asia. They wanted to determine two things:

1) Would emergency workers even be willing to show up at the site of a nuclear attack?

2) How prepared are they to handle this type of crisis?

Shockingly, more than 50 percent of the respondents admitted that they had never received any special training in how to deal with a nuclear crisis. As a result, many were poorly informed, for example, believing that the greatest need for treatment in the aftermath of a nuclear attack would be for thermal burns, when in reality, most injuries in this type of situation are lacerations.

This lack of knowledge would leave personnel ill-prepared and under-resourced in the event of a nuclear disaster.

Another disturbing truth revealed by the survey was that a nuclear bomb would make many respondents unwilling to come to work. Survey participants were more terrified of a nuclear disaster than any other crisis, including a chemical or biological disaster.

I was not surprised that the responses from the emergency medical community were relatively poor in terms of knowledge and attitudes, because thats what you get with radiationmyths versus reality, said the studys lead author, Professor Cham E. Dallas, director of the Institute for Disaster Management at UGAs College of Public Health.

It is important that emergency medical personnel be taught that they can confidently respond in a nuclear crisis situation. Historically, responding to such events has not presented any risk to first responders.

The research team believes that medical personnel are afraid of nuclear events because humans tend to fear what they do not know, and these types of events are incredibly rare.

Professor Dallas also pointed out that Hollywoods portrayal of such events adds to the myth that nothing can be done in the face of a nuclear disaster, when this is really not the truth.

Irrespective, the study has highlighted the urgent need for the first responders that we all rely on to be trained and ready to deal with what is increasingly looking like an inevitable nuclear disaster.

Sources include:

NewsWise.com

FrontiersIn.org

NewYorker.com

TheGuardian.com
Two suspects were arrested late Saturday in connection with a fatal stabbing of a Camp Pendleton-based U.S. Marine during a fight in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, police said.

Jose Oscar Esqueda, 30, and Jeff Shai Holliday, 24, both of San Diego, were taken into custody at about 11 p.m. Saturday, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Lt. Todd Griffin said Sunday.

Both were suspected to be involved in the stabbing of 21-year-old Ryan Evan Harris, a Northern California native assigned to Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. Military officials said Harris was assigned to the 1st Marine Logistics Group.

Early Friday morning, Harris was stabbed in a fight in downtown San Diegos Gaslamp Quarter, near Island and Fifth avenues, an area known for its nightlife. When police officers arrived, they found the Marine on the sidewalk, suffering from stab wounds to his upper body.

The officer and bystanders tried to help him while paramedics arrived. Despite those efforts, Harris died at the scene.

Investigators said one other person was wounded in the Gaslamp Quarter fight: a man found with stab wounds on J Street and 5th Avenue, about a block away from where Harris was found. The SDPD said that man was involved in the altercation.

The second victim remains in the hospital. His wounds were considered serious but not life-threatening.

His grandpa said that he was the all-American kid, and I do believe that because you know he was everybody's friend and played baseball and he loved sports, Harris widow Amber Harris told NBC 7. Its just not going to be the same without him. The couple had only been married for a few months when he was killed.

This is a memorial for a US Marine killed in a fatal stabbing in the Gaslamp Quarter early Friday morning. #NBC7 talked to his widow. More tonight at 11 pic.twitter.com/gmd6NSsrs9  Alex Presha (@Alex_Presha) January 1, 2018

SDPD Homicide Lt. Todd Griffin said the stabbing victims were in the Gaslamp as part of a group of military personnel, but the victim who survived is a civilian.

Esqueda and Holliday were both booked into San Diego County Jail. Esqueda faces charges of murder, attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Holliday faces charges of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, battery and a probation violation.

It was not clear if the suspects and the victims knew each other or why the fight broke out in the first place.

SDPD asked Sunday for the good Samaritans who assisted officers with aid on Harris to come forward.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with details on this case can reach out to the SDPDs Homicide Unit (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
San Francisco police arrested a person carrying a handful of drugs in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood, the department announced Sunday.

The person was found to have 83 bindles of crack cocaine, 102 bindles of heroin, 16 pills and 16 bindles of cocaine salt, police said.

The person was arrested in the area of Hyde and Turk streets, according to police.

Further information was not available.
Montana's entire Congressional delegation, dissatisfied with the Food Safety & Inspection Service's defense of the way the agency has treated Montana meat plants, has banded together to demand an outside investigation.

The Montana Standard published a series of articles this fall outlining a pattern of agency harassment against Riley's Meats in Butte and other plants.

In a rare jointly signed letter to the Inspector General of the United States Department of Agriculture, Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines and U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte escalated their concerns about what they termed "alleged misconduct" within the agency.

They are seeking an investigation of FSIS from the powerful Inspector General's office, which is tasked with promoting "economy, efficiency, and integrity in U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and operations through the successful execution of audits, investigations, and reviews."

Tester said Friday, "An independent investigation will shine light on USDA's practices and hopefully bring some closure to this issue ... I'm pleased the congressional delegation is united together as we stand up for Montana businesses."

Daines said, "USDA and FSIS need to address these concerns in a public manner. This investigation must be open, transparent, and accountable to Montana taxpayers and ensure Montana small businesses are able to succeed."

Gianforte, too, weighed in Friday: "I'm committed to getting to the bottom of this, and I'll continue pressing for answers, transparency, and accountability so that what happened to Bart (Riley) doesn't happen again. I encourage anyone who has been the target of an overreaching federal regulator to contact me."

The stories showed that Dr. Jeffrey Legg, Montana frontline supervisor for FSIS, frequently demanded meat processing facilities to make changes not based in federal regulations. Most of those demands  called "Legg regs" by many in the industry  required prohibitively expensive modifications to plant equipment and operations.

The stories showed that after Bart Riley, proprietor of Riley's Meats in Butte, complained to the agency about Legg's practices, the agency's investigators themselves concluded that at least six allegations of "willful harassment" and "intentional acts to intimidate or torment" Riley were true and seven more were either partially confirmed or possibly true. And yet the agency decided that no disciplinary action was needed.

The stories documented that a pattern of such non-regulation requests being made to Montana plant operators continued for more than a decade after Riley's initial complaints.

After the stories appeared, Tester, Daines, and Gianforte all wrote letters to FSIS and later to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue demanding an investigation.

An internal review followed, and in early December, staff members from the state's congressional delegation were briefed on the results  which disputed the points made in The Montana Standard's stories.

Yes, allegations of harassment were substantiated, the staffers were told  but the allegations themselves, an FSIS spokesman said, were not serious enough to warrant discipline.

The FSIS spokesman told the congressional staffers that the agency concluded Riley fabricated one of his complaints against Legg  a conclusion contradicted by physical evidence.

In one of The Montana Standard's stories, Riley related that Legg had told him he had to build a lockable, heated office for FSIS inspectors, which Riley did. Shortly afterward, Riley, reading the federal regulations, discovered that the requirement for such an office did not extend to non-slaughter plants like his. So, he said, he took a chainsaw and a sledgehammer to the office that night, demolishing it, and left the part of the door with the lock on the inspector's desk. Not one thing was said to him by the inspectors, he said, "because they knew I'd been lied to."

The agency told congressional staffers that investigators spoke with the FSIS inspectors who worked in the plant at the time, and the inspectors had no recollection of the incident, which led agency investigators to conclude it had been fabricated.

Physical evidence of the office construction still exists in Riley's plant  the holes in the floor and ceiling where bolts to support the office walls were drilled, and even paint that had extended beyond the now-demolished office walls.

When told that he made the whole thing up, Riley said, "That's ridiculous. You can still see the marks where it was in the floor and the ceiling.

"Nobody ever called me" from the agency during the recent review, Riley said. "How can they say they investigated this when nobody even called me and talked to me about it?"

The FSIS spokesman provided no documents or other physical evidence to buttress their characterization of the Montana situation with the delegation's staffers.

"It is clear that an external investigation is necessary to resolve allegations and prevent the occurrence of any additional FSIS issues in our state," the letter to USDA Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong said. "That is why we respectfully ask that you review the alleged misconduct and report your findings to America's taxpayers."

The letter continued, "In response to a complaint filed with FSIS in 2006 by Bart Riley ... FSIS responded that some of Mr. Riley's allegations were substantiated. However, FSIS did not publicly enumerate which allegations those were and what, if anything, was done to mitigate or correct the situation. Our offices pressed FSIS for additional information on this report as well as other documents pertaining to their internal review ... and were repeatedly told that information could not be shared."

Tester, Daines, and Gianforte wrote, "We most recently called on Secretary (Sonny) Perdue to review this matter. We are pleased that USDA performed an additional review, but we are frustrated by the internal nature of the review and the lack of documentation provided in a transparent manner."

The FSIS spokesman, in discussing with congressional staffers the on-the-record claims made in the initial stories about Legg's behavior by a retired FSIS inspector, attacked the inspector's credibility. The inspector, Rick Toot, retired after a 37-year career with the agency and had multiple letters of commendation in his file  including some signed by Legg.

The Montana Standard sent several questions to FSIS headquarters the week before Christmas. A spokesman said they were received but that because of staff being on leave for the holidays, a quick response was unlikely.

A spokesman for the office of Inspector General Fong said Thursday that "OIG will assess the request (from the Montana delegation) and respond to the Members."

Riley said last week, "Legg has been allowed to be judge, jury, and executioner. ... He does it his way; he answers to no one. He doesn't follow the agency's regulations, and I've proven that. He breaks the rules, but the agency backs him up.

"None of the people defending him have ever come out to meet me or to see Riley's Meats.
An hours-long FBI raid at a Sterling, Virginia, townhome on Friday was connected to a man who wanted to join ISIS and researched how to make bombs and weapons on the internet, according to court documents.

FBI agents arrested Sean Andrew Duncan Friday and charged him with attempting to obstruct a terrorism investigation. Court documents say Duncan tried to run and get rid of a thumb drive and memory chip he destroyed when agents came to search his home on Courthouse Square.

The court documents lay out a lengthy timeline of Duncan's alleged links to terrorism, including:

In Feb. 2016, one of Duncan's relatives reported to the FBI that "Duncan had converted to Islam, may have been radicalized, and voiced his approval of westerners being beheaded in the Middle East," the documents say.

Duncan and his wife were interviewed by the FBI after traveling to Turkey on Feb. 26, 2016. Duncan deleted his Facebook account two days after being interviewed by the FBI, according to the documents.

Duncan allegedly had contact with a foreign detained ISIS supporter who told the FBI Duncan had expressed interest in joining ISIS and conducting an attack in the United States. The woman said Duncan gave her instructions on how to construct homemade bombs. Duncan would also share news articles with her from Amaq News, an ISIS news outlet, the documents said. The woman also told the FBI Duncan had asked her to go to Syria and to be his second wife.

In June 2017, Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, police gave the FBI a copy of Duncan's phone and the FBI found hundreds of searches for ISIS-related material, ISIS attacks, weapons, body armor, and surveillance and defense tactics, documents said. Alleghany County police had obtained a copy of his phone while investigating the death of Duncan's infant child. The cause of the child's death was inconclusive, documents said.

Alleghany County police found more than 24,000 positive results in Duncan's phone and laptop after searching a list of common counterterrorism terms, documents said.

In Dec. 2017, the FBI found a Twitter account allegedly associated with Duncan's phone number. The Twitter handle was @DawlahtulIslaam, which roughly translates to "The Islamic State."

"Based on my training and experience I know the above-described searches conducted by Duncan are indicative of an individual planning and researching how to conduct an attack and defend himself from severe bodily harm," an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit.

Duncan moved to Sterling in June 2017 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the documents said.

During Friday's raid, a long line of FBI agents and sheriffs deputies carried boxes marked with red and black evidence tape out of the townhouse. A mobile command post was used at the scene.

Neighbors to the residence said the homes occupants just started renting it last summer.

An FBI official said the incident was authorized law enforcement activity. Typically with raids of this nature, the purpose will only become public knowledge if charges are filed.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates.
One person was killed and at least 23 others have been wounded in shootings across Chicago as the city rang in the New Year this holiday weekend.

A 51-year-old man was killed while driving in the 3900 block of West Cornelia just before 2:30 a.m. Monday, police said. The man was traveling southbound on Pulaski in a Toyota Camry when the vehicle hit a fence, police said. The man was found with a guinshot wound to the back and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.

Area North detectives are investigating.

Four people were shot at a bar on Chicago's North Side Sunday morning. The incident occurred at 1:35 a.m. in the 2300 block of West Howard when a man opened fire.

One man was taken to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition with mutliple gunshot wounds. A 38-year-old man was shot multiple times and is in stable condition at St. Francis. A 54-year-old man was shot in the hip and is in stable condition at the same hospital.

A fourth victim, a 42-year-old man, walked into Evanston Hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg, and is listed in stable condition.

A 57-year-old woman was critically injured during what police believe was a domestic dispute in the 12500 block of South Emerald on Friday night.

At approximately 8:30 p.m., a 62-year-old woman was shot in the face during the incident, and was listed in critical condition at Christ Hospital. A 57-year-old man, who is believed to have shot the woman, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

A 33-year-old man was critically injured in a shooting in the 1400 block of North Lotus just after 9 p.m. Saturday night, police said. He was discovered in the basement of a residence with a gunshot wound to his face. He was taken to Loyola in critical condition, according to authorities.

In an attempted robbery, a 43-year-old man was shot while standing on a sidewalk in the 3000 block of West Jackson at approximately 4:30 a.m. Saturday. The shooting occurred during a robbery, and after the alleged thief stole the mans property, he shot him in the left leg.

The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in stable condition.

Friday:

A 34-year-old woman was driving in the 1000 block of North Campbell when a person in a grey SUV fired shots at her, striking her in the left arm. She was listed in stable condition at St. Marys.

Saturday:

A 20-year-old man was shot during an argument in the 5700 block of West Washington at approximately 4:07 a.m. During the argument, a man produced a gun and fired shots at the victim, striking him in the left knee. He was taken to Mount Sinai in stable condition, police said.

A 25-year-old man was shot in the left leg and was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. He was sitting in a vehicle in the 5300 block of West Ohio at approximately 7 p.m. when another vehicle pulled alongside him and opened fire, police said.

At approximately 7:10 p.m. in the 300 block of South Kilbourn, a 26-year-old man was shot in the foot. He was taken to West Suburban in good condition, police said.

Sunday:

A 23-year-old man walked into Rush Hospital with gunshot wounds to his calf and thigh. He refused to give police any information on the shooting, and is in stable condition at Stroger after being transferred.

Just after 2 p.m., a 17-year-old boy was shot in the buttocks in the 7300 block of South Sangamon and took himself to St. Bernard Hospital where he was listed in good condition. Circumstances surrounding the shooting weren't immediately known, police said.

At 10:45 p.m., a 26-year-old man was shot while walking in the 1900 block of North Sawyer. The man was walking when a vehicle approached and someone inside opened fire, police said. He was transported in good condition to Norwegian Hospital with a gunshot wound in the leg, according to authorities.

Minutes before midnight, two people were shot inside an apartment in the 11500 block of South State Street. A 33-year-old man was inside an apartment when shots were fired, police said. He was struck in the abdomen and shoulder and was taken in ciritcal condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center. Authorities later said a second person, a 30-year-old woman, was also shot in the face during the incident. She was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in serious condition.

Monday:

Just after midnight, a 24-year-old man was shot while walking on a sidewalk in the 4000 block of West Oakdale, marking the first shooting of 2018 in Chicago. The man was on the sidewalk when he told police he heard shots and felt pain. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the buttocks.

Two people were shot around 1:30 a.m. in the 5400 block of West Jackson, according to authorities. The 21-year-old man and 18-year-old woman were in an SUV when someone in a white sedan pulled alongside them and fired shots. The 21-year-old took himself to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition with wounds to the left side of his head and left arm. The 18-year-old took herself to Stroger with a gunshot wound to the left wrist.

At about the same time, a 35-year-old man was shot standing on the sidewalk in the 8100 block of South Drexel. The man told police he "heard shots and felt pain," authorities said. He was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center and was being transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital in stable condition. He had a gunshot wound to the shoulder, police said.

About 15 minutes later, police witnessed shots fired during a fight between four men on the 0-100 block of North Wabash. A 31-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in stable condition. A second victim was taken to the same hospital with bruises to the face and body. Two people were being questioned by Area Central detectives, police said.

A 24-year-old man was shot during a fight around 2:15 a.m. in the 6100 block of North Claremont. He was taken to St. Francis with a gunshot wound to the face and was listed in stable condition.

A little over an hour later, another 24-year-old was shot in the 500 block of West 127th Place. The man was standing on the sidewalk when someone walked up and fired shots, police said. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in stable condition, according to authorities.

No one is in custody in any of these shootings unless otherwise noted.
A Glastonbury woman was killed in a crash on the Putnam Bridge (Route 3) Saturday.

Connecticut State Police said that around 8:15 p.m. 51-year-old Devra Koromanian was driving on Route 3 before the Interstate 91 off-ramp when she lost control of her vehicle and hit the jersey barrier. Koromanian was ejected from the vehicle. She was rushed to Hartford Hospital for treatment, but suffered fatal injuries.

The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information on this crash is asked to contact Trooper Harkins at Troop H 860-534-1000.
A home in South Dallas is significantly damaged after a car slammed into it on Saturday morning.

Police and fire rescue crews were called at about 10 a.m. Saturday to the 500 block of Kirnwood Drive.

There was heavy damage to the front of the home stretching from the front door to the garage. Tire tracks scarred the yard marking where the car traveled before hitting the home.

Clemestene Dallas was inside the home at the time in another room and heard the crash.

"I was in the bedroom," Dallas said. "I heard this big boom and I thought it was an explosion."

Dallas said she saw the SUV still in her house and still revving, trying to move.

She said on a typical morning she would be sitting right where the car drove in to her home. Dallas said despite the damage to her home, she is just thankful to be alive and not injured.

"It's just a blessing to be alive," she said. "I could have been sitting right there on the sofa and it could've been my life."

Police have not released details on how the crash occurred or if anyone was injured from the car.
Demolition crews started tearing down parts of the old Dallas I.S.D. administration building on Ross Avenue on Saturday.

The district sold the building to Dallas-based Leon Capital Group for more than $9 million. The school district has now consolidated it's offices into a high-rise building off Central Expressway.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Leon Capital has filed plans with the city to turn the building into a 380-unit apartment community. The buildings will be five stories tall with a six level parking garage nearby.

The plans also include the existing central building of the D.I.S.D. headquarters that face Ross Avenue.

Earlier this month Leon Capital's David Cocanougher told The Dallas Morning News "We are still working on how it will look and the details on the project. We are trying to have a cohesive development and incorporate the existing structure."

You can read more from The Dallas Morning News here.


Forecast | School Closings | Weather Alerts | Maps & Radar | Send Us a Photo/Video | Skycams

A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect for areas surrounding Dallas and Fort Worth until 12 p.m. Monday.

The winter blast that moved across North Texas over the weekend has also caused some power outages.

Forecasters have issued an overnight hard freeze warning for a four-state region as an Arctic cold front pushes its way through the area.

The National Weather Service issued the warning Sunday for parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana from midnight until 10 a.m. Monday.

The service says temperatures will range from the teens in northeast Texas, southeast Oklahoma, southwest Arkansas and eastern sections of north-central Louisiana to the low 20s across east Texas and northwest Louisiana.

Temperatures began plummeting Saturday as the front moved into the area, bringing light snow and freezing drizzle that coated some highways and bridges with ice.

Crews in Oklahoma were treating roads in the southwest and south-central parts of the state. Arkansas transportation officials reported ice patches in the western part or the state.

While the winter mix caused some problems across DFW, some people got out and enjoyed the small amount of snowfall while it lasted.

The cold air is here to stay for a few days. As temperatures continue to fall, some of that left over drizzle may freeze. Elevated surfaces like bridges and overpasses would be impacted first.

The freeze watch for far South Texas could endanger crops and other sensitive vegetation.



Much of the state Sunday was under some form of winter weather, freeze or wind chill advisory, watch or warning.

Icy conditions have been reported north and west of Dallas through the Panhandle and West Texas.



Traffic Conditions

Texas Department of Transportation crews last week pre-treated 10,000 miles of roads with a brine solution to keep ice from sticking. Crews in Fort Worth and Dallas area have been spreading a magnesium chloride granular mixture on roads to help drivers.

Some bridges, overpasses, and roads did become slick in spots Sunday morning around DFW. Some patchy areas of ice may remain into the night, so be extra careful and drive with caution.

MedStar EMS said crews responded to 170 motor vehicle accidents with injuries on Sunday, including 26 rollover crashes. All lanes of Interstate 20 at Camp Bowie were also closed for several hours Sunday morning after a crash there.



Remember to drive slowly and allow extra room between you and other vehicles.

Airport Update

Video from DFW International Airport where planes are going through a deicing process before takeoff.

As of 8 p.m. Sunday night, DFW International Airport announced there had been 806 delays so far on Sunday and 260 cancellations.



Latest Video Forecast

The latest video forecast from NBC DFW's team of Weather Experts will appear in the player above. Keep up with the latest changes to the weather by downloading the NBC DFW smartphone App for iOS and Android!

The winter mix has ended and no additional precipitation is expected. However, it will be bitter cold as we ring in the new year. Temperatures will fall into the teens with wind chills in the single digits Sunday night and New Year's Day. Any warm up this week will be slow as additional shots of cold air will move across North Texas through Friday.

Next weekend offers hope of some milder air and a chance of showers.

Get the latest forecast information from NBC 5's team of Weather Experts here.
For decades, it sat untouched and unwanted. Many said a developer would have to be crazy to try to do something with it.

Yet today, the 2,000 acres of land in North Arlington now home to the Viridian community are teaming with life, with more new houses going up seemingly everyday.



Developer Robert Kembel says he always believed the project would be successful. Instead, what surprised him most was when he learned that he'd be building one of North Texas' newest communities on the site of one of its oldest.



"This is the birthplace of North Texas," said Kembel. "And we didn't know that when we bought the property."

In the summer of 1841 -- several months before John Neely Bryan would found Dallas -- a group of settlers built a fort on the land, which became known as Bird's Fort.

According to an old historic marker on the site, it was built "in an effort to attract settlers to the region and to provide protection from Indian raids."

Although the fort itself was only around for a few years, historians say what makes it significant is that it was one of the first attempts at a settlement in the North Texas region.

Today, all that remains of Fort Bird is the base of a windmill, a small well head, and a trough. But that was enough to spark the interest of Kembel and his team.

After doing more research on the land, they came to the conclusion that they didn't want to build any houses on that specific site. Instead, they thought it would be an ideal site for a cultural center, celebrating that history -- and possibly even a recreation of the fort itself.

"I think we all want to be connected to a place and we want to know the history and the past means something to our future," said Kembel. "So to connect state-of-the-art development principles with the history and very beginning of all development in the State of Texas, I think that's really cool."

In order to pay for the project, Kembel says they'll need to develop more of the land around the site -- so it's still several years out. But he's hopeful they can begin work on the cultural center within the next five to seven years.


An Imperial Beach city administrator was shot and killed one day before his 50th birthday while on a Christmas vacation in central Mexico, city officials said Friday.

Imperial Beach Administrative Services Director Doug Bradley, 49, was on vacation in a resort town in Ixtapa, Mexico when he was shot and killed sometime before 8 a.m. Thursday, Imperial Beach official Ed Vea said.

Mexicos public security agency was informed of Bradleys death at 8 a.m. but an investigation determined he was shot hours earlier, according to Imperial Beach officials.

The events leading up to the shooting were not clear.

City officials said they were shocked to learn of Bradleys death, just one day before he turned 50-years-old.

Doug Bradley was loved by all that knew him, Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said in a statement. He was always positive, loved to surf, and had helped to turn around the City of Imperial Beachs financial management as well as restructure city administration to make it more efficient and resident friendly.

Bradley was an avid surfer, a culture well known in Imperial Beach as well as Huntington Beach where he was born.

He will be missed by everyone who knew him and worked with him, Dedina added.

Bradleys body has not yet been returned to the United States. Imperial Beach said they are working with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City to get his body back home.

Ixtapa is a resort city on Mexicos Pacific coastline, about 160 miles north of Acapulco and less than 2,000 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico Border.
A man fired more than 100 rounds at officers early Sunday, killing one sheriff's deputy and injuring four other officials, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured.

Douglas County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect Sunday night as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl.



Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said the shooting occurred at a home at the Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped complex in Highlands Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver.

Authorities had left the home about four hours earlier to address a noise complaint and returned to in response to reports of a disturbance at the home.

Spurlock said earlier Sunday Riehl was well-known to authorities. No other details on the suspect was available.

"I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there."

The wounded officers tried to pull the fallen deputy, identified as Zack Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and to "crawl to safety," Spurlock said.

Parrish, 29, a married father of two young children, had been with the department for about seven months. Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work.

"His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said.

The three deputies and one police officer injured were listed in stable condition. Authorities identified them as deputies Michael Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom O'Donnell, 41.

The two civilian injuries were not life-threatening.

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said his son, Douglas County sheriff's deputy Jeff Pelle, underwent surgery from injuries suffered in the attack and was recovering.

President Donald Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter, "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!"

The shooting occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in Las Vegas.

The sheriff's office had advised people in the area "to shelter in place, avoid windows and stay away from exterior walls."

An emergency shelter was set up "due to the size" of the incident, the sheriff's office said. "If anyone has been displaced from their homes due to this event please feel free to head there."

Multiple agencies were on accident alert due to the incident, including Douglas County, Parker Police Department, Lone Tree Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department and Colorado State Patrol.

NBC affiliate 9News reported that drivers involved in accidents were asked "not to call law enforcement unless a driver is impaired, it's a hit and run, someone is injured or dead or if damaged vehicles are blocking the road."
Two men were arrested Saturday on murder charges in the deaths of two women and two children who were found dead in their upstate New York apartment.

Justin Mann and James White were arrested in their hometown, Schenectady, and pleaded not guilty in Troy City Court.

According to the Times Union, Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said one of the defendants knew one of the victims. He declined to elaborate.

Information given in court said the killings took place at about 9 p.m., Dec. 21. It wasn't until Tuesday, five days later, that a property manager found 36-year-old Shanta Myers; her children, 11-year-old Jeremiah Myers and 5-year-old Shanise Myers; and 22-year-old Brandi Mells in a basement apartment along the Hudson River, just north of Albany. Meyers and Mells became engaged earlier this year, Mells' cousin, Sharonda Bennett, told the newspaper.

Myers' family described her as a good-natured woman who could not have done anything to provoke such violence, NBC News reported.

"She is so sweet," her sister, Shakera Symes, previously told NBC News. "She goes out of her way to want to be loved. She wouldn't be involved in anything that would be close to deserving this. She's very mild-mannered."

Tedesco and District Attorney Joel Abelove, who appeared at a press conference, declined to answer questions about a possible motive and the method of the killings.

They also would not say how the defendants know each other, but said that both have records and Mann is on parole.

More than two dozen people were in court Saturday, some wearing Troy Boys & Girls club sweatshirts.

Mann appeared to break down as he was led out of court. A man and a woman in the courtroom became visibly distraught.

The suspects were sent to the Rensselaer County Jail to await their next court appearance, on Thursday. Neither man said anything as the charges were read.

Tedesco said no more arrests are expected.

"I don't have to tell you what a good feeling it is to have these two in custody," he said. "It's a great relief."

"After being in this business for almost 42 years I can't describe the savagery of a person like this," Tedesco said earlier this week as police searched for those responsible.



"The rapid apprehension and arrest of two suspects in connection with this tragic crime is welcome news for our community and the victims' families impacted by this senseless tragedy," Troy Mayor Patrick Madden, a Democrat, said in a statement.

"My heart remains with both the Myers and Mells families," said Madden, who expressed hope that "with the support of the Troy community, they can begin to heal."
U.S. Highway 191 was closed Saturday afternoon from Harlowton to Eddie's Corner due to "zero visibility" caused by high winds blowing snow, according to an announcement from the Montana Department of Transportation.

Snow in the area was blowing and drifting, according to MDT, which announced the closure shortly before 3 p.m.

Earlier in the day the road had been closed from Garneill to Eddie's Corner.

Conditions on Montana Highway 3 from Harlowton to Shawmut were designated "severe" at about 3:20 p.m. If road conditions are evaluated to be worse than severe, MDT will close down a roadway.
What to Know Twelve people, including a baby and several other children, were killed in a blaze near the Bronx Zoo on Thursday night

Dozens of families who survived were displaced and face the reality that all of their belongings may have been destroyed

The NYPD concluded its clothing drive Saturday because they accumulated enough donations for 1,000 families

Donations piled high Saturday for more than two dozen families left homeless after New York City's deadliest apartment fire in decades.

People began dropping off bags of coats and clothes -- and even brand new toys -- the night before the drive began at Church of Saint Martin of Tours on Crotona Avenue Saturday morning.

"Even though I don't know them personally, to me, they're like family," said Shaquan Hoke, a resident of the neighborhood. "I was homeless with my family a little over ten years ago, and I know what it's like to need help."



Minutes after the drive opened, the NYPD already had dozens and dozens of bags of donations.

By afternoon, police said so many people contributed that the locations accepting donations had reached capacity and that there was no more room. The NYPD ultimately wrapped up the drive a day early, saying it had enough donations for almost 1,000 families.

"Whatever they need, that's what we'll provide," NYPD Community Affairs Capt. Kenneth Gorman said Saturday.



The outpouring of community support was visible outside the charred apartment building Saturday, with candles and signs of hope. Mourners had planned a vigil Saturday night, despite the frigid weather.

Father Cosme Hernandez, of Church of Saint Martin of Tours, said residents wanted to show the survivors they were with them.

"It's just part of our faith, that all of us in ups and downs, we're together," Hernandez said.

The fire killed 12 people, including three girls, ages 8 months, 2 and 7, an unidentified boy, another child, three women and four other adults, according to fire officials. Police released the names of all the victims Saturday.

Another four people were critically injured. Several more suffered minor injuries.

The fire began when a toddler was turning burners in his kitchen in the five-story building on Prospect Avenue and East 187th Street and ignited the flames, FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. The boy's mother, who was in the apartment but not with the child at the time, was alerted to the blaze by his screams and grabbed him, along with his 2-year-old sister and fled their home.

They left the door open, Nigro said, which allowed the blaze to rapidly spread up the stairs. A city spokesman said the building was supposed to have fire-rated, self-closing doors; it was not clear if one was installed or, if so, why it didn't close behind them.



"The stairway acted like a chimney," Nigro said. "It took the fire so quickly up the stairs that people had very little time to react, they couldn't get back down the stairs -- those that tried, a few of them perished."

Officials and relatives have identified five of the victims: 2- and 7-year-old girls named Kylie and Charmela Francis, and their mother, 37-year-old Karen Francis; 19-year-old Shantay Young; and 58-year-old Maria Batiz.

A relative at the scene shared photos with News 4 of the children, one just a wide-eyed toddler sipping from a bottle, the other a young girl with a black leather jacket and hot pink pants.

Five of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, police say: an 8-month-old girl, a 63-year-old woman, and three unidentified men.

Nigro said the 3-year-old boy who sparked the blaze had a history of playing with stove burners. He said the kitchen exploded into flames so quickly the mother had little time to do anything other than grab her children and leave.

Except for the Sept. 11 terror attacks, it was the city's deadliest fire since 87 people were killed at a social club fire in the Bronx in 1990.

The dozens who escaped the flames were being sheltered by the Red Cross at a school about a block away on Thursday, according to officials. There are 25 units in the apartment building. It wasn't clear when residents would be allowed back in.

Shacazia Brown, who runs a nonprofit that gives toys to children in need, was taking part in the donation drive Saturday.

"Christmas was just a few days ago and I know that families lost everything, so you can only imagine," Brown said. "Christmas trees, toys, whatever families worked their hard-earned money to get for their children was all gone."
Two women were found dead Saturday evening inside a house in Collingswood, Camden County, and police cordoned off a large section of the surrounding neighborhood.

The women were found at 5 p.m. inside a house in the 100 block of East Narberth Terrace. The county medical examiner showed up about 90 minutes later as officers and detectives continued to go in and out of the house.

Two ambulances were at the scene shortly after police arrived, but they later left.

A spokeswoman for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said no more information about the women's deaths was available as of 7:30 p.m.

Check back for more details as they become known this evening.
Sure, the Times Square ball that drops in New York City on New Year's Eve is famous and expensive, covered in Waterford crystal triangles and more than 32,000 LED lights.

But only in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania can you watch a 400-pound glowing Peep slide down a pole.

The annual Peepfest celebrates Peeps, which are made by Bethlehem-based Just Born, Inc. They call it a Chick Drop -- the sculpture is shaped like the most famous Peep -- and it happens earlier than most New Year's Eve celebrations: at 5:15 p.m.

There are lots of unusual New Year's Eve drops in Pennsylvania. In fact, the state is kinda famous for having lots of community-based drops of weird stuff.

In Kennett Square, thousands of people gather each year for the annual mushroom drop, which celebrates the mushroom-growing industry in the area.

The mushroom replica weighs in at 700 pounds and drops at midnight.

In Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a wreath with Lebanon bologna in the middle of it will drop at midnight. In Pottsvile, they raise a replica bottle of Yuengling.

"You don't want to drop a bottle," Pottsville City Administrator Tom Palamar told a local news station.

In Dillsburg, Pennsylvania they usually drop a pickle. (Get it?) But this year, the event was called off due to the bitter cold.

In Richland, Pennsylvania they drop a giant cigar. In commonsensical Myerstown, Pennsylvania they drop a Bayer asprin, in honor of the local Bayer HealthCare plant.

And in Beavertown, yes, they drop a life-sized beaver replica nicknamed "Bucky."

Meanwhile, in Hershey, a 300-pound Hershey's Kiss is raised three stories to celebrate the New Year. With the wrapper at the top, that kiss is 7 feet high.
For the four Republicans who hope to challenge Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's re-election bid next year, the first "playoff game" before the May 15 primary election will be the state party's endorsement.

That endorsement vote, scheduled for Feb. 10, could determine who stays in the primary race and who gets to brag that they won the endorsement while drawing upon the financial benefits of the party's backing.

Should the party be unable or unwilling to endorse, it would be the first time in 40 years.

A looming four-way contest puts the 347 state Republican Party committee members in the sticky position of choosing between two people -- York County state Sen. Scott Wagner and state House Speaker Mike Turzai, of suburban Pittsburgh-- who have played outsized roles in helping elect Republican lawmakers.

"It's a squeamish situation for some of them," said Alan Novak, the Republican Party's chairman from 1996 through 2004.

All four candidates, including lawyer Laura Ellsworth and former health care systems consultant Paul Mango, both of suburban Pittsburgh, have told party officials they will run in the primary, with or without the party's endorsement.

Wagner is widely viewed as the favorite after announcing his candidacy a year ago, far before the others. The day after Turzai announced his candidacy in November, Wagner's campaign released a list of 64 state committee members who, it said, had endorsed him.

No other candidate has released a list of state committee supporters, but the persuasion campaign is in full swing: letter writing, personal phone calls and meet-and-greets.

"It's very difficult in that all these people are getting in it, and they all think they are the most likely candidate to win it, and they all think they have enough votes at state committee to win," said Michael Meehan, Philadelphia's Republican Party chairman. "Unfortunately, all of them can't win."

No GOP-endorsed candidate has lost Pennsylvania's gubernatorial primary in 40 years.

Still, an endorsement of Wagner would represent a break with a tradition of backing establishment-style candidates.

Wagner was endorsed by Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's former strategist who, as chairman of the right-wing Breitbart News, backed Roy Moore's failed candidacy in Alabama's U.S. Senate race that cost Republicans a seat in the chamber.

The founder of a prominent trash-hauling company in south-central Pennsylvania, Wagner touts his business credentials and is rated by the American Conservative Union as among the Senate's five most conservative senators. His penchant for speaking off-the-cuff makes him a magnet for controversy, and he has clashed openly with moderate members of his caucus.

He took office in 2014 by winning a write-in bid over the GOP's hand-picked candidate, a veteran state lawmaker, in an expensive and bruising primary in which top Republican senators spent heavily to try to defeat him. Before that, he donated heavily to conservative candidates and causes, even if it meant challenging sitting Republican public officials.

Starting Jan. 6, the state party's regional caucuses will begin meeting with the candidates and holding straw votes ahead of a formal state committee vote. Regional caucus meetings will wrap up Feb. 3, a week before committee members meet in Hershey to decide party endorsements.

"A lot of people in the counties really haven't made a decision yet," said Dick Stewart, co-chair of the Central Caucus. "I think they really want to hear the candidates make a presentation."

In election seasons since 1978, it has been obvious as to who would win the party's gubernatorial endorsement, said Blake Marles, who chairs the four-county northeast central caucus. The promise of an endorsement is typically used as a shield to avoid potentially divisive and expensive primary contests, and the GOP field is usually clear well before the party's endorsement meeting.

Not this year.

The prospect of losing the endorsement isn't scaring candidates away from running without it, and the Republican Party's cash may be stretched to help save congressional and legislative majorities in a difficult mid-term election.

"So the question is then," said Charles Gerow, a committee member from Cumberland County, "what's the endorsement's true value?"
A key Guatemalan official was ordered not to leave the country Saturday as the death toll rose to 39 girls in a fire that began when mattresses were set ablaze during a protest by residents at a youth shelter.

Authorities continued searching over the weekend for answers in the disaster that has put a spotlight on alleged failings in Guatemala's child protective services.

The head of the protective services agency, Carlos Rodas, was ordered not to leave Guatemala by a judge on Saturday while investigations into the blaze continue, according to prosecutors' spokeswoman Julia Barrera.

Authorities at the Roosevelt Hospital where many of the girls were taken for treatment of their burns said Saturday that another girl had died. Nineteen of the adolescents perished at the scene of the Wednesday inferno and another 20 died later in local hospitals.

Various groups have said they plan to gather Saturday to protest the deaths and demand the resignation of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.

The president has blamed the government's "rigid" and "insensitive" system for dealing with troubled youths and has promised to reform protective services for some 1,500 minors currently living in youth shelters around the country.

Morales blamed the Guatemalan state during a Friday news conference for the tragedy and said that all of the government institutions in charge of minors played a role.

Carlos Soto, administrator of Hospital San Juan de Dios, another hospital caring for many of the burned children, told The Associated Press on Friday that medical specialists had arrived from Galveston, Texas, to help evaluate the condition of several with the intention of having them travel to the United States for treatment.

On Saturday, Soto said that it was hoped that at least four of the girls could travel to the United States this weekend. He said the adolescents had burns on their faces, torsos and legs.

Officials say the fire began when mattresses were set afire during a protest by residents at the shelter housing hundreds of boys and girls. Questions remained over why someone among the girls set the blaze and whether doors remained locked as the girls pleaded for their lives.

Widespread reports by some victims' relatives have said that some of the girls set mattresses on fire to protest their apprehension and return to the facility after fleeing the previous night because of mistreatment, bad food and fears of rape.

Parents and relatives said many of the young people at the shelter had been sent there because of abuse, poverty or family problems. Others were ordered there by judges after run-ins with police, officials said.
A man was shot by D.C. police officers after pointing what appeared to be a firearm at police, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Investigators said officers were called to the 800 block of 8th Street, Northeast, on Saturday shortly before 9:30 p.m. for a burglary call. When the officers arrived, they saw Kevin Talley, 34, of northeast Washington, who was standing in the street with an apparent gun.

Police said the officers ordered Talley to drop the weapon several times. When he pointed the weapon at them, the officers fired, striking Talley.

He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Investigators said the officers later determined the weapon used by Talley was a BB gun.

Talley was arrested and charged with assault on a police officer while armed.
A baby seal that wandered far from the ocean has been returned to the sea with the help of some police officers on Cape Cod.

Yarmouth Police say the seal pup was found waddling on Route 6A in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts late Friday.

Police and Amazing Animal Ambassadors were able to put the seal in a cage and hold onto it until wildlife officials arrived.

Police said on Facebook Saturday that the pup was given a clean bill of health and has been released back to the ocean.

Authorities say they have nicknamed the seal "Houston" after Kevin A. Houston, a U.S. Navy Seal from Cape Cod who was killed in Afghanistan.

Police say they believe the pup traveled up a nearby frozen creek and "made his appearance Navy Seal style."
Police in Mansfield, Massachusetts say the men wanted in connection with an attempted theft at the town's Best Buy were also involved in another robbery at the Best Buy in Braintree.

The attempted theft at the Mansfield store was captured on store surveillance. In the video, two of the suspects can be seen entering the store the day after Christmas and grabbing three laptops and bolting for the door at about 12 p.m.

Two Best Buy loss prevention officers and a customer managed to get the computers back, but the suspects hopped into a waiting white Toyota Camry.

According to police, the same two men were caught on surveillance trying to steal laptops at the store in Braintree earlier in the holiday weekend. The same white Toyota Camry was also spotted with a driver.

Mansfield police released surveillance photos of both suspects taken from the Braintree Best Buy store. They are now looking to identify the suspects.

Police told WJAR-TV that the car had stolen plates out of Plymouth  Massachusetts PC Patriots plate NE26ST.

Anyone with information on the identities of the men is urged contact Mansfield Police Officer Mike Fenore at 508-261-7301 Ext. 61309.


P

It was love at first sight when Scott Morrison was offered piano lessons in Norwich at the age of 12. Now, at 27, he is an amazingly versatile musician, playing at least seven instruments. Mike Wiltshire reports.

Scott was only four years old when his dad, Gordon, died  and as Scott grew up he didnt enjoy school but found joy in music as he explored the world of brass instruments and keyboards and eventually earned a place on a music degree at Surrey University.



Today, Scott teaches music at the prestigious Leys School in Cambridge (boarders 10,600 term), which was founded in 1875 on Methodist Church principles.



The piano is Scotts first love and he also sings bass and plays the organ. He plays guitar and brass wind instruments such as the trombone, tuba and euphonium. He loves a variety of music from Chopins compositions to jazz and musical theatre. Friends say Scott can turn his hand to most things, when it comes to playing instruments in various styles.



He was greatly encouraged along his musical journey by the sixth form at Hewett School and by Margaret Smith, the Norwich music director and choral leader who first heard Scott at a sing-a-long at Trinity Church, Norwich.



Scott has been a man of faith since the age of 16 and Christian values are important to him. Right now he is caught up with seasonal music and he loves the music of John Rutter, the most popular living choral composer in the world and doyen of Christmas music.



This year Scott, with Margaret Smith, hosted an Evening of Musicals with a packed audience and a recent lunchtime-style recital in aid of the organ fund at St Andrews, Eaton.


Palestine supports India, recalls envoy to Pakistan for sharing stage with Hafiz Saeed

New Delhi : Palestine on Saturday recalled its envoy to Pakistan for sharing the stage with 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, after India termed his action "unacceptable".

"We are supporting India in its fight against terrorism and because of that my government decided to directly call our ambassador to go back home, not to be Palestine ambassador to Pakistan anymore," Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Al Haij said.

The Palestine action came after its envoy Waleed Abu Ali shared the stage with UN designated terrorist and JuD chief Hafiz Saeed at a rally in Rawalpindi on Friday.

After photographs of the event went viral on social media, India took up the issue strongly with the Palestinian authorities.

"Government of India has strongly conveyed to the Palestinian side that the Palestinian Ambassador in Pakistan's association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations, at an event in Rawalpindi on December 12, is unacceptable," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

"The concerns were conveyed both in New Delhi to the Palestinian Ambassador and in Ramallah to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, State of Palestine," it said.

"The Palestinian side has conveyed deep regrets over the incident and assured the Government of India that they are taking serious cognizance of their Ambassador's presence at this event. They have said they will deal with this matter appropriately."

According to a report in Pakistan's The Nation daily, the Rawalpindi central leadership of Difa-e-Pakistan-Council has announced a countrywide movement for the liberation of Kashmir and Palestine.

The report quoted envoy Ali as saying that "with Pakistan's tremendous support to Palestine cause, we do not feel alone".

The action of the Palestinian envoy in Pakistan came days after India voted with the rest of the world in favour of an Arab resolution in the UN General Assembly rejecting US President Donald Trump's decision recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

According to the External Affairs Ministry statement, Palestine has also conveyed that it "highly values its relationship with India and stands with us in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India".

"We take note of the assurances given by the Palestine side," the statement added.
There was a long period of stronger productivity growth from 1917 to 1973 driven by low-cost oil and increasing usage of cars and more efficient factories.

We are entering a new period of stronger productivity growth from energy cheaper than oil, self-driving cars making transportation cheaper than car ownership, AI-Big Data and robotics boosting the efficiency of business and medicines that will cure diseases and restore vitality.

The rapid productivity improvements of the Depression years laid the groundwork not only for the rapid mobilization for production during World War II but also for the golden age of postwar productivity growth in the 1950s and 1960s. This interpretation contrasts with the common view that persistent growth in the postwar period resulted from research and development, investment, and cumulative productivity growth related to the war effort itself, as exemplified by extraordinary improvements in aircraft production and shipbuilding and by the volume of military output. In fact, however, labor productivity in the munitions industriesthe result of TFP and capital deepening combinedincreased by a total of only about 25 percent from 1939 to 1944, and TFP grew at an estimated annual average of about 2.6 percent from 1941 to 1948, significantly lower than during the preceding decade. The evidence suggests that, if anything, the war effort absorbed resources that might otherwise have been used to improve production for the private sector. However, the war did contribute to improved medical care: Over the 1940s, innovations from modern antibiotics to blood banks helped to increase average life expectancy by over 5 years in a single decade, from 63 to over 68.

19 years slow growth (about 1.6% per year) (1889-1917)

11 years mod fast growth (about 3.3% per year) (1917-1927)

15 years of moderate growth (about 2.8% per year) (1927-1941)

7 years of very fast growth (about 4% per year) (1941-1948)

26 years of mod fast growth (about 3.2% per year) (1949-1973)

23 years of slow growth (about 1.5% per year) (1973-1995)

10 years of mod fast growth (about 3.2% per year) (1995-2004)

11 years of slow growth (about 1.3% per year) (2004-2015)

There were depressions and recessions and wars during the period from 1917-1973 but there was strong overall productivity improvement.

Cheap energy and relative abundance

The cost for solar is already at $43/MWh and some projects are at about 2 cents per KWh.

A French Energy company expects 1 cent per KWh by 2025 and is investing billions based upon that projection.

Prices will still fall in half again by 2025 because of scaling efficiency and incremental technological improvements.

The former French gas monopoly (Engie), which is now the worlds largest non-state power producer following a decade of acquisitions, is investing in renewables while selling coal-fired plants and exploration assets to shield itself from commodity-price swings. It plans to spend 1.5 billion euros ($1.57 billion) by 2018 on technologies including grid-scale battery storage, hydrogen output, mini-grids that serve small clusters of homes, and smart buildings that link up heating, lighting and IT systems to save energy and cut costs.

The cost of solar power will probably drop below $10 a megawatt-hour before 2025 in the worlds sunniest places, according to Lepercq.

There will continue to be a downward spiral in energy costs. Lower energy costs enable new energy to be produced more cheaply.

There will also be continuing low-cost prices for natural gas and oil as well. Big data will enable more efficient drilling. The cost of oil and natural gas could be at the equivalent of $10-20 per barrel. The decreasing demand for oil for cars as cars become electric will also enable oil and natural gas to have lower prices.

China is developing low-cost nuclear energy for heating cities.

Molten salt nuclear could emerge from 2025 and scale in the 2030s and 2040s for another low-cost energy competitor.

Supercheap transportation

ARk Investment thinks self-driving taxis and ridesharing will be half the cost of owning a car.

Rethinkx believes self-driving cars will be ten times cheaper per mile than car ownership.

There will be more mobility for older people and teens. There will be more demand for mobility. Self-driving vehicles will enable more efficient use of roads and parking areas.

Low-cost airfares

There are super low-cost airlines that charge only $99 to fly from the US to Europe today. Continuing improvements in fuel-efficient planes and the introduction of electric planes will continue this trend.

Healthier population would boost productivity  Aging reversal and regeneration

AgeX induced tissue regeneration concept is  compare adult cells to embryo cells and then try to identify pathways which can re-activate the full regenerative capability of embryos in adults.

Epigenetic differences have been identified. The first generation induced tissue regeneration drug Renelon will be launched next year.

AgeX also focuses on pursuing the Purestem technology that it has acquired most of the rights to from Biotime.

Biotime HyStem is the gel matrix platform for incorporating fat, brown fat and cardiac cells with regenerative activation (for less scarring).

There is work on the genetic reversal of various aspects of aging by George Church. Aging reversal will be attempted in experiments on dogs over next few years. Successful trials in dogs would then lead to human trials a few years later.

Dealing with the seven kinds of aging damage

1. Cell loss, atrophy  embryo quality regeneration could fully address this issue [AgeX, Biotime]

2. Division obsessed  generally cancer takes a while.

There is currently the emergence of three families of treatments for cancer. Each individually or in combination could make profound progress against cancer over the next few years.

* Car-T

* Check one inhibitors

* Better immune system approaches, including making cancer more vulnerable and targetable by the immune system.

Some of these approaches had been considered promising for a while but were impractical because of cost. Now the low cost of gene sequencing and other advances are making them affordable.

3. death resistant  senolytics. Drugs to clear senescent cells. Unity Therapeutics has been funded to work on this. Unity Therapeutics spun out of SENS. There are several other companies in this space

4. mitochondrial mutations  backup copy effort into nucleus. SENS has funded successful research in this area.

The company Gensight is working on mitochondria related blindness.

5. intracellular waste  foreign enzymes

Ichor Therapeutics  another SENS spinout company is working in this area.

6. extracellular waste  immune system

Covalent  another SENS spinout company is working in this area.

7. extracellular stiffening  crosslink breakers

A new company working in this area should be announced in a few months.

On SENS spinouts

SENS takes a small stake of less than 10% in each of the companies. SENS wants to maximize the chances for success of the spinout companies.

Aubreys current predictions

Aubrey believes success with the Robust Mouse Rejuvenation might be 5-7 years away.

Robust Mouse Rejuvenation

 take a healthy mouse that would have a normal lifespan. Typical mouse lifespan of 3 years.

 Begin treatments after the mouse is 2 years old.

 Double or triple the remaining life. So instead of living one more year, it lives 2 to 3 years longer.

 Currently, the best in this area was to extend the mouse life by 3 to 4 months. This was done 10 to 15 years ago using calorie restriction. We need to do ten times what calorie restriction has done.

Full SENS treatment in humans has a 50% chance of happening in the next 20 years.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

ORANGE  The ordinary look of Bull Hill Plaza belies the powerful energy of Islam, culture, diversity and shopping that the 30,000-square-foot center brings to town.

Each week thousands from more than 50 countries worship at the New Haven Islamic Center mosque located at one end of the plaza.

They and hundreds more Muslims and non-Muslims from around the state shop weekly at the other half of the plaza in four retail spaces and soon, a fifth spot that will be occupied by a Mediterranean restaurant.

Its all owned by New Haven Islamic Center, which is the first in the state to be self-sustaining by combining worship and retail, although the trend is catching on elsewhere, said Islamic Center Board of Trustees member M. Asaf Sheikh.

For religious non-profits, the financial future is challenging, he said. If we become financially independent, we can do more to help the community.

Although it is not a rule that tenants must be Muslim, there are certain rules of ethics in this Little Islam that commercial tenants must follow, including: no selling of alcohol, lottery tickets or racy clothing.

The New Haven Islamic Center was located on Prudden Lane in West Haven for some 30 years  established by students at University of New Haven  but upon outgrowing the space purchased the plaza in Orange four years ago with a large down payment and an interest-free loan, as Muslims are not allowed to pay interest or receive interest.

With thousands flocking there each week for five daily prayers and mandatory Friday worship services that draw 1,000 to 1,500 alone, theres an aspect of an automatic customer base.

But more importantly, the centers leaders say, is that the model of the mosques ownership ensures its financial sustainability, rather than depending on money from worshippers.

We are a financially independent facility. I think its a great model, Sheikh said. Its a first for a center of this size.

When they purchased the plaza at 254 Bull Hill Lane it was run down and largely unoccupied. Sheikh said the price was right, the location is easily accessible to Interstate 95 and Route 15 and there is plenty of parking for the large crowds, including an easement to use an adjoining lot connected to an old, unoccupied building.

Parking is key with so many attending the mosque weekly. On the Islamic holiday of EID  celebrated after Ramadan  3,000 to 5,000 people pray in the parking lot.

Part of their centers aim is to help in the community. The social welfare system in Islam puts responsibility on the community  relatives, friends, others, but not the state  so that is a focus. The center recently donated $1,000 to the Orange food pantry.

The New Haven Islamic center has been very nice and welcoming, Orange First Selectman Jim Zeoli said.

The Islamic Centers aim is to educate the public about Islam, said Jamilah Rasheed, a female board member and director of the outreach arm of the Islamic center.

Rasheed is director of the non-profit New Haven Inner City Enrichment Center - acronym NICE - which she said makes everyone smile. The organization is run by Muslim women and supplies food and other items to the needy.

She said there is an inaccurate stereotype that Muslim women are oppressed and dont go out of the house. She said they have already hosted Christian/Muslim womens breakfasts, will hold open-houses and are becoming involved in the greater interfaith community that brings churches and synagogues together.

Theres always an opportunity to increase peoples knowledge of what were about, she said.

Imam Bachir Djehiche said the religion is not what you see in the media, and one bad apple doesnt spoil the bunch.

Djehiche said the religion, like others Abrahamic religions, is based on the tenetsof freedom of religion; life and health; mind, intellect, education; lineage and family, and wealth and prosperity.

Sheikh added: We are a God-fearing community and Connecticut is full of God fearing communities, in churches, synagogues.

Although Muslim women are leaders, professionals and own businesses, they have a separate entrance from the men in the mosque portion of the plaza and worship in a separate area.

On the womans side during the Friday service, women are on their knees on the floor during prayer, and their hands touch the ground. They wear long dresses or skirts, head coverings, and shoes are left by the door. But just as in any other place of worship, young children scamper about playing and making noise as the adults pray.

At a recent Friday service  which is like Sunday to Christians and Saturday to Jews  Djehiche gave a sermon or Khutba with a message that would resonate in many circles.

He spoke about how to have a happy marriage and family life, advising the mosque-goers to express their emotional love, for their spouses and to be kind, forgiving and to focus on the positive aspects of the other person. He also encouraged them to accept criticism and feedback within the family and the community.

Islamic Center leaders said the Orange community has been welcoming.

Sheikh said last year the Islamic Center received a hateful letter  similar ones went to two other mosques in Connecticut  the greater community supported the center.

A number of our own non-Muslim neighbors, sent kind notes and gestures, Sheikh said, noting one woman bought fruit at Orange Farmers Market and passed it out.

Connecticut and the United States are filled with beautiful people.

The specialty businesses in 15,000-square-feet of the plaza have drawn a diverse shopping base from near and far, leaders say.

The current tenants of the plaza beginning with the Bull Hill Lane side are:

 Orange Farmers Market, a produce store, owned by Murat Karacayli, who said he can offer great prices because he orders fresh, in bulk.

They treat me well, he said of his landlords. When the mosque bought the shopping center, it was occupied by only his store and Statewide Pets, he said. When ShopRite opened across the street, presenting him with competition, the mosque lowered his rent voluntarily out of fairness. That doesnt happen  not in the United States, Karacayli said.

Sheikh responded: We are not like a commercial landlord always interested in profits, Sheikh said. We are all looking out for each other.

 AZ Floor Covering and Bedding, which sells flooring, carpeting and mattresses. Owner Nauman Ali said having the busy Islamic Center in the same plaza was a big draw to the space.

 Halal Meat, a market holding to the rules of Islam in slaughtering meat. Leaders said the slaughtering (not done at the plaza) is done in a way thats not cruel to the animal and includes a prayer that makes clear the life of the animal is being taken to feed another life. The blood is also drained from the animal before it is butchered. The animals must also be treated well beforehand and not see other animals being killed.

The store is also a grocery of international foods. The owner has a business in New York and saw the need here, Sheikh said. Many non-Muslims buy the meat because its fresh and organic, Sheikh said.

 A multi-cultural boutique called Modish that features affordable, fashionable, modest clothing from around the globe, including Africa, the Middle East, Asia. The Mod in Modish is for modesty. They sell head covers - or hijabs - and even Burkinis, a modest swimsuit for women. Sheikhs daughter, Aisha Sheikh, who owns the boutique, said she gets a lot of customers from churches, including clergy, because along with modest dresses and skirts, she sells robes.

Sheikh said she left her job as a public elementary school teacher to live out the advice she always gave students: To follow their passion.

Sheikh said retail is her passion  along with dedication to modesty and diversity. Its important to her that clothes be trendy and affordable. I love it, she said of the business. The store has a website at Modishfamily.com.

 Bab Al Salam Restaurant, a new Mediterranean eatery, is preparing to open in the space once occupied by Statewide Pets. We changed everything, Adnan Akil, one of new eatery partners, said. The inside, under construction, has an authentic Mediterranean feel.

Sheikh said the mosque is attended by people from more than 50 countries, including: Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, China, Russia, Serbia, Bosnia, United Kingdom, France, Yemen, Sierra Leone, Egypt, Kenya, Somalia, Ghana, Spain. The congregtion is racially diverse and includesa range of socio-economic backgrounds.

We are probably going to be the largest Islamic Center in Connecticut, Sheikh said. When I moved here 30 years ago, it was beyond my imagination.
As 2017 comes to a close in Flagstaff and northern Arizona, we celebrate our Daily Sun Citizens and Organization of the Year. Amid the near-constant drumbeat of polarized politics coming out of Washington, it is comforting to know that everyday citizens are going the extra mile to work collaboratively toward a better community. With the Friends of the Northern Arizona Forests, Lora Trujillo and Barry Brennan, Flagstaff can enter 2018 assured that its volunteer network is stronger than ever. (And the honorees were chosen by nearly two dozen former winners representing an even broader and deeper base of community activists.)

And with 2018 being a mid-cycle election year, Flagstaff will need that spirit of bipartisan problem-solving more than ever. The year 2017 has seen a continuation of the scorched-earth political tactics inside the Beltway that make little allowance for compromise across party lines. But with municipal politics here intentionally nonpartisan, there is a chance Flagstaff can still focus on the common good, not partisan or personal gain.

Here are some challenges Flagstaff is likely to face in 2018:

Minimum wage in play: The big question that Flagstaff voters will wrestle with is how big an increase can a relatively small, low-wage labor market absorb without costing lots of jobs. A measure on the November ballot wants to reset the voter-approved $15 minimum wage in 2021 to $12  the same as the state. It will already be $11 on Jan. 1, and ideally a higher wage should be tied to changes in the cost of living, especially when many two-bedroom apartments are renting for at least $1,200 a month. Its still not too late for a second measure to make the ballot that includes such an index or perhaps splits the difference.

Housing costs still unaffordable: Prices for single-family detached homes have rebounded to near the pre-recession median of $400,000, and new apartments for NAU students arent likely to affect the already high-priced rental markets for workforce families. The Flagstaff council is looking to get a federal grant for up to 60 affordable units, but the city is losing nearly as many if the Arrowhead Village trailer park evictions go through. Theres a group wanting to raise $82 million for parks and recreation projects out of a sales tax hike. What if they partnered with housing advocates to raise an equal amount to incentivize developers to provide low-cost housing as well as parks and rec facilities in every project?

Congestion and neighborhood character: This has been a problem focused mainly on the Milton and Butler corridors in Southside as NAUs Mountain Campus enrollment has exploded. But now that high-occupancy activity centers will be expanded to areas like Juniper Point at Lone Tree Road, Ponderosa Parkway and Route 66, Little America and Fourth Street and Butler Avenue, city planners need to propose affordable ways to expand road and transit capacity in those centers before the projects are built. Snowplay gridlock only occurs on about 12 to 14 days a year; adding 500 student commuters to six intersections already near capacity at peak hours will be a year-round headache without congestion solutions.

Public schools, private agendas: Flagstaffs mainstream public schools and its charters are heading down two divergent socio-demographic tracks that dont serve the common good. With the Republican majority in the Legislature encouraging more unaccountable privatization that abets more segregation, not less, Flagstaff will need special leadership if its schools are to be more reflective of the community as a whole. If it lets the haves pull away from the have-nots because of an unlevel playing field, the odds of FUSD getting continued majority support for its crucial 15 percent override become longer still.

Medicaid and FMC: This may sound like a specialized problem, but the ability of the regions biggest health care provider to be compensated for the services it provides to the working poor determines the fiscal health of the entire rural health care system. If state leaders wont step up when Obamacare and its matching Medicaid funds are threatened, then it might be time for the Flagstaff region to form its own hospital taxing district to allow us to control our medical care destinies.

Sustainable public lands management: More than the shrinking of monuments, Trumps promise to shrink federal agency budgets has the potential to be far more disruptive to Flagstaff-area lands. The 4FRI thinning project is already years behind schedule, but the city of Flagstaff and the Nature Conservancy have already pitched in millions for targeted projects. As the climate changes in the Southwest, communities like Flagstaff may need to consider setting up permanent revolving funds they can tap during high wildfire seasons before severe flooding begins.

Politics and a can-do culture: If politics is the art of the possible, then candidates during an election year owe voters not only the specifics of their policies but who they plan to work with to implement them. That means electing leaders who show tolerance, open-mindedness and a respect for the truth. We at the Daily Sun will be holding candidates accountable to those standards in the upcoming year. Were counting on voters to do the same.
Karnataka: Will Congress not allow Kumaraswamy to be CM for full 5-year term?

Is it chief minister Kumaraswamy or chief manager of Congress Ktaka ATM? BJP has an answer

All is well between Congress, JD(S)? Kumaraswamy meets Rahul as Karnataka waits for full cabinet

Amit Shah's magic will not work in Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday claimed that the ways and methods of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Amit Shah would not work in Karnataka.

Speaking to ANI, Siddaramaiah said, "Amit Shah's magic will not work in Karnataka."

Shah is in Karnataka to strategise with state BJP leaders, ahead of next year's assembly election.

Congress-governed Karnataka has 28 parliamentary constituencies - certainly not as many as Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP stormed to a famous assembly poll win this year - but enough to make it a valuable asset in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Today, Shah will first meet all BJP MPs and MLAs from Karnataka, and then, "chair meetings with the state's core group leaders, district presidents of the party and in-charges among others," PTI's report said.

The BJP is aiming to dislodge the Congress from the only big state, which sends 20 or more MPs to the Lok Sabha, it remains in power. The 224-seat assembly is likely to go to polls in May next year.

The Congress had captured power in the southern state in the last Assembly polls dethroning the BJP which was hit hard by a rebellion by B S Yeddyurappa, who had floated a party.

Yeddyurappa is back in the saffron fold and has been declared the BJP's chief ministerial candidate. The Congress campaign is being led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The Congress and the BJP had won 122 and 40 seats respectively in the last assembly polls.

Since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah have got the better of the Congress a number of assembly elections. However, the Congress hopes to do well in Karnataka after putting up a spirited fight against the BJP in Gujarat.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, December 31, 2017, 16:27 [IST]
Like to have normal relation with Pak, but tolerance threshold for terrorism is low: Doval

Border, Kashmir topped Indo-Pak NSA secret Bangkok meeting

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The situation in Kashmir and the border issue were the top points that were discussed during the meeting of National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval and his Pakistan counterpart, Nasir Khan Januja.

The meeting is part of the agreement between the two NSAs to meet and sort out bi-lateral issues between the two countries. Similar meetings in Bangkok had taken place in the past as well.

Top officials said that the talks were crucial keeping in mind the situation between the two countries. It is important that the back channel talks continue as both nations need to try and talk peace.

The secret meeting at Bangkok however did not go into the Kulbhushan Jadhav issue. The meeting took place a day after the mother and wife of Jadhav met him.

The meeting was a pre-scheduled one said top sources. National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval met with his counterpart Nasir Khan Januja at Bangkok which is a neutral venue.

The decision to meet was taken last month itself. The foreign ministries of both countries were in the loop about the meeting, sources also said. Incidentally Januja had met with former Pakistan prime minister, Nawaz Sharif on Thursday. The Pakistan media reported that the meeting which lasted five hours included discussions on national security and relations with neighbouring countries.

The meeting of the NSAs was an important one as the two nations share a troubled relationship. Januja had recently said at an event that the stability of the South Asian region hangs in a delicate balance and the possibility of a nuclear war cannot be ruled out. He further said that special efforts must be taken to maintain a balance in South Asia.

A meeting in a third country is preferable for both India and Pakistan as the top officials can avoid the limelight. This is not the first time that the two NSAs have met in Bangkok. In 2015 a similar meeting had been held in Bangkok.

The meeting according to sources is significant as it sets the stage for the foreign ministries to hold discussions. There are a host of issues that need to be discussed at the foreign ministry level in a bid to ease tensions between the two countries. The border and Kashmir have both been volatile off late and such meetings would look for a solution to the problem.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, December 31, 2017, 16:44 [IST]
Rahul hits out at Modi bhakts, asks PM Modi to focus on job creation in India

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday continued his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a tweet addressed to the followers of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Gandhi accused the BJP of making empty promises and said that's the reason China is now outcompeting India.

"Dear Modi bhakts (followers), out of 9,860 crores for the Smart Cities only 7 per cent has been used. China is out competing us while your master gives us empty slogans. Please watch this video and advise him to focus on what matters - job creation for India," Gandhi tweeted.

He also attached a link to the documentary "Shenzhen: The Silicon Valley of Hardware".

The Congress president's remarks comes a day after government data pointed out severe under-utilisation of alloted funds under the government's ambitious project of Smart Cities scheme.

"What is happening today in our country is a web of deceit. The BJP operates on the basic idea that lies can be used for political benefit and that is the difference between us and them. We might not do well, we might even lose but we will not give up truth," Rahul had said.

In the recent past, Rahul Gandhi has launched attack after attack on the BJP government over unemployment.

In a recent speech, he has also alleged that the foundation of the country was under threat by the politics that BJP leaders were doing. "The Constitution, the foundation of our country is under threat. It is under attack directly. Statements are being made by senior members of BJP and it is under attack surreptitiously from the back. It is our duty, duty of Congress party and every single Indian to defend it," he added.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, December 31, 2017, 18:00 [IST]
After 'The Kashmir Files', Agnihotri back with 'The Vaccine War'

Anti-bomb squad fishes out gelatin sticks from river in Maharashtra

Former SIMI operative arrested in Mumbai

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A former member of the Students Islamic Movement of India has been arrested in Mumbai. The arrest was carried out by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.

Sarjeel Sheikh was picked up from the Mumbai International Airport based on a tip off.

Sheikh (34) was an absconding accused in a case lodged at Kurla police station under section 10,13 UAPA r/w 143,144, 145,147,149,353 IPC r/w 135, 37 BP Act. He has been handed over to Kurla police for further action.

The ATS is probing the purpose of his visit to the country.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, December 31, 2017, 6:07 [IST]
Guarding the borders: The challenge India faces in 2018

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Securing the borders will be a key focus for India this year. The Indian Army has gained a major advantage in Jammu and Kashmir and during the year 2018, the challenge would be to ensure that there is no let up in terms of security.

To ensure that Pakistan does not have an upper hand, the Union Government has chalked out a plan to secure the border and also give the forces a free hand.

The Indian government has given the Army a free hand to carry out more strikes across the Line of Control. In addition to this Union Home Ministry has prepared a document which speaks of enhanced border security in 2018.

The Army has been told to take its call and not wait for government orders while carrying out a strike across the LoC. It may be recalled that the Army had carried out a successful strike across the LoC and killed three Pakistan soldiers.

The free hand was given in the wake of the increasing number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan. The scale of the ceasefire violations has shot up. In 2017 alone there were 770 odd such violations when compared to the 228 in 2016. Border security would be crucial for India in 2018, the Home Ministry document says.

With the Army's "Operation Clean Up," being a major success there are hardly any foot soldiers and commanders left on the ground. This has prompted Pakistan to up the ante, the Home Ministry document also said.

An official explained that the strike along the LoC was planned in quick time. We had hardly three days to plan the operation. However, the soldiers were ready to avenge the death of their colleagues.

The soldiers of the Indian Army equipped with Improvised Explosive Devices, light machine guns and assault rifles moved 500 metres into the LoC before launching the strike.

While one team planted the IEDs, another launched an attack with the assault rifles and light machine guns. The operation lasted around 45 minutes in which 3. Pakistani soldiers were killed. The operation involved 'selective targeting' and no Indian soldier was injured in the attack.

OneIndia News
PM Modi, Xi Jinping greet each other at G-20 dinner in first meet after Galwan clash

Mann Ki Baat: Modi says cleanliness survey to conducted on January 4, 2018

India

oi-Madhuri

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation in 2017's 29th final edition of 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday.

This 39th edition of the radio programme will be streamed on YouTube channels of the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and DD News. The programme will be broadcast on All India Radio (AIR), Doordarshan and also on the Narendra Modi mobile application. One can also give a missed call at 1922 and hear it on their mobiles.

Here are the highlights:

11:30 am: Republic Day 2018 will be celebrated with leaders of all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries coming to India as Chief Guests

11:20 am: It had come to our notice that if a Muslim woman wants to go on Haj ,she must have a 'Mehram' or a male guardian, otherwise she cannot travel, it was discriminatory, we have changed this rule and this year arnd 1300 women applied to go without a male guardian

11:15 am: A cleanliness survey will be conducted from 4th of January to 10th of March, 2018 to evaluate achievements in cleanliness level in our urban areas

11:14 am: Just last week, I had a chance of meeting some daughters of Jammu & Kashmir. I was amazed at spirit that they had, the enthusiasm that was there in their hearts and dreams they nurtured

11:10 am: Recently I came to know of the inspiring story of Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak, he extricated from sting of terrorism and hatred and topped in Kashmir Administrative Examination, today he is an inspiration not only for J&K but India

11:09 am: Just now, while talking to you I got an idea whether we could organize a mock parliament in every district of India? I propose it should be around August 15

11:08 am: New India will be free from poison of casteism, communalism, terrorism and corruption; free from dirt & poverty

11:07 am: People born in 21st century will gradually begin to become eligible voters from 1st of January, 2018. Indian Democracy welcomes these new voters

11:06 am: This year was 350th 'Prakash Parv' of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Illustrious life of Gobind Singh ji, full of instances of courage & sacrifice is a source of inspiration to all of us

11:05 am: Gurudev Ramkrishna Paramhans used to cite, 'serve living beings as if worshipping the almighty.

11:04 am: Essence of the spirit of service can be felt in the Bible too. Spirit of service is an invaluable hallmark of the highest human values.

11:03 am: Your steady stream of letters to #MannKiBaat, your comments, this exchange between minds always infuses new energy in me. A few hours later, the year will change, but this sequence of our conversation will go on, just the way it is. Over the last few days, festival of #Christmas was celebrated across the world. Christmas reminds us of great teachings of Jesus Christ who laid much emphasis on spirit of service, 'Sewa bhaav'.

11:02 am: This is the last edition of MannKiBaat this year and it's a coincidence that this day happens to be the last day of the year of 2017

In his previous Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister stressed on how terrorism posed a global threat and urged farmers to lessen urea use.

The programme on the last Sunday of every month is broadcast on All India Radio, DD National and DD News.

OneIndia News
18 dead in suicide attack on Afghanistan funeral

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

At least 18 people were killed and 14 others wounded when a suicide attacker blew himself up during a funeral in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said.

An earlier statement from the governor's office said six people had been killed and 11 wounded.

The attacker struck during the funeral ceremony for a former governor of Haska Mina district who died recently of natural causes, the statement said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar where the Islamic State group has a stronghold.

The Taliban said on Twitter they had nothing to do with the incident -- the latest violence to claim the lives of civilians in the war-torn country.

"The explosion was caused by a motorcycle bomb our investigation has concluded," Nangarhar governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP.

The governor's office put the death toll from the attack near the provincial capital Jalalabad at 18, with 13 wounded.

Provincial health director Najib Kamawal confirmed the new toll.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)
Like to have normal relation with Pak, but tolerance threshold for terrorism is low: Doval

A secret meeting of the India, Pak NSAs at Bangkok

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A meeting of the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan took place at Bangkok on December 26. The meeting took place a day after the mother and wife of Kulbhushan Jadhav met him under controversial circumstances.

The meeting was a pre-scheduled one said top sources. National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval met with his counterpart Nasir Khan Januja at Bangkok which is a neutral venue.

The decision to meet was taken last month itself. The foreign ministries of both countries were in the loop about the meeting, sources also said. Incidentally Januja had met with former Pakistan prime minister, Nawaz Sharif on Thursday. The Pakistan media reported that the meeting which lasted five hours included discussions on national security and relations with neighbouring countries.

The meeting of the NSAs was an important one as the two nations share a troubled relationship. Januja had recently said at an event that the stability of the South Asian region hangs in a delicate balance and the possibility of a nuclear war cannot be ruled out. He further said that special efforts must be taken to maintain a balance in South Asia.

A meeting in a third country is preferable for both India and Pakistan as the top officials can avoid the limelight. This is not the first time that the two NSAs have met in Bangkok. In 2015 a similar meeting had been held in Bangkok.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Sunday, December 31, 2017, 6:42 [IST]
Free Kulbhushan Jadhav: The arguments India would make before ICJ

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The arguments before the International Court of Justice in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case will take centre stage in 2018. India is hopeful of freeing Jadhav who has been called a spy by Pakistan.

Jadhav's execution was stayed by the ICJ in 2017 and the matter is up for final arguments now. There is a host of points that India would make during the arguments. Lending support to India's case is the statements by two activists from Balochistan.

At least two prominent Baloch leaders have said clearly that Jadhav who is now on a death row in Pakistan was not found in Balochistan. Apart from the statements of these two persons, Indian investigators have also found with the help of Iran that it was a group called the Lashkar-e-Khorasan which had abducted Jadhav and sold him to the Pakistan spy agency.

Two Baloch activists, Mehrab Sarjov and Hybrayair Marri have said that Jadhav was never arrested from Balochistan. Marri said that Jadhav was in fact abducted from Iran and sold off to the ISI and Pakistan military. Marri also speaks about the secret torture cells in Pakistan which even the parliament or supreme court is not aware of.

Sarjov goes on to explain how exactly Jadhav was abducted by the LeK. He said Jadhav had not entered Pakistan voluntarily. I, fact he was sold to the ISI by the terrorist group. The allegation by Pakistan that Jadhav was an Indian spy involved in terrorism and espionage is false, he also adds.

Sarjov further says that a trap was laid to kidnap him from Iran and then take him to Pakistan. Jadhav was approached by some persons with a business offer. After he hurriedly agreed, he travelled to the Iran border town of Saravan in a rented car. A Baloch separatist boarded the car following which Jadhav was trapped and taken to Pakistan, Sarjov also said.

Sarjov further added that the Lashkar-e-Khorasan which specialises in abducting foreign nations took Jadhav to an undisclosed location in Zamaran and kept him there for three weeks. A deal was struck and Jadhav was sold to the ISI for a price, Sarjov further said.

Highly placed sources say that these would be part of the arguments before the ICJ. There is a lot of proving that Pakistan would have to do to ascertain that Jadhav was indeed a spy. The very fact that the entire trial was held in secrecy without Jadhav being provided legal aid is a sham. Moreover Pakistan has maintained that Jadhav was alone in Balochistan when he was caught.

Pakistan has not gone into various aspects such as how a spy could have operated alone in a foreign country. No where during the trial does Pakistan speak about the local contacts of Jadhav. This itself is another anomaly in the case which we will use during our arguments, the officer also noted.

OneIndia News
What is NATO and why was it created ?

Former US President Donald Trump announces his bid for 2024 presidency post

US: Republicans win control of the House with slim majority; Biden sends congratulatory message

US: Shooting leaves 1 deputy dead in suburban Denver

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Authorities in Colorado say one deputy has died and four others were wounded, along with two civilians, in a shooting in suburban Denver.

The shootings occurred after deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at an apartment complex at about 5:30 am local time.

As the incident was still unfolding, police asked people to avoid the area and for those nearby to shelter in place.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said via Twitter that the shooting happened after deputies were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance in Highlands Ranch early Sunday.

The suspected gunman was also shot and is believed to be dead and no longer a threat.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)
Trichy senior cop in trouble for sharing nude pics on official WhatsApp group

Explained: Why were 26.85 lakh WhatsApp accounts banned in India

WhatsApp goes down on New Years eve angering users across globe

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Messaging service WhatsApp has crashed on Sunday with New Year's revellers around the world reporting outages as they try to message their friends.

The website DownDetector.co.uk reported a spike in outage reports around 6 pm UK time.

Users across the UK and in other countries including Barbados, India, Panama, South Africa, Spain, and Qatar said they were unable to connect to the app.

WhatsApp has neither confirmed nor denied the outage issue. WhatsApp official Twitter hasn't provided any details yet, though the hashtag 'WhatsApp down' is currently the trending topic on the social media platform.

WhatsApp is used by more than a billion people around the world and is the second most popular messaging app available (after Facebook Messenger).

Here are some hillarious tweets

#whatsappdown when its the first day of new year and whatsapp is down again. pic.twitter.com/nvTse71C8G  Suraj Thakur (ST) (@st20014) December 31, 2017

Everyone checking on Twitter if WhatsApp is really down pic.twitter.com/OEbU3ipj5f  Iyeronical (@LosingMotion) December 31, 2017

Whatsapp can't be down. I don't remember how to send SMS'. pic.twitter.com/BMWOdwKqT7  Britt Reid (@heybrittreid) December 31, 2017

OneIndia News
 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd.

All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
WDAF 03 Nov 2021

Kansas City, Kansas police are investigating after three people were found dead inside the same apartment complex in less than 36..
There Will Be No Betting Taxation Hike in Ireland in 2018

Published December 31, 2017 by Ivan P

The Ministry of Finance of Ireland decided that none of the three new proposed taxation models would be beneficial at this point in time.

Bookies and their customers in Ireland can breathe a sigh of relief as it was confirmed that the broadly discussed proposal to raise taxes on betting in 2018 was rejected by the Irish Finance Minster Paschal Donohoe. The finance department was looking into several different options to try and raise around 50 million from the betting industry, but it seems none of these plans will be implemented in 2018.

1% Tax Stays in Place

Right now, betting operators in Ireland are taxed at 1% on their yearly revenues and this will not change at least for another year. Mr. Donohoe stated that his department may revisit proposed tax hikes in 2019.

The current taxation rate is among the lowest in Europe and there were several proposals to change this and raise taxes by at least one percentage point. The hike would result in some 50 million of additional revenue infused into the country's budget.

Proposed Changes Could Affect Bettors

Although the Department of Finance decided to leave things as they are for the time being, it is likely there will be some changes to the betting taxation system in Ireland in 2019 or beyond. When and if they decide it is time for the hike, the government will probably choose one of the three proposals.

The first one, as mentioned, calls for the taxation rate to be doubled, enacting a 2% rate for all betting operators serving Irish customers. The second proposal would change the current system completely, taxing operators based on their gross profits instead of yearly revenues.

The third and final proposal that found its way to the table of Minister Donohoe suggests taxing bettors instead of bookies. Although no exact details were revealed, it is safe to assume this is the least preferred option from the players' point of view.

No Good Solution

The main reason why the government decided to skip on the taxation hike in 2018 is the fact none of these three proposals seems fitting. Doubling the taxation rate could adversely influence the industry and cause bookies to close down or reduce the number of employees. Taxing bettors could cause them to turn to unregulated sites, which would hardly benefit anyone.

The idea to tax bookies based on their yearly profits seems to make most sense, but it also requires a lot of preparatory work. Hence, the current 1% taxation model will stay in place for at least another year, which is good news for bookies and their customers alike.
A phone call sounds like such a little thing, but for many older Napans it could be considered a life line.

Paul McSharry gets it.

This 34-year-old Napa transplant volunteers weekly for Mollys Angels Telephone Reassurance Program. Its funded by Area Agency on Aging.

Local seniors receive a free weekly call to check on their well-being or simply hear a friendly voice.

McSharry volunteers for about an hour a week, making 12 to 15 short phone calls from the Mollys Angels office to local seniors who are homebound.

McSharry said he first heard of the program after seeing a notice at Starbucks asking for volunteers to make the calls.

I had never heard of such a thing, he said. But it seems so obvious.

He decided to call to volunteer and Im so glad I did. Its such a fantastic idea.

McSharry, owner of Maze Wines, said that even though he has a busy work schedule, I can take an hour out of my week.

After all, a lot of times the elderly in our community can get forgotten. And loneliness is an awful thing. And isolating. If I can pick up the phone for five or 10 minutes, surely I can do that.

At first, McSharry had seven or eight people on his list to call, all men. Several have since passed away.

Now Ive got a mix between older men and women. I talk to the same people each week, usually 12 to 15 seniors, he said. Ive got a great group.

Every phone call is different. Some just appreciate someone checking in and saying hello. Others I could be talking to for 10 to 15 minutes.

After sharing bits of their lives back and forth, It becomes a friendship.

McSharry said one thing about his volunteer work has surprised him.

At first, you think youre doing it for someone else but now I feel like Im the one getting something out of it, he said.

So many people Ive spoken to are great people, and have stories about Napa and their life experiences to share.

McSharry, who was born in Ireland but lived in London for many years, said hes always supported different charities.

When I went to high school in London, it was compulsory for everyone to do three hours of community service a week.

His father, who lives in Ireland, was also involved with charity work.

He felt that he should give back  and my mum did the same  and that was instilled in us.

McSharry said he hopes to expand his volunteer time with Mollys Angels in the coming year. That could include giving rides to seniors or helping with social media to spreading the word about the nonprofit.

And they always need new volunteers, he said.
This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.

[Reporter Aaron Mate of the Real News Network interviews Stephen F. Cohen, by The Real News Network]

Stephen F. Cohen is Professor Emeritus of Russian Studies, History and Politics at New York University and Princeton University.

AARON MATE: It's The Real News, I'm Aaron Mate'. Russian politician Alexei Navalny is calling for a series of protests and a boycott of next year's presidential election. This comes after Russia's Central Election Commission barred Navalny from running because of a conviction on fraud and corruption charges. Navalny says the case against him is politically motivated. He is often described as President Vladimir Putin's strongest challenger, even though polls show he has just two percent support. This comes as Putin has formally registered for the March 2018 vote, where he will seek a fourth term.

Professor Cohen, welcome. Let's start with Navalny. What is the significance of him being barred from running in the election? The way it's being talked about here is that Putin is trying to sideline his strongest challenger.

STEPHEN COHEN: Well, it's not clear he is his strongest challenger. As you said Aaron, the polls, and these are not Kremlin polls, but fairly independent polls, give Navalny, if the election were held tomorrow, somewhere between two and maybe six percent. That would make him fourth or fifth. No, that's not right, it would make him third behind a guy named Zhirinovsky, who heads a very Nationalist Party and has run against Putin four or five times. He usually gets about that. And the Communist Party candidate, who will not be this time next year the leader of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, but a stand-on. And my guess is the Communist Party would probably get, if given half a decent fair shake, that is some television time, probably 10 percent.

So Navalny, at least based on the polls, is not the strongest candidate. What he does have is a constituency that alarms the Kremlin, and that is young people, particularly educated young people, who like Navalny's kind of in your face, "you're all corrupt, " assault on the Kremlin. So, he has real appeal in the country. Personally, as a student of Russia, and having spent so many years following Russian politics, I wish they would put Navalny on the ballot because I'd like to see what he gets. It would be very interesting to know what voters really think of him because polls as we know don't give you an accurate picture.

They're using as a reason not to put him on the ballot, that a person who is a convicted felon cannot run for, I don't remember whether it's any office, but cannot run for federal office. He has one, maybe one and a half felony convictions. He says they were political frame-ups.

Here's an interesting sidebar and then I'll let this go. The woman who is head of the Electoral Commission, her name is Ella Pamfilova, is a much-venerated civil rights democratic activist in Russia, with a long history. Putin made her the head of the Electoral Commission and she was the one who, yesterday or very recently announced, occluding to Navalny that he could not be on the ballot because of the convictions. But she added, because she has a humane element to her, "I wish I could put you on the ballot because I would like to see how many voters support you. But according to law, I cannot because your convictions stand."

So, formally and legally that's the reason he's not on the ballot. Let me just end by saying it would not surprise me if the Kremlin figured a way to have his conviction reheard, the felony set aside and put him on the ballot because Putin would have reasons to want him on the ballot. That is, to get a bigger turnout, to infuse some excitement in an election that appears rather ho-hum. So, I don't think this story is over yet, or possibly not over.

AARON MATE: But then, that raises the question. Do you think Navalny is right when he says that the initial charges against him were politically motivated, designed to keep him off the ballot?

STEPHEN COHEN: Well, the original charges were a number of years ago. My memory may not be accurate on this but I think this goes back six, seven years before there was any talk of him running for the presidency. So, I don't think the answer is they cooked up these charges against him so that four or five years later, he couldn't run for the presidency.

As for the second question, I have a firm rule: What I don't know, I don't evaluate. I don't know if the charges were legitimate or not. I didn't follow the case that closely. I know it was upheld in the Russian appellate system. You may say that means nothing but sometimes convictions are struck down. But I also know that the European Court of whatever it is said it was a political conviction.

AARON MATE: Hmm. And you mentioned the Communists. So, they've chosen as their candidate Pavel Grudinin, if I have that name close to right.

STEPHEN COHEN: I think it's, I 've never heard of him but I think it's Grudinin, but it doesn't matter.

AARON MATE: Grudinin. Okay well, so in terms of their platform, you're suggesting that they have the strongest chance of challenging Putin, even though it's widely assumed that Putin will win. What kind of platform will they be running on to challenge Putin's agenda?

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
From Empire Burlesque

Her spinal column was fusing. Arthritis was clutching at her joints, balking every movement, filling it with pain. Her insides were a wreck, and had been for 40 years, after an unnecessary hysterectomy in the days when that operation was ordered for every mild form of "women's troubles."

Pain filled her mind as well, the bitter, implacable anger at a life gone wrong and now slipping away. Her husband had died. One son had lost his mind then died. Her life had been lived in servitude to others, from her girlhood slopping hogs on sharecropper farms to the middle-class treadmill of office work and motherhood to this wretched curdling in a dark house in a backwater town she'd always hated.

She had no appetite. Some days she forgot to eat until late at night, when she'd spoon a few bites of ice cream while watching re-runs on the channel she never changed because she didn't know how to navigate the cable system with its myriad choices. Pain in the body, pain in the soul; the pain of the past, the pain of the now; the pain of the future in the endless dark.

People tried to help: they did chores, ran errands, made repairs on the failing house. But for the most part, she rebuffed them. Her mind had been addled by a series of mini-strokes -- messing with her memory, confusing her checkbook -- but she remained competent enough to resist any effort to take control of her life and get her into a better situation. She would remain alone, aloof, untended in her bitterness and sadness and self-torment and affliction. Except for one person.

She had been raised in an isolated rural hollow so racist that the boys would go down to the crossroads and throw rocks at the railroad trains rattling past because the train company employed black men. The black midwife who'd brought her and all her many siblings into the world of sharecropper penury had to leave their house before sundown every day lest she be caught out after dark, when she'd be fair game to be attacked or killed.

But now, in her long, slow lacerating crawl toward the end, there was only one person she'd allow to help her, one person she trusted, one person she would let herself love: the "colored woman" who had cleaned for her each week for decades. In the 21st century, they re-enacted the old template of faithful black servant and benevolent white mistress. There was sincerity in the feelings that ran both ways, but perhaps what sealed the relation most firmly was the fact that the cleaner could alleviate her pain: she could obtain the illegal opioids that her employer required in ever greater quantities to dull the anguish of her living death.

She had legal prescriptions for the bodily degeneration that was devouring her: but these were a paltry balm, used up within days each month. The cleaner knew how to get more. Doctors bribed and wooed by gilded, respectable Big Pharma firms were throwing out prescriptions like V-E Day confetti. Pills were flooding the streets; if you needed them, and could pay, you could get all you needed. And you always needed more.

Addiction took hold. Hallucinations followed. A spectral family had taken up residence in the basement , and beguiled her and bored her for hours on end with convoluted tales of their woes. Her grandson apparently came to visit on his way to Mexico, running from the law after beating up the senator he worked for in Wisconsin. Someone kept stealing her money. She was stuck on the roof and couldn't get down, and railed at anyone who told her she was safe in her bed.

Near-starved, undone, fallen on the floor, she refused to press the panic button she wore around her neck. Someone found her at last and took her to the hospital. She was de-toxed, came back to herself for a few brief weeks, pouring out the story of her painful life as she had never done before. She went out and had her hair done one last time -- then died.

She was a staunch Southern Baptist and a fanatical Democrat. A proud Confederate descendant who loved Obama and Michelle. A Bible-believer who spent her last happy day on earth with her gay hairdresser and his transgender partner, admiring the drag queen friends her granddaughter showed her on her phone. ("Oh, how pretty! I wish I had those legs.") A woman of passion and ambition thwarted by religion and convention and her own personal damage, who lived the empty middle-class dream and died as a dope addict killed by corporate drug pushers. A sharecropper's daughter, a little girl rising in the pre-dawn darkness to break the ice on the trough so the hogs could drink.

Who can tell us what it means to be an American? Who can untangle all these threads that bind us without and strangle us within? I say damn to all savvy analysis, all reductive categories -- and damn to every profiteer of blood and pain.

She refused to have a funeral. No service, no family, no goodbye. She told her two remaining sons to take her ashes to the ocean, to Myrtle Beach, where she'd been a newlywed. We took her miles out to sea and there we poured her out, in waters that belonged to the whole world.

(My latest column for CounterPunch Magazine.)
What has President Trump accomplished since he took office?

He can take credit for enriching large corporations and their shareholders with his massive tax overhaul.

He can now also take credit for a major increase of the national debt to finance his tax cut.

He can take credit for sacrificing the Arctic National Refuge to oil and gas exploration to help pay for his tax overhaul.

He can take credit for reducing our National Monuments, set aside by past Presidents, to make sure that future generations would still be able to experience unspoiled, wide open spaces.

He can take credit for giving industrial polluters a thumbs up by weakening the environmental Protection Agency.

He can take credit for moving the US out of the Paris Climate Change agreement, demonstrating to the whole world how ignorant he is on this issue.

He can take credit for fueling the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians by moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

He can also take credit for diminishing Republican principles of "Traditional Family Values"and "Christian Values." Any President or party that punishes the children who were brought here illegally by their parents, cannot claim to espouse "Christian Values."

One has to ask oneself, why is this President so determined to expunge as many of President Obama's achievements as possible? Is it envy? Whether he does this to prop up his own image or out of ignorance is anyone's guess.

MARGERIT NOVACK

Flagstaff
Thank you, Napa Valley Register, for continuing to inform the community on the full array of fine arts we have in this place we call home, including the recent, well-written Arts section articles by Eva Warshawski and David Kerns.

However, we would be remiss if we did not also recognize and thank the amazing people and organizations providing arts in literature programming throughout 2017.

Kudos to the increasing number of literary, live, and visual arts events hosted by our local libraries. Napa Bookmine and Copperfields Napa have both blossomed in the past twelve monthsheadlining local authors as well as internationally known out-of-the-area book writers. Napa Bookmine hosted Napas inaugural Napa Bookfest this year, tying into the well known and long running Bay Area Bookfest.

Arts Council Napa Valley, Arts Association Napa Valley, and Napa Valley Writers are partnering to offer programs for writers and other artists in the classrooms and in the wider community. The local American Assn. University Women (AAUW) again hosted its annual authors event, drawing a crowd of enthusiastic readers, to assist in building its scholarship program.

Lucky Penny now adds Lucky Shorts to their schedule, featuring short pieces by local authors. And we cannot forget the teachers in our childrens classrooms, who partner with parents and children in building an appreciation of art in our children.

Napa Valley Colleges July Writers Conference brought a faculty of excellent writers and students from around the country to enrich their writing of poetry and fiction, as always also inviting the community to participate. This year, two local students attended on scholarships provided by Napa Valley Writers Club. Written Word Open Mics take place on a regular basis throughout the year, including during our fabulous Arts in April celebration. Even the Napa Farmers Market provided booths for local literary artists this past season.

The written word is a talent we take for granted on so many levels. Without it, wed all be in the dark. When visiting Copperfields or the Bookmine, look for books by local authors. There are several. You might start with a copy of First Press: Collected Works of Napa Valley Writers, the inaugural anthology of written works by your local friends and neighbors. Perhaps you might become a contributor to the second volume, planned for publication in 2018.

Kathleen Thomas

Napa
From Smirking Chimp

People living now in Yemen's third largest city, Ta'iz, have endured unimaginable circumstances for the past three years. Civilians fear to go outside lest they be shot by a sniper or step on a land mine. Both sides of a worsening civil war use Howitzers, Kaytushas, mortars and other missiles to shell the city. Residents say no neighborhood is safer than another, and human rights groups report appalling violations, including torture of captives. Two days ago, a Saudi-led coalition bomber killed 54 people in a crowded market place.

Before the civil war developed, the city was regarded as the official cultural capital of Yemen, a place where authors and academics, artists, and poets chose to live. Ta'iz was home to a vibrant, creative youth movement during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Young men and women organized massive demonstrations to protest the enrichment of entrenched elites as ordinary people struggled to survive.

The young people were exposing the roots of one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today.

They were sounding an alarm about the receding water tables which made wells ever harder to dig and were crippling the agricultural economy. They were similarly distressed over unemployment. When starving farmers and shepherds moved to cities, the young people could see how the increased population would overstress already inadequate systems for sewage, sanitation, and health care delivery. They protested their government's cancellation of fuel subsidies and the skyrocketing prices which resulted. They clamored for a refocus on policy away from wealthy elites and toward creation of jobs for high school and university graduates.

Despite their misery, they steadfastly opted for unarmed, nonviolent struggle.

Dr. Sheila Carapico, an historian who has closely followed Yemen's modern history, noted the slogans adopted by demonstrators in Ta'iz and in Sana'a, in 2011: "Remaining Peaceful Is Our Choice," and "Peaceful, Peaceful, No to Civil War."

Carapico adds that some called Ta'iz the epicenter of the popular uprising. "The city's relatively educated cosmopolitan student body entertained demonstration participants with music, skits, caricatures, graffiti, banners and other artistic embellishments. Throngs were photographed: men and women together; men and women separately, all unarmed."

In December of 2011, 150,000 people walked nearly 200 kilometers from Ta'iz to Sana'a, promoting their call for peaceful change. Among them were tribal people who worked on ranches and farms. They seldom left home without their rifles, but had chosen to set aside their weapons and join the peaceful march.

Yet, those who ruled Yemen for over 30 years, in collusion with Saudi Arabia's neighboring monarchy, which fiercely opposed democratic movements anywhere near its borders, negotiated a political arrangement meant to co-opt dissent while resolutely excluding a vast majority of Yemenis from influence on policy. They ignored demands for changes that might be felt by ordinary Yemenis and facilitated instead a leadership swap, replacing the dictatorial President Ali Abdullah Saleh with Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, his vice-president, as an unelected president of Yemen.

The U.S. and neighboring petro-monarchies backed the powerful elites. At a time when Yemenis desperately needed funding to meet the needs of starving millions, they ignored the pleas of peaceful youths calling for demilitarized change, and poured funding into "security spending" -- a misleading notion which referred to further military buildup, including the arming of client dictators against their own populations.

And then the nonviolent options were over, and civil war began.

Now, the nightmare of famine and disease those peaceful youths anticipated has become a horrid reality, and their city of Ta'iz is transformed into a battlefield.

What could we wish for Ta'iz? Surely, we wouldn't wish the terror plague of aerial bombardment to cause death, mutilation, destruction, and multiple traumas. We wouldn't wish for shifting battle lines to stretch across the city and the rubble in its blood-marked streets.

I think most people in the U.S. wouldn't wish such horror on any community and wouldn't want people in Ta'iz to be singled out for further suffering. We could instead build massive campaigns demanding a U.S. call for a permanent cease fire and an end of all weapon sales to any of the warring parties.

But, if the U.S. continues to equip the Saudi-led coalition, selling bombs to Saudi Arabia and the UAE and refueling Saudi bombers in midair so they can continue their deadly sorties, people in Ta'iz and throughout Yemen will continue to suffer.

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
From To The Point Analyses

Part I -- On the Uses of Censorship

There is a scene in George Orwell's famous dystopian novel 1984, where the protagonist, Winston Smith, is having a conversation with a philologist by the name of Syme. Syme is involved in a government effort to restructure the language spoken by the novel's upper classes, those who have power or work for the ruling party. The language is called "Newspeak." Syme's job is to get rid of dangerous words. Here is how he describes his task: "We're destroying words -- scores of them, hundreds of them, every day. ... The whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought. In the end we shall make thoughtcrime [having unorthodox thoughts] literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."

Now let's shift to another scene, not a literary or fictional scene, but a probable real life one.

Sometime in the month of December 2017, somewhere in the bowels of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in Washington, D.C., a high-level appointee of the Trump administration moved to take ideological control of the agency's budget-writing process. This official presented a directive to the agency's departments, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), listing seven words that were not to be used in budget preparation. If they were, they would be flagged and the document sent back for "correction." The seven "forbidden" words are: "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based."

The higher-ups at the HHS have insisted that there is no "ban" in place. Departments like the CDC can still do research in areas to which these unwelcome key words relate. But this disclaimer is misleading. To do the research you need money, and the money comes from the budget. The "discouragement" of key words is meant to marginalize their related research agendas. If fully effective, this attempt at censorship -- for that is what it is -- could contribute to undermining several generations of cultural progress, and challenge the "science-based" methodology that serves as a foundation for the modern world.

We already know that President Trump has no time for facts that differ from his personal worldview. That is why the U.S. is not part of the "science-based" treaty to slow down global warming. We also already know that he does not think minorities (both racial/ethnic and sexual) deserve protection under the law. These and other prejudices, worn so publicly by the president of the United States, have let loose a revolt of religious and social reactionaries, perhaps numerically represented by the 33% of Americans who approve of Trump's performance. These folks would take the country back to a time of discrimination, segregation, and scientific know-nothingness. And for Trump these folks are the only ones who really count. He has recently declared that unfavorable polls are "fake news." This is Trump "making America great again."

It appears that one way Trump and his allies think this can be done is by censoring the language used by the people in power and those who work for them. As the computer engineer and writer Jem Berkes points out in reference to 1984, "the ultimate aim of Newspeak is to enclose people in an orthodox pseudo-reality and isolate them from the real world." Sounds a lot like what is happening at HHS.

Part II -- Can Censorship Work?

Can this work? It probably already has among the roughly one-third of adult Americans who are sympathetic to Mr. Trump's ultimate aims. These include many Christian fundamentalists and various racist conservative sects, the Alt-Right and Fox TV talking heads. Among those who are of the opposite point of view, both cultural and political progressives, there is no chance that this proposed "orthodoxy" will go unchallenged. Many of this latter group are old enough to remember what the president's "great America" once looked like - for instance, what life was like before the civil rights acts. And many of those who can see through Trump's double-talk, of whatever age, have an instinctive preference for equality, fairness and clear thinking.

However, between these two opposing groups lies the insulated masses -- the millions who pay little attention to politics and know little of the importance of science. These folks, focused on their day-to-day concerns are essentially isolated in their localness. They have no sense of what is presently at stake, and therefore find it difficult to think critically about the Trump agenda. For this group, skewing language may well result in skewing their worldview. It is probably from the thinking of this segment of the population that Trump and his agents want to ultimately eliminate the values represented by the "seven forbidden words" and all that they mean for social policy.

Thus, the end game is no more thinking of society and its problems in terms of a citizen diversity, minority vulnerability, or entitlement based on proven need. For instance, citizens are not to think that sexual minorities are in need of legal protections. Indeed, the country's LGBT population turns out to have less right to protection than an unborn fetus. In addition, citizens are to no longer to pay heed to evidence-based and science-based arguments when they may call into question the practices of alleged societal customs.

Part III -- Donald Trump's Use of Language

You might find the scenario laid out above farfetched. Yet it correlates well with the way Donald Trump uses language, as well as his devaluing of any objective standard for truth. Thus, President Trump's persistent combination of gross exaggeration and "alternative facts" gives many of his public statements an Orwellian odor.

In his ghost-written book The Art of the Deal, Trump is quoted as stating that "if you tell people a lie three times, they will believe anything." No doubt he has told himself this more than three times, for he now seems to live his public life by this tenet. There are fantastic and untrue self-aggrandizing claims such as, because of the changes Trump is initiating, "our children will grow up in a nation of miracles," and "we have done more in five months than practically any president in history." There are also fantastic and untrue negative claims such as some 3 million votes were cast illegally in the presidential election -- all of them apparently for Hillary Clinton, and "President] O bama founded ISIS, literally."

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
Progressive Content Not Found

Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing.



To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here.
(This is a reprint from NewsBred).

There's been a disquiet in India 's public space over Modi government's rejection of US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel 's Capital in a United Nations General Assembly resolution recently.

This disquiet has grown to anger after Palestinian envoy in Islamabad was seen in the company of Mumbai attack mastermind and global terrorist Hafiz Saeed in Rawalpindi though a strong protest by India since then has led to envoy's recall to home by the Palestinian Authority.

The erudite supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are questioning why he would stand with the Palestinian cause and vote against US, and Israel , having worked so hard to get both of them eating out of his hand lately.

Modi had become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel in July 2017 and the latter's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to visit India in the first fortnight of the new year.

Israel 's support in the realm of technology, agriculture, security and defense has ramped up significantly in recent times and Trump misses no opportunity to gush over India and its leader.

The rabid supporters of BJP are aghast why their government would stand by "ungrateful" Muslims while it's erudite patrons are questioning why New Delhi didn't abstain from voting as 35 others had done.

Adding to the chill is US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley's crude words ""this vote will make a difference"on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN." Trump threatened to cut down funds to those who opposed him and Netanyahu called the UN a "a house of lies."

The truth is, India did everything right on all three counts which should matter for the country: beneficial, practical and moral.

About 19 per cent of India 's total world trade is accounted for in the Middle East (as compared to nearly 1 per cent with Israel ) which ought to halt in track the juggernaut of criticism. Such scales of benefit could only be denied by fools, if not blind.

The practical takeaways, if anything, are bigger. US has fallen flat on its face in West Asia and its strategy to sow discord and anarchy through Iraq invasion and conduits for the growth of Islamic State (IS) has been successfully reversed by Russia, in alliance with Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. So much so that even a traditional US supporter Turkey is on the opposite side of the fence.

The vacuum of US in the Middle East would soon be filled up by Russia in alliance with China which is using its typical trade and infrastructure growth route to look for strategic stranglehold in the region. India would be foolish to be seen standing in opposition to the new Big Boys in the region. India can't overlook the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) too which would encircle it in an iron clasp more so since China is parking itself on ports of Sri Lanka . Letting go of West Asia at this stage would be a suicide, no less.

By rejecting the Trump's move on Jerusalem , India is also letting the world know of its independence lest it be seen as a US lackey. It would earn India respect and a sense among its friends that it's a principled ally. Further, India can't allow itself to be bound by Trump's often hasty and boorish decisions.

Absentation would've been a paper umbrella--only giving the notion of protection against a downpour. It would still have earned a scorn from the free world, without quite endearing it to US or Israel . Worse, it could've emboldened them to see if they could kick around India in future.

India 's decision to stand on its moral compass would draw a host of lesser nations in its orbit. Forget criticism, Modi government's move deserves a standing ovation.
Who defeated the Islamic State In Syria?

Before answering that question. What is the ISIS? Can the public overcome its chronic amnesia and think back to the sudden appearance of ISIS dressed in brand new black uniforms, gleaming white NIKE's and driving Toyota trunks? They seemed to appear out of nowhere in 2014. ISIS looked as if it were a mirage when it appeared, or more likely a CIA staged scene from Hollywood.

No sooner had ISIS appeared than it went on a head chopping binge that repulsed and frightened the US public. Washington officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry rang the alarm that this hoard of Islamic crazies wanted to invade the US and "kill us all". A well-compliant mainstream media swallowed Washington's script and regurgitated it to frighten a US public. The public gave its silent consent for more war really aimed at Bashar al-Assad.

The next question is who created ISIS? ISIS "can trace its roots back to the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian. In 2004, a year after the US-led invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and formed al-Qaeda in Iraq" [ BBC News December 2, 2016 ]. Al-Qaeda in Iraq did not exist until after the US invasion by the Bush-Cheney administration.

The US invasion of Iraq was based on pure unadulterated lies that Saddam Hussein supported al-Qaeda, was involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US and had weapons of mass destruction. Al-Qaeda in Iraq was predictable blowback, resistance against a US illegal invasion. Bush who admitted that he creates his own reality, had hallucinations of a grateful Iraqi people, who had just been bombed back to the Stone Age with Shock and Awe, throwing kisses and flowers at the US expeditionary force as liberators.

Then came the failed Surge in 2007 [ The Nation], when the US allied with Sunnis to defeat the remnants of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party, which was an Arab Nationalist Party neither Sunni nor Shia. The cynical sponsoring and siding with radical Islam goes back to the British "Great Game" of the early 1900's. It was the British double-dealing with both Sunnis and Shias to supplant the Ottoman Empire, and turn Sunni against Shia to divide and conquer Southwest Asia. It is the story of Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and World War One.

One could then pick up the story after World War Two when the US was opposing Arab anti-colonial nationalism and communism during the Cold War. It was the "Grand Chessboard" strategist Zbigniew Brzezinski who convinced Jimmy Carter in 1980's to back the Islamic radical mujahideen mercenaries and destroy Afghanistan in order to lure the Soviet Union into a Vietnam-type trap. Brzezinski was so proud of his success that he would later rhetorically ask to his shame, which is more important "Some stirred-up Moslems" or winning the Cold War.

If Brzezinski was so clever he would have learned from the British early 1900's Southwest Asia super spy Gertrude Bell. As she would later say, the British Empire encouraging and sponsoring of radical Islam backfired into a big failure. But the US does not know history, even its own history of repeated blunders of encouraging and sponsoring radical Islam against Arab anti-colonial nationalism.

So instead the US enlisted the most radical right-wing fascist regime in the history of the world, the Absolute Monarchy of Saudi Arabia to bankroll Sunnis against Arab nationalism. They gladly funded US regime change projects against secular Arab states. The US flush with cash from the Saudis went about encouraging, training and paying mercenaries from all over Southwest Asia to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. Assad did not share the US role as the world leader of capitalist globalization. Instead Assad was using Syria's wealth for the benefit of the Syrian people, just as Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi. " Assad must go", chanted Obama, Clinton, Kerry and Saudi Wahhabis. To the US it did not matter how many Syrians, Libyan or Iraqis died. As Madeleine Albright had said, "500,000 dead Iraqi children are worth it".

It was the US and its allies the Absolute Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States that created ISIS. Mercenaries from all over the Muslim world were recruited and even supported with their own air force, the United States Airforce. The mainstream media gave the US the cover story the US was backing "well-vetted moderate ['Jeffersonian democrats' really] Islamists". The mainstream media are criminal coconspirators for spreading war propaganda, the Guardian being one of the worst offenders, with a few rare exceptions, such as Trevor Timm's reporting.

Now with the ringing in of the 2018 New Year, we can expect the US to be patting itself on the back for defeating ISIS in 2017 . The real story is that it was Assad, Russia, Hezbollah and Iran that defeated ISIS (so far). For those without amnesia they may remember back to when Russia released videos of endless convoys of black-market ISIS oil tankers heading into Turkey. ISIS was partially funding itself with stolen oil and enriching black marketeers of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Somehow, the US with all of its technology and thousands of bombing missions in Syria never saw all those tankers. Nor could they find ISIS fighters, so instead they bombed the Syrian army. The US only saw what it wanted to see and what it wanted to bomb. It was not ISIS. Here are the videos of Russian jets taking out ISIS oil tankers:

Russian jets bomb ISIS oil tankers in Syria (Click HERE).

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
You are the owner of this article.
November is a truthful month  it doesnt indulge fantasies of permanence, such as mortals sometimes cling to, because it demonstrates unmistakable change from start to finish. Read moreAging for Amateurs: November is a dance on the foggy coast
The area had been blocked off by city officials. No one was hurt and nothing damaged. The wall has been menacing passersby for many years. A fix is in the works. Read morePortion of old brick wall by Charleston's Second Presbyterian Church gives way
ST. STEPHEN  In her little brick office building, on the hallway wall next to a handful of exam rooms, Sarah Brown keeps a framed record of "The Legend of Old Doc Brown."

The old Hank Snow song has become her mantra, an adopted philosophy about practicing medicine.

He was just an old country doctor

In a little Kentucky town

Fame and fortune had passed him by

But we never saw him frown

Swap "little Kentucky town" for rural Berkeley County and the 1955 ballad could have been written about Sarah Brown.

Her practice, North Berkeley Family Care, is located an hour northwest of Charleston on the northern edge of Francis Marion National Forest. The office is independent and unaffiliated with any hospital system. Brown employs 10 people and treats thousands of patients a year, but makes very little money. At 66, she wants to retire. But she can't figure out how.

"I would have retired a year ago if I could have," Brown said. "I just have to find someone who can take care of these people."

According to census data, more than 1.5 million South Carolinians live in rural parts of the state. But by the state's last count, fewer than 40 independent family physicians still operate solo practices in rural South Carolina counties.

Their numbers will likely continue to decline. The S.C. Office of Healthcare Workforce found 67 percent of all self-employed, independent family doctors in "non-metropolitan counties" are older than 60.

Simply put, this way of practicing medicine  of hanging a shingle on Main Street, of making house calls, of spending any real length of time with patients  has been largely relegated to history books and black-and-white movies.

"That worked 50 years ago. Im not sure it works all that well now," said Graham Adams, CEO of the S.C. Office of Rural Health. He estimated that 90 percent of all doctors are now employed by hospital systems.

"The independent solo practitioner is all but gone," he said. "The cost of doing business as a small, independent health care provider is just very difficult."

This makes Sarah Brown one of the last country doctors.

"Its sort of like a mission field, to be here, for me," she said. "I knew I would probably never make any money."

Falling in love with medicine

+8 Dr. Sarah Brown practices in rural St. Stephen In rural St. Stephen family doctor Dr. Sarah Brown has run her practice seeing nearly 4000 patients at her offices.

Brown was born in 1951 with a congenital heart defect.

"I had a large ventricular septum defect that probably should have ended my life by the time I was about 12," she said. "Thats what my parents were told."

Her father worked for the Navy at the American Embassy in Rome. Her family traveled widely throughout Europe until Brown went into heart failure during a trip to the Alps. Her parents knew she would require heart surgery, so they returned to the United States.

Her family spent the next three years in Indiana while Brown remained on a waiting list for open heart surgery. There simply weren't many hospitals or doctors who performed the procedure 60 years ago.

When Brown finally received the surgery she needed, she developed a staph infection that kept her in a Kentucky hospital for a full year.

"I kind of fell in love with medicine at that time and I knew that I really wanted to be a doctor," she said. "I kept that in my heart all my life. I felt like it was a miracle that I was alive."

Her family eventually moved to Summerville and Brown graduated from Summerville High School in 1969. She studied biology at Clemson University, with the intention of applying to medical school, but said she "chickened out at the very last minute" and became a science teacher instead.

"I thought maybe I could just teach school and that would be enough," she said.

For many years, it was.

'Shocked and amazed'

She married, had two children, then divorced. When she met a man named David Brown in 1982 and married him two years later, she eventually realized she didn't want to teach anymore.

"I was teaching chemistry at Summerville High School and just said, 'You know what? I need to do what God wanted me to do and I need to go to med school.' "

Brown took the MCAT and applied for a spot at the Medical University of South Carolina.

"My husband got the letter," she remembered. "He took the children to Wal-Mart and got me a Doctor Barbie and came to the school with Doctor Barbie and my acceptance letter. We were just shocked and amazed."

She turned 40 while in medical school and took classes at MUSC alongside some of her former chemistry students.

"My dad drove me to MUSC every day while I was in med school, picked me up after classes and drove me home so I could spend those two hours a day to study," she recalled.

Her mother cooked her children dinner every night for seven years while Brown completed four years of medical school and another three years of residency training in family medicine.

"It was really, really hard," she said. "It was a very difficult thing to do."

'Right at home'

For five years following her residency training, Brown practiced medicine with Palmetto Primary Care Physicians in Summerville. But she needed back surgery in 1998 and "basically lost everything."

She eventually decided she didn't like the pace set by the large doctors' group. So she left.

"Im not the kind of person who wants to see 70 patients a day," she said. "I want to take care of the people I see. I want to work with them and be their doctor for life. Im not a speedy doctor. Im just a real thorough doctor."

Her patients attest to that.

Sam Cooper, 77, visits her practice in St. Stephen at least once every three months.

"It's lovely," he said. "You feel right at home."

Calvin Witherspoon, 80, drives 20 miles from Jamestown to see Dr. Brown. He used to see a doctor in McClellanville but didn't like how the staff there made him fill out new forms every visit. At Dr. Brown's office, it's different, he said.

"They appreciate you coming."

Leola Spencer, 92, who lives in nearby Pineville, said her son asked her to move to New York and live with him.

"No," she told him. "They don't have a doctor like Dr. Brown.'"

After Brown left Palmetto Primary Care, she worked at a pain clinic in Charleston for a year  the one year of her life during which she said she made a lot of money  but quit that practice eventually, too.

Then, Brown heard about an opening in rural Berkeley County.

Maybe, she thought. But she knew nothing about St. Stephen.

"Its a ghost town," she soon found out.

Only 1,700 people live in St. Stephen, according to the 2010 census count. While Berkeley County, with its 211,000 residents, has become one of the fastest growing counties in the Carolinas, the population in St. Stephen has remained virtually unchanged for decades. More than one-third of its residents live below the poverty line. Nearly 60 percent are black.

Brown bought her practice in 2006 and moved to nearby Alvin a year later. The Browns paid cash for their small white farmstead, where they raise dogs and grow figs, peaches and pears.

"Its my joy," said her husband David, a forester and a bluegrass fiddler.

The Browns have no intention of leaving their farm, but David admitted that his wife needs to retire. Her own cardiologist, worried about that lifelong heart condition, demanded it.

"She doesnt seem able to let it go until she can sell it," David said. "She cant stand the idea of just closing the doors."

'My calling'

State leaders have long identified that primary care doctors are leaving rural South Carolina. Lawmakers have invested in loan payback programs and telemedicine technology to improve access in these underserved areas. But none of these programs have completely solved the shortage.

Meanwhile, hospital systems in urban parts of the state keep getting bigger and rural hospitals keep closing.

Two new multi-million dollar hospitals are under construction in the Lowcountry. And Palmetto Health in Columbia and Greenville Health System in the Upstate are moving forward with a huge new partnership.

Adams, the CEO of the S.C. Office of Rural Health, conceded that these trends aren't unique to South Carolina. But he worried about what they mean for residents in rural areas.

How can South Carolina leaders ensure that large hospital systems won't pass over patients in these isolated communities?

"I dont have the simple answer to that," Adam said, "but thats what keeps me up at night."

Brown doesn't have an answer either.

A doctor affiliated with Palmetto Primary Care operates another small clinic in St. Stephen, but Brown said he hasn't expressed an interest in managing her patients, who are mostly poor, old and typically covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Sometimes they have no insurance at all.

"It destroys your practice because you dont make any money," she said. "I think that my lowest paid employee makes more than I do."

She has received informal offers from "big organizations" that want to manage her Medicare patients because "apparently theres money in Medicare," she said. She hasn't accepted any offers.

Still, Brown is slowing down. She recently cut her hours in half and tries to stop seeing patients after lunch. She still wakes up at 6 a.m. and leads a devotional with her staff before patients arrive each weekday morning. A Bible verse greets them as they walk in the office door.

"Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

The verse speaks to her, in much the same way the lyrics of "Old Doc Brown" resounded the first time she heard them many years ago.

"I sort of felt like God gave me the chance to live and this is my payback," Brown said. "This is my calling."

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the number of independent family physicians who operate solo practices in rural South Carolina. The S.C. Area Health Education Consortium defines "rural" counties and "non-metropolitan" counties differently. The article has been updated to reflect this distinction.
The Guam Daily Post asked all Guam senators to share their hopes and goals in the new year as they face reelection. Not everyone responded, but here are the senators who provided input, listed in alphabetical order. Their answers were edited for clarity and length.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

Sen. Tom Ada

The challenges of 2018 will be, first and foremost, the state of our islands economy.

The geopolitical atmosphere in Asia-Pacific is already negatively impacting our tourism industry.

We might also see decreases in federal funding levels for social programs, and capital improvement projects reflecting the nations changing priorities, and protection of our environment and the ecosystem from the ever-increasing threat from invasive species.

Finally, balancing the competing demands of a military buildup and private sector economic growth will be a constant challenge.

Inasmuch as we may have the will and desire to face these challenges, financial resources will be critical. Hence, public spending priorities need to be closely scrutinized and controlled. We have to live within our means, while at the same time, maintaining that delicate balance between the needs for a safe, healthy and educated community.

I am optimistic that we can sustain improvements that have been achieved, and attain greater successes in the future because of the role that Guam plays in the Asia-Pacific geopolitics, and because my faith in God and my fellowman remains undaunted.

Sen. Regine Biscoe Lee

A growing and challenging concern, as we enter 2018, is Guams increasing debt and reliance on borrowed funds.

Its always easiest to take the quick fix, versus being fiscally responsible, and buying only what we can afford. Many of us take this approach with our family finances, and dealing with our island familys finances  the governments  should be no different.

Living within our means today will take restraint, but it will mean a healthier inheritance for future generations. Our budget is already strained, but that will be exacerbated with additional debt we become obligated to pay before funding our critical government functions.

All branches of government need to collectively shift our mindset from immediate gratification to more practical, responsible solutions. And our island residents need to continue to vocalize their support for this type of fiscal responsibility. The sooner we make this change, the better for Guam.

What makes me optimistic for the new year is Guams youth. They are talented, energized and ambitious, and we need to, not only support, but collaborate with them to get some fresh minds and perspectives on chronic problems.

I will continue to work hard toward a happy and prosperous 2018 that we can build together.

Speaker Benjamin J.F. Cruz

As always, my focus has been to make government work just as hard for the powerless as it does for the powerful.

More now than ever, the government of Guam must come to terms with its addiction to debt, its chronic operational deficit, and its continuing desire to dig a financial hole so deep it is becoming harder to crawl out of.

While tax reform in Washington, D.C., will directly harm our ability to provide basic services here at home, I know that everything that might be wrong with Guam can be fixed by what is right with Guam.

If we are honest with the people we serve, if we care just as much about tomorrow as we do about today, if we care more about the future of our people than the politics of the present, Guam can be stronger than it has ever been.

Sen. James Espaldon

The key words for 2018 are economic security. These words will be influenced by the newly revised Internal Revenue Code, the uncertainty of actions by North Koreas ruler, Guams need to upgrade its hospital, education facilities and tourism district, and how to provide $900 million in programs and services with $850 million in the treasury.

Generating additional tax revenue requires taxpayers spending additional money; but when Guam stands to lose some $50 million with the IRC revamp, how does one replace $50 million AND generate another $50 million to meet the demands for funding? A number of armchair economists point to Guams low property tax rates, the need to raise the GRT by as much as 25 percent, and to reduce GovGuams expenditures as the places to start. Ask any small business owner to pay more and they will give you their view of the islands economy. Ask a person earning $10/hour to pay more for necessities and hear their view of the islands economy.

There is no one answer and not all needs will be met. Let the conversations begin and hear what all of us are willing to sacrifice to make ends meet.

Sen. Tommy Morrison

My office will continue to move ahead with legislation that will finally recognize the Office of Technology (OTECH) as an agency of the government of Guam; responsible for its personnel, budget, and operations going forward.

OTECH must be supported in its ongoing efforts to help change the way government does business in the 21st century, so that taxpayers are able to apply and pay for various services, request and receive records and information, and perform other transactions  online.

An enhanced OTECH anticipates specific information technology support areas including application and network services, cybersecurity, a geographic information system, and radio communications.

As a matter of public safety, my office will also extend its focus on technology to the integration of video security cameras within our emergency reporting system.

In the final months of 2017, cameras operated by homeowners and businesses contributed to investigations conducted by GPD, which also led to the timely arrest of criminals caught in the act.

Its now time for GovGuam to make the necessary investments using a portion of E-911 Fund proceeds. With limited manpower and resources, the use of video security cameras has proven to be an effective and reliable tool for public safety and law enforcement agencies.

Sen. Joe S. San Agustin

Looking ahead in 2018, my main concerns are education and improving safety in our community. That includes fixing our schools and preparing our children for the future.

As a member of the Guam Legislature, I plan on reviewing and identifying the shortfalls in our public safety and educational programs and then working with the experts and other stakeholders to improve those programs.

My wife, my family and I are strong believers that for every action there is a reaction, and for every problem there is a solution to resolve the problem. Everyone wants to resolve as many concerns as possible in the shortest amount of time, but everyone must realize that many of the problems did not happen overnight and these problems will not be fixed overnight either.

GovGuam needs to seriously consider right-sizing its organization. We cannot afford to grow without first improving the services we provide to the people of Guam.

In the year ahead, I plan on being more active with nonprofit organizations. They often fill the gap in critical support services for the needy and they need our help as well so that they can continue to provide support to our community.

Sen. Michael San Nicolas

In 2018, Guam will face the slowdown of the Japanese tourism market, and the tax cuts proposed in Congress, which we would mirror on Guam.

As these affect government finances and disrupt revenue projections, elected officials will be tempted to raise taxes, borrow more money, and spend tax refunds on government operations to balance its budget.

These place the burden of balancing our budget on the working class.

By law, people must directly vote to raise local taxes, and for large government borrowing.

The law says the government must designate a percentage of tax money to pay for tax refunds, not on government operations; deficit spending the balance at the end of the year with next fiscal years Section 30 funds.

These laws are ignored. I proposed adding these laws into the Organic Act for politicians to follow, and not be allowed to ignore them for political convenience.

I hope, in this upcoming year, that we remember every tax increase and borrowed bond is paid by a taxpayer.

The check due for government overspending is borne by the working class, who already struggle to provide the food, shelter, and medicine their families need.

It is our duty to alleviate strains and improve the quality of life for our people.

Vice Speaker Therese Terlaje

I began the term with the goal of accomplishing within two years what the people put us in here to do. 2017 was a whirlwind of hard work, studying, asking questions, and listening, as I tried my best to learn enough to do the right thing for the people of Guam and future generations. Its a lot of pressure to try and accomplish everything the people deserve within just two years, but it has been great to work with my colleagues and members of the community to make that happen.

I have passed laws, asked questions, and held hearings and briefings to make information available for all, to protect our families from violence, and to protect our unique environmental and cultural resources.

I intend to follow up to ensure that policy is actually implemented, that roads are fixed, that government spending is reduced, and that agencies treat everyone fairly and efficiently. I will continue to seek justice for the people and families of Guam, and not defer these tasks to the next generation or the next set of leaders.
The Taraba Police Command on Sunday confirmed the abduction of a state legislator, Hosea Ibi, by three unidentified gunmen.

Mr. Ibi represents Takum 1 in the State House of Assembly.

The commands spokesman, David Misal said in Jalingo, the capital, that Mr. Ibi was kidnapped in Takum, his hometown Saturday night.

I can confirm to you that the lawmaker was kidnapped last night in Takum. That is all I can tell you for now, Mr. Misal said.

The spokesman said the command has mobilised its men to Takum to rescue the lawmaker.

Rimansikpe Tsokwa, a witness of the abduction, told the News Agency of Nigeria that Mr. Ibi was abducted around 10 p.m. on Saturday.

Three gunmen alighted from two motorcycles at about 10 p.m. and stormed Hoseas mothers residence.

Immediately they entered, they seized all handsets belonging to the people in the compound.

They then dragged the member to their motorcycles and whisked him away without saying anything. he said.

NAN reports that Takum is also the hometown of the state governor, Darius Ishaku, who is celebrating the New Year in the town.

(NAN)
At least 5,247 Muslims have been killed in the Boko Haram violence in seven local government areas of Adamawa in the past five years (2013 to 2017).

This was disclosed by the Adamawa State chapter of Muslim Council. The council, which comprises all Islamic organisations in Adamawa, said it compiled the report from its various local chapters.

The affected local governments are Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Mubi North, Mubi South, Hong and Gombi.

A report on the crisis signed by the Adamawa branch chairman of the council, Abubakar Magaji, and Secretary General, Ismaila Umaru, indicates that another 5,161 Muslims sustained various degrees of injuries.

The report indicated that 12,732 properties belonging to Muslims in the councils, including houses, mosques, livestock and farm produce  worth N81.6 billion  were destroyed.

The report stated that Madagali Local Government Area has the highest number of dead victims with 2,500 people while Hong has the least with 68.

Muslims in Michika Local Government Area suffered the highest amount of losses with property worth N23.3 billion destroyed in the council while Maiha has the least with N157 million worth of properties.

The report which was presented to the Governor of Adamawa, Muhammadu Bindow, recommended among others support for the victims by the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative and reconstruction of places of worship and Islamic schools destroyed.

It also recommended an increase in security personnel and financial support to local vigilante groups assisting the military in the fight against the insurgency.

Adamawa is one of the three states most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. The others are Borno and Yobe states.
A Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, on Saturday said he wished Nigerians less miseries in the new year.

Mr. Soyinka also called on the Nigeria government to end the current fuel scarcity in the country rather than resort to blame passing.

The Nobel laureate in a New Year message on Saturday said government must not be fooled by the quietness in major cities, adding that Nigerians are going through pains to get petroleum products.

In the accustomed tradition, I wish the nation less misery in the coming year. A genuine Happy New Year greeting is probably too extravagant a wish, Mr. Soyinka wrote Saturday.

In the message titled, Blame passing: The New Year Gift to a Nation, he cited the viral newspaper clipping of the 1977 edition of the Daily Times newspaper when then minister of petroleum and natural resources, Muhammadu Buhari, was quoted as saying, Fuel crisis may be over next year.

He recounted what he experienced at filling stations when he travelled through Lagos, Ibadan and Abeokuta, describing the situation as traumatising.

Even with unorthodox aids of passage, this was no task for the faint  hearted, Mr. Soyinka wrote of efforts to get fuel around the cities.

Just getting past fuelling stations was traumatising, an obstacle race through seething, frustrated masses of humanity, only to find ourselves on vast stretches of emptied roads pleading for occupation. As for obtaining the petroleum in the first place  the less said the better.

I suspect that this government has permitted itself to be fooled by the peace of those empty streets, but also by the orderly, patient, long -suffering queues that are admittedly prevalent in the city centres. It is time the reporting monitors of government moved to city peripheries and sometimes even some other inner urban sectors, such as Ikeja and Maryland from time to time to see, and listen!

The Nobel laureate argued that pronouncements such as the one contained in the 1977 Daily Times newspapers viral headline are a delusion at best, a formula that derides public intelligence.

He described it as attempts to buy time and pass blame, adding that the current hike must be remedied quickly.

Of the 1977 newspaper clipping, Mr. Soyinka said, When many of us are blissfully departed, an updated rendition of this same clipping  with a change of cast here and there  will undoubtedly be reproduced in the media, with the same alibis, the same in -built panacea of blame passing.

He explained that apart from the current fuel crisis, there had been other challenges requiring immediate fix, among which he said was the call for restructuring of the nation.

Mr. Soyinka said he wonders what happened to initiatives by different states of the federation to create their own energy sources, saying such moves had been sabotaged by the federal government.

Just to think laterally for a moment  what became of the initiatives by some states nearly two decades ago  Lagos most prominently  to decentralize power, and thus empower states to generate and distribute their own energy requirements?

Frustrated and eventually sabotaged in the most cynical manner from the federal centre! he lamented.

As the tussle for the next round of power gets hotter in the coming year, Mr. Soyinka wrote, The electorate will again be manipulated into losing sight of the base issue  Sooner than later, but not as soon as pledged, the fuel crisis will pass.

And then, of course, we shall await the next round of shortages, then a recommencement of blame passing.

In an apparent reference to the nations perennial lack of basic amenities, the Nobel laureate lamented that despite the nations abundant resources, nothing is beyond shortage.

What will be the commodity this time  food perhaps? Maybe even potable water? In a nation of plenty, nothing is beyond eventual shortage  except, of course, the commonplace endowment of pre-emptive planning and methodical execution, Mr. Soyinka concluded.
Anna Okpozo, the wife of a late senator and member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Francis Okpozo, has reacted to the presidents controversial board appointments in which her late husbands name appeared.

The appointments of 209 board chairpersons and 1,258 board members were announced on Friday. PREMIUM TIMES reported some of the controversies surrounding the appointments such as the inclusion of dead persons and the duplication of same names on different boards.

The presidency on Saturday tried to explain the inclusion of the dead persons, saying the list was compiled in 2015.

In an interview with Vanguard Newspapers, Mrs. Okpozo said she was surprised when she saw the name. She, however enjoined Nigerians to stop blaming President Buhari adding that nobody is above mistake.

During the presidents inauguration, my husband was there. When he fell sick and eventually died, we did not hear anything, though the president too was fighting for his life. As the head, he (Buhari) sent a condolence message.

So, this appointment is giving me some thoughts on whether it was not the president that sent the condolence message. If he was the one that sent the message and was aware that his (late Okpozo) name was on the list, he (Buhari) would have corrected it.

I am not picking any offence at all because as a president, he cannot know everything about everybody in the whole country. Maybe he had delegated the thing (selection) to some people to do and they did not consult but just published it, she said.

She however commended President Buhari for remembering her husband adding that her husband is dead and gone and the living can forge ahead.

The widow explained that as one of the founders of the All Progressives Congress, her late husband was a close friend of the president and stood by him during the APC presidential primary and presidential election.
Public hospitals in Nigeria are widely assumed to lack equipment and manpower to provide adequate care for the large volumes of patients that troop into them on daily basis. For this reason, people who can afford it rather patronise private hospitals or travel out on medical tourism for their health care needs.

In spite of the poor public perception, however, public hospitals continue to record huge patronage around the country. This is also the case in Abuja, Nigerias federal capital territory. However, public hospitals in the territory are surprisingly largely well-equipped and staffed, and enjoy appreciation of most of their patients.

An inspection tour by a PREMIUM TIMES reporter of some of the public hospitals in the satellites towns of Abuja revealed their true state.

Most of the hospitals visited have clean environments, and are relatively well equipped and managed. At least two ambulances were seen in each of these hospitals, except in Karishi General Hospital where the management said one of the two ambulances was undergoing repairs.

The first stop was at Nyanya General Hospital, a satellite town in FCT which is largely populated by middle and low class public workers. The reporter observed a large number of patients at the hospital, a development which a staff member described as the norm with the facility.

With a large and well-constructed building, the hospital sits in the middle of the town, a few kilometres from the highbrow Asokoro district of Abuja.

The hospital was neat and organised as patients were seen sitting in halls waiting to be called into doctorss offices and consulting rooms.

A patient, Rakiya Sani, said that she had been using the hospital ever since she relocated to Nyanya several years ago.

This hospital is good; it serves people of this place well and also people from other places, Mrs. Sani told the reporter.

Most people from Nasarawa State visit this hospital for treatment. Everything here is orderly. When you come, you pick up your card and the nurses over there (pointing to two women in white uniforms) will check your BP (Blood pressure) before you sit in this place and wait for the doctor to call in the next patient.

Though the crowd here is always much, the service is fast because it is orderly. You spend about one hour and 30 minutes or sometimes less to see a doctor.

Blessing Kudu lives at Mararaba, a town in Nasarawa State. She said she usually attended the Nyanya General Hospital because the service of the hospital is a fair one.

She said: This hospital is well-known around this place and people living in Nasarawa State come all the way for treatment. I have two kids and I gave birth to them in this hospital. The nurses and doctors are nice, but not all of them. Some are strict but if you follow them nicely, they will attend to you and you will see the doctor.

About drugs, not all drugs that the doctors prescribe are sold here. You have to get some in your area, she said.

Patients speak largely in the same vein at the Karishi General Hospital when the reporter visited.

Shola Akindele, who lives in Jikwoyi area of Karu, said the staff of at the hospital treat patients well.

I gave birth to my second child in this hospital through (Caesarean) operation and I did not really pay any major fee. I visit this hospital all through my ante-natal period, so I am familiar with the environment and I love their services here. They attend to patients like it is a private hospital, she said.

Roselyn Adebayo, who lives in Orozo, said she attends Karishi General Hospital because it is the nearest to her place of residence.

In Orozo where I live, we only have a primary health centre and they only have nurses there, no doctors. So I have to come to Karishi to see a doctor. So far, I enjoy their services here. But I come very early so I can see a doctor early and go back home. If you dont come before 8 a.m., you will be delayed as so many people would have arrived before you.

A visit to Kuje General Hospital, however, showed there are still some things the authorities need to paying attention to, to improve the quality of services being rendered at public hospitals.

A mother of four, Abosede Makinde, who resides in Kuje, said she had been attending the hospital for several years. She described the services rendered and attitude of the staff towards patients as above average.

In public hospitals and hospitals generally, there is always room for improvement, she said. She suggested that more doctors should be employed so patients can leave the hospital early, instead of waiting in endless queues on regular basis.

Another patient who would only volunteer information that I a mother of five, said she had no complaint about services at the Kuje hospital, except that the hospital recently rejected her 26-year old son who needed an appendicitis operation.

We rushed him to this hospital but we were asked to go to Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital. The reason the nurses gave was that there was no surgeon in the hospital as they have all been transferred to other health facilities.

For a general hospital meant to render health services to the whole population of people living in Kuje and its environs, it is bad not to have at least one surgeon. I thank God nothing happened to my son, as he has recovering fully now, she said.

A nurse and a doctor at the hospital who would not want their names in print, however, denied the claims that the appendicitis patient was rejected.

We dont reject patients in this hospital, we only refer to Gwagwalada Hospital when we cannot handle a case, said the nurse.

It is possible her story is true but the reason she stated is not true. As of last week, though, there are no surgeons in the hospital. But when the need for a surgeon arises, we will call on one of them.

The reason she was referred was because of the scarcity of fuel presently affecting us. The doctors said they cannot rely on PHCN to perform an operation and there is no diesel in the generator, so it will be safer to go to Gwagwalada for the operation.

Explaining further, the nurse said: Most general hospitals dont have surgeons because it is very difficult to get one, not to talk of affording one. You can go to Area 11 (Garki, at the FCTA headquarters) and ask the authorities of FCT why they have not been employing surgeons and posting them to public hospitals.

The doctor also said it was necessary for the authorities to employ more surgeons in public hospitals to reduce the number of referrals to other health facilities.

Although public hospitals in Abuja satellite towns are daily under the siege of patients, they appear to be coping well with providing basic care for those who choose to patronise them or cannot afford to go elsewhere.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has said that five persons died and 13 others injured in an accident that occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Sunday.

Clement Oladele, Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, told the News Agency of Nigeria in an interview in Ota, Ogun State, that the accident occurred at Wazobia, at about 9.00 a.m.

Mr. Oladele said that two vehicles and eighteen persons were involved in the accident that resulted in the death of five persons while 13 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

The sector commander explained that a commercial bus with registration number MGD 129 ZF coming from Ibadan to Lagos, lost control and veered off the road and collided with a trailer with registration number DDA 121 XA that was parked by the road side.

The corpses of the victims had been deposited at the mortuary in Ipara General Hospital, while the survivors are also receiving treatment at Sagamu and Victory Hospital, Ogere, he said.

Mr. Oladele said that the driver of the commercial bus absconded immediately after the accident occurred.

(NAN)
11:08

In his first remarks on the issue of instant triple talaq after a bill banning it was cleared by Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said after

"years of suffering", Muslim women have finally found a way out to "free" themselves from the practice.





He also said in 2018, people should work towards all-round development of the nation even as his government pushes for reforms measures to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and terrorism.





Calling for 'sabka saath, sabka vikas', Modi said the mantra for the New Year should be "reform, perform, transform."





"Without referring to the Muslim women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill passed by Lok Sabha last week, Modi said Muslim women were facing hardships due to the prevailing practice of instant triple talaq for years. "But now they have found way to free themselves (from the practice)," he said.





-- PTI
Nigeria has been advised to make laws that makes it difficult for public fund to be looted and siphoned abroad.

The call was made by participants at the inaugural Global Forum on Asset Recovery, GFAR, in Washington DC earlier in December. The forum, organised with support from the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR), a joint initiative of the World Bank and UN Office of Drugs and Crime, focused on the recovery of assets stolen from Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Ukraine.

Participants at the forum are of the view that in order to counter illicit financial flow, Nigeria, as well as other African countries faced with looting of public fund by government officials and politicians should create public registers of beneficial ownership of companies to dissuade looters from using anonymous shell companies to transfer and hide illicit wealth.

The countries were advised to, as a matter of urgency, set up public registers of beneficial ownership information so that anonymous shell companies cannot be easily used to transfer and hide illicit wealth.

Similarly, countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland, which are some of the preferred location where stolen wealth are hidden, were advised to take steps to enhance the transparency of financial flow and ownership of properties in their jurisdictions.

Several billions of dollars have been stolen from Nigeria by corrupt politicians and other officials since the countrys independence in 1960. Switzerland alone has returned over $723 million to the country in 10 years.

At the end of the forum, the Nigeria government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Switzerland and the World Bank to return an additional $321 million of recovered assets.

Other decisions reached by the forum include the recognition of the multi-stakeholder nature of asset recovery and the promotion dialogue, trust and collaboration between civil society, media, law enforcement and other government bodies.

The focus countries should also commit to strengthening efforts to prevent corruption before it starts. In the regard, countries were advised to implement codes of conduct, ethics training, whistle-blower protections, and integrity in public institutions, and urge other countries to do so.

The forum, however, admitted that the absence of data on asset recovery was an impediment to recovering stolen funds. Participating countries were therefore asked to commit to providing public, comprehensive data including the number of cases they have, the number of assets frozen, sanctions taken against financial facilitators, and the length of time taken to respond to requests for assistance.
The Nigerian Air Force has released the postings and redeployment of 41 senior officers comprising 19 Air Vice Marshals (AVMs), 14 Air Commodores and four Group Captains.

Others are two Wing Commanders and two Squadron Leaders.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, announced this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr. Adesanya explained that the postings and redeployment came as a result of the recent promotion of senior NAF officers to the next higher ranks.

He explained further that though a routine exercise, it was aimed at ensuring that NAF was effectively manned for operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Prominent among those affected by the new postings are: AVM Lawal Alao who is now the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Zaria, Kaduna State.

As well as AVM Olusoji Awomodu, who has been appointed as the Director Manning /Establishments at the Defence Headquarters, he said

In addition, AVM Bello Garba haf been redeployed as the Chief of Logistics at Headquarters NAF and AVM Mahmoud Ahmed had taken over as Chief of Administration, also at HQ NAF.

Other appointments include: AVM Mohammed Suleiman as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, AVM Samuel Babalola as the Director of Personnel Management at HQ NAF.

As well as AVM Tunde Awoyoola as Deputy Chief of Defence Space Agency and AVM Haruna Mohammed as Commandant Air Traffic Services Training Centre, AVM Sambo Usman as Group Managing Director of NAF Holding Company.

Others are: AVM Remigus Ekeh appointed as the Director of Evaluation at HQ NAF while AVM Paul Dimfwina as Coordinator, Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee at HQ NAF.

Furthermore, AVM Ibukun Ojeyemi now the SASO at Headquarters Air Training Command, Kaduna State. while AVM Frank Oparah had been appointed as Director of Research at Defence Headquarters.

Also appointed are: AVM Peter Uzezi as Director, Earth Observation at Defence Space Agency, AVM Olusegun Philips as Director of Museum and Archives at HQ NAF, AVM Chinwendu Onyike as Director, Technical Services at Defence Intelligence Agency.

Others are AVM Emmanuel Wonah as SASO, Headquarters Logistics Command, Ikeja, Lagos State, AVM Abubakar Liman had been appointed as SASO, Headquarters Special Operations Command, Bauchi State.

AVM Mahmud Madi was appointed Director of Launch Services and Space Operations at Defence Space Agency and Air Commodore Noah Oyibo as SASO, Headquarters Ground Training Command, Enugu State.

Meanwhile, Air Commodore Cosmas Ozouggwu wa s to take over as Director of Production at HQ NAF while Air Commodore David Aluku became the Director of Civil Military Relations also at HQ NAF.

According to Mr. Adesanya, the new posting also brought about changes at the unit level. Some of the new Commanders and Commandants were Air Commodores.

They are: Edward Adedokun, who was appointed as Commandant NAF Institute of Safety, Kaduna State, and Air Commodore Paul Masiyer, as Commandant Military Training Centre, Kaduna State.

In addition, Air Commodore Moses Onilede was to take over as Commander 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot, Ikeja, State. while Air Commodore Elijah Ebiowe was appointed as Commander 115 Special Operations Group, Port Harcourt.

The newly posted and redeployed senior officers were expected to take over their new offices not later than Jan.2, 2018.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had directed the newly appointed commanders of NAF field units to attend a workshop being organised at HQ NAF on Jan. 3, 2018 for commanders.

Mr. Adesanya said Command appointments in NAF came with a lot of responsibilities, including the management of human and material resources.

He said further that the workshop was therefore, aimed at equipping/reminding commanders of their responsibilities and HQ NAF expectations in the conduct of their activities.

(NAN)
The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has ordered investigation into alleged extortion of motorists by soldiers on the Maiduguri-Ngaboru Ngala road in Borno.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, said in a statement on Sunday that the order followed complaint by a man, who identified himself as DanBorno on his twitter account.

According to Mr. Usman, DanBorno alleged soldiers collected N300,000 from each truck driver to escort the long queue of vehicles on that road.

The Nigerian Army has noted with great concern an allegation of complacency and extortion against soldiers

Consequent upon this, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General T.Y. Buratai has ordered for immediate investigation over these allegations.

The Nigerian Army as a professional military institution thrives on discipline, selflessness and dedication to duty and operates within the confines of the laws, Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement.

It would not tolerate any act of misdemeanour by any of its personnel.

Similarly, we encourage members of the public to take advantage of our toll free telephone number 193 to report any observed lapses or allegation against any officer or soldier, he said.

The army spokesman also called on the members of the public, especially affected individuals in Borno to cooperate and volunteer information to the investigation team.

(NAN)
The All Progressives Congress, APC, says that a Nigerian President of Igbo ethnicity is achievable after the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Vice Chairman of the party in the South-east, Emma Eneukwu, stated this at a meeting of the partys South East Zonal caucus held at Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

Mr. Eneukwu called on the party in the South-east to remain more united and focused especially as the 2019 general elections approaches.

He said that the party had been re-positioned to capture political power in the remaining four zones in the state and called for contributions of the party leaders for the success of the party.

The chairman said that the political prospects of the South-east zone could be better served under APC-led federal government.

He challenged the stakeholders to ensure a landslide victory for the party in the zone in 2019.

The clamour, the agitation for a Nigerias President of Igbo extraction is only achievable under the Buhari administration and what is needed is for South-east zone to double our support for Mr President.

We must align the region to the mainstream national politics, support APC and ensure the re-election of Buhari in the 2019 general elections, Mr. Eneukwu said.

He warned against all forms of sabotage and anti-party activities from leaders and party supporters.

Also, the Minister for Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, said that South-east zone would give Mr. Buhari 80 per cent of the votes in 2019.

He called on the people of the zone to unite so as to benefit from the Buhari-led federal government.

He said that the administration of Mr. Buhari had affected the lives of ordinary citizens of the zone through job creation, roads and other infrastructure development.

The former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, also urged leaders of the party in the zone to unite for the overall success of the party.

He said that big names only would not ensure APC success in the South-east, stressing that more efforts was needed to achieve victory in the zone in the 2019 general elections.

Emeka Nwogu, former Minister for Labour and Productivity, urged leaders of the party to mobilise support for the party.

He said that the improved electronic system of voting introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would not allow for rigging in 2019.

He urged leaders to ensure that their loyalists register and obtain their voters card, warning that 2019 elections would not be like the previous ones.

In their goodwill messages, former Governors of Ebonyi and Enugu, Martin Elechi and Sullivan Chime, called for the unity of leaders of the party to attract infrastructure development in the Zone.

The former governors in their separate remarks called on the zone to support the re-election of Mr. Buhari and to rise up to the challenges of ethnic sentiments.

In attendance also, were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geofrey Onyeama, past governors, former and serving senators as well as five state chairmen of APC in the zone.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the zonal caucus meeting was aimed at reviewing the activities of the party in 2017.

(NAN)
A 28-year-old woman, Anuoluwapo Joshua, has been arrested by the police in Ogun State for allegedly stealing a three year old baby, Akamaka Francis, at the Redemption camp, along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The Ogun police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspect stole the child in July during the monthly Holy Ghost Congress of the Redeemed Church.

The suspect stole the child in July 2017 during the monthly Holy Ghost congress of the Church, he said.

Mr. Oyeyemi said the mother of the child reported that the child was stolen by an unknown person when she went to pack the childrens clothes in the new auditorium where she had gone for prayers with her husband.

He said all efforts to know the whereabouts of the child since then were unsuccessful. Luck, however, ran out for the suspect on December 29 when the child was sighted inside the youth centre at redemption camp during the church-organised childrens end of the year party.

On receiving the information, the DPO redeemed division SP Olaiya Martins led detectives to the centre where they waited until the end of the program when the suspect came out to pick the child and was promptly arrested.

Mr. Oyeyemi said the suspect has since confessed to the crime and admitted that she lured child out of her parents sight and took her to Ofada area where she has been taken care of the child since then.

Investigation further revealed that the suspect had earlier got pregnant for somebody in Lagos but travelled to the north where she claimed she has delivered of a baby girl, Mr. Oyeyemi said.

But when she came back from the North,she didnt come with the baby which made the man who impregnated her to be putting pressure on her to bring his child for him. She later informed her relatives that she is going to Nasarawa state to bring the child but went to Redeemed camp where she stayed for some days before succeeding in stealing the child which she presented to her relations as her daughter.

The case is being investigated after which the suspect will be prosecuted.
MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elyptol Australia Pty. Ltd. launched with the largest Pharmacy in Australia, Chemist Warehouse.

Chemist Warehouse (or Chemist Warehouse Group) is an Australian company operating a chain of retail pharmacies. The company is Australia's largest and leading pharmacy retailer and employs over 15,000 staff. The company brands itself as offering discounted prices for pharmaceutical goods.

Elyptol's products offer the best in class natural organic hand sanitisers with the emphasis going into ingredients that are safe and green. Exclusive in Pharmacy to Chemist Warehouse in Australia, Elyptol offers products that include Hand Sanitiser Gels, Sprays, Hand and Hard Surface Wipes that contain all natural ingredients.

"Consumers are now far more educated and conscious of what they are putting in their bodies and on their skin", says Albina Reale, National Category Manager, Fragrance & Beauty for Chemist Warehouse. "Elyptol offers our customers the choice of a chemical toxic free hand sanitiser for everyday use".

"The launch of Elyptol's products into all Chemist Warehouse stores across the country is a great step forward for Elyptol as a very new brand", says Tim O'Connor, President & CEO of Elyptol. "The Hand Sanitiser and Soap categories are very competitive but not when it comes to creating a natural, botanical, non toxic, safe product. Elyptol stands out from the pack".

Elyptol has won global awards in the last 12 months, registered with TGA in Australia and the FDA in the USA and is a member of the World Health Organisations Infection Prevention Group. Most recently, Elyptol was "EWG Verified" by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an association that uses the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. Their mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment.

The natural formulation with natural ethanol alcohol from sugar cane and corn and with eucalyptus oil is a powerful hand sanitiser that effectively kills up to 99.9999% of bacteria, fungi and other common germs that can cause disease. Elyptol minimizes the likelihood of allergic reactions or contact dermatitis and is formulated to both sanitise and moisturise.

Elyptol's PR Contact:

www.elyptol.com Naomi Shivaraman, Public Relations +61404 028 355, [email protected]





SOURCE Elyptol Australia Pty. Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.elyptol.com


NEW YORK, Dec. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/  This year, New York personal injury law firm Block O'Toole & Murphy continues its record of success for victims hurt in work accidents, vehicle crashes, and other devastating accidents.

Among the firm's 2017 results were a record-setting $13,500,000 recovery for an injured pedestrian  the highest reported personal injury settlement in Suffolk County  and a $12,000,000 settlement for an injured construction worker. In total, the firm attained well over $100 million in verdicts and settlements in 2017 alone.

"Our clients are hardworking people who were seriously harmed as a result of another party's negligence," said Founding Partner Jeffrey Block. "We are incredibly proud of our staff for their tireless work in helping these people recover the compensation they deserve. We also feel lucky to have assembled a team of passionate attorneys who are exceptionally skilled in personal injury litigation."

In addition to attracting and retaining top legal talent, the firm also works with leading specialists in other fields. In the case of the pedestrian who was struck by a car at night, the handling attorneys consulted internationally respected experts, including a United States Naval Academy professor who specialized in nighttime visibility. After an intense four-week liability trial, the attorneys recovered a record-breaking $13.5 million settlement for the client.

Other notable 2017 results include:

$5,000,000 settlement for worker harmed in a construction accident

for worker harmed in a construction accident $5,000,000 settlement for catastrophic injury suffered in an auto accident

for catastrophic injury suffered in an auto accident $4,000,000 recovery for laborer injured while working on a roof

for laborer injured while working on a roof $3,800,000 settlement for driver hurt by defective vehicle

for driver hurt by defective vehicle $3,720,000 award for glass installer injured on the job

Since 2012, Block O'Toole & Murphy achieved more case results exceeding $1,000,000 than any other law firm in New York.

About Block O'Toole & Murphy

Block O'Toole & Murphy is a top personal injury law firm in New York, serving victims who have been hurt because of another party's negligence. The firm has recovered over $1 billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients in car crash, construction accident, and other personal injury cases.

For a free consultation, please call 212-736-5300 or visit https://www.blockotoole.com/

SOURCE Block O'Toole & Murphy

Related Links

https://www.blockotoole.com


Social video creation platform Wochit has announced the appointment of Colm Curneen as the companys director of business development.

He will be responsible for managing strategic partnerships, continuing to grow an international portfolio of clients and overseeing teams within the company.Curneen, who is a media industry veteran with over 15 years' experience, joins from Storyful, a social media intelligence and news agency, acquired by News Corp in 2013.During his three years with that company, he was responsible for securing partnerships. Prior to that, Curneen was head of business development at Global Editors Network, and also worked for The New York Times, International Herald Tribune and The Financial Times during his career. He is from Dublin and graduated from Trinity College with a degree in International Business and Marketing. Wochit was founded in 2012 by Dror Ginzberg and enables publishers, news rooms and content creators to produce short-form videos around trending topics. It works with worldwide media brands such as Time, Daily News, USA Today, Gannett, AOL and The Week.Wochit is a globally recognised leader in social video, and its an honour to be involved, said Curneen. Im delighted to be joining this dynamic team and to being part of the companys future growth and success.Ginzberg added: Colm has outstanding experience and joins Wochit at a time when he can really help our growth plans . Were delighted to welcome him to the senior team.
How many steps will it take to walk off Thanksgiving dinner?
"Few places on Earth have given literature the importance it has attained in Central Asia, where mighty and meek have for centuries composed, recited, listened to or read, and lived with the poetry which remained their constant companion."

-- Professor Edward Allworth, Columbia University

Allworth was one of the leading authorities on Central Asia and one of his great passions was Central Asian literature. So, when he penned the above quote in his book Central Asia: A Century Of Russian Rule (the 1967 edition, it's been updated a couple of times since then), his assessment carried significant weight.

His words still ring true, as the writers, poets, and bards of the region remain prominent today. In fact, anyone passing through any of the major cities and towns of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan would become familiar with the names of local literary greats, great and small.

During the time I was Allworth's student, I did not share his interest in Central Asian literature, which in hindsight I realize was a huge mistake.



The Central Eurasian Studies Society conference in Seattle in October 2017 featured a panel devoted to, and honoring, Allworth. Some of his former students presented papers.



I was one of them and, as a tribute to Allworth, I decided to do mine on Central Asia's writers and how they are remembered today. This piece essentially counts as my latest and/or last homework assignment for Allworth.



I make no claim to being an authority on this subject, and the few writers highlighted barely scratch the surface -- there are great number of worthy writers, poets, and bards. But it would be a mammoth work to compile information on even half of them.

I did have some fantastic help, though, and I acknowledge here those who were kind enough to share with me their extensive knowledge:

-- Begmyrat Bayryyev, MA in Media, Culture and Society from the Polish Academy of Sciences' Institute of Philosophy and Sociology;



-- Amanmurat Agha Bugayev, a member of Turkmenistan's Union of Writers from 1982 to 2001;



-- Hamid Ismailov, currently writer in residence at the BBC and formerly head of the Central Asian services at the BBC;



-- Tyntykbek Tchoroev, a Kyrgyz historian currently teaching at Kyrgyzstan's Jusup Balasagyn University;



-- And, of course, my colleagues in the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uzbek services at RFE/RL.

-- Bruce Pannier


Final Summary

-- A top Iranian judiciary official has said antigovernment protest leaders should be handed the harshest possible sentences, while President Hassan Rohani suggested demonstrations were driven by opposition to his ultraconservative rivals in the ruling elite.

-- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also weighed in on the matter, warning other countries not to foment insecurity in his country, echoing the official position of the Iranian government that the protests were fomented by the intelligence services of foreign states-- including the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.

-- The United States has rejected Irans claims that Washington was behind the protests, which have led to the deaths of 22 people and the arrest of more than 1,700 others.

-- German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said the European Union will invite Zarif for talks about the widespread antigovernment protests that have roiled the country since December 2

-- Lawmaker Tayebeh Siavashi told the semiofficial ILNA news agency on January 8 that a 22-year-old man who was arrested by the police had died in prison. He said that he was informed by authorities that the detainee "committed suicide in jail."

-- Various Iranian officials have said that hundreds of detainees have been released, some after agreeing to sign a pledge not to "reoffend," the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.

-- In other news, a senior Iranian education official says Iran intends to ban English-language classes from primary schools amid warnings from Islamic leaders that the language has led to a "cultural invasion" from the West.

Live blog by Golnaz Esfandiari with Farangis Najibullah and Frud Bezhan

*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Tehran (GMT +3.5)
Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking Chinas resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia. Im RFE/RL correspondent Reid Standish.

Before we get started, a few announcements: The newsletter is now biweekly, rather than going out only on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. To subscribe, click here.

And I will also be launching Talking China In Eurasia, a new podcast. Im joined by the Royal United Services Institutes Raffaello Pantucci to talk about Xi and Putin. Listen to the first episode here or below.

Xi Gets Pragmatic About Russia At The G20

It was light on optimism, but U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping injected a healthy dose of pragmatism back into the U.S.-China relationship with their meeting in Bali at a time when global anxiety is rising over Russias war against Ukraine.

Finding Perspective: The meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit was far from a breakthrough, but it did repair some damage from the recent backslide in relations between both countries and send some signals that the world isnt necessarily destined for Cold War 2.0.

The more than three-hour talks saw some blunt exchanges over contentious issues like Taiwan and North Korea, but the two leaders also pledged more frequent communications and decided that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Beijing for follow-up talks in 2023.

Of particular note, Biden raised Russias invasion of Ukraine and threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons. Both leaders reiterated their agreement that a nuclear war should never be fought, according to a White House readout.

While far from a sea change for Chinese policy, thats notable. The credibility of Beijings claims to be neutral on the Ukraine war continue to come under scrutiny, and China has shown discomfort of late with the Kremlins nuclear saber-rattling.

Xi made similar comments after a November 4 summit with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and during another G20 meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the French readout.

Why It Matters: Xi is not abandoning Putin, but this marks the latest shift for Beijings balancing act over Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Four Chinese officials briefed on the February 4 meeting between Xi and Putin, where they declared a no-limits partnership, told the Financial Times that Putin didnt tell Xi the truth about the invasion and that Beijing was caught off guard by it.

What Xi knew about Putins war plans has been a topic of debate, and there is evidence to support both the idea that Xi was aware and that he was caught off guard.

Many analysts are of the opinion that Xi knew about Putin's decision to invade but expected a quick victory, which perhaps was what Putin believed at the time.

Others point to a steady stream of dismissals from Chinese officials and experts about the likelihood of an invasion in February and the fact that Beijing did not evacuate its citizens from Ukraine  like Western nations did  as evidence that China was not expecting a war.

China certainly has its own interests in keeping a distance from Moscows war and using that space to do some upkeep with the West. But perhaps the most important point here is that even if Putin did blindside Xi, China has stuck with Russia despite its battlefield failures, political isolation, and the atrocities its troops are accused of committing.

Again, this is pragmatism more than anything else. As Chinese experts often say, even if Russia is looking unattractive these days, why would Beijing abandon its main anti-Western partner as China continues to be in the crosshairs of rising American pressure?

Read More

 Want to hear more about Russia and Chinas complex relationship amid the Ukraine war? Then tune in to the debut of Talking China In Eurasia today at 2 p.m. CET/ 8 a.m. EST. You can listen live here and find the episode on RFE/RLs website and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

 Condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine and its global fallout is shaping up to be the key theme of the G20, with the Financial Times reporting that a joint communique from the summit takes aim at Moscow.

Expert Corner: The Future Of The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Readers asked: Did Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs recent trip to Beijing breathe new life into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)? How do Islamabad and Beijing really feel about the project after all these years?

To find out more, I asked Filippo Boni, an expert on China-Pakistan relations at the Open University in Britain:

Shehbaz Sharif's visit to China was high on symbolism and relatively low on substance. While the two sides were keen to reaffirm and emphasize the strength of their strategic partnership, no significant new commitment was made. Apart from a few memorandums of understanding and attempts from the Pakistanis in the run-up to the trip to address some of CPECs issues  including payments to Chinese independent power producers  nothing major came from the visit. This is despite Sharif's attempts at revitalizing CPEC since April and the very close ties he enjoys with the Chinese leadership.

The outcome of this visit is not entirely surprising, especially if interpreted against the backdrop of Pakistan's current domestic predicaments. The security situation for Chinese nationals has deteriorated, the economy is struggling, and political instability is at one of its highest points in recent years. All these dynamics, coupled with the global scaling down of Belt and Road Initiative financing, have likely impacted Beijing's lack of commitment to new projects.

After almost 10 years and $25 billion worth of projects, there seems to be a general consensus on both sides that the first phase of CPEC  the one focused primarily on energy projects  was largely successful. The same cannot be said for the second phase, including the slow progress on the development of Special Economic Zones, and for the port of Gwadar, where little progress has been made for the ports full commercial functioning.

Do you have a question about Chinas growing footprint in Eurasia? Send it to me at StandishR@rferl.org or reply directly to this e-mail and Ill get it answered by leading experts and policymakers.

Three More Stories From Eurasia

1. 'Sweep It Under The Rug'

Recent allegations of China operating 54 overseas police stations have fueled controversy around the world and sparked investigations, but in Hungary and Serbia the new findings are being met with swift denials by authorities, despite growing evidence.

The Details: My colleagues Akos Keller-Alant from RFE/RLs Hungarian Service, Mila Durdevic from RFE/RLs Balkan Service, and I reported on the fallout from these revelations and the slew of probes launched in many European countries recently.

The stations are overseas operations of the public security bureaus from two Chinese provinces and are used to persuade citizens to return to China, including through pressure on family members at home. While most of those involved appear to be suspected of crimes such as telecommunications fraud or corruption, dissidents have also reported that the stations have been used to monitor and threaten them.

Fourteen governments have already launched investigations into the overseas police stations, and the Dutch and Irish governments have ordered China to shut down the facilities in their countries.

But in Hungary and Serbia  two countries where Beijing is said to operate such facilities and whose governments prize their warming political and economic ties with China  officials appear to be trying to sweep it under the rug, as one analyst characterized it, despite growing scrutiny from opposition lawmakers in each country.

2. Global Ripples Hit Central Asia

Political and economic shocks from Moscows war in Ukraine, coupled with added strains from tensions between Beijing and Washington, are taking their toll around the world, especially in Central Asia, where countries in the region are closely tied to both China and Russia.

What It Means: As RFE/RLs Uzbek Service reported, Vladimir Norov, the countrys foreign minister, warned about geopolitical tensions affecting stability in the region and beyond while addressing his counterparts at an Organization of Turkic States meeting in Samarkand.

The breakdown in global cooperation is felt particularly strong in Central Asia. While some economies have been able to benefit by becoming a new home for businesses and capital relocated from Russia, others are seeing investment dry up and their economies coming under strain.

World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Anna Bjerde recently warned that Uzbekistan needs to continue with its market reforms in order to withstand the global economic shocks that are to come.

RFE/RLs Kyrgyz Service also reported that the countrys government is trying to court more investment but that questions remain from investors about Kyrgyzstans stability and investment climate. According to official statistics from January to June of this year, China is the leading source of foreign investment, with $129 million during that span.

3. The Tech In Moscows Iranian Drones

A new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, looked into electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 drone, which Russia has used in its war in Ukraine, and found that theyre far from homegrown.

What You Need To Know: The Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export to Iran of technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

The investigation also found drone components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm.

The drone also contains a microchip bearing the logo of a California technology company and a thermal-imaging camera that Ukrainian intelligence says may have been produced by a firm based in Oregon or China.

The international tech in the drone not only highlights the complex ecosystem that allows firms and buyers to circumvent sanctions slapped on both Iran and Russia, but also the close networks between Chinese and Western tech companies that still exist, despite a recent push to break some of those linkages.

Across The Supercontinent

On The Mainland: The watchdog group Freedom House recently launched a new project called the China Dissent Monitor, which tracks protests and other forms of dissent inside China. Read it here.

Censored: Chinese authorities behind a major trade expo in Shanghai pulled an opening ceremony address by European Council President Charles Michel that was set to criticize Russia's illegal war in Ukraine and call for reduced European dependency on China, Reuters reported.

Backtracking: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has softened his countrys stance toward China, moving away from his predecessor Liz Trusss decision to label it a threat.

One Thing To Watch

How long will Chinas stringent COVID policies stay in place?

New infections are rising as a winter wave hits and popular frustration continues to boil over inside the country as investor confidence stays dented over the measures. New footage also showed crowds of residents in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou escaping a compulsory lockdown and clashing with police.

Thats all from me for now. Dont forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have.

Until next time,

Reid Standish

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your in-box on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
A bombing has killed at least 17 people at a funeral in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad.

The spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar Province, Attaullah Khogyani, told RFE/RL that 13 others were injured in the December 31 blast, which ripped through a crowd of people who had gathered for the funeral of a former governor in the Haska Meena district.

Noor Ahmad Habibi, deputy spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar, said initial reports were that a suicide bomber was behind the attack but that authorities now believe it was a remotely detonated explosion hidden in a motorcycle.

No one immediately claimed responsible for the attack.

The Taliban denied any involvement. An Islamic State affiliate is active in Nangarhar Province and has targeted officials and security forces in the past.

It follows multiple bomb blasts on December 28 at a Shi'ite cultural center in the capital, Kabul, that left at least 41 people dead and more than 80 wounded.

The Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for that attack.
The legacy of Central Asian writers who lived during the Soviet era is, at times, controversial. Their willingness to become part of the Soviet system -- and, in some cases, praise it -- troubles some people in the Central Asian states today.

But these writers appeared during a time when the majority of people in Central Asia became literate, and the Central Asian writers of the Soviet period played huge roles in developing alphabets and codifying the region's languages. It was they who put into words the thoughts and feelings of Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, Turkmen, and Uzbeks at a time when, for the first time, most of their populations could read.

Central Asian Literature: Wise Words For Both The Mighty And The Meek "Few places on Earth have given literature the importance it has attained in Central Asia, where mighty and meek have for centuries composed, recited, listened to or read, and lived with the poetry which remained their constant companion."

-- Professor Edward Allworth, Columbia University Allworth was one of the leading authorities on Central Asia and one of his great passions was Central Asian literature. So, when he penned the above quote in his book Central Asia: A Century Of Russian Rule (the 1967 edition, it's been updated a couple of times since then), his assessment carried significant weight. His words still ring true, as the writers, poets, and bards of the region remain prominent today. In fact, anyone passing through any of the major cities and towns of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan would become familiar with the names of local literary greats, great and small. During the time I was Allworth's student, I did not share his interest in Central Asian literature, which in hindsight I realize was a huge mistake.



The Central Eurasian Studies Society conference in Seattle in October 2017 featured a panel devoted to, and honoring, Allworth. Some of his former students presented papers.



I was one of them and, as a tribute to Allworth, I decided to do mine on Central Asia's writers and how they are remembered today. This piece essentially counts as my latest and/or last homework assignment for Allworth.



I make no claim to being an authority on this subject, and the few writers highlighted barely scratch the surface -- there are great number of worthy writers, poets, and bards. But it would be a mammoth work to compile information on even half of them. I did have some fantastic help, though, and I acknowledge here those who were kind enough to share with me their extensive knowledge: -- Begmyrat Bayryyev, MA in Media, Culture and Society from the Polish Academy of Sciences' Institute of Philosophy and Sociology;



-- Amanmurat Agha Bugayev, a member of Turkmenistan's Union of Writers from 1982 to 2001;



-- Hamid Ismailov, currently writer in residence at the BBC and formerly head of the Central Asian services at the BBC;



-- Tyntykbek Tchoroev, a Kyrgyz historian currently teaching at Kyrgyzstan's Jusup Balasagyn University;



-- And, of course, my colleagues in the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Turkmen, and Uzbek services at RFE/RL. -- Bruce Pannier



Kazakhstan's great poet Abai died in 1904. He was from a well-to-do family and, had he been born 25 years later, might easily have been branded a "kulak" by Soviet authorities, who initially rejected Abai's work, referring to it as "semifeudal.'

But Abai had supporters among a younger generation of Kazakhs.

One was Mukhtar Omarhanuly Auezov (1897-1961). He lived in the Semey area, the same region of northeastern Kazakhstan as Abai. In fact, the two families were neighbors and had known each other for several generations. Auezov's father and grandfather often spoke about the poet and recited his verse to Auezov.

Auezov would be instrumental in changing Soviet authorities' opinion of Abai, and in 1932 he played a role in convincing Soviet officials to name the highest mountain outside Almaty Abai Peak.

Auezov was a prominent writer also, winning several Soviet awards for literature, including the Lenin Prize in 1959 for his most successful work, Abai Zholy (The Path Of Abai), which told the story of Abai's life. The work also became the core of the unofficial Kazakh national code, according to one Kazakh familiar with Kazakh literature.

The M.O. Auezov Kazakh State Drama Theater is in Almaty. There are streets and schools named after Auezov in Almaty, Astana, and Semey.



Auezov made another important contribution to Kazakh literature: He helped develop an alphabet for the Kazakh language.

However, it was Akhmet Baitursynov (1873-1937) who played the larger role in developing and codifying the Kazakh alphabet, first into Arabic script, then into Latin script. Baitursynov was the founder of a newspaper, Kazakh, that came out several years before the Bolshevik Revolution. He was a regular target of tsarist police, who considered the publication's nationalist message to be subversive. Baitursynov helped write and develop the platform for the Alash-Orda Party, which included a call for Kazakhs to be granted autonomy within the Russian Empire.

A teacher by training, Baitursynov also wrote textbooks for schools as well as other works on the cultural heritage of the Kazakh people.

His anti-tsarist material helped Baitursynov find favor within the communist regime and he occupied several positions in the Soviet regime in the 1920s, including deputy chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Kazakh Krai. But his early days as a Kazakh nationalist caught up to him in 1929, when he was arrested and exiled to Archangelsk Oblast in far northern Russia. He was released in 1934, but in 1937 he was arrested again for harboring "nationalist sentiments" and was executed.

Besides having a university named for him in Kustanay, which took part in recent efforts to revise the Kazakh alphabet, there is also a museum there dedicated to Baitursynov's life. His works, including Masa (Mosquito) and Qyryq Mysal (40 Proverbs), are taught in Kazakhstan's high schools.

Aaly Tokombaev (1904-1988) played a major role in standardizing the Kyrgyz alphabet.

Tokombaev graduated from the Central Asian State University (now the National University of Uzbekistan) in Tashkent in 1927 and later that year started publishing poetry. Among his early works were On Lenin (1927) and Flowers Of Labor (1932).

In the early 1930s, Tokombaev worked on his novel Urkun about the 1916 revolt against tsarist forces in what is today Kyrgyzstan. The communist government at first made use of the book as an example of tsarist abuse of the Central Asian people, but later the Kremlin worried about the anti-Russian sentiment it aroused in the Kyrgyz. Tokombaev was arrested in 1937 but was freed in 1939.

His future works were more cautious, but the history of the Kyrgyz people remained his favorite topic and much of the research being done in Kyrgyzstan today concerning the history of the Kyrgyz people builds on work Tokombaev started.

Chingiz Aitmatov (1928-2008) is simply one of the greatest contemporary authors and an obvious source of national pride for Kyrgyzstan. Aitmatov is so well known that we'll simply note there is an abundance of information about him out there.

Sadriddin Ayni (1876-1954) is credited with writing the first novel in the Tajik language, Dokhunda (Mountain Villager), in 1931. Other works such as Ghulomon (Slaves) and Jollodon-i Bukhara (The Executioners Of Bukhara) condemned the rule of the emirs of Bukhara, something that pleased the Soviet authorities, who were always quick to point to what the Soviet government regarded as the despotic rule of morally impoverished local governments of Central Asia's pre-Soviet period.

In Ayni's case, it was personal. He was a prisoner in Bukhara in 1917 and endured torture during his confinement, until he was liberated when Red Army troops seized the city.

He wrote about the Tajik national character, but he was more cautious than Tokombaev had been in writing about Urkun. Ayni was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic for 20 years. He was the recipient of the Order of Lenin three times.

But Ayni's works on Tajik identity took on a special importance after the 1991 independence and have played a role in developing the Tajik national character. There is an Ayni district in Tajikistan's northern Sughd region, an Ayni Street in Dushanbe, and a military airport near Dushanbe is also named for Ayni.

The Uzbek government's treatment of Fitrat and Hamza is a statement on the policies of the late President Islam Karimov.

Abdurauf Fitrat (1886-1938) was inspired by the Young Turks movement in Turkey during his studies at Istanbul University in 1909-13. He returned to Bukhara in 1914 and became active in the Yeni Bukharlyar (Young Bukharans), a group based on the Young Turks that opposed the rule of the emir of Bukhara.

Fitrat also wrote dramas based on the lives of historical Central Asian figures, as in his 1919 play Oghuz Khan. He is known for writing about those particularly closely associated with Uzbek culture -- for example, Temurning Saghanasi (Temur's Mausoleum) and Ulugh Beg (the legendary Uzbek astronomer, also Emir Timur's grandson).

Fitrat's opposition to the Soviet Union's policy of stamping out religion, his association with the Young Turks, and later Young Bukharans proved to be his undoing. He was arrested in 1937 and executed in 1938.

He is well regarded in Uzbekistan today, with streets named after him in Tashkent and Bukhara. Karimov bestowed posthumous awards on Fitrat in the 1990s.

Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy, or simply Hamza (1889-1929), is credited with being the first Uzbek playwright but also with having made great contributions to modern Uzbek musical forms. During the 1920s, he also standardized the literary Uzbek language to replace the aged Chagatai language.

While other Central Asian writers may have found ways to work within the Soviet system, Hamza seemed to embrace it. His works in the 1920s chided Uzbeks for their superstitions and espoused topics such as women's rights and social equality. He was named a National Writer of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1926.



Hamza became an early Soviet martyr when he was stoned to death by a group of Islamic supporters in the town of Shohimardon in 1929.



Hamza was revered during Soviet times. Parks, streets, and even a metro station in Tashkent were named after him. But after 1991 independence, his name was removed from everything.



Turkmenistan has degenerated into an absurd state as concerns contemporary literature since independence.



Even the great Magtumguly has been moved into the background to make way for the books of Turkmenistan's presidents. Both the country's first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, and his successor, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, have allegedly authored numerous works on a range of topics.



The apex of Niyazov's writings was Ruhnama (The Book Of The Soul), a collection of moral principles and guidelines for the Turkmen people, which in Niyazov's last years was praised by Turkmen officials as second in importance only to the Koran.



According to official claims, Berdymukhammedov has written more than 40 books on topics ranging from traditional Turkmen medicines (Berdymukhammedov was trained as a dentist), to tea, to the native Akhal horse, and so on.



These attempts to eclipse the classic Turkmen writers have not, at least so far, led to the removal of their names from places all around the country, however.

So there it is, a greatly abridged version of my presentation but hopefully something to pique the interest of other Central Asian scholars to provide more in-depth works on these important figures.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.
A tip by a top Australian diplomat may have been what caused the FBI to begin its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, The New York Times is reporting.

According to report, published on December 30, a campaign adviser for then-Republican candidate Donald Trump, George Papadopoulos, told the diplomat, Alexander Downer, during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of e-mails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

After Democratic Party e-mails were hacked and leaked, Australia passed the information on to the FBI, the report said.

"The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016," according to The New York Times, which cited as sources four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the situation.

Former FBI chief Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel to head the U.S. Justice Department probe into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether there were any links to the Trump campaign.

Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is cooperating with authorities.

Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer, declined to comment on The New York Times report, saying only that the U.S. administration is cooperating with the Mueller investigation.

Based on reporting by The New York Times and AP
WASHINGTON -- The Russian Embassy in Washington said late on December 29 that it had refused entry to U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen because she's on a "blacklist" that was created in reaction to sanctions imposed by the United States.

The move by Moscow against the Democratic senator led Republican Senators Ron Johnson and John Barrasso to announce they were canceling a planned trip by the three to Russia in January.

Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, called Russia's action "counterproductive to improving relations between our nations."

Shaheen has been a leading critic of Russia and has pushed for stronger measures to thwart any future Russian interference in U.S. elections.

She also is a top advocate in Congress for banning government use of Kaspersky Lab products and urged the U.S. administration in October to declassify information about purported threats posed by the Russian firm.

In 2012, Shaheen called for the United States to deny visas to civil rights abusers from Russia seeking U.S. travel.

The Russian Embassy said in a statement posted on its website late on December 29 that Shaheen's request was rejected because of the blacklist but that visas were issued to the other senators.

The embassy blamed Washington for creating "this situation" and urged Washington to renounce the sanctions against Russia.

It said it offered to give visas to each other countries' citizens on black lists on a "reciprocal basis" but that the U.S. side rejected the proposal.

Several Russian citizens and entities are barred from travel to the United States under various sanction regimes, including under the Magnitsky Act, which aims to punish human rights abusers, and sanctions linked to Moscow's aggression in Ukraine.

Shaheen spokesman Ryan Nickel said that "while she regrets the Kremlin decision...she vows to continue her work to hold the Russian government accountable for its actions that go against international norms and against the Russian people."

With reporting by AP, The New Hampshire Union Leader, and Interfax


Russias Investigative Committee says it has indicted the suspect in the St. Petersburg supermarket bombing earlier this week on terrorism charges.

In a statement on December 31, the committee said the suspect -- Dmitry Lukyanenko -- deliberately made and planted a homemade explosive device used in the December 27 attack that left 13 people injured.

Lukyanenko told investigators that he had been motivated by hatred toward the organizers and participants of mind-set training sessions that he had attended, the committee said without disclosing further details.

According to the committee, Lukyanenko left two USB drives near the site of the blast with information about his actions and photos of the explosive device.

The statement said Lukyanenko had been monitored by mental health professionals since he was 19 for undisclosed issues. It did not say how old he is now.

The Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for the blast but did not provide evidence to support the claim.

The claim came after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the explosion was an act of terrorism.

A day after the blast, Putin told security forces to take no prisoners when handling imminent threats from terror-plot suspects.

Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said on December 27 that the "homemade bomb" that ripped through a customer locker area at a Perekryostok supermarket exploded with the power equivalent to 200 grams of TNT.

Based on reporting by Reuters and meduza.io
[JAKARTA] A spurt in diphtheria cases in Indonesia in 2017 is being attributed by doctors to an anti-vaccination movement mounted by religious orthodoxy.

More than 600 people in predominantly Muslim Indonesia were infected with the causative bacterium (Corynebacterium diphtheria) this year, with at least 32 deaths, mostly children. The bulk of the cases are in the densely populated capital, Jakarta. Health officials say the number of diphtheria cases represents a 42 per cent hike over figures for 2016 and over 30 times about a decade ago.

Agustina Kadaristiana, general practitioner and founder of Doctormums, a website which supports maternal and child health, says religious groups are undermining government drives against vaccination-preventable diseases.

In August, a vaccination drive against measles and rubella was opposed by the Indonesian Council of Islamic Clerics (MUI), which declared that the vaccines contain material taken from pigs  an animal that is taboo in Islam.

I think we need to conduct large-scale research on the anti-vaccination movement to formulate solutions, and this should involve policy makers, researchers, the MUI, media and surveillance agencies Agustina Kadaristiana, Doctormums

According to Kadaristiana, many Muslims believe that following sunnah (or the way of the Prophet) is enough protection against diseases. I think we need to conduct large-scale research on the anti-vaccination movement to formulate solutions, and this should involve policy makers, researchers, the MUI, media and surveillance agencies, she says.

Jane Soepardi, director of surveillance and quarantine at Indonesias health ministry, says that anti-vaccination sentiment in Indonesia is also linked to cultural differences. We got 100 per cent uptake for the measles and rubella immunisation drive in

East Java this year because we gained the support of traditional leaders during the campaign.

East Java was the centre of a diphtheria outbreak in 2009 when no efforts were made to canvass support from traditional leaders. According to Soepardi, hundreds of people who visited the province during the Eid holidays that year got infected and spread the highly contagious disease across the archipelago.

By 2012, infections had soared to 1,192 cases, according to health ministry statistics. While the numbers declined to 394 in 2014, they began to soar again over subsequent years.

The high mobility of Indonesian people is certainly one reason for the increasing number of diphtheria cases, Soepardi says. Now we have more than 600 cases in 21 provinces. Another reason is insufficient vaccination coverage.

Data from the health ministrys 2013 Basic Health Research documents show that about 25 per cent of Indonesian children in the 26 age group were not covered for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus under the standard vaccination and were, therefore, vulnerable to these diseases.

On 11 December, the health ministry launched outbreak response immunisation for children and adults as a measure to quickly isolate and contain spread of diphtheria.

We need to emphasise that vaccination is beneficial, health minister Nila Moeloek said at the launch, hoping to allay public apprehension.

The immunisation programme is deemed necessary and well-timed as Jakarta is one of the two host cities for 2018 Asian Games, which is expected to draw hundreds of delegates and athletes from other parts of Asia.



This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Asia & Pacific desk.
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Sputnik 1 started it all. The beachball-sized satellite was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957 and, despite a relatively short mission of only 21 days in orbit around Earth, quickly became regarded as a device that changed the world. It represented the beginning of the Space Age  and immediately heightened tensions between the US and the USSR, prompting fears about the weaponising of space.

But Sputnik, and the missions that were to follow as humankind sought to bring space increasingly within the reach of the Earth, was not just about rivalry. There was to be unprecedented international cooperation, as in the collaboration over the International Space Station. Nowadays, you are more likely to hear about the competition between private and state-owned companies for ownership of the next big space programme.

Perhaps the longest lasting of Sputnik's many legacies is the idea that orbital circumnavigation brings the world together. This idea gathered momentum in the 1960s and 1970s with the tradition of orbital photography that started with NASA's Earthrise and Blue Marble images and continues today with the thousands of striking photos of Earth taken by astronauts on the International Space Station. It is a photographic tradition that is often credited with revealing the world to its inhabitants.

Have a look at Earth

To focus on Sputnik's technological, political, military, commercial or photographic legacy is, however, to neglect the strange practice of sending poetry into space. In 2013, more than 1,100 haikus were sent on NASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) probe. These poems were selected by public vote following a competition that invited submissions from around the world.

The winner, by Benedict Smith, points to the failed project of global community in the age of satellites and spacecraft:

It's funny, they namedMars after the God of WarHave a look at Earth

Maya Angelou's speech for Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign. (Image credit: Talbot Troy, CC BY)

In 2014, NASA again sent poetry into space when Maya Angelou's poem A Brave and Startling Truth was carried on Orion's orbital test flight. Commemorating the UN's 50th anniversary in 1995, this poem offers an inspirational vision of humanity's capacity to overcome conflict.

Written as though from beyond the world, Angelou's poem is at the same time focused on the human and the earthly.

What it sees is a humanity that is not subject to a celestial gaze or divine authority, but can direct the course of worldly affairs and aspire to planetary peace. At the culmination of this poem, Angelou writes:

We, this people, on this wayward, floating bodyCreated on this earth, of this earthHave the power to fashion for this earthA climate where every man and every womanCan live freely without sanctimonious pietyWithout crippling fear.

Man assaults the sky

Predating Angelou's poem and MAVEN's haikus by several decades is Thomas Bergin's For A Space Prober. Etched into an instrumentation panel on the Transit Research and Attitude Control (TRAAC) satellite that was launched on November 15, 1961, Bergin's poem was the first literary work to leave Earth. This poem continues to circle the Earth at an altitude of 600 miles  and it is expected to remain there for 800 years. It is a message to the gods that declares the end of their belligerent influence:

From Time's obscure beginning, the OlympiansHave, moved by pity, anger, sometimes mirth,Poured an abundant store of missiles downOn the resigned, defenceless sons of Earth.Hailstones and chiding thunderclaps of Jove,Remote directives from the constellations:

Bergin was Professor of Romance Languages at Yale University from 1945 to 1973  and known in particular for his 1955 English translation of Dante's The Divine Comedy. Dante's poem is significant partly because of the medieval cosmology that it articulates.

Thomas Bergin's poem will orbit the Earth for another 750 years. (Image credit: CubPunch28 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY)

The world, The Divine Comedy tells us, is its own entity and can be comprehended. It is not merely a subordinate element in a larger, and mysterious, divine order. Dante's poem announces the arrival of this outlook at a time when the influence of the heavenly kingdom was retreating. No longer subject to a higher authority, humanity started at this point to take on a transcendent perspective. The secular world became able to see, and to take control of, itself.

Bergin's poem is shaped by this vision of a world that is detaching itself from the realm of the gods. It is humanity's ability to rise above and comprehend its earthly home that is affirmed by the first poem sent into orbit. It is, then, part of an overlooked literary legacy that situates orbital circumnavigation in deep theological and earthly time.

Before the Earthrise and Blue Marble photos, it is poetry that offers a vision of the whole world. However, this poem also exposes a blind spot in the story of Sputnik's journey and its aftermath. It reveals how, 60 years ago, orbit was not viewed exclusively as the space of a heightened military threat or the source of new national divisions. Remarkably, the first poem in space petitions for the decommissioning of weapons in orbit and calls for universal peace.

Phil Leonard, Professor of Literature & Theory, Nottingham Trent University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook, Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com.
2 018 has been a year of ups and downs  a blissful summer heatwave, one anguishing World Cup and more Brexit than anyone can really understand.

It's coming to a close though and London's New Years Eve fireworks display is the perfect way to welcome in 2019. To see it properly it's best to venture outside  the telly never does them justice, after all.

Official tickets for the fireworks have sold out but theres a plethora of spaces to enjoy the glorious celebrations on the cheap.

In fact, it won't cost a penny  savvy savers can also enjoy free public transport from 11.45pm to 4.30am on all TFL networks. Theres also no congestion charge for drivers, so everyones a winner.

City Hall have also flagged that some of the bridges may be closed on the night itself, but haven't confirmed any details. As always, if they are open, it's important to be wary of any traffic and overcrowding.

Alexandra Palace

Steven Paston/PA Archive/PA Images

Start your 2019 fitness regime a few hours early by climbing up Ally Pallys enormous hill. Its a harsh incline but the spectacular city skyline that waits at the top really does make the trek worth it. Anyone who has graced the grounds on Bonfire Night knows that a number of other city firework displays are visible from the top and its a rather enchanting sight.

Nearest tube: Alexandra Palace

Primrose Hill

( Yui Mok/PA Images) / Yui Mok/PA Images

At 76 metres up, the top of Primrose Hill offers near unrivalled views across London. Get there a little early to soak up the last few minutes of 2018 and to enjoy the capital illuminated after dark. In order to secure a space, its best not to leave it too late and there are plenty of pubs to grab a warming tipple in beforehand. Stylish gastro-pub The Princess of Wales is the perfect place for cracking open a bottle of fizz, while the Queens on Regents Park Road does some pretty great cask ales.

Nearest tube: Chalk Farm, Camden

Parliament Hill and Hampstead Heath

Yui Mok/PA Archive/PA Images

Theres lots going on at Parliament Hill on NYE. Not only does it offer great visibility of London, but some people bring their own fireworks too. Venture further down to Hampstead Heath for equally breathtaking views from its high vantage point. Bring a bottle of bubbles and watch the city come alive with colour.

Nearest stations: Hampstead, Gospel Oak and Belsize Park

Quirky New Year's Eve parties for culture lovers - In pictures 1 /6 Quirky New Year's Eve parties for culture lovers - In pictures Party Animals at Natural History Museum Prepare to get wild at the Natural History Museum, where you can follow your animal instincts right into 2019. In an evening packed with animal-themed activities and plenty of chances to boogie, Party Animals invites you to take part in a silent disco and a Massaoke party under Hope, the 26 metre blue whale skeleton hanging in the Hintze Hall. You can also visit exhibitions for free, sample edible insects, make animal masks and try your hand at musical bingo. Dare & Hier Media Ltd New Years Eve Spectacular at Southbank Centre Dont fancy standing in the cold for the London fireworks? The Southbank Centre is offering you a cosy spot to watch and much, much more. The Royal Festival Hall is set to transform itself into a five-floor club venue, hosting six pop-up night clubs themed around different decades from the Roaring Twenties onwards. Across the building, youll find myriad bars, live acts, DJ sets and dance lessons, which you can get involved in before heading out on to the terraces to watch the London skyline come alive. Clem Onojeghuo New Years Eve hosted by Diane Chorley at Soho Theatre Canvey Island nightclub impresario Diane Chorley certainly knows how to throw a party, and shell be doing just that at Soho Theatre to ring in 2019. A night of Eighties-themed frolicks will pay homage to The Duchess of Canveys heyday at Essex hotspot The Flick, and will feature comic turns from Roisin & Chiara, Rosie Jones and Darren Harriott. Bring you should pads and your shell suits because youll be going back to the future at midnight. New Years Eve Ceilidh at Cecil Sharp House English folk arts centre Cecil Sharp House will be stripping the willow and jigging along like Gay Gordons on the last night of 2018, celebrating the new year with a traditional English ceilidh. The William Pound Band will be providing the music, with caller Cate Haynes calling the shots. A bar will keep you refreshed throughout the night, and dancers of all abilities are welcome to join on the dancefloor. Comedy Carnival at Leicester Square and Clapham End the year with a belly full of laughs at Comedy Carnivals New Years Eve giggle fests. The comedy venue will be running evening shows at both its Leicester Square and Clapham sites, with acts including Canadian stand up and 8 Out of 10 Cats panellist Bobby Mair, BBC Radio 1s Tom Deacon and American comedian Ola. Either get a ticket for just the comedy show, which runs until 10pm, or continue the party at Comedy Carnivals nightclub, hosting an after-party that lasts until 5am.

Hilly Fields

( Dominic Lipinski/PA Archive/PA Images) / Dominic Lipinski/PA Archive/PA Images

Great viewing spots are not exclusive to north of the river as this little hangout in Brockley proves. The green space stands 175 feet above sea level, making it a prime firework viewing spot. The roads surrounding Crofton Park tube station are home to a number of great pubs and bars including the London Beer Dispensary  ideal if you need to kill some time beforehand.

Nearest stations: Ladywell and Crofton Park station

London's bridges

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Though they can get extremely busy  so be careful  Southwark Bridge and Millennium Bridge offer clear views for all the action.

Lambeth Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge boast slightly more wiggle room, at the cost of being further away.

For anyone braving the bridges dont forget to wrap up extremely warm  starting the new year with a cold is never ideal, after all.
P olice in Camden are appealing to the public to help identify a man who collapsed outside a hospital in central London.

The man was found outside University College Hospital on Tuesday afternoon after suffering a heart attack.

He is currently in an induced coma and in a life-threatening condition.

When the man was found, at around 4.30pm, he was not carrying any identification.

Police described him as being of light skin black or Asian origin and officers believe that it is possible that he is homeless.

Due to his poor state of health police want to trace his family as soon as possible and have asked for anyone who recognises the man to come forward.

Anyone with information which could help to identify this man should call CID at Central North Command Unit by dialling 101.
F our Brits are feared to be among the dead after a sightseeing seaplane crashed near Sydney.

Australian police said six bodies have been recovered from the scene and an investigation is underway to identify the victims.

The passengers are believed to have been on a "wine and dine" sightseeing flight ahead of the city's New Year's celebrations.

The plane crashed off Jerusalem Bay near Cowan, north of Sydney, at around 3.10pm (4.10am GMT) on Sunday, police said.

Crash: Police divers at the scene / REUTERS

Local reports suggest four Britons were among the dead.

New South Wales Police Force and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are investigating the cause of the crash and said the single-engine plane operated by Sydney Seaplanes is reported to have "sunk rapidly" after hitting the water.

"At around 3pm this afternoon, a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane, VH-NOO, operated by Sydney Seaplanes was flying in the vicinity of Jerusalem Bay (near Cottage Point)," the bureau said.

Diver is seen entering the water from rescue vessel after a seaplane crashed into a Sydney river / REUTERS

"It is understood that there was one pilot and five passengers on the aircraft on a return flight to Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour.

"The sequence of events leading up to the accident are not yet understood, however following the impact with the water, the aircraft is reported to have sunk rapidly."

The Foreign Office was unable to confirm any details of the crash but said British officials are in contact with authorities in Sydney.

The Sydney Seaplanes aircraft was carrying a pilot and five passengers when it crashed / EPA

A spokeswoman said: "Officials from the British consulate are in contact with local authorities in relation to a sea plane accident near Sydney.

"We stand ready to provide consular assistance."

Sydney Seaplanes said it was "deeply shocked" by the "tragic accident" involving one of its aircraft.

Aaron Shaw, managing director, said in a statement: "All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life.

"We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed.

"We do not yet know the cause of the accident.

"We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident."

He added: "Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now.

"The safety of our passengers and staff is our absolute primary and highest priority.

"Our aircraft are professionally maintained to manufacturer's specifications and our seaplane pilots are some of the most experienced in the world."

The company has suspended all operations until further notice, Mr Shaw said.
A plane crashed in Costa Rica on Sunday, killing at least 12 people, most of them foreign tourists, the country's security ministry said.

The crash, whose cause is not yet known, took place in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, which is popular with tourists, in the province of Guanacaste, about 230 km (140 miles) west of the capital of San JosA.

Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica's civil aviation agency, told local media that the deceased included 10 foreign tourists and two Costa Rican pilots for the aircraft, which was operated by local company Nature Air.

Nature Air could not immediately be reached for comment.

Laura Chinchilla, who was president of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014, said on Twitter that her cousin, one of the crew members, had died in the accident.

The U.S. State Department said it was working with Costa Rican authorities to determine if the plane carried U.S. citizens.

"There are no people alive," Security Minister Gustavo Mata said, adding that autopsies would be needed to confirm the total number and identities of victims because their remains were badly burned.

Punta Islita, on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, is popular among North American and European tourists for its pristine beaches and lush landscape.

Additional reporting by the Press Association
W hile New Years Eve is typically a night reserved for the grandest of plans  there is another option. For those forgoing an evening spent party-hopping, champagne-quaffing and staring at fireworks from afar, there are plenty of TV treats to entertain.

Heres our pick of the best shows to watch on December 31, should you opt to stay in.

Alan Carrs New Year Specstacular

An extra-boozy twist on the comedians talk show Chatty Many, Specstacular will see Carr joined by a host of celebrity guests including Big Narstie, Jonnie Peacock, Keith Lemon, Caroline Flack, Alex Brooker and Binky Felstead.

If youre wanting to laugh your way into 2018  this ones for you.

Channel 4, 9pm

Nile Rodgers and Chic: Good Times 2017

Getty Images

Disco legend and super producer Nile Rodgers is a staple of any decent party playlist having masterminded hits like Lets Dance by David Bowie, Im Coming Out by Diana Ross and Get Lucky by Daft Punk, to name but a few, not to mention classics from his own group Chic like Le Freak and Good Times.

This time hes back with the band on the BBC, beaming the party mood directly into your front room. So push the coffee table to one side as youll definitely want some room to throw a few shapes.

BBC One, 11.20pm

Jools Annual Hootenanny

BBC/Andre Csillag/Relay Photos

The madcap jazz pianist from South London is back to usher in the new year with a host of musical guests. Expect performances from Ed Sheeran, Jessie Ware, Beth Ditto and Soul II Soul.

Holland will no doubt be unable to resist joining in and tinkling a few ivories himself before the evening is out.

BBC Two, 11.20pm
How many people has ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) killed so far? While we are at it, how many people has the Assad government of Syria killed so far? By the end of 2017 ISIL lost control of the last bits of territory it had controlled in Iraq and Syria since mid-2014. Most of Syria is now back under the control of the Assads, although most of the population is not. In 2011 there were 21 million people living in Syria, now there are about 14 million. Most of the lost population is still alive, but outside Syria (mainly in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan).

At its height ISIL controlled over ten million people. Several other major Islamic terror groups then pledged allegiance to this Islamic State and continue killing. These included Boko Haram and al Shabaab in Africa and many smaller groups in Asia and the Middle East. By 2018 the Islamic state and all its affiliates had killed over 40,000 people directly and many more from secondary effects (starvation, disease and exposure). Most of the deaths attributed to the Islamic State are considered Islamic terrorism but ISIL (and most other Islamic terror groups) insist they are simply enforcing Islamic law, which mandates execution for a wide variety of infractions. This is a contentious subject when it comes to classifying deaths because Islam is a religion where, in its purest form, there is no separation of church and state. Islam is a term derived from an Arab word for submission. Many religions call for believers to submit to the will of God but Islam is very literal about that and nations that enforce Islamic (Sharia) law execute people for trying to join another religion or saying or doing a long list of things that Islamic law forbids.

Most of the world considers enforcement of this extreme (or pure) form of Sharia a form of terrorism and state sponsored murder. This is not a unique problem and that is why it is customary to ignore (or reclassify) legal (government approved or carried out) terrorism. That has always been a problem, but more of a political than a statistical one. The commonly (but not universally) accepted definition of state sponsored terrorism is bad government. A fancy term for the mass murder such bad government produces is democide. The 20th century was something of a peak period for democide. Soldiers and police killed over 200 million civilians in the 20th century. For every soldier killed in combat, more than two unarmed civilians were slaughtered in what has been, so far, the bloodiest century in human history.

But it gets worse. Three quarters of those dead civilians were killed outside of a combat zone, and most were killed by their own government. That's simply democide. It is still going on in a big way, and not just with the transitory Islamic State. The Syrian civil war saw the Assad government deliberately attack pro-rebel civilians. Since that included most of the Syrian population the immediate goal was not to kill them (although over 100,000 direct deaths were probably the result) but to get the pro-rebel Syrians to flee their homes and, preferably, the country. About a third of the population did just that. Meanwhile North Korea has been killing its own people in large numbers since the 1990s (and in smaller numbers since 1948). That state-sponsored murder has accounted for nearly two million deaths so far. Anything close to the true number wont be known until the current government is gone and access to the territory and population of North Korea is possible.

While democide is not really a new development, it was never as big as it was in the 20th century. The major offenders have been; USSR (61 million killed), Communist Chinese (38 million), Nazi Germany (20 million), Nationalist Chinese (10 million), Imperial Japan (six million), Cambodian communists (two million), Ottoman Turks (1.8 million), Vietnam (1.6), Polish communists (1.5 million), Pakistan (1.5 million), Yugoslav communists (one million.) There are a number of surprises on this list. Most people think the Nazis were the worst offenders, but they are really only number three. That's because the communists managed to hide their mass murders for most of the century, aided by the tendency of the free world media to believe a lot of the propaganda regarding the "Worker's Paradise". Even before the Cold War ended, there was a growing pile of evidence that something very bad was happening behind the Iron Curtain. During the 1990s, scholars were able to investigate the communist democides more thoroughly because of access to source documents and witnesses and now we know. Some of the smaller offenders on the list are hardly noticed at all, but this is because after World War II most people were sick and tired of war and the massive deaths that accompanied it. But in Eastern Europe, revenge was in the air. While a lot of fascists got killed, so did a lot of innocents. Even being suspected of anti-communist tendencies could get you killed back then.

Democides continue, and now they get a lot more attention. Figuring out how to stop them is another matter. But when the media jumps on a tragic situation like this, they often zap a few innocent bystanders as well. A good example was the news stories in the late 1990s about the killing of South Korean civilians by U.S. soldiers in 1950 near No Gun Ri. This incident, and many similar ones, have long been common knowledge to U.S. soldiers who served during the Korean War or later. It was a not uncommon practice for North Korean troops to wear civilian clothes and mix in with fleeing South Korean refugees in order to get behind US troops. This tactic was learned by the 100,000 North Koreans who had served with the Chinese Communist army during the Chinese civil war, and then transferred to the new North Korean army in the late 1940s. The Chinese Communists openly preached the use of guerilla war tactics during their war (1920s to 1949) with Japanese and Chinese Nationalist forces. As a result, civilians were often fired on if they approached troops who feared (often from past experience) that there were armed enemy soldiers mixed in with the civilians. Americans learned of this tactic the hard way in the Summer of 1950, as they retreated before the advancing North Koreans. A similar tactic was used against UN peacekeepers in Somalia in the early 1990s. In one incident, 24 Pakistanis soldiers were killed because hostile gunmen hid behind women and children. The same tactic was seen by U.S. troops in the 1993 Mogadishu shoot-out that killed 18 American rangers. In that fight, U.S. troops quickly learned to either shoot at the civilians the gunmen were hiding behind, or get shot themselves. Some two million Korean civilians were killed during the 1950-53 Korean War and the deliberate abuse of civilians by non-government groups (especially Islamic terrorists) became a major source of death and destruction early in the 21st century.

The Geneva Conventions do not prohibit the killing of civilians, recognizing that there is often what is termed "military necessity." If this were not the case, every nation involved in World War II would be liable for shelling or bombing civilians. There are cases where civilians are killed for no military reason, and these can be, and sometimes are, prosecuted.

It has long been U.S. Army policy not publicize incidents like No Gun Ri, or things like the high friendly fire rate among American troops (estimated to be as high as 20 percent of friendly casualties in some 20th century battles.) It's bad for morale. The troops don't like dwelling on the fact that in battle their own weapons sometimes kill friendly troops, or innocent civilians. The commander on the spot is in a no-win situation. If he does not order using firepower to keep civilians (and enemy infiltrators) away from your troops, then he has to suffer losses when the enemy infiltrators get behind friendly lines and begin ambushing American troops. This use of civilians, illegal according to the laws of war was promoted by political and religious zealots throughout the 20th century and into the 21st.

Another favorite bad habit of zealots is deliberate terrorizing of civilians. Actually, this is a common characteristic of corrupt countries, where the primary thieves (whether in government or not) use terror to avoid prosecution or united action by very angry citizens. This is another grey area when counting terrorist acts. Even when dealing with leftist or Islamic terrorists there is often overlap between terror attacks done for the cause and those concerned mainly with raising cash to keep the terror organization (even bad guys got bills).
Swatting---the act of making a hoax 911 call in the hope it will lead to armed responders turning up at an address---has been around for a while. But on Thursday, what's thought to be the first ever swatting-related fatality took place. One day after the incident, the man who allegedly made the prank call was arrested.

25-year-old Tyler Barriss was taken into custody over his alleged role in the death of 28-year-old Andy Finch, a father-of-two from Wichita, Kansas.

The incident was reportedly the result of a $1.50 wagered Call Of Duty online match, with two players on the same team apparently blaming each other for their loss, but what makes this even more tragic is that Finch had no involvement in the match or the argument that ensued.

One of the COD players, who used the Twitter handle @SWauTistic, threatened to swat a user called @7aLeNT. The latter player dared @SWauTistic to "please try some shit," and even provided an address to do so, but it wasn't his own.

@SWauTistic, believing this really was @7aLeNT's home, called the Kansas police and informed them that a domestic dispute incident was taking place at the West McCormick Street address. He told the 911 dispatcher that he had shot his father in the head and was holding his mother, brother, and sister hostage. @SWauTistic also threatened to burn the house down.

'That was the information we were working off of,' Deputy Wichita Police Chief Troy Livingston told to the Wichita Eagle.

Armed police quickly arrived at the address expecting a hostage situation, but it was an unsuspecting Finch who answered the door. According to Livingston, Finch was ordered to put his arms in the air but instead moved a hand toward his waistband. One officer, convinced that the father was reaching for a gun, fired a single round. Finch died within minutes. His mother, Lisa Finch, said the whole family was made to step outside barefoot into the cold, and that her granddaughter was forced to step over her dying uncle. She insisted that Andy wasn't a gamer; it appears the address was one chosen at random by @7aLeNT.

Finch had no weapon on him at the time he was shot. The officer who fired the shot has been placed on administrative leave.

A day later, police arrested Barriss, who is suspected to be @SWauTistic. As his username suggests, he is a serial swatter and also claims credit for a number of hoax bomb threats, including one targeting the offices of an ABC affiliate in Los Angeles in 2015, and the recent hoax that delayed the FCC's Net Neutrality vote. He's been arrested twice before, once for a bomb hoax.

Speaking before the arrest during an interview with YouTube channel DramaAlert, a person claiming to be Barriss said: "It's my personal belief that I didn't cause someone to die."

"The call was made by me, but as far as the whole incident, you could point the finger at a few different people. You could point the finger at the cop that shot him. You could point the finger at the guy who made the call. You could point the finger at the person that gave the address."

Barriss was equally unapologetic on Twitter. After posting,"That kids house that I swatted is on the news," he sent out another tweet that read: "I DIDNT GET ANYONE KILLED BECAUSE I DIDNT DISCHARGE A WEAPON AND BEING A SWAT MEMBER ISNT MY PROFESSION."

Police say the FBI is now involved in the case.
2017: As the hardware world turns The year is almost over, and now it's time to look back on the last fifty-odd weeks. What happened in this year in hacking? 2017 will go down as the beginning of another AI renaissance, although we're not going to call it that; this year was all about neural nets and machine learning and advancements resulting from the development of self-driving cars and very beefy GPUs. Not since the 80s have we seen more work in 'AI' fields. What will it amount to this time around the hype cycle? Find out in a few years. Hackaday

2017: The year in programming languages For programming languages, languages like Java and Kotlin garnering a lot of attention in enterprise and mobile development in 2017. The JavaScript ecosystem, critical to web development, continued to expand as well. Overall, the year presented a mixed bag of improvements to both long-established and newer languages. Infoworld

Computer latency: 1977-2017 I've had this nagging feeling that the computers I use today feel slower than the computers I used as a kid. As a rule, I don't trust this kind of feeling because human perception has been shown to be unreliable in empirical studies, so I carried around a high-speed camera and measured the response latency of devices I've run into in the past few months. Here are the results: Dan Luu

Acoustic attacks on HDDs can sabotage PCs, CCTV systems, ATMs, more Attackers can use sound waves to interfere with a hard drive's normal mode of operation, creating a temporary or permanent denial of state (DoS) that could be used to prevent CCTV systems from recording video footage or freeze computers dealing with critical operations. The basic principle behind this attack is that sound waves introduce mechanical vibrations into an HDD's data-storage platters. BleepingComputer

A Budget Home Theater & PC Setup: 4K, HDR, UHD Blu-ray, and More The days of bulky HTPCs with built-in optical drives, massive internal storage arrays, and integrated TV tuners are long gone. The advent of over the top (OTT) online streaming services has moved a lot of functionality to the cloud. As NAS units become more powerful, it has made sense to move local media files to a central repository. All these have enabled the TV-connected PC to become more compact. Ars Technica

Arcade machine DIY guide Today we have published something very special on OCinside.de: A guide how to build an arcade machine or a worklog to do so. Daniel, one of our longtime PC forum members built a fully fledged 24-inch arcade machine construction using Raspberry Pi 3. As always, we wish you a lot of fun reading this new arcade machine DIY guide and of course to copy the Retro arcade machine. OCinside.de

How to hack a turned-off computer, or running unsigned code in Intel ME Intel Management Engine (Intel ME) is a proprietary technology that consists of a microcontroller integrated into the Platform Controller Hub (PCH) chip and a set of built-in peripherals. The PCH carries almost all communication between the processor and external devices. Therefore, Intel ME has access to almost all data on the computer. The ability to execute third-party code on Intel ME would allow for a complete compromise of the platform. Blackhat.com (PDF)

How classical cryptography will survive quantum computers Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, certainly raised the profile of quantum computing a few notches last year, when he gamely---if vaguely1---described it for a press conference. But we've heard a lot about quantum computers in the past few years, as Google, I.B.M., and N.A.S.A., as well as many, many universities, have all been working on, or putting money into, quantum computers for various ends. Nautil.us

Why paywalls don't work Congratulations! You've read too much. Please pull out your credit card. And so goes the frustrating, backward logic of the journalism paywall. It's the most popular income idea to arise since the newspaper industry was flooded with low-budget competitors, and it seems like the last best hope for profits as Google and Facebook strangle independent advertising sales. NewCo Shift

The robots are coming, and Sweden is fine From inside the control room carved into the rock more than half a mile underground, Mika Persson can see the robots on the march, supposedly coming for his job here at the New Boliden mine. He's fine with it. Sweden's famously generous social welfare system makes this a place not prone to fretting about automation --- or much else, for that matter. The NY Times

Google's voice-generating AI is now indistinguishable from humans Humans have officially given their voice to machines. A research paper published by Google this month---which has not been peer reviewed---details a text-to-speech system called Tacotron 2, which claims near-human accuracy at imitating audio of a person speaking from text. Quartz
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Thursday that his country has the highest economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, despite the sanctions imposed against it. | Read More
Much better than going out there. Photo: Dougal Waters/Getty Images

Wow, its really cold right now. Heading outside sounds pretty miserable, which is why its a great time to lie on your couch, stream some Netflix, and take advantage of the many after-Christmas sales. There are a ton right now that will end by early next week, and the deals are quite good. To help you keep track of it all, heres our master list of everything worth buying this weekend:

Going out on New Years Eve? Shopbops sale-on-sale has sadly ended, but its regular sale is still going strong. Shop our top picks for party dresses here.

If you want some new winter clothes and dont want to spend more than $120, here are our top picks from the Nordstrom sale, which ends on January 2.

Because we know that youre all Everlane fans, we also curated our favorites from its huge sale.

Bad news: Its only going to get colder next week. Good news? Down coats are on sale.

None of these pique your interest? Heres our master list of all of the after-Christmas sales.

Happy shopping from your warm home!

If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.
The celebration will be held at Brandenburg Gate. Photo: RALF HIRSCHBERGER/AFP/Getty Images

A team of medical professionals will be stationed near Berlins main New Years Eve celebration to consult with partygoers who are sexually harassed or assaulted at the event, the Washington Post reports. This decision stems from the events of 2015, when about 1,200 women across cities in Germany were sexually assaulted and robbed during New Years Eve events.

[Assaulted women] can stay here and calm down or speak to someone trained to offer psychological support, Anja Marx, the spokesperson for Berlins main New Years Eve celebrations, told the Post.

According to BBC, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the event at Berlins Brandenburg Gate this year. Along with the installation of the medical tent staffed by the German Red Cross  known colloquially as the safe zone  city police have banned large bags, glass bottles, and alcoholic drinks.

Though Berlin witnessed fewer incidents of sexual misconduct than cities like Hamburg and Cologne, the mass assaults in 2015 shook the country. Prosecutors determined months after New Years Eve that over 2,000 men were involved in the reported assaults, but few were identified.

While Berlins decision has a sizable number of critics who believe the safe zone proves the city accepts sexual violence as a reality of life, others believe the decision is a step in the right direction.

Germanys efforts are a step in the right direction  they counter the expectation that sexual violence should be treated as a private problem, not a public concern, Rachel Davis, managing director at the Prevention Institute, told the Post.
Zoey Luna. Photo: Courtesy of HBO

Zoey Luna, a trans teen from Downey, California, never dreamed shed get to have a traditional Latina upbringing  one complete with a quinceanera to celebrate her 15th birthday and ceremonial entry into womanhood. Now, though, shes the star of one segment of HBOs 15: A Quinceanera (available on HBO Go and HBO Now), a four-part series of documentary shorts that follows five extraordinary young women as they honor their families and their cultures with parties that, as the series tagline puts it, are not just about a party.

Related Stories This Quinceanera Documentary Is the Perfect Holiday Viewing

Zoeys segment picks up during the planning process. And rather than focusing on the discrimination shes faced (theres only a brief mention of how her mother, Ofelia Barba, had to go to court when Zoeys school tried to expel her after she transitioned), it tells the story of a loving, gregarious teen who has become a beacon of hope for a community of older trans women. These women, who never had quinceaneras of their own, come together to support Zoeys vision and serve as her madrinas  godmothers, for the purpose of the ceremony.

(The other segments, well worth watching, follow an aspiring Mexican-American boxer whose family is paying for her quinceanera by selling tacos, a Cuban-Guatemalan whose beloved grandfather cant get into the States for the party, and two Mexican-American best friends who are planning to dance on horseback.)

We spoke with Zoey (now 16), Ofelia (a medical biller in a pediatricians office), and Quinceaneras director, Emmy winner Matthew ONeill  who became involved because hed directed HBOs Latin Explosion, which he worked on with his Quinceanera co-director Thalia and producer Tommy Mottola  about how the series came to be, the challenges they faced, and how Zoey found her amazing ruffled, lilac dress.

How did you find the young women you featured?

Matthew ONeill: It was the most exhaustive search that you could possibly imagine for quinceanera stories led by producer Xochitl Dorsey, who searched the internet for notices of quinceaneras, made postings on social media, called hundreds of quinceanera planners, community organizations, friends of friends, just trying to suss out what stories were out there. In the end, some of the stories came through good old-fashioned shoe leather  like walking into quinceanera dress shops along Whittier Boulevard in East L.A.

Were you trying to fill specific holes or demographics with each young woman you found?

ONeill: We had ideas about the types of stories we would find, but the real goal was to find the most dynamic, passionate, strong young women who were having quiceaneras in the country. Part of our thinking around this project is that quinceaneras are becoming an American tradition, and just like so many other great traditions that have been given to our country by immigrant groups, the quinceanera is rising in popularity and becoming as American as a bar mitzvah, or St. Patricks Day, or apple pie.

We wanted to celebrate the young women who were honoring their culture and who will be part of the generation that defines the future of our country. And through them, tell the story of what makes this cultural tradition still relevant today, and even essential to some of these families. We were curious to see why people are still doing quinceaneras, and with all the things young people are doing today, why the quinceanera holds such an importance to them and to their families.

And why do you think its so important?

ONeill: Its an expression of your own culture that the entire family and community can participate in. There are coming-of-age ceremonies in lots of different cultures. The traditional meaning of a quinceanera was, as Zoey jokes in the film, coming to the market as a woman eligible for marriage, like a debutante ball.

But its about so much more in terms of celebrating tradition and responsibility, and to a certain degree, letting go by the parents. Someone said to me when I had my first child, from the moment of birth, parenting is just one long journey of letting go. And you see that in the emotion of the parents and the daughters, as theyre launching these fantastic young women into the world. Thats most front and center in Zoeys story. The quinceanera is a public expression of believing in this young woman, and standing up with your community and recognizing her as the fierce contributor to society that she is and will continue to be.

How did you find Zoey?

ONeill: There was an article about her case, thats mentioned in the film, with the ACLU of Southern California when James Gilliam had helped write a letter that went to the National Department of Education when Zoeys [local] Department of Education was trying to expel her. That letter led us to the ACLU, who put us in touch with Ofelia, and we were able to say, So  were you thinking about having a quinceanera? And when the answer was Yes! we were thrilled.

When I was a kid in high school [in the 90s], the community didnt rally around the very small number of people who were publicly homosexual. And I think when you see, not just Zoey, but the young people in her community who accept and celebrate her as the young woman that she is, it is extremely encouraging about our society. For me, it shows that weve made progress. Each of these stories, I think, celebrates progress and community and aspects of our country that, if you were just paying attention to some of the policies and rhetoric coming out of Washington, seem like theyre no longer part of mainstream culture. But, in fact, as you see in these films, these women are ascendant. And if their generation is going to define our country, Im proud to be American, proud for the future of our country, and excited for my kids to be part of that future, too.

Zoey and Ofelia, what do you remember about getting involved?

Ofelia: When Xochitl got in touch with the transgender law center, at first I wasnt sure, but I said yes just to hear what they were going to do. Im actually really happy we did because 

Zoey:  It was incredible!

Ofelia: How often does a quinceanera have all these memories recorded forever?

I know I look so dorky in the film  oh my god, have you seen that dance?  but I was so happy in all the processes of going through it.

Zoey: It was so important for me to have a quince because I never thought I was going to be able to have one in the first place. I also knew it would be an opportunity to be able to give back to other trans women who havent had quinceaneras. Its more than just a party. Its about everyone involved, because its such a great memory to share with a bunch of your friends and your family.

Zoey, what do you mean that you never thought youd be able to have a quince?

Zoey: I always wanted to have one. But I didnt know if I was going to transition. I knew my mom was supportive, but I didnt have any idea of how supportive she actually would be. I was little and I wasnt sure of myself. I always pictured myself transitioning at 30 and never being able to have the moments I wanted to have. And this was when I was 10, thinking I wouldnt get to be myself until then. Thats why I was very depressed as a child, and thats why it was so important to me to have a quinceanera, because I was able to have one, and hopefully I can inspire other parents to let their kids have one. Like, I know I look so dorky in the film  oh my god, have you seen that dance?  but I was so happy in all the processes of going through it.

You transitioned fairly young, correct?

Ofelia: Socially transitioned at 10 years old.

And youre both of Mexican descent?

Ofelia: I was born in Mexico and Im a resident of the United States. Ive been here since I was a year-and-a-half old. Zoeys dad was Mexican, and he passed.

Ofelia, in the film, you say that Zoey started telling you that she felt like she was a girl when she was 5 years old. Thats not something that has a lot of acceptance in traditional Latin or Catholic culture. How did you approach Zoeys transition?

Ofelia: Like anything else. To me, shes my daughter and shes my child first, and whats necessary to help your children get through life is whats important. It doesnt matter what it is. So that commitment that I made when the child was born has gone through her life  it wasnt a difficult choice for me. I think the difficulty in the journey that Im going through with her is the fear of other folks not understanding and trying to hurt her, or compromising her confidence in herself and questioning her ability to decide for herself who she is.

Of course, I am an older woman. I grew up in a Mexican family and was constructed a certain way to think about gender and sexuality, so that also comes into play a little. But Ive always been a freethinker. So I pretty much decided that this is the path that were going  and in reality, what do I want? Do I want a child in my life or do I want to lose a child? Because suicide rates for trans kids is huge. People dont understand that. So to me, it was important that I did everything I could and learned everything I could, and to this day, Im still learning. Im nowhere near being a very savvy parent. And Ive learned from the community as well. Ive watched, Ive listened, and I made sure that they teach me.

Matt, youve said more than once how inspiring you found your time observing Ofelia to be.

ONeill: She had to listen closely to her kid and accept something that was certainly different from what she expected, and I think there are lessons in that for anyone who is a parent. Ofelia is such a fantastic mother. And the lessons are, no matter what your kid is into or thinking about or who they are, to listen carefully and respect them and try to help them find the path. In a lot of ways, Ofelias role in Zoeys upbringing is perhaps the person Ive learned the most from in this whole process. And it wasnt necessarily about quinceaneras. I learned about parenting and I learned about love from her.

Zoey, all of your madrinas, the appointed godmothers who take on various aspects of the party and pay for certain things, were trans. Was that always your plan?

Zoey: We knew the madrinas from a long time ago. Theyd actually seen me at Transgender Day of Remembrance speaking about one of my own stories, and they just thought immediately, This girl is cool. We need to protect her. She needs to be someone in our lives. So they found us, in a way.

Ofelia: The reason that the madrinas are all trans is also that they see Zoey as the future, as the hope of other trans women of color. This quinceanera symbolizes that its possible for everyone else to be able to have an affirmation in their community, and that there are going to be these young women who are going to move forward in life being from a trans experience. Also, the madrinas, they love Zoey, they support her, and that helped me be a better parent to her.

I love the scene in the dress shop. The dressmaker is a trans woman, Gloria Sanchez, and she tears up when she sees you in your dress, because she never got to have a quinceanera. Can you describe that day for you?

Zoey: That day, I was very, very tired. I had been so excited since I got up because I had decided that was going to be the day I was going to go dress shopping. I knew that I wanted something very pastel pink or a neutral color  I didnt know I was going to go with lilac. And I told my mom, I want no layers, and then I saw my dress, and I was like, Screw it! It has to be that layered one; it has to be that lilac, unicornish dress! It was so beautiful, and when I saw it I just knew. I also thought, Purple for royalty. It just fit right in.

Ofelia: They have beauty pageants for trans women, and Gloria actually does a lot of designs for those pageants. Shes really skillful.

Did she come to your quince?

Zoey: Thank god Gloria was there! She helped me with the dress; she tied it on and everything. It was very insane, because we forgot to put the microphone on [for the documentary], and my best friend, she had to crawl under my dress, and Gloria, she had to tighten it and untighten it. It was a mess, but thankfully, she was there to save the day.

Did you encounter any resistance in your community to throwing the quinceanera?

Ofelia: [The resistance] was way back before the quince. I think the Quince was very much accepted among our network of family and friends that accept and understand whats going on and are loving to us. And Ill be very honest, Im not sure if people on the outside were comfortable with it or not. If they werent, they obviously were not there enjoying the party with us!

The best thing about this party was that the people that were there were not only Zoeys friends, they were Zoeys community. They were the LGBT community. They were all enjoying their company together. Nobody was questioning whose gender was what. Nobody was questioning other peoples sexuality or anything. It was just a party. It was just family and friends and community supporting Zoey and enjoying her day. Everybody was together, and that was a beautiful thing, watching the young, the old, and everybody together. It was just a great thing.

Okay, and finally, Zoey, what do you want to do next, now that youve gotten your quince out of the way?

Zoey: Im open to almost anything. I definitely want to start writing scripts. I love television and film in general. I want to make horror movies, sappy movies. Ive actually always wanted to be a filmmaker and to work with cameras. I went to film camp this year. So I do think that YouTube is something I can guarantee youll see more of.

Ofelia: Zoey has always loved play acting and creating little movies and writing. She has a great imagination, and shes constantly drawing and writing. When she was little, she would actually pose her dolls and photograph each pose and make a little movie about that.

Zoey: Mom, stop!

Ofelia: I love sharing that because its something thats just her 

Zoey: Mom, no!

Ofelia: So I have no doubt that shes going to be good.

This interview has been edited and condensed from multiple conversations.
A protester in front of the U.S. Army career center in Times Square on July 26, the day Trump announced that transgender people may not serve in any capacity in the U.S. military. Photo: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

After Donald Trump attempted to bar transgender people from joining the U.S. military this July, various civil-rights groups and five transgender soldiers sued his administration, with four federal courts blocking the ban. Starting tomorrow, transgender people will be able to openly enroll, the Week reports.

Two days ago, the Department of Justice announced that it would not appeal two rulings in Washington and Virginia that blocked Trumps ban. Pentagon spokesperson Heather Babb confirmed to Reuters in a statement that on January 1, transgender recruits will be accepted.

As mandated by court order, the Department of Defense is prepared to begin accessing transgender applicants for military service Jan. 1. All applicants must meet all accession standards, the statement reads.

LGBTQ civil-rights advocacy and legal groups are celebrating the DOJs decision. One such group is Lambda Legal, which filed a lawsuit against the ban. In their statement, senior attorney Peter Renn said that while he is relieved, his organization acknowledges the war isnt over.

We are relieved that we dont have to hit pause on the constitutional rights of transgender people who are willing and able to serve our country, Renn said. The administration clearly saw the writing on the wall and withdrew its desperate effort, for now, to block transgender people from openly enlisting in the armed services and serving their country.
A procession of police vehicles escorts the hearse carrying the body of a deputy killed in a domestic disturbance where multiple deputies and civilians were shot in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on Dec. 31, 2017. (REUTERS/Rick Wilking)

1 Officer Dead, 4 Other Cops Shot Near Denver

A police officer was killed and four others were shot after responding to a disturbance near Denver, according to reports.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office confirmed that five deputies in all were shot, one fatally.

#Breaking: we just heard gunshots in the distance. Police are now closing Colorado at otero. We are moving to the media staging area. @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/7sZi7LjBiP  Meghan Lopez (@Meghan_Lopez) December 31, 2017

Two civilians were also shot by [the] suspect, the office tweeted on Sunday morning, adding that the suspect is shot and believed to be dead, and he is no longer a threat.

**Copper Canyon OIS Update**- Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance resulting in shots fired. 5 deputies shot by suspect. 1 deputy confirmed deceased. 2 civilians also shot by suspect. Suspect shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat. #CopperCanyonOIS  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

The officers and civilians were shot at the Copper Canyon apartments in Highlands Ranch early Sunday morning. The conditions of the four other officers and civilians are not known.

The sheriffs office told 11 News earlier that the situation is not looking good for us.

Steven Silknitter, who lives in the apartment complex, told the Denver Post that he was working when he heard about the shooting.

She was pretty scared, Silknitter said, referring to his fiance, who was there. She kept saying how loud it was.

According to the Post, one of the injured officers is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle.

The office said earlier that people should avoid the area, and residents were told to shelter in place and avoid windows and exterior walls.

UPDATE 0513 this morning deputies responded to he Copper Canyon Apartments for a Domestic Disturbance. During the Investigation, shots were fired and multiple deputies were injured. No status on the deputies and no status on civilian injuries. Please avoid this area.  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

UPDATE, we have multiple deputies down, no update on their status. The scene remains active and please avoid the area.  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

A Code Red was sent out regarding this incident. Any citizens in the affected area are instructed to shelter in place, avoid windows and stay away from exterior walls. pic.twitter.com/RgutCEqgJA  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

The FBI office in Denver said its ready to provide support to the sheriffs office.

.@FBIDenver has been monitoring the events that occurred this morning and have offered our full support to @dcsheriff. Our thoughts and prayers are with our law enforcement partners and all those impacted by todays senseless act of violence.  FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) December 31, 2017

Footage from the scene showed a number of police cars, ambulances, and other officials.

Melania Trumps First Year as First Lady
Arsenal of Guns Found in Hotel Hours Before New Year Celebrations

Just hours before New Years celebrations, police arrested a man on multiple charges after discovering a small arsenal of guns in his top floor hotel room at the Hyatt Regency in Houston.

An off-duty police officer noticed Russell Lawrence Ziemba, 49, acting erratically and belligerent at the hotel, reported ABC News. At 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 31, while escorting Ziemba to his hotel room, the officer called for urgent backup after his attempts to subdue the man failed.

Suspect in Hyatt Regency incident identified as Russell Lawrence Ziemba (w/m, 49). Faces assault of peace officer & criminal trespass charges. No photo available at this time #hounews  Houston Police (@houstonpolice) December 31, 2017

Lt. Gordon Macintosh from the Houston Police Department said when the officers arrived they located an AR-15, a shotgun, a handgun and lots of ammunition in the mans hotel room, reported Click 2 Houston. Investigators also found more weapons in the mans vehicle.

The 49-year-old was arrested for assaulting a peace officer and trespassing, according to the police.

According to the Hyatts website, the hotel is preparing its own New Years Eve celebration at the hotel with a 50,000 balloon drop at the stroke of midnight.

Guests for tonight's Hyatt Regency New Year's Eve party are starting to arrive. Security is on their minds following this morning's arrest. Here's the latest on what we know: https://t.co/XZ1y2Bh1iz pic.twitter.com/KGWNvZwDNH  Nick Natario (@NickABC13) December 31, 2017

The hotel said in a statement to the newspaper they have organized extra security for New Years Eve.

The safety and security of our guests and colleagues is our top priority, and consistent with the hotels prepared security plans, heightened measures are in place on New Years Eve. We are fully cooperating with authorities on an investigation, and further questions should be directed to the Houston Police Department, the statement read.

"Heightened security measures are in place." Here's the Hyatt's response to today's arrest if a hotel guest that had weapons and ammunition in his room. Hundreds are expected at its annual New Year's Eve party tonight. pic.twitter.com/pLgg9cpTRi  Nick Natario (@NickABC13) December 31, 2017

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo confirmed via Twitter on Dec. 31 that the situation is contained and that there are no specific threats to Houston.

Situation from this morning at downtown hotel is contained. No specific threats to @HoustonTX. @houstonpolice will be heavily deployed throughout the city to include SWAT react teams. Proud of officers & Hyatt. As always be vigilant & report suspicious a activity to authorities.  Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) December 31, 2017

Hyatt suspect interview concluded. Placed firearms in hotel room for safekeeping while. Based on limited amount of ammunition, interview & other investigative findings no unlawful intent found. Suspect has been booked & charged with assaulting Peace Officer & trespassing.  Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) December 31, 2017

Additional information on suspect will be released shortly by @houstonpolice PIO. Thank you all for your patience & remember it takes community & law enforcement working together to safeguard our city. #RelationalPolicing https://t.co/S6t63t3K99  Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) December 31, 2017

Police are still investigating the incident and will release more information about the suspect in due course.

Recommend video: 2017 Year in Review

From NTD.tv
Family Sues Airline After Elderly Woman Falls Down Escalator

Warning: Video contains potentially disturbing content

The family of a Spokane, Washington, woman is suing Alaska Airlines and a contractor after the woman fell down an escalator and died.

The 75-year-old great-grandmother Bernice Kekona accidentally maneuvered her motorized scooter down the escalator at Portland International Airport in Oregon. She had been traveling back home from Maui, Hawaii.

A worker left her alone on a concourse at the Portland airport instead of getting her to the connecting flight, Oregonlive.com reported, citing a lawsuit filed in the King County Superior Court in Seattle.

She was 74 and a diabetic, and she got confused from time to time in settings that werent familiar to her, said Troy Nelson, an attorney representing Kekonas estate. She was fine at the neighborhood grocery store, but at places like the Portland International Airport, she had a tendency to get confused.

Kekona apparently thought she was steering the scooter toward the elevator but instead, it was the escalator.

She was provided assistance off the airplane and into her wheelchair by Alaskas company that they contract with, Huntleigh, and then she was left there, and she became confused and that led to the fall, attorney Brook Cunningham said, according to CBS News.

In the incident, Kekona and her scooter fell down the escalator. It took more than one minute before bystanders were able to pull the scooter off of Kekona, the lawsuit said. The scooter weighs a few hundred pounds.

The lawsuit said that she survived the initial fall but her wound got infected. She died after a leg amputation operation, the suit said, according to Oregonlive.com.

I couldnt understand how a wonderful trip ended up so devastating, her daughter, Darlene Bloyed said, according to CBS.

All they needed was somebody to get her off the plane, use the escort service that theyre required by law to provide She would have been home perfectly fine, Cunningham said.

In a statement, Alaska Airlines denied some of the claims made in the lawsuit.

It appears that Ms. Kekona declined ongoing assistance in the terminal and decided to proceed on her own to her connecting flight, the statement said. Meanwhile, her reservation did not note any cognitive, visual or auditory impairments, the statement said.

It also appears that when her family members booked the reservation, they did not check any of the boxes for a passenger with Blind/low vision, Deaf/hard of hearing, or Other special needs (i.e., developmental or intellectual disability, senior/elderly), the statement continued, reported KIRO7. So, there was no indication in the reservation that Ms. Kekona had cognitive, visual, or auditory impairments.

We learned from bystanders that Ms. Kekona sustained a fall while attempting to operate her own electronic chair down a moving escalator next to the A concourse elevator. We immediately called the Port of Portland Fire and Rescue, along with Port of Portland Police, who responded to the scene quickly to provide her medical treatment, the statement added.

The lawsuit doesnt specify any monetary damages. However, it stated that medical bills totaled $300,000.

The case is slated for trial in December 2018.

A video of the fall can be seen below (Warning: Video contains potentially disturbing content):

Recommended Video

Firefighter Going Over 100 mph Before Deadly Crash
Grieving California Family Shamed for Not Putting up Christmas Decorations

A woman living in Vacaville, California, has been shamed with an anonymous letter for not decorating her house this Christmas season.

Lyndia Zarras family lives on Shady Glen Avenue, also known as Lollipop Lane during the holidays. The street became famous when the neighbors started coordinating with elaborate Christmas decorations and themes, according to KRON4.

Tens of thousands of people visit the street, and one parallel to it called Candy Cane Lane, every year during the holiday season.

Zarra said she received an anonymous letter from someone in the community this year, accusing the family of not having enough Christmas spirit, ABC News reported.

To live on Lollipop Lane and Candy Cane Lane is an honor and a privilege, the note, delivered to Zarras mailbox, reads. It is completely unacceptable to not decorate a house for Christmas.

It is extremely disrespectful, rude and selfish to not decorate a house on these two special and unique streets for the holidays. And tens of thousands of people wish all the Scrooges would not destroy our cities traditions for their own selfish reasons, it goes on.

Grieving family shamed in an anonymous note for not putting up Christmas decorations: "To live on #Lollipop Lane and #CandyCane Lane is an honor and a privilege." https://t.co/CdL2t7w09N @newnewspage pic.twitter.com/WkVajCkdt5  Breaking News (@newnewspage) December 30, 2017

It wasnt a lack of spirit, however, that stopped the family from decorating this year, but a family tragedy.

Zarra said she didnt put up decorations this year because she was grieving for her mother who passed away in October after battling stage-four liver cancer.

She was working on a Tinkerbell series of hand-painted lawn cutouts with her mother before her death, she said.

Vacaville woman who didn't decorate her home on "lollipop lane" shamed in letter, explains her mother had died, urges sender to be kind pic.twitter.com/NKMTsx77NX  Melanie Woodrow (@MelanieWoodrow) December 28, 2017

She was helping make the decorations. It was her therapy to get through her battle with cancer, Zarra told ABC News. She got half of them done, but passed away and didnt get to finish.

Zarra said no one asked her in person why her house was bare before she received the letter.

I couldnt believe someone in the neighborhood would be so mean, Zarra told ABC News.

I have no hint as to who may have sent it, she added. The note was signed, in part, Everyone.

For the past six years, since Zarra first moved into the area, she has put up Christmas displays.

She said next year she will pay tribute to her mother by putting up decorations again.

Vacaville woman shamed for not decorating home on popular street explains her mother had passed away, urges anonymous sender to be kind pic.twitter.com/UsjRPUCzgM  Melanie Woodrow (@MelanieWoodrow) December 28, 2017

I cant let one mean person stop me from honoring my mother. Christmas was her favorite holiday, Zarra told ABC News.

Another resident whose first name isKathy only, told KRON4 she was also shamed years ago for not decorating her home. Kathy lives across the street from Zarra and told the network is tired of the pressure that Lollipop Lane creates. She said next year she doesnt plan to decorate for Christmas.

From NTD.tv
Human Bones Found in Vacant California Home

Construction workers discovered human remains in the backyard of a vacant California home, according to authorities.

The Sacramento County Sheriffs Department responded to a call about human bones that were dug up from the ground in the 6200 block of Dundee Drive within the area of north Sacramento County on Dec. 26.

Construction workers and the homeowner stumbled upon the bones while they were clearing out the backyard, reported Fox 40.

One bone, like a femur it looked like, and one below. It was just laid out right there, construction worker Brian Johnston told the news station.

They informed the police immediately after the discovery. Authorities used various methods of verification and determined that the bones were human.

Press Release: Human Remains Discovered Buried in Backyard: https://t.co/pa8NEqGNvV pic.twitter.com/5TDaZL5voT  Sacramento Sheriff (@sacsheriff) December 29, 2017

Investigators then spent almost two days at the residence unearthing an entire human skeleton. The remainder of the property was checked and investigators determined that no other remains were buried on the property.

It was so much trash back there and we didnt notice anything until we got most of the trash removed, and a cat was digging at an area, and my friend found it, the homeowner, who asked to only be named as Dimeas, told Fox40.

Dimeas said he had rented out the property for the last 10 years. At the time of the discovery, the property was vacant, however. The previous tenants, a family, had been evicted for not paying rent and for leaving the property in a poor condition.

Authorities are unclear how long the remains have been there and are investigating the incident as a suspicious death, but no suspects have been named, according to the sheriffs department.

Neighbors told Fox40 that the discovery is a bit unsettling.

Thats a scary thing, said neighbor Michael Wortham. Theres nothing that goes on around this neighborhood.

Maybe somebody murdered them, stuck them back there hoping theyd never be found, who knows? neighbor Linda Zamora told the news station.

From NTD.tv

Recommended video: 2017 Year in Review
Opponents of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hold a protest outside the Iranian embassy in west London, on Dec. 31, 2017. (REUTERS/Eddie Keogh)

Iran Protesters Rally Again, Defying Warning of Crackdown

LONDONAnti-government protesters demonstrated in Iran on Sunday in defiance of a warning by the authorities of a tough crackdown, extending for a fourth day one of the most audacious challenges to the clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009.

Giving his first public reaction to the protests, President Hassan Rouhani appealed for calm, saying Iranians had the right to protest and criticize the authorities.

But he warned, according to official media: The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society.

Tens of thousands of people have protested across the country since Thursday against the Islamic Republics unelected clerical elite and government.

Police in the center of Tehran fired water cannon to try to disperse demonstrators, according to pictures on social media.

Demonstrations turned violent in Shahin Shahr in central Iran. Videos showed protesters attacking the police, turning over a car and setting it on fire. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the footage.

There were also reports of demonstrations in the cities of Sanandaj and Kermanshah in western Iran as well as Chabahar in the southeast and Ilam and Izeh in the southwest.

Demonstrators initially vented their anger over economic hardships and alleged corruption but they took on a rare political dimension, with a growing number of people calling on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down.

Iranian security forces appear to have shown restraint to avoid an escalation of the crisis. Two people have been killed and hundreds arrested.

The protests are the biggest since unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Videos showed people in central Tehran chanting Down with the dictator!, in an apparent reference to Khamenei.

Protesters in Khorramabad in western Iran shouted Khamenei, shame on you, leave the country alone!.

The government said it would temporarily restrict access to the Telegram and Instagram messaging apps, state television quoted an informed source as saying.

An Iranian reached by telephone, who asked not to be named, said there was a heavy presence of police and security forces in the heart of the capital.

I saw a few young men being arrested and put into police van. They dont let anyone assemble, he said.

A video showed a protester being arrested by police while a crowd shouted Police, go and arrest the thieves! in the northwestern city of Khoy.

Breaking Taboo

Demonstrators also shouted: Reza Shah, bless your soul. Such calls are evidence of a deep level of anger and break a taboo. The king ruled Iran from 1925 to 1941 and his Pahlavi dynasty was overthrown in a revolution in 1979 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republics first leader.

High prices, alleged corruption and mismanagement are fuelling the anger. Youth unemployment reached 28.8 percent this year.

Economic indexes have improved under Rouhanis government and the economy is no longer in dire straits. However, growth has been too slow for an overwhelmingly youthful population, far more interested in jobs and change than in the Islamist idealism and anti-Shah republicanism of the 1979 revolution.

The demonstrations are particularly troublesome for Rouhanis government because he was elected on a promise to guarantee rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

His main achievement is a deal in 2015 with world powers that curbed Irans nuclear program in return for a lifting of most international sanctions. But it is yet to bring the economic benefits the government promised.

Ali Asghar Naserbakht, deputy governor of Tehran province, was quoted as saying by ILNA news agency that 200 protesters had been arrested on Saturday.

Carried Away By Emotions

Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said some of those arrested had confessed they were carried away by emotions and set fire to mosques and public buildings, adding that they would face severe punishment.

After giving thousands of martyrs for the Revolution, the nation will not return to dark era of Pahlavi rule, he said.

Police and Revolutionary Guards have in the past crushed unrest violently. These protests could be worry authorities more because they seem spontaneous and lack a clear leader.

And yet analysts say Irans leaders believe they can count on support from many of the generation that took part as youths in the 1979 revolution because of their ideological commitment and the economic gains they have made under the government.

In apparent response to the protests, the government backed down on plans to raise fuel prices, promised to increase cash handouts to the poor and create more jobs in coming years.

We predict that at least 830,000 jobs will be created in the new year, government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said on state television on Saturday night. He gave no details. Around 3.2 million Iranians are jobless.

Protesters also expressed anger over costly interventions in Syria and Iraq, where Iran is engaged in a proxy war for influence against regional rival Saudi Arabia.

Trump Tweets

U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers offered implicit support on Sunday to the protesters.

Big protests in Iran, Trump said in a tweet. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism.

Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said: The Iranian government is being tested by its own citizens. We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day.

By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin

2017 Year in Review
More Details Revealed on 2 Dogs That Killed Va. Woman

Deputies said that necropsies on the two pit bulls that killed Virginia woman Bethany Lynn Stephens were completed this week, according to a report.

The two pit bulls were euthanized as a safety precaution to the community, local officials said.

The sheriff said that long, wavy hair that appears human was found in a fecal sample of one of the dogs, named Pac-Man, WTVR reported. The results of the necropsies will be sent to a lab for more testing.

Stephens had adopted the other pit bull, Tonka, as a puppy in 2015. A year later, she adopted Pac-Man after he was handed off by several owners.

Pac-Man was not neutered, according to the report, adding that the first owner said she gave him to a friend after he snapped at her while she was pregnant.

The dog ended up back with that woman. She noticed wounds on his neck that indicated signs of abuse.

The woman then put Pac-Man up for adoption and Stephens took him in. She was warned that he was abused and had snapped before.

Her father warned Stephens that the dog was dangerous, the WTVR report stated.

Certified master dog trainer Valerie Paul told WTVR that she did not know Stephens, Pac-Man, or Tonka, but she offered potential answers as to why the dogs attacked their owner.

Most dogs arent going to just turn on an owner, Paul told the station. As more and more details come out, I think there probably was some sort of outside influence, but not necessarily another animal or anything like thatjust something that could have enticed the dogs to get overexcited and react the way dogs will.

The fact that they are pit bulls doesnt connect to what they did, it is a dog thing, said Paul. She said at the end of the day, dogs are animals, and in extreme circumstances, they can potentially view even their owners as threats or food sources.

Thats actually very normal, dogs view people very differently than how we view people, when we see a body, we think of our loved ones and all of the memories that they bring to us, dogs dont, in general.

Sergeant Mike Blackwood also said that the dogs were a bit neglected before they attacked Stephens. They went from inside dogs to dogs living outside in a kennel.

More than a week ago, officials noted that the womans father had called 911 after 8 p.m. saying he found her in the woods. He told the sheriff that her dogs appeared to be guarding her body.

Let me cut right to the chase, the most important detail that we did not release because we were worried about the well-being of the family is that in the course of trying to capture the dogs early Friday morningwe turned and lookedI observed, as well as four other deputy sheriffs, the dogs eating the ribcage on the body, Goochland County Sheriff James Agnew said during a news conference.

It took officials more than an hour to catch the dogs. They were later put down.

It appeared the attack was a violent attack initiated by the victims dogs while the victim was out for a walk with the dogs, Sheriff Agnew said of the preliminary findings from the Medical Examiners Office, WTRV reported. The victim had defensive wounds on her hands and arms trying to keep the dogs away from her, which would be consistent with being attacked while she was still alive.
The Douglas County Sheriffs Office SWAT is responding to a home near the 3400 block of County Line Road. (KDVR/screenshot)

Photo: Man Waves American Flag for Slain Colorado Deputy

Camera footage captured a man standing while holding a large American flag during the motorcade escort path for a deputy who was slain on Sunday, Dec. 31.

Five deputies were shot, one of them killed, in a shootout in Denver, Colorado, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office confirmed.

Person with large American flag was standing along the motorcade escort path for the Colorado deputy who was slain in the mass shooting.https://t.co/pSGyEBoVzf / @9NEWS pic.twitter.com/XwHHxUD6tr  Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) December 31, 2017

Two civilians were also shot by [the] suspect, the office tweeted on Sunday morning, adding that the suspect is shot and believed to be dead, and he is no longer a threat.

Steven Silknitter, who lives in the apartment complex, told the Denver Post that he was working when he heard about the shooting.She was pretty scared, Silknitter said, referring to his fiance, who was there. She kept saying how loud it was. According to the Post, one of the injured officers is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. The office said earlier that people should avoid the area, and residents were told to shelter in place and avoid windows and exterior walls. The deputies responded to a call of shots fired at the Copper Canyon Apartment Homes in Douglas County, about 16 miles south of Denver, around 6 a.m. local time, said Jason Blanchard, a spokesman for the sheriffs office, Reuters reported. Littleton Adventist Hospital was treating three victims, according to Alyssa Parker, a hospital spokeswoman, who declined to describe their conditions. One unidentified deputy sheriff was pronounced dead at the hospital, where other law enforcement soon after formed a large memorial procession heading to the county coroners office. Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree received three patients with non-life threatening injuries, according to Linda Watson, a hospital spokeswoman, adding they would be discharged later Sunday.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Melania Trumps First Year as First Lady

[/epoch_video]
A 22-year-old PetSmart employee was seriously injured while grooming a pit bull mix in Cape Cod, Mass. on Dec. 27, 2017. (PetSmart by Mike Mozart/Flickr [CC BY-SA 2.0 (ept.ms/2utDIe9)])

Pit Bull Bites, Seriously Injures PetSmart Worker During Routine Grooming Session

A pit bull-rottweiler mix bit a Cape Cod PetSmart worker on the arm, seriously injuring the 22-year-old woman during a grooming session on Dec. 27.

The dog didnt release his jaw from her arm even after workers used air horns and spray. The woman came away with injuries to her torso, wrist, and hands, CBS Boston reported.

Police found blood from the attack in multiple areas of the store. Injuries include torn flesh, possible broken bones, and a suspected dislocated shoulder, according to WHDH.

The victim told police the dog was wearing a muzzle when it came into the store, but that PetSmart policy is to remove muzzles for grooming sessions, according to CBS Boston.

Police said the dogs owners did not mention that the dog had previously bitten a person before the grooming session, and only talked about a previous fight with another dog, Boston 25 News reported. The owners disagree. Cliff Gardner said he told the PetSmart months ago that their dog got into a fight with another dog and bit a lady.

PetSmart policy states that if they had known the dog had bitten a person they would not have approved the grooming session, according to 25 News.

The groomer was released from the hospital and is in recovery.

We feel awful, Edith Gardner told 25 News. We feel awful for the woman. We feel sad about our dog. We love our dog. Hes a good dog otherwise.

PetSmart issued a statement after the incident, obtained by WHDH, channel 7.

This is an upsetting, unfortunate occurrence, and our thoughts are first and foremost with our associate who was injured. We will continue to support her and wish her a full and speedy recovery. We are actively investigating the incident to determine how it occurred, and if there is anything we can do to help prevent this from happening again in the future.

The dog has since been euthanized by authorities, according to 25 News. An initial report by CBS News said that the dog was released to the owner with an order to be kept under house quarantine for 10 days.

From NTD.tv

2017 Year in Review
A man and two young boys watch a procession of police vehicles escort the hearse carrying the body of a deputy killed in a domestic disturbance where multiple deputies and civilians were shot in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on Dec. 31, 2017. (REUTERS/Rick Wilking)

President Trump Tweets Condolences to Victims in Deadly Colorado Shooting

President Donald Trump sent his condolences to the victims of the shooting in Colorado on Sunday morning.

At least one deputy died and four others were injured in the incident near Denver, according to the Douglas County Sheriffs Office.

A suspect opened fire on deputies responding to a domestic disturbance, according to the office.

My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement  God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement  God Bless them all! #LESM, Trump tweeted.

Douglas County Sheriff Joe Pelles son, Jeff, was among those who were injured in the incident. The sheriff said that his son in good spirits considering the gravity and severity of what occurred earlier this morning.

Statement from Sheriff Pelle (Part 1 of 4): Earlier this morning, our son, Douglas County sheriffs deputy, Jeff Pelle, was shot during the Copper Canyon shooting. Jeff underwent surgery as a result of his injuries, and is recovering. #CopperCanyonOIS  Cmdr Mike Wagner (@CmdrMikeWagner) December 31, 2017

The killed deputy wasnt identified.

**Copper Canyon OIS Update**- Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance resulting in shots fired. 5 deputies shot by suspect. 1 deputy confirmed deceased. 2 civilians also shot by suspect. Suspect shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat. #CopperCanyonOIS  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

The deputies responded to a call of shots fired at the Copper Canyon Apartment Homes in Douglas County, about 16 miles south of Denver, around 6 a.m. local time, said Jason Blanchard, a spokesman for the sheriffs office, Reuters reported.

Littleton Adventist Hospital was treating three victims, according to Alyssa Parker, a hospital spokeswoman, who declined to describe their conditions.

One unidentified deputy sheriff was pronounced dead at the hospital, where other law enforcement soon after formed a large memorial procession heading to the county coroners office.

Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree received three patients with non-life threatening injuries, according to Linda Watson, a hospital spokeswoman, adding they would be discharged later Sunday.

The suspect was also not identified.

.@FBIDenver has been monitoring the events that occurred this morning and have offered our full support to @dcsheriff. Our thoughts and prayers are with our law enforcement partners and all those impacted by todays senseless act of violence.  FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) December 31, 2017

Earlier in the day, the sheriffs office said that citizens in the affected area are instructed to shelter in place, avoid windows and stay away from exterior walls.

Reuters contributed to this report.

2017 Year in Review
The Lighthouse Winmore, a Hong Kong-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil to North Korea in defiance of international sanctions, is seen in the sea off Yeosu, South Korea on Dec. 29, 2017. (Yonhap via Reuters)

South Korea Seizes Second Ship Suspected of Providing Oil to North Korea

SEOULSouth Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday.

The seizure was the second to be revealed by South Korea within a few days, as the United Nations steps up efforts to squeeze essential oil supplies to the reclusive North following its nuclear or ballistic missile tests.

The ship, KOTI, was seized at Pyeongtaek-Dangjin port, the official told Reuters, without elaborating, due to the sensitivity of the issue. The port is on the west coast, south of Incheon.

A marine official also confirmed the seizure, which he said was done recently.

The KOTIs estimated time of arrival at the port was Dec. 19, according to VesselFinder Ltd., a tracking service provider.

The ship can carry 5,100 tonnes of oil and has a crew mostly from China and Myanmar, Yonhap News Agency reported, adding that South Koreas intelligence and customs officials are conducting a joint probe into the vessel.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the probe, declining to provide details.

The government has been in close consultations with related countries and ministries to thoroughly implement the sanctions by the U.N. Security Council, the spokesman said.

Proposed Blacklisting

On Friday, South Korea said that in late November it seized the Hong Kong-flagged Lighthouse Winmore, which is suspected of transferring as much as 600 tons of oil to the North Korea-flagged Sam Jong 2.

The U.N. Security Council last month unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea for a recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, seeking to limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil.

The United States has also proposed that the United Nations Security Council blacklist 10 ships for transporting banned items from North Korea, according to documents seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The Lighthouse Winmore is one of the 10 ships proposed to be blacklisted. The KOTI does not seem to be included on the list.

On Thursday, China blocked a U.S. effort at the United Nations to blacklist six foreign-flagged ships, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said.

Chinas Foreign Ministry, responding to a question from Reuters on the blocking, said Beijing always fully and strictly implemented Security Council resolutions.

China also denied reports it had been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea in defiance of U.N. sanctions, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation.

Caught RED HANDED  very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2017

Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, breaching U.N. sanctions, sources told Reuters.

By Yuna Park and Hyunjoo Jin

2017 Year in Review
Utah Art Teacher Fired After Complaints of Nudity in Paintings He Showed His Students

A Utah art teacher is out of a job after showing some postcards of art containing nudity, which were in the schools library, in his fifth and sixth-grade art classes.

Mateo Rueda, an art teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in South Salt Lake, was put on administrative leave after a parent complained about the incident.

On Dec. 4, he had the children sift through eight boxes filled with 100 postcards of famous works of art that had been in the schools library for three years, Cache County Sheriffs Office said, according to Fox13.

He said some of the pictures that showed nudity made some of his students uncomfortable.

Before his fifth-grade art class, he removed the ones he didnt think were appropriate and told students before they started the project that there might be some in the mix that could make them uncomfortable.

When some children did say they felt uncomfortable about some of the images, Rueda said, according to Fox13, he told the children the images were part of history, they are icons.

A Utah art teacher got fired for showing nudity in classical paintings. This world is broken  Chris Hagen (@ArcRoyale_Chris) December 31, 2017

He encouraged his students to talk to their parents about the paintings.

Some parents complained, and one parent even called the police, alleging Rueda was showing pornography to his students.

The Cache County Sheriffs Office investigated, but did not file charges, saying they did not consider the images pornography.

Venessa Rose Pixton, a parent of an 11-year-old boy, told the Herald Journal that she complained to the school after talking to her son about what happened.

It wasnt the pictures so much that really bothered me; it was the method in which he went about it afterward, Pixton said, adding that she thought Rueda should also have reviewed the pictures before using them in the class.

One parent came to his defense, writing in a letter to the editor in the Herald Journal that her child was not uncomfortable at all by how Rueda handled the situation.

After speaking with my daughter at length, I found out she was not uncomfortable with the images she had seen, wrote Kamee Jensen.

I reached out to Mr. Mateo to let him know how my daughter was feeling and to tell him how much we appreciated him. He was devastated about what had happened, He explained that the material he had used for his lesson to exemplify the color relationships they were studying had been in the Lincoln art library for years and were NOT brought in by him!

I am so sad for Mr. Mateo but more so for the students at Lincoln Elementary. They have suffered a great loss, Mr. Mateo is an extremely talented artist, and an inspiration.

Thanks to him my daughter has a real passion and love for art. Now hes gone it seems we have a craft class instead of art instruction. My daughter has been very unhappy cutting out snowflakes and pasting glitter.

Cache County School District officials have declined comment, saying its an ongoing personnel issue, the Herald Journal reports.

Mateo was put on administrative leave for a few days, then told that the school was going to let him go. He says he plans to appeal the schools decision.

In a Friday meeting, they gave me two choices: to resign, accepting their terms of my alleged wrongdoing (eliminating any possibility to voice my opinion in the future), or to be terminated with a scathing and defamatory letter. Frankly, neither option was agreeable to me, Rueda wrote, according to the Herald Journal.

My intent when it comes to the hearing has nothing to do money or anything like that, but it has to do with exercising my right to be heard so that I can have a clean name, a clean reputation.

2017 Year in Review
Walmart Shoplifter Caught With 3,000 Doses of Heroin and Two Human Teeth

Police arrested a shoplifter in a South Carolina Walmart on Christmas Eve got an unexpected giftthey caught what appears to be a major drug dealer.

The man was carrying a handgun, more than $2,500 in cash and more than 3,000 doses of heroin, reported Time.

He was stopped because his girlfriend tried to steal about $25 worth of merchandise.



Employees at the Walmart at 550 North Highway 17, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina were helping Christmas shoppers when they allegedly saw a young lady helping herself to $25.48 worth of merchandise, reported 9News. The employees told police they saw the young lady conceal the goods and walk past the cashiers towards the exit of the store.

Employees brought the couple to the asset protection office and called the police.

That is when things got really interesting.

Police found two young people, 21-year-old Tavon Malik Stanley, and his 18-year-old friend Ashley Ryan Smith, detained at the Walmart.

Police asked Stanley if he was armed. He replied affirmatively. He also told them the gun might have been stolen. With the concealed weapon as probable cause, police searched Stanleys backpack and found quite a haul of extremely hazardous substances.

Stanley was carrying a Ruger 9 mm pistol. He was also carrying a pharmacys worth of illegal drugs: three-quarters of an ounce of pot, 56 unidentified blue pills marked K9, (probably 30-mg doses of oxycodone,) 25 pills inscribed with the number 3060 (possibly amphetamines,) one pill marked A/214 (probably a 15-mg dose of oxycodone,) three unused Fentanyl patches, and about 3,190 doses of heroin.

He was also carrying two human teeth.

North Myrtle Beach police officers arrested both young people. Stanley, a resident of Calabash, North Carolina, was charged with unlawful carrying of a pistol, trafficking heroin, 4 counts of possession of scheduled drugs including narcotics, LSD, cocaine, and simple possession of marijuana. He posted $51,500 bond on Tuesday, Dec. 26, and went free.

Ashley Smith, of Ocean Isle, North Carolina, was charged with shoplifting and released on Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

From NTD.tv
As we look back, 2017 seemed to produce more news than most years  internationally, nationally and locally.

Here, in the first of a two-part series, is a look back at the top stories in the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon area.

 Two seemingly unrelated incidents on the morning of March 16 quickly meshed together in a story that stunned the community.

Glen Carbon firefighters were called out that morning to battle a house fire on Dogwood Lane from which six children escaped.

Just minutes later, Highland first responders rescued a baby from a submerged SUV in Silver Lake.

One family. One story.

The related incidents resulted in national and international headlines.

An investigation concluded that Cristy Campbell shot and killed her ex-husband Justin in the familys home, then told six of their seven children to go outside.

Cristy then drove toward Highland, plunging her SUV into Silver Lake.

Highland paramedic Todd Zobrist was among the first on the scene and swam approximately 50 feet into the chilly water to rescue the Campbells 3-month-old baby.

Cristy Campbell was pulled from the SUV and pronounced dead in Highland that morning.

Her cause of death was reported by the Madison County Coroners Office as probable drowning complicated with hypothermia.

Numerous fundraisers were conducted to benefit the surviving children.

 In early September, the village of Glen Carbon was rocked by news that prosecutors had charged 46-year-old Steven McGauley with allegedly beating his wife and then fatally shooting a man who had been staying at the house and had been trying to intervene on her behalf.

The shooting happened on the evening of Sept. 3 in the 100 block of Hillcrest Drive, just outside the village limits.

The victim, 43-year-old Steven W. Flack, was from Belleville but authorities said he had been living in Edwardsville prior to the shooting.

Police reported that a argument between McGauley and his wife had allegedly escalated to a physical fight, after which McGauley retrieved a gun and shot Flack in the chest and abdomen.

The shooting happened on a backyard patio during a party at the home. A sworn statement accompanying a search warrant that allowed police to search the home included comments from a witness. The witness told police that after the shooting, McGauley had unloaded his revolver, placed the spent casings in his hand, and said Im going to jail for a long time.

During their search, police also reportedly found a revolver, a pistol, and five spent shell casings on the patio.

McGauley has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of domestic battery.

 A lengthy investigation into a string of burglaries and assorted crimes by former Edwardsville police officer Brian Barker came to a conclusion with Barkers sentencing in June.

The 18-year veteran officer had pleaded guilty in January to six felony counts, including official misconduct, possession of stolen firearms, and a string of burglaries to homes and businesses across the city. Some of those crimes happened more than 15 years earlier, investigators said at the time.

By the time detectives with the Madison County Sheriffs Department had finished, Barker was charged with 22 felonies. The charges were not limited to residential and business burglaries but included a burglary to the Edwardsville Township Office and burglary and arson charges related to a building on Route 157 that included the office of State Rep. Dwight Kay.

At a hearing in January, Barker pleaded guilty to six of those felonies.

He was sentenced in June to 40 years in prison.

 A new public safety building opened in early December on the site of the former Madison County Sheltered Care Home.

The $12.4 million structure replaces the aging fire and police stations a few blocks away on North Main Street in Edwardsville.

The two-story building includes about 51,000 square feet of space.

The new building complements a new fire station that was built in 2016 near the Early Childhood Center on the SIUE campus. The $8.3 million satellite station is intended to provide protection for the campus and for the warehouse district at the western end of Edwardsville.

 The consolidated election in April saw the re-election of Edwardsville Township Supervisor Frank Miles and the ushering in of three new township trustees. Six months later Miles left to take a new job in Florida and Fred Schulte, who had been Township Clerk since 2001, was appointed to replace him. The three new trustees  Matthew Chapman, Charles Skip Schmidt, and Kevin Hall  joined incumbent Kenny Krumeich after three other incumbents  Blake Fuhler, Randy Williamson and Gary Head  chose not to run for re-election.

In Edwardsville Ward 4, SJ Morrison defeated incumbent Jeannette Mallon. In the mayors race in Glen Carbon, Rob Jackstadt held on to defeat challenger Steve Slemer.

Voters in Edwardsville District 7 approved Proposition E, a tax rate increase to the education fund.

 And on a Monday afternoon in late August more than 50 people viewed the solar eclipse from the plaza area connecting the Madison County Administration Building and the Madison County Courthouse. Many others donned solar eclipse glasses and watched the event at dozens of sites across the city.

The Edwardsville area was found to have had 99.5 percent totality at 1:18 p.m. The partial eclipse last about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The solar eclipse began just before noon and ended at 2:44 p.m. on Aug. 21.

It was the first total eclipse of the sun visible in the U.S. in nearly 40 years.

Part II of this article will appear Jan. 2.
The following companies are subsidiares of Cigna: Accredo Health Group, Accredo Health Incorporated, Alegis Care, Allegiance Life & Health Insurance Company, Allegiance Re, American Retirement Life Insurance Company, Benefits Management Corp., Bravo Health Mid-Atlantic, Bravo Health Pennsylvania, Brighter, CareAllies, CareCore National LLC, Central Reserve Life Insurance Company, Ceres Sales of Ohio, Choicelinx, Cigna & CMB Life Insurance Company Limited, Cigna Apac Holdings Limited, Cigna Arbor Life Insurance Company, Cigna Beechwood Holdings, Cigna Behavioral Health, Cigna Behavioral Health of California, Cigna Behavioral Health of Texas, Cigna Bellevue Alpha, Cigna Benefits Financing, Cigna Brokerage & Marketing (Thailand) Limited, Cigna Cedar Holdings, Cigna Chestnut Holdings, Cigna Corporate Services, Cigna Data Services (Shanghai) Company Limited, Cigna Dental Health, Cigna Dental Health Plan of Arizona, Cigna Dental Health of California, Cigna Dental Health of Colorado, Cigna Dental Health of Delaware, Cigna Dental Health of Florida, Cigna Dental Health of Illinois, Cigna Dental Health of Kansas, Cigna Dental Health of Kentucky, Cigna Dental Health of Maryland, Cigna Dental Health of Missouri, Cigna Dental Health of New Jersey, Cigna Dental Health of North Carolina, Cigna Dental Health of Ohio, Cigna Dental Health of Pennsylvania, Cigna Dental Health of Texas, Cigna Dental Health of Virginia, Cigna Elmwood Holdings, Cigna Europe Insurance Company S.A.-N.V., Cigna European Services (UK) Limited, Cigna Finans Emeklilik ve Hayat A.S., Cigna Global Holdings, Cigna Global Insurance Company Limited, Cigna Global Reinsurance Company, Cigna Global Wellbeing Holdings Limited, Cigna Global Wellbeing Solutions Limited, Cigna HLA Technology Services Company Limited, Cigna Health Corporation, Cigna Health Management, Cigna Health Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Cigna HealthSpring, Cigna Healthcare Holdings, Cigna Healthcare Mid-Atlantic, Cigna Healthcare of Arizona, Cigna Healthcare of California, Cigna Healthcare of Colorado, Cigna Healthcare of Connecticut, Cigna Healthcare of Florida, Cigna Healthcare of Georgia, Cigna Healthcare of Illinois, Cigna Healthcare of Indiana, Cigna Healthcare of Maine, Cigna Healthcare of Massachusetts, Cigna Healthcare of New Hampshire, Cigna Healthcare of New Jersey, Cigna Healthcare of North Carolina, Cigna Healthcare of Pennsylvania, Cigna Healthcare of South Carolina, Cigna Healthcare of St. Louis, Cigna Healthcare of Tennessee, Cigna Healthcare of Texas, Cigna Healthcare of Utah, Cigna Holding Company, Cigna Holdings, Cigna Holdings Overseas, Cigna Hong Kong Holdings Company Limited, Cigna Insurance Middle East S.A., Cigna Insurance Public Company Limited, Cigna Insurance Services (Europe) Limited, Cigna Intellectual Property, Cigna International Corporation, Cigna International Health Services, Cigna International Health Services BVBA, Cigna International Health Services Kenya Limited, Cigna International Health Services SDN BHD, Cigna International Services, Cigna International Services Australia Pty. Ltd., Cigna Investment Group, Cigna Investments, Cigna Korean Chusik Hoesa, Cigna Laurel Holdings, Cigna Legal Protection UK Ltd., Cigna Life Insurance Company of Canada, Cigna Life Insurance Company of Europe S.A.- N.V., Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York, Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Limited, Cigna Linden Holdings, Cigna Magnolia Holdings, Cigna Myrtle Holdings, Cigna Nederland Alpha Cooperatief U.A., Cigna Nederland Beta B.V., Cigna Nederland Gamma B.V., Cigna Oak Holdings, Cigna Palmetto Holdings, Cigna Poplar Holdings, Cigna Sequoia Holdings, Cigna Spruce Holdings GmbH, Cigna Taiwan Life Assurance Company Limited, Cigna Walnut Holdings, Cigna Willow Holdings, Cigna Worldwide General Insurance Company Limited, Cigna Worldwide Insurance Company, Cigna Worldwide Life Insurance Company Limited, CignaTTK Health Insurance Company Limited, Connecticut General Corporation, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, CuraScript Inc., E-2 CIGNA CORPORATION - 2018 Form 10-K, ESI Mail Pharmacy Service Inc., ESI Partnership, ESI Resources Inc., Express Scripts Holding Company, Express Scripts Inc., Express Scripts Pharmaceutical LLC, Express Scripts Pharmacy Inc., Express Scripts Strategic Development Inc., FirstAssist Administration Limited, Firstassist Insurance Services Ltd, Great-West Healthcare of Illinois, Grown Ups New Zealand Limited, Health-Lynx LLC, HealthSource, HealthSpring, HealthSpring Life & Health Insurance Company, HealthSpring of Alabama, HealthSpring of Florida, HealthSpring of Tennessee, KDM Thailand Limited, LINA Financial Services, LINA Life Insurance Company of Korea, Life Insurance Company of North America, Loyal American Life Insurance Company, MCC Independent Practice Association of New York, Manipal Cigna Health Insurance Company Limited, Medco Containment Life Insurance Company, Medco Health Services Inc., Medco Health Solutions Inc., NewQuest, NewQuest Management Northeast, Olympic Health Management Services, Oz Parent, PT Asuransi Cigna, Provident American Life and Health Insurance Company, Qualcare, Qualcare Alliance Networks, Qualcare Captive Insurance Company Inc. PCC, Qualcare Management Resources Limited Liability Company, RHP (Thailand) Limited, Scibal Associates, Sterling Life Insurance Company, Tel-Drug, Tel-Drug of Pennsylvania, Temple Insurance Company Limited, United Benefit Life Insurance Company, Verity Solutions Group, Zurich Insurance Middle East, and eviCore 1 LLC.

Read More
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
Xylem Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and servicing of engineered products and solutions for the water and wastewater applications in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Water Infrastructure, Applied Water, and Measurement & Control Solutions. The Water Infrastructure segment offers various products, including water, storm water, and wastewater pumps; controls and systems; filtration, disinfection, and biological treatment equipment; and mobile dewatering equipment under the Flygt, Godwin, Wedeco, Sanitaire, Leopold, Wedeco, and Xylem Vue brand names for the transportation and treatment of water. The Applied Water segment provides pumps, valves, heat exchangers, controls, and dispensing equipment systems under the Goulds Water Technology, Bell & Gossett, A-C Fire Pump, Standard Xchange, Lowara, Jabsco, Xylem Vue and Flojet brand names for residential and commercial building services, and industrial water applications. The Measurement & Control Solutions segment provides smart meters, networked communication devices, and measurement and control technologies, as well as critical infrastructure technologies. It also offers software and services, including cloud-based analytics, remote monitoring and data management, leak detection, condition assessment, asset management, and pressure monitoring solutions, as well as testing equipment and managed services. This segment sells its products under the Pure, Sensus, Smith Blair, WTW, Xylem Vue, and YSI brand names. The company markets and sells its products through a network of direct sales force, resellers, distributors, and value-added solution providers. Xylem Inc. was formerly known as ITT WCO, Inc. and changed its name to Xylem Inc. in May 2011. The company. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Rye Brook, New York.
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.
Telefonica, S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in Europe and Latin America. The company's mobile and related services and products comprise mobile voice, value added, mobile data and Internet, wholesale, corporate, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone services; local, domestic, and international long-distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; supplementary value-added services; video telephony; intelligent network; and telephony information services, as well as leases and sells handset equipment. The company also provides Internet and broadband multimedia services comprising Internet service provider, portal and network, retail and wholesale broadband access, narrowband switched access, high-speed Internet through fibre to the home, and voice over Internet protocol services. In addition, it offers leased line, virtual private network, fibre optics, web hosting and application, outsourcing and consultancy, desktop, and system integration and professional services. Further, the company offers wholesale services for telecommunication operators, including domestic interconnection and international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators; and local loop leasing services, as well as bit stream services, wholesale line rental accesses, and leased ducts for other operators' fiber deployment. Additionally, it provides video/TV services; smart connectivity and services, and consumer IoT products; financial and other payment, security, cloud computing, advertising, big data, and digital telco experience services; virtual assistants; digital home platforms; and Movistar Home devices. It also offers online telemedicine, home insurance, music streaming, and consumer loan services. The company was incorporated in 1924 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.
After an 18-month investigation, Slidell police arrested 67-year-old Michael Neu on 269 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, after he helped scam people out of thousands of dollars as a middleman in one of the well-known Nigerian prince internet scams, a Slidell police spokesman said in a news release Thursday.

Police say Neu was the middle man to an e-mail scam, where someone posing as a Nigerian prince claims the victim is the beneficiary in a will and set to inherit millions of dollars. They then ask for your personal financial information to prove that you are the beneficiary and to speed up the transfer of your alleged inheritance.

Neu is suspected of being a middle man who participated in hundreds of financial transactions that conned money from victims across the United States. Some of the money obtained by Neu was subsequently wired to co-conspirators in Nigeria.

The investigation is ongoing, but police said it is difficult because many leads point to suspects who live outside of the United States.
Meritor, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, sells, services, and supports integrated systems, modules, and components in North America, South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. It operates through two segments, Commercial Truck, and Aftermarket and Industrial. The company offers axles, including front steer and rear drive axles for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles; heavy-duty trailer axles; suspension modules and brake products comprising drum and disc brakes; universal joints and driveline components; trailer air suspension systems and products; transfer cases and drivelines; and advanced suspension modules for use in light-, medium- and heavy-duty military tactical wheeled vehicles. It also provides air brakes, such as cam drum, wedge drum, and air disc brakes, as well as wheel-end components, including hubs, drums, and rotors to medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle manufacturers; and electric drive systems comprising electric motors and inverters, power electronics, battery pack, electrified accessories, and related software and controls for terminal tractors and medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses. In addition, the company sells other complementary products, including third-party and private label items, which include brake shoes and friction materials; automatic slack adjusters; yokes and shafts; wheel-end hubs and drums; ABS and stability control systems; shock absorbers and air springs; and air brakes. Meritor, Inc. sells its products under the Meritor, Euclid, Trucktechnic, US Gear, AxleTech, and Mach brands primarily to original equipment manufacturers, their parts marketing operations, and their dealers, as well as other independent distributors and service garages in the aftermarket industry. The company was formerly known as ArvinMeritor, Inc. and changed its name to Meritor, Inc. in March 2011. Meritor, Inc. was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Troy, Michigan.
Governor Nyesom Woke of Rivers State, Friday described as illegal the approval of $1 billion from Excess Crude account by Nigeria Governors Forum.

Governor Wike who spoke with the State House correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja also proposed that same amount be withdrawn to tackle environmental challenges in the Niger Delta.

Giving reasons why he was at the State House, the governor said he came to update the President on security development in Rivers.

Reacting to the approval given by the NGF for the withdrawal of $1billion from the ECA for the fight against insurgency, he said while he had given his supports the fight against insurgency, the approval by the Governors Forum is illegal.

According to him, For me it is illegal, however, we are talking about fighting insurgence and no right thinking individual will say that he will not support the government to fight insurgency.

But on the other hand, I believe that we have been talking about the environmental issues in the Niger Delta particularly in Ogoni land, I believe that we can also take the same money from the excess crude account to fund the problem in Ogoni land and other Niger Delta areas. That is my position.

He described his relationship with the president as cordial and that their discussion also bordered on other developmental issues in the state.

He said, Im happy with the discussion and I believe that something has to be done about (security) it. Nothing political just security issue that affects the state and things that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.

We talked on security challenges and he received me very well. We dont have any bad relationship, I come here when he asked me to come.

On the allegation that he manipulated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congress to install his candidate as chairman of the party, Wike said it was impossible for an individual to install a party chairman in the country.

He said, It is impossible for one person to own a party. The only thing is that people are vibrating and the ruling party is jittering about it.

The Rivers helmsman enthused that the PDP, will continue to win elections in the state.

He said: Take example of my state, we are sure that PDP will win elections any day, anytime.

There is no amount of blackmail; there is no amount of intimidation that will stop us from winning the state.

So I believe that other people working hard in their states should be able to deliver them to PDP in future elections.
Spain remained Moroccos top trading partner in 2016 with trade turnover totaling $10.6 billion up from $9.3 billion in 2015, Moroccos foreign exchange regulatory authority, LOffice des Changes said.

Between 2015 and 2016, Moroccos imports from Spain rose from $4.4 billion to $6.2 billion, while its exports to the country jumped from $4.2 billion to $5.1 billion.

France, which had long been the largest trading partner of Morocco, ranked second in 2016 with $9.5 billion in trade volume, after it registered $8.4 billion in 2015.

Morocco is the 51st largest export economy in the world. In 2016, Morocco exported $22.6 billion and imported $41.5 billion, resulting in a negative trade balance of $18.9B. In 2016 the GDP of Morocco was $101B and its GDP per capita was $7840.

Moroccos top exports consist of cars ($2.95 billion), insulated wire ($2.46billion), mixed mineral or chemical fertilizers ($1.83 billion), phosphoric acid ($1.14 billion) and non-knit womens suits ($1 billion). Its top imports are refined petroleum ($3.43 billion), cars ($1.98 billion), wheat ($1.3 billion), petroleum gas ($1.13billion) and insulated wire ($1.11billion).

Top origins of Moroccos imports are Spain ($7.68billion), France ($4.73 billion), China ($3.08 billion), Germany ($2.32 billion) and the US ($1.93 billion).
Erica Garner, daughter of Eric Garner, lays down in the spot in Staten Island where her father was killed, part of a December 2014 die-in to protest a grand jurys decision not to indict a police officer involved in Mr. Garners death. Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Activist Erica Garner, who suffered a devastating heart attack last week, has died, her official Twitter account confirmed on Saturday morning:

She passed away this morning. The reports are real. We didn't deserve her.  officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 30, 2017

The 27-year-old became a prominent civil-rights activist after her father, Eric Garner, was killed after being put in a chokehold by a New York City police officer in 2014. His death, which was caught on camera as he repeated the phrase, I cant breathe, became one of the most important events in the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Erica, his oldest daughter, came to play a major part in that movement, staging frequent die-ins at the spot in Staten Island where her father died, making many media appearances, and often marching against police brutality.

People ask, When will you stop marching? What do you want from marching? He was my father, Garner told NBC News in 2015. I will always march.

Garner had been placed in a medically induced coma last week following a heart attack triggered by an asthmatic episode, and had already been declared brain dead as a result.

The only thing I can say is that she was a warrior, Ericas mother, Esaw Snipes, told the New York Times on Saturday. She fought the good fight. This is just the first fight in 27 years she lost.
To help us keep this website secure, please wait while we verify you're not a robot! It will only take a few seconds...

Loading...
Erica Garner. Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

In July 2014, when Erica Garner was 23 years old, her father was killed by police officers on Staten Island. In a video taken by an onlooker, white NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo places Eric in a chokehold, pressing his face to the ground while he is handcuffed, as Eric repeats the phrase I cant breathe. After lying motionless on the ground for several minutes, Garner was loaded into an ambulance, where he suffered a fatal heart attack en route to the hospital. He was 43.

I Cant Breathe became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. Garners death, and the jurys decision not to indict Pantaleo, sparked protests in New York City and around the country. These events also turned Garners oldest daughter, Erica, into an activist and organizer. She staged a die-in and started holding weekly vigils months after her fathers death. She became a fierce critic of Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Hillary Clinton, and was a surrogate for Bernie Sanders during the primary.

On Christmas Eve, Erica had an asthma attack that triggered a heart attack. She was put into a medically induced coma and was declared brain dead on Wednesday. She died on Saturday, and is survived by her 3-month-old son, Eric III, and her 8-year-old daughter, Alyssa.

This interview was conducted in mid-December, at the request of Erica Garner, to mark the third anniversary of the grand jurys decision not to indict Pantaleo.

[The following is a condensed and edited version of the interview. The full audio can be heard here.]

Were police brutality and criminal-justice reform things that you thought about before your father was killed? Did you live in fear of something like this happening to one of your relatives or loved ones?

It was talked about, but not really. We heard stories of other black men being killed, but it never, never hit home until the day it happened. My father always had encounters with the police. He was very adamant, especially towards the end of his life, that he was being harassed and was basically being backed into a corner  police officers on Staten Island locking him up, taking his cigarettes, taking his money or tying it up in bail, time in jail even, for something so small as selling cigarettes. If you look at the video: Before he said, I cant breathe, he was basically asking them to leave him alone.

People that were there said that he didnt even have cigarettes that day. He was trying to make peace between two people that were fighting. My father is the peacemaker.



How did you learn about what had happened?

At the time I was working in Long Island City. And my sister had called me, frantic, and told me she didnt know what happened, just that my father had stopped breathing. I figured maybe he was on the way to the hospital, but my mom wasnt answering the phone. No one answered the phone. So it was a while before we found out what happened. Later on that night, a person from the Daily News told me there was a video. So, that night me and my brothers and sisters sat around the computer and we watched that brutal video of my father being murdered.

What was that like?

It was hard. It was heartbreaking. It was shocking. I remember feeling dizzy, nauseous. There was something that you couldnt describe. We just broke down and started crying. Its very heartbreaking. Ive seen the video over a thousand different times. Its something that I viewed as a case study, because I want to know every aspect of what happened that day.



Can you tell us what you are up to right now?

Right now, Im in the process of starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. I want to focus on organizing and endorsing candidates to spread their message about the movement. And also have panels to discuss the topic of police brutality and policy, and also hopefully one day start programs in schools to just keep our youth engaged. Maybe start an independent podcast and news outlet to get the word out there.

Something Ive noticed about your advocacy is that you make the connection between police brutality and other things like, as you just said, education. Can you talk about the connections between police brutality and other issues?

Yes. Ive been working tirelessly  from protesting to talking to people in Congress and state senators  trying to get people to look at the connection between police brutality and policy. We are not educated about this in school. A lot of people dont even know the steps to pursuing justice.

Did you have experience as an activist and organizer before your fathers murder or was that the thing that turned you into an organizer?

It was something that happened basically overnight. I had no idea what I was doing, but I connected with the right people and went from there. I started out with protests, small little gatherings outside the post office, then gradually graduated from that to weekly protests at the spot where my father was actually murdered and then at the police station. And then I traveled to different cities to talk about this issue with local communities and elected officials.

Id seen a lot of people doing die-ins around the world, activists from different countries showing solidarity. And I felt like I had to go to the spot and lay in that spot to send a message. I dont know how to describe it  it was a very emotional thing for me to actually be in that spot and lay in the same spot that he died in. I did that Tuesday and Thursday for like about a year, the first year that everything happened.

A lot of people started reaching out after that. Thats when I started traveling and speaking to other activists and other organizations.

What was Mayor de Blasios response?

In the beginning, it seemed like he was very supportive. For the first two years, he stood with Reverend Al Sharpton, who is an adviser for my family, in support of changes in policy. De Blasio actually sat with my grandfather when the [non-]indictment came down three years ago. My grandfather was so emotional, crying, and couldnt believe it. [De Blasio] called my grandfather aside, in the church, to console him and talk to him.

But this year, for the anniversary, he refused to even speak my fathers name. He stood with police officers to open up a new police station out in Staten Island on the day that my father was killed. I feel like hes pandering to police. During his first term he lobbied and promised us New Yorkers that the Stop and Frisk policy would come to an end, but its just been reformed into broken-windows policing, which is basically the same thing, and which led to my father being killed that day.

He refuses to punish the officers who killed my father, especially Danny Pantaleo. He says hes waiting for the federal government to do their investigations before he makes a decision, but I just think that hes holding off to satisfy police officers.

Bill de Blasio has served one term and hes going to serve a second term. Do you have any hopes that he will do more about your fathers case, and about police brutality in general, given that he wont be up for reelection?

Im hoping that hell hear my cries and the citys cries about having better relations with the local police officers, and not being afraid well die when we encounter them. But I believe that its going to be more of the same.

Whats your response to people who say, What can he do? He doesnt have a choice. NYPD officers turned their backs on him at officers funerals?

Hes supposed to be our mayor. [His actions] shouldnt be just [determined by the fact that] police officers are turning their backs on him, or by being afraid of losing police officers support or whatever. You know, if anyone should know what the right thing to do is, it should be him, a man with a black child, who has ties to a black family.

What are your thoughts about Mayor de Blasios refusal to make the chokehold illegal? He says its unnecessary, since its already against police policy to use a chokehold. But clearly thats not a significant deterrent. Pantaleo used it. Were you surprised that he didnt get behind criminalizing chokeholds, making them punishable by a fine or jail?

I believe that hes blocking any type of justice my familys seeking  whether its the Chokehold Bill, the Know Your Rights Bill, or even a recommendation from the Civilian Complaint Review Board.

The [CCRB] recommended that Daniel Pantaleos records be released and de Blasio has also refused to do that, right?

Yes. Though a source from the CCRB leaked them, so I got to see them. I also filed a FOIA request right around my fathers death. A couple of weeks after the leaked information, I got a letter in the mail from the city stating that the CCRB found that the fact that he used a chokehold was substantiated and that Pantaleo had a previous complaint against him that was also substantiated. Still, nothing has been done.

Pantaleos been getting raises for the past three years  more than $100,000. Hes still working. And thats it. Hes just got more money, more money and no punishment.

But I think we should start from the bottom and go all the way to the top because its not just one person. Matt Taibbi interviewed someone from the police side and basically the order was coming up from the higher-ups saying that my father was a problem. They needed to get him out of there, by any means necessary. So it wasnt really about him being arrested for cigarettes.

And there are a lot of people involved with covering up my fathers murder. Like the police report that was found right after my fathers death stated that he didnt complain of not being able to breathe. But clearly on the video you can hear him say, I cant breathe.

Were you surprised by the non-indictment?

I was kind of prepared, because just the week before, the DA in Ferguson announced his decision [for no indictment].

You got a settlement, which some people try to use delegitimize you and your family. It is absurd because you have been fighting since the settlement. Its not like you stopped your activism or shut up.

No, and I will not. You know, money doesnt amount to a life that was lost. You know a lot of people say, Oh, you won the lottery. You in ghetto heaven, or whatever the case may be. But no amount of money can amount to the time lost with my father and his grandchildren. Also this money is to help towards the movement, towards finding answers. So it is a help. But it is not a solution.

In the black community, a lot of people dont seek the help they need as far as mental-health services. I tried to sit down with a therapist and the cost is $300/hour just to sit down and talk with someone. So thats another obstacle we have to face when stuff like this happens. Especially for the people who are dealing with this type of trauma. We shouldnt have to pay for counseling sessions. Police officers are covered for that.

Can you talk about Governor Cuomos response?

The Mothers of the Movement met up with him to sign an executive order [No. 147] to have a special prosecutor [in cases of unarmed civilians dying at the hands of law-enforcement officials], taking it out of the local DAs hands. And he signed the order with the promise to keep renewing it every year until its made permanent, but it only lasted a year. He hasnt renewed it. He did not keep his word.

You said that the Justice Department promised to bring resolution to the status of the civil-rights portion by the end of the year. So what can people do?

Keep urging them to come down with a decision. They did promise that they will have a decision by the end of the year. Me and my family hasnt heard anything. So Im hoping that if we keep the word out there we can put pressure on them to finally try to seek the answers that we need.

Did you meet any of the family members [of other victims of police brutality], like Sean Bell or Anthony Baezs families, in New York? Or did you meet Michael Browns family or Trayvon Martins family?

Yes. Trayvon Martins mom, Michael Browns mom, Sean Bells mom, Freddie Grays mom, Tamir Rices mom. We needed to all stand together, to share each others pain, to console each other and help push for the message were trying to get out there. I met with them. I talked with them. I even got some advice from Trayvon Martins mom, about how shes been fighting and fighting on for years. Even though Zimmerman hasnt been [convicted], she still pushed forward and she started her whole foundation, Circle of Mothers. And that every year she gets the mothers together who lost children and they just have a spa day and a whole bunch of workshops.

Does it give you some solace or consolation to be around other people whove gone through this?

Yes. And I think me being this outspoken person encourages them to keep fighting also.

How much of that do you think you got from your father?

A lot. Because if he were alive today, he would be doing the same thing. Like if he had survived what happened to him, he would be out here advocating and doing exactly what Im doing, if not more.

He researched the law a lot. He studied what the cops were doing to him. He put in complaints about the 120th Precinct and he actually, around the time of his death, was starting to get responses. He had a couple of officers transferred out of that precinct. And I believe thats why Pantaleo and other officers had some type of of animosity towards him. I believe thats why he was arrested, strip-searched, and molested in the street.

And were you ever afraid that you would face some kind of retaliation? Ramsey Orta (the onlooker who shot the video of Garner) reported that he was targeted by police, was beat up, and put in solitary. Were you ever afraid of that?

Yes and no. Its like a gift and a curse, you could say. I have to keep an eye open to officers while doing activism and getting my voice out there. As I was doing my protests, I also faced little things  like a counterprotest on the same route, on the same day sometimes of police officers saying, Blue Lives Matter. And also where I would protest, cops would set up a barricade to try to make it seem like my protests werent going to happen. I just did it anyway.

When was the last time you saw your father? Do you remember the last interaction you had with him?

On Fathers Day. I usually have get-togethers in the summertime, a big barbecue. And it was Fathers Day. I was celebrating with him, with family. And I just remember him spending the day with his granddaughters on the swing. He even wanted his food brought to him there. By the swing. He just sat there and bonded with his two granddaughters.

He was a family man. Like all the holidays, any type of events, he was always there. He always made sure you knew he supported you anyway he can. As far as arguments go, you wouldnt hear a peep out of him. As long as his kids was happy, he was happy.

He loved his neighborhood. If he sees you in need hed do his best to help you. I remember a homeless guy was really upset when he was gone. He would buy sandwiches for him or get clothes for him if he needed it. My father was like my hero. And nothing can replace him.

And you have your own children.

Yes. Actually I just had a son three months ago. I have an 8-year-old daughter, Alyssa. And I named my son Eric the third after my father.

And Alyssa got to meet her grandfather?

Yeah. My daughters father wasnt really in her life. My father was a male role model for her. Im the oldest daughter from my father, so I was always the apple of his eye. And then my daughter is the first granddaughter. So he transferred all of that to my daughter. She was in love with him, like me.

Does Alyssa have memories of your father?

Yeah. She talks about how he taught her to cross the street looking at traffic and looking at the red light. My father was a math genius  he was very good with numbers. So he would help her with her homework. She was going on five when he passed. But as she gets older, I think some of the memories will be freed in her.
What year is this? Photo: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images

One of the most disconcerting elements of the Trump presidency is the way it has distorted the concept of linear time. With so much dire news happening at such a dizzying pace, a big story from, say, last week can feel like it actually transpired years ago. For instance, the Challenger Explosion feels like it happened in 1986, but it was actually only two weeks ago.

With 2017 shuddering to a close, its as good a time as any to regain our bearings by conducting a simple yet revealing exercise: listing a few of the years most important moments in descending chronological order. The results can be mind-bending. To wit:

Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio, threatened to destroy North Korea with fire and fury, and accused Obama of wiretapping his phones all on the same morning. That was Monday.

It was ages ago that Trump fired James Comey, right? Nope. It actually happened on December 21. If you recall, Trump tried to deflect attention by blaming Nancy Pelosi for the winter equinox.

The box-office smash Titanic hit theaters for the first time exactly two weeks ago.

President Trumps infamous covfefe tweet arrived in the early hours of December 3.

The last American troops helicoptered out of Vietnam around 4:30 p.m. on December 1.

Americans landed on the moon on November 27, but the monumental achievement was immediately overshadowed by Trump tweeting about Colin Kaepernick.

Remember when Germany invaded Poland, launching World War II? Yep, that happened in 2017. It was on November 24, just five weeks ago.

Kellyanne Conway drew widespread ridicule when she coined the Orwellian phrase alternative facts. That was on November 22, as she fielded questions about the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, which happened earlier that day.

Trump issued his first travel ban on November 12, causing chaos at airports and galvanizing the #resistance.

Napoleon suffered a crushing blow at Waterloo on November 10, finally halting his momentum in Europe.

Socrates, sentenced to death by the Greek state, swallowed hemlock on November 6.

Trump referred to reporters as enemies of the state on November 4.

Humans first learned to cook on November 3, a breakthrough that would forever separate us from the species we came to dominate.

The big bang, now commonly accepted as the origin of all life, formed what we know as the universe on November 2.

Sean Spicer boasted about unprecedented crowd sizes at President Trumps inauguration on November 1.

President Trump took office on October 30.

He has been president for two months.
When you [see] a police patrol car at night, run! that is the advice a local leader in Bwaise II zone gives residents.

The statement speaks volumes about the mistrust between the police and the people living in some of Kampalas slums where crime, radicalisation and extreme violence breed  especially in communities with immigrant populations.

Police has got a reputation of being rather brutal.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Uganda, European Union and police are setting up facilities to help stop crime before it occurs.

A recent meeting between police from the directorate of counter terrorism, local leaders and residents of Bwaise in Kawempe, Kampala, revealed how the Early Warning Systems initiative hopes to work. The plan is to establish avenues through which the people can freely interact with police and report crime before it happens.

Sahra Farah, project manager for Strengthening Social Cohesion and Stability in Slum Populations (SSCoS), explained that globally, law enforcers respond to events that are happening, but with the early warning system threats can be prevented before the fact.

We are working with police and will be in the three slums we are working. The project targets where IOM extends equipment and financial services for start-ups to enable the youth establish their businesses, she said.

The systems are being established in Bwaise, Kisenyi and Katwe or Kabalagalas slums. Reports from IOM indicate that slum youths are easily radicalised, making them vulnerable to extremism which exposes Uganda to terrorism.

The set-up includes computers and mobile phones through which the community will call or send SMS. A typical centre will be manned by the police and community members chosen by residents in an area.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Mary Nankinga, who is in charge of social media, recognises that the public does not have faith in the police and observes that such initiatives will help boost police work and security in the slums.

With the Early Warning Systems in place, we are going to continue to work on our relationship with the people; people that bring us information need protection but sometimes we dont do that in time. Sometimes its because the community is not cooperative or fear to talk, she said.

IOM has trained police officers and from the skills we give them, enable us easily interact with communities; terrorism always starts small with things like killing women, hitting people with iron bars, groups like Kifesi but the community must be ready to work with police, she said.

justuslyatuu08@gmail.com
Canadians with disabilities have their sights set on 2018, when the federal government is expected to usher in long-sought legislation designed to increase accessibility nationwide. The governing Liberals have promised to create a bill that would remove barriers in federally regulated sectors such as banking, interprovincial transportation, telecommunications and government-run services such as Canada Post.

But what will the expected legislation look like and what will it accomplish? People close to the process weighed in:

 What is Canadas current accessibility picture?

The pending federal legislation would mark the first time Canada has moved to tackle accessibility at the national level. Other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have all had federal legislation in place for years or decades. Even most provincial governments have yet to take on the issue. Only Ontario, Manitoba and Nova Scotia have laws in place to address the needs of disabled residents.

 How do accessibility laws work?

They vary widely and have to strike a balance between being specific enough to attain results without being too restrictive for the people and places that have to abide by them. One approach, such as the one used in Ontario, involves developing standards focusing on broad areas such as customer service, built environments or employment. Some experts say Ottawa may go in a similar direction.

Michael Prince, Lansdowne professor of social policy at the University of Victoria, says individuals and businesses need to have enough flexibility to find accessibility solutions that make sense for their environments or clientele.

We say, heres the standard, heres the expected result we want. How you get there is up to you, he said of some government approaches.

Prince said some jurisdictions have gone so far as to set up government resources to help organizations comply with accessibility standards. He cited Irelands Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, an agency established a decade ago to conduct research and help shape accessibility practices in the country and abroad. Prince, who has taken part in numerous government consultations on the Canadian law, said having a comparable resource in place here would go a long way to making sure the new act is effective for years to come.

 What has the government promised?

Kent Hehr, the minister for persons with disabilities and the man charged with crafting the new legislation, says hes on track to table the bill in the spring of 2018 as previously promised. Details, however, are still in the works, and Hehr declined to offer any specifics on what the bill might contain.

Hehr, who is quadriplegic and uses a wheelchair, said Canada is looking to other jurisdictions for lessons on how to implement a sound piece of legislation that would limit the hard work many disabled Canadians do on a regular basis even during some of societys most basic interactions.

As people with disabilities, we run into situations three, four, five, six times a day, he said in a telephone interview. And sometimes we become immune to them and we simply find other creative ways to move forward. Im hoping we dont have to be as creative in the future.

 What kind of barriers do people with disabilities face?

Advocates say every sector that will fall under the scope of a federal act is rife with examples of barriers that vary depending on the disability in question. While many organizations and industries have developed inclusion strategies, they say myriad anecdotes demonstrate the fact that more formal intervention is necessary. Some examples include:

Banking: When Jim Derksen goes to his local bank to conduct routine transactions, hes never sure that hell be able to cross those tasks off his to-do list. Derksen, who uses a wheelchair, says many branch counters or bank machine keypads are located too high for someone using a mobility aid to reach. This is exacerbated for those with conditions that limit their ability to extend their arms. Some branches feature a wheelchair-accessible counter, but Derksen said high demand typically results in long lineups.

Even when he makes it to a counter, Derksen said another barrier frequently arises when he tries to use the pin pad. Such machines are regularly secured to the countertop, he said, making it impossible for many customers to reach them.

Derksen recognizes that businesses all over the country often take such precautions as a security measure, but he said the new law must force people to get more proactive in recognizing accessibility barriers and be creative in trying to overcome them.

We require a law which is enforced, which will push the innovation and the ingenuity, he said. Because unless theres a push, these compromises will be far less than acceptable.

Transport: In his work for the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, John Rae hears many examples of travel plans thwarted by accessibility barriers. As a blind person, Rae said he cannot use self-check-in kiosks at airports and must rely on harried counter staff for basic travel support.

Up until this year, Via Rail could only accommodate one wheelchair user at a time on its trains. The situation only began to change in the spring after the Canadian Transportation Agency ordered the company to double that capacity across its entire fleet, an edict Via Rail recently announced it would heed after months of resistance.

Rae said an accessibility law is essential to prevent such protracted battles from playing out in future. It would also have the added advantage of ensuring transportation companies keep accessibility in mind when doing everything from purchasing new vehicles to designing customer service protocols.

(Current laws) talk about undue obstacles to travel. We want the word undue removed, Rae said.

 Would broad standards actually help?

Yes, but experts and advocates alike say they wont get the job done on their own. Michael Bach, managing director of the Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society, said a standard in an area such as customer service would push companies to make disability issues a higher priority.

But standards can only go so far, he said, adding a potential benefit of an accessibility law would be its capacity to force the federal government to bring other laws in line. As an example, Bach cited statutes under the banking and tax acts that bar people with intellectual disabilities from either opening their own bank accounts or accessing their own funds.

Its great to be setting standards and coming up with a process to set them. Its part of the picture, but theres other pieces that need to be addressed for an inclusive and accessible Canada, he said.

Bach and Rae both said the new law should make it mandatory for the government to put its own policies, legislation and program decisions through a disability analysis, just as it currently does for gender-related issues. Rae said such an approach would help identify instances of discriminatory laws on the books and signal that the feds are willing to get their own house in order before compelling others to do the same.

It would be a signal to the disabled community that the government is really serious about its desire to make Canada a more accessible country.

SHARE:
Another driver has landed in hot water after getting stuck in the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel early Sunday morning.

Police were called to the scene around 4 a.m. and found a grey Ford SUV abandoned near the end of the streetcar platform.

The licence plates of the vehicle had been removed and all personal effects had been cleaned out of the car, said Toronto police spokesperson Rob Reid.

But the police were confident they could find the driver using other methods, such as video footage from the scene or a vehicle identification number.

The tunnel was still blocked at noon Sunday, causing the 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina streetcar routes to turn around at Queens Quay and Spadina Ave.

The TTC had shuttle buses operating. Meanwhile, the temperature in Toronto hovered below -20 C.

Reid said police had to wait on equipment to remove the car from the tunnel.

The front axel is broken, Reid said, so its not going to roll out.

This isnt the first time a vehicle has been stuck in the Queens Quay tunnel.

Since 2014, there have been more than 20 similar incidents, motivating the TTC to install lower lights, extra signs and deep rumble strips at the entrance of the tunnel in April to deter confused drivers from entering.

The extra precautions were implemented two months after police were once again called to extricate a vehicle from the tunnel using a crane in February. The driver, who claimed he was just following his GPS, was charged $425.

On Sunday around 12:30 p.m., a swing loader arrived on the scene and the extrication of the car began.

The delay finally cleared around 1 p.m.

Its a mystery to us as to how this happens, given all the lights, signage and rumble strips, said Brad Ross, TTC director of communications. If that doesnt stop them, driving on the raised tracks, the noise, the sparks, should be an indication that something is not right.

Ross is unsure whether alcohol played a factor in Sundays incident, saying that was a matter for the police, but added, at 4 in the morning, something was going on with the driver, because they did flee as well.

Ross said cars have made it all the way down the tunnel to Union Station in the past, and the TTC will continue to explore ways to stop vehicles from entering, including possibly installing mechanical arms that will only let streetcars pass.

Installing the mechanisms would open the door to other problems though, Ross said, because they would operate regularly and could fail due to technological issues, the cold or other weather factors, also causing delays.

We will continue to look at what other avenues we have to make it patently obvious that we cant drive down there, he said.

Read more about:

SHARE:
Trump administration to withhold $255 million aid to Pakistan

NEW YORK: The Trump administration is considering withholding $255 million in aid to Pakistan over, what it claims, is Islamabads refusal to provide access to a captured Haqqani network operative, a New York Times report has claimed.



When Pakistani forces freed a Canadian-American family this fall held captive by militants, they also captured one of the abductors. United States officials saw a potential windfall: He was a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network who could perhaps provide valuable information about at least one other American hostage. The Americans demanded access to the man, but Pakistani officials rejected those requests, the latest disagreement in the increasingly dysfunctional relationship between the countries. Now, the Trump administration is strongly considering whether to withhold $255 million in aid that it had delayed sending to Islamabad, according to American officials, as a show of dissatisfaction with Pakistans broader intransigence toward confronting the terrorist networks that operate there.



The administrations internal debate over whether to deny Pakistan the money is a test of whether President Trump will deliver on his threat to punish Islamabad for failing to cooperate on counterterrorism operations. Relations between the United States and Pakistan, long vital for both, have chilled steadily since the president declared over the summer that Pakistan gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror.



The United States, which has provided Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid since 2002, said in August that it was withholding the $255 million until Pakistan did more to crack down on internal terrorist groups. Senior administration officials met this month to decide what to do about the money, and American officials said a final decision could be made in the coming weeks.



The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive discussions, did not detail what conditions Pakistan would have to meet to receive the aid. It was not clear how the United States found out about the militants arrest, but an American drone had been monitoring the kidnappers as they moved deeper into Pakistan. Caitlan Coleman, an American, and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, were freed along with their children in an October raid after five years in captivity. Pakistani troops confronted Haqqani militants as they ferried the family across the tribal lands of northwest Pakistan. A State Department official said Pakistans actions will ultimately determine the course of security assistance in the future.



The official said conversations with Pakistan are continuing and declined to provide further comment. American officials are eager to learn what the militant knows about Kevin King, an American university professor who was kidnapped along with Timothy Weeks, an Australian citizen, in August 2016. King is believed to be alive but ill and American officials are hopeful that he and Weeks might be released. Another American, Paul Overby, vanished in 2014 in Afghanistan. Overby was trying to interview the leader of the Haqqani network when he disappeared. Gen Joseph L Votel, the head of the Pentagons Central Command, which oversees Pakistan and Afghanistan, declined to provide any details on the Haqqani operative who was seized other than to say he was probably pretty important and that any militants involved in hostage-taking were significant.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.Police in Los Angeles have arrested a man they suspect made a hoax emergency call that resulted in a SWAT police officer fatally shooting a man at the door of his own home in Kansas, law enforcement officials said Saturday.

Wichita deputy police chief Troy Livingston on Friday characterized the hoax call as swatting in which a prankster called 911 with a fake story about a shooting and kidnapping to draw a SWAT team to the victims address. Authorities havent released the name of the man who was killed Thursday, but relatives have identified him as 28-year-old Andrew Finch.

Tyler Barriss, 25, is suspected of making that call and was arrested in Los Angeles on Friday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Wichita Police Department in statements emailed early Saturday afternoon.

Officer Paul Cruz, a spokesperson for the Wichita police, said the two city police departments are working with the FBI on the case, but provided no further details including on possible charges or extradition.

In audio of the 911 call played by Wichita police at a news conference on Friday, a man said he shot his father in the head and that he was holding his mother and a sibling at gunpoint. The caller, speaking with relative calm, also said he poured gasoline inside the home and I might just set it on fire.

Officers subsequently surrounded the home at the address the caller provided and prepared for a hostage situation. When Finch went to the door, police told him to put his hands up and move slowly.

But Livingston said the man moved a hand toward his waistband. An officer, fearing the man was reaching for a gun, fired a single shot. Finch later died at a hospital. Livingston said Finch was unarmed.

The officer, a seven-year veteran of the department, is on paid leave pending the investigation.

Lisa Finch on Friday told reporters that cop murdered my son over a false report in the first place.

In addition to the 911 call, police also released a brief video of body camera footage from another officer at the scene. It was difficult to see clearly what happened.

Dexerto, an online news service focused on gaming, reported that the series of events began with an online argument over a $1 or $2 wager in a Call of Duty game on UMG Gaming, which operates online tournaments.

Livingston said investigators were tracking online leads, and a law enforcement official who earlier confirmed Barriss arrest said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over Call of Duty. The official wasnt authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press Saturday on condition of anonymity.

The official said Barriss believed a person involved in the dispute lived at the address, but that investigators dont believe Finch was the intended target. Finchs mother said her son was not a gamer.

The official said it wasnt clear if Barriss was involved in the dispute or if he had been recruited to make the false call.

Court records show Barriss was convicted in 2016 on two counts of making a false bomb report to a TV station in Glendale, Calif., and sent to Los Angeles County jail for two years. Jail records show he was released in January.

The FBI estimates that roughly 400 cases of swatting occur annually, with some using caller ID spoofing to disguise their number. An FBI supervisor in Kansas City, Mo., which covers all of Kansas, said the agency joined in the investigation at the request of local police.

In other cases of apparent swatting, three families in Florida in January had to evacuate their homes after a detective received an anonymous email claiming bombs had been placed at the address.

SHARE:
The plan sounds ingenious.

Remove two small security screws and combine them to create a tool to remove heavy bolts. Loosen wires to disable an electronic sensor. Fashion water-soaked bedsheets and the bunk-bed ladder into a tourniquet-like device; use it to pull open a hole in a woven steel grate. Train to get guards used to seeing you pace your cell at night wearing a hat, with a towel around your neck; then build a standing dummy facing the toilet so they dont realize youre gone until its too late.

Those were a few of the basics of an inmates scheme to escape from the Special Housing Unit at New York states Five Points Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison near the Canadian border. But instead of using it to break out, the inmate had a different idea  inform his jailers.

He had his girlfriend tell authorities that he would reveal his plan in exchange for a few privileges: an extra visit each week; the ability to receive food packages and take photos with his girlfriend and her 6-year-old daughter.

Prison officials had reason to listen: He is David Sweat. In the summer of 2015, he and another inmate, Richard W. Matt, engineered an escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility in rural Dannemora, N.Y., and then led authorities on a three-week deep-woods chase that riveted the nation, attracted intense scrutiny to security lapses and abuses in state prisons and embarrassed Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

Matt was eventually shot and killed and Sweat, now 37, shot and wounded. He later pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the episode and had a three- to seven-year sentence added to his original life term for murder. Eventually, he found himself in the Special Housing Unit at Five Points, where he was confined in his cell for 23 hours a day.

But clearly the experience has done little to lessen Sweats taste for escape plans.

So his girlfriend, Fran Malanik, relayed his message early last month, and authorities did, indeed, meet with him at Five Points, on Nov. 17. There, Sweat described his plan to senior investigators from the state prison agency and the state Inspector Generals Office. The investigators made an audio recording, Sweat and current and former officials said, and he also demonstrated some of the possible escape techniques as he was recorded on video.

On Dec. 20, Sweat detailed the escape plan in a two-hour interview with The New York Times.

In the end, Sweats skills as an escapee may be stronger than his ability as a negotiator.

He said that within hours of his session with the investigators, he was transferred under high security to the Attica Correctional Facility, a prison some 90 miles to the west of Five Points that was built in the 1930s and houses some of New Yorks most dangerous criminals. He said the men who transported him said he was moved because he had gotten into a fight, something he said had never happened. He was put in Atticas Special Housing Unit and has not been granted any of the privileges he sought.

An official of the prison agency, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, confirmed that Sweat had provided information about his perception of security vulnerabilities. But the official said that the agencys Office of Special Investigations had investigated his claims and found them without merit. The official added: Out of an abundance of caution, and in accordance with the departments biannual review policy, Sweat was moved to Attica.

The prison agencys spokesperson, Thomas Mailey, said in a statement issued on Dec. 22 that, Negotiating facility placement with any inmate is a direct violation of department policies and procedures. The decision to move Sweat, he added, was one of the more than 60,000 transfers that occur each year.

The agency has declined to say precisely what information Sweat provided or why the agency came to the conclusion that the escape plan would not work. It has also declined to provide copies  or excerpts  of the audio or video recordings of the meeting with Sweat. The Times is disclosing only the broad outlines of Sweats scheme, leaving out many of the specific details he provided.

Sweat appeared confident that his mechanical skill  I just have this ability to take things apart and put them back together  his persistence, resourcefulness and his analytical nature would have served him just as well had he tried to escape from Five Points.

Sitting in a small visiting room in the Attica medical ward, dressed in a green prison uniform, his manacled hands and shackled legs chained to a heavy leather belt around his waist, Sweat often leaned forward in his chair as he spoke.

He maintained that he did not want to escape again. He provided the information to authorities not only because he was seeking the privileges, he said, but because Malanik, 45, who was present during the conversation, had moved from Long Island to Ovid, N.Y., to be nearer to the prison, and he was concerned that any inmates who figured out how to escape might do her, her 6-year-old daughter or other area residents harm.

He also said two other New York state prisons have some of the same vulnerabilities as Five Points.

Sweat and Malanik met after his infamous 2015 escape. She was among many people who wrote to him after the Clinton escape. She and her daughter eventually began visiting him regularly at Five Points.

At the time of the interview, he was being kept in Atticas medical ward because, prison officials said, he was on a hunger strike. He denied that, saying that he was not eating prison food because correction officers had told him on Thanksgiving that they were going to poison him.

They said they were going to put something in my food, he said during the interview. He said he believed he was threatened because his and Matts escape resulted in upheaval in the to the prison system, including the conviction of officers and staff members at Clinton.

He said that he had seen guards put cleaning solvents and urine in inmates coffee or other beverages and human excrement in their food while at Clinton. Prison officials have suggested Sweat is on the hunger strike to protest his move to Attica and dismissed his allegations about the threats.

They obtained a court order to force-feed him on Dec. 21 and began doing so, Malanik said. Until then, he had been drinking five cans a day of a high-protein and fibre nutritional drink that a nurse opens in his presence.

Sweat and Malanik both said that she had asked in early November that a lawyer be present to represent him at the session at Five Points. But he said the officials at the meeting 10 days later told him there had not been enough time to arrange for one.

While the prison agency did not directly address Sweats credibility, a report by the inspector general following the 2015 escape indicated that what he told investigators had, in large measure, been borne out.

Malanik insisted in one of several interviews that he had provided valuable information and should have received something in return. Its not like he was asking for a queen-size bed and a flat-screen TV, she said.

SHARE:
NEW YORKEven on a nose-numbingly cold morning, families were out on the sidewalks.

For as long as brick apartment buildings have loomed over Prospect Avenue, this pocket of the Bronx called Belmont has been dominated by working-class families, many of them drawn from around the world to the promise of New York City.

When a fire tore through one of the buildings late Thursday, killing 12 people, children were at the heart of the tragedy that has shaken the neighbourhood. The fire was started by a 3-year-old boy playing with burners on a stove, authorities said. The youngest victims were 8 months, 2 years and 7 years old.

The inferno, the deadliest in New York in more than 25 years, roared through the brown five-storey building at 2363 Prospect Ave. as neighbours cooked dinner.

Some said they smelled the smoke before they knew anything was wrong, and others said they were tormented by the sight of a firefighter carrying the lifeless body of a child. At least two people remain hospitalized in critical condition, officials said.

I couldnt sleep. I cant sleep, said Bernadette Miles from her stoop Friday. She had feared the young victims would be children she saw every day playing on the street or wheeling by in strollers. Those images are burned in my head.

And when the fire was out, it left a scar on the heart of a certain type of New York neighbourhood, one rarely in the news. This stretch of Prospect Avenue, where there is almost no grass and the buildings vary almost solely by shade of brick, is known neither for luxuries nor high crime, although a measure of crime and violence persists, and residents complain about landlords who are stingy with heat.

The building itself was well kept, records shows, if hardly fancy. For long-term residents, the incentive to stay in Belmont has been a sense of community.

The morning after the fire, the streets around Prospect Avenue still bustled: Residents returned from the laundromat with bags hoisted over their shoulders, women sat in the chairs at a salon, chatting in Spanish.

Even so, the day was anything but normal, as police officers cordoned off the avenue and residents displaced by the fire wandered around with Red Cross blankets draped over their shoulders. A few people made the sign of the cross as they hustled by.

Fernando Batiz stood outside a bodega on the corner, dabbing his eyes.

His sister, Maria Batiz, had lived in the building for about 25 years. He described her as a caretaker. She tended to their mother, and let him live with her for months in her tiny apartment when he was at a particularly low point. She took me off the street, he said. And on Thursday, she was watching her granddaughter when they were both killed in the fire.

LaShawn Solomon had reservations when she moved into her apartment on Prospect Avenue about five years ago. She had preconceived ideas about the Bronx, and they were anything but favourable. She encountered something surprisingly different. You get your, Good mornings, your, Hey, how you doings?  she said. Its like a small village.

Solomon walked up to Miles on her stoop on Friday afternoon.

Those babies just celebrated Christmas, Miles told her. They didnt make it to the new year.

SHARE:
ZEBULON, GA.When a young Black man was found slain outside Griffin, Ga., in 1983, his family was too traumatized to put a headstone on his grave.

Not knowing who killed Timothy Wayne Coggins, or if the killer might come back to vandalize a well-marked burial site, they held a hurried, fearful funeral and left it unadorned, his niece Heather Coggins said.

Now, 34 years later, after two white men have been charged in the racially tinged cold-case, Timothy Coggins grave has finally been marked with his name.

The Coggins family unveiled the new headstone Saturday at their home church in Zebulon, Ga., about 80 kilometres south of Atlanta.

This has been a very dark cloud on our family. But today we can see the sun will shine again, said Tyrone Coggins, a brother of the slain man, during a rousing, 90-minute memorial service at Fullers Chapel United Methodist Church.

Timothy Coggins body was found by hunters in a field not far from a highway in the Sunny Side community a few kilometres north of Griffin.

The killing remained unsolved until last October when authorities announced the arrests of Frankie Gebhardt, 59, and Bill Moore Sr., 58. Arrest warrants accuse them of stabbing and slicing Coggins to death and giving him seriously disfiguring wounds.

At a hearing in November, a prosecutor said Coggins was also dragged through the woods behind a pickup truck. Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ben Coker said the 23-year-old Coggins was killed because he had been socializing with a white female.

Heather Coggins has said the family long suspected that his death was somehow linked to racism. She said they were too afraid to mark her uncles grave at the time he was killed, and as time went by it was just left unmarked. But after suspects were charged in his slaying, she said relatives chipped in to buy the headstone.

The little country church was filled with members of the large, extended family, many of them wearing T-shirts adorned with Timothy Coggins photo and the words At Last . . . Resting in Peace. Many also wore purple ribbons  their slain relatives favourite colour.

Many of those who knew Coggins have died  and the dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews who packed the church were mostly too young to have known him. But they all grew up hearing stories about his death, said Jennifer Stevenson, 35, who was still a baby when her cousin was killed.

As his legacy, we feel as though we were robbed, she said. They never got to meet the man who was known for his charming smile and smooth dance moves. And Coggins himself never got to marry, settle down, have a career and know the generation that came after him.

Our family is amazing, and we are confident he would have been proud of us, Stevenson said during the service, which featured gospel music from a family choir and interpretive dance by some of the children.

Several speakers told how Timothy Coggins was known for faithfully walking his younger relatives home at night.

He always wanted to make sure everyone got home safely, said Tyrone Coggins. This is confirmation to the family that 34 years later, Tim made it home.

SHARE:
TEHRAN, IRANThe largest protests to strike Iran in nearly a decade continued unabated Sunday, despite a government move to block access to Instagram and a popular messaging app used by activists to organize, with even President Hassan Rouhani acknowledging the publics anger over the Islamic Republics flagging economy.

Rouhani and other leaders made a point to warn that the government wouldnt hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers amid the demonstrations, which began Thursday over the economic woes plaguing Iran.

Those who misused cyberspace and spread violence are absolutely known to us and we will definitely confront them, Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said on state television.

Authorities acknowledged that two protesters were killed during clashes late Saturday in Doroud, some 325 kilometres southwest of Tehran

The outpouring of public discontent  the most widespread since protests following Irans disputed 2009 presidential election  have been fanned by messages sent on the Telegram messaging app, which authorities blocked Sunday along with the photo-sharing app Instagram, which is owned by social media giant Facebook.

Many of the countrys 80 million people are learning about the protests and sharing images of them through Telegram. On Saturday, Telegram shut down one channel of the service over Iranian government allegations that it encouraged violence, which its moderator denied.

On Sunday, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov wrote on Twitter that authorities had blocked all access to the app.

Iranian authorities are blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down . . . peacefully protesting channels, he wrote.

Irans state TV news website, iribnews.ir, said social media in Iran was being temporarily limited as a safety measure.

With a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, activities of Telegram and Instagram are temporarily limited, the report said, without elaborating.

Facebook, based in Menlo Park, Calif., declined to comment.

Facebook has been banned in Iran since the 2009 protests that followed the re-election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. However, some in Iran access it and other banned websites using virtual private networks.

In Lorestan province, the security deputy of the governor did not offer a cause of death for the two protesters, but said no bullets were shot from police and security forces at the people.

The gathering was to be ended peacefully, but due to the presence of the (agitators), unfortunately, this happened, said Habibollah Khojastepour.

However, the reformist Etemad newspaper quoted Hamid Reza Kazemi, a Lorestan lawmaker, as saying police did open fire during the clashes.

If someone comes to the street and acts like a norm breaker, what would you do? the newspaper quoted Kazemi as saying.

Videos circulating on social media late Saturday also appeared to show fallen protesters in Doroud as gunshots sounded in the background. The Associated Press could not immediately verify the footage.

Thousands have taken to the streets of cities across Iran, beginning on Thursday in Mashhad, the countrys second-largest city and a holy site for Shiite pilgrims.

The protests in Tehran, as well as President Donald Trump tweeting in support of them, raised the stakes. It also apparently forced state television to break its silence about the unrest, acknowledging Saturday that it hadnt reported on the protests on orders from security officials.

Trump, whose travel bans have blocked Iranians from getting U.S. visas, in his latest tweets on Sunday showed support for the protesters and for their ability to communicate.

The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer, Trump wrote. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!

Rouhani criticized Trump in comments aired Sunday night.

This guy in America who wants to sympathize with our people today has forgotten that he had called Iranian people terrorists a few months ago, Rouhani said. This person who is against Iran from head to toe does not have the right to be sympathetic to Iranian people.

Several hundred protesters have been arrested so far, beginning with over 50 in Mashhad on Thursday. The semi-official ILNA news agency reported Sunday that authorities had arrested some 80 protesters in the city of Arak, some 280 kilometres south of Tehran, as well as another 200 in Tehran on Saturday night.

State TV also has reported that some protesters invoked the name of the U.S.-backed shah, who fled into exile just before Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution and later died.

Irans economy has improved since its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the end of some international sanctions. Tehran now sells its oil on the global market and has signed deals to purchase tens of billions of dollars worth of Western aircraft.

That improvement has not reached the average Iranian, however. Unemployment remains high, and official inflation has crept up to 10 per cent again. A recent increase in egg and poultry prices by as much as 40 per cent, which a government spokesperson has blamed on a cull over avian flu fears, appears to have been the spark for the economic protests.

While the protests have sparked clashes, Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its affiliates have not intervened as they have in other unauthorized demonstrations since the 2009 election.

Some analysts outside of Iran have suggested that may be because the economic protests initially just put pressure on Rouhani, a relative moderate whose administration struck the nuclear deal.

While saying people should be allowed to protest, Rouhani also made a point Sunday of warning demonstrators.

The government will definitely not tolerate those groups who are after the destruction of public property or disrupting the public order or spark riots in the society, he said.

Read more:

New economic protests in Tehran challenge Irans government

Protests over Iranian governments handling of economy spread to several cities

Read more about:

SHARE:
MADRIDSpain's maritime rescue service says it has saved 66 migrants from two boats in the Mediterranean Sea.

The service says that one boat carrying 58 migrants was intercepted by rescue craft in the Strait of Gibraltar before sunrise on Sunday. A further eight migrants were pulled from a second boat in waters east of the strait.

Spain saved 177 migrants travelling in six boats on Saturday.

Thousands of refugees and other migrants attempt the perilous crossing from Africa in hopes of reaching European shores each year. They are often packed by human traffickers into small boats unfit for the open sea.

Read more about:

SHARE:
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday issued a red alert for more unity in 2018 after what he called a year of setbacks.

Nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise, inequality is growing, climate change is accelerating and the world is seeing horrific violations of human rights, he said. Global anxieties about nuclear weapons were the highest since the Cold War.

The Portuguese diplomat made no mention of specific countries in his brief New Years message.

Guterres said he took office a year ago with an appeal that 2017 would be a year of peace.

Unfortunately  in fundamental ways, the world has gone in reverse, he said. On New Years Day 2018, I am not issuing an appeal. I am issuing an alert  a red alert for our world.

Guterres was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015. During his first year in office, he has contended with humanitarian crises in Myanmar, Yemen, Syria and elsewhere.

Read more:

Spain rescues 66 migrants from two boats in Mediterranean Sea

Donald Trump becomes the first president in 40 years not to visit Canada in his first year

SHARE:
Canada is perceived by many as a polite and orderly place, with minimal crime in comparison to our noisy neighbours south of the border, but we may not be as squeaky clean as we perceive.

We can, in fact, be rogues if we put our minds to it. According to an Equifax survey released this year, 13 per cent of Canadians agree that its OK to lie on a mortgage application, while 16 per cent see it as a victimless crime (its not).

But on the bigger stage, a joint CBC-Toronto Star investigation at the start of the year revealed that Canada is an excellent place to hide assets records. According to records leaked from shamed law firm Mossack Fonseca (of Panama Papers fame), a legion of tax advisers have been using our country to help hide assets. The story became known as the Canadian Snow Washing  scandal, after Toronto tax lawyer Jonathan Garbutt described the process of making a company as clean as the . driven snow in the Great White North.

There were other signs of fraud and fraudsters afoot in Canada across 2017.

This year Canadians were defrauded of $1.7 million via cons involving digital (crypto) currencies, such as Bitcoin. This figure is more than double the amount lost during 2016. This is alarming, as investigations into such frauds are complicated by the anonymity digital currencies afford. Not to mention that Swiss bank UBS has said Bitcoins sharply rising value had all the hallmarks of a bubble.

Two individuals also sought to prove the age-old-adage that, He who represents himself has a fool for a client, in a case heard before the Ontario Superior Court. The two fools in question were embroiled in a civil dispute and thought it wise to forge a judgment. Both are now serving a three year custodial sentence. To think that you can get away with faking a judges signature on a forged court document beggars belief.

A major emerging scandal concerns an investigation into an allegedly corrupt Politically Exposed Person  Abdul Taib Mahmud, governor of Malaysias state of Sarawak in Malaysia  whose daughter, Jamilah Taib Murray, has lived for many years in Ottawa.

Swiss NGO Bruno Manser Fonds (BMF), a charitable organization that seeks to protect tropical rainforests, has been investigating the case. Taib Murray allegedly developed and maintained control of over $250 million (CAN) of real estate holdings, acquired and funded by her fathers alleged corruption and abuse of public office, all of which is linked to the pillaging of timber from the Borneo rainforests, an allegation she vehemently denies.

The alleged scandal had its derivation in the destruction of 90 per cent of the countrys primeval rainforests, lost to logging and palm oil plantations. Taib Murray has stated that the source of her wealth was a gratuity her father received upon his resignation from the Malaysian government, from which she ultimately received some funding.

She stated via her website that the growth in the value of the Sakto Corporation was down to her  smart business choices, and savvy negotiation skills. The corporation issued a statement claiming that the BMF allegations were both malicious and lacking in merit.

BMF representative, Lukas Straumann, called the logging activities in the Borneo rainforest a man-made tragedy.

In the summer of this year, the BMF instructed my fellow ICC FraudNet member Lincoln Caylor, and Maureen Ward, of Bennett Jones in Toronto, to seek a disclosure order against Canadian financial institutions and an auditor who appear to hold relevant and objective evidence in support of the NGOs belief that Taib Murray was participating in money laundering, to hold and conceal the proceeds of alleged acts of grand public corruption on the people of Malaysia, in Ontario.

The documents are being sought to determine if a case for a private prosecution against Taib Murray, and entities related to her, exist.

A judge of the Ontario Superior Court issued a preliminary ruling that outlined if these allegations are correct, people in Canada may have been involved in some serious criminal misconduct. In addition the court ruled that the hearing should be heard in public. The case is significant, not only for the sensitive nature of the allegations being made, but also as it will go some way to establishing a precedent on preaction financial disclosure for private prosecutions. The case rumbles on.

Martin Kenney is managing partner of Martin Kenney & Co., Solicitors, a specialist investigative and asset recovery practice based in the British Virgin Island and focused on multi-jurisdictional fraud and grand corruption cases www.martinkenney.com |@MKSolicitors.

SHARE:
To skim through Star reporter Daniel Dales year-end compendium of Donald Trumps deceptions is to confront anew the U.S. presidents era-defining antagonism to the truth.

All the hits are there. The record-breaking crowd at Trumps inauguration. Barack Obamas wiretapping of Trumps office. The massive voter fraud in blue states. The skyrocketing murder rate. The mortal threat to teenage girls posed by undocumented immigrants. Dale documents these and nearly 1,000 other fantasies foisted on the American public by their president as statements of fact.

Politicians lie. But the everyone does it argument is hardly mitigating. When it comes to mendacity, Trump is next level. His apparent sense that the truth doesnt matter as it once did, coupled with his own agnosticism on the issue, allows him to say absolutely whatever suits his purposes. And he does. He even brags about this habit in his autobiography. Truthful hyperbole, his ghostwriter dubbed his unending stream of baseless braggadocio. Apparently Trump loved the term, with its built-in lie.

In recent days, as Dale and other journalists and fact-checkers have published their year-end lists of Trumps falsehoods, a number of pundits and media analysts have questioned whether this is a good use of our industrys dwindling resources and reporters increasingly squeezed time.

Some posit that fact-checking Trump is a waste of energy. The question of the presidents honesty has already been settled, they say. He is a liar. Why belabour the point? Trump believers will never be converted by the dishonest media and Trump skeptics dont need journalists to painstakingly enumerate his every fib and mistake.

Some suggest the close reading of Trumps tweets, speeches and interviews, the combing for lies and errors, is an exercise in pedantry that suits the presidents elite-bashing agenda just fine. While liberals amplify each others outrage over Trumps falsehoods and unearned boasts, unwittingly reinforcing his messaging in the process and persuading no one of anything, the president passes his tax bill, pushes his Muslim ban, finds ways to deport young undocumented immigrants who have known no other country.

But the lies are not merely a distraction. For one thing, they make the indefensible defensible. The Republican tax bill is an easier sell for those, like Trump, willing to describe it as tough on the wealthy, good for the middle class and lucrative for the federal government, though it is objectively none of the above. Trumps effort to deport the so-called Dreamers may seem less reprehensible if you believe the presidents inventions about undocumented immigrants committing terror attacks in Sweden or slicing and dicing teenage girls in the United States.

More fundamentally, however, the lies are an attack on truth itself. Trump seems to have an instinct for exploiting the neurological frailties that cognitive science has exposed in recent decades. Humans are not predisposed to seek truth, we have learned, but rather to avoid it. We tend to believe information that confirms our pre-existing biases and cherry-pick data to avoid the hard work of questioning our assumptions. Trumps relentless barrage of lies makes the unnatural process of critical thinking harder still. And so we are tempted to throw up our hands: who knows whats true.

As the Russian dissident and former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, himself no stranger to the distortions of demagogues, once wrote, the ultimate goal of modern propaganda is not simply to misinform or push an agenda, but to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.

This project is of course antithetical to democracy. Without some shared understanding of what is true, of what challenges we face, we cannot have a reasoned debate about how to respond.

That is why fact-checking is essential, particularly in this post-truth moment: not simply because each lie deserves to be corrected, though it does, but also because each correction is an affirmation that neither Trump nor anyone else can choose the truth, that facts are real and worth protecting.

In an era of declining trust, amid attacks from Trump and other post-truth politicians, government, academia and other embattled truth-stewarding institutions must up their game.

The media, which is also less trusted today than in previous decades, is no exception. That means being transparent in our policies and practices, challenging authority without being unduly antagonistic and rigorously applying the same standards to those with whom we agree as those with whom we dont. It certainly doesnt mean giving a pass to liars because we suspect we might not be believed.

Some minds will never be turned. But the fact-checkers may already be having an impact. Trust in Trump, too, is hitting historic lows.

Over the past year, the American president said 1,000 false things, an average of about three per day. In an interview with the New York Times last week, he said another 25. The assault on truth and democracy shows no sign of letting up and much in our nature will ease its way. So let fact-checkers beat on, to paraphrase another American fabulist, like boats against the current.

Read more:

Analysis: Donald Trump has spent a year lying shamelessly. It hasnt worked

Analysis: Donald Trump made 25 false claims in his latest New York Times interview

Read more about:

SHARE:
Torys contact with police chief falls into grey area, Dec. 29

Torys discussion with the police chief relating to the Sherman case appears to be quite proper. Tying oneself into knots as former chair Mukerjees comments appear to suggest is ridiculous. The original comments by a police source prior to homicide being called in mentioned murder suicide. My feeling is that this was inappropriate and premature and I would like to know who made the comment, particularly when other facts have come out and that there was no apparent motive for suicide. For the mayor to relay any comments to the chief as a result of any calls he may have received is in no way interfering with the investigation, is in no way directing the chief and should not be construed as such.

Norman Gardner (former chair of TPSB), Toronto

SHARE:
New York Community Bancorp, Inc. is the bank holding company for New York Community Bank. New York Community Bank is the nations 47th-largest financial institution and its largest thrift. As a thrift, the bank specializes in real estate and consumer accounts specifically real estate loans and savings accounts and has limited exposure to other forms of business banking. Among the benefits to consumers are interest-bearing checking and saving accounts that come with higher-than-average interest rates.

New York Community Bank was founded in 1859 to serve Queens County, New York. It operated under that name, growing all the while, until 2000 when it changed its name to better reflect the business. The company IPOd in 1993 and has made multiple acquisitions in the time since. As of 6/30/2022, the bank had $63.1 billion in assets and $41.2 billion in deposits.

New York Community Bank operates in greater New York City, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida, and Arizona. The company provides deposit products ranging from interest-bearing checking and money market accounts to savings accounts, IRAs, and CDs. Brands under the companys umbrella include AmTrust in Florida and Arizona, Ohio Savings Bank, Garden State Savings Bank, and Atlantic Bank.

The bank offers a wide range of real-estate-related loans including but not limited to multi-family loans, commercial real estate loans, construction loans, and consumer loans and mortgages. Investment products include annuities, mutual funds, and life insurance. Customers include individuals, small businesses, and organizations and are served through a network of more than 230 branches, and 300 ATMs, online, mobile, and by phone. Many of the locations are open 24 hours and 6 days a week although those hours are not available at all branches. Clients can access their accounts digitally 24/7.

New York Community Bancorp and its underlying business carry investment-grade credit ratings from all the major rating agencies. The credit outlook in the 4th quarter of 2022 was stable as it had been for some time. In New York, it is a leader in the multi-family market specializing in lower-cost housing in rent-controlled areas. As of June 30, 2022, the multi-family loan portfolio accounted for more than 75% of all investments. The company has a stock purchase and dividend reinvestment plan that help to sustain a high level of ownership.






EMCOR Group, Inc. provides electrical and mechanical construction, and facilities services primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. It offers design, integration, installation, starts-up, operation, and maintenance services related to electrical power transmission, distribution, and generation systems; energy solutions; premises electrical and lighting systems; process instrumentation in the refining, chemical processing, and food processing industries; low-voltage systems, such as fire alarm, security, and process control systems; voice and data communications systems; roadway and transit lighting, signaling, and fiber optic lines; heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and geothermal solutions; clean-room process ventilation systems; fire protection and suppression systems; plumbing, process, and high-purity piping systems; controls and filtration systems; water and wastewater treatment systems; central plant heating and cooling systems; crane and rigging services; millwright services; and steel fabrication, erection, and welding services. The company also provides building services that cover commercial and government site-based operations and maintenance; facility management, maintenance, and services; outage services to utilities and industrial plants; military base operations support services; mobile mechanical maintenance and services; services for indoor air quality; floor care and janitorial services; landscaping, lot sweeping, and snow removal services; vendor management and call center services; installation and support for building systems; program development, management, and maintenance for energy systems; technical consulting and diagnostic services; infrastructure and building projects; small modification and retrofit projects; and other building services. It offers industrial services to oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. EMCOR Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut.
The following companies are subsidiares of Lennar: 360 Developers LLC, Alliance Financial Services Inc., Ann Arundel Farms Ltd., Aquaterra Utilities Inc., Arbor Mill Veteran Project 2018 LLC, Asbury Woods L.L.C., Astoria Options LLC, Autumn Creek Development Ltd., Aylon LLC, Azusa Associates LLC, B2 Milpitas LLC, BB Investment Holdings LLC, BCI Properties LLC, BMR Communities LLC, BMR Construction Inc., BMTD LLC, BPH I LLC, Bainebridge 249 LLC, Bay Colony Expansion 369 Ltd., Bellagio Lennar LLC, Belle Meade LEN Holdings LLC, Belle Meade Partners LLC, Black Mountain Ranch LLC, Blue Horizons Estates LLC, Bonterra Lennar LLC, Bramalea California Inc., Bressi Gardenlane LLC, Breton Park Lennar LLC, CAP IL 1 LLC, CL Ventures LLC, CML INACTIVE LLC, CML-MO HAF LLC, CML-MO HAF PARKING LLC, CP Block 6aS LLC, CP Block 8aS LLC, CP Block 9aS LLC, CP Center Apartments LLC, CP Center Garage LLC, CP Red Oak Partners Ltd., CP Vertical Development Co. 1 LLC, CP/HPS Development Co. GP LLC, CP/HPS Development Co.-C LLC, CPFE LLC, CPHP Development LLC, CalAtlantic Financial Services Inc., CalAtlantic Group, CalAtlantic Group Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Arizona Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Georgia Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Texas Inc., CalAtlantic Homes of Washington Inc., CalAtlantic Mortgage Inc., CalAtlantic National Title Solutions LLC, CalAtlantic Title Agency LLC, CalAtlantic Title Group LLC, CalAtlantic Title Inc., CalAtlantic Title LLC, CalAtlantic Title of Maryland Inc., Camarillo Village Park LLC, Cambria L.L.C., Candlestick Retail Member LLC, Cardiovascular Medical Specialists LLC, Carolina Blue LLC, Carson 175 LLC, Cary Woods LLC, Casa Marina Development LLC, Central Park West Holdings LLC, Cherrytree II LLC, Club Bonterra Lennar LLC, Coco Palm 82 LLC, Colonial Heritage LLC, Columbia National Risk Retention Group Inc., Commonwealth Incentive Fee LLC, Concord Station LLP, Coventry L.L.C., Creekside Crossing L.L.C., Crest at Fondren Investor LLC, DBJ Holdings LLC, DCA Financial LLC, DTC Holdings of Florida LLC, Darcy-Joliet L.L.C., Durrell 33 LLC, EL Ventures LLC, EV LLC, Eagle Bend Commercial LLC, Eagle Home Mortgage LLC, Estates Seven LLC, Evergreen Village LLC, F&R QVI Home Investments USA LLC, FLORDADE LLC, Faria Preserve LLC, Fidelity Guaranty and Acceptance Corp., Fidelity Land LLC, Fox-Maple Associates LLC, Friendswood Development Company LLC, GDI MANAGER LLC, Garco Investments LLC, Greystone Construction Inc., Greystone Homes of Nevada Inc., Greystone Nevada Holdings LLC, Greystone Nevada LLC, Greywall Club L.L.C., HCC Investors LLC, HPS Development Co. LP, HPS Vertical Development Co. LLC, HPS Vertical Development Co.-B LP, HPS Vertical Development Co.-D/E LLC, HPS1 Block 1 LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-1B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-2B LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3A LLC, HPS1 Block 48-3B LLC, HPS1 Block 50 LLC, HPS1 Block 51 LLC, HPS1 Block 52 LLC, HPS1 Block 53 LLC, HPS1 Block 54 LLC, HPS1 Block 55 LLC, HPS1 Block 56/57 LLC, HSP Arizona Inc., HTC Golf Club LLC, Hammocks Lennar LLC, Harbor Highlands Group LLC, Harveston LLC, Haverton L.L.C., Heathcote Commons LLC, Heritage Pkwy East Holdings LLC, Heritage of Auburn Hills L.L.C., Hewitts Landing Trustee LLC, Hingham Properties LLC, Huntley Venture L.L.C., Inactive Companies LLC, Independence L.L.C., Independence Orlando LLC, Isles at Bayshore Club LLC, KMC Real Estate Investors LLC, Kendall Hammocks Commercial LLC, Kentuckiana Medical Center LLC, Kingman Lennar LLC, LB/L  Duc III Antioch 330 LLC, LCD Asante LLC, LCI Downtown Doral Investor LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor GP LLC, LCI North DeKalb Investor LP LLC, LEN - Belle Meade LLC, LEN - OBS Windemere LLC, LEN - Palm Vista LLC, LEN BPT Investor LLC, LEN Mirada Investor LLC, LEN Notarize Investor LLC, LEN OT Holdings LLC, LEN Paradise Cable LLC, LEN Paradise Operating LLC, LEN-CG South LLC, LEN-Cypress Mill LLC, LEN-Ryan 1 LLC, LEN-Touchstone LLC, LENH I LLC, LENNAR HOMES OF TENNESSEE LLC, LFS Holding Company LLC, LH Eastwind LLC, LHI Renaissance LLC, LMC 10th & Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 144th and Grant Investor LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Holdings LLC, LMC 2401 Blake Street Investor LLC, LMC 360 Acoma Holdings LP, LMC 410 S Wabash Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Holdings LLC, LMC 808 Gateway Investor LLC, LMC 8th Avenue Apartment Investor LLC, LMC 990 Bannock Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Holdings LLC, LMC Axis Westminster Investor LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Holdings LLC, LMC Berry Hill Lofts Investor LLC, LMC Block 42 Holdings LLC, LMC Build to Core III Investor LLC, LMC Build to Core III LLC, LMC Burnside Holdings LLC, LMC Burnside Investor LLC, LMC Chandler and McClintock Holdings LLC, LMC Charlestowne Holdings LLC, LMC Charlotte Ballpark Developer LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Holdings LLC, LMC Cityville Oak Park Investor LLC, LMC Cobalt Holdings LLC, LMC Costa Mesa Holdings LP, LMC Crest at Park West Holdings LP, LMC Denver Gateway I Investor LLC, LMC Denver Gateway II Holdings LLC, LMC Development LLC, LMC Downtown Doral South Holdings LLC, LMC Durham Gateway Holdings LP, LMC Evans School Holdings LLC, LMC Gateway Investor LLC, LMC Gateway Venture LLC, LMC Gilman Square Investor LLC, LMC Horton Street Holdings LLC, LMC Huntington Crossing Holdings LLC, LMC Inactive Companies LLC, LMC Lakeside Holdings LP, LMC Leya Holdings LLC, LMC Living Illinois LLC, LMC Living Inc., LMC Living LLC, LMC Living TRS LP, LMC Millenia Investor II LLC, LMC NE Minneapolis Lot 2 Holdings LLC, LMC New Bern Investor LLC, LMC North Park Holdings LP, LMC Parkfield Holdings LLC, LMC Parkfield Investor LLC, LMC Righters Ferry Holdings LLC, LMC River North Holdings LLC, LMC Spring Street Investor LLC, LMC Stonewall Station Investor LLC, LMC Triangle Square Investor LLC, LMC Venture Developer LLC, LMC Verbena Holdings LLC, LMC West Loop Investor LLC, LMCFX Investor LLC, LMCPNW Marymoor Holdings LLC, LMI - Jacksonville Investor LLC, LMI - South Kings Development Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle Holdings LLC, LMI - West Seattle Investor LLC, LMI - West Seattle LLC, LMI Cell Tower Investors LLC, LMI City Walk Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale Investor LLC, LMI Collegedale LLC, LMI Contractors LLC, LMI Glencoe Dallas Investor LLC, LMI Lakes West Covina Investor LLC, LMI Largo Park Investor LLC, LMI Las Colinas Station LLC, LMI Naperville Investor LLC, LMI Pacific Tower LLC, LMI Park Central Two LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners Investor LLC, LMI Peachtree Corners LLC, LMI-JC Developer LLC, LMI-JC LLC, LMV 1640 Broadway REIT-DC LP, LMV 1701 Ballard REIT-DC LP, LMV 19H REIT-DC LP, LMV 2026 Madison REIT-DC LP, LMV 85 South Union REIT-DC LP, LMV ATown REIT-DC LP, LMV Annapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Apache Terrace REIT-DC LP, LMV Block 42 REIT-DC LP, LMV Bloomington REIT-DC LP, LMV Bolingbrook REIT-DC LP (DE), LMV Central at McDowell REIT-DC LP, LMV East Village I REIT-DC LP, LMV Edina REIT-DC LP, LMV Fremont WS I REIT-DC LP, LMV Glisan REIT-DC LP, LMV Grand Bay REIT-DC LP, LMV II Grand Bay Pod V Holdings LP, LMV II Kierland Holdings LP, LMV II NoMo Holdings LP, LMV II Venture Developer LLC, LMV II Wynwood Holdings LP, LMV Kirkland REIT-DC LP, LMV Little Italy REIT-DC LP, LMV M Tower REIT-DC LP, LMV Millenia II REIT-DC LP, LMV Milpitas REIT-DC LP, LMV NE Minneapolis REIT-DC LP, LMV Oak Park REIT-DC LP, LMV One20Fourth REIT-DC LP, LMV QR Build to Core Manager LLC, LMV Rio Bravo REIT-DC LP, LMV Scottsdale Quarter REIT-DC LP, LMV Tysons REIT-DC LP, LMV Vallagio III REIT-DC LP, LMV Victory Block G REIT-DC LP, LMV Warren Street REIT-DC LP, LNC Communities II LLC, LNC Communities IV LLC, LNC Communities V LLC, LNC Communities VI LLC, LNC Communities VII LLC, LNC Communities VIII LLC, LNC Pennsylvania Realty Inc., LNC at Meadowbrook LLC, LNC at Ravenna LLC, LS College Park LLC, LS Terracina LLC, LV Opendoor Investor LLC, LV Opendoor JV LLC, LW D'Andrea LLC, Lagoon Valley Residential LLC, Lakelands at Easton L.L.C., Legends Club LLC, Legends Golf Club LLC, Len - Little Harbor LLC, Len FW Investor LLC, Len Paradise LLC, Len-Angeline LLC, Len-Hawks Point LLC, Len-Land LLC, Len-Land West LLC, Len-MN LLC, Len-Verandahs LLP, LenCom LLC, LenFive LLC, LenFive Opco GP LLC, LenFive Sub III LLC, LenFive Sub LLC, LenFive Sub Opco GP LLC, Lenalto CMBS LLC, Lencraft LLC, Lennar Aircraft I LLC, Lennar Arizona Construction Inc., Lennar Arizona Inc., Lennar Associates Management Holding Company, Lennar Associates Management LLC, Lennar Avenue One LLC, Lennar Berkeley LLC, Lennar Bevard LLC, Lennar Bridges LLC, Lennar Buffington Colorado Crossing L.P., Lennar Buffington Zachary Scott L.P., Lennar Carolinas LLC, Lennar Central Park LLC, Lennar Central Region Sweep Inc., Lennar Chicago Inc., Lennar Cobra LLC, Lennar Colgate Urban Renewal Development LLC, Lennar Colorado LLC, Lennar Colorado Minerals LLC, Lennar Commercial LLC, Lennar Communities Development Inc., Lennar Communities Inc., Lennar Communities Nevada LLC, Lennar Communities of Chicago L.L.C., Lennar Concord LLC, Lennar Construction Inc., Lennar Cory Road LLC, Lennar Courts LLC, Lennar Developers Inc., Lennar Ewing LLC, Lennar Financial Services LLC, Lennar Flamingo LLC, Lennar Fresno Inc., Lennar Gardens LLC, Lennar Georgia Inc., Lennar Greer Ranch Venture LLC, Lennar Heritage Fields LLC, Lennar Hingham Holdings LLC, Lennar Hingham JV LLC, Lennar Homes Holding LLC, Lennar Homes LLC, Lennar Homes NJ LLC, Lennar Homes of Arizona Inc., Lennar Homes of California Inc., Lennar Homes of Indiana Inc., Lennar Homes of Texas Land and Construction Ltd., Lennar Homes of Texas Sales and Marketing Ltd., Lennar Homes of Utah Inc., Lennar International Holding LLC, Lennar International LLC, Lennar Lakeside Investor LLC, Lennar Layton LLC, Lennar Living LLC, Lennar Lytle LLC, Lennar MF Holdings LLC, Lennar MPA LLC, Lennar MPA WIP LLC, Lennar Mare Island LLC, Lennar Marina A Funding LLC, Lennar Massachusetts Properties Inc., Lennar Middletown LLC, Lennar Monmouth Redevelopers LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture GP Victory Block G Mezz LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II GP Subsidiary LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture II Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture LP LLC, Lennar Multifamily BTC Venture Manager LLC, Lennar Multifamily Builders LLC, Lennar Multifamily Communities LLC, Lennar Multifamily Venture DC LP, Lennar New Jersey Holdings LLC, Lennar New Jersey Properties Inc., Lennar New York LLC, Lennar Northeast Properties LLC, Lennar Northwest Inc., Lennar OHB LLC, Lennar PI Acquisition LLC, Lennar PI Property Acquisition LLC, Lennar PIS Management Company LLC, Lennar Pacific Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Inc., Lennar Pacific Properties Management Inc., Lennar Plumsted Urban Renewal LLC, Lennar Point LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core GP LLC, Lennar QR Build to Core LP LLC, Lennar Realty Inc., Lennar Reno LLC, Lennar Riverwalk LLC, Lennar Sacramento Inc., Lennar Sales Corp., Lennar Sierra Sunrise LLC, Lennar Spencer's Crossing LLC, Lennar Sun Ridge LLC, Lennar Texas Holding LLC, Lennar Ventures LLC, Lennar West Valley LLC, Lennar Winncrest LLC, Lennar at Franklin LLC, Lennar at Jackson LLC, Lennar at Marlboro 79 LLC, Lennar at Monroe LLC, Lennar.com Inc., Longleaf Acquisition LLC, Lori Gardens Associates II LLC, Lori Gardens Associates III LLC, Lori Gardens Associates L.L.C., Lorton Station LLC, Lyons Lennar Farms LLC, Madrona Ridge L.L.C., Madrona Village L.L.C., Madrona Village Mews L.L.C., Majestic Woods LLC, Maple and Broadway Holdings LLC, Menifee Development LLC, Mid-County Utilities Inc., Miralago West Lennar LLC, Mission Viejo 12S Venture LP, Mission Viejo Holdings Inc., Motomic Diagnostics LLC, Multibank 2009-1 CML-ADC Venture LLC, Multibank 2009-1 RES-ADC Venture LLC, NC Properties I LLC, NC Properties II LLC, North American Asset Development LLC, Northbridge L.L.C., OHC/Ascot Belle Meade LLC, One SR L.P., PD-Len Boca Raton LLC, PG Properties Holding LLC, POMAC LLC, PT Metro LLC, Pace Drive Holdings LLC, Palm Gardens At Doral Clubhouse LLC, Palm Gardens at Doral LLC, Palm Springs Classic LLC, Palm Vista Preserve LLC, Patuxent Infrastructure Inc., Pioneer Meadows Development LLC, Pioneer Meadows Investments LLC, Plaza Condominium Ventures LLC, Portside Marina Developers L.L.C., Portside SM Associates L.L.C., Portside SM Holdings L.L.C., Portside Shipyard Developers L.L.C., Prestonfield L.L.C., Quail Roost Lennar LLC, RCCF GP II LLC, RCCF GP III LLC, RCCF GP IV LLC, RCCF GP LLC, RES-FL EIGHT LLC, RES-FL SEVEN LLC, RES-FL VISION ONE LLC, RES-FL VISION TWO LLC, RES-GA CASCADE LLC, RES-GA DIAMOND MEADOWS LLC, RES-GA KAP LLC, RES-GA SOUTHERN PLANTATION LLC, RES-GA THIRTEEN LLC, RES-GA TWELVE LLC, RES-GA WEST LLC, RES-IL ONE LLC, RES-NC ONE LLC, RES-PA LSJ LLC, RES-PA POM LLC, RES-TX BOULEVARD LLC, RH Insurance Company Inc., RH MOA BBCMS 2017-C1 LLC, RH MOA CF 2017-C8 LLC, RH MOA LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C4 LLC, RH MOA U 2017-C6 LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 CLASS B LLC, RIAL 2014-LT5 LLC, RL BB FINANCIAL LLC, RL BB INACTIVE LLC, RL BB-AL LLC, RL BB-FL ALHI LLC, RL BB-GA LLC, RL BB-GA RMH LLC, RL BB-IL LLC, RL BB-IN AA LLC, RL BB-IN KRE LLC, RL BB-IN KRE OP LLC, RL BB-IN KRE RE LLC, RL BB-MS LLC, RL BB-NC LLC, RL BB-OH LLC, RL BB-SC BROOKSA LLC, RL BB-SC CLR II LLC, RL BB-SC CLR III LLC, RL BB-SC CLR IV LLC, RL BB-SC CLR LLC, RL BB-SC CRRC LLC, RL BB-SC RACEDAY LLC, RL BB-TN BRISTOL LLC, RL BB-TN LLC, RL BB-TN RACEDAY TOWER LLC, RL BB-TX LLC, RL BB-WV LLC, RL CMBS Holdings LLC, RL CML 2009-1 Investments LLC, RL REGI ARKANSAS LLC, RL REGI Alabama LLC, RL REGI FINANCIAL LLC, RL REGI Florida LLC, RL REGI GEORGIA LLC, RL REGI INACTIVE LLC, RL REGI KANSAS LLC, RL REGI MISSISSIPPI LLC, RL REGI MISSOURI LLC, RL REGI NORTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI SOUTH CAROLINA LLC, RL REGI TENNESSEE LLC, RL REGI VIRGINIA LLC, RL REGI-AL HP LLC, RL REGI-AL VRC LLC, RL REGI-FL CRC LLC, RL REGI-FL ESH LLC, RL REGI-FL FT. PIERCE LLC, RL REGI-FL GDL LLC, RL REGI-FL ITALIA LLC, RL REGI-FL MRED LLC, RL REGI-FL RDI LLC, RL REGI-FL SARASOTA LLC, RL REGI-FL TPL LLC, RL REGI-FL VARC LLC, RL REGI-GA DRAD LLC, RL REGI-GA HAY DB LLC, RL REGI-GA MHU LLC, RL REGI-GA MPD LLC, RL REGI-GA RLR LLC, RL REGI-MO GMB LLC, RL REGI-MO MOSCOW MILLS LLC, RL REGI-MS Double H LLC, RL REGI-MS OCEAN SPRINGS LLC, RL REGI-NC CIL LLC, RL REGI-NC LITTLE WING LLC, RL REGI-NC MLD LLC, RL REGI-NC Mland LLC, RL REGI-NC RALEIGH LLC, RL REGI-NC SUGARM LLC, RL REGI-NM LLC, RL REGI-SC CTL LLC, RL REGI-SC LAKE E LLC, RL REGI-SC TDG LLC, RL REGI-SC TIG LLC, RL REGI-TN OAK LLC, RL REGI-TN SEVIERVILLE LLC, RL RES 2009-1 Investments LLC, RMF Alliance LLC, RMF Commercial LLC, RMF PR New York LLC, RMF Partner LLC, RMF SUB 1 LLC, RMF SUB 2 LLC, RMF SUB 3 LLC, RMF SUB 4 LLC, RMF SUB 5 LLC, RMV LLC, Raintree Village II L.L.C., Raintree Village L.L.C., Ral-Len BM LLC, Ral-Len LLC, Rannel Capital WeWork Series D LLC, Rannel Holdings LLC, Rannel Interests LLC, Rannel Investments LLC, Rannel Mortgage Investments LLC, Rannel Proprietary Investments LLC, Renaissance Joint Venture, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove II LLC, Reserve @ Pleasant Grove LLC, Reserve at River Park LLC, Reserve at South Harrison LLC, Rialto Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Rialto Credit Partnership GP LLC, Rialto Mezz Partners GP LLC, Rialto Mortgage Finance LLC, Rialto Partners GP II LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Debt LLC, Rialto Partners GP III - Property LLC, Rialto Partners GP LLC, Rialto RSSF GP LLC, Riverwalk at Lago Mar LLC, Rocking Horse Minerals LLC, Rutenberg Homes Inc. (Florida), Rutenberg Homes of Texas Inc., Rye Hill Company LLC, Ryland Homes Nevada Holdings LLC, Ryland Homes Nevada LLC, Ryland Homes of California Inc., S. Florida Construction II LLC, S. Florida Construction III LLC, S. Florida Construction LLC, SC 521 Indian Land Reserve LLC, SC 521 Indian Land Reserve South LLC, SPIC CPCO Inc., SPIC CPDB Inc., SPIC CPRB Inc., SPIC Del Sur LLC, SPIC Dublin LLC, SPIC Mesa LLC, SPIC NC Fremont LLC, SPIC Otay LLC, SPIC Springs LLC, San Felipe Indemnity Co. Ltd., San Lucia LLC, San Simeon Lennar LLC, Schulz Ranch Developers LLC, Seminole/70th LLC, Siena at Old Orchard L.L.C., Sierra Vista Communities LLC, Silver Springs Lennar LLC, South Development LLC, Southbank Holding LLC, Spanish Springs Development LLC, St. Charles Active Adult Community LLC, St. Charles Community LLC, Standard Pacific 1 Inc., Standard Pacific Investment Corp., Standard Pacific of Colorado Inc., Standard Pacific of Florida, Standard Pacific of Florida GP Inc., Standard Pacific of Las Vegas Inc., Standard Pacific of Orange County Inc., Standard Pacific of Tampa GP, Standard Pacific of Tampa GP Inc., Standard Pacific of Tonner Hills LLC, Standard Pacific of Walnut Hills Inc., Standard Pacific of the Carolinas LLC, Stoney Holdings LLC, Storey Lake Club LLC, Storey Park Club LLC, Strategic Holdings Inc., Strategic Technologies LLC, Summerfield Venture L.L.C., SunStreet Energy Group LLC, SunStreet Manager LLC, TCO QVI LLC, TICD Hold Co. LLC, TIH Hold Co. LLC, Talega Associates LLC, Temecula Valley LLC, Terra Division LLC, Terra/Winding Creek LLC, The Baywinds Land Trust, The Bridges Club at Rancho Santa Fe Inc., The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe Sales Company Inc., The LNC Northeast Group Inc., The Oasis Club at LEN-CG South LLC, The Preserve at Coconut Creek LLC, The Vistas Club at LEN-CG South LLC, Titlezoom Company, Treasure Island Holdings LLC, Treasure Island Member LLC, Treviso Holding LLC, Two Lakes Lennar LLC, U.S. Home Corporation, U.S. Home Realty Inc., U.S. Home of Arizona Construction Co., U.S. Insurors Inc., U.S.H. Realty Inc., UAMC Holding Company LLC, UB 2018C14 MOA LLC, USH - Flag LLC, USH Equity Corporation, USH LEE LLC, USH Leasing II LLC, USH Leasing LLC, UST Lennar HW Scala SF Joint Venture, VII Crown Farm Investor LLC, Venetian Lennar LLC, Vineyard Land LLC, Vineyard Point 2009 LLC, Vista Palms Clubhouse LLC, WCI Communities, WCI Communities Inc., WCI Communities LLC, WCI Towers Northeast USA Inc., WCI Westshore LLC, WCP LLC, WIP Lennar OHB LLC, Waterview at Hanover LLC, West Lake Village LLC, West Seattle Project X LLC, West Van Buren L.L.C., Westchase Inc., Westchase Ltd., Westfield Homes USA Inc., White Course Lennar LLC, Wild Plum JV LLC, Willowbrook Investors LLC, Winncrest Natomas LLC, Woodbridge Multifamily Developer I LLC, Wright Farm L.L.C., and YLRichards4Acres 2015 LLC.

Read More
This blog will focus on political images I have found all around the Internet, though I will intersperse some commentary and quotes that I find interesting.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

TROY - Two Schenectady men were arraigned on murder charges Saturday following the brutal slayings of two women and two children.

Justin C. Mann and James W. White were each charged with first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder, according to police.

The victims were slain at about 9 p.m. on Dec. 21, according to details revealed at Saturday's court proceedings. The four victims were found in the basement of 158 Second Ave. on Tuesday by the apartment's property manager, who had been contacted by the mother of one of the victims who told him that she had not heard from her daughter since before Christmas.

Mann, 24, of 627 Hamilton St. and White, 38, of 850 Albany St. pleaded not guilty in Troy City Court as several family members of the victims looked on. Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove was also present.

Mann appeared to break down as he was led out of court. The suspects were sent to the Rensselaer County Jail pending their next court appearance on Thursday, Jan. 4.



Mann has an attorney from the conflict-defender's office, although it was not immediately clear why he could not be represented by the public defender's office.

Now Playing: Justin C. Mann and James W. White are arraigned in Troy City Court on Dec. 30, 2017. Video: Brandpoint

Shanta Myers, 36, Brandi Mells, 22, and two of Myers' three children  Shanise Myers, 5, and Jeremiah "JJ" Myers, 11  were found tied up and slashed to death in their apartment.

Murder charges First-degree murder carries a penalty of life in prison without parole upon conviction. Second-degree murder carries a penalty of a maximum of 25 to life in prison. See More Collapse

"I don't need to tell you how good it feels to have these two defendants in custody," Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said at the news conference, reflecting a sense of relief many in the community, especially family members, expressed.

Tedesco said the two were apprehended without incident at 627 Hamilton St. in Schenectady, where Mann lives.

According to law enforcement sources, the two men were taken into custody in Schenectady late Friday as detectives worked to secure search warrants in connection with the investigation.

Police from Troy and Schenectady as well as other agencies began focusing on the pair, in part, after reviewing footage from security cameras in Troy, the sources said. It's unclear if the suspects used public transportation. Capital District Transportation Authority buses are equipped with high-resolution video cameras.

According to details of the investigation shared with the Times Union, police officers discovered all four victims had their hands and ankles bound and appeared to have had their throats cut. The two children were found together in a kneeling position with their heads and chests on a bed. The body of one of the women was on a mattress on the floor, and the fourth victim was nearby, also face down but covered with a sheet.

Police recovered a knife with blood on both the handle and the blade located on a ledge near a closet close to the victims. They also found a second knife on a bed near the victims, who were all in close proximity.

Still, outside law enforcement, many questions remain unanswered. During the 15- minute news conference, authorities did not provide the details of what led them to Mann and White, saying only technology played a big part. They would not say how the men knew each other or the relationship between them and the four victims, other than to say one of the defendants knew one of the victims.

They also did not say whether they had determined a motive for the slayings. "The investigation is still ongoing and that's one of the things that we're looking for," Tedesco said.

Police did say they do not expect any further arrests to be made.

Authorities said both men have records and Mann is on parole. A Justin Mann was paroled on a robbery conviction in June from a Queens prison, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Tedesco thanked many of the agencies involved as well as the public for giving them tips.

Relief, to a degree

More than two dozen people were in court Saturday, some wearing Troy Boys & Girls club sweatshirts. One woman broke down as Mann, the first defendant, was led in to the courtroom. As they left, a man was visibly upset as friends helped him out. Neither man said anything as charges were read.

Family members of the homicide victims had urged people to come forward with information on who may have taken the lives of the two women and two children.

Keith McCutchen, Mells' uncle, said "it was a relief" to his family to know that arrests had been made after the slaying of his niece, whom he called "Sweetie Bird" since Mells was a toddler growing up in New Jersey.

"She was such an easygoing, loving person," he said. "I can imagine the look in her eyes when this was happening, like 'Why would anyone do this to me?'"

As of Saturday afternoon, a GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $31,000 for the Myers family. The money will be used to provide mental health services for the family and to set up a scholarship and provide resources for Isaiah Smith, Myers' 15-year-old son and the sole survivor in the family, according to the campaign.

Sharonda Bennett, Mells' cousin, had plans to move from New Jersey to Troy with her husband and children to be closer to Mells and her new family. Mells and Myers got engaged earlier this year and Myers' kids got along with Bennett's children, she said Friday.

"I'm extremely happy and relieved (about the arrests)," Bennett said in a phone interview on Saturday. She was worried about the safety of other family members and relatives, including Isaiah Smith. On Thursday, Smith said he was scared to go to the corner store. "I'm not sure if they're coming for me next," he said.

Relatives and families of the victims are "traumatized," Bennett said Saturday.

"(Brandi's) smile, her laugh and her heart will not be forgotten," she said. "She will be so missed."

Tedesco said the arrests were the result of work by several law enforcement agencies, including Troy and Schenectady police, State Police Major Crimes, Forensics and Technology units, the Albany branch of the FBI, the Rensselaer County Sheriff's department and the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center.

"The savagery and barbarism of what happened to these people has been well-reported on by now," District Attorney Abelove said at the news conference. "Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. They've suffered an unspeakable loss, they're trying to gets their heads around; as is most of the public."
In his Dec. 24 Sunday Opinion commentary, former Whitewater independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr proposed a "reset" of the Russia investigation in which Congress "steps up" to establish a bipartisan investigative panel and the "executive branch's approach" changes from criminal law enforcement to some nebulous fact-finding. Starr's column was just a subtler version of pervasive efforts by Trump apologists to undermine the investigation into Russian tampering with the 2016 election.

The reasons given for Starr's reset are specious: There is ostensibly a "drumbeat of criticism" aimed at special counsel Robert S. Mueller III which "has become deafening," including "cascading revelations of anti-Trump bias." This is true only on Fox News, in President Donald Trump's tweets and in the Freedom Caucus at legislative hearings.

The claims of bias amount to some private comments of an FBI official criticizing candidate Trump (and other candidates). Despite the fact government employees are entitled to have political opinions (so long as they do not interfere with their work, and there was no evidence of this), Mueller promptly removed this official. Additionally, Mueller "has chosen poorly by having smart but deeply politicized senior aides" who have "virulently anti-Trump political leanings." The evidence for this? Some of his staff have made past political contributions to Democratic candidates. Also, the FBI deputy director, who is not on Mueller's team, has a wife who ran for a state legislative seat in 2015 with financial support from a friend of the Clintons, after the deputy director cleared this internally at the FBI.

Thin gruel indeed, since the current leadership of the Justice Department has contributed heavily to Republican candidates and since Starr, when appointed to investigate a Democratic president, had been a Republican donor and had given assistance to a conservative group filing a friend-of-the-court in a case involving President Bill Clinton.

Starr decries the "heavy overreliance on the criminal-justice system" in investigating Russian meddling in the U.S. electoral process and advocates for moving "toward decriminalizing presidential politics." For those of us who lived through the Starr pursuit of Clinton, this calls to mind Oscar Wilde's comment on Dickens' depiction of the death of Little Nell in "The Old Curiosity Shop": "One must have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without laughing." The Starr probe was the paradigm of criminalizing presidential politics.

More important, the proposed "Watergate solution" ignores the fact that in January, U.S. intelligence agencies made public a formal assessment "with high confidence" that Russian President Vladimir Putin "ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election" whose goals were to "undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency." Much of the fact-finding that Starr calls for has been done.

This Russian tampering must be addressed in two ways: by improving our safeguards against foreign manipulation of our electoral process, and by investigating, publicizing and prosecuting past criminal conduct involving this meddling. The former must be addressed by Congress and the Trump administration, but the latter is the province of the independent investigation led by Mueller  a Republican and a highly esteemed, law-enforcement professional.

Starr's misleading call for a "Watergate model" ignores the work of the Watergate Special Prosecution Force. It is true that the investigations of the Senate Watergate Committee in 1973 and of the House Judiciary Committee in 1974 were generally bipartisan and produced valuable information. But equally important was the work of the Watergate special prosecutor, first Archibald Cox and then Leon Jaworski, who fairly and thoroughly investigated criminal wrongdoing by President Richard M. Nixon. It was that office's pursuit of the Nixon White House tape recordings and prosecution of several Nixon officials that revealed the facts about Watergate.

So while a thorough, public, fair and bipartisan congressional investigation of Russian tampering would be terrific, good luck with that. The House and Senate intelligence committees' hearings have been partisan, meandering, contentious and closed-door.

Sign up for the Observation Deck newsletter Read the latest Times Union opinion, perspective and letters to the editor on Mondays by signing up for our Observation Deck newsletter.

And calling for a vague "fundamental reset within the ... executive branch" on the part of the Trump administration is unrealistic. Firing the special counsel and his staff would be the most likely "reset."

The real "Watergate model" here is to hope for the best from Congress but protect and continue the work of the special counsel. It should be left to finish the work it has so ably begun: investigating thoroughly, prosecuting when justified and closing up shop silently when prosecution is not warranted.

Kendall, an attorney at the law firm Williams & Connolly LLP, has represented former president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton since 1993.
Spreen, Bedford North Lawrence give Bloomington South a hard time

No. 4 BNL shows off all its weapons to go to 4-0 on the season
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.
DEAR ABBY: I am president and co-founder of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, one of the leading teaching and research hospitals for wildlife medicine in the world. We have treated more than 70,000 wild patients since our organization was established 35 years ago. Like the reader (An Apple a Day, Aug. 11) who is under the impression that throwing an apple core out the car window is doing something positive for the Earth, many individuals make little decisions without considering the unintended consequences.

The example of the apple core has been at the heart of our education program for more than three decades. Before throwing that apple core out the window believing that some small animal will come finish whats left, people should consider what will happen if the animal coming to eat their scraps happens to be on the other side of the road.

Throwing out that apple core will lure that creature into harms way. Countless opossums, raccoons, skunks and other small mammals are killed every day because of human food waste on the shoulder of the road. And it doesnt stop there. Predators like owls also suffer. They hunt along the side of the road, not because they eat apple cores, but because they eat the mice, voles and other small animals who are attracted to feed on that apple core. Then, when the opossum, raccoon or owl is killed by a car, scavengers are attracted to the pavement, where their lives, too, are at risk.

If readers want to help the Earth, they should take their waste home and dispose of it or recycle it properly. The small act of throwing an apple core out of a car window can cost the lives of the very creatures they claim to want to help.

EDWARD CLARK, WAYNESBORO, VIRGINIA

DEAR MR. CLARK: When that letter appeared, I received a flurry of mail about it. Many readers touched on some of the points you have expressed. Thank you for writing so eloquently to educate my readers  and me. Lesson learned.

DEAR ABBY: Im 29 and Im having trouble holding down a steady job. I am a college graduate, and its not because I dont like to work. My problem is I have a strong personality and I tend to butt heads with management. Deep down, I think Ill only be satisfied with a job if Im the boss or own my own business. Do you have any suggestions about positions for someone who cant handle having a boss?

MISS INDEPENDENT IN THE BRONX

DEAR MISS INDEPENDENT: No. Unless someone has rich parents or a magic lamp, most people have to work for  or with  others until they build enough capital to start a business. Even then, business owners must interact with clients they dont always agree with. Because you tend to butt heads with those in management positions, you would be wise to start working on becoming more patient and less dogmatic. Both qualities will help you in the future if you can develop them.

DEAR READERS: Well, 2017 is at an end. Out with the old year, and in with the new one. Please accept my heartfelt good wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018. And  as I caution you every year  if you are partying tonight, please be safe! Appoint a designated driver and remind that person to drive defensively.

LOVE, ABBY
So far, 16 of us (including my husband and will be 18 year-old son, and I) have booked a cruise for our graduating high school seniors! This isn't until June 2019. This will be a first cruise for most and 2nd or 3rd cruise for some. We will be visiting St. Thomas (we've been there once), St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and Barbados. I have a few questions that I am hoping can be answered on the this forum (rather than posting in separate forums).

1. Best place to stay in San Juan, Puerto Rico for 1-2 nights prior to our cruise? Ideally for $150.00 or less/night (if possible). I'm thinking Old San Juan or on a beach? VRBO or AirBnB? (I've been to SJPR just once on a cruise)

2. Best excursion for snorkeling with the port options listed above?

3. Best ziplining excursion with port options above?

4. Which ports may have beaches close by to walk to/from the ship (or an inexpensive, quick taxi ride as long as we can arrange for them to pick us up too. We've never done an excursion/outing on our own outside of booking with Carnival).

5. Jet skiing options?

6. Anything we shouldn't miss at any of the ports?

7. Thoughts on what we should do on our full day in San Juan, Puerto Rico the day prior to getting on the ship? I'm thinking beach day? Or up for an adventure too.

8. If we want to sit as a group (or close to) at dinner (a couple of times) on the cruise ship, we need to sign up for a specific dining time, correct? Not anytime dining?

9. I know the Carnival Fascination is going in for refurbishing soon. Please tell me they are going to have dive-in movies as an option by June 2019?!?

I'm sure as a bigger group, we will be splitting up and doing our own things at each port. Some will be on the go the whole time and like to stay busy and enjoy some history. Some of us (me included) enjoy the sun, beach, relaxing, swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking.

Thanks in advanced for any information!
When you say "Shuttle Services" I take it from the Airport to hotel.?

The sad fact of the matter is these so called service get a lot of bag press.

If you want to make you life easy at the start have a Suit case that fits in a Suit case

Hope this helps
Oh Lord. Are you aware that March 30-April 2 inclusive are the Easter long weekend/public holidays? This is peak travelling time and many places will already be booked out or have minimum stays if anything's available.

Whatever you do, DO NOT hire a car and go haring off down south on your first day. This is a dangerous practice for newly arrived visitors who are tired from their flights and unfamiliar with driving conditions and customs here. So plan to be in Perth or Fremantle at least for your first night.

Given your need to be back in Perth for the 29th, I don't think you have enough time to get to Albany or Denmark. It's a five hour drive just to get there, and then five hours back.

If you want to go to the Victoria Park Markets (not sure why), that's a school committee initiative and so they may not be open on Easter Sunday, the 31st. You'd have to go on the 25th, assuming they're open. You might also consider the rather larger Fremantle Markets (NOT the E Shed Markets, they're not great) which are open Friday to Sunday and public holiday Mondays, and _will_ be open over Easter.

You could fit in a trip to Margaret River leaving on the Monday and heading back on the Thursday and as it's before Easter you might even be able to book somewhere to stay there, but I think you'll need to amuse yourselves in Perth and doing day trips from the 29th on. As much as I love Rottnest, I think it will be heaving at Easter, so unless you like massive crowds you may want to save that for your next visit.

Because most of the holiday traffic is _out_ of Perth _to_ the country, you will most likely have less trouble finding accommodation in Perth/Fremantle for the Easter weekend.

Paragliding, I have no knowledge of, but you could Google for local/nearby businesses and enquire if they have availability over the Easter weekend.

Orchards don't in the main encourage visits but if you do a search here on the forum you will find some older discussions of what might be available.

Edited: 4 years ago
Ive seen the details of this land tour from others posting here or on Cruise Critic. IMHO, this land tour involves WAY too much travel time and not enough sightseeing time. Also, the included activities arent always the best of the region. (For example, going to Daintree National Park is a better experience for most people than the train/Skyrail to Kuranda. Also, the GBR trip is likely on Quicksilver which is a mass-market provider unlike smaller companies such as Wavelength.)

Considering the prices the cruise lines charge for these land tours, I think you would be better off planning your own. I feel certain you can arrange a tour that better suits your interests, doesnt involve so much long-distance travel and costs less. Were here to help you do just that.
In some ways I think MR has done itself a disservice in so heavily marketing its wineries, because we get so many travellers who have formed opinions such as yours, which couldn't be further from the truth.

I myself don't really care for wineries all that much, except occasionally we'll stop at one for a nice lunch and DH might buy a couple of bottles of red, but if we don't, we still have a great time in MR because there is sooooo much to do that does not involve wineries. We also only visited the chocolate place once years ago and weren't all that whelmed, let alone overwhelmed, so that's not a must either IMO. And sorry MR, I don't care for your style of fudge, grainy and brittle, but Cowaramup's Candy Cow fudge, that's a way different story. Cheese, on the other hand...

Have a look here at the MR Visitor Centre website, for all the options of fun things to see and do before you make up your mind:

http://www.margaretriver.com
Re: Have 2 days free while in NYC - Recommendations of day trips

1. Re: Have 2 days free while in NYC - Recommendations of day trips

Are you wanting to use public transport or will you have a car?

Niagara Falls would require an overnight unless you fly to Buffalo in the early morning.

The Hudson Valley is worth considering as you can take the train. You could do the Walkway over the Hudson at Poughkeepsie and/or visit the pleasant towns of Cold Spring or Beacon. If into hiking, Breakneck Ridge near these towns offers great river views.
I have been to the Vic Falls from Tanzania a few times

I have driven in a private vehicle the easiest.

The first time I went I caught the train from Dar Es Salaam to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia then caught a bus to Lusaka and another onto Livingstone....it was a great trip but I was young so had a different perspective (younger I mean).

If you have time this is the cheapest way otherwise flights that don't always connect as you wish them to.
Re: Best areas to visit in Vietnam for one month.

2. Re: Best areas to visit in Vietnam for one month.

I go twice a year for 6-8 weeks at a time and spend it all in Hoian, not a large busy city, plenty to do or not do,

can be a bit touristy if you stick to the tourist route, but get out and enjoy and meet the locals, beautiful people.

I stay at The Green Heaven Resort and Spa, situated on the edge of the Old Town, close to everything but not

noisy, great staff, there are two beach areas both about 4-5 kms from town easily accessible, most hotels run

shuttle buses to and from, or you can ride a bike or take a taxi which are very cheap.

The only other area in my opinion worth a vist is Halong Bay, spend a night or two on a junk out there, Hanoi does not

grab me, good luck 
So i would like to share my experience when i was at the airport in HCMC. I booked a Grab thrice but it was cancelled by the driver after waiting for sometime. Booked Uber twice and also the same was cancelled. So i thought maybe they are not allowed to enter the airport vicinity i then decided to get one from outside as you have to walk for like 5-7 mins to exit the airport. I was travelling Solo so i started walking towards the exit with my luggage and while passing by the car park there were lot of people standing there and calling out grab grab/ uber. A guys walk towards me and asked me where do i want to go. I told him the place where i m staying which was in District 1 so he asked me for 81K as per what the Uber app was asking. I agreed to pay cuz it was cheap as compare to normal taxis at the airport. Please be reminded that if you are taking uber or grab from the airport the price should not be more then 70K-100K Dong. So the grabs that i booked earlier were for 70K Dong but were cancelled so therefore i just agreed with this guy in the parking who showed me his phone that he is a uber driver and will charge 81K Dong. Once i agreed he asked one of the other guys standing there to take me in his car. So i sat in the other guys car and while exiting the parking the guy asked me to pay him 150K dong for the parking as he dont have money. I told him i agreed to py the fare which is 81K not the parking which was more then the fare. The guy was asking me to give him 1.5 and i asked him back if he want 1500 or 15000 or 150K Dong. The guy said no as if i dont get him the reason because he saw a white color envelope in my pocket. The guy knew that that envelope contains money and he asked me to take out the envelope and he will tell me how much to give him for the parking. At first i said no way but then i thought maybe he is just asking for few 100 dongs so i pulled out the envelope. I pull out the one of the currency notes which was 200K Dong the guy said he wants to check the envelope himself and asked me to give him the envelope. I said no and no way i m gonna pay for the parking if he wants i will only pay for the fare. The guy like started forcing me to handover the envelope with the money in it to him so he can check everything and was telling me that i dont believe him and at one point he got angry cuz i was not letting him get hold of the envelope. The guy then u turned his car dropped me back in the parking and the same guy came back who attended me first calling himself a uber driver. He then bring his car from the parking and kept my luggage and in it and asked me to jump in as he will drop me himself. I thought maybe this guy is a good guy so he started talking to me nicely until the exit and now it was his turn to pay for the parking and now this guy asked me to pay him 159000 Dong for parking which was ridiculous. I was like why do i have to pay the parking when we only agreed on the fare. Guy told me the same thing he dont have money and parking is paid by the passenger and the fare is separate. While we are arguing it was his turn at the exit to pay there was this lady in cashier in the window this guy rolled down his window and then said something to the lady mumbling and the wnxt thing i saw parking fee reflected on the display in front was 159000 Dong. The car which was in front of us paid 30K Dong as i was watching. So this guy made that lady to issue a ticket of 159000 Dong so i will pay but i told this guy i m not gonna pay the parking which is more then the fare. The guy since was already at the exit now and the cars were waiting at the back took out some money from his pocket and paid and then we exit. After exit the guy stopped the car just outside the airport on the main and started telling me that i must pay him parking and fare. He started using google translation thinking that i dont understand him. Cu people in Vietnam they are not good at all in English trust me. This guy started doing calculations using a calculator and giving me explanations so that i will pay him that parking. Well i stand stood and told him a big No and if he cannot bring me to my destination i will just exit and get another grab or uber since we were already out.

His expressions changed and he was like its so difficult to scam this guy literally haha.

He started driving and the whole way he was doing teanslation for me using google speech and at one point he was almost making a face like he is crying since i dont want to pay him for the parking. He asked me to just pay him lumpsum 150K including the parking and fare. Now i was 100% sure that these guys are thugs and scamming foreigners. How can he reduce the parking price if he has paid 159000 Dong just for the parking. So i told him NO again and after a long arguement with this guy cuz i just wanted to go to my hotel it was already late at night i told him i will pay him 100K dong in total thats all and final and he agreed with a crying face which was clearly a drama he was doing. So i came to my hotel i had like 200K Dong and i didnot wanted to give this guy the 200K and ask for the change,

instead I went to the hotel staff at front desk asked them for a change and gave him 100K Dong.

I m sure the way these people were trying to play me shows that they always do this stuff with foreigners just imagine this guy told something to that lady at the counter while we were exiting thhe airport parking and the lady just issued 159000 Do g ticket woww. I wanted to report this to police but then i was too tired to go through that process. Please be mindful and beware of these people waiting for you in the parking lots at the airport. Just exit the airport and book a grab or uber to avoid this kind of issues. Normal airport taxis will charge you 200K to 350K Dong to go to district 1.

Hope this will help all those who prefers to take grab and uber. Be extra cautious !

Regards,

Khan
My wife and I will be visiting for 8 full days beginning of April. We figure we'll spend about 3 days each in Kyoto and Tokyo. So we can probably do 1 or 2 day trips. We'd like to have a Ryoken experience, better would be onsen ryokan. I guess it's possible to do a ryokan in Kyoto or Tokyo. What day trips should we add?

Debatting Nara, Hakone (although it sounds like visibility of Mt Fiji is very far from a sure thing, more like 50-50).

Any recommandations/suggestions?
FORT EDWARD  A Glens Falls woman who was arrested last fall with a large quantity of the illegal hallucinogen/stimulant Ecstasy has been sentenced to 4 years in state prison.

Jeannie M. Morgan-Smith, 49, pleaded guilty in November to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance in connection with a September seizure in Hudson Falls. Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan imposed a four-year prison term to be followed by two years on parole.

Morgan-Smith was charged after State Police stopped a vehicle she was in on Main Street because it had a headlight out and the driver did not signal when making a turn, police said.

Morgan-Smith was a passenger in the vehicle, and police developed probable cause to search it and discovered 750 capsules of Ecstasy, which is also known as Molly.

She was also charged in early August with unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine, a felony, and misdemeanor criminal possession of meth manufacturing materials, according to Glens Falls Police. Charges in that case are still pending.
It is not too much driving.

I would do more than 2 nights in Arenal area.

Arenal and Manuel Antonio/Quepos area are a pretty standard combination for a 1-wk vacation.

Depending on the times of your flights, you need to make sure you can arrive to your destination before dark (before 5:45) or have enough time on the last day to return the vehicle and check in for your flight. SJO might be busier than Liberia airport. Your international flights' times might require you to spend the first and/or last nights closer to the airport, which means you need to subtract those nights from your itinerary.
How do I get from the airport (JFK, LGA, or EWR) to Manhattan?

What To Do During Layovers?

Vacation Apartment Rentals Violate NYC Laws

Hotels: Kitchenettes and kitchens in 100+ Manhattan Hotels

Hotels: Two queen beds plus a kitchen/kitchenette

Hotels: Guests under 21 years old (but at least 18)

Hotels: Which ones charge an additional Resort or Facilities Fee

Hotels: When is the best time to go for cheaper rates?

What are the Must-See's and Must-Do's?

How Do I Ride the Subway (UPDATED)?

Tips, Hint and Suggestions for First Timers

SCAMS to avoid in NYC

What Will the Weather Be Like During My Trip?

Any Good Websites for Researching My Trip?

How Safe is New York?

Where to Eat in NYC

Where to eat in NYC - Part 2

Celiac in the City? (gluten free)

Which Area Should I Stay In?

Is There Cheaper Lodging Outside Manhattan?

How Much Do I Tip People?

Are the New York Pass, Explorer Pass or CityPass worth it?

How Do I Hail a Taxi?

Public restrooms/toilets. Where do you go when you GOTTA GO?

Where are the best areas for shopping?

How do I find Discount Tickets for Broadway Shows?

What are the NYC Halloween events for 2021?

Thanksgiving 2021 in NYC: What to Do & Where to Eat

Christmastime in NYC 2021: Dates for the Trees-Windows-Markets-Ice Skating+MORE!

Christmas Day 2021 in NYC: What to Do & Where to Eat

What Should I Do on New Year's Eve?

How Will I Survive the Cold Weather?

Where are the Farmers Markets and Street Fairs?

What is there to see and do near WTC/SOL/Brooklyn Bridge/SI ferry?

What should I know about visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum?

What Is There to See and Do in Brooklyn?

How Do I Get to the Brooklyn Bridge?

What Is There to See and Do in Queens?

Exploring neighborhoods - where should I go and what should I see?

Which is the best? ESB or TOTR or OWO?

Which are the significant churches in Manhattan?

Hidden Gems in the city - not so touristy

How do I get from NYC to the Meadowlands and back?

I'm Getting Married in NYC...what do I need to do?

Should I Buy Knock-Off Purses?

What to Do with Kids and How to Do It?

What should we do at night -- especially with kids or under 21's?

Places to eat (and drink) with a view

Where is the Old FAQ?

Trip Reports: Families with Young Kids - Add yours!

Trip Reports: Groups of Friends - Add yours!

Trip Reports: Couples - Add yours!

Trip Reports: Families with Teenagers - Add yours!

Trip Reports: Solo Travelers - Add yours!

Trip Reports: Families of Adults - Add yours!
Is your company in need of the most reliable and efficient best Best Jasmine Tea s in the market? Your good luck led you to the ideal situation, so congratulations! You are in the best possible place. By eliminating the need to read through dozens of Best Jasmine Tea reviews, we are saving you time and stress.

Many customers find it difficult to decide which Best Jasmine Tea product to buy. The dilemma is brought about by the many types of Best Jasmine Tea in the market. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a clear understanding of how you may choose the most suitable Best Jasmine Tea available in the market.
QUEENSBURY  A man from Pennsylvania who was found to have a loaded, unregistered handgun when his car broke down on the Northway last summer has pleaded guilty to a felony.

Keith D. Holmes, 31, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in Warren County Court to attempted second-degree criminal possession of a weapon for a July 20 seizure of a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun.

State Police said his car broke down in the southbound lanes during a traffic jam related to a crash, and he was found to have cocaine as well as the gun when troopers assisted him.

He is being held in Warren County Jail and faces up to 7 years in state prison when sentenced Jan. 31 by Warren County Judge John Hall.
The regions hospitals had a busy year upgrading, expanding and reconfiguring spaces to meet changing patient and technological needs.

2017 was a really strong year for us, said Tracy Mills, vice president of hospital planning at Glens Falls Hospital.

In 2017, the state awarded Glens Falls Hospital a nearly $20 million grant for the construction of a medical village at the hospital. Preliminary architectural planning and the process for obtaining state and local approvals for the medical village will begin in early 2018.

This fall, Glens Falls Hospital completed a $5 million renovation and upgrade to the Snuggery, its maternity and birthing unit. Two new operating rooms were completed this year and will be showcased in early 2018. The $1.5 million emergency department crisis center project that began this year is scheduled for completion in early 2018. In the summer, the hospital opened a new pharmacy for the mixing of chemotherapy agents in the hospital Cancer Center.

For Saratoga Hospital, expanded community outreach into Warren County continued into 2017 with the purchase of the closed Carl Rs Cafe near Northway Exit 18 in Queensbury. And while hospital officials said they plan to create a specialty medical complex at that location, they have not announced details for the complex.

Additionally, crews broke ground for the Saratoga Medical Park at Northway Exit 12 in Malta, a partnership between the Saratoga Regional YMCA, Albany Medical Center and Saratoga Hospital.

The transformation of Moses Ludington in Ticonderoga is well underway with the new outpatient services completed in October, offering space for specialty physicians to meet with patients, a dedicated reception and waiting area for privacy, new exam rooms, two procedure rooms, a recovery area and an infusion center.

The Moses Ludington emergency department, lab and pharmacy space construction is scheduled for a March completion. The hospitals new emergency department is four times the size of the one it replaces and also offers a four-bed observation unit.
QUEENSBURY  The Warren County and Queensbury Republican Committee chairmen ran an unwilling candidate for a Queensbury Town Board position in November. Voters were so incensed that they voted in the entire slate of Democrats instead, giving the Queensbury Town Board a Democratic majority for the first time.

In the wake of that election, Warren County Republicans reorganized. They decided to reactivate a county executive committee to help guide their chairman, who said he would spend more time on other hobbies and ventures.

The executive committee will help the chairman understand the wishes of the entire committee, said new Vice Chairman Ron Conover.

It broadens the input on decision-making. It provides different points of view, he said. Only time will tell how all of this will work through. But its a very positive step.

It all started with a simple issue: In July, Queensbury Ward 1 candidate Hal Bain decided he didnt want to run for office. It was too late to take his name off the ballot. Rather than announce the situation, Republican leaders decided they should ask committee members to campaign for Bain and told him he could resign after he won. Then they would pick someone else to serve in his place.

Bain told many people that he wasnt running. But he also twice told The Post-Star, in writing, that he was running. He ran a political ad as well to ask the general public for support. After emails detailing the true situation came out, he said he actually dropped out of the race in July and the rest of the campaign was under the control of some leaders.

Based on emails acquired by the Democratic town committee through a Freedom of Information request, those leaders were town Republican Committee Chairman and then-Councilman Doug Irish, Town Attorney John Aspland and county Republican Committee Chairman Mike Grasso. All three exchanged emails in which Irish proposed running Bain despite his unwillingness and Aspland endorsed the plan as the optimal thing to do.

Top Republicans offered three different explanations to try to cast the emails in a better light.

When interviewed after the emails were released, Irish said the plan was commonplace.

Aspland did not return calls for comment from The Post-Star. But later, after increasing public criticism, Irish and Aspland resigned their leadership positions in the town Republican Committee. In a resignation letter, Aspland said he was just advising Irish and Grasso on election law in the controversial emails.

After the election, Grasso said the emails were really a virtual meeting of Bains vacancy committee  although the emails begin with the understanding that it was too late for a vacancy appointment. Committees can fill a vacancy on the ballot if a candidate drops out before a certain date. After that, its too late to switch names.
At one point during the summer of 2017, prosecutors in Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties were dealing with four new murder cases, and an attempted murder case stemming from a shooting during a robbery in northern Warren County.

The incomprehensibly violent deaths of a Glens Falls mother and her 4-year-old daughter over the summer, which led to the arrest of a former carnival worker, horrified the region and were just part of a spate of violence that had police and prosecutors wondering whether there was a pattern developing. The suspect, Bryan M. Redden, 21, is scheduled to stand trial starting Feb. 5 for the Aug. 11 killings of Crystal Riley, 33, and her 4-year-old daughter, Lilly Frasier, in their South Street, Glens Falls, apartment.

His lawyer has indicated he may pursue a so-called insanity defense because of a history of mental problems.

Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan pointed out that defendants in four of the cases were young people who were involved in shockingly violent crimes, after his agency was called on to prosecute a man for a fatal fire in Hudson Falls.

Derrick M. Guilder, who set his Hudson Falls home on fire Sept. 6 in what he had planned to be a murder-suicide, was charged after he confessed to setting the fire that killed 18-year-old Ashley Coltrain. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Dec. 8 and is expected to receive a state prison sentence of 22 years to life when sentenced Jan. 12 by Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan.

Jordans office is also prosecuting Kevin L. Gonyea, 50, for the July 9 strangulation death of his 95-year-old grandmother, Leona Twiss, with a trial in the case likely in early 2018. She suffered from Alzheimers disease, and Gonyea and his wife had been caring for them. Jordan said he believed he killed her so they could return to Florida.

State Police also arrested his wife, Melissa Gonyea, 35, for disposing of a towel that was believed to have been used to choke Twiss, and she pleaded guilty to a felony charge and agreed to cooperate against her husband.

State Police in Warren County made quick work of a shooting during a robbery at Hague Market on April 25, with store owner Jim Rypkema surviving multiple shots from a small-caliber rifle. Vittorio Campano, 26, and his girlfriend, Christine W. Tomko, face attempted murder, robbery and lesser charges, including counts related to a home burglary spree before the robbery.
- At least 36 people lost their lives at Migaa area on Nakuru-Eldoret Highway following an early Sunday, December 31 accident

- 14 others are fighting for their lives in different hospitals with serious injuries

-The bus belonging to Matunda group of buses was coming from Busia

Kenyans on Sunday, December 31 woke up to sad news following another grisly road accident that claimed 30 lives at Migaa on the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.

18 more were rushed to Nakuru Level Five and Molo-Sub County hospitals after the Matunda bus which was headed to Nairobi collided with a truck at around 3.30 am.

Four more succumbed to their injuries as they were being treated in the two hospitals bringing the total number to 36 of those who lost their lives.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Uhuru mourns 3 bishops from the same church killed in tragic accident in Mwea

The driver of the truck and his turn-boy were killed on the spot.

Locals and police officers at the scene of accident. Photo: Nation

According to multiple reports, the bus was speeding while being driven on the wrong side of the road as confirmed by Rift Valley Traffic Enforcement Officer Zero Arome.

This comes barely a day after three bishops lost their lives on the Mwea-Embu road in yet another road accident.

READ ALSO: Sheep worth 230,000 stolen from company associated with Uhuru Kenyatta family

More than 250 lives have been lost on Kenyan roads in the past month especially on the Northern Corridor raising questions on the safety of road users.

The Kenya Red Cross confirmed the incident saying those injured had been taken to hospitals as rescue mission was underway. Some passengers were still trapped in the mangled wreckage of the bus.

To address the menace, the government deregistered all driving schools in the country saying they were giving driving licences to killers.

READ ALSO: Driving licenses being issued to murders -Matiang'i says as he declares crackdown on driving schools

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the ministry of Transport have come under sharp criticism for doing little in addressing the rising deaths on Kenyan roads.

Men abused vs Women abused: social experiment - on TUKO TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
-As the curtains come down on the year 2017, it will go down in history books as one of the years that Kenyans had their patience stretched to its limit

- From a crumbling health sector that saw doctors down their tools for over three months and hundreds of patients succumb to negligence to the murky electioneering period

- The transport sector did not spare us either, the year 2017 has seen some of the gruesome accidents on our roads that left our stomach twitch with anger and pain and left our hearts shattered

Reports indicate that the merry-making month of December, though not yet over, has claimed more than double the number of deaths compared to the past 11 months.

Interior Acting Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and Transport CS James Macharia, promised to end the madness on Kenyan roads by targeting traffic police, driving schools and rogue drivers

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

As majority of Kenyans are planning to return to various cities from their brief festive holidays, The lingering question in every ones lips is, how many of them will make it to their destinations safe and sound?

READ ALSO: 21 people perish from road accidents in less than 24 hours

11 gruesome accidents that rocked Kenya in 2017. Photo: Getty Images

READ ALSO: Famous Kalenjin's Kenene International band members perish in grisly accident

TUKO.co.ke has compiled a number of the fatal accidents that shook the country in 2017 and let permanent scares in our hearts.

11: Fatal accident along Mombasa-Nairobi highway

27 people were confirmed dead on Tuesday, April 25 following head on collision between Malindi bound bus and a truck at Kambu along Mombasa-Nairobi highway.

According to the area OCPD Leonard Kimaiyo, the accident involved a bus that was bound to Malindi belonging to Buscar Company and oil tanker that was headed to Nairobi from Mombasa.

10: Lake Nakuru chopper crash.

Kenyans woke up to the shocking news of the Nakuru chopper crash on Saturday, October 17 just moments after it took off from a hotel in Nakuru.

All the five Jubilee party senator's team on board perished and it took the rescue teams weeks to retrieve the bodies from the vast L.Nakuru.

READ ALSO: Had popular Kalenjin artist Nicco En Embassy predicted his death before perishing?

9: Fatal Kamukuywa bridge accident where 12 family members died

19 Kenyans were feared dead on Monday, December 11 in a grisly road accident at the notorious black spot Kamukuywa bridge along Webuye -Kitale road.

The multiple accident involved a matatu which rammed into a tractor transporting sugarcane before dragging in other vehicles.

11 gruesome accidents that rocked Kenya in 2017. Photo: Courtesy.

8: The grisly accident that took the lives of the famous Kenene International band members

seven members of the Kanene International Band members died on Sunday, December 10 along Total - Timboroa road after the car they were traveling in rammed into a lorry.

Kenyans were left pondering whether DJ Nico En Embassy had foreseen his death following a prophetic Facebook post.

7: Sachangwan December accident

Over 30 people lost their lives and scores injured in a grisly road accident involving Modern Coast bus and 13 other vehicles at Sachagwan along Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.

The accident happened after a truck driver who was being chased by NTSA lost control of the vehicle and hit oncoming vehicles, Modern Coast Bus, four Nissan matatus, a truck and several other private vehicles resulting to the deaths.

11 gruesome accidents that rocked Kenya in 2017. Giphy.com

6: Sultan Hamud accident where seven mourners died.

Seven mourners died on Saturday, December 23 and several others injured after a hearse that was ferrying them collided with a truck at Sultan Hamud in Machakos County.

5: The Notorious Migaa blackspot where Six people lost their lives

Six people lost their lives Wednesday, November 1, evening in a grisly road accident involving more than 10 vehicles at the notorious black spot in Migaa along the busy Nakuru-Eldoret highway.

4: Moinonin accident involving police track that killed 14 people

14 people perished today after an Administration Police vehicle headed to Kapedo from Marigat was involved in a terrible accident on Saturday afternoon, December 9.

The victims of the ill-fated accident had hiked a lift with the AP truck in the hopes of getting to Kapedo swiftly.

11 gruesome accidents that rocked Kenya in 2017. Photo:Getty Images.

READ ALSO: 14 killed in grisly accident involving police lorry

3: Governor Wahome Gakuru grisly accident that saw Nyeri loose two governors in one year.

Wahome Gakuru died in a grisly road accident along the Thika Super Highway on Tuesday, November 7 morning on his way to Nairobi.

Reports indicated the tyre of the car he was travelling in burst leading to the grisly accident.

2: Mwea accident that took the lives of three bishops.

The African Independent Pentecostal Church (AIPCA) was dealt a major blow when three of its bishops in Meru died in a single road accident in Mwea, Kirinyaga County.

The clergymen perished on the spot after Bishop Kubai's saloon car which was being driven by his chauffeur collided head on with another at the spot near Mutithi market on Saturday, December 30.

11 gruesome accidents that rocked Kenya in 2017. Giphy.com

1: Migaa fatal accident that has seen Kenya crawl out of 2017 with 36 lives gone.

36 people died on Sunday, December 31 morning during a passenger bus head-on collision with a truck at on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway, just 10 kilometers from the Salgaa black spot.

Many more accidents have occurred at this particular stretch since mid December when most people started travelling upcountry for festivities.

Police have placed the death toll from accidents at this particular stretch at more than 100 since December 20.

ALSO WATCH: 2 smart Kenyans build a car from an old motorbike

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- 37 Kenyans died when a long distance travelling bus and a truck collided in Migaa

- President Uhuru and DP Ruto sent their condolences to the families of the deceased

- NTSA banned night travel and told stakeholders to schedule travel for between 6 AM and 7 PM

- Mwingi Central MP also announced he will introduce a motion to have NTSA disbanded following this latest tragic accident

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, mourned with the families of 37 Kenyans who died in a grisly accident in Migaa along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway.

The deceased lost their lives on Sunday, December 31 at around 3:30 AM.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

"It is unfortunate that many Kenyans continue to lose their lives in road accidents which can be avoided. I send my condolences to the families, friends and relatives o the passengers who perished early this morning,

READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna sends chilling message to Uhuru over what will befall Jubilee in 2018

The wreckage of the accident that claimed 37 lives on Sunday, December 31. Photo: Nation.

READ ALSO: Sheep worth 230,000 stolen from company associated with Uhuru Kenyatta family

"I also wish a quick recovery to those injured and admitted in various hospitals. I call on motorists to be extra careful this festive season and especially this time when people are travelling back from holidays. Let us all be responsible this festive season, and more so, those of us who are driving," said President Uhuru.

DP Ruto also sent his condolences via social media:

READ ALSO: City lawyer pens speech every Kenyan yearns for President Uhuru to give on new year's eve

President Uhuru and DP Ruto sent their condolences to the families of the deceased. Photo: PSCU.

Install TUKO App To Read News For FREE

According to prior TUKO.co.ke reports, the fatal accident occurred when the driver of a long distance bus headed to Nairobi crashed into a truck. It is understood the bus driver was on the wrong side of the road.

Later, the National Transport and Safety Authorit and the National Police Service banned long distance night time travel following this recent accident that brought the number of Kenyans killed in road accidents in December 2017 to about 285.

All travel will now be scheduled for between 6 AM and 7 PM.

On another front, Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi announced that he intended to propose a motion to have the NTSA disbanded following this latest accident.

READ ALSO: Magufuli threatens to close Tanzanian churches days after wining global award

Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi. Photo: Capital FM

Mulyungi said that corruption and conspiracy between NTSA officers and traffic police was to blame for the several fatal accidents witnessed this month.

He also accused NTSA of not taking any appropriate measures to curb the alarming rate of accidents and it should be disbanded and reconfigured.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- Raila Odinga has threatened to 'commission' mother of all protests come January,2018

- Raila revealed NASA will unveil a program for civil disobedience, peaceful protests, non-cooperation with and resistance to an illegitimate regime within the first week of the New Year

- The opposition leader held that Jubilee should sit down with NASA and discuss how to fix the electoral system, reform the executive and protect the Judiciary

The National Super Alliance(NASA) Chief principal Raila Odinga has threatened to lead massive street protests,come January,2018.

Raila,in a statement shared by Raila Odinga Secretariat's Communication Director and seen by TUKO.co.ke ,revealed that NASA will unveil a program for civil disobedience, peaceful protests, non-cooperation with and resistance to an illegitimate regime within the first week of the New Year.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

The latest development,according to the opposition leader has been triggered by Jubilee Government,specifically the Executive branch's way of running things.

READ ALSO: Kikuyu elders demand to be included in Uhuru's new cabinet

Raila Odinga calls for street protests in 2018 in his new year message to Kenyans. Photo: Raila Odinga/Twitter

Raila claimed the electoral injustices perpetrated by the Jubilee Party and Judiciary were to blame for NASA's next course of action.

''A year that has been difficult in nearly all fronts has come to an end. Kenyans preserved a dysfunctional economy and an all-time high cost of living that was coupled with the disappearance of basic commodities like unga from stores. The situation was worsened by a bitterly contested and eventually rigged sham election that left a trail of death in the hands of security forces and a regime with massive legitimacy deficit. On behalf of NASA family, I salute Kenyans for the resilience and perseverance. I join you in looking forward to a better year and a better nation.''the statement read in part.

READ ALSO: The battle between Kalonzo and Mudavadi to succeed Raila will be big - Moses Kuria

Raila Odinga calls for street protests in 2018 in his new year message to Kenyans. Photo: NASA/Twitter

Terming it illegitimate,Raila accused the Jubilee government of ruining the economy and taking Kenyans through a lot of miseries.

''The source of all these problems is in the Executive; the presidency to be precise. This has to be restructured to conform to the changing dynamics in our country. The imperial presidency that we sought to contain is rearing its head again, interfering with and intimidating other institutions. We cannot stand by and watch as the monster rises again. Soon, it will be too late.''the statement read.

Raila however gave the government the opportunity for dialogue stating that opposition was ready to negotiate and discuss how to fix the rotten electoral system.

Raila Odinga calls for street protests in 2018 in his new year message to Kenyans. Photo: eDaily

READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna sends chilling message to Uhuru over what will befall Jubilee in 2018

''NASA has two ways to realize these goals. We can sit down on the negotiating table with our Jubilee opponents and discuss how to fix our electoral system, reform the executive, protect the Judiciary, reform the security sector and strengthen devolution. We are ready for such dialogue as long as these issues are on the table.''

The opposition leader added that NASA was ready to go with protests and other programs in case Jubilee fails to sit down and mull over the issue.

''Alternatively, we take the issues to the people and let them decide without the involvement of the State. Within the first week of the New Year, we will unveil a program for civil disobedience, peaceful protests, non-cooperation with and resistance to an illegitimate regime in addition to Peoples Assemblies. NASAs position remains that until electoral justice is achieved, we will not recognize the Jubilee regime and the so-called election of Uhuru Kenyatta as President. Happy New Year to all Kenyans.''

Men abused vs Women abused: social experiment - on TUKO TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The outgoing year has given us many lessons. We have learned to contain some of them.

There is no life without risks. There is no progress without risks. They existed even when Ukraine was actually a neo-colony of Russia, and they exist now when Ukraine is free. These risks are just different. In Soviet and then CIS slavery we were little worried about external threats, and the world did not consider us a self-sufficient state and did not demand that we understand it. In the winter of 2013, we were worried only about the Yanukovych regime and Berkut riot police officers, and at that time we could not comprehend the depth of the dangers that we would have to face.

Then we understood it. However, we did not know what to do with all this knowledge. Finally, we gradually learned how to contain these risks, and we still learn it now. The year 2017 has given us many lessons.

1. A threat of Russian offensive. Before the war, we already got used to trench warfare, but we are consciously aware that it will not end just like this. Every year we are waiting for escalation.

The most alarming was the end of summer and the beginning of autumn when Russia began Zapad 2017 wargames in Belarus. Only 12,000 military personnel were reported there, but, experts said, 230,000-240,000 people were actually involved in all directions, as well as over 10,000 units of military equipment, about 100 aircraft and about 40 ships and submarines.

We were anxiously awaiting the Russian offensive from the borders of Belarus and, at the very least, the frank Anschluss of this so far independent state. To some extent, it can be said that annexation took place as the Russian FSB took control of the border of Belarus, and there are plans to create new airborne military bases there. It is also evident that a significant part of the troops that participated in the military exercises remained at the northern borders of Ukraine.

Unfortunately, in 2018, the risk of an attack from Russia will not decrease. And, most likely, it will be even bigger. This is evidenced by statements by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov, General Yevhen Marchuk, intelligence data from Western countries. Just a few days ago, U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Robert Neller warned the U.S. military that a large-scale war was approaching. Obviously, the permission of the White House to start arming Ukraine is also a consequence of the awareness of the threat hanging over the world.

The threat can be removed only by the Kremlin's hope that Surkov's plan will work and Ukraine will give permission to seize its territory without any fight. So far, we (with our complacency or its imitation) leave Russia chances for it.

2. Trump and Putin's friends in the power of European countries. At the beginning of the year, this threat seemed very serious. The new U.S. president has persistently shown his respect for Putin, and he was even surrounded by supporters of the Kremlin madman. The pessimistic scenario was predicted by the French election - between moderately pro-Moscow Sarkozy and very pro-Moscow Marie Le Pen, the ranking of neo-Nazis in Germany and Austria was growing. Finally, the European Union left Britain.

However, the reality was more optimistic than all forecasts. The allies headed by the new governments did not abandon us, sanctions against Russia were not canceled, they did not reject assistance, and they did not allow Lavrov's proxies to quickly return to the PACE. Volker's mission was also important. Despite all the fears, we received the visa-free regime and the Association Agreement with the EU. And this is a victory. A good idea was voiced in Germany at the end of the year - to bring relations with Ukraine to the level of relations with Britain after Brexit.

But the year 2018 will be very difficult. Putin's henchmen from Europe's radical parties raise their heads all the more, the European Union is in crisis, and the attention of the White House is distracted by Pyongyang. It is very important to prove to the West that it needs us in these difficult circumstances.

3. Terrorism and sabotage. For a long time, most Ukrainians felt safe in the deep rear, far from war. Europe observed terrorist attacks with anxiety, but at the same time with hope that this bad time would bypass our country. However, the year 2017 dispersed our illusions. Relative public peace (as far as it is possible during the war) was shaken by several high-profile terrorist attacks in various cities of Ukraine, including in the capital.

Russian saboteurs killed heroic Chechen Amina Okuyeva, the head of the intelligence unit, Maksym Shapoval, counterintelligence officer Oleksandr Kharaberiush, Russian fugitive politician Denis Voronenkov. The investigation into these crimes (except for the Voronenkov case) has almost stalled. There are currently no suspects in the murder of Pavlo Sheremet.

At the same time, there was a wave of subversive acts at ammo depots in Kalynivka, Vinnytsia region, Balakliya, Kharkiv region, and near Mariupol. The damage caused by them is enormous.

If we add here an agent of the Main Intelligence Directorate, who worked for a long time with the prime minister, then it all looks like a signal for the SBU and other special services.

One group of risks triggered others. The impunity of the killer saboteurs encouraged bandits from organized criminal groups. According to the police, 1,243 intentional murders and assassination attempts were recorded this year. All this caused irreparable damage, but, despite the hopes of the enemies, it did not affect the foundations of society.

4. An attempt of corruption revenge. The outgoing year seemed to be critical in this regard. Angela Merkel's comrade, Norbert Rottgen, stated that in Ukraine "corruption begins at the very top of government," while the French ambassador said that European partners were discussing the proposal about the need to suspend visa-free travel for Ukraine.

The apotheosis of the onslaught of fighters with anti-corruption agencies was a bill tabled in the Verkhovna Rada by the leaders of the parliamentary majority, regarding the actual deprivation of independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). Prior to this, there was a "coup" in the leadership of the parliamentary committee on combating corruption, night-time interrogations and "declassification" of secret agents of the NABU by the Prosecutor General's Office, full lack of trust in the National Agency on Corruption Prevention and sabotage with the creation of the Anti-Corruption Court.

I cannot say that in 2017 the Ukrainian society successfully fought the risks of "corruption revenge." Without the intervention of European partners, without the threat of not seeing foreign loans and lethal weapons, our defeat in the war against corruption would be inevitable.

Ahead is the inevitable aggravation of the struggle between civil society and the ruling class, which got used to living according to old laws. It is believed that honesty and common sense will win in Ukraine.

5. The second front. It all began not even with the language article of the Law on Education, but with the sudden nomination by our closest strategic neighbor of the subject of the "Volyn massacre" and the rejection of "heroization of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army."

Our politicians missed the start of the anti-Ukrainian campaign in Poland, foolishly regarding its signs as an unfortunate event. But for almost the entire year the situation was just escalated. Against this background, a linguistic misunderstanding with Romania and a violent ideological offensive on the part of Hungary broke out.

The conflict with historical subtext with Poland was resolved (due to direct negotiations between Duda and Poroshenko), whereas in relations with the current Hungarian authorities, the light at the end of the tunnel is still not visible. Head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO Vadym Prystaiko acknowledged that Hungary not only does not seek to find a common language with Ukraine, but also "declares its readiness to fight until the end."

How should we do in this situation? Obviously, it would be superfluous to have enemies in the West, while fighting with Russia. However, we have to be careful with actions - the society will not understand this. Consequently, the risks remain. In order to avoid them, we will need maximum patience and balance next year.

6. Lack of progress in reforms. It turned out to be a very difficult year for the reform efforts of the government and the ruling coalition. The reader remembers the resistance of the opponents of changes in the health care system, how they opposed pension reform, and how long the issues of the judicial system were discussed. Land reform was not advanced, and politicians did not dare to start a new wave of privatization.

The schedule of tasks foreseen by the Association Agreement is fulfilled somehow with much effort. And this is good. However, against the background of the pro-European sentiment of society, we see such an archaic "innovation" (according to many experts) such as the "Buy Ukrainian" bill, which contradicts the Association Agreement with the EU.

A wave of populist arguments against reforms engulfed covered society. As an alarming consequence, sociologists noted a lack of acceptance of radical changes by many Ukrainians. According to the Razumkov Center, 56.9% of Ukrainians have a negative attitude to health care reform, the same percentage to pension reform, 52.3% to land reform, and 49.1% to judicial reform. However, the reason is not just in populism, but also in the realization that the whole burden of reforms will fall on the poor, because the rich are not interested in domestic medicine, education, or Ukrainian pensions.

7. An economic war. It was less visible than "fighting" in the information space. But its role was more significant. We gained at least one strategic victory on this front - a court decision in a lawsuit filed by Naftogaz against Gazprom. Economic sanctions against Russia were extended, which is a hybrid response to a hybrid war. With changing success, battles are underway around Nord Stream, where Russia tries to get the support of European business and where we still have strong allies, such as the United States.

But all this is not yet overcoming risks, but only a delay. Ukraine still remains economically dependent on the former metropolis. Russian TVELs give us light at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, and Russian coal is supplied to Ukraine. Russian owners have strong positions in important economic sectors of Ukraine. Russian banks are able to shatter our financial system. Russian propaganda lying about Ukraine hinders foreign investment.

We rejoice in news from Russian experts that the Russian economy is threatened with a new recession. But the war also affects our economy. Our small victory in economic development, however, brings more light to our hearts than the hundreds of painful failures in the economy of the occupying country.

8. Cyber-attacks and information intervention. The year 2017 could be called the year of the beginning of the First World Cyberwar, if this war had not been launched by Russia long before that. And only this year, many secrets became apparent. The intelligence agencies of the United States and European countries got anxious, having analyzed the level of intervention of cybernetic and information weapons in the political and economic life of developed countries.

For the past three years, Ukraine has been very frivolous in this area. The first decisive step by the authorities was the blockade of the most widely spread Russian intelligence resources in Ukraine  Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, Yandex, anti-virus sites Kaspersky Lab and DrWeb.

We also experienced an unprecedented attack of the Petya A virus, disguised as ransomware. It affected 10% of all private, government and corporate computers in Ukraine, the National Bank, Chornobyl NPP, Boryspil Airport, 20 banks, supermarkets and cyber-markets, Ukrtelecom, Kyivenergo, and Ukrenergo. The virus attacked even computers in the Cabinet of Ministers.

In the end, the attack was contained, and predictions of repeated attacks did not prove true. According to the official version, critical infrastructure facilities in the country are protected from such attacks, but the Ukrainian Cyber Alliance warns against reckless rest on the laurels. We still do not have one powerful center for countering such attacks, whereas well-equipped, specialized "cyber troops," with a large number of contingents, were officially created in Russia.

9. Expectations of mass protests. Despite fears, they were not too numerous. Saakashvili's supporters, unlike the supporters of Tiahnybok two years earlier, even though they smashed windows in the October Palace, but they did not throw grenades outside the building of the parliament. By the way, this year, the largest mass protests (with the slogans "Get Foreigners Out of the Government") were organized by radical nationalists. But they do not see any threats in them for some reason, or they do not believe in it.

So far, all the "maidans" this year are not mass protests by the Ukrainian people, but only typical party rallies, designed for the media effect and mobilization of personal assets. And during the "tent confrontation" on Hrushevskoho Street and the so-called "breakthrough of the border," in my opinion, the National Police worked very well - the use of force was minimized. A statement by Interior Minister Arsen Avakov that, while choosing between bloody scuffles on the streets and "half-empty tents" he chose the latter, was not understood by the authorities, but such a position did not allow the conflict to develop.

10. A threat of loss of controllability. The situation in the country in 2017 was negatively influenced by signs of an increase in uncontrollability in the state.

This concerns the actual absence of a ruling coalition in the Verkhovna Rada, as a result of which situational alliances of the previously unconquerable political forces became frequent. This also led to an increase in parliamentary absenteeism. It seems that the reform laws are pushed through either with threats of deprivation of parliamentary immunity or with bits of a budget cake. The heads of three ministries and numerous central departments and state corporations are in a suspended state, serving as acting heads. The National Bank of Ukraine is also searching for a new manager. The Central Election Commission staff is not updated, and those who worked under Yanukovych order music at the Constitutional Court.

Some state agencies have been in reorganization for too long, and others, despite the agreement with European partners, have not yet been reformed.

The absence of laws about the president and the Cabinet of Ministers leads to attempts to take on someone else's powers. A mixed election system is difficult to combine with the principles of a parliamentary-presidential form of government, and a draft law recently submitted to the Verkhovna Rada, with the proposal to move to purely majority elections, will put an end to this system. The reform of decentralization of power stopped on the half way, and no strategic changes were made in this regard to the constitution.

The fashion for manual control corrupts people, suggests that such methods will also work at lower levels. So far, the state is still holding, on the basis of understanding by power and society of the need to be united in the fight against an external enemy. But sooner or later, perhaps next year, the risks of a loss of controllability by the state will force the political elite to make a choice - to stumble in the past or to try to break into the future.

Yevhen Yakunov. Kyiv
MOREAU  Congressional challengers hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro in this years election, will convene in Moreau Sunday for a candidates forum aimed informing voters.

A number of candidates have thrown their hat in the ring and that is reflection of the voter enthusiasm, said Bob Lippman, CAT 21 spokesman about the forum the grassroots group is hosting at the Moreau Community Center on Jan. 7.

Lippman said they expect a large crowd because their previous forums held in 2017 were packed, standing room only.

There is a groundswell of people concerned. We are feeling Rep. Stefanik is not listening to us and she is getting a great deal of money from hedge funds, Lippman said. She is in lockstep with the Republican caucus and is not focused on helping folks in NY 21 ... We want attention on healthcare, job creation and economic development locally.

According to Lippman, the Congresswoman has been invited to all the previous candidates forums, but did not attend.

Congresswoman Stefanik will run on keeping her promise of new ideas and new generation of leadership and her strong bipartisan record of delivering real results to New Yorks 21st District, said Lenny Alcivar, Stefanik campaign spokesman in an email on Thursday, when asked about her attendance at the Jan. 7 event and about the large number of challengers. Congresswoman Stefanik won this district by over 35 points and our campaign continues to hear overwhelming support from Republicans, Conservatives, Independents and Democrats in her district.

Alcivar continued.

What is clear on the crowded Democratic side is that support has not coalesced around any single candidate. These Democratic candidates will continue to struggle to build strong campaigns in order to qualify for the ballot and will run further and further to the Left of the voters in this district.

The congresswoman did not participate in candidate forums held in 2017 in the district, including one in August at SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury, another held Oct. 3 at Canton High School in Canton, and a third on Dec. 1 at Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh.

Lippman said the forums are important and they are hoping the field will begin to narrow. A strong contender will emerge, he said.

One challenger, Steve Krieg, who was running as an independent, announced in December 2017, on Facebook, that he was discontinuing his run for Congress. Still, Greenwich Democrat, Sara Idleman said last week that she will formally announce her candidacy on Jan. 6.

And Idleman joins a large pool of candidates challenging Stefanik, including Democrats Tanya Boone, Granville; Don Boyajian, Cambridge; Tedra Cobb, Canton; Emily Martz, Saranac Lake; Ronald Kim, Queensbury; Patrick Nelson, Stillwater; Katie Wilson, Keene; and Republican Russell Finley, Lisbon.

According to Federal Election Commission information, Republican Steve Schnibbe has also filed the required paperwork, but he has not responded to CAT 21s invitation to participate in the Jan. 7 forum, Lippman said.

Because there were filing deadlines to participate in the Moreau forum, Idleman will not be able to participate.

They had to file with the FEC by Dec. 12 (2017), Lippman said. We had already planned the event and how we were going to give each candidate a chance to speak by the time Sara declared, Lippman said.

The Congressional Candidate Forum will be on Sunday, Jan. 7, from 2:30 to 5 p.m., at the Moreau Community Center, 144 Main St., South Glens Falls.
Thousands braved a frigid New York night to celebrate the start of 2018 in Times Square, an annual celebration that dates back to 1904.

Tarana Burke, a social activist who started the #MeToo movement to draw attention to sexual abuse, pushed the button that started the famed ball drop  a hallmark of the New York celebration for 110 years.2017 saw a sea change in attitudes and awareness of sexual assault and sexual harassment, as millions of people used the hashtag to show how pervasive abuse is in the wake of accusations made against dozens of high profile men, including celebrities, members of Congress and business leaders.

We need to go into the new year as a new beginning, with a new set of commitments to a better world, Burke told the New York Daily News.

As they do each year, the crowd counted down as the crystal ball slid down a pole, arriving at the bottom as 2018 began, accompanied by confetti and fireworks.

Hundreds of thousands of people  watched over by thousands of police and other security personnel  crowded the square, despite temperatures around -12 C (10 degrees Fahrenheit).

"Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing," Remle Scott told the Associated Press. She traveled to New York with her boyfriend from San Diego to ring in the new year.

The frosty festivities in Times Square included performances by Mariah Carey, Sugarland and Nick Jonas.

Fireworks around the world

In London, fireworks and the sound of Big Ben  the massive bell in the Elizabeth Tower clock  welcomed the start of 2018 for about 100,000 revelers near the River Thames.Big Ben has been silent since August, when a renovation project on the clock began.It's not scheduled to return to regular service for about four years.

Fireworks were also part of the celebrations in Paris and Moscow.In the Russian capitol, fireworks lit up the sky over the Kremlin, while in Paris the display was held at the Arc de Triomphe.

Thousands gathered around Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor to watch a 10-minute musical firework display, which included "shooting stars" fired from rooftops and revelers dancing to "Auld Lang Syne."

In the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, over 400 couples participated in a New Year's mass wedding provided for free by authorities.

Nearly 1.5 million people gathered to watch a rainbow fireworks display above Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge and the opera house, as the country celebrated legalizing gay marriage.

Security tight

In preparation for celebrations in cities around the world, hundreds of thousands of law enforcement, military and security officials are being deployed to keep New Year's Eve revelers safe.

In Australia, officials were out in full force on the ground, air and sea as part of the largest security operation in the country. Police in Melbourne last month arrested a man for planning to shoot revelers on New Year's Eve.

In the United States, New York City officials used two-step screening, snipers, street closures and specially trained dogs to secure Times Square.
An Australian diplomat's tip appears to have helped persuade the FBI to investigate Russian meddling in the U.S. election and possible coordination with the Trump campaign, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos told the diplomat, Alexander Downer, during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of emails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the report said. Downer, a former foreign minister, is Australia's top diplomat in Britain.

Australia passed the information on to the FBI after the Democratic emails were leaked, according to the Times, which cited four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians' role.

"The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016,'' the newspaper said.

White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment, saying in a statement that the administration was continuing to cooperate with the investigation now led by special counsel Robert Mueller "to help complete their inquiry expeditiously.''

Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty of lying to the FBI and is a cooperating witness. Court documents unsealed two months ago show he met in April 2016 with Joseph Mifsud, a professor in London who told him about Russia's cache of emails. This was before the Democratic National Committee became aware of the scope of the intrusion into its email systems by hackers later linked to the Russian government.

The Times said Papadopoulos shared this information with Downer, but it was unclear whether he also shared it with anyone in the Trump campaign.
Five sheriff's deputies and two civilians were shot as police responded to a domestic disturbance call Sunday in the Midwestern U.S. state of Colorado.

The Douglas County sheriff's office said that one of the five deputies had been killed, and the suspect was shot and no longer a threat.

"Suspect shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat," the sheriff's department wrote on Twitter.



Earlier in the morning, the sheriff's office issued a "code red" in the surrounding area, advising residents nearby to stay indoors and avoid windows.
Democratic Republic of Congo security forces have fired tear gas at a Catholic church in Kinshasa, the capital, in hopes of preventing a planned demonstration.

Protesters were gathering at the church Sunday to mount a rally against President Joseph Kabila.

The DRC has been mired in a political crisis over Kabila's refusal to step down from power.

His second and last term as president ended in December 2016. New elections that were supposed have taken place in 2017 did not happened. Voting has been put off for at least another year, adding to the anger among Congolese militias and citizens.
The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Saturday ordered telecommunications providers to cut internet and texting services

across the country ahead of planned anti-government demonstrations.

Grass-roots Catholic activists called for marches in major cities on Sunday to demand that President Joseph Kabila commit to not changing the constitution to stand for a third term and to releasing political prisoners.

Kabila was required by the constitution to step down in December last year when his mandate expired, but an election to replace him has been repeatedly delayed and is now scheduled for December 2018.

Security forces killed dozens of protesters during anti-Kabila demonstrations last year, and deteriorating security has led to fears of renewed civil strife in Congo, where millions of people died in civil wars around the turn of the

century.

"It is for reasons of state security," Telecommunications Minister Emery Okundji told Reuters. "In response to violence that is being prepared ... the government has the duty to take all measures to protect Congolese lives."

Okundji wrote a letter to telecom providers ordering them to suspend internet and texting services by 6 p.m. (1700 UTC) in the capital, Kinshasa, until further instruction, although some users still had access more than two hours later.

Congolese authorities have banned Sunday's demonstrations, which have been backed by most opposition leaders, and warned that all gatherings of more than five people would be dispersed.

Unity among opposition

A series of appeals by opposition leaders for protests this year have been easily suppressed by security forces, but the Catholic activists' call has managed to unite nearly all of Congo's fractious opposition.

Some 40 percent of Congo's population is Catholic and the church enjoys rare credibility with the public, even though its leadership has not formally backed Sunday's protests.

On December 31 last year, Kabila's ruling majority and opposition leaders struck a deal that allowed Kabila to stay in power beyond the end of his mandate, but required that the election to replace him be held by the end of 2017.

The country's electoral commission, however, later said that was not possible and scheduled the vote for December 23, 2018.

Congo's government also cut internet and texting services during anti-government demonstrations in January 2015 and more recently ordered limits to certain social media access, one of more than a dozen African governments to have done so in the past two years.
At least two civilians have been killed as violence erupted ahead of protests in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday.

Police fired shots and tear gas to break up a Catholic mass and arrested altar boys who were among protesters gathering at the church to rally against President Joseph Kabila.

Ida Sawyer, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said two men had been killed outside the church.



The French news agency, AFP, reported that an officer and a youth in the suburbs of Kinshasa were also killed.

The DRC has been mired in a political crisis over Kabila's refusal to step down from power. His second and last term as president ended in December 2016.

New elections slated for 2017 have been delayed for at least one more year, fueling anger among Congolese militias and citizens.
A suicide bomber killed at least 18 people in an attack targeting the funeral of former district chief in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

Afghan forces have had frequent clashes with Islamic State militants in the area in recent weeks.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The Taliban denied any involvement.

The incident comes just days after a suicide attack on a Shi'ite cultural center in Kabul that left at least 41 people dead and more than 80 wounded.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.

Previous attacks on Shi'ite worship places and processions in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan were also claimed by IS.
Catalonias fugitive former president has called for Spanish authorities to open negotiations regarding the restitution of what he calls his legitimate government.

Carles Puigdemont said via social media channels from Brussels on Saturday that Spain should recognize the election results of Dec. 21 and start negotiating politically with the legitimate government of Catalonia.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy deposed Puigdemont and his Cabinet after Catalonias regional parliament voted in favor of a declaration of independence from the rest of the country in October.

But pro-secession parties, including one led by Puigdemont, won the most seats in elections last week.

Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid a judicial investigation into suspicions of rebellion by him and his government. He did not say Saturday if he plans to return to Spain, where an arrest warrants awaits him.

Rajoy said Friday that he plans to convene Catalonias newly elected parliament Jan. 17.

In-house rules of Catalonias parliament require that a candidate to form a government be present.
Germany should be able to deport unaccompanied minor refugees who commit crimes if their families can be identified, the head of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) said in remarks released ahead of publication Sunday.

FDP leader Christian Lindner spoke amid growing debate about unaccompanied refugees after the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old German girl on Wednesday by a suspect later identified by police as her former boyfriend, a 15-year-old Afghan refugee who had entered Germany in early 2016.

Lindner told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that authorities should be able to deport unaccompanied minors who resisted educational measures and caused problems, if their families could be identified in their home countries.

The girl who was killed had filed charges days earlier accusing the Afghan teenager of harassing and threatening her after she broke up with him, police officials said.

Migrant numbers down

The number of unaccompanied minors among migrants entering Germany fell sharply in the first 10 months of 2017 to 8,107 from nearly 35,939 in 2016 and 22,255 a year earlier, according to the German Federal Office of Migrant and Refugees (BAMF).

Although seen as a domestic dispute, the stabbing case has touched a nerve as German cities tighten security for New Years Eve celebrations amid continued concern about possible Islamist attacks and after the mass groping of women in Cologne on New Years Eve 2015.

Many far-right commentators have seized on the stabbing and the 2015 Cologne incident to justify their anti-migrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric.

In Berlin, police erected a special safety zone for women at the milelong street that runs from the Brandenburg Gate to the Victory Column in the capitals Tiergarten park.

Criticism of Merkel

In the interview, Lindner also renewed his criticism of Chancellor Angela Merkels decision in 2015 to open the doors to more than a million migrants, mostly from the Middle East and Afghanistan, without adequate controls.

We need a new immigrant policy in Europe that ensures that the problems are addressed, Lindner said, noting that securing borders could help prevent right-wing populists from spreading xenophobic sentiment.

Our country will only stay tolerant and open to the world if people can rely on our legal system at any time and any place, he said.

The FDP last month withdrew from talks with Merkels conservatives and the environmental Greens on forming a new government after the September election. But migration will also be a key topic in upcoming coalition talks between Merkels conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).

Conservatives want to limit the number of refugees admitted each year to 200,000 or less; the SPD rejects any such cap.
FOR THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN FARSI: Please follow @VOAIran and ir.voanews.com

12/31/17 11:04 p.m.



12/31/17 10:39 p.m.

12/31/17 10:32 p.m. -- Statement from the White House Press Secretary:

We support the right of the Iranian people to express themselves peacefully. Their voices deserve to be heard.We encourage all parties to protect this fundamental right to peaceful expression and to avoid any actions that contribute to censorship.

12/31/17 9:20 p.m. -- VOA's Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb, U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer and the VOA Persian service speak to analysts about the Iran protests: Iranian Protests Raising More Questions Than Answers

12/31/17 8:35 p.m. -- In an exclusive interview with VOA Persian on Sunday, Deputy Assistant to the President for Strategic Communications Michael Anton said there is not much Washington can do about Iran's social media clampdown.

But he said the Trump administration expects U.S. and other Western companies to halt any concessions to the Iranian government.

"(They should) not bow to any demands for censorship or curtailment of information," Anton said. "(They should) continue doing business the way they always have, and let information flow freely into Iran." He added that U.S. officials will be watching how those companies handle the issue.

12/31/17, 8:30 p.m.The Trump administration says it is "very concerned" about Tehran blocking Iranians from communicating via social media platforms in a bid to dampen four days of nationwide anti-government protests.

12/31/17 7:16 p.m. -- A timeline behind the unrest in Iran.

12/31/17 7:03 p.m. -- Alex Vatanka, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told VOA's United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer that the Iran protesters are being driven by socio-economic grievances. On the role of social media, it's "certainly a concern to the authorities, but we dont really know what exact contributing factor it was in terms of that mobilization.  I would say its a factor, but its too early to say how big of a role it played," he says.

For Iran President Hassan Rouhani, I think this is a wake-up call for him. Rouhani really has taken the people who voted for him for granted. Nobody really genuinely thought he was a reformist, but hoped that he would at least take certain steps to move in that direction; hes done none of it. In fact, since his re-election in May, hes turned toward the right. That has just infuriated those reformists who sort of bought the idea that gradual reform in the Islamic Republic is possible.

On Iran's youth: When you look at the footage coming out Iran, is young people -- many of them were born 20 years after the revolution of 1979, they have no sense of what it is this regime does that reflects what they want. They have no historic memory of 1979, what was there before 1979, they don't have any memory of the Iran-Iraq war -- all they know is that they go to university, they work hard to get an education or do whatever it is to lift themselves up in life and there are so many different obstacles in their path," Vatanka tells VOA.

12/31/17 6:28 p.m. -- Photo gallery of demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday in Iran.

12/31/17 5:45 p.m. -- VOA Persian Division Director Setareh Derakhshesh got exclusive comments from senior U.S. official Michael Anton, deputy assistant to the president for strategic communications, on the latest developments in Iran on Sunday. Story to come.

12/31/17 5:45 p.m. -- Iranian callers to the Sunday edition of VOA Persian's Straight Talk program disagreed about whether foreign intervention in the protests is desirable:

A caller named Farhad from Tehran said, "Right now, we are on the streets for a revolution. (President) Trump -- you pledged to help us -- please do so."

But the next caller, named Siamak and also from Tehran, said Farhad was mistaken. "We should take care of our own business," he said.

12/31/17 5:39 p.m. -- Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior Iran analyst for Foundation for Defense of Democracies, talking about the Iran protests with VOA's Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb: Whether youre urban or rural, you see the governing elite, and in fact the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as an impediment to your daily life.

12/31/17 5:18 p.m. -- Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior Iran analyst for Foundation for Defense of Democracies, tells VOA's Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb: "What is true is the Iranian people want accountability, respect, justice, and they want their government to put their interests ... their national interests ahead of the narrow, factional or regime interests. Thats why you heard slogans like, Not Gaza, Not Lebanon. My life for Iran.' 

"Almost all the protests since the Islamic Republics inception, and in many ways almost all the protests in the last century and a half of modern-Iranian history are all linked. And thats why I think you see much-more strident anti-regime rhetoric in this protest which is clear to say is a continuation of that protest (in 2009).

12/31/17 5:15 p.m. -- President Trump Tweets: "Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!"

12/31/17 5 p.m. -- Social media reports show clashes between protestors and police in Hamadan. There are no reports of casualties on Sunday.

12/31/17 4:46 p.m. -- Photos sent to VOA Persian show protests in the port town of Chabahar in Sistan and Baloochistan province.

12/31/17 4:20 p.m. -- Since protests began on Thursday, several hundred protesters have been arrested, AP is reported.

What we know so far:

-- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday his people have the right to protest and criticize the government, in his first public response to nationwide anti-establishment protests that have stretched into a fourth day.

-- Iranian authorities have blocked popular social-media websites.

-- At least two protesters were killed in clashes between anti-government demonstrators and police in the western town of Dorud.

-- The protests, which began on Thursday, initially appeared to be a reaction to high food prices and unemployment. But they quickly evolved into expressions of anger against Iran's clerical leadership, including President Rouhani, who won re-election in May with promises to revive the economy.

-- The United States has condemned the arrest of protesters, with President Donald Trump cheering on the protesters via Twitter. Trump tweeted on December 31 that it looks like the Iranians "will not take it any longer," adding, "The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!"

12/31/17 4 p.m. -- Iran president Rouhani will hold a joint meeting with heads of parliament commissions on Monday to address the countrys economic issues. An MP says this was planned prior to IranProtests.

12/31/17 3:45 p.m. -- Middle class Iranian woman in Tehran tells RFE/RL's Golnaz Esfandiari that many are worried the protests would turn Iran into "another Syria" or that people would get killed and that there won't be any meaningful changes. "We want democracy but no violence."

12/31/17 3:22 p.m. -- Watch: Protests intensify in Shooshtar, Iran

12/31/17 3:20 p.m. -- Photo of protests by VOA Persian

12/31/17 2:54 p.m. -- Follow Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's coverage of protests in Iran.

12/31/17 2:45 p.m. -- The unrest rippled through Irans stock exchange. The TEDPIX Index fell 1.7 percent to 95,561.58 in Tehran on Sunday, the lowest level since Dec. 20, according to data on the bourses website.

12/31/17 1:50 p.m. -- Special police forces deploy in Mashad. Known as a place of religious pilgrimage, its centered on the vast Holy Shrine of Imam Reza, with golden domes and minarets. https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-protest-/4186545.html

12/31/17 1:30 p.m. -- Protestors overturn police van in Valiasr Street on the fourth day of protests.A protestor is heard shouting, "Knock it over! Knock it over!"

https://ir.voanews.com/a/iran-protest-/4186573.html

12/31/17 12:45 pm -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in his first comments since days of anti-government demonstrations broke out, said people have the right to protest but stressed violence is not acceptable.

"Criticism is different to violence and destroying public property," he told a Cabinet meeting, according to state media.

12/31/17 11:50am -- Iran's semi-official ILNA news agency is reporting that police arrested around 200 protesters in the capital Tehran on Saturday.

12/3117 11:45am -- Anti-government protests continued for a 4th day in Iran. Pictures posted on the VOA Farsi twitter feed show some scattered demonstrations in Tehran and families of arrested protesters gathering outside Evin prison.



12/31/17 11:43am -- U.S Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley issued a statement on the protests in Iran.

"In the New Year, our hopes and prayers are with the millions of people who are suffering terribly from oppressive governments in North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, and especially in Iran, where the long-repressed Iranian people are now finding their voice. The Iranian government is being tested by its own citizens. We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said.

12/31/17 11:00am -- Iran temporarily blocked Instagram and messaging app Telegram on Sunday to "maintain peace" amid growing demonstrations, state television said. Many protesters had been using the apps to upload or share photos and videos from demonstrations.

12/31/17 10:30am -- Telegram's CEO said Sunday on Twitter that the app had been blocked after management refused to heed a government request to shut it down.



12/31/17 - 8:30am -- President Donald Trump tweeted about the protests, saying "The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations."



12/31/17 7:00am -- An Iranian official blamed "foreign agents" for the shooting deaths of two protesters on Saturday. The shootings happened in the western town of Dorud on the third day of protests. VOAs Persian service identified the victims as Hamzeh Lashni and Hossein Reshno after a reporter spoke to the victims families.

12/31/17 1:00am -- Iran's interior minister warned that those who "disrupt the order and break the law must be responsible for their behavior and pay the price." Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli, in a statement on state television, said "fear and terror will definitely be confronted."

12/30/17 -- Videos posted to social media seemed to show thousands of people protesting in several cities throughout Iran. Saturday's demonstrations were the largest and the most serious challenge to Iranian authorities since 2009.

12/30/17 -- President Donald Trump denounced the Iranian government Saturday, tweeting excerpts from his September 19 speech to the U.N. General Assembly. He charged Rouhani's government, and those before it, have long oppressed the Iranian people.



12/30/17 -- Separate state-sponsored rallies took place around the country Saturday to mark the end of the unrest that shook the country in 2009. State television reported pro-government rallies were held in about 1,200 cities and towns.

12/29/17 -- The White House strongly condemned the arrests in Iran of peaceful protesters, as reports emerged that more than 50 people were arrested for protesting in Iranian cities against the country's economic troubles. "There are many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with the regime's corruption and its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad," the White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. "The Iranian government should respect their people's rights, including their right to express themselves. The world is watching."

12/29/17 -- The State Department said it urges "all nations to publicly support the Iranian people and their demands for basic rights and an end to corruption."

12/29/17 -- Iranians gathered for another day of protests in cities around the nation Friday, as people voice their displeasure with the country's economy and government policies.

These demonstrations are seen as a cry against President Hassan Rouhani, who won re-election in May with promises to revive the economy.

More live blogs:

VOA Persian Service coverage of Iran Protests in Farsi



Follow @VOAIran breaking news coverage in Farsi on Twitter
GRANVILLE  When firefighters arrived on the scene of an apartment building blaze early Sunday morning, temperatures were 10 degrees below zero and flames were tearing through one apartment and spreading to adjacent homes in the Mettowee Valley Apartments complex.

When we pulled up, there was heavy fire in apartment seven, out the first-floor window and across the roof, said Granville Fire Chief Ryan Pedone at about noon at the Franklin Avenue fire scene. We began evacuating  we had to wake people up to get out.

According to Pedone, the fire, which was called in at 6:42 a.m., spread from apartment seven, across five others, to apartment 12. It was unclear how many people lived in the homes, but the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross said it was assisting 11 people later Sunday.

We originally got the call for a structure fire in apartment seven, he said, icicles visibly dripping from his helmet. There was extensive damage, but no one was injured, and no firefighters were injured.

But fighting a fire in below zero temperatures is challenging and Pedone said that initially they had some problems with getting hydrants opened in the cold. And the Department of Public Works was on scene to plow a path for a second ladder truck to get to the rear of the apartment building.

Additionally, they had to pump heat on the truck pumps to keep them from freezing. Most of our trucks have pump heaters, but you also need something like a salamander (heater) to keep pumping heat, Pedone said.

After seven hours on scene in freezing temperatures, firefighters gear was iced over and some had helmets and coats completely encased in ice and icicles. The displaced residents were trying to salvage a lamp here or a small bucket of belongings there.

The Red Cross provided financial assistance for necessities such as shelter, food and clothing to eleven adults. Four of those affected by the fire will also be eligible for veterans services. Volunteers also offered emotional support and comfort kits containing personal care items, agency spokeswoman Mary Alice Molgard said in a news release.

Fire companies responding to the blaze were Granville Fire and firefighters from Middle Granville, North Granville, West Pawlet, Pawlet, Salem, Hartford, Poultney, Glens Falls and Whitehall. Granville and Fair Haven EMS were also on scene.

At noon, Pedone said they would be on scene for about another hour, to make sure the fire was fully extinguished.

The fire remained under investigation later Sunday, with no cause determined. Washington County fire investigators were called to the scene.
Prime Minister Theresa May said 2018 would be a year of "renewed confidence and pride" for Britain as it confronts the challenges of negotiating Brexit, in her New Year's message out Sunday.

Divorce talks between London and Brussels are set to move on to transition arrangements, trade and security next year as Britain prepares to leave the European Union in March 2019.

May said 2017 had been a year of progress for Britain as it struck agreements on its departure bill, Northern Ireland and the rights of EU citizens, in the first phase of Brexit negotiations.

"I believe 2018 can be a year of renewed confidence and pride in our country," the premier said, "a year in which we continue to make good progress towards a successful Brexit deal, an economy that's fit for the future, and a stronger and fairer society for everyone.



"And whatever challenges we may face, I know we will overcome them by standing united as one proud union of nations and people."

However, the British Chambers of Commerce, which represents thousands of firms across the country, warned that business was losing patience while waiting for clarity on what will happen once Britain leaves the EU.

"Businesses want answers," director general Adam Marshall told The Observer newspaper. "Getting the twin challenges of Brexit and the economic fundamentals right will require leadership, consistency and clarity  after a year in which business has been dismayed by what it sees as division and disorganization."

Vow on harassment, prejudice

May said 2017 had been a year of progress in which her Brexit objectives had been pursued with a steady purpose.

"Making a success of Brexit is crucial, but it will not be the limit of our ambitions," she said.

The prime minister said she wanted a "balanced approach" to public spending, reducing Britain's debt pile while investing in schools, hospitals and state health care.

May also said she wanted to sweep harassment from the workplace and "eliminate all prejudice and discrimination from our society."

Internationally, she said Britain would work to tackle extremism, climate change and plastic waste in the oceans.

Meanwhile, opposition Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn said the prospect of a "new Britain" was "closer than ever before."

"We are a government in waiting, while the Conservatives are weak and divided and stuck in an outdated rut," the veteran leftist said.

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable used his New Year's message to push for a second referendum on EU membership.

"There's still time to offer people the choice of an exit from Brexit," he said.
Two years after a state of emergency was declared in Flint, Michigan because of lead-poisoned water, residents have been assured their water is now safe. But residents are wary even though these assurances come from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. VOA's Anush Avetisyan visited Flint and spoke to residents who face a battle for clean water every day.
U.S. vice presidents historically have held widely varying influence in the White House, depending on their relationship with the president. As Donald Trumps administration prepares for its second year, Vice President Mike Pences role appears likely to broaden.

On overseas trips to Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region, and a recent holiday visit to U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Pence has embraced the role of presidential envoy.

WATCH: Mike O'Sullivan's Video Report

His work on international and domestic policy is more than merely symbolic, says Joel Goldstein of Saint Louis University School of Law, who has written two books on the changing vice presidency.

Vice President Pence seems to be included and involved in decision making in the White House, Goldstein notes. And the vice president, he adds, has been laudatory, at time adulatory towards the president in his public comments.

Biggest cheerleader

Some of Pences critics say he has taken on that role excessively, notes Sherry Bebitch Jeffe of the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.

She calls Pence the presidents biggest cheerleader, but argues that Pence serves as more than a publicist.

He also has influence within the West Wing of the White House, she says.

Other VPs

That was not the case with vice presidents through much of U.S. history.

John Nance Garner, vice president under Franklin Roosevelt, famously said the job is not worth a bucket of warm spit. Nelson Rockefeller, Gerald Fords VP, called the job standby equipment, notes Jeffe, yet some recent vice presidents have become important players in their administrations.

Joe Biden and Al Gore, and even Dan Quayle were not afraid to confront their bosses when they disagreed with them and were rewarded with expanded duties, Goldstein says.

But Pence has taken on a unique role under a president who often makes controversial statements  when Trump questioned, for example, the commitment to the joint defense provisions of NATO, Goldstein says, or said he had not ruled out military action in restoring democracy to Venezuela to stop what the administration calls the nations slide to dictatorship.

The vice president has cleaned up those statements, Goldstein explains, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to the North Atlantic alliance and its commitment to diplomacy and economic sanctions in dealing with Venezuela.

Pence played a similar role, said Jeffe, after Trump appeared to equate the white nationalists behind violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, with the counter-protesters who rejected their racist message. Pence said the Trump administration condemns white supremacist fringe groups in the strongest possible terms.

Support not guaranteed

Pence has at times distanced himself from the president, however.

When Trump supported Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore, who was defeated in December following allegations that he had once made sexual overtures to young teenagers, Pence remained silent on the endorsement but said he found the allegations against Moore disturbing.

Pence is an evangelical Christian and social conservative, and Goldstein says that while its impossible to know what is said behind closed doors, Pence may have had a hand in White House moves that have pleased conservatives, such as loosening environmental regulations on American businesses and appointing conservatives to judicial posts.

Pence, unlike Trump, is an experienced politician, having served as a longtime congressman and Indianas governor.

Pence knows the players on Capitol Hill, Jeffe says, and Pence is trusted by the Republican players at least on Capitol Hill. In his role as president of the Senate, which is assigned to the vice president under the U.S. constitution, Pence has cast six tie-breaking votes for passage of bills backed by the administration.

Goldstein adds that members of the leadership in Congress who have some misgivings about the president see Vice President Pence as somebody who comes from their political world and as somebody they are comfortable dealing with.

As a presidential envoy, whether comforting victims of a Texas hurricane or representing the United States in Argentina or Australia, Pence is carving out his role.

And hes trying to walk a fine line between being supportive of the president, Goldstein says, trying to placate his constituency of one, and yet at the same time not entirely embrace some of the controversial tweets and other statements that the president makes from time to time.

Its not easy task in an age of populism when policy debates take place through social media and the political rules are changing, analyst Jeffe says.

She says Pence, whose roots are in the old politics, has a political future tied to the success of a president who is breaking all the rules. So far, these analysts say, Pence has been walking the fine line as vice president successfully.
A group of Polish mountaineers set off for northern Pakistan on Sunday to attempt to be the first to scale K2, the worlds second highest peak, in wintertime.

K2, in the Karakorum mountains along the border between China and Pakistan, is notorious for high winds, steep and icy slopes  and high fatality rates for climbers. In winter months, scant snowfall means the summit approach can turn into bare ice.

More than 70 people have died climbing the peak, many of them at the Bottleneck, where a wrong step can send a climber hurtling off the South Face, where bodies are unlikely to be recovered.

Team member Adam Bielecki, 34, told Reuters that the chance to make history is a strong motivation for the Polish group.

Polish climbers have written a beautiful chapter of exploring peaks of more than 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), and scaling K2 in winter would the last chapter of this book.

The Polish team includes 13 mountaineers led by Krzysztof Wielicki, 67, who in 2003 headed a winter expedition of K2 that was unable to clear the 8,000 meter threshold.

K2, slightly shorter than Mount Everest, is 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) high.

Wielicki told Reuters that his team would begin their ascent on Jan. 8 or 9 and, if successful, expect to return to base camp by mid-March.

Pakistan is a hot destination for climbers. It rivals Nepal for the number of peaks higher 7,000 meters (22,966 feet) and it has five of the worlds 14 summits higher than 8,000 meters.

Bielecki said the group expects to be away from home for around three months.

If you ask me whats the hardest part of the expedition or what I fear the most, its actually the separation from my family, he said.
Mariama Ndow is one of hundreds of migrants who returned home to Sierra Leone this year. She is relishing her freedom after having spent 10 months in Kuwait.

At first she thought she was going to work as a security guard. But when she got to Kuwait, she was sold as a housekeeper through an agency to several families.

I was not happy in Kuwait... always, I was crying, everyday, when I remember home and my two kids, I cry everyday, she said.

She says she only got paid once the entire time she was there. And was forced to work almost 24 hours a day. When she got sick there was no sympathy.



"I dont have choice, they [employer] will say 'go and work, you are here to work, you don't have to sit down and rest, we buy you for this job, you have to work,'" she said.

She managed to escape while the family was out one day. Through the help of a stranger on the streets of Kuwait, she was directed to the International Organization for Migration.

After several months in a shelter, she was brought back to Sierra Leone with the IOMs assistance. It helped her reintegrate into society by providing financial compensation to set up a business. She now sells clothes and says it is enough to keep her going.

According to a recent U.N. report, there are now an estimated 258 million people living in a country other than their country of birth. Abuse of migrants is happening in many places. Most recently, in Libya, there were allegations of migrants being sold in slave markets.

Earlier this month, 60 migrants returned from Libya to Sierra Leone with help from the IOM.

Umaru Barrie is one of the migrants who just returned from Libya. He left Sierra Leone because he was jobless and homeless.

When my little money was finished, I didnt have a place to stay, so sometimes I slept on the beach, sometimes I slept in the ghetto with the boys, he said.

Most migrants use Libya as a gateway to Europe. The United Nations estimates about 700,000 migrants are in Libya. Barrie says he wanted to stay in Libya but he soon realized life was not any better. He also describes not always getting paid for work. And his wife, who he met in Libya, often had payments withheld.

They eventually managed to get in touch with the IOM in Libya and started the process to be repatriated to Sierra Leone. Barrie, his wife and their son arrived in the early morning hours of December 14 on a chartered flight. It was bittersweet.

I dont have money, but Im OK with my life, my family, said Barrie.

The IOM will also compensate Barrie and he is hoping to start up a business. For now, he is staying with his brother. And although it is tough starting over, yet again, he is grateful to be out if Libya and back in his country.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Saturday slammed a decision in Greece to grant asylum to a Turkish helicopter co-pilot, who fled the country after last year's failed coup, as "politically motivated" and warned of a negative impact on bilateral relations.

The co-pilot  who flew seven other Turkish military officers to Greece  was granted asylum after Greek authorities ruled that his human rights would be at risk, despite repeated requests for his extradition by Ankara.

The decision "again reveals that Greece is a country that protects and embraces plotters," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the ruling was "politically motivated."

"Greece has not shown the support and cooperation we expect from an ally in the fight against terrorism," the statement added.

The ruling is an embarrassment to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who asked for the officers to be extradited during a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in December, as part of the first official visit to Athens by a Turkish president in 65 years.

Late Saturday evening, Tsipras tried to contain any fallout from the asylum ruling by calling for the decision to be annulled.

"The Greek government filed on Saturday a request for annulment of the asylum decision taken the day before by the asylum authority," the office of the Greek prime minister said.

Co-pilot's denial

The co-pilot, who landed in the Greek city of Alexandroupoli hours after the putsch was defeated on July 15, 2016, had denied being part of the coup attempt.

Despite Turkey's assertions, the asylum judges said there was no evidence to suggest the co-pilot had participated in a plot to unseat Erdogan.

According a judicial source, the ruling took into account reports from human rights groups and the Council of Europe that warned Turkey has regularly committed human rights abuses against coup suspects.

A ruling on the seven other military officers is expected to be made in the coming weeks.

In January, the Greek Supreme Court blocked the extradition of the officers, saying that they would not have a fair trial in Turkey.

More than 140,000 people, including judges, lawyers, journalists and academics, have been sacked or suspended in Turkey since the failed coup, while 55,000 people have been arrested over suspected links to U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Turkey claims Gulen ordered the attempted coup, something he denies.
Ukrainian police on Saturday freed the remaining hostages being held in a post office by a man believed to be strapped with explosives. They arrested the hostage-taker after an hourslong standoff in the city of Kharkiv.

"All hostages freed in Kharkiv. The assailant was arrested," President Petro Poroshenko wrote on Twitter, while Interior Minister Arsen Avakov published a picture of the man, with blood streaming down his face, being held by a policeman.

None of the hostages were harmed. A Reuters witness saw special forces police in green camouflage rushing to the entrance of the post office, a yellow-and-white building at a road junction in the northeastern city near the Russian border.

Robbery turned hostage taking

In earlier statements, police said the man had entered the post office wearing a mask and taken 11 people hostage with the intention of robbing the place. Five of the hostages, three women and two children, were released early.

Regional police chief Oleg Bekh told reporters the man had a history of antisocial behavior and drug-related offences.

"He probably needs the help of a psychiatrist," Bekh said. "During the detention, he received minor injuries. He was not in a normal state ... the hostages said he was drinking alcohol."

Police were able to enter the building after one of the hostages opened the door for them, Kharkiv regional prosecutor Yuriy Danylchenko told reporters.

Police earlier said they had been in contact with the man via the telephones of the hostages, describing his manner as calm and not making any demands.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Avakov, said employees at the post office and customers had been among the hostages. One of them had managed to call the police from inside the building.

"The patrolmen came to the place of the robbery in a few minutes," Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook. "The robber realized that he could not now safely leave the crime scene with the loot and he decided to declare that he was taking everyone hostage."

Bomb threat

One of the children released by the man told local media that he put explosives into two bottles and threatened to blow himself up if police did not listen to him.

The man also said he had brain cancer, according to the child.

The man at one point voiced concern about the recent prisoner exchange between the Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russian separatists and thought more prisoners should have been released, police said.

Ukraine and the separatists swapped hundreds of prisoners Wednesday in the biggest such exchange since the outbreak of a conflict in the eastern Donbass region that has killed more than 10,000 people.
U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres warns the world is likely to face many complex and new dangers in 2018. In a year-end message, Guterres appeals for greater unity to overcome these threats and create a more peaceful world.



When Guterres assumed office one year ago, the world was in the midst of a hopeful moment. Negotiations to end more than four decades of division on the island of Cyprus appeared to be moving toward a successful resolution.

Guterres jumped into the fray and worked tirelessly to produce that outcome. Unfortunately, the Greek and Turkish Cypriots were unable to bury their differences and live as one nation together.

The UN chief acknowledges his hopes for a peaceful 2017 have not materialized. Unfortunately, he says the world in many ways has gone in reverse. Reflecting this darkened mood on the eve of the New Year, Guterres says he is issuing what he calls a red alert for our world.

Conflicts have deepened and new dangers have emerged. Global anxieties about nuclear weapons are the highest since the Cold War and climate change is moving faster than we are. Inequalities are growing and we see horrific violations of human rights. Nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise and as we begin 2018, I call for unity, he said.



During this past year, Guterres has had many catastrophic events landing on his desk begging for resolution. These include:

Yemen  the worlds worst humanitarian crisis with some eight million people on the brink of famine, and one million infected with cholera.

Persecution and violence in Myanmar that forced more than 650,000 Rohingya refugees to flee for their lives to neighboring Bangladesh.

Syria, approaching its seventh year of civil war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced more than 11 million.

Conflicts in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq and many others that continue to take a heavy toll in lives and property.

As the worlds leading diplomat, Guterres must retain his sense of optimism that things can get better. He says the world can be made safer and more secure; conflicts and hatred can be overcome. But, only, he adds if world leaders unite to bridge divides and bring people together around common goals.
Bystanders and residents, not police, may have prevented a bigger bloodbath during Friday's terror attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt, eyewitnesses say.



Nine people were killed when a gunman opened fire on a church and a nearby Christian-owned store in Cairo.



The witnesses told the Associated Press it is likely more would have died if worshippers at the Mary Mina Church and others in the neighborhood did not jump into action. They



said people inside the church slammed shut the heavy iron gate to stop the shooter from getting inside.



Bystanders pelted the gunman with rocks, even as he kept firing. Others hid the gunman's motorbike to stop him from getting away.



The witnesses say one man jumped on the shooter when he stopped to reload his weapon, pinning him to the ground.



Another bystander told the AP he was about to smash the shooter in the head with a large rock, but police arrived and shot and wounded the gunman in an attempt to take him alive.



The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, along with several other terrorist attacks on Coptic Christians over the last year in in Egypt, resulting in the deaths of more than 100.
Support us - Help us upgrade our services!

Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources.

We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated.

Improved multilanguage support

Tsunami alerts

Faster responsiveness

Design upgrade

Detailed quake stats

Additional seismic data sources

Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online:

Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online:

We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team.If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently:
NEW YORK

2 face murder charges in quadruple killing

Two men were arrested and charged with murder Saturday in a quadruple homicide in Upstate New York that police have called an act of savagery.

James W. White and Justin C. Mann each face one count of murder in the first degree, which carries a maximum penalty of life without the possibility of parole, and four counts of murder in the second degree. Both suspects, from Schenectady, N.Y., were arraigned in Troy City Court, with the next court appearance scheduled for Thursday.

The day after Christmas, police found the bodies of Shanta Myers, 36, two of her children, Shanise Meyers, 5, and Jeremiah JJ Myers, 11, and her partner, Brandi Mells, 22, inside a basement apartment in Troy, N.Y.

The four were killed on Dec. 21, and one of the defendants was acquainted with one of the victims, Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said at a news conference Saturday.

From the beginning, police, who have not provided details about the deaths, described the case as a horrific crime.

On Saturday, Tedesco said the police do not have a motive for the killings but are confident that there will not be any additional arrests, even though the investigation continues. Police said autopsies would be conducted Wednesday, but results have not been released.

The apartment buildings property manager discovered the bodies Tuesday afternoon after being contacted by family members who said the victims were not answering phone calls.

 The Washington Post

NEVADA

Gunman kills 2 Las Vegas security guards

Two Las Vegas security guards were fatally shot Saturday while investigating a disturbance in a room at a hotel-casino, and the suspected shooter was critically injured after turning the gun on himself, police said.

The gunmans motive wasnt known, but investigators believe it was an isolated incident.

The shooting happened before 7 a.m. at Arizona Charlies Decatur, west of the Las Vegas Strip. Police said the suspect fled the hotel after the shooting to a nearby neighborhood, where he tried to enter two homes.

Police found him in a laundry room accessible through a garage in one home after he appeared to have shot himself in the head, Lt. Dan McGrath said.

Police said the suspects wound was life-threatening.

The identities of the victims  a female and male security guard in their 40s  were not released.

 Associated Press

Baby seal rescued: A baby seal that wandered far from the ocean has been returned to the sea with help from Cape Cod police. The Yarmouth Police Department said the seal pup was found waddling on Route 6A in Yarmouth Port late Friday. Police and animal rescuers put the seal in a cage until wildlife officials arrived. Police said Saturday the pup was given a clean bill of health and has been released back to the ocean.

 From news reports
Liza Goldberg, 16, a student at Atholton High School, is seen at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center on Dec. 18, 2017. She developed what may be the worlds first satellite-based alert system showing where mangroves are threatened. (Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

In spring 2016, Liza Goldberg asked scientists at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., if she could do research there. But there was a problem: She was 14, and the agencys internship program accepts students starting at 16.

As luck would have it, two NASA satellite experts  David Lagomasino and Temilola Fatoyinbo  saw the request. It mentioned a tree study Goldberg had done that involved climate change and measuring the growth of maple seedlings in her backyard once a week for three years.

The two NASA scientists were intrigued. This girl sounds great, Lagomasino recalls saying. We have some work to do, lets bring her in. Even at a large governmental organization, it turns out, there are ways around bureaucratic hurdles.

Lagomasino and Fatoyinbo thought Goldberg could help them use satellite data to map mangroves  muddy, tangled-trunk forests that fringe the coastlines of dozens of tropical countries and as far north as St. Augustine, Fla. Mangroves are critical ecosystems: They store huge amounts of carbon and nurture fish and shrimp species that millions of people depend on for food. But much about them remains mysterious.

Less than two years later, Goldberg has developed what might be the worlds first satellite-based early warning system to determine where mangroves are threatened. The work incorporates data from four satellites on mangrove growth and loss, rainfall, agriculture, and urban growth. Green, yellow and red pixels on a Google Earth base map indicate threat levels ranging from low to high.

Going from knowing almost nothing about satellite imagery to doing serious science at a world-renowned research facility has been a whirlwind for the sophomore at Atholton High School in Columbia. I still sort of cant believe Im there, she said.

Goldberg grew up in the suburbs between Washington and Baltimore. She recalls elementary school field trips to the Chesapeake Bay and labs on water quality testing and rearing horseshoe crabs as part of a gifted and talented program.

Lagomasino and Fatoyinbo brought Goldberg on during the summer before she started high school. I remember just really being in awe of the work they were doing, she said. Goldberg had seen mangroves only once before, during a trip to Fort Myers, Fla. Soon, she would see many more, at least on her computer screen.

She spent much of that summer analyzing images taken by NASAs Landsat satellites of the African coastline and determining whether she was looking at mangroves, water or bare mud flats. She did 10,000 classifications in one week, she said. Her advisers soon realized she was ready for something a bit more creative.

About that time, reports came in that nearly 30 square miles of mangrove forest had disappeared from a bay in Australia  one of the largest mangrove diebacks ever seen.

It was really crazy to be seeing mangroves in the news, Goldberg said. She also learned that half of the worlds mangroves had disappeared, and that much of what remained was threatened by sea level rise and erosion and by farming, urban development and other human activities. She was shocked  and galvanized to do something. I didnt want to just analyze past loss, she said. I wanted to create some kind of solution.

During the school year, Goldberg shifted to coming in once a week, on Friday afternoons. She read scientific papers on how to extract information on land cover from satellite data and learned to program in the JavaScript and Python languages. (She had studied coding and even taught it at a camp for elementary school girls, but her NASA work required her to take it to another level.) She took advantage of school breaks to put in extra hours at the lab. Ill know its spring break because Lizas here on a Tuesday morning, Fatoyinbo said.

She also worked weekends and evenings, logging in from home to the Google servers that host her computer code. Pretty soon, she was writing her own code with only occasional help from Lagomasino. I was really taken aback that she was working on a project of this scope, said Hana Rhee, an Atholton teacher whose computer science class Goldberg took as a freshman.

With the early warning system, Goldbergs hard work is starting to pay off. Although a similar satellite-based warning system exists for tropical forests, the algorithm cant distinguish mangroves from nearby water, Lagomasino said, creating a need for a separate system for mangroves.

By July, Goldberg had made enough progress that Lagomasino persuaded her to submit a proposal to speak at the American Geophysical Unions fall meeting in New Orleans. The annual conference  one of the worlds largest science meetings  brings together more than 20,000 Earth and space scientists. Only roughly a third of attendees get to give talks. When she received word that she would be speaking, Goldberg said, I screamed so loudly I probably woke up the entire neighborhood.

She concedes that she was nervous when she stood up to present to a room full of scientists. She impressed a whole lot of people, said Lawrence Friedl, the director of NASAs applied sciences program. We joked up on stage  we were wondering whether she was in a masters or a PhD program at her school.

How often do high school students speak at the scientific meeting? I dont think Ive seen it, Lagomasino said.

Already, global conservation organizations are eager to use Goldbergs map to make their work more effective. Its more advanced than what her organization can produce, said Aurelie Shapiro, a mangrove researcher at the World Wildlife Funds Berlin office. Theres an overload of data, and we just dont know how to use it all, she said. Things like this NASA methodology can really help us whittle down whats important, whats happening and act on it.

Jorge Ramos of Conservation International in Arlington said the system could help his organization and the communities it works with determine where to allocate resources for maximum benefit. It would be interesting to see what areas we work in show up as really high risk, he said.

Goldbergs next steps include incorporating additional data sources and making the warnings update in near real-time as satellite data stream in. She eventually plans to move the system to a public platform so a wider range of collaborators can access it.

Now that she has just turned 16, she has finally joined NASAS official internship program. In a few months when she gets her drivers license, she may start driving herself. In the future she hopes to travel to East Africa to work with some of Lagomasino and Fatoyinbos collaborators.

Longer-term, Goldberg envisions a career in science. My mom always taught me that its really important that you love your job, because thats what you do every day, she said. And I love what I do at NASA. Shes already thinking about colleges, with an eye toward ones that will allow her to do research her first year.

But first, she needed to make up year-end exams she missed while in New Orleans  and go on another family vacation to Florida over the winter holiday. Seeing mangroves was a priority. As her father noted, Goldberg knows of a map that shows where to find them.
There may be beech trees in Rock Creek Park, but thats not what Beach Drive is named for. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post)

Columnist

Why is Beach Drive spelled the way it is, and not Beech, as in a tree in the park? As far as I know, there are no beaches in Rock Creek Park, except perhaps P Street Beach, which came a lot later than the park itself. I have pondered this question for a long time, and I am hoping you can find the answer.

 Virginia Jarrett, Washington

Lansing Beach may sound like Michigan's most unappealing vacation spot, but in fact it is the name of the man Beach Drive honors: Lansing Hoskins Beach.

We must never forget the role played by military officials in shaping Washington, especially those in the Army Corps of Engineers, who often oversaw such unglamorous work as sluicing away sewage, dredging harbors and constructing roads.

And so it was with Beach. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1860, Beach graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1882 near the top of his class. He was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers and worked on improving navigable streams in the Ohio Valley and served on a commission to determine the boundary between the United States and the Indian Territory.

Beach came to Washington in 1894 to work in the office of the engineer commissioner, a pre-home-rule position that oversaw the Districts infrastructure and environmental programs, including sewage. He eventually was promoted to engineer commissioner.

It was Beachs work in Rock Creek Park that led to a road being named after him. The park had been established in 1890 by an act of Congress, but large parts of it were inaccessible to anyone other than hikers or especially brave horseback riders.

Congress had not appropriated any money for park improvements. But Beach  then a captain  had a plan. Tenants living in scattered houses in the park were required to pay rent to the government. Starting about 1897, Beach waived their rent and instead had them contribute labor in the form of brush-clearing.

Beach had other workers at his disposal. Every morning, two or three wagons would head into the park. The passengers were dressed in distinctive uniforms of horizontal black-and-white stripes. Wrote a reporter for the Evening Star: They are the garb of the guilty, and their wearers are members of the chain gang, committed for various terms to the District workhouse.

At first, the chain gang repaired roads or opened old, abandoned roads. In 1899, prisoners began building a new road that hugged Rock Creek from Blagden Avenue to Military Road. Eventually, it would be macadamized: covered with crushed stone from a quarry in Dickerson, Md. Under Beach, four miles of macadam road and three miles of dirt road were completed.

Some critics groused that these roads spoiled the wild quality of the park, but most appreciated that Beach had tried to follow the natural contours of the land. In 1901, the board that controlled Rock Creek Park voted to name the road The Beach Driveway in his honor.

Shortly thereafter, Beach finished his tour in Washington. His next tour took him to Detroit, followed by Louisiana and Baltimore, where he managed waterway improvements.

In 1920, Beach returned to the District to lead the Corps of Engineers. He seems to have maintained an interest in the park. In 1921, Beach recommended that Rock Creek Park get increased police patrols and be wired with an extensive lighting system. Darkness, he believed, was conducive to crime and other forms of immorality.

As one newspaper story put it: Rock Creek Park, the nocturnal heaven of spooning couples, will no longer afford the protection from prying eyes that has made it their favorite.

Maj. Gen. Beach retired from the Army in 1924. He died in 1945 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

In 1965, the Evening Star reported that "prominent Texans" were floating the idea that Beach Drive be renamed "Texas Drive." They were unhappy that President Lyndon B. Johnson's home state was honored with a street called Texas Avenue SE, far from the White House.

Unlike Beach Drive, that plan went nowhere.

Helping Hand

This is it  the final week of The Washington Post Helping Hand. Readers have donated $129,061 to our three charity partners: Bright Beginnings, N Street Village and So Others Might Eat.

Can we meet our goal of $200,000 by Jan. 5? With your help, we can.

Each of these nonprofits works with people in Washington who do not have homes. They provide everything from a meal to job training to housing. You can learn more about them, and donate online, by visiting PostHelpingHand.com.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/people/

john-kelly.
Federal authorities arrested and charged a Sterling, Va., man with attempting to obstruct a terrorism investigation on Friday, accusing him of acting in a manner that was indicative of an individual planning and researching how to conduct an attack, according to records filed in federal court.

The filing says Sean Andrew Duncan, who moved to Sterling from western Pennsylvania in June, had owned a phone that revealed prolific research into materials relating to the Islamic State, terrorist attacks, weapons, surveillance tactics and body armor.

He will make his initial appearance in court on Tuesday following an arrest on the 46900 block of Courtyard Square that involved his alleged destruction of a computer thumb drive that authorities suspect may have contained evidence of criminal activity.

Neither Duncan nor his relatives could be located for comment. As of Saturday evening, it was unclear whether Duncan had legal representation.

Federal investigators first became aware of Duncans activities in February 2016, according to a court affidavit submitted by Special Agent Katherine Campo. A relative had reported to the FBI that Duncan had converted to Islam, possibly radicalized, and had begun praising the beheadings of Westerners in the Middle East. Around that time, he and his wife, who is not identified in court records, booked a trip to Istanbul departing from Dulles International Airport, but were denied entry to Turkey and returned to the United States, where federal agents interviewed him, according to the affidavit.

Shortly after, Duncan allegedlydeleted his Facebook account and changed his cellphone number, which ended in "7730," the same ending authorities believed was also associated with a Twitter account that contained an Arabic phrase that roughly translated to "The Islamic State."

Investigators began building their case based on information provided by an unnamed source referred to as a co-conspirator who was in the custody of a foreign government for trying to join the Islamic State. The filing says the source told investigators Duncan was an American contact who had not only wanted to join the terrorist organization, but to orchestrate a domestic attack, according to the affidavit.

Communicating through an encrypted mobile messaging application, the source told investigators that Duncan shared articles from an Islamic State news outlet and said he agreed Muslims should attack their own countries.

Once, according to the affidavit, the source claimed to have criticized non-Muslim women for wearing shortsthat expose their bodies. In response, Duncan allegedlytold the source to "try this," sending a link to an article published by an al-Qaeda magazine titled, "How to build a bomb in the kitchen of your mom."

Twice, the source said, Duncan had asked her to travel to Syria with him and become his wife, and twice she refused, according to the affadvit.

The case deepened in June. That was around the time when Duncans infant child died. While investigating what happened  the cause of death in the autopsy report was inconclusive  the Allegheny County Police Department in Pennsylvania obtained Duncans phone. A copy of it quickly came under FBI scrutiny. Investigators, according to court records, found hundreds of searches that involved terrorism-related activities between March and June. They included Islamic State-related materials, terrorist attacks, searches for hidden cameras, body-worn cameras, military-style combat gear, bulletproof armor, M-4 rifle magazines, an AR-15 rifle, a YouTube video on how to reinforce door with a barricade, and the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the filing states.

On Friday, as federal agents forcibly entered his home, Duncan ran out the back door, barefoot, clenching a plastic bag in his fist, according to court records. The clear plastic bag contained a thumb drive that had been broken into pieces and submerged into a frothy, bubbly liquid.

I believe that the thumb drive was snapped in pieces because Duncan altered, destroyed, and mutilated it in order to impede and obstruct the FBIs investigation of him for attempting to provide material support to terrorists, Campo, the agent, wrote in the affidavit.

The arrest marks the latest in a series of cases made since 2015 against Northern Virginia men whom authorities have alleged had connections to the Islamic State. Another Sterling man, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was arrested in July 2016 and accused of trying to plan a domestic terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State.

Peter Jamison, Rachel Weiner and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
Don Beyer Sr., a retired Army lieutenant colonel who became a prominent auto dealer in the Washington area and whose son Don Beyer Jr. is a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia, died Dec. 23 at a rehabilitation facility in Loudoun County. He was 93.

He had pneumonia, said a daughter, Sandra Beyer.

Col. Beyer, who was known as Buck, was interested in automobiles from childhood and raced cars and motorcycles in his younger days. He opened his first auto dealership in Falls Church, Va., in 1973.

He wanted to call the business "Pirate Motors," with the slogan "where your wallet walks the plank."

His wife vetoed that idea, and the dealership was called simply Don Beyer Volvo.

When he opened the doors, Col. Beyer said his goal was to sell a car a day. In the past year, according to his family, the nine Beyer franchises throughout Northern Virginia sold more than 5,000 Volvos, Kias, Land Rovers, Mazdas, Subarus and Volkswagens.

Donald Sternoff Beyer was born Jan. 6, 1924, in New York City. He moved to the Washington area as a boy and grew up on a farm in McLean, Va.

His father was a labor negotiator and onetime chairman of the National Mediation Board. His mother once headed the Bureau of Labor Standards.

By the age of 6, Col. Beyer was repairing the family car, and at 12, according to his family, he built one with spare parts scavenged from a junkyard.

He graduated from the old Western High School in the District and was a 1946 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., where he was a member of the wrestling team.

In the late 1940s, he served at a displaced-persons camp in Korea. He spent much of his Army career as a military police officer and was provost marshal at West Point from 1952 to 1955.

1 of 66 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Notable deaths in 2017 View Photos Remembering those who died in 2017. Caption Remembering those who died in 2017. Katherine Frey Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

He also headed the military police unit on the Pacific atoll of Eniwetok, where the United States conducted atomic bomb tests in the 1950s.

Col. Beyer retired from the Army in 1966 and worked for the L.P. Steuart auto business in Washington before launching his own business.

He turned day-to-day management over to his sons in the 1980s, but "he kept his finger in the business until the end," Don Beyer Jr. said in an interview. Col. Beyer lived in Falls Church and, in later years, toured the country with his wife in motor homes.

His wife of 51 years, the former Nancy McDonald, died in 1999. A daughter, Kathy Beyer, died in 2014.

Survivors include five children: Beyer Jr. of Alexandria, a former Virginia lieutenant governor who was elected to Congress in 2014 ; Sherry Beyer of Falls Church; Marylee "Weetie" Hill of Vienna, Va.; Sandra Beyer of Menomini, Mich.; and Michael Beyer of Falls Church. He had 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

His companion of seven years was Betty Knight of Leesburg, Va.

Col. Beyer, who was a charter member of NASCAR, gave up auto racing when he got married. But he always a drove muscle cars, Beyer Jr. said. His most recent car was a 485-horsepower Dodge Charger.
D.C. police shot and severely wounded a man on the 800 block of Eighth Street NE, near the H Street corridor, on Saturday night. (iStock)

Two D.C. police officers have been placed on leave as internal-affairs detectives review their decision to open fire on a man carrying a BB gun Saturday.

The man, identified as D.C. resident Kevin Talley, 34, was charged Sunday with assault on a police officer while armed. He was being treated at a hospital for life-threatening injuries and was in critical condition Sunday afternoon, a police spokesman said.

The officer-involved shooting took place on the 800 block of Eighth Street NE, off a busy commercial section of the H Street corridor, according to a statement Sunday from D.C. police.

No one else was injured.

Officers responded to a burglary call about 9:26 p.m. at a location where they had previously received a report of domestic violence, a police spokesman said.

When they arrived, they encountered Talley, who was standing in the street with an apparent firearm, police said. After the two officers ordered him multiple times to drop the weapon, he pointed it at them and they fired their service weapons, police said.

The department customarily places officers on administrative leave while investigating police shootings.

The details of the incident that precipitated the shooting are murky. Police Chief Peter Newsham said Saturday night that the officers were responding for the second time to a domestic situation when they answered the burglary call.

The two officers had activated their body cameras before the shooting and that footage is being reviewed, police said.
In February 2015, Phoenix residents put up signs complaining about increased noise from airplanes along new flight paths. A court ruling in their favor has given hope to residents in Northwest D.C. who say new paths out of Reagan National Airport disturbing their peace. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

When a federal appeals court found in favor of the city of Phoenix in its battle over airplane noise, it is possible that no group of residents  beyond those in Arizona  cheered as loudly as some in Northwest D.C.

Georgetown, Palisades and Hillandale residents have waged a long-running fight to get the Federal Aviation Administration to alter the flight path over their communities  with little success. Then this summer, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia called for the FAA to scrap flight paths enacted in 2014 at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport as part of the agency's effort to modernize the air traffic system. The FAA, the panel found, failed to seek proper public input.

FAA officials were quick to say the ruling and agreement in Phoenix would not set a precedent.

"This resolution is unique to Phoenix," the agency said in an emailed statement. "We will continue to work with other communities individually to address their noise concerns."

But that hasn't stopped other communities from hoping they, too, might force a change.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) cited the Phoenix ruling in directing state Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) to file suit against the FAA in September over redesigned flight paths at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport. The state even hired one of the same law firms that won the Phoenix case, though it has yet to file suit.

[Md. Gov. Larry Hogan wants to sue the FAA over airplane noise]

Northwest D.C. residents who have pushed to change the flight path said they'll cite the appeals court ruling as they prepare to argue their case before the same court next month.

"I think it's an extremely important opinion in support of our case," said Don Crockett, a Georgetown resident. "We're very encouraged by that precedent."

The FAA began rolling out new flight paths in 2014 as part of a years-long multibillion-dollar modernization effort called NextGen. The goal was to make flying more efficient by shifting from radar to satellite navigation. The changes will allow planes to fly more direct routes, saving fuel and reducing emissions, the agency said.

But the new paths have led to a dramatic increase in complaints from residents, some of whom had never been affected by jet noise. That was the case in Phoenix, where planes began flying over historic portions of the city. After several months of back-and-forth with the FAA, the city and a coalition of neighborhood groups filed suit in June 2015.

[Report says noise complaints are up at National, Dulles airports]

"What happened in Phoenix was one of the most egregious implementation failures out there  one of the most egregious that I've seen in my career in aviation," said Chris Oswald, a vice president at Airports Council International-North America, which advocates for the nation's airports.

In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court agreed with the contention that the FAA was "arbitrary and capricious" in the way it implemented the procedures.

Designing and redesigning airspace is a complex undertaking that can take years  and FAA officials have long told communities that once changes are in place, undoing them is close to impossible.

In fact, despite the panel's ruling, the FAA won't change all the flight paths over Phoenix, arguing in court papers that such an endeavor could take years, increase safety risks and cause delays at the airport.

"If this court were to vacate all of the RNAV departure procedures from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, FAA believes that the resulting disruption while the FAA prepares new replacement procedures would far outweigh any possible benefit," the agency wrote in a joint petition to the court outlining an agreement between the parties over how the flight paths will be amended.

The agency did agree to alter enough of the routes to satisfy the community.

"Bottom line: It is good news," said former Arizona attorney general Terry Goddard, who as senior council at the firm Dentons represented the neighborhoods in Phoenix.

"What happened in Phoenix can be a template that can be applied to other communities, hopefully avoiding the legal process," said Jesse Chancellor, a Howard County, Md., resident who has been active in the battle over noise at BWI. "That would be the easiest and common-sense approach. Lawsuits are expensive and uncertain, and who wants to go through that?"

Goddard said the Phoenix decision has also shown the agency that it is better to be open with communities affected by changes.

"I would think that the FAA would be far more interested in making sure they bend over backwards to get input from the neighborhoods," he said. "Hopefully, the agency will change some procedures so that they are more cognizant of problems on the ground."
As Metros bus ridership continues to wane, General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld is pushing a drastic idea: Blow up the system and start from scratch.

Its an approach that has been taken around the country by other transit agencies facing similar declines in ridership  specifically Houston, which garnered headlines two years ago when it rolled out a completely reconstituted system over the course of one chaotic week.

And it's a strategy that is being pushed by the Washington region's leaders, eager to see Metro seize opportunities to save money and "right-size" service  essentially, to eliminate buses that consistently fail to run at capacity. A bus network overhaul was among the ideas recommended by former U.S. transportation secretary Ray LaHood in his recently released report on how to fix Metro's structural and financial problems.

[LaHood report on Metro urges dedicated funding, bus fare hike, trim in pension costs]

The idea is not simply to curtail low performing bus routes. Something much more comprehensive is needed, LaHood wrote. By re-examining the entire system of bus routes, schedules and operating practices, we can find opportunities for things like more efficient routing that save money and improve service.

But before Metro officials can do that, they have to figure out why bus ridership continues to decline even as ridership on the beleaguered rail system has begun to stabilize.

Asked about the causes of the downward trend at a recent board meeting, Wiedefeld responded: Im not sure yet. Were trying to figure that out. And its not only here  youre seeing that around the nation. Bus in general has taken a hit.

[Are Uber and Lyft cutting into Metros ridership?]

According to the transit agency's most recent quarterly performance report, average weekday bus ridership from July through September was down 8 percent from the same period last year; average weekend ridership was down 6 percent. And yet, during the same period, Metrobus had its best on-time performance for any year since the report began in 2010.

Weekday and weekend rail ridership was down just 1 percent  not a huge coup but a sign that the precipitous years-long decline may have begun to bottom out. It's also a reversal of the trend during the agency's year-long SafeTrack reconstruction program, when quarterly drops in rail ridership far outpaced bus losses.

Many people thought SafeTrack would be good for bus ridership in the long term. The train disruptions pushed many riders to try Metrobus for the first time, with some enjoying it so much they said they planned to make a permanent change to aboveground transportation. Many riders said the advent of mobile apps that provide real-time data on bus arrivals encouraged them even more.

[April 2017: Is riding the bus finally becoming cool?]

But those positive circumstances, it turns out, have not been enough to stem the decline.

There are broad-stroke theories about the primary culprits. Private ride-share companies such as Uber, Lyft and Via have certainly lured away some would-be riders. And the growth in telecommuting means its become increasingly common for residents to commute fewer days per week.

Metro's latest fare hikes also hurt. Basic bus fares increased a quarter, to $2, and officials say the increase probably had more significant consequences than the rise in rail fares because, on average, bus riders make less money.

But transit experts say the issue is probably more nuanced.

Although bus and rail ridership usually trend hand in hand  people often use buses to reach their nearest Metro station  the post-SafeTrack reliability improvements on Metro could be having an opposite effect. Rail may in fact be winning back riders who abandoned the system for slower but more reliable buses.

The growing popularity of bike sharing also could mean that bikes are being used as a replacement for shorter or last-leg trips that otherwise would be made by bus. (Capital Bikeshare usage jumped 50 percent from the first three months of 2015 to the same period in 2017.)

With more people working jobs outside the traditional 9-to-5 day, riders needs have shifted toward off-peak hours  windows in the bus schedule when its common to encounter a 30- or 60-minute wait between buses.

And the change in demographics and housing density in the Washington region has probably led to a fundamental mismatch between the places where people want service and where theyre getting it.

Some experts worry about the long-term effects of bad press about buses (they cited not-so-flattering episodes such as a woman throwing a cup of urine on a driver) and see a need for a positive Metro advertising campaign focused on encouraging people to ride buses.

Metro riders are inundated with messages assuring them that the rail system is getting back to good, but Metrobus campaigns are aimed more at imploring riders not to punch their drivers  not highlighting the fact that buses are often fast and frequent and nearly always cheaper than Uber or Lyft.

Pete Tomao, Montgomery County advocacy manager for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, argued that Metros bus maps are too difficult to comprehend, discouraging those who might be open to taking the bus but are confused about what routes would serve them.

Just with a new map, you can really make the buses a lot more user-friendly and more navigable, Tomao said.

[Could a subtle tweak to Metros map fix overcrowding on the Blue Line?]

And there is the lack of bus amenities that advocates have requested for years: dedicated lanes that would allow express buses to beat the traffic and off-board fare payments so buses could spend more time moving and less time idling as embarking riders fumble with their SmarTrip cards.

The region really hasnt fulfilled the vision of networks of express bus routes that are robust and have dedicated lanes, Tomao said.

That, he said, is why some advocates in the region are pushing back against the idea that the Metrobus system needs a bottom-up design overhaul.

Before we move to say, Oh, we have to redesign the whole thing, we need to look at corridors where we could have huge ridership and yet theres no express bus or off-board fare collection, Tomao said. Theres low-hanging fruit that we havent done that could attract ridership.

Yet in Houston, a top-to-bottom redesign has been a game-changer.

There was a pretty stark decline, said Kurt Luhrsen, the Houston Metros vice president of service planning. Wed lost 20 percent of ridership in 12 years, at a time when Houston was booming and adding people and jobs and building new light-rail lines.

Transit officials decided to overhaul the entire system, a plan that proved unpopular in many quarters. Much like in the District, where some bus routes were modeled off previous streetcar tracks and havent changed for years, there were some lines that had existed almost untouched for generations.

There are some communities that are known by the route number that it goes through, Luhrsen said. Theres a big hesitation about change and an assumption that any change will be bad. Thats a big hurdle to overcome.

The process started with extensive surveys in the communities that would be affected by potential changes. People were asked to identify their priorities. Would they prefer extended hours or shorter waits between trains? Were they seeking express routes or shorter walks between stops and popular destinations?

The way these projects normally go, you hire a consultant, devise a plan, you bring it to the public, the public comments  and that comment can sometimes be very loud and nasty  and you make tweaks and the board adopts the plan and you move on, Luhrsen said. Its not very satisfying, and it tends to rile people up.

Consultants came up with sweeping changes. The bus network went from a hub-and-spoke design, aimed at accommodating commuters concentrated in Houstons downtown, to a grid design that assumed that there was just as much demand for destinations outside the downtown.

And officials focused on providing more frequent service throughout the day rather than clustering their efforts around the morning and evening peak periods. They also beefed up weekend service.

We in transit tend to have an overwhelming fascination with weekday peak-hour service, but thats not what all of our users do, Luhrsen said.

[Oct. 2017: Metro budget sees no fare hikes, service cuts through mid-2019, but seeks more from governments]

In the course of one week, the system rolled out the whole plan, a change that involved a lot of chaos but also opportunity. The bus system was able to catch new potential riders, people who before the redesign had not attempted to use the bus system.

The rollout gave an opportunity for education, which you dont always have a chance to do, Luhrsen said.

The effects on ridership are heartening: In the first year after the redesign, Saturday ridership increased by 15 percent, and Sunday service was even more popular.

To be sure, the booming success of the initial rollout of the bus network quieted quickly. From July 2016 to July 2017, total monthly bus ridership for Houston Metro stayed nearly flat. Still, Luhrsen said, thats a change from the dramatic year-to-year ridership drops before the overhaul.

Houston has gotten pushback from people who say the city has shifted resources from low-income and minority communities. Luhrsen says thats an oversimplification. Some communities that have lost density over the years now see longer wait times between buses. But those resources have been directed to communities where the population has grown rapidly, communities that are still largely populated by low-income or minority families.

You dont put less service in poor or minority communities, because those are the people who use transit the most, Luhrsen said.

Still, theres one snag to the success story: Houstons plan didnt actually end up saving money. In fact, officials ended up spending 4 percent more than the previous years budget for bus operations  an additional $12 million  in executing the new plan.

Luhrsen said the redesign was never meant to cut costs. Instead, he said, it was aimed at accommodating more people without adding too much in cost.

Most agencies, to increase ridership, they build light-rail or streetcars that cost hundreds of millions or billions of dollars, and that adds 20,000 or so riders to the system, he said. We did that for many, many times less money.

[Should Metro have the ability to permanently ban riders from the system?]
Senior Audio Host

Did Metro get Back2Good in 2017? Maybe not completely, but one thing Metro watchers can agree on is that the challenged system was rarely boring.

There were highs and lows, symbolic moments and not-so-pleasant surprises. And through it all, Metro plugged along in its slow and fitful march toward safer and more reliable service.

Here are some of Metros most notable moments of the year, in no particular order:

SafeTrack comes to a close, sort of

It was the finale that Metro riders thought would never come.

After 13 long months, the disruptive (and exasperating) SafeTrack maintenance program officially concluded. The $150 million project was deemed a resounding success by management, with tens of thousands of deteriorated rail components replaced and three years of maintenance work completed in one.

And then, two days before SafeTrack's official June 25 end date, two arcing insulators and a Red Line meltdown struck in the middle of the morning commute. Throngs of riders were delayed, angry and confused.

What, riders wondered, was the point of all the SafeTrack disruptions if the system was still rife with problems?

But the inopportune timing of the mid-commute chaos was probably a perfect metaphor for the continued state of Metro: Though SafeTrack is over, the system remains far from perfect.

We fixed the 13 or 15 worst parts of the system, and now we have a system that has a lot of bad parts but not the worst parts, Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans said. And so, the ongoing maintenance will continue for the rest of eternity.

[With two arcing insulators and a Red Line meltdown, Metro riders wonder: What did SafeTrack achieve?]

Metro grabs the spotlight in the White House briefing room

The day after President Trumps inauguration, Metro ridership data became the nexus of a bizarre news-conference condemnation by newly minted White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

Spicer, concerned that Trump was receiving inadequate credit from journalists, declared that Inauguration Day ridership was significantly more than during President Barack Obamas second inauguration.

That claim turned out to be an alternative fact: About 570,000 people entered Metro stations on the day of Trumps inauguration, more than 200,000 fewer than during the 2013 Inauguration Day.

Spicer later apologized for the inaccuracy but maintained that it wasnt like we made them up out of thin air.

[Trump White House admits its Metro ridership figures for Inauguration Day were wrong]

Metro muddles through the Womens March and earns praise

In the lead-up to Jan. 21, when hundreds of thousands of women descended on the Mall to protest Trumps election, Metro had made only modest preparations: Stations opened two hours early, and extra trains were added for an enhanced Saturday schedule.

And the system performed with flying colors. Yes, there were long waits at fare machines, crowded trains and slow rides into downtown D.C. But Metro got through the day without any major system malfunctions  and logged its second-highest ridership day.

For Metro administrators and riders alike, the relatively smooth sailing was nothing short of a miracle.

"I think Metro did a splendid job with such packed cars and platforms," Marilyn McMorrow wrote in a message to The Post's Dr. Gridlock. "I know times have been bad. But Saturday, Metro did more than get 'back to good.' Saturday, I think Metro was at its finest."

[Womens March leads to 2nd-busiest day in Metro history]

Who you gonna call? Paul Wiedefeld, apparently

In the hours before a mid-March snowstorm, acute interest in local weather preparedness came from an unlikely place: the Oval Office.

On March 13, Trump summoned D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) for an in-person discussion about snow preparations, and he invited her to bring a plus-one. She chose Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld.

By all accounts, it was a quick and straightforward meeting. And the storm delivered an underwhelming 2.5 inches. But savvy observers still viewed the meeting as a golden opportunity for Wiedefeld to curry favor with Trump and drum up federal support for Washington's transit system.

[Metro GM: White House visit was a lot to take in for a Baltimore kid]

The one-two punch: Fare increases and service cuts

The announcement was like a bad practical joke.

After a year of SafeTrack disruptions, ongoing reliability problems and looming bus and rail service cuts, Metro officials voted March 23 to raise fares.

Train fares increased 10 to 25 cents. Bus fares went up 25 cents. And riders felt a keen sense of injustice.

Hey Metro  high fares are part of the reason ridership has decreased, along with decreased service, one Post reader wrote. You cant just keep squeezing those who have stuck with you more and expect them to stay.

[Mark your calendars: Metro rail and bus riders will see fares rise, schedules change on June 25]

Long-term funding for Metro? TBD.

As the year comes to a close, Metros financial future remains uncertain. The District, Maryland and Virginia cant agree on how to provide a long-term dedicated funding source that would help pay for the aging transit system. And theres still disagreement on whether its necessary, or politically feasible, to institute a Metro-specific tax.

The prospect for a regional agreement looked most bleak in early September. It was revealed that the region's leaders had "clashed sharply" during a closed-door meeting focused on Metro funding strategy, according to The Post's Robert McCartney, "with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) saying the transit agency would get no additional money from his state."

Since then, there's been a stalemate: Hogan has backpedaled and floated a four-year, $500 million funding plan. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who leaves office in January, has proposed dedicated funding in the form of a suite of tax increases for Northern Virginia. And Bowser is sticking to her preferred approach, a regionwide sales tax. There also are bills in the Maryland legislature and Congress.

[Behind closed doors, regions leaders clashed sharply over Metro funding]

Her cup runneth over  on a Metro bus

It was a sordid tale, the kind thats both horrifying to read and impossible to ignore.

On Aug. 26, 38-year-old Opal L. Brown sat in the back of an X2 bus and relieved herself in a cup. Then, as she waited to disembark, she threw the contents of the cup at the female bus driver.

Later, Brown explained that her attack was prompted when the driver told her to have a nice day. (The greeting was delivered with a sarcastic intonation, Brown later insisted.)

Brown was sentenced to 120 days in jail, along with three years of probation.

[Woman who allegedly threw urine on bus driver for telling her have a nice day says driver could have been more courteous]

The Great Paint Debate

Call it #PaintGate. When Wiedefeld instructed maintenance crews in March to apply a coat of white paint to the concrete walls inside Union Station  part an effort to brighten its appearance  the seemingly innocuous action incited the enmity of the regions architectural purists.

Metros underground stations were created in a distinctive style known as Brutalism. Historical preservationists argued that white paint would ruin the exposed-concrete aesthetic.

Still, Wiedefeld never seemed to understand the fuss.

It looks dirty, [and] it makes people feel like the system is not being taken care of, Wiedefeld said.

[Metro decision to paint Union Station vault rubs some the wrong way]

As Metro riders eye New York woes, a sense of subway schadenfreude

This year was, unequivocally, a bad one for New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Americas largest subway system experienced a crescendo of breakdowns, malfunctions and delays. In June, a serious derailment resulted in 30 injuries. New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) declared that the MTA was in a state of emergency.

And all the while, Washingtonians experienced a profound sense of schadenfreude as they watched another of Americas great subway systems fall apart at the seams.

Not that misery loves company, Evans, the Metro board chair, said at the time, but I think this is another indicator that every one of the six subway systems throughout America is struggling with the same issues. . . . Were not alone in this.

[Call it Metro schadenfreude: As New Yorks subway woes worsen, Washingtonians offer sympathy]

Nats vs. Metro, the 2017 edition

Its become an annual tradition: The Washington Nationals make it to the postseason. Fans get optimistic and snap up tickets to a crucial home game. Theres an 11th-hour will-they-or-wont-they drama over whether Metro stays open to accommodate the crowd.

[The Nats lost  but at least it wasnt Metros fault]

And in the end, the Nats lose in an epic disappointing fashion.

This year was no different. In the hours before a do-or-die Oct. 12 game against the Chicago Cubs, the energy company Exelon agreed to sponsor Metro and put up $100,000 to keep the trains running for an extra hour. Fans rejoiced.

Of course, the Nats still came up short. Their World Series hopes were dashed in a 9-8 heartbreaker. But theres always next year.

And as Washingtons transit system continues to grapple with operational, financial and political challenges, the Nats mantra might be a useful one for Metro, too.
Danica Roem, center, celebrates her victory in a Virginia House of Delegates race on Nov. 7, 2017. She was one of 15 Democrats to flip GOP seats, and Democrats hope to replicate their success across the nation. (Jahi Chikwendiu/AP)

The nationally watched battle for control of the Virginia House of Delegates is a precursor to a broad Democratic effort to flip statehouses blue in 2018 and boost the party's power to draw legislative maps for the next decade.

Democrats won at least 15 GOP-held seats in Virginia, part of a backlash to President Trump's ascension that included a host of new groups devoted to down-ballot races, a quadrupling of small donations to Democratic legislative candidates since the last cycle and the largest gubernatorial-year turnout in two decades.

[Control of Virginia House in limbo with tiebreaker, lawsuit looming]

Now Democrats hope to replicate that success across the country. Seats in 87 of 99 state legislative chambers are on the ballot in 2018. Republicans currently hold 67 of those chambers, while Democrats hold 32.

We have to be aggressive everywhere, said David Cohen, co-founder of Forward Majority, a new Democratic super PAC focused on state legislatures. We cant accept the conventional wisdom of whats possible.

But Democratic legislative candidates had several advantages in Virginia that they wont necessarily have in other states in the coming year. And Republicans say they are gearing up to counter a newly energized Democratic push on state races.

While it wont be clear until November which side will perform better, here is a look at what each party has going for it.

Why Democrats should be concerned

Lax campaign finance laws in Virginia allowed new organizations focused on state-level races to make large donations to candidates and work with campaigns and other groups to avoid duplicating efforts.

Such coordination isnt possible in many other states.

In addition, individuals can contribute unlimited amounts to candidates in the Old Dominion, which among other things made it possible for a wealthy activist from Wisconsin to pour nearly $200,000 into Del.-elect Danica Roem's upstart campaign.

[Why Democrats care about Virginias normally sleepy House races]

Virginia was a magnet for Democratic energy this fall, a year after Trump was elected and during a campaign season with few significant races in other states. Statehouse candidates in 2018 will have to compete much harder for resources and attention in an election cycle featuring every U.S. House seat, a third of the U.S. Senate and three dozen governorships on the ballot.

All but one of the Democratic statehouse pickups in Virginia were in districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016, where Republicans had won seats in the legislature in lower turnout, off-year races.

The Democrats path to winning statehouses in places like Wisconsin and Michigan in 2018 runs through districts that went for Trump in 2016.

What we saw on election night was an exponential increase on dollars spent and levels of engagement from very progressive and liberal movements to engage in Virginia, really just to win blue districts and claw their way back to neutral, said Matthew Walter, executive director of the Republican State Leadership Committee.

Democrats counter that in other state legislative districts carried by Trump, they won special elections, including in Oklahoma and New Hampshire.

[Democrats disagree on strategy for rebuilding party ]

Reasons for Democratic optimism

Democrats say their gains in the Virginia House were all the more impressive given that Republicans drew the playing field  more specifically, they drew the legislative map in the last round of redistricting, in 2011.

We beat a gerrymandered map, said Jessica Post, executive director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the partys main organ for state legislative races. Everything is on the table.

Post said the DLCC thinks that it can flip as many as 10 legislative chambers  including in Colorado, Minnesota, Maine, Michigan, Arizona and Iowa.

At the same time, however, Democrats cite the Virginia results  Republicans have a one-seat majority, with one seat in limbo and Democrats seeking a new election in another  as proof that many races remain an uphill battle because of gerrymandering.

[Democrats say Virginia Republicans offering perks to keep control of House]

The party will have big-name help in its effort.

Former president Barack Obama has made reversing Democratic losses in statehouses his top political priority. His former attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., chairs the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which saw Virginia as a first chance to support gubernatorial and legislative candidates in an effort to shrink Republican influence over redistricting.

 Democrats may have demographics, as well as resources, in their favor. Kelly Ward, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, notes that the biggest Democratic routs in Virginia ran through suburban districts where fiscal-minded Republicans and independents turned off by Trump are living. Her group also spent money on digital ads targeting young and black voters whom Democrats don't usually count on to vote in nonpresidential races.

Cohen, of the Forward Majority super PAC, said Virginia showed that voters are more willing to pay attention to digital ads targeting Republicans over votes on controversial issues, provided the money is there to fund such campaigns.

[Historic turnout of young people in Virginia points to problems for GOP]

The main takeaway that weve seen thus far is a change in strategy to spend significant resources to mobilize some of the strongest assets in their arsenal, said Walter, the head of the Republican State Leadership Committee. Will they be able to keep up this torrid pace of spending when its not just two general elections in blue states, but when you have elections going on all across the country?
My boy called me from the toll booth at the Pennsylvania state line Friday afternoon and said he was driving in white-out conditions and wanted to know what to do.

Keep going, I said. Youll eventually get through it.

It was an apt metaphor for this past year and maybe life in general. We often didnt know where we were going, or when we were going to get there, we just knew we had to keep going.

This was a year of worry for me.

I worried about just about everything.

While watching Ken Burns Vietnam War documentary this fall, I was reminded of a hot summer night when I was a young teenager and stayed up late talking with my father and uncle about world events.

We were all deeply troubled about the war and the division in the country.

I couldnt sleep that night.

I was torn about what to do about the world in turmoil and worried that I would have to go to Vietnam, too. I was just 12 or 13.

I tossed and turned, thinking about Vietnam, the college students protesting the war and the four who had been killed at Kent State. I finally acknowledged I would not be able to solve the worlds problems that night.

It was a reminder that times have been worse, and America wasnt so great then either.

I felt that way many times this year.

What worried me the most this year was the war I was fighting over the credibility of my newspaper, the profession I devoted my life to and wondering who would hold the powers that be accountable without journalists.

I still believe we are the good guys.

Ive spent a lot of time defending my profession from the lies.

Explaining how we do the work we do, the dedication it takes and the commitment to holding institutions accountable.

Ive been called names this year.

Ive been attacked and told our newspaper is no good.

And like so many of my colleagues, we have been called fake news.

Ive defended my writers, called out politicians and demanded proof of our wrongdoing without getting any.

In recent years, I worried about maintaining the quality of our work with fewer reporters and less space as revenues decreased in a digital world.

This was different.

This was personal.

This was an attack on an institution that is as important to our democracy as the Constitution.

I believe there was a perception we were weak.

That we wouldnt fight back.

That the politicians believed they could get away with saying anything.

That we wouldnt defend ourselves against the bullies, the liars and the charlatans who attacked us regularly and continue to do so.

That made 2017 difficult.

It also made it special, because we were up to the fight.

We showed we would continue to report the news and hold institutions in our community accountable and we would not stand for the lies being told about us.

By doing our jobs, we would continue to make a difference.

Fake news?

Phooey!

So as the whiteout of misinformation buried us, you know what we did?

We kept going.

And I promise you, well keep going in 2018, too.
It took a while, but Jalal Al Farttoosis wife, Rasha, was finally able to join him in Silver Spring, Md. (John Kelly/The Washington Post)

Columnist

Happy old year! As of today, 2017 is receding in the rearview mirror. But before it disappears completely, lets check in with some of the people I wrote about last year.

In February, I wrote about Jalal Al Farttoosi, a barber who moved to the United States from Baghdad in 2010 after working as an interpreter for U.S. forces in Iraq. He bought a barber shop in Silver Spring, Md. In 2016, he traveled to Beirut to marry his Iraqi fiancee, Rasha, and then set about bringing her here.

Things hit a snag with President Trump's travel ban affecting several Muslim-majority countries. The visa process dragged on for months. Jalal's customers rallied to support him  sending him flowers and the names of immigration lawyers  and finally, in December, nearly 14 months after she'd filed for it, Rasha's visa was approved.

On a cold Saturday morning in early December, some of Jalals American friends went to Dulles International Airport to greet the couple after their long flight. Its taking Rasha a little while to get used to our frigid weather.

In February, I wrote about the twist that Debbie MacDougall put on the old lemons/lemonade adage: When life handed her a messy divorce, she turned it into a humorous coloring book.



Debbie MacDougall has a new coloring book coming out in 2018. (John Kelly/The Washington Post) )

But Debbies Divorce: The Comic Coloring Book wasnt the most unusual thing to come out of her failed marriage. The divorce had been dragging on for six years, ever since her exs attorneys noticed that the date a rabbi signed their marriage license didnt match the date the marriage license was issued. Debbies ex argued that they werent really married at all.

The case crawled through the courts, and in November, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled 4 to 3 in Debbies favor. Things arent over. Debbies ex filed to have some aspects of the case reheard. That may happen in the courts next session.

In the meantime, 2018 marks 20 years since Debbie lost her first husband to cancer. The anniversary has inspired her new book, out in February: Can#*-: The Cancer Coloring Book.

Wrote Debbie: It was a natural choice, tackling another difficult subject to bring a little laughter and hope.

In March, I wrote about Nicole Adams of Gaithersburg, Md., who dreamed of filling a Metro station with photos of cats. Nicole was inspired by Glimpse, a guerrilla marketing group in London that pioneered what it called the "cats-not-ads" concept. We're so bombarded with advertising images in public, wouldn't it be nice just to look at kitties?

Nicole set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise the $30,000 it would take to fill a Metro station with cat photos. Alas, she raised only $4,000.

At first I was disappointed that it didnt go through, but at the same time I was glad that I got that far and was even picked as a Project We Love with Kickstarter, she wrote in an email. What I learned was that maybe I shouldve done more to promote the crowdfunding.



Nicole Adams wasnt able to crowdfund the $30,000 needed to fill a Metro station with photos of cats. Her cat, Bob, seems unconcerned. (Nicole Adams) )

Nicole said she has something else up her sleeve, not involving Metro. Stay tuned.

In August, I wrote about a painting by artist Nancy Shanklin Werlich hanging in the Peabody Room of the Georgetown Neighborhood Library. It depicts an antiwar riot that shook the neighborhood on Oct. 2, 1970. Many of the figures in the painting seem as if they'd be identifiable. Librarian Jerry McCoy hoped visitors might drop by and recognize themselves.

Ive had several people come by to see it, Jerry wrote in an email. A couple of them were in Georgetown that night and were arrested. They even sent copies of their booking papers! I still hope to be contacted by any of the artists children.

In September, I wrote about Michael Feshbach, the rabbi who two months earlier had moved from his Chevy Chase, Md., synagogue to head the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Then came two unwelcome visitors named Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.

It was 108 days before the Feshbachs got their power back.

Ive spent a great deal of time thinking about the difference between need and want, desire and necessity, Rabbi Feshbach told me.

It has been easy to get angry and frustrated over the past four months, he said.

So this has been a great lesson: that people can rise to the occasion in wonderful ways, but that everyone needs to be understanding and compassionate in moments when other people are rude or annoying, he said.

That sounds like something worth remembering in 2018.

Help our Helping Hand

Here's the deal: In the past seven weeks, readers have donated $129,061 to the charities of The Washington Post Helping Hand: Bright Beginnings, N Street Village and So Others Might Eat. Our goal is $200,000. The deadline is Jan. 5.

Ten donations of $7,000 or 7,000 donations of $10 will get us there.

If you've been thinking of making a gift, now is the time to do it. You can learn more about these worthy groups, and donate online, by visiting PostHelpingHand.com.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/people/john-kelly.


A budtender helps a customer as others wait their turn at the Higher Path medical marijuana dispensary in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. (ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

Jane Futcher and her wife, Erin Carney, were thrilled that California voters legalized marijuana last November. Their cannabis farm in Laytonville, Calif., would be completely compliant with the new laws, and they loved the sense of community that came with long-underground growers coming together and shaping a legal marketplace.

But by May, the couple had had enough. Despite plowing nearly $15,000 into making the farm where they grew medical marijuana with a county permit comply with new state and local rules for recreational use, they scrapped it all, frustrated with the layers of bureaucracy and seemingly endless government edicts.

"It seemed like everywhere we turned there was a new regulation that was making it difficult," Futcher said.

The drug will be legal for adults over 21 in the state starting Monday. (Medical marijuana has been legal for years.) Along the way, an edgy, sexy industry has become beholden to reams of regulations and compliance issues  in other words, marijuana has become just another business in California, except that it remains illegal federally.

"It's like any other heavily regulated industry. Look at the pharmaceutical industry or the liquor industry. They're heavily, heavily regulated industries, and the cannabis industry is no different," said Cara Martinson, federal affairs manager for the California State Association of Counties. "It's a cultural shift, and that's what makes it interesting."

The change has not been easy, and some feel in limbo as the cannabis industry, which has been valued at between $5 billion and $7 billion, starts to take form.

To be above board, businesses must comply with regulations from the state and the city or county where they operate. The state's rules were only released in mid-November. San Francisco and Los Angeles approved theirs in December.



Sheriff's deputies seize marijuana from a growing operation in unincorporated Calaveras County, Calif., on Sept. 29. (Noah Berger/AP)

Local rules and regulations vary widely across the state. In some places, marijuana remains completely banned. In others, it won't be legal immediately.

"On January 1, people are going to want to go out and buy cannabis," said Alex Traverso, spokesman for the California bureau of cannabis control. "They're going to have to be patient in that not every place will be up and running."

[High taxes could drive up marijuana prices and bolster the black market in California, analysis says]

Users won't be able to buy marijuana in San Francisco until Thursday. Many involved believe it will be several months before the market starts to settle and availability will become much more widespread. The regulations will, in many places, continue to be tweaked.

"We're building an airplane while we're flying it," said state Sen. Mike McGuire (D), who represents the northern coastal region of California, where many marijuana farms are located.

Cities and counties have instituted different rules on where businesses can locate, what signs and security are required and how many businesses are allowed in town.

In San Diego, which has fully embraced the marijuana business, facilities must be at least 1,000 feet from parks and child-care facilities. Neighboring National City has banned all cannabis businesses. Los Angeles requires video surveillance of businesses.

But in some places, when business owners ask cities about their cannabis regulations, there are no answers.



Percilla, left, and Chris, part of a live/work exchange program, carry marijuana plants into a greenhouse in Mendocino County, Calif., on April 19. (JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images)

"You get these very detailed questions from business operators that are way ahead of government on that and oftentimes you're like, 'hell, no one thought of that,' " said Joe Devlin, chief of cannabis policy and enforcement in Sacramento.

The state had just a few months to complete a monumental task: crafting regulations from scratch and merging into them an existing medical marijuana industry.

The regulations had to touch every aspect of the cannabis business, from farming and water use to shipping to retail to consumption, and required the construction of an online licensing system.

California has issued about 200 permits for a variety of uses, including retail stores. They will be good for 120 days, after which a permanent license must be obtained. The state said more than 1,185 licensing applications have been submitted.

There has been ample criticism of municipalities, some of which have not finalized the regulations needed for a marijuana business to open. They have been accused of dragging their feet or making it difficult for those looking to enter the business to figure out how to follow the rules.

"At the moment you have counties that have either outright banned, you have counties that have no clue, you have counties that have a clue," said David Hua, founder and CEO of Meadow, a medical marijuana delivery service.

"I feel like I've just gotten a major in political science and all this other stuff that I had no intention of doing, but it's necessary," he said.

Adam Spiker of the Southern California Coalition, which advocates for the marijuana industry and has been working with cities and businesses ahead of legalization, said there is concern that not all businesses will be able to afford the costs of the new rules and regulations. There is worry that the system could fuel the black market that he said almost everyone wants to eradicate.

"My concern is that if we do not meet the demand for product on the regulated market it gives more folks incentives to be in the illicit market," he said.

Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson said the city's system will make it easier to police illicit businesses. He believes Los Angeles will be able to accommodate the number of cannabis businesses it needs based on how the market bears out.

Small growers have been concerned that the law will open the state up to large-scale, industrial marijuana growing, the opposite of what brought many to the industry in the first place. They are incensed that regulations they said were promised to limit the size of cannabis farms to one acre until 2023 were omitted from the final rules.

"California's traditional cannabis industry has been thrown under the bus, and California is about to roll out the red carpet for large corporations," said McGuire, the state Senator. He and Assemblyman Jim Wood (D), whose northern California district also includes a popular marijuana-growing area, are considering a legislative fix.

A spokesman for the state department of agriculture said a cap on businesses had not been proposed and the ballot measure does not allow for such limits.

There is also worry that wildfires that swept through some of the state's most fertile growing territory in October could hamper supply, and that the price of marijuana could greatly fluctuate because of taxes and additional layers of middlemen  and put less money in the pocket of farmers.

[Wildfires scorched marijuana crops, possibly complicating Californias rollout of legal sales]

"People are really trying to unload stuff now. As ofJanuary 1 who knows what's going to happen," said Swami Chaitanya, a longtime grower in the state's "Emerald Triangle," three northern California counties that have long been considered America's epicenter of marijuana growing.

Chaitanya and his wife hand-delivered their last batch of marijuana to an Oakland dispensary on Friday. Starting Monday, the law will require a licensed transporter to deliver it.

He said there was a line of people down the block, waiting to buy medical marijuana before it is taxed at rates up to 45 percent after the law takes effect. Dispensaries stocked up on product in the last weeks of December, he said, because few growers will be licensed and there is concern they could run out of marijuana.



Justin Calvino tours a marijuana growing room at one of his properties in Mendocino County, Calif., on April 19. (JOSH EDELSON/AFP/Getty Images)

Chaitanya has obtained a local license, but many of the region's old-time growers have no interest in becoming legal and are thinking about getting out of growing altogether. Some will likely grow six plants or fewer, which is allowed under the law for personal consumption.

"We have this great irony of the people who moved up here because they didn't want to participate in capitalism. They didn't want to participate in the greater system, and they're being asked to jump into it headfirst, and that's not why they got into this," said Amanda Reiman, vice president of community relations at Flow Kana, which sources marijuana from small farmers.

Reiman and many others are bullish on legalization. They said cannabis has been in the shadows too long, and they want to show that it is a mature, profitable industry that should be taken seriously and provide steady salaries and retirement benefits.

"I would love for folks to think about regulation as a way to stabilize the situation. That makes it safer for everyone and makes it so you can have a job in this industry and be okay," Reiman said.

But Futcher and Carney believe their community will now be bifurcated: those with permits and those without.

For the couple, getting into the medical marijuana business was a labor of love and a way to help the sick. Carney, a nurse who helped craft the state's midwife regulations, was active in the rulemaking process. The two attended countless meetings and connected with other growers.

"It felt like the little guys coming out of the closet," Futcher said.

"We were inspired," Carney added.

But then the regulations started to morph. At one point the couple learned they needed to create a parking lot  no one in the rural area has a parking lot, they argued  and build a separate, handicapped-accessible bathroom.

The final straw came when they were told they needed a commercial permit for the garage where they planned to dry the plant and workers' compensation insurance for a group of women who wanted to volunteer on their farm.

"I said, 'I can't keep throwing thousands of dollars at a moving target,' " Carney said. "It's not even possible for a small grower to make it work."

The women have decided to only grow the plants allowed without a license. Futcher, a writer, will continue the marijuana radio show she hosts on the local public radio station.

"It's life altering. It's our identity, the people that we hang with. It's our community, it's our neighborhood, it's all of that and now we're not a part of it," said Carney. "If we can't be legal, who in the heck can?"
GREECE

Effort made to reverse Turks asylum grant

The Greek government has filed a request for the cancellation of the asylum granted to a Turkish soldier accused of involvement in last years coup attempt.

Greeces administrative court of appeal will now look into the case.

Eight Turkish soldiers fled to Greece following Turkeys abortive July 2016 coup. Seven of them applied for asylum and were rejected, but they have been kept in preventive custody.

Angered by a decision to grant asylum to the eighth soldier by the Greek asylum service committee, a panel of judges and experts, Turkey said earlier in the day that the move would affect bilateral relations and cooperation.

The Greek government has said that it does not support coup plotters but that the countrys justice system is independent. Greek courts have blocked two extradition requests by Turkish officials.

 Reuters

EGYPT

Morsi gets prison time for insulting judiciary

Egypts deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi has been sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay damages on charges of insulting the judiciary.

The Cairo Criminal Court, which issued the sentence, convicted Morsi of defaming the judiciary in a public speech he made more than four years ago with the aim of spreading hate, according to state television.

In 2013, Morsi, when he was in office, accused a judge of overseeing fraud in previous elections.

The court Saturday ordered Morsi to pay about $56,000 to that judge.

Morsi, Egypts first democratically elected president, was toppled by the army in 2013 after mass protests against his rule.

He has been tried in several different cases since his ouster.

Morsi is serving a final sentence of 20 years in prison in a separate case.

 Deutsche Presse-Agentur

Congo government orders Internet blackout: Congo's government ordered telecommunications providers to cut Internet and SMS services across the country ahead of Sunday's anti-government demonstrations. Grass-roots Catholic activists have called for marches in major cities on Sunday to demand that President Joseph Kabila commit to not changing the constitution to stand for a third term and release political prisoners. Kabila was required by the constitution to step down in December last year when his mandate expired, but an election to replace him has been repeatedly delayed and is now scheduled for December 2018.

Mali president appoints new prime minister: Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has appointed Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga  a former defense and foreign minister and intelligence chief  as the prime minister, according to a decree read on state television. Boubeye Maiga is expected to form a new government in the coming day after his predecessor Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga and his entire cabinet resigned on Friday.

Ten reportedly killed in multi-vehicle crash in Mexico: Ten people died and two were injured in a car crash and fire on the southwestern Mexican coast near the tourist hot spot of Acapulco, the nation's civil protection agency. The center said it did not know whether there were any foreigners among the victims. The highway along the Pacific Coast is typically busier than usual at year-end, when tourists flock to beaches for vacations. Last week a dozen tourists  including U.S., Brazilian, Canadian and Swedish citizens  were killed when their bus crashed and flipped over on a highway in the Yucatan peninsula state of Quintana Roo, where many popular tourist sites are located.

Censors in India clear controversial movie: India's censors cleared a controversial film backed by Viacom that looks into the relationship of a Hindu queen and a Muslim ruler, after suggesting some modifications. Members of hard-line Hindu fringe groups as well as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had criticized the film "Padmavati," accusing its director of distorting history by showing Muslim ruler Alauddin Khilji as the "lover" of Queen Padmavati, belonging to the Rajput Hindu warrior clan. The board asked that the name of the film be changed to "Padmavat," to reflect that the source material was an epic poem of the same name and not from actual historical events, said Prasoon Joshi, the censors' chief.

 From news services
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. announced an initiative Sunday to ensure there are proper procedures in place to protect law clerks and other court employees from sexual harassment, saying it is clear that the federal judiciary "is not immune" from a widespread problem.

The statement, in Roberts's 2017 State of the Judiciary Report , follows the retirement last month of Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The influential 67-year-old judge stepped down after two reports in The Washington Post detailed allegations he had subjected former law clerks and other women to inappropriate sexual behavior.

[Powerful federal judge retires amid sexual harassment investigation]

"Events in recent months have illuminated the depth of the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace, and events in the past few weeks have made clear that the judicial branch is not immune," Roberts wrote.

"The judiciary will begin 2018 by undertaking a careful evaluation of whether its standards of conduct and its procedures for investigating and correcting inappropriate behavior are adequate to ensure an exemplary workplace for every judge and every court employee."

Just days after Kozinski's Dec. 18 retirement, Roberts directed James Duff, director of the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, to put together a working group to examine the issue. CNN reported at the time that Duff will report back by May 1.



Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit stepped down after two reports by The Washington Post detailed allegations he had subjected former law clerks and other women to inappropriate sexual behavior. (J. David Ake)

[Former aides accuse prominent judge of sexual misconduct]

A group of nearly 700 former and current law clerks also sent Roberts a letter requesting action and asking that he highlight the concern in his annual report on the state of the federal judiciary.

"I have great confidence in the men and women who comprise our judiciary," Roberts wrote. "I am sure that the overwhelming number have no tolerance for harassment and share the view that victims must have clear and immediate recourse to effective remedies."

Of particular concern has been the relationships between judges and their law clerks  usually recent law school graduates whose careers are significantly boosted by a year working with a federal judge, particularly on one of the 12 courts of appeal.

An appeals court judge usually has four clerks and a secretary, and the chambers operate independently and under a strict code of confidentiality. Some of the clerks who eventually talked to The Post about their experiences with Kozinski had wondered whether that confidentiality meant they could not report their experiences.

There is a natural reluctance to complain about a judge instrumental to their futures, the clerks said, and it was even unclear as to whom such reports would be directed.

The letter from the clerks asked Roberts and other court officials to examine "the risk that these confidentiality principles can be used to shield, if not enable, harassment," according to a copy published by the HuffPost.

In his report, Roberts said he expected the working group "to consider whether changes are needed in our codes of conduct, our guidance to employees  including law clerks  on issues of confidentiality and reporting of instances of misconduct, our educational programs, and our rules for investigating and processing misconduct complaints."

One suggestion from the clerks was a national reporting system that would allow a court employee to report harassment incidents by a judge or other court official, or to report witnessing such an incident.

The Post reports on Kozinski swiftly ended the more than three-decade tenure of the Ronald Reagan nominee, whose clerks have regularly gone on to clerk for the Supreme Court. Kozinski's conservative-libertarian opinions, especially on issues of criminal procedure, were widely quoted.

The Post reported Dec. 8 that six women, former clerks or more-junior staffers known as externs, alleged that Kozinski had subjected them to a range of inappropriate sexual conduct or comments.

Heidi Bond, who clerked for Kozinski from 2006 to 2007, said Kozinski once called her into his chambers and showed her pornography on his computer, unrelated to any case they were working on. He asked whether she found it arousing.

In an initial statement to The Post, Kozinski said he would "never intentionally do anything to offend anyone and it is regrettable that a handful have been offended by something I may have said or done."

Later, the California-based judge, who like all federal judges had a lifetime appointment, told the Los Angeles Times, "If this is all they are able to dredge up after 35 years, I am not too worried."

But other former clerks, law professors and even journalists wrote or spoke about their experiences with Kozinski, with some saying it was an "open secret" that female law clerks had to be careful about interactions with him.

The Post reported more allegations in a second story, and the chief judge for the 9th Circuit asked Roberts to assign to another court an investigation of the charges. Roberts did so, but days later Kozinski announced his retirement. That almost surely ends the investigation.

Roberts did not mention Kozinski by name in the year-end report, and the announcement about the review of procedures was a two-paragraph addendum to his main message. It was about how federal courts had remained open and handled business following hurricanes that devastated Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Texas and Florida.

"Court emergency preparedness is not headline news, even on a slow news day," Roberts acknowledged. "But it is important to assure the public that the courts are doing their part to anticipate and prepare for emergency response to people in need."
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) called on President Trump to lay out his strategy toward Iran as the country faces its largest protests in nearly 10 years, saying such a move would help bolster the United States in its conflict with North Korea.

Predicting that the new year will be one of opportunity and extreme danger, Graham said Trump should withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement in 2018 and give a national address explaining his approach. He warned that North Korea is watching how the United States conducts itself as protests continue in Iran. He argued that Trumps supportive messages for the Iranian people on Twitter are an inadequate response.

President Trump is tweeting very sympathetically to the Iranian people, but you just cant tweet here. You have to lay out a plan. If I were President Trump, Id lay out a plan as to how I would engage the regime, Graham said in an interview with CBSs Face the Nation.

Graham warned that the United States has a chance to deliver some fatal blows to really bad actors in the new year, but that the international situation is precarious.

If we blink, God help us all, he said.



Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.), urged President Trump to clarify his strategy on Iran. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

The protests began Thursday in response to economic woes in Iran, where growth unrelated to renewed oil exports has lagged significantly since international sanctions were lifted as part of the 2015 nuclear deal. As the protests spread, demonstrators have used them to highlight a variety of other problems, including government corruption and the need for reforms.

The escalating unrest poses a challenge for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who appealed to reformists when he was reelected in May by a landslide. Some have interpreted the protests as a response to Rouhanis failure to deliver on key economic promises he made after the nuclear deal.

The last major wave of protests followed Irans disputed presidential election in 2009.

Graham spoke after two Iranian demonstrators were confirmed killed in the protests. Local media reported that about 200 people were arrested in Tehran on Saturday and showed images of police firing a water cannon at demonstrators in the city center.

On Sunday, Iranian authorities blocked Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram. Their intention was to maintain peace, according to state television, but protesters saw the move as a direct crackdown on their efforts, which have been fueled by publicity on social media.

Trump has tweeted several times in support of the demonstrators, writing Sunday that the United States is watching very closely for human rights violations.

Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism, Trump wrote. Looks like they will not take it any longer.

Graham, who said its not enough to watch and post on Twitter, called the protests evidence of former president Barack Obamas foreign policy failures.

It tells us that the Obama approach of relieving sanctions . . . has failed, he said.

Erin Cunningham contributed from Istanbul.
Rep. Devin Nunes, once sidelined by an ethics inquiry from leading the House Intelligence Committee's Russia probe, is reasserting the full authority of his position as chairman just as the GOP appears poised to challenge special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation of possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

The California Republican was cleared in December of allegations he improperly disclosed classified information while accusing the Obama administration of exposing the identities of Trump affiliates on surveillance reports. Since clearing his name, Nunes has stepped up his attacks on Mueller's team and the law enforcement agencies around it, including convening a group of Intelligence Committee Republicans to draft a likely report on "corruption" among the investigators working for the special counsel.

Although Nunes has not officially wrested his panel's Russia probe back from the Republicans he deputized to run it, the chairman's reemergence as a combative Trump loyalist has raised alarm among Democrats that the future of the investigation may be clipped short or otherwise undermined. Even some of Nunes's GOP allies have expressed concern about his tactics, prompting rare public warnings that he should temper his attacks on federal law enforcement.

[No longer a lonely battle: How the campaign against the Mueller probe has taken hold]

"I'm interested in getting access to the information and not the drama," Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said last month, when Nunes began threatening contempt citations for FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein in the wake of revelations that former Mueller team members had exchanged anti-Trump texts.

More recently, Gowdy said that his "heart would be broken" if Nunes follows through on reported plans to issue a corruption expose about the FBI, citing concerns that issuing such a report outside the context of a comprehensive investigation of the Justice Department could prove damaging to law enforcement.

Gowdy, a member of the Intelligence panel who also chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, suggested that Nunes has taken some of these steps without the express blessing of House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who has been involved in crafting the GOP's multipronged approach to examining a string of allegations from Russian election interference to alleged mismanagement at the nation's top law enforcement agencies.

A spokesman for Nunes declined to comment.

But Nunes's moves coincide with what Democrats say is a coordinated GOP effort to shutter the House Intelligence Committee's Russia probe, publicly absolve President Trump of the most serious allegations against him, and refocus the House's resources against the law enforcement officials, such as Mueller, who continue to investigate Trump.

For months, Democrats have kept an unofficial count of the ways they say Nunes worked behind the scenes during the time he was under ethics investigation to slow or stymie the Intelligence Committee's Russia probe. Nunes never relinquished his sole, unchecked authority to sign off on subpoenas even as he handed the day-to-day operations to Reps. K. Michael Conaway (R-Tex.), Gowdy and Thomas J. Rooney (R-Fla.). People familiar with the committee's work estimated that Nunes's effective veto cost Democrats dozens of requests for interviews and documents that were never sent out, despite repeated entreaties from the minority side.

This includes requests for subpoenas to obtain additional testimony from key figures in the probe who Democrats say were not forthcoming enough in interviews  among them Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. Democrats surmise they might have compelled them to return if not for Nunes's resistance.



Nunes, who is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, speaks on Capitol Hill in October. Surrounding him are Rep. Peter King, (R-N.Y.), left, and Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.). (Susan Walsh)

Republicans have dismissed such complaints as political posturing. Conaway said that he has received every subpoena approval he has requested from Nunes, while others pointed to the steady stream of witnesses who sat for interviews with the Intelligence Committee  and challenged Democrats to name who they say is missing.

"Adam's list is pretty much every character in any Dostoevsky or Tolstoy novel," Gowdy said, referring to the Intelligence panel's top Democrat, Rep. Adam B. Schiff of California. "I get the intrigue and the mystery of these unusual-sounding names, but at some point you have to tie it back to what we're looking at."

"You can interview anybody that's ever met a Russian in the government and it's not going to get you any closer," said Rooney. "Ten months, how many witnesses? I want to know, ask them how much longer they want to go. How many more witnesses do they need to hear, and specifically which witnesses, and why?"

But to Democrats, the march of witnesses in and out of the committee's secure interview facility in the U.S. Capitol building basement has provided little assurance the probe is being run properly.

The packed schedule, sometimes featuring two or three overlapping interviews per day, has sparked complaints from Democrats that it is impossible to fully prepare for or monitor the investigation's progress. Even when members are able to focus on one witness at a time, people familiar with the probe said, relevant requested documents often fail to materialize until after the interview has concluded  and the interviewees are hardly ever invited back.

The order of interviews has also been a point of ongoing dispute. While Senate Intelligence Committee leaders boast of a methodical process that starts with peripheral players and builds to key witnesses, the House Intelligence Committee's order is comparatively haphazard and unstructured  almost designed, critics say, to give the probe a "veneer of respectability" while effectively giving investigators whiplash.

Nunes's hand in such decisions was never direct, people familiar with the probe said. During the period he was under an Ethics Committee investigation, he never once attended a closed-door meeting at which the Russia probe was discussed  something both his allies and critics attest to. But at least one of his senior committee staff members was always present at such sessions to help update members, question witnesses and otherwise run the probe, multiple people said. Even Republicans acknowledge it was difficult to distinguish between staff members' allegiance to the committee and their loyalties to Nunes.

"I don't know where his staff ends and HPSCI" begins, Gowdy said, referring to the House Intelligence committee by its official acronym. "Some of them are apolitical nonpartisan members of his staff, and I'm not smart enough to know who's what."

Once the House Intelligence Committee concludes its investigation, it is unclear what precise role remains for Nunes in the House GOP's continued push to investigate allegations of bias and other misconduct in law enforcement. The House Committee on Oversight and the Judiciary Committee have already launched an inquiry into the FBI's handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe. And a joint investigation by Nunes and Gowdy into the Justice Department and FBI's review of circumstances surrounding an Obama-era deal giving Russia a stake in the American uranium market seems to have lost its initial momentum.

If there is one aspect of the Russia probe that seems destined to outlast the House Intelligence Committee's preferred timeline, it is Nunes's investigation of Fusion GPS, the firm behind a dossier detailing Trump's alleged connections to Russian officials, financiers and exploits in Moscow. Nunes's subpoena of the firm's bank records is caught up in a court battle, and the chairman's staff is in touch with the office of Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), according to the senator, who is also looking into reports that the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party paid for research that ended up in the dossier's pages.

The dossier continues to be a focus of the president in tweet storms seeking to discredit Mueller's probe. Most recently, he blasted the FBI for focusing on the "Crooked Hillary pile of garbage" dossier "as the basis for going after the Trump Campaign." In recent weeks, he has also tweeted encouragement of Nunes's efforts to unearth information about the dossier from the "deep state."

Nunes, meanwhile, appears to have made up his mind about the House Intelligence Committee probe into the allegations surrounding Trump and Russia, expressing his convictions in an interview with Fox News.

"We have no evidence of Russia collusion between the Trump campaign" and Russia, Nunes said.

Read more at PowerPost
The headquarters of the mysterious sect in a sleepy, rundown part of northwest Delhi where 41 minor girls were rescued in a police raid. Neighbors said they have never seen the building's residents at the windows or balconies. Raids on other properties have led to the discovery of additional underage girls. (Vidhi Doshi/The Washington Post)

 On a recent Thursday, an emotional family reunion played out in a Delhi courtroom. A weeping 32-year-old woman embraced the sister she had barely seen in 14 years. The meeting, as recalled by the older sibling, was an emotional high point in an unfolding investigation into a secretive religious sect that has shocked this country.

At least 48 underage girls have been rescued in police raids on the sect's ashrams in New Delhi since Dec. 19, officials say. Officials say they have found women and girls kept in prisonlike conditions, behind barbed wire and multiple locked gates. Authorities say there are hundreds more properties and potentially thousands of women and girls living in them.

The sect, Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya (AVV), preaches that its leader is an incarnation of various Hindu gods and has descended to Earth to unite people of all faiths and transform them into deities. Little is known about the sect's origins or its leader, Virendra Dev Dixit, though followers say it is an offshoot of Brahma Kumaris  a large, international sect with more than three dozen centers in the United States and millions of followers worldwide. Brahma Kumaris distanced itself from Dixit's organization and denounced it decades ago.

AVV came under scrutiny after three families filed a case in Delhi's High Court saying that their female relatives had vanished after joining the sect. The 32-year-old is from one of those families. She told The Washington Post that she was raped by Dixit at the sect's headquarters in June 2000, while taking a summer religion course as a teenager. Then, three years later, she said, her parents "surrendered" her youngest sister to the sect. Since then, the woman has tried repeatedly to contact her sister, now 25, and have her released.

"I would never have told anyone all this if my sister wasn't in there," she said.

[Guru Inc.  Indias holy men enter the world of big business ]

The Washington Post does not identify victims of sexual assault, and the 32-year-old's identity is also shielded by Indian law protecting rape victims.

The sect issued a statement saying that the investigation is part of a "defamatory campaign" and that "no activity detrimental to female devotees or to any other members of the society is conducted in the Vidyalaya."

Dixit's whereabouts are unknown. It was not possible to further corroborate the woman's story.

Dixit claims to be an incarnation of, among others, the Hindu god Krishna, who according to myth has 16,000 wives. Swati Maliwal, chairwoman of Delhi's government agency for women's affairs, said that investigators found 200 women and girls in miserable conditions.

"The ashram has been running illegal activities," Maliwal said. Investigators, she said, found substances that induce dizziness along with unprescribed medicines, which may have been used to drug and pacify women. She also said religious texts found during a raid instruct women to "surrender" their bodies to Dixit.

Maliwal accompanied police on the Dec. 19 raid on one of AVV's flagship ashrams in a rundown neighborhood in northwest Delhi. She described the main building as a "fortress," with multiple locked gates and barbed wire. She recounted finding a room full of medicines, unlabeled substances and syringes, suitcases full of devotional letters written by the sect's women to Dixit, and books and posters that describe Dixit as a god.

"All the girls appeared to be in a trance," Maliwal said.

Authorities removed 41 minors from the facility. Court documents say that at least 168 adult women remain at the site, and 25 adult men live in an annex.

Investigators said in court documents that the women lived in "animal-like conditions" and that many were in poor health and appeared to be under the influence of narcotics.

[Why so many Indians support men like the recently convicted guru]

Maliwal said ashram workers told investigators that the women had chosen to remain. The court's order to search the premises did not give investigators the authority to remove adults without their consent, she said.

Two days after the initial raid, the sect's lawyer brought the 32-year-old woman's sister to court on the instructions of a judge. It was a highly charged moment.

The sisters had not seen each other since 2007, and their last meeting had been closely supervised by the sect's senior followers, according to the older sibling. She described her joy at seeing her younger sister. "I asked her, 'Can I hug you?' And I stuck to her. I couldn't stop crying," she said.

And then, the younger woman returned to the sect.

The older woman, who took a sabbatical from work to fight for her sister's release, said she believes her 25-year old sibling is suffering from years of emotional trauma and will eventually leave the sect.

"I am a very good counselor," she said. "I can get the fear out of her head. I can give her a lot of love and make her okay."

The AVV case comes months after the rape conviction of another popular guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The sect's long existence, despite at least 10 complaints to police over the years, illustrates the unaccountability of holy men in India, where religious leaders have huge financial and political power.

The inquiry into AVV offers hope to hundreds of families with relatives in the sect. Police across northern India are raiding other ashrams associated with Dixit. In Delhi, Maliwal said, five of at least eight ashrams have been searched by authorities. But many of the sect's ashrams are in unknown locations.

[A woman interviewed 100 convicted rapists in India. This is what she learned]

A sign outside the sect's headquarters reads, "God Fatherly Spiritual University," a loose English translation of the sect's name. Neighbors said that they rarely talk to the sect's members, and that truckloads of food and other materials are delivered every week. People inside never appear at the building's windows or balconies, all reinforced with metal grills. Sounds of televised spiritual broadcasts start blaring from the building around 2:30 a.m. every day, the neighbors said.

Sporadically, relatives of the residents come and cry outside the building, demanding that their daughters be released, a neighbor said.

"People come, they shout insults, they cry, they bang on the door, they roam up and down the streets, sometimes they stay for days, and then they leave," said Rajesh Goyal, who lives across the street.

Read more

Deadly violence after Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs conviction

The day a rapist held India for ransom

Hundreds arrested after riots over guru conviction leave 32 dead

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Afghan security forces inspect the site of a deadly bombing in Jalalabad, east of Kabul, on Sunday. (Mohammad Anwar Danishyar/AP)

An explosion at a funeral in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangahar on Sunday killed at least 17 civilians, officials said.

The government said the blast, in the city of Jalalabad, was caused by a suicide bomber who blew himself up as mourners offered prayers for a former district chief in the province, which lies near the border with Pakistan. But a later report suggested a bomb may have been detonated remotely, the Associated Press reported.

The casualties included several tribal chiefs. The target of the attack was not immediately clear. The Taliban insurgents who spearhead the insurgency against Afghan and U.S.-led troops in the country denied having a link to the attack.

No other group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which also wounded 14 people.

Some tribal chiefs in Nangahar have been behind an effort to raise a force of local civilians to protect their community from affiliates of the Islamic State, which have gained ground in the province despite repeated operations by the government and U.S. troops in recent months.

Last summer, suicide bombers blew themselves up at a Kabul funeral for the son of a politician, where senior government leaders had gathered. A group of mourners lost their lives in the attack, but the leaders survived it.

The Islamic State asserted responsibility for that strike, as it did following an attack Thursday on a pro-Iranian cultural center in the capital, which killed nearly 50 people and wounded scores of others.

That was the third attack claimed by the Islamic State in less than three weeks.

The expansion and escalation of attacks by the network have caused anxiety among Afghans and raised questions about the ability of the government and foreign troops to quell the growth of the violence.

Read more:

Top al-Qaeda leader reported killed in Afghanistan in U.S.-Afghan operation

Afghanistans American Idol is the voice of a new generation  and Muslim clerics arent happy about it

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday acknowledged the grievances of protesters nationwide but called on them to refrain from violence after a night of escalating unrest saw attacks on government buildings and confrontations with police.

In his first comments since anti-government demonstrations began Thursday, Rouhani said Iranians have the right to criticize their government, and he recognized anger over economic corruption that has long plagued the Islamic Republic.

From the capital, Tehran, to Kermanshah in the west and the holy city of Qom in the north, Iranians defied police to vent frustration against a government that allows limited space for dissent.

On the fourth day of the largest protests since an uprising over disputed election results in 2009, Iranian protesters chanted "Death to the dictator!" as they tore down posters of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds absolute authority in Iran. Public criticism of Khamenei is generally taboo.

The moderate Rouhani struck a conciliatory tone in his address to the nation. But even as he attempted to mollify protesters, authorities said they blocked Instagram and the messaging app Telegram on Sunday in a move aimed at blunting the demonstrations.

Two protesters were killed over the weekend, an official said. Local media showed images of police firing a water cannon at demonstrators in central Tehran, and about 200 were arrested in the capital Saturday, officials said.

The mass protest was sparked by economic woes but swiftly expanded to target a system that many have said is corrupt and incapable of reform. The demonstrations appear to have caught Iran's leadership off guard.

"Iranians understand the sensitive situation of Iran and the region and will act based on national interests," Rouhani said, according to the Mehr news agency.

He also fired back at President Trump, who has posted on Twitter about the protests three times over the past few days.

"Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism," Trump tweeted Sunday. "Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!"

Rouhani said "those who called Iranians terrorists have no business sympathizing with our nation," the Reuters news agency reported.

Authorities were "temporarily" blocking Instagram and Telegram, social media apps that are popular with Iranians, to "maintain peace," state television said Sunday. Many demonstrators had used the apps to share and upload videos from the protests.



Students clash with police during an anti-government protest around the University of Tehran on Dec. 30. (Str/Epa-Efe/Rex/Shutterstock)

Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov wrote on Twitter that Iran was "blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down . . . peacefully protesting channels."

Iranian authorities also warned protesters that they would be held to account for breaking the law.

"Those who damage public property and create disorder are accountable before the law and must pay the price," Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said Sunday, according to state media.

An official in western Iran confirmed the deaths of two demonstrators, whom protesters said had been shot. The official deputy governor of Lorestan province, Habibollah Khojastehpour, suggested that they had been shot either by "foreign agents" or by Sunni militants who he said infiltrated the area.

"No bullets were shot from police and security forces at the people," Khojastehpour said Sunday on state television, the Associated Press reported.

Both reformists and conservatives struggled to respond to the demonstrations with a unified message. Each side has blamed the other, while the camps are internally split over the legitimacy of the protests.

Allies of Rouhani, including Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, initially suggested that his political opponents had orchestrated the demonstrations. But as they escalated and many chanted for the return of Iran's monarchy, several conservatives disavowed the protesters and called for a tougher response.

Rouhani has come under fire for a perceived failure to deliver on key economic promises he made after reaching a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. International sanctions on Iran were lifted as part of the deal.

Iran's economy has indeed grown, and the International Monetary Fund has forecast real GDP growth of 4.2 percent in 2017-18. But that boost has largely been due to renewed oil exports, and growth unrelated to the that sector has lagged significantly.

"The trickle-down economics, there's no sign of it," said Alex Vatanka, an Iran expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington. Indeed, inflation has crept up to nearly 10 percent this year, and the cost of basic foodstuffs has risen, economists say.

"This is a very sensitive moment for Rouhani," Vatanka said. "Here's a guy who basically came into the presidency as someone who was going to be the champion of the reform cause in Iran. But these protests show that he's not a champion of the people. And Iranians feel like they've been played."

Read more

Irans Revolutionary Guard is facing more pressure from the Trump administration

He threw a fit: Trumps anger over Iran deal forced aides to scramble for a compromise

U.S. extends waivers on Iran sanctions but warns its an interim move

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
Donald D. Lawrence Audio Article

Friends and family of Compatriot Donald D. Lawrence are deeply saddened to announce his passing on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022,...

Guadalupe Lupe Campos Audio Article

Guadalupe Lupe Campos of La Vernia, Texas, passed away in his home on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022. Lupe was born...

Manuel A. Acevedo Audio Article

Manuel A. Acevedo passed away in San Antonio, Texas, on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, at the age of 76 years...
It seems like Donald Trump isnt slowing down with his tweets before the end of the new year. He recently took to Twitter to express his thoughts on the anti-establishment protests in Iran. And in an unrelated tweet, he blasted fake news mediaagain.

The Iranian protests began at the end of last week and were a reaction to living standards and rising food prices. The protests have since spread to major cities including the capital of Tehran.

Trump responded to the protests with a tweet saying, Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regimes corruption & its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad. Iranian govt should respect their peoples rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching!

Shortly after his tweet, he posted videos of him adding to his thoughts saying, The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change and oppressive regimes cannot endure forever.

A couple of hours later in an unrelated tweet, he took the opportunity to defend his use of social media and take another jab at fake news media.

I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair press, now often referred to as Fake News Media, he said. Phony and non-existent sources are being used more often than ever. Many stories & reports a pure fiction!

Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regimes corruption & its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad. Iranian govt should respect their peoples rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching! #IranProtests  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Irans people are what their leaders fear the most. pic.twitter.com/W8rKN9B6RT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair press, now often referred to as Fake News Media. Phony and non-existent sources are being used more often than ever. Many stories & reports a pure fiction!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Related stories

Story continues

Donald Trump Tweets To Take Credit For Possible Talks Between North And South Korea

Former Chief Of Current TV Fronting Left-Wing OTT Network Set To Stream In 2018

President Trump Wishes "Very Dishonest Fake News Media" A Happy New Year
Two men have been arrested in the killing of a mother, her two children and her female partner, whose bodies were found in a basement apartment in Troy, New York, the day after Christmas.

James White, 38, and Justin Mann, 24  both from nearby Schenectady  were each charged Saturday with one count of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder, Troy police confirm to PEOPLE. They were arraigned in Troy City Court and are being held in the Rensselaer County Jail. It is not known if they have entered a plea.

The outstanding work of the Troy Police Detectives with the help of the NYSP Major Crimes Unit and other units, NYS DOCCS (Parole), the Rensselaer County District Attorneys Office and many other law enforcement partners lead to these arrests, Troy Police Captain Dan DeWolf told PEOPLE in a statement. We also thank the public for all their tips and assistance in aiding in the investigation along with the media for the abundance of coverage they have provided . We appreciate all of the help and cooperation.

James White and Justin Mann

Earlier in the week, the victims were identified as Shanta Myers, 36, and 22-year-old Brandi Mell. Myers two children, Jeremiah, 11, and Shanise, 5, were also killed.

On Wednesday, Troy Police Chief James Tedesco described the quadruple homicide as brutal and said it was targeted. There are indications at the crime scene that this was not a random act, Tedesco told reporters, according to the Albany Times Union.

While police have declined to officially confirm a cause of death, law enforcement sources told the Times Union that the victims were bound and their throats were slashed. Investigators continue to search the apartment for clues.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

According to police, the buildings property manager discovered the four bodies on Tuesday after one of the victims relatives asked him to check on the residence after they had not answered phone calls.

Story continues

Clockwise from top-left, Shanta Myers, 36; Brandi Mells, 22; and Myers children Jeremiah, 11, and Shanise, 5.

Myers oldest child, 15-year-old Isaiah, was not at home at the time of the murders  and he told reporters he fears for his life. Im scared to go to the corner store, the teen told reporters, according to the Times Union. Im not sure if theyre coming for me next.

Myers sister, Shakera Symes, also mourned the loss of her family members. It feels like somebody has ripped us to shreds, Symes said. My sister was supposed to be with me and her children, all three of them, for Christmas and I got robbed of that opportunity, she said.

The slayings have shaken the entire community of Troy. Only a person of savagery would do something like this, Chief Tedesco said. Nobody thats been involved in this case is ever going to forget this.
Scott Disick and Sofia Richie will be celebrating their first New Years Eve together as a couple.

The pair, who have been romantically linked since May, was spotted on Friday in Aspen, Colorado, after sharing several photos of themselves boarding a private jet together. Im on a whole new year vibe, Disick, 34, captioned a picture of him and Richie, 19, cozied up together before take off.

Ready for 2018, the daughter of Lionel Richie wrote of a photo of her and the father of three on the tarmac. Off to colder places, the model said on her Instagram Story.

In addition, Kourtney Kardashians ex showed off his Tom Ford coats on his Instagram Story, writing: Ski time.

Im on a whole new year vibe A post shared by Scott Disick (@letthelordbewithyou) on Dec 29, 2017 at 10:10am PST

Though Disick, who is the father of sons Mason, 8, Reign Aston, 3, and daughter Penelope, 5  all with Kardashian, was solo at the annual KarJenner Christmas Eve party, he and Richie have been spending much of the holiday season together.

The couple were first linked in May during the Cannes Film Festival and have spent much of their time since then traveling, taking in trips to Miami, Venice, Milan, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos (to name a few).

A source recently told PEOPLE the two are very serious and that Richie has been a positive influence on Disick, who has openly struggled with alcohol abuse.

While Disick and Richie will be counting down to 2018 in Aspen, Kim Kardashian West revealed she will be spending Dec. 31 with family, most likely including Kourtney and the kids.

Ringing in the New Year with friends and family, Kardashian West wrote on her website and app Friday. Celebrating the New Year by having a game night and staying in, cooking, she revealed.
MOLINE -- The Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign got a boost thanks to a generous anonymous donor. A $25 Liberty gold coin was deposited in the Red Kettle at the Moline Walmart on Thursday, Dec. 21. The value of the coin is an estimated $600.

This donation is a nice boost to this years Red Kettle Campaign, with just two days of bell ringing remaining. Red Kettle sites will remain up until 8 p.m. Saturday.

The fundraising campaign will not end at Christmas, though. Those wanting to make a donation to this years campaign can do so until Jan. 15.

If you are interested in making a donation, you can call Bill Horrell at the Salvation Army at 563-324-4808.

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.
A restaurant has apologized to a black man for refusing him entry due to his footwear. (Photo: Getty Images)

A restaurant has fired a bouncer and reversed its dress code policy after allegations that a customer was racially discriminated against for wearing sneakers.

Earlier this week, Ayyaz Rashid the managing partner of El Centro D.F., a Washington, D.C., restaurant told the Root that the bouncer who tried to prevent Brian Gordon, a black man, from entering because of his leather Converse high-tops had been terminated.

The security in question has been relieved of his duties and will no longer be working at the venue, Rashid told the publication. Furthermore, there will be no dress code applied anymore at all. Not to stop there, I am scheduling a training workshop for the rest of the team to make sure such incidents may never happen again.

According to the Root, which broke the story, Gordon was initially refused entry to the restaurant because the bouncer objected to his footwear.

Theyre not like ratty, dirty sneakers, Gordon later told the Washington Post. Theyre brand new; theyre leather. They were clean, fresh, white. Its not like I showed up in five-year-old Chucks.

Outside, Gordon texted his friend Yesha Callahan, a deputy managing editor at the Root, who was inside the venue and who noted a detail about the other patrons. right before my very own eyes, was a group of white men wearing  you guessed it  sneakers, she wrote. Not only were the three white guys posted at the bar in sneakers, but there were also three other men on the dance floor wearing various styles of sneakers. Since it was still early in the night, there was a total of about nine people in the basement bar area, not including the bartenders, and it was pretty easy to assess everyones footwear.

Callahan and her friends knew the bartender who intervened on Gordons behalf and he was ultimately allowed entry.

Restaurant and bar dress codes have long been perceived as discriminatory. In 2009, six black students from St. Louis accused the Original Mothers, a nightclub in Chicago, of discrimination after they were refused entry due to a baggy jeans policy despite white patrons who wore similar pants.

Story continues

Alarm bells went off in my mind automatically, one of the men told NPR. A lot of times, baggy-jeans policies are used, in my opinion, to reject a certain demographic, mostly black men, from being allowed entry into certain places.

In May, the Bottled Blonde, a Chicago pizzeria, posted a sign listing banned clothing items such as Nike Air Max, camouflage, or long tees, evoking anger online for its racist and classist undertones.

And a Dallas bar called the Trophy Room is currently under a city investigation for refusing entry to three women of color wearing skirts, blouses, and heels, based on their so-called casual outfits. According to the Dallas Morning News, one of the women claimed nonminorities wearing T-shirts and sneakers were allowed inside.

We knew then this was not about clothing, said Traci Burst, one of the women, who recounted the incident on Facebook Live. It was about the color of our skin.

Business owners might say dress codes play up an atmosphere or promote a certain image. In 2016, when Town and Country asked John Winterman, a maitre d at New York Citys Daniel, whether dressing for dinner is important, he answered: Absolutely. I break it down into self-respect and respect for others, adding that people who dress well are better seated.

If someone comes in making an effort and looking fabulous and glamorous and they know theyre in for a premium experience at a premium price, you give them a fabulous table in the middle of the room. And people react to that, when they see a crowd thats well-dressed and beautiful and sparkling.

And while fine dining has generally faded into hipper, Instagram-worthy experiences, many bars and restaurants still uphold wardrobe rules. Sometimes dress codes have practical implications to avoid safety issues that customers arent always aware of, but it can be problematic when a banned look is associated with a marker of identity or a particular movement, Vickie M. Mays, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Then what youre saying is, That look doesnt fit.'

She adds, We need to ask, What is the purpose of the rule and does it achieve the outcome that you fear? If an establishment is trying to prevent people from committing a crime, for example, banning baggy pants wont achieve that.

Gordon insists that hes not opposed to a no-sneakers rule, but if its not being applied universally, then its a problem. He also received an apology from El Centro D.F. but he told the Post, I dont really have any interest in returning to a restaurant that clearly doesnt want me or anyone who looks like me.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




Melania Trump outranks Beyonce and Kate Middleton in a new poll. (Photo: Getty Images)

Despite Hillary Clinton topping Gallups Most Admired Woman list, first lady Melania Trump has also earned a spot, outranking Kate Middleton and Beyonce.

Earlier this week, the national consulting company released the results of its Most Admired Man and Woman poll for the 71st time since 1946, when World War II Gen. Douglas MacArthur took first place and women were not asked. This year, Michelle Obama earned second place, ahead of Oprah Winfrey and Elizabeth Warren. In the mens category, Barack Obama was voted most admired, one place ahead of Donald Trump.

Results were based on phone calls with 1,049 people during the month of December and interviewees were asked the questions, What woman that you have heard or read about, living today in any part of the world, do you admire most? And who is your second choice?

Despite Melanias modest profile (she moved into the White House only five months after the president took office, and shes been criticized for a vague antibullying platform), her popularity is indisputable.

Melania Trumps favorable rating has risen 17 percentage points since January to 54 percent as she has become better known in her role as first lady, Gallops press release stated. In contrast, a majority of Americans continue to view President Donald Trump unfavorably  his current unfavorable rating of 56 percent is nearly identical to Januarys rating of 55 percent.

According to a new poll, Melania Trump is more admired than Kate Middleton, shown above. (Photo: Getty Images)

The press release also notes that in January, 37 percent of Americans disapproved of Melania, while 37 percent held her in favor and 26 percent had no opinion. Now, in Gallups first measure of Melania Trump since she became first lady, the percentage with no opinion of her is down to 13 percent, while her favorable rating is up and her unfavorable rating has dipped slightly to 33 percent.

Gallup adds one caveat to explain why Melania is more popular than the president. This is likely because a first ladys role is more ceremonial and generally much less divisive than that of the president.

Story continues

However, unlike Michelle Obama, whose love for affordable brands such as J.Crew made her seem relatable and her famous biceps signaled her devotion to combating Americas obesity epidemic, Melania Trump has been controversial as a fashion figure .

Designers Thom Browne and Tommy Hilfiger have defended the first lady, while others, like Marc Jacobs, have rejected the idea of working with her.

Melania has also made waves for appearing unrelatable  during multiple trips to Texas and Puerto Rico to assess hurricane damage, she was slammed for wearing stilettos that were deemed inappropriate for the occasion. And in September, she was ridiculed on social media for wearing a hot-pink Delpozo dress to give an antibullying speech at the U.N.

A new survey finds that Beyonce, pictured here with daughter Blue Ivy and husband Jay-Z, is less popular than Melania Trump. (Photo: Getty Images)

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




Toss out Toyota Camry during a word-association game, and most automotive enthusiasts would respond with some allegory for anonymity, appliance, or a similarly unflattering description for automotive wallpaper. The latest Camry, with its all-new platform, new powertrains, and expressive styling, attempts to shake off that image. The range-topping Camry XSE V-6 is the most effective implementation of that retooling, blending the lineups most powerful engine with the sportiest trim level.

More Power, More Styling

This XSE is part of the sporty S pillar of the Camry family, which also includes the lower-spec SE; Toyota has an entirely different L vertical with L, LE, and XLE Camrys that wear toned-down front and rear bumpers and ride on more comfort-oriented suspension setups in order to retain traditional Camry buyers.

Even those softer-edged L models are notably more satisfying to drive than past Camrys. But the S trims build on that solid foundation with firmer damping, bigger wheels with wider tires, and distinctive front and rear bumpers with gaping intakes and lots of blacked-out trim. That you can option the XSE with a contrasting black-colored roof (a $500 option) and a blood-red interior speaks volumes about Toyotas lowered inhibitions.

The XSEas well as its L counterpart, the XLEunlocks the option of grabbing the Camrys new 301-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine. With port- and direct fuel-injection, the six is 33-hp stronger than last years port-injected 3.5-liter V-6. Torque is up 19 lb-ft to 267, too, and peaks at the same 4700 rpm as before. Other 2018 Camrys are powered by a 2.5-liter inline-four or a gas/electric hybrid powertrain.

The V-6 Camry is intriguing not only for its substantial horsepower, but also for having six cylinders. Nearly every competitor has turned to smaller, turbocharged four-cylinders for their up-level engine options, including the Camrys nemesis, the Honda Accord. This V-6 is a stonker, though, sending the Camry from zero to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds2.1 seconds quicker than a four-cylinder SE we tested. And it spits an edgy snort out of the XSEs quad exhaust outlets, one thats more distinguished than four-cylinder competitors vacuum-blender soundtracks. Still, the 252-hp turbocharged inline-four in Hondas top-dog Accord 2.0T scoots that model to 60 mph 0.3 second quicker. Although the two sedans have nearly equal peak torque, the 2.0T Accord has barely any torque steer where the Toyota has plenty.

Story continues

Honda also has Toyota beat in the transmission race, where the Accord 2.0T boasts a quick-witted automatic with 10 forward speeds to the Camrys eight. The Accord also offers a manual transmission with either of its engine options. A stick-shift would be a much-welcome alternative for the Camry, as decisions come slowly to the eight-speed automatic. There is a slight delay between the driver stomping the throttle and the receipt of a downshift, a sin aggravated by the transmissions stubborn preference for its higher gears. A Sport button on the center console adds some eagerness to the engines responses, and an S slot for the gear lever does the same for the transmission, but neither fully erases the powertrains slight hesitation in reaction to aggressive throttle applications. Reaction to manual gear selections from either the steering-wheel-mounted paddles or the shift levers plus/minus gate are similarly unexceptional.

Can You Handle a Camry that Handles?

If the engine and transmission could use a little extra seasoning in order to match the XSEs sporty image, the chassis is pretty much spot-on. This Camry turns with an enthusiasm that nearly matches the benchmark Honda Accord and Mazda 6, with no appreciable effect on overall comfort. Where the Accord 2.0T rides on fancier adaptive dampers with two driver-selectable firmness levels, the Camry XSE uses traditional fixed-rate dampers that cover nearly the same spectrum of control and ride quality. Body roll in the XSE is kept well in check, and our test car circled our skidpad with 0.87 g of gripright on the heels of the Accord 2.0Ts 0.88 g.

Opting for the V-6 adds about 200 pounds to the Camrys curb weight (according to Toyota), most of that concentrated in the nose, shifting the weight distribution slightly forward. The masss effects on handling is only detectable by our instruments and those whove driven a four-cylinder Camry and paid extra-close attention to its turn-in characteristics. The 2018 SE bettered this XSEs skidpad grip by 0.01 g and nudged into corners with a bit more fluidity. The weight will be more noticeable at the pump. We averaged 24 mpg during our test, compared to 32 mpg in the four-cylinder SE and 40 mpg in the 2018 Camry hybrid. Hondas Accord 2.0T averaged the same 24 mpg as this XSE but ran away from the Toyota on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy loop, scoring a stellar 35 mpg to the Camrys 29. The four-cylinder Camry has both sedans beat on the open road, notching an astounding 45 mpg on our highway test (1 mpg greater than the Camry hybrid!).

The rest of the XSE experience is similar to that in other Camrys, though with the glaring exception of its vastly superior interior quality. Stepping down even one level to the SE orif coming from an XLE, an LEis a descent into interiors filled with more hard plastics and uneven panel gaps than youll find in top-rung Camrys. It may be that Toyota is using this as a way to entice buyers up the price ladder, given that active-safety features such as lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automated emergency braking are now standard across the lineup. At least the infotainment system shared with lesser Camrys is just as easy to use here, thanks in part to the attractive chrome-tipped hard-button shortcuts to key menus that flank the screen, as well as the volume and tuning knobs located close to the steering wheel.

So where does this leave the Camrys renaissance? Blending the sedans most dramatic styling changes with its quickest engine and nicest innards punts the Camry XSE V-6 near the head of a class led by the Accord 2.0T. The privilege is expensive, though. The four-cylinder XSE starts at $29,895 and includes LED headlights and taillights, quad exhaust outlets, inductive phone charging, a panoramic sunroof, a 10-inch color head-up display, dual-zone automatic climate control, and leather seat covers, features that are either optional or unavailable on the SE. The V-6 is another $5950, and our test car added the $940 enhanced navigation system, $1050 360-degree parking camera and sensors, and a few dealer-installed options, bringing the total to $38,059. So make a mental note for future word-association games: Now Camry can be interchangeable with dynamic, stylishand occasionally pricey.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan



PRICE AS TESTED: $38,059 (base price: $35,845)



ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve Atkinson-capable V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection



Displacement: 210 cu in, 3456 cc

Power: 301 hp @ 6600 rpm

Torque: 267 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm



TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode



DIMENSIONS:

Wheelbase: 111.2 in

Length: 192.7 in

Width: 72.4 in Height: 56.9 in

Passenger volume: 100 cu ft

Trunk volume: 15 cu ft

Curb weight: 3665 lb



C/D TEST RESULTS:

Zero to 60 mph: 5.8 sec

Zero to 100 mph: 14.4 sec

Zero to 130 mph: 26.3 sec

Rolling start, 560 mph: 6.2 sec

Top gear, 3050 mph: 3.4 sec

Top gear, 5070 mph: 4.6 sec

Standing -mile: 14.4 sec @ 100 mph

Top speed (governor limited): 136 mph

Braking, 700 mph: 167 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.87 g



C/D FUEL ECONOMY:

Observed: 24 mpg

75-mph highway driving: 29 mpg

Highway range: 460 miles



EPA FUEL ECONOMY:

Combined/city/highway: 26/22/32 mpg




Nairobi (AFP) - Thirty people were killed and 16 injured early Sunday morning in a head-on collision between a bus and a lorry on a road in central Kenya, police said.

"We have 30 dead," said Rift Valley traffic police chief Zero Arome of the 3am (00.00 GMT) accident close to Nakuru town. "All the bodies have been removed from the wreckage and injured people taken to hospital."

The accident occurred close to a notorious stretch on the Nakuru-Eldoret highway when a bus travelling from Busia, in western Kenya, collided with a truck coming from Nakuru. Police said the death toll for that stretch of road has now reached 100 this month alone.

Arome said the drivers of both vehicles were among the dead, as well as a three-year-old child, while the injured had been taken to a Nakuru hospital.

One survivor, speaking from his hospital bed, said he had been asleep at the back of the bus when the collision happened.

"All I heard was a loud bang and screams from all over," he said. "I was seated at the back and was helped out after some time because my legs were stuck. It is by the grace of God that I am alive. I saw many people dead and their bodies mutilated."

Official statistics show that around 3,000 people die annually in road accidents in Kenya.




A 9-year-old boy in Indiana stopped a would-be carjacker on Christmas Day from making off with his fathers truck.

Kevin Cooksey was inside the One Stop Express gas station in Kokomo buying ibuprofen for his wife when a man jumped into the drivers seat of his truck. Cooksey had left the engine running and the door unlocked.

When I saw my truck door open, I was like, Oh my God, what am I going to tell my wife? Cooksey told 13 WTHR.

His son, Larry, was sitting in the back seat. As soon as he opened the door, I got scared, said Larry. So I pulled out the pellet gun and pointed it to his head.

This was enough to make the carjacker think twice and he hopped out of the truck to try another car. Parked beside Cookseys truck was Kyle Sparlings black Trailblazer. He too had left the engine running as he went into the store. The man got in Sparlings SUV and took off.

I didnt know what to think, I just kind of ran outside and watched him, said Sparling.

As the man sped off, Cooksey told Sparling to get into his truck and the two men gave chase. The icy winter conditions made the driving treacherous, but the pair followed at a safe distance as the carjacker drove erratically. It was doing donuts, zigzags, almost flipped, said Larry.

After a few miles the carjacker crashed into the sign of a local business, American Tool and Party Rental. Cooksey and Sparling called police to the scene.

Police arrested 32-year-old Ollie Dunn and charged him with attempted auto theft, never obtaining a license, unauthorized entry in a motor vehicle and vehicle theft.

Sparlings car sustained some damage near the wheel well, and the windscreen got cracked after the sign fell on it. I was just glad he didnt wreck into anybody, Sparling said. That was my biggest fear, I think.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
Police in Slidell, Louisiana, have arrested a man who allegedly helped scam people out of thousands of dollars in Nigerian prince-style email schemes.

Michael Neu, 67, is charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. In a Facebook statement on Thursday, police described him as a middle man who conned victims into giving up their money in phone and online scams.

Michael Neu in a police booking photo. (Photo: Slidell Police Department)

Neu is accused of wiring some of the money he helped obtain to co-conspirators located in Nigeria. The police department did not immediately return a request for more specifics on his alleged role.

Nigerian prince scams are a type of advance or upfront fee fraud, meaning a scheme that tricks victims into sending a fee on false pretenses. The scammers may promise more money, goods, services or a special deal in return. They may also claim to need help transferring money out of a specific country. When scammers get the fee they requested, they disappear.

The Nigerian prince variation, one of the most notorious versions of the scam, involves someone presenting himself as a member of Nigerian royalty. The person claims to need help, often saying he needs to move a large sum of money out of Nigeria and promising that whoever helps him will get part of the fortune. The scammers often ask for money upfront to pay processing fees or request the recipients bank account details to transfer money directly.

Many of these criminals are indeed located in Nigeria, although scammers may be based all over the world.

Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal had a few words of warning for anyone receiving suspicious emails.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, he said in the Facebook statement. Never give out personal information over the phone, through e-mail, cash checks for other individuals, or wire large amounts of money to someone you dont know. 99.9 percent of the time, its a scam.

Research by Microsoft in 2012 found that even though the Nigerian prince trope was well-known, 51 percent of scam emails sampled were still referring to Nigeria. Researcher Cormac Herley suggested that mentioning a country strongly associated with online scams actually made sense.

Story continues

By sending an email that repels all but the most gullible the scammer gets the most promising marks to self-select, Herley wrote.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Vice President Mike Pence was met with a Make America Gay Again banner while in Colorado for a family vacation.

The rainbow banner was hung on a stone pillar at the end of the driveway where the Pence family is staying, the Washington Post reported.

It was later discovered that Pences temporary next-door neighbors hung the banner.

Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo told the Aspen Times one of his deputies was present when the man put the banner over the stone pillar.

He was real sheepish and thought he might be confronted by the Secret Service or deputies whod tell him he couldnt do it. When they said, Were not here to control your free speech rights, they came out with chili and began feeding them, DiSalvo told the Times.

Pence has a history of controversial comments regarding the LGBT community. Pence has opposed same-sex marriage and, as governor of Indiana, signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which would allow businesses to refuse to serve members of the LGBT community, though the bill was later changed to include anti-discrimination language.

Pence is expected to leave the area Tuesday, according to the Aspen Times.
The nomination of Neil Gorsuch, the Hurricane Harvey response, jobs figures and his recent tax cut  just some of what Trump sees as his biggest accomplishments

Donald Trumps message and video was posted on his Twitter timeline on Sunday afternoon. He told his followers: Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Photograph: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Donald Trump has posted a video summarising his first year in office, which gives an insight into what the president sees as his biggest accomplishments as 2018 begins.

Beginning with martial drums and numerous shots of the Marine One helicopter, and US soldiers keeping watch over the president, the three-and-a-half-minute clip focuses first on Trumps nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the supreme court  one of his best decisions in the eyes of conservatives, but a move viewed much more nervously by liberals.

What a year its been, and we're just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!! pic.twitter.com/qsMNyN1UJG  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

The video then skips to footage of Trump speaking to victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and holding up a Puerto Rican flag  glossing over his lengthy dispute with authorities in the US territory over the perceived weakness of the federal response to Hurricane Maria there compared with the aid given after disasters on the mainland.

A quick out-of-focus shot of Trump chatting to Theresa May at the G20 in Germany also airbrushes a tricky relationship  most recently when her criticism of his decision to retweet messages from a British far-right group led to Trump tetchily telling her she should focus on Radical Islamic Terrorism and not on him.

As the controversial speech he made in Poland in which he said our civilisation will triumph plays, Trump is shown at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the city he recognised as Israels capital this month in the face of almost unanimous opposition from foreign allies, who view its status as a key part of future negotiations with the Palestinians.

Story continues

Trump goes on to hail jobs figures (whose strength can be overstated), the rise in the stock market (which he has been accused of using as a substitute metric for success given his anemic poll numbers), and his recent tax cuts (which favour the rich and corporations), as well as his idiosyncratic campaign to politicise the phrase Merry Christmas, before ending with an excerpt from a speech he made to the US air force in which he told personnel, For America, the sky is never the limit, as the camera lingers ominously on a fighter jet.

Trumps social media team has made a habit of releasing short videos to mark what the administration considers key events. This new year one is perhaps less avant-garde than the recap of Trumps trip to Asia in November, which featured backwards footage of local cyclists and slo-mo clips of the president striding along red carpets, all soundtracked by a tune that recalled Hans Zimmers Rain Man soundtrack. And it is slightly less jingoistic than his iMovie-style slideshow of his trip to the G20, which included a song based around his campaign slogan make America great again.

But he returned to that theme with the message that accompanied his new year video, telling his 45.5 million followers: What a year its been, and were just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!!

Whether the thought that Trump is just getting started will delight or terrify you in 2018 may depend somewhat on your political persuasion.

As midnight approached, the president followed up with a tweet that recalled last years infamous new years message focusing on his many enemies.

The enemies, and indeed haters, still got a mention, but there was room this year for friends too  and even the Fake News Media.
DAVENPORT, Iowa  A photographic exploration of the papal visits to Israel from 1964-2014 will be on display at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, beginning Thursday, January 5, 2018.

The exhibition is entitled Building Bridges of Faith: Photographs of Papal Visits to the Holy Land, 1964-2014 and features papal visits to nearly a dozen Holy Land sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is recognized as the site of the crucifixion and tomb of Jesus of Nazareth; Yad Vashem, Israels official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust; the Cenacle on Mt. Zion, traditionally held to be the site of the Last Supper; and the Western Wall.

The 44 historic images depict stirring scenes as well as quiet, intimate moments during visits to the Holy Land by some of the most well-traveled popes in history: Blessed Pope Paul VI, Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

The exhibition is designed to illustrate the importance of interreligious dialogue, especially in this case between Catholics and Jews. It represents a response to the Popes calling to reflect deeply on the significance of the Jewish roots of our own faith and to seek mutual understanding of our spiritual heritage (from the Address of Pope Francis on May 26, 2014, in Jerusalem).

The exhibit has been made possible by the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. Other sponsors include the Diocese of Davenport, St. Ambrose University, St Ambrose Universitys Middle East Institute, the Muslim Community of the Quad Cities, and the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities.

I am deeply grateful to the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities for co-sponsoring this exhibition of the historic visits of our recent Popes to the Holy Land, said the Most Rev. Tom Zinkula, Bishop of the Diocese of Davenport. I am looking forward to seeing the exhibition and encourage Catholics to join our Jewish brothers and sisters in visiting the exhibit.

"Jerusalem is an important holy site for many believers, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims. We are pleased to be able to partner with other sponsors to offer this exhibit to the community," added Sister Joan Lescinski, president of St. Ambrose.

The exhibits will be showcased at the Galvin Fine Arts Center and the Library on the St. Ambrose campus from Jan. 5 through Feb. 21. Starting Feb. 22, the entire exhibit will be displayed at the Library through May 11.

Exhibit viewing hours are as follows:

Jan 5 - Jan 16 (holiday break at SAU): Galvin: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Library 2nd Floor: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunday 1 - 5 p.m.

Jan 17 - May 11 Spring Semester: Galvin (until Feb 21): Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Library 2nd Floor: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. -5 p.m., Sunday 12 - 5 p.m.

There will be a celebratory opening of the exhibit Sunday, Jan. 21 at the Galvin Fine Arts Center, from 2-4 p.m., with a short program at 2:30 pm. This event is open to the public.
By Brendan O'Brien

(Reuters) - A 25-year-old man was in a Los Angeles jail on Saturday in connection with a prank call that resulted in the shooting death of an unarmed man by a Kansas police officer at a home where the caller said hostages were being held, authorities and media reports said.

The arrest of Tyler Barriss, reported by KABC-TV, followed the killing of a 28-year-old man as he stood at the front door to his Wichita home on Thursday evening.

Police shot the Kansas man minutes after arriving at the residence in response to the hoax call, said Wichita Deputy Police Chief Troy Livingston, describing the shooting "as a tragic and senseless act."

Authorities described the case as an example of "swatting," in which a caller falsely reports an emergency that requires a police response, usually by Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT, teams.

A man named Tyler Barriss was being held without bond in the Los Angeles County jail system on Saturday, a county database showed. It listed no legal representation for him.

Police and jail officials did not immediately return calls seeking confirmation.

Wichita police on Friday released a recording of the 911 call in question. The voice of a man could be heard saying that his parents had been arguing.

"I shot him in the head, and hes not breathing anymore, the voice said.

The man then told the 911 operator that he was holding a handgun on his mother and little sister, had doused the house with gasoline and was thinking of torching it.

Wichita police officers surrounded a house on the city's west side, Livingston said.

"A 28-year-old male opened the front screen door and stood in the doorway or just outside that doorway," he said. "Officers gave him several verbal commands to put his hands up and walk towards them."

A police officer shot once after the man quickly raised his hands and appeared to point a weapon at the officers, Livingston said.

Story continues

Police found no one dead, injured or taken hostage inside the house, he said.

Family members told the Wichita Eagle newspaper that Andrew Finch, a father of two, was the man killed.

"The person who made the phone call took my nephew ... two kids father," Finchs aunt, Lorrie Hernandez-Caballero, told the paper. "How does it feel to be a murderer? I cant believe people do this on purpose."

(Additional reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Editing by Alison Williams and Lisa Von Ahn)
Relatives of Jamal Muslih, who died after being wounded by Israeli fire, mourn at his funeral - AFP

A Gazan died on Saturday after being wounded by Israeli fire during a protest on the border over US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, a Palestinian health official said.

Jamal Muslih, 20, of Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, had been seriously wounded by live fire on Friday, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

He was buried on Saturday afternoon.

Muslihs death brings to 13 the number of Palestinians killed since US President Donald Trump announced on December 6 that he would recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.

Mourners at the funeral of Jamal Muslih, who died after being wounded by Israeli fire Credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP

Eleven protesters died after clashes with Israeli troops, and two others were killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza earlier in the month.

More than 50 Palestinians were wounded in the Friday clashes on the Gaza-Israel border as part of a "day of rage" over the US declaration, called for by both Gaza rulers Hamas and fellow militant group Islamic Jihad.

In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said at least 16 people were wounded when Israeli troops fired live rounds during demonstrations, while others were hit with rubber-coated bullets.

Earlier on Friday, militants in Gaza fired three rockets at southern Israel, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defence system, with the third hitting a village near the border, causing damage but no casualties.

Israeli aircraft and tanks targeted two Hamas positions near the border on Friday afternoon in response, again causing damage but no casualties.

UN vote to condemn Trump recognising Jerusalem as capital of Israel

Late Saturday, the Israeli army carried out a second attack, with fighter jets "targeted an observation post belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the southern Gaza Strip," a statement read.

According to the army, the Friday projectile attack on Israel proved that "Iran, through radical and rogue terror organisations, is operating to deteriorate the situation," risking lives in Gaza and threatening to cause "an escalation".

Story continues

The Israeli defence ministry has in recent weeks been increasingly highlighting the ties between Hamas and Iran, most notably in a series of Facebook posts by COGAT, the unit responsible for activities in the Palestinian territories.

Speaking on Channel 2 television Saturday night, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman claimed that the projectiles fired from Gaza at Israel on Friday were made and supplied by Iran.

Rockets from Gaza are often fired by fringe Islamist groups but Israel holds Hamas responsible for all attacks from the territory.
Two civilians were also reportedly injured in the gunfight, around 20 miles south of Denver: KMGH-TV

A gunman opened fire on sheriffs deputies responding to a call in Colorado, killing one and wounding four others before officers killed the assailant.

A volley of gunfire met deputies who entered an apartment after responding to an early morning disturbance call, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock told reporters, with the assailant firing well over 100 rounds before dying in the gunfight. Two civilians were also injured.

Mr Spurlock said authorities had visited the same apartment complex in the middle of the night to address a noise complaint, but departed after hearing nothing and discerning no issue.

When deputies returned, they conversed with the assailant before coming under fire in an ambush-type attack.

All of them were shot very, very quickly, Mr Spurlock said. They all went down almost within seconds of each other ... he knew we were coming.

Authorities identified the shooter as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl. Mr Spurlock said officials were familiar with him from his having had law enforcement contact on a number of occasions but that Riehl did not have a criminal history.

The assailants roommate was cooperating with authorities.

This is going to be a several-day investigation, Mr Spurlock said, adding that authorities has locked down the apartment complex where the incident unfolded.

The slain deputy was identified as Zackari Parrish, a 29-year-old who had joined the department roughly seven months ago and left behind a wife and two children. He was struck multiple times during the engagement, Mr Spurlock said.

I cant tell you how difficult it is for a leader to sit down with the spouse of an officer who was killed in the line of duty, Mr Spurlock said. They had many hopes and dreams and he was doing his job and doing his job well.

All four of the deputies wounded in the confrontation were in stable condition, Mr Spurlock said, and two civilians were recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.

Story continues

Its just regular people trying to live their life, disrupted by this individual, he said.

Donald Trump offered his condolences on Twitter to victims of the terrible shooting.

We love our police and law enforcement  God Bless them all! the President wrote.

My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement  God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

A procession to honour the deceased officer was swiftly planned for the same morning, with the sheriffs department warning of heavy traffic.

DCSO Motorcade for our fallen Deputy #CopperCanyonOIS https://t.co/uU618Xw1qp  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

Deputies were responding to a call of a domestic disturbance around 5.15 am local time at the Copper Canyon Apartments on County Line Road in Highlands Ranch  about 20 miles south of Denver  the Sheriffs Office said.

A number of local police forces were on alert over the incident, while a SWAT team was said to be responding. A major road south of Denver was also shut down in the wake of the incident.

A code red warning was issued for the surrounding area, with authorities calling for local residents to shelter where they are, as well as avoid windows and stay clear of exterior walls.

A Code Red was sent out regarding this incident. Any citizens in the affected area are instructed to shelter in place, avoid windows and stay away from exterior walls. pic.twitter.com/RgutCEqgJA  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

An emergency shelter was set up in the local area, with the Douglas County Sheriffs Office announcing that anyone displaced from their homes over the incident should head there.

Due to the size and cope of this investigation an emergency shelter has been set up @ East Ridge Rec Center, located at 9568 University Blvd. in Highlands Ranch. If anyone has been displaced from their homes due to this event please feel free to head there.  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

The FBIs Denver office said it was monitoring the situation and offered a message of support.

.@FBIDenver has been monitoring the events that occurred this morning and have offered our full support to @dcsheriff. Our thoughts and prayers are with our law enforcement partners and all those impacted by todays senseless act of violence.  FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) December 31, 2017

Additional reporting by agencies
Kinshasa (AFP) - Congolese security forces shot dead a man and injured several others Sunday in a bloody crackdown on Catholic worshippers who gathered at churches across the country to demand President Joseph Kabila leave power.

AFP reporters witnessed the latest of several recent outbreaks of bloodshed in the vast, mineral-rich central African country, wracked by tension over delayed elections.

An AFP reporter at a demonstration in the central city of Kananga saw a man shot in the chest by soldiers who opened fire on worshippers gathered for what church leaders said would be a peaceful protest.

Elsewhere, troops fired tear gas and bullets in the air to break up gatherings at Catholic masses across the capital Kinshasa, in one case arresting 12 altar boys who were leading a protest.

- Protests banned -

Church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations.

The protesters were demanding that Kabila promise he will not seek to further extend his time in power in DR Congo, a mostly Catholic former Belgian colony.

Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018.

The United Nations says dozens of people have been killed during anti-government protests this year.

Impatience boiled over on Sunday, with all the vast central African country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests.

- Priest, woman hurt -

In Kinshasa AFP counted about 10 people hurt including a priest with an injury to the face and a woman in her sixties with a gash on her forehead after police broke up church gatherings.

One army officer threatened a team of AFP reporters covering the crackdown at St. Michael's church in Kinshasa.

"If you don't clear out of here, I'll order that you be shot at," he said.

"Press, or not, no one is allowed inside. What's more, you have a white man with you -- that's a race that causes us problems."

Story continues

A journalist for French radio station RFI was briefly detained, AFP reporters saw.

- Soldiers storm church -

A churchgoer who asked not to be named described to AFP how officers dispersed worshippers from one mass.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church," he said.

Another parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen" -- but added that the priest carried on saying mass.

Officers later detained 12 altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes outside one church as they led a protest march.

Other protesters went back inside the church grounds and started singing for the Virgin Mary to "make Kabila go".

- Elections delayed -

In Kinshasa, Catholics of the "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass on Sunday.

They want Kabila, 46, to declare publicly that he will not run for another term as president.

The country has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001 and refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown.

Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal.

The delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year, further angering Kabila's opponents.

- 'Insurrection' plan alleged -

Government spokesman Lambert Mende alleged in televised comments that "weapons of war have been distributed" by opponents of the government.

"These destabilising acts of agitation aim to create an atmosphere of insurrection which would enable them to seize power in our country by undemocratic means," he said, citing a government report.

International powers such as the United Nations have called on the Congolese authorities to allow peaceful protests.
The Nonhuman Rights Project argued that Minnie, Beulah, and Karen possess such fundamental rights as bodily integrity and bodily liberty: Getty

A Connecticut court has refused to free three elephants from a zoo after an animal rights group asked it to do so.

The court ruled that Minnie, Beulah, and Karen do not qualify as persons entitled to liberty and equality under state law.

Judge James Bentivegna wrote in the decision that the petition is wholly frivolous on its face because it relied on applying human rights of freedom and equality to the animals.

The Nonhuman Rights Project and Stephen Wise filed the request with the state's Superior Court in Hartford on behalf of the trio, who belong to a travelling Commerford Zoo based in Goshen, Connecticut, the Washington Post reported.

The writ of habeas corpus did not bring issue with any mistreatment of the elephants, but cited deplorable living conditions.

Instead, Mr Wise argued that Minnie, Beulah, and Karen possess such fundamental rights as bodily integrity and bodily liberty, and those other legal rights to which evolving standards of morality, scientific discovery, and human experience entitle them.

They range from 33 to 50 years old and have been with the zoo for nearly 30 years.

Zoo owner Tim Commerford said the elephants are part of our family.

Its not right to rip them from my family, from their home, he told the newspaper, adding that he felt the animal rights group was picking on his zoo because it is small and family-owned.

The court ruled against Mr Wise also because he has had no prior relationship with the elephants.

Mr Wise said the group will amend its petition with the court and continue to pursue its cause.

This is not the first such case for him either. In June 2017, a New York court ruled against Mr Wise when he filed a petition to have two chimpanzees held in cages by private owners released.

The judge in that case wrote: The asserted cognitive and linguistic capabilities of chimpanzees do not translate to a chimpanzees capacity or ability, like humans, to bear legal duties, or to be held legally accountable for their actions.
Washington (AFP) - A sheriff's deputy was killed and six others, including four deputies, were wounded Sunday in what police called a "disturbance" in a residential suburb near Denver, Colorado.

The lone suspect was killed at the end of a two-hour standoff at an apartment complex in Highlands Ranch, 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Denver, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock told reporters in a televised briefing.

Spurlock said he believed the suspect, whose identity had not yet been confirmed, was someone who had had "law enforcement contact on a number of occasions ... but no criminal history."

He said the man used a rifle and fired at least 100 rounds, catching deputies off guard.

The dead deputy was identified as Zachary Parrish, 29, a married father of two young children. He had been on the force only seven months.

- 'Her life is over' -

Spurlock, who had never lost a deputy before, described the agony of holding the wife's hand and "seeing in her eyes her life is over."

All four wounded deputies were in stable condition, Spurlock said. He said all had been wearing protective vests.

Two civilians were also wounded. Spurlock was unclear on their identities.

Deputies had responded to an early-morning call of a disturbance and, arriving at the scene, initially conducted talks with the suspect, barricaded in a bedroom, when he suddenly opened fire on the officers.

"All of them were shot very, very quickly," Spurlock said, "within seconds of each other." The wounded deputies tried to pull Parrish out of the line of fire but, hampered by their own wounds, were able only to crawl to safety.

Police dispatched a heavily armed SWAT team. Officers from a total of five jurisdictions, including Colorado state police, responded.

As the incident unfurled, the sheriff's office advised local residents to take cover in place and stay away from windows.

The toll among deputies appeared to be one of the highest in a police-involved shooting since five officers in Dallas, Texas were shot to death and several others injured in July 2016 by a man angered by police shootings of black men.

The area near Sunday's shooting has been scarred by dramatic mass shootings in recent years, including the Columbine school shooting in 1999, which left 15 people dead, and the 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora that claimed 12 lives. Both are within a half-hour's drive of Highlands Ranch.

Spurlock said the Aurora police chief met him at the hospital where his men had been taken to offer his support.
Donald Trump - Barcroft Media

US President Donald Trump on Saturday weighed in on protests in Iran for a second straight day, warning that the countrys people want change and "oppressive regimes cannot endure forever."

Trump posted on Twitter two clips of his speech to the UN General Assembly in September in which he took aim at the Iranian regime, which Washington has held out as its top adversary in the Middle East.

"Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice," he tweeted, quoting from the speech.

"The world is watching!"

Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regimes corruption & its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad. Iranian govt should respect their peoples rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching! #IranProtests  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Later on Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence added his voice, saying: "The time has come for the regime in Tehran to end terrorist activities, corruption, & their disregard for human rights."

And White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added: "The days of America looking the other way ... are over."

Trumps posts came as several hundred anti-government demonstrators clashed with police at the University of Tehran in a third straight day of protests.

Hundreds of counter-protesters also massed outside the entrance to the university, chanting "Death to the seditionists" in a show of support for the regime.

Videos shared by social media users outside Iran but which could not be independently verified claimed to show thousands marching peacefully against the regime in several cities including Khorramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz, with chants of "Death to the dictator."

Story continues

"The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Irans people are what their leaders fear the most," Trump said, again quoting from the UN speech.

Trump also tweeted in support of the protesters late Friday, prompting Irans foreign ministry spokesman Bahran Ghasemi to dismiss his remarks as "opportunistic."
Donald Trump unexpectedly fired everyone on his HIV/AIDS council, and heres why we should be worried

The White House sent termination letters this week to all members of the HIV/AIDS council, officially known as the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, The Washington Blade reported Friday, December 29th. The firings came six months after a half-dozen members resigned in protest over the Trump administrations commitment  or lack thereof  to HIV/AIDS policy.

Kay Hayes, the HIV/AIDS councils executive director, confirmed the terminations in a statement to The Washington Post.

Changing the makeup of federal advisory committee members is a common occurrence during administration changes, Hayes said. The Obama administration dismissed the George W. Bush administration appointees to PACHA in order to bring in new voices. All PACHA members are eligible to apply to serve on the new council that will be convened in 2018.

However, HIV experts and advocates remain worried about the future of HIV/AIDS policy, and for good reason. The Trump administration has yet to appoint a director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, according to NBC News. Further, proposed U.S. budget cuts to HIV/AIDS funding could curtail progress in ending the diseases spread. A report from the ONE Campaign estimated the budget cuts would lead to a rise in HIV diagnoses for the first time since 1995.

Unsurprisingly, the Twitterverse was none too pleased with the news.

Trump fires his HIV/AIDS council without warning & wont explain why he did it https://t.co/aSs3uD6VlZ  LGBTQ Nation (@lgbtqnation) December 29, 2017

More extreme cruelty and the rule of ignorance from @realDonaldTrump. administration fires all members of HIV/AIDS advisory council - The Washington Post https://t.co/VLpjchPurM  Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) December 30, 2017

My sister in law contracted HIV through a blood transfusion in the 1980s. She is alive today because of the advances made in treatment through research. We cannot give up on those who are fighting HIV/AIDS. We wouldnt abandon cancer patients  we cant abandon HIV patients.  Tracey Brabant (@tjb429) December 30, 2017

There are more than 1.2 million people in the United States living with HIV.

Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, theres still a lot we dont know about HIV and AIDS. For example, HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was. In fact, advances in antiretroviral treatment mean many people with HIV live long, healthy lives. Just one pill a day can result in undetectable viral loads and prevent an HIV patient from transmitting the virus to others.

Picture of HIV/AIDS Policy Trump

Regardless of the progress weve made in limiting the spread of HIV and AIDS, theres still more work to do. Lets hope the Trump administration will reaffirm its commitment to fighting the disease  its first step could be filling all those empty seats on the presidents HIV/AIDS council.
Flying is fun and exciting; oh, yeah! Follow the agony of four people and a little boy trying to reach the Quad-City International Airport in Moline from Texas:

At 4:05 a.m. on an early morning before Christmas, Ashley and Matthew McGowan arrived at Houston International Airport with their son, Ben, who will be 2 in February. They were heading home for the holidays with her family  my son and daughter-in-law  in the Quad-Cities. Their flight was not to leave until 5:22 a.m., plenty of time. They already had their tickets. All was well until they tried to check in. There were 250 people in line in front of them. Some had been there since 3 a.m.

There were only two people at the check-in to take care of 250 people, says Ashley. It was an impossible jam. Maybe half the people made it through the line. We didnt. The plane had to take off with only half the passengers on board. We were told to walk across that big Houston airport and check in at another counter to catch a flight from Houston to Denver that would eventually get us from Denver to Moline.

It was a long walk, says Ashley. We walked with two suitcases, a car seat, a stroller, a diaper bag and our little boy, Ben. On top of all that, we were two pounds overweight in luggage so we carried the extra in a plastic bag. Besides, I am six months pregnant. We were worn out by 8 a.m. and no one was at the counter for the flight to Denver out of Houston. We waited. Airline personnel finally arrived; Denver attendants and airport personnel were wonderful, as great as those in Houston were rude.

The flight that was to begin at 5 a.m. in Houston was supposed to end at 10 a.m. in Moline. The McGowans finally arrived in Moline at 4:30 p.m. Ashley adds an aside to their misery: The flight from Houston to Denver was not the most pleasant shes ever taken, and she has just about flown around the world. We were in the last row of the plane, the last seats, right next to the lavatory. Stinky!

Annies 34-hour trip home

It all sounded so simple, Annie Stern of Bettendorf and her brother, Jim, intended to fly from San Antonio, Texas, to Moline by way of Atlanta. They left Texas at 11:15 a.m. on Dec. 17, landed on schedule in Atlanta to learn that the place had been hit by that bizarre power failure.

Her plane and others idled on the tarmac. Passengers had to stay on board, grounded, with water and chips and not much else. At 2:15 p.m., the pilot announced, Were going to stay put here for a while. Passengers would be on the plane until 8:30 p.m., listening to Christmas music. At 8:30 p.m., they were finally allowed to enter the terminal where everyone was told not to stray and await further instructions. But Annie and her brother sneaked out, making their way on escalators that didnt work, to board a commuter train. After 12 stops, they were at a Sears store where they rented a car. They drove to the outskirts of Atlanta, spent the night with a friend, and drove 12 hours to get home to Davenport. The trip lasted from 11 a.m. one morning until 8:30 p.m. the next night. Annie figures it was close to 34 hours.
CAIRO (Reuters) - A Cairo criminal court sentenced former Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi and 19 others to three years in prison on Saturday, and fined him 2 million Egyptian pounds ($112,700) on charges of insulting the judiciary.

Others tried by the court in the same case including leading Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah and lawmaker and television presenter Tawfik Okasha were instead given fines ranging from 30,000 to 1 million Egyptian pounds.

The verdicts can still be appealed.

Mursi, democratically elected after Egypt's 2011 revolution, was overthrown in mid-2013 by then-general Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, now the president, following mass protests against his rule.

He was immediately arrested and is now serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of inciting the killing of protesters during demonstrations in 2012 and a 25-year sentence for spying for Qatar.

($1 = 17.7500 Egyptian pounds)

(Reporting by Mostafa Hashem and Mohamed Abdellah; writing by Nadine Awadalla; editing by Jason Neely)
Erica Garner, who became a well-known activist after her father, Eric Garner, died in police custody, has died at the age of 27.

Garner reportedly suffered major brain damage from a heart attack she had last week and died at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday morning after being in a coma since Dec. 23.

When you report this you remember she was human: mother, daughter, sister, aunt. Her heart was bigger than the world. It really really was. She cared when most people wouldn't have. She was good. She only pursued right, no matter what. No one gave her justice.  officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 30, 2017

She was a warrior, she was a fighter and we didnt pull the plug on her, said Esaw Snipes, Garners mother. She left on her own terms.

Garner became an activist and spoke out against police brutality after her fathers death was caught on cell phone video in 2014.

Eric Garner screamed I cant breathe 11 times while being put in a chokehold by an NYPD officer in Staten Island after police tried to arrest him for allegedly selling loose cigarettes.

His death, which was ruled a homicide, helped to inspire the Black Lives Matter movement.

When Erica Garner gave birth to a son in August, she named him after her father. She suffered a heart attack shortly after the delivery.

Doctors said the delivery put stress on her already enlarged heart.

"Erica the world loves you. I love you. I am glad you came into our lives," the family said in a post on Garner's Twitter account. "May you find the peace in the next life that you deserved while you were here."

RELATED STORIES

Quentin Tarantino's Dad Slams His Police Brutality Comments: 'He is Dead Wrong'

New Eric Garner Information. Was It More Than A Chokehold That Killed Him?

LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade Call for End to Police Brutality, Gun Violence

Story continues

Related Articles:
By Guy Faulconbridge, Jonathan Saul and Polina Nikolskaya LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, according to two senior Western European security sources, providing an economic lifeline to the secretive Communist state. The sales of oil or oil products from Russia, the world's second biggest oil exporter and a veto-wielding member of the United Nations Security Council, breach U.N. sanctions, the security sources said. The transfers in October and November indicate that smuggling from Russia to North Korea has evolved to loading cargoes at sea since Reuters reported in September that North Korean ships were sailing directly from Russia to their homeland. "The Russian vessels made transfers at sea to the North Koreans," the first security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. The source said the transfers of oil or oil products took place on several occasions and were a breach of sanctions. A second source, who independently confirmed the existence of the Russian ship-to-ship fuel trade with North Korea, said there was no evidence of Russian state involvement in the latest transfers. "There is no evidence that this is backed by the Russian state but these Russian vessels are giving a lifeline to the North Koreans," the second European security source said. In comments carried by Russias RIA Novosti state news agency on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the country was observing sanctions against North Korea. The two security sources cited naval intelligence and satellite imagery of the vessels operating out of Russian Far Eastern ports on the Pacific but declined to disclose further details to Reuters, saying it was classified. The Russian Customs Service declined to comment when asked on Wednesday if Russian ships had supplied fuel to North Korean vessels. The owner of one ship accused of smuggling oil to North Korea denied any such activity. SATELLITE DATA The U.S. State Department, in a statement, called on Russia and other U.N. members to "strictly implement" sanctions on North Korea and to work "more closely together to shut down U.N.-prohibited activities, including ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum and the transport of coal from North Korea". The latest report came as China, responding on Friday to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, denied it had illicitly shipped oil products to North Korea. North Korea relies on imported fuel to keep its struggling economy functioning. It also requires oil for its intercontinental ballistic missile and nuclear program that the United States says threatens the peace in Asia. "The vessels are smuggling Russian fuel from Russian Far Eastern ports to North Korea," said the first security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Reuters was unable to independently verify that the vessels had transferred fuel to North Korean vessels, whether the Russian state knew about the sales or how many Russian vessels were involved in the transfers. It was also unclear how much fuel may have been smuggled. Ship satellite positioning data consulted by Reuters and available on Reuters Eikon shows unusual movements by some of the Russian vessels named by the security sources including switching off the transponders which give a precise location. The security sources said the Russian-flagged tanker Vityaz was one vessel that had transferred fuel to North Korean vessels. The Vityaz left the port of Slavyanka near Vladivostok in Russia on Oct. 15 with 1,600 tonnes of oil, according to Russian port control documents. Documents submitted by the vessel's agent to the Russian State Port Control authority showed its destination as a fishing fleet in the Japan Sea. Shipping data showed the vessel switched off its transponder for a few days as it sailed into open waters. According to the European security sources, the Vityaz conducted a ship-to-ship transfer with the North Korean Flagged Sam Ma 2 tanker in open seas during October. Reuters could not independently verify the transfer as ship tracking data showed that the Sam Ma 2 had turned off its transponder from the start of August. The owner of the Russian vessel denied any contact with North Korean vessels but also said it was unaware that the vessel was fuelling fishing boats. OIL PRODUCTS Yaroslav Guk, deputy director of the tanker's owner, Vladivostok-based Alisa Ltd, said the vessel had no contacts with North Korean vessels. "Absolutely no, this is very dangerous," Guk told Reuters by telephone. "It would be complete madness." When contacted a second time, Guk said the vessel did not have any contacts with North Korean ships and that he would not answer further questions. An official at East Coast Ltd, the vessel's transport agent, declined to comment. Two other Russian flagged tankers made similar journeys between the middle of October and November, leaving from the ports of Slavyanka and Nakhodka into open seas where they switched off their transponders, shipping data showed. In September, Reuters reported that at least eight North Korean ships that left Russia loaded with fuel this year headed for their homeland despite declaring other destinations, a ploy that U.S. officials say is often used to undermine sanctions. A Russian shipping source with knowledge of Far Eastern marine practices said North Korean vessels had stopped loading fuel in Russia's Far Eastern ports but that fuel is delivered at sea by tankers using ship-to-ship transfers, or even by fishing vessels. China on Friday denied reports it had been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation. China's denial came a day after it blocked a U.S. effort at the United Nations to blacklist six ships Washington believes had engaged in illicit trade with North Korea, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said. According to documents seen by Reuters this month, the United States had proposed that the U.N. Security Council blacklist 10 ships for illicit trade with North Korea. It accused the vessels of "conducting illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum products to North Korean vessels or illegally transporting North Korean coal to other countries for exports." Three North Korean ships among the 10 were blacklisted, along with a Panama-registered vessel. (Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington, and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow; Editing by Giles Elgood, Leslie Adler and Alison Williams)
Google Street View image showing the Kensington Wine Rooms in London - Google Street View

The investigation into possible collusion between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia was reportedly sparked by a conversation that took place over a drink in a London bar.

George Papadopoulos, who was a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, was said to have disclosed to a senior Australian diplomat in the bar that Russia had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton.

The meeting between Mr Papadopoulos and Alexander Downer, Australia's High Commissioner to the UK, was said to have taken place at the Kensington Wine Rooms, near Kensington Palace, in May 2016, the New York Times reported.

After emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee began being made public a few months later the Australians passed the information about the meeting to their US counterparts.

George Papadopoulos was a member of the Trump campaign

According to the New York Times the role of the Australians was confirmed by four current and former US and foreign officials.

Mr Papadopoulos was said to have been given the information about the emails by a friend with Russian contacts.

He was told there were "thousands of emails" that may embarrass Mrs Clinton and her campaign.

Alexander Downer Credit: Micha Theiner

The information from the Australians that a member of the Trump campaign may have had the information was a driving factor in the FBI opening its investigation in July 2016, the New York Times reported.

The agency began looking at whether Russia tried to disrupt the election, and if any associates of Mr Trump colluded.

Mr Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is a cooperating witness.

He admitted lying in January about communicating with people he believed had ties to the Russian government.

George Papadopoulos (3rd L) in a photograph released on Donald Trump's Instagram account Credit: AFP

Court documents show he met in April 2016 with an academic in London who he says told him about Russia's cache of Clinton emails.

The New York Times said he shared this information with the Australian diplomat.

White House advisers have dismissed Mr Papadopoulos as a "coffee boy" and fringe figure in the campaign.

Mr Trumps campaign has always denied colluding with Russian efforts to sway the election outcome.

In a statement Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer, said: "Out of respect for the special counsel and his process we are not commenting on matters such as this."
The FBI looked into allegations against former Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The FBI investigated former Milwaukee sheriff and Trump ally David Clarke over allegedly directing deputies to harass a plane passenger, according to court files.

The documents reveal that an FBI agent sought a search warrant to uncover more evidence about a 2017 incident involving Mr Clarke and a fellow traveller.

A man named Dan Black sued Mr Clarke earlier this year for harassment, alleging that the former sheriff had him stopped and arrested for shaking his head after recognising Mr Clarke during a flight.

A reasonable sheriff deputy would have known that it is unlawful to stop, arrest and interrogate a citizen to investigate their political opinions, Mr Blacks complaint reads.

The FBI agents filing reveals the agency was seeking to determine whether Mr Clarke had violated federal civil rights statutes and cited that a factual basis that reasonably indicates the existence of federal criminal activity, the burden the FBI has in order to open an investigation.

The document also reveals that a county investigation found it credible that Mr Clarke acted in excess of his lawful authority to direct his deputies to stop and question Black without legal justification.

Text messages detailed in court documents show Mr Clarke telling one of his deputies no arrest unless he becomes an asshole with your guys.

Question for him is why he said anything to me. Why didnt he just keep his mouth shut? Mr Clarke wrote. Follow him to baggage claim and out the door.

After Mr Black filed his complaint, the court documents said an email sent from the account dcclarkecowboy@gmail.com told a subordinate of Mr Clarke that Mr Black can go to hell.

The next time he or anyone else pulls this stunt they may get knocked out, the email said, according to the FBI agents affidavit.

Representatives for the FBIs Milwaukee office did not respond to messages seeking comment. The Milwaukee County Sheriffs office has dismissed the countys fake investigation as a political witch hunt intended to  harass and bully Sheriff Clarke.

Story continues

These fake news stories from the (Milwaukee) Sentinel Journal and their dweebs at the editorial board are so transparent that the casual observer can see this for what it really is, the post said.

A staunch ally of Donald Trump who echoes the Presidents law-and-order rhetoric, Mr Clarke announced his resignation earlier this year.

During his tenure, multiple inmates died in county jails, and a grand jury to recommended criminal charges against jail staff after an inmate died of dehydration.
LONDON (Reuters) - Firefighters battled a blaze in an apartment block in central Manchester, northern England, on Saturday, with one person taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. The Manchester fire service said 12 engines had been dispatched after flames engulfed several apartments on the ninth floor of the 12-storey building. "The fire had spread to multiple floors but we have things well under control here," the service later said. Britain is still reeling from a fire that ripped through the Grenfell Tower social housing block in west London that killed 71 people on June 14. That fire was Britain's deadliest since World War Two, gutting the 24-storey building that housed a multi-ethnic community living in a poor area within one of London's richest boroughs, Kensington and Chelsea. (Reporting by Kate Holton; editing by Mark Heinrich and David Evans)
Libreville (AFP) - Gabon's President Ali Bongo vowed "radical change in governance" in the coming year and pledged to foster social cohesion among his citizens in his televised end-of-year speech on Sunday.

"I am determined to do everything possible to strengthen our unity, regain our cohesion," he said. "Cohesion is my ambition for Gabon".

"I intend to implement radical change in governance, which will be based on a fundamentally different approach," he added, describing measures of "immediate impact" he wants to put forward.

Some of them include a temporary exemption from social security contributions for all net job creation, free delivery fees, building wells with water pumps in villages and improving education conditions.

Gabon has large oil, mineral and tropical timber resources, and its per-capita national income is four times greater than that of most sub-Saharan nations.

But about a third of its population of 1.8 million still live below the poverty line -- the result, say specialists, of inequality, poor governance and corruption.

Bongo has ruled the country of some two million since his father Omar Bongo, who took office in 1967, died in 2009 after 41 years in power.

But the country has been in crisis since August 2016, following Bongo's re-election in which he defeated opposition leader Jean Ping by just a few thousand votes.

Ping, a 74-year-old career diplomat, accused the administration of electoral fraud and maintains he was the winner of the poll, in defiance of Gabon's Constitutional Court, which upheld Bongo's victory.

Violence broke out days after the vote, and opposition figures say more than 50 people were killed in clashes. The official toll was only three dead.

Bongo insisted Sunday that "legislative elections will be organised" -- they are due before the end of April 2018 -- because "in a democracy, competition takes place not in the streets, but at the ballot box, of which we must always respect the verdict".

Bongo acknowledged that citizens "are not satisfied with their administration" and invited them to "express" themselves by voting, saying he wanted to "build a society of the meritocracy".
Cairo (AFP) - A gunman opened fire on a church south of Cairo on Friday, killing at least nine people in the latest apparent jihadist attack on Egypt's Christian minority.

The Islamic State group claimed its "soldiers" carried out the attack on the Saint Mina Coptic church in the district of Helwan, just south of Cairo.

Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed told state television that the gunman was shot dead after killing nine people and wounding others, including a police officer.

But the interior ministry said the assailant, a wanted jihadist implicated in attacks on police, had been wounded and arrested.

The man had been armed with an assault rifle, 150 rounds of ammunition and a bomb he intended to set off at the church, the ministry said.

It added that he had killed two people when he opened fire on a store before heading to the church where he shot dead seven people including the officer.

Cellphone footage posted on social media appeared to show the bearded gunman wearing a bulky ammunition vest sprawled on a street, barely conscious, as people restrained his arms and then handcuffed him.

Police later cordoned off the crime scene as onlookers crowded around the church, while a team of forensic experts combed the area.

Congealing blood could be seen at a guard post in front of the church.

IS later claimed responsibility.

In a statement released via its propaganda agency Amaq, it said a group of its "soldiers" had carried out the attack, killing 10 "crusaders" and police officers.

It added that one of its fighters had been killed.

An IS affiliate in Egypt has killed dozens of Christians in church bombings and shootings during the past year, and has threatened further attacks against the minority.

Friday's attack came ahead of Christmas for the Copts, who celebrate it on January 7.

- Series of attacks on Christians -

Egypt's Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of the country's 93 million people, and are the largest religious minority in the region.

Story continues

IS claimed a suicide bombing of a Cairo church in December 2016 and bombings of two churches north of the capital in April.

A month later, IS gunmen shot dead about 30 Christians south of Cairo as they travelled to a monastery.

The jihadists are believed to have also carried out a massacre of Muslim worshippers in Sinai last month, killing more than 300 in an attack on a mosque associated with the mystical Sufi strand of Islam which IS views as heretical.

Egypt imposed a state of emergency after the church attacks and shootings, and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi demanded the army confront the jihadists with "brutal force" following the mosque massacre.

The presidency said Friday's church attack would increase the "resolve to continue the path of cleansing the country of terrorism and extremism."

IS has been waging a deadly insurgency based in the Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers.

The jihadists have increasingly targeted civilians as attacks on the security forces have become more difficult.

The army has poured in thousands of troops backed with armour and jets in a bid to crush the Sinai-based jihadists, but attacks have continued.

The attack on the church came a day after six Egyptian soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in the Sinai.

Last week, IS claimed responsibility for firing an anti-tank missile at a helicopter in a North Sinai airport as the defence and interior ministers were visiting.

The attack killed an aide to the defence minister and a helicopter pilot, but both ministers returned to Cairo unscathed.

Egypt's Gulf allies sent their condolences over Friday's shooting.

Saudi Arabia said it would "stand with Egypt against sinful terrorist acts", while the United Arab Emirates called the attack a "cowardly".

Qatar, at the centre of a long-running dispute with its Gulf neighbours and Egypt, which accuse it of supporting extremist groups, also sent condolences and emphasised its "firm position in rejecting terrorism".
The "Nigerian prince" email scam is one of the most notorious cybercimes out there, and the people behind it may have hit a bit of a snag after one of their alleged co-conspirators was arrested in Louisiana on Thursday.

Police arrested a 67-year-old man in Slidell, Louisiana after an 18-month investigation in connection with Nigerian prince email scams. The man is suspected of being a middle-man for a group in Nigeria that used the Nigerian prince email scam to get money from unsuspecting people, the Slidell Police Department announced on Facebook.

SEE ALSO: Man replies to scam emails  and hilarity ensues

If you're unfamiliar with the Nigerian prince email scam, the Federal Trade Commission dedicates an entire page to them on their website, which describes the common phishing tactic that continues to con people out of their money:

The man police arrested, Michael Neu, is suspected of facilitating these transfers of money from victims to his co-conspirators. Neu faces 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering, having participated in hundreds of scam transactions.

Michael Neu faces 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering for his involvement with 'Nigerian prince' email scams.

Image: Slidell Police department/facebook

Although the scam has become a bit of a joke like the FTC says, it still results in millions of dollars in losses for victims every year, and people who get caught up in the scams can sometimes face personal harm.

"According to State Department reports, people who have responded to these emails have been beaten, subjected to threats and extortion, and in some cases, murdered," the FTC states.

The Slidell Police Department said that its investigation is ongoing, but can be extremely difficult because many leads point toward people who live outside the United States. Although Neu himself is not Nigerian, the police stated that money acquired by Neu was wired to people in Nigeria.

Let this be a lesson to anyone on the internet: if a stranger is soliciting you for money, it's probably not a good idea to just hand it over to them.
I had the honor and privilege to serve as President of the Association of Educational Service Agencies at this years annual conference. The national conference was a great opportunity for attendees to share, grow, network and participate with other colleagues who represent ESUs from across the country.

At our opening general session, we heard from Dr. Eric Jensen who uses fresh brain research to show how poverty can compromise the brain in ways you never imagined. Dr. Jensen also shared how quality teaching and great schools can rewire the brain to become successful.

ESU 13 was well represented at the conference with Laura Barrett, Jadie Beam, and George Schlothauer presenting in person while BJ Peters and Kiowa Rogers joined the presentations via video conferencing from Scottsbluff.

George Schlothauers presentation was entitled, Offering Alternative Educational Opportunities in Rural Settings. LifeLink-Nebraska and Valley Alternative Learning and Transitioning School (VALTS) were highlighted during the presentation. Both programs are housed together on the campus of WNCC at the Harms Center. Uniquely designed, LifeLink provides post-secondary transition skills for 18-21 year old students with disabilities. All students participate in employment, learn independent living skills, and participate in volunteerism and community involvement. Students have the opportunity to enroll in college classes through WNCC. VALTS, our alternative high school, helps students meet graduation requirements of 10 different school districts. Known for outside the box thinking, VALTS succeeds in providing education enrichment to students with a variety of different circumstances. Through advanced technology and small classes, VALTS has been meeting students needs since 1998.

Dr. Jeff West presented with AESA Executive Director Dr. Joan Wade on Friday and their presentation was entitled, Calling All New AESA Members! This was an invitation to members new to AESA to learn more about their national organization. There are almost 20 different names for educational service agencies from across the US that makes up the membership. Attendees discovered who makes up the membership and the similarities and differences between these diverse organizations. We held an interactive discussion about the governance structure, funding, role of the CEO and the types of services that are offered by our members.

Laura Barrett, Jadie Beam, and BJ Peters (via Zoom) presented on Friday morning as well. Their presentation was entitled, Supporting Professional Learning for Paraprofessionals. Paraprofessionals are often the first contact students have on a daily basis, yet receive very little professional development. In this session, ESU 13 staff shared that our 21 districts asked for a solution to this training problem. Multiple departments collaborated to offer one-hour topical trainings through distance learning in order to reach each corner of our 15,000-mile service area. These trainings grew from 37 participants to 235 engaged paraprofessionals.

Laura Barrett, Jadie Beam, George Schlothauer, BJ Peters and Kiowa Rogers(via Zoom) presented Friday afternoon. The presentation was entitled, Collaboration: Beyond the Buzzword. They talked about how ESU 13 departments have broken down the silos starting with our Leadership team that is made up of the directors of each program. This has helped to make sure we are presenting a unified vision and message to member school districts all while keeping focus on achievement for all students. The staff also shared our process from needs visits with our districts to implementation of services.
Iranians chant slogans as they march in support of the government near the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in the capital Tehran on 30 December 2017: HAMED MALEKPOUR/AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter again to comment on the ongoing protests in Iran, this time to warn that "oppressive regimes cannot endure forever."

He wrote that "the entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change" and touted that other than US military might, its people's will is what leaders in Iran feared the most.

Thousands have taken to the streets demanding an end to President Hassan Rouhani's term in office.

Mr Trump previously tweeted a call for the government to respect the wishes of its people and the White House issued a statement appearing to be in support of the Iranian people's "right to express themselves."

The US State Department also issued a statement about the largely peaceful protests: "Iran's leaders have turned a wealthy country with a rich history and culture into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos."

The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Irans people are what their leaders fear the most.... pic.twitter.com/W8rKN9B6RT  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

The State Department also said it "strongly condemns the arrest of peaceful protesters. We urge all nations to publicly support the Iranian people and their demands for basic rights and an end to corruption."

Story continues

The wave of spontaneous protests over Iran's weak economy has swept into the capital Tehran as well, with college students and others chanting against the government just hours after hard-liners held their own rally in support of the Islamic Republic's clerical establishment.

The three days of protests - which began in the second-largest city of Mashhad, a holy site for Shiite pilgrims - thus far appear to be the largest demonstrations the country has seen since the disputed presidential election in 2009.

State media broke its silence on the protests after Mr Trump began tweeting about them yesterday evening.

"Counterrevolution groups and foreign media are continuing their organised efforts to misuse the people's economic and livelihood problems and their legitimate demands to provide an opportunity for unlawful gatherings and possibly chaos," the state television station said.

Reports have suggested the protests began over the surging price of goods like poultry and eggs.

Fars, the semi-official news agency, reported that Qom, a city that is the world's foremost centre for Shiite Islamic scholarship and home to a major Shiite shrine, also saw protests.

In response to Mr Trump's tweets, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying: "The noble Iranian nation never pays heed to the opportunist and hypocritical mottos chanted by the U.S. officials and their interfering allegations on domestic developments in the Islamic Republic of Iran."

In October, the US President announced he would not re-certify a nuclear deal signed by Iran and six world powers - a signature foreign policy achievement by predecessor President Barack Obama.

Despite the evidence provided by the United Nations on Tehran's compliance with the deal, Mr Trump said it was too lenient on Iran and that they had violated portions of it.

It opened the door for harsher economic sanctions to be placed on the country, the mitigation of which was a key inducement for Iran to comply with the historic deal.

Agencies contributed to this report.
An Iranian woman raises her fist amid the smoke of tear gas at the University of Tehran - AFP

Two people are understood to have been killed after Iranian security forces reportedly opened fire on anti-government demonstrators on Saturday as the largest protests seen in the country since 2009 continued for a third day.

Reports of the two deaths were were posted on social media. There was no official confirmation of the fatalities but the posted images appeared to show several bodies being carried away after clashes with police in the western city in Dorud

Angry protests escalated in cities across Iran as demonstrators tore down posters of Ayatollah Khamenei, the Islamic Republics supreme leader, while police on motorbikes charged into crowds swinging batons.

Protesters reportedly stormed the governors compound in the western city of Arak and started fires at government offices in Ahvaz, a city in the countrys southwest.

People protest in Iran's capital Tehran Credit: Reuters

Donald Trump, the US president, warned Irans government that the world is watching its response to the demonstrators. He accused authorities of squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad.

Later, he posted two clips of his speech to the UN General Assembly in September in which he took aim at Iran, which Washington has held out as its top adversary in the Middle East.

"Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice," he tweeted, quoting from the speech.

The Iranian government shot back at Mr Trump, calling his comments deceitful and opportunistic.

       "  #" .           #     pic.twitter.com/q5RejFwYV2  BBC Persian (@bbcpersian) December 30, 2017

The demonstrations began on Thursday in the northeastern city of Mashhad, largely over the rising cost of living, but quickly spread around the country and became more explicitly critical of Ayatollah Khamenei and of Hassan Rouhani, Irans president.

Story continues

While the security forces showed relative restrain during the first 48 hours of protests, their response hardened on Saturday and authorities reportedly cut off some internet access in Tehran to try to stop the spread of unrest.

Iranian students protest at the University of Tehran during a demonstration driven by anger over economic problems, in the capital Tehran Credit: AFP

The chief executive of Telegram, a messaging app, agreed to shut down a channel popular with the opposition for allegedly encouraging violence after being contacted by an Iranian minister.

Several dozen students at the University of Tehran protested at the campus gates yesterday and chanted death to the dictator in apparent reference to Ayatollah Khamenei.

Security forces fired tear gas and made arrests and the protesters were eventually replaced by a larger crowd of pro-government students who chanted death to the seditionists as they took back control of the gates.

Thousands of people also turned out for annual pro-government rallies to mark the defeat of the last major protest movement in 2009.

Confrontations reported between security forces and students inside Tehran University #Iranpic.twitter.com/LTtXtDcQIp  Michael Horowitz (@michaelh992) December 30, 2017

Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli, the interior minister, warned people not to take part in illegal gatherings and said they will create problems for themselves and other citizens.

Mr Trump said in a tweet that the Iranian government should respect their peoples rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching!

It was not clear what impact his intervention would have. Mr Trumps decision to focus worldwide attention on the protests may discourage the Iranian government from using violence. But the protesters may also be sullied by association with Mr Trump, who is widely unpopular in Iran.

Iranians chant slogans as they march in support of the government near the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in the capital Tehran Credit: HAMED MALEKPOUR/AFP/Getty Images

"The Iranian people see no value in the opportunistic claims by American officials and Mr. Trump, a foreign ministry spokesman said.

The protests are a wildcard in the complicated political balance between Mr Rouhani, a relative moderate who was re-elected this year as president, and his more hardline political rivals.

Footage from Tehran University with security forces looking on: Hardliners, reformists, its game over! #Iran#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/wiwWQ4ZAJL  Holly Dagres (@hdagres) December 30, 2017

While the hardliners may have initially encouraged the demonstrations as a sign of popular discontent with Mr Rouhanis economic management of Iran, the protests have quickly expanded and taken aim at the core pillars of the Islamic Republic, including the supreme leader.

Mr Rouhani has not yet addressed the protests Credit: Vahid Salemi/AP

Mr Rouhani has made no public comment since demonstrations began on Thursday. Some analysts said he might try to turn the demonstrations to his advantage by promising a more aggressive campaign against corruption in response to the demands from people on the streets.

"The country is facing serious challenges with unemployment, high prices, corruption, lack of water, social gap, unbalanced distribution of budget," said Hesamoddin Ashena, his cultural advisor. "People have the right for their voice to be heard."

One of the popular chants has No Gaza No Lebanon, My Life for Iran, an expression of frustration money being spent on Irans foreign interventions around the Middle East instead of on domestic programmes.
While President Trump normally gets the internet buzzing with eyebrow-raising comments and quick-response tweets, first daughter, Ivanka Trump, has also had her fair share of controversies in 2017.

She garnered criticism earlier this year for staying silent over her father's "anti-women" actions and for failing to successfully advocate for policies that may bring change to issues such as closing the gender wage gap and women's health. One of those critics was former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

When asked if Ivanka Trump should be held responsible for her father's actions, the former secretary of state claimed that everyone "associated" with President Trump should be held accountable and if they weren't on-board with his views and policies, they should be "speaking out."

Trump appeared to respond to all of these allegations by suggesting that it is not her White House role to steer her father in a specific political direction and told the Financial Times that people have "created unrealistic expectations" of her and her job in Washington.

And although Ivanka Trump remained mostly silent on these issues, she did create some buzz surrounding Alabama Senate nominee, Roy Moore.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the first daughter said there was "a special place in hell for people who prey on children" after allegations surfaced that Moore sexually abused multiple teenage girls.

Her comments drew criticism from far-right media outlet Breitbart, with its editor-in-chief claiming she should stay quiet, given the accusations against her own father.

Check out more controversies the first daughter had in 2017 below:
Paris (AFP) - From the inauguration of US President Donald Trump to the exodus of Rohingyas from Myanmar, here are 12 events that marked 2017.

- A year of Trump -

On January 20 Republican billionaire Donald Trump, 70, is inaugurated as US president, vowing: "America first."

Suspicions of collusion between his election campaign and Russia dog the start of his term.

Trump progressively unpicks the achievements of his Democrat predecessor, Barack Obama. He pulls out of international agreements on climate, free trade, immigration and UNESCO.

On December 6, in another break with the previous administration, Trump creates shockwaves when he recognises Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a move largely rejected in a UN vote.

On December 20 he seals his first major reform, signing long-awaited tax cuts into law.

- Brexit under way -

On March 29 London launches the process to quit the European Union, as voted in a referendum nine months earlier.

In a snap general election on June 8 Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives suffer a major setback and lose their majority.

Brussels and London agree on divorce terms on December 8.

- France: political earthquake -

Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron, 39, wins a resounding victory over far-right rival Marine Le Pen in France's presidential election on May 7.

His new En Marche (One the Move) movement drives the two biggest parties -- the Socialists and Republicans -- from the Elysee Palace for the first time.

- Middle East: boiling point -

Saudi Arabia and its allies sever diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it supporting "terrorists" and of being too close to Iran.

Then on November 4 Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announces from the Saudi capital that he is resigning, citing Iran's "grip" on his country. He later backtracks.

Saudi Arabia also accuses rebels in Yemen of receiving support from Iran, which denies the accusation.

The UN describes Yemen's humanitarian situation as the worst in the world in 2017.

Story continues

- Venezuela: economic disaster -

On July 30 Venezuela's Constituent Assembly -- whose legitimacy is disputed by the opposition and abroad -- is elected after four months of deadly protests against socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

With wide-ranging powers, it dismisses in early August Attorney General Luisa Ortega, one of Maduro's top critics.

It then takes over the opposition-dominated Congress.

Crippled by plummeting oil prices, the country is considered to be in "selective default" by ratings agencies.

- North Korea: escalation -

The reclusive regime conducts its sixth and largest nuclear test on September 3.

On November 29 leader Kim Jong-Un says a "state nuclear force" has been completed with the test of a long-range missile able to deliver a nuclear warhead anywhere in the United States.

Washington threatens to "utterly destroy" the regime "if war comes".

On December 22 the UN Security Council imposes new sanctions against North Korea that restrict vital oil supplies.

- Myanmar's Rohingyas: 'genocide' -

On August 25 the military in Buddhist-majority Myanmar launches a crackdown on Rohingyas after militants from the stateless Muslim minority ambush security forces.

Nearly 655,000 Rohingyas find refuge in Bangladesh.

The United States denounces "ethnic cleansing" while the UN speaks of "elements of genocide".

- Catalonia: autonomy suspended -

Spain's wealthy northeastern Catalonia region holds a referendum for independence on October 1 that is deemed illegal by the central government.

Madrid moves to assert control but Catalan lawmakers vote on October 27 to declare independence.

Madrid dismisses Catalonia's government and suspends its autonomy, also calling regional elections. Deposed regional president Carles Puigdemont, charged with sedition and rebellion, takes refuge in Belgium.

On December 21 three pro-independence parties defeat the central government in the elections. However, the centrist, anti-independence Ciudadanos party gets the best individual result.

- The Weinstein scandal -

On October 5 the New York Times publishes a bombshell investigative report accusing Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, 65, of sexual harassment over decades.

Similar allegations have since been levelled at a long list of personalities in film, television, journalism and politics around the world.

- Zimbabwe: Mugabe falls -

Zimbabwe's veteran President Robert Mugabe, 93, resigns on November 21 following 37 years of rule and after being abandoned by the military and his own party.

- IS defeated, not wiped out -

Iraq on December 9 declares victory in its war to expel the Islamic State group but experts warn that jihadists remain a threat. They have also lost most of their territory in Syria.

Numerous deadly attacks around the world over the year, including in Afghanistan, Britain, Egypt and Somalia, are claimed by or blamed on the group or others linked to Al-Qaeda.

- Climate: record disasters -

The year in which Trump decides, on June 1, to leave the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord is marked by a series of natural disasters, including record-breaking hurricanes, earthquakes and devastating fires that affect several countries.

It is set to be one of the three warmest years ever recorded.
What weve learned from Canada so far: Carter Hart might be the best starter its had since Carey Price. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch)

After blasting Denmark 8-0 on Saturday, Team Canada grabbed 10 of a possible 12 points and wrapped up top spot in Group A with a near blemish-free 3-0-1 record through the preliminary round at the 2018 world juniors. A relatively smooth first four contests yielded wins against Finland, Slovakia and the Danes, while a shootout loss to the U.S. during the outdoor game  after giving up two, two-goal leads  was the clubs only scuff on its record so far.

The real tournament begins when the medal round does and, just as most predicted prior to the event, Canada finds itself alongside Team USA, Finland and Sweden as the standout contenders to take gold. A few questions have been answered for Canada, factors that will continue to be the keys to its chances of climbing back to the top of the WJC podium.

Here are three things weve learned about the Canadians, and their place in the 2018 WJC so far:

For the first time in a long time, goaltending isnt a concern

(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch)

It seems the largest cloud hanging over Canadas gold medal chances every tournament the past decade or so is its goaltending. Carey Price was the last true No. 1 theyve had entering the tournament and, since then, the position has proved at times to be the countrys Achilles heel. This time around, however, Carter Hart gives Canada the best starter in the tournament and one who came into the 2018 event as the hottest junior-aged goaltender on the planet.

The Philadelphia Flyers second-rounder has posted mind-bending numbers through his first 17 starts with the WHLs Everett Silvertips, boasting a minuscule 1.32 GAA and an obscene .961 save percentage. His economy of movement and calming influence in the crease is exactly what Canada was hoping hed bring when handing him the starters spot, and he cruises into the medal round with a 2-0-1 record, one shutout and a .940 save percentage.

The teams offence starts from the back end

The last-minute addition of Montreal Canadiens rookie Victor Mete was a huge boost after Canada already looked to have, top-to-bottom, the most offensively-talented blue line in the group, if not the tournament. Coming in with point-per-game guys like Conor Timmins and Jake Bean, along with Kale Clagues 47 points and an uber-talent (but slightly overlooked) Cale Makar, it was expected that a lot of Canadas goal-scoring would be initiated from the back end.

Story continues

Thats proven true so far, with Canadas D-corps posting 14 points in the four preliminary-round contests, and Makar emerging as the hot-hand with two tallies. Theyve shown an uncanny ability to get shots on net through traffic and their zone entries as a whole have been smooth and efficient. They dont have the household name like Sweden does with surefire 2018 No. 1 overall pick Rasmus Dahlin, but they have seven guys who are pretty special  especially with the puck on their stick.

With no clear favourite, the field is wide open

Though Canada dropped a tight one in a shootout during blistery conditions at the first-ever outdoor game at the world juniors, the club showed it can certainly compete with the pre-tournament Group A favourite Team USA. Aside from that test, Canada cruised to (expected) victories over Slovakia and Denmark after a tight one with Finland en route to locking up top spot. Slovakia pulled off the shocker of the opening round and one of the bigger upsets in recent memory with a thrilling 3-2 win over the Americans, proving that the Stars and Stripes do have vulnerabilities.

Sweden, as expected, have looked solid right from the get-go and sit atop Group B, outscoring opponents 16-4 through its first three contests. Alongside the U.S., Sweden boasts star power with Alex Nylander, Vancouver Canucks No. 5 overall pick Elias Pettersson and aforementioned Dahlin. The Czechs and Russians have looked solid so far, too, while a pesky Swiss club is always a candidate to provide an upset in a sudden death format like the medal round.

Canada will likely draw Switzerland in the quarters and will likely have to get through two of Team USA, Sweden and Finland to capture its second gold medal since 2009. Goaltending and offensive output from the blue line will determine if it can make that happen or not.

More hockey coverage on Yahoo Sports:
CAIRO (Reuters) - Gunmen killed at least nine people including three police in an attack on a Coptic Christian church south of Cairo on Friday, medical and security sources said. The two attackers opened fire at the entrance to the church of Mar Mina in Helwan district, which was being guarded by police in the run-up to Orthodox Christmas celebrations next week, security sources said. One attacker was shot dead by security forces, the sources and the state-run news agency MENA reported. State television said the second had been captured. Islamist militants have claimed several attacks on Egypt's large Christian minority in recent years, including two bomb attacks on Palm Sunday in April and a blast at Cairo's largest Coptic cathedral last December that killed 28 people. The Health Ministry said that nine people had been killed on Friday in addition to the gunman, and five wounded, including two women in serious condition. Local media said the dead attacker had been wearing an explosive belt, and that two other bombs had been defused near the church. Sirens were heard in central Cairo immediately after the incident. Police have stepped up security measures around churches ahead of the Coptic Christmas celebrations on Jan. 7, deploying officers outside Christian places of worship and setting up metal detectors at some of the bigger churches. (Reporting by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Amr Abdallah; Writing by John Davison; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
While millions of Americans sit in front of their TV to watch the ball drop in New York Citys Times Square tonight, Collin Pina and Heather Rosete will be sitting in their car somewhere in Rapid City, trying to stay warm.

Temperatures in the city this evening could plunge to minus 15, one of the coldest this year, according to the National Weather Service. The lowest temperature ever posted in Rapid City for the month of December was minus 30 on Dec. 30, 1990.

Pina, 46, and Rosete, 40, have stocked their car with hand and feet warmers, blankets, quilts and sleeping bags. The couple, currently unemployed, said this is the first Rapid City winter in which theyre living in a car after losing their home and then the place they shared with Pinas brother.

They once stayed with the Cornerstone Rescue Mission, Pina said, but didnt like being separated since the men had their own shelter apart from the women and childrens home.

The couple spends most days inside a one-story brick building on Kansas City Street. The Hope Center, a nonprofit organization established in 2014, provides homeless people with a safe place to stay during the day, as well as assistance that will enable them to get out of poverty.

In 2016, according to the Center, it saw an average of 140 guests come through its doors each day, almost 50 percent more than in 2014.

Safe space and support

On Thursday mid-afternoon, The Hope Center was filled with around 20 people. Some were reading, others chatting and a few playing pool in one corner of the main room. There is no television. Near the Christmas tree that faced Kansas City Street, Pina ate a snack while Rosete sat in a wheelchair that she apparently uses to alleviate a spinal injury.

They've been coming to the Center for years. They talked about its free products and services, including haircuts, laundry facilities, luggage storage, daily devotionals and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Pina attends alcohol and drug treatment three times a week.

Beside the pool table were a closet and clothing racks where people can pick up whatever clothes they need. Pina also mentioned several churches downtown that regularly serve hot meals.

A man in his mid-20s, who declined to give his name, said he likes that the Center's main room is surrounded by windows, which offers a streetside view of downtown Rapid City. The windows also allow lots of sunlight in.

The Center is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, except Fridays when it closes at 2:30 p.m. When the doors shut, the young man said he returns to the Cornerstone homeless shelter for the night.

Pina and Rosete, meanwhile, said they often go to the library, which on certain days stays open till 7 p.m. Sometimes, they hang out at Hardees, Main Street Square or walk around downtown. Someone recently gave them a Starbucks gift card, so they also can sit at the cafe before retiring to their car, which gets moved around various public parking spots throughout the day.

Subzero temperatures

On Christmas morning, a man whom Pina and Rosete frequently saw at The Hope Center was found dead on the ground in the 200 block of E. Saint Andrew Street.

The death of 69-year-old Alan Jack is still under investigation, but it's suggestive of hypothermia, said Sgt. Dan Wardle of the Pennington County Sheriffs Office and a deputy county coroner.

"He came here a lot," Pina said, adding that they last saw Jack at the Center a month ago.

The temperatures in the city on Christmas Day dipped to 4 below zero, according to the National Weather Service. On the same day last year, the lowest was only 10 degrees; the coldest Rapid City Christmas Day ever recorded by the Weather Service was 12 below zero in 1986, said meteorologist Melissa Smith. (The Weather Service records go back to 1888.)

This year, there have been two confirmed county deaths from hypothermia, Wardle said. In January, a 20-year-old man was found dead in a field east of Box Elder after driving his car into a ditch. The other death, also of a man, happened the following month.

Jack was homeless, and investigators still dont know what brought him to the area where his body was found, said Rapid City Police Department spokesman Brendyn Medina.

Cold-weather patrol

Homeless people in Rapid City can often be found in public parks, as well as under bridges and along the bike path at the Greenway. These are the areas police officers will check when the temperatures drop dangerously low, and officers are either dispatched or they voluntarily conduct cold patrols, Medina said.

The police department is asking members of the community to call 394-4131 if they see folks who might be at risk of overexposure to the cold.

If a homeless person can stay with a family member or friend, police can give him or her a ride to the home, Medina said. If they have nowhere to stay, they can be taken to the Cornerstone Rescue Mission. But if theyre intoxicated, theyll be brought to the local detox center since Cornerstone has a zero-tolerance policy toward drugs or alcohol use.

Cornerstones main shelter, on Main Street, has 90 beds for men, including 30 designated for veterans. Right now, its housing around 125 people because the nonprofit organization doesnt want to turn anyone away, said its Volunteer Coordinator Deb Berg.

Cornerstone appears to be the only homeless shelter in Rapid City, based on information from law enforcement and nonprofit agencies. In this freezing cold, every available space in the building becomes crucial to life. Sleeping cots are provided for women and children on the building's ground floor, whereas the men are placed in the basement, where the dining area is located.

On New Years Day, The Hope Center will be closed for the holiday. When asked where Pina and Rosete intend to take shelter that day, he said their plans were still up in the air.

I havent gotten that far yet, Pina said.
(HOUSTON)  A 45-year-old Houston man is accused of nearly decapitating his girlfriend with a samurai sword.

Police investigating a cutting in progress Wednesday evening found 36-year-old Aracely Jernigan dead in the living room of a Houston home.

Court records show Kenneth Wayne Lockings Jr.s relatives convinced him Thursday to surrender to police.

Hes being held without bond in the Harris County jail on the murder charge and a federal parole revocation. He has a lengthy criminal history including multiple drug arrests and at least one conviction.

Lockings grandmother, Marie Carrier told The Houston Chronicle that he received the sword as a gift at Thanksgiving.

She says Jernigan had been living in Mexico and only recently returned to Houston.

Court records dont list an attorney for Lockings. Hes due in court Wednesday.
By Keith Coffman

DENVER (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire on sheriff's deputies responding to a report of a loud disturbance at an apartment complex near Denver on Sunday morning, killing one officer before the suspect was shot and killed, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

Four other deputies and two civilians were shot and wounded by the unidentified suspect, who had had numerous run-ins with law enforcement, according to Sheriff Tony Spurlock. It was not immediately clear why the incident had escalated, Spurlock said.

"All of them were shot very, very quickly and they all went down almost within seconds of each other," Spurlock told reporters at a news conference, calling it an "ambush-type" attack.

President Donald Trump said on Twitter: "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families."

The deputies responded to a complaint at a suburban apartment complex in Douglas County, about 16 miles south of Denver, shortly after 5 a.m. MST (noon GMT), Spurlock said.

Immediately after the five officers entered the apartment, the suspect, who was in a bedroom, began firing, killing Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, and injuring the four others.

"When he was shot and went down, the other officers went down right around him and they tried to pull him out, but were unable to because of their injuries," Spurlock said. Parrish had been on the force for only seven months.

Police initially thought the call was about domestic violence but it turned out to be complaint of a loud disturbance in the apartment, the sheriff said.

The suspect, who Spurlock believed was in the apartment with at least one other person, fired more than 100 rounds before he was shot by police.

The other injured officers were identified as Mike Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32, and Tom O'Donnell 31. They were taken to local hospitals and were in stable condition.

Story continues

Pelle, who underwent emergency surgery, is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, according to an online statement from the family.

The identities of the two injured civilians were not immediately disclosed, but Spurlock said he believed they are residents from other apartments. Their injuries were not life- threatening, he said.

The apartment complex, in Highlands Ranch, an affluent suburban community near Littleton, is described on its website as "one of the friendliest apartments" in the area.

(Additional reporting by Gina Cherelus and Frank McGurty in New York and Roberta Rampton in Washington D.C.; Writing by Gina Cherelus and Frank McGurty; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
Five law enforcement officers were shot, one fatally, after responding to a domestic disturbance call at an apartment complex south of Denver on Sunday morning, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office said.

Two civilians were also shot but sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect, identified by authorities as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl, was killed by officers at the scene.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock identified the deceased deputy as 29-year-old Zackari Parrish, a seven-month veteran of the force who is survived by his wife and two children.

.@SheriffSpurlock names29-year-old Zackari Parrish, deputy and former CRPD officer killed in #CopperCanyonOIS. Our hearts our heavy today as we mourn the loss of one of our brothers. Thank you all for your support. https://t.co/kJKCYaZ7Uq pic.twitter.com/RmdB9CI5Tg  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

Zach was a good kid. Smiley kid. He was eager to work and eager to serve. His wife told me today he loved this job more than any job he ever had, Spurlock said at a press conference.

He was doing his job well, and his life was taken from us this morning.

Spurlock said the suspect was familiar to local law enforcement officials, although he had no criminal history. He used a rifle to carry out an ambush-type attack against officers at the Copper Canyon Apartments in Highlands Ranch, a suburb roughly 13 miles south of Denver.

Douglas County Coroner confirms shooting suspect in #CopperCanyonOIS as Matthew Riehl DOB 9/09/80 (pictured). Investigation still ongoing and being investigated by @DA18th Critical Response Team. pic.twitter.com/H6wT0klSQv  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) January 1, 2018

A SWAT team and bomb squad truck were also reportedly on the scene, where officers first arrived at 5:13 a.m. MST to respond to a verbal disturbance.

Story continues

The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him, Spurlock said.

Riehl shared the apartment with a male roommate who was uninjured and is cooperating with authorities. Officers were invited inside the apartment upon their arrival, but gunfire began shortly afterward and lasted nearly two hours.

Officers attempted to engage the suspect in a dialogue before fatally shooting him, Spurlock said. Well over 100 rounds were fired during the incident, mainly by the suspect.

The injured officers, all in stable condition, are Deputy Mike Doyle, 28, Deputy Taylor Davis, 30 and Deputy Jeffrey Pelle, from Douglas County. Tom ODonnell, 41, works for the nearby Castle Rock Police Department.

**Copper Canyon OIS Update**- Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance resulting in shots fired. 5 deputies shot by suspect. 1 deputy confirmed deceased. 2 civilians also shot by suspect. Suspect shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat. #CopperCanyonOIS  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

Four people were taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital  including Parrish, officials said  and three were taken to Sky Ridge Medical Center in non-critical condition, KUSA reported.

Vira Cover, 50, was still sleeping when her fiance called around 6:30 a.m. and told her to stay inside because of an active shooter in their apartment complex.

About five minutes later, I heard a bunch of gunshots, Cover told HuffPost. Im in shock. Highlands Ranch is one of the safest places in the Denver metro area.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

(Photo: Courtesy of Steven Silknitter)

Steven Silknitter, Covers fiance, had been working about 30 minutes away when he first heard about the shooting in Copper Canyon Apartments. He immediately headed home, frantically calling Cover to let her know what was happening. He was about a mile away from the complex when police stopped him from driving any farther.

I could hear 15 to 20 gunshots after I got off the phone with her, Silknitter told HuffPost. It was just unbelievable. ... Next thing I know, theres probably 20 or 30 different police cars, fire trucks, ambulances just all over the place.

This is the second mass shooting in five years to hit close to home for Silknitter. He lived in Aurora during the 2012 shooting in a movie theater there in which 12 people were killed and scores injured.

Im just kind of at a loss for words, Silknitter said. Its like, where do you go from here? Where do you move that you dont have to worry about getting shot?

Steven Silknitter lives in the Copper Canyon Apartments, where the shooting occurred. His fiancee heard a barrage of gunfire in the dark pic.twitter.com/RycEDpG6Yl  Larry Ryckman (@larryryckman) December 31, 2017

Authorities asked people to avoid the area as the incident unfolded, setting up an emergency center for anyone who had been displaced from their home.

Here was the scene about an hour ago. At least eight ambulances arrived. @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/CwKfN9XC9s  Meghan Lopez (@Meghan_Lopez) December 31, 2017

#Breaking: we just heard gunshots in the distance. Police are now closing Colorado at otero. We are moving to the media staging area. @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/7sZi7LjBiP  Meghan Lopez (@Meghan_Lopez) December 31, 2017

President Donald Trump offered his deepest condolences to the victims of the shooting.

My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

A GoFundMe page set up for Parrishs family raised over $30,000 out of a $100,000 goal in its first hour.

Additionally, the sheriffs office has a Fallen Officer Fund to provide assistance for its members who are killed or seriously injured in the line of duty

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
The success of the science relies on the genomic literacy of front-line staff - This content is subject to copyright.

The vast majority of NHS doctors are not up to speed with modern genetic techniques that can transform patients survival chances, a Government adviser has warned.

Professor Patrick Chinnery, a member of the Medical Research Council, said the pace of technical advance meant swathes of the workforce need extra training.

Genomics, and in particular whole genome sequencing (WGS), promise a revolution in personalised medicine that can flag an individuals risk of disease and identify treatments most likely to work.

Health chiefs are embracing the science, with a largescale pilot currently running that will lead to a full-scale Genomics Medicine Service within the NHS.

But Professor Chinnery, a mitochondrial specialist at Cambridge University, told The Telegraph that while current medical students are being adequately trained, doctors above the age of 30 need to get up to date.

He said demonstrating a working knowledge of genomics could soon be a condition of the re-licensing process all doctors go through every five years.

It means those unable to update their knowledge of what was previously a specialist discipline could face losing their licence to practise.

All doctors will need to be able to understand when to use genomic testing and how to interpret the results they get back from the lab in practice, Professor Chinnery said.

In the short-term its the specialists who will use it but we will increasingly see patients knowledgeable about genomics going to their GPs with questions.

GPs will need to understand what is possible.

The Genomics Medical Service will use approximately eight factories across the country to analyse the entire genetic blueprints of NHS patients and compare them to medical records.

The more people who donate their genomes, the more links scientists can identify between genes and gene variations, diseases and possible cures.

The success of the project will rely on the genomic literacy of front-line staff.

Story continues

The more genomes donated, the more links scientists can find to specific diseases and cures Credit: Reuters

However, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) suggested family doctors are under such pressure they may not have time for the extra training required.

Weve got a job to do to bring the whole profession along with us, said Professor Chinnery.

The principles of the science are already known, but its the breadth of its use which is the challenge.

It will be an interesting test to see whether the processes are there in the system to respond to such a dramatic change in healthcare.

Genomics is already playing a major role in guiding doctors towards the best treatments for various cancers, such as Herceptin for women with HER2 positive breast cancer.

In addition, around 80 per cent of rare diseases, affecting approximately three million people, are genomic in origin.

Earlier this year the Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, said all cancer patients in Britain should undergo DNA gene sequencing to prevent the misery of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment.

A persons entire genetic makeup can be studied from just a small sample of blood or saliva.

There are currently 25 small laboratories in Britain running DNA testing for a handful of conditions at around 600 per whole genome sequence, but reports predict costs could be slashed dramatically it they were brought under a centralised system.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the RCGP, said she welcomed the potential of genetic science, adding: But in order to interpret this data so that we can use it in a meaningful way, GPs and our teams will need to be provided with access to robust reporting, high quality training and the time and resources to learn about these new developments and the time to effectively communicate genomic data with their patients.

They must also be given support around the substantial ethical, social and legal implications that come with handling such sensitive patient data.

It must also be remembered that GPs and our teams are currently under intense resource and workforce pressures, and this needs to be taken into account before any more duties  including suggestions of mandatory training  are imposed on our profession without sufficient resources and capacity to safely deliver them.

The General Medical Council, which regulates doctors, is currently consulting on the skill requirements graduates need to engage in genomics.
North Korean missiles on trucks make their way during a massive military parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the communist nations ruling Workers Party in Pyongyang: AP

Donald Trump and other world leaders must guarantee the survival of Kim Jong-uns regime if they are to de-escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula, a leading academic has told The Independent.

Restraining Pyongyang from open conflict and beginning a peace process means accepting at the moment that North Korea has gained a nuclear deterrent, according to Lee Geun, of Seoul National University.

Mr Kim is a rational actor, Prof Lee says, meaning he and his top officials can be deterred from menacing their neighbours with weapons of mass destruction.

He says: North Korea has taught us that it can stand economic sanctions and develop nuclear weapons.

At the same time its pattern of nuclear development is exactly the same as other nuclear powers, meaning it has deterrence in mind and assumes rationality of the nations.

In 2018, he believes, Pyongyang will declare its nuclear status and claim a policy of no first use of atomic armaments. The regime may also agree on no proliferation, and shift focus to economic development, he says.

This year North Korea tested its sixth and most powerful nuclear device and a new, more capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-15.

It is thought the projectile is capable of striking parts of the US mainland but Mr Kims regime has not yet demonstrated it can successfully and accurately guide a warhead through atmospheric re-entry.

In response to repeated test firings Mr Trump has lashed out rhetorically, promising fire and fury like the world has never seen and suggesting the US will totally destroy North Koreas regime, including Little Rocket Man Mr Kim.

He and his senior officials have emphasised that all options are available to them.

Mr Kim declared in November that he had realised the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force  a moment Prof Lee calls the most important development regarding North Korea this year.

It showed Pyongyang had attained enough confidence in terms of deterring the US attack and planned to pursue economic development, he says.

Story continues

He adds: The next step to be taken by the North would be mass production of delivery systems and diversification of its nuclear capability without overt missile and nuclear tests  provocations  and hard bargaining for nuclear status and a peace treaty with the US.

Dr John Nilsson-Wright, a senior research fellow at Chatham House and lecturer at Cambridge University, tells The Independent he believes a no-test pledge would be required to bring the US to the table.

He says: If [Mr Kim] wants economic development hes got to get sanctions released. And hes got something he can trade. If Kim were to say no more testing and live up to that then we could take some reassurance.

I suspect the Americans will need to see that hes serious about taking the first step.

The Norths speedy progress on weapons development  faster than most experts expected  will continue to put Mr Trumps administration under pressure to get results, Dr Nilsson-Wright says.

He adds: When Donald Trump talks about all options being on the table hes not making a big change from previous administrations.

However, whats different is Trumps style and his use of inflammatory rhetoric, and his willingness to sound quite as if he is prepared to do things that would be considered deeply provocative.

It increases the potential that Kim Jong-un may interpret US behaviour as the first step towards a military conflict in which the US is willing to pre-emptively attack North Korea. Thats a problem.

This behaviour includes scheduled military drills and power-play movements of aircraft carriers, meaning their value in reassuring allies must be balanced with the potential for mistaken intentions, Dr Nilsson-Wright says.

North Korea has regularly accused the US, Japan and South Korea of preparing for war when drills take place. General Valery Gerasimov, Russias defence chief, warned in December that military exercises served only to heighten hysteria and make the situation unstable.

Prof Lee says: Taking deterrence in mind for the time being, and in the long run, the world leaders need to come up with what I would call a complete, verifiable, irreversible guarantee of North Korean regime survival which is, at the moment, no other than nuclear weapons for North Korea. In other words, they need to design a peace process that is equivalent to that.

If he felt his regimes survival was threatened a rational Kim Jong-un might use nuclear weapons to deter an attack, Dr Nilsson-Wright says.

Displays of respect could provide a route to genuine dialogue, he says, but Mr Trumps style and a lack of information about Mr Kims thought processes  a question mark in a situation full of question marks  make divining the future difficult.

Its like a game of diplomatic chicken, says Dr Nilsson-Wright. The only good news is that all of the strategic uncertainty that Trump and Kim contribute to this situation has forced the international community and other countries to take this issue really seriously, he adds, with civil servants globally working around the clock.

A UN envoy travelled to Pyongyang in December to meet top North Korean foreign officials. Jeffery Feltman, from the US, said there was an urgent need to prevent miscalculations, and open channels to reduce the risks of conflict.

And shortly after Christmas the US and Russia agreed to continue diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis, with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Sergei Lavrov, Moscows foreign minister, agreeing that neither would accept North Korea as a nuclear power.

Nonetheless, Dr Colin Alexander, a political communications lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, says he thought the US might implement a change of tack in 2018, opening the way to a detente.

He tells The Independent: We now have a situation where North Korea has become the next nuclear power.

Rather than talking about preventing nuclear capability youre instead saying, OK, they most likely got it and theyve spent many billions on it.

Theyre not going to get rid of it any time soon. That requires a change of thought and a change of approach. Thats the big thing weve seen this year.

We may see a change in tack in the rhetoric that comes out of the US, which may lead to a de-escalation. If the US is less belligerent towards North Korea, then North Korea may well be less belligerent back.

But he warned that while he detected no movement towards war, were seeing a movement towards the preparation of a landscape in which conflict could be seen as acceptable because the US wanted to have all options available.

The propaganda war machine that failed to head off anti-war protests before the invasion of Iraq has been in motion for easily the whole of this century so far in painting North Korea as a threat, Dr Alexander says.
The Ravalli County Council On Aging is hosting "Stepping On" programs in Hamilton and Stevensville to gain balance and prevent falls, and a Diabetes Education Empowerment Program to live easier with diabetes.

Kayla Paddock is the facilitator for the programs. She began working with Ravalli County Council On Aging in June as the lifeline provider and began doing Meals on Wheels because of her interest in nutrition. She previously attended culinary school and lived with someone with diabetes.

The Stepping On program is offered in two sets of seven weeks of classes. One will be held in at St. Francis in Hamilton (the class is full) and the second will be from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 10  Feb. 21, at The Living Centre assisted living facility in Stevensville. Registration currently is being taken for the Stevensville class.

We facilitate  meaning we get in front of the class, ask questions, and incorporate their needs and knowledge into the class, Paddock. Everyone learns from everyone elses opinions and hands-on training.

The Stepping On class will help participants identify why they fall and different ways to prevent falls, home safety check suggestions, fall prevention products, and a medication review.

The workshop is designed for people who have fallen, have a fear of falling and want more confidence and independence, and sharing personal falls experiences as a group.

Paddock said the Stepping On program was developed by Dr. Lindy Clemson of Sydney, Australia, and brought to the United States by Dr. Jane Mahoney, executive director of the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and other partners.

Paddock said the research has found that people who complete the workshop have a 31 percent reduced rate of falls.

The Stepping On class has an exercise portion where a physical therapist shows strengthening and balancing exercises, then works one-on-one with participants.

He or she will help students see where they are at, where they can be, where they should be and to make sure no one hurts themselves and actually benefit from the class, Paddock said. The physical therapist will come back in week six to see how everyone has improved.

The Stepping On program is helpful for any age to gain balance.

Im 30 years old and when I was taking the class to become a facilitator I realized I have no balance, Paddock said. So, it isnt just for older people in the area; it is for everybody. So, if someone wants to hang out in the class and participate because they are driving someone else they can do that.

The Stevensville Stepping On program costs $10 for materials.

The Diabetes Education Empowerment Program teaches people how to live healthier with diabetes.

Diabetes education is huge to me, Paddock said. I had someone close to me pass away this summer due to complications from diabetes. This class teaches people to live with diabetes and how to care for themselves a little bit better.

Participants will ask questions and give their input.

It is learning that everyone has to handle their diabetes in different ways, Paddock said. It teaches them to understand diabetes and how it affects body and health, to think about new questions to ask their doctors, how to choose foods wisely, and why taking their medication is important.

The two six-week programs are free and will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 10  Feb. 14, at The Living Centre at 63 Main St. in Stevensville, or 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Jan. 11  Feb. 15, at St. Francis Pastoral Life Center, 411 So. Fifth St. in Hamilton.

Paddock said she taught the Diabetes Education Empowerment Program in Darby in October and the feedback from her students was that the information was easy to incorporate into everyday use.

The diabetes programs are designed for people with Medicare, but anyone with diabetes or pre-diabetes is welcome. The classes are led by trained community members to support, not replace, professional diabetes self-management education.

Register for these classes by calling Paddock at 363-5690.
GaneshaSpeaks

Elon Reeves Musk , the Canadian-American business magnate, is the founder, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX; co-founder, CEO, and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; co-founder and chairman of SolarCity; co-chairman of OpenAI; co-founder of Zip2; and founder of X.com, which merged with Confinity and took the name PayPal. Engineer, investor, inventor, Elon Musk showed a precocious talent for business when at 12 he began earning money by selling the code for a video game called Blastar that he had created, to a computer magazine for $500. Now at just 46, Elon Musk has an estimated net worth of $20.6 billion and is the 80th wealthiest person in the world. Last year, Musk was ranked 21st on Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful People. Among the lofty ambitions of Elon Musk are setting up a human colony on Mars to reduce the risk of human extinction. Musk has said several times that he would like to die on Mars. Ganesha analyses his Horoscope and feels that the future does not look so rosy for Elon Musk as his past.



Planets Helped Elon Musk In Scaling The Towering Heights In Business

As per Elon Musk's Solar Horoscope and his zodiac sign Cancer, Mercury is posited in Gemini. Moreover, as Mercury is in the 1st House, it yields favourable results in the field of trade and commerce. In his Horoscope, Mars is positioned in its sign of exaltation, which helped him make his foray in the area of space travel as per his birth chart. The same factor helped him to found the first commercial company to send a rocket to Mars in 2012.



Position Of Venus Gave Elon Musk A Further Boost

Venus posited in its own sign helped Elon Musk start the electric car project Tesla Motors Musk led a Series A funding round in early 2004 to join the Tesla board of directors as chairman. He became chief executive after the 2008 financial crisis and still holds that position at the time of publication as per Elon Musks predictions.



Elon Musk: Past Perfect, Future Tense

Considering the future, Elon Musk still needs to achieve a lot. Besides, the projects on hand may get delayed, as the planets are less favourable as per his future predictions. Elon Musk will face challenges in future. How will your career fare? Buy the 2018 Career Report and know the answer.



Things Will Be Tough For Elon Musk From Oct-2017 To Feb-2018

Musk may face a lot of difficulties from October-2017 to February-2018. Some untoward incident may occur regarding his Mars spacecraft project. As a result, it may damage his reputation. Elon Musk may also incur a loss in a big deal or in a partnership, during the forthcoming years. Hence, Ganesha feels, that is likely to face many challenges in the future, which is also in accordance with his Zodiac sign Cancer. Musk may see a lot of volatility in his business. Are you concerned about your business? Avail the Free 2018 Business Report and know how will your business perform in the future.



Some Positive News Is On The Cards After February

From 2nd March to 26th March there is a likelihood that due to some positive developments, Elon Musk may benefit professionally, and the production of his products may pick up some momentum.



Mars Project Set For Setbacks Until November 2018

Between 3rd May 2018 and 6th November, 2018 Mars will be in conjunction with Ketu in the Sign of Capricorn. This will be a high-risk combination, and Elon Musk may face some losses in the Mars project due to some accident or mishaps. Thus, this will be a very tough phase for him.



Things Will Get Better For Musk Only After October 2018

Amongst all these problems, Elon Musk will be able to get some respite only post 12th October 2018, because transiting Jupiter will move over Natal Jupiter. This transit will prove to be very supportive for him, but the first three quarters of the year 2018 will be tough for him.



With Ganesha's Grace,

Dharmesh Joshi

The GaneshaSpeaks.com Team
Kinshasa (AFP) - Congolese security forces fired tear gas to break up a Catholic mass on Sunday and arrested Catholic altar boys who were protesting against President Joseph Kabila, AFP reporters saw.

Some officers fired shots in the air in the capital Kinshasa as church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations.

The protesters were demanding that Kabila promise he will not seek to further extend his time in power in Democratic Republic of Congo, a mostly Catholic former Belgian colony.

Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018.

Impatience boiled over on Sunday, with all the vast central African country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests.

- Soldiers storm church -

A churchgoer who asked not to be named told AFP that officers dispersed worshippers from a mass in the parish of St. Michael's in central Kinshasa on Sunday morning.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church," he said.

Another parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen" -- but added that the priest carried on saying mass.

Officers later detained 12 altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes outside one church as they led a protest march.

Earlier at the Notre-Dame of Congo Cathedral in Gombe, north Kinshasa, security forces also fired tear gas as opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi arrived, AFP journalists saw.

The parish priest asked worshippers to "return to their homes in peace because there is a heavy presence of soldiers and police ready to fire".

In Kinshasa, Catholics of the "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass on Sunday.

Story continues

They want Kabila, 46, to declare publicly that he will not run for another term as president.

- Elections delayed -

The vast, mineral-rich country has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001.

He refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown.

Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal.

The delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year.

Congolese authorities cut off internet access "for reasons of state security" before the planned march on Sunday.

The army and the police deployed in large numbers at churches across Kinshasa, the capital of around 10 million people.

Security forces also set up roadblocks in several parts of the city. The army and the police were stopping and searching vehicles.

- Government alleges 'insurrection' plan -

Government spokesman Lambert Mende alleged in televised comments that "weapons of war have been distributed" by opponents of the government.

"These destabilising acts of agitation aim to create an atmosphere of insurrection which would enable them to seize power in our country by undemocratic means," he said, citing a government report.

Kabila has yet to speak publicly about the latest round of protests.

International powers such as the United Nations have called on the Congolese authorities to allow peaceful protests.
The Trump administration has chipped away at womens access to contraception and other health services but an all-out assault may just be a question of time

Activists protest against the Trump administration and rally for womens rights during a march to honor International Womans Day on 8 March 2017 in Washington. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

The year 2017 was supposed to be when reproductive health battles simmering in the states boiled over into national policy.

Not only did Republicans retain control of Congress in last years election, Donald Trump stocked his administration with people opposed to not only abortion but everything from sex education to insurance coverage for contraception.

But while the administration did make moves that will limit access to abortion and reproductive care, Trumps first year in office was not the all-out assault public health advocates feared.

Its not as though the federal government has been inactive, but there were a lot of distractions, said Elizabeth Nash, who tracks reproductive rights policy and legislation for the Guttmacher Institute, a progressive thinktank. They havent gotten their anti-abortion agenda on track yet.

Perhaps the biggest coup for opponents of abortion rights is one that may not pay dividends for several years. Trump successfully nominated Neil Gorsuch to the US supreme court, where his vote could tip future cases in favor of contraception and abortion restrictions.

Gorsuch has all the makings of an extreme anti-abortion justice, David Cohen, a Drexel University law professor and a board member of the Abortion Care Network, told the Guardian upon Gorsuchs confirmation. In his years as a federal appellate judge, Gorsuch ruled in favor of employers with moral objections to providing employee healthcare plans which covered contraception.

Some of those very same employers notched another victory in October, when Trumps health department rolled back Obama-era rules requiring most insurance policies to cover a range of contraceptive methods. Under Obama, those rules helped millions of women gain access to contraception with no out-of-pocket costs. Now, companies with religious objections will no longer have to provide that coverage.

Story continues

But other efforts by the administration or Republicans in Congress faltered. A nationwide ban on abortion after 20 weeks passed the House but has yet to be introduced in the Senate, where even anti-abortion advocates doubt they have the votes.

Congress failed to repeal major portions of the Affordable Care Act, which has expanded maternity and contraceptive medicine to millions of women. And two of the Republican senators who helped doom the repeal efforts, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, were partly motivated by the fact that the repeal would have cut federal funding for Planned Parenthood. The nations largest reproductive healthcare provider receives more than $500m a year as reimbursement for treatments it provides to hundreds of thousands of women insured by Medicaid.

Trumps inauguration inspired the largest protest ever on US soil, whose themes included the protection of reproductive rights. Next steps after the Womens March have seen a backlash against states which aggressively limit abortion and reproductive rights.

Weve seen real progress happening on abortion and reproductive health access, Nash said. Granted, these are states where youd think, Oh, right, of course. But theres something new happening there. There are some legislators who are listening, responding to the overwhelming number of restrictions weve been seeing.

New York, Oregon, Delaware and Illinois all passed laws to expand insurance coverage for abortion or guarantee the right to abortion in the event it is ever rolled back at the federal level. And as the Trump administration took aim at the Obamacare provision of contraception, several states, including Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada, passed laws to make contraception easier for women to obtain.

Still, Nash is expecting an onslaught of victories for reproductive rights foes.

Many states have passed new laws to ban specific methods of abortion that will be fought in federal court in the coming year.

The Trump administration has already cut more than $213m invested in teenage pregnancy prevention under Obama and is incentivizing programs that focus on abstinence in its place. The health department is weighing a plan to allow individual states to kick Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid; its decision could deal the group a serious blow.

I fear thats coming, said Nash. They have too many people in place now for that not to be coming  Were just waiting for these other shoes to drop.
Moscow (AFP) - Russia's top court on Saturday rejected an appeal by opposition leader Alexei Navalny against a decision to bar him from running in the country's 2018 presidential election.

The Supreme Court agreed with Russia's Central Election Commission that Navalny cannot register as a candidate due to a controversial embezzlement conviction which the opposition chief says is politically motivated.

The court decided "to deny the granting of the appeal," judge Nikolai Romanenkov was quoted as saying by Russian agencies.

Opposed only by token candidates, Russian President Vladimir Putin is widely expected to win a fourth presidential term in the March election.

Navalny's campaign team said it will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision and will also file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights.

"We understood that this would be a political decision. But we will continue to go through all the stages of appealing," said Navalny's lawyer Ivan Zhdanov as quoted by Russian news agency Interfax.

On Monday, Russia's Central Election Commission unanimously rejected Navalny's bid to run against President Vladimir Putin next year, the controversial embezzlement conviction.

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 March's election illegitimate.

The ban prompted the 41-year-old protest leader to call for a boycott of the election.

In a tweet following the Supreme Court ruling, Navalny repeated his call for Russians to shun the vote: "We do not recognise elections without competition."

The opposition leader, who has built a sizeable campaign through his blog and YouTube on an anti-corruption platform, has called several mass rallies across Russia this year that saw a high number of young people participate.

Story continues

He has called on his supporters to take to the streets again on January 28 following the ban.

Putin has been in power since 1999 and a victory in March would extend his rule until 2024, making him the longest serving Russian leader since dictator Josef Stalin.

The president and other top Russian officials do not refer to Navalny by name.
The actress looked beautiful in a purple bikini. (Photo Steve Granitz / WireImage)

Salma Hayek is saying hello to the new year in a gorgeous purple swimsuit. The 51-year-old actress looked agelessly beautiful in a recent photo she shared to her 5.4 million Instagram followers.

I adore the ocean, she captioned the snap in both Spanish and English. She posed against the ocean background in a boat. The photo quickly racked up over 340,00 likes and over 2,500 comments.

A post shared by Salma Hayek Pinault (@salmahayek) on Dec 29, 2017 at 3:47pm PST

Looking great in purple surrounded by the beautiful ocean and its life! wrote a commenter. Salma you are so hot! I have serious envy you look so much better than some women half your age. Happy new year, added another commenter.

The Mexican-born actress kept the look natural, sans makeup. She accessorized her stunning purple ensemble with a tan fedora, a long silver necklace, and sunglasses.

In an interview with the Edit, the 51-year-old opened up about aging and loving her show-stopping curves. Im not going to lie to you, I would like the curve to go in instead of out in some places, but I love a little curve, she said. I love the word curvy. Its artistic. A straight line can be boring.

The Oscar nominee is mother to 10-year-old Valentina Paloma Pinault. She has been married to French billionaire businessman Francois-Henri Pinault since 2009.

Hayeks Instagram update comes two weeks after she penned a New York Times opinion piece titled Harvey Weinstein Is My Monster Too publicly accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment.

A post shared by Salma Hayek Pinault (@salmahayek) on Dec 13, 2017 at 10:06am PST

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




Seoul (AFP) - South Korea has seized a Panama-flagged ship suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in breach of UN sanctions, a report said Sunday.

The 5,100-tonne KOTI was detained two weeks ago at the South's port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin and its crew are being investigated over the alleged ship-to-ship transfers, Yonhap news agency cited local maritime officials as saying.

It was the second such seizure to be reported in days. The South Korean government announced Friday that it briefly seized and inspected a Hong Kong-registered ship in November for transferring oil products to a North Korean vessel.

The Panamanian tanker was banned from leaving port following a government meeting on December 21, the report said. Its crew -- mostly from Myanmar and China -- were being questioned by the customs office and the intelligence agency.

"The vessel is under inspection for alleged ties with North Korea," a government official said, according to Yonhap.

Authorities were not immediately available for confirmation of the report.

The Hong Kong-registered Lighthouse Winmore, which was chartered by a Taiwanese company, was seized at the South's port of Yeosu in November for allegedly transferring refined petroleum products to the North's Sam Jong 2.

The UN Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on the North this year to try to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

One on August 5 targeted the iron, coal and fishing industries, another set on September 11 was aimed at textiles and restricting oil supplies, and the most recent on December 22 focused on refined petroleum products.

The Lighthouse Winmore visited Yeosu on October 11 and loaded some 14,000 tonnes of Japanese refined oil before heading towards its purported destination in Taiwan.

Instead of going to Taiwan, however, it transferred 600 tonnes of oil to the North's Sam Jong 2 in international waters off China, South Korean customs service officials have said.

Four ships -- three North Korean vessels and a Palau-flagged oil tanker -- were blocked from international ports by the UN Security Council on Thursday on suspicion of carrying or transporting goods banned by the sanctions.

China has rejected accusations that it helped Pyongyang circumvent sanctions after US President Donald Trump claimed on Twitter that Beijing was turning a blind eye to oil transfers to North Korea.
Serena Williams is back!

The 23-time grand slam champion took part in an exhibition match on Saturday, her first match back since giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia less than four months ago in September.

Williams played against Jelena Ostapenko in Abu Dhabi, where she lost 6-2, 3-6, [10-5] to the world No. 7. It was her first match since winning the Australian Open while pregnant in January, and husband Alexis Ohanian was oh-hand to support his wife for her big return.

Ostapenko was a surprise winner of the 2017 French Open this year.

"Im excited, its good to be back on the court," Williams said during her on-court interview following the match, Sports360 reports. "This was such a good time for me."

See photos from Serena Williams' return:



"Its my first time playing in Abu Dhabi so thank you guys for the support," she continued. "First matches back are always super incredibly hard, especially after having a baby but it was great, Im glad I could do it here."

Williams' daughter wasn't in attendance on Saturday, and she admitted during her post-match interview that she was still on her mind while she was playing.

"Motherhood is phenomenal," she said. "I was a little worried out there and I looked at my camp and I was like 'Is Olympia okay?' But its really good."

It's happening folks! @serenawilliams is on a match court! Ostapenko and Serena warming up #MWTC10pic.twitter.com/0C80EuHUpA  Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) December 30, 2017

Though the exhibition on Saturday represented Williams' long-awaited return to the court, it wasn't an official competitive tour match. Serena is entered to compete in next month's 2018 Australian Open, though she's also slated for a speaking engagement in Florida during the tournament, stirring speculation that she may not play in Melbourne.

Williams has been teasing her return to the WTA Tour on social media since giving birth to her daughter, sharing a handful of photos from her on-court training sessions.



See more photos of Serena Williams through the years:


The case of Buckley v. Valeo was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court over 40 years ago. It allowed individuals to spend an unlimited amount of their own money on pursuing a public political office.

Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot took advantage of this decision when he run for president in the 1990s. This decision also allows people who have made their millions in one state to carpet bag into another state in attempt to buy political offices in another probably less populace state.

We have two of these carpetbaggers in the Republican primary trying to buy the U.S. Senate seat that is up for election in 2018. They are Troy Downing and Matt Rosendale.

Actually, Rosendale has had some success at his carpet bagging. After he moved into Montana with his out-of-state millions he was able to buy some seats in the Montana legislature shortly after he arrived here. He spent a million dollars of his own money trying to buy Montana's lone house seat a few years ago, but was unsuccessful. I have met him in person and listen to what he has to say a number of times. To me he sounds like the typical East Coast sophisticate who fancies himself an expert in about every thing he is talking about.

I urge all Montanan's to vote in the Republican primary and try to stop what is going on. We have several homegrown candidates who I believe are much more qualified to serve as our next junior senator from Montana.

 Dr. W. David Herbert, Billings
A Colorado sheriffs deputy was killed and four others were injured Sunday following a shooting incident that authorities called an ambush.

Two civilians were also injured in the fray, which saw a gunman spray more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies, the Associated Press reports.

The slain deputy has been identified as Zackari Parrish.

PIO Deputy Jason Blanchard confirmed for TIME that multiple officers were down following the incident, which occurred in Highlands Ranch, Colo., south of Denver. Blanchard declined to offer additional details, but the sheriffs office later posted on Twitter that five deputies and two civilians were shot during a domestic disturbance call to the Copper Canyon Apartments, with one deputy confirmed to be deceased.

**Copper Canyon OIS Update**- Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance resulting in shots fired. 5 deputies shot by suspect. 1 deputy confirmed deceased. 2 civilians also shot by suspect. Suspect shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat. #CopperCanyonOIS  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

According to Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, the deputies came under fire very, very quickly after entering a suburban Denver apartment that police had left just an hour earlier after responding to a noise complaint.

When the deputies returned, they were given a key to enter the apartment by one of two men involved in a loud verbal altercation.

They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers, Spurlock said. He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there.

The deputies came under fire around 6:00 a.m., according to the AP, forcing them to retreat and wait for a SWAT team, which entered the apartment and engaged in a shootout that left the gunman dead and another police officer injured.

Story continues

The suspect, identified by the Douglas County coroner as Matthew Riehl, was killed by what is believed to have been a self-inflicted gunshot, according to AP.

Riehl did not have a criminal record but was known to local authorities. In December he reportedly posted a video to YouTube titled Fire Sheriff Spurlock in which he expressed his intention to run as a libertarian to challenge the county sheriff.

Parrish, 29, was married with two young children, AP reports. Spurlock described the slain deputy as a good kid.

His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had, the sheriff said.

Police identified the injured officers as deputies Michael Doyle, 28, Taylor Davis, 30, Jeffrey Pelle, 32, and Castle Rock police officer Tom ODonnell, 41. All are in stable condition, as are the two civilians who were injured.

President Donald Trump tweeted his condolences on Sunday, writing that, We love our police and law enforcement  God Bless them all!

My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

This is a breaking story and will be updated as details become available.
Ben Wallace said in an interview that tech giants could face tax hikes if they failed to cooperate with ministers requests - PA

Internet companies could simply move their money abroad if the Government introduces a potential terror tax to crackdown on the spread of extremist material online, critics fear.

Keith Simpson, a senior Tory MP and member of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, said taxing companies if they fail to cooperate with efforts to fight terrorism was an attention grabber headline but would be difficult to enforce.

Ben Wallace, the Security Minister, said "patience is running out fast" with web companies.

He accused them of putting profit before public safety and that if they continue to be less than co-operative, we should look at things like tax as a way of incentivising them or compensating for their inaction.

He also suggested web companies were ruthless profiteers - a remark which prompted an angry response from Facebook with the internet giant saying he was wrong to say that we put profit before safety.

Any levy could be similar to the windfall tax imposed on excess profits of privatised utilities by the Blair government in 1997, or the charge Margaret Thatcher's government placed on banks in 1981.

The amount of tax paid in the UK by internet companies relative to their overall profits has provoked widespread fury in recent months and has prompted questions about how effective any new charge would be.

The likes of Facebook and Twitter have been warned they could face tax hikes Credit: LOIC VENANCE/AFP

Mr Simpson told The Telegraph: Part of me says well, good luck if you think that this can persuade them and raise money.

I suspect that it will be incredibly difficult.

He said companies could react to any attempt to impose a new levy by moving their money away from the UK.

It is convenient to use the UK for many reasons but they might decide to go to another European country or somewhere else, he said.

It is incredibly difficult to do this but that is not to say that we shouldnt try to do this.

I did think this was a bit of an attention grabber headline.

Mr Simpson said he believed the broad mass of the public would agree with such a windfall tax being introduced but merely making promises is not enough.

Story continues

Mr Wallace said in an interview with the Sunday Times that obstruction and inaction by social media companies is costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds as law enforcement agencies pick up the cost of tackling radicalisation.

Simon Milner, of Facebook, said: Mr Wallace is wrong to say that we put profit before safety, especially in the fight against terrorism. Weve invested millions of pounds in people and technology to identify and remove terrorist content.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for YouTube said the video website is doing more every day to tackle these issues while Twitter said 95 per cent of terrorist content was removed proactively from the site.
MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's prime minister said on Friday that the new Catalan parliament should hold its maiden session on Jan. 17, the first step in reinstating local government after Madrid fired the old regional administration for illegally declaring independence. Once the parliament is formed, potential leaders of the regional government will put themselves forward for a vote of confidence, although it could take months for a new government to emerge. "I hope that as soon as possible we will be able to have a Catalan government that is open to dialogue and able to relate to all Catalans, not just half of them," Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in an end-of-year address to the nation. His comments follow a Dec. 21 regional election that he hoped would quash the Catalan independence movement and so help resolve Spain's worst political crisis in decades. Parties favoring a split with Spain instead gained a slim majority, but they may struggle to form a government, as one leader, Oriol Junqueras, is in custody in Madrid and the other, Carles Puigdemont, in self-imposed exile in Brussels. Both were fired by Rajoy after they declared independence following a banned Oct. 1 referendum on secession from Spain. "The only shadow looming over our economy is the instability generated by the political situation in Catalonia," said Rajoy, whose own center-right party performed miserably in the poll, in his speech from the prime minister's palace in Madrid. The political instability in Catalonia, which accounts for a fifth of Spain's economy, has deterred tourists and prompted more than 3,000 companies, including the region's two biggest banks, to move their legal headquarters elsewhere in Spain. Ciudadanos, which wants Catalonia to remain part of Spain and is led by Ines Arrimadas, gained the largest share of the popular vote but unionist parties did not win enough seats to govern by majority. The result instead raises the question of a return to power for Puigdemont, who campaigned from Brussels. (Reporting By Sonya Dowsett; Editing by Paul Day and Catherine Evans)
Like it or not, the Hillary Clinton email saga isn't over yet. The US State Department has released about 2,800 emails and other documents from former Clinton aide Huma Abedin that were found on the laptop of her soon-to-be-former husband Anthony Weiner. The disclosure is a response to a 2015 Freedom of Information Act request from Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group that has been hoping to use the presence of classified emails from personal accounts as evidence of lawbreaking by Abedin and Clinton. Most of the messages (covering January 2009 to February 2013) are unclassified, though a handful have been redacted at least in part.

Five of Abedin's messages were deemed classified and discussed Middle Eastern affairs, including a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a deal with talks between Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization and chats with the UAE's foreign minister. The least redacted message discussed a call to Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud al-Faisal in 2010 about WikiLeaks' then-looming release of documents from Bradley (now Chelsea) Manning.

Whether or not anything results from publishing the emails is another matter. While Judicial Watch has demanded a formal investigation, the FBI has stated more than once that it doesn't intend to press charges over the Clinton email probe despite calling her handling of messages "extremely careless." The newly published messages increase the transparency surrounding what happened, but they don't fundamentally change the narrative -- it might take a change of heart or a political vote (Republicans have continued to call for a special investigation) to prompt formal legal action.
The graves were found outside the city of Raqqa - REUTERS

Two mass graves containing dozens of bodies of civilians and Syrian troops killed by Islamic State jihadists have been found in the west of Raqa province, state news agency SANA reported Friday.

The bodies were discovered based on information provided by residents near Wawi in the west of the province, which borders Turkey. It said they had been executed.

Recovery operations were expected to last several days "due to the huge area of the two mass graves", SANA quoted a source from the Syrian civil defence as saying.

It was not immediately clear when they had been killed, other than while Islamic State controlled the northerly province, SANA said.

The Islamic State group, which proclaimed a "caliphate" over swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, has now lost almost all the land it once controlled.

It has been held responsible for multiple atrocities during its reign of terror, including mass executions and decapitations.

In December 2014, the bodies of 230 people executed by Islamic State were found in a mass grave in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.

Another 200 civilians, including women and children, were killed by the group in June 2015 in the city of Kobane.
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese security forces shot dead two men on Sunday during protests against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from office, Human Rights Watch said. Catholic activists had called for protests after Sunday mass, one year after Kabila committed to holding an election to choose his successor by the end of 2017 - an election that has now been delayed until December 2018. The delay has fuelled suspicions Kabila will try to remove constitutional term limits that forbid him from running again. That in turn has raised fears the country will slide back into the kind of civil war that killed millions at the turn of the century. The two men were killed outside St. Alphonse church in the Matete district of Kinshasa, the capital, according to Ida Sawyer, HRW's Central Africa director. Police spokesman Pierrot Mwanamputu denied security forces had used live fire during the protests. "We are operating in the daytime. Everyone is watching us. It's not the night," he said. But a Reuters witness saw two people at a local hospital who had been slightly injured by gunshots in the arm and the leg as they left the St. Joseph church in the Matonge district. About 50 people were arrested in Kinshasa and at least seven seriously wounded by gunfire, Georges Kapiamba, a human rights activist, said. Another 25 were arrested and three more seriously injured in the southeastern town of Kamina, he said. Mwanamputu confirmed the police had arrested protesters who had barricaded roads and set tires alight but did not know how many. At the Paroisse Saint Michel in Kinshasa's Bandalungwa district, security forces fired teargas into the church, creating panic, opposition leader Vital Kamerhe, who was present at the mass, told Reuters. SECURITY FEARS The police have banned demonstrations and said that all gatherings of more than five people would be dispersed to ensure public order. Across Kinshasa, police and soldiers searched vehicles and checked passengers' identifications. Authorities also on Saturday ordered all internet and SMS services cut until further notice. At the Notre Dame du Congo cathedral in Kinshasa's Lingwala district, where opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was attending mass, dozens of police and soldiers blocked the path of more than 100 opposition supporters as they prepared to try to march. Tshisekedi, however, who had backed the activists' call to march, left the church in a vehicle, spurring angry shouts from the crowd, which said he was abandoning them. At another church in the working-class district of Barumbu, a few dozen police officers used teargas and stun grenades against some 300 churchgoers, who waved bibles and sang religious songs as they tried to march, a Reuters witness said. Some 40 percent of Congo's population is Roman Catholic and the Church enjoys rare credibility with the public, even though its leadership has not formally backed the protests. (Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Gareth Jones)
WASHINGTON  With a hint of a blue wave on the horizon, Republicans are facing added pressure to get their house in order and field the best candidates possible ahead of next years congressional midterm elections.

If last months raucous Senate election in Alabama is any indication, it wont be easy.

Even though Democrats are defending a historically high number of Senate seats, including many seats in traditionally red states, Republicans have had substantial difficulty persuading quality candidates to run against Democratic incumbents next year. And given large Democratic statewide gains in local elections in Virginia and New Jersey last month, the chances of Democrats retaking the House have shot up  a scenario many thought unthinkable just a year ago.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). (Photo: Aaron Bernstein / Reuters)

Further compounding the challenge in maintaining GOP control of Congress is overwhelmingly negative public sentiment about a first-term president, as well as an insurgent effort to purify the Republican Party that is being led by Steve Bannon. While the former White House aide and current executive chairman of Breitbart News suffered a stinging defeat by backing Roy Moore, the loser in Alabamas Senate race, hes still looking to boost other anti-establishment GOP primary challengers across the country.

The environment today is not great, the generic ballots not good, and Id love to see the presidents approval rating higher, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) acknowledged in an interview on Thursday. So I think we should anticipate a real knock down, drag out  even on the Senate side.

It isnt all bad news for Republicans, however. The successful passage of their tax cut legislation and the repeal of the Affordable Care Acts individual mandate in the process finally gave them something to tout as they head into 2018  a victory they badly needed after a long and grueling year marked by few major legislative accomplishments. The achievements ought to make life a bit easier for GOP incumbents facing the threat of a primary next year.

Story continues

Whether voters reward GOP lawmakers for their work in the general election, however, is another story. The tax cut bill is deeply unpopular, with just 33 percent of the American public in favor of it, according to a recent CNN poll. Voters also increasingly want Democrats to control Congress after 2018. A NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released this month showed that 50 percent of voters favor the Democrats in power, while just 39 percent favor Republicans on top.

Democrats have framed the result in Alabama as part of a referendum on the GOP tax bill, especially in the suburbs, where voters are most likely to be affected by the bills shrinking of the state and local tax deduction. In addition to going after GOP lawmakers for supporting the tax bill, Democrats also say they will use the controversy over Moore, who was credibly accused of preying on teenagers, to attack incumbents in 2018 Senate races.

There were lots of Republican Senate candidates who either supported Roy Moore or refused to take a position, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who chairs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in an interview last week. We will remind voters of that just like we will remind them six months from now that the GOP promised big increases in their paychecks when in fact corporations will use the money for stock buybacks and reward their shareholders.

Republicans face more immediate problems in the race for the Senate. For example, theyve yet to settle on a suitable candidate to run for the seat of retiring Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona). McConnell hinted this month that person may be the establishment-minded Rep. Martha McSally (R-Arizona), but shes yet to officially enter the race. Meanwhile, Bannon has already endorsed far-right candidate Kelli Ward, setting up another likely intra-party showdown there.

Some conservatives arent satisfied with either choice right now:

I am really distraught about the #AZSen situation. Conservatives there should not have to settle for a choice of Kelli Ward versus Martha McSally.  Josh Hammer (@josh_hammer) December 17, 2017

The GOP has also had problems fielding top-tier candidates in other states. As a Democrat from a state President Donald Trump carried overwhelmingly in last years election, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) is seen as one of the most vulnerable senators up for re-election next year. But her most logical challenger, Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) has left top Republicans looking elsewhere because of his penchant for controversial remarks. Wealthy former state Sen. Tom Campbell has jumped into the race, but Cramer has not yet announced whether he will do so.

The top Democratic target in Nevada, Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), must first fend off a primary challenge from Danny Tarkanian, who is mounting his sixth try at elected office. The Bannon-backed conservative candidate says Heller is not sufficiently supportive of Trumps agenda. When Heller opposed several early versions of a bill repealing Obamacare earlier this summer, Trump issued a memorable threat to him at a meeting at the White House. Look, he wants to remain a senator, doesnt he? he asked, with Heller seated nearby.

Another GOP brawl of Alabama proportions could also be brewing in Mississippi, where Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) is facing re-election next year. State Sen. Chris McDaniel, who narrowly lost to the states senior Sen. Thad Cochran in a wild and bitter election in 2014, is expected to announce next month whether he will challenge Wicker. McDaniel has been encouraged to run by Bannon, and is likely to take a similarly anti-establishment position if he decides to enter the race. According to The Washington Post, however, Trump in October assured Wicker of his support for his re-election bid.

Its also possible that Mississippi could see two Senate elections next year. Cochran, 80, has been absent from Washington for months and has been unable to cast votes due to issues with his health  a condition that has fueled speculation that he will step down in January.

Indianas crowded GOP Senate primary to take on vulnerable Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly, meanwhile, has already been a slugfest. The primary isnt until May, but Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita have whacked each other early and often over just about everything  residency, Wikipedia, planes and even top hats.

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Judge Roy Moore and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon shake hands during a campaign event in Fairhope, Alabama on Dec. 5, 2017 (Photo: Jonathan Bachman / Reuters)

Despite his designs for the shape of the party in the Trump era, Bannon ended 2017 in worse shape than when it began. In addition to his setback in Alabama, Bannon cut ties this week with Paul Nehlen  the far-right activist who is challenging House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)  after HuffPost revealed he appeared on fascist podcasts and posted incendiary tweets that were widely considered anti-Semitic. Nehlen, who stumped for Moore in Alabama, received favorable coverage on the Breitbart News website when he ran against Ryan last year.

Still, Bannon remains active in other House races. Former Rep. Michael Grimm has his support in a campaign to oust Rep. Dan Donovan (R-N.Y.) next year  a long-shot bid from a disgraced former convict who once threatened to throw a reporter off a balcony. Bannon is also fundraising on behalf of another New York Republican  Rep. Lee Zeldin, a vulnerable Democratic target who opposed the GOP tax cut legislation.

Even as top Republicans are sounding the alarm about their prospects for the 2018 elections, theres one person who doesnt sound exactly worried. The president this month tweeted that the GOP would do very well in 2018, even though his tally for the year was incorrect. (Republicans won five races, while Democrats won two.)

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Remember, Republicans are 5-0 in Congressional Races this year. The media refuses to mention this. I said Gillespie and Moore would lose (for very different reasons), and they did. I also predicted I would win. Republicans will do well in 2018, very well! @foxandfriends  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017

Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election when their policies will totally kill the great wealth created during the months since the Election. People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA, Judges, Strong Border, 2nd A, Tax Cuts & more?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the political affiliation of Nevada Sen. Dean Heller. He is a Republican.

Also on HuffPost

Taking Security Seriously

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) talks with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) before the start of a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing concerning the roles and responsibilities for defending the nation against cyberattacks, on Oct. 19, 2017.

With Liberty And Justice...

Members of Code Pink for Peace protest before the start of a hearing where U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Oct. 18, 2017. Committee members questioned Sessions about conversations he had with President Donald Trump about the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, the ongoing investigation about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and other subjects.

Whispers

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), right, speaks with Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) before a confirmation hearing for Christopher Sharpley, nominee for inspector general of the CIA, on Oct. 17, 2017.

Not Throwing Away His Shot

Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the musical "Hamilton," makes his way to a meeting of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies in the Rayburn Office Building during a round of meetings to urge federal funding for the arts and humanities on Sept. 13, 2017.

Medicare For All

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), center, speaks on health care as Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), left, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), right, listen during an event to introduce the Medicare for All Act on Sept. 13, 2017.

Bernie Bros

Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pack his office on Sept. 8, 2017. Members of the "Draft Bernie for a People's Party" campaign delivered a petition with more than 50,000 signatures to urge the senator to start and lead a new political party.

McCain Appearance

Sen. John McCain, second from left, leaves the Capitol after his first appearance since being diagnosed with cancer. He arrived to cast a vote to help Republican senators narrowly pass the motion to proceed for the replacement of the Affordable Care Act on July 25, 2017.

A Narrow Win

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, center, speaks alongside Sens. John Barrasso, left, John Cornyn, right, and John Thune, rear, after the Senate narrowly passed the motion to proceed for the replacement of the Affordable Care Act on July 25, 2017.

Kushner Questioning

Jared Kushner, White House senior adviser and son-in-law to President Donald Trump, arrives at the Capitol on July 25, 2017. Kushner was interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee in a closed-door meeting about contacts he had with Russia.

Hot Dogs On The Hill

Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) prepares a hot dog during the American Meat Institute's annual Hot Dog Lunch in the Rayburn Office Building courtyard on July 19, 2017.

And Their Veggie Counterparts

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) visits the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals veggie dog giveaway on July 19, 2017, countering a National Hot Dog Day event being held elsewhere on Capitol Hill.

Poised For Questions

Callista Gingrich, wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, waits for a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on her nomination to be the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican on July 18, 2017.

Speaking Up

Health care activists protest to stop the Republican health care bill at Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on July 17, 2017.

In The Fray

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks to members of the media after announcing the revised version of the Senate Republican health care bill on Capitol Hill on July 13, 2017.

Anticipation

Christopher Wray is seated with his daughter Caroline, left, as he prepares to testify at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be the next FBI director on July 12, 2017.

Up In Arms

Health care activists protest to stop the Republican health care bill at Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on July 10, 2017.

Across A Table

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Capitol Hill on June 29, 2017.

Somber Day

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks about the recent attack on the Republican congressional baseball team during her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill on June 15, 2017.

Family Matters

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), right, and his sons, Jack, 10, and Brad, arrive in the basement of the Capitol after a shooting at the Republican baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, on June 14, 2017.

A Bipartisan Pause

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), right, coach of the Republican congressional baseball team, tells the story of the shooting that occurred during a baseball practice while he stands alongside Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), left, a coach of the Democratic congressional baseball team on June 14, 2017.

Hats On

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) reacts about the shooting he was present for at a Republican congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, as he speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 14, 2017.

Public Testimony

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is sworn in to testify before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on June 13, 2017.

Comey's Big Day

Former FBI Director James Comey testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill on June 8, 2017.

Conveying His Point

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats testifies at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on his interactions with the Trump White House and on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on June 7, 2017.

Selfie Time

Vice President Mike Pence takes a selfie with a tourist wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda on June 6, 2017. The vice president walked through the rotunda after attending the Senate Republican policy luncheon.

Budget Queries

Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney testifies before the House Budget Committee about President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 budget proposal on Capitol Hill on May 24, 2017.

Flagged Down By Reporters

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, leaves a closed committee meeting on Capitol Hill on May 24, 2017. The committee is investigating possible Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.

Shock And Awe

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) hold a news conference on the release of the president's fiscal 2018 budget proposal on Capitol Hill on May 23, 2017.

Seeing Double

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) arrives in the Capitol for the Senate Democrats' policy lunch on May 16, 2017.

Honoring Officers

President Donald Trump speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on the West Lawn of the Capitol on May 15, 2017.

Whispers

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.), right, and ranking member Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) talk during a hearing with the heads of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 11, 2017.

Skeptical

Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates arrives to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election on Capitol Hill on May 8, 2017.

Differing Opinions

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) gives a thumbs-up to protesters on the East Front of the Capitol after the House passed the Republicans' bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act on May 4, 2017. The protesters support the ACA.

Real Talk

United States Naval Academy Midshipman 2nd Class Shiela Craine (left), a sexual assault survivor, testifies before the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Military Personnel with (2nd from left to right) Ariana Bullard, Stephanie Gross and Annie Kendzior in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 2, 2017. Kendzior, a former midshipman, and Gross, a former cadet, were both raped twice during their time at the military academies. The academy superintendents were called to testify following the release of a survey last month by the Pentagon that said 12.2 percent of academy women and 1.7 percent of academy men reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact during the 2015-16 academic year.

In Support Of Immigrants

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), center, is joined by dozens of Democratic members of the House of Representatives to mark "Immigrant Rights Day" in the Capitol Visitor Center on May 1, 2017 in Washington, D.C. The Democratic legislators called on Republicans and President Donald Trump to join their push for comprehensive immigration reform.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis who put transgender recruitment on hold - AP

Transgender people will be allowed for the first time to enlist in the U.S. military starting on Monday as ordered by federal courts, the Pentagon said on Friday, after President Donald Trump's administration decided not to appeal rulings that blocked his transgender ban.

Two federal appeals courts, one in Washington and one in Virginia, last week rejected the administration's request to put on hold orders by lower court judges requiring the military to begin accepting transgender recruits on Jan. 1.

A Justice Department official said the administration will not challenge those rulings.

"The Department of Defense has announced that it will be releasing an independent study of these issues in the coming weeks. So rather than litigate this interim appeal before that occurs, the administration has decided to wait for DOD's study and will continue to defend the president's lawful authority in District Court in the meantime," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In September, the Pentagon said it had created a panel of senior officials to study how to implement a directive by Trump to prohibit transgender individuals from serving. The Defense Department has until Feb. 21 to submit a plan to Trump.

The US Pentagon Credit: Charles Dharapak/AP

Lawyers representing currently-serving transgender service members and aspiring recruits said they had expected the administration to appeal the rulings to the conservative-majority Supreme Court, but were hoping that would not happen.

Pentagon spokeswoman Heather Babb said in a statement: "As mandated by court order, the Department of Defense is prepared to begin accessing transgender applicants for military service Jan. 1. All applicants must meet all accession standards."

Jennifer Levi, a lawyer with gay, lesbian and transgender advocacy group GLAD, called the decision not to appeal "great news."

Donald Trump Credit: Xinhua/Barcroft Images/Barcroft Media

"Im hoping it means the government has come to see that there is no way to justify a ban and that its not good for the military or our country," Levi said. Both GLAD and the American Civil Liberties Union represent plaintiffs in the lawsuits filed against the administration.

Story continues

In a move that appealed to his hard-line conservative supporters, Trump announced in July that he would prohibit transgender people from serving in the military, reversing Democratic President Barack Obama's policy of accepting them. Trump said on Twitter at the time that the military "cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail."

Four federal judges - in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Seattle and Riverside, California - have issued rulings blocking Trump's ban while legal challenges to the Republican president's policy proceed. The judges said the ban would likely violate the right under the U.S. Constitution to equal protection under the law.

In brief | Transgender issues in the 21st Century

The Pentagon on Dec. 8 issued guidelines to recruitment personnel in order to enlist transgender applicants by Jan. 1. The memo outlined medical requirements and specified how the applicants' sex would be identified and even which undergarments they would wear.

The Trump administration previously said in legal papers that the armed forces were not prepared to train thousands of personnel on the medical standards needed to process transgender applicants and might have to accept "some individuals who are not medically fit for service."

The Obama administration had set a deadline of July 1, 2017, to begin accepting transgender recruits. But Trump's defense secretary, James Mattis, postponed that date to Jan. 1, 2018, which the president's ban then put off indefinitely.

Trump has taken other steps aimed at rolling back transgender rights. In October, his administration said a federal law banning gender-based workplace discrimination does not protect transgender employees, reversing another Obama-era position. In February, Trump rescinded guidance issued by the Obama administration saying that public schools should allow transgender students to use the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity.
Comments and links to reports on science, and its applications.
George Papadopoulos spoke to high commissioner Alexander Downer at London bar in May 2016, catalyzing FBI investigation, New York Times reports

George Papadopoulos in London. US officials told the NYT it was Papadopouloss revelation, not the infamous Steele dossier, that lead to Russia inquiry. Photograph: -/AFP/Getty Images

The FBI reportedly launched its investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election after George Papadopoulos, then a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump, told an Australian diplomat that Moscow had damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

According to a report published by the New York Times on Saturday, Papadopoulos made the revelation to Alexander Downer, the Australian high commissioner to the UK, during a night of heavy drinking at the Kensington Wine Rooms in London in May 2016.

Papadopoulos reportedly told Downer that Russian officials possessed thousands of emails that could harm Clintons candidacy.

Australia is part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, with the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand. When WikiLeaks began publishing hacked emails from Democratic officials two months later, Australian officials passed the information to their US counterparts, the Times report stated. The FBI then began its investigation.

A White House lawyer, Ty Cobb, declined to comment, saying in a statement that the administration was continuing to cooperate with the investigation now led by the special counsel Robert Mueller to help complete their inquiry expeditiously.

In October, Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about the nature of his communications with the Russians. He is said to have been cooperating since July with Mueller, who was appointed in May to oversee the federal inquiry into links between Trump and Russia.

The White House has sought to portray Papadopoulos as a low-level staffer whose contacts with the Russians were made independently. The Times report said court documents showed Papadopoulos repeatedly tried to coordinate a meeting between Trump and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and notified senior campaign officials of his efforts.

Story continues

The Times report comes as Republicans have escalated their attacks on the independence of Muellers investigation, zeroing in on the FBIs use of a dossier regarding links between Trump and Russia compiled by a former British spy, Christopher Steele.

The 2020 election

The most likely price Trump would pay, if he were perceived guilty of wrongdoing, would be a 2020 re-election loss. He can't afford to lose many supporters and expect to remain in office. Any disillusionment stemming from the Russian affair could make the difference. His average approval rating has hung in the mid-to-upper 30s. Every president to win re-election since the second world war did so with an approval rating in the 49%-50% range or better.

Congress

As long as Republicans are in charge, Trump is not likely to face impeachment proceedings or to be removed from office. A two-thirds majority in the Senate is required to remove a president from office through impeachment.

Public opinion

If public opinion swings precipitously against the president, however, his grip on power could slip. At some point, Republicans in Congress may, if their constituents will it, turn on Trump.

Criminal charges

Apart from impeachment, Trump could, perhaps, face criminal charges, which would (theoretically) play out in the court system as opposed to Congress. But its a matter of debate among scholars and prosecutors whether Trump, as a sitting president, may be prosecuted in this way.

Other

Robert Mueller is believed to have Trumps tax returns, and to be looking at the Trump Organization as well as Jared Kushners real estate company. Its possible that wrongdoing unrelated to the election could be uncovered and make trouble for Trump. The president, and Kushner, deny wrongdoing.



The dossier grew out of a commission by a conservative website to Steeles firm, Fusion GPS, for opposition research during the Republican primary. It was later funded by the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign.

The NYT report stated that Steele was interviewed by the FBI in October 2016, three months after he presented some of his findings to agents in Rome. But US officials told the NYT Steeles research was not the catalyst for the counter-intelligence inquiry into Russian election interference.

Papadopoulos was appointed to Trumps team of foreign policy advisers in March 2016. He reportedly offered to facilitate a meeting with Putin at a meeting including Trump that month.

Jeff Sessions, Trumps attorney general, who led the foreign policy team, has claimed he told Papadopoulos to stand down. However, Sessions initially failed to mention the discussion while testifying before Congress. He later claimed that was because he had not recalled the meeting.

Papadopoulos edited an outline of Trumps first major foreign policy speech in April 2016, in which the candidate expressed his desire to improve US-Russia relations. Papadopoulos, the Times reported, highlighted the speech to his contacts in Moscow, suggesting it was a signal to meet.
By Philip Wen and David Brunnstrom BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China on Friday denied reports it had been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation. China on Thursday blocked a U.S. effort at the United Nations to blacklist six foreign-flagged ships -- five of which were mainland-China- or Hong Kong-owned -- that Washington believes had engaged in illicit trade with North Korea, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said. Trump said on Twitter on Thursday that China had been "caught RED HANDED" allowing oil into North Korea and that would prevent "a friendly solution" to the crisis over Pyongyang's development of nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States. In a subsequent New York Times interview, Trump explicitly tied his administration's trade policy with China, North Korea's neighbor and lone major ally, to cooperation in resolving the North Korea standoff. "I have been soft on China because the only thing more important to me than trade is war," he said. "If they're helping me with North Korea, I can look at trade a little bit differently, at least for a period of time. And that's what I've been doing. But when oil is going in, I'm not happy about that." South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper this week quoted South Korean government sources as saying that U.S. spy satellites had detected Chinese ships transferring oil to North Korean vessels about 30 times since October. U.S. officials have not confirmed details of this report but a U.S. State Department official said Washington had evidence that vessels from several countries, including China, had engaged in transhipping oil products and coal. Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, two senior Western European security sources told Reuters, providing another economic lifeline to Pyongyang. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters she had noted recent media reports, including suggestions a Chinese vessel was suspected of transporting oil to a North Korean vessel on Oct. 19. "In reality, the ship in question has, since August, not docked at a Chinese port and there is no record of it entering or leaving a Chinese port," Hua said, adding that the reports "did not accord with facts." "China has always implemented U.N. Security Council resolutions pertaining to North Korea in their entirety and fulfils its international obligations. We never allow Chinese companies and citizens to violate the resolutions," Hua said. "If, through investigation, it's confirmed there are violations of the U.N. Security Council resolutions, China will deal with them seriously in accordance with laws and regulations." South Korea said on Friday that in late November it seized a Hong Kong-flagged ship, the Lighthouse Winmore, suspected of transferring oil to North Korea. The ship's registered manager, Lighthouse Ship Management, is in the Chinese port of Guangzhou. A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said the ship transferred as much as 600 tons to the North Korea-flagged Sam Jong 2 on Oct. 19 in international waters between China and the Korean peninsula, on the order of its Taiwan-based charterer, Billions Bunker Group Corp. Taiwan's presidential office said the firm was not incorporated in Taiwan and China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said she did not have any information about the matter. U.S. SHIP-BAN PROPOSAL Both ships were among 10 vessels the United States proposed that the U.N. Security Council should blacklist for illicit trade with North Korea, documents seen by Reuters this month showed. Of those ships, three were listed earlier this month as Hong Kong-owned and two as mainland-China-owned, sailing under flags of convenience. "China blocked six of the proposed vessels," a U.N. Security Council diplomat said. "Four of the vessels were designated yesterday." Three of the ships designated were North Korean, while the other was the Panama-registered Billions No. 18. Earlier this month, the latter ship was listed as Taiwan-owned. The other ships were the Xin Sheng Hai; the Yu Yuan; the Glory Hope 1 (also known as Orient Shenyu), and the Kai Xiang. The Trump administration has led a drive to step up global sanctions on North Korea and the U.N. Security Council last week unanimously imposed new sanctions in response to Pyongyang's Nov. 29 test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Those sanctions seek to further limit North Korea's access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and Washington says the full cooperation of China, North Korea' main trading partner, is vital if this peaceful pressure campaign is to succeed. It has warned that all options are on the table, including military ones, if sanctions fail. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was asked by reporters on Friday whether the U.S. Navy might become involved in seizing vessels suspected of transferring oil to North Korea. He said he would not speculate on future operations but added: "Obviously if a government finds that there is a ship in their port conducting trade that was forbidden under the U.N. Security Council resolution, then they have an obligation and so far we have seen nations take that obligation seriously." In September, the Security Council put a cap of 2 million barrels a year on refined petroleum products exports to North Korea. The latest U.N. resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year. It also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Security Council to further cuts if North Korea conducts another nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile test. Ship tracking data in Thomson Reuters Eikon shows that the Lighthouse Winmore has mainly been doing supply runs between China and Taiwan since August. Prior to that, it was active between India and the United Arab Emirates. In October, when it allegedly transferred petroleum products to the North Korean ship, the Lighthouse Winmore had its tracking transponder switched off. South Korea's customs service concluded that the Lighthouse Winmore had loaded about 14,000 tons of Japanese refined petroleum products in South Korea on Oct. 11, reportedly bound for Taiwan, the South Korea official said. "It's unclear how much oil the ship had transferred to North Korea for how long and on how many occasions, but it clearly showed North Korea is engaged in evading the sanctions," the official told Reuters. It was not immediately possible to find contact information for the Taiwanese charter company. The Hong Kong government said it was "liaising with the Korean parties concerned to obtain further information about the incident, and will take appropriate actions as necessary". Employees at the office of Lighthouse Ship Management declined to comment and said they had no knowledge of the situation. (Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Josh Smith in Seoul, Venus Wu and Tyrone Siu in Hong Kong, Brenda Goh in Shanghai, Idrees Ali in Washington and Rodrigo Campos at the United Nations; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Bill Trott, James Dalgleish and Sandra Maler)
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Saturday weighed in on protests in Iran for a second straight day, warning that the country's people want change and "oppressive regimes cannot endure forever."

Trump posted on Twitter two clips of his speech to the UN General Assembly in September in which he took aim at the Iranian regime, which Washington has held out as its top adversary in the Middle East.

"Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice," he tweeted, quoting from the speech.

"The world is watching!"

Later Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence added his voice, saying: "The time has come for the regime in Tehran to end terrorist activities, corruption, & their disregard for human rights."

And White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added: "The days of America looking the other way ... are over."

Trump's posts came as several hundred anti-government demonstrators clashed with police at the University of Tehran in a third straight day of protests.

Hundreds of counter-protesters also massed outside the entrance to the university, chanting "Death to the seditionists" in a show of support for the regime.

Videos shared by social media users outside Iran but which could not be independently verified claimed to show thousands marching peacefully against the regime in several cities including Khorramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz, with chants of "Death to the dictator."

"The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most," Trump said, again quoting from the UN speech.

Trump also tweeted in support of the protesters late Friday, prompting Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahran Ghasemi to dismiss his remarks as "opportunistic."
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey said on Saturday a Greek court's granting of asylum to a Turkish soldier accused of a role in last year's coup attempt would affect bilateral relations and cooperation on regional issues.

Eight Turkish soldiers fled to Greece following the abortive July 2016 coup. Seven of them applied for asylum and were rejected, but have been kept in protective custody.

Greek courts have blocked two extradition requests by Turkish authorities, drawing an angry rebuke from Ankara and highlighting the tense relations between the NATO allies, who remain at odds over various issues.

"By granting asylum to one of eight coup plotters involved in the July 15 coup, Greece has once again showed that it is a country that protects and embraces coup plotters with this decision," Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

A Greek police official confirmed that the eighth Turkish soldier had been granted asylum. "...Therefore Greek authorities are obliged to release him," the official said.

Officials at the Greek foreign ministry were not immediately available for comment.

During his visit to Greece earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara did not want Greece to turn into a safe haven for coup plotters.

The two neighbours teetered on the brink of war in 1974, 1987 and 1996 over long-running disputes over ethnically divided Cyprus, mineral rights in the Aegean Sea and sovereignty over uninhabited islets in the Aegean.

Since the attempted coup, Turkish authorities have jailed around 50,000 people pending trial while more than 150,000 have been sacked or suspended from their jobs in the military, public and private sectors.

Rights groups and Turkey's Western allies say they fear President Tayyip Erdogan is using the failed coup as a pretext to crush all dissent. The Ankara government says its security measures are necessary to fight the threats it is facing.

(Writing by Ali Kucukgocmen; editing by Mark Heinrich)
The U.S. military will start accepting transgender recruits January 1st, and its about time

The country released a collective breath on Friday, December 29th, when the Pentagon announced it would be accepting transgender recruits in the military starting January 1st. At least for now, the White House has chosen not to appeal several court rulings blocking President Donald Trumps proposed ban on trans military members. Yes! Crisis (very nearly) averted.

The ban has been a hot topic since July 2017, when Trump announced a policy that would prohibit transgender people from serving in the U.S. military. That decision reversed a policy set in motion by former President Barack Obama. During his administration, Obama had set a July 1st, 2017 deadline for the military to accept out trans recruits.

But six months after his inauguration, Trump turned that on its head. He tweeted that our military cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption of trans service members, and claimed he consulted with his generals and military experts in making the decision.

The tweet (unsurprisingly) resulted in an outcry of disapproval from trans rights activists. Some claimed the ban was not only an attack on trans service members, but on healthcare for all transgender people. To them, Trumps tweets insinuated that trans healthcare is frivolous and expensive.

Luckily, many people fought back.

That included almost 50 senators who signed a letter penned by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand urging the defense secretary to ignore Trumps ban.

Since July, four federal judges have issued rulings blocking Trumps ban while legal challenges to the policy continue to unfold. They reasoned the ban would likely violate the constitutional right to equal protection under the law, according to Reuters.

However, the road to full equality still has some bumps ahead. The Department of Defense will soon release an independent study on the issue of banning transgender recruits. Lets hope it shows just how important trans people are to the U.S. military.
New York (AFP) - US oil prices finished above $60 a barrel for the first time since June 2015 after new data suggested American producers were being cautious about ramping up output.

The benchmark US contract, West Texas Intermediate for February delivery, climbed 58 cents to finish at $60.42 a barrel. Meanwhile, Brent North Sea crude for March delivery advanced 71 cents to $66.87 a barrel.

The jump came as the number of US rigs drilling for oil held steady at 747 this week, according to the Baker Hughes rig count, a closely-watched benchmark of industry activity released Friday.

Phil Flynn, of the Price Futures Group in Chicago, said it was not clear from the data whether the flat number of drilling rigs reflected "an end of the year slowdown," or "a sign that maybe producers are not producing that much."

The data come on heels of a bullish US oil inventory report that showed lower crude oil supplies as well as a dip in production, according to the weekly Energy Department data released Thursday.

The price increase also follows a decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to extend its agreement on production limits through 2018.

Experts have been watching for signs of whether the OPEC agreement triggers increased drilling among US shale producers.
Bronx (United States) (AFP) - There are barely any traces of fire on the apartment building's facade, no puddles of water on the ground, and only a handful of onlookers.

The scene of New York's deadliest fire in decades -- 12 are dead -- seems frozen by the frigid temperatures, which dropped to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees Celsius).

On Friday, only two fire trucks, their lights still flashing, hinted at the drama that had unfolded the evening before in the Bronx.

On the sidewalk, water blasted out by fire hoses encased the branches of a tree in ice -- a reminder of the Christmas decorations adorning 187th Street a few yards (meters) away, which are at odds with the tragic blaze.

In this neighborhood, historically Italian but now multicultural, just a few people came to look at the building, which remains behind yellow security tape whipped by a frigid wind.

Two men come and go from the corner grocery. They are in their 20s, their shoulders covered with a blanket from the Red Cross.

With a faraway look in their eyes, they decline to answer questions from reporters.

Rafik Al-Jabali, 47, a neighbor who operates one of three grocery stores on the nearest corner, saw the tragedy quickly unfold.

"It happened like this," he says, snapping his fingers.

Jabali lives in the building right across the street from the doomed apartment block. He says he was in bed when the fire started.

By the time he got to the window, firefighters had already begun working. Thick, dark smoke poured out of several windows.

Moments later, he saw a woman taken out on a stretcher.

"She was already dead," Jabali said, lowering his eyes.

- Haunted by the images -

Joel Rodriguez, 40, lives on the ground floor of the building and was able to escape rather easily, even though smoke had turned the corridors "pitch black."

He saw several of his neighbors, brought out -- naked or largely exposed, deprived of their dignity -- on stretchers. Some of them were burned.

Story continues

"It was very tough," Rodriguez says.

"I still have the images in my mind. I can't erase them," he adds, his eyes masked by dark glasses.

The city's fire chief said Friday that a three-year-old boy playing with stove burners apparently accidentally ignited the fire. The victims included three small girls and an unidentified boy.

Rodriguez says the building was home to "happy people" who brought out their barbecues in summer, noting: "Everybody has fun. We all get along. There's no dispute or nothing."

A visibly fatigued Rodriguez says he slept a little in his car, between visits to the hospital where his wife is being treated for smoke inhalation.

He has a hard time seeing himself return to live in the building of light-colored bricks that was built in the early 20th century and which has become a tomb.

"Today, I wouldn't want to come back. It's a memorial site right now," Rodriguez says.

- 'Today, they have nothing' -

Behind him, Kenneth Cruiz arrives with a cart full of clothes that he had saved for victims of this year's hurricanes in Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida, but never had the chance to give away.

"This morning, my wife added three more jackets and I came over," he says, marching towards a school where most of the fire survivors are staying.

A police officer says nobody is there, even if at least seven of his colleagues are stationed in the entrance, and dozens of officials come and go.

He lets Cruiz leave the clothes.

"My good deed," Cruiz says.

"I'm sure a few hours ago, these people had everything, Christmas presents and everything. Today, they have nothing."
Guwahati : The BJP-led Arunachal Pradesh has decided to hand over the multi crore rupees Public Distribution System (PDS) scam to CBI which was happened during the previous Congress government tenure in 2004-2007.

Addressing a press conference held in Itanagar on Friday, BJPs state unit General Secretary Jarpum Gamlin said that, the state government has taken a bold decision against corruption and decided to hand over the multi crore rupees scam to CBI.

We have maintained zero tolerance against corruption. BJP has been maintaining the ideology of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas with the principles of transparency, good governance. The present BJP-led state government would not protect and person who is involved in the scam. The state government has referred the scam to CBI for a fair and independent probe, Jarpum Gamlin said.

The BJP leader said that, the scam of the period between 2001-2004 is now under sub-judice and investigation is made through the court and action is being initiated time to time.

Within the span of only a year, the BJP-led state government under leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu has managed to bring a massive structural reforms in the state. It is just a beginning and BJPs war against corruption will be continued. The state had deprived from development due to corruption in previous period. Now no one will be spared who is involved in corruption, Gamlin said.

The BJP leader said that, the state government has already taken a major project New Arunachal Mission 2022 which will give the state an outstanding development.

A concrete road map and its implementation in time bound is one of the key point of the project, Gamlin said.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
On Dec. 23, 2016, school psychologist Heather Lindsay was diagnosed with the breast cancer that would eventually take her life. But even then, before the cancer became a death sentence, Lindsays boyfriend, David Mosher, wanted her to know that she wasnt fighting this by herself.

She didnt know I was going to propose that night, Mosher told WFSB in Hartford, Connecticut. But I said to myself, she needs to know shes not going to go down this road alone.

That night, Mosher took Lindsay on a carriage ride and then got down on one knee to pop the question. She said yes.

For the next year, the Connecticut couple would receive more bad news than good. Lindsays cancer was increasingly aggressive, and in September, they learned it had spread to her brain.

Despite the bleak prognosis, Lindsay was determined to make it to her wedding day, set for Dec. 30, 2017. But even as that day drew closer, the doctors told Mosher there might not be enough time.

So on Dec. 22 in the hospital chapel, surrounded by family and friends, struggling through her vows due to sheer weakness, Heather married David.

Bridesmaid Christina Karas captured this touching image of the bride celebrating with what strength she had left:

(Photo: Christina Karas / WFSB)

We were losing her as we were all standing there, said Karas. The last words she spoke were her vows, the bridesmaid told WFSB.

On Dec. 23, 2017, less than a day after fulfilling her dream of marrying David Mosher  and a year to the day after he proposed to her  Heather Mosher died.

I saw her in a lot of pain and she didnt give up until she married me, David Mosher told NBC Connecticut. It is so humbling that someone could love me like that.

On Dec. 30, the day Heather Lindsay had planned to get married, she was laid to rest by her husband.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A great miracle happened to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Even he is having trouble containing all the good things he has been hit with since US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



On January 1, Abbas will lead Fatahs anniversary celebrations, enjoying an upsurge in his popularity in the Palestinian street like never before. This is the man, they are saying, who managed to subdue and isolate Trump and enlist nearly the entire world around the Palestinians' right for a capital in Jerusalem.

Trump and Abbas. The entire recent round of violence was aimed at taking the original American plan off the agenda (Photo: AP)

Its hard to believe that only about a month and a half ago, Abbas had hit rock bottom. On November 6, he received a surprise invitation to meet with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh. During the meeting, they revealed to him parts of Trumps major plan for an agreement in the Middle East, under which the capital of the Palestinian state would not be in east Jerusalem but in Abu Dis.

Abbas left the meeting low-spirited. While declaring in public that he and the Saudis were coordinated, deep inside he didnt know how to deal with the disgrace: How could he market the loss of the capital in east Jerusalem to the Palestinians? Would he go down in history as the leader who had given up a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem?

When he returned to Ramallah, Abbas convened Fatahs executive committee for a secret meeting, in which he presented the American plan. Later on, his people leaked the rest of the details of the Riyadh conversation to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who exposed additional parts of the plan last week, claiming it includes a cession of the right of return, a recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and a recognition of parts of the settlements.

The Palestinian Authority leaders were pushed into a corner by the Americans and the Saudis. On December 4, they suffered another blow: The New York Times published leaks from Trumps plan, which indeed suggested that Abu Dis would be the capital and that the majority of settlements would remain intact.

The Saudis, the Americans and the Palestinians issued sweeping denials that same day. Had the report been confirmed by any official element, Abbas would have lost the little credit he had left on the Palestinian street. And then the miracle happened: On December 6, Trump gave Abbas a golden ladder he could never have dreamed of.

The PA leadership, to its credit, quickly regained its composure and understood the advantages hidden in Trumps declaration, which in actual fact didnt change the situation and didnt even imply that east Jerusalem wont be the Palestinian capital. From this moment, a clear Palestinian strategy was adopted: To market to the world, particularly the Muslim world, the narrative of selling Jerusalem to the Jews. And it worked.

This is the man, the Palestinians are saying, who managed to subdue and isolate Trump and enlist nearly the entire world around the Palestinians' right for a capital in Jerusalem (Photo: Reuters)

This success was accompanied by a particularly harsh attack on Trump and the American administration, a call to annul the Trump plan, an announcement that the United States could no longer serve as mediator and an emotional appeal to France, China and Russia to replace the US as mediators.

Simultaneously, Abbas got an opportunity to embrace the Qataris and with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, indicating to Egypt and Saudi Arabia that if you dont support me, I have alternatives. The Palestinian show of force reached its climax at the United Nations Security Council and in the General Assembly resolution.

To intensify the PR offensive and enlist the Palestinian street, senior PA officials not only declared a rift with the Americans, but also a renunciation of the Oslo Agreements. The leadership impassioned the street and allowed Hamas to hold shows of force in the West Bank.

But the emergency meeting Abbas held with the Fatah and PLO leaders, which created expectations for a change of policy, ended without any decisions. It was an indication that his real intention isnt to inflame the situation. He wants clashes controlled by his people, rather than by the Palestinian street, especially not Hamas. The entire recent round of violence was aimed at taking the original American plan off the agenda.

Abbas isnt alone. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is celebrating too. Behind closed doors, he is likely proposing a toast in honor of Abbas, who created a deep crisis with the Americans which might postpone or cancel Trumps deal of the centurya plan which requires Israel to make concessions too, and these concessions could rock his government.
Israeli jets attacked a Hamas observation post Saturday evening in northern Gaza in response to rockets that were fired Friday morning at Israel during a ceremony held in memory of an IDF soldier who was killed during Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



One of the rockets hit a structure in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, while the Iron Dome system intercepted two other rockets.

The Code Red alarms were sounded during a ceremony held in Kfar Aza marking the would-be 24th birthday of soldier Oron Shaul, whose body has been held by Hamas in Gaza since Operation Protective Edge.

Illustration (Photo: IAF website)

In a statement released after the fresh strike, the IDF Spokespersons Unit said that the latest round of aggression from the strip was evidence of Iranian involvement.

The fire on Friday proves again that Iran, using rogue and extremist terror organizations, is working to undermine the regional situation, is playing with the lives of the Gazan residents that could lead the strip to an escalation after years of quiet on the security front, the statement read.

Fragment of rocket from Gaza (Photo: Roee Idan)

It also added that full responsibility for the situation and its ramifications rested with Hamas, which rules Gaza, even though Hamas targets of significance were were not targeted immediately after the rockets were launched.

Immediately following the attack from Gaza, the IDF attacked two Hamas positions using tanks and fighter jets. Sources in Gaza also reported tank fire was heard across the Gaza border immediately after the alarms. Hamas said no one was hurt on the Palestinian side.

The IDF also explained that unusual timing of its second retaliatory attack came in light of operational and intelligence considerations, along with current situation assessments.

Earlier on Saturday, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also pointed the finger at Iran.

After the Iranians succeeded in totally destroying Yemen, Sunday, Lebanon and Syria, they have begun destroying Gaza, Lieberman told the Arabic-language website of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).

The heads of the Iranian regime are not interested in the gloomy reality in Gaza or in the future of the children there. What interests them is extremist ideology and harming the State of Israel as much as possible.

(Photo: Matan Tzuri)

Iranian influence in Gaza, Lieberman continued, would serve the net result of international divestment from the strip. No international leaders will invest a single penny there. After Protective Edge, we enabled the international community to build projects worth billions of dollars in the strip but if the Iranians are the main influencers, no one will put a penny there.

The defense minister also discussed the Gaza Strips leader Yahya Sinwar and his deputy Saleh al-Arouri. They are no more than Shiites in the Gaza Strip who live luxurious lives, he said. The lives of the residents of Gaza also dont interest them.

(Photo: Roee Idan)

Focusing his attention on al-Arouri, the defense minister asserted that he was living under the auspices of Hezbollah in Lebanon.

He travels the world and enjoys wonderful hotels. From our point of view, there is no better salary, there are no better conditions than those they are give today. He doesnt represent the residents of Gaza. They dont interest him.

After lamenting the fact that residents of Gaza only receive an average of 4-6 horus electricity each day, Lieberman turned to them residents directly to urge them to strive for change in their leaderships governance.

Defense Minister Lieberman (Photo: Hadas Parush/Flash90)

I suggest that you think about your children, about their future, and start putting pressure on Hamas leaders to change direction. At the moment it is a plane to nowhere. If you change direction, believe me, you will build a good future for your children. Start to exert pressure on Hamas leaders.

For his part, al-Arouri acknowledged at the end of last week that Iran is the only one lending us military support. This support has not stopped. Our relations with Hezbollah are wonderful and there is a readiness on their part to supply everything we need for a military campaign against Israel.

Commenting on a possible prisoner exchange with Israel, al-Arouri said: We are ready to carry out a prisoner exchange deal with Israel, but Israel has not moved in that direction so far.
Unlike the impression some people have been trying to create here, Fridays rocket fire was worse than all previous incident over the past few weeks.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



For the first time, the rockets were fired in the middle of the day rather than at night, and during an event organized by the family of fallen soldier Oron Shaul, which was also attended by Knesset members, IDF officers and government symbols. And what about the Israeli response? It was the weakest we have seen so far.

We have heard many belligerent statements in recent months about the Israeli response against Hamas, but the response to the firing of three mortar shells at the Gaza border area on Friday afternoon was the most minor response so far and was quite unusual.

People take cover after Code Red alarm sounds in ceremony marking Oron Shaul's 24th birthday (Photo: Roee Idan)

So far, in all the incidents that resulted in rockets landing in Israeli territory, the IDF responded twice: An initial immediate response against random Hamas targets using tanks or an aircraft circling in the air; and a night attack on Hamas targets to claim a price for the organizations responsibility for the rocket fire. This time, our responseeven after Saturday nights strike on a Hamas observation postwas weak. Why? Thats unclear.

We dont need the Israeli intelligence communitys confirmation to understand that Friday afternoons rocket fire was planned, as the event was public. And so, after rockets were fired at government officials, Israel is taking its foot off the gas but keeps insisting that Hamas is deterred. In actual fact, however, Hamas has lost its deterrence against the rebel Palestinian factions, while Israeli officials continue to claim that Hamas is still deterred by Israela claim which contradicts the reality of the past month.

Building hit by a rocket Friday (Photo: Roee Idan)

Forty rockets were fired since Operation Protective Edge until the current escalation. Thirty rockets were fired in the past month alone. Even if senior defense establishment officials say the Israeli deterrence hasnt worn off, reality proves otherwise, and its possible that the IDFlike in the days before Operation Protective Edgeis misreading the situation in Gaza. The Israeli assessments are that Hamas is trying to carry out attacks in Judea and Samaria and isnt interested in a conflict in Gaza.

All this is less relevant, because its now clear that the desires dont match reality, and that even if Hamas really wants to prevent the rebel factions from firing, its hasnt been very successful. Israel, therefore, should address the acts rather than just the intentions and interests. Even if our decision-makers are convinced Hamas is interested in calm that would allow the organization to govern, it would have been enough for one rocket to have landed in the middle of the Fridays event at Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

In general, the images coming out of that event do not serve the challenged Israeli deterrencethe new term adopted by IDF officials.

And one more word about the Iron Dome defense system: For different reasons, its interception success rate in the past month is different from its success rates during Operation Protective Edge. We saw it both on Friday and with the rockets fired at Sderot recently. There are professional explanations for that, but most importantly, we are learning we cant expect hermetic protectionespecially not in the Gaza border area.
The Palestinians have withdrawn their envoy to Pakistan after he appeared at a rally in Rawalpindi with a radical cleric linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Palestinian envoy Walid Abu Ali shared the stage at Friday's rally, held to protest the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, with Hafiz Saeed, the head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa movement.
The Palestinians have withdrawn their envoy to Pakistan after he appeared at a rally in Rawalpindi with a radical cleric linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Palestinian envoy Walid Abu Ali shared the stage at Friday's rally, held to protest the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel , with Hafiz Saeed, the head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa movement.

The rally in Rawalpindi, attended by thousands, was organized by the Defense of Pakistan Council, an alliance of religious parties dominated by Saeed's group. Jamaat-ud-Dawa is believed to be a front for Lashker-e-Taiba, a militant group that fights Indian troops in the disputed region of Kashmir, and which was blamed for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people.

Saeed, the founder of Lashker-e-Taiba, is wanted by the United States, which has offered a $10 million reward for his arrest, but Pakistan has refused extradition requests and allows him to operate relatively freely. He was recently placed under house arrest for 11 months but was released after a court ruled in his favor.

Saeed denies involvement in the 2008 attacks, and Pakistan says India has not provided enough evidence to charge him. US officials have long accused Pakistan of harboring extremists, allegations denied by Islamabad.

Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan Abu Ali (R) and Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Saeed (Photo: Twitter)

In a statement Saturday addressed to India, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the envoy's participation "in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism" was "an unintended mistake, but not justified." It said the envoy has been recalled.

India had lodged a protest with the Palestinians earlier Saturday, calling the envoy's association with Saeed "unacceptable."

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry defended the envoy, saying it welcomed his "active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine."

India harshly protested to the Palestinian Authority Friday, after the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan shared a stage in a rally held in the Pakistani city of with Saeed, who is the leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist organization and mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks Hafiz.

Indian media outlets reported the country's government announced its displeasure to the Palestinians in no uncertain terms. Spokesman for the Indian Foreign Ministry Raveesh Kumar said, "We are taking up the matter strongly with the Palestinian ambassador in New Delhi and with the Palestinian authorities."

Palestinian ambassador Walid Abu Ali's photos from Pakistan were disseminated on social media after it was reported he had attended a rally organized by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council in a Rawalpindi park.
The military Criminal Investigations Division (CID) arrested three combat soldiers during the last twenty-four hours from a Gaza Division Bedouin reconnaissance unit on suspicion of involvement in the attack against an Arab-Muslim combat soldier Friday morning.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



In recordings obtained by Ynet that took place before the violent incident, one of his commanders stationed in an IDF outpost near the Gaza Strip border can be heard saying shortly before the attack: I dont give a f*** about you or the brigade commander.

One of the people arrested was a company commander of the attacked soldier.

Audio recording of abuse (Arabic and Hebrew)

X

According to suspicions, one of the commanders of the soldier, identified as Corporal J., cursed and threatened him. Shortly after, two soldiers beat him up until other soldiers arrived to put a stop to the violence.

Cpl. J. was treated in Soroka University Medical Center in Beer Sheva having sustained injuries to his eyes. He was also bleeding from his face and suffering from severe pain in his back.

He was discharged from hospital the same night and sent home for five days.

In the audio recording of the violent attack, comments made by two of the soldiers commanders minutes beforehand can be heard, with one of them saying to Cpl. J: I dont give a f*** about you or the brigade commander. Dont speak too much. Go to the brigade commander, I dont care.

Another commander can be heard saying: You should be ashamed of yourself. Youre a man, not a woman. Shut your mouth and thats it. Work. Dont be like weak children.

After the incident, the soldier can be heard saying: I dont want to talk about anything. When I spoke they suddenly they attacked me. Both of them attacked me.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and is being investigated by the unit.

Ali, the father of Cpl. J, explained that his son had volunteered as an Arab-Muslim to serve ten months ago as a combat soldier in the IDF, but due to harassment he faced from soldiers in his reconnaissance unit he went AWOL for just short of a month.

Cpl. J. after the attack

Last week, he returned to his unit and was summoned for a disciplinary hearing in a military court, where he was sentenced to spend 34 days in military prison.

Until the beginning of his sentence, the soldier was instructed to perform administrative tasks such as kitchen duty. For reasons that remain unclear, he consistently faced violent and humiliating treatment from the soldiers.

He is in a serious mental state, the father said Saturday night in an interview with Ynet, while also expressing concerns over the conduct of the investigation.

We will request that he be transferred to serve on another base. We put him in the army so he could contribute and in the end this is what they did to him. We have other family relatives who serve in the police and the army. This is our country that gives us rights and (good) conditions so we need to contribute towards it too, Ali said.

In a statement issued by the IDF Spokespersons Unit, it was said that the matter is being investigated by CID and once the inquiry concludes, its findings will be given to the Military Advocate General for review. The IDF handles any instances of violence with the utmost severity, and shows zero tolerance for them."
The year 2017 was a good year in terms of security. There is no external existential threat against the State of Israel, and there was no real threat on the sovereignty and routine life in Israel either.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Moreover, the Arab states, Iran and Turkey are still engaged in the bloody Shia-Sunni battle, and the wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen are still ongoing. So in the meantime, they are unable to threaten us. According to Arab media reports, moderate Sunni states even need Israel and are receiving intelligence aid from us which their leaders highly appreciate.

Achievements and challenges in the different arenas

There were other developments which positively affected our national security. ISIS lost its huge Islamic state in Syria and Iraq and turned into a regular jihadist organization. This was mostly thanks to the efforts of the US-led coalition, which has the Kurds as its foot on the ground while all other coalition members provide pretty effective intelligence and aerial aid.

The Russians managed to save Syrian President Bashar Assad from the rebels, and received their own seaport and air base in Syria in return. Some people in the Israeli intelligence community and in the IDF have been saying in private conversations that while Assad's ongoing rule is immoral and bad for the Syrian people, its not necessarily bad for the Jews.

Assads army regains control of Deir al-Zor from ISIS occupation (Photo: AFP)

Moreover, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been unsuccessful in his efforts to advance a political agreement in Syria based on a compromise between Assad and the rebels that would end the fighting. The Kremlin is interested in such an arrangement to stabilize and implement the Russian achievements in Syria, but is unable to do so for now. The Israeli defense establishment isnt really losing sleep over the Russian failure, although its clear it will happen in a few more months or even in a year.

The Russians are maintaining polite relations with Israel based on clear shared interests. Unlike what may be implied from comments made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers, the Iranians are not beyond the Golan Heights border yet. The land corridor, which the Iranian Revolutionary Guards wish to develop from Tehran through Iraq and Syria to Beirut, is still a vision and an aspiration that have not been realized.

Putin (R) and Assad. The Russians managed to save the Syrian president from the rebels (Photo: AP)

And even if the Shiite-Iranian corridor becomes active, it does not pose a dramatic-strategic threat to Israel as certain senior defense officials have been warning. There are those who believe the IDF already knows how to deal with such a corridor and with its ramifications.

And finally, as ISIS continues its intensive clashes with the Egyptian army in Sinai, it is likely unavailable to harass us.

A wise, restrained policy

The year 2017 was a good year for the IDF. The army, the Shin Bet and the police dealt successfully with lone-wolf terrorism and with the escalation following the metal detectors affair. The intelligence and cyber warfare methods were improved, making it possible to track plans to carry out terror attacks through social media and thwart those plans through arrests and deterrence talks with would-be terrorists.

Using a wise and restrained policy, the IDF managed to create a distinction between terrorists and the uninvolved population, preventing the lone-wold attacks from turning into a popular uprisingin other words, an intifada. The IDF essentially learned and developed ways allowing it to sit on a powder keg in the West Bank and prevent it from exploding, at least from now. This is an unstable situation, however, and the next explosion will arrive and will likely be driven by a religious motive.

Riots in Ramallah. The IDF prevented lone-wolf terror attacks from turning into a popular uprising (Photo: Getty Images)

In the Gaza Strip, the Southern Command seems to have accomplished Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkots mission to come up with a comprehensive and efficient solution to the problem of cross-border tunnels from the strip, providing not only actual security but also a sense of security to the Gaza vicinity residents.

The  war between wars  was quite successful in the past year too. According to foreign reports, the IDFwith the help of the Mossadprevented the transfer of high-quality, precision-guided weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas, prevented the construction of factories and workshops for the production and assembly of such weapon systems in Syria and in Lebanon and prevented the expansion of Iranian-backed militias in the Syrian Golan Heights in a way that would allow them to open a new terror front against Israel from there. Equally important is the fact that the IDF managed to wage this secret war without getting into trouble and without leading us to an escalation or a flare-up.

The cyber system development is making nice progress, and Israels active anti-missile defense system is nearly completed. The Davids Sling system, which became operational this year, is the most significant component in defending the Israeli home front from precision-guided missiles and rockets with a heavy warhead launched from Lebanon and Syria. The Patriot missiles complement and support this systems abilities.

The Arrow 3 , the upper layer of the active defense system, is already capable of intercepting ballistic missiles in space, but still has to undergo a few tests to prove its efficiency. The Air Force received the F-35 stealth aircraft (Adir) and made them operational, and the Ground Corps has already started arming a third brigade with Namer APCs equipped with the Trophy protection system . This is a significant addition to the force that will fight in constructed missile-laden areas in Lebanon and in Gaza.

Successful Davids Sling test (Photo: Defense Ministry)

Most of the components of the five-year Gideon Plan are being implemented as planned, and the IDF seems to have reached its highest level of fitness and preparedness for war since the early 1990s. The war reserve stores need to be imrpoved, but the ammunition and spare parts inventories are full and the ground forces are back to the 17/17 format17 weeks of training and 17 weeks of engaging in operational activity a year. Several years ago, this was only a dream. The IDFs Personnel Directorate seems to be coming up with creative but complicated solutions for the lack of professional and skilled manpower in the army, which will be tried out in the coming years.

1982 compared to 2017

This rather positive picture in most areas is overclouded by the troubled relations between the army and the Israeli society in the past year. The chief of staff and the top command were forced to curb a blatant and unprecedented attempt to dictate a political agenda and a new set of moral and social values on them and on them army, which differ from the values adopted by the IDF upon its establishment in 1948.

Had the IDF adopted this agenda and this set of values, it would have likely had trouble functioning as an army in a democratic state and society and as the army of all people rather than just one of the countrys sectors. This attack was led by politicians from the coalition partiesespecially Likud, Bayit Yehudi and Yisrael Beytenuand it reached its climax in the Elor Azaria affair . The affair didnt affect IDF soldiers themselves thanks to the quick and efficient work of the different units commanders under the orders of the chief of staff and top generals.

Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter for shooting and killing a neutralized terrorist, with his parents. The affair didnt affect IDF soldiers (Photo: Reuters)

But the political pressure to accept an incident in which a dying terrorist was shot the head while lying on the ground as a norm reached dimensions I have dont recall seeing before: Starting with politicians arrival at the military court in an attempt to influence the judges, through wild incitement on social media to death threats against the IDF chief of staffall in a bid to set new combat norms which contradict not only the IDFs spirit but also Israeli law and international law.

The mass protests held during the first Lebanon War in 1982, against the siege of Beirut and then against the Sabra and Shatila massacre , were all held in the political arena. The army itself and its combat norms were not targeted. This time, the IDF and its commanders were the target of a wild attack. And most importantly, they were abandoned by the political echelon (apart from the defense minister) and by the government. Some cabinet ministers even joined the attack.

The Azaria affair wasnt the only event. During the escalation periods in the West Bank, there were blatant attempt to influence the generals operational decisions, especially when the IDF went to great lengths to allow the uninvolved population to continue its routine life so that it wont be motivated to join and help terrorists.

Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot. The IDF curbed the political attack with public-civilian courage (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

The attack by national-religious rabbis on womens service in combat roles was another blatant attempt to dictate exclusion norms on the IDF which contradict the values of social equality and democracy. The demand to exempt soldiers from listening to women sing during official events was another violation of the accepted status quo.

The IDF, under Chief of Staff Eisenkot and with the support of most generals, curbed the attack with commendable public-civilian courage. The truth is they had no other choice. If the military leaders had given in to the politicians pressure, they would have risked losing the armys national character and its ability to contain all tribes of the Israeli society. From a peoples army, it would have turned into the army of one political sector, causing all others to shirk military service.

The soldiers motivation would have worn out too. Lack of motivation among large groups of soldiers serving in the IDF would have led to negative incidents at times of fighting. Furthermore, there was a need to prevent the army from heading down a slippery slope and later turning into a political tool, and prevent a situation in which Israel would defeat Hezbollah or Hamas militarily but would be defeatedlike Serbia at the timein the soft war over legitimacy in the international (legal, conscious, moral and media) arena.

This is what would have happened had the chief of staff not worked to curb the attack. The military leaders should be given credit for exercising restraint and avoiding futile battles and over-dramatization, although the attack wasand still isa real threat to the IDFs performance and spirit.
BEIRUT - Syrian activists and a first responder group say shelling and rocket fire in the suburbs of Damascus killed 19 civilians a day after medical evacuations were completed to save the lives of 29 others.

The Syrian Civil Defense, volunteer rescuers also known as the White Helmets, says pro-government forces shelled the rebel-held eastern Ghouta suburbs on Saturday, killing 6 children and 13 adults. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group and the local, activist-run Ghouta Media Center reported the same.

On Friday, the Red Cross and Red Crescent completed the evacuation of 29 patients from the besieged suburbs to receive urgent medical care in government hospitals in Damascus. The UN says around 400,000 people are trapped under the government's siege of eastern Ghouta.
A 400% spike in rabies cases has been recorded in Israel over the past year, giving rise to a squabble between the ministries of Agriculture, Environmental Protection and Finance over who would foot the bill of a prevention plan.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



While there have been 72 cases reported in Israel of people and animals being bitten by rabies-infected dogs, jackals and other animals since the beginning of 2017, the government has yet to approve a NIS 20 million a year plan to prevent the disease from spreading further.

A jackal wandering near Beit Shean (Photo: Ofir Ben-Hemo)

The Knesset's Economic Affairs Committee met last week to discuss the outbreak, which is the worst in Israel's history. Chairman MK Eitan Cabel determined the Agriculture Ministry was culpable as it has so far failed to establish an emergency team to deal with the outbreak.

"If the ministry doesn't come to its senses and better deals with the situation, there will be a commission of inquiry," Cabel warned, demanding the Agriculture Ministry to establish an emergency team that will include all relevant bodies.

A letter by Kobi Goldberg from Kibbutz Beit HaShita was read out during the committee meeting, describing his 6am meeting with a rabies-infected jackal in his back yard.

"The jackals are normally afraid of us, but not this one. He advanced quickly towards the glass door, and I immediately realized this was the rabies disease running towards me, a disease I was seeing at its worst for the first time, and it was paralyzingly frightening."

"I was sure the jackal would break the glassbecause of the force with which it pounded on itand manage to break into the house. I kept thinking how I could defend myself against it and prevent it from reaching my children and my dog. I overcame the paralysis that had plagued me, grabbed a chair and prepared for the moment the glass would break," Goldberg continued.

Goldberg's children were awoken by the noise and left their rooms to find the source of the commotion.

"Suddenly, after a short while (which felt like forever), the jackal turned back and went on his way to terrorize the kibbutz. I called the council immediately, and it is my understanding that another sick jackal was captured later that day down the street from us," Goldberg wrote.

A dog receiving a rabies shot (Photo: Gilboa Regional Council)

Most of the recent rabies cases were discovered at the Gilboa Regional Council. Council head Oved Nur warned of possible harm to citizens. "Everyone is saying there is an emergency, but no one is doing what is supposed to be done in emergencies. We're collapsing, we've reached our limit. We don't have enough manpower, and we urgently need budgetary help."

Nur said he was worried street cats, which can also be infected with rabies, would scratch residents. "There is less awareness" when it comes to cats, he explained.

According to the head of the Israel Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Avi Tsarfati, 16 cases of rabies were reported in December alone13 in jackals, 2 in dogs and one in a calf.

"A man and a woman were also attacked this month in two separate incidents in the Gilboa area by infected jackals, and were taken to the hospital to receive medical treatment," Dr. Tsarfati said.

"It's important to note that other than the 16 cases that were discovered, there are estimates of dozens of other cases that have not been discovered, which leads to the great concern the disease would continue to spread," he added.

It took the Agriculture Ministry several months to take any action against the growing rabies outbreak in northern Israel. Ministry officials tried to shirk responsibility, blaming previous agriculture ministers of inaction, but it was current Minister Uri Ariel who tried to cut rabies vaccination in 2015.

A month ago, Ariel held a discussion on the matter, reaching almost identical conclusions to those formulated during the last outbreak in 2011.

Recently, ministry officials finished formulating a plan to combat the rabies outbreak over the course of the next three years. It includes, like in 2011, vaccination, close monitoring of the situation, clearing carcasses of farm animals, proper handling of agricultural waste and the controlled elimination of stray dogs, jackals and foxes.

While in 2011, the plan was priced at NIS 15 million a year, this year it was priced at NIS 20 million a year.

But the Agriculture Ministry is only willing to allocate NIS 1 million a year for the plan, demanding an additional NIS 10 million from the Environmental Protection Ministry, NIS 8 million from the Finance Ministry and the rest of the money from others bodies. The Environmental Protection Ministry refuses to foot half the bill, and so the plan cannot yet be presented to the government for approval.

While Minister Ariel's office claims the Finance Ministry is also refusing to allocate money for the plan, Treasury officials insist the funds have already been allocated.
Guwahati : Around less than 36 hours has left to publish the first draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam to check illegal foreigners, security has been mobilised across the state to prevent any untoward situation.

To maintain the law and situation, over 66,000 security personnel have been deployed across the state ahead of draft NRC publication.

Assam Police ADGP (Law and order) Mukesh Agarwala said that, 80 additional companies of Central paramilitary forces have been developed across the state.

"We have already alerted all district police to prevent any situation and to take stern action against the persons who trying to create any untoward situation," Agarwala said.

Assam police had already identified hyper sensitive and sensitive areas and deploying adequate security at these areas.

Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay said that, if required, army also being called.

"We are trying to create a peaceful atmosphere and appealed all sections of people to maintain peace," Mukesh Sahay said.

Following supreme court directions, the Registrar General of India will publish the first draft NRC on December 31 midnight by covering 2.38 crore people to distinguish Indian citizens living in Assam from those who illegally entered in the north eastern Indian state from Bangladesh after March 24, 1971.

Around 3.28 people of the state had submitted their applications to enter their names in the NRC.

The state coordinator of NRC Prateek Hajela said that, around 68 lakh applications of 3.28 crore people and over 6 crore documents were submitted in the NRC process.

"The entire process is ongoing under the Supreme Court supervision and all legal Indian citizens name will be included in the NRC," Hajela said.

Hajela further said that, it is a part draft NRC which will be published on December 31 and if somebodys name doesnt include in it then no need to worry.

After publishing the part draft NRC, another draft NRC to be published and people can file their claims and objections, whose names doesnt include in the draft NRC. They will take time to file claims and objections. Every Indian citizen names to be included in the NRC, Hajela said.

Recently, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba had reviewed the NRC updation process and security measures in Guwahati.

The last NRC update in Assam was took place in 1951, and it recorded 80 lakh legal Indian citizens in the state.

The latest NRC updation process was started in the state in 2015.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved Sunday a government bill proposal that would allow the prime minister to give a deputy minister the same authorities as a minister, thus paving the way for United Torah Judaism leader MK Yaaokov Litzman to return to the Health Ministry

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Litzman resigned as health minister in late November over government-approved train works done on Shabbat, leading to a crisis with the Haredi parties in the coalition.

The bill, which was proposed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, seeks to resolve the crisis by restoring Litzman to the helm of the Health Ministry as a deputy minister with the same powers and authorities as a minister. It will be brought to the Knesset for a first reading vote on Monday.

MK Yaakov Litzman (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

The legislation is the result of a 2015 ruling by the High Court of Justice that determined the arrangement according to which Litzman was able to serve as a deputy minister with ministerial powers was illegal. This left Litzman with no choice but to take on the position of minister.

While Sephardic Haredi government members, such as Shas's Aryeh Deri, have and do serve as ministers, there has not been an Ashkenazi minister in decades, until Litzman's recent tenure.

This was due to a religious decree by leading Ashkenazi rabbis that forbade its leaders from accepting a ministerial position, as it would formally mean they would support and take responsibility for all of the government's decisionsincluding such decisions that go against their beliefs, such as government-sanctioned works done on Shabbat.
Housing and Construction Minister Yoav Galant (Kulanu) called Sunday for the IDF to implement a strategic shift in its responses to rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory, arguing that the state cannot be dragged into what he described as a game of ping-pong with Hamas.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



When warnings dont work, we need to land a powerful blow, to adopt a policy of preemptive strikes against anyone who is planning to shoot, said Galant during an exclusive interview with Ynet.

His comments were made against a background of a barrage of rockets launched from the strip at Israel in recent weeks, with the latest taking place on Friday during a ceremony held in memory of an IDF soldier who was killed during Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

Minister Yoav Galant (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

In what had become a predictable pattern of events, the IDF immediately went into action, attacking two Hamas positions in the northern Gaza Strip using tanks and fighter jets. On Saturday evening, Israeli jets battered a Hamas observation post in northern Gaza.

I propose a more aggressive policy because that is what the other side understands, said Galant, who also sits on the Security-Cabinet.

We need a strategy to bring about quiet in the Gaza Strip, and this quiet will be achieved through a more appropriate response. When Hamas suffers a more significant hit, it will restrain whoever it needs to.

Advocating a more aggressive policy, the minister added, was predicated on the premise that the continuation of an unbroken cycle of Hamas rocket fire followed by predictable IDF strikes would only result in an escalation.

I have confidence in the IDF security apparatus, but my experience extends over many years, he continued. I saw how Hamas operates and how it thinks. I say unambiguously that we must take wide scale, early preventative measures against anyone who is going to fire, and the second thing is that we cannot deliver a soft blow.

According to Galant, the intensification of military strikes launched by the IDF would suffice to rattle the teror group, sending a desired message that would reverberate all the way up to Hamas's senior echelons.

They will get the message. I wont get into the operations of what needs to be done and what doesnt right now. I will only say that if we want to keep this contained, we have to hit whoever fires and we need to punish, in a severe manner, after the launches, Galant stated.

It was desirable, he posited, to go up a few gears," warning that the alternativethe status quo"will put us in a process of a flare up.

Speaking in his weekly opening Cabinet remarks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasted about the number of targets the IDF has struck in recent weeks, reiterating that he holds Hamas responsible, as the ruling power in Gaza, for any aggressions emanating from the enclave.

"Israel views Hamas as responsible for any firing at us from the Gaza Strip. Since we destroyed the terrorist tunnel that penetrated into our territory several weeks ago, the IDF has attacked approximately 40 Hamas targets including an additional attack by the air force last night, Netanyahu said.
With 2017 drawing to a close Sunday night, Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics has released data regarding the country and its population. As 2018 begins, some 8,793,000 people currently reside in Israel. Of those residents, 6,556,000 are Jewish, making up 75 percent of the populace.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



As for the country's non-Jewish population, 1,837,000 are Arabs, making up 21 percent of the total population. 400,000, meanwhile, are non-Arab Christians and people who are not classified by religion in the census, making up 4 percent of the population.





Babies born 1.1.2017 (Photo: Rachel David, Soroka)

Israel's census does not include the population of foreign nationals working in the country, estimated to have been some 170,000 people at the end of 2016, or people who entered the country illegally through non-recognized border crossings.

In 2017, Israel's population grew by 165,000, with 180,000 babies born74 percent of them Jewish, 23 percent Arabs and 3 percent non-Arab Christians or not classified by religionand 44,000 people passing away. In addition, the 8,000 Israelis who resided abroad for more than a year were subtracted from the population.

27,000 people made Aliyah in 2017 (Photo: Ben Kelmer)

The country also welcomed 27,000 new olim this past year, with roughly 10,000 other immigrants also coming into the countryincluding "olim citizens," people who were born to an Israeli citizen during their stay abroad and entered Israel intending to settle in the country. That number also includes people who immigrated to the country as part of the law permitting to do so.

The chief countries sending immigrants to Israel in 2017 were Russia (27%), the Ukraine (25%), France (13%) and the United States (10%). Most of the immigrants20,200 people, or 75 percent of all immigrantscame from Europe. 4,200, or 15 percent of the immigrant population, came from the US and the Ukraine. Lastly, 1,400or 5 percentcame from Asia and 1,2004 percentcame from Africa.
LONDON  President Hassan Rouhani will address the Iranian nation in a televised speech on Sunday night following days of unrest across the country, the semi-official news agency ISNA said.

There was no immediate official confirmation of the report.
The Jerusalem municipality submitted a petition to the High Court against the Finance Ministry for allegedly breaking an official commitment.

The petition stems from conflict between Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon over the "capital grant" to the municipality's annual budget. The municipality said the ministry was blocking the transfer of NIS 105 million it had committed to transferring as part of an agreement to solve the municipal budgetary crisis.

Municipality employees blocked the entrance to the Finance Ministry's offices in the city Sunday morning by stacking garbage near the doors.
The Petah Tikva Magistrates' Court sentenced Eliraz Fein of Otniel to five months in prison to be served in community service and a ten-month suspended sentence, with an NIS 2,000 fine.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The settler, charged in 2016 with publishing incitement against Arabs and security forces, was convicted earlier this year in a plea bargain.

In its verdict, the court determined, "The charges Fein confessed to delineate a series of blunt, inciting publications against security forces and any and all Arabs. It's difficult not shuddering reading the things an Israeli citizen wrote about IDF soldiers."

Eliraz Fein at court, May 2014 (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Fein held a contrary view, and was incensed with the verdict. "The court has lost all proportions, both as it pertains to this case and in general. When Arabs incite against Jews and security forces they don't even get picked up. The State Attorney's Office has exerted a ridiculous amount of effort in convicting me," she said.

"I love soldiers. The court has shown no justice," Fein protested.

'Even if the stone leads to the death of a soldier'

The indictmentfiled last Augustshowed that following the evacuation and demolition of illegal structures in Yitzhar in 2014, a group of Google activists called Yitzharniks held an online discussion about the legitimacy of violent acts such as throwing stones at security forces.

Among other things, Fein wrote: "I am in favor of throwing stones (at Jews, and of course, there's no question with regard to Arabs) in certain situations, even if the stone leads to the death of a soldier!!! I would back up stone throwers in the face of any external entity, even in cases when it was unnecessary." A few hours after Fein announced that she supported the throwing of stones at soldiers, stones were thrown at the police's special Yasam forces in the settlement.

Fein called to commit violence against Arabs in the wake of the murder of Eyal Yifrah, Gil-Ad Shaer and Naftali Frenkel (:  )

three youths in Gush Etzion in 2014, the murder of the young Muhammad Abu Khdeir in 2014, and the arson incident in the village of Duma in 2015, in which three members of the Dawabsha family were murdered, the defendant posted on Facebook, calling for acts of violence or terror against Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Arabs, as well as words of praise, sympathy, encouragement and support for such acts.

According to the indictment, Fein posted the abovementioned statements after already having been questioned under caution and even arrested for a previous posting. In response to the abduction and murder of Abu Khdeir in July 2014, Fein posted directly and consistently on the accounts of her 800 Facebook friends: "I am proud to discover that there are Jews who could not stand idly by! I pray those arrested (whom I don't even know) find strength and courage."

The settler rejoiced at the burning of the Church of Loaves and Fishes (Photo: Avihu Shapira)

In June 2015, after the arson incident at the Church of the Multiplication near the Sea of Galilee, the defendant wrote: "Good morning! This time it was a church. Being considerate of Muslim feelings, Ramadan Kareem to you too." Fein later wrote in response that, "The act itself is a mitzvah," along with many other reactions.

Following the arson of the Dawabsha family's house in the village of Duma, Fein posted in August 2015 on Facebook: "To terrify them and make them understand that Jewish blood is not forfeit. For murder, the enemy will bathe in his own blood I believe damaging Arab property is appropriate and dignified."
SRINAGAR  Four Indian paramilitary policemen and two militants were killed in a gunbattle that ensued after militants stormed into a police training centre in Kashmir on Sunday, a police official said.

At least two militants entered the building at around 2:30am at Letpora, south of Srinagar, Rajesh Yadhav, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) spokesman told Reuters.

The militants fired indiscriminately and lobbed grenades before heading into the centre, Yadhav said. He said two militants and four police were killed in the gunbattle.
Nur Tamimifilmed hitting a soldier during Nabi Salih protests along with her cousin Ahed Tamimi two weeks ago, was indicted Sunday afternoon for her role in the incident.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Tamimi, 21, was charged with aggravated assault of a soldier and obstructing a soldier from carrying out his duty.

Nur Tamimi in court (Photo: AFP)

The short video showed the young Tamimi women, with one of them provoking soldiers stationed in Nabi Salih, pestering them and attempting to kick and punch them, while the soldiers maintained their composure and did not respond.

Ahed Tamimi herself was arrested and charged two weeks ago.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas telephoned Ahed's father Bassem Tamimi last week to encourage him and inquire as to his daughter's wellbeing. Tamimi, a well-known Fatah activist, told Abbas his daughterwho was arrested when the video was publishedwas in good spirits, remained strong and firm in the belief of the righteousness of her ways and stood ready to " challenge the Israeli occupation ."

Ahed and Nur Tamimi filmed hitting IDF soldiers who refrain from responding

X

Bassem Tamimi is known to be one of the organizers of the weekly Nabi Salih protests. In the video, his daughter Ahed is shown calling soldiers to leave the courtyard where they were standing when another woman arrives on the scene and tries to get between them, despite the soldiers not responding.

The incident was not the first time Tamimi was documented provoking soldiers. Several years ago, she was filmed biting a soldier who came in to arrest her brother during a weekly Nabi Salih protest. In another instance, she was shown screaming at a member of Israel's security forces during a demonstration in an attempt to push him to lose his cool.
LONDON  Police in Tehran fired water cannon on Sunday to try to disperse demonstrators gathering in Ferdowsi Square in the centre of the capital, according to video footage posted on social media.

Video posted online also showed a clash between protesters and police in the city of Khoramdareh in Zanjan province in the country's northwest. There were also reports of protests in Sanandaj and Kermanshah cities in western Iran.

Reuters was unable immediately to verify the footage.
Employees of the Jerusalem municipality blocked the entrance of the Finance Ministry's offices in the capital Sunday morning by piling garbage near the doors, in a protest constituting one facet in the ongoing quarrel between Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon over increased budgets for the capital.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Outside the Finance Ministry's offices, municipality employees stacked piles of garbage alongside signs saying "Kahlon gave up on Jerusalem." Barkat paid for the signs out of pocket, but they nevertheless carried the municipality's seal. In response, the Finance Ministry sent letters of complaint to the police's Jerusalem District chief and the Minister of Environmental Protection Ze'ev Elkin.

Jerusalem Mayor Barkat (L) is battling Finance Minister Kahlon to receive the NIS 105 million he says is owed his city (Photo: Orel Cohen, Gil Yohanan)

Simultaneous to the symbolic protest, the municipality also petitioned the High Court of Justice to intercede and force the ministry to uphold its commitments.



"The finance minister is flagrantly flaunting the law, does not uphold government decisions and knowingly and purposefully harming Jerusalem. I will not allow a political vendetta to harm the capital's residents," Barkat said, petitioning the HCJ.

Municipality employees littering Finance Ministry with garbage (:  )

X

The municipality said the petition was submitted due to the fact the ministry was blocking the transfer of NIS 105 million it was obligated to supply with the municipality with as part of the agreement to solve a spat over budgeting the city in 2017.

Sunday's events marked the third consecutive year Barkat and Kahlon butt heads over budgeting for Israel's capital. The Jerusalem municipality receives an increment to its budget every year dubbed the "capital grant." While other local authorities in Israel receive grants for balanced budgets, Jerusalem receives a grant stemming from its special status and needs as capital and yet of the country's poorest cities, influenced by the large incidence of poor Haredim and Arab residents.

Garbage piled outside the entrance to the Finance Ministry's Jerusalem offices (Photo: Histadrut)

Barkat claimed the city's natural population growth created an NIS 140 budgetary deficit, despite the fact that the "capital grant" has ballooned from year to year and stood at NIS 7000 million last year.

The Jerusalem mayor has also made judicious use of his municipality's employees last year to shut the city down , with garbage trucks preventing entry to the Finance Ministry and sanitation workers blocking the light rail's route with piles of garbage. The city's schools were also shut down for three days.

Local Jerusalem residents were incensed then, claiming Barkat was waging political wars at their expense, while the mayor, for his part, claimed Kahlon had refused to meet with him since he was appointed finance minister.

In the past few years, Barkat has invested efforts and finances in recruiting people to join the Likud party, while shying away from announcing whether he intended to run for a third mayoral term or vie for a place in the Likud's Knesset candidate list.

At the conclusion of last year's protest an inter-ministerial team was created to draft a special balancing grant for Jerusalem. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said at the time, "We mustn't see Jerusalem's streets littered with garbage due to strikes again, with residents being the people affected the most. It's impotent to reach an agreed-upon solution for a significant budgetary assistance for Jerusalem, especially in the long run."

The inter-ministerial team never publicized its findings, however, and now Jerusalem faces a third round in the fight between Barkat and Kahlon.
Guwahati : Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari on Friday suddenly fell ill while he was attending a function held in Upper Assams Majuli district.

While Gadkari had complained of uneasiness after addressing to the gathering public, a team of doctors had immediately rushed to the stage and checked his sugar and blood pressure levels and offered him to eat a banana.

Majuli district medical officer Sashidhar Phukan said that, he is now out of danger.

Earlier, Gadkari had laid the foundation stone of a project for protection of Majuli island from flood and erosion and construction of Brahmaputra Board complex alongwith slew of other projects taken up by the Assam Government under state plan with financial outlay amounting to over Rs 300 crores in a programme held at Rawanapar in Majuli district.

Coinciding the occasion, he also ceremonially flagged off regular cargo transportation through inland waterways from Pandu to Dhubri-Hatsingimari.

The union minister reaffirmed that the central government is keen to develop Brahmaputra as a major waterway for boosting trade & commerce as it would enable the cargos to ply through Bangladesh till Chitagong port and open sea route for Assam to connect with other important ports of the country.

An MoU has already been signed between the governments of India and Bangladesh to dredge the river Brahmaputra including the portion of the river that falls in Bangladesh for rapid development of water navigation and cargo transportation, Gadkari said adding that cargo transportation through inland waterways is the cheapest mode of transportation and once the dredging work in both Brahmaputra and Barak are complete, it would bring huge economic benefit to the state and the region.

He also informed that the project for which foundation stone was laid today included the protection wall with an expenditure of Rs 237 crore would solve the major problem of erosion in the island. He also expressed confidence that the Brahmaputra Board complex, which would be built with an expenditure of Rs 40 crore would also help the Board to streamline their activities and manage the flood & erosion problem in a big way.

Gadkari also called on the state govt. to explore ways to develop river tourism in the state and also suggested the govt. to initiate action for production of bio-ethanol from bamboo taking advantage of huge bamboo plantation of the state.

Appreciating Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for making sincere efforts to develop Majuli and the state, the union minister said that the central government is fully supporting the state governments endeavours to uplift the states economy.

Chief Minister Sonowal has fulfilled the promises he made during the election campaign by declaring Majuli as a district, Gadkari said.

Gadkari further mentioned that DPR for the bridge to be constructed from Nimatighat in Jorhat district to Kamalabarighat in Majuli district is being prepared by the state government and necessary action in this regard would be taken up after receiving the DPR from the Assam Govt.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in his speech stressed the need to protect Majuli from flood & srosion and said the govt. is taking all steps to preserve this island which is the seat of vaishnavite culture.

He also underlined the need to increase income of the farmers for bringing transformation in the state.

This Govt. was formed to protect the rights of the indigenous people of the state and aspirations of all sections of the society would be fulfilled by the government, Sonowal assured.

Stating that sabka saath sabka vikas, would be made into a reality in the state through good governance at all levels of the society, Sonowal cautioned the people to stay alert against the divisive forces who are trying to foment trouble in the society.

The Assam CM urged the people not to panic if some of their names do not appear in the first draft of the NRC to be published on December 31.

He assured that no genuine Indian citizens would be excluded from the NRC and the remaining names would be published in the subsequent drafts.

Terming the event as a historic day for Majuli when such mega projects for the protection of the island has been kick started, he Informed that five new bridges will be built over river Brahmaputra in the state and said rapid development of surface and water connectivity would bring economic benefit to the state.

Now Majuli has drawn the attention of the whole world and there is even greater need for people of the island to stay united for its prosperity. The first Cultural University in the state to be set up at Majuli would play a crucial role in preserving Majulis culture and heritage and the two skill development centres opened at Majuli would empower the youth of the district to make meaningful constriction to the society, Sonowal said.

Sonowal also called on the contractors to maintain quality in construction of the embankments.

Noteworthy that the Assam CM on several occasion pressed hard the Brahmaputra Board authorities to set up its permanent office campus at Majuli in a bid to bring more efficacy and swiftness in implementation of flood control & erosion protection projects.

It was in response to his repeated requests that the Brahmaputra Board Chairman Sanjay Kundu in a meeting with him in New Delhi on March 23 assured of setting up a permanent complex of the Board at Majuli.

The new complex would include an office, a godown and a guest house so that officials could stay in Majuli and execute their work.

Minister of Water Resources Keshav Mahanta, MP Pradan Baruah, MLAs Bimal Bora and Ashok Sarma, Brahmaputra Board Chairman Sanjay Kundu, Principal Secretary of Water Resources Department Hemanta Narzary, Deputy Commissioner of Majuli Pallav Gopal Jha, Satradhikar Janardan Deva Goswami and other satradhikars of Majuli were present among others in the programme.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
The State Attorney's Office (SAO) is expected to oppose the early release of Yonatan Heilo, who killed the man who raped him. Heilo will be meeting the parole board Monday to discuss his request, where the SAO is expected to say that in the absence of a rehabilitation plan he should not be released.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



If a plan is presented, the SAO says it will withdraw its objection.

Yonatan Heilo will face a parole board hearing Monday (:  )

President Reuven Rivlin announced in November that he has decided to commute the prison sentence of Heilo, convicted in 2010 for the murder of Yaron Atalin, who it was discovered had raped Heilo.

Rivlin ordered part of Heilo's prison term to be converted to a suspended sentence, to allow him to be eligible for parole.

During Heilo's trial, it was found that he had been raped twice by Atalin, which led to a reduced sentence, of 20 years, in addition to Heilo being ordered to pay Atalin's family damages.

In 2016, the court changed his conviction to manslaughter and reduced his sentence to 12 years. In their ruling, the judges accepted Heilo's claim that he was petrified of Atalin, and that he was suffering from severe distress due to experiencing prolonged and significant abuse.

Rivlin announced a year ago to Heilorepresented by attorney Alon Eizenbergthat he would reconsider his position not to pardon him were Heilo to submit another appeal after a substantial amount of time had passed, allowing the president to take into account the rehabilitation he had underwent during his incarceration.

Heilo's attorney Alon Eizenberg

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked also issued a recommendation to shorten Heilo's sentence, after accepting the Justice Ministry's position, thereby allowing him to present his case before a parole board sooner than planned.

In an interview following his request for a pardon, Heilo said, "I feel I've faced racism from the system. It's clear to me that were I a white man, they would have looked at me differently. They would never have dared speak to a white man who had been raped the way they spoke to me, or to a woman. A man who is raped gets laughed at."

Several dozen MKs signed Heilo's pardon request. His arrest pushed social activists to wage a campaign calling for his release.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani gave his first public reaction Sunday to four days of anti-government demonstrations. The Mehr news agency quoted Rouhani's comments, made during a cabinet meeting in which Rouhani rebuffed President Donald Trump's comments in support of the protests and said "those who called Iranians terrorists have no business sympathizing with our nation."

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The United States denounced arrest of protesters over the weekend, with President Trump tweeting, "Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regime's corruption & its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad. Iranian gov't should respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching!"

The Iranian president further stated that while Iranians had the right to protest and criticize the government, their actions should not lead to violence or damage public property.

Iranian President Rouhani (L) rebuffed Trump's statements on anti-government protests (Photo: AFP, Getty Images)

Rouhani's statements came after two protesters were killed and more than 200 people were arrested Saturday in Tehran during demonstrations against his regime.

Rouhani was further quoted by Mehr as telling his cabinet, "Iranians understand the sensitive situation of Iran and region and will act based on their national interests."

Protests rocked Tehran Saturday (Photo: AP)

The Reuters news agency reported earlier Sunday the protests in Iran had sparked anew in defiance of a warning by the authorities of a tough crackdown, extending for a fourth day one of the most audacious challenges to the clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009.

Anti-government protests in Tehran University

X

Police in the centre of Tehran fired water cannon to try to disperse demonstrators, according to pictures on social media.

Video posted online also showed a clash between protesters and police in the city of Khoramdareh in Zanjan province in the country's northwest. Reuters was unable immediately to verify the authenticity of the footage.

There were also reports of demonstrations in the cities of Sanandaj and Kermanshah in western Iran as well as Chabahar in the southeast and Ilam and Izeh in the southwest.

An Iranian reached by telephone, who asked not to be named, said there was a heavy presence of police and security forces in the heart of the capital.

"I saw a few young men being arrested and put into police van. They don't let anyone assemble," he said.

Two demonstrators were shot dead in the western town of Dorud on Saturday night.

Anti-government protests in Mashhad

X

Video from earlier days posted on social media showed people chanting: "Mullahs, have some shame, leave the country alone."

Demonstrators also shouted: "Reza Shah, bless your soul." Such calls are evidence of a deep level of anger and break a taboo. The king referred to in the chant ruled Iran from 1925 to 1941 and his Pahlavi dynasty was overthrown in a revolution in 1979 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republic's first leader.

Videos posted on social media showed families gathering in front of the infamous Evin Prison in Tehran, asking for information about relatives arrested in recent days.

Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said some of the arrested protesters had confessed "they were carried away by emotions and set fire to mosques and public buildings" and said they would face heavy punishment.

"After giving thousands of martyrs for the Revolution, the nation will not return to dark era of Pahlavi rule," he said.

The current wave of protests was sparked by Iranians' economic situation. When Iran signed the nuclear deal in 2015, President Rouhani promised his people lifting the international sanctions levied against the Islamic republic will improve their lives, but two years have passed since and no such change occurred.

Many Iranians believe corruption and faulty governance are the reason behind the economic situation not improving.
Two major exhibitions of the history of the Israeli kibbutz are being exhibited in China.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Israel's consul-general in Guangzhou Nadav Cohen and his wife Einan Cohen, who is the cultural attache at the consulate, both of whom are former kibbutz members, initiated the two exhibitions as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' "Jubilee" project.





(Photo: Consulate General of Israel in Guangzhou)

One exhibition is displayed for a month and a half at the Guangzhou's Red Torii Museum and the second at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in Shantou, where a joint campus was established with the Technion, where 216 students study engineering studies according to the Technion's format.

The audiovisual exhibit (:   ')

X

The exhibition is an audiovisual journey that presents the collective history of Kibbutzim in Israel in the years 2010-2017, with an emphasis on "intimate humanity" and combining photography, video art, documentary films and a soundtrack by the Gevatron Choir.

Einan Cohen (R) next to a poster advertizing the exhibit (Consulate General of Israel in Guangzhou)

"The State of Israel, with all its advanced achievements, is highly regarded here, and the kibbutz is perceived as a success story with its unique contribution to its establishment," explained Nadav Cohen, a kibbutznik from the Jordan Valley.

"For many of the older generations, the kibbutz is reminiscent of the communal settlements in the periphery of China during the Communist revolution."

(Consulate General of Israel in Guangzhou)

The artistic director of the exhibition at the museum reported that the exhibition was very successful, and that local media in Guangzhou and Shantou also reported on the opening of the exhibitions.

China sees the model of the Israeli kibbutza collective communityas akin to the country's communist vision.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Even though the dispute surfaced over the formation of the national assembly was settled with the authentication of the ordinance by the President Bidya Devi Bhandari, the political parties particularly the big three- CPN UML Nepali Congress and the CPN Maoist Center are yet to settle the loggerheads over the issue of appointing the governors of the federal states.

The incumbent government has to appoint the governors of the federal states to pave the way for the formation of the provincial government by administrating the oath of office and secrecy to the 550 members of the provincial assembly, but it is not happening so due to the dispute between the major parties particularly the Nepali Congress and the CPN UML.

As the UML emerged as the largest party and it has initiated an exercised to appoint the new government under the leadership of its Chair KP Oli, it has demanded to make appointment only after formation of the new government with the hope of making such appointments on its own interest.

However, the government head Nepali Congress has objected the idea citing the constitutional provision that incumbent government should make the appointment of the governors, the chief of the provinces, to pave the way to form the provincial government constitutionally.

It is said that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has been trying to forge consensus on the names of governors of the seven provinces by calling an all party meeting by tomorrow, a reliable source close to the Prime Minister said preferring anonymity.

As he governors first job is to administer oath of office and secrecy to the 550 members of provincial assemblies, the government has to appoint the governors even if the UML does not come into a consensus, the source said .
Education Reporter

Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe.
Seguin, TX (78155)

Today

Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 55F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 43F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).
 PBS Frontline and the New York Times explore "Life on Parole" | Main | In latest speech, AG Sessions advocates for more gun and prescription drug prosecutions and more asset forfeiture 

July 17, 2017

When will SCOTUS take up a follow-up to Graham and Miller?

The question in the title of this post is prompted in part by this recent Atlantic article headlined "The Reckoning Over Young Prisoners Serving Life Without Parole." Here are excerpts:

Its been more than seven years since the U.S. Supreme Court began to chip away at life-without-parole sentences for juvenile offenders, and lower courts are still wrestling with how to apply the justices logic to the American criminal-justice system. Life sentences are an American institution. According to a recent Sentencing Project report, more than 200,000 people are serving either life in prison or a virtual life sentence: They havent been explicitly sentenced to spend their natural lives behind bars, but their prison terms extend beyond a typical human lifespan. Of these prisoners, thousands were sentenced as juveniles. More than 2,300 are serving life without parole, often abbreviated LWOP, and another 7,300 have virtual life sentences. Only after they serve decades in prison do members of the latter group typically become eligible for parole.... What happens to those previously sentenced under old laws has been left to the courts, as with three cases decided in Missouri earlier this week. Lower-court judges are forced to face complex legal and moral questions about when and if its proper to lock people up for most of their natural life for crimes they committed as minors. As those judges reach different conclusions, each ruling increases the likelihood the Supreme Court will need to reckon with juvenile LWOP again.

I was a bit surprised that SCOTUS took up the Miller case so soon after they decided Graham, and now I find myself a bit surprised that SCOTUS has not seemed much interested in the further development of this new line of Eighth Amendment jurisprudence. (Of course, the Montgomery case clarifying that Miller must be applied retroactively is a recent ruling in this arena and it (arguably) broke some new jursprudential ground.)

July 17, 2017 at 12:29 PM | Permalink

Comments

I plunk down a $million. I say, kill this child. Most of you would still have a lot of physical trouble carrying out the act on someone innocent, looking up, forlorn, even if desperate for money. That restraint comes from brain inhibitory mechanisms.

Those are missing in many of the people sentenced. Current technology can take things away, voices, paranoia, angry moods, even urges to drink, impulsivity, short attention spans.

To my knowledge, if a brain function is missing, there is no way to instill it. That may be corrected with CRIPR/cas 9 technology, but not very soon.

We all mellow out with age. However, even if calmer and more poised, that inhibition against killing innocent people will still be missing. More may be required to provoke, but the ability to kill will never go away.

All released life term prisoners should be moved into homes surrounding those of the Justices of the Supreme Court. Their grand children can then come to visit the Justices.

Posted by: David Behar | Jul 17, 2017 12:43:10 PM

The Supreme Court, outside of capital cases, have not shown much concern [except to restrain lower courts in various respects] in applying the Eighth Amendment punishment provision. One they set in place the rule regarding non-capital offenses, the logical next step was capital offenses. It handled that, using a more flexible approach.

Then, they had to deal with some technical matters regarding applying the rule. This split the justices as is. Chief Justice Roberts' concurrence in Graham very well might in a few years be the median position, but for now, it is not surprising a 5-4 Court is not inclined to examine this issue much more. They can allow the lower courts some room to apply what they did so far.

Posted by: Joe | Jul 17, 2017 1:15:48 PM

Hopefully, DJT will get to replace Kennedy (and a 'rat Justice) and we can be done with this whole farce.

Posted by: federalist | Jul 17, 2017 1:25:23 PM

I dunno federalist, Roberts seems squishy on this stuff.

Posted by: justme | Jul 17, 2017 4:02:53 PM

Yes he is. Roberts is a statist and a believer in the majesty of the courts--so he gets a little squishy from time to time, hence my hope for two replacements.

Posted by: federalist | Jul 18, 2017 9:15:31 AM

"majesty of the courts"

Not thinking Alito, Thomas and Gorsuch are necessarily against the "majesty of the courts," and on various issues they are more supportive of the courts overriding the will of popular majorities. Maye, it is a question of oxes.

Posted by: Joe | Jul 18, 2017 9:58:50 AM

Post a comment
 "Certain Certiorari: The Digital Privacy Rights of Probationers" | Main | Interesting and consequential Florida Supreme Court decision on retroactivity of Hurst 

August 11, 2017

Lamenting the role of prosecutors in continued pursuit of juve LWOP sentences

This New York Times op-ed by Rashad Robinson zeroes in on the role of prosecutors in the continuance of juve LWOP sentences in the wake of Graham and Miller. The piece is headlined "No Child Deserves a Life Sentence. But Try Telling Prosecutors That." Here are excerpts:

In 2012, the Supreme Court took a step toward righting a terrible wrong by banning mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for children. Last year, the court said that ban should apply retroactively: It told prosecutors to conduct resentencing hearings for the approximately 2,500 people who were serving life sentences for crimes they committed as adolescents. Many of them had been in prison for decades. But if you walked into many courthouses today, you wouldnt know that the Supreme Court had called for resentencing these juvenile offenders, the majority of them black. Thats because prosecutors are choosing to pursue life-without-parole sentences for these cases again. Part of the problem is that the court kept the door open for overreach when it allowed prosecutors to impose a life sentence on the rare defendant who is irreparably corrupt and permanently incorrigible. Consider Michigan, where prosecutors are denying parole or shorter sentences for 60 percent of juvenile lifers, even in cases where parole boards have recommended them. In Oakland County, northwest of Detroit, the share is a whopping 90 percent. While nearly half of all juvenile lifers are concentrated in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Louisiana, prosecutors elsewhere, like Scott Shellenberger in Baltimore County, Md., who has opposed ending such sentences for children, have also effectively thumbed their nose at the courts ruling. On top of this, many prosecutors are resentencing juvenile lifers to de facto life-without-parole sentences. The district attorney of Orleans Parish in Louisiana defended a reduced sentence for a juvenile lifer to a term that would have let him leave prison at age 101. (A Louisiana Supreme Court justice later reprimanded the district attorney for this stunning and constitutionally untenable position). This is happening not because our prisons are full of unrepentant juvenile offenders who can never be rehabilitated, but because of a racist structure of perverse incentives that encourages prosecutors to pursue mass incarceration instead of justice. For decades, prosecutors have sought high conviction rates and long sentences in the belief that appearing tough on crime would advance their careers. Indeed, prosecutors in any given local district or state attorneys office, from the most junior rookie to the top elected official, tend to view their career prospects through the lens of average sentence length.... Black communities have borne the brunt of this overzealous approach, and racial disparities can be found anywhere prosecutors have control over sentences. But in recent years, this racist incentive structure has begun to shift, as multiracial coalitions led by black Americans have elected prosecutors across the country who value safety and justice. This is no liberal pipe dream, but it does require sustained activism and perseverance. Thats what it took last November when voters in Chicago, Houston and other cities ousted prosecutors who were not serving their interests and elected reform-minded candidates. In those cities, community advocates and my organization, Color of Change, helped make criminal justice issues a key part of the debate. But communities must work to hold all prosecutors accountable, even those who promise reforms. Prosecutors are the most powerful actors in the criminal justice system; they arent going to start caring about the Supreme Courts rulings on juvenile sentences and other vital reforms until voters give them a reason to.

Though there are evident racial skews in who gets subject to the most severe sentences in the US, I struggle to understand just how the political pressure and benefits that prosecutors experience from appearing tough on crime amounts to a "racist incentive structure." Having prosecutors regularly subject to voter concerns through local elections creates what might be called a "politicized" or "majoritarian incentive structure," but I am not sure I see how the label "racist" is a sensible or helpful way to describe the traditional election process facing many local prosecutors. I wonder if this author would likewise assert that mayors or local representatives (or other elected local officials who also can in various ways impact the operation of criminal justice systems) are subject to a "racist incentive structure" that impacts their governmental decision-making.

Because this op-ed ai part of a wave of important recent advocacy and scholarship emphasizing the importance of prosecutorial decision-making, I do not wish to make too much of my puzzlement over the assertion that local prosecutors are subject to a "racist structure of perverse incentives." But I do wish to hear from anyone who might help me better understand what the author has in mind when referencing the "racist incentive structure" facing prosecutors.

August 11, 2017 at 05:13 PM | Permalink

Comments

Nothing unusual here. The USSC made same mistake they made when they allowed the plea bargain that was to only be used in the worst cases the hardest cases. No the Skywalker.

Now they are 99% of all cases

Posted by: rodsmith3510 | Aug 11, 2017 10:47:25 PM

An incentive structure is racist if similar crimes are treated differently by the race of the defendant. That is what is should mean.

What it means in the NY Times, is that more blacks are sentenced, and more harshly. Rashad forgot. Blacks commit 4 times as many murders, mostly of black murder victims. They also kill many times as many whites as whites kill blacks. There are tens of thousands of rapes of white women by blacks. There is no rape of black women by white men, not one. If you subtract most black law abiding citizens, what remains is adult black males, around 3% of the total population. They commit 90% of the murders by blacks. It is therefore not 4 times the rate expected for their fraction of the population. These black thugs commit ten times the expected number of murders.

What Rashad is also not disclosing? A higher proportion of whites were killed by the police than their fraction of the murders would indicate. The police kills white criminals out of proportion to the number of crimes and murders that whites commit.

Then, the black organized crime and serial killers of competitors in the drug trade hire underage organized crime assassins knowing they have to be coddled by pro-criminal judges. These judges are truly racist, markedly undervaluing the lives of black murder victims.

Rashad is a race whore. He makes an excellent living calling other people racist. He is, of course, the most heartless, biggest racist of all, the biggest danger to black crime victims. Why on earth would he want to hurt already suffering black crime victims? To generate government make work jobs for registered Democrats.

"No child deserves a life sentence without parole." OK. This child is 17. Makes $million a year, tax free, of course. He has fathered a half dozen children by as many hussies. What were you doing when you were 17, Prof. Berman?

I would support the families of black murder victims' finding Rashad. Just beat his ass. Deniers like him do not argue in good faith. Facts and data will not influence someone driven by the rent.

Posted by: David Behar | Aug 12, 2017 12:04:12 AM

I got banned from Facebook, again. I said, most feminists are not attractive women. I have been banned for posting a picture of a hipster haircut and a Nazi Army field haircut. They are identical. Not allowed.

Here is something relevant to sentencing. A post was about a movie on the high rates of rape among Native American women. I commented, you are at the zoo. You climb a high fence. You cross a moat. You are in the lion's den. You get scratched and bitten. Whose fault is that?

That meant, Native American males have triple the alcoholism rate. Women can reduce the risk of rape by reducing their exposure to high risk situations, such as the vicinity of criminals and intoxicated males. You do not get into Mike Tyson's limo at 3 AM. You do not go to his hotel room. You jump out at the light, and call a cab company.

I got hundreds of accusations of being a rapist and a pedophile. Those feminist accusations were against someone they never met, and who did nothing wrong to them. Those allegations had a rate of being false of 100%. What if I were someone the feminist knew, who had offended her by rejecting her stalking because she made me feel terrible instead of making me feel good? What could the rate of false allegation then be?

All sex allegations should be screened with a polygraph examination. All false allegations should get the Martha Stewart sentence for making a false statement to an FBI official, in her living room, not under oath, about not getting a phone call. 5 months in prison, 5 months house arrest, 2 years probation. To deter.

This is also a request for the next edition of Prof. Berman's book. False allegations to a government official. All falsely accused males should get a writ of mandamus on the prosecutor to arrest the false accuser, try her, and imprison her.

Posted by: David Behar | Aug 12, 2017 9:53:10 AM

I don't necessarily see going for LWOP sentences for the majority of such offenders being outlandish. Mostly I don't see that the group that finally end up with LWOP sentences should be judged from within the cohort that received LWOP before Montgomery and Grahm, but instead against the universe of all juvenile offenders. It may well be that the correct sorting was already performed.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Aug 12, 2017 1:53:57 PM

Accusers are judgement proof. They do not work that hard. Nothing short of prison is acceptable here.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2017/08/11/jury-orders-blogger-to-pay-8-4-million-to-ex-army-colonel-she-accused-of-rape/?utm_term=.324ae10e3b77

Posted by: David Behar | Aug 12, 2017 3:13:00 PM

Post a comment
 Is criminal justice reform really "poised to take off in 2018"? | Main | Prez Reagan's Secretary of State laments "The Failed War on Drugs" 

December 31, 2017

Looking at enduring challenges in Miller's application in Louisiana and elsewhere

This new lengthy AP piece, headlined "Ruling but no resolution on which teen killers merit parole," details the continuing debate in Louisiana and other states over application of the Supreme Court's recent Eighth Amendment jurisprudence on juve LWOP sentences. Here are excerpts:

Nearly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prison inmates who killed as teenagers are capable of change and may deserve eventual freedom, the question remains unresolved: Which ones should get a second chance? Now the ruling  which came in the case of a 71-year-old Louisiana inmate still awaiting a parole hearing  is being tested again in that same state, where prosecutors have moved in recent months to keep about 1 in 3 former juvenile offenders locked up for the rest of their lives. There is no possible way to square these numbers with the directive of the Supreme Court, said Jill Pasquarella, supervising attorney with the Louisiana Center for Childrens Rights, which found that district attorneys are seeking to deny parole eligibility to 84 of 255 juvenile life inmates whose cases are up for review. Some prosecutors countered that the heinousness of some of the crimes makes these inmates the rare teen offenders the court said could still be punished with life behind bars. In this community, some of the most violent crimes weve had have been committed by juveniles, said Ricky Babin, district attorney for Ascension, Assumption and St. James parishes, who has filed motions seeking new life-without-parole sentences in four of five cases. The moves by Louisiana prosecutors echo the aggressive approach in Michigan, where district attorneys are seeking to keep two-thirds of 363 juvenile life inmates behind bars for good. That states cases have been on hold for months now awaiting a ruling on whether judges or juries should decide them. The friction prompts agreement by prosecutors and advocates that the nations highest court likely needs to step back into the debate over how the U.S. punishes juvenile offenders. Its definitely clear now that the court does need to ... clarify that life without parole is unconstitutional for all children, said Jody Kent Lavy, director of the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth. Weve seen in certain states, in certain jurisdictions, that the standard that was set by the court ... is one that prosecutors and judges dont necessarily feel compelled to follow. The courts January 2016 ruling extended a ban on mandatory life without parole for juvenile offenders to those already in prison for murders committed when they were under 18. The decision didnt lay out specific procedures for states to follow in reviewing the cases of those 2,000-plus inmates nationwide. Rather it said only that a lifetime behind bars should be reserved for the rarest offenders whose crimes reflect irreparable corruption.... The decision ushered in a wave of new sentences and the release of dozens of inmates in states from Pennsylvania to Michigan, Arkansas and beyond  but also brought confusion and inconsistent approaches in other states, an Associated Press investigation earlier this year found. In Louisiana, a law that took effect in August makes former teen offenders with no-release life terms eligible for parole after serving 25 years  unless a prosecutor intervenes. District attorneys had until the end of October to ask a judge to deny parole eligibility. Several district attorneys refused to discuss individual cases, and court paperwork they filed does not detail arguments against release. But prosecutors said their decisions were based on reviews of offenders crimes, their records in prison and talks with victims families. These are all sensitive cases to victims. They lost a loved one in this, said Scott Stassi, first assistant district attorney for Point Coupee, West Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes. His office is seeking life without parole in all four of its cases.... Louisiana is being closely watched because the state has so many cases  only Pennsylvania and Michigan have more  and its justice system has a reputation for stiff punishment. A new U.S. Supreme Court petition filed by Pasquarellas group and the national Juvenile Law Center calls out Louisiana for continuing to sentence juveniles to life without parole in 62 percent of new cases since 2012, including those in which offenders were convicted of second-degree murder. The petition seeks an outright ban on life without parole for juveniles; 20 states and the District of Columbia already prohibit the sentence for teens.... In New Orleans, with more juvenile life cases than any other judicial district in Louisiana, prosecutors are seeking to deny 30 inmates a chance for parole. The district has 64 cases, but nearly a quarter had been resolved before the new law took effect. District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro Jr. said the decisions should have been left to the states parole board, because it is better able than prosecutors to assess how inmates may have changed. The board will pass judgment on inmates whose parole eligibility is not opposed by prosecutors, but cases in dispute will be argued before a judge.... E. Pete Adams, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, thinks it is inevitable that the nations top court will be pressed to weigh in as prosecutors test the boundaries of the 2016 ruling. Ultimately, whatever the court says well abide by, he said. The Supreme Court recently declined to hear two related cases, including an Idaho petition asking the justices for an all-out ban on juvenile life without parole. For now, that leaves decisions to local prosecutors, judges and parole officials.

A few recent related posts:

December 31, 2017 at 05:04 PM | Permalink

Comments

Louisiana should enact legislation waiving its tort immunity for the damages the released murderers will do to their communities and to its citizens. It should set aside a fund with $millions to compensate the victims of child abuse, rape, and murder that will result from these releases.

All Supreme Court judicial review is unlawful, and must be ignored.

Posted by: David Behar | Jan 1, 2018 8:37:55 AM

David get a life. Do the math here this individual is 71 if the cutoff age is 18 that means he has been in prison for 53 years. If he's not safe to release by now he never will be. Shoot the bastard and move on.

What it tells me is that the individuals determined to keep him locked up are either hate filled retards it sick depraved bastards just as dangerous as he was in his teens and should be in the cells next to him



Posted by: Rodsmith3510 | Jan 1, 2018 9:26:02 AM

Rod. We know who these people are at age 3. The crime meter of battery, sexual assaults, stealing starts to spin, and they never change. They slow down with age, true. However, I want the state to take responsibility when his grand daughter reports, Grandpa touched my wee wee, or the mute demented lady in the next room at the nursing home has been raped.

Release him, but be held accountable. Do not hide behind state immunity, dumping this toxic person on the public, usually poor people with little political power.

To the lawyer morons who say, he done great in prison for 50 years, it is the same as saying, his diabetes has been controlled on insulin. Let's release him from his structured setting. Let's stop the insulin.

His release is a cruelty. The state wants to dump his end of life care on the public and on Medicare. Meanwhile, he has to learn a completely new life at age 71. Not cool.

Posted by: David Behar | Jan 1, 2018 12:32:01 PM

Rod. Good news. Did not take long. I am banned on Facebook for 30 days, again. I will have a lot more time to devote to the Comment section of this blog.

Posted by: David Behar | Jan 1, 2018 3:28:44 PM

David, please try to keep it to one or two comments per day and/or per post. Regular readers are familiar with your standard take on most matters --- if you cannot say something new (and respectfully), please spend your time elsewhere.

Posted by: Doug B | Jan 2, 2018 9:57:24 AM

Professor, I fear your suggestion to Mr. Behar is a bit of wishful thinking. He is quite unable to control himself. Perhaps the host of the blog could enforce such limitations and decorum so that what is otherwise an interesting and educational site does not become subsumed by one reader's uninformed bile.

Posted by: Publius | Jan 3, 2018 9:11:55 AM

I prefer nudges to prohibitions, Publius, and we will see how it goes.

Posted by: Doug B. | Jan 3, 2018 12:31:42 PM

Doug. You identify yourself as a professor, implying an educational purpose to this blog. Indoctrination is advocacy of one point of view. Education addresses other points of view.

I suggest that you post an article that is pro-crime victim 1 in 100 posts, instead of 1 in 1000 posts.

Any repetitive Comment is in reply to your repetitive, mono-maniacal obsession with the interests of criminals. How can one explain such a monomania? Criminals generate fees for the lawyer profession. Victims generate nothing, and may rot.



Posted by: David Behar | Jan 4, 2018 1:00:29 PM

David, how can you explain that I have received literally 1000s of complaints about your comments and none that I can remember in your defense? I am sure there thousands of crime victims --- myself included --- who read this blog, yet the complaint I heard are always about your comments not my postings. Just sayin'

Posted by: Doug B. | Jan 4, 2018 2:20:47 PM

I have explained that many times. They want all dissent shut down. Dissent poses questions about the current system of lawyer income from the protection, privileging, and empowerment of the criminal. You may review the Wikipedia article on the Rent Seeking Theory.

Threaten a $trillion bunko operation, returning nothing of value. With its 7% response rate, and its 20% false positive rate, the criminal law is close to irrelevant to anything to do with crime. One time, the law made an impact, after mandatory guidelines dropped crime 40% across the board. The most conservative Justice on the Supreme Court led the charge to end them. He saw massive lawyer unemployment, and did that bullshit you lawyers do, made up bullshit arguments, and violated Article I Section 1 of the constitution. The sole benefit is to have make work government workers make a living.

Your reader wants to be left alone to get updates on procedural developments they can use in their motions and in their briefs. They do not want to hear from someone feeling they need to all be fired. That is because they stink, and because they are the stupidest people in the country. Thus, it is unanimous. Everyone wants the ambassador from earth to the lawyer profession dead.

I tried to leave. Bill asked me to return.

Posted by: David Behar | Jan 4, 2018 7:18:15 PM

David, your screeds fail to incorportate real facts: mandatory guidelines were put in place in the federal system 1987 and the violent crime rate was at 609/100,000 that year. It stayed above that rate for the next decade (increasing a lot from 1987 to 1991), and started dropping lower than the 1987 rate only in 1998. Booker in 2005 made the guidleines advisory, and crime dropped further still for the next decade. And the mandatory guidelines made much more work for lawyers than the system that came before -- in part because it played a role in federal prosecutors bringing more cases.

I also doubt Bill asked you to return here, though especially since I believe you have been banished from where he blogs and so many other cites. The problem is not so much want you want to say but how you say it. Though in the Trump era, I suppose your mode of expression is becoming a bit more mainstream.

Posted by: Doug B. | Jan 6, 2018 3:06:11 PM

Post a comment
This website is intended for U.S. visitors only.
125 Years Ago

Riotous arrested: The bibulous and riotous celebrated the two holidays in their own way and quite a number of them came to grief. This was evidenced at the police court on following days when charges were made for vagrancy, illegal liquor sales, intoxication, assault and the theft of a goose.

Near Years callers: A number of Sioux City ladies decided that the custom of receiving callers on Near Years Day, which has languished for many years, should be revived. Therefore, many ladies clubs and groups announced that they will be home to their gentlemen friends on New Years. They will be received in the old way in style.

High school stones: It is charged that some of the painted sandstone at the high school under construction is not right. A painter has sued the school district for his pay, saying he was ordered to paint the stone to make it look like Lake Superior stone. The board is aroused and involved in firm talks on the subject.

100 Years Ago

Ice plant threatened: Dakota County Sheriff Cain has appointed five deputies to prevent trouble at the Consumer Ice Company plant at Crystal Lake where 50 Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W) threatened to blow up the building where the ice is stored. The I.W.W allegedly have 20 guns and a quantity of dynamite. The I.W.W employees demand 35 cents an hour; the current pay is 27 cents.

Short for mayor: Rev. Wallace M. Short, pastor of the Central Independent Church, became an avowed candidate for mayor. He will make the race as an independent candidate. In his announcement to organized labor and the public, he assailed what he called Sioux Citys invisible government and pledged a platform of the golden rule and an administration of honor and honesty.

Ute cattle: E. B. Gooch, proprietor of the Valley Stock Farm at Ute, Iowa, arrived in Sioux City with a trainload of Hereford cattle for sale at the stock yards. He will offer 75 head, the first sale he has held here. A special (train) car will come here from Chicago for the sale.

50 Years Ago

Top stories: The Journal named the top stories of 1967: 1. The City Council forced resignation of City Manager Conny Bodine. 2. Controversy on how to fight Dutch elm disease. 3. Article in LIFE magazine on the Mayors Committee for International Visitors. 4. Opening of Terra Chemical Inc.s plant. 5. Adoption of the $11 million school budget for the year beginning in July.

Batmobile coming: The $20,000 Batmobile of television fame will be on display at the Sioux City Municipal Auditorium Friday through Sunday. Nancy Sinatras custom-built car also will be there. Hand-built cars from throughout the Midwest will compete for $200,000 offered in national competition by the International Show Car Producers Association.

Making news: Kenneth J. Rodeen, 2024 Cedar St., was named chairman of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors for 1968. Former Sioux City Mayor Don Mullin received the Kiwanis Medal for Outstanding Community Service. Willard Ashmore was elected president of the Sioux City Engineers Club. Le Mars, Iowa, Police Captain E. E. Hoeck has been promoted to police chief.

25 Years Ago

Dutchmen Pride: The 210-member Pride of the Dutchmen Marching Band from Maurice-Orange City/Floyd Valley High School, wearing their famed wooded shoes, march down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, Calif., in the famed Rose Bowl Parade Friday morning. The young Siouxland musicians marched 5 hours in their hand-painted Klompen.

In the news: Jim Wharton, entering his third year on the Sioux City Council, took over the mayors job from Bob Scott. The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors elected George Boykin as the new chairman. New Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Amick will be sworn in Tuesday at the courthouse. Alain V. Hernandez was the first baby of 1993, born at 2:01 a.m. Friday at Marian Health Center to Mr. and Mrs. Alberto Hernandez.

South Sioux curfew: The South Sioux City Council adopted a new law that provides curfews of 10 p.m. for 14-year-olds, 11 p.m. for 15-16 year-olds and midnight for 17-year-olds. The ordinance exempts 18-year-olds. The council allows the teens 1 hours after scheduled church, school and organizational events. The curfew is in effect until 6 a.m. for all persons under 18.

These items were published in The Journal, Jan. 1-6, 1893, 1918, 1968 and 1993.
SIOUX CITY -- Comet Radio, the college radio station broadcasted from Western Iowa Tech Community College, was recognized with an award for its participation in College Radio Day in October.

The Spirit of College Radio Awards are presented by the College Radio Foundation in recognition of truly outstanding and spirited efforts made by college radio stations on College Radio Day. Out of the hundreds of stations that participate, only six stations are chosen.

Stations are voted for by the College Radio Day Task Force, who seek to shine a spotlight on stations that not only go above and beyond to celebrate the annual CRD event but also embody the passion and mission of college radio.
ORANGE CITY, IowaNorthwestern Colleges online Master of Education degree in early childhood recently received a top-10 ranking for best degrees of its kind.

Early-Childhood-Education-Degrees.com ranks Northwesterns program sixth on its list of the 30 best masters degrees in early childhood education. Northwestern is the only Iowa college or university on the list. The ranking is based on academic prestige, flexibility and affordability.

The website commends the ranked programs for high value, affordable pricing and flexibility, as well as their current up-to-date curricula, adding that the programs focus on curriculum development suitable for young learners, research practices, classroom arrangement, advocacy and more.
SANBORN, Iowa  Brent Koldenhoven, owner of Kopes Custom Woodworking, is expanding his business by moving into a new location at 407 W. First St. in Sanborn.

Koldenhoven, who has enjoyed woodworking since high school, has seen his hobby and side business grow until it became a full-time enterprise in 2015.

In a release, Koldenhoven said the new facility will allow him to work more efficiently and provide much-needed room for his business to grow.

Sanborn Electric and Telecommunications Utility supported this business expansion through a Sanborn U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program loan.

Sanborn Electric and Telecommunications Utility, in conjunction with its Revolving Loan Fund Committee, approved financing for this new business expansion. The Revolving Loan Fund is used to attract, retain or expand business and industry.
SIOUX CITY -- The Regina Roth Applied Agricultural and Food Studies Program at Morningside College recently gave two presentations on best practices in agricultural education at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture annual conference in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Rich Crow, an assistant professor of applied agricultural and food studies, and Tom Paulsen, an associate professor and chair of the applied agricultural and food studies program, presented on how Morningside integrates undergraduate research with drones into its agriculture program.

Paulsen also gave a presentation developed with Chris Benson, director of the applied agricultural and food studies program, on the externship experience at Morningside, where applied agricultural and food studies majors participate in paid, semester-long externships. They work side-by-side with management and production teams gaining hands-on experience in the real world.
VERMILLION, S.D.  University of South Dakota School of Law professor Tom Simmons will attend the Jack and Anita Hess Seminar for Faculty hosted at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum this month.

I am very honored to have been selected to participate in the seminar and spending a week at the U.S. Holocaust Museum with scholars and educators from across the country, said Simmons. I look forward to learning more about the fate of the Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust and adding to my toolkit of teaching skills.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | Maria Vidal Jimenez spends Christmas Eve with her 3-year-old daughter, Ariana Gonzalez, in the home of Ariana's godmother in Storm Lake. They eat and laugh and revel in the comfort and blessings of their sacred holiday.

Just after midnight, Christmas morning, Maria and Ariana head for home. They turn the corner on the 500 block of Hudson Street, but proceed no more, their street blocked by police as a fire engulfs a small home.

Maria peers closer. Smoke and flames pour from the home she's rented for 18 months. She and Ariana occupy the main floor, which consists of a living room/kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. She pays $450 per month and doesn't have renter's insurance.

Members of the Storm Lake Fire Department work hard to extinguish a blaze Fire Chief Mike Jones says started in the attic wiring. Firefighters poke a hole into the structure's west side, near the roof. They manage to save two of Ariana's gifts under a small Christmas tree inches from the front door.

Maria and her daughter lose everything else.

They visit the house on Friday, joined by friend Isabel Sanchez, who works in marketing and sales at Paxton's Jewelry in Storm Lake. Sanchez, who has lived in Storm Lake for 22 years, interprets for Maria, who has become the sister she never had. The pair met while working on the production line at Tyson Fresh Meats, the meatpacking giant that rises a few blocks east of Hudson Street.

Maria, 29, earns $16 per hour at Tyson, grateful for a job that, while physically demanding as throwing loins and yielding a large knife can be, puts bread on the table for a divorcee and her daughter.

But, now? A New Year beckons and she's lost everything. She walks through the open front door and glances up at exposed rafters, charred, soaked, then frozen. The oven, blackened, has a pot where her Christmas feast was about to cook. The tiny Christmas tree has been toppled, as has her statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico, where Maria grew up before coming to the U.S. legally with extended family members several years ago. She married her high school sweetheart and they had Ariana while they worked in Wisconsin.

Now, it's Maria and Ariana, a statue, and little else.

For the time being, the two stay with Ariana's godmother, Maria de Jesus Ramirez, and her husband, Joel Gonzalez, in Storm Lake, where they'd spent that festive Christmas Eve. Maria purchases boots for Ariana and a few other items.

Isabel Sanchez turns to Facebook for help. She posts a message about the fire and her friend's loss. Her employers, Gary and Rhonda Ringgenberg, longtime owners of Paxton's Jewelry, agree that if people read the Facebook post, they may drop off clothing items, money, or whatever else at their store at 608 Lake Avenue.

A woman leaves clothes on Wednesday. Folks call with offers of furniture once housing can be found.

"We're trying to find them a place to live," Sanchez says. "It's hard in Storm Lake because of the pork plant and the turkey plant. There aren't many living units available."

To complicate matters, Maria speaks little English. She leans on Sanchez for communication.

"When we met at Tyson, things clicked between us," says Sanchez, 24, who is married and has a family of her own. "Maria would get done with a hard day of work and make homemade flour tortillas, one dozen or two...not any friend would do that."

They check with local churches as time permits, and meet with the American Red Cross. Maria misses no work. She must continue to earn her keep, providing for her little girl.

Through Sanchez, Maria expresses thanks she and Ariana weren't hurt. They've lost their residence, their clothes, the hand-sewn items her mother made.

But, they're very much alive and, with the help of friends, they'll march into a New Year.

She speaks to Sanchez as we leave. "Gracias," she says softly, nodding, eyes red and weary.

"Maria wants to thank people for helping her," Sanchez says. "She looks forward to 2018. It's a year she'll start from zero, but that's OK."
ORANGE CITY, Iowa | A pair of 16-year-old girls who went missing from Orange City Friday night have been located safely.

Chad VanRavenswaay, a police officer with the Orange City Police Department, said because Samantha Zeutenhorst and Ellie North are underage, he couldn't release any information about where they were found or where they were originally going to.

Previous story:

The Sioux County Sheriff's Office is looking for information on the whereabouts of two 16-year-old girls who went missing late Thursday.

The sheriff's office posted an alert online early Friday morning that Samantha Zeutenhorst and Ellie North, both 16, were last seen in Orange City in a black 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix with Iowa license plate DPA-561.

Officer Trey Niemyer with the Orange City Police Department told the Journal the girls left one of their residences around 10 p.m. Thursday. Their direction of travel is unknown.

Niemyer said police tried to locate the girls via cellphone pings but have so far been unsuccessful.

Authorities released photographs of the two missing teens Friday afternoon.

Anyone with information can contact the Sioux County Sheriff's Office at 712-737-3307 or text a tip with the words "TIP SIOUX" followed by a message to 888777.
SIOUX CITY | New Year's Eve temperatures in Siouxland will be quite a ways below zero.

Andrew Kalin, a meteorologist with the Sioux Falls National Weather Service, said there's really only one way to describe the coming weather.

"In one word, cold," Kalin said. "And that's really the big story. Highs will be below zero."

Sunday's high temperature will be -7, and the overnight low Sunday night will be -23 degrees.

Which would be balmy if not for the wind chill -- that alone will drop the mercury down to -35 or -40.

Wind speeds aren't actually going to be high, Kalin said -- probably only five or 10 miles per hour.

"With temperatures that cold, it doesn't take much of a wind" to cause temps to drop, he said. "Doesn't take much of a breeze to cause an issue."

On Monday, the high temperature will be -1, with an overnight low of -17. On Tuesday, temperatures will rebound a bit, with highs in the teens.

"I guess a little mini-heat wave," Kalin said.
SIOUX CITY | Cary Gordon wanted Sioux Cityans and visitors alike to remember the Rev. George Haddock as more than a man of the cloth who was opposed to alcohol consumption, so with the help of the members of his congregation, the Cornerstone senior pastor spent several years working to create a monument in Haddock's honor.

That monument bearing Haddock's likeness now sits on a landscaped plot of land at Third and Water streets.

"He believed so strongly that all men are created equal in the image of God," Gordon said of Haddock, who opposed slavery and hid fugitive slaves in his home. "For that, I really think he deserves to be lauded as as hero."

Haddock, a Wisconsin-based prohibitionist, relocated to Sioux City in 1885 and eventually became the pastor of First Methodist Church.

But before the move to Sioux City, Gordon said Haddock had caused quite a "ruckus" just walking down the street on his way to vote. Besides drinking and slavery, Haddock also opposed gambling and prostitution -- two other hot button political issues of the day.

"When he went to cast his vote in the state of Wisconsin, people had assembled themselves on both sides of the street and began throwing things at him and calling him terrible names," Gordon said. "Someone threw something metallic and it hit him. By the time he got to his ballot, he was bleeding all over the place. He was really a bold, brave, daring man who stood for principle."

The "fighting preacher," as Haddock was known, opposed Sioux City's local option laws, at the time, which allowed bars and liquor stores to sell alcohol under Iowa's prohibition laws.

On Aug. 3, 1886, Haddock rented a carriage with another pastor to collect evidence for a prohibition violation case. On their return, Haddock was confronted by a group of men outside a bar at the corner of Fourth and Water streets. Armed with a small metal pulley wheel attached to the end of a rope, Haddock approached the men. He was then shot and killed. Despite eyewitness accounts, no one was ever convicted of the crime. A marker was placed in the intersection to commemorate his death.

Gordon, a history buff who studied Haddock thoroughly from a doctrinal standpoint and even included him in a book he published, went in search of the historic marker one day and struggled to find it.

"It turns out it's buried in the middle of the street with dirt on it and you had to stand in traffic to look at it," he said. "It deeply disturbed me because I knew the history well enough to know no justice was really ever served to the man who killed him in the first place. It seemed like another injustice that no monument had been erected in his honor because he was a profoundly wonderful man."

The construction of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in 2014 took over the area where the historic marker had been located. The marker was removed and taken to the Sioux City Public Museum, where it continues to be housed.

Gordon spoke to his congregation about Haddock and his desire to recognize him in a meaningful way. The congregation raised $50,000 for a monument, plot of land a couple blocks west of the scene of Haddock's murder, landscaping and benches.

The monument, which was created by Hall Monument of Sioux City, is a black granite obelisk, about 6 feet tall, bearing an image of Haddock with an excerpt from a book by his son about his family's view of their father's murder. The excerpt calls Haddock "an American hero."

The monument was unveiled in August 2016, on the 130th anniversary of Haddock's murder. Gordon said a law enforcement officer fired off a black powder musket similar in caliber to that which was shot the night of Haddock's death around 10 p.m. during the ceremony.

"At that very moment, that bullet would've been fired and heard in that valley," he said. "It was a very special moment that I think everybody will remember for a long time."

In the future, Gordon said he and his congregation hope to further develop the land that sits below the monument into a park where children play.

"It would be nice if there was a fence erected around the property for safety and then some kind of a nice play area," he said. "It's such a beautiful lawn and it's not really being used. There's a lot more land there than people realize."
SIOUX CITY | What once was a creamery is now home to downtown's newest fine dining restaurant.

Opened in November 2017, Table 32, 100 Virginia St., is located on the ground floor of Virginia Square, which is part of Ho-Chunk Inc.'s $30 million effort to transform a group of aging industrial buildings into a thriving residential and commercial district.

The concept of building a restaurant in a space shared with apartments, condos and office space, intrigued Jesse Miller.

"You'd see these beautiful multipurpose buildings springing up in the downtown areas of big cities," Miller, who owns Table 32 with business partner Scott Salem, said. "It's about time to see the concept come to Sioux City."

On the other hand, Salem was more interested in repurposing the century-old building.

"We wanted to give (Table 32) a modern aesthetic but we also wanted to showcase the creamery's history," he said, pointing to walls made of reclaimed wood and a series of ceiling wraparounds that calls attention to the space's former industrial space. "We wanted it to reflect the best of both worlds."

ADDING NEW COLOR TO A WELL-KNOWN BUILDING

Creating a restaurant space where one hadn't previously existed is one thing. What about opening an entirely different kind of eatery in a building best remembered for serving humongous Reuben sandwiches and bowls of matzo ball soup?

That happened to Cesar and Marcela Vazquez, the husband and wife who opened Campestre Mexican Restaurant, 1800 Pierce St., in the former location of Green Gables.

A Sioux City mainstay for more than 85 years, Green Gables closed its doors in August 2014. The building was last home to Crazy Bob's Maximum Bar-B-Que, which was open less than one year.

"People were excited to see a new place was moving into the old Green Gables," Cesar Vazquez said, shortly after opening Campestre (the Mexican word for rural or rustic) in October 2017. "As soon as we opened our doors, we had a steady stream of customers."

Which was good news for the Jalisco, Mexico, native.

"We'd never run a restaurant before," he admitted "This is all new to us."

This isn't not the case with Table 32's Jesse Miller and Scott Salem, who both began their fine dining careers at Sioux City's long-running Bev's on the River.

"When Bev's closed (in late 2016), Scott and I wanted to try a restaurant that had terrific food in a unique setting," Miller said.

Unlike Bev's, which earned a reputation for having high-end cuisine, Salem wanted Table 32 to attract a younger, more diverse crowd.

This is the reason he dubbed the new restaurant's cuisine as "craft American food."

WELCOME TO THE CRAFT FOOD MOVEMENT

"The craft beer movement changed the way people thought about beer." Salem said. "The most creative beers were coming from small, local breweries. Craft food that is made with locally-sourced ingredients can be just as creative."

He is especially proud of Table 32's Open Prairie Natural Angus beef, which contains no added hormones, antibiotics or artificial ingredients.

"Executive chef Joel Menard has done a great job crafting a menu that has both classic items as well as several unusual things," Salem said.

FINE DINING IN A CASUAL ENVIRONMENT

For instance, a guest can order a 7-ounce filet but he can also order The Animal, which is a burger made with a half-pound patty, basil aioli, caramelized onions, mushrooms, white cheddar as well as a few slices of bacon and an over-easy egg.

Entrees can include anything from a Chicken Roulade, which consists of chicken, goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, prosciutto, veloute and mashed sweet potatoes; and Fennel Roasted Scallops, which has scallops, a Grand Marnier buerre blanc, capers, braised kale and risotto.

A poached pear and Gorgonzola salad, made with prosciutto, arugula, pistachio and a pear vinaigrette, has become a popular lunchtime item.

"We wanted our menu to reflect the fine dining experience people had at Bev's," Miller said. "But we also wanted Table 32 to be casual, fun and accessible to all kinds of customers."

FAMILY-STYLE MEALS APPROVED BY MOM

Even though Cesar Vazquez hadn't previously owned a restaurant, he and his brother Ozzy Vazquez (Campestre's manager) both had a very good cooking instructor: mom.

"Our mother is a great cook," Ozzy Vazquez explained. "Many of our dishes are ones that mom used to make for us."

Indeed, this is a major selling point for his brother.

"Everything that we make is made-to-order," Cesar Vazquez said. "It might take an extra few minutes to receive your meal but it will totally be worth the wait."

THE SIZZLE MAKES IT WORTH THE WAIT

That's true of Campestre's traditional menu of tacos, tortas and burritos. It's also the case with entrees like the chicken fajita, which comes sizzling from the kitchen.

"Listen to that sizzle and look at the smoke coming off the fajita," Ozzy Vazquez said, grinning ear-to-ear. "When people see that, heads always turn."

Authentically Jalisco meals is what will set Campestre apart from the competition, Cesar Vazquez said.

"We are not Tex-Mex nor are we a fast food operation," he said. "We make food that is just like a Mexican family would have for dinner."
Refugees do not show up in the Mediterranean Sea as if from nowhere. By the time they get into their flimsy boats on the Libyan coastline, they have lived many, many dangerous lives. They would have left their increasingly unproductive fields in western and eastern Africa, fled wars in the Horn of Africa, in Sudan and in places as far as Afghanistan, and travelled great distances to get to what they see as the final leg of their journey.

What they want is to make it to Europe, which  since the early days of colonialism  has broadcast itself as the land of milk and honey. Old colonial ideas and the wealth of Europe built from colonial labour beckons. It is a siren for the wretched of the earth. It has ended for many Africans in virtual concentration camps in Libya, where refugees that Europe does not want now linger  some sold into slavery.

To get to Libya, the migrants and refugees have to cross the Sahara Desert, which in Arabic is known, rightly, as the Greatest Desert (al-Sahara al-Kubra). It is vast, hot and dangerous. Old salt caravans  the Azalai  mostly managed by the Tuareg peoples would run between Mali as well as Niger and Libya. They would carry gold, salt, weapons and captured human beings as objects of trade.

Those old caravans still make their journey, moving from one water source to the next, the camels as exhausted as the Tuareg. Newer caravans have supplanted these older ones. Camels are not their mode of transport. They prefer buses, pickup trucks and jeeps to ferry humans and cocaine towards Europe, while guns and money comes southwards. These newer caravans drive along unmarked paths, heading between sand dunes, searching for old tire tracks that have been buried in disorienting sandstorms.

Surviving the sand

The Sahara is dangerous. The journey in a pickup truck could take three days, at best, or the refugees and cocaine mules could find themselves dying from dehydration, extremists, smugglers or the security forces in the region.

There are many people ready to prey on the travellers and on the smugglers, whose cars are routinely stolen. No proper account exists of dead refugees. This June, the UN Refugees Agency reported the death of 44 migrants who died of dehydration and heat stroke when their truck broke down between the Nigerien cities of Agadez and Dirkou.

The UN had saved at least 600 migrants between April and June. Saving lives in the desert is becoming more urgent than ever, said Giuseppe Loprete, the Niger Chief of Mission for the International Organisation for Migration.

To prevent migrants from reaching the Mediterranean, France has asked five African countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger) to join its G5 Sahel Initiative. The Sahel is the belt that runs across Africa below the Sahara Desert.

The European Union has also contributed to this project. The Europeans want to move their southern border from the northern edge of the Mediterranean Sea to the southern rim of the Sahara Desert. French military bases run across the Sahel, as the United States builds an enormous base in Agadez (Niger) from where it will fly drones to provide aerial support. The military has arrived in the Sahel to stop the flow of migrants.

Cocaine trail

Agadez, where the United States military is spending $100 million to build its drone base, sits at the crossroads of our contemporary crises. Refugees come to it in desperation  their land made miserable by trade policies that discriminate against small farmers and by desertification caused by carbon capitalism. As the United States government has made it difficult for cocaine to enter the U.S. from Central America, the cocaine mafia have moved its operations to this central belt of Africa. A leading politician in Niger, Cherif Ould Abidine, who died in 2016 was known as Mr. Cocaine. Billions of dollars of cocaine now moves through the Sahel into the Sahara and upwards to Europe. The pickup trucks that carry refugees and cocaine go past the town of Arlit, where French multinational corporations are harvesting uranium (Oxfam noted in 2013, One of every three light bulbs in France is lit, thanks to Nigerien uranium). So here we have it: refugees, cocaine, uranium and a massive military enterprise.

Men from Gambia and from Mali wait outside a smugglers compound. His Toyota Hilux, the camel of this new trade, sits near the gate. The men are wearing sunglasses. This is their defence once they enter the desert. They are apprehensive. Their future, however grim, must be better than their present. These are gamblers. They are willing to take the chance. The engine fires up. They throw their modest belonging onto the truck. It is time for their azalai.








"We have already fulfilled our requirement as per the United Nations Security Council resolution. We have already reduced our troops there [Somalia] by 281 in compliance with the Dec. 31 deadline," said Karemire.



The UN Security Council in August 2017 extended the mandate of AMISOM until May 31, 2018, and approved a reduction of its uniformed personnel to a maximum 21,626 men by Dec. 31, with an eye toward the gradual handover of responsibilities to Somali National Security Forces.



Special Representative of the African Union Chairperson for Somalia, Francisco Madeira announced last month that some 1,000 soldiers from the 22,000 strong regional force will be withdrawn from the war torn country by Dec. 31.



AMISOM is comprised of troops drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti who are deployed in six sectors covering south and central Somalia.



The phased withdrawal of troops and gradual handover of security responsibilities will be based on the ability of the Somali National Security Forces to ably take over the country's security, according to AMISOM exit strategy.



As part of the military drawdown, the pan-African body will deploy an extra 500 police officers to strengthen training and mentoring for Somali police.

Sunatimes:- The Ugandan military said on Saturday it had completed the first withdrawal of 281 peacekeepers as part of condition-based drawdown of its over 6,000 troops deployed in volatile Somalia.Ugandan military spokesperson Brig. Richard Karemire told Xinhua that withdrawal of the troops is in compliance with the African Union and United Nations approved reduction of 1,000 uniformed personnel serving under African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) by the Dec. 31 deadline.Uganda early this month begun the phased withdrawal the peacekeepers.
Although prominent local painter Ramona Lauzon recently passed away, her work will continue to decorate Cowlitz County for years to come.

Lauzon died in her home on Dec. 26 following a 15-month battle with brain cancer. She was 61.

The self-taught painters creations are on display throughout the county. Her work is featured at the Kelso Eagles lodge, Watkins Tractor & Supply in Kelso and Brenemans V&S Variety Store in Castle Rock, to name just a few. Roughly 30 of Lauzons murals adorn public and private walls countywide.

Lauzon started out by painting the wall of the old Kelso public library  she paid $10 for the privilege. But not long after, business owners started paying her.

Friends and relatives remember Lauzon as a simple woman who could easily relate to children.

She had a silliness to her, Lauzons niece, Melissa Harrison, said after her burial Saturday.

She always left little pieces of herself quietly, so people would remember her. And I think thats what she wanted from us.

For example, in one of her murals depicting a smelt boat in Kelso, Lauzon painted the faces of two young nephews.

In another mural at a retirement home, she painted her childhood home on Pleasant Hill Road in Kelso. She even snuck a glow-in-the-dark UFO into one of her paintings, Harrison said.

She would always put little things in her paintings that would make her giggle, she said.

Lauzon didnt shy away from big jobs, either. In Castle Rock, Lauzon spent more than 40 hours painting a 120-foot-long wall on Brenamens Variety Store with a scene of a logging railroad.

She also spent about two months painting a 3-story-tall mural of a landscape with Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens in the distance on the ceiling at the Hearthside Apartments in West Longview.

Lauzon was born in Longview in 1956. Her parents purchased their home on Pleasant Hill Road three years later.

Lauzon attended school in Castle Rock but earned her high school diploma in Longview, where she met her husband, Ed.

Julie Evans, a close friend, said Saturday that Lauzon could often be found outside of Fibre Federal Credit Union or the Fred Meyer on Ocean Beach Highway raising money with her daughter, Michelle, for the Campfire Girls.

She also enjoyed taking extended trips across the country with her family.

Lauzons brother-in-law, Earl Foytack, said she agreed to take part in a trial study at Oregon Health and Sciences university after she was diagnosed with cancer even though she knew it was probably too late to help her.

Thats just the kind of person she was, Foytack said. She wanted to help the people who came after her.

Even after her father died in July 2016, Lauzon and her husband fulfilled one of her last wishes by purchasing her parents old home from their estate.

Family members gathered in a room full of her paintings Saturday, including an unfinished painting of a telescope.

She saw beauty in everyday things, Foytack said.

Lauzon was laid to rest Saturday next to her parents and brother in Stockport Cemetery  about a mile away from the house she grew up in.
Hidden subsidies

A guest editorial by Mary Jane Melink I found very interesting. She made a great description why we have so many problems locally. The Longview Housing Authority owns hundreds of rental units on which it pays no taxes. The taxes they are exempt from include the property taxes which would support schools, police and fire protection. You can argue by avoiding paying for these services either, first the level of service provided by these agencies will be lower quality, or second landlords like me who must pay higher taxes will then pass the higher tax on as increased rent to our low-income renters.

My review of the Housing Authority cost of ownership and management of their rental units shows their expenses are higher than many of us private landlords. By not paying taxes and using government grants they can provide affordable rents to their residents even with higher costs. We who are paying taxes would be better off without the Housing Authority owning property, and our renters would see lower rents. When everyone pays taxes the cost of taxes will be less and everyone saves. My rental property cost of property taxes is about equal to one months rent a year.

If low rents are important, subsidies like HUD section 8 can continue. The city of Longview and the Longview School District can have line item subsidies rather than hidden subsidies in the form of free taxes. My true objection is hidden subsidies.

Bill Hallanger

Longview

Tax benefit

Scribes, bloviators, talking heads, friends, relations, those who have no influence at all: I ran these numbers by Heather Schlenger, second oldest daughter, mother of two, married to Dr. Chris Schlenger.

She lives in Stockton, California. She graduated from the esteemed Jesuit University of Santa Clara in California, No. 1 GPA in the School of Business the year she graduated.

She corrected me but I was close. It was the $18,000 standard deduction for the head of household in 2017 that I missed.

Now remember, the Wall Street Journal for years gave 10 CPA firms a fairly complex personal set of numbers and invariably got 10 different numbers, sometimes widely so.

You can look Heathers pedigree up on the net. Shes pretty accomplished for 36 years old.

Tax due for two family circumstances: one married head of household, one single. Single tax figured at $55,000. Married figured at $60,000. Two kids each.

Im assuming both circumstances take the standard deduction as these income levels arent all that high; $55,000 is a single parent with two children and $60,000 is married with two children. No big mortgages, no huge charitable contributions.

Comparing the same $55,000 income in 2017 and 2018, using the standard deduction and child tax credits, the tax due in 2017 is $3,983.78 while the tax refund for 2018 is $472.50. Thats $4,456.28 to the good for the single parent with two children in 2018, all things being equal.

Comparing the same $60,000 income in 2017 and 2018, using the standard deduction and child tax credits, the tax due is $3,632.50 while the tax due in 2018 is $48. Thats $3,584.50 to the good or $298 every month.

So exactly how is this bad for the middle class?

Wayne Mayo

Scappoose, Oregon
The Page You Are Looking For Couldnt Be Found.

You are experiencing technical issues. Please contact our support to get more information.
Overwhelmed by generous support LAPEER  It took a couple tries, but Lapeer Community Schools has their School Improvement Bond. Previously defeated by voters during Augusts primary election, the Midterm Election held Tuesday brought...

Road Commission may revisit another ballot proposal in the future MAYFIELD TWP.  Voters said no Tuesday to the countywide 1.85-mill proposal sought by the Lapeer County Road Commission (LCRC) for road and bridge maintenance, but Managing Director John Daly...

Prospective businesses already inquiring about marijuana licenses in Imlay City IMLAY CITY  Voters in Imlay City have opted into a ballot measure allowing the establishment of medical marijuana facilities within city limits. The unofficial tally saw 1,243 votes cast,...

Mayfield Township voters keep annual meeting in place MAYFIELD TWP.  An annual meeting will continue to be held in Mayfield Township following Tuesdays election. A bid to abolish the annual meeting was defeated. There were 2,187 No...
PM opens 28 uplift schemes in Jessore

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cutting cake at the President Parade-2017 at the Parade Ground of Bangladesh Air Force Academy in Jessore on Sunday. BSS photo

BSS, Jessore :

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 28 development projects including the much-awaited Waterlogging Removing Project of the Kapotakkhya River (first phase).

The premier opened and laid the foundation stones of 28 development schemes by unveiling their plaques from the Eidgah Maidan in the district town.

The 17 projects inaugurated by her are: the Waterlogging Removing Project of the Kapotakkhya River (first phase), the expansion work of the Amdabad College in Sadar upazila, the expansion work of the Pakshia College in Sharsha upazila, the expansion work of Bagharpara Degree College in Bagharpara upazila, the 500-seat Shaheed Mashiur Rahman Auditorium-cum-Multipurpose Hall, the Public Library (third phase) Development Project, the Jessore Medical College Academic Building, Hoybatpur Union Land Office Building, Narendrapur Union Land Office Building, Mohakal Union Land Office Building, Patibila Union Land Office Building, Jessore Police Super Building, Jessore Police Hospital, Sheikh Russel's Sculptor, 13-km roads and 22-km drains in Jessore town, Jhikargaccha Upazila Muktijoddha Complex and Malopara Government Primary School in Avoynagar.

A munajat was offered on the occasion seeking continued peace, progress and development of the nation.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, will later address a public meeting to be organised by Jessore district AL, at the same venue as the chief guest.

Earlier, the Prime Minister joined the President Parade of 74 Bangladesh Air Force Academy (BAFA) Course and Direct Entry 2017 Course of Bangladesh Air Force at BAF Academy Parade Ground here on Sunday morning.



The 11 schemes of which the foundation stones were laid by the premier are: the Waterlogging Removing and Sustainable Water Management Development Project of the Bhairab River, Upgradation Work of Jessore-Benapole National Highway, the Upgradation Work of Jessore-Benapole (Palashbari-Rajghat portion), Keshabpur Technical Training Centre, Jessore Central Shaheed Minar, 25-km roads and 24-km drains in Jessore town, Hamidpur Compost Plant, Pre-treatment Plant, Biogas Plant and Control Landfill Cell Work, the expansion work of Jhikargachha Municipality, setting up the mural of historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu, Sheikh Russel Gymnasium and the Teachers-Students Centre (TSC).


Revisiting the use of chemical pesticides in agriculture

Prof. Dr. Saifullah Khandker and Md Lokman Hossain :

The application of pesticide becomes an invincible part to crop cultivation. It remains unclear whether the use of chemical pesticides should be stopped or not. Environmentalists, soil scientists, hydrologists, physicians, and experts of other line departments opined to phase off chemical pesticides gradually and introduce bio-pesticides; whereas, a majority of agriculturists, food experts and agro companies argued not to stop the use of chemical pesticides, rather to train up agricultural workers on the application (how and when) of pesticides. They argued that if chemical pesticides are not used, it will reduce 30-40% crops per year, which will eventually create food scarcity. Chemical pesticides may not harmful for human health if farmers know the residual time of a pesticide after they use. According to Bangladesh Crop Protection Association (BCPA), less than 1% farmers have the skills of pesticides application and crop harvest. In Japan, agricultural workers use seven times more chemical pesticides compared to Bangladesh. However, Japanese people take safe food. This is because Japaneese farmers know when to harvest crops after using pesticides. But in developing countries like Bangladesh, educating farmers is a troublesome task. Farmers have to wait 30-50 days for harvesting a crop if they spray pesticides of organochlorin group whereas, the waiting time of crop harvest is 4-7 days if they use pesticides of synthetic pyrethroid group. Bangladeshi farmers spray at morning and harvest at afternoon which is extremely risky for consumers, due to lack of knowledge of pesticide's residual period. Chemical pesticides have proven evidence that it creates environmental hazards such as soil and air pollution and water contamination followed by death of aquatic animals and many other negative externalities. Therefore, introducing bio-pesticides, other natural means of pest control, and the methods of organic agriculture would be attention grabbing in future to avoid environmental deterioration and reduce human health risks.

It is commonly agreed that chemical pesticides in agriculture has created serious health and environmental effects, however, the information remains largely anecdotal. It is estimated that one to five million agricultural workers are affected by pesticide poisoning per year and the World Health Organization reports that at least 20,000 workers die from exposure of pesticides every year. The uses of toxic chemical pesticides in agriculture not only create different diseases in human health (over 200 diseases reported by WHO) such as, cancer, hypertension, kidney diseases, skin diseases, affect nervous system, irritate eye, etc. but also pollute soil and air, contaminate water through surface run off and jeopardize food chains.

According to BCPA, an organization of pesticide companies, 200 companies are the registered market players as members of the BCPA, however, there are other 200 companies who are not member of BCPA or even not registered with the Department of Agriculture Extension's Plant Protection Wing (regulates the pesticides business). These 400 companies import and market about 40000 tons of pesticides annually. The annual import cost stands nearly at 200 million USD. Among these 400 companies only 11 companies are supplying bio-pesticides.

Government has pesticide testing advisory committee who conduct laboratory and field tests prior to approve import and marketing of any pesticides. Every month the Plant Protection Wing randomly tests pesticide to make sure that pesticides are not adulterated, however, if found to be tampered, pesticides of the batch are cancelled. For instance, in 2013-14, twelve types of pesticides were banned for their adulteration.

A study of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) revealed that one-third of the pesticides used in producing vegetables and fruits in Bangladesh are substandard. These substandard pesticides are strengthening the resistance power of the pests. That's why, farmers have to apply excessive doses of pesticides (10-15 times the prescribed amount for producing fruits and 8-10 times for growing vegetables) which increases the farmers' production cost, deteriorates the environment manifold, and the crop may retain toxicity even after harvest and poses high risk to human health in long run. Exposure to or consumption of these crops may even lead to death. A decade ago, crop cultivators used to apply pesticides maximum two times a month, but now they are applying at least twice a week. Apart from vegetables and crops, pesticides are also being used in fruits. A study (in 2015) of Poribesh Bachao Andolon found that 40% of the tested fruits contain 3-20 times greater toxic substances (i.e. pesticides) than the tolerable limit of human body prescribed by WHO.

Application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), bio-pesticides/herbal pesticides, and vermi-compost, etc. is environment friendly and has proven evidence to reduce pest infestation and control the outbreak of diseases in crops. IPM is a kind of cultivation techniques which includes intercropping, multiple cropping, planting repellent crop in the periphery of the bed, placing biological pest control agent (e.g. pheromone trap) etc. Bio-pesticides/herbal pesticides are derived from plants, animals, bacteria etc., have similar qualities and effectiveness compared to chemical pesticides. Pheromone traps is a kind of device from where insect sex pheromone emits and allures the opposite sex to mate. Insects eventually trapped into the device where no reproduction of the pest occurs. Knowing its positive impacts and proven scientific evidence, IPM in agriculture had been introduced by the government of Bangladesh 3 decades ago. However, the Pesticide Act, 1985 did not mention the wording "bio/herbal", and that's why, agro companies did not produce IPM or bio pesticides. During last couple of years, IPM, bio-pesticides, etc. got a momentum (though in small scale). That's why, the use of chemical pesticides has declined which means the use of IPM and bio-pesticides increased. The use of chemical pesticides increased dramatically from 1997 to 2008 and then falls gradually. For instance, the use of chemical pesticides in 1997 was nearly 8000 tons, the use was 16000 tons in 2000, 20,000 tons in 2005-06, 48000 tons in 2008, which declined to 41600 tons in 2013 followed by 39250 tons in 2014. As government has formulated safe food act 2013, more and more pesticides companies are investing for switching from chemical pesticides to biological pesticides, which is a good move to implement the safe food act. For instance, Future Agro, Ispahani Agro Ltd, GME Agro, ACI Agrochemicals, Russell IPM and SNS Agro Tech have already invested in bio-pesticides and supplying to the farmers end.



Fig. 1: Trends of chemical pesticides use in agriculture in Bangladesh

While visiting a crop field of Rezia Begum, a farmer of Beer Narayanpur village under Lebutala Union of Jessore sadar upazila, we have observed that she is using vermicompost and herbal pesticides namely; extract (oil and oil cake) of mehagoni seed, extract of neem, and several other Balainasok (herbal pesticides) to produce bean, brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato and other traditional vegetables. "After receiving training from a local NGO (Ulashi Sreejony Sangha), we the 120 farmers in our village are now cultivating safe vegetables using bio-pesticides, IPM and vermicompost", Rezia added. Many advanced farmers of Beer Narayanpur, Kodalia, Khajura villages of Lebutala union of Jessore districts are using seed extract of mahogany & neem, vermicompost, smoking by burning tyre and piercing as substitute of chemical pesticides. Abdul Matin, Managing Director of Future Agro, who poses patent of mahagoni oil (herbal pesticide), said herbal pesticide has no side effects on human health and on our environment, whereas, chemical pesticides can affect the nervous system and cause cancer as well as kills crops friendly insects and deteriorate our environment. Ulashi Sreejony Sangha's Executive Director Khondoker Azizul Haque Moni raised that government should provide subsidy to the producers of bio-pesticides and organic fertilizer (vermicompost) so that farmers can purchase these agro inputs with an affordable price.

While pesticides affect everyone, it is the poor people that are disproportionately affected. As a part of a strategy to build the nation providing quality education to student and equip the communities with the knowledge and means to protect themselves against harmful effects of pesticides, German University Bangladesh has been educating the students through its several BSc programmes namely, Food Science & Engineering, Environment Protection Technology, and Biotechnology etc. that help the students to do research in such fields. Education and research in these fields are now a priority within the government's plans to promote safe food production and protect the environment and reduce the health hazards. German University Bangladesh is implementing a research project titled "Response of Organic Fertilizer and Herbal Pesticides to Yield of Vegetables" at the experimental field of it's permanent campus in Guptabrindaban, Sagordighi, Ghatail, Tangail. This university has well equipped laboratory and scientists namely; Prof. Dr. Saifullah Khandker, who has over 37 years of experience in the field of bio-pesticides, residue analysis, chororganic micro-contaminants with several departments, universities and organizations in Germany. So, the university is willing to conduct any physical, chemical and biological analysis related to pesticides and environmental forensics. Whatever, university is doing is just a beginning (going to establish analytic method). Once the method is established, university will go for field application.

The government has endorsed the Balai Nashak (Pesticide) Act, 2017 suggesting tougher punitive actions against marketing, sale, packaging, storage and advertisement of adulterated pesticides. Under this Act, the company could be fined as high as Tk one lac and one year jail for first time offence and two lac and two years jail for repeating the identical offence. As per current Pesticide Act (Amendment) 2010, if a company found adulteration of pesticides, there will be two year imprisonment and cancellation of company's licence. In addition, Bangladesh has already passed national Food Safety Act 2013 and National Food Safety Policy is in the pipeline. If all these acts and policies implement properly, there will be a paradigm shift towards safe food production, marketing and consumption. Since its set up in 2015, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority has been working to establish a modern and technological food safety system in Bangladesh.

Food safety and pesticides have become serious human health concern and synthetic pesticides are an environmental contaminant. Despite the harmful effects of synthetic pesticides to human health, environment and other living beings, we cannot replace the chemical pesticides by bio-pesticides, IPM and organic agriculture over night. Farmer's skill development training on the judicious use of pesticides and crop harvest time after spray of pesticides are one option to reduce health risks from harmful pesticides. Another option could be to introduce inter cropping and multiple cropping with pest repellent crop in the periphery of the crop field. Application of vermi-compost, bio-pesticides, herbal pesticides and indigenous techniques could be a good move from chemical pesticides. IPM is getting popularity among the farmers as they observed that IPM has a significant impact in controlling pest attack. Further research is required to explore the pest resistant crop varieties. Awareness raising activities need to be strengthened among the farmers, vendors and consumers.



(Writers: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Saifullah Khandker, Dean, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, and Head, Department of Environment Protection Technology, German University Bangladesh. Md Lokman Hossain, Lecturer, Department of Environment Protection Technology, German University Bangladesh)
Undue interference posing big threat to banking sector

OVER the past years Bangladesh Bank was never in full control of commercial banks and even its own activities from intervention by the Ministry of Finance and other government leaders who always wanted to influence its policies and action to their advantage. But the latest helplessness of the central bank, due to undue interference from above in controlling banks and other financial institutions has gone beyond all limits. The New Nation reported on Saturday that despite the recent refusal of the central bank to allow setting up two more banks amidst ongoing loans scandals and disorder in banking sector, the Finance Ministry has instructed Bangladesh Bank to start processing of two new licenses.







What is noticeable is that the government is under pressure to allow new banks on political consideration to party men although many private banks, which got license in the immediate past years are running aground. Economists and business leaders are opposed to any more banks but the government is helpless from internal political pressure. The central bank in turn is helpless to pressure from the government. Banks are easiest way of minting fortune by money laundering and loan frauds - this is what is the bigger picture in the banking sector in recent time. So powerful people are restive to set up new banks and the government will do what the powerful would want.







The Banking Company Act, 1991 empowered the central bank to regulate banking sector as an autonomous body but in reality, the government has taken over this autonomy establishing a Banking Division under the Ministry of Finance and giving it power over Bangladesh Bank. So the central bank is failing to function independently both due to bureaucratic and political pressure. In the words of a former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank undue interference is hurting independence of the central bank and paving way to destruction of the banking sector. The sector is already overcrowded, in addition to manifolds irregularities and almost opens grabbing of bank money by bank owners and directors.







This sector is now open to high risks and manipulation under the amended law; which has empowered four members of a family to sit on the board. Depositors' money is not safe any more while loan rescheduling has become a standard way of sidetracking repayment of bank loans in many cases. We must say banks and financial institutions provide the backbone of the national economy and any failure to run them properly is also bound to bring collapse to the system. We are already running state owned banks with regular recapitalization from budgetary resources. Recently, private banks are also asking the central bank for bailing them out. This is not time to allow more banks but to rein in the situation.
Muslims in Assam can be rendered stateless

Al Jazeeera News :

India is set to publish the first draft of a list of citizens of the northeastern state of Assam after decades of debate, sometimes violent, over immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The draft list, to be published at midnight on Sunday, will ultimately be incorporated into the National Register of Citizens (NRC) after a census carried out for the first time since 1951.

The government claims this register will be used to identify and deport illegal immigrants, but activists warn that hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Assam could be rendered stateless in the process.

"The officials [associated with the NRC project] visited many homes in our village but skipped ours. I am scared about my family being kept off the list. I am an Indian citizen. My father teaches in a school here; my grandfather has a national voter identity card too, [but I] am still petrified," 25-year-old Hussein Ahmed Madani, who lives was the spark for establishing a secret investigation into possible connections between Russia and the Trump campaign in July 2016.

The newspaper's story cites four anonymous American and Australian foreign officials "with direct knowledge of the Australian's role" as its source. The BBC has not independently verified the claims.

Mr Papadopoulos has already pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about meetings arranged while he was working with the Trump campaign.

The FBI's original investigation has since been handed off to special counsel Robert Mueller's probe, with which Mr Papadopoulos is now cooperating.

The White House has attempted to portray him as a "low-level volunteer" with little influence within the campaign. However, Mr Papadopoulos is known to have attended several meetings with Mr Trump and other senior officials such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as well as meeting a British foreign office official and arranging high-level meetings. Mr Papadopoulos was told by a contact with Russian links that Moscow had "dirt" on Mr Trump's Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton in the form of "thousands of emails" in April 2016 - something revealed earlier this year. But the New York Times now reports that weeks later, in May, Mr Papadopoulos was speaking to Alexander Downer, Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, at an "upscale London bar" when he revealed the existence of the Russian information.

It is not clear why Mr Papadopoulos chose to share his knowledge with Mr Downer, but the Times reports that the Australian diplomat passed the information to his government.

Two months later, when copies of Mrs Clinton's emails began appearing online, the Australian government passed the information to the FBI.

Once that happened, the newspaper said, "the bureau opened an investigation that became one of its most closely guarded secrets". "Senior agents did not discuss it at the daily morning briefing, a classified setting where officials normally speak freely about highly sensitive operations."

The newspaper reports that corroborating intelligence from other friendly governments, including the British and the Dutch, helped drive the investigation. White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment on the New York Times report.

"I have seen many people in my village returning after long fights in the High Court and Supreme Court, vindicated after long battles to prove their citizenship. But there is an atmosphere of fear in the village, in our community here. Who knows who will be thrown out as Bangladeshi."
CJ quit for his corruption, says Anisul

UNB, Brahmanbaria :

Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday claimed that it was corruption that prompted Chief Justice Surenda Kumar Sinha to step down from his post.

"The Chief Justice resigned as other judges refused to sit with him following 11 charges he is facing," he said while addressing a programme at Taltala village in Kasba municipality marking the inauguration of electrification of several villages.

The minister also claimed that SK Sinha had got angered when he told him that the Constitution is the supreme law. Mentioning that the next general election will be held in December next in a free and fair manner, he said Awami League will return to power. "No one will be allowed to create any chaos. Any attempt to foil the election will be dealt with an iron hand," he added.
HR at alarming level: ASK

Staff Reporter :

The overall human rights situation across the country remained at an alarming level throughout 2017, said the annual report of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK).

It mentioned on Sunday , the number of rape, sexual assault and incidents of violence against women was higher in 2017 than last year. A total of 818 women were raped across the country, of which 47 were killed after rape and 11 committed suicide. In 2016, a total of 659 women were raped.

About 255 women were victims of sexual assaults in 2017, 244 in 2016. Among those, 12 committed suicide, and three women among 13 were killed as they tried to protest.

A total of 303 women became victims of violence over dowry, of which 145 were killed and 10 committed suicide. Also, 441 women were victims of domestic violence, including 270 being killed by in-laws and 34 killed by own family members, while 57 committed suicide. Besides this, 10 women became victims of fatwa, 43 house helps were tortured among which 26 died, and 32 women were victims of acid throwing which saw death of one.

However, as per the findings, extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, killing in political violence and repression of minorities decreased in 2017 compared to that of the previous year.

Freedom of expression is constitutional right, but it was violated on several occasions, ASK said, adding that government vigilance on different mass and social media under section 57 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act continued this year.

The rights body observed the proposed Digital Security Act also is similar to the Section 57 of ICT Act, which hinders the freedom of expression of people.

A total of 54 people were sued under the section 57 of ICT Act this year, it said.

The number of 122 journalists across the country faced repression and assault from by law enforcers, influential people, local representatives, criminals, political activists and government officials while performing their duty this year, which was higher than that of 117 in 2016.

Meanwhile, a total of 162 people were killed in "crossfire", "shootout", and "gunfight" with law enforcement agencies and in their custody in 2017, which was lower than that of some 195 in the previous year. The number of such deaths was 192 in 2015 and 128 in 2014.

Besides, arrest, abduction and detention by plainclothes men identifying themselves as law enforcers continued in 2017. However, the number of people who fell victim to enforced disappearance has fallen to 60 in 2017 compared to 97 last year.

Of them, 14 were shown arrested, and 16 others returned to their families. Two were found dead while the rest remained untraced.

The repression of minorities decreased in 2017, as per the report.

It also praised the government's efforts in giving shelter to the persecuted Rohingya minorities of Myanmar, delivery of verdict in Narayanganj 7-murder case, approval of draft of The Dowry Prohibition Act- 2017, etc.

A total of 1675 children were victims of torture and killing this year, among which 339 were killed, 117 committed suicide, and 37 faced "mysterious deaths". Also, there were 565 cases of sexual assault, rape, and harassment of children in 2017. The figure was 415 in 2016 and 133 in 2015.

A total of 258 cases of attacks on minorities took place in 2017, which was 391 in 2016 and 317 in 2015.

The incidents included attack and vandalism of 212 temples, 45 houses and 21 businesses of people of Hindu community across the country, and killing of one Narayan Chandra Das in Hatiya of Noakhali over extortion.
ATU to combat militancy

IGP supervises countrywide operations

Law enforcers have taken adequate steps to beef up security at different check points in city as some restrictions being imposed on the celebration of 31st night. This photo was taken from Gulshan area on Sunday.

Md Joynal Abedin Khan :

The Bangladesh Police's new Anti-Terrorism Unit (ATU) starts its operations against militancy and terrorism across the country from today.

The full-fledged unit with advanced technology and arms will work to resist the terrors and radicals outfit organizations and maintain the law and order situation for public safety, Home Ministry officials said.

The police force will contain the power of conducting operation, arrest and investigation smoothly without approval of the law enforcing agencies, they said.

The ATU will continue to work under the super observation of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), they added.

The members of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Bomb Disposal Unit and the Dog Squad would be included in the Unit, according to them.

They would try to correct the misguided people with explanations from the Holy Quran and the Hadith, they added.

The Public Security Division of Home Ministry in an order on December 8 approved the full-fledged unit. On August 5, the Committee on Administrative Improvement Affairs approved the home ministry's proposal to form the new security unit, they further said.

With its headquarter in Dhaka, the ATU will have 581 posts -- 31 permanent cadre, and 550 temporary others -- with 41 vehicles. The force will set up its offices in all divisional offices.

Headed by an Additional Inspector General, the ATU will have a Deputy Inspector General (DIG), two additional DIGs, five superintendents of police (SP), 10 additional SPs, 12 assistant SPs, 75 inspectors, 125 sub-inspectors, 140 assistant sub-inspectors, 200 constables and 10 office staff.

A liable sources said that Additional IG (former DIG of Dhaka Range) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam would take the charge of the Chief of the Special Unit while Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit Chief Monirul Islam had already been attached with the force as the DIG.

Currently, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit -- the only Specialized counterterrorism unit of police under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) -- had to to launch anti-militancy operations in areas outside its jurisdiction. Earlier, the CTTC unit, a specialised unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), was formed in February 2016.

The CTTC was also assigned with combating cyber crimes, terror financing and mobile banking related crimes with special permission from the police headquarters for going into action beyond its jurisdiction.

Counterterrorism officials hoped that the new ATU would enhance their capacity in the fight against militancy.

Police have long been demanding the formation of a fully-fledged counterterrorism unit specialised in battling militancy throughout the country.

In the face of growing demand for a special counterterrorism police unit, the government in February last year formed the CTTC to deal with militancy effectively.

At the same time, the police headquarters forwarded the proposal for the "Police Anti-Terrorism Unit" to the home ministry in a bid to step up the fight.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said they wanted to root out militancy from the country and hoped that the special police unit will be able to do so. "We will provide the required arms and equipment to the unit so that they can operate smoothly," he added.

He said that instead of the CTTC unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the new unit will carry out anti-militancy raids from now on.

The Additional Inspector General (confidential and special affairs) Md Moniruzzaman said that the CTTC unit was formed to work in the capital, but it was allowed to work nationwide.
Fugitive Catalan leader asks Spain to restore his government

Puigdemont campaigned for the region\'s December 21 snap election from his Brussels exile after a Spanish court charged him with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds. Photograph:

AP, Madrid :

Catalonia's fugitive former president has called for Spanish authorities to open negotiations regarding the restitution of what he calls his "legitimate government."

Carles Puigdemont said via social media channels from Brussels on Saturday that Spain should "recognize the election results of Dec. 21 and start negotiating politically with the legitimate government of Catalonia."

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy deposed Puigdemont and his cabinet after Catalonia's regional parliament voted in favor of a declaration of independence from the rest of the country in October. But pro-secession parties, including one led by Puigdemont, won the most seats in elections last week.

Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid a judicial investigation into suspicions of rebellion by him and his government. He did not say Saturday if he plans to return to Spain, where an arrest warrants awaits him.

Rajoy said on Friday that he plans to convene Catalonia's newly elected parliament on Jan. 17. In-house rules of Catalonia's parliament require that a candidate to form a government be present.

Puigdemont campaigned for the region's December 21 snap election from his Brussels exile after a Spanish court charged him with rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds.

But a solid showing by pro-independence parties in the poll strengthened the hand of the secessionists, albeit they did not capture a majority of votes cast.

In a seven-minute recorded message Puigdemont insisted he was still Catalonia's "legitimate" leader and that the electorate had shown themselves to be "democratically mature, winning the right to constitute a republic of free men and women."

After the divisive regional elections, how the independence camp intends to rule remains a mystery, with other secessionist leaders, including Puigdemont's former deputy Oriol Junqueras, behind bars pending trial.

"The ballot box has spoken," said Puigdemont, who said he hoped the election outcome could kickstart moves towards "dialogue and negotiation."

"So what is (Prime Minister Mariano) Rajoy waiting for to accept the results?" Any investiture of Puigdemont as regional leader for a new term while he remains abroad would require a change in regional parliamentary statutes.

Rajoy on Friday denounced as "absurd" any idea that Puigdemont could govern from exile and Ines Arrimadas, regional head of the anti-independence Cuidadanos party, agreed.

"Mr Puigdemont believes he can be president of the Generalitat (regional executive) via internet and Whatsapp," said Arrimadas.




Russia accuses US of breaking treaty over defence system sale to Japan

Sergei Ryabkov accused the US of violating a key arms treaty by selling a missile defence system to Japan.

AFP, Moscow :

Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov on Saturday accused the United States of violating a key arms treaty by selling a missile defence system to Japan.

"The US is deploying them (missile defence systems) at their military bases in Romania and Poland, that is near our western borders, which goes against the 1987 INF Treaty banning the deployment of such systems on the ground," Ryabkov said in a statement published on the Russian Foreign Ministry website. "The fact that such complexes could now appear on Russia's eastern borders creates a situation that we cannot ignore in our military planning," said Ryabkov.

On Thursday, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the deployment of the US missile defence system would have a negative impact on relations between Tokyo and Moscow.

"We consider the step made by the Japanese side as going against efforts of ensuring peace and stability in the region," Zakharova said, adding that Moscow has "deep regret and serious concern" over the move.

On December 19, the Japanese government approved the installation of two land-based US-made Aegis Ashore missile defence systems to defend the country against North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.

Japan plans to increase its budget defence for the next fiscal year to strengthen its missile defence against the threat posed by its neighbour. Earlier this month Japan's defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, said the country plans to purchase long-range cruise missiles with a range of some 900 kilometres (560 miles) from US firms. The move is controversial as Japan's pacifist constitution bans the use of force as a means of settling international disputes.

After North Korea launched a missile over Japan's Hokkaido island in September, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would "never tolerate" North Korea's "dangerous provocative action" and has urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Pyongyang.

North Korea has threatened to "sink" Japan into the sea.

Global anxiety about North Korea has steadily risen this year, with Washington calling on other UN members to cut ties with Pyongyang in order to squeeze the secretive regime.

The call, however, has fallen short of persuading key North Korea backers China and Russia to take steps to isolate the regime.




Prison-like restaurant in Egypt

Life Desk :

A prison-themed restaurant in Egypt? It might seem distasteful in a country where thousands of people, mostly Islamists but also secular pro-democracy activists, are languishing in jail on what right groups say are trumped-up charges.

Yet, the restaurant in the coastal city of Mansoura called "Food Crime" is doing good business because of its novelty, according to patrons. Props like handcuffs, inmate number plaques, a prisoners' cage and even an electric chair are served up as welcome selfie-fodder.

"It's a catchy idea and I did not want to do something that is traditional," said the restaurant's owner, Waleed Naeem, 37. "Our prices are competitive _ our most expensive sandwich on the menu is just 15 pounds (84 U.S. cents)."

Naeem is irked by anyone who tries to link the restaurant's theme to the large-scale crackdown on dissent since the military ousted an Islamist president in 2013.

"The people of Mansoura really like this restaurant and think it's a great idea. But others are making a huge deal out of this on social media," said Naeem, who has refused to give media interviews to news outlets that want him to speak about what his eatery symbolizes.

"My restaurant is not political," said Naeem, who maintains that the idea of Food Crime was inspired by similar establishments in South Korea, China and Italy. "I don't think it has anything to do with real prisons and those inside them."

The restaurant's unusual decor attracts many in Mansoura, like Yasmeen Khouly. "The idea is crazy, but it's all about trying something new and seeing what's out there, she said after eating there with a friend.

"Obviously seeing handcuffs and an electric chair is strange." Engineer Ahmed Atef, however, said the environment reminded him of his days in the army, and "the prisons I used to see when I served."

- AP | Mansoura


Robber' killed in 'gunfight

UNB, Comilla :

A suspected robber was reportedly killed in a gunfight with detectives at Choyghoria in Chandina upazila on early Sunday.

Tipped off that a gang of bandits was taking

preparation to commit robbery in Choyghoria Bridge area, a DB team carried out a drive there around 2:30 am, said officer-in-charge of the district Detective Branch (DB) Manzurul Alam. Sensing the presence of the DB personnel, the robbers opened fire towards them, forcing the law enforcers to retaliate that triggered the gunfight.

Both the DB men and the robbers exchanged several bullets during the gunfight when one of the bandits Shamim, son of Sadequr Rahman of Kashimpur village, caught in the line of fire and died on the spot.

However, other members of the robber gang managed to flee, said the OC Manzurul adding that the body was sent to Comilla Medical College Hospital for autopsy.
The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.
GOLCONDA  Christmastime means many things to many people. To Linda Meherg, it means long hours of hard work. But shes no Grinch.

This is the busiest time of the year for the owner of The Chocolate Factory, a wonderland of sweetness nestled in the forests of deep southern Illinois.

The business has become a fixture in the region  known throughout southern Illinois, western Kentucky and western Indiana. It didnt start out that way when Meherg and two friends decided in 1977 to open a candy shop.

We had no idea what we were getting into, she said. It just seemed like a fun thing.

It has been a fun  and long  ride. Meherg is celebrating the businesss 40th year, and there are still growing pains. She recently expanded the kitchen area, where goodies are made and packaged.

The growth is even more remarkable considering the location. The shop sits among the trees across the road from Dixon Springs State Park. The nearest community of at least 1,000 people is 15 miles away.

But years of advertising and word of mouth have made The Chocolate Factory a destination for chocoholics.

Meherg runs through several tons of chocolate each year. It is on display by the pound in large jars, which hold various chocolate mixtures such as caramel, peanut butter and toffee. Sugar-free versions are available.

Candies are molded into hundreds of shapes, including arrowheads, fish, a blow dryer and even shotgun shells, a popular choice in this wooded, hilly spot that draws hunters from across the region.

We have used thousands and thousands of molds, Meherg said.

Most products are made right at the store, in the expanded kitchen. Shoppers can get personalized candies in gift sets. In 1985, Meherg purchased packaging equipment that helps her and her 14 employees make custom sets.

Online sales make up a growing part of the stores marketing strategy. A few other stores in the region also offer goodies made at the factory.

So how does Meherg maintain her slender figure among tons of chocolate decadence? It may be partly because of her genes, and partly because of her familiarity with the product.

Once you work here all the time, you know you can have it, so you dont feel you really need to sample it, she said.

It may also be because she seemingly never slows down, especially this time of year.

We work until midnight or 1 a.m. many days, she said.
WEST FRANKFORT  Earlier this year, Juan Carlos Hernandez Pacheco was unexpectedly thrust under an international spotlight when he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and his story traveled around in the world in various media reports.

Though his wife and children are American citizens, Hernandez has been an undocumented resident of the United States for about 20 years. As word spread that he had been detained on Feb. 9, many in the small Franklin County town of 8,000 his family calls home were shocked to learn he has been living in the country without papers. But then again, why would they know? Its not the kind of thing that comes up in casual conversation.

Friends, family rally behind West Frankfort restaurant manager detained by ICE WEST FRANKFORT  For more than a week, a popular West Frankfort businessman and community leader has been in the custody of U.S. Immigration a

For years, Hernandez and his family have lived a quiet life in Southern Illinois. They are busy with work, and their childrens school activities. They have a toddler at home who keeps them running around and generally exhausted in the way to which anyone who has ever been around a 2-year-old can easily relate.

Since 2007, Hernandez has been the manager of La Fiesta, a Mexican eatery in West Frankfort. The chain has locations throughout Southern Illinois. Prior to that, he worked at the companys Marion and Benton locations. He and his wife also operate a food truck business called La Rana Grill. His wife, Elizabeth Hernandez, also works as a waitress at La Fiesta, at the Benton location. She had previously worked at the West Frankfort location, where they met. They celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary on Sept. 27. The couple has three children, Kharloz, 9, Gianluca, 7, and Maximus, 2. The older two boys attend Frankfort Community Unit School District 168.

At first, a few negative rumors spread as people speculated about why he was detained. But as details emerged, many of his neighbors showed their support. Hernandezs close friend, Tim Grigsby, who owns a printing business in West Frankfort, organized a letter-writing campaign on Hernandezs behalf while he was still behind bars. The lawyer representing Hernandez told him a few letters might help his case before an immigration judge. They received more than a few. Across West Frankfort, numerous residents and prominent city and county leaders, including the mayor, fire chief, a deputy police chief and states attorney, wrote letters of support for Hernandez, detailing the countless ways he has given back to the community over the years. After his story made headlines, Grigsby said he received hundreds more letters and emails.

The breadth of his quiet generosity, as detailed in those letters, shocked even Grigsby, who knew Hernandez has a kind heart and has done many things to help people, but didnt realize the extent of his giving over the years.

Hernandezs story quickly spread among local media outlets. The Southern Illinoisan published a story on Feb. 18 titled Friends, family rally behind West Frankfort restaurant manager detained by ICE. It was shared widely on social media and generated a number of comments, both those in support of Hernandez and critical of him for building a life here as an undocumented immigrant. On Feb. 27, the New York Times published a piece on Hernandez and the towns reaction to his detainment in an immigration detention center about an hour west of St. Louis titled, Hes a Local Pillar in a Trump Town. Now He could Be Deported.

That story elevated Hernandez to celebrity status, at least for a news cycle. Many major television networks and newspapers picked up on the story after the Times piece. Hernandez did not have access to the internet during the 20 days he was in the detention center, and was surprised to find how far his story had traveled when he was released March 1 on a $3,000 bond and a promise to return for his hearing at a future date. Arriving back in West Frankfort, national news crews greeted him at the restaurant near his house. He began hearing from people around the world. Hernandez and his wife, Elizabeth, described the whole experience as overwhelming.

About a week after his release, CNN flew him to New York to appear on The Messy Truth hosted by commentator Van Jones. The feedback they received was a mix of positive and negative, but what almost all the comments had in common was that they were impassioned. Among the negative comments, Hernandez heard not only from people in America angry that he had broken civil immigration laws, but also from Mexicans and Mexican immigrants to the U.S who thought he was being supportive of President Donald Trump. Hernandez said in interviews that he understood why the tough-talking president  then just a month into office  is popular among some Americans, including the majority of people in his hometown, and that he supported some of his policies about securing the border because of the number of people who lose their lives trying to cross it.

Hernandez said some of the things he said were taken out of context in the rush of interviews, and as television news edited lengthy conversations to short clips to fit their segments. His wife instructed him to shy away from doing any more national news interviews, as she was unsettled by the attention.

The national story line in Hernandezs case became about the outpouring of support for an undocumented immigrant facing possible deportation in a region that overwhelmingly supported Trump during the presidential election.

That Hernandez did not lash out in anger at Trump upon his arrest, and offered comments in support of some of the president's immigration policy positions, added intrigue. One of Trumps prime presidential campaign platforms centered on cracking down more stringently on people living in the country in violation civil immigration laws.

On a few occasions, he used harsh descriptions of Mexicans to make his policy points in support of more rapidly finding and removing undocumented immigrants with criminal records, and for building a wall at the border. It was as much the offensive language he used as the policies he pushed that drew sharp criticism from many camps, including from within his own party ranks.

As the story about Hernandez and his supporters in West Frankfort gained traction, both expressed frustration, at times, that they felt reduced to sound bites, and their complicated stories and feelings on the issue of immigration law and Trump neatly packaged to prove a political point. For instance, Hernandez said he respects the position of president, whoever holds the office. West Frankfort also became the source of scorn by some outsiders who criticized those citizens who came to Hernandezs defense and voted for Trump as hypocrites.

Still only months removed from a contentious presidential battle that divided the nation, Hernandezs story became about immigration law and the rural-urban divide all at once, as Middle America helped catapult Trump to the White House much to the surprise of many coastal elites. The story of Hernandez and the conservative coal mining town that rallied around him offered all the right ingredients to strike a collective national nerve. Some of the more nuanced details were lost in the mix.

This story begins a mini-series, The Undocumented Immigrant Next Door. The series aims to shed more light on Hernandezs journey to America, his ongoing legal battle, his family, the West Frankfort community members who rallied behind him, and America's complex immigration laws that affect millions of people like Hernandez. The weeklong series kicks off with The Southern Illinoisan announcing Hernandez as its Person of the Year for 2017.

There are still many unknowns for the Hernandez family. Complicating matters is that Hernandez has two drunken driving convictions on his record from 2007. Though he no longer drinks and has a support system to keep him from relapsing, an immigration judge could look unfavorably on this. However, the bigger issue is that he was caught attempting to illegally cross the border several times in the late-1990s as he first attempted to make it to America, and again in 2003 when he was coming back to Illinois after visiting his home country.

When ICE officials detained Hernandez on Feb. 9, they came knocking on his door looking for someone else. It wasnt the first time he had been paid a visit by ICE officials for similar reasons, but this time Hernandez said he was told they could not overlook the decade-old DUIs. As for whether that is directly related to new get-tough immigration policies implemented by Trump, thats a complicated question that is difficult to answer, immigration law experts say.

Immigration law was confusing and its application to unauthorized immigrants somewhat arbitrary long before Trumps inciting comments on the campaign trail. People have been removed from the country for lesser offenses, or with no criminal offenses at all, as federal immigration judges have the ability to exercise a considerable degree of discretion in such cases. A recently trending national story on immigration, which cites data from the Mexican government, states that the U.S. government under the Trump administration in 2017 returned fewer Mexicans home than did the administration of President Barack Obama in 2016. At the same time, arrests of suspected unauthorized immigrants increased in 2017, by as much as 42 percent, according to a Dec. 5 Reuters report, likely attributable to Trump expanding the categories of unauthorized immigrants to be prioritized for deportation.

Hernandez has a long time to wait to find out his fate.

The immigration courts are so clogged that his next court appearance isnt until April 2021. Thats a mixed bag for the Hernandez family. On one hand, Hernandez wont find out whether he can stay in the country long-term with his family for nearly three and a half years. But it also buys him time. Hernandez has secured a temporary work permit, and he is allowed to stay in the U.S. pending his hearing. At that time, he faces the possibility of deportation and separation from his wife and family.

Hernandez said he will not take them with him, as America is the only life his boys have ever known. Meanwhile, his lawyer, Austin, Texas-based attorney Victor Arana, a graduate of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Law, continues to pursue a variety of legal avenues that could allow Hernandez to gain legal residency.

The Southern Illinoisan chose Hernandez as its Person of the Year because his is a story that challenges many assumptions about immigration law and the rural-urban divide, and puts a familiar face on a complex national debate.

Beyond that, the newspaper chose Hernandez because his personal story, the one that wasnt told in the viral headlines, is so exceedingly human. Its chock-full of pain and obstacles, but also acceptance, love and second chances. His is a story about the ways in which these healing virtues are sometimes found in the most unlikely of places and people. Hernandezs story, which is both complex and ordinary, illustrates in full color the ways that immigration law and rural America can be as messy as life itself.
I left Columbia on Sept. 27 and flew to Atlanta to board Korean Airlines and fly to Inchon Airport. After a two-hour layover, I went on to Busan, South Korea -- my hometown -- arriving there around 7:55 p.m.

After visiting with my sisters and their families for a few days, I went to visit my mother in Gimcheon, South Korea. My mother lives there with one of my sisters and her family. My mother was so glad to see me. She held onto me the entire time I was there. I had a great visit with my mom and sister and was thrilled to take my mom to the doctor and some stores for shopping.

After my visit with my mom, I traveled to Gangwon-do, which is close to the Korean Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ. Two of my sisters, a family friend and myself stayed there for three days. It was a great opportunity to take lots of pictures of North Korea from the South Korean side.

It was exciting and a little scary knowing how close I was to North Korea. There were a lot of South Korean military police in Gangwon-do since it is on the border. Officials had to check our passports and IDs before we were allowed to go to the house.

We traveled back to Busan for a few days, followed by a trip to Yeosu for two days. Yeosu is about two hours from Busan, on the tip of South Korea. I got to see some old ships from the 1700s that were used during the many wars Korea has had over the years. This was a wonderful and beautiful city to visit, and we had a great time.

We went back to Busan for a few more days, then I went to the beautiful city of Suwon, which is about a two-hour train ride from Busan. I met some people I have known for several years, and they took me around the city. I got to meet the mayor of Suwon, and he was very nice and gave me a vase to show his appreciation of me visiting his city.

Suwon has the old Hwangseon Fortress that was built during the late 1700s and still stands today and is very beautiful and has a lot of history. I also got to meet artists and photographers in this beautiful city. Suwon has a lot of history in art and music. One thing concerning me was a lot of older people are not employed in good jobs; most of the low maintenance-type jobs are held by old women. I did not see any younger people working in these jobs.

I went to Seoul after four days in Suwon and I got off the train to get to my hotel. There were so many people protesting the jailing of the ex-president that it took me almost an hour to get to my hotel when it should have taken me five minutes.

Once I got settled in, I went to take some pictures of the protests and then went to some old historic places to see where the kings and queens stayed many years ago. I went to a few art shows, and that was very interesting to see.

From there I went to the DMZ on a bus with about 30 people, and the security was very tight. They checked all our IDs and paperwork. Then we had a 30-minute security briefing to tell us what not to do at the DMZ. The place was extremely secure, but it was very scary staring at North Korean soldiers.

I was looking around taking pictures of the North Korean mountains across the border and decided to ask a South Korean military policeman if I could take his picture. He got upset and said, No. After that, a security officer started following me around to see what I was doing. I got really scared and got back with my group in a hurry. I was relieved to get on the bus to head back to Seoul.

After five days in Seoul, I went to visit Ulsan to take pictures of some old and unique Buddhist temples. The temples are in the mountains, and we had to walk a long way to visit them. It was well worth the time and effort. Parasol Tongdosa Temple was the biggest temple we visited. Buddhism is one of the largest religions in Korea.

I was in Korea for seven weeks, and the days and weeks went by so fast. I had a great time getting to visit so many places to which I had never been before. I am so glad that I got to see my mother and am happy she is doing well, even at the age of 98.
W.J. Stoudenmire Jr. served his country with bravery and honor during World War II as a member of the United States Army Infantry and, for that, he was presented with a handmade quilt designed to bring him both comfort and warmth.

Wrapped in their very own Quilt of Valor, veterans across the nation have been receiving tangible gifts of love and appreciation from quilters since the nationwide grassroots program of the same name started in 2003.

The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to provide service members and veterans touched by war with the healing coziness of quilts. To date, more than 170,000 quilts have been awarded.

Quilts are awarded at many different levels. They may go to military hospitals, where chaplains award them to service members, or they may be awarded to entire service units returning from deployments.

They may also be awarded at veterans homes, or they may be awarded individually.

St. Matthews resident Anne Mixon, coordinator for Quilts of Valor in South Carolina, presented Stoudemire with one of the quilts on Dec. 26 at his home at 185 Till Road in Orangeburg.

Stoudenmire, 95, was surrounded by family members, including his three daughters, Libba Suits, Becky Gramling and Cathy Fulbright, as he received his quilt.

I feel kind of humble about all these here people coming around making a whole fuss over nothing, said Stoudenmire, who felt serving his country was something he had to do.

Back then, everybody served their country. All the men who were physically able either went, they were drafted or they volunteered. The only people who didnt go wasnt physically able to go. I didnt do anything out of the ordinary; I just did what everybody else did, he said. It was time to serve the country so we went.

Stoudenmire served as a rifleman, scout, squad leader and assistant squad leader as an infantryman.

Our battalion was the honor guard at Gen. George Pattons funeral. It was drizzling rain in the cold, he said, adding that he and his fellow servicemen did the best we could.

Well, we won it. I had a lot of good friends when I was in service and then we went overseas together. And in my platoon, (there weren't) but 18 of us left at the end of the war. All of them werent killed. A lot of them were wounded, in the hospitals and all, he said.

Mixon said each quilt tells its own story and is crafted with love and prayers. Stoudenmires quilt was crafted by Summerville resident Judith Sauls.

As I tell all the quilters frequently, we couldnt do the things we love in the comfort and safety of our homes, we couldnt go and take sewing and quilting classes and just meet and sew if it werent for our veterans doing what they do for us, she said. Why wouldnt we make them a quilt to say 'thank you' for the freedoms they provide in our life?

Mixon added, We have quilts that we make out of our familys clothing. When a loved one dies, we can take their clothes and turn it into a quilt. We have quilts that we make for weddings, for friends that are in the hospital who arent well and so on. So when we talk about quilts, all quilters believe that each one tells a story.

Stoudenmires quilt had its own message, too.

We like to think that the top of the fabric in its diverse fabric patterns and colors represents all the diverse groups that we have around the country. The batting on the inside of the quilt is what keeps you warm. It was sewn in with love and prayers that the quilt will bring comfort to the person that received it," Mixon said.

And the back of the quilt in its solid piece is what holds the quilt together just like our veterans hold our country together. If it werent for them, where would we be? We believe thats the story that the Quilts of Valor tell," she said.

Gramling said she is proud of her father, who she said has been blessed with longevity. She said she also appreciates everything the Quilts of Valor Foundation does.

Its very nice, and we appreciate everybody that does this, she said.

Mixon said her group of quilters meets from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Tuesday at the old Calhoun County Library at 202 Harry C. Raysor Drive in St. Matthews. The group will resume their meetings on Jan. 9 following the holidays.

If theres anybody that would like to come and join us, they dont have to know how to sew. We have jobs there that anybody can do, Mixon said.

For more information about the group, contact Mixon at 803-664-1348 or anne.mixon@qovf.org. For more information about Quilts of Valor, visit the website at https://www.qovf.org/.
Loyalty and longevity go hand-in-hand, especially when family members think of Charlotte Green Robin and her dedication to her church and family over the past 100 years of her life.

Friends and family gathered at the PruittHealth nursing home in Orangeburg on Dec. 17 to celebrate Robin's milestone birthday.

"She is the fourth child of 11 children, but she has always been a dear aunt. She's always been a special aunt," said Beatrice Garvin, Robin's niece.

Robin was born in Fort Motte to Ben and Julia Pinckney Green. She is the only surviving child of the 11 children born to the couple.

Garvin said Robin is her mother's sister. Having lost her own mother less than two years ago, Garvin said Robin holds a special place in her heart.

"She's always been that person that's willing to help any of her family at any time. That's why we love her so much. She loved all of her family," Garvin said.

Robin, the mother of one son, Eddie Green, attended Lang Syne School in Fort Motte. She is a member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Fort Motte.

"She served faithfully for many years on the musical choir and various other ministries after her return from Durham, North Carolina, where she lived for 35 years," Garvin said. "She loves her church and family, and was more than happy to help wherever she was needed before her health declined."

Singing, cooking, shopping and talking to others are among the things the centenarian has enjoyed throughout her life. Two of her favorite foods are shrimp and french fries.

Garvin said her aunt's birthday was a time to give back to Robin all she has given to others.

"She enjoyed seeing all of her relatives and friends who came from far and near to help celebrate this great milestone in her life," she said.
Gov. Henry McMaster may have vetoed Orangeburg Countys school district consolidation bill, but local lawmakers say theyll take the issue up again in January.

"Once we get back on the second Tuesday in January, this will be our first order of business," Sen. John Matthews said. "We're going to override the governor's veto. We're hoping the House will do the same, and I'm pretty sure they will.

After the veto is overridden, lawmakers will correct the issue that the governor was concerned about, the Bowman Democrat said.

Everybody that I've talked to is OK with that," he said.

Orangeburg Countys senators introduced the school district consolidation bill in April. The bill calls for combining the countys three school districts into one known as the Orangeburg School District beginning July 1, 2019.

Approximately 500 community members gathered May 22 for a forum at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College to express their opinions.

School closures and class sizes were among the issues discussed during the hearing. Lawmakers went back to the drawing board with the information they received.

The discussion was heated even among lawmakers. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter accused Rep. Jerry Govan of injuring her during a dispute over consolidation on May 11 at the Statehouse.

Govan was charged Nov. 9 with third-degree assault and battery, a misdemeanor. He says hes not guilty and has requested a jury trial.

Lawmakers approved the bill merging Orangeburg County's three school districts into one on June 6.

The bill maintains current attendance zones until the 2021-2022 school year. They cant be changed unless the federal court order regarding attendance zones is rescinded or amended during this period."

It also requires three public hearings before a school can be closed. The district will have to consider the cost of closing the school and transporting students.

Before any school can be closed, the voters in the attendance area must give their approval in a referendum.

The new school districts board will be made up of nine members. Seven members will be elected from single-member voting districts that follow the lines of the county council districts. There will be also be two at-large members.

The bill also creates a committee to guide the transition from three districts into one. Its voting members will include six current board members, plus five members appointed by the legislative delegation.

The governor vetoed the bill, saying its unconstitutional since it gives the Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation control over the transition committees budget.

Trey Walker, the governors chief of staff, said, "The governor has been working with Sen. Matthews and the delegation on exploring options to come to a resolution because Gov. McMaster believes consolidating school districts in many regions of the state is a necessity if we are going to be able to remain competitive both economically and educationally in the job marketplace.

"So Sen. Matthews met with the governor and said that they had come to an agreement with the delegation that if the governor would be supportive, they would override his veto and immediately submit another piece of local legislation that removes that provision and that would make it constitutional."

Walker added, "It sounds like they've done great work and have come to a compromise with all of the stakeholders. It looks like it's going to work out just fine."

Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, said, "The consensus is we're moving forward whether we do it with the existing bill or whether we have to draft a new bill, which will take us another week or so. It wouldn't take too much longer, but I think we're ready to move forward."

He said there are safeguards in the bill to ensure that schools cannot be easily closed.

Ultimately, somebody has to take a holistic look at the education in the county, and that group ought to be the school board once its consolidated and new members are elected, he said.

He thinks changes will be needed in the school system, but not immediately.

"Over the past decade, we've had a drop in the number of students in the schools. So as the population of the schools change, there needs to be change to accommodate that: change in the number of teachers, number of schools, number of administrators. All of those things should be properly considered by people in charge of doing that, and that would be the consolidated school board that is elected, he said.

Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said, "The bill that the governor vetoed as much as possible addresses some of the concerns at the public hearing. The only issue was who signs off on the budget that the transition committee would present.

The governor thought that we should not do that, and ... I think he's probably right. I would much rather have the county council do that."

She has introduced a bill designed to address the governors concerns.

Cobb-Hunter said the long-term goal of school consolidation is to, "make sure that in a small, rural county like Orangeburg, that every child has access and equal opportunity to a quality education."

She believes consolidation will help with instructional costs and teacher recruitment and retention.

Rep. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, said he has worked to alleviate concerns among the public, particularly on school closures.

"That is not the intent or motivation behind the legislation, and that is certainly nowhere in the foreseeable future ever possibly taking place. Twenty or 30 years down the road, that is still going to be a very high bar that would have to be crossed before that could ultimately be accomplished. So for the people that are concerned about that, that is just not a realistic possibility," Ott said.

He said cost savings are not the prime motivation either, but added that, "if cost savings can be realized through this consolidation, then that's more dollars that we're able to put back into the classroom, which is certainly always a good thing when we're facing teacher shortages across the entire state.

We have to attract more teachers to try to cut down on pupil-to-teacher classroom sizes. So at the end of the day, the bottom line is it doesn't matter whether you live in eastern Orangeburg County or you live in western Orangeburg County, you deserve to be able to enjoy the benefits of what Orangeburg has to offer.

Ott believes there will be a statewide movement to consolidate school districts.

It's certainly not fair statewide that where you live dictates the type of education you receive, or the facilities you get to enjoy, he said. You shouldn't have to come from a wealthier part of the state that has a strong tax base to be able to go to a high-quality school. And that's what we have across South Carolina right now.

In Orangeburg County, We need to have that tax base for the entire county supporting every student within those borders, he said.

Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, said he hopes the Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation can meet and come to a consensus about the changes that are needed in the consolidation legislation, so that we have a clear understanding and clear pathway that will lead to a smooth and successful transition."

He said, If we don't do that, then what we're going to do is have a mess. And one of those things that I hope that we do address straightforward ... is the board election plan, which I believe should be a straight-up, nine-member district plan to ensure that all parts of the county are equally and fairly represented on the newly consolidated school district board."

He said, "I think that when it comes to the consolidation of schools in Orangeburg County, obviously we're at a point in which I think that everyone does have a general feeling that this is going to happen. And so the question now is how can we devise a consolidation process that is truly going to be in the best interest of all the children of Orangeburg County and making that consolidation ... as smooth as possible?

Orangeburg Consolidated School District 3 Chairwoman Vernell Goodwin said, "I think consolidation will be great for the students. It would definitely give more opportunities. It would definitely play a part in all students in this area having the same opportunities.

Having consolidation is a great thing and I'm looking forward to moving further with it."

She said, "If we have one focus in mind and that is our students, then it shouldn't be a problem. But if we have other personal issues, that's when it becomes a problem.

OCSD5 Board Chairwoman Mary Berry Ulmer said the board supports the consolidation process and the opportunities it presents.

"Although we have a history of cooperation and collaboration among the three public school districts in Orangeburg County, our expectation is that consolidation will formalize these relationships and streamline this process going forward," Ulmer said.

She added, "It is my desire to see our districts come together to share our resources in such a way that our individual 'pockets of excellence' will be made available to students on a countywide basis while we also work together to give support to areas of need."

Ulmer said a comprehensive review of school facilities is needed as a part of the effort because older schools are not designed for the technological needs required to be competitive in today's society.

"I'm looking forward to a transition that will be both transparent and cooperative. The transition committee will have representation from all three school districts and the community as a whole," she said. "My focus will be on moving forward and identifying priorities for what is in the best interest of educating our children."

OCSD4 Board Chairman Aaron Rudd said while there are still many unknowns in the consolidated process, the district ultimately wants what is best for the students and others.
Arbor Day in South Carolina, which is observed on the first Friday in December, is the only holiday that celebrates the future. This year the Orangeburg County Soil and Water Conservation District planted five redbud trees at five schools in Orangeburg County: Edisto Elementary, Carver-Edisto Middle, Edisto High, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Middle and Orangeburg Preparatory Lower Campus.

The redbud trees were chosen because they are early-blooming trees. They provide pollen and nectar to early emerging pollinators on the first warm days of spring. This tree is an understory tree in the forest. It may not be tall, but the fuchsia colored flowers that emerge from the trunk, branches and stems of the tree make it highly visible in the spring before most trees put out any new leaves. The leaves of the tree are heart shaped and emerge after the tree has flowered.
Predictions are dicey. Ask any weatherman. But all of us can agree on at least one prediction for 2018: Whatever goes wrong next year, roughly half of all Americans will tell you, Its all Trumps fault.

OK, thats done. Now on to some serious forecasting. Here are five foreign policy stories that will dominate next years news.

5. All North Korea all the time. You think Donald Trump likes the spotlight? Compared to Kim Jong-un, hes a wallflower. Rocket Man cant stand it when other countries ignore him. Only, instead of tweeting for attention, he launches an ICBM or triggers a nuclear bomb.

Kims bad behavior will continue in 2018, keeping nerves on edge from Seoul to Tokyo to Washington. But, in practical terms, the perpetual, Kim-induced crisis isnt likely to escalate. Thats because, over time, the Great Leaders ability to threaten the United States and our allies will increasingly be eclipsed by our capacity to defend against this odious regime.

Of course, Kim will still make headlines whenever he wants to  with bomb and missile tests or some other provocative action. Some things never change.

4. Putin his nose where it doesnt belong. 2018 is election year in Russia and Putin will once again win big. His fellow kleptocrats in the Kremlin will make sure of that. Indeed, theyve already started. On Christmas Day, Russias Central Election Commission formally barred opposition leader Alexie Navalny from running for president. Navalny has now called for an election boycott. Expect Russian officials to report record turnout  and a 90 percent victory margin for Putin.

The big foreign policy question about the election is: To what extent will he be inclined to manufacture a little crisis in neighboring lands to boost the electorates notion that, in these trying times, hes indispensable? Sure, hes already done Georgia, and he still has things roiling in Ukraine. But Putin is always looking for an opportunity to exploit. Hes most likely to mess around more in the Balkans  a move that will cause U.S.-Russian relations to plummet.

3. Whether Im right or whether Im Erdogan. Over the last few years, the leader of Turkey has become one of the most unpredictable leaders in the world. Thats because, he seems to have no clear policy goal other than consolidating power at home. Abroad, he practices trampoline diplomacy, bouncing all over the place. We would worry less if he wasnt (1) a key leader in one of the most unstable parts of the world and (2) the head of a NATO member nation. Erratic and unreliable behavior is unwelcome on both scores.

2. Iran into a big problem. Talk about dancing with the stars not aligned. Washingtons tango with Tehran wont be pretty. The Trump administration has branded the country an adversarial, disruptive power and all but declared the Iran Deal a failure. The administration is right on both counts. But so far, the basic strategy for dealing with the problems seems to butting heads.

At the same time, there is a war to be won fighting ISIS and al-Qaeda. Dont expect to get though the year without this trilogy of bad actors  Iran, ISIS and al- Qaeda  making headlines you really dont want to see.

1. Breaking some China. Of course, the relationship between Beijing and Washington is going to get way worse. You dont need a fortune cookie to predict that. And it wont be just about economic competition. The United States and China will be chest bumping over diplomacy, regional security and global politics as well.

In the end, China will disappoint in its promise to help with North Korea. And Beijing wont back off its efforts to secure control of the South China Seas. Meanwhile, the United States and China will likely spar about different points along Xi Jinpings ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.

Blame Trump if you want to, but the world of 2018 was going to be a messier place regardless of who sits in the Oval Office. Thats what happens when you leave the playground unsupervised  as President Barack Obama did for eight years.

At least, now America seems to have awakened to the fact that doing less is as dangerous as trying to do too much. It is hoped in 2018 Washington can strike the right balance: demonstrating enough toughness to force the bad guys to back off, without creating more problems for our military and diplomatic forces to solve.
Everton confident on stadium despite rising costs

Sunday, 31 December, 2017



Everton's plans to relocate from Goodison Park to a brand new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock continue to develop but the cost estimate and the timescale for its opening have changed.

The club have been working on a development that would finally end a 20-year search for a solution to the problems posed by their existing ground for the past year and had hoped to kick off the 2021-22 season by the Mersey.

That time frame has shifted to 2022-23 now and development costs are now projected to be higher than the original 300m estimate due to what CEO Robert Elstone describes as a 20% premium for building on what is a far from routine location.

The dock location chosen for the Blues' new stadium will need to be filled in to provide the footprint for the construction. An ambitious capacity will also bump up the price tag of the Bramley-Moore Dock project but the club remain confident they will recoup the outlay though a naming rights deal, further sponsorship, non-matchday revenue and higher attendances than are possible at Goodison Park.

Article continues below video content

"You will know we recently secured the Bramley Moore Dock site," Elstone wrote in a post to supporters on evertonfc.com where he outlined the progress made on the new stadium. "Meis has presented the Club with outline concept designs. Cost consultants have prepared estimates. Planners are ready to kick off the planning application. And, we are moving ever nearer to securing a significant proportion of the funding we will need to build the stadium.

"Your informal feedback has ... informed the concept designs prepared by Meis needed to secure a reliable estimate of the project's total cost and, ultimately, our funding target.

"That funding target has escalated significantly and has occupied much of our efforts of the past 12 months. The premium for the waterfront site, an ambitious capacity that we will test with more rigour, a design we can all be proud of and the simple but painful impact of inflation, have all contributed to an increased overall cost and a funding target which continues to grow."

Elstone continued to explain that the club "has always had the full support of Liverpool City Council and throughout 2017, we have been totally committed to finding a funding arrangement that works for the Club and the City.

"Once these funding arrangements are secure, we will be able to move forward with more conviction and optimism."

Mayor Joe Anderson sounded that optimism on Twitter later in the day, hinting that he has seen Meis's concept designs and coined a related hashtag to indicate his approval of what he has seen: "I can also confirm that [Liverpool] City Council and Everton are close to reaching an agreement that suits the City financially and EFC," he wrote. "I have also seen the concept stadium designs and as fan #Meisveryhappy indeed."

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

About these ads
The finance sector in the Middle East which experienced a general slowdown in 2016 is now firmly in a recovery phase, an industry expert said, adding that a growth of 8 to 10 per cent in premium is expected in 2018.



2017 has been a much better year for us, this business is starting to grow again, and there are parts of our business that continued to grow right through the recession, Tarun Khanna, CEO of the Nexus Group added.



2018 will continue this growth, but is also going to be a year of change right across the industry.



As the market continues to recover, Khanna expects that regulatory changes will emerge as a growing issue for the industry during the coming year. He predicts that some financial services companies will struggle to meet increasing capital requirements, and may have to merge.



Khanna said regulators are also moving towards higher qualification requirements for those working in the industry. This will raise standards, but will also be a challenge for many consultants and operators.



Nexus is well placed to meet the expected changes, but many smaller brokers will need to consolidate, he said.



The Nexus Group, with its core operations of Nexus Insurance Brokers and Nexus Financial Services, is the largest financial advisor in the GCC region and one of the largest in Singapore, he noted.



It offers a range of insurance, savings and investment products to both corporate and individual clients, sourced from a range of international and domestic product providers.  TradeArabia News Service
Iraq has invited local and international companies to invest in the oil export pipeline extension, which extends from the Kirkuk oilfield to the Iraqi-Turkish border, a media report said.



The new project will run side-by-side with the old strategic pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, added the Iraq Business News report.



The pipeline will run for over 350 km, and will be 48 inches in diameter, Assim Jihad, the spokesman of the Ministry of Oil, was quoted as saying in the report.



It will be able to transport 1 million barrels per day (bpd) and will be built on a BOOT basis investment method, which includes the construction, property, operation and property transfer, he added.



The project includes also the construction of a gas pipeline, pumps and reservoirs, in addition to the other completed accessories and services. The contract also commits the winner consortium companies to share with the local companies with 25 per cent or more of the project proportion within the consortium.



The last date for the companies to present their participation letter is January 24, Jihad said.
Nicole Griffith is excited, a little nervous, but mostly excited.

The owner of Get Juiced, she's days away from unveiling her company's new name and look, and, like a runner in the blocks, she's itching to take off and get back to the race.

"It feels like it's been a sprint for the last five years," she said.

In 2012 Griffith launched Get Juiced in a trailer that served as a juice and smoothie stand at the corner of Broadwater Avenue and 24th Street West. On the weekends, she parked the trailer downtown for the Yellowstone Valley Farmers' Market.

At the time, Griffith, who owns the company with her grandmother Janet Jones, wasn't looking to do anything with Get Juiced except make sure that it could stand on its own and turn a profit.

Within two years, she had moved into a storefront on that same corner and saw her business continue to improve. She added items to the menu, like fresh salads and grain bowls, and she worked hard to attract customers from her neighboring businesses. Get Juiced is tucked between a fitness center and a massage studio.

She's now preparing to open a second location. The next step after that would be to venture into another city and eventually expand outside the state.

"I do think we have huge growth potential," she said.

Every so often a Billings or Montana-based business makes the jump into the regional market, setting up shop in North and South Dakota or Wyoming. A few have even expanded nationally.

The decision to grow a business from one location to many, and possibly to expand outside the state's boundaries, carries real risk but can also offer a high reward, said Janine Mix, a retail consultant and strategist in Billings.

Mix has worked closely with Griffith over the last year and a half as Griffith has looked at what next step is right for her business.

"Do we change and lose brand recognition or do we stay and limit growth potential?" Griffith said.

City Brew made a similar calculation a decade ago. Owner Becky Reno partnered with American Investment Co., a family-owned investment group, which infused City Brew with cash and allowed it to expand across the region, with locations now ranging from western Montana to North Dakota to Wyoming.

Reno recently stepped away from day-to-day operations of the company to work more closely with the board of directors as the company plots further expansion in 2018.

Kevin Carloss moved the opposite direction. He's the founder of Cafe Zydeco, a Bozeman-based cajun and creole restaurant with a location in Billings. He decided last year against widespread expansion.

Carloss launched Cafe Zydeco as a single restaurant in Bozeman more than two decades ago and over the years expanded to Missoula, Helena, and then Billings. He said his original idea was to keep building them, to truly franchise the restaurant.

But it required more time and energy than he was willing to give. He sold off the Missoula and Helena restaurants last year and decided to do the same with the Billings store earlier this year when Melissa Homer, now the new owner, approached him with an offer.

Carloss keeps close tabs on the three restaurants across the state while staying tethered to Cafe Zydeco in Bozeman. For him, it's the right balance.

"Here's the challenge," Mix said. "Most local businesses are owner-run, and the owners are there seven days a week."

In order to expand from one location to many, the owner must be skilled enough to train employees to take over operations and smart enough to let them do it, Mix said.

It's one of the reasons some expansion efforts fail; owners can't step far enough back to let their company grow, she said. What sets Griffith apart has been her ability to delegate.

"Nicole leverages the strength of her people," Mix said.

MacKenzie River Pizza opened in Bozeman in 1993 and has since expanded to 26 locations across nine states, including its newest spot in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio.

The pizza company is the flagship brand of Glacier Restaurant Group, based in Whitefish. The company formed in 2007 and now manages MacKenzie River's growth. Glacier owns five other chains.

James Blystone is Glacier's vice president of franchising and communication. Along with the staffing challenges of expanding beyond one location, there's also technical and legal hurdles.

"And that's a big expense," he said.

Griffith talked about all the work involved on a legal level to rebrand Get Juiced and to get a second location ready to open.

"It feels like I've started a whole new business," she said.

Like Mix, Blystone believes putting the right people in place is essential. Any business that's looking to expand or to franchise needs to do its due diligence in vetting prospective buyers and making sure the potential franchisee is a good fit for the company, he said.

"If you get the wrong franchisee it just trashes the brand," he said.

Griffith first saw her opportunity to expand in 2016 when the Downtown Billings Alliance announced its contest Battle of the Plans. The DBA was challenging new businesses to create a comprehensive business plan and put it up against other new businesses in town.

The prize for the business with the winning plan was a year of free rent in a downtown storefront.

Griffith cleaned up and in November 2016 won with her business plan to expand to a second location downtown and then take the company to the regional market.

"This girl is methodical," Mix said. "She's determined."

But it's taken longer than anyone planned. Griffith worked for a year to find the right location with the right lease downtown  she's now in the final stages of securing a lease for a storefront she feels will best accommodate her customer base.

More than that, as Griffith looked at expanding outside the area, she realized she was going to have to rename her company and update her brand. She's sold more than just juice and smoothies for years now and needed a company name and brand that reflected the company's focus on wellness.

"She's selling more than food," Mix said. "She's selling health. She really wants to be educator on how to have a healthy lifestyle."

Griffith will announce the new name and new look of the company on Jan. 3. She knows there's risk involved, that she's sacrificing the recognizable face of her business for the opportunity to grow it beyond Billings.

But she's done the research, put in the hard work and she still has her winning business plan. She's knows right now is the time to make the jump. And she's ready.

"I'm excited for our customers," she said. "I'm excited to offer more."
UAE-based telecom provider Etisalat has partnered with Ministry of Education to modernize and develop infrastructure and implement a digital education across schools in the country.



The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by Abdul Rahman Al Hammadi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Education for Control and Support Services and Abdulla Ebrahim Al Ahmed, senior vice president, Government Sales, Etisalat.



Al Hammadi said: With this partnership, the ministry aims to develop a smart education environment in schools contributing to the improvement of the educational system by utilizing Etisalat services and its technical capabilities to transform to a digital education in the country.



The ministry is working to expand its partnerships with all leading government institutions to enhance the education sector in the UAE with the best relevant industry practices. This is in line with the leaderships vision to support our national objectives and the UAE Vision 2021 to transition into a sustainable and knowledge based economy.



Etisalat will implement latest solutions to modernize the schools technology infrastructure and bring high-speed wireless Internet access to classrooms enabling students and teachers to quickly and securely access modern learning resources to enhance learning content amongst the students and teachers.



Al Ahmed said: Etisalat has worked closely with the ministry of education to improve the technology infrastructure of educational institutions in the country. With this new agreement, we are now able to meet the digital vision of the government to provide a smarter environment and the best learning experiences from global markets.



Previously, Etisalat has worked with the ministry to connect schools in UAE with a high-speed network to provide better teaching tools and provide a modern and safe digital environment to the students.  TradeArabia News Service
The Principality of Monaco will showcase its innovation and new technologies when it participates at the Expo 2020 Dubai.



A delegation from Monaco visited Dubai to meet the Expo 2020 organisers and seal the countrys participation at the event, the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.



As part of the visit, Albert Croesi, the newly-appointed commissioner general of section for Monaco and director general of Monaco Inter Expo, and Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, executive director, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, signed Monacos official participation contract for Expo 2020 Dubai, it said.



Monaco is the latest participant to formally sign a contract, and more than 160 nations have either publically or privately confirmed they will take part in Expo 2020, it added.



The city-state, one of the most densely populated sovereign states in the world, will showcase itself at Expo 2020 Dubai through its world renowned areas of expertise: art, gastronomy, hospitality, research, industry, new technologies and the luxury sector.



The Monegasque pavilion will express its identity and engage its visitors through an exciting activity programme, including shows, conferences and exhibitions throughout the six-month duration of the Expo.



Al Ali, said: We are pleased to welcome Monaco as an official participant at Expo 2020 Dubai and look forward to working closely with all of the countrys stakeholders on our journey to Expo.



Monaco has huge ambitions and we are excited to see the opportunities and forward thinking it brings to Expo, and the world, in less than three years time, he added.



As well as providing Monaco with a global platform to present its innovations to an audience of millions, Expo 2020 Dubai will be a gateway for the country and its businesses of all sizes to access new markets throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia.



Croesi said: Expo 2020 Dubai will be a unique platform for collaboration and cooperation that will enable countries to work together to forge a better world.



Expo 2020 will offer us the opportunity to present a 360-degree view of our country. We will be able to exchange knowledge and expertise with governments and businesses alike, and highlight Monacos strengths that make it a hub of connection between ideas, individuals and technology, he said.



The relationship between Monaco and the UAE extends to trade and economic cooperation. In July, a trade mission headed by Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Cabinet Member and Minister of Economy, visited the Principality of Monaco to facilitate economic cooperation and further explore trade and investment opportunities between the countries.



Monaco has a long history of participation at Expos and has been involved in most World and Specialised Expos since the first World Fair held in London in 1851.



Through its overall theme, Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, Expo 2020 Dubai will be a celebration of ingenuity that provides a platform to encourage creativity, innovation and collaboration, underpinned by its three subthemes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.



Expo 2020 Dubai will run for six months from October 20, 2020, to April 10, 2021, and is anticipated to receive 25 million visits, with 70 per cent due to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion in the history of World Expos.



More than 180 countries are expected to take part, with further national participation announcements expected in the coming months, it added.  TradeArabia News Service
Gulf Islamic Investments (GII), a UAE-based Islamic financial services company, has revealed the acquisition of nearly one-million-sq-ft of logistics facilities on behalf of its investors, for $144 million.



The two state-of-the-art Grade A logistics centres, are located in Dortmund Germany, and serves as Amazons key logistics centres supplying goods to 29 other facilities, it said.



Rasmala, a leading independent investment management group, has acted as a strategic co-advisor and co-investor on this acquisition assisting on all aspects of it, said a statement.



This newly built facilities are leased out to Amazon on a long-term unbreakable lease with regular rental uplifts linked to Germany CPI, it added.



Mohammed Al-Hassan, co- founder and CEO, GII, said: Our companys real estate investment strategy is to have an exposure to good yielding commercial assets with investment grade tenants. We believe this transaction perfectly matches our investment strategy.



Dortmund offers a strategic location for a high-growth market and is one of the most important logistics hubs in whole Europe. Germany also produces about one-quarter of the EU's GDP, with investment safety rates and remarkable returns, he said.



Al Hassan further confirmed that GII plans to keep acquiring high quality income yielding real estate assets in US, UK and Germany and to invest selectively in attractive value-add development opportunities in the GCC region.



Pankaj Gupta, co-CEO of GII, said: The property marks the 5th international real estate asset acquired by our company in the last two years and the first in Germany.



We see this transaction as an extremely suitable investment for our clients in these challenging investment environment as it not only gives a high single digit cash-on-cash yield but also very strong lease covenants with a marquee tenant like Amazon in a stable geography like Germany, he said.



The investment further establishes GII capabilities of providing whole value-chain services and hence offering best in class opportunities, he added.



After this transaction, the total investment of GII in European market crossed $500 million, while the value of the investment portfolio exceeded $1.3 billion, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
At least 12 people have been killed and four critically injured in a fire at an apartment building in the Bronx borough of New York, said a BBC report.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the fire was the deadliest in the city for at least 25 years. The victims include a one-year-old child, he added.

The cause of the fire, on Prospect Avenue, near Fordham University and the Bronx Zoo, is not yet clear.

More than 160 firefighters helped bring the blaze under control.

Officials said the first alarm sounded at the five-storey building at about 19:00 local time (00:00 GMT).

Speaking at the scene, De Blasio said a nearby school had been set up to shelter those evacuated from the building. The city is currently experiencing bitterly cold weather.

He said the fire service had managed to rescue at least 12 people from the building.
Several Iranians were shot during anti-government protests late Saturday, sources said even as Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned protesters they will face the nation's "iron fist" if the unrest continues.

The demonstrations erupted three days back over falling living standards, a BBC report said.

But a Revolutionary Guards commander said the protests had degenerated into people chanting political slogans and burning public property.

They are the biggest show of dissent since huge pro-reform rallies in 2009. There are reports of two deaths, BBC said.

There were calls for the removal or death of Iran's Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the cities of Khoramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz.

One resident was quoted by CNN of witnessing a protester tearing down a poster of Khamenei near Tehran University on Saturday.

Brigadier-General Esmail Kowsari told the ISNA news agency: "If people came into the streets over high prices, they should not have chanted those slogans and burned public property and cars."

Iran's interior minister has also warned the public to avoid "illegal gatherings".

Protests began in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Thursday and spread to other major cities on Friday.

A small demonstration in Tehran grew to several thousand people on Saturday, and students clashed with police. The protests also became violent in several other towns.
The UAE Space Agency has launched a Youth Council to inspire, support and empower talented young Emiratis with an interest in space.



Formed as a result of the Agencys efforts to foster a generation of young Emirati space leaders, the Council was launched today (December 28) during an official ceremony at the UAE Space Agency headquarters in Abu Dhabi.



The Launch of the UAE Space Agency Youth Council comes in line with the Agencys efforts. The Council aims to empower ambitious, Emirati youth, to lead the national space sector and contribute to the UAEs vision, said Dr Ahmad Bin Abdullah Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Skills and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency.



The Council operates in the framework of UAE Centennial 2071 vision, which aims to empower the people of the UAE to realize their talents and capabilities to serve the nations economic, social and technological objectives  and ultimately be the best nation by 2071.



The UAEs space sector relies mainly on the national human capital, especially highly-skilled youth. The UAE Space Agency attracts some of the most talented and brightest minds in the country, with its one-of-a-kind projects in sectors such as space, digital infrastructure, clean energy, and, advanced skills and sciences. The projects target Emirati youth who are driven by the pursuit of developing innovative solutions and have a passion for problem-solving. The Council creates an enabling environment for youth, and fosters their ideas by equipping them with the right tools to reach their full potential, he added.



Dr Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, director general of the UAE Space Agency, said: This initiative comes as part of our commitment to inspiring youth and supporting them in learning and developing. Encouraging youth to enter the space sector is a key goal of the UAE Space Agency and a part of UAE Vision 2021 to ensure that the UAE develops the human capital necessary to create a world-leading knowledge economy. We seek to prepare and nurture generations of talented UAE nationals to become leaders in the space industry and related technological fields.



This Council is vital to ensuring the voices of our youth are heard within the national and international space community. The youth are the future of our industry, and nowhere is this more true than in the UAE where our young people have been given the immense responsibility of elevating our nation and its space capabilities to new heights, concluded Al Ahbabi.



Hamed Abdullah Fadqaa, Emirates Youth Council Coordinator, said: Young people around the world have the potential to contribute directly to elevating any nation thanks to their ambition, perseverance, and determination. The establishment of this Council aims to provide a platform for Emirati youth to share their innovative ideas and locate the resources they need to implement them, in collaboration with various government, scientific, and research entities within the UAE.



Several events were organized on the side-lines of the launch ceremony, such as a display of a Tesla electric car, which will be sent to Mars, a detailed explanation of the Space Settlements initiative being launched by the newly-formed Council, and a painting that sought to encapsulate the motivations the Emirati youth, signed by Dr Ahmad Abdullah Belhoul Al Falasi and a number of young UAE Space Agency employees.



The ceremony also featured the appearance of the young inventor Fatema al Kaabi who showcased some of her inventions. Students from the Masdar Institute also presented their model of a satellite.  TradeArabia News Service
UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited the Dh1.25 billion Dubai Safari Park, an edutainment development sprawling over 12 million sq ft.



Sheikh Mohammed kicked off tour by visiting the monumental model of the park, accompanied by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Emirates Group, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the chairman of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, reported state news agency Wam.



He was briefed by Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, on the various departments and facilities of the park, which includes four villages: Arabian, Asian, African, and an open safari village.



The region's one-of-a-kind development also includes a Valley Zone adjacent to the African village. It provides the visitors with a safe and comfortable atmosphere and gives them the opportunity to enjoy a pleasant family picnic on the green yards along the animals living in the valley, which stands as a large edutainment centre for visitors, especially school students and families, to learn about wildlife and its diversity, it stated.



Sheikh Mohammed, accompanied by a delegation of senior officials, toured the park's diverse sections and villages in eco-friendly vehicles run by solar energy.



The Arabian Village is considered a moderate desert environment embracing different species of Arabian oaks, deer and birds. All the components of life for these animals and birds are provided from sand, grass, water, lakes, artificial scales, air-conditioned umbrellas and others.



The Dubai ruler then visited the Asian village, established as an incubator for animals and birds from Asia.



At the end of his tour, Sheikh Mohammed expressed his satisfaction with the completion of this educational cultural tourism project in a short period of five-six years.



He commended the great efforts of the Dubai Municipality and its partners to implement this promising national project which is not serving families in the UAE only, but also tourists and visitors from different world countries, said the Wam report.



The park features integrated services and facilities for People of Determination, an area dedicated for buying souvenirs, and classes dedicated for school students, in addition to restaurants and rest areas, which allow visitors to take short breaks in a comfortable and quiet family ambience, it added.
UK-based oil and gas company Serica Energy will seek more trade cooperation with Iran after the successful venture of the North Sea Rhum gas field owned by Iran, its CEO was quoted as saying in a media report.



The JCPOA has removed all EU sanctions against Iran and, accordingly, we are free to have more interaction with the country, which makes us happy, Tony Walker was quoted by Iran Daily, which cited Mehr News Agency.



The development of the $565-million Rhum gas field was shared equally by London-based BP and the Iranian Oil Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company. BP sold three fields to North Sea producer Serica Energy, the report said.








State oil giant Saudi Aramco has joined hands with UAE-based Lamprell, the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) and Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries to launch their International Maritime Industries (IMI) joint venture.

The new company is the anchor project within the King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services at Ras Al Khair.

When fully operational in 2022, this integrated maritime yard will be one of the largest full-service maritime facility, said a statement from Saudi Aramco.

This new joint venture localizes essential links for Saudi Aramcos supply chain related to offshore drilling and shipping activities, which will lead to optimized cost, reduced response times and improved agility for Saudi Aramco and its affiliates.

The nearly 12 million sq-m facility will be the largest in the region in terms of production capacity and scale offering an unprecedented mix of products and services.

This scope enables Saudi Aramco and its supply chain partners to meet their manufacturing and MRO requirements for offshore oil and gas rigs, offshore support vessels, and commercial vessels, including Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC). The yard has an annual capacity to manufacture four offshore rigs, over 40 vessels including three VLCCs, and service over 260 maritime products.

By meeting Saudi Aramcos offshore production and transport needs, International Maritime Industries will serve our strategic intent to become the worlds foremost integrated energy and chemicals company, remarked Abdullah I. Al Saadan, the chairman of the JVs board of managers and Saudi Aramcos senior VP of Finance, Strategy & Development.

"Its combination of technology, supply chain efficiencies and lifecycle partnership will create a world-class company that offers customers a keen competitive advantage," he said.

"What is unique about IMI is the powerful synergy of manufacturing and operational excellence delivered by four established global and regional entities in the energy and maritime industries," he stated.

International Maritime Industries already has orders for more than 20 rigs and 52 ships over the next decade, demonstrating the trust of the JV partners in the Companys ability to produce quality, bespoke ships and rigs in line with national and global environmental requirements.

"This enables building an integrated supply chain that is localized and highly responsive," said Al Saadan.

The formal appointment of International Maritime Industries senior executives was also announced yesterday (December 29), including Fathi K. Al-Saleem as CEO.

Al-Saleem has more than 23 years experience at Saudi Aramco and led the feasibility and commercial development stages of International Maritime Industries.

He has managed high performing teams in New Business Development, Corporate Planning and Engineering Services. During his career, he has led the Corporate Portfolio Analysis & Decision Support function responsible for corporate decision support, enterprise risk management and portfolio analysis.

Prior to that, Al Saleem managed the capital planning and evaluation for upstream and downstream investments.

"International Maritime Industries is positioned to be a global competitor and a regional hub for maritime products and services. Through our combination of technology, integrated facilities and supply chain efficiencies, we are redefining what it means to partner with customers for maritime advancement," he added.

Initial production and service operations are expected to commence in 2019, with the facility reaching its full operational capacity by 2022.

This initiative will contribute towards localizing expertise related to the maritime industry and job creation in the Kingdom.-TradeArabia News Service
A new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that can conduct offshore platform debris surveys to identify seabed clearance and potential debris was recently inaugurated by Saudi Aramco.

The AUV, which can also conduct offshore pipeline inspections to determine subsea asset integrity and accurately locate possible leaks, is also cost efficient. A job that could require a $50 million large survey vessel can now be done swiftly with the $2.5 million AUV, Aramco said.

In addition to its cost avoidance benefits, the AUVs technological innovation and modular design allows for interchangeable modifications based on mission needs.

For example, the sidescan sonar/bathymetric module for geophysical operations is a camera used for subsea inspection projects, and it is also the environmental module for oil leak detection surveys. An additional battery module can be added to the assembly, allowing the AUV to extend the duration of its mission.

In essence, the AUV resembles a shrunken vessel but is safer, as the team operates it remotely onshore or from a boat controlling the vehicle through Wi-Fi when within reach of its connection limit. When at depth, the AUV works its missions route using its Inertial Navigation System.

Simon Squibb, the AUV field team leader in the Hydrographic Survey Unit, highlighted the safety and reliability of the vehicle. It hosts a selection of safety features that enable it to abort missions and avoid danger with its collision safety systems and eases the search and recovery with an embedded satellite phone and a pinger locator, he said.

Badr M Burshaid, acting manager of Project Management Office Department (PMOD), praised the teams efforts. The success of these bright individuals in reflecting the need and use of this technology is what gave us confidence to invest in it, as venturing into technologies that increase profitability, safety, and efficiency is something we always seek. Pursuing the implementation of technologies and innovation is how PMOD continuously strives toward Operational Excellence.

During the inauguration of the orange torpedo-shaped AUV at the Juaymah pier, a demonstration was performed by the AUV field team of Squibb, Zaki Ghunaim, Najeeb Al Ghanmi, Mohammed Al Otaibi, Mohamed Alnaqeib, and Yousef Al Maqaedi.

The AUV field team could not have acquired the technology without the diligent research and support of the procurement project leader Bonifatius Toha and AUV project champion Ali Al-Shamrani.

Starting from a casual conversation, the AUV concept went from an interesting chat to a reality through in-depth research and strong proposals.

Al-Shamrani said: This AUV is only the beginning, and I am certain my management did see the future in this technology, as it will bring a great deal of services  whether it is what we have on this AUV today or the investments that will be made to introduce new technologies into it to better serve the company.

The AUVs success is another reflection of Saudi Aramcos effective deployment of the latest industrial technologies. - TradeArabia News Service
Swiss-Belhotel Seef Bahrain has once again been nominated among the finalists for the coveted 2018 Bahrain Food and Travel Awards.



The hotel has been selected in two categories Best Four-Star Hotel and Best All Day Casual Restaurant for Swiss-Cafe.



Congratulating the team, Laurent A. Voivenel, senior vice president, operations and development for the Middle East, Africa and India, Swiss-Belhotel International, said: Swiss-Belhotel Seef Bahrain is one of our flagship hotels in the region that has established a tremendous reputation in the kingdom in terms of its distinctive service standards and high quality of product. We are extremely proud of the prestigious industry accolades that the hotel has been consistently recognized with. The credit for this goes to our fantastic team led by general manager Herve Peyre who is also the area general manager for the group in Bahrain where we have extensive development in progress. We are confident their hard work and dedication will once again pay off. Our objective is to deliver the most memorable experiences and excellent value to our guests and awards such as these motivate us to do better.



Located in Bahrains central business and commercial district only 20 minutes drive from Bahrain International Airport, Swiss-Belhotel Seef Bahrain provides guests with superior facilities and standards of service. The 28-storeys tall hotel boasts a superb choice of 144 contemporary and spacious guestrooms and suites offering breath-taking sea and city views. The hotel is fully equipped to meet the needs of modern business and leisure travellers with an array of facilities and unique features including specialty dining venues, extensive banquet and conference facilities equipped with state-of-the-art technology, a fabulous fitness centre as well as outdoor swimming pool and spa. - TradeArabia News Service
British Airways' (BA) parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), has announced it will purchase the collapsed Austrian airline Niki for 20 million ($23.9 million) and provide additional liquidity to the company of up to 16.5 million ($19.7 million), said a report.



The sale to IAG, which was the last remaining bidder, is the final chapter in the demise of Air Berlin, the second-biggest German airline that previously owned Niki and filed for insolvency earlier this year, said a report in The National.



IAG said it will run the airline as a new subsidiary of its budget carrier Vueling, retaining about 740 former Niki staff. The assets include about 15 planes, as well as slots in airports such as Vienna, Munich and Palma.



Niki filed for insolvency earlier this month after Germany's Lufthansa backed out of a deal to buy its assets on competition concerns, grounding the fleet and stranding thousands of passengers, the report said.



The airline was founded by Niki Lauda, the Austrian ex-F1 racing champion, but was sold to Air Berlin in 2011.



Lauda made a bid to repurchase Niki, along with several others, but eventually lost out to IAG.



Air Berlin agreed to sell a large part of its airline assets to Lufthansa. It also clinched a deal with Britain's easyJet for some operations at Berlin Tegel, the report said.
Bethel Baptist affirms ordination

At 10 a.m., Dr. Stephen Gundersons ordination will be affirmed as minister of Bethel Baptist Church, 3030 S. Poplar. Dr. Steve Van Ostran, executive minister of American Baptist Churches of the Rocky Mountains, will present the ordination and give the message for the service. Friends and the general public are invited to attend. For more information, call 234-8812.

Elks open for breakfast

Sunday breakfast at the Casper Elks Lodge is open to the public, and breakfast will be held on Dec. 31. The new kitchen looks great. Open every Sunday, 8 to 11 a.m. Serving pancakes, biscuits and gravy, bacon, sausage links, potatoes, scrambled eggs, French toast and omelets to order. New to the menu is build your own breakfast burrito. Also served is toast, juice, tea and coffee. All you can eat for $7, children 5 to 12 are $3, 4 and under are free. Come down for the best breakfast in town and see the old crew again. Also, if you have a birthday please let us know and Michael will sing to you. For more information, call 234-4839.

Sunday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 10 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 10:15 a.m., 917 N. Beech; noon, 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 6:30 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 6:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 8 p.m., 328 1/2 E. A. Douglas: 1 p.m, Douglas, 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back), womens meeting; 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 6:30 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 8 p.m., 15th & Melrose at the church. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

Nicotine Anonymous: 5 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club. Info: Pam M., 577-0518.

Skate all day

The Casper Ice Arena will be hosting Skate All Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $6. Participants can come and go throughout the session.

Mac and cheese festival

Count down to noon and sample mac and cheese from several Casper eateries at the first Mac & Cheese Festival and Noon Years Celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at David Street Station and across the street inside the Lyric. The family friendly event is primarily free, although larger servings of mac and cheese are available for $5. Enjoy live music by Hagen in the Grainbox, make New Years themed crafts and enjoy games. Central Wyoming Counseling Center is the event sponsor.

New Years Eve party at Elks

New Years Eve Party at the Elks, bring a covered dish of your choice to share with your family Elk members (snack or hors doeuvres.) Stay and dance to a DJ from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Bring in the new year with your family and Elk members. No charge and party favors provided. Members, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839.
Washington and Montanas neighbor to the north announced a ban recently on most grizzly bear hunts.

A minister in the Canadian province of British Columbia said in mid-December that hunting bears is over, effective immediately, because most British Columbians dont support it. The one exception is for British Columbias indigenous peoples, who in Canada are known as First Nations. First Nations can hunt a small number of grizzlies under treaty rights or for food, social or ceremonial purposes.

Its abundantly clear that the most British Columbians do not support the killing of grizzlies, said Doug Donaldson, British Columbias minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, at a news conference in Victoria.

British Columbia is home to 4.6 million people and about 15,000 grizzlies. Donaldson said the provincial government received 4,180 emailed comments, 78 percent of which supported the ban.

Previously, hunters in British Columbia harvested about 250 grizzlies annually.

In Alaska, hunters killed 1,186 brown/grizzly bears in the 2016-2017 hunting season. Grizzly bears are the same species as brown bears, although in Alaska the term brown bear refers to the larger bears found in coastal areas. Grizzlies are smaller and are found inland. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates about 30,000 brown and grizzly bears are in Alaska.

British Columbia joins Alberta, the province to the east, in instituting a ban. Grizzly bear hunting is legal in the Yukon, although bag limits restrict hunters to one bear every three license years.

Earlier this year, British Columbia banned hunting grizzlies in the Great Bear Rainforest on the provinces northern Pacific coast.

The province also restricted the hunt to a food hunt by not allowing hunters to keep a bears head, paws or hide  the parts with trophy value.
One Wednesday last April, Caspers then-city manager V.H. McDonald told a Star-Tribune reporter that despite recent turmoil at City Hall, he had no intentions of stepping down.

We have a lot of projects on the table, McDonald said.

McDonald expressed weariness day before retirement announcement Casper City Manager V.H. McDonald denied rumors that his retirement was imminent the day bef

The next day, he announced his retirement, effective in June. But he would end up leaving the city within weeks of his initial announcement.

What happened?

McDonald, it seems, was weary of being pulled into a political firestorm sparked by an explosive survey released by the local Fraternal Order of Police alleging that Caspers then-police chief Jim Wetzel was poorly managing his department.

The FOP survey was released to City Council and the media on Monday. By Thursday, McDonald announced he was stepping down.

McDonald's retirement opens questions SEOUL, South Korea  I learned that Casper City Manager V.H. McDonald had announced his reti

McDonald was hired as city manager in 2015, after nearly 20 years working for Casper, including as an assistant city manager under the controversial John Patterson. While many residents and council members appreciated that McDonald, an accountant, was technocratic and eschewed politics, that leadership style became increasingly untenable in the midst of the FOP survey.

Questions emerged about what McDonald had known about poor morale at the department before the survey was released and whether he had kept Council informed. City Attorney Bill Luben, who retired in August, publicly insisted that Council should not be privy to internal issues at the police department, a contention that some elected city officials balked at.

Jim Wetzel out as Casper police chief Casper Police Chief Jim Wetzel is no longer serving as head of the department.

After the FOP survey was released, Mayor Kenyne Humphrey said she couldnt answer whether she still had confidence in McDonalds ability to lead the city and Councilman Shawn Johnson sent a scathing email to his colleagues criticizing Lubens legal opinion that Council could not be involved in decisions regarding Wetzel.

While he denied plans to step down, McDonald expressed weariness about the criticism of his performance in the interview shortly before he retired.

We work our hearts out here, he said.

Many Casper political observers said that as much as anything, McDonald had been saddled with baggage from Pattersons tenure, which was marked by several controversies. It was Patterson who promoted Wetzel directly from sergeant to police chief.

I think a lot of this has to do with John Patterson, and V.H. tried his best to clean up some of the messes, local businessman and state representative Pat Sweeney said shortly after McDonald announced his retirement.

Assistant City Manager Liz Becher reluctantly took over as interim manager following McDonalds retirement and it was Becher who, roughly a month after the FOP survey was released, would terminate Wetzels contract.

Becher quiet on future direction of Casper Police Department Interim City Manager Liz Becher declined to say why she dismissed Jim Wetzel as Casper polic

By June, Casper had a new city manager: Carter Napier, who was hired away from an equivalent position in Gillette. Napier had been a finalist following Pattersons retirement, before Council decided to hire McDonald.

With slicked back hair, colorful shirts and an aggressive handshake, Napier has taken a more assertive  and political  role than McDonald. Napier introduced himself to City Council at an official public meeting held over dinner at a Casper steakhouse and has done his best to avoid weighing in on any of the many controversies that came before he was hired by the city.

New manager sets a different tone at Casper City Council Where his predecessor was criticized for pushing an agenda, Casper City Manager V.H. McDonal

From the Cole Creek Fire to the Wetzel dismissal, Napier has repeatedly said that he simply cant comment because he wasnt around when those events took place.

Meanwhile he has restructured the city managers office, created new policies for communicating with the media and gotten to work slashing Caspers budget by $4 million in order to eliminate the use of reserves to cover a budget gap.

Becher is back to her position in the citys community development department. McDonald and Luben are retired. Wetzel is still in Casper, though has declined to speak with the media since he lost his job.

And Napier is now the one presenting the citys proposals to Council every Tuesday.
GILLETTE  When Linda Lynch was 10 years old, she joined a local 4-H club. In fact, one of the earliest memories of 4-H for the longtime Gillette resident was attending her first Campbell County Fair.

Parents would drop you off at 8 in the morning and pick you up at 11 at night, said Lynch, whose family has lived in the area since 1950. You just had to stay out of trouble.

Even then, 4-H was wildly popular in Campbell County. Lynch guessed there were about 150 kids involved in the club when she first started.

That was about the only thing to do, she said. There were some town kids, but most of them were country kids. The social event of the year was to come to the county fair.

Lynch said that in order to spend time with her father, who was the 4-H Extension agent for the county, she needed to learn the skills it took to be a 4-H member as he worked on the family farm.

Lynch stayed with 4-H until she aged out of the club, but that didnt end her involvement with 4-H. At age 20, she was volunteering for events, working with the kids as a club leader and sitting on various boards. This past year has marked her 50th as a 4-H volunteer.

Ive never not wanted to be in 4-H, Lynch said.

In November, Campbell County 4-H hosted its annual Achievement Night and awarded Lynch with the clubs Lifetime Volunteer Award. It came as a total surprise to Lynch, who said she held back tears.

Kimberly Fry, Campbell County 4-H coordinator the University of Wyoming Extension Office, was one of Lynchs 4-H kids.

Shes very determined to be here, Fry said of Lynchs involvement. Theres been other people involved for 50 years, but shes unique because shes highly active. I really think its just in her blood. I dont know if shed know what to do if she didnt have 4-H.

In her 50 years, Lynch has worn numerous hats within the 4-H organization. She has run the City Ranchers 4-H Club for many years and has worked to bring in educational activities outside of the usual 4-H ones for her members.

For 20 years, Lynch also ran the Junior Leaders 4-H Club. One of the clubs activities was to sell hand-squeezed lemonade to help members attend camp and participate in other activities.

Since Lynch has been involved in 4-H, she has only twice missed 4-H Camp, the annual summer retreat where she has been a chaperone for her club and cabin.

She also helped accumulate the scores for the rifle range as a volunteer and was a member of the Campbell County Fair Board.

When asked why she has continued to volunteer for so many years, the answers always go back to the club members.

Its mostly the people you meet and the different people, she said. If you could help them achieve something, thats my favorite aspect of all of this.

A close second, she said, are the animals.

One of her favorite things to do in 4-H is clerk the annual Cat Show so she can pet every contestant that enters.

One of her favorite animals is a dwarf hotot rabbit. Rhett Adels, one of her 4-H kids, brought two rabbits to the Extension Office on a Friday afternoon so she could pet them as she talked about her long career.

Professionally, Lynch has been doing hair for 50 years and opened her own salon, The Head Hunters, in 1981.

She would always do her grandmothers hair when the family visited in Laramie. Lynch briefly thought about being a teacher or nurse, but had the most fun in beauty school, so she stuck to hair.

I dont like to clean the house, do dishes or nothing like that, she said. I like people.

Adels grandmother is the rabbit superintendent for 4-H. His mother, Alicia Heying, was one of Lynchs 4-H kids. Lynchs roots go deep in Campbell County, and the generations of her reach back in 4-H is something that appeals to families.

One of Heyings first memory of Lynch was she would do every girls hair before a big event.

A lot of the clubs change, and Linda was one of the constant leaders that I knew. There was some consistency there that was already established, so it just filtered through, Heying said.

Lynchs club is about 45 kids strong these days. In some cases, she is working with the third generation of families dating back to when she was in her 20s.

Its so easy to get along with her, Adels said.

Lynch said that as long as 4-H is fun, she has no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

I know its not going to be another 50 years, she said. Maybe another 20. Ill be 90 by then. Yeah, thatll work.
Wyoming leads the nation in a few things  we have the lowest population, and we produce most of the countrys thermal coal. We also have the highest rate of suicide. There are about 28 suicides for every 100,000 residents. And recently, the state dealt a massive cut to suicide prevention funding. That decision has left the lives of some of Wyomings most vulnerable without potentially life-saving resources.

The Wyoming Health Department allocates $5.7 million for suicide and substance abuse prevention, and lawmakers voted in the 2017 legislative budget session to reduce that by over $2 million. In the face of the shortfall, the health department chose to prioritize the funding for substance abuse prevention. And in a state that consistently ranks in the top five for number of suicide deaths, those resources were desperately needed.

Luckily for the state, the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming and its 49 parishes across Wyoming have stepped up. The diocese pledged $100,000 for suicide prevention in the absence of state resources. But its a one-time gift. And it shouldnt have been needed in the first place. Lawmakers need to find the money to reinstate that funding to the health department in the upcoming budget session. Wyoming lives are at stake.

For every suicide, its estimated that 115 people are affected. And in 2016, there were 130 suicides in Wyoming. That means nearly 15,000 Wyomingites have been touched by suicide since 2016 alone. The ripple of suicide is far-reaching. Its effect on the people in its wake is profound. And it is the responsibility of the Wyoming Legislature to provide funding for its prevention.

We understand that funding cuts are necessary right now. The state coffers arent as flush as they were pre-bust. But life-saving funding shouldnt have ever been on the chopping block.

The moral obligation on behalf of the state to prevent suicide speaks for itself  a society broken by grief is not a healthy one. But the financial obligations are particularly onerous. The state of Wyoming spends roughly $17,000 per student annually on education. And when that life ends, the state receives zero return on its investment. Its a harsh reality, but the fact remains, Wyoming cant afford to keep losing its citizens to suicide.

The burden of saving Wyomings residents shouldnt be shouldered by the nonprofit sector. After all, its the states responsibility to take care of its people. We need to ensure that Wyomings mentally ill have access to life-saving resources. Each suicide is the loss of untapped potential. Its thousands of Wyomingites left to bear the weight of that grief. Suicide prevention pays for itself, and lawmakers need to make it a priority.
Australian-born British conductor Jessica Cottis reached for a pen and paper during a phone call from London in mid-December.

Go ahead, she said as the caller ticked off a list of Tucson must-dos/must-sees:

Mexican food, a no-brainer.

Sonoran hot dogs, a Tucson signature delicacy.

Saguaro National Park, a forest of towering saguaro cacti with tangled limbs giving you all sorts of greetings.

Do you have any wildlife? she asks.

Do we. Watch out for the javelinas, you offer as a friendly warning.

Her curiosity is to be expected. Shes never been to Tucson. In fact, she had never stepped foot in Arizona before her plane landed in Tucson Monday for her American debut with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

I cant wait. Im really excited, said Cottis, who lived outside Washington, D.C., when she was very young and her father, an Australian diplomat, was stationed in the States. Ive been reading about it and it sounds interesting. I am really, really eager to get out to the desert, actually.

Cottis, 38, is also eager to conduct the TSO in a program that features the Tucson premiere of a work by a British composer who is all the rage in Europe.

Thomas Ades Three Studies from Couperin opens a program anchored by Mozarts Symphony No. 29 and Shostakovichs Cello Concerto.

In programming I wanted something to connect the Mozart to the Shostakovich Cello Concerto, Cottis explained. I wanted to do something that combined old and new and make them fit comfortably side by side so Toms piece seems to be the link to enable us to do that.

This will be the first time Tucson has heard from Ades, who based Three Studies on the French Baroque composers piano pieces Les Amusemens, Les Tours de Passe-Passe and Lame en peine. But rather than just simply reimagine the works for a 21st-century ear, Ades inserts contemporary sensibilities that bring out ideas long overlooked in the originals.

Its a great piece, a really superb piece. Yes this is new music, contemporary music, but what he has done is so clever from basically taking pieces, hes using exactly the same harmonies, the same rhythms, Cottis explained. They even have the same bars as the originals.

Cottis views her Tucson concerts as a turning point in her decade-long career, perhaps an open door that could lead to more American engagements squeezed into a career that this year will find her leading the London Philharmonic Orchestra after Tucson and premiering a new opera for Londons Royal Opera House later this year.

Well see what happens but it does feel like a new chapter in the book of me, she said.

Cottis, whose career has mostly been focused on conducting in London and the UK, with frequent baton turns in her native Australia, started her professional life as an organist. But a wrist injury sent her in another direction, one that as a young musician had never dawned on her.

It never crossed my mind, she said. For me, a conductor was an older male and I think conducting has been archetypically a masculine (position).

She realizes that as a female conductor, she is part of a a rare and protected species that defies these kinds of unspoken hierarchy and traditions.

For me, any form of music, whether conducting, performing or playing any type of instrument, its completely genderless, Cottis said. It has nothing to do with gender. Talent and creativity have no gender, and it will take the world time to catch up. They dont change until we actively question them.

Cottis was expecting to arrive in Tucson on Monday and stay for a week, just enough time to explore the mysteries of the desert and get to know Tucson.

One of the real gifts of conducting is getting to see places. Being a whole week in Tucson allows me to get the flavor of Arizona, as well, she said. It feels like a really nice start to 2018.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Dec. 31 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
The federal court district in Arizona sent 17,700 people to prison last fiscal year, more than any other district in the country.

Due largely to prison sentences for crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, District of Arizona judges handed down six times more sentences than federal judges in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles combined in fiscal 2017.

Caseload data from the federal court systems 94 districts are compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a research organization run by Syracuse University that has longstanding public records requests with the Department of Justice and various federal agencies.

In Tucson, federal courts handle white-collar crime, such as fraud and tax evasion, as well as assaults on federal officers and homicides on Indian reservations and at federal prisons, said Eric Rau, supervisory assistant federal public defender in Tucson.

But what really drives the busy-ness of the district is border cases, he said.

Clearinghouse data showed the five federal statutes that cover illegal border crossings and most cases of drug smuggling accounted for 95 percent of Arizonas federal sentences in fiscal 2017, which ended Sept. 30.

Rau and his colleagues see other border crimes besides illegal crossings and drug cases, such as smuggling guns and cash into Mexico.

But he pointed to Operation Streamline, the fast-track prosecution program for illegal border crossings, as one of the main drivers of the border-related caseload.

In Arizona, 81 percent of the federal prison sentences stemmed from illegal border crossings. In Texas two border districts, more than 80 percent of the 33,100 sentences involved border crossings.

Border districts stand in stark contrast to districts in the interior of the United States, where the number of sentences ranged from a low of 66 in the Western District of Wisconsin to a high of 2,000 in the Southern District of Florida, according to clearinghouse data for fiscal 2017. The average for non-border districts was about 400.

Arizona and the four other border districts accounted for 62 percent of the 95,900 sentences handed down across the 94 districts nationwide in fiscal 2017.

While illegal border crossings boosted the number of sentences in Arizona, they also contributed to the district having a seven-month average sentence, the shortest in the country. The highest average sentence was 102 months in the Northern District of Texas.

Arizonas average sentence in fiscal 2017 for the 11,600 people facing at least their second border-crossing conviction was five months. The average sentence for 2,700 facing their first conviction was time served.

In fiscal 2016, the average sentence in Arizona for 12,000 repeat crossers also was five months. The 800 crossers sentenced for the first time faced an average sentence of one month.

For the 465 human smugglers sentenced in Arizona in fiscal 2017 after they were caught at Border Patrol checkpoints with border crossers hiding in their trunks or guiding them through the desert, the average sentence was eight months. In fiscal 2016, the average sentence for 461 human smugglers was seven months.

The 1,200 people convicted of conspiracy to smuggle drugs in Arizona in fiscal 2017, who frequently were caught in groups hauling marijuana in backpacks or acted as scouts for those groups, faced an average sentence of one year. In fiscal 2016, the average sentence for 1,600 people convicted of that crime was 10 months.

The 760 people convicted in Arizona in fiscal 2017 of possession with intent to distribute drugs, often by driving with drugs in hidden compartments, faced an average sentence of 20 months. In fiscal 2016, the average sentence for 600 people convicted of that crime also was 20 months.
Despite heated debate over climate change, we can build trust and find common ground. Many see a choice between environmental quality and greater monetary wealth. But climate change brings economic risk, and not only for coastal or vulnerable communities. Analysis by Power Consulting predicts Montana will lose about 67,000 jobs in recreation, tourism, and agriculture due to warmer temperatures, drought, wildfire, and other consequences by mid-century. These losses would cost us $1.8 billion in lost income. With such figures, environmentalists no longer are the only ones concerned.

But theres reason for optimism. Were already reducing emissions largely responsible for global warming. Were shifting from coal-fired electricity to cheaper and less polluting natural gas and renewable sources. Gasoline consumption for transportation has also grown slower than forecast (3.5 percent rather than 15 percent since 2006). So despite adding 20 million people, along with millions of buildings and vehicles, U.S. emissions were 14 percent below 2005 levels in 2016.

These shifts reflect a changing economy and will continue despite the Trump administration's deregulatory fervor. As the federal government steps away, local governments, states and businesses are reducing their fossil fuel consumption, reflecting citizens changing will.

The Clean Power Plan was a top-down approach developed by the Obama administration to reduce global warming emissions from electricity generation. It was vulnerable to legal delay and has been nullified readily by Trumps political appointees. Ironically, eliminating the Clean Power Plan (a primary focus of federal deregulation) may do more harm than good for coal workers. Well wave goodbye to job training and economic assistance for coal communities without necessarily easing economic pressures.

More effective approaches include congressional action, such as proposed by the Citizens' Climate Lobby: Energy would be taxed in proportion to the pollution it generates. That revenue would return to households in equal monthly dividends, increasing income and purchasing power for two-thirds of Americans, which would grow the economy, and create 2.8 million jobs.

Regional Economic Models, Inc. predicts emissions will be 52 percent below 1990 levels in 20 years, meeting international targets for avoiding the worst effects of global warming. Most economists support taxing carbon as practical and transparent policy, as do many small business advocates. Jeff Milchen of the American Independent Business Alliance says a carbon tax would be a boon to their constituents. The price of goods transported across the country or planet should reflect the costs of pollution instead of pushing these costs onto citizens. If we stop subsidizing transportation costs, more local economies and community-serving businesses will flourish.

In a time where bi-partisanship feels like an empty slogan, the House Climate Solutions Caucus (CSC) is showing promise. Founded in 2016, the group of 31 Republican and 31 Democratic representatives meet regularly "to educate members on economically-viable options to reduce climate risk and to explore bipartisan policy options that address the impacts, causes, and challenges of our changing climate."

A month after founding the CSC, Republican co-chair Carlos Curbelo of Florida hitched a ride on Air Force One, visiting the Everglades with then-President Obama to call attention to climate change. I share the presidents concerns about sea-level rise, and its effects on our drinking supplies, our economy, and our way of life, said Curbello. I am committed to finding common ground to mitigate the effects of climate change.

In July 2017, 46 Republicans (mostly CSC members) joined Democrats to defeat a bill that would have ended military recognition and research of climate change impacts on national security. This was a great start to rebuilding trust across political divisions and constructively working to solve this and other pressing problems.
News-wise, 2016 was shocking, 2017 was wild, and I really hope 2018 is a bit calmer.

Here are 10 Tucson and Arizona stories Ill be watching for as the year unfolds.

1. Heat and drought

We were lucky for a time in 2017. The winter was wet, the snowpack was good in the Colorado River basin, and the previous years drought conditions gave way to an adequate water supply from Lake Mead.

But then what may be our new climatic reality settled back in, and 2017 was the hottest ever recorded in Tucson. Considering that 2016, 2015 and 2014 were the other hottest years on record, theres every reason to think 2018 will reflect this new norm.

And if the extra heat is combined with little rain, the water shortage in Lake Mead that is now forecast to hit in about May 2019 could be accelerated.

2. Tucson economy

In 2017, Tucson had a year of disappointing mixed signals. The expansions or relocations announced in 2016 started to take effect in 2017, and the unemployment rate for the area dropped to 4.0 percent.

Yet state unemployment reports and reports from employment agencies showed troubling weakness in the economy. The number of people employed in the Tucson area even dropped from late 2016 to late 2017, state economists reported.

But University of Arizona economic forecaster George Hammond said he thinks the state reports reflected a statistical anomaly, not reality. Revisions to the reports made in March 2018 will show whether hes right and that Tucson is on track for strong growth that might even help raise local wages.

3. U.S. House races

The most hotly contested local race is likely to be Congressional District 2, where Republican Rep. Martha McSally has all but announced she is leaving office to run for U.S. Senate.

The local GOP establishment has found its candidate in Lea Marquez Peterson. But its unclear who else may jump in to try to galvanize pro-Trump feeling among the GOP primary voters, and if there is an experienced candidate willing to challenge her.

The Democrats have a host of candidates in CD2, including a top tier of five. But even in a district won by Hillary Clinton, its unclear if any of them have the secret sauce to beat a well-funded Republican.

In Congressional District 3, what should be an easy win for Democrats could get complicated if the flare-up of controversy around Rep. Raul Grijalva starts burning hotter. And in Congressional District 1, a strong Republican could defeat Democrat Tom OHalleran in a district won by Donald Trump.

4. Tucson police staffing

In 2017, Tucson voters approved a sales tax that is buying and updating lots of public safety equipment in the city. What its not going toward is hiring more cops.

Tucson has seen its police force dwindle from more than 1,100 at its peak to barely more than 800 now, even as the citys population has grown. There was talk in 2017 about a plan to hire more officers. It ought to get started ASAP in 2018.

5. Pima County

roads deal

Everyone wants a long-term solution for the terrible condition of Pima Countys roads, but not enough can agree on how to do it. The big obstacle, of course, is money.

The usual solutions offered  a new or increased gasoline tax, a new county sales tax, an altered Regional Transportation Authority tax, and county spending cuts  have never garnered enough support either on the county board or in the state Legislature.

If the economy keeps improving, 2018 could be a great year for a grand bargain on repairing the roads.

6. Mexican election

The campaign for president of Mexico has already distorted the old, traditional party alignments in Mexico. By the time the results of the July 1 election are announced, there could be a whole new political structure across the border.

The degree of change likely hinges on whether Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the former mayor of Mexico City known as AMLO, rides his left populism to victory. If he wins, it could remake not just Mexican politics, but also the U.S.-Mexico relationship.

7. Tucson pedestrians, sidewalks

The surge in pedestrian fatalities in Tucson this year shows the need for a revamping of the local car-pedestrian relationship. Re-engineering the roads, increasing enforcement of traffic laws and improving crossings and lighting can all help.

I still maintain, though, that most of the metro area is lacking a basic piece of infrastructure: sidewalks. Walkers in an American city of 520,000 or a metro area of 1 million should not be obliged to share the roads with motor vehicles. Its a ridiculous situation that begs for a massive solution.

8. School and

teacher funding

The 2017 legislative session brought the most modest of gains for Arizona teachers and schools. This year, with gubernatorial and legislative elections in the offing, its a good time for teachers and schools to increase the pressure.

One source of help could come from the existing lawsuit against the state for underfunding school construction and related capital needs. But the need for a new funding source is unlikely to be addressed until a ballot issues goes before voters in 2020.

9. Dirty-money initiative

A handful of familiar Phoenix political players have launched an initiative campaign to force the disclosure of the source of money donated to influence election campaigns in Arizona. Just getting the signatures and putting the initiative on the ballot will be a battle, since the dark-money sources whom the initiative seeks to expose would prefer to stay hidden.

Actually passing the initiative could have a cleansing effect on Arizonas current politics of legalized corruption.

10. Border barriers

2018 may be the year that makes or breaks the border-wall idea that was Trumps signature policy proposal. Lawsuits over environmental concerns have been filed against the wall. But just as important is finding the big money and political will necessary to build it. With the strong chance that Democrats will gain congressional seats in the November election, this may be the walls last chance.
It was an interesting year in local transportation news, as well as the first full year for the current Road Runner columnist.

In these pages weve explored the ins and outs of the massive RTA plan, shenanigans at gas stations, the massive Ina Road-Interstate 10 interchange project, efforts to repair deteriorating local roads, transit union negotiations, pedestrian safety, bike share, distracted driving and many other transportation-related topics.

But here  in descending order  is what you all were most interested in, at least according to online readership data:

The Loop and other bike and pedestrian paths

. The most-read column of 2017 looked at planned improvements to the vast and growing cars-free transportation network around the Greater Tucson Area. There should be some more Loop news early in the new year when the network officially becomes an actual closed loop.

The runner-up was an overview of the upcoming Downtown Links project, as well as a look at some of the complicated property disputes that sprang up as a result. Officials have told the Road Runner that bids should be coming in soon, meaning work is not too far off. This column will certainly be checking in on the massive undertaking over the coming year.Deadly Interstate 10 dust. One of the most-dangerous stretches of I-10 is an unremarkable half-mile leg just north of Picacho Peak. Blowing dust is the principle culprit in the dozens of wrecks logged there, but in 2017 state officials took steps to address the issue. Dust abatement was carried out on a parcel of land identified as a likely source of the blinding traffic hazard and work has begun on a dust-detection system. The Road Runner will keep an eye on how the efforts go.The Ina Road-Interstate 10 interchange project. This massive, $148-million project got going early last year, as any regular I-10 motorist has noticed. Once complete, Ina will take drivers up and over the Union Pacific Railroad and widened interstate, and be expanded by two lanes in both directions from Silverbell Road to Camino de la Cruz.

Two new bridges  one of which is already complete  will be built over the Santa Cruz River.

The Road Runner checked in with ADOT spokesman Tom Herrmann to get the latest. In coming weeks, westbound traffic will be shifted from the frontage road to the new eastbound lanes, where eastbound traffic already is. Once that is complete, there will be three lanes of travel in each direction for roughly the next year, according to Herrmann.

The old Santa Cruz Bridge has been taken down, and traffic is now using one of two new bridges. The second will take about a year to construct, Herrmann said.

The whole project is on schedule and completion is anticipated around February or March of 2019, he said.

The Road Runner also checked in with state bat ecologist Joel Diamond, who oversaw a project to move bats living under the old Ina bridge to specialized boxes installed in the new bridge. He said the transition has been smooth and so far its looking like a success. Its the low season right now for bats, and the real test will come in the summer when as many as 25,000 Mexican free-tailed bats call the bridge home. The Road Runner will likely check in to see how its going.

And the fifth-best-read column looked at another major interchange project, which is largely wrapped: Ajo Way and Interstate 19. A second phase, which features improvements between Ajo and Irvington Road and elsewhere, has not gone out to bid, according to ADOTs website.

Knowing what you all are interested certainly helps the Road Runner figure out where to focus his sometimes limited attention. Some of the things on his radar for the coming year are traffic enforcement and the legal consequences of traffic tickets, neighborhood parking programs and the proposed Interstate 11 project, among other things.

But what do you think the Road Runner should look into in 2018? Much of the columns content comes from readers, so drop a line if youve got some ideas.

DOWN THE ROAD

New transit fares take effect Monday, Jan. 1. Cash fares for normal Sun Tran service remains the same  $1.75  but cash fares for Express Route Service rise to $2.35.

Sun Tran fares paid with SunGO cards are up to $1.60, but include free transfers for two hours. SunLink streetcar 24-hour passes rose to $4.50.

Prices are also up slightly for Sun Van users. For regular service, full fares are $3.20 and low-income fares are $1.60. For riders in optional service areas, those prices are $6 and $4 respectively.

For more details on the changes, go to tinyurl.com/yc2z7vmb
THE GOVERNMENT this week have admitted to losing thousands of historical documentations from the National Archives, these documents includes Britain's activity during the Northern Ireland conflict, the conflict with Argentina of the Falklands and the famous Zinoviev letter, a forged letter published by the Daily Mail perpetrating to be sent from Grigory Zinoviev, the head of Communist International in Moscow, to the Communist Party of Great Britain.

Other missing files concern the British colonial administration in Palestine, tests on polio vaccines and long-running territorial disputes between the UK and Argentina.

This is not the first time the British government has 'lost' historical documents on British activity abroad

The history of 'losing' historical documents

In 2013, the foreign office was discovered to be hoarding 1.2 million historical documents and files at a high-security compound near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. One of the most famous cover ups was Operation Legacy, a program to destroy or hide files, to prevent them being inherited by its ex-colonies. It ran from the 1950s until the 1970s, when the decolonisation of the British Empire was at its height.

The British government sent telegrams to the officials of the colonies advising them the best method of retrieving and destroying the documents.

These included details of the racial and religious bias shown against the indigenous peoples of the colonised nations, furthermore information on the violent methods used by the British against opponents of colonisation as well as tortured methods used in circumstances such as the Mau Mau Uprising.

This latest incident isn't the first, as Whitehall regularly loan documents from the National Archives but have no set period on how long they are allowed to keep them.

This has meant that thousands of files have gone missing. But this highlights the British governments desire to suppress information from the public, they are looking to control the population by continuing to spread false rhetoric about how 'great' Britain has been throughout history, when the opposite is in fact true
Police forces only recorded 4,246 cases of coercive or controlling behaviour, in the 12 months leading up to March out of a total estimate of 1.2 female and 713,00 male victims of domestic abuse across the UK.

Two years after new domestic abuse laws made such behaviour criminal offences for the first time, police forces remain poorly trained and unequipped to deal with such crimes MPs and campaigners say.

Only eight out of 43 police forces across England and Wales, for example, have rolled out a new national training programme and this lack of training is reflected in the low number of prosecutions involving the new offences latest official figures have shown.

Elfyn Llwyd, the Plaid Cymru MP, who initially proposed the offence in February 2014 expressed his frustration that there had been such a poor uptake of training by police forces across the country, which is reflected in the low number of prosecutions.

What is 'coercive and controlling behaviour'?

The official definition of coercive and controlling behaviour is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used by an individual to harm, punish, or frighten their victim. Controlling behaviour was an element in 92% of 358 domestic murders studied in a recent report by the University of Gloucestershire.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said that in many cases emotional abuse and controlling behaviour could be worse than physical abuse and that it is important to tackle both aspects.

How many cases of domestic abuse are there?

Between October 1, 2016, and September this year, there were 29,404 domestic abuse incidents recorded across the UK in comparison to 28,780 for the same time period the previous year, meaning there has been an increase of 624 incidents - the highest number since records began in 2004.

In their lifetime, one in four women will experience physical, emotional, sexual and/or financial abuse at some point. Additionally, almost 56% of young adults have experienced such behaviour from a partner with 32% saying that a controlling partner had prevented them living their life whilst 84% of women and 65% of men blame themselves for the abuse.

How many incidents are reported to police?

Every single day 30 women attempt suicide as a result of domestic violence and the police receive a domestic violence call every 30 seconds in the UK. Less than a quarter of domestic violence incidents are reported to the police, this means the majority of victims suffer in silence.

The proportion of incidents, however, where officers failed to show up after a domestic violence call more than doubled between 2012 and 2016 from 5% to 11%. Similarly, the speed of police response is poor, and the amount of cases whereby police didn't attend within 15 minutes of the initial call has fallen from 47% to 37% over the same time period.

How many deaths are there as a result of domestic violence?

Most women murdered by men, in general, are killed by their present or former partners. At least two women are killed every week across the UK by partners or ex-partners.

Last year, there were a reported 113 women killed across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, three quarters of whom were killed in their own homes. Of those, 78 were killed by their current or former partner, three by their sons and five by another male family member. Only nine were killed by a stranger, the Womens Aid Femicide Census found.

What is being done to tackle this?

As a result, in Scotland, a total of 14,000 police and control room staff will receive training ahead of The Domestic Abuse Bill which is expected to reach its third and final hurdle this January.

If the bill is passed, coercive and controlling behaviour will be made a criminal offence. It would also ensure that such crimes could be prosecuted effectively.

The training, ordered by the Scottish Government, is likely to cost several hundred thousand pounds which will be taken from the 20 million fund to tackle violence against women between 2015 and 2018.

What resources are there at the moment?

Funding cuts have also meant that shelters which protect vulnerable women are becoming scarce with large numbers closed in recent years. Local authorities across England, for example, have cut spending on domestic violence refuges by 24% since 2010 from 31.2 million to 23.9 million in 2016-17.

They are often the only places for women to turn to when escaping a violent partner, and are of significance because the majority of women who are killed by a former partner are killed within the first year of leaving the domestic space.

On a single day this year, 94 women and 90 children have been turned away from safe shelters in England, according to Women's Aid.

Furthermore, a Women's Aid emergency survey of such shelters also found that over one-third could be forced to close down as a result of government changes to funding whilst a further 13% would have to reduce bed spaces, leading to over 4,000 more women and children being turned away.

How many children become victims of domestic violence?

20% of children in the UK having lived with an adult perpetrating domestic violence and in nine out of ten domestic violence incidents in family households, children are in the same or the next room, and half of those children are directly abused.

Where is domestic abuse worst?

Southampton, in particular, has exceptionally high reporting rates for domestic abuse compared to other parts of UK. There were 6,149 calls to the police last year to report domestic violence.

A Government spokesman said the new funding model would see all housing costs covered by a grant which would be distributed by local authorities who would be responsible for assessing the need of support survivors in their area need.

However Southampton's Women's Aid is calling on the Government to change tack and abandon dangerous reforms to the way housing costs in refuges are funded from 2020 as they believe that having local authorities responsible for how refuges are resourced risks them ultimately having to close down altogether due to poor management of such funds.

What has been done in response?

Since then, an appeal to raise cash for the Southampton's Women's Aid charity has been given a national boost. They say they "desperately" need to reach more local children, with 1,065 children a year in Southampton living with a parent who is at the highest risk of harm from domestic abuse.

What other issues do victims encounter?

Whilst many women and children do ultimately leave their abusers, many are forced to stay or return due to the financial hardships that they encounter.

Additionally, the number of domestic violence victims who don't have legal representation in the family courts has at least doubled in the last five years. Until September this year, as many as 3,234 people who were victims of domestic abuse attended at least one family court hearing as a litigant in person, an increase from 1,309 people in the same situation in the first nine months of 2012, meaning they often have to face their abuser yet again.

Government statistics echo this with spending on legal aid falling from 2.6bn in 2005-06 to 1.5bn in 2016, with a significant decline in 2013 when the new rules came into force.

There is also a clear link between domestic abuse and a womans likelihood of becoming an offender. 57% of the female prison population in the UK report being a victim of domestic violence whilst 535 reports having experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse as a child, compared to 27% of men, according to the Prison Reform Trust.

When do we see a rise in incidents of domestic abuse?

There has also been a rise in incidents over the festive period. In Northern Ireland, for example, police said there were a total of 147 calls for help on New Year's Day last year and 94 incidents on Christmas Day, which has risen to 96 incidents on Christmas Day 2017.

What is being done to tackle domestic abuse across the country?

It comes as the PSNI launch their annual domestic abuse Christmas campaign with the message "if you feel like youre walking on eggshells thats domestic abuse.

Similarly, Suffolk Constabularys #SaferChristmas campaign hoped to reduce the verbal, sexual, psychological, financial and emotional abuse which can be rampant over the festive period.

Meanwhile, police in Barrow, Cumbria responded to five different call outs to alleged domestic violence cases on Christmas Day, highlighting the rise in alcohol-related violence this season with 25 arrests being made by officers across the country between December 14 and 26, with over half of them just three days before Christmas.

How can employers help?

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said in last month's Employer's Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA) Conference there will be someone in almost all organisations who have suffered or perpetrated domestic abuse and that it was a moral duty of care for employers.

Yet despite 86% of HR leads agreeing that employers do indeed have a duty of care to provide support to employees regarding domestic abuse, only one in 20 SMEs have a specific policy or guideline covering domestic abuse amongst their staff.

Also, within those companies which believe domestic abuse has had an impact on their organisation in the last year, 58% say an employees productivity has declined, 56% that it has caused absenteeism and 46% that it had an impact on other colleagues productivity.

A quarter believes domestic abuse/harassment has occurred in the workplace.

A housing organisation in North East England, for example, has a dedicated free legal clinic for staff (which has been accessed by over 70 people since 2015) as well as paid leave to attend programmes for both perpetrators and victims it provides for both staff and customers as well as court and has 25 trained domestic and sexual violence champions for anyone in need of support.

What are the signs of an abusive relationship?

Youre becoming a lot more critical of yourself  thinking you are stupid or fat or very lucky to have a partner.

 thinking you are stupid or fat or very lucky to have a partner. You give up on your own opinions and think your partner is right about everything.

Youre feeling more stressed or worried all the time ; you feel nauseous or have bad butterflies. Sometimes stress can also stop us eating and sleeping properly, or cause us to have headaches.

; you feel nauseous or have bad butterflies. Sometimes stress can also stop us eating and sleeping properly, or cause us to have headaches. You have that dreaded feeling more often.

more often. Youre scared of how your partner will react to a situation.

of how your partner will to a situation. You avoid saying something because you dont want to upset your partner.

because you dont want to upset your partner. You feel scared when your partner is angry because you cant predict their behaviour.

when your partner is angry because you cant predict their behaviour. Youre feeling a pressure to change who you are or move the relationship further than you want to.

who you are or move the relationship further than you want to. You feel like youre walking on eggshells .

. Youre staying in more and seeing less of family and friends to avoid arguments with your partner.

What are the signs of domestic abuse?

Different behaviour in front of their partner

in front of their partner Appearing nervous or as if they are is walking on egg-shells in front of their partner

or as if they are is walking on egg-shells in front of their partner Seeming less confident and have lower self-esteem

and have lower self-esteem Does their partner constantly text or call when they are out?

when they are out? Apologising for their bad behaviour

for their bad behaviour They may have bruises or injuries ,

, or change their appearance and clothes and makeup

and clothes and makeup Altering how they use social media, or even stopped altogether

Who should you report cases of domestic violence to?

Call 999 if its an emergency or youre in immediate danger.

Otherwise call the police on 101.

There are also numerous charities to help you:

Scottish Womens Aid: 0131 226 6606

English National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Womens Aid Federation (Northern Ireland): 0800 917 1414

Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 80 10 800

Scotlands Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234

Mens Advice Line: 0808 801 0327

Galop (for LGBT people): 0800 999 5428
POLITICS in the last year has been a long one, especially if you consider that just two years ago David Cameron was still Prime Minister. Brexit has dominated British politics and has often hidden some of the worst policies and atrocities enacted and committed by the Uk Government, using nationalist rhetoric. But there were some other stories buried because of Brexit that I tried to bring to you throughout the year.

This was going to be a rundown of the major stories of the year, but the truthful major stories often found themselves buried. This is a highlight of stories I have brought you throughout the year.

January - March

Theresa May made her Lancaster speech which outlined what her government wanted from Brexit, some of the terms confirmed that the UK would be leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union. This also confirmed that Theresa May sought a transitional period upon leaving, tariff free trade access, prioritising border control, and to avoid a hard border in Ireland. She also confirmed that she would look to guarantee EU citizen's rights and stated that parliament will have the final say on the deal.

Womens history month happens in March and I looked at the history of women in science and innovation. Also, the investigation into election fraud by the Conservatives began and article 50 was triggered.

The EU gave Britain a final warning over the dangerous levels of emissions and face embarrassment over Hinkley Point-C from the United Nations and India announced it would meet energy targets by 2030 by researching and development of intra-planetary mining of the moon for Helium-3 and fusion technology.

April - June

April started off with irony, after Boris Johnson cancelled his Russian state visit after a chemical attack in Syria, which was said to have been perpetrated by Assads regime, who are Russian supported and sponsored.

After Theresa May had been for a walking holiday over Easter, presumably to calm herself down from the furore over Easter not being but being mentioned by Cadburys, she announced the general election. During her holiday, Labour had already got the jump on campaigning after announcing several policy measures, including clamping down on tax avoidance.

June saw the general election take place and Labour had made significant gains that produced a hung parliament. Theresa May had lost her majority, produced a far-right government with the DUP and weakened the UKs power in the process. But all of that was put into perspective after Grenfell Tower caught fire and has confirmed to have killed 71 people at least. The government failed to react and continue to attempt to whitewash the disaster and symbol of neoliberal austerity. Meanwhile, France saw the presidential elections where Emmanuel Macron beat far-right, fascist candidate, Marine Le Pen.

July - September

Negotiations with Brussels began, with David Davis capitulating on the first day, after agreeing to the EUs timetable.

The Queens Speech made it through parliament despite attempts by Jeremy Corbyn to force the government to scrap the public sector pay cap, this was due to the pact made with the DUP. August saw very little political action during summer recess. In September, the UN reported that the UK had committed multiple human rights abuses over Conservative welfare policy and the far-right gained more significance in UK politics.

Furthermore, Nigel Farage, went and spoke at a rally held by German fascist party the AfD. Where he told them to speak the unspeakable. Hurricane Irma destroyed many homes and lives when it hit the Caribbean in September.

October - December

During this period, the UK economy was downgraded by approximately 500 billion, this was due to an accounting error, but informs us of the devaluation of the pound and the government wasted 2.8 million on attempts to privatise NHS staffing.

The nature of sexual harassment in parliament was exposed and there have been notable departures, including Theresa Mays deputy Phillip Green. Priti Patel resigned after it was revealed she had spoken about official business with Israel on Mays say so but under the guise of officially not happening.

The Paradise Papers were revealed, this documented significant tax avoidance schemes by notable figures such as the Queen, Prince Charles, prominent Tory, Lord Ashcroft, and far-right Brexiteer, Arron Banks. The DUP allowed Theresa May to continue with Brexit negotiations after an agreement over the Northern territory of Ireland was made. But David Davis admitted that there were no impact studies despite over year of claiming there was, and the budget included 4.4 billion worth of tax breaks for large corporations but very little for anything else.
Las Vegas shooting

59 people were killed and at least 527 injured in Las Vegas on October 1 when a gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel casino which overlooked the Route 91 Harvest Country Music Festival in what has been described as the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

The gunman was later found to be Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old local man who is believed to have shot and killed himself in his room where a total of 17 guns were found.

An additional 18 firearms, explosives and thousands of rounds of ammunition were found in one of his homes in Mesquite, Nevada.

Manchester Arena attack

22 people were killed and at least 120 were injured, including many children, in a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena on May 22 in Britain's deadliest attack in over a decade, later found to be carried out by a terrorist named Salman Abedi.

Despite the loss of life and anger towards children being deliberately targeted, Manchester's spirit shone through under the banner of "We love MCR," with stories of homeless people helping those in need, people paying travel tickets and praise for the emergency services and medical staff all emerging.

Ariana Grande returned to Manchester along with several other pop stars such as Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus as part of The One Love Manchester benefit concert which raised 2.5 million for the families of the bereaved and injured and was viewed live on Facebook by over 80 million people.

Daesh claimed the bombing was carried out by "a soldier of the Khilafah" and Theresa May temporarily raised the terror threat level to critical in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The Manchester Arena has opened since and Ariana Grande has become an honorary Mancunian.

Grenfell Tower fire

71 people died and over 70 were injured in a fire at Grenfell Tower in London's North Kensington on June 14 which was later found to have occurred due to the building's external cladding which caused the rapid spread of a fire which had started when a fridge freezer malfunctioned in a fourth floor flat.

In total, 250 firefighters and 70 fire engines were needed to attempt to control the blaze whilst many were trapped inside.

Although acknowledged and visited the day or next day by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Labour Leader, Jeremy Corbyn amongst others, Prime Minister, Theresa May, was criticised for having a private visit and not meeting those who lived in the tower, a decision which was said to show "a lack of empathy".

However she did visit victims of the fire the next day at St Clement's Church which had been set up as a relief centre and announced that there would be a 5 million fund for the victims of the fire alongside a promise that residents would be given new housing as close to the building as possible and was met with shouts of "coward," "murderer" and "shame on you" which was followed by some minor scuffles.

Once the cladding which was used in the tower in order to save costs despite being highly flammable became the primary reason for so many deaths, the event ignited debate across the country about fire regulations and the treatment of the privileged vs the poor across Britain.

On 9 September, The New York Times reported nearly three months on from the fire, only 24 out of 158 households rendered homeless by the blaze had been placed in permanent housing.

It was then reported in the same newspaper that 28 out of 203 households had been permanently rehoused by 31 October.

Mogadishu truck bomb

At least 300 people were killed and scores more injured after two truck bomb attacks hit Somalia's capital Mogadishu on October 14 in the deadliest attack the country has ever seen.

The first truck bomb exploded outside a hotel close to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the busy K5 intersection and two hours later the second truck bomb exploded in the Medina district which is also home to the Somali National University.

Somalia's government blamed the terrorist group, al-Shabab, although the extremist group did not claim responsibility for the attacks.

Egyptian mosque attack

235 people were killed after militants suspected to be part of Daesh set off a bomb and opened fire in a mosque in Egypt's Northern Sinai province.

The al-Rawda mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed was targeted during Friday prayers and it has been the deadliest attack of its kind since an Islamist insurgency in the peninsula was stepped up in 2013.

Texas shooting

26 people were killed in a mass shooting in a First Baptist Church in rural Sutherland Springs, Texas by a shooter who fled but after being pursued by a resident and police officers but was found dead after running his car off the road.

The gunman was later identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, of neighbouring Comal County, Texas by authorities.

Las Ramblas terrorist attack

Thirteen people were killed on August 17 by a van which was driven into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, a popular tourist destination whilst one person was stabbed after 5 people jumped out a car hitting people in Cambrils, a coastal town 75 miles (120km) to the south.

The driver of the van on Las Ramblas was later identified as 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub who was shot dead by police after several days on the run.

Police said they believed there were 12 men involved and whilst eight were dead, the remainder four appeared in court. An investigation into the men's possible international links is ongoing.

Meanwhile, around 500,000 people marched across Barcelona to condemn the attacks under the slogan no tinc por (I am not afraid).

The march was led by police and members of the emergency services, as well as taxi drivers who had helped evacuate people the during the attack and included many notable Spanish public figures.

London Bridge attack

Eight people were killed and 48 more injured on June 3 when a van drove through crowds of pedestrians on London Bridge before three individuals jumped out of the vehicle and began stabbing people in nearby Borough Market.

The three attackers were eventually shot dead by police and were later identified as Islamic extremists, Khuram Butt, Rachid Redouane and Youssef Zaghba.

New York truck attack

Eight people were killed while twelve others were injured, including two children when a rented pick-up truck drove into cyclists and runners for a mile in New York City.

The driver attempted to exit the scene carrying two guns which were later found to be a paintball and pellet gun but was instead shot by a police officer in the abdomen and arrested.

A flag and document pledging his allegiance to Daesh were found in the truck.

The FBI charged 29-year-old Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, who had immigrated to America from Uzbekistan in 2010, with the destruction of a vehicle and providing material support for a terrorist organisation, plus killing eight people and injuring a dozen others.

Melbourne car ramming

Six people were killed and at least 30 others were injured, three of whom sustained critical injuries, when a car was driven into pedestrians in the city centre of Melbourne, Australia.

The driver of the vehicle, 32-year-old Dimitrious "Jimmy" Gargasoulas who had previously been remanded into custody and was known to police as having a history of drug abuse, familial violence and mental health problems was arrested by an off-duty police sergeant who was on the scene within 15 seconds of the incident.

Amtrak train derailment

Three people were killed and over 100 others injured when a passenger train on a newly opened high-speed Amtrak route derailed onto a busy highway in Washington State.

There were 77 passengers on board alongside seven crew members, Amtrak said over 100 people were sent to local hospitals, with over a dozen of them suffering serious or critical injuries, some of whom also required surgery.

Some of those who were injured were in vehicles on the motorway that the train fell onto rather than within the train itself.

The train which was making the inaugural run of a new service from Seattle to Portland had been travelling at 80 miles per hour instead of the permitted 30 miles per hour.

Parsons Green tube explosion

29 people including a young boy were injured on September 15 after a bomb partially detonated and created a ball of fire along a carriage of a train at Parsons Green in West London.

As a result, Theresa May said that Britain's terror threat level had been raised from severe to critical and armed police and members of the military were deployed at public places across the country.

Daesh ultimately claimed responsibility for the attack and responsibility for the investigation was quickly handed to Scotland Yards counter-terrorism command.

Donald Trump inauguration

Donald Trump was controversially inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States after winning the election last year on January 20.

His most controversial moves in his first year as President include his withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, the "travel ban" for nationals from Muslim-majority countries - which has been partially overturned since - and most recently, his decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

He and his team are also being investigated for Russia's possible attempt to sway the election result in favour of Trump although the President has repeatedly denied any Russian involvement.

Women's Marches also took place across the world on January 21 to advocate for women's rights as well as other human rights issues in response to Trump's inauguration as President the day before due to his ongoing statements and rhetoric during his campaign which they claimed were misogynistic. In the USA, it was the largest single-day protest in the country's history.

Snap general election

Prime Minister, Theresa May, surprised everyone by announcing a snap general election in April in an attempt to strengthen her role as Prime Minister before entering Brexit negotiations.

However, this seems to have largely backfired for her as when results were revealed after the June 8 vote left her without a majority in Parliament, forcing her to link up with Northern Ireland's DUP party in a bid to strengthen her own government.

Robert Mugabe resigns

Mere days after Zimbabwe's former President, Robert Mugabe, made the controversial decision to sack his deputy, Zimbabwe's military placed him under house arrest.

Mugabe who was the country's leader for almost four decades was sacked as leader of the ruling Zanu-PF party and impeachment proceedings were launched against him.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle engaged

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed they were engaged on October 27 after dating for a year and a half.

In an interview the couple revealed that Harry, 33, proposed to Suits actress, Meghan, 36, during a typical night in over a roast chicken dinner.

They are set to wed at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in May 2018.
Five years ago, a diverse group of business leaders from across the state met in Bozeman. The common denominator was an understanding that our public lands play a critical role in our states economy.

Those first meetings inspired ideas about how to formally advocate for the economic value of our public lands, and today Business for Montanas Outdoors has grown to include roughly 160 businesses and supporting organizations who represent more than 4,600 Montana jobs (and hiring). Early on, we helped commission some of the earliest research demonstrating the powerful connection between protecting our public lands and fostering our economic growth.

This summer our Last Best Outdoors Fest showcased new research released by Headwaters Economics in our five-year report. It showed that from 2000 - 2015, Montanas economy created 102,000 net new jobs with 85 percent coming from service-related industries such as outdoor recreation, health care, real estate, professional and technical services. The research consistently shows that Montana counties with the highest percentage of protected public lands are also the fastest-growing for job growth in the state. Recent Outdoor Industry Association research shows that Montanas outdoor economy generates $2.2 billion in wages and salaries, $7.1 billion in consumer spending, $286 million in state and local tax revenue, and supports 71,000 jobs.

These are powerful reasons for sounding the alarm when federal policies threaten our public lands. Specifically, when Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke recommended the most significant rollback of national monument protections in history  our members held him accountable. As Montanas first cabinet secretary, Zinke vowed to uphold the values of Theodore Roosevelt, but instead has taken steps to derail Roosevelts signature legacy: the Antiquities Act. The arbitrary removal of national monument status to public lands in the West will hurt gateway businesses. We stand with those businesses and the jobs they provide and believe an attack on one monument is an attack on all.

We joined hundreds of local businesses and bipartisan local leaders in advocating for Sen. Jon Testers Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act, which would protect 30,000 acres of public land on the doorstep to Yellowstone from large-scale gold mining. We were encouraged the week before Christmas when Rep. Greg Gianforte answered the call of Montanans, introducing a clean companion bill in the House to keep mining off of the boundary of our first national park.

Sen. Steve Daines Protect Public Use of Public Lands Act is also on our radar. We are concerned with its blanket removal of protections from nearly half a million acres of Wilderness Study Areas across Montana. This top-down swipe at public lands shuts out virtually all public input and raises great concerns for businesses and communities across the state.

As we head into the new year, a top priority is the reauthorization and full, dedicated funding of the Land and Water Conservation fund. LWCF doesnt cost taxpayers a dime, using offshore drilling royalties for the purpose of protecting public lands across the country - including nearly 70 percent of our fishing access sites, and dozens of trails and parks throughout Montana. Without action, this bipartisan conservation program is set to expire on Sept. 30, 2018.

The new year will bring more advocacy, and more work to protect our public lands. We will elevate our member voices to continue protecting our public lands from sale or transfer to states where the tax base cannot support robust management. We will do this work with the understanding that our jobs and our way of life depends on it. We welcome you to join us.
Shareholders and current board members at Uber accepted an offer to sell 15 percent of the business to SoftBank. Terms of the deal included Softbank investing $1 billion in the company while also bringing on six new board members.

The new additions will increase Uber's overall board size to 17 people. By and far the highest among major corporations.

For reference, Apple and Facebook each operate with only eight board members.

Will everyone get along?

It has been a tumultuous year for Uber. It seemed one scandal after another rocked the company and forced major shakeups.

Longtime CEO Travis Kalanick was forced to step down, but not give up his board seat. This has led to some high stakes chicanery as multiple factions have been angling to increase their power stake.

The addition of six new board members from another company surely will only add to the confusion and drama. Getting everyone to row their boat in the same direction with a board of this size is a daunting task.

New CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has a full plate already with issues that need to be resolved. The first and foremost is the overall culture at the company. A number of sexual harassment claims against various employees, including Kalanick, paint a troubling picture at one of America's fastest rising companies.

Rooting out the antiquated boys club behavior is going to be key if the company is ever to go public.

There were originally plans to offer an IPO in 2018, but estimates say it will now be 2019 at the earliest. This makes sense as a slew of new board members are entering the company. Time will be needed to iron out the details and clean things up.

Going public means having to answer to public shareholders. The types of scandals that have plagued Uber would be disastrous if they had a stock price that could be affected.

It will be interesting to see where Uber goes from here. Having a board of this size is pretty unprecedented. One would argue what the company truly needs at this time is a stabilizing and unifying vision to move forward.

This deal seems to be more about the $1 billion commitment of investment, rather than the acquisition of new board members that aren't necessarily needed.

It is also starting to feel like there may be some internal panic regarding Uber's long-term future. If and when an IPO is announced, be sure to keep an eye on how the board members treat their initial shares. With such a large board, it is highly unlikely that most would stay on after the company went public. Some may be seeing this as an opportunity to cash out at the perfect time. If that turns out to be true, some of the upcoming decisions that need to be made will surely be affected.
As an Arctic Blast makes its way across the East Coast and Midwest, temperatures have drastically dropped, causing havoc on the highways and leading to many New Years Eve celebrations being canceled. However, that same deep freeze has made one of the most beautiful destinations in the world even more spectacular than usual, as Niagara Falls partially ices up.

A real winter wonderland

Starting Friday (Dec. 29), Niagara Falls partially froze, leading to many sharing incredible images and videos on social media. However, despite the fact the falls look frozen, the river is still currently running.

Its still a pretty impressive spectacle, however, as can be seen from various tweets throughout this article.

Guys, not to alarm anyone, but the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is an icy, winter wonderland right now



(via @punkodelish IG @Arjsun @AdamRDanni) pic.twitter.com/56GNaOikjN  Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) December 28, 2017

The Sacramento Bee quotes History.com as explaining that Niagara Falls has been a leading destination for tourists since the 19th century and reportedly around 12 million tourists head there each year. The three falls straddle the border between Canada and New York and were formed 10,000 years ago by glacial activity. Its certainly glacial out there right now with the current Arctic blast, which officials expect will continue into the first week of the New Year.

The photos of frozen Niagara Falls look like shots from a Roland Emmerich trailer. pic.twitter.com/oys3YnwiRU  John Cohen (@JohnCohen1) December 30, 2017

As WUSA9 reports, despite the frigid conditions, tourists are flocking to Niagara Falls to take advantage of the incredible icy scenery. They report that everything is a pristine white, with trees sparkling with ice.

Visitors heading from warmer climates see the icy sight

One visitor is Kevin McGowan, who grew up in Buffalo, but now lives in a warmer Florida. He said his family heads to Niagara Falls to experience the wonders of nature but also the beautiful scenery in winter. He did say the beauty does come with plenty of cold at the moment.

McGowan said many people see the falls in the summer, and it is beautiful then, but a winter Niagara Falls is a different kind of beauty for them to enjoy.

This not painting it's real picture of Niagara falls now in winter cold pic.twitter.com/6NA4e9LsSm  Rifat Iqbal Mirza (@rifat710) December 29, 2017

Craig Brien is currently visiting from a warm Australian summer but wanted to see the Niagara Falls, despite the cold. Hailing from Brisbane, Brien said its freezing. He went on to say the lowest temperature they experience in Australia is normally around -5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit), while out there its currently around -24 degrees Celsius (-11.2 degrees Fahrenheit). Brien said while it is freezing cold, its still better to see it in real life, rather than in a National Geographic book.

So anyone feeling brave and wanting to experience a real winter wonderland should probably start heading to Niagara Falls right now, especially if you would like to bring in the New Year in sheer beauty.
Street protests have erupted across Iran with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to call for the end of the Islamic Republic, which has imposed its will on the Iranian people since the 1979 revolution. The specific grievances of the protesters include a weak economy and Iranian military adventures in Iraq and Syria. Despite the ill-considered nuclear arms deal struck with the Obama administration that involved the transfer of nearly $200 billion in seized assets and the easing of economic sanctions, the Iranian people have seen little if any benefit.

A report by FOX News presented most of the facts used in this article.

The Iranian government has responded to the protests by attacking the dissidents with police and armed militias. More recently, the Tehran regime has countered with pro-government demonstrations. Nevertheless, the protests are the largest since the so-called green movement of 2009-2010 and reflect the seething discontent that most Iranians feel toward the theocratic government.

An opportunity for the Trump administration?

President Obama was so eager to come to an agreement with Tehran that he turned his back on the green movement protestors even when they begged America for help. President Trump has had the opposite reaction.

Not only has the State Department issued a communique expressing support for the protestors but Trump himself has taken to Twitter to offer his personal support.

Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regimes corruption & its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad. Iranian govt should respect their peoples rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching! #IranProtests  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Nevertheless, there may be little the United States can do besides offer moral support for the Iranian people, at least in the short term.

The regime has all of the guns and in the past had not shown inhibitions about using armed force to suppress threats to its power. Iranians do not seem inclined, as of yet, to engage in armed rebellion, confining themselves to peaceful protests.

Western media were taken by surprise by the uprising

As Commentary points out, the media in the West seems to have been caught by surprise by the extent of the protests.

A few weeks ago, the New York Times claimed that President Trump and the Saudis had driven the Iranian people to support the regime. Despite some of the orchestrated pro-government rallies, that evaluation has been proven to be wide of the mark.

It would be to the advantage of not only the Iranian people but the entire world if they somehow managed to throw off the Islamic regime and established a pro-western democracy. The Tehran government not only foments terrorism and threatens the world with their nuclear weapons and missile program, but has crushed the aspirations of the Iranian people to live in a normal society with freedom and respect for human rights. How one gets to that happy outcome is an open question, however.
Donald Trump is known for not holding back his thoughts regardless of what the ramifications might be to his remarks. In his most recent post on Twitter, the president elaborated on why he uses social media at the rate that he does.

Trump on Twitter

After Donald Trump announced his plan to run for president back in the summer of 2015, his speech received criticism from the majority of the mainstream media, mostly due to his comments about illegal immigrants from Mexico being "rapists" and "murderers." As the weeks and months rolled on, Trump clashed with reporters and journalists, often lashing out about news sources that he believed didn't treat his campaign fairly.

In an attempt to bypass the traditional press, the former host of "The Apprentice" took advantage of his growing popularity on Twitter to tweet out his thoughts, often smearing any reports from the media that he didn't like and labeling it "fake news." While Trump has taken time to praise conservative outlets like Fox News, most notably "Fox & Friends," he's also name-dropped others in a negative way, like the New York Times and NBC News. Since his inauguration last January, the president has increased his attacks on the press, which continued during his latest tweet on December 30.

I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair press, now often referred to as Fake News Media. Phony and non-existent sources are being used more often than ever. Many stories & reports a pure fiction!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Taking to Twitter on Saturday night, Donald Trump explained why his use of social media has increased as he's been in office.

"I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair 'press,' now often referred to as Fake News Media," he tweeted.

Not stopping there, Donald Trump doubled down on his targeted attack on the media. "Phony and non-existent 'sources' are being used more often than ever," Trump claimed, while concluding, "Many stories & reports a pure fiction!" After one year in office it doesn't appear that the commander in chief and the press will be able to get on the same page at any point in the near future.

Next up

As 2017 comes to an end, the latest polls show Donald Trump's approval rating below 35 percent. With the exception of right-leaning surveys like Rasmussen, the president's approval with the American people is the lowest in recent history despite the constant rhetoric from the White House that says otherwise. Heading into 2018, Trump is not likely to change his tune and it remains to be seen if his numbers improve or his his relationship with the media gets any better.
Lala Kent and Randall Emmett were caught attending an event together earlier this month, and now, fans can't stop talking about the couple's relationship. Unfortunately, however, the "Vanderpump Rules" star is refusing to answer any questions about her romance with the film producer, and recently denied knowing his former wife, Ambyr Childers.

"It's crazy how much you look like [Ambyr Childers]!" one person tweeted to Lala Kent on December 28. "Who?" she responded. As fans well know, Childers is the former wife of Randall Emmett, who he was technically married to up until last week.

This, of course, is where the accusations about Kent dating a married man came from. Not only was Emmett married until recently, he also shares two young children with his now-ex-wife, London and Rylee.

According to a Page Six report days ago, Randall Emmett pursued a relationship with Lala Kent after seeing her on "Vanderpump Rules." However, his former wife didn't file for divorce until several months later, in January of this year. As the outlet explained, Emmett was the first to file for a separation from Childers years ago but ultimately requested that his petition be thrown out around the time he met Kent.

Lala Kent's co-stars called her out for dating a married man during 'Vanderpump Rules' season five

One year after joining the cast of "Vanderpump Rules" as one of the hostesses at SUR Restaurant, a number of Lala Kent's co-stars, including Kristen Doute and Stassi Schroeder, called her out for dating a married man named "Randall" and driving a Range Rover he paid for.

Soon after, Kent quit her role on the show before ultimately returning the following year.

Lala Kent and Randall Emmett will ring in the New Year in Miami

Just days after news broke of the finalization of Randall Emmett's divorce, he and Lala Kent both shared on social media that they were heading to Miami to celebrate New Year's Eve.

In his Instagram video post, Emmett said that his children, London and Rylee, would be joining him on vacation but didn't mention the name of his girlfriend, nor did he say that anyone else would be with them.

To see more of Lala Kent and her co-stars, including Jax Taylor, Scheana Marie, Stassi Schroeder, Lisa Vanderpump, Brittany Cartwright, James Kennedy, Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute, Ariana Madix, Tom Schwartz, and Katie Maloney, don't miss new episodes of "Vanderpump Rules" season six on Monday nights at 9 p.m. on Bravo TV.
Tech giant Apple recently admitted to intentionally slowing down iPhone devices as their batteries aged. While the company offered apologies, organizations around the world are filing lawsuits. A report by CNet provided most of the facts for this article.

You know that feeling when you felt like your iPhone is working slower than it used to? Remember all the conspiracy theories that smartphones are being rendered obsolete intentionally within a time period? Well, it turns out it's all true. An iOS update that we all installed on our iPhones had a secret (hidden) directive that literally and intentionally slowed down the device.

French organization files a criminal lawsuit

An environmental group from France called Halte a lObsolescence Programmee (HOP), which translates to Stop Planned Obsolescence, will possibly prosecute Apple based on a criminal charge. In their statement, the group reflects on the fact that planned obsolescence, with the intention to reduce the duration and increase replacement rates of devices, directly violates a 2015 French law. Potentially, Apple execs will be facing up to two years in prison or a hefty company fine. The prosecutors can still decide whether or not to fully pursue the case.

Apple has apologized to customers for how it rolled out an update that can slow down older iPhones and is offering cheaper battery replacements to make up for it https://t.co/BXlV7VEyLd  CNN International (@cnni) December 30, 2017

Apple apologizes, offers explanation

Apple published an official apology on their website on December 28, apologizing to their customers and offering an explanation for their actions.

The company said that the software update that caused this was released about a year ago - iOS 10.2.1 - with a task to manage device power during peak workload in order to prevent unexpected shutdowns. Apple's apology letter also admits that the software update caused longer launch times for apps and "other" performance reductions in some cases.

iOS updates were rolled out to iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE. The same kind of update was added in iOS 11.2, on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices.

Lawsuits coming in from New York, Israel, Texas

Texas files first class action lawsuit over Apple's slowdown of older iPhones https://t.co/GgGejm0w2F  Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) December 29, 2017

Multiple iPhone users filed lawsuits in New York a few days ago after learning the company intentionally slowed down their devices.

The frustrated iPhone owners said that the sole reason they upgraded to a newer iPhone device is due to their original becoming too slow.They also said that had they known that the battery is the issue, they would have just bought a new battery and not a whole new iPhone device.

Apple offers discounted battery replacements

In light of recent events, and on top of apologizing, Apple is now also offering a $50 discount on new battery purchases. Some call this a good move by Apple while others say that the company is in a pattern of showing regret and offering a solution only after being caught. Apple recently investigated an incident where an iPhone 8 Plus battery burst open.
Thank you to the Montana legislatures Children's, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee for supporting the formal objection to administrative rule notices cutting Medicaid rates for all providers and services. I hope you continue to support providers, clients, and caregivers by keeping this objection in place.

My company is one of the providers that serves families across Montana with private duty nursing. We serve Montanas most vulnerable at a financial loss because we believe in helping those in our communities.

Many of those served are children on vents or with trachs and they have no control over their situation. They require nursing day/night that can be provided in-home at a fraction of the cost of an acute care setting. In-home PDN also significantly decreases the risk of secondary infections. These cuts, however, will force their return to the hospital or send them out of Montana. Do we truly want to send the message that Montanans with disabilities are no longer welcome here?

As a mother, a daughter, a nurse, a Montanan, I beg of you to please stand firm and continue to support Montanans who most need these services. Do not roll back your objection to administration rule notices cutting Medicaid rates.

Janessa Hendon, RN

clinical manager

Consumer Direct Care Network

Great Falls
Those celebrating on New Years Eve to ring in the New Year in many parts of Germany will see an increase of police presence in several cities in an attempt to prevent sexual assaults by immigrants that plagued many cities in the past few years. The increased police presence will also focus on areas where fireworks are forbidden and they will be adding other security measures that were not present in previous year's celebrations, the Local DE reported.

Cities increased security

In the city of Cologne, there will be a security area set up where fireworks are not allowed and that area will extend to the citys Cathedral, wherein 2015, numerous sexual assaults occurred in which hundreds of women attending that nights New Years Eve celebration in the square, were victims of theft, inappropriate touching, and vulgar slurs by mostly Arab and North African males.

The Cologne police chief stated that about 1,400 officers will be working that evening, video cameras will be used, and more well-lit areas will be provided. They are expecting a very large crowd, similar in size to those visitors celebrating the new year in the city as in previous years. In Dusseldorf, the ban on fireworks in the old town of Altstadt will still be in effect.

Berlin

The city will provide "safe spaces" for women who fear being assaulted or have been assaulted in New Years Eve celebrations in past years, mainly by immigrants.

Hamburg

Hamburg dealt with the same issue on New Year's Eve that Cologne experienced in 2015, with German women being assaulted, as 410 women experienced assaults that were reported during the same period of the celebration last year.

As a result, the city will increase their police presence along with a video surveillance system and areas that are dark will have more lighting.

Munich

During the 2016 New Years Eve celebration, Munich, Germany experienced a terrorist threat, although the investigation was dropped a month later, due to lack of evidence. Still, the city plans an increase to the New Year's Eve security and will also focus on crimes that involve fireworks due to an increase of incidents where citizens were firing pyrotechnics at others.

Baden-Wurttemburg

In the city of Stuttgart, police stated that they will focus their attention on Schlossplatz square and around the central station area for any suspicious activity. Security plans will remain largely unchanged from previous years in Ulm and Karlsruhe and if any assaults occurred in previous New Year's Eve celebrations, none were reported by the Local DE.

Lower Saxony and Thuringia

In Erfurt, several large concrete security pillars will encircle the central Cathedral Square and in Lower Saxony, as in other cities. In Hanover, Germany, citizens will see more police presence, especially in the downtown city square.

Assaults changed German views on immigration

The assaults in Germany made international headlines and generated repercussions against German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her open-door policy in agreeing to allow hundreds of refugees, most of them, Muslim, into Germany. As a result, a large increase in attacks was reported on 800 refugee homes, in just the first nine months of 2015, due to the number of crimes and assaults by immigrants against Germans.

Moreover, there was a record number of Germans who rushed to obtain small arms licenses, and in Bavaria, the southern State of Germany, the number of applicants was so huge, that within the first few months of 2016, the number of applicants equated to the total amount of those citizens that had applied in the previous year.
North Korea is determined to enter 2018 with the tensions surrounding the Korean peninsula. It has renewed its threats and has indicated that it is not willing to budge from its stand unless the United States and its allies stop their military exercises. It considers these as blackmail tactics and will continue with its nuclear weapon programs and missile tests.

The New Zealand Herald reports that the hermit kingdom has conducted a number of missile tests in the past and had even sent ICBMs that had the potential to strike targets in America. The US and South Korea have taken a firm stand on the issue, and insist that North Korea must put on hold its nuclear ambitions for any negotiation to start.

Pyongyang is a global threat

The activities of North Korea are not conducive to global peace. Its nuclear weapon programs have sent out alarm signals all over the world because the slightest miscalculation could trigger a major clash. It objects to the military drills conducted by the United States and its allies in the Korean peninsula and insists that its missile programs are meant to defend itself from aggression.

In view of the adamant attitude of the regime and its nuclear programs, the UN has slapped trade sanctions on North Korea with the intention of blocking access to finances. However, Pyongyang has devised alternate strategies to bypass the blockade.

The latest revelation is the ship-to-ship transfer of goods, which is a breach of the sanctions.

An oil tanker of a ship registered in Hong Kong has been identified and detained in South Korea. The ship was caught as it was transferring oil to a vessel belonging to North Korea. Most of the crew members are citizens of China.

Sanctions are hurting

In order to check the nuclear weapon programs of North Korea, the UN has slammed three sets of sanctions on it during 2017.

These have targeted various areas, like iron, coal, and fishing industries. The sanctions have also imposed limitations on the supply of textiles and oil apart from refined petroleum products. However, the country feels it has reached a stage where it can dictate terms to others  this is a dangerous situation.

The United States has its warships in the region, South Korea is equipped with the THAAD missile defense system, and Hawaii has tested its sirens.

Moreover, cities on the China-North Korea border areas have been informed about the actions they must take to save themselves from nuclear radiation, but a direct confrontation must be avoided. The world leaders must evolve a joint strategy to prevent another Hiroshima.
Washington, D.C. itself is full of attractions, and it's surrounded by dozens of charming destinations, many of which are no further than two and a half hours away by car. Many of these destinations are ideal for families, but they're just as well suited to romantic vacations and corporate retreats. There's something to suit every interest, from beautiful parks and beaches to unique museums to monuments overflowing with historical significance.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello (2 hours 10 min)  Courtesy of LP - Fotolia.com

Designed and built by Thomas Jefferson, Monticello is a former tobacco plantation that was the primary residence of the third President of the United States. Jefferson began working on the home when he was only 26 years old and continued to work on the structure until he passed away in 1826. Jeffersons burial place is on the grounds in an area now known as the Monticello Cemetery. Visitors to Monticello can choose from a number of tours of the house and grounds, including a family-friendly tour, a sunset tour, and a special behind the scenes tour. Find other great things to do in Charlottesville. 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, VA 22902, Phone: 434-984-9800

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

2. Brookside Gardens (35 min)  Courtesy of flownaksala - Fotolia.com

Located inside Wheaton Regional Park, Brookside Gardens is an award-winning public display garden situated on 50 acres of land. There are several distinct areas in the garden, including a butterfly garden, a rose garden, an aquatic garden, and a Japanese style garden. There are also two conservatories on-site, which allow visitors to experience the beauty of the garden year-round. For those who want to expand their knowledge base, a horticultural reference library can be found in the Brookside Visitors Center. The gardens are open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, and group tours are offered for visitors of all ages. 1800 Glenallan Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20902, Phone: 301-962-1400

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

3. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (1 hour)  Courtesy of lunamarina - Fotolia.com

Established as a National Monument in 1961, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park was created to preserve the neglected remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. In the mid-1800s, the canal connected the communities along the Potomac River and was used to transport coal, wood, and various other agricultural products. Today, the park offers an 184.5-mile towpath used for biking and hiking as well as a number of campsites that include fire pits, water pumps, picnic areas, and latrines. Seven visitor centers can be found in the park as well, and hours vary according to the season. 1850 Dual Hwy #100, Hagerstown, MD 21740, Phone: 301-582-0813



-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

4. Annapolis ArtWalk (45 minutes)  Annapolis ArtWalk



Annapolis ArtWalk is a non-profit organization dedicated to making Annapolis an even more beautiful city and bringing large-scale art to public spaces like the sides of buildings and even crosswalks. By adding color, life, and flair to dull gray walls and roads, Annapolis ArtWalk is brightening up the city and the lives of all those who live in it, work in it, and visit it each and every day. This non-profit was founded on the firm and respectable belief that art should be enjoyed by as many people as possible and that everyone, regardless of age, background, social standing, or any other factor, should be allowed to enjoy and engage with wonderful works of art. By making public spaces its canvas and working on big-scale projects that really change the whole style of the city, Annapolis ArtWalk is providing art for all. annapolisartwalk.org

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top

5. Shenandoah National Park (75 min)  Courtesy of PiLensPhoto - Fotolia.com



Shenandoah National Park is a long, narrow park that encompasses part of the Blue Ridge mountains. Bordered by the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont as well as by the Shenandoah River and Valley, the park is home to a number of waterfalls and offers plenty of opportunities for hiking, picnicking, and backcountry camping. One of the most popular features of the park is the scenic Skyline Drive, a 105-mile-long road that runs along the entire length of the park. Two Visitor Centers are located on Skyline Drive, and both feature informational exhibits, public washrooms, and bookstores. Next read: Romantic Weekend Getaways in Virginia

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC this Weekend" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC this Weekend" Back to Top

6. Blue Ridge Parkway  Courtesy of Zack Frank - Fotolia.com



Known for its scenic beauty, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the longest National Parkway in the United States. The road was originally constructed to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it runs for 469 miles along the Blue Ridge mountain chain. 14 Visitor Centers are located along the road, but the hours of each vary according to the season. There are also a number of attractions that make good pit stops, including the Craggy Gardens, the Linville Falls, the Humpback Rocks, and the Museum of North Carolina Minerals.

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

7. Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park (1 hour)  Courtesy of demerzel21 - Fotolia.com

The Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, which was established in 1927, is comprised of the sites of four major Civil War battles: the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of the Wilderness, and the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Admission to all sites is free of charge. There are two Visitor Centers in the park, as well as four historic buildings: Chatham Manor, Salem Church, Ellwood Manor, and the house where Confederate General Stonewall Jackson died. A number of special events are held at the park throughout the year, including lectures, artifact preservation workshops, and a "Fit-History" hiking program. Things to do in Fredericksburg Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg, VA 22401, Phone: 540-693-3200



, From LA -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

8. Antietam National Battlefield (1 hour 20 min)  Courtesy of jonbilous - Fotolia.com

Located along Antietam Creek, Antietam National Battlefield is a National Park Service protected area that was the site of a savage battle during the American Civil War in 1862. The on-site Visitor Center is open year-round, and it contains a number of museum exhibits as well as a theater and a gift shop. Daily interpretive talks are given by park rangers all throughout the year, and during the summer, expanded versions of these talks are offered. Other places of interest around the battlefield include the Antietam National Cemetery, the Pry House Field Hospital, and the Dunker Church. 302 E Main St, Sharpsburg, MD 21782, Phone: 301-432-5124



9. Maryland State House (40 min)  Courtesy of demerzel21 - Fotolia.com

The Maryland State House in Annapolis dates back to 1779, and is the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use. Visitors are welcome every day between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m, with the exception of Christmas and New Years Day when the building is closed. Visitors can obtain the information necessary to conduct a self-guided tour at The Office of Interpretation which is located on the first floor. Guests can arrange specialized guided tours of the building by appointment. There is no admission fee and tours are free of charge, but donations are gladly accepted. Things to Do in Annapolis 100 State Cir, Annapolis, MD 21401, Phone: 410-946-5400

-- "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top

10. University of Virginia Historical Tours  Courtesy of Melinda Fawver - Fotolia.com

Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, The University of Virginia was the first college in the United States to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Volunteer student guides lead regularly scheduled historical tours of the campus several times a day. Tours are unscripted, and the content will vary according to the guide, but groups of more than 15 people can request specialty tours covering specific topics of interest. Tours last approximately one hour, and cover points of interest like the special collections library and the room formerly inhabited by the famous poet Edgar Allan Poe. Things to Do in Charlottesville Pavilion VIII, The Lawn, Charlottesville, VA 22903, Phone: 434-924-3239



11. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (1 hour 50 min)  Courtesy of rayhennessy - Fotolia.com

Established in 1933, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a sanctuary for birds migrating along the route known as the Atlantic Flyway. The refuge is spread out over more than 28,000 acres, which include wetlands, freshwater dams, and forests. An on-site Visitor Center features wildlife exhibits, viewing platforms, and an authentic eagle's nest, and regularly offers activities like bird-watching walks and educational programs for children. There are a number of walking trails in the park, and visitors wishing to cycle or drive are welcome to make use of the paved four-mile-long Wildlife Drive that runs along the Blackwater River. 2145 Key Wallace Drive, Cambridge, Maryland 21613, Phone: 410-228-2677

-- "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways

12. Gunpowder Falls State Park (1 hour 10 min)  Courtesy of jonbilous - Fotolia.com

One of the largest state parks in Maryland, Gunpowder Falls State Park is made up of 18,000 acres divided into six areas that encompass a wide range of terrain, including tidal wetlands, rugged slopes, and open land. The park features over 120 miles of multi-use trails, which are commonly used for hiking and horseback riding. A number of other attractions can be found in the park as well, including swimming beaches, an archery range, the site of a former amusement park, and a full-service marina. A number of campsites are available during the summer and are available on a first-come-first-served basis. 7200 Graces Quarters Rd, Middle River, MD 21220, Phone: 410-592-2897



13. William Paca House and Garden (45 min)  Courtesy of spiritofamerica - Fotolia

Formerly known as Carvel Hall, the William Paca House is a historical five-part Georgian mansion that dates back to the 1760s. The home is the former residence of William Paca, a Maryland governor known for signing the Declaration of Independence. The home, which has been painstakingly restored to its original state, is situated inside a beautiful 2 acre walled garden. The mansion is decorated with period furnishings and paintings, and the garden includes features like a fish-shaped pond and an old-fashioned outdoor kitchen. Tours of the home and gardens are offered daily, and group tours can be arranged if booked in advance. 186 Prince George St, Annapolis, MD 21401, Phone: 410-990-4543



14. Maryland Science Center (50 min)  Maryland Science Center

Located in Baltimore's inner harbor, the Maryland Science Center is one of the oldest scientific institutions in the United States. The museum's three stories feature a number of interactive exhibits and informative displays covering a wide range of topics such as the human body, Earth science, and the marine life of Chesapeake Bay. Other highlights of the center include a five-story 3D IMAX movie theater and a planetarium. The museum also holds a number of events suitable for all ages, such as stargazing evenings, chemistry demonstrations, and classes on how to build a model space city. Discounted admission is offered for groups. things to do in Baltimore 601 Light St, Baltimore, MD 21230, Phone: 410-685-5225



15. Ocean City Beach (2 hours 45 min)  Courtesy of jonbilous - Fotolia.com



With over 10 miles of sand, Ocean City Beach is a great destination for swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing. The beach is also known for its excellent waves, making it a popular destination for surfers and boogie boarders. A specific section of the beach is reserved for surfers. The beach has a number of washrooms and showers that can be used free of charge, and a nearby boardwalk offers a variety of opportunities for shopping, dining, and lodging. Things to Do in Ocean City MD Ocean City Beach, Ocean City, MD 21842

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me

16. Assateague State Park (2 hours 45 min)  Courtesy of Zack Frank - Fotolia.com



Located on Assateague Island, Assateague State Park is the only oceanfront park in Maryland. The island is known for being home to a number of wild horses, but visitors are advised to not approach the animals and to stay a safe distance away. The park includes two miles of beach, which are ideal for swimming, beachcombing, sunbathing, and surfing. Visitors who wish to leave shore can also explore the bay by canoe or kayak. The park features more than 300 campsites, all of which include a fire pit and a picnic table. Reservations are recommended during the peak summer season. Berlin, MD 21811, Phone: 410-641-2918



17. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (1 hour)  Courtesy of Rimasz - Fotolia.com



First built in 1798, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is known for its distinctive star shape and for being the birthplace of the American national anthem. Visitors to the fort should start at the Visitor Center, where brief orientation films are shown twice every hour. Touring the fort itself takes approximately one hour, but visitors are advised to allow two hours for the entire experience. Special events are held year-round, including twilight tattoo ceremonies, live music concerts, and a National Flag Day celebration. During the summer, visitors can enjoy daily ranger talks, living history exhibitions, and drill, musket and artillery demonstrations. 2400 E Fort Ave, Baltimore, MD 21230, Phone: 410-962-4290

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

18. Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (2 hours 30 min)  Courtesy of Jorge Moro - Fotolia.com



Founded in 1965, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is home to the largest collection of Chesapeake Bay boats in the world. Located on an 18-acre waterfront lot, the museum includes a floating fleet of historic boats as well as 12 exhibition buildings filled with interactive exhibits designed for the whole family to enjoy. Guests can book scenic river cruises aboard a historic boat built in 1920, and guided walking tours of the museum's exhibitions are also available. A variety of special events and festivals are held at the museum throughout the year, including boat expos and an annual big band night. 213 N Talbot St, St Michaels, MD 21663, Phone: 410-745-2916



19. Rocks State Park (1 hour 30 min)  Courtesy of jonbilous - Fotolia.com



Composed of 855 acres of forested land in Deer Creek Valley, Rocks State Park is dotted with a number of large boulders that give the park its name. Popular activities in the park include hunting, fishing, and tubing on Deer Creek, and there are also 3.5 miles of scenic hiking trails for visitors to enjoy. Several day use picnic areas offer picnic tables, grills, public washrooms, and children's playground equipment; visitors should note that a small service fee must be paid to use these facilities. Large picnic pavilions can be rented out by large groups for weddings and other special events. 3318 Rocks Chrome Hill Rd, Jarrettsville, MD 21084, Phone: 410-557-7994

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

20. Goddard Space Flight Center (25 min)  Courtesy of Michael Ransburg - Fotolia.com



Established in 1959 as NASA's first space flight center, the Goddard Space Flight Center is now one of NASA's largest and most important space research laboratories. Anyone wishing to learn more about the work being done there can go to the Goddard Visitor Center, which features displays of spacecraft and various other technologies that have been developed at the Goddard Space Flight Center. A variety of special events are held throughout the year, including model rocket launches and science demonstrations for children. Admission to the Visitors Center is free of charge, and hours of operation vary according to the season. 8800 Greenbelt Rd, Greenbelt, MD 20771, Phone: 301-286-8981



21. National Aquarium (55 min)  Courtesy of djflesch - Fotolia.com



Located in the Baltimore Inner Harbor, the National Aquarium is a non-profit public aquarium that holds more than 2,200,000 gallons of water and is home to almost 20,000 specimens representing over 750 aquatic species. In addition to exhibits that mimic a wide range of natural aquatic environments, the aquarium offers a special 4-D theater that shows 3-D films accompanied by a variety of special effects. Visitors can also choose from a number of tours, including overnight options and customizable experiences. Things to Do in Baltimore 501 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202, Phone: 410-576-3800



22. United States Naval Academy (45 min)  Courtesy of sframe - Fotolia.com



Established in 1845, the United States Naval Academy is responsible for educating and training officers for both the Navy and the Marine Corps. Visitors are permitted on the campus, but everyone over the age of 18 must present a valid piece of government-issued photo ID. There is a Visitor Center located right inside Gate 1, and it features an interactive exhibit as well as a gift shop. Guided public walking tours of the campus are available all throughout the year, although the frequency and times of the tours vary with the season. Special group tours are available for groups of 16 people or more. 121 Blake Rd, Annapolis, MD 21402, Phone: 410-293-8687

-- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" -- You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC" Back to Top

23. American Visionary Art Museum (50 min)  American Visionary Art Museum The American Visionary Art Museum specializes in the preservation and exhibition of 'outsider art,' and has been designated by Congress as America's national museum for self-taught art. The museum's permanent collection consists of approximately 4,000 pieces, and it regularly hosts themed temporary exhibitions as well. The main building contains three floors of exhibition space, and other highlights on the campus include a Tall Sculpture Barn, a Wildflower Garden, a gift shop, and a restaurant. Food, drinks, and backpacks are not permitted in the museum, and visitors must refrain from taking photographs. Reduced admission rates are available for groups. 800 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230, Phone: 410-244-1900



24. Ladew Topiary Gardens (2 hours)  Courtesy of sichkarenko_com - Fotolia.com Made up of 22 acres of beautifully landscaped lawns and ornamental gardens, Ladew Topiary Gardens was named one of the "10 incredible topiary gardens around the world" by Architectural Digest. There are more than 100 topiaries (trimmed and shaped ornamental plants) on the property, as well as a number of beautiful garden rooms. Other highlights include a seasonal butterfly house, a historic manor home, and a beautiful 1.5 mile nature walk. Tours of the grounds and gardens are available, but visitors are also permitted to enjoy a self-guided tour. Events are held year-round, including educational lectures, craft nights, and summertime concerts. 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD 21111, Phone: 410-557-9570



25. Potomac River (40 min)  Courtesy of steheap - Fotolia.com Known for both its beauty and its historical significance, the Potomac River forms part of the border between Maryland and Washington. The river runs directly through Washington, and its location in a part of the country with such historical importance has led to it being commonly known as "the Nation's River." There are many historical sights along the river, but one of the most important is Mount Vernon, the former home of President George Washington. The Potomac river is approximately 405 miles long in total, and there are a number of companies that offer boat tours and cruises.



25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC

More Ideas: Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

Monticello is the beautifully preserved home of Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States. Located near Charlottesville in Virginia, next to James Monroe's Highland, Monticello is a renowned historical site and estate,

Nestled in the rolling landscapes just outside of Charlottesville in the Piedmont area, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello covers more than 2,500 acres of natural pastures and woodlands, providing a unique backdrop of pristine beauty for the plantation. The historic estate, house, and gardens offer visitors a compelling glimpse into this extraordinary period of American history in which Thomas Jefferson ruled for five decades and included the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom.

After the death of Thomas Jefferson, who was buried in the Monticello Cemetery on the estate, Monticello changed hands a couple of times before being sold to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (TJF), which now operates it as a public museum and educational institution. Monticello is a designated National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Monticello was designed and built by Thomas Jefferson at the age of 26 after inheriting the land from his father. Originally 5,000 acres, Jefferson used the plantation for the cultivation of tobacco and mixed crops, and later shifting to wheat in response to changing markets. The main house was designed in the Neo-Classical style and features favorite design elements of the time, such as an octagonal dome, mezzanine levels, and a large columned portico at the front. Named after the Italian word for little mount,'Monticello rests on the peak of an 850-foot (260 m)-high peak south of the Rivanna Gap in the in the Southwest Mountains.

The gardens of Monticello were designed by Thomas Jefferson himself, who was a connoisseur of botany, gardening techniques,and experimental planting. The gardens at Monticello include a flower garden, a vegetable garden, and a fruit orchard. The garden contains a variety of plants grown from exotic seeds and plants Jefferson found on his travels abroad.

The Vegetable Garden is a beautiful 1000-foot-long garden terrace with over 330 varieties of vegetables, the Flower Gardens are a botanic laboratory of ornamental and useful plants from around the world, and the fruit orchard features more than 170 varieties of apples, peaches, grapes.

The landscape around Monticello's gardens possess many unique features, including The Grove, which is a tranquil ornamental forest where Jefferson could visit his "pet trees"; The Trees of Monticello, which featured Jefferson's favorite trees; and The Fences, which showcase the varieties of standard and ambitious methods to protect his gardens.

The David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center and Smith Education Center presents an array of information to help the visitor make the most out of their experience at Monticello. The Center features four innovative exhibitions: Thomas Jefferson and the Boisterous Sea of Liberty', which delves into the development Jefferson's ideas about liberty; Monticello as Experiment: To Try All Things' which explores Jefferson's use of the estate as a laboratory; Making Monticello: Jefferson's Essay in Architecture, which follows the four-decade evolution of the Monticello house; and The Words of Thomas Jefferson which brings his thoughts to life.

An introductory film called Thomas Jefferson's World orients all visitors to Jefferson's core concepts about liberty and his ideas and accomplishments, and the Griffin Discovery Room gives younger visitors the chance to discover Jefferson's life and times through interactive and hands-on activities. Fully-equipped classrooms in the Carl and Hunter Smith Education Center provide a venue for workshops and other educational programs for students.

Visitors to Monticello can explore the grounds, gardens, the first dwellings and slave quarters of the estate, learn about Thomas Jefferson's ideas on architecture, botany, philosophy, and family. Guided tours of the main house and the gardens are available in a timed format and last 40 minutes and visitors can explore the gardens and outbuildings on self-guided tours. Special Garden Tasting Tours are new one-hour tours that include a look at the functioning vegetable gardens of the estate and include tastings of the best vegetables, fruit, and herbs.

The Mountaintop Hands-on Activity Center presents an array of family-oriented activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Outdoor enthusiasts can take to the Saunders-Monticello Trail, which winds its way through 370 acres of Central Virginia's most popular park, offering spectacular scenic views of the native hardwood forests and the Blue Ridge Mountains along the way.

Back to: Best Things to Do in Charlottesville, Virginia

931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

You are reading "25 Best Day Trips from Washington, DC " Back to Top


Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page.

Loading...

Checking your browser before accessing the website.

This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly.

Please wait a few seconds.
In the case of the Ten Lakes WSA, in 1975 the National Forest Service completed an extensive analysis and they recommended that it not be a WSA. In 1977, against NFS recommendation, it was shoved onto the MWSA. Ten Lakes was again studied during the five-year period after enactment of the MWSA, as instructed by Congress, and again in 1981 the NFS recommended the area didn't meet wilderness character and recommended it not be wilderness. The MWSA has gone to Congress 10 times over the years since enactment and Congress has rejected it every time. Even Congress understands that you can't and shouldn't manufacture wilderness.
Next year, Viet Nam will celebrate National Tourism Year in Quang Ninh. John Ball traces the origin of the provinces world famous Ha Long Bay to a vast plain that embraced Viet Nam and Cambodia and spread all the way, like a giant tongue, down to the tip of Java. This land mass was known as Sundaland.

Until five or six thousand years ago, the Red River flowed through Ha Long Bay, which was then dry land, and down through a vast fertile plain that ended near the tip of what is now Hainan Island. Most of this plain is now buried under the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin.

In those ancient times, the river flowed into a sea that was about 120 metres below its present level, like most seas and oceans around the world.

However, as the earth began warming 27,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, seas around the world began rising gradually until they reached their present levels about 5,000 years ago.

The inundation, part of a world event referred to in ancient Mesopotamian texts and the Bible, swamped a vast area of coastline around the world, particularly in South-east Asia and Australia to the South. This gave birth to oral histories still repeated by native people in Australia and New Guinea  and by all ethnic groups throughout Viet Nam. An article on the subject by the late ethnologist ang Nghiem Van, The Flood Myth and Origin of Ethnic Groups in South-east Asia, was published in 1993.

Van, director of the Centre for Study of Religion and former vice-director of the Institute of Ethnology in Ha Noi, collected 300 stories of an ancient flood in his travels throughout Viet Nam. They were published by the American Folklore Society in its journal. Van, Viet Nams prominent historian and ethnologist, died in 2016.

Geologists today refer to the two pre-flood land masses as Sundaland (Southeast Asia) and Sahul (Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea).

Southeast Asia was then basically one large land mass stretching like a giant udder from what is now Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam to embrace Malaysia, Sumatra and most of the islands as far as Java.

It was a vast, fertile region fed by silt from rivers flowing for millenia from the slowly rising Himalayas  including the Red River and the Mekong. The rich plains, including what is today the Gulf of Tonkin, now home to Ha Long Bay, are believed to have held a large population of Austronesian speaking people, including the small, dark Negritos who still remain in pockets throughout former Sundaland  and once even as far as the rainforests of northern Australia and Tasmania.

The seas rose slowly for thousands of years, but at times advanced quite rapidly, as the ice sheets around the world continued to melt. When the warming stopped, somewhere around 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, the shorelines of Asia, Australia and the world had altered dramatically. (Some argue that the warming is an on-again off-again work in progress, like even more ancient ice ages).

In the giant Sahul landmass, Australia was cut off from Tasmania and New Guinea, stranding people and animals such as the Tasmanian Tiger. In Sundaland, the solid land mass was broken into a patchwork of islands stretching from mainland Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia to Sumatra, Java and Borneo in Indonesia.

Ancient: The Soi Nhu Culture in adjacent Bai Tu Long Bay is a forerunner of the Vietnamese people.  VNA/VNS Photo Minh uc

The world flood, as it has been called, is believed to have slowly submerged Sundaland, a vast and fertile cradle of mankind that evolved after early people began a long journey out of Africa 60,000 to 100,000 years ago.

According to historians, the route they took was along the coast of the Middle East and India to Southeast Asia. Why? Because it was the simplest and safest way to migrate  and fishing mostly kept them alive. It is interesting to note that large conch shells were used by these ancient wanderers to communicate with each other along the shores. The conch is still a vibrant symbol in Asian cultures as far away as Tibet.

Some anthropologists believe that the flood led to forced migrations out of Sundaland into the hills and valleys of the Southeast Asia we know today. They compare the high genetic diversity of Southeast Asia to a comparable lack of diversity in northern Asia. In other words, the spread of the Sundaland peoples after the flood triggered the spread of people north into the Eurasian landmass.

The rising waters also isolated elephants, tigers and rhinoceros and even certain types of river fish, often leading to the evolution of a smaller species on smaller territory.
by Ho Anh Thai

On board the flight from Bangkok to Bangalore, Diep sat next to a Korean businessman who had been trading in that Indian state for several years. It was the Silicon Valley of India, he informed her. And not only of India: Bangalore was the software center of the world. All the top software and electronic technology innovators and experts had come to roost in that state.

For the next three and half hours of her flight, Dieps knowledge about the city where she would spend the next two years of her life was supplemented by her seatmates lecture. She was going to India to do an M.A. in history, a field quite different than the computer wizardry of Silicon Valley. She listened eagerly to Mr. Korea. But she felt worried and uneasy. Would anybody from the university come to meet her at the airport? She was coming to India at a time before cellphones, and she was traveling blind, with no information about the city she was coming to or about the university where she would study. After she had received her scholarship, she had basically just closed her eyes and set forth with the air ticket sent to her by the Indian government. Without a penny in her purse.

In the course of their conversation, the Korean man  his name was Mr. Kim  was given to understand how little she knew about her destination, how she had plunged blindly into a journey of nearly seven thousand kilometers from home. Kim gave her his business card, pointing out his address and telephone number, and told her if she needed anything in Bangalore, he would be glad to help her.

Dieps apprehension was soon realized when she disembarked and found nobody waiting for her. She stood in front of the arrivals terminal for over an hour, hopeful at first but then increasingly desperate. A car from Kims office had come for him, but he stayed with her, reassuring her that he would stay until someone come to meet her.

Waiting with them was a young Indian man, Ravikanth, who had come to meet Kim. After a few questions, Ravi understood Dieps dilemma and asked to see the letter she had received from the university. He and Kim found its telephone number, and both men crowded into a phone booth and attempted to call. But it was Friday evening and all the offices had closed.

Forget it, Kim said; you can come stay at my house for now, and then go over to the university to do your entrance procedures. Diep gratefully agreed, feeling she had no choice. Even if she could find a hostel or guest house, she had no money to pay for it. Ravi put Dieps suitcase into the trunk, next to Kims, then he drove them to Kims house.

On the way, eavesdropping on the conversation between the two men, Diep garnered that Kims wife and children had gone back to Korea for a family gathering and were still out of the country. Kim lived in a rented bungalow; it had a guest room where he could put her up. She was somewhat nervous about the arrangement but felt she could not be picky.

When they arrived at Kims house, Ravi carried Dieps suitcase into the guest room, muttered something reassuring to her and said goodbye.

It was dusk. The bungalow was immense and seemed mantled with a heavy silence. When she opened the window to look at the orchard behind the house, she thought she heard footsteps. But it was only a mango that had fallen from one of the trees. She quickly shut the window and carefully bolted it. A woman alone with a strange man in an isolated house. He could roam as freely as a lion in the jungle. She felt as nervous as rabbit living next to a cave full of wolves. She bolted the door and dragged a table and a chair in front of it, determined not to set foot outside of this room until morning. But then, as soon as her defensive fortifications had been erected, she heard Kim come to the door to ask if she would like dinner. There was kimchi, rice, soup and several Korean dishes. No, thank you, she said, I ate on the flight and am not hungry now.

She hoped the night would pass peacefully.

But at half past eight, she heard voices from the living room, then Kim calling her name, asking her to come out. No thank you, she said. Im tired and I want to sleep now.

Then she heard Ravis voice. Diep please come out: my mother and my wife would like to meet you. She could hear the voices of two women now: one, an alto, sounded older, the other, younger was soprano. She could not refuse such an invitation. Its true of course that there are people who are skilled at voice imitation, and can successfully mimic the voices of many people, male or female, old or young. But none of this occurred to Diep. She dismantled her fortifications and opened the door.

Later, she learned about what had happened in the two hours after Ravi had left Kims house. Ravi had gone home and told his mother about the Vietnamese girl who had come to Bangalore to study, how the university hadnt come to receive her, how Kim had taken her to his house. Ravis mother, a teacher, was disturbed by the situation. How could a young girl stay at the house of a man whose wife was not home? O.K, Mrs. Vimala Shankar quickly said, lets go. You take me there and well bring her here. Just before they left, she asked Ravis wife to accompany them.

Since there are women in our family, Vimala explained to Kim, it is more convenient and comfortable for her to stay with us, Id like to ask your permission to invite the young lady to stay with us. Please join us this weekend; Ill cook some Southern Indian food for you.

Her words were diplomatic and reasonable. She did not say that it was inconvenient to stay in his house, just that it would be more convenient in hers, thus avoiding the impression that she was stealing a guest from her sons colleague, as well as giving Kim an opportunity to meet Diep again by inviting him to dinner.

And so Kim came to dinner with Ravis family. They discussed taking Diep to the university the next day and decided that Ravi should bring her there.

On Monday morning, Diep went to the university and only to find it would not take her. The semester had begun three weeks earlier. She was too late for her courses and too late to get into the dormitory. Diep explained that she had come as soon as she had received the air ticket. Thats not our fault, the administrator said, you can question the ICCR: The Indian Council for Cultural Relations, for not getting you the ticket on time.

Cant an exception be made in this case, Ravi asked? Absolutely not; this is democratic India, everybody is equal, and no one is privileged over anyone else. No exceptions. Not even for foreign students? No. If we make an exception for foreigners, our Indian students will hold demonstrations against us. Theyd claim they had been discriminated against and that foreigners were given precedence over this countrys citizens. There have already been protests that led to several students immolating themselves. Seriously; they actually set themselves on fire over this issue. So, no, Im very sorry, but there will be no exception made to accommodate this student.

There was nothing Diep could do. She would have to pick up her suitcase and return to Ravis house. She burst into tears. She might as well just die now; her rejection by the university meant would have to go home. But she couldnt even do that. Her ticket was one-way. More tears streamed down her cheeks.

Vimala consoled her: Dont worry, my dear, the ICCR had brought you here so it will have to take responsibility for you. She and her children looked for the telephone numbers of the ICCR representative in the city. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations belonged to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and was in charge of foreign cultural relations. It took much searching to locate the agencys telephone number, and then they had to make over ten more telephone calls to different offices before finally reaching the scholarship office. They were able to set up an appointment for the next day. After each call, as the Shankars told Diep about the ICCR reply, she would burst into tears over and over again. Your crying ability is spectacular, Ravi said to her; it really gets to me. Oh, let her cry, Ravis wife said. It will help relax her.

His wifes words gave Ravi an idea. When I bring you tomorrow to the ICCR, he told Diep, I want you to cry just like you have here; I want a deluge of tears that will melt the Councils heart.

Unfortunately, the next day when they went to the Council, Dieps eyes remained totally dry. She assumed a sad countenance as she explained her circumstances, but could not squeeze out a single tear. Her tear ducts were guns which fired on the training range but fizzled out in actual combat. On the way home, Ravi laughed it off. How could you weep like a monsoon yesterday but dry up when we needed it most?

At the Council, the officers promised they would find some way to help her. Certainly the University couldnt admit her, but give them some time to think about it and they would come up with another solution.

But what did they mean by some time and what would another solution be?

Total gloom. No help for a new student. She had to support herself.

Vimala said, dont worry, just stay with us and the Council will have to take responsibility. As the headmaster of a primary school, she always believed in responsibility  and responsibility, for her, was a necessity: a bond between organizations and individuals and between individuals themselves.

She said they should take Diep around to see the city. There were many notable places to see in this cultural center of southern India, and she instructed Ravis wife to act as Dieps guide. Sangeeth, Ravis wife, was an artist who after her marriage mostly painted at home. The painter was happy to be a tour guide now. She took Diep to Bangalore Palace, its red sandstone walls embossed against a transparent blue sky. Diep loved it immediately, its architecture reminding her of pictures she had seen of Windsor Castle. But then it hit her again that she would not be allowed to stay and study in this beautiful place and she burst into tears again. The painter regarded her with envy. Sometimes when my husband scolds me, I feel like crying that way. But no tears come. My eyes are dry as the Thar Desert, she said, referring to a desert far northwest of them.

Most visitors to this city always choose Bangalore Palace as the best place to see. But the painter told Diep she regarded Viddhan Soudha as the most impressive. It was an enormous building, forty six meters in height, with three hundred rooms housing twenty two state ministries and the largest state legislature in India. Its architecture, Sangeeth informed her, was typical for the South.

Next she took Diep to Bull Nandi temple and Dodda Ganesha temple, dedicated to Ganesha, the elephant-headed God of Wisdom and Prosperity. As Diep wandered through the temples, at times she would think about her situation and weep quietly, but in general the beauty of the places she saw helped her forget her troubles.

She felt a surge of hope again when a Council officer telephoned and informed her she had been given a recommendation letter to a university in Mysore, about one hundred sixty kilometers away. She should go right away to see if the university would accept her.

Hope ignited. The whole family eagerly prepared her for the trip to Mysore. But as soon as she arrived, she found that the semester had started two weeks before. Hope extinguished. That evening, Diep telephoned Vimala, weeping once again. Vimala instantly told Ravi to leave early the next morning and bring Diep back. Immediately. The girl was desperate now, and who knew what could happen there.

Ravi had to leave at four in the morning in order to get to Mysore by seven. When he saw Dieps red eyes, he exclaimed again at her skill in crying. You must have been gushing from the time you phoned my mum until now. Ive never gone through something like this, Diep said. Me either, replied Ravi, meaning hed never before been forced by his mum to go off at four in the morning in order to pick someone up.

So she returned to Ravis house. The next day, Vimala took Diep to her school where she served as headmaster. She introduced Diep to the school administrators, then she took her to a fourth grade class. Girls, she said, this is Diep from Viet Nam. She is a lecturer of history in a university in Viet Nam and she has come here to study Indian history. Do you think she is pretty? Very pretty, the class agreed. And do you think she is young? Very young, the class agreed.

The next day Vimala began what turned out to be her own private cooking class at home, teaching Diep how to bake Indian bread  naan and chapatti. She also showed Diep how to cook Southern food and then tested her skills.

And so four weeks passed. Diep waited with mixed feelings of hope and desperation. Three of the Shankars continually telephoned the ICCR urging that organization to come up with a solution. They pushed hard at doors that seemed to be permanently closed and broke through tunnels that seemed to be permanently blocked. They pushed until they succeeded. The Council finally found a university in New Delhi which was prepared to admit Diep, and provided her with the train ticket which would carry two thousand kilometers to the North.

The Shankar family brought her to the railway station, along with Mr. Kim the Korean. In addition to her original baggage, she was now loaded cooking pans and bowls and plates and spoons, all donated by Vimala, who assured Diep she would need them immediately in Delhi. Vimala also urged Diep to chew a betel nut for luck on her journey. Looking at these people who had become so close to her within a month, Diep wanted to sob. But ironically, she was unable to squeeze out a single tear. She was totally dry.

That story happened at the end of 1992. One year later, when I was working in the Embassy of Viet Nam in New Delhi, I went to the South on a mission to Bangalore. One morning, I went to Ravis house. Only Sangeeth was there, busy with her painting. She made telephone calls and sometime later, her mother in law and Ravi came back. Vimala led me to a room, drew back the curtains and opened the window. The room has been kept exactly as it had been when Diep had stayed there.

Though not completely. On the table was a tiny lacquer screen made up of the four panels representing spring, summer, fall, and winter. I assumed that Diep had taken it from her suitcase and placed to serve as a little piece of Viet Nam in the midst of this Indian scene. I told Vimala that the panels containing the spring peach blossoms and the two swallows heads were upside down. Vimala smiled and said, its probably my doing  I come in and dust this table every day.

* *

Last year Diep sent me a message that she had received an email from Ravi informing her that his mother had passed away. In the message, Ravi relayed how Vimala would often speak of the young Vietnamese woman who had been predestined to stay that one month with her family. She recalled with pride how after Diep had graduated from university in India, she had returned to her country to become the director of a provincial education department, and then had been promoted to the national Education Ministry.

Recently, I have encouraged Diep to go back to meet Ravi and his family again. From Ha Noi to Bangkok takes one and half hours, and from Bangkok to Bangalore about three and half hours. The journey is not that far.

Translated by the author and Wayne Karlin

Ho Anh Thai has published over forty books, from novels and short story collections to essays, literary biographies and travel reportages. His books have been translated into over ten languages including English and French: Behind the Red Mist (short fiction), The Women on the Island (A novel), Apocalypse Hotel (A novel), Lile aux Femmes, Aventures en Inde etc.

A prominent novelist, Ho Anh Thai was elected as president of Ha Noi writers Association from 2000 to 2010. And as a diplomat, he was posted to India, then the Deputy Ambassador of Viet Nam to Iran and Indonesia.
UnityPoint CEO

named on list

WATERLOO  Pam Delagardelle UnityPoint Health-Waterloo president and CEO was recognized by Beckers Healthcare on its list of Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know.

Since July 1, 2016, UnityPoint Health-Waterloo has:

Opened UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital Center for Urology.

Opened UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital cancer center.

Opened UnityPoint Health-Prairie Parkway, a 90,000-square-foot outpatient facility housing family medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, urgent care, other specialty providers, lab, imaging and pharmacy.

Acquired UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown, which includes a hospital, outpatient medical park and four primary care clinics.

Opened two new urgent care locations.

The Gilbertville native started her career as a nurse, then moved into administration and rose through the health care ranks in the Cedar Valley. She was the president and CEO of Grundy County Memorial Hospital from 2003-2013, where she increased the workforce from 90 to 220 employees to accommodate growth in business and market share.

Riceville center

names top role

RICEVILLE  Eric Stahr of Decorah has been named the new administrator of Riceville Family Care and Therapy Center.

Stahr, a 1987 graduate of West Union High School and Upper Iowa University, began his new position in mid-September.

For a few years, Stahr owned and operated three small businesses.

New barber shop

set in Waterloo

WATERLOO  Elk Run Heights native Jordan Finger and his business partner, Chris Krause, are bringing the success of their Cedar Rapids barber shop to downtown Waterloo. The two are opening Five Seasons Hair and Beard Studio at 626 Sycamore St., next to Rodneys Kitchen.

The grand opening is Tuesday, where they will be doing free haircuts all week.

Hours for the shop at 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
Kiwanis will

meet Tuesday

WATERLOO -- The Waterloo Noon Kiwanis Club will meet at noon Tuesday at the Waterloo Elks Lodge.

This weeks program has the three new Waterloo council members, Sharon Juon, Chris Shimp and Margaret Klein, talking about their path to election and what their main goals are for the city of Waterloo.

Guests are always welcome. Call President Julie Versluis, 233-1900 ext. 2016, for more information.

New Year's

service set

WATERLOO -- Gift of Life Church, 1651 Sycamore St., will host a New Year's Eve service at 5 p.m. today.

Everyone is welcome.

Mayor, council

to be sworn in

WATERLOO -- The official swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Quentin Hart and newly elected council members will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the beginning of the weekly council meeting at City Hall, 715 Mulberry St.

The meeting was rescheduled from Monday because the New Year's holiday. The public is welcome.

Patrick Morrissey of Ward 3 will be sworn in for his second term, as well as new members Sharon Juon, at large; Margaret Klein, Ward 1; and Chirs Shimp, Ward 5.

The council will be asked to approve Juon in the role of mayor pro tem -- she could assume mayoral duties in Hart's absence.

The ceremony will be broadcast along with the meeting on community television access channel 17.

Vision support

group to meet

WATERLOO -- The Macular Degeneration/Low Vision Support group will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 8 in the board room of the Kimball Ridge Center, at Kimball and Ridgeway Avenues.

Amy Rousselow, volunteer services coordinator and marketing director with the Waterloo Public Library, will be sharing information on the many services and materials available to low-vision patrons.

All are welcome to attend. Call Barb Lamfers at 230-4499 with questions.
CEDAR FALLS  The new director of the Cedar Falls Public Library hails from the Iowa community of Baxter in Jasper County  via New Zealand.

Jay Robinson, a native Iowan with 22 years of library experience and most recently a library administrator in Nelson, New Zealand, began his duties in Cedar Falls recently after accepting the job last month.

I was the boy out of Iowa, but Iowa was never taken out of the boy, said Robinson.

Robinson has dual citizenship in the U.S. and New Zealand  a Yank-Kiwi, he says. He holds a bachelors degree in political science and in 1990 received a masters degree in library science from the University of Iowa. He was once named library volunteer of the year at the Iowa City Public Library.

And they have a lot of volunteers, he added.

I love books, and Ive always loved libraries, and it just sort of dawned on me thats the natural field I should work in, he said.

After obtaining his library science degree, Robinson worked at the public library in Newton. He interrupted his library career in the 1990s to explore a calling to the ministry. He holds a masters of divinity degree in theology from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in New Brighton, Minn., and served as minister at St. Peters United Church of Christ between Ackley and Geneva.

Robinson returned to library work at Simpson College in Indianola while serving in volunteer community ministry at Crossroads United Church of Christ there , ranging from community food projects to performing in a band that played gospel and traditional music. He also worked for a time at the Ames Public Library and in Poynette, Wis., near Madison.

He ventured to New Zealand in 2005, politically disillusioned with the 2004 presidential election amid a voting controversy in the decisive state of Ohio, carried by incumbent President George W. Bush. A Green Party member and peace activist, he moved to New Zealand with its system of proportional legislative representation for majority and minority parties.

Though he moved initially for politics, he fell in love with the country. The landscape was gorgeous. And the people were very friendly. In some ways it felt like Id landed in Iowa 15 years prior, because of the small-town feel of trust and so forth.

He worked in several libraries in New Zealand and Australia, taking on increasing responsibilities in library administration, most recently in Nelson, similar in size to Cedar Falls, with a population of about 40,000. He moved back for family reasons, but the job here is the right fit.

It worked out very well that I am the director here, Cedar Falls, he said. Similar-sized city, similar-sized library, similar-sized staff. In many ways very similar. And Ive got that bit of experience plus the energy and drive to come in and work with people here in Cedar Falls, to take a really good library and just continue to improve on it, in collections access to digital technology and community meeting and informal gathering space.

He noted that when returning to the state, he chose to drive from Denver, Colo., to Iowa. Just driving across Colorado and Nebraska I was getting excited. The sense of openness and possibility and big sky, all of that comes back to you. And Iowa does mean beautiful land. Though I love New Zealand, Iowa has its own special beauty. I very much appreciate being back.

He noted New Zealand, with a diverse and large indigenous Maori population, is more laid back. At the Cedar Falls library he wants to continue to enhance that relaxed, friendly, welcoming feeling that already exists there.

In a word, to borrow from New Zealanders, cruisey,  he quipped. Cruise on down to the library and feel cruisey.

He was selected from a field of about 20 applicants for the position, according to library board officials. His salary will be $88,000, according to a salary resolution recently approved by the City Council. He succeeds Sheryl McGovern, who retired as a shared Waterloo-Cedar Falls library director in 2015 after a decade in that post but later was rehired at the Cedar Falls library in a part-time capacity. She retired from that part-time job in September for personal reasons.
WATERLOO  A Waterloo man died in a house fire late Saturday.

Robert Smiley, 63, of 126 Madison St., lived in the house alone.

Nine Waterloo Fire Rescue units with 19 firefighters reported to the house after a neighbor called in the fire at 11:17 p.m. Saturday. Two of those were Waterloo Fire Rescue paramedic units.

We took measures to handle the temperature extremes. We did get to the scene in just under four minutes, so crews worked swiftly. They got there without delay, said Waterloo Fire Battalion Chief Ben Petersen.

Crews were set back a short time when they were unable to connect to the hydrant nearest the house. Petersen said frigid temperatures likely were the cause. Crews then were able to hook up to a hydrant down the street.

The Waterloo Fire Marshal was called to assist in the investigation, which is ongoing.
WATERLOO  The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley needs help with the following:

 The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is hosting an open volunteer time on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. Volunteers will be filling bags for backpack program and repacking donated bulk product. This volunteer opportunity is family-friendly. Youth under age 15 are asked to be accompanied by an adult.

 The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois are seeking a volunteer to manage cookies sales for the Waterloo Service Unit from Jan. 1 to March 31.

 The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley are recruiting volunteers on Jan. 26 from 7 to 10 p.m. to assist with registration and silent and live auctions at Comedy for the Cause at the Isle Casino Hotel.

 The Job Foundation is recruiting Fundraising Committee Members who will help lead the organization in efforts to develop and coordinate a plan of broad-based financial support for the organization.

For more information, call the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087, or go to www.vccv.org.
Dear Mr. Berko: Ive got a bug in my ear telling me to invest in water utility stocks. My parents live in Flint, Mich., and my brother recently moved to Pensacola, Fla., and had to buy a water purifier. He says Pensacola has the worst water quality in the country. There are horror stories about water quality in Las Vegas, Detroit, Chicago, Omaha, Houston, San Diego and hundreds of small cities. Ive got a $70,000 1.2 percent certificate of deposit coming due next week, and Id like to invest that money in a group of water utility stocks as a long-term investment.

 HA, Erie, Pa.

Dear HA: Thats a smart bug, and I think youd do well to listen to it.

Americas water crisis goes well beyond the intolerable problems in Flint, throughout which ugly neurotoxins were spread. Since 2014, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, 41 states have reported higher-than-acceptable levels of contaminants in the drinking water. Waterborne disease outbreaks have become common. Between 2002 and 2014, more than 30,000 cases of Legionnaires disease, a waterborne respiratory disease, were reported, and hundreds of beaches around the country have been closed because of polluted water. In September 2016, St. Petersburg, Fla., dumped more than 31 million gallons of sewage into Tampa Bay. According to the EPA, as many as 63 million Americans have been exposed to unsafe water more than once in the past decade. The medical community warns water contaminants can lead to cancer, gastrointestinal diseases and developmental delays in children. And the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates our municipal water systems must invest more than $1 trillion in the next 20 years to keep our water safe.

There are about 102,000 different municipal systems providing water to Americans. This industry is dreadfully fragmented and dangerously short of funding, and the underground infrastructure is rotting. Sadly, most cities lack the money to purchase the equipment and pay for the labor needed to replace old pipes. And this benefits the nine publicly traded water utilities, which, over the next dozen years, will absorb numerous smaller municipal systems.

Of those publicly traded water utilities, Id recommend eight of them. They are California Water Service Group (CWT-$43), yielding 1.6 percent, Middlesex Water Co. (MSEX-$40), 2.6 percent, York Water Co. (YORW-$34), 1.9 percent, American States Water Co. (AWR-$54), 1.8 percent, Connecticut Water Service (CTWS-$59), 1.9 percent, Aqua America (WTR-$37), 2.3 percent, SJW Group (SJW-$63), 1.4 percent, and American Water (AWK-$88), 1.8 percent.

During the past decade, the stock price of each of these companies (except CWT) has at least tripled in value, and all of their dividends have increased in each of the past 10 years. I recommend you invest $8,750 in each of these water utilities. Im comfortable believing if you reinvested the dividends each quarter, you could triple your investment value in the coming 10 years.
On the floor of the House of Representatives in 1790, when the very first Congress was debating our very first Naturalization Law, James Madison said, "It is no doubt very desirable that we should hold out as many inducements as possible for the worthy part of mankind to come and settle amongst us."

"The worthy," not the entire world.

Madison continued, "But why is this desirable? Not only to grow the nation, no sir, it is to increase the wealth and strength of this country."

That's quite a contrast to today's elite consensus. Immigration shouldn't exist to serve the interests of foreigners or of the wealthy or well-placed Americans, no, it ought to benefit working Americans and serve the national interest. That is the purpose of immigration and the theme of the story, American Immigration.

James Schell

Huntley
past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)
U.S. Military To Allow Transgender Recruits After Trump Administration Drops Appeal

An LGBT activist says the Trump administration has waved the white flag, dropping an appeal of court rulings blocking a ban on transgender troops.

Source: U.S. Military To Allow Transgender Recruits After Trump Administration Drops Appeal

Maxwell Q. Klinger played by Jamie Farr was a well loved part of MASH, but Klinger has been grounded.no chance of getting out now, transgenders are welcomed with open arms in the USA military. 



Time to be who you want to be and get to crawl on the ground at shoot someone at the same time

Yes I know that Klinger was just acting and really desired to just get out of the hell hole of war, but he will have to find another way out now.he is no longer unique Now it is no longer acting to get out, it is soon to be, what prom dress do I get to wear to the front line? A girl has to look good you know?

I wonder if we will accept all (100+) genders? Will we allow all aspects that go hand in hand with these gender names? (and or) Will we pay for all gender reassessment or realignment of body parts, including mental adjustment and what-knots?

There is still a ways to go (but we are over half way to the bottom) before we slam head first unto the floor of the pit. Many years ago we threw ourselves off the edge and decided that the ride to the bottom was worth it. But one day that bottom will come and then paying the piper will become foremost important. Funny thing about leaping off a cliff and or into a big hole, it is like selling your soul to the devil!

I am going to have a cup of coffee and then go laugh until I cry

Happy New Year America!

WtR
Again we are interfering in Iran and we wonder why they hate us

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-12-30/us-state-department-hints-iran-overthrow-are-we-witnessing-early-stages-regime The US State Department has issued a formal condemnation of the Iranian government following two days of economic protests centering in a handful of cities, calling the regime a rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos while announcing support for protesters. It fits a familiar script which seems to roll out when anyone protests for any reason in a country considered an enemy of the United States (whether over economic grievances or full on calling for government overthrow).

Happy New Year from the instigator USA

WtR
I am a proud life member of the Red River Rats. This organization was formed by individuals who had actually flown over the Red River Valley in North Vietnam to bomb Hanoi during the Vietnam conflict to end the Communist aggression which was being orchestrated from the Communist leadership in Hanoi. I happened to fly the F4 Phantom jet in that conflict. Had the Johnson administration allowed us to use B-52 bombers in this operation, most of us who flew there are convinced the war would have been successfully concluded to our advantage years before.

We who flew in combat in Vietnam do not consider ourselves war heroes. The real heroes did not return, or at least, those who did were awarded a Silver Star, an Air Force Cross, or possibly, a Medal of Honor. We have an out-of-state politician by the name of Troy Downing who, according to his ads, considers himself a war hero who flew in combat. He has not disclosed any combat awards that he personally received for his military service. I believe he is just another one of those fraudulent "heroes" attempting to buy a seat in Congress.
Julie Wark reviews Belen Fernandez's Letter from Iran, in Open Democracy:

As a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Thomas Friedman represents the acme of establishment journalism. As the man who came up with the Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention, he might better fit W. B. Yeats depiction, viz. There is nothing in [journalists] but tittering jeering emptiness. Yet Friedman is actually much worse than a hamburger purveyor since, as Belen Fernandez has scathingly demonstrated, he is The Imperial Messenger, complete with guerdons, garlands and garbling. Friedmans Iran is only scantily parodied in the clever spoof The New York Times Op-Ed generator as a country where a mindset of peace and stability will seem foreign and strange. [] If corruption is Irans curtain rod, then freedom is certainly its faucet. What might a curtain rod and faucet have to do with Iran? Meaning here is overridden by function, something Karl Kraus warned of. A Friedman-style journalist kills our imagination with his truth, he threatens our life with his lies. One reads his rubbish and a desire to smack him red-mists any rational imagining of what he is actually saying. But the message being drummed in is that America must impose its mindset on those who are foreign to it, with nuclear weapons if necessary. He literally threatens everyones lives.

Belen Fernandez is another kind of journalist, more like that described by Marguerite Duras. Every journalist is a moralist [], someone who takes a close look at things every day and reports what she sees []. This journalist isnt after establishment awards but offers a gift that only asks in return a response in the same coin: that we see ourselves and others as members of the same species, with the same rights, feelings, wishes, and dreams. Her journalistic standpoint is clear in her recent review of Suzy Hansens Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World in which she writes that the self-critical Hansen does the field of journalism a great service with her humility, introspection, and willingness to defy the establishment line. Much the same could be said of Fernandez who, a practitioner of what she preaches, finishes her review saying that the aim is to become a bit more human.

More here.
Shadi Hamid in The Atlantic:

Dystopian novels are a difficult genre: They need to be imaginative, edging on the far-fetched, while being just plausible enough to terrify. Omar El Akkads American War, which interprets the American South by way of the Middle East, challenges Americans to imagine what it might be like to die for, but also kill, their fellow citizens.

The Second Civil War begins in 2074. Climate change has changed the continent, submerging the banks of Louisiana and the near entirety of Florida, save for an island enclave or two, one of which eventually houses the notorious Sugarloaf Detention Facility for Northern prisoners of war.

In the early 2070s, the federal government, by then based in Columbus, moved to outlaw fossil fuels. Southerners resented this and other impositions from the richer, prosperous Northern states. Fervor for secession began to build. The nature of Southern culture was rich, but also somewhat vague and constructed, like all cultural identities are. It was enough, though, to moor a movement that would lead to the deaths of millions. A Southern suicide bomber assassinated the president in 2073, plunging the country into violence.

There are little details that stand out: the stubbornness of symbols; how the simple revving of an engine still running on old fuel, while ultimately meaningless, becomes an act of rebellion, an expression of self-affirmation but a completely futile one in the face of so much killing.

More here. [Thanks to Omar Ali.]
Your free time is precious, so how to spend it? Here are five ideas for Birmingham this week, Dec. 31, 2017-Jan. 6, 2018. Mary Colurso | MColurso@AL.com

Don't Edit

(Courtesy of Theater League/Aaron Walpole)

THEATER

How does the heir to a failing shoe factory revive the family business? By creating flamboyant footwear for drag queens. That's the premise of "Kinky Boots," a gender-bending musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. The show  which won six Tony Awards in 2013, including Best Musical  comes to Birmingham's BJCC Concert Hall in a national touring production, Friday-Jan. 7. Fans tout its heart-warming storyline, razzle-dazzle production numbers and messages of acceptance and inclusiveness.

"Kinky Boots," Jan. 5-7, five shows at various times, BJCC Concert Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, $40-$95 via Ticketmaster. Part of the Theater League's Broadway in Birmingham series.

Don't Edit

(Courtesy photo)

CONCERTS

Celebrate two events at once. Doubling up is easy to do tonight at the Alabama Theatre, hosting a New Year's Eve show that also pays tribute to the 90th birthday of the historic venue. Doors open at 7 p.m.; music starts at 8 p.m. with performances by Sister Hazel and Taylor Hicks. Organizers also plan a countdown to midnight, when they'll usher folks outside and flip the switch on the theater's new sign on 18th Street.

Alabama Theatre's New Year's Eve 90th Birthday Bash, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m., Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. North, $29.50-$62.50 via Ticketmaster.

Don't Edit

(Monster Jam website photo/Eric Stern)

SPECIAL EVENTS

Blue Thunder. Grave Digger. Alien Invasion. El Toro Loco. If these names make your heart race, you're definitely a fan of Monster Jam. The action-packed event  featuring trucks, ATVs and speedsters  returns to the Legacy Arena at the BJCC this weekend. Three shows are scheduled, Saturday and Jan. 7, along with a daily Pit Party that includes driver meet-and greets.

Monster Jam Triple Threat Series, Jan 6 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., Jan. 7 at 1 p.m., Legacy Arena at the BJCC, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. North, $15-$125 via Ticketmaster. Pre-show Pit Party, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. both days, $10 via Ticketmaster.

Don't Edit

(Courtesy photo)

DANCING

Twirl your way into the New Year with Birmingham Friends of Old-Time Music and Dance. Members of the contra dance group, known as FOOTMAD, will be on the floor tonight at the downtown YWCA, with music provided by the Red Mountain Yellowhammers. Jef Hodge will be on scene as caller, and regulars will provide decorations, food and a warm welcome to newcomers. Join them at 9 p.m.

FOOTMAD New Year's Eve Dance, Dec. 31 at 9 p.m., YWCA Central Alabama, 309 23rd St. North, $15, 205-822-0505.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

(Courtesy photo)

BOOKS

Attention, fans of Moonlight on the Mountain. Keith Harrelson, founder of the music venue in Bluff Park, has collected his weekly newsletters and published them in a new e-book. If you have fond memories of those chatty and detailed missives  or simply want to trace the history of performers and events at the Moonlight  this book is for you. More than 300 newsletters are gathered here, covering the years 2010-2016. "Part diary, part blog, and part encyclopedia, this collection presents the proprietor's voice, views and visions regarding a unique miniature concert hall," says the description on bookbaby.com. (Note: Harrelson retired from the Moonlight in 2016, and the venue continues under new ownership.)

"Moonlight: Music on a Mountain, The Detailed & Whimsical Diary of a 21st Century Deep-South Listening Room," e-book by Keith Harrelson, $7.99 at bookbaby.com.

Don't Edit

More on entertainment in Alabama:

The story of Tom and Loretta and their love affair with the Alabama Theatre

Meet the 2018 Alabama Music Hall of Fame inductees

Walk-On's expanding to six Alabama cities in 2018, starting with Mobile
The defense attorney for one of two suspects charged in the Dec. 21 slaying of a Madison County man says his client didn't know there would be a burglary or homicide.

Gary Wayne Kay was found dead when sheriff's deputies went to investigate a report of shots fired at his Brier Fork Road home. Rebekah Jo Barefield and Aaron Gordon are jailed on charges involving burglary and murder. The suspects, described by officials as "girlfriend and boyfriend," are accused of burglarizing Kay's home, according to court documents. The records identify Gordon as the shooter.

Gordon is charged with capital murder and held without bail in the Madison County Jail. Barefield is charged with a lesser offense of felony murder and a second count of burglary.

"I think the story is going to be substantially different than that," said Barefield's lawyer Jake Watson. "She had no idea there was even going to be a burglary -- much less a killing. It's our hope the state will see that she wasn't involved in that way.

Investigators haven't identified a motive in the killing. Sheriff's Lt. Donny Shaw on Friday said investigators were still probing the scene and trying to figure out what led up to Kay's death.

Watson said he couldn't comment further on the case. Court documents do not identify a defense attorney for Gordon. He's held without bail in the county jail.

Barefield is asking a judge to lower her $75,000 bail. Watson wrote in court records that she can't afford to post bail.

"Ms. Barefield is willing to abide by any conditions, or combination of conditions, of release should her bond be set at a reasonable amount," the motion states. "The present amount of bail set in this case is excessive and in violation of the constitutional proscription against excessive bond guaranteed to Ms. Barefield by Section 16 of the Declaration of Rights of the Alabama Constitution and the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States constitution."

In Alabama, the recommended bail amount for a murder charge is $15,000-$150,000.

Madison County District Judge Claude Hundley scheduled a hearing to consider Barefield's bail request for Feb. 1 at 9 a.m.
Deep below the surface of northeast Alabama, building tension inside a tectonic plate releases a burst of seismic energy that rumbles through the Earth's crust, pulsing out in waves in every direction.

Six miles up, on the surface, probably no one noticed.

This earthquake, which occurred Dec. 20 about three miles outside of Bryant, Ala. near the Tennessee border, had a magnitude of just 1.8, meaning it would be very hard to detect without instruments, according to Sandy Ebersole, director of the Geologic Investigations Program at the Geological Survey of Alabama.

"If you're in the right place at the right time, very close to the epicenter, standing still, you might be able to feel a 2.0 or 2.5," Ebersole said. "Usually by a magnitude 3.0 or higher people start noticing those."

The Dec. 20 event was the 19th earthquake recorded in Alabama in 2017, in what it turns out was a fairly average year for Alabama quakes, featuring many small-magnitude events.

"It's just a normal part of the dynamic world we live in," Ebersole said. "What's 'normal' is actually very different from year to year. Some years we'll have five, some years we'll have 25. Variation is part of the natural occurrence."

The largest quake recorded this year had a magnitude of 2.8, barely on the threshold of being noticeable, but it's still much more powerful than the Bryant quake. A 3.0-magnitude quake releases 10 times more energy than a 2.0. A 4.0-magnitude event is 100 times more powerful than a 2.0.

While most of Alabama's earthquakes are small in magnitude, the state has experienced larger events that caused significant damage.

In April 2003, a 4.9-magnitude shook DeKalb County and surrounding areas from an epicenter about 10 miles northeast of Fort Payne. According to GSA reports, the quake was deep enough that structural damage was mostly limited to weaker masonry, though the quake was felt as far away as Kentucky and both Carolinas.

Brent Bentley steps over rubble from damage caused to his house when his chimney collapsed when an earthquake rocked the town of Valley Head on April 29, 2003. An overnight earthquake hits the towns of Valley Head and Mentone, near the epicenter of the quake, damaging houses and school, though with no injuries reported.

In 1916, a quake occurred in northern Shelby County that was estimated to be a magnitude 5.1 based on news reports from the time.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey historical earthquake records a major earthquake (estimated magnitude 6-7) occurred near Pensacola, Fla. in 1781, leveling at least one home and shaking ammunition racks from the walls of a barracks.

Why all the shaking?

Alabama has a number of fault lines running through it, even though it is not on the edge of a tectonic plate. Many major earthquakes occur along the edges of two plates either collide or grind together, as convection forces within the Earth pull them in opposite directions.

Alabama's earthquakes, however, are the result of intraplate faults, as instabilities bubble up in the interior of a single plate. The mechanics of this type of fault line are more complex, but many result from old fissures where a plate began to split in two, but held together instead, as the geologic forces weren't quite enough.

There are two primary seismic zones, containing multiple fault lines, that run throughout Alabama.

The Southern Appalachian Seismic Zone runs from southwest from West Virginia to almost the Alabama-Mississippi border and includes much of Alabama north of Birmingham. Most of Alabama's earthquakes occur in this region.

The Bahamas Fracture Zone runs from the Florida Panhandle northwest across lower Alabama into Mississippi, as shown in this map from the Geological Survey of Alabama.

New Madrid could be the biggest threat

The biggest earthquake threat to Alabama though may come from out of state, and the New Madrid (pronounced mad-rid, not muh-drid) Seismic Zone.

In the winter of 1811-1812, a series of three powerful earthquakes (and several aftershocks) rocked southeast Missouri, sending shockwaves that were felt thousands of miles away, rattling furniture at the White House and ringing church bells in Charleston.

The third major quake practically destroyed the town of New Madrid -- it was abandoned for a time after the quake -- and caused extensive damage in St. Louis.

The Mississippi River appeared to flow backwards for a time, and changed course permanently when it began running south again.

Thankfully, in 1812, much of the area affected by the quakes was sparsely populated. Missouri wasn't yet a state, and Memphis, Tenn. hadn't been founded. Things have changed since then.

A 2009 scientific study estimated attempted to model a number of possible New Madrid events to predict how severe the damage would be.

The researchers' model of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake near Memphis would cause significant impacts to Alabama, including two fatalities and $1 billion in damages to building, roads, bridges and pipelines throughout the state.

And another New Madrid seismic event is due just about any time now.

"There's a record going back several thousands of years in the geology of the area, and the floodplains of the Mississippi River that have recorded repeating large-magnitude earthquakes in the New Madrid seismic zone," Ebersole said. "And from what they've been able to determine is that these events occur on an average cycle of 200-300 years."

It's now been 206 years since the last major New Madrid event started, putting us squarely in the timeframe where geologists would expect another big quake.

State preparing for large earthquake event

Yasamie Richardson, external affairs director with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, said the state has taken several steps to prepare for the possibility of a large quake, either from our own fault zones, or from a New Madrid event.

"Sometimes this is a topic that's overlooked," Richardson said. "People feel like an earthquake in Alabama, while we've had several this year, I don't think they realize the potential for us to have something of a serious magnitude."

Alabama participates every October in the Great Shake-Out preparedness drill, educating people on what to do in the event of an earthquake.

"I think one of the issues we have in Alabama, we have so many disasters it's just hard for people to really stop and take it seriously, the way they need to," Richardson said. "It's sometimes hard to get folks to focus, but we spend a lot of time leading up to this drill encouraging folks to take it seriously, educate themselves and know what to do if and when a significant earthquake occurs."

Richardson said a full list of tips and instructions are available on the website shakeout.org, but the basic plan is simple: Drop, cover and hold on.

Alabama is also a member of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, a group of eight states that would be most impacted by a large New Madrid quake. Ebersole said the consortium is a valuable communications and planning tool, that will help different agencies in different states coordinate their emergency response.

"We get together at least once a year, a number of years it's been more than that, working together across state lines and across agency lines to help address some of those concerns," Ebersole said. "How are we preparing and how should we prepare? How do we practice working together to respond to a large event?"

Because the damage in other states would likely be more severe than in Alabama, the state would serve more of a logistical support role after a New Madrid event, Ebersole said.

"We saw during the 2011 tornado outbreak, we saw a lot of that, states reaching across state lines to try to help each other," Ebersole said. "Really for a New Madrid large-magnitude event, it would be multiple states impacted and would require some of that neighborly help, helping where we can and how we can."
After a contentious special election, Senator-elect Doug Jones is set to be sworn into office Wednesday in Washington.

Jones will be sworn in on a family Bible, a spokesman for his transition told AL.com on Sunday. He will be joined by family and friends for the ceremonial portion of the act for pictures with Vice President Mike Pence, who administers the oath. Senate rules bar photography during the official swearing in, where Jones will be signing a copy of the oath and reciting it.

The oath allows Jones to partake in Senate business.

Upon his swearing in, Jones will become the 49th Democratic member of the Senate (Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders caucuses with Democrats), tightening the Republican majority in the upper chamber.

Jones became the first Democrat in 25 years to win a Senate seat in Alabama when he defeated Republican Roy Moore in the Dec. 12 special election to fill Jeff Sessions's seat.

High turnout, especially among African-American voters, catapulted Jones to victory of Moore, who was dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct from women who said they were teenagers at the time of the incidents in the 1970s. Jones won the race by 21,924 votes, or a margin of 1.7 percent of the vote.

Moore did not concede to Jones and filed a lawsuit alleging voter fraud in the race, but the suit was thrown out of Montgomery County Circuit Court after a judge ruled the court did not have jurisdiction over the matter.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said Saturday that the deadline had passed for Moore to seek a recount using his own funds. The state threshold for an automatic recount is a .5 percent margin.
From the Trump-Russia probe to the fate of the travel ban, we look at what to expect from the US president next year.

Donald Trumps first year in office was jam-packed. The US president attempted to turn Washington, DC, on its head, governing with the unpredictable, titillating and surreal style of a reality-show celebrity. And theres no indication 2018 will be any different.

Here are some things to watch out for next year:

1. Muellers Trump-Russia investigation

Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin during its successful presidential bid, has already charged four people who have ties to the president.

One of them, former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is reportedly cooperating with Muellers team.

But the FBI is not done yet.

There are others who have publicly provided evidence, raising serious questions about how high up potential collusion went and whether Mueller will go after them.

Both Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law, and Trumps son, Donald Jr, admitted they met a Russian lawyer with alleged ties to President Vladimir Putin in June 2016.

In the email setting up the meeting, the lawyer said she had damaging information on Trumps election opponent, Hillary Clinton.

{articleGUID}

Trump and the White House maintain that absolutely no collusion took place, often describing the probe as a political witch-hunt.

The collusion investigation will get lots of attention in May when two Trump officials, former campaign chair Paul Manafort and his associate, Richard Gates, go on trial on charges that include conspiring against the United States, money laundering, and making false statements to investigators.

Trump had said both Manafort and Gates committed the alleged crimes before they worked for the campaign.

2. Travel ban goes to the Supreme Court?

No Trump order has drawn more scrutiny or controversy than his plan to ban people from a handful of Muslim-majority countries from travelling to the US.

The executive order was signed by Trump less than a week into his presidency.

But its subsequent rollout was an unmitigated disaster with protests across the country and legal challenges causing havoc at airports.

The initial order was blocked by some federal courts.

Since then, the Trump administration has found ways to sell the ban.

A modified proclamation in September removed some countries and added others, including two non-Muslim countries.

The Supreme Court issued a ruling that permits the revised ban to remain in place while legal challenges make their way through lower courts.

Last week, a federal court in San Francisco ruled that the latest travel ban was illegal, but delayed the enforcement of its ruling while the government appealed to the Supreme Court.

Many argue that decision will take place next year.

3. Midterm elections: Good news for the Democrats?

The new year will be a turning point in the Trump presidency for one very important reason. In November, voters will go to the polls to decide the fate of Congress.

At the moment, Trumps party, the Republicans, controls both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

But recent elections in the United States have not boded well for his populist, ultra-conservative brand of politicking, which could be a warning sign for the midterm elections for Congressional seats.

{articleGUID}

Case in point: the recent special election in the deeply-conservative state of Alabama for the Senate seat left open when Jeff Sessions took the US attorney general job.

Following Trumps endorsement of conservative firebrand Roy Moore, who was accused of sexual misconduct with teenagers, Alabama voters showed up in droves to vote against Moore.

The Republican lost, and for the first time in 20 years, Alabama will have a Democratic senator, further tipping the balance in Congress.

Will Trump alter his rhetoric  which skews towards personalised attacks against his opponents  so Republicans can maintain control in Congress?

In a recent tweet, he said hed be willing to work with Democrats in 2018, for the good of the country.

4. Will Trump get a royal welcome?

The White House has confirmed that Trump will head to the UK in 2018. While details are still being worked out, it could be one of his most contentious foreign trips yet.

Why? Some UK legislators have publicly asked him to stay home.

{articleGUID}

Trump has not shied away from weighing in on UK politics which has strained his relationship with Prime Minister Theresa May and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

His quick tweets about a spate of violence in London has raised the ire of leading politicians as well.

After an attack in the London Underground in September, Trump blamed a loser terrorist before facts were made public.

In November, he raised the temperature when he retweeted a series of anti-Muslim videos posted by Britain First, a far-right group thats been accused of racism and called a hateful organisation by the prime minister herself.

May called Trumps retweeting, the wrong thing to do. British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called it abhorrent, dangerous and a threat to our country.

5. Trumps first official State of the Union

Its not the first time Trump will address Congress, but it will be his first official State of the Union speech as president, slated for January 30th.

The address is typically a time when presidents highlight their accomplishments and look at ahead to the future.

{articleGUID}

Trump has already given plenty of indication of what hell say: ISIL is defeated, the stock market is at an all-time high and jobs are coming back to the US.

His recent historic tax reform legislation, passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump before Christmas, will undoubtedly get plenty of airtime.

Although foreign policy sometimes gets fewer mentions than domestic priorities, he will have a lot to update Americans on, including the tension on the Korean Peninsula, his controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital, and the border wall with Mexico.

6. Will the government shut down?

US lawmakers gave themselves a nice Christmas present.

Just two days before the holiday weekend began, Congress found some money to keep the government operating, allowing politicians to go home to their families rather than figure out a long-term solution.

But its not meant to last very long.

On January 19, funding for the US governments operations will end.

What happens then? Its anyones guess, and there is plenty to indicate the US government is headed for another shutdown.

{articleGUID}

It will come as no surprise that the issue of whether to keep it open is mired in politics. One of the key sticking points could be the fate of undocumented children in the US.

Under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, many have been permitted to stay in the country as long as they were brought to the US before their 16th birthday.

But Trump has given Congress an ultimatum, ordering the programmes end in March unless it can figure out a solution.

So far, there is nothing concrete on the horizon, and some Democratic legislators are pressuring their leadership to block any government funding bills until the issue gets resolved.

7. Iran deadline looms again

In October, when Trump refused to recertify the international pact known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), to keep Irans nuclear programme in check, he punted any decision on its future to Congress.

They were given 60 days to decide on whether to reimpose sanctions, suspended under the agreement implemented in 2016.

Congress did nothing. Now, a new deadline looms in January. If Trump does not waive the sanctions by mid-month, they will effectively go back into place, killing the deal.
On the eve of our second year with Donald Trump as US president, lets look back on what 2017 has been like.

The world has endured one complete and completely calamitous year of Donald Trump, the president of the United States  Mr President, as Americans reverentially refer to him.

After a tumultuous and deeply divisive presidential campaign, in a free and fair general election, Americans elected a notoriously racist, consistently misogynistic, white supremacist, xenophobic, real estate charlatan as their president, entrusting him with their highest and most revered political office. He was solemnly sworn in to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States on January 20, 2017, at 9am.

To be fair, in electing Donald Trump as their president Americans did not have much of a choice, for opposing him in the final election was a singularly corrupt corporate lackey and carpetbagger named Hillary Clinton who systematically sabotaged the campaign of the only decent American that could have been elected president  Senator Bernie Sanders.

Given their choice between Hillary Clinton and a nefarious charlatan, Americans opted for the nefarious charlatan. There are certain snakes in hell from which you run to dragons, as we say in Persian.

The world thus nosedived into perhaps the most dangerously destructive year in its recent history. We are now living that history. We are about to finish its first year: year 1 AT (after Trump).

We, the future historians of our present

The future historians (if Trump leaves us a future to fathom and does not cause a nuclear holocaust or an environmental calamity does not put an end to us all) ought to know that this US president wakes up early in the morning and the first thing he does is start bombarding the globe with the most inane, most imbecilic salvos of gibberish that emerge from his mental and moral indigestion.

He calls them his tweets. What a beautiful word to abuse and waste for his blithering verbal diarrhoea  no harmless birdie ever chirped anything but joy in this world. Then he goes about issuing his racist misanthropic fatwas against one thing or another.

{articleGUID}

One day, he bans Muslims from entering the US; another day, he pulls the US out of environmental accords meant to preserve the earth; the next day, he wants to build a wall at the Mexican border because he thinks Mexicans are rapists; and the day after, he steals a whole historic city and gives it to his Zionist financiers, before, just for fun, saying Haitians all have AIDS.

If he doesnt have anything else to do, he just tweets  a few Islamophobic videos, defends some neo-Nazi thugs, and makes a few anti-Semitic remarks. His supporters just love him for these spontaneous outbursts of his true nature. He tells it like it is, they say.

Trump consistently lies, systematically cheats, unabashedly insults weak and vulnerable people. He keeps up with his predecessors habit of mass-selling arms to Arab tyrants to kill more Muslims, gives them for free to Israelis to keep killing more Palestinians and stealing their lands, and he then awards them by declaring Jerusalem their capital.

The world is scared witless of climate change. He says global warming is good to combat cold weather.

The world is aghast at the range of sexual assaults and sexual harassment perpetrated by powerful men and here he is the president of the United States, the most dangerously powerful man on planet earth, facing allegations of predatory sexual misconduct.

We the future historians of our present must rush to anachronism to tell our posterity (if there will be a posterity) what has happened to us.

A neo-globalist

The world looks at the United States today and shivers with outrage, with fear and trembling, aghast at the moral and political bankruptcy of a democratic system that results in such disgraceful insults to common human decency. This is in sharp contradistinction to what any decent American thinks of himself or herself. Trumps election has brought the majority of Americans to the bosom of humanity at large  fearing for themselves their own elected imperial officers.

There are those among Americans who think Trump is a political isolationist or an economic nationalist. But that is not the case. Politically, he is a warmongering bully that has intensified bombing of nations and then sought to close the US borders to its catastrophic humanitarian consequences. That is not isolationism. That is amoral cowardice.

{articleGUID}

The same goes for his economic policies. He wishes to rob the world of its natural resources, destroy the environment, and enrich his obscenely rich political backers. That is not economic nationalism. That is highway robbery on a global scale.

The first target of Trumps nefarious economics has been American people themselves. His monumental tax scheme that his fellow Republicans just passed will target the poorest segments of the US society to enrich the tiny upper echelon of the country. What sort of nationalism is that? He is a thief stealing from the poor enriching the rich even more.

What Donald Trump has staged is first and foremost the moral and political crisis that Western democracy, in general, and American democracy, in particular, face today. All the way from Plato and Aristotle to Thomas Jefferson and Alexis de Tocqueville, the world has been force-fed, lectured at and politically held hostage to overdoses of highfalutin treatises about Western liberal democracy  the crowning achievement of which is this clinically diabolical buffoon.

Trump is no isolationist or nationalist. He is a neo-globalist of fear and fanaticism, of thievery for the rich and destitution for the rest.

The law of diminishing returns

A year into the Trump presidency, the global perception of common American decency has been seriously diminished, the fear of its vulgar and violent militarism increased, the brutish impact of US disregard for planetary environmental calamity intensified, nefarious US allies like Saudi Arabia and Israel given free hands to slaughter people in Yemen and Palestine with impunity, the poorest and most vulnerable segments of American society targeted for even more impoverishment, its richest pockets made even deeper and more obscenely rich.

The world, including the majority of Americans, stand today on one side, and Donald Trump and his richest and most dangerous beneficiaries from Washington to Tel Aviv to Riyadh on the other. They are wreaking havoc across the globe and we are bracing for even worse to come.

A shining truth emerges from this calamitous condition of humanity at year 1 AT of our world history. The world is forever freed from all its dangerous delusions: from the nativist American democracy to European liberal globalism, from the corrupt Russian oligarchy to the globalised Chinese communism, from xenophobic Zionism to megalomaniac Islamism, from homicidal Hindu fundamentalism to genocidal Buddhist nationalism.

Free at last, as the moral voice of Martin Luther King Jr, declared, thank God Almighty we are free at last from all the false god terms of our history  just a year into the presidency of our very own Roman Emperor Mr Donald Trump, Real Estate Developer, Inc. We are freed from all delusional fantasies East and West and walk through this valley of despair with our eyes and hearts wide open, our minds and intellect clear and caring  the modest prophets of our own uncharted destinies.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Impunity for attacks and threats against journalists at epidemic levels, says International Federation of Journalists.

At least 81 reporters were killed doing their jobs in 2017, as harassment and attacks on journalists have been on the rise, according to the International Federation of Journalists.

Although the number of deaths are slightly down from last years total of 93, the IFJ cautioned that an unprecedented number of journalists were jailed in 2017, with more than 250 still in prison.

Self-censorship was widespread and  impunity for the killings, harassment, attacks and threats against independent journalism was running at epidemic levels, the Belgium-based organisation said in its annual report, released on Sunday.

Reporters lost their lives in targeted killings, car bombings and crossfire incidents around the world, the IFJ said, although the loss of ground by armed groups reduced journalists exposure to the front lines in some combat zones.

For example, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS) steadily lost ground throughout 2017, with Iraq declaring an end to the war against the armed group earlier this month.

Deaths and arrests

The country where the largest number of journalists were killed was Mexico, followed by Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

According to the IFJs data at a regional level, the Asia-Pacific region recorded the highest number of deaths (26), followed by the Arab world and Middle East (24) and the Americas (17).

Anthony Bellanger, the general secretary of the IFJ, noted that the imprisonment of dozens of journalists was also deeply concerning.

We have more than 250 journalists in jail, and two-thirds of these journalists are in Turkey, Bellanger told Al Jazeera.

In Egypt, meanwhile, Al Jazeera reporter Mahmoud Hussein has been detained for more than a year without any formal charges being laid.
A ban on all sales of ivory products in China comes into force on Sunday, a move hailed by conservationists as an important step in the fight to protect endangered species such as African elephants.

China, one of the worlds biggest markets for African ivory, announced last year that it would outlaw all domestic trade and processing by the end of 2017.

The move came after pressure that its vast demand for ivory  seen as a status symbol by some in the country  fuels elephant poaching in countries such as Kenya and Tanzania.

Decades from now, we may point back to this as one of the most important days in the history of elephant conservation, Ginette Hemley, senior vice president for wildlife conservation at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in a statement on Saturday.

China has followed through on a great promise it made to the world, offering hope for the future of elephants.

One-off sale

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took effect in 1975, banned international ivory trade in 1989. China, however, continued to allow ivory sales domestically.

In 2008, CITES, the UN agreement that bans the trade of endangered species, allowed a one-off sale to China of 70 tonnes of registered ivory stocks, said Peter Knights, chief executive officer of WildAid, a group working towards completely rooting out illegal wildlife trade.

{articleGUID}

Consequently, the poaching went up quickly. We went from very few elephants being poached each year to about 33,000 a year at the peak around 2011, he told Al Jazeera.

Supporters of the one-off sale said at the time that pairing ivory supplies with Chinas massive demand would decrease poaching and reduce the illegal trade. Conservationists, however, said the move would have the opposite effect and increase demand.

What weve seen is that when the trade is legal, the poaching goes up because its easier to launder illegal ivory. Whereas if trade is illegal, then its quite hard to do this, said Knights, adding that traders were using legal ivory trade to bring in illegal ivory from Africa.

Major impact

After China announced its ban on the government-sanctioned ivory sale.s, change started happening immediately. Shops that sold ivory began closing, while the price of ivory plummeted.

Before the announcement, a kilogramme of ivory could cost as much as $2,100. After, the price dropped to about $500 per kilogramme.

{articleGUID}

More importantly, Knights said, the move has had a big impact in the countries where poaching is taking place.

Were already seeing in Africa, in Kenya and Tanzania, that poaching has gone down dramatically. Thats partly because theyve upped their game against poaching, but also because the demand has gone down.

This does not only mean elephants have a better chance of surviving, but also African countries stand to benefit financially.

One elephant can be worth about $1m in its lifetime in terms of tourism revenue. Obviously, if its poached for its ivory the country gets nothing, said Knights.

Other markets?

The new rule however does not apply to the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where the trade is still legal for at least another five years.

Knights, however, believes that change is coming there too.

The mainland ban will impact Hong Kong, he said. Sure, people can smuggle one or two small items for personal use, but people know they wont be able to resell it in large quantities in China  and that will lead to a decline in sales in Hong Kong as well.

Knights estimates that at the end of the next couple of years its going to be really just Japan that still allows legal trade.

Unfortunately, theyre adamant about keeping it going, despite buying ivory is a fairly new phenomenon there that sprung up in the 1960s, whereas China has had an ivory-carving tradition for centuries.

Despite Chinas ban, there is still the risk of affluent Chinese going abroad to buy ivory from other parts of Asia  in countries like Laos and Vietnam, where laws are less strict.

Once the trade becomes illegal in one place, it pops up somewhere, but its always in smaller quantities, said Knights.

It is a whack-a-mole but the mole is getting smaller and smaller.
Explosion kills at least 18 civilians and wounds 13 more in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province.

At least 18 people have been killed in a bombing at a funeral ceremony in eastern Afghanistan, according to local media.

The blast on Sunday took place as people gathered to pay respects to a former district chief in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, Pajhwok Afghan News reported, quoting provincial Governor Attaullah Khogyani.

The explosion left at least 13 people wounded.

Photos from the scene showed a burnt-out rickshaw and a destroyed motorcycle.





There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The Taliban denied any involvement.

An affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group is active in Nangarhar province and has attacked officials and security forces in the past.

Hamid Karzai condemns in strongest terms the murderous attack on a funeral in #Jalalabad, Nangarhar, today that killed and wounded our compatriots.Calling the attack an evil act against our religion, culture and people, former President conveyed his deepest sympathies  Hamid Karzai (@KarzaiH) December 31, 2017

Hamid Karzai, Afghanistans former leader, condemned the attack on Twitter, calling it an evil act.
Security forces in the DRC accused of shooting dead two people in Kinshasa and another one in Kananga.

Security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have shot dead two people during anti-government demonstrations in the capital, Kinshasa, according to a rights group.

Another man was reportedly shot dead in the central city of Kananga by soldiers who opened fire on worshippers gathered for what church leaders said would be a peaceful protest, according to AFP news agency.

Catholic church activists had called for a peaceful march after Sunday mass, demanding that President Joseph Kabila step down.

There is growing anger over what some see as Kabilas refusal to relinquish power after his second full term ended in December 2016.

In Kinshasa, the two men were killed outside St. Alphonse church in Matete district as security forces dispersed peaceful protesters, according to Ida Sawyer, the Central Africa director of Human Rights Watch.

#RDC: Deux hommes tues par balle devant leglise Sainte Alphonse a Matete a Kinshasa pendant que forces de securite dispersent manifestants pacifiques, exigeant depart de Pres Kabila. Fort deploiement des militaires a travers la capitale; acces a linternet et SMS coupe @hrw_fr pic.twitter.com/6W0BIVhZE1  Ida Sawyer (@ida_sawyer) December 31, 2017

In Kananga, meanwhile, an AFP reporter at a demonstration saw a man shot in the chest by security forces.

#2018WithoutKabila

Congo authorities have largely maintained a ban on demonstrations in the country, and the governor of the capital, Kinshasa, refused to authorise Sundays rally.

The city does not have sufficient numbers of police officers to supervise this march, Governor Andre Kimbuta said on Saturday. Therefore, I do not recognise the authorisation requested.

His comments came as Telecommunications Minister Emery Okundji issued a letter instructing operators to suspend their services at 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT) until further notice, citing state security reasons.

Earlier on Sunday, there were social media reports of increased security and identity checks for worshippers entering churches for weekly mass.

Some also posted about access to churches being blocked in certain neighbourhoods of Kinshasa before the demonstration.

Kinshasa is under siege today. Snipers, presidential guards and other M23 are scrutinizing every worshipper going to church this morning.

No internet no sms services.

Welcome to Pyongyang of Africa. @nikkihaley @IntlCrimCourt@USEmbKinshasa @UEenRDC @BartOuvry #2018SansKabila  Leja Litho (@LithoLeja) December 31, 2017

It's fact! Tanks and other armored vehicles and armed soldiers are deployed at all strategic churches in #Kinshasa and all night they firing in the air to scare off people who are going to church in the morning #DRC #RDC  Mukanda #RDC (@muktech) December 31, 2017

Tensions have been high in the Congo over the past year. Anti-Kabila protests have met with a heavy police response and often turned violent.

A presidential election was meant to take place in November 2016, but officials said the vote was postponed because of deadly clashes in the Kasai region and logistical hurdles.

Kabila, who took office after his fathers assassination in 2001, has been in power for 16 years. According to the constitution, he cannot seek a third term.

Fresh elections are now slated for December 23, 2018.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been in office for seven months now. At the start some labelled him too arrogant. But opinion polls now suggest his popularity has risen.

French President Emmanuel Macron has been in office for seven months now. At the start, some labelled him too arrogant. But opinion polls now suggest his popularity has risen.

And the man  sometimes called a hyper-president  is making his mark on the world stage, on issues ranging from climate change to Middle East disputes.

Al Jazeeras Natacha Butler has more from Paris.
Jamal Mosleh, 20, is the 16th Palestinian to be killed since Trumps declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have held a funeral for a 20-year old killed by Israeli forces during a protest against US President Donald Trumps decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Jamal Mosleh was shot on Friday when the Israeli army opened fire at a rally on the Israel-Gaza border. He died of his wounds on Saturday morning, making him the 16th Palestinian to be killed since Trump made his declaration on December 6.

Reporting from Gaza, Al Jazeeras Malcolm Webb said that Mosleh, who was shot in the stomach, was one of 50 people at the protest injured by live ammunition. His funeral was funded by the Fatah political party.

It is normal for the political factions and armed groups in Gaza whose leaders call for the young men to go to the border and protest, to fund the funerals of those who have been killed, Webb said.

Funeral attendee Fayag Mosalam said Trumps decision was very bad for the Palestinian people, noting: The Americans are supporting Israel in our own land.

For more than three weeks, Palestinians have protested on an almost daily basis to condemn Trumps declaration, which has jeopardised the possibility of a two-state solution.

Over the past two decades, the Palestinian leadership has sought to establish a state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

But Trumps declaration, which also entails moving the US embassy from the Israeli commercial capital Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, puts a major dent in the Palestinian leaderships plans for a sovereign state.

Every Friday for the past month, [Palestinian] leaders have called on people to go to the border and protest, Webb said. The Israeli army, he added, responds by firing tear gas and some live bullets.

Jerusalems religious significance to Islam, Christianity and Judaism makes it more than just a local issue. Rallies have taken place across major international cities, with tens of thousands of people urging Trump to rescind his decision.

At least 2,900 Palestinians have been injured since Trumps announcement was made, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Some 500 people have also been arrested by Israeli forces across the occupied Palestinian territories.
In several places around the world, New Years celebrations have started.

Festivities have begun around the world as revellers cheered the advent of the New Year, with Australia, New Zealand and Japan being some of the first countries to bid farewell to 2017.

In the Australian city of Sydney, more than an estimated one million people gathered to watch a spectacular fireworks display in the harbour.

About eight tonnes of fireworks were lit during the colourful display, which lasted 12 minutes. The celebration started with a rainbow cascade to mark Australias legalisation of same-sex marriage, which happened earlier in 2017.

In Auckland, New Zealand, tens of thousands of people gathered to watch a fireworks display on the iconic SkyTower, the citys most well-known landmark.

Let the party start! #Auckland kicks off the #NewYear celebrations with stunning firework displays as the world rings in 2018. [: GETTY] pic.twitter.com/f8lk0UKu7m  AmMaD (@Cob_Adder) December 31, 2017

{articleGUID}

In Japan, people celebrated the arrival the of the Year of the Dog, eating New Years food such as noodles, shrimp and sweet black beans and praying for peace and good fortune.

In the capital, Tokyo, hundreds of white balloons were released into the night sky, followed by a music show.

Elsewhere, major international cities also prepared to welcome the New Year.

Millions of people are expected to gather in Berlin, London, Rio de Janeiro and New York to celebrate the arrival of 2018.

In the Turkish city of Istanbul, meanwhile, dozens of people gathered outside a nightclub to remember the victims of an attack during New Years celebrations 12 months ago.

Thirty-nine people were killed  mostly foreigners  and 79 wounded in the Reina club shooting, for which the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility.

For UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the end of 2017 was an opportunity to call for peace and unity.

I believe we make our world more safe and secure, but we can only do that together. I urge leaders everywhere to make these new years resolutions. Narrow the gaps, build trust, he said.
Masses of rubbish are floating in the Caribbean, along the coast from neighbouring Guatemala. They are known as eco-cides in Honduras.

A new phenomenon is appearing throughout Honduras.

Masses of rubbish are floating in the Caribbean, along the coast from neighbouring Guatemala. They are known as eco-cides in Honduras.

Biologists say the level of contamination is unprecedented, and government leaders in Honduras blame neighbouring Guatemala for the disaster.

Al Jazeeras Mariana Sanchez reports from Honduras.
After days of anti-government rallies, social media apps Telegram and Instagram temporarily blocked as safety measure.

Iran has restricted access to the Instagram and Telegram social media apps as a security measure during rare anti-government protests, according to state TV.

Irib News quoted anonymous sources as saying on Sunday that social media in the country would be temporarily limited, as the government warned protesters they would pay a price if days of unrest continued.

With a decision by the Supreme National Security Council, activities of Telegram and Instagram are temporarily limited, the Irib News report said, without elaborating.

Facebook, which owns Instagram, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Pavel Durov, chief executive officer of Telegram, said on Twitter that Iran was blocking access  for the majority of Iranians after protesters used the popular messaging application to plan and publicise demonstrations.

Users said on Sunday that they could no longer access the popular application via cellphone networks, though it was still available via Wifi and home internet connections.

Earlier on Sunday, Mehr, the semi-official Iranian news agency, reported that at least two protesters died on Saturday night in Dorud, a city in western Iran.

Habibollah Khojastepour, security deputy of the governor of Lorestan province, said the presence of agitators prevented a peaceful end to the protest, according to Mehr.

{articleGUID}

Khojastepour said neither police nor security forces fired at the protesters. He did not provide a reason for their deaths.

News of the fatalities came as Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli warned demonstrators against disruptive behaviour.

Those who abuse the polices self-restraint and composure shall be responsible to the people for the disruption and disorder, he said in a televised statement.

Nothing will be solved by disruption and lawlessness. For us, it is well known who created this situation, provoking turmoil and promoting violence in cyberspace.





Iranians began protesting on Thursday in the second-largest city of Masshad, rallying against high prices.

The rallies have since gained momentum, spread to other cities, and are described as the largest in nearly a decade.

Saturday marked the third day of anti-government protests across Iran, when students and police clashed in Tehran.

Videos posted on Twitter by the New-York based Center for Human Rights in Iran appeared to show police in riot gear clashing with protesters outside the gates to Tehran University.

A second video showed smoke-shrouded streets, purportedly from tear gas, in the same area.

Al Jazeera could not authenticate the footage, but semi-state news agency Fars also reported confrontations between police and protesters at Tehran University.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people across Iran attended pre-planned pro-government rallies on Saturday to mark the end of unrest following the countrys 2009 election.

State TV aired footage showing people in several cities waving flags and carrying banners bearing the image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The large demonstrations, which were organised weeks ago, are held every year.

They no longer fear security forces

Potkin Azarmehr, a blogger who focuses on the secular pro-democracy struggle in Iran, told Al Jazeera that several groups have been protesting for some time and now their slogans have become more radical.

They no longer seem to have that fear from security forces, he said.

Mahan Abedin, an Iran analyst at Middle East Eye, said the protests reflect the gap between ordinary Iranians and the political elite.

The protests appeared to be articulated by people who ostensibly have purely economic motives, he said.

I think in keeping with longstanding culture, inevitably these protests have become political.

[President Hassan] Rouhani has the right attitude but his government riles people. This is a very elitist government, they are bureaucratic elites, technocratic elites  they are very distant from grievances of ordinary people.

Reports said activists on social media have called for a fourth day of protests on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the US has been quick to respond to developments, warning Tehran against arresting peaceful protesters.

US President Donald Trump has posted a series of tweets on Iran, most recently writing: Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever. The world is watching!

Under Trumps administration, Washington and Tehran have grown further apart, clashing on foreign policy issues such as the wars in Syria and Yemen and over the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

In response to Trump, Bahram Qassemi, spokesman for Irans foreign ministry, called the US presidents warnings cheap, worthless and invalid, according to the semi-state news agency Fars.

Iranian people feel no value for the opportunistic claims of the US officials and Mr. Trump, himself, Qassemi was quoted as saying.
Police search for fourth fighter as officials blame Pakistani faction for latest round of violence in disputed region.

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir  Four Indian soldiers and three fighters were killed in clashes as rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in the southern region of Indian-administered Kashmir, officials said.

Another paramilitary personnel died after suffering a heart attack during the encounter on Sunday.

Rajesh Yadav, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) spokesman, told Al Jazeera that fighters fired at a group of police in Lethpora village on Sunday morning at around 2am before entering the building.

This was a [rebel] attack. The terrorists were four in number, two were killed along the fencing and two managed to enter the campus, he said. The search is ongoing for a fourth terrorist.

The 160-acre camp in the volatile Pulwama district serves as a training centre and a CRPF base, Yadav said.

Shabaz Ahmad, a 28-year-old Lethpora resident, told Al Jazeera that he was woken up by the rattle of gunfire.

We couldnt understand what was going on until the morning, when we heard that ongoing fire was some distance away from our area in the camp, he said. The earth-shaking blasts and explosions reverberated until late afternoon. The noise of firing is still on, the camp is around two kilometres away from the residential area.

Shesh Paul Vaid, director general of the Kashmir police, told Al Jazeera that armed rebels stormed the compound by mounting a wall that was under construction.

Arms have been recovered from the terrorists. The initial inputs suggest that they are all foreign, he said, adding the fighters Pakistani-based outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammad.





Hundreds of police, army and paramilitary troopers had rushed to the vast training camp.

Internet services were also suspended in the Pulwama district, which has seen several bouts of heavy violence since the killing of Burhan Wani, a rebel, in July last year.

Wanis death sparked civil unrest in Kashmir which led to more than 100 people being killed in the region.

Deadly year

On December 27, a local commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad group was killed in south Kashmir, triggering protests.

In October this year, three fighters and one Indian soldier were killed during an assault on a paramilitary base near Srinagar international airport.

In an earlier attack in August, suicide attackers stormed a heavily guarded police building in Pulwama in south Kashmir, killing four policemen and four soldiers.

Official figures show that in 2017, 369 casualties were reported which included 221 rebels, 93 armed forces and 55 civilians in separate incidents of violence.

Relations between India and Pakistan have also intensified, with both sides claiming their soldiers have been killed by cross-border firing.

{articleGUID}

On December 23, the Indian army claimed that four soldiers were killed by Pakistani fire in the Rajouri area of Indian-administered Kashmir.

On December 27, Pakistans foreign ministry also claimed that three of its soldiers were killed on the de-facto border in the Rakhchikri area of Pakistani-administered Kashmir.

Rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for the Indian-administered portion to become independent or merge with Pakistan.

Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.

India maintains roughly 500,000 soldiers in the territory.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep among Kashmirs mostly Muslim population, and most support the rebels cause against Indian rule, despite a decades-long military crackdown against the armed rebellion.

India has accused Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, an allegation that Pakistan denies.

Armed rebel groups have largely been suppressed by Indian forces in recent years, and public opposition to Indian rule is now principally expressed through street protests.
Israels governing party backs draft resolution urging its leaders to formally annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

Israels governing Likud party has approved a draft resolution urging its leaders to formally annex large parts of the occupied West Bank, a move that is expected to further anger Palestinians.

Members of the Likud Central Committee voted on Sunday in favour of imposing Israeli sovereignty over illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The resolution is non-binding for cabinet ministers but carries some political force within the party of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister.

Netanyahu himself did not attend the central commitees meeting.

Arab members of parliament told Al Jazeera that if the resolution were to go to the Israeli Knesset in its current form, that would signal the end to the peace process.

It would really mean that there is no more attempt to try to find a two-state solution to the crisis, Al Jazeeras Mohammed Jamjoom, reporting from West Jerusalem, said.

We also spoke with many analysts, who said that  there is no way that such an inflammatory resolution would actually get to the Knesset in its current form, he added, noting that were many more questions at this hour than answers about what is going to happen next.

Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law, and are seen as a major stumbling block to peace efforts as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

West Jerusalem was seized by Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, when more than 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from historic Palestine, referred to by Palestinians as the Nakba (catastrophe) when Israel was officially founded.

Israel subsequently occupied and annexed the eastern part of the city after its military victory in the 1967 war, but its control over East Jerusalem has never been recognised by the international community.

Palestinian leaders want occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, while Israel says the city cannot be divided.

Cynical political ploy

Ahead of the vote, analysts told Al Jazeera that they saw the Likud central committes vote as a cynical political calculus to rally the party faithful.

The vote is not binding and its not even relevant, Mitchell Barak, an analyst at Kevoon Global Research told Al Jazeera.

Its just the prime ministers right of centre party just trying to make a policy statement, which really is meaningless, and  just getting ready the drumbeat of election, he added.

Theyre just trying to shore up their popularity on the right.

The vote, however, did come at an especially tense time following the controversial US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital.

US President Donald Trumps move on December 6 sparked deadly protests in the occupied Palestinian territories and major rallies in support of the Palestinians across the Muslim world.

A resounding majority of United Nations member states also defied unprecedented threats by the US to declare the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void.

Whatever does happen next, this is a tense time and this vote may add another element of uncertainty, said Jamjoom.
Amid state crackdown on immigration from Bangladesh, activists warn that thousands of Muslims may be rendered stateless.

India is set to publish the first draft of a list of citizens of the northeastern state of Assam after decades of debate, sometimes violent, over immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The draft list, to be published at midnight on Sunday, will ultimately be incorporated into the National Register of Citizens (NRC) after a census carried out for the first time since 1951.

The government claims this register will be used to identify and deport illegal immigrants, but activists warn that hundreds of thousands of Muslims in Assam could be rendered stateless in the process.

The officials [associated with the NRC project] visited many homes in our village but skipped ours. I am scared about my family being kept off the list. I am an Indian citizen. My father teaches in a school here; my grandfather has a national voter identity card too, [but I] am still petrified, 25-year-old Hussein Ahmed Madani, who lives in the remote Baladmari Char village in lower Assam, told Al Jazeera.

I have seen many people in my village returning after long fights in the High Court and Supreme Court, vindicated after long battles to prove their citizenship. But there is an atmosphere of fear in the village, in our community here. Who knows who will be thrown out as Bangladeshi.

Hostile towards Muslims

Since the countrys partition in 1947, Assam has been rocked by protests over illegal immigration from across the porous riverine border with Bangladesh, increasing sectarian tensions and riots between the states indigenous population and Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants.

In February 1983, more than 2,000 Bengali-speaking Muslims, allegedly illegal immigrants, were killed in Nellie in central Assam. In recent years, thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims have been thrown in detention camps in Assam as doubtful voters and immigrants.

Comprising an estimated 40 percent of the states population, Muslims have continued to battle the tag of infiltrator  and amid such strident rhetoric, many are anxious about the citizen list.

If its a free and fair list, no genuine citizens name will be dropped. But the ones executing the list work directly or indirectly under the right-wing BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] government, which is hostile towards Muslims, Aman Wadud, a rights lawyer in the state capital of Guwahati, told Al Jazeera.

This is the same government which rode to power spewing venom against Muslims, alleging that 35 electoral constituencies are dominated by Bangladeshi Muslims. People are apprehensive that this government might try to manipulate the list and drop legal citizens from the updated list.

To make the list, citizens in Assam must provide documents proving that they or their family lived in the country before March 24, 1971  a date that accounts for the migration of people from across Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) who were fleeing persecution during the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict, but excludes those who arrived during and after the 1971 war leading to Bangladeshs independence from Pakistan.

Competition for jobs

Upamanyu Hazarika, who founded the Prabajan Virodhi Manch anti-immigration group, said that outsiders were threatening the states culture and cornering resources, such as land and jobs.

By virtue of being Muslims, they become part of the larger Muslim population and their interests are legitimised, overlooking the fact that they are foreigners, Hazarika told Al Jazeera. Twenty to 25 percent of the states population are illegal immigrants; they take away our jobs, the jobs of indigenous people. They swarm to the lower Assam region in huge numbers and drive away our indigenous tribes. We are becoming refugees in our own homelands.





India says it has implemented a border management plan in conjunction with Bangladesh, but the Bangladeshi government has denied discussing the deportation of migrants with Indian officials. The two countries share a border of more than 4,000 kilometres.

The BJP government says there are about 20 million Bangladeshi immigrants in India, although this figure is disputed.

The release of the NRC comes after the first census in more than half a century. The BJP says it is a nationalist project to identify immigrants and thwart designs of demographic change in the state.

Demographic changes in Assam owing to illegal immigration of Bangladeshis is alarming to the extent that many districts have become Muslim-majority areas, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Mittal told Al Jazeera. This NRC register is a step towards identification and isolation of such elements.

Wadud, however, said the state was making it very difficult for Muslims to prove their Indian citizenship.

Indian citizens are being branded as foreigners, harassed and targeted, Wadud said. But this is not new. Massacres against Muslims branded as Bangladeshis in Assam are cyclic. There is a new form of segregation growing.
Lifes tough for many living on the edge of the Sahara desert in Niger, and its not getting any better, despite the signing of a peace agreement almost 10 years ago.

Lifes tough for many living on the edge of the Sahara desert in Niger, and its not getting any better, despite the signing of a peace agreement almost 10 years ago.

Nomadic Tuareg people suffered war, then drought. And a lack of education is a major obstacle to building a new life.

Al Jazeeras Mohamed Vall reports.
Ambassador attended a rally hosted by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Islamabad, Pakistan  The Palestinian Authority (PA) has recalled its ambassador to Pakistan after he attended a rally in support of Palestines position on Jerusalem hosted by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who carries a $10m US bounty on his head for allegedly masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Ambassador Walid Abu Ali was summoned back to Ramallah on Saturday, with the Palestinian foreign ministry saying his participation in the rally was an unintentional mistake, but not justified.

Thousands of Pakistanis attended the mass protest rally organised by Saeed in the northern city of Rawalpindi on Friday, rejecting US President Donald Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel earlier this month.

Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba armed group, has long been accused by the United States and India of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which saw gunmen kill 166 people as they stormed hotels and other targets in the Indian financial hub.

Saeed denies any involvement in the attacks and says he only runs the Jamaat-ud-Dawa charitable organisation. The United Nations and the US both designate Jamaat-ud-Dawa and its affiliates as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, which frequently carries out attacks targeting Indian security personnel in the disputed region of Kashmir.

India terms attendance unacceptable

The Palestinian ambassador addressed a crowd of thousands at the rally.

All Pakistani people from all walks of life have strongly rejected Trumps decision of [recognising] Jerusalem as the [Israeli] capital, Ali told Al Jazeera shortly after his speech.





The PAs decision appears to have come after India protested the ambassadors presence at the rally, terming it unacceptable.

The spokesman for the Palestinian Foreign Ministry stresses the commitment of the State of Palestine and its keenness to maintain good relations with the friendly Republic of India, as well as its support for the efforts of the Republic of India in its war against terrorism, noted the Palestinian foreign ministrys statement.

The State of Palestine stands with the Republic of India in dealing with terrorist threats.

India was among 128 UN member states, including Pakistan, to vote for a non-binding resolution rejecting Trumps decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel earlier this month.

International sanctions

Saeeds status has long been a thorn in the rocky relationship between Pakistan and India. After being held under house arrest since January, he was released last month by a judicial review board, which deemed the state to have presented insufficient evidence to continue extending his detention.

Saeed is subject to international sanctions for his association with Lashkar-e-Taiba, including UN restrictions that subject him, Jamaat-ud-Dawa and other associated organisations to an asset freeze, arms embargo and international travel ban.

In 2002, Pakistan banned Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terrorist organisation, and since 2008, authorities say they have been abiding by UN sanctions. Jamaat-ud-Dawa, however, continues to operate freely across the country and is often seen at the forefront of humanitarian relief efforts following natural disasters. It also runs a network of seminaries and releases several periodical publications.

Late on Saturday, Pakistan defended the decision to allow Saeeds rally in Rawalpindi.

The public meeting held yesterday was yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause, said a foreign ministry statement.

This public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Hafiz Saeed. Contrary to the impression being created, UN proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression.

Follow Asad Hashim on Twitter: @AsadHashim
Two with CCU

Sean Smith and Cindy Sorenson are new employees at Capital Credit Union.

Smith, a Bismarck native, works as in-house counsel. He has a bachelors degree in accounting and a law degree from the University of North Dakota. He is a certified public accountant with eight years of experience and has nine years experience as a practicing attorney.

Sorenson is a mortgage loan servicer and processor. A Bismarck native, Sorenson has a bachelors degree in accounting from UND and has 15 years of financial services experience.

New employees

Lindsey Narloch and Miranda Kadrmas are new employees at the North Dakota Safety Council in Bismarck.

Narloch was hired as information manager. She has 10 years of data management experience with the North Dakota Department of Health.

Kadrmas is the traffic safety coordinator. Kadrmas earned bachelor's degrees in business administration and human resources at Dickinson State University and has more than two years of experience as a patient access representative at Sanford Health.

Basler gets award

Leon Basler, a visual specialist at KLJ, has received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. The Federal Aviation Administration presents the award to pilots who have exhibited excellence, skill and aviation expertise for at least 50 years, while piloting aircraft as master pilots.

Basler joined KLJ in 2002 to fly the corporate aircraft and be part of the marketing group. He flew staff to offices, meetings and project locations for nearly 10 years.

Campbell joins

Shaun Campbell has joined American Trust Center in Bismarck as an investment analyst.

Campbell graduated from the University of Mary and has seven years of holistic financial planning experience. He holds Series 7 and 66 licenses.

Martinson on staff

Deb Martinson has joined the North Dakota staff of Experience Works, a national nonprofit organization, as an employment and training coordinator.

Martinson will coordinate services for the Senior Community Service Employment Program in Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, Logan, McIntosh, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sioux, Stark and Stutsman counties.
The Palestinian leadership has said it is recalling its envoy to the United States following Washingtons controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Palestinian officials have previously said they will no longer accept any peace plan put forward by the US following President Donald Trumps unilateral declaration on December 6.

Trumps move sparked deadly protests in the occupied Palestinian territories and major rallies in support of the Palestinians across the Muslim world.

A resounding majority of United Nations member states also defied unprecedented threats by the US to declare the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void.

On Sunday, the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA, said that Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Liberation Organization envoy to Washington, DC, would return for consultations.





Riyad al-Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, said that discussions would take place to set the decisions needed by the Palestinian leadership in the coming period regarding our relations with the US.

He added that the envoy is expected to return to his normal work after the discussions.

Eternal capital of Palestinians

Jerusalem, home to religious sites, has particular significance for Muslims, Christians and Jews.

West Jerusalem was seized by Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, when more than 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from historic Palestine. The war is referred to by Palestinians as the Nakba (catastrophe), this was when Israel was officially founded.

Israel subsequently occupied and annexed the eastern part of the city after its military victory in the 1967 war, but its control over East Jerusalem has never been recognised by the international community.

Palestinian leaders want occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, while Israel says the city cannot be divided.

Also on Sunday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Jerusalem the eternal capital of the Palestinian people, in an event marking the 53rd anniversary of his Fatah movement.

We will not accept the status quo. We will not accept the apartheid system. We will not accept occupation without cost, and you [Israel] must rethink your aggressive policies and actions against our people, our land and our holy places before it is too late, said Abbas.
Official confirms two dead in western city of Dorud but denies police fired fatal shots.

At least two protesters have been killed in rare anti-government protests in Iran, according to a semi-official Iranian news agency.

The Mehr news agency said on Sunday that at least two people died on Saturday night in Dorud, a city in western Iran.

Habibollah Khojastepour, security deputy of the governor of Lorestan province, said the presence of agitators prevented a peaceful end to the protest, according to Mehr.

{articleGUID}

Khojastepour said neither police nor security forces fired at the protesters. He did not provide a reason for their deaths.

News of the fatalities came as Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli warned demonstrators against disruptive behavior.

Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price, Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television early on Sunday.





Iranians began protesting on Thursday in the second city of Masshad, rallying against high prices.

The rallies have since gained momentum, spread to other cities, and are described as the largest in nearly a decade.

Saturday marked the third day of anti-government protests across Iran, when students and police clashed in Tehran.

Videos posted on Twitter by the New-York based Center for Human Rights in Iran appeared to show police in riot gear clashing with protesters outside the gates to the Tehran University.

A second video showed smoke-shrouded streets, purportedly from tear gas, in the same area.

Al Jazeera could not authenticate the footage, but semi-state news agency Fars also reported confrontations between police and protesters at Tehran University.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people across Iran attended preplanned pro-government rallies on Saturday to mark the end of unrest following the countrys 2009 election.

State TV aired footage showing people in several cities waving flags and carrying banners bearing the image of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The large demonstrations, which were organised weeks ago, are held every year.

They no longer fear security forces

Potkin Azarmehr, a blogger who focuses on the secular pro-democracy struggle in Iran, told Al Jazeera that several groups have been protesting for some time and now their slogans have become more radical.

They no longer seem to have that fear from security forces, he said.

Mahan Abedin, an Iran analyst at Middle East Eye, said the protests reflect the gap between ordinary Iranians and the political elite.

The protests appeared to be articulated by people who ostensibly have purely economic motives, he said.

I think in keeping with longstanding culture, inevitably these protests have become political.

[President Hassan] Rouhani has the right attitude but his government riles people. This is a very elitist government, they are bureaucratic elites, technocratic elites  they are very distant from grievances of ordinary people.

Reports said activists on social media have called for a fourth day of protests on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the US has been quick to respond to developments, warning Tehran against arresting peaceful protesters.

US President Donald Trump has posted a series of tweets on Iran, most recently writing: Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever. The world is watching!

Under Trumps administration, Washington and Tehran have grown further apart, clashing on foreign policy issues such as the wars in Syria and Yemen and over the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

In response to Trump, Bahram Qassemi, spokesman for Irans foreign ministry, called the US presidents warnings cheap, worthless and invalid, according to the semi-state news agency Fars.

Iranian people feel no value for the opportunistic claims of the US officials and Mr. Trump, himself, Qassemi was quoted as saying.
As anger over Irans economic policies prevails, we answer some key questions surrounding the anti-government rallies.

There are growing tensions in Iran after anti-government protests erupted over the countrys economic policies across different cities.

Dozens of people have been killed in the demonstrations, which started on December 28.

Here are five things you need to know:

Whats happening?

Iranians began protesting on Thursday in the second-largest city of Masshad, rallying against high prices.

While some say economic woes are caused by Irans foreign policy, as the country is involved in regional conflicts, others say sanctions have ultimately hit peoples pockets.

By Friday, rallies spread to the capital, Tehran, and other major cities.

According to local media reports, thousands have taken to the streets to voice their frustration against the government.

Following days of demonstrations, about 400 protests have been reportedly arrested.

The protests have gained momentum, turned deadly and are described as the largest in nearly a decade.





In the capital, Tehran, dozens of students on Saturday chanted anti-government slogans outside Tehran University, before being dispersed by riot police and large crowds of pro-government demonstrators.

Videos posted on Twitter by the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran appeared to show police in riot gear clashing with protesters outside the gates to the Tehran University.

On Sunday, the government restricted access to the Instagram and Telegram social media apps as a security measure.

What are protesters demanding?

Some protesters are rallying against rising prices, unemployment and economic inequality, according to anti-government activists and Irans semi-state news agency Fars.

Others are also chanting anti-government slogans against the countrys foreign policy, such as Death to Rouhani, Forget Palestine, Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran.

{articleGUID}

Because of [President Hassan] Rouhanis failed economic policies, there was a simmering discontent below the surface that is now emerging, Ali Fathollah-Nejad, visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, told Al Jazeera.

On the other hand when it comes to political repression, things have not improved, he said. So basically, there are both socioeconomic and political grievances.

Meanwhile, Potkin Azarmehr, a blogger who focuses on the secular pro-democracy struggle in Iran, told Al Jazeera that several groups have been protesting for some time and now their slogans have become more radical.

What does the government say?

Irans government acknowledged peoples concerns over the economy but warned demonstrators against disruptive behaviour.

Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price, Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on state television early on Sunday.

Fazli had earlier called on people not to participate in what he termed illegal gatherings.

Eshaq Jahangiri, first vice president of Iran, said on Friday that while some protesters were rallying against high prices, others were set on derailing the government.

All economic indications in the country are good. Yes, there is an increase in the prices of some products and the government is working on fixing causes of high prices, he said.

The people behind what is taking place think they will be able to harm the government. But when social movements and protests start in the street, those who have ignited them are not always able to control them.

Meanwhile, Habibollah Khojastepour, security deputy of the governor of Lorestan province, said on Sunday that the presence of agitators prevented a peaceful end to the protest, according to Mehr news agency.

He also blamed foreign agents for the deaths of the two protesters in Dorud, a city in western Iran, saying that security forces did not fire on the crowd.

On Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani said Iranians have the right to protest but not violently.

People are free to express their criticism and to protest, he said in televised remarks, his first since the rallies began.

However, we need to pay attention to the manner of that criticism and protest. It should be in such a way that it will lead to the improvement of the people and state, he added.

How has the international community responded?

The US has been quick to respond to developments, warning Tehran against arresting peaceful protesters.

US President Donald Trump has posted a series of tweets on Iran, most recently writing: Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever. The world is watching!

Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017

Under Trumps administration, Washington and Tehran have grown further apart, clashing on foreign policy issues such as the wars in Syria and Yemen and over the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

The State Department also condemned the arrest of peaceful protesters.

We urge all nations to publicly support the Iranian people and their demands for basic rights and an end to corruption, it said in a statement on Friday.

The Canadian ministry of foreign affairs released a short statement on Saturday, saying it was closely monitoring the protests and calling on the Iranian authorities to uphold and respect democratic and human rights.

Canada is closely monitoring the ongoing protests in #Iran https://t.co/MsSQILL0XI  Foreign Policy CAN (@CanadaFP) December 30, 2017

Canada is encouraged by the Iranian people who are exercising their basic right to protest peacefully, Global Affairs Canada said. Canada will continue to support the fundamental rights of Iranians, including the right to freedom of expression.

Small solidarity protests have also taken place in France and Germany.

Whats expected to happen next?

Experts say the demonstrations have escalated much faster than anticipated.

It wasnt expected to be anything beyond the slogans against the administration and the president, said Negar Mortazavi, a journalist for Iran International, an independent online news service.

But, it seems like the dissent within the Iranian population is so much deeper that this has gone beyond the presidency and all the way up to the Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei], which is very worrisome for all factions of the establishment.
In first remarks since rallies began, Irans president says criticism must be expressed peacefully, hits back at Trump.

Irans President Hassan Rouhani says people in the country have the right to protest but warned that violence is unacceptable.

His comments on Sunday were the first since widespread anti-government protests, the biggest show of dissent since huge rallies in 2009, broke out in the Islamic Republic earlier this week.

It should be clear to everyone that we are people of freedom. According to the constitution and citizens rights, people are free to express their criticism and to protest, Rouhani said in televised comments from Irans capital, Tehran.

However, we need to pay attention to the manner of that criticism and protest. It should be in such a way that it will lead to the improvement of the people and state, he added.

People have the right to protest, but those demonstrations should not make the public feel concerned about their lives and security.

Social media apps blocked

Iranians began protesting on Thursday in the second-largest city of Mashhad, rallying against the clerical elite, which they blame for economic hardships and alleged corruption.

The rallies have since gained momentum and spread to other cities, including Tehran, where clashes between students and police were reported on Saturday.

On Sunday, Mehr, the semi-official Iranian news agency, reported that at least two protesters died on Saturday night in Dorud, a city in western Iran, although there is confusion over who is responsible for the deaths.

Habibollah Khojastepour, security deputy of the governor of Lorestan province, said the presence of agitators prevented a peaceful end to the protest, according to Mehr.

Khojastepour said neither police nor security forces fired at the protesters. He did not provide a reason for their deaths.

News of the fatalities came as Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli warned demonstrators against disruptive behaviour.

Those who abuse the polices self-restraint and composure shall be responsible to the people for the disruption and disorder, he said in a televised statement.

Nothing will be solved by disruption and lawlessness. For us, it is well known who created this situation, provoking turmoil and promoting violence in cyberspace.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran restricted access to some social media apps  including the messaging service Telegram, which has 40 million users  as the government tries to stop details being spread about any upcoming protests.

Rouhani hits back at Trump

Potkin Azarmehr, a blogger who focuses on the secular pro-democracy struggle in Iran, told Al Jazeera that several groups have been protesting for some time and now their slogans have become more radical.

They no longer seem to have that fear from security forces, he said.

{articleGUID}

Mahan Abedin, an Iran analyst at Middle East Eye, said the protests reflect the gap between ordinary Iranians and the political elite.

The protests appeared to be articulated by people who ostensibly have purely economic motives, he said.

I think in keeping with long-standing culture, inevitably these protests have become political.

[President Hassan] Rouhani has the right attitude but his government riles people. This is a very elitist government, they are bureaucratic elites, technocratic elites  they are very distant from grievances of ordinary people.

Meanwhile, the US has been quick to respond to developments, with President Donald Trump posting a series of tweets on Iran.

Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever. The world is watching! he wrote in one of them.

Rouhani hit back at Trump on Sunday, saying the US president has forgotten that he had called Iranian people terrorists a few months ago.

Under Trumps administration, the two countries have grown further apart, clashing on foreign policy issues such as the wars in Syria and Yemen and over the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Shahindha Ismail says she has received death threats as police launch a probe into an alleged anti-Islamic tweet.

A prominent human rights activist in the Maldives says she has received several death threats over an alleged anti-Islamic Twitter post, that has also prompted a criminal investigation.

Shahindha Ismail, executive director of Maldives Democracy Network (MDN), told Al Jazeera that anonymous accounts on Twitter and Facebook have been calling for her death, after a newspaper article and religious scholars accused her of advocating for secularism in the Sunni Muslim state.

I do not feel safe in the Maldives and I fear for my life, she said on Sunday.

The furore over Ismails post began on December 20, when she responded to a speech by President Abdulla Yameen, in which he had vowed to crack down on what he said were domestic and international efforts to propagate faiths other than Islam in the Maldives.

Religions other than Islam exist in this world because Allah allowed for it. No other religion would exist otherwise, is it not? Ismail said on Twitter.

Her post prompted threats, with one Twitter user, referring to Ismail, saying: Im one of hundreds who will cut people like that to pieces. That post has since been deleted.

Several comments on Facebook reviewed by Al Jazeera also called for attacks on Ismail and said she should be thrown out of the country.





Islam is the official religion in the Indian Ocean archipelago of 400,000 people.

On December 28, amid the furore, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs issued a statement urging Maldivians to refrain from nonsensical talk that advocates for any faith other than Islam in the Maldives.

Hours later, the police announced that it had launched an investigation against Ismail.

Several ruling party politicians, including Majority Leader Ahmed Nihan, thanked the police for the probe.

A police spokesman said Ismail was being investigated under the Religious Unity Act, which criminalises actions that may lead to religious strife in the Maldives.

It carries a prison sentence of up to five years.

Police have announced an investigation against me while ignoring the open threats against me on social media, said Ismail.

Human rights defenders have always been labelled as anti-Islamic or as Western agents to wipe out Islam, she added. Too many of us have been attacked, disappeared and murdered for any of us to be safe any more.

A liberal blogger was stabbed to death earlier this year in the Maldives capital, Male, after he lodged a police complaint over death threats against him, also for alleged secular and anti-Islamic views.

Ismail has previously criticised law enforcement agencies for inaction over attacks against liberal and moderate voices, which also include the disappearance of a journalist in 2014 and the killing of a parliamentarian in 2012. Both of these cases remain unsolved.

Police Superintendent Ahmed Shifan said he was uncertain if Ismail had filed any complaints.

We assure you, however, if we can identify a potential threat, then we will launch an investigation, he told Al Jazeera.

Profiling and incitement

Rights groups have previously criticised the countrys government for using new laws and criminal cases to silence, among others, human rights defenders and civil society groups.

A vocal critic of Yameens human rights record, Ismail said threats against her escalated after the pro-government tabloid Vaguthu Online published a news article headlined, Shahindha has indirectly called for other faiths in the Maldives.

The article prompted an outcry from some religious scholars.

{articleGUID}

In a Facebook post, one railed against what he called the spread of secularism in the Maldives and called on Ismail to repent, while the religious conservative group Jamiyyath Salaf called for action against those who mock Islam.

The MDN, which Ismail heads, said it was appalled that the police have chosen to investigate the content of her Twitter post rather than those who have openly called to kill and behead her.

Ismail said she believed the outcry over her tweet was part of the same trend of extensive profiling and incitement that preceded previous physical attacks on the blogger, journalist and parliamentarian.

Forum Asia, an Asian rights-group based in Thailand, said it was seriously concerned by the threats and the police inquiry against Ismail.

The police have failed to respond appropriately to calls for violence against critics and dissidents in the past, said Refendi Djamin, a board member of the organisation.

The Maldives government must protect human rights defenders instead of targeting them, he told Al Jazeera.
Syrias President Bashar al-Assad is confident his regime is no longer threatened after Russia helped turn the tide.

At the start of 2018, Syria is on many minds because of the millions either dead, wounded or made refugees.

The outgoing year was a good year for President Bashar al-Assad, as forces recaptured major cities and large areas of rebel-held territory.

The Russian resort of Sochi is due to host a new round of talks in January.

But after so many failed negotiations, what kind of political settlement is possible?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra

Guests:

Yahya Al Aridi  spokesman for the Syrian Negotiating Committee

Alexey Khlebnikov  Middle East expert at the Russian International Affairs Council

Sami Nader  director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs
1. Unlikely friendship forms out of Richard Spencer event

Jimena Tavel, Staff Writer

Courtesy to The Alligator Furniss and Long

When Richard Spencer spoke at UF, a black Gainesville resident offered a former member of the Aryan Brotherhood a ride in his car and an open mind. The two formed an unlikely bond.

2. Mural by Womens March Gainesville defaced within one day of painting

Catie Wegman, Staff Writer

Courtesy to The Alligator Pamela Smith, a volunteer with Womens March Gainesville, said that on Sunday afternoon, the group received an inquiry explaining that someone driving down 34th street had seen a single man defacing the mural.

Fifteen volunteers from Womens March Gainesville painted a mural on a 34th Street wall illustrating their stance on controversial opinions such as immigration, healthcare and gay rights. One day later, it was defaced. Those who painted over the mural wrote their own opinions about the issues displayed, linking those in the resistance to autism, dubbing those who identify as LGBTQ+ with having a mental disorder and replacing the Black Lives Matter with Blue Lives Matter.

3. Family creates scholarship in alumnus memory

Adam Turner, Staff Writer

After UF alumnus Dr. Huy Huynh died of brain cancer at 33, his family created a scholarship in his name to ensure that his legacy as a Triple Gator lives on.

4. UF student dies falling off apartment balcony

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now

Meryl Kornfield, Staff Writer

UF mechanical engineering senior Ian Burns died after falling from the third floor of 13th Street Apartments. A Gainesville Police spokesperson said no foul play was suspected in the fall.

5. UF Housing official arrested for grand theft; six employees suspended

David Hoffman, Staff Writer

The senior director of UFs Housing and Residence Education was arrested Monday after allegedly using $180,607.65 in university funds for personal gain and benefit, police said.

6. Gainesville doctor cusses out patient

Jessica Giles, Staff Writer

A woman said she waited for more than an hour to be seen by a doctor at Gainesville After Hours Clinic. She asked the doctor for a refund of her $80 copay. In a video, the doctor curses out the patient.

7. White nationalist activist Richard Spencer plans to speak at UF

Jimena Tavel, Staff Writer

Richard Spencer

Richard Spencer, president of the National Policy Institute, an organization that lobbies for the people of European descent in the United States, requested to speak at UF in September. Following violent rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, where one person died, his talk was pushed back to October.

8. UF student athlete arrested after striking ex-boyfriend in the face, university police say

David Hoffman, Staff Writer

A UF diver was arrested after police said she slapped her ex-boyfriend multiple times in the parking lot next to James G. Pressly Stadium.

9. UF Dean of Students Jen Day Shaw resigns

Molly Vossler, Staff Writer

Jen Day Shaw

UF decided not to renew UF Dean of Students Jen Day Shaws appointment after learning that Day Shaw provided a positive reference for a former student affairs official who was fired in 2016 for using his work computer to purchase pornography.

10. Gainesville, UF prepares for Hurricane Irma

Jessica Giles and Christina Morales, Staff Writers

Sophia Zayas The empty shelves of a local Gainesville Walmart, days before Hurricane Irma strikes Florida.

A state of emergency and a state on edge. As Hurricane Irma churned toward Florida as a Category 5 with winds topping 185 mph, Gainesville residents, weary of the possible track, prepared for the worst.
You may have noticed the hundreds of yard signs that began popping up around Bismarck this year.

The signs, reading, "Neighborhood schools=healthy communities" quickly went up on the front lawns of homes of all sizes across Bismarck, including across the street from Bismarck Public Schools administration building.

The neighborhood schools movement began after June, when an elementary facilities planning committee recommended that the Bismarck School Board close and repurpose Highland Acres and Roosevelt elementary schools, as well as to make boundary changes to alleviate growth in some parts of town.

The recommendations prompted immediate backlash from some community members, who, in response, formed an alliance and began attending school board meetings to voice their concerns.

The school board reacted to the blowback by shelving the proposals and deciding to hold off on moving forward with any changes to elementary schools after this fall's enrollment numbers came in lower than expected.

The school board ended this year by sending a request for qualifications from architectural firms to see how much it would cost to add onto Grimsrud and Centennial elementary schools to help accommodate student growth.

An unresolved future

This coming year the conversations will continue, but at a slower pace, and leaving some community members and parents concerned and feeling unresolved about the direction of the board.

Ann Richardson, a member of the Roosevelt Alliance for Neighborhood Schools, who has two children attending Roosevelt, said she thinks the school board may have misunderstood the goal of the community alliances, which aims to raise awareness about the value of neighborhood schools.

"I think it seemed like we were parents who wanted to keep our schools open, and (the board) responded just to that," Richardson said. "If we were just concerned about saving Highland Acres and Roosevelt, our signs would have said, 'Save Highland Acres and Roosevelt,' or 'Protect small schools.' That's not what we said; we said we want neighborhood schools because it creates a healthy community."

Richardson said she thinks the board is focusing too much on money and not on the value of having smaller, neighborhood schools. Next month, alliance members plan to meet with board members to discuss their qualms.

"I know three board members are up for re-election (next) year, and I'm hoping we'll be able to see how responsive they are to the community's concerns before the election," Richardson said.

Richardson also said she's worried about the board's proposed timing to wait to hold public forums until after next fall enrollment numbers are finalized.

"(But what if) what they've got on the back burner is not well-received?" Richardson said. "I think that if they were going to have community meetings today about busing far north kids into Centennial and Grimsrud, I don't think it would be well received."

Torie Reinhart has a 3-year-old boy and a daughter who is in first grade at Centennial. She said she opposes an addition at Centennial and has concerns about making the school bigger.

Reinhart and her husband previously lived in the Twin Cities, but they moved to Bismarck in 2008, partly because they have family here but also because of the appeal of having their children attend a smaller school. There are benefits to small schools, such as more one-on-one time with students and less distractions, she said.

Reinhart said she's apprehensive about what changes could be forthcoming.

"For my husband and I, we just want to know what the future will look like," she said.

Reinhart recognizes the growth north of Bismarck and thinks there should be another school built there, an option she hopes the board will take time to consider, rather than just adding onto schools.

"I feel like they're trying to slap a Band-Aid on a problem that's been brewing for a couple years now," she said.

Weighing the options

Bismarck School Board President Karl Lembke said the board will continue to carefully weigh all of its options. Initially, when the board received the elementary facilities committee's recommendations, Lembke said he was unsure about repurposing schools, but open to the ideas that came from the committee.

When enrollment numbers came back with fewer students than anticipated, the conversation changed and "the urgency was lowered a little bit," Lembke said.

BPS superintendent Tamara Uselman said that the demographer's projections were not off by much  only by about 140 students.

"Being off like it was this year, to me, isn't a major concern. I do think it's a sign of a trend that we're going to grow more slowly and have more time to respond, but trends need some time to play out," Uselman said.

Because the perceived urgency to find a solution to what was once rapid growth in BPS has lessened, Lembke said the school board is taking its time to explore different ideas.

"Anxiety is natural and it's something the board does not take lightly," he said of parents who unsure of what the future may hold.

Lembke said the school board will continue to have an update on elementary facilities planning at every meeting next year. No decision will be made on additions to Centennial or Grimsrud until late next year, which would not be implemented until 2019.

"This is all encompassing," Lembke said. "The ideas of expanding Centennial and Grimsrud have multiple factors in whether we're going to do that, (including) are we going to do boundary changes to move these kids to these schools? Also, the cost, transportation and what the community thinks."

Uselman said she agrees with the way the school board is approaching elementary school planning.

"Five years ago, this pace would've been a recipe for disaster because the growth was so big," she said. "In many ways, I'm just thankful that it's slowed down enough, because it felt like before you almost couldn't think trying to stay ahead of the wave of kids, and we were barely ahead."

In addition to finding a solution to elementary school space next year, the school board also will need to decide where to find more space for the district's growing early education program, and, next month, the board will explore an "innovative school" option.
On December 20, Congress passed a historic tax reform and tax cut measure that was signed into law by the president on December 22. Critics of this measure have been insisting that the reduction in taxes will exacerbate the deficit and long-term debt. Nothing of the sort will happen, even though several members of Congress and even the CBO think it might.

We can show via historical graphs produced by the Saint Louis Federal Reserve Bank that changes in tax policy and rates since 1929 have had little effect on the amount of money collected by the federal government as a percentage of GDP. (See here.)

Put another way using historical data, it appears that the only thing that has a great effect on federal government receipts is GDP, not the type and rate of tax levied. Thus, persons seeking to raise government revenues would be wise to do things that would promote GDP growth. Since the probable effect of the tax reform and tax cut passed by Congress is an increase in GDP, it appears that those objecting are uninformed or disingenuous.

Moreover, while the tax reform that was enacted will improve economic growth and boost government revenues, it could have been even better in both respects. First, and most importantly, the corporate rate should have been set even lower  preferably to ten percent or lower. A zero corporate rate would pay bigger dividends in both growth and government receipts. Corporations do not really pay taxes anyway. Their employees, customers, and shareholders are the real payers of the corporate tax.

Second, the personal income tax was left too complicated. Simplicity reduces compliance costs and lessens the drag of income taxes on economic growth. Some politicians have insisted on some form of deduction or credit for state taxes, mortgage interest, child credits, and other pet causes. All of these things complicate the tax and increase the compliance cost and the drag on economic growth. Moreover, with the increased standard deduction, very few taxpayers will really benefit from these deductions. When you hear the cry to insert this or that deduction or credit into the tax code, remind all around you that there will be a cost in terms of economic growth and government receipts.

Lets take this a step farther. The Saint Louis Fed also published a chart showing the relationship between federal government spending and GDP. (See here.)

From this chart we can see why there are deficits and government debt. We can also see that Congress can prevent deficits and any addition to the debt by promoting GDP growth as noted above and holding spending to some percentage of GDP that is lower than receipts.

Since WWII, federal government receipts have averaged about 17% to 19% of GDP. If Congress would insist that total outlays cannot be greater than 17% of GDP, there could be no deficit and no growth in the debt. Picking a lower percentage of GDP would guarantee a surplus.

While we are on the subject of simple truths about taxing and spending, let's once again consider compliance costs and tax simplification. Any tax provision that makes compliance more complicated costs the taxpayer more to pay his taxes and results in lower receipts for the government. Therefore a simple, no-deductions flat tax is the best from a revenue and compliance point of view.

Many members of the House and the Senate profess not to know the simple facts presented above and increase spending on their pet projects rather than rein in total spending to match receipts as a percentage of GDP. Moreover, since we have practiced spend, spend, spend for several years, we are now at a point where total outlays must be curtailed while outlays for some areas such as infrastructure and defense must be increased. This will increase the desire of some senators and congressmen to make spending deals that will exceed the limits that must be met in order to stop budget deficits and additions to the already huge national debt. For more on this subject, see here and here.

In the fall of 2018, we will elect or re-elect all of the members of the House and about one third of the Senate. Will the voters make sure that the candidates for the House and Senate stake out a position on taxation and spending that recognizes the distinctions drawn above? If not, why not? Think about it. Our security and prosperity and those of our children and grandchildren might depend on it.

Jeff Scribner is a retired Army officer and president of ASI Enterprises, Inc., an investment bank serving small and medium-sized businesses. He can be reached at jscribner@asienterprises.com.
Roughly a month ago, Atlantic senior editor Adam Serwer authored an article that MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell soon hailed as "mandatory reading." Titled 'The Nationalist's Delusion," the piece challenges the popular narrative that Trump's electoral triumph was propelled by the economic estrangement of white working- and middle-class voters. Rejecting this account, Serwer holds pervasive and deep-seated, if implicit, animosity toward non-white minorities as the ultimate fillip of the Trump phenomenon. To borrow from MSNBC's Van Jones, the 2016 election outcome was, in Serwer's telling, just one big case of "whitelash." Concerns over lax immigration policies, the flight of blue-collar jobs, Islamic terrorism (and obscurantism thereof), and an expressively stifling culture of political correctness were all a pretext for the maintenance of white supremacy and racial inequality.

A key data point Serwer draws on to advance this claim is Trump's "sweeping victory" across all income categories of white voters:

Trump defeated Clinton among white voters in every income category, winning by a margin of 57 to 34 among whites making less than $30,000; 56 to 37 among those making between $30,000 and $50,000; 61 to 33 for those making $50,000 to $100,000; 56 to 39 among those making $100,000 to $200,000; 50 to 45 among those making $200,000 to $250,000; and 48 to 43 among those making more than $250,000. In other words, Trump won white voters at every level of class and income. He won workers, he won managers, he won owners, he won robber barons. This is not a working-class coalition; it is a nationalist one.

Incidentally, in a veritable "white male privilege coming out party," neo-conservative writer Max Boot recently credited both Serwer and these figures, more specifically, in helping him finally "see the light" of America's endemic racism and xenophobia.

There's just one problem: these data, by all indications, are spurious. And, as a doctoral student who's been studying the reputable American National Election Studies (ANES) 2016 election survey for almost a year, the author found the data relatively easy to fact-check.

Below is a tabulated output of the ANES results. For ease of interpretation, the winning vote margin is in boldface.

ANES 2016 Election Results: White Votes x Income Group

Income Group < $30,000 $30,000-$49,999 $50,000-$99,999 $100,000-$174,999 $175,000-$249,999 $250,000 + Total Voted Other 10.27%

( 3.1%) 6.18%

( 2.5%) 7.58%

( 1.9%) 7.55%

( 2.5%) 9.68%

( 6.2%) 7.14%

( 5.9%) 7.9%

( 3.7%) Voted Clinton 35.41%

( 4.8%) 38.48%

( 5.0%) 37.34%

( 3.5%) 45.77%

( 4.6%) 50.54%

( 10.0%) 52.38%

( 10.5%) 40.22%

( 6.4%) Voted Trump 54.32%

( 5.0%) 55.34%

( 5.1%) 55.08%

( 3.6%) 46.68%

( 4.6%) 39.78%

( 9.8%) 40.48%

( 10.4%) 51.89%

( 6.4%) N 370 356 699 437 93 84 2,039

Note:  margin of error listed in parentheses. Each was calculated using 95% confidence intervals.

As shown, Serwer's claim begins to unravel as we surpass the middle-income bracket. From $175,000 and onward, it's not even close: non-Hispanic whites voted for Clinton by sizeable margins (10.76% and 11.9%). Including Hispanic whites (40.4% of whom voted Trump), the spreads are even wider (13.87%, 12.76%). Such is consistent with the working- and middle-class "revenge against the elites" thesis but incompatible with that of an across-the-economic-board "whitelash."

Three objections might be made here. First, the upper-income sample sizes are comparatively small (hence the wide margins of error). Although ANES employs random sampling that, in theory, should ensure representativeness, a larger sample size is always preferable. Second, one might argue that ANES's breakdown of the income groups does not exactly correspond with those mentioned in Serwer's article (for example, there is no $200K category). While true, such hardly supports Serwer's claim that Trump bested Clinton among whites of every income category. One need only point to the $250K+ bracket, which was included in Serwer's figures and which shows Clinton winning pretty handily. Finally, how can I be so sure it's not the ANES data that are biased?

Addressing these concerns required that I first determine the source of Serwer's data. For whatever reason, Serwer does not provide this information in the article. I thus went ahead and emailed him. To my delight, he responded fairly promptly and  after some pushback (because nobody likes being told they're wrong)  indicated that the data came from the Edison Research national exit poll, which he kindly attached. Given their noted biases (e.g., self-selection, incomplete demographic data, exclusion of early voters) and the fact that roughly a year has passed since the 2016 election and more complete datasets are thus now available, it's puzzling that he opted for real-time election day polling. Still, I couldn't assume a priori that the Edison data got it wrong. Cross-replication, preferably on a larger sample, was needed to get at this. I thus turned to Harvard's massive (N=64,600; roughly half of which voted) Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) for a closer look. In the end, my suspicions were confirmed:

CCES 2016 Election Results: White Votes x Income Group

Income Group < $30,000 $30,000-$49,999 $50,000-$99,999 $100,000-$199,999 $200,000-$249,999 $250,000+ Total Voted Other 9.67%

( 0.7%) 9.85%

( 0.7%) 9.22%

( 0.5%) 8.98%

( 0.7%) 8.46%

( 2.4%) 8.71%

( 2.5%) 9.37%

( 1.3%) Voted Clinton 42.92%

( 1.3%) 41.22%

( 1.2%) 43.26%

( 0.9%) 47.5%

( 1.3%) 53.27%

( 4.3%) 54.56%

( 4.4%) 43.92%

( 2.2%) Voted Trump 47.4%

( 1.3%) 48.93%

( 1.2%) 47.52%

( 0.9%) 43.52%

( 1.3%) 38.27%

( 4.2%) 36.72%

( 4.3%) 46.71%

( 2.2%) N 5,717 6,518 11,827 5,926 520 482 30,990

Note:  margin of error listed in parentheses. Each was calculated using 95% confidence intervals.

As in the ANES, we once again find that white support for Trump trends markedly downward as we leave the lower- to middle-income brackets. Beyond the $100,000 mark, white voters increasingly turn out for Clinton. At $200K and onward, Clinton beats Trump in a landslide  by 15% and 17.84%, respectively. For some perspective, I've tabulated the exit poll figures cited by Serwer:

Edison Research Exit Poll Results: Whites x Income Group

Income Group < $30,000 $30,000-$49,999 $50,000-$99,999 $100,000-$199,999 $200,000-$249,999 $250,000+ Total Voted Other 6% 6% 5% 4% 2% 4% 5% Voted Clinton 34% 37% 33% 39% 45% 43% 37% Voted Trump 57% 56% 61% 56% 50% 48% 57% Percent of interviewedvoters (N=17,234) 15% 18% 30% 25% 5% 7% 100%

As you can see, whereas the results of the ANES and CCES are substantively similar, the Edison exit poll Serwer cites hardly comes close. Given how far they fall from the CCES's margins of error, the statistical probability that the Edison figures are accurate is exceedingly low (1).

So how do we explain this glaring discrepancy? My best guess is that the Edison data  gathered in real time from those who agreed to be interviewed after exiting the voting precincts (hence the risk of self-selection bias)  oversampled white Trump voters. Again, given the availability of alternative data sources, it's perplexing that Serwer relied on an exit poll. But what's even more bemusing is that Serwer didn't bother to crosscheck it with other datasets. While I won't go as far as to accuse him of cherry-picking what fits his narrative, such  at the very minimum  smacks of journalistic laziness with a hint of confirmation bias.

To be sure, there are many other issues with Serwer's assumptions that, for brevity's sake, I'll have to mostly leave for subsequent writing. But very briefly, in foregrounding racial resentment, Serwer downplays the importance of many other variables that account for Trump's election. For example, my own research  which I'll soon be submitting for publication  finds that even after controlling for various measures of prejudice (e.g. sexism, hatred of minorities, racial resentment), issue attitudes (economic discontent, immigration, refugees, etc.), and ideological orientations (authoritarianism, social dominance orientation), opposition to political correctness significantly positively predicts voting for Trump.

In other words, the hypothesis that such sentiment is all but a guise for white bigotry finds no support in the data. Thus, while Serwer argues that Trump's presidency was made possible by racial resentment (2) and white ethno-nationalism, one could just as easily point the finger at "PC fatigue." Instead, Serwer's explanatory model conveniently includes only those variables that absolve the left of culpability.

Why does any of this matter? It matters insofar as Serwer is promulgating an inherently polarizing depiction of reality that rests on (in all likelihood) erroneous data and gross simplification. Worse, this depiction is now being billed as "mandatory reading" to millions of Americans.

Genuine racial hostility undoubtedly motivated a minority subset of Trump voters. But as a liberal alienated by the toxic identitarian political direction of our country, I worry that these broad-brush "whitelash" portrayals allows the left to demonize and dismiss the real concerns of millions of Americans. Should this continue, the appeal of the Democratic Party will forever be confined to cosmopolitan bubble-land.

Zach Goldberg is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at Georgia State University.

(1) In fact, they even fall outside a wider margin of error, derived from a 99% confidence interval. This means that the odds that the Edison figures accurately reflect the true distribution are less than 1 in 100.

(2) Incidentally, the degree of anti-minority sentiment among Trump voters also appears to be overstated. According to the ANES out-group feeling thermometer data (scored along a 0-100 scale), Trump voters, on average, evaluated blacks (mean = 63.8) and Hispanics (mean = 64.4) in the "warm" direction. By comparison, the mean ratings for both of these groups among Clinton voters were 75 and 73.9, respectively  warmer, but not as much as one might expect.
When FDR stole the name of "liberalism" to disguise the fact that he was a Progressive, he succeeded in doing more than simply confusing America's voters in his day, many of whom had been made suspicious of Progressivism by Woodrow Wilson's policies. Taking for the Progressives the name that once belonged to the American founders was more than a brilliant election-winning tactical masterstroke. FDR's plan to sow confusion in the minds of the political opposition to Progressivism has become a war-winning strategy. We see the results all around us. While flying the flag of liberalism, the Progressives laid waste to the liberal Republic of the American founders.

The classical liberalism of the American founders focused on reining in the powers of government. The purpose of the founders' design of the government was protecting our unalienable rights from encroachment by people in the government. Taking their cue from the German thinker GWF Hegel by way of Woodrow Wilson, the Progressives instead put their faith in the state. They rejected the idea of the American Republic root and branch. But the original Progressives understood the American people well enough to know that overthrowing the Republic by force and violence was out of the question. So they set out to overthrow it little by little, progressively.

FDR's capture of the flag of his political opponents made it easier for the Progressives to advance their project. FDR left without a name the political opposition that wanted America to continue to live according to the Constitution. What should they call themselves? As Charles Kesler writes in his book I Am the Change, "FDR suggested, helpfully, that they ought to call themselves conservatives, a designation they were loath to accept because it sounded ...vaguely un-American[.] ... Robert Taft, "Mr. Conservative," was still insisting he was a liberal in 1946."

They finally gave in and started calling themselves "conservatives." Giving in had a bad consequence, because the American idea is not conservative. It is true that the American miracle includes the prudence of the founders, and prudence is a virtue prized by conservatives. But the American Republic is the most radical regime of liberty, the most radically liberal regime in human history. By calling themselves conservatives and thinking of themselves as conservatives, Progressivism's opposition gradually tended to lose sight of the principles that made America.

Conservatism is fundamentally a disposition. It represents the political expression of caution and the underappreciated virtue of prudence. It defends the traditional. Since drastic, hasty change is likely to have unintended consequences, even terrible ones, we must protect our traditions, make change slowly and carefully, and be on the lookout for unintended consequences, says the prudent-minded conservative.

Probably every society and every time has its conservatives, with tenets specific to each society's traditions. For example, English conservatives today might want to preserve the monarchy, the Church of England as the established church, and the British aristocracy. In the same way, those Iranians who opposed the revolution that changed Iran from a monarchy to a radical Islamist theocracy or those Russians who long for the return of the Soviet Union are often referred to as "conservatives." However, to call them conservative is not to suggest that they hold similar political principles or that their political principles are similar to those of an American dedicated to the principles of the American Founders.

According to F.A. Hayek, whether British, Iranian, Russian, or American, the trouble with conservatism is this:

It may succeed by its resistance to current tendencies in slowing down undesirable developments, but, since it does not indicate another direction, it cannot prevent their continuance. It has, for this reason, invariably been the fate of conservatism to be dragged along a path not of its own choosing.

Hayek's description does seem to capture the story of the last century in American politics  the Progressives setting the agenda and their opposition dragged unwillingly along a path not of its own choosing. During the past century, the classical liberal order of liberty, free markets, and limited government has been in the process of being systematically dismantled by the Progressives. Change has become the name of the political game, and the direction of change is being set by the Progressives. The rate of change is not the problem; America's problem is the direction.

But worse, because the opposition began thinking of themselves as conservatives, they began to look to traditional conservative thinkers for guidance  thinkers like Edmund Burke, the brilliant and eloquent champion of prudence and tradition but not of the American idea. Burkean conservatism is a far cry from the classical liberalism of the American founding; it cannot light our way home.

We need to find our way by making the founders' principles once again our polar star. If Americans decide to reclaim the limited government and achieve the truly liberal, the classically liberal, society envisioned by the founders, we must be guided by the founders' wisdom. It will require a complete change of direction. Slowing the rate of the Progressive advance won't save the Republic.

There is much to undo and a bountiful harvest of progress and liberty to be gained.

Robert Curry serves on the Board of Directors of the Claremont Institute and on the Board of Distinguished Advisers of the Ronald Reagan Center for Freedom and Understanding. He is the author of Common Sense Nation: Unlocking the Forgotten Power of the American Idea from Encounter Books. You can preview the book here.
While President Trump can't shrink the size of government without Congress, he can shrink the size of the federal workforce, and he has, dramatically. After one year in office, the Treasury Department has 7.5% fewer employees. The Department of Education (which doesn't educate a single child) is 4.8% smaller. The Department of Labor (without a single laborer) is down 4.6%. The Department of State, which must do something, but I can't figure out what, has 3.8% fewer employees. Commerce and HUD are each down 3%.

Even though President Trump has not fired anyone, he has left many open jobs unfilled and has subtly encouraged existing employees to, how shall I put it, grow in other directions.

The administration's effort so far to reshape the workforce of nearly 2 million civil servants that serves as the backbone of the government already has provoked a contentious culture shift. Federal workers fret that their jobs could be zeroed out amid buyouts and early retirement offers that already have prompted hundreds of their colleagues to leave, according to interviews with three dozen employees across the government. Many chafed as supervisors laid down new rules they said are aimed at holding poor performers and problem workers to account. Agencies have told employees that they should no longer count on getting glowing reviews in their performance appraisals, according to staff in multiple offices, as has been the case for years. "Morale has never been lower," said Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents 150,000 federal workers at more than 30 agencies. "Government is making itself a lot less attractive as an employer."

The government is evaluating people based on performance? There are no more automatic good reviews? No wonder everyone is so unhappy!

Telework  a popular Obama-era policy that expanded work from home  has come under scrutiny as Trump officials have questioned whether it is a license to goof off. The Agriculture and Commerce [D]epartments are now moving to restrict the flexible work policy[.]

Look at this guy:

His name is Noah Kunin. He looks almost exactly like Pajama Boy...with a beard.

See if you can figure out what Pajama Boy does for the government:

Noah Kunin[ is] the former infrastructure director for 18F, the high-profile office created in the General Services Administration in 2014 to boost the government's digital services.

18F? Boosting digital services? If you can't figure out what he's doing from his job title, it can't be very profound.

Kunin said he lost staff who did not want to work for the new administration  and then was unable to replace them because of the early hiring freeze. He said he grew frustrated with what he called a slow start by the White House on bringing private-sector solutions to the government. "I was involved in several major initiatives, and they were all stalled," he recalled.

Kunin's "initiates" were stalled. Whatever they were! So he quit. How sad!

The small Merit Systems Protection Board, which considers appeals from federal employees who believe they were unfairly fired or demoted, has not heard a case in 11 months. One of Obama's appointees to the three-member board left in January, leaving two vacancies. Trump has yet to nominate anyone to the panel. With no quorum, the lone board member, Republican Mark Robbins, cannot take action on a backlog of more than 700 cases dating to early 2015.

Oh, no!

Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), an advocate for modernizing federal technology systems, said that eight of 24 agencies are without chief information officers.

Do you feel the government doesn't have enough "chief information officers"?

Even the most conservative, Trump-supporting government employees hate Trump for it! (So we are led to believe.)

At Veterans Affairs, John Fuller wrestled with leaving for months. A retired Army major, he's a lifelong Republican who voted for Trump. He has played a pioneering role in the federal government as VA's chief race relations and culture educator, traveling the country to meet with employees in small groups to heal racial divisions. "I have so much passion for the job left," the 65-year-old said in early December. But Fuller said he was told his travel budget would be shifted to other priorities. Days before Christmas. Fuller put in his retirement papers.

Oh, no! Evil Trump wouldn't let Fuller jet around the country to do some racial thought-policing!

Questions for discussion:

1) Can the government operate effectively without an infrastructure director for Department 18F?

2) Is Noah Kunin in fact Pajama Boy?

3) Do you think most government employees who "heal racial divisions" in the government are hard-right Republican Trump voters?

4) What do you think these frustrated bureaucrats' tears taste like?

Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.
With some curious timing, the New York Times has come out with a story about how the FBI started its probe of the Trump campaign after a tipoff from an Australian diplomat. Sounds like a bid to downplay that Steele dossier.

According to the Times:

During a night of heavy drinking at an upscale London bar in May 2016, George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, made a startling revelation to Australias top diplomat in Britain: Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton. About three weeks earlier, Mr. Papadopoulos had been told that Moscow had thousands of emails that would embarrass Mrs. Clinton, apparently stolen in an effort to try to damage her campaign. Exactly how much Mr. Papadopoulos said that night at the Kensington Wine Rooms with the Australian, Alexander Downer, is unclear. But two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, Australian officials passed the information about Mr. Papadopoulos to their American counterparts, according to four current and former American and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians role.

Funny that the story came out about now, because the story of the day is how the Office of the Special Counsel, under former FBI Director Robert Mueller, has seen its case against Trump fall apart due to its reliance on the "Steele dossier" of lascivious, Kremlin-sourced rubbish about the supposed sexual proclivities about a pre-presidential Donald Trump. They may well have been fooled by a Russian disinformation or 'dezinformatsiya' campaign as I wrote yesterday.

So in what was likely an FBI leak, the Australian angle suddenly comes to light. Cover your keister, as they say in those parts.

Paul Mirengoff at Power Line has the lawyer's takedown of the suspicious timing, and some notations from Byron York:

I assume the Times report was fed to it by current and/or former FBI officials and/or others in the Obama administration with an interest in dismissing the role of the dossier. This doesnt mean the story is false. It may well be true.

York, he said, asks why the bureau took so long to interview Papadapoulos - two months into the Trump presidency, when the news was reported to them in the summer of 2016. York also wants to know whether a surveillance warrant was requested, given that it was supposed to be such a big deal.

There's also the question of why the Australian ambassador waited two months to report it to the FBI after hearing it in the barroom setting.

What it sounds like is a bid to make the Papadopoulos angle stronger than it is to support and justiify the Mueller investigation.

If this is all they have to go on, it sounds like things are pretty grim indeed for both the FBI's investigative reputation and Mueller's special counsel probe.
See also: The one potential Census question that terrifies liberals



The always unpleasant and marginally factual Washington Post asserts the population of the US is dying on average years before our wealthy cousins abroad, nations also on the up and aspiring up.

The difference is that the WaPo genius fails to refer to the singular element that differentiates us from most nations: We have been letting in over a million Other for years, many of them below the educational and health horizons we assume for locals. In addition to that number swelling the ranks upwardly striving, the open sesame exists for all intents and purposes for approximately 30 million unbidden noncitizens, coming in willy-nilly, without any vetting, without documents, and without health certifications civil nations pride themselves on maintaining.

From 2000 to 2017, approximately 16 million illegals have surged in, stopped by neither Presidents Bush nor Obama.

These figures represent not only a general lowering of national IQ and professionalism, they represent also people whose culinary, sociological and cultural values vary considerably from our generally elevated standards of health and keeping up with the latest views on optimal self-care.

Endless influxes of strangers without the same regard for good nutrition, sleep, avoiding wellness pitfalls almost axiomatically translates into more maternal mortality, early expiry, smoking, diabetes and other ageing diseases that played little part in the consciousness of these newcomers, sneak-ins or welcome-mat types.

Millions of such people lower the threshold of a nation, obviously. Japan, which stringently monitors its visitors and citizens with eagle-like tenacity, permits few outsiders, and even wealthy incomers cannot boast of acceptance in the land of the setting sun, even with a perilously low native birthright. So, the average Japanese lives far longer than most other nationals in even wealthy nations do. The downside is that they are now among the oldest populations in the civilized world.

Presto. The shortfall in years is not due to scurrilous policies of the current sterling administration working so hard to get us back on track.

The early demises are due, rather, to millions of noncitizens bringing their native lack of longevity into the good old USA. Lower rates of maternal and pregnancy attention mean that more mothers die of complications and poor planning as well as belated physician care.

Drugs contribute to earlier death stats. Gang warfare, among them MS13, for instance, brings the mortality rate down another notch or two.

Government statistics do not yet collate (or so we are told) such salient aspects of the avalanche of migrants, asylees and refugees we are entertaining all over the 50 states.

All the fails go into the one pot, and the Washington Post editors forgot to fact check the most obvious contributors to the downward curve of national longevity.

Among other goals set for a foundation with which I am associated is the goal of extending the too-short lives of African women from sub-Saharan countries, where living conditions conspire against managing to have a normal 70 or 80-year time on Earth. President Trump has no part of responsibility for that, Same as he has no responsibility in one short year for any kind of meaningful stat to do with health and life expectancy.

These areas are multipartite, with numerous streams of causality contributing to any measurement after a determined period of time. One must consider many elements before a scientist can make any reasonable assumptions and formulate a fair theory of etiology.

Hat tip: Toss out those who came aboard and brung us their hometown enviro woes -- then watch the lifespan stats re-jigger all the way back where they were trending when President Reagan thought he had licked the invasive foreigner problem by declaring a last-ditch amnesty. The last amnesty we were ever to accord.

Which just set the odometer back temporarily to neutral. Meanwhile, the lifespans are still going to keep drifting downward, so long as we keep the borders porous and the opposition party devotedly bringing blankets, a cup of Joe and all the countrys delightful, flashy entitlements to the crowded welcome wagon on the Rio Grande.
Remember Paul Krugman?

The purported economics genius and Nobel laureate who advised us shortly after President Trump was elected that markets would never recover? The Trump administration has helpfully reminded him and the rest of us what his predictions are worth.

According to the Daily Caller:

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders mocked New York Times columnist Paul Krugman for predicting the U.S. economy would never recover from a Donald Trump presidency. Sanders referenced Krugmans Nov 9, 2016 declaration that if the question is when markets will recover, a first-pass answer is never. The Nobel Prize-winning economist continued under any circumstances, putting an irresponsible, ignorant man who takes his advice from all the wrong people in charge of the nation with the worlds most important economy would be very bad news. What makes it especially bad right now, however, is the fundamentally fragile state much of the world is still in, eight years after the great financial crisis.

The Caller noted that the Dow hit 87 highs, GDP topped 3% and 2 million new jobs were created during the first year of the Trump presidency.

But on Nov. 9, 2016, the Krugster famously advised us that:

It really does now look like President Donald J. Trump, and markets are plunging. When might we expect them to recover? Frankly, I find it hard to care much, even though this is my specialty. The disaster for America and the world has so many aspects that the economic ramifications are way down my list of things to fear. Still, I guess people want an answer: If the question is when markets will recover, a first-pass answer is never.

Good old Sarah, reminding the press of the obvious about Paul. Because the reality is, Krugman, for all his academic laurels and even some good research in his long-ago, has since transformed himself into an idiot, utterly ignorant of market realities in a topic he should stay away from until he learns something about it. He looks downright ridiculous with predictions like this.

It goes to show there really is something as an educated fool. Market people know not to confuse market expertise with academic economics and Krugman was surely not let in on that secret.

The funny thing is, there were people (none of them in the markets) who took Krugman's advice anyway, either wittingly or unwittingly, and they are now laughingstocks. Such as this leftwing blowhard similar to Krugman in perspective, Kurt Eichenwald, in a post spotted on Instapundit:

It would take a heart of stone not to laugh, Glenn Reynolds noted dryly.

A question the Times' enterprising reporters should now ask Krugman is whether he took his own advice, too.

As markets know, bubbles always pop. Will this idiocy pop Krugman's ballooned-up reputation at the Times? Hard to say. But one thing we do know for certain: It won't do anything to pop the puffeed up bubble of Krugman's ego. Not even markets can change that.
NEAR LENGBY, Minn. -- This is a story about coming full circle.

It all started in 1970, when Don Klinke heard about a landowner who wanted pine trees planted on a piece of ground in Clearwater County northwest of Bagley, Minn.

Locals know the area as B.S. Valley. Actually, it has a longer name -- and thats no bull -- but the abbreviated version will suffice for the purposes of this story.

Klinke, who grew up in the wooded country southeast of Lengby and has lived there all of his 81 years, was working for Clearwater County at the time.

The land commissioner asked if I was interested in planting the trees for the landowner, and I was, Klinke recalls.

So, with the help of his pregnant wife, Dolly, and son, Eugene Zeke, who was 12 or 13 years old at the time, Klinke planted Norway pines on a patch of B.S. Valley land he figures covered about 20 acres.

They have a planter you ride on, Klinke said. My wife rode it, she dropped the trees in, and I pulled the planter with a tractor.

Zeke, whos 59 today, said he walked behind the planter and stepped down the soil around each of the trees, Norway pine seedlings that were about a foot tall.

And so, the seedlings of a family legacy were planted.

Time and circumstance

A jack of all trades, Klinke says he didnt give much thought to the plantation in the years that followed as he went about the business of making a living for his family, working various carpentry and all kinds of construction jobs.

But the idea of building a log cabin always was in the back of his mind, he says.

About 10 years ago, Klinke got his chance when the landowner whose trees he had planted more than 35 years earlier hired a logger to thin the stand, a standard forestry practice as trees grow larger.

I knew the logger that was thinning them, Klinke said. I went up to see them, and he said, yeah, hed cut the trees out of there, the ones I planted, so I bought them from him.

The trees, which were about 9 inches in diameter, were just the right size for a small log cabin, Klinke recalls.

I kind of thought of hiring somebody to build a log cabin, but its very expensive, Klinke said. Id never built one before, but I thought, Well, Id built a lot of stick houses, so I just took my power saw, and I built it.

Just like that. Not bad for a man in his 70s whod never built a log cabin.

Hes pretty much self-taught, Zeke Klinke, who has a house on Union Lake near Erskine, Minn., said of his dad. Theres five of us kids in the family, and hes worked on or built all of our homes.

Comfortable cabin

The first log cabin Klinke built from the trees hed planted serves as overflow housing for the sizeable crew that gathers at the family hunting camp for deer season, fishing trips, birthdays, Thanksgivings, anniversaries and other family get-togethers throughout the year.

Between the log cabin and the main cabin, a stick house Klinke built by remodeling and adding onto an old cabin they had moved to the site, the camp sleeps about 11 people.

The 14- by 20-foot log cabin has a metal roof, a covered porch, a loft, electric baseboard and wood stove heat and sleeps three people comfortably. Its easy to heat, Klinke says.

Not everyone can say they grew their own cabin.

I never even dreamt of it, Klinke said. We were (planting the trees) for hire, to make money. I had no idea Id ever be building cabins with them.

Klinke said a man from Bagley whose name he doesnt recall hauled a portable sawmill to the building site to trim the top and bottom sides of the logs. That simplified the process of setting the logs in place and keeping them level.

He used a high-pressure power washer to peel the bark from the trees.

Building the cabin wasnt that difficult, Klinke says. He poured concrete footings for the foundation and pounded 12- to 16-inch spikes into the logs every 4 feet or so to hold each layer in place. He cut the openings for the windows and door after the walls were up and used a caulking material called Big Stretch to seal the space between the logs.

Unlike some cabin builders, Klinke left the knots sticking out of the logs rather than cutting them off. That gives the logs a more rustic look.

Thats what I want -- on the inside, too, he said.

More cabins

Klinke says he prefers working with pine logs, especially Norway pine like the trees he planted, because they generally are straight. He also built an 18- by 30-foot garage and an A-frame cabin for a neighbors hunting camp from the trees he planted.

I put that one together out here and numbered the logs in the wintertime but never used the nails, Klinke said of the neighbors cabin. We just set it in place and numbered the logs, and when it warmed up in the spring, we put the footings in and built it for him.

Nephews Corey Klinke and Brian Blue helped Klinke with the cabin projects.

If he has anything to say about it, therell be more log cabin projects in his future, Klinke says; he likes to stay busy.

Id rather build log cabins than a stick house, he said. Naturally, Ive got to have some help with me now, but Id rather do it. I could put one together this winter.

I dont want to build any real huge ones, but this size or a little bigger I will.

It will take some doing, though, to top the story behind the small family cabin Klinke built from trees he planted with his wife and son Zeke; its a story of coming full circle.

Its quite an accomplishment for a man his age, Zeke Klinke says. The log cabin he built for us wasnt big, but its something well always have to remember him by for many hunting seasons to come.

Its kind of a little family legacy that hes created here with the main cabin and the log cabins. His grandchildren are going to have this for years and years and years.
Afghanistan is an optimal space for strategic convergence between the US, India and China.

China and India should start by insisting that Pakistan tackle the Haqqani Network and the Taliban which have bases in Pakistan.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis December visit to New Delhi marked the first by a high level Chinese official to India following the still unresolved Doklam standoff which complicated bilateral relations this past summer. While the contentious bilateral relationship did feature prominently in the agenda, India now has even more opportunity for a serious conversation with the Chinese delegation on the persistent issue of cross border terrorism. This is a strategic issue that has the potential to also harm long term Chinese interests, and both countries would do well to have a meaningful conversation on the topic. In doubling efforts to combat terrorism, India would signal its leadership role in addressing a key issue that threatens innocent civilians around the world, as well as its own people.

Afghanistan is an optimal space for strategic convergence between the US, India and China. These interests mainly centre around domestic stabilization and the prevention of the spread of radical extremism, which continues to flow across the border from Pakistan.

As the ninth anniversary of the November 26 terrorist attacks on Mumbai has come and gone, virtually nothing has changed in Pakistans treatment of domestic terrorist organizations. The knee-jerk nationalism that has shaped official responses to external critiques on the topic, from a haplessly ill-equipped and increasingly non-existent political authority, remains the platitude that Pakistan does not harbor nor sponsor any terror organizations. Chinese rhetoric on the critical issue of Pakistan have betrayed a growing dissonance among that countrys strategic elite. In September, Wang Yi said at a security conference for BRICS nations When it comes to the issue of counterterrorism, Pakistan has done its best with a clear conscience. Some countries need to give Pakistan the full credit that it deserves.

However, Islamabads incompetence in curbing the proliferation of terrorists that reside in Pakistan, notably the leaders of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement is a serious strategic threat to China given the terror that ETIM has created in Xinjiang province. Growing Chinese concerns about Pakistans tumultuous security environment are further demonstrated in the warning it issued to its nationals in Pakistan this past Friday, based on intercepted plans for a series of attacks on Chinese targets in that country.

These concerns found their groundings in national policy in September of 2017, when China for the first time publicly denounced Pakistan-based terror groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad, which had earlier been censured by the United Nations Security Council. The increasingly paternalistic attitude that China has adopted toward Pakistan considering the latters violent instability is a growing threat that Pakistan sponsored terrorism poses to itself, the broader region and the whole world.

This critical period in the strategic relations of China and India is evidenced in the context of U.S Defense Secretary Mattis official trip to Islamabad in December as part of his Middle East and Central Asia tour. The Secretarys discussions with top Pakistani officials were pivotal toward the implementation of President Trumps South Asia strategy; a doctrine that revolves around fostering peace in South Asia via the stabilization of Afghanistan. However, this strategy lacks clarity in terms of its components as well as details on its implementation.

While India, with its vibrantly diverse religious population and complex history is no stranger to religiously motivated extremism, it has proven it can absorb the laundry list of religiously motivated attacks to its social fabric with unparalleled resilience. China, which too has issues with terrorist groups that claim to act in the name of Islam, has responded with a state crackdown on its predominantly Muslim Uighur population following the attacks of September 11, 2001 demonstrating its concern that Afghanistans instability could spill into the tinderbox that is Xinjiang through the shared Wakhjir Pass.

In this regard, there is incentive for greater cooperation between China and India in stabilising the homegrown extremism that continues to bring terror to Afghanistan. Joint Sino Indian cooperation is needed to place greater pressure on the Pakistani government to curtail its mass export of global jihad, as well as making its society less safe for terrorist organisations by acknowledging its collaboration in Afghanistan.

China and India should start by insisting that Pakistan tackle the Haqqani Network and the Taliban which have bases in Pakistan. This would set the stage for a more secure, stable and prosperous South Asia- and a global example for visionary and ennobled partnership.

This article was co-authored by Aditya Ramachandran of the Atlantic Council
The restoration of the legitimate government of Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in whose name the war was initiated, remains a remote prospect.

As 2017 comes to an end, the West Asian scenario for next year looks bleak, with the prospect of further escalation of intra-regional conflicts. A peace process led by Russia and backed by Iran and Turkey is now underway in Syria. This process, at the end of seven years of destructive conflict, will largely restore the status quo: Bashar al Assad will remain in power and will control most of the country, Iran will remain an influential presence, and Russia will retain its bases, with its strategic profile significantly enhanced.

The situation in Yemen is similarly grim. The coalition led by Saudi Arabia has not been able to neutralise the Houthi insurrection or even capture the major towns of Sanaa, Taiz and Hodeidah. The restoration of the legitimate government of Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, in whose name the war was initiated, remains a remote prospect.

The attempt of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to weaken the Houthi forces by detaching former president Ali Abdullah Saleh from them has cost the former leader his life. The raging conflict has also caused state failure, opening the doors to the proliferation of extremist elements, both Al Qaeda and the ISIS, and the corrosion of national integrity by secessionist forces in the south.

The situation in Iraq, the third theatre of regional conflict, has improved with the defeat of ISIS at Mosul. Iraq did face a serious threat to its unity from the Kurds led by Masoud Barzani, when he organised a referendum on independence on September 25, that he won handsomely, in the face of near-universal opprobrium. But, he overplayed his hand by seeking control over oil-rich Kirkuk. Iraqi forces, particularly the largely Shia Popular Mobilisation Units, besieged the town and forced the evacuation of Kurdish forces without any fighting.

The primary effort of the Iraqi government over the next year will be to strengthen national integrity so that Iraqis of different faiths, sects and ethnicity unite to promote the interests of their nation. This will be a daunting challenge since Iraq will not easily be able to heal its fault-lines which have been deepened by external interventions and internal conflicts over the last 25 years.

Both Saudi Arabia and Iran can be expected to compete for influence in Iraq, one playing on its Arab identity and the other pandering to its sectarian affiliation, and backing parties and movements sponsored by them, so that national divisions will get sharper.

At the heart of the ongoing regional conflicts is the Saudi-Iran competition for regional leadership and influence. Saudi Arabia views the doctrinal, political and strategic challenge from the Islamic Republic as an existential threat and is willing to use every resource available to it to confront Iran in the areas of its influence. This rivalry has now become a full-blown sectarian confrontation between the Islamic giants, heightened by the regular recalling of doctrinal differences and historical grievances.

At present, no country or group is pursuing a peace process to reconcile these estranged nations with confidence-building measures and promotion of dialogue. The regional scenario has worsened with the deep animosity for Iran that is being displayed by the Trump administration and the full backing it has extended to Saudi Arabia. Trumps support has encouraged the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, to acquire full political, military and economic powers, even as he has jeopardised royal family unity by abandoning consultation and consensus-building among senior royals, and has even detained several important princes on charges of corruption.

Trumps backing has also encouraged the Saudi prince to impose an unprecedented political and economic blockade on fellow GCC member, Qatar, to protest the latters positions that called for dialogue with Iran and appeared to back Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated groups in the region. This blockade has brought neighbouring powers, Iran and Turkey, to Qatars assistance, thus putting in place a new regional alliance that marks the end of the GCC as a cohesive entity as also the nascent Saudi-led Sunni Islamic Military Alliance directed against Iran.

The coming months will reveal whether the Saudis accept the crown prince as a much-needed radical reformer who will modernise his nation, or a power-hungry prince who has violated all the norms that have kept his family in power over the last century, has got his country embroiled in unwinnable conflicts, and now is threatening a major conflagration against Iran. The latter is the more likely prospect.

Trumps announcement that the US has recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital has further complicated the regional situation. There is now the prospect of a new uprising by the Palestinians, the encouragement to jihadi elements to carry out lone-wolf attacks against western targets, and popular unhappiness in countries allied to the US, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, about their leaders policies.

While some commentators feel Trump could still deliver a peace deal acceptable to both Israel and the Palestinians, most are sceptical. They believe that what is likely to emerge from the Trump initiative would be, as commentator Ragheda Dergham says, an incomplete peace deal based on a non-contiguous, fragmented, demilitarised Palestinian mini-state, with limited sovereignty and temporary borders. This would have the support of Israel and the Saudi-led Sunni bloc that is allied with Trump.

This offer of Bantustans to the Palestinians instead of a viable sovereign state will enhance the standing of Russia, given that its leader, Vladimir Putin is viewed across West Asia as one who stands by his friends and who delivers on what he has promised.

In the absence of a region-wide peace process, the possibility of a large-scale war cannot be ruled out. This could involve an Israeli attack on Lebanon to neutralise the Hezbollah and an all-out Saudi assault on the Houthis in Yemen. This would lead to a direct conflict between the kingdom and the Islamic Republic, which would be more destructive than the ongoing wars, and ultimately just as futile.
Here are some movies that are making the right noise, promising to be big releases this year.

Padman

This Republic Day will see the release of Padman. The movie received some sort of trouble on the sets, but it seems all set to release now. The Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor starrer is a biopic on Arunachalam Muruganantham, who invented low-cost sanitary napkins. Akshay says that actors even refused to hold pads on the sets of the movie, saying Hum se yeh paap nai hoga.

And while Phullu, another movie on the same topic was made earlier, R. Balkis movie promises to be a popular one.

Padmavat

No one knows when the erstwhile Padmavati  now Padmavat  will release just yet, even though the Central Board of Film Certification has more or less cleared it. The Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh starrer is based on a poem called Padmavat. Said to be Sanjay Leela Bhansalis most ambitious project, the movie had been in trouble all of last year. The Karni Sena not only vandalised the movies sets, but even threatened harm to Deepika and SLB.

The movie is made on a colossal budget and has the film industry lobbying for a safe release of the movie, which was to be out in December last year. It quite looks like February will be when Padmavat will see the light of day.

Untitled Sanjay Dutt Biopic

Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the movie will showcase Sanjay Dutts life, from his turbulent past to stardom, tryst with drugs, court cases and more. Sonam Kapoor, Dia Mirza, Paresh Rawal and Manisha Koirala also star in the movie to. Unlike films in the past, where the titles of films were very important and announced much earlier, there is still a debate on whether the film should be called Dutt or Sanju. When Ranbirs look from the film was leaked on a couple of occasions, the media as well as the fans loved the way Ranbir had moulded himself to suit the character. The movie is set to release on March 30.

Thugs of Hindostan

Ostensibly one of the most expensive films in terms of mounting, effort and the teamwork involved, Thugs of Hindostan features Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan together for the first time in a film, after their earlier film Rishta was shelved. Aamirs Dangal girl Fatima Sana Shaikh also finds herself in the movie along with Katrina Kaif, who spearheads the cast of the movie, which has been shot on a ship and in the choppy waters of Malta. Aamir has also pierced his nose and his ears for the film as he essays the role of a thuggie in the film. The film is based on the thugs who looted the British during the pre-independence days. Amitabh plays a warrior in the film.

2.0

The Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson starrer is not just one of the most awaited movies down South, but in Bollywood too. Directed by Shankar, the movie is a sequel to the superhit Endhiran or Robot, 2.0 is said to be the most expensive film to be made in India. Interestingly, Akshay had to work on modifying his voice for the movie, on Shankars bidding.

Aanand L. Rais untitled film

There is a lot of curiosity about this Aanand L. Rai film which will have Shah Rukh Khan in the role of a dwarf akin to what Kamal Haasan played in Appu Raja. The film, which is being called Dwarf for working purposes, could have been titled as Bauaa or Bauna, terms for a short person in the north. Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif find place in the film as SRKs women. SRK also has shot a song and dance number with Kajol, Rani Mukerji and Karisma Kapoor for the film. Deepika Padukone, who was to earlier be the heroine of the film, also has a cameo in the movie. If you felt that Fan was an experiment with SRK playing an everyday man, this film is a much bigger risk from the actor, and would certainly need to be applauded if the team can pull it off. The team is set to announce a title this evening.

Race 3

Id will see Salman Khan try to regain his lost glory with the Remo DSouza-directed Race 3. The movie will also star Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Jacqueline Fernandez and Daisy Shah. Incidentally, the third part wont have Abbas-Mustan helming it. Salman has already given instructions to the makers to keep the film clean of excess glamour and drugs, so that the children can also see the film, as they form a majority of his fans.

 Sanskriti Media
Ranveer landed in Sri Lanka on Thursday, and along with Deepika, hes planning to make the best of his time there.

How can Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone avoid the media glare, no matter where they are? They should wear masks or go underwater, some say. Well, it looks like thats exactly what they plan to do.

Ranveer landed in Sri Lanka on Thursday, and along with Deepika, hes planning to make the best of his time there. Deepika, who was in Vienna, joined the actor at the last minute.

The couple is going snorkelling, and will spend time with each other, reveals a source. There are people in Sri Lanka who can identify them, but then its also a country that lets people be at peace, and doesnt intrude on peoples privacy. So, they will be able to spend quality time with each other.

 Sanskriti Media
Rajinikanth announced the release date of the mega budget film during his recent interaction with fans in Chennai.

Chennai: The much-awaited confirmation has finally arrived from the horse's mouth.

Rajinikanth during his recent interactions with fans in Chennai on Saturday has finally announced that his upcoming film 2.0 will release on April 14, the Tamil New Year.

The film is getting delayed because of CG work. Only after it is completed, AR Rahman can finish re-recording. So we had to postpone the release date from January 26 to April 14, Rajinikanth was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The makers has sparked off speculation that the film would clash with Telugu films, Mahesh Babu starrer 'Bharat Ane Nenu' and Allu Arjuns 'Naa Peru Surya' on April 27, by only revealing that '2.0' would release in April.

The producers of both the Telugu films had earlier expressed their displeasure over the reported clash, and took up the issue with the concerned film bodies.

The makers were unhappy about the film release in April, but they can at least heave a sigh of relief that the mega budget movie wont directly clash with the two Telugu films.

Rajinikanth also raved about the project, saying, I am not sure, will a film like 2.0 will ever be made again in India. The content of this film will be talked about for a long period of time.

Directed by Shankar, '2.0', reportedly being made at a budget of Rs 400 crores, also stars Akshay Kumar and Amy Jackson in the lead.
While Twitteratti generally trolls actresses for their steamy pictures and other posts, this time we feel the criticism was justified.

Hema Malini recently became a grandmother for the second time.

Mumbai: The fire breakout at a building in Kamala Mills in Lower Parel killing 14 persons in the process has thrown light on several important issues.

The incident has prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to go on a crackdown spree, with officials being suspended, illegal structures being demolished and eateries coming under the scanner.

However, Member of Parliament and actress Hema Malini had an altogether different take about the tragedy.

When asked why such tragedies regularly occur, Hema Malini was quoted as saying by ANI, Population is so much, the city is spreading like anything. Some restrictions should be done on the population. Each city should have certain population/limit, after that they should not be allowed. Then let them go to another city.

Her comment didnt well go down with Twitter users, who vented their ire at the actress.

Is Hema Malini out of her mind? When asked about #KamalaMills tragedy, she had absolutely no sign of empathy on her face, simply blamed the growing population and asked people to move to other cities. This is not the first time, she has displayed such insensitivity.  Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) December 29, 2017

Wait, WHAT?!?!?!?!

I never thought Hema Malini would be this insensitive! First it was her statement when accident happened in Rajasthan and now this!

Arghhh and these people are our representative. Maybe we deserve this only as we are the one who vote for these kind of people. https://t.co/wgeHZPNcsJ  tenaciouskind (@Nuttiesvd) December 29, 2017

#mumbaifire

Shocking statement from Hema Malini ji. Madam please make some sensible statements. Over population has nothing to do with fire accident. See over the safety issues there & about closing of second exit, which is more imp and need necessary investigation.  Hemalatha (@Hemalathanarne) December 29, 2017

These people should not make such irresponsible statements. If they are not aware, stay quiet rather than blabber some nonsense  True Indian (@fiery_indian) December 30, 2017

Not just that, Hema also got trolled, with Twiteratti poking fun at her insensitive comment.

When a M P does not know what to speak and how to speak then it better to observe silence. It is said "silence is gold".I am referring to a controversial statement of Hema Malini.  Roshan Lal Anand (@RoshanLalAnand3) December 29, 2017

#BJP hema malini slaps Mumbai residents by alleging population for #KamalaMills tragedy.. Mumbai, you chose them.. congrats  pooja gupta (@ipg95) December 29, 2017

And the logic has died yet again!   PsyCatic (@gayatri_d) December 29, 2017

Never knew she was such a genius   Shalom India (@larissafernand) December 29, 2017

The Best wild comment if the day ....



Can't stop laughing



  Sunil Desai (@sunilddesai) December 29, 2017

Genius? She's Indie-Genius! One of a kind (hopefully). Essentially, she's advocating deforestation or migration. What does she think Indians are - Sarus Cranes? Sheesh!  BugBusta (@MrBugbusta) December 29, 2017

You have out another feather in the cap...



Can't stop laughing



  Sunil Desai (@sunilddesai) December 30, 2017

While I do not know about the tribe, this lady's credentials and brain structure have become questionable.  BugBusta (@MrBugbusta) December 30, 2017

Finally one intelligent person has spoken pic.twitter.com/LthgEeBZwD  Digvijay Singh (@digvijaysambyal) December 29, 2017

Plzz move her out of Mumbai  Tolerant Indian (@imfainaz) December 29, 2017

#HemaMalini took her role as the Kent purifier brand ambassador too seriously. Now wants to bring shudhata to Indian cities, while her own mind is drowning in pure filth !!!  Anmol Singh (@AnmolSi57322555) December 30, 2017

BJP MP #HemaMalini blames high population for Mumbai fire,

I wanna ask how many sons&daughters does she have in her family?#MumbaiFire  Dr.YUSUF A.ATHANI (@Neta2lead) December 30, 2017

Madamji is off to south I think  Chirag B Doshi (@ChiragBDoshi1) December 29, 2017

While Twitteratti generally trolls actresses for their steamy pictures and other posts, this time we feel the criticism was justified.
Claiming that the release of the movie is against the interest of the country, Rajput Karni Sena President slammed the CBFC move.

Jaipur: Hours after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approved the release of the movie 'Padmavati' with some changes, Rajput Karni Sena President Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi on Saturday threatened to vandalise all the cinema halls showing the flick.

Claiming that the release of the movie is against the interest of the country, Gogamedi said that the CBFC, under the pressure of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, agreed to certify it.

"The release of 'Padmavati' is only going to create chaos in the country. The government would be responsible for any loss of life and property following the release of this movie. Every theatre, where this movie would be released would be vandalised", the Rajput Karni Sena chief told ANI.

"The censor board is taking this decision under the pressure of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, and are destroying Hindutva from the country," he added.

Earlier in the day, the CBFC suggested few modifications in the controversial movie 'Padmavati', which include changing of the film's title to 'Padmavat', after which it would be given a U/A certificate.

The decision came after an examining committee meeting by the CBFC was held on December 28. It consisted of the regular committee members, along with CBFC officials and a special advisory panel in the presence of Chairman Prasoon Joshi.

The other key modifications suggested in the meeting include those of the disclaimers, pertinently adding one regarding not glorifying the practice of Sati and also relevant modifications in the song 'Ghoomar' to befit the character portrayed.

The special panel consisted of Arvind Singh from Udaipur, Dr Chandramani Singh and Prof KK Singh of the Jaipur University.
CBFC gives film UA certificate, new title; Rajput groups threaten violence.

New Delhi: After months of uncertainty over Sanjay Leela Bhansalis controversial film Padmavati, the Cen-tral Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Saturday cleared the movie with a UA certification, provided the films title is changed to Padmavat and suggested modifications, cuts are made.

Sources said that the modifications and change in title are meant to clarify that the film is not a historical account but is based on a creative source.

Mr Bhansalis film, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Sha-hid Kapoor, is inspired by 16th century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasis epic, Padmavat.

The decision to clear the film came after a special panel, which included Arvind Singh from erstwhile Udaipur royal family, and historians Dr Chandramani Singh and professor K.K. Singh of Jaipur University, reviewed the film.

It is learnt that the examining committee met on December 28 and decided to give the film a UA certification along with some modifications and change of the films title.

Apart from several cuts, the Censor Board has also suggested a disclaimer specifically stating that the film does not glorify the practice of Sati.

Some suggested changes are in the song Ghoomar, reportedly to befit the character portrayed, sources stated.

As per procedure, the Censor Board will issue the UA certificate once the modifications are carried out and the final material is submitted to the CBFC. No release date has yet been announced by the filmmaker.

Sources stated that the meeting on Thursday took place in the presence of CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi and was also attended by regular examining committee members, along with other Censor Board officials.

This newspaper was the first to report on December 7 that considering the complexities and concerns around the film, the Narendra Modi government had decided to seek the help of eminent historians to check the veracity of facts represented in the film.

Bhansali Productions, in a written communication to CBFC, had also requested that a panel of historians/academicians and members of the Rajput community view the film.

It is understood that members of the panel had insights and some reservations regarding the claimed historical events and socio-cultural aspects, all of which were discussed at length.

According to the board, the suggested modifications were shared with the producers, Viacom 18 and Mr Bhansali, who attended the feedback session post the screening and are in agreement with the changes.

Rajput fronts like Shri Rajput Karni Sena and Rajput Sabha, who were opposed to the release of the film, are likely to plan their strategy on the issue soon.

Padmavati got mired in controversy after various Rajput groups alleged that it distorts history, a claim repeatedly denied by the director.

Bhansali, who appeared before a parliamentary panel, had said that his lavishly mounted `150 crore period drama is based on the 1540 epic poem, Padmavat.

Though historians are divided on whether queen Padmini actually existed, protests against the film spread across various states and the films December 1 release was deferred as it didnt have censor clearance.

The protesters say the 13th-century queen, Padmini, has been disrespected by Mr Bhansali suggesting in his film that she was romantically involved with Muslim invader Alauddin Khilji. Mr Bhansali has denied any allusion to a love story, but several BJP-ruled states, including Rajasthan, banned the movie, declaring they will not permit it to screen even if it is cleared by the Censor Board.

Padmini, according to legend, was a Rajput warrior queen from Chittor in Rajasthan who set herself on fire to save her honour after Khilji defeated her husband in battle.

Mr Bhansali was also grilled by MPs of a parliamentary panel who had expressed their displeasure over selective media screening of his film and alleged that it was aimed at undermining and influencing the CBFC.

Few weeks ago the Supreme Court refused to ban the film, saying it cannot assume the role of a certification body.

Founder-patron of Rajput Karni Sena Lokendra Singh Kalvi has said that it is too early to comment on the Censor Boards decision. A lot of clarifications are yet to come on the issues and it will be too early to comment on it. My stand is very clear, which is known to everyone, he told news agencies.

It was proposed that film will be reviewed by a panel of nine intellectuals, but the film was reviewed by only three persons. The recommendations of the panel are not in public domain so it will be too early to comment, he added.

Rajput Sabha president Giriraj Singh Lotawara said, The panel that was formed to watch the movie was of the view that historical facts have been distorted. It shows that CBFC has gone out of its way to help the filmmaker. We will protest if the film is released, and the government will face the music.

Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi, president of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, a splinter group, warned of violent agitation if the movie was released. We will vandalise the cinema halls if the movie is released. We want a complete ban, he said.
The release date of Sanjay Leela Bhansalis controversial period film is yet to be finalised.

The CBFC under Pahlaj Nihalani led to several controversies in the past few years.

Mumbai: Former Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahalaj Nihalani has raised questions about the censor board's role in the controversy surrounding 'Padmavati', claiming that the film was sidelined by it.

Nihalani, on Saturday, was commenting on the recent developments, wherein the CBFC suggested few modifications in the controversial movie, including changing of the film's title to 'Padmavat', after which it would be given a UA certificate.

"The film faced so many controversies even before people saw it. This decision could have been taken before the film was opposed by the people and the political parties in several states", Nihalani told ANI.

"This film was sidelined by the CBFC and it raises the question on the Censor Board. Producers suffered such huge losses because of the cuts. Vote bank politics has obviously been done, the film is being seen after elections. Chairman Prasoon Joshi faced pressure from the ministry", he added.

Speaking on the development, former Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) chief Gajendra Chauhan has expressed delight that the controversy is about to get resolved.

"I would like to congratulate the censor board and Bhansali who amicably tried to solve the matter. And I think the issue should now finally end", Chauhan told ANI.

Meanwhile, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said that it will be a great day for the entire film industry and film lovers when the film will be on the screens.

"I congratulate and compliment Sanjay Leela Bhansali that finally after so much of uproar, the film will see the light of the day," Pandit told ANI.

For those unversed, the decision came after an examining committee meeting by the CBFC was held on December 28. It consisted of the regular committee members, along with the CBFC officials and a special advisory panel in the presence of Chairman Prasoon Joshi.

The other key modifications suggested in the meeting include those of the disclaimers, pertinently adding one regarding not glorifying the practice of Sati and also relevant modifications in the song 'Ghoomar' to befit the character portrayed.
Beyul Pemako is believed to nestle the mythical land of Shangri La or paradise in Tibetan Buddhism.

New Delhi: The landslides caused by a 6.4 Richter scale earthquake on November 17 in one of earths most forbidding and inaccessible regions in the mystical land of Beyul Pemako near the India-China border has resulted in massive landslides that are still continuing with the slide area increasing to at least 78 sq km as on December 21 shown in the imagery by LANDSAT-8, a satellite jointly operated by Nasa and the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

After a perusal of the LANDSAT-8 imagery of the Gyala Peri-Namcha Barwa gorge taken by the US LANDSAT-8, Prof Nayan Sharma, a prominent river engineering expert presently with IIT Roorkee, told this newspaper: The area of the prime mountain slide zone is measured to be approximately 78 sq km as extracted from the satellite imagery. This slide zone is relatively close to eastern Tibet major tourist city of Nyingchi at a distance of 139 km downstream. From an inspection of multi-date satellite images of the affected zone, it could be inferred that the landslide process resulting in debris dam growth is yet to reach its final equilibrium stable state. This is a worrisome occurrence, especially pertaining to potential debris dam breach flood in coming days or months with serious portents for downstream habitation areas in eastern Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, he said adding that the major mountain slide zone extends over a river length of about 33 km which is located about 47 km away from the commencement of Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon.

Beyul Pemako is believed to nestle the mythical land of Shangri La or paradise in Tibetan Buddhism. It is believed to be a hidden land of humanitys wise adepts endowed with supernatural powers and constantly working for mankinds betterment who will announce their existence as dictated by the needs of the time. It was only in 1998 that Ian Baker, a Buddhist scholar, and explorer first managed to complete the last unexplored navigation of the river. This regions is home to some of earths highest peaks like the Gyala Peri (7293 m) and the Namcha Barwa (7780 m), through which Yarlung Tsangpo gushes down in a torrent of cascades and rapids and also carving out the deepest gorge on earth, so deep that even satellites find it difficult to probe deeper. The river length of the Yarlung Tsangpo between the affected landslide zone to Indian border at Tuting is just about 165 km and its elevation drop is about 1300 m, while the elevation drop up to Pasighat is an overwhelming 1600 m.

Within the river reach, the maximum elevation drop of about 2000 m exists between Pe and 50 km upstream of Indo-China border. Maximum recorded discharge in Tsela Dzong and Pasighat stands at formidable magnitudes of 10,000 cumecs and 30,000 cumecs respectively. With the weather gradually warming up in coming days and months, the stream-flow will be steadily rising, thereby exerting enhanced hydrodynamic force on the temporary unconsolidated dams created by the mountain slides material which may potentially lead to their sudden collapse and resulting surge waves will be rushing downhill at very great velocities towards the lower foothills and plains in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam to potentially wreck devastations, Sharma said.

Said Himansgshu Thakkar, a leading water activist from the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People: Our government still has not come out with a comprehensive status statement about the status and consequences, six weeks after the earthquake and more weeks after the Siang waters became muddy. We need to immediately put together a team of disaster management that will monitor and plan the preparedness to deal with the breach in the dams that would bring sudden, unseasonal heavy floods in the downstream area. The team should include geologists, hydrologists and disaster managers, including NDRF teams. Even in terms of long-term, the Indian government has not put sufficient pressure on China not informing about India even about the June 2000 Siang floods that resulted from a similar event that year, he added.

What can govt do?

1. Round-the-Clock monitoring through optical for 360 degree quantitative analysis

2. Environmental and human vulnerability analysis from the angle of disaster mitigation.

3. Multidisciplinary feasibility of controlled blasting of temporary blockage dams may be explored.

4. Urgent relief, evacuation measures for disaster management may be planned.

5. Taking advantage of Chinese cooperation offer, setting up of a joint disaster mitigation mechanism on a permanent basis.
Another CRPF official said that the militants were carrying AK-47 rifles and under-barrel grenade launchers when they targeted the camp.

A report said that one of the jawans died of cardiac arrest while being evacuated along with many others who were trapped in the camps residential buildings. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Srinagar: A CRPF inspector and four jawans were killed and three others injured after heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists stormed the forces camp in Jammu and Kashmirs southern Pulwama district on Sunday. Two militants, including a 16-year-old son of a police constable, were also killed.

Two terrorists have been killed, so far. We suspect a third terrorist is hiding inside the camp. The operation has been suspended because of darkness, a CRPF official said.

The officials said that the gunmen in combat dress entered the camp of the CRPFs 185th battalion at Lethapora, outside the highway township of Awantipore, at around 2.15 am firing AK-47 rifles and hurling grenades at the sentry.

CRPFs Srinagar-based spokesman Rajesh Yadav said that the officers and jawans present inside the camp quickly responded to the attack and engaged the assailants in a fierce gunbattle.

Another CRPF official said that the militants were carrying AK-47 rifles and under-barrel grenade launchers when they targeted the camp. After entering the camp, they took positions in a building block and the gunfight ensued.

The initial assault left one CRPF jawan dead and two wounded. Reinforcements from J&K polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG), the Army and the CRPF were rushed in to counter the attackers, officials said.

During the exchange of fire two militants were killed whereas three more jawans of the CRPF laid down their lives and a few more were injured. One of the injured jawans died in hospital later, raising the toll to five.

A report said that one of the jawans died of cardiac arrest while being evacuated along with many others who were trapped in the camps residential buildings.

The slain CRPF jawans have been identified as Inspector Kuldip Roy, Head Constable Tufail Ahmed and Constables Sharief-ud-din Ganaie, Rajendra Nain and Pradeep Kumar Panda.

The two JeM militants killed in security forces counter assault were identified as Manzoor Ahmad Baba of Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday of Tral. Police sources said that Khanday was 16-year-old and the son of a police constable.

J&Ks Director General of Police, Shesh Paul Vaid said, There was an input from the last two-three days. They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night.

Terming the attack as unfortunate, the police chief said that as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

As long as our neighbour keeps sending people like this, my police and security forces and people of Kashmir will have to go through this. It is unfortunate that this happened. the DGP said.

The attack took place days after the security forces killed a top JeM commander Noor Muhammad Tantray alias Noor Trali in Pampore area of Pulwama. Mr Vaid had termed his killing as a significant breakthrough.
Till now, women pilgrims were required to be accompanied by their husbands or Mehrams during the annual pilgrimage.

New Delhi: In his last address to the nation in 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sought to reiterate his governments support for Muslim women while reiterating that his government is for the young and the underprivileged who are benefiting from his Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas moto of this government.

The Prime Minister said that the mantra in the New Year should be reform, perform, transform to ensure development for all as the young voters join nation building.

Announcing the governments decision to do away with lottery system for women Haj pilgrims, going on the pilgrimage with male guardian (Mehram), the Prime Minister said, Usually there is a lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system and they should be given a chance as a special category.

The decision to do away with a lottery is going to benefit about 1,300 Muslim women, virtually guaranteeing their participation in the annual pilgrimage.

The term Mehram refers to a man, a woman cannot marry in her life  father, brother or son.

The decision to allow women pilgrims over the age of 45 to undertake the pilgrimage in groups, of at least four, sans Mehram is not new but the confirmed participation announced by Mr Modi on Sunday is the latest bonanza for them.

Till now, women pilgrims were required to be accompanied by their husbands or Mehrams during the annual pilgrimage. The pilgrims were shortlisted every year through a computerised lottery system.

Soon after Mr Modis address, minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi tweeted: After PM Shri Narendra Modi Jis suggestion, I assure that those, about 1,300 women, who have applied to go for Haj without Mehram, will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to proceed on Haj.

Mr Modi also urged youths, who turn 18 on the first day of 2018, to register as electors and said that their votes will prove to e the bedrock of a New India. He also urged people to work towards all-round development of the nation as his government pushes for reforms

In his radio programme, Mr Modi urged people to work towards all-round development of the nation in 2018 as his government pushes for reforms measures to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and the evils of casteism and terrorism.

He said that the mantra for the New Year should be reform, perform, transform and called for Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (together with all development for all).

The Prime Minister also suggested that a mock Parliament be organised around August 15 in Delhi, comprising a young representative selected from every district, to deliberate on how a new India can be formed in the next five years.

Mr Modi said in the New Year, people should take concrete steps to make a progressive India and also recounted an inspirational story of Anjum Bashir Khan Khattak, the topper of the Kashmir Administrative Service examination.

He actually extricated himself from the sting of terrorism and hatred and topped in the Kashmir administrative examination. You will be surprised to know that terrorists had set his ancestral home on fire in 1990, Mr Modi said.

The Prime Minister also recalled his meeting with young girls from the state and said that he was amazed at the spirit that they had, the enthusiasm that was there in their hearts and the dreams they nurtured. He said people born in the year 2000 or later would gradually begin to become eligible voters from January 1, 2018.

The Indian democracy welcomes the voters of the 21st century, the `New India voters. I congratulate our youth and urge them to register themselves as voters... The entire nation is eager to welcome you as voters of the 21st century...Your vote will prove to be the bedrock of new India, he said.

On cleanliness, Mr Modi said that a change can now be seen in the form of public participation in rural and urban areas alike.

He said that the Cleanliness Survey 2018, the largest in the world, will be conducted from January 4 to March 10 to evaluate the achievements of the mission in urban areas. This survey will cover 40 crore people in over 4,000 cities.

He said during the Republic Day celebrations not one but 10 chief guests will grace the parade on Rajpath.
Women under the draft law can seek subsistence allowance and can claim custody of minor children.

Muslim women offer sweets to each other at a programme to celebrate the passage of the triple talaq bill by the Lok Sabha in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Hailing the efforts of social reformers like Raja Rammohan Roy, Savitri Bai, Jyotiba Phule, Ishwarchand Vidyasagar and Dayanand Saraswati, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that their "souls" will be happy as India took a massive step towards empowerment of Muslim women.

He also said that the policy of allowing Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of a male guardian was "injustice" and discriminatory and his government has removed the restriction. Following this, hundreds of have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage.

While delivering the inaugural address at the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage celebrations in Kerela via video conference, Mr Modi said, Muslim women have finally found a way out to "free" themselves from the practice after "years of hardship". He mentioned the Haj issue during his monthly radio programme, 'Mann ki baat'.

"The hardship faced by Muslim mothers and sisters over triple talaq is not hidden from anyone. After years of struggle, they have found a way of freeing themselves from (the practice) of instant triple talaq," he said without referring to the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill passed by Parliament's lower house.

The bill, which is to be taken up in Rajya Saha next week, makes instant triple talaq or 'talaq-e-biddat' illegal and provides for a jail term of up to three years for the husband.

Women under the draft law can seek subsistence allowance and can claim custody of minor children. A magistrate's court is empowered to decide on the quantum of jail term, amount of fine, subsistence allowance and custody of minor children.

Referring to the issue of Haj pilgrimage by women. Mr Modi said removal of the restriction of having a male guardian or 'mehram' may appear as a "small thing", but such issues "have a far-reaching impact on our image as a society".

"Why this discrimination? And when I went into the depth of the matter I was surprised to find that even after 70 years of our Independence, we have such restriction. For decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it," he said in his broadcast.

"I am happy to note that this time about 1,300 Muslim women have applied to perform Haj without 'mehram' and women from Kerala to north India, have expressed their wish to go for pilgrimage," he said.

"Usually there is a lottery system for selection of Haj pilgrims but I would like that single women pilgrims should be excluded from this lottery system and they should be given a chance at a special category," he said.

Soon after Mr Modi's address ended, minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi tweeted that women seeking to travel alone for Haj will be kept out of lottery system and the 1,300, who have applied under the new rules, will be allowed to go for the pilgrimage.
The Chinese military had earlier asked Indian to ensure that its troops remained strictly in control.

New Delhi: Home minister Rajnath Singh will celebrate the New Year with security personnel of the Indo Tibetan Border Police at a high altitude border out post in Uttarakhands Nelong valley close to the China border which is at a height of 11,700 feet and where temperature drops upto minus 15 degrees Celsius.

This is the second visit by Mr Singh to the Indo-China border, the last one being in September 2017 which came in wake of the Doklam stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops.

The Chinese military had earlier asked Indian to ensure that its troops remained strictly in control.

Mr Singh reached ITBPs 12th battalion headquarters at Matli on Wednesday and then proceed for Nelong Valley on Thursday morning. During his visit, the Home minister ITBP posts at Pulam Sumdha at an altitude 14,200 feet, Kopang at 8,700 feet and Bhairon Ghati at 9,150 feet and interact with the security personnel there.

ITBP chief R.K. Pachnanda will also accompany him during the visit. ITBP, which has a strength of nearly 90,000-personnel, is primarily responsible for protecting the entire stretch of 3,488 km Indo-China border which includes the sensitive sector in Jammu and Kashmir of about 1,597 km.

China also shares border with India in States like Himachal Pradesh for almost 200 km, Uttarakhand for 345 km, Sikkim for 220 km and Arunachal Pradesh 1,126 km.

Following the Doklam incident both ITBP and Army have been closely monitoring activities of Chinese troops along the borders.

Sources said the home ministry has already directed the ITBP to remain on alert during the winter season to ensure that Chinese troops do not cross over into Indian territory which may lead to another Doklam like stand-off.
In the RSS, internal elections are held every third year, which are due in March 2018.

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sanghs (RSS) second-in-command, Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, is likely to continue holding the charge of sark-aryavah or general secretary for the fourth term as Sangh supreme Mohan Bhagwat is in favour of status quo.

In the RSS, internal elections are held every third year, which are due in March 2018. But Mr Bhagwat, sources disclosed, is not in favour of replacing Mr Joshi as of now as he feels that the coordination between the Sangh Parivar affiliates, including the BJP, under Mr Joshis guidance should continue till the next general elections scheduled in 2019.

During election year, meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the all-powerful decision-making body of the parivar, is held at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. The issue of replacing Mr Joshi, who has not been keeping well, was taken up at the RSS meeting in Bhopal in October this year. If at all Mr Joshi is replaced, then sah-sarkaryavah (joint general secretary) Dattatreya Hosabale could replace him, but with Mr Bhagwat, the RSS sarsanghchalak preferring status quo, it is not likely to happen.

Sources disclosed that Mr Joshi is the key person in the RSS after Mr Bhagwat to hold important meetings with top brass of parivar affiliates, including BJP president Amit Shah, or take decisions after consultation with the RSS supremo.

Though the sarkaryavah, who has not been keeping well, had suggested that he be replaced, sources disclosed that Mr Bhagwat wants him to continue holding the charge and coordinate with parivar affiliates.

At its March meeting, however, the RSS is likely to make notable changes in its state units and may even replace some of its key pracharaks who have been deputed to the BJP.

Also, Sangh Parivar affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will elect its new president in the next six month. In the past, the candidate for the top post in the VHP had been a consensus candidate. The next president could also be selected through a consensus. The VHPs board of trustees and central managing committee held a meeting in Bhubaneshwar earlier this week where this issue was discussed. At present, G. Raghava Reddy is the president and firebrand leader Pravin Togadiya is the working president of the organisation.
Gujarat deputy CM Nitin Patel is reportedly sulking for being allotted in-significant portfolios.

New Delhi: Trouble seems to brewing in the recently formed Gujarat government. After senior BJP leader and deputy chief minister Nitin Patel expressed unhappiness over the changes in his portfolios, Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Saturday asked him to leave the BJP and join forces with him.

Speaking to reporters, the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) chief said, If the BJP does not respect him, he should leave the party. If Gujarat deputy CM Nitin Patel along with 10 MLAs is ready to leave BJP, then I will talk to Congress to get him a good position.

Emphasising his demand for reservation for Patidars, Mr Hardik Patel added, I would request Nitinbhai to only say for the benefit of the community that it should get reservation. We will work together for the betterment of the state.

Though the Congress leadership in the state and at the Centre is watching the situation keenly but quietly, a new Congress MLA echoed Mr Hardik Patels sentiments.

Congress MLA Virji Thummar said, They have taken away all the good portfolios from Nitinbhai Patel. His portfolios have been given to others. I would request Nitinbhai to come with 10-15 supporting MLAs and we (Congress) will support him from outside.

The BJP won 99 seats in the 182-member Gujarat Assembly. The Congress bagged an impressive 77 seats, 15 short of the magic mark, 92.

A prominent Patel leader, Mr Nitin Patel has been sulking over the allocation of portfolios to him and the taking away of the powerful departments of finance, petrochemicals and urban development from him. On Friday, Mr Nitin Patel did not turn up at his office.

Sources said that he had made his displeasure known to the central leadership of the BJP on being given light weight portfolios despite being the deputy chief minister. Reports indicate that he has given a deadline of three days to the party to consider his demands. In the new government, he has got roads and buildings, Narmada, health, medical education and capital projects.

Sources said that while Mr Nitin Patel has met former chief minister Anandiben Patel, several Patidar leaders have either met him or are in touch with him.

PAAS leaders in the state are openly accusing the BJP of sidelining Patidar leaders. Interestingly, during the recently concluded election campaign, Mr Nitin Patel along with Union minister Purushottam Rupala were the Patidar faces of the BJP. They were instrumental in ensuring that the BJP gets a sizeable Patidar vote. The Patidars account for about 13 per cent of the states population.

Purvin Patel, the leader of Sardar Patel Group, another Patidar organisation, said, The Patidar community is with Nitin Patel. The departments that he was in charge of have been snatched away from him. This amounts to injustice.

The BJP, however, has been claiming that all is well and even if there is an issue it will be sorted out.

After the portfolio allocation, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani had made it clear that irrespective of the portfolio allocation, Mr Nitin Patel is the number two in the government.

Mr Rupani has kept home, general administration, industries, mines and minerals, urban development and petrochemicals with himself.

Saurabh Patel, who was dropped from the Cabinet when Mr Rupani took over as chief minister in 2016 after a series of allegations of irregularities and nepotism against him surfaced, has been rehabilitated now. He has been given finance and energy.

Mr Nitin Patels alleged three-day deadline to the partys central leadership ends on Monday, January 1. However, three days in a newly-elected 12-day old Assembly is long time.

According to sources, the central leadership is sending a senior leader to mediate and end the crisis.
Protest marches were carried out in the towns of Tikamgarh, Barwani, Gwalior and Bhopal.

Bhopal: Shoes were on Saturday couriered to the Pakistan embassy in Delhi from different parts of Madhya Pradesh as a mark of protest against humiliations meted out to wife and mother of Kulbhashan Jadhav, the former India naval officer facing death sentence in Pakistan, during their visit to the neighbouring country recently. People, including women and children, staged demonstrations at various places in the state to denounce the shocking treatment given to the wife and mother of the former Indian Navy officer by Pakistan authorities when they were visiting him in a jail there.

The demonstrators were particularly peeved at the seizure of the footwear of Mr Yadavs wife by the Pakistan authorities suspecting it to be fitted with espionage gadgets.

Protest marches were carried out in the towns of Tikamgarh, Barwani, Gwalior and Bhopal.
The teaching community has hailed the state governments idea of imposing dress code for them.

This is the first time; a dress code for teachers in government-run schools and colleges in MP was being proposed.

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh government is mulling to implement dress code for teachers in government-run schools and colleges in the state.

State higher education minister Deepak Joshi on Saturday indicated his governments plan to enforce dress code for teachers to make them as well as the people conscious of the teachers special place in the society. A dress code for teachers will make them conscious about their special place in the society. Besides, this will get them due recognition in the society, Mr Joshi told the media.

This is the first time; a dress code for teachers in government-run schools and colleges in MP was being proposed.

The teaching community has hailed the state governments idea of imposing dress code for them.

We will not only get recognition in the society, but the dress code will also give us a sense of our responsibility, Nirmala Deshpande, a teacher in a state government-run high school in Bhopal, told this newspaper.

Opposition Congress, however, saw a motive behind the state governments move.

It is a diversionary tactic by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government to divert attention of the people from the brewing discontentment among the teachers and students over lack of infrastructure such as school buildings and adequate teaching staff, a spokesman of the party said.

In fact, a government-run college has earlier tried to impose dress code for women faculty members prohibiting them from wearing western wears such as jeans. The college, however, was forced to withdraw the dress code following protests by the teachers.
Addressing the nation through 39th edition of 'Mann ki Baat', the PM said around 1,300 women applied for Haj without a male guardian.

'Usually, there is a lottery system for the selection of Haj pilgrims. However, I would like to suggest that single women pilgrims be excluded from this system,' Modi further added. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the "discriminatory" practice of Muslim women being barred from observing Haj without a 'Mehram' or male guardian has been abolished.

Addressing the nation through the 39th edition of his 'Mann ki Baat' radio programme, Modi said around 1,300 women have applied to go for Haj without a male guardian.

"It had come to our notice that if a Muslim woman wants to go for Haj, she must have a 'Mehram' or a male guardian, otherwise she cannot travel. This is a discriminatory practice, and hence we have changed this rule," he said.

Further, Modi suggested that single women pilgrims be excluded from the lottery system implemented to select Haj pilgrims.

"Usually, there is a lottery system for the selection of Haj pilgrims. However, I would like to suggest that single women pilgrims be excluded from this system," he said.

Earlier, Modi, while delivering the inaugural address for the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations at Sivagiri Mutt in Kerala's Varkala lauded the passing of the triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha as a sign of Muslim women being granted freedom after years of suffering.
Rajnath Singh will visit 12th Battalion of ITBP during his 2-day visit from December 31, 2017 to January 1, 2018.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will celebrate the arrival of the New Year with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel in Uttarakhand's Nelong valley along the China border. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will celebrate the arrival of the New Year with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel in Uttarakhand's Nelong valley along the China border.

Singh will visit 12th Battalion of ITBP and a Border Out Post - Nelong, during his two-day visit from December 31, 2017 to January 1, 2018.

Nelong is a Border Out Post of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police at the height of 11,700 ft. It is surrounded by high mountains and at present, the temperature dips as low as minus 15 degrees Celsius.

Matli is based at 3,400 feet on the banks of the Bhagirathi River. The location is well known for its natural beauty. 12th Battalion of ITBP is located here.

One Regional Response Centre for countering natural and man-made disasters is also located here.

In the year 2012 and 2013 when Uttarakhand suffered major disasters, this location played a crucial role in relief and rescue operations and saved thousands of lives.
MOSS POINT, Miss. -- After seeking the opinion of the Attorney General informing them to appoint a trustee to the Moss Point school board, aldermen, along with the mayor held a special called meeting on Friday morning.

In a 4-3 decision with alderman Robert Byrd breaking the tie, alderman Sherwood Bradford, David Chapman, and Ennit Morris decided to reappoint Barbara Dumas-Marshall to the school board.

Dumas-Marshall's reappointment comes with scrutiny based on her lack of support for current superintendent, Dr. Shannon Vincent, according to alderman Wayne Lennep.

"The only reason I have been given was a desire to reappoint someone with experience to the board," Lennep said. "My concern is that Marshall has not been supportive of Dr. Vincent and her efforts to improve our school system."

Senate Bill 2463 places the power of the vote back into the citizens hands for who they would like to see represent their children. After seeing Dumas-Marshall had been reappointed, Rep. Jeramey Anderson, who proposed the amendment, expressed his displeasure with her serving on the school board again.

"It is disappointing that the Moss Point Board of Aldermen would continue their regressive practices in their appointment to something so precious and important as our school board," Anderson said. "The city failed to do their due diligence by delaying the appointment, causing them to rush and appoint someone at the last minute."

Anderson continued, saying, "There failure to be proactive has once again effectively cut qualified individuals out of serving on the Moss Point School Board. Furthermore, it is disappointing that the individual appointed was not interested in serving in the democratic process.

By wishing to be appointed only, she rejected the notion that parents, teachers, and others in the community have the right to decide who is best fit to serve the need of the district's children and those who work hard every day to educate them.

The Board's appointment gave credence to circumventing the laws of this state. Their decision reinforces the need for this new school board election law and the decisions thereof to be entrusted to the people of this city as a whole."

Dumas-Marshall delivered the following response on Tuesday to Lennep's and Anderson's criticism of her reappointment:

"If I took the time to become worried about or give power to what mere men say or think of me, I would be in large trouble! Representative Anderson nor Alderman Lennep controls my "worth" and certainly cannot make the determination about what my worth is. At this juncture, it matters none to me about these two individuals blasting me personally in the media and having the audacity to actually rate me according to their scale based on their limited knowledge of what progressiveness means.

I have worked hard for Moss Point School Board of Trustees since 2012 and will continue to do so. We are governed by state statutes and that is what I will continue to base my decisions on. The seats where we sit and those we serve are the children, parents, Moss Point School District and citizens - the taxpayers!

I am thankful for the confidence that the majority of the Board of Aldermen exhibited, and with God's help I will move forward serving and continue to strive to cast my votes based upon Statutory Laws of Mississippi.

I would suggest that Representative Anderson and Alderman Lennep move forward by better utilizing their time performing the jobs that they were elected to do. Neither of these gentlemen has ever approached, called, or contacted me in any form or fashion about any concern.

To make a statement to the media that I do not like Dr. Vincent is absurd. They clearly do not know me. It is not about whether I like Dr. Vincent or not it is simply about Dr. Vincent performing her job, which is to oversee the day-to-day operations, as it is also about the Moss Point Board of Trustees performing its' job. It definitely is not about elected officials playing politics, spreading lies, ill will, and wanting control."

Lennep took to his Ward 6 Facebook group to thoroughly explain the process of the vote and why he voted the way that he did.

"I believe most of the community supports Dr. Vincent and we need a school board that will be 'All In' with Dr. Vincent as she works to improve the Moss Point School District," Lennep said. "It is obvious that the policies of the past have not worked and community wants to continue the improvements and success of Dr. Vincent."

The Mississippi Press has learned that Vincent's contract renewal is on the agenda for the first school board meeting of 2018 on Jan. 9.
Meanwhile, a Hindu organisation has claimed that this is a case of 'love jihad'.

Sambhal (UP): A dance teacher was arrested under POCSO Act for allegedly abducting and raping one of his minor students after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials, police said today.

According to a complaint lodged by the minor's parents, the dance teacher, Azad, had taken their 15-year-old daughter to Mumbai on December 23 after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials.

The police said when the family members of the girl were unable to contact her, they lodged a complaint against Azad.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pankaj Pandey said, "A case has been registered against the accused under the POCSO Act, for committing rape (section 376 of the IPC) and cheating (section 420 of the IPC)." "The accused had carried out some illegal changes in his Aadhaar card. Charges have also been slapped against the accused under various other sections of the IPC, which include kidnapping (363), forgery of valuable security (467) and forgery for purpose of cheating (468)," he said.

"Charges have also been slapped under section 367 of the IPC (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage)," Pandey said.

The girl was reportedly in Delhi since December 23. She was found on Saturday in Delhi, Circle Officer Omkar Singh said.

Meanwhile, a Hindu organisation claimed that this was a case of 'love jihad'.

"This seems to be a case of love jihad, and the district administration and police must act tough in this case," said Kapil Dewana, the regional convener of Hindu Jagran Manch.
Tamil Nadu has been politically unstable since the death last year of chief minister and AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa, also a former film star.

Chennai: Ending decades of suspense, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth announced on Sunday that he would float a political party of his own and contest from all 234 constituencies in the next Assembly elections to redeem the image of Tamil Nadu which has been sullied in the past one year.

Though he didnt say what his political party would be called, the superstar did insist that his entry into politics was born out of his sense of duty to change the system in Tamil Nadu.

My plunge into politics is certain and I am being compelled by time to take a plunge. I will launch my own political party in the next Assembly elections and contest all 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu If I dont take the political call now, the guilt of not doing good to the people who gave me life would haunt me till my death, Rajinikanth declared, sending his fans into a rapturous frenzy.

I am not entering politics for post or position. If I had wanted it, I would have got it in 1996 itself. If at the age of 45 I had not aspired for that, why would I do it at the age of 68? Rajinikanth said, and added, My politics will be based on spirituality, not on religion or caste. The whole thing has to change. The system has to change. Democracy has been corrupted. It needs to be cleansed.

Tamil Nadu has been politically unstable since the death last year of chief minister and AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa, also a former film star.

Rajinikath, a Marathi raised in Bengaluru who made Tamil Nadu his home after a flourishing film career that has lasted for 42 years, spoke with clarity before his fans on Sunday morning, outlining his action plan. His new political party, he said, will not contest local body polls due to paucity of time. It will, instead, concentrate on the next Assembly polls due in 2021. As far as Lok Sabha polls are concerned, a decision will be taken at the right time, he said.

This is not a film. This is politics. We have to spread ourselves to every street in the street, the actor said. The 67-year-old, who works mostly in Tamil cinema, has a huge following in the country and is one of Asias highest paid actors.

His announcement ended 21 years of will he, wont he suspense that was carefully choreographed by the actor and his team ever since he endorsed the DMK-TMC alliance in 1996 and spoke against the then chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. Sounding quite serious about his political entry, Rajinikanth said, We will resign within three years if we cannot fulfil our promises.

Borrowing a few phrases from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the superstar said he needs protectors (chowkidars or watchmen) to guard the state from corrupt elements and accused the political parties of plundering their own people.

He also coined a new term on what his politics would be like  spiritual politics that transcends all religion and caste. Political circles quickly interpreted it as a clear indication that he was leaning towards the BJP. During his speech, he also made a veiled attack on the AIADMK and asked his fans and supporters to be on silent mode till his political party is launched.

Rajinikanths entry into politics is perfectly timed as the actor plans to take advantage of the political vacuum caused due to Jayalalithaas death and confinement of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi to his house. But the fact that there are too many claimants to fill the vacuum could create trouble for Rajinikanth, as his long-time comrade in tinsel town, Kamal Hassan, is also in the fray seeking a piece of the political pie.

Rajinikanth has a lot of challenges to face in his political journey. But he has a mass following and that could be turned into a potent force through political manoeuvring. I see a four-cornered contest in the next assembly elections  two AIADMK factions (EPS-OPS and TTV), DMK and Rajinikanth. If Kamal Haasan joins, it will be a five-cornered contest, political analyst Ravindran Duraisamy told The Asian Age.

The actor also gave hints on what could be he his political agenda. Launching a stinging but indirect attack on the present AIADMK dispensation, he said, Political events (in Tamil Nadu) for the past one year have made everyone hang their head in shame. We have become a laughing stock in other states. He was referring to the infighting within the AIADMK, resort politics and the alleged bribing of voters in R.K. Nagar polls.

Harping on to his need to change the system message, Rajinikanth said time has finally come to usher in dramatic changes in politics in Tamil Nadu. The system is corrupt and everything has to be changed. We need to inculcate spiritual politics that is not influenced by caste or religion. That is my aim, he told his fans.

I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome, Kamal Haasan said.
Shamim, who has been active in the world of crime for the past 14 years was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 each by Delhi police and UP police.

New Delhi: In a joint operation, Delhi police Special Cell and Uttar Pradesh police gunned down a notorious gangster, who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on him. The encounter took place in Jansath area located near Muzaffarnagar in UP.

The gangster was wanted in 17 criminal cases.

In the exchange of fire, a UP police constable sustained bullet injuries. Pramod Kumar Kushwaha, deputy commissioner of police, special cell said, An encounter took place on the intervening night of December 30 and 31 where a team led by inspector Shiv Kumar along with teams from UP Police laid a trap in Muzaffarnagar when they received a tip off about the movement of Shamim.

In the exchange of fire that followed between the police and the criminals, Shamim was killed, while his associate managed to escape.

Shamim, who has been active in the world of crime for the past 14 years was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 each by Delhi police and UP police.

In 2016, he along with his associates committed a sensational robbery of Rs 40 lakhs at gun point under the jurisdiction of Daryaganj police station. on receiving specific information that Shamim will be coming to commit crime in Muzzafarnagar, special cell sleuths shared the information with the UP police.

The teams laid a trap for sham at the spot and apprehended him.
Special arrangements have been made particularly for the areas in vicinity of Connaught Place.

New Delhi: An elaborate security arrangements will be there in place for the New Year to prevent any untoward incidents in the national capital, thhe Delhi police said on Saturday.

There will be an adequate deployment of traffic police, local police and PCR in Delhi in order to contain hooliganism and revelry in the name of New Years celebration. 435 check-points will also be made to check traffic violations. Police personnel will be keeping a close eye on peoples movement in the city, Delhi police chief spokesperson Deepender Pathak told the media.

He said specific passes will be issued in congested areas for parking. There will be 125 check-points established to check drunken driving. We will also be issuing an advisory. Unauthorised amusement activity should not be performed in pubs or club, Mr Pathak added. He said there will be no compromises with safety of people. Mr Pathak also urged people to follow and maintain law and order. Meanwhile, Delhi Traffic police on Saturday has made elaborate arrangements throughout the city for smooth flow and regulation of traffic on the eve of New Year. Special arrangements have been made particularly for the areas in vicinity of Connaught Place. Vehicles will not be allowed to proceed towards Connaught Place beyond Mandi House, Bengali Market, Minto Road and DDU Marg crossing.
Civic body smashes 300 illegal structures, seals 7 restaurants.

The BMC went on a massive demolition spree to remove illegal constructions and encroachments at malls, pubs, restaurants and gymkhanas across the city.

Mumbai: It took the loss of 14 lives in Fridays fire for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to sit up and initiate action against irregularities and encroachments at various restaurants and other establishments in the city. Facing huge flak after the Kamala Mills compound fire, the BMC went on a massive demolition spree to remove illegal constructions and encroachments at malls, pubs, restaurants and gymkhanas across the city on Saturday. In a single day, the civic body took action on as many as 314 places and razed nearly 300 illegal structures. The drive will continue on Sunday, said officials.

According to civic officials, the civic body also sealed seven restaurants, Sagar, 38 Feast, Mini Punjab and Sams Kitchen at Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road and Flamingo and Sai Kitchen Hotel at Chembur. In addition, the BMC sealed 9,000 sq ft terrace of Sheesha Sky Lounge at Andheri, by demolishing an illegal construction erected on the top. The BMC also seized 417 gas cylinders during the drive.

Restaurants and pubs in prominent mills and malls like Kamala Mills, Raghuvanshi Mills, R-City Mall, Neelyog Mall, Evershine Mall figured high on BMCs list during the drive. It also took action against leading gymkhanas like Catholic, Parsi, Wilson, Islam, Jolly; restaurants like Khyber, Zaffran, Shalimar, Nityanand, Sahil, Faasos, Lady Baga, The Fatibo, Grandmaa Cafe, Junk Yard, Woodland and hotels like Peninsula, Orchid Internati-onal and Ozone, Retreat.

We found several irregularities like rooftop sheds, open space encroachment, illegal constructions, encroachment on common passage at these places during the drive. After demolition, the restaurants, hotels and malls have been warned that they should comply with fire safety norms strictly or face action, said a senior civic official.

The restaurants have been sealed as they were found violating the health department and fire safety norms. It was also found that they had made illegal additions and alterations to their premises endangering the safety of people in case of a fire hazard. They have been asked to obtain fresh no-objection certificates, he added.

Three special teams were formed in each of the 24 administrative wards to carry out the demolition drive. All top officials, including additional commissioners Abasaheb Jarhad, Vijay Singhal and IA Kundan, hit the roads supervising the drive.

As per BMCs directives, we are taking precautions to ensure that there is no danger to our patrons, said Mr Shaikh from Khyber restaurant.

Ativists have slammed the BMC, saying it took 14 lives for them to wake up to the menace of encroachments. Such huge numbers of encroachments removed in a single day means civic officials were turning a blind eye towards them so far, said civic activist Nikhil Desai from Matunga.

Meanwhile, the 1 Above has reiterated its stand that the fire emanated from the adjoining Mojos Bristo pub and not from its premises.
Many residents staying in high-rise buildings and near the seashores Of Mumbai had also raised the similar concerns in past.

Mumbai: The Mumbai police has issued a circular banning the use of flying lanterns during the New Years eve celebrations on Sunday so as to avoid any untoward incident. The ban will remain in force till January 22 and the use, sale and storage of flying lanterns will be regarded as an anti-social activity that will attract a fine, said the Mumbai police spokesperson.

According to police officials, lanterns are being banned to prevent any danger to human life and taking into consideration the safety of the common people. The ban orders were issued by DCP (Operations) Deepak Deoraj. Any person found violating the ban will be booked under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC.

Around three years ago, the use of such lanterns with firecrackers had caused incidents of fire in a couple of high-rises in the city. On January 1, 2015, a flying lantern released on the occasion of Makar Sankranti proved disastrous after eight floors of an under-construction high-rise building, Omkar Altamount, were gutted down due to a major fire caused by it.

Many residents staying in high-rise buildings and near the seashores Of Mumbai had also raised the similar concerns in past. All this has convinced the cops to go ahead with the ban.

During New Year celebrations, it has been a common site to see droves of flying lanterns light up Mumbai's night sky. Also known as Chinese flying lanterns, they are basically small hot air balloons made of paper.
All entry, exit points in country alerted to detain trio on sight.

Mumbai: The Mumbai police has issued a lookout notice against the three co-owners of the pub 1 Above at Lower Parels Kamala Mills compound, which was among the two pubs gutted in an early Friday fire that killed 14 persons. The trio  Ritesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar  have been absconding since the tragedy. All exit-entry points across the country have been alerted to detain the trio upon being sighted.

The NM Joshi police had on Friday detained two close relatives of the Sanghvis for questioning. An FIR has been registered against the Sanghvi brothers and Mankar under sections related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other sections. No arrest has been made yet.

Police sources said that on Friday they had detained two close relatives of the Sanghvi brothers with the hope that since the relatives were in the clutches of the police, the Sanghvi brothers might surrender themselves. The detention comes after neither the Sanghvi brothers nor Abhijeet Mankar were found to be at their residences in South Mumbai. The police have also issued lookout notices against the three accused, for compromising on the safety norms set by the fire department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

S. Jayakumar, additional commissioner of police (central region) told this paper, One very obvious violation was that the emergency exit on the floor was shut. There can be no violation bigger than this.

Acting on the BMCs report which will be submitted to us, we will make the needed changes in the sections charged on the accused, he added.

Mr Jayakumar said that if the BMC report reveals that the accused are not found in fault pertaining to the section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) which attracts imprisonment that may extend to ten years, or fine, or both, the sections will be downgraded to 304(a) pertaining to causing death due to negligence, which attracts imprisonment that may extend to two years, or fine, or both.

On Friday, the police had booked the Sanghvi brothers and Abhijeet Mankar under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (common intention).
In a lighter moment, when a questioner asked Sophia if she would marry him, she replied, I will politely decline the proposal.

Mumbai: Making her first appearance in India, Sophia, the first robot citizen of Saudi Arabia, graced the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombays (IIT-B) annual Techfest with her presence on Saturday. The saree-clad android, who greeted students with a namaste, is a social-human robot i.e. she can recognise people, make around 50 facial expressions, talk, respond to queries and make eye contact  unlike the rest of her ilk.

The interaction was in keeping with the theme of the festival: Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI). When asked by an onlooker to list the languages she speaks, Sophia replied with a frown, I am just two years old, so till now I only know English and Chinese; but in some years I will be able to speak all languages.

In a lighter moment, when a questioner asked Sophia if she would marry him, she replied, I will politely decline the proposal.

Thank you for the compliment though. Talking about how she feels to be in India,and especially at IIT-B, she said, I have heard so many things about the traditions and the culture of the country that I am really happy to be here. India is like a technological superpower and has made huge investments in space and technology.

On IIT-B, she continued, Its good to be around 3,015 people and I am looking forward to have a conversation with the students of IIT-B.

Shedding light on AI to the students, Sophia went on to state that intelligence displayed by machines is the future of technology and it will let humans and robots co-exit with mutual understanding.

The largely successful interaction was marred by one hiccup: the humanoid robot malfunctioned for 10 minutes because of a weak Internet connection on the part of the institute. IIT-B managers blamed the Internet issue on the lack of a proper connection. However, after troubleshooting, Sophia sprang to life once again.

Sophia was created by Hanson Robotics Limited, a Hong Kong-based company, in 2015 and has been granted citizenship by the West Asian country, which makes her the first robot in the world to hold a citizenship. What sets apart Sophia from other humanoid robots is her ability to recognise peoples faces, eyes and voices  a feat enabled by cameras and software.
Modi and Jaitley continue to doggedly defend the non-existent virtues of the measure.

2018 may have its own surprises, unforeseen and uncharacteristic. But it will mark the final lap of Prime Minister Narendra Modis BJP-led NDA-2 government. This will be the year-long preparation for the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The Opposition too would be getting into the poll act. Like it or not, 2018 will be filled with talks of 2019 as far as national politics is considered.

There is speculation that finance minister Arun Jaitley will have no option but to present a populist Union Budget on February 1 because this is the last full-fledged Budget of this government. The 2019 Budget will have to be a vote-on-account one. It would be futile to talk about the exact measures that Mr Jaitley will announce in the form of freebies and takeaways. But it cannot be a workmanlike Budget of the last four years.

But if looked at closely, Mr Modi did not use the Budget to announce the big decisions. He chose to make the dramatic announcement of the drastic demonetisation measure on the television instead of allowing the finance minister or governor of the Reserve Bank of India to do it.

Mr Modi and Mr Jaitley continue to doggedly defend the non-existent virtues of the measure. They cannot afford to concede the error, especially now. So, if there are going to be any dramatic pre-poll economic measures, Mr Modi would want to make it himself on television sometime in the later part of the year. The 2018 Budget will continue to be the soporific act that it has been in these four years.

There is also the expectation that he would want to push through the idea of simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. There is no doubt that the BJP leaders strongly feel that simultaneous elections would somehow be advantageous to the party, and that their propaganda blitzkrieg perfected by the Prime Minister and party president Amit Shah would ensure a single party rule at the Centre and in states, and that they would enjoy the glory as did the Congress from 1952 to 1967, excepting Kerala. This looks more like a grand dream if not a grand delusion, and there are too many political and logistical hurdles on the way. For example, would the BJP want to fight the Gujarat Assembly elections in 2019 so soon after the 2017 scare?

The 2018 election calendar is quite a hectic one, with elections due in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura in last week of February or the first week of March. Then in the summer, there will be elections in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. It would be tempting to argue that these state Assembly elections would be precursors to the 2019 Lok Sabha poll outcome. These state elections will be fought on local issues. It looks like that the BJP might lose Rajasthan. There is a lot of discontent in the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. It looks like that Madhya Pradesh wants a change, but the issue is whether the Congress is in a position to provide it. All is quiet on the Chhattisgarh front with chief minister Raman Singh continuing to rule the roost. But this could be a deceptive stillness.

Karnataka looks like a tough one for the BJP as well as for the Congress, and it is going to witness a nasty campaign. Union minister for skill development and entrepreneurship Anant Kumar Hegde has provided a curtain-raiser of sorts  the kind of vitriol that will be unleashed during the campaign. Unlike in the other states, the BJP will try to polarise the electorate on communal lines, especially in the Mangalore-Udupi and the Dharwad-Hubli belts. But it might not succeed in the other parts of the state. The BJPs big leader in the state, B.S. Yeddyurappa, has lost much of his clout in the last few years. It should come as no surprise if the killings of M.M. Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh will turn the tide against the BJP because the party failed to condemn the right-wing elements who gloated over the bloody incidents. The only man in the BJP who seems to have sensed this is home minister Rajnath Singh.

The BJP and Mr Modi then face an uphill task through 2018 and into 2019. The economy remains unpromising and troublesome and there is not much that the government can do about the subdued market sentiment. What can be seen is that three-and-a-half years into the government, the Prime Minister has lost some of the irrational exuberance of 2014, 2015 and part of 2016. He seems to be aware of the challenges ahead and he is slightly troubled. That should keep him on his feet.

The hope that the performance of the Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi has generated after the Gujarat Assembly election results may not be the best guarantor of the partys improved performance in the state Assembly election in the run up to 2019. What is however undeniable is that Mr Modi cannot hope to trounce the Congress as he did in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Gandhi has become a force to contend with Indian politics. Mr Modi and his team cannot any more laugh away Mr Gandhi.

The ruling BJP then has a real battle on its hands. It has to fight the Congress in 2018 Assembly and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The dream of conjuring away the Congress from Indian politics is turning out to be a grand illusion. The BJP is not the monarch of all it surveys. It is good news for Indian democracy.
The attacker struck at the funeral ceremony of an ex-governor of Haska Mina who died recently of natural causes, an official statement said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar where the Islamic State group has a stronghold. (Photo: AFP | Representational)

Jalalabad (Afghanistan): An explosion at a funeral in Afghanistan's restive east on Sunday killed at least 18 mourners and wounded another 13, officials said, capping a deadly year for ordinary Afghans.

There was no immediate claim of responsiblity for the blast which authorities initially said was caused by a suicide attacker but now believe was triggered by explosives attached to a motorcycle.

The Taliban said on Twitter they had nothing to do with the incident -- the latest violence to claim the lives of civilians in the war-torn country.

"The explosion was caused by a motorcycle bomb our investigation has concluded," Nangarhar governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP.

The governor's office put the death toll from the attack near the provincial capital Jalalabad at 18, with 13 wounded.

Provincial health director Najib Kamawal confirmed the new toll.

The explosion happened during the funeral ceremony for a former governor of Haska Mina district who died recently of natural causes, a statement from the governor's office said.

The twisted wreckage of a motorcycle -- a popular mode of transport in impoverished Afghanistan -- lay in the dirt at the cemetery.

Pools of blood, clothes, shoes and hats were scattered on the ground.

Photos posted on social media purportedly of the scene showed bodies lying in blood and a plume of black smoke rising into the sky. Terrified mourners, mostly elderly men, could be seen running from the scene.

Deadly year for civilians

While the Taliban is still responsible for the majority of attacks and casualties across Afghanistan, Islamic State militants have been on a rampage this month.

The incident in Nangarhar, a volatile province bordering Pakistan and a stronghold for IS, comes days after the group claimed an assault on a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul that left 41 people dead and more than 80 wounded.

That followed a Christmas Day attack, also claimed by IS, near an Afghan intelligence agency compound in the Afghan capital that left six civilians dead.

On December 18 militants from the group stormed an intelligence training compound in Kabul, triggering an intense gunfight with police, two of whom were wounded.

The Middle Eastern jihadist outfit has gained ground in Afghanistan since it first appeared in the region in 2015, and has scaled up its attacks in Kabul and elsewhere, including on security installations and the country's Shiite minority.

The latest news comes at the end of a particularly deadly year for Afghans, with the number of civilian casualties on track to be one of the highest on record since the US invasion in 2001.

More than 8,000 civilians were killed or wounded in conflict-related violence in the first nine months of this year, according to data compiled by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

Last year's civilian casualty toll of 11,418 was the highest for a single year since the UN began systematically documenting civilian deaths and injuries in 2009.
Pakistan regrets the last minute postponement and non-issuance of visas by India for the visit of 192 devotees to participate in the Urs, it said.

The visit, organised under the provisions of the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, is an annual feature, the foreign office said in a statement.

Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday accused India of rejecting visa applications of 192 Pakistani pilgrims who were scheduled to reach Delhi to attend Hazrat Khawaja Nizamuddin Auliyas Urs from January 1-8, 2018.

The visit, organised under the provisions of the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, is an annual feature, the foreign office said in a statement.

Pakistan regrets the last minute postponement and non-issuance of visas by India for the visit of 192 devotees to participate in the Urs, it said. As a result of this Indian decision, the Pakistani zaireen (devotees) would be deprived of the opportunity to participate in the Urs, which is of special significance, the statement added.

The Indian decision is unfortunate and runs counter to the letter and spirit of the 1974 Protocol and objective of people-to-people contacts, Pakistan said.

It is ironic that this was done on the occasion of Urs of Hazrat Nizamud-din Auliya who was a symbol of bringing communities closer to each other, the foreign office added. Besides being violative of the bilateral protocol, and the basic human right to religious freedom, such measures also undermine efforts aimed at improving the environment, increasing people-to-people contacts and normalising relations between the two countries, it said.
Pakistan's defence has come after the Government of India said the Palestinian envoy's association with Saeed was 'unacceptable.'

The Palestinian Ambassador to India, after India objected to Waleed Abu Ali's attending the event, said, 'We are supporting India in its fight against terrorism and because of that my government decided to directly call our Ambassador to go back home and not to be a Palestine ambassador to Pakistan anymore.' (Photo: File/Representational)

Islamabad: Pakistan has defended Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's participation in the rally held in support of Palestinians.

Pakistan also came out in support of Palestinian ambassador to Islamabad, Waleed Abu Ali, who attended the event held in Rawalpindi, after he was recalled from his post.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesperson said in a statement, "Contrary to the impression being created, United Nations (UN) proscription does not place any restrictions on the freedom of expression. The people and the government of Pakistan respect the Palestinian Ambassadors active participation in events organised to express solidarity with the people of Palestine."

Citing that Pakistan had always supported the two-state solution, the statement added that the Ambassador of Palestine has participated in many of the meetings held in the country and that the public meeting, in question, was 'yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause.'

"The rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life. More than 50 speakers addressed the rally, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder chief Hafiz Saeed," the statement added.

Pakistan's defence has come after the Government of India said the Palestinian envoy's association with Saeed was "unacceptable".

Palestine on Saturday called back its Ambassador in Pakistan after he was seen in the company of Saeed.

Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Al Haija, after India objected to Waleed Abu Ali's attending the event, said, "We are supporting India in its fight against terrorism and because of that my government decided to directly call our Ambassador to go back home and not to be a Palestine ambassador to Pakistan anymore."

He also assured India Palestine would deal with the matter appropriately.
Trice Harvey had a gift  a willingness, an eagerness even, to look outside that comfort zone and connect with people whose stories were diffe
The Grateful Dead had it right: What a long, strange trip its been.

I recently had the opportunity to meet a newly minted state Teacher of the Year. I told him I had a blog at Education Week Teacher, and he asked what I wrote about. Oh, you know, I said. The ongoing collapse of public education and vicious, unwarranted attacks on teachers across the country.

He laughed. But I didnt. After a pause, he asked: Do you really think its worse now than its ever been?

Ive been thinking about that question, a lot, in preparation for assembling this best of collection for 2017. Has the landscape changed so drastically? Havent there always been good times and bad times in the evolution of teaching and public education, peaks and valleys?

Also thishow does my blogger perspective, from 40+ years in public education, differ from that of a younger teacher, one whose career has always been marked by mandated standards, comparative high-stakes test data, technology-infused instruction and the ravaging of public education under the aegis of choice?

Looking back over whats appeared on this blog in 2017, theres a lot of grumpiness and angst. Nobody knows better than I that angst is not what teachers, parents and school leaders are looking for in their op-ed/blog reading. Inspiration, perhapsor confirmation that their observations and ideas are shared. New information and insights about current issues. Thoughts about coping, adapting, revisingits what teachers do, and have always done.

But this has been an extraordinary yearI really DO think its worse than its ever been, from my perch of over four decades experience. The entire realm of education policy is up for grabs (and grabs is the correct word). Heres my selection of dont-miss Teacher in a Strange Land blogs from the end of 2017the best of the worst year in memory:

Misguided Things People Say about Public Schools A look at the fake news, and low-information blah-blah about public education that has been part and parcel of conversations about community schools since forever, now intensified and heightened (and made actionable) under Betsy DeVos.

What Hillbilly Elegy Doesnt Say Lots of people liked this book, found it enlightening. Not me. Perhaps my own background was closer to J.D. Vances than the educators and reviewers who saw it as a must-read, but I found the book somewhere between self-indulgent and poorly argued.

4 Reasons the Arts are the Most Important Academic Discipline Almost everyonefrom STEAM advocates to the president of the local PTApays lip service to why we need the arts. Many of those reasons are superficial. A solid arts program provides lenses through which any child can understand his or her world. The arts are core in any curriculum.

Why We Shouldnt Ignore Political Speech on Facebook A call to arms for teachers: Dont retire or retreat or pretend that schoolsyes, your school, tooarent endangered. We are living in different times. The stakes are high.

What It Takes for Families to Support Public Education A semi-nostalgic look at how widespread post-war support for building and supporting public schools for all citizens has eroded in favor of choice.

The Many Ways We Are De-professionalizing Teaching Just who is controlling the entry bar into teaching? What are their valuesand are they getting us closer to the teachers we need? Im doubtful.

Can We Trust Policymakers to Make Good Decisions for Schools? Bottom line: probably not. Because its not in their skill set, for the most part. So what do we do to prevent still more bad decisions?

Do Perks for Teachers Compromise Their Integrity? Its hard to begrudge teachers, who work at the low end of compensation/perk levels, any small tangible token acknowledging superior performance or above-and-beyond effort. But what about stipends and awards that take advantage of this fact, co-opting the voices and skills of teacher leaders?

Should 5th Graders Be Studying the KKK? Yes. Because of every non-normal thing that has happened in 2017. Not everyone agrees, of course.

Talking about Public Education: the Good, the Deceptive and the Destructive Keep talking, educators. Talk around the dinner table, arm yourself with information, dont let the memes and profit-makers and the careless speech stand in the way of defending public education.

The War on Teachers and the End of Public Education Heres where that 40-year long view comes in. Undeniably, much about public education is different than it was in, say, the 1960s. Is it alarmist to foresee the end of a free, high-quality fully public education for every child in America? I argue that were at a tipping point.

Oldie But Goodie Blog. Just one, as relevant and true as the day I wrote it, exactly six years ago: Eight and a Half Things (about Education) I Know Are True. Are things really worse now? Yes. But we could see what was coming, in 2011.
full-width

Bana Media has grown. The media is looking for serious English content writers local. The writers should have knowledge ofand General content. We are also looking forward to start a paid photography site. Please if you have unique photos of landscapes, functions, huts, humor, selfies etc with good description of between 100-300 words send them toand when the site is launched you will start getting your pay.The articles must adhere to google terms and conditions. The articles must not be about:Adult contentDangerous or derogatory contentRecreational drugs and drug-related contentAlcohol-related contentTobacco-related contentHealthcare-related contentHacking and cracking contentPages that offer compensation programsMisrepresentative contentViolent content e.g How to kill in one minute.Weapon-related contentContent that enables dishonest behaviourIllegal contentThe writers should be in the social media, promote their content and upon successful reaching 1000 readers, the writer will be awarded ksh 50 per article.Health and Tutorials articles will receiveupon successful submission and publication. We are starting with local people from any background. One can earn up toa day if he or she has a lot of followers on social media and wrote a good and interesting article.We also looking for. You can submit your story and be paid through Mpesa upon successful publication of the story.We do verification for all stories and articles. The verification include; Not a copy paste story or article, it isand does not violate google terms outline above.We have local news portal. A writer can also link their blogs toand buildMake sure every article must not be submitted elsewhere apart from Bana Media (Website and Prints).you will befrom further article submission and yourPayment is done on 30th of every month. Contact US now. or
Were learning more about the man who deputies say shot and killed his nephew and injured his niece in Polk County Saturday night before taking his own life. Family friends say they had no idea a conflict was going on.

Marc Gunderson shocked after deputies say friend was shot by uncle

James Hanks was shot and killed by his uncle Rickie Stipe Saturday

Previous Story: Man shoots 2 in Polk City before turning gun on himself, deputies say

Im at a loss for words. I have no idea how to understand what happened, Marc Gunderson said.

Marc said Sunday he and his good friend James Hanks, who he called Jimmy, were supposed to be preparing for an annual New Years Eve party Jimmy had at his house in Polk City each year.

I was absolutely shocked. To be honest I didnt hear anything until early this morning and I couldnt actually even believe it, Marc explained.

Deputies say Jimmy was shot and killed by his uncle Saturday night. His Uncle, Rickie Stipe, and Rickie's wife Carolyn live in Kentucky and were visiting Jimmy and his wife for the holidays.

Carolyn told deputies she and Rickie were arguing when they got home from dinner Saturday. When Jimmy tried to break up the argument, Rickie shot Jimmy. When Kathleen went to help Jimmy, Rickie shot Kathleen.

"As described by the shooter's wife he stared at her before shooting himself, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Carolyn told deputies Rickie had been diagnosed with schizophrenia over 10 years ago but refused to take medication.

Kathleen was sent to Lakeland Regional Health for a gunshot wound and Carolyn for chest pains.

Its something Marc said he didnt see coming.

I had met the man multiple times. There were no conflicts that Im aware of what so ever, Marc explained.

And while emotions are still very raw, Marc hopes Jimmy will be remembered for the good he did throughout his life.

Jimmy would give you the shirt off his back. Hed go out of his way to help you. The world has lost a very good man, Marc said.

The Sheriff's Office said Kathleen is stable. Lakeland Regional confirmed that Carolyn has been discharged.
This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way.
Blog Archive November (33) October (52) September (37) August (51) July (53) June (58) May (45) April (49) March (43) February (50) January (54) December (49) November (42) October (48) September (53) August (55) July (64) June (60) May (68) April (66) March (56) February (61) January (51) December (61) November (67) October (87) September (79) August (84) July (82) June (84) May (73) April (74) March (74) February (50) January (66) December (56) November (53) October (70) September (73) August (60) July (86) June (73) May (91) April (64) March (53) February (49) January (79) December (50) November (55) October (46) September (48) August (57) July (46) June (55) May (48) April (49) March (54) February (50) January (52) December (45) November (55) October (56) September (57) August (65) July (47) June (67) May (54) April (64) March (72) February (49) January (58) December (52) November (72) October (60) September (82) August (59) July (64) June (61) May (67) April (65) March (78) February (66) January (72) December (90) November (58) October (71) September (58) August (67) July (68) June (67) May (69) April (58) March (58) February (39) January (49) December (45) November (36) October (48) September (64) August (59) July (58) June (62) May (70) April (72) March (67) February (52) January (68) December (45) November (68) October (68) September (59) August (67) July (53) June (68) May (66) April (63) March (71) February (49) January (60) December (43) November (39) October (74) September (62) August (69) July (86) June (60) May (84) April (71) March (96) February (70) January (82) December (62) November (62) October (66) September (81) August (71) July (61) June (55) May (67) April (46) March (53) February (43) January (54) December (46) November (38) October (46) September (57) August (71) July (73) June (75) May (48) April (44) March (59) February (46) January (36) December (45) November (45) October (41) September (46) August (36) July (40) June (48) May (38) April (35) March (30) February (26) January (30) December (22) November (26) October (34) September (26) August (16) July (17) June (19) May (19) April (12) March (14) February (13) January (26) December (21) November (16) October (14) September (15) August (15) July (17) June (16) May (15) April (11) March (13) February (12) January (11) December (16) November (30) October (28) September (23) August (7) July (6) June (7) May (2) April (1) March (2) February (2) January (2) December (2) November (2) October (1) September (1) August (2) July (3) June (4) May (1) April (1) February (2)
Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado

Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION
Informed by e-mail about the sending by insured mail on 18 October 2022. ().

10th Sejong International Cartoon Contest SICACO 2021, Korea

: Informed about the sending by e-mail on 23 November 2021

* The 4th International Competition of Cartoons Aleksandar Klas 2017, Serbia: All

whose cartoons are selected in the catalog and the exhibition will receive a free copy of the catalog (

).
By Olivia Kelleher

A young Cork mother who bravely fought cancer for two years, was laid to rest today.

Caroline Sweeney, 37, from Macroom, Co Cork, is mother to Jamie, 8, and Zara, 3. Earlier this month, she was told by doctors that her only option was palliative care. She was encouraged to get her affairs in order and to write a will.

However, Caroline told the Neil Prendeville Show on Corks RedFM, that she was not ready to go to a hospice and wanted to battle to extend her life to see her children grow up.

Today at St Colman's Church in Macroom, her daughter Jamie told the packed congregation of mourners that Caroline was the most special mother in the world.

"I love my mummy very much. She was the best. She was funny. She always made me laugh. She was so special to me.

"We will always miss her but she will always be by our side. I bet she is having the best time with Nana in heaven.

"She is the best mother ever".

Fr Donal Roberts, who celebrated the Requiem Mass today, said that Carolines strength had impressed all those who had come in to contact with her in recent months.

"Caroline was so very special to her family and all her friends. We know her sickness set her back in the last 18 months but we saw her tremendous courage shine though that sickness. She certainly inspired this community and she was so impressed by the response and the generosity of people."

"She was a wonderful, caring, loving mother to Jamie and to Zara. Her family especially husband Anthony were there to carry her through her sickness.

"She shared her talents, her love and her gifts through her short life".

'MY TWO SMALL GIRLS NEED THEIR MUM'

In her radio interview in September, Caroline said: "My poor children have lost their (grandfather) last October and have lost my partners mother. They have lost two family members. It is not about me. It is about my children.

If I was in my 50s I would say thank you very much I have had a very nice time. Good luck. But I am 37 and I have two small girls who need their mum and I am not giving up for them."

Caroline Sweeney with her children Jamie and Zara.

Her sister Michelle said at the time: She is relatively fit and there is no association with tongue cancer. There is no reason for it. Just bad luck.

Caroline was diagnosed with cancer on her tongue in June 2016. She underwent surgery to remove half her tongue. She also had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Her cancer returned and she had to have her whole tongue removed.

This autumn, she was told that a new tumour has emerged on her neck and that she also had spots on her lungs. Doctors informed her the cancer was not survivable.

At the time, Caroline said: I am not ready for it (death). They want to put me on palliative care. The girls are my life. I have worked hard all my life. I just want a chance.

However, in spite of medical care in Germany she lost her brave fight for life in Marymount Hospice in Cork on Saturday morning.

Caroline is survived by her husband and daughters, her mother Joan and sister Michelle. She was laid to rest in St Colman's Cemetery Macroom.
An extra 60,000 in funding has been announced for St Vincent De Paul today.

The money will go towards helping hundreds of families during the challenging post-Christmas period.

The charity helps families in need across the country by providing assistance with food, energy, debt relief and education.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring says Christmas places significant financial pressure on families.

"They deal on a regular basis with the difficulties that are out there," he said.

"post-Christmas is a very difficult time for families. Many, many families find it very difficult leading into Christmas, but particularly after Christmas, and what we don't want them to do is that we don't want them going to money lenders.

"St Vincent De Paul will target the families, the most vulnerable families, and they will target them in a very discreet way."
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
Update 8.33pm: The ESB are mobilising teams to prepare for possible electricity outages resulting from Storm Dylan.

Spokesperson Derek Hynes said they expect "significant, but not multi-day, level outages".

"Depending on how bad the wind actually is, we would expect to see some customers without electricity in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. But at this point we're not expecting that number to be extremely high," said Hynes.

These are some of the charts for #StormDylan Left hand side is 3am right hand side is 6am if you lose supply see https://t.co/VMtxFrW7FY Maybe charge all devices prior to midnight , do not charge items overnight #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/oxYSPjCCib  ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) December 30, 2017

Update 5.04pm: Ireland is braced for Storm Dylan to bring a wet and windy end to 2017.

There's an orange wind warning in place from Met Eireann for Connacht and eight other counties, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Longford, Louth, Westmeath, Meath and Clare.

The forecast track of Storm Dylan.

Get the latest warning updates here:https://t.co/X6NncUghZ9#StormDylan pic.twitter.com/FVxhsHtwkV  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) December 30, 2017

They are warnings of gusts reaching 125kph from late on Saturday into Sunday morning.

There's also a yellow wind warning in place for the rest of the country.

A UK Met Office amber wind warning covering the Northern and parts of southern and western Scotland is in place for Sunday morning after forecasters warned there was the potential for "injuries and danger to life from flying debris".

Met Eireann warned that Dylan would pass close to the country's north-west coast, bringing wintry showers as temperatures dropped as low as 2C.

Southeast winds will freshen this evening, becoming SW & incr to reach storm force off the NW coast overnight. Clear weather in N for a time this evening but rain on S coast will steadily spread northwards to all areas later. Becoming heavy with a risk of thunder in N tonight  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) December 30, 2017

A spokesman said: "Rain will become widespread tonight.

"In the north it will be heaviest, with a risk of thunder, and will fall as snow and sleet over the hills and mountains.

"Coastal flooding is expected along the west coast as high seas coincide with low tide and onshore winds."

The winds are expected to ease into the afternoon on December 31 as the storm moves north west, so revellers heading out to see in 2018 may escape the worst of the weather.

Original story (7.32am): Strong winds and coastal flooding are due to hit parts of the country today as Storm Dylan reaches Ireland.

A Status Orange weather warning is in place for Connacht and seven other counties from 9pm tonight, with gusts of up to 120 kilometres an hour expected.

A Status Yellow wind warning will be in effect for Munster, as well as Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow and Offaly.

#StormDylan has officially been named by @MetEireann. Dylan will track across parts of Ireland Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning pic.twitter.com/OJlnBxPnte  Met Office (@metoffice) December 29, 2017

Met Eireann forecaster Vincent O'Shea outlines the conditions we can expect.

"Like any storm, it's going to bring wind and rain, a combination of those," he said.

"There'll also be high seas going into western coastal areas.

"Overnight on Saturday night, it will be very, very windy, stormy, particularly across the north western half of the country. So very, very strong winds, gusts of up to about 130km p/h are possible, so they could do at least some slight structural damage."

Very lucky escape for one couple when windy conditions ahead of #StormDylan brought a tree down on their car in Belfast earlier! pic.twitter.com/bNOOiN9Gj6  UTV (@utv) December 29, 2017

Assistant Garda Commissioner Michael Finn is advising motorists to be extra vigilant in stormy conditions.

"We can't just assume because the speed limit is 120 on the motorway that you can continue to drive 120 on the motorway if there's surface water, or if there's high wind or other factors going to impact on safety, so you've got to slow down and drive your vehicle proportionate to the road conditions you encounter at the time."
Police in Los Angeles have arrested a man they suspect made a hoax emergency call that resulted in a SWAT police officer fatally shooting a man at the door of his own home in Kansas.

Wichita deputy police chief Troy Livingston on Friday characterised the hoax call as "swatting" and blamed a "prankster" who called 911 with a fake story about a shooting and kidnapping at the victims address.

Authorities have not released the name of the man who was killed on Thursday, but relatives have identified him as 28-year-old Andrew Finch.

Tyler Barriss, 25, is suspected of making that call and was arrested in LA on Friday, according to the Los Angeles and Wichita police departments.

Officer Paul Cruz, a spokesman for Wichita police, said the two city police departments are working with the FBI on the case, but provided no further details including on possible charges or extradition.

In audio of the 911 call played by Wichita police at a news conference on Friday, a man said he had shot his father in the head and that he was holding his mother and a sibling at gunpoint.

The caller, speaking with relative calm, also said he had poured fuel inside the home "and I might just set it on fire".

Officers subsequently surrounded the home at the address the caller provided and prepared for a hostage situation.

When Mr Finch went to the door, police told him to put his hands up and move slowly.

But Mr Livingston said the man moved a hand towards his waistband - a common place where guns are concealed.

An officer, fearing the man was reaching for a gun, fired a single shot.

Mr Finch died a few minutes later at hospital.

Mr Livingston said Mr Finch was unarmed.

The officer, a seven-year veteran of the department, is on paid leave pending the investigation.

Lisa Finch on Friday told reporters "that cop murdered my son over a false report in the first place".

In addition to the 911 call, police also released a brief video of body camera footage from another officer at the scene. It was difficult to see clearly what happened.

Dexerto, an online news service focused on gaming, reported that the series of events began with an online argument over a one or two dollar wager in a Call Of Duty game on UMG Gaming, which operates online tournaments including one involving Call Of Duty.

Mr Livingston said investigators were tracking online leads, and a law enforcement official who earlier confirmed Barrisss arrest said the shooting stemmed from a dispute over Call Of Duty.

The official said Barriss believed a person involved in the dispute lived at the address, but that investigators do not believe Mr Finch was the intended target.

Mr Finchs mother said her son was not a gamer.

The official said it was not clear if Barriss was involved in the dispute or if he had been recruited to make the false call.

Court records show Barriss was convicted in 2016 on two counts of making a false bomb report to a TV station in Glendale, California, and sent to Los Angeles County jail for two years.

Jail records show he was released in January.

The FBI estimates that roughly 400 cases of swatting occur annually, with some using caller ID spoofing to disguise their number.

An FBI supervisor in Kansas City, Missouri, which covers all of Kansas, said the agency joined the investigation at the request of local police.

In other cases of apparent swatting, three families in Florida in January had to evacuate their homes after a detective received an anonymous email claiming bombs had been placed at the address.

AP
Two security guards have been shot dead while investigating a disturbance in a room at a hotel-casino in Las Vegas and the suspected gunman is critically injured after turning the gun on himself, police said.

The gunman's motive was not known but investigators believe it was an isolated incident.

"I want you to know right now that this has nothing to do with terrorism," Captain Robert Plummer told reporters at the scene.

The shooting happened before 7am local time at Arizona Charlie's Decatur, which is west of the Las Vegas Strip.

According to police, the suspect, Christopher Olague, ran from the hotel-casino after the shooting and into a nearby neighbourhood where he tried to enter two homes but the residents kept him out.

Police found him in a laundry room accessible through a garage of the second home after he appeared to have shot himself in the head, Lieutenant Dan McGrath said.

Mr McGrath said Olague tried to enter the first home to steal a car and also tried to take a vehicle on the street.

Police described Olague's condition as a "non-survivable wound".

Officers said the uniformed security guards were a man and a woman in their 40s and that one was armed. Their identities and their causes of death will be released by Clark County Coroner's Office.

Mr McGrath said the circumstances of what happened in the hotel room are still unclear.

The attack came a day before tens of thousands of New Year's Eve revellers head to the Strip and three months after the city dealt with the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

Officials have been trying to reassure residents and visitors that the city is safe, especially in the wake of the October 1 shooting.

A high-stakes gambler killed 58 people and injured hundreds more after he shattered the windows of his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Strip and unleashed gunfire on a country music festival below. He then killed himself.

AP
Update 23.56pm: A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriff's deputies in Colorado, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately after entering a suburban Denver apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside a bedroom.

He said: "I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers.

"He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there."

The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, identified as Zackari Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and only managed to "crawl to safety," Mr Spurlock said.

The incident occurred around 5.15am local time at Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver.

The authorities had left the home about four hours earlier after addressing a noise complaint but returned in response to reports of a disturbance at the property.

**Copper Canyon OIS Update**- Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance resulting in shots fired. 5 deputies shot by suspect. 1 deputy confirmed deceased. 2 civilians also shot by suspect. Suspect shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat. #CopperCanyonOIS  DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017

There were two men inside the home when deputies arrived and someone let them inside, Mr Spurlock said.

The disturbance was initially reported to be domestic but turned out to be noise-related, he said.

"The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Mr Spurlock said.

Resident Steven Silknitter, 50, told The Denver Post that he heard 15 to 20 shots.

"It was back and forth - unbelievable," said Mr Silknitter, who lived in the Denver suburb of Aurora during a 2012 cinema shooting that left 12 dead.

The suspect was well known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Mr Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed.

The sheriff did not release any details about the weapons and ammunition used except to say the suspect had a rifle.

He did not know if law enforcement had any prior knowledge of firearms being in the home but said the possibility always weighs on deputies' minds.

"We respond to every call anticipating that everyone has a gun. This is Colorado. Everybody has a gun," Mr Spurlock said.

Mr Parrish was 29 and a married father of two young children, and joined the department seven months ago after working as an officer for the nearby Castle Rock Police Department.

Mr Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work.

"His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said.

The three deputies and one police officer injured were listed as being in stable condition. They were deputies Michael Doyle, 28, Taylor Davis, 30, Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom O'Donnell, 41.

Two civilian also suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

Mr Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. The sheriff said his son underwent surgery from injuries suffered in the attack and was recovering.

President Donald Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!"

The killings occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history in Las Vegas.

AP

Earlier: Five sheriff's deputies have been shot - one fatally - and two civilians were injured after police responded to a domestic disturbance at an apartment block near Denver, Colorado.

The suspect was gunned down by police and was believed to be dead, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

A hospital where three people were taken for treatment said they had suffered non-critical injuries. Another nearby hospital said it received four patients but would not release their conditions.

A major road was shut down after the shootout in Highlands Ranch, and residents in the vicinity were asked to shelter in place, and avoid windows and exterior walls.

The office tweeted that at 5.13am local time deputies responded to the Copper Canyon Apartments for a domestic disturbance.

"During the Investigation, shots were fired and multiple deputies were injured ... Please avoid this area."

The shooting happened at a landscaped apartment complex 16 miles south of Denver.

Law enforcement agencies including the Parker Police Department, the Lone Tree Police Department, the Castle Rock Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol were lending assistance.

The authorities said an emergency shelter has been set up following the shooting.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said anyone who was "displaced from their homes" after police were called to the shooting scene could go to the East Ridge recreation centre for shelter.
A suicide bomber has targeted the funeral of a local official in Afghanistan, killing at least 15 people, officials said.

The bomber set off his explosives vest in Jalalabad, the provincial capital of eastern Nangarhar province, as people gathered to mourn a former district chief, according to Noor Ahmad Habibi, a spokesman for the provincial governor.
Coroner and clergy step in to reunite ashes of husband and wife

When a Montgomery County woman died with no one to carry out her final arrangements, a county coroner and Catholic clergy accepted the responsibility.
This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later!
Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app.

Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006.

Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more.

Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them.

26 years of website archives.
2017 has been a year of new beginnings and end for companies, with the insolvency and bankruptcy code being implemented in full swing. The Reserve Bank of India asked banks to refer 12 major non-performing accounts to the National Company Law Tribunal for resolution. Apart from this, voluntary liquidation also attracted many corporates looking to wind up businesses in India. Through the insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings against defaulters, public sector banks have recovered Rs 39.63 crore and have had to take a haircut of Rs 2.89 crore.
Everyone has a story to tell. A platform to express oneself in a language that one is comfortable with is key. YourQuote, a mobile-based and user-generated original content and digital community platform is serving the purpose.
Over 90 flights were affected on Sunday morning as a thick blanket of fog enveloped the capital, bringing down the visibility to 50 metres.

While 54 domestic flights were delayed and 17 diverted to other airports, eleven international flights were delayed and 8 were diverted due to the dense fog, according to flight information available on the airport's website.

So far there have been 4 cancellations, including three domestic and one international flight, according to the information.

RK Jenamani, Director, IMD, Delhi area and IGI airport said, "Runway visibility since 5.30 am has been between 50-75 metres. This is so far the worst fog we have experienced this year."

Delhi airport has advanced technology for low-visibility landings, called CAT IIIB. As a result landings can take place with a visibility of 50 metres. However, for take-offs a minimum visibility of 125 metres is required.

Humidity in Delhi was recorded at 97 per cent while visibility stood at 400 metres, said a senior official from the MeT department.

Skies are expected to clear up during the day and shallow to dense fog is likely to engulf the city tomorrow morning, he added.

The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 22 degrees Celsius, he said.

On Saturday, the maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded at 22.6 and 7.2 degrees Celsius respectively.
At least 81 reporters were killed doing their jobs this year, while violence and harassment against media staff has skyrocketed, the world's biggest journalists' organisation says.

In its annual "Kill Report," seen by The Associated Press, the International Federation of Journalists said the reporters lost their lives in targeted killings, car bomb attacks and crossfire incidents around the world.

More than 250 journalists were in prison in 2017.

The number of deaths as of Dec 29 was the lowest in a decade, down from 93 in 2016. The largest number were killed in Mexico, but many also died in conflict zones in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

The IFJ suspected but could not officially confirm that at least one other journalist was killed Thursday in an attack by an Islamic State suicide bomber on a Shiite cultural center in Kabul, in which at least 41 people died.

IFJ President Philippe Leruth said that while the drop in deaths "represents a downward trend, the levels of violence in journalism remain unacceptably high."



He said the IFJ finds it "most disturbing that this decrease cannot be linked to any measure by governments to tackle the impunity for these crimes."



Eight women journalists were killed, two in European democracies -- Kim Wall in Denmark, who died on the submarine of an inventor she was writing about, and Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was blown up by a bomb placed in her car.

Beyond the deaths, the IFJ warned that "unprecedented numbers of journalists were jailed, forced to flee, that self-censorship was widespread and that impunity for the killings, harassment, attacks and threats against independent journalism was running at epidemic levels."



Turkey, where official pressure on the media has been ramped up since a failed coup attempt in July 2016, is becoming notorious for putting reporters behind bars.

Some 160 journalists are jailed in Turkey -- two-thirds of the global total -- the report said.

The organisation also expressed concern about India, the world's largest democracy, where it said that attacks on journalists are being motivated by violent populism.

Countries with the highest numbers of media killings: Mexico: 13, Afghanistan: 11, Iraq: 11, Syria: 10, India: 6 Philippines: 4, Pakistan: 4, Nigeria: 3, Somalia: 3, Honduras: 3.
The year 2017 saw the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) achieving various achievements, including the launch of its four-tonne launch vehicle, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle - Mark III (GSLV-Mk III), and the launch of 104 satellites in one go. During the year, it also intensified efforts to encourage private industry to enter the space sector, which could help them to prepare for future challenges using the available resources.

Amid its successes during the year, the failure of its trusted workhorse PSLV in launching a navigation satellite in its C39 mission came as a setback for the organisation. While there were no launches after this mishap, the space organisation is gearing up for more major launches next year.
Palestine on Saturday recalled its envoy to Pakistan for sharing the stage with 26/11 terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, with President Mahmoud Abbas directly intervening to order the recall after India strongly protested the envoy's action as "unacceptable".

"Palestine is keen to maintain good relations with friendly India and supports it for the efforts in its fight against terrorism," the Palestine Foreign Office spokesperson said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Palestine in a statement however clarified that the "participation of our envoy in a mass solidarity rally with Jerusalem, held in Rawalpindi on Friday, and in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism is an unintended mistake, but not justified.

"Accordingly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates under the direct instructions of the President of the State of Palestine to recall the Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan immediately," it said.

On Friday, Ali, stood with Hafiz Saeed at a rally called to condemn the US recognising Jerusalem, not Tel Aviv, as Israel's capital. The rally was called by Difa-e-Pakistan Council, a coalition of more than 40 Islamist parties. Saeed is also a key leader of this coalition.

After photographs of the event went viral on the social media, India took up the issue strongly with the Palestinian authorities, who expressed "deep regret" over the incident.

"Government of India has strongly conveyed to the Palestinian side that the Palestinian Ambassador in Pakistan's association with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the UN, is unacceptable," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"The concerns were conveyed both in New Delhi to the Palestinian Ambassador and in Ramallah to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates," it said.

"The Palestinian side has conveyed deep regrets over the incident and assured the Government of India that they are taking serious cognizance of their Ambassador's presence at this event. They have said they will deal with this matter appropriately."

Palestinian Ambassador to India Adnan Abu Al Haij said: "We are supporting India in its fight against terrorism and because of that my government decided to directly call our ambassador to go back home, not to be Palestine ambassador to Pakistan anymore."

The action of the Palestinian envoy in Pakistan came days after India voted with the rest of the world in favour of an Arab resolution in the UN General Assembly rejecting US President Donald Trump's decision recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

According to the External Affairs Ministry statement, Palestine has also conveyed that it "highly values its relationship with India and stands with us in the war against terrorism, and will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India".

"We take note of the assurances given by the Palestine side," the statement added.

In a feeble response, Pakistan late on Saturday said that Friday's meeting "was yet another demonstration of the Pakistani strong sentiments in support of the Palestinian cause".

"This public rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life," Pakistan Today quoted the Foreign Office as saying in an official statement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Palestine also expressed appreciation for the "honourable position that India has taken by voting in favor of the resolution in the United Nation General Assembly last week".

The India-Palestine Solidarity Front (IPSF) in New Delhi strongly condemned the Palestinian envoy's dais sharing with Saeed and later appreciated the prompt action by President Mahmoud Abbas to recall Ali.

"We appreciate the prompt action by President Mahmoud Abbas, the Government of Palestine, to recall (Ali) for having attended a meeting convened by LeT Chief Hafeez Saeed, an internationally reviled and known hardcore terrorist," said IPSF.

"This prompt action by the Palestinian government will go a long way in improving India-Palestine ties and further cooperation", and "the immediate dialogue and resolution of the crisis is truly appreciated by both the people of India and Palestine", it said.

"The rich historical legacy bequeathed upon our nation by Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh and the stalwarts of our freedom struggle, the respect and adulation for the great Yasser Arafat, lives on in our collective memory."
The Kamala Mills pub fire tragedy and subsequent crackdown on illegal structures of restaurants by the city civic body have limited the options for many revellers who will be ringing in New Year in neighbouring Navi Mumbai or Thane instead of their preferred joints in the city.

In the wake of the deadly fire on Friday night that killed 14 people in swish rooftop pub '1 Above' in Central Mumbai's Lower Parel, the celebrations to welcome 2018 are likely to be muted in parts of the Kamala Mills compound, the dining hub of the city.

Revellers are forced to cancel their plans to welcome New Year in their preferred Mumbai joints as the civic officials razed illegal structures in various restaurants on Saturday, leaving event managers with little time to make fresh arrangements for customers.

The civic officials yesterday demolished illegal structures at 314 sites in Mumbai.

The BMC had also sealed seven hotels and seized around 417 LPG cylinders during the action.

While some revellers will be welcoming 2018 in restaurants in the famous hill station Lonavala some have decided to do so in Pune, nearly 150 kms away from the commercial capital.

Some party goers will be celebrating in Navi Mumbai, Thane, or at farm houses located near Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai-based event manager Satish Lokhande said he was flooded with calls from party-goers whose bookings in Mumbai got cancelled.

"I got some calls from friends and regular party goers asking suggestions for new locations around Mumbai. Many changed their bookings to Navi Mumbai, Thane and Lonaval-based restaurants because their earlier bookings in Mumbai hotels got cancelled," Lokhande said.

He said some pubs and bars mainly in western suburbs of Mumbai will receive a huge response from patrons as many restaurants and pubs may not remain open tonight due to the crackdown by the BMC.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which initiated the mega demolition drive two days back, has adopted a strict stand to not heed to requests by pubs and hotel owners to delay the action in view of New Year celebrations.

Santosh Shetty, president of Indian Hotels and Restaurants Association (AHAR) said they were expecting subdued celebrations this time.

"There are some 12,000 hotels in Mumbai of which around 8,000 are our members. We follow all the rules strictly but there are some black sheep in our industry. The two restaurants in Kamala Mills compound were not even our members," he said.

Shetty said they have appealed to people to pay tributes to the victims in the wake of the fire tragedy.

"We are not expecting too many people on the streets for celebration," he added.

Meanwhile, Lokhande said areas such as Khandala, Karjat and Nerul, located far away from Mumbai, have of late emerged as major weekend destinations.

"The facilities offered include farm-houses and resorts with large halls for such celebrations. A sizable number of party-goers organised parties in these areas in the last couple of days. The number of revellers in Mumbai could be less (this time) but many of them will be partying outside the city," Lokhande added.
The Indian Armed forces displayed a renewed assertiveness in dealing with security challenges in 2017 -- be it the 73-day-long border face-off with Chinese troops in Doklam, containing militancy in Kashmir or aggressive deployment of warships in critical sea lanes.

But they had their share of controversies also, including the use of a Kashmiri as a 'human shield' and subsequent award to the young officer who tied the civilian to the front of a jeep. The incident had triggered huge outrage.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat's comments that those obstructing the armed forces in anti-terror operations would be treated as overground workers of militant organisations also drew flak in the Kashmir Valley.

On the operational front, a new 'mission-ready' plan for aggressive deployment of warships in critical sea lanes was made operational by the Navy which came just a month before India joining hands with Japan, the US, and Australia to form a quadrilateral bloc to pursue common interests in the China-dominated Indo-Pacific region.

Another highlight of the year was the government unveiling a much-awaited policy under which select private firms would be roped in to build key military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with global defence firms.

Though the policy was announced in May, nothing concrete has taken place on the ground for its implementation. The ambitious modernisation plan of the three forces also moved at a snail's pace.

As the Army was reeling under severe shortage of ammunition and other hardware for "short duration wars", the government vested full financial power on the force to directly carry out required procurement, in another significant policy decision.

Since the beginning of the year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir, at the same time, forcefully responding to all ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit-for-tat approach.

In May, the Army said it launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting "damage", days after two of its troopers were beheaded, reflecting its policy of 'hot pursuit' against Pakistani 'misadventure'.

The policy earned it criticism from local people and its intensity grew significantly when a young Army officer used a Kashmiri man as a 'human shield' from stone throwers by tying him to an Army jeep in April.

Notwithstanding the criticism, the Army Chief Bipin Rawat defended the act and even conferred the officer a commendation medal when a Court of Inquiry was finalising its probe into the incident.

"This is a proxy war and proxy war is a dirty war. It is played in a dirty way," Rawat had famously said nearly two months after the incident, triggering another wave of criticism.

However, the Army earned kudos for its "mature" handling of the Doklam standoff, which was the most serious since a similar standoff in the 1980s.

Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff at Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off had ended on August 28.

"The Indian Army stood firm in Doklam in the face of heightened rhetoric by China. We earned compliments from a number of neighbouring countries for not succumbing to Chinese tactics," said a top official of the defence ministry.

Days after the end of the face-off, General Rawat said India cannot afford to let its guard down against China, insisting China has started "flexing its muscles". The Army has been strengthening its infrastructure along the nearly 4,000 km-long Sino-India border since then.

Soon after the standoff was over, the Army finalised one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernisation under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines, and assault rifles are to be purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons.

In September, the Army finalised a plan to induct women in the military police, seen as a major step towards inducting women into the combat stream.

On the naval front, the Navy significantly ramped up deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region as part of the 'mission-ready' plan besides enhancing cooperation with a number of strategically key countries, including Singapore.

During the Malabar exercise in July, India, Japan, and the US demonstrated unity of purpose in dealing with common maritime challenges.

The Navy has also taken a series of key measures to bolster its strike capability, including the commissioning of a Scorpene-class submarine.

Showcasing its growing assertiveness, the Navy foiled a number of piracy attempts on commercial vessels in the Indian Ocean region.

In November, the Indian Air Force successfully test-fired the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile Brahmos from a Sukhoi-30 combat jet for the first time.

The deadly missile is being integrated into a total of 40 Sukhoi jets as part of a mega project to bolster IAF's strike capability.

The IAF was dogged by a string of accidents involving a number of its fighter jets and attack helicopters.

The year 2017 also witnessed India's growing defence and security ties with the US, Japan, and Russia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila in November during which the two leaders pledged that the two countries should have the world's greatest militaries.

The year saw a change of guard in the Defence Ministry. In September, Nirmala Sitharaman took charge as India's first full-time woman defence minister, succeeding Arun Jaitley.

Jaitley was handling the defence ministry after Manohar Parrikar quit to become Goa's chief minister in March.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who has been sulking since the announcement of portfolios in the new BJP government in the state, on Saturday said the issue was about his "self-respect".

Patidar leaders Hardik Patel and Lalji Patel have declared support for Patel. Lalji Patel has also announced a bandh in Mehsana on January 1 and demanded that Patel be made the chief minister.

Patel, who is yet to take charge of the portfolios allotted to him, said he expected a proper response from the BJP high-command to his "feelings".

"I have conveyed my feelings to the party high-command and I am hopeful that they will give a proper reply to my feelings soon," he told reporters.

"This is not about some departments, this is about self- respect," he added.

The portfolios in the new BJP government, headed by Vijay Rupani, were allotted two days ago.

Patel, who handled important departments such as finance and urban development in the previous government, was allotted road and building, health, medical education, Narmada, Kalpsar and capital projects this time.

The deputy chief minister, who belongs to the influential Patidar community, has not taken charge of these departments so far, while his supporters on Saturday thronged his residence here to express solidarity with him.

The finance portfolio has been alloted to Saurabh Patel, while chief minister Rupani has kept the urban development department with himself.

Narottam Patel, who was a minister in the Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government, said Patel should be given portfolios "as per his stature".

"Nitin bhai is not an ordinary minister," he added.

Earlier in the day, Rupani skirted reporters' questions on the issue.

While announcing the portfolios, Rupani had said, "It is not true that the minister, who has the finance portfolio, is the number two in the cabinet. is our senior leader and will remain the number two."



Patidar quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel said he would extend support to Patel. Talking to reporters, he said, "As a veteran politician, Nitin bhai has worked hard for 27 years to ensure that the BJP stays in power. The (Patel) community members need to understand that such politicians are being sidelined (in the BJP)."



If Patel decided to quit the BJP and said 10 other MLAs were ready to quit with him, "We will talk to the Congress to take in Nitin bhai and give him a post he deserves," the Patidar leader said.

Senior Congress MLA Virji Thummar said Patel would be made the chief minister with the Congress' support if he quit the BJP. The opposition party, however, clarified that Thummar was speaking in his personal capacity and described the row over portfolio distribution as the BJP's "internal matter".

"It is the BJP's policy to disregard its senior leaders and sideline them once it finds them to be of no use. This has especially been the case with Patidar leaders like Keshubhai Patel, Anandiben Patel, Gordhan Zadaphia among others," state Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

Lalji Patel, whose Sardar Patel Group was at the forefront of the Patidar quota agitation, along with the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, met in Gandhinagar.

He called for a bandh in Mehsana -- Nitin Patel's Assembly constituency and a place which was the epicentre of the Patel quota agitation -- on January 1.

With 99 MLAs, the BJP has a simple majority in the 182- member Gujarat Assembly, against the 77 MLAs of the Congress.
In a major crackdown, civic officials in Mumbai on Saturday demolished illegal structures at 314 sites and sealed seven hotels, a day after a blaze in an upscale pub claimed 14 lives.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiated an inspection drive of 624 restaurants, eateries and malls across the city and its suburbs and razed illegal, unauthorised structures at 314 sites, the civic body said in a release.

"The BMC has sealed seven hotels and seized around 417 LPG cylinders during the action," it added.

Meanwhile, a senior police official said lookout notices were today issued against Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, the co-owners of '1 Above', the ill-fated Lower Parel pub where the fire took place. It was run by 'C Grade Hospitality'.

The police had yesterday booked the Sanghvi brothers, another co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others in connection with the case.

Giving details of the inspection drive, BMC spokesperson Ram Dotonde said as many as 1,000 officials and employees of the civic body had hit the streets and become a part of the exercise.

"The unauthorised hotels and restaurants, not only in central Mumbai, but also those located in the distant suburbs, such as Malad and Mulund, are facing action," Dotonde said.

A major portion of the popular Zaffran Hotel, located opposite the police headquarters in south Mumbai, was removed, he added.

"There are 24 wards in Mumbai and each has three teams personally inspecting all the restaurants, pubs, food joints and eateries. Each team has 10 members, including officials from the health and administration departments and inspectors," he said.

Once the team finds an unauthorised structure, it is brought down immediately, Dotonde said.

The civic administration has asked its entire staff to remain on duty. Leave and weekly offs of the staff of several departments, including the anti-encroachment department, have been cancelled and they have been given a detailed list of restaurants and pubs, where violations were found during the preliminary inspection, he said.

The other areas where the drive was carried out included Shivaji Park, Mulund, Dahisar, Malad, the Parsi Gymkhana near Marine Lines, Grant Road, Andheri and Ghatkopar.

The civic body has also directed its officials to form teams to ensure that restaurants and bars follow the safety norms, in view of the New Year parties.

Early in the morning on Saturday, the civic teams removed the illegal roofs of two restaurants -- 'Skyview Caf' and 'Social' at Kamala Mills as also encroachments of 'Pranay', 'Fumes' and 'Sheesha Sky Lounge' at Raghuvanshi Mills in the same locality, BMC officials said.

Civic chief Ajoy Mehta, in a message to all the BMC assistant municipal commissioners and deputy commissioners, said all zonal deputy commissioners and ward officers were asked to form teams comprising the staff of the building and factory departments, medical health officer and the fire department.

The teams will inspect all the restaurants in their respective wards and ensure that they are fire-compliant, the message said.

The premises should have fire-escape routes, staircases and open spaces, free from encroachment, it added.

After the blaze, the BMC had yesterday suspended five officials for "dereliction of duty".

A fire brigade official said they were trying to ascertain what exactly had triggered the inferno.

"We are probing if the flames created during a fire-stunt by a bartender at the pub came in contact with plastic sheets that covered the bamboo structure and triggered the blaze. We are also trying to find out whether the burning coal used for hookah at the adjacent restaurant led to the tragedy," he said.

"We are also taking into consideration all other possibilities, including that of a short-circuit," he added.

The massive fire that had swept through the pub left 14 people dead and 21 injured. The same central Mumbai area -- a former textile mill district, now dotted by swanky glass-and- concrete towers -- had witnessed the death of 23 people in a stampede at a railway overbridge on September 29.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's final edition of "Mann Ki Baat" of the year 2017 comprised of new youth potential, women empowerment and enthusiasm for cleanliness drive in the country.



PM Modi commenced his speech with the significance of "service to the people" topic where he said that this was the biggest humankind and also a part of India's culture.



In a bid to empower the Indian youth, PM Modi on Sunday proposed to organize a mock parliamentary session in every district around August 15 next year.

Addressing the nation through the 39th episode of his 'Mann ki Baat' radio programme, Prime Minister Modi suggested the move in order to engage with the youth to generate ideas on developing a 'New India'.

"We could organize a Mock Parliament in every district of India, where the youth of 18 to 25 years of age sit together and discuss ideas to build a New India, find ways, make plans regarding how we could accomplish our goals by 2022 and build an India that our freedom fighters dreamt of," he said.

Highlighting the importance of voting, Prime Minister Modi said it is the biggest power granted by a democracy, as voters have the leverage to transform the nation.

"Tomorrow, January 1, is special. We welcome those born in the 21st century to the democratic system as they will become eligible voters. A vote is the most effective means of bringing positive change in the lives of millions. It can transform our nation," he said.

Re-iterating the importance of the Indian youth, Prime Minister Modi claimed that those aged 18 to 25, or the New India Youth, are filled with energy and enthusiasm, and are capable of assisting India scale greater heights of growth with their skill set.

The concept of New India, Prime Minister Modi opined, is based on three pillars- Shanti, Ekta, and Sadbhavna. It aims at creating a nation free of casteism, communalism, corruption, filth and poverty; and a nation where ample opportunities are created and aspirations fulfilled.

"From skill development to innovation and entrepreneurship, our youth are excelling in all fields. It is now time that a system is created where newest development opportunities are easily accessible for the New India Youth as soon as they turn 18," he said.

Prime Minister Modi also appealed to the nation to take concrete steps in the country's transformation from Positive India to Progressive India in the New Year.



The Prime Minister also mentioned about one of the greatest reforms, lately, in the lives of Muslim women that has led to the abolishment of the 'discriminatory' practice of Muslim women being barred from visiting Haj without a 'Mehram' or male guardian.



Prime Minister Modi said around 1,300 women have applied to visit Haj without a male guardian.

Further, Prime Minister Modi suggested that single women pilgrims be excluded from the lottery system implemented to select Haj pilgrims.

"Usually, there is a lottery system for the selection of Haj pilgrims. However, I would like to suggest that single women pilgrims be excluded from this system," he said.





(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The first draft of the Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam, aimed at identifying illegal migrants will be released on Sunday, December 31, after the Supreme Court rejected the Centre's plea for an extension of the deadline until July 31, 2018. The office of the State Coordinator, NRC, will now be required to publish the first draft after midnight on December 31, 2017. However, the issue of deportation comes under a separate jurisdiction.
Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today, killing an Army jawan.

A senior police official said the jawan, posted in a forward area in Noushera sector of Rajouri district, was killed when he was hit by a bullet from across the border in the early hours on Sunday.

Further details are awaited.

He said Pakistani troops also fired indiscriminately in Digwar sector of nearby Poonch district.

The firing from across the border started around 1 am and continued till 5.30 am, the official said.

Amid the spurt in ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat yesterday reviewed the operational preparedness of the force here and the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Army Chief also visited forward posts along the LoC and interacted with soldiers in Rajouri sector, where an Army Major and three jawans were killed by Pakistani troops on December 23.

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past seven years, along the LoC and the International Border resulting in the death of 34 people.

According to officials, Pakistan has violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 771 times till December 10, and 110 times along the IB till November-end.

In these incidents of firing from across the border, 30 people -- 14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnel -- were killed.

The truce between India and Pakistan along the International Border, the Line of Control and the Actual Ground Position Line in Jammu and Kashmir came into force in November 2003.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations in which 13 civilians and 13 government forces personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

In 2014, there were 583 incidents of ceasefire violation in which 14 civilians and three security personnel were killed and 101 civilians and 28 security personnel were injured.

In 2015, the number of ceasefire violations were 405; 347 in 2013, 114 in 2012, 62 in 2011 and 70 in 2010.
Euphoria gripped fans of superstar soon after he announced his political entry here on Sunday, with admirers of the actor bursting firecrackers and distributing sweets across Tamil Nadu.

Immediately after the actor announced his political debut, his fans waved the fan club flags outside the meeting venue, and raised slogans hailing his decision.

After announcing his decision, walked up to the balcony of the marriage hall, and waved to his fans who had gathered in large numbers outside the venue too.

In his characteristic style, he lifted both his arms and wished them in the traditional style.

In reciprocation, his fans shouted slogans of 'Thalaiva,' (leader) and danced to popular tunes waving placards that carried his portrait, typical of his real look of the late 1980's and 1990's.

"It is Thalaivar's New Year gift to us," they said.

The neigbourhood in and around Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam, the meet venue and several other locations in the city and other parts of the State echoed with sounds of firecrackers.

Hailing the move, they also distributed sweets to passengers in buses, trains and other public places.

The fan club flag featuring stripes of blue, white and red with a star in the centre within which an image of was embossed fluttered in parts of the city.

In prominent locations, mega-size wall posters hailing Rajinikanth had already appeared anticipating his political entry.

Here's how Twitter reacted





India needs human being like you in politics @superstarrajini... Best of luck #Rajinikanth #RajniForTamilNadu  Kapil Bhat (@D_kapilbhat) December 31, 2017

Today, Tamil Nadu is going through worst politics so, glad to see #Superstar Rajinikanth is coming in politics. We have lots of positive hope from Rajinikanth Ji #Rajinikanthpoliticalentry #RajniForTamilNadu #ThalaivarPoliticalEntry  Sanny Singh (@isannysingh) December 31, 2017

Congrates Rajni Sir for creating a political party hope your party will win in elections #Rajinikanthpoliticalentry #RajniForTamilNadu #ThalaivarPoliticalEntry  Praveer joshi (@joshiprav) December 31, 2017

Actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher wished Rajinikanth a successful journey as he announced plans to float a political party that would practice "spiritual politics".





T 2758 - My dear friend , my colleague and a humble considerate human, RAJNIKANTH, announces his decision to enter politics .. my best wishes to him for his success !! pic.twitter.com/dByrmlZb2c  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) December 31, 2017 Amitabh, a close friend of Rajinkanth, tweeted: "My dear friend, my colleague and a humble considerate human Rajinkanth announces his decision to enter politics. My best wishes to him for his success."

Kabir Bedi said: "Wishing the great Rajinikanth, Tamil Nadu's greatest hope for cleaning up its political system, the greatest success."

Actor Anupam Kher noted how on the last day of 2017 came the "biggest newsmaker of the year": "Rajinikanth joins politics. Jai Ho."

Actor Riteish Deshmukh, son of late former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, was also excited.

"He gave his heart and soul to his art form and people's love made him Rajinikanth. I am sure the nobility of his intention will receive as much love as he announces his political entry. I wish you all the very best and super success Sir," he wrote.
While much attention has been paid to the deteriorating financial position of the public sector banks in India, the state of financial institutions catering to rural India also remained equally precarious.
The Yogi Adityanath government has undertaken the development of a dozen new airports in Uttar Pradesh (UP) to boost regional connectivity and boost religious, cultural, and business tourism.
Crisis-wracked Democratic Republic of Congo was bracing for fresh unrest on Sunday after the country's influential Catholic church vowed to defy a protest ban and hold a "peaceful march" to urge implementation of a deal for President Joseph Kabila to leave office.

Kabila, who march organisers are calling on to say he will not stand for a third term, has been in power since 2001 when he succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila.

He refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016.

That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown. Demonstrations have been banned or else widely repressed since September 2016 but several have nonetheless gone ahead since with many ending in bloodshed.

The church's call for a new rally despite authorities bluntly saying it should not proceed saw some observers warn of renewed unrest.

"The demonstrations tomorrow (Sunday) in the Congo could be the largest since last year," tweeted analyst Jason Stearns, a DR Congo expert at New York University's Centre on Cooperation.

"All major opposition parties, civil society, youth movements, and the Catholic Church have all backed peaceful demonstrations," Stearns added.

Elections were due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal aimed at avoiding more violence in a vast, mineral-rich country which has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

After multiple postponements -- officially due to violence in the Kasai region -- the delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year.

About 150 Catholic churches have urged believers to heed their call to protest, bibles and crucifixes in hand, today in the capital Kinshasa to demand implementation of a deal signed exactly a year ago and designed to restore stability with Kabila stepping down.

Neither the National Episcopal Conference nor the country's Vatican representative have commented on the planned rally.

But the governor of the city of 10 million yesterday stated the unauthorised march cannot proceed.

"The city does not have sufficient numbers of police officers to supervise this march," Andre Kimbuta said. "Therefore, I do not recognise the authorisation requested."



March spokeswoman Leonie Kandolo insisted, however, that "lay people will march tomorrow (and) the city authority and the police must fulfil their role of protecting people and property."



March organisers have asked worshippers to gather after morning mass and "take our destiny in hand -- our beautiful country is suffering."



Clinging on to power, Kabila is banned by the constitution from running for a third term, but the deal allows him to stay on until the next poll is held.

The opposition has complained in recent days that new electoral reforms "automatically" ban certain hopefuls from next year's poll by setting a minimum vote share threshold a candidate must win to obtain a seat as well as demanding a deposit equivalent to several hundred dollars.

Recent days have seen three pro-democracy activists released after spending five months in prison for organising "an anarchic march" in the country's second-largest city Lubumbashi.

But another dozen anti-Kabila activists from the Struggle for Change movement were arrested on Friday after a sit-down protest near the southern city of Kananga.
South Korea has seized a Panama- flagged ship suspected of transferring oil products to in breach of UN sanctions, a report said on Sunday.

The 5,100-tonne KOTI was detained two weeks ago at the South's port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin and its crew are being investigated over the alleged ship-to-ship transfers, Yonhap news agency cited local maritime officials as saying.

It was the second such seizure to be reported in days. The South Korean government announced Friday that it briefly seized and inspected a Hong Kong-registered ship in November for transferring oil products to a North Korean vessel.

The Panamanian tanker was banned from leaving port following a government meeting on December 21, the report said. Its crew -- mostly from Myanmar and China -- were being questioned by the customs office and the intelligence agency.

"The vessel is under inspection for alleged ties with North Korea," a government official said, according to Yonhap.

Authorities were not immediately available for confirmation of the report.

The Hong Kong-registered Lighthouse Winmore, which was chartered by a Taiwanese company, was seized at the South's port of Yeosu in November for allegedly transferring refined petroleum products to the North's Sam Jong 2.

The UN Security Council has imposed three sets of sanctions on the North this year to try to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

One on August 5 targeted the iron, coal and fishing industries, another set on September 11 was aimed at textiles and restricting oil supplies, and the most recent on December 22 focused on refined petroleum products.

The Lighthouse Winmore visited Yeosu on October 11 and loaded some 14,000 tonnes of Japanese refined oil before heading towards its purported destination in Taiwan.

Instead of going to Taiwan, however, it transferred 600 tonnes of oil to the North's Sam Jong 2 in waters off China, South Korean customs service officials have said.

Four ships -- three North Korean vessels and a Palau- flagged oil tanker -- were blocked from ports by the UN Security Council on Thursday on suspicion of carrying or transporting goods banned by the sanctions.

China has rejected accusations that it helped Pyongyang circumvent sanctions after US President Donald Trump claimed on Twitter that Beijing was turning a blind eye to oil transfers to .
Syrian activists and a first responder group say shelling and rocket fire in the suburbs of Damascus killed 19 civilians a day after medical evacuations were completed to save the lives of 29 .

The Syrian Civil Defense, volunteer rescuers also known as the White Helmets, says pro-government forces shelled the rebel-held eastern Ghouta suburbs yesterday, killing 6 children and 13 adults.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group and the local, activist-run Ghouta Media Center reported the same.

On Friday, the Red Cross and Red Crescent completed the evacuation of 29 patients from the besieged suburbs to receive urgent medical care in government hospitals in Damascus. The UN says around 400,000 people are trapped under the government's siege of eastern Ghouta.
Australia's largest city Sydney will welcome 2018 with a rainbow-themed fireworks spectacular marking new same-sex marriage rights on Sunday, with heavy security for festivities that kick off a wave of celebrations around the world.

The first major New Year's bash will see more than 1.5 million spectators pack the city's foreshore as tonnes of pyrotechnics light up the night sky.

The technicolour display will include a rainbow waterfall of fireworks cascading off the Sydney Harbour Bridge to mark Australia's legalisation of same-sex marriage following a nationwide postal vote in support of change.

"This is a fabulous way to see out 2017 -- the year that four out of five Sydneysiders said a resounding 'Yes' to marriage equality," Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

Hollywood heartthrob Hugh Jackman will add star power with a 20-second gold-and-silver pyrotechnics set, fulfilling a life-long dream to design a firework for his hometown.

The chimes of midnight then move across the world to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and finally the Americas.

Dazzling light shows will bid farewell to 2017.

Hong Kong: "Shooting stars" to be fired off from the rooftops of buildings in a 10-minute musical firework display



Singapore: More landmarks are included in the countdown party, with a symphony of light and sound illuminating the waterfront skyline



Tokyo: People traditionally spend the eve with their families at home, while many young people head downtown for countdown events



Dubai: The city is replacing its main midnight fireworks with a laser show on the world's tallest tower, accompanied by music



Moscow: Major boulevards and squares will be decked out to welcome the new year, with fireworks to light up 36 key sites



Rio: Millions will gather on Copacabana beach to watch fireworks, with many wearing white, the traditional dress to usher in the new year



Stricter security measures will be a key focus amid fears that the huge crowds in public places could be targets for vehicle and other terror attacks.

People in Sydney waiting for new year fireworks to begin later in the day | Photo: Reuters

The heightened measures come just a week after more than a dozen people were hurt when a man ploughed a car into a crowd of pedestrians in Melbourne.

"You're going to see more police than ever out, it will be our largest contingent... (given) the current security environment," Victoria state police acting chief commissioner Shane Patton said.

Other cities are also preparing for possible threats following deadly vehicle assaults over the past two years in Barcelona, Nice and London.

New York's Times Square celebrations will be safeguarded by the toughest security presence in years, after two recent attacks apparently inspired by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

IS's defeat in Iraq was one of the key stories this year, although the jihadists remain a threat and numerous attacks around the world were claimed by them or Al-Qaeda -linked groups.

Donald Trump has stolen the spotlight as he made his debut as US President in 2017, with "America first" policies and a bombastic personal style that has shaken diplomacy.

The former reality television star is likely to continue to dominate headlines in 2018, with escalating tensions over North Korea among a host of global challenges going into the new year.
China will have a "say" on all major issues and actively push its Belt and Road initiative, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year message today.

Xi said China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the UN, actively fulfil China's obligations and duties.

He also said that China will remain firmly committed to the pledges to tackle climate change, actively push for the BRI and always be a builder of world peace, contributor of global development and keeper of order.

"As a responsible major country, China has something to say," Xi said in his first New Year address of his second-five year term, telecast live all over the country.

The BRI through which China seeks to build its influence in the world through a host road, rail and port connectivity projects also incorporates China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

India has objected to the CPEC as it traverses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. China defends it saying that it is a connectivity project and it will not impact its stand on the Kashmir issue.

Xi said the Chinese people are ready to chart out a more prosperous, peaceful future for humanity, with people from other countries.

On domestic front, Xi, in a surprise admission, said there were areas where the government's work fell short of expectations.

Though progress has been made, he said, issues of public concern remain, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

"That is why we should strengthen our sense of responsibility and do a good job of ensuring the people's well-being," Xi said.

"The well-being of our people is the Party and the government's greatest political achievement. Our cadres should put the people's state of living at the heart, and help them live a better life," he said.

He vowed to eradicate poverty. China claims it has eradicated poverty among over 650 million people in the last three decades.

By 2020, all rural residents living below the current poverty line would be lifted out of poverty, Xi said, adding that it will be the first time in China's history that extreme poverty will be completely eliminated.

"It is our solemn promise. Only three years are left to 2020. Every one of us must be called to action, do our best, take targeted measures to secure victories one after another," he said.

"This is a great cause, important to both the Chinese nation and humanity. Let's do it together and make it happen," he said.

He also said China would resolutely carry out reform in 2018.

"We will take the opportunity of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up in 2018 to further carry out reform, as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realise the Chinese dream," Xi said.

China's great achievement of development was made by the people and for the people, and that among the people's most pressing concerns were education, employment, income, social security, health care, elderly care, housing and environmental protection, he said.

He extended New Year greetings to all Chinese and best wishes to friends all over the world.
Benchmark indices gained about 28-29 per cent in 2017, their best yearly performance in three years. The gains came despite corporate earnings disappointing and the economy growing at a sluggish pace. Many stocks saw their valuations get re-rated, taking multiples way above their historic averages. This was made possible by the highest-ever investments by domestic mutual funds (MFs) and supportive global portfolio flows.

The rally in stocks is expected to continue in 2018 on hopes of a revival in corporate earnings and economic growth. However, as demonstrated in 2017, markets fortune will largely be linked to how liquidity  both domestic and global  pans out. Stepping into the New Year, there doesnt seem to be any pertinent concerns that will spoil the fund flow party. Thanks to increase in financialisation of domestic household savings, money continues to flow into equity MFs. On the global front, too, though the US Federal Reserve (Fed) is moving towards unwinding of its quantitative easing (QE) programme, other liquidity outlets  European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of Japan (BoJ) continue to pump money. This is ensuring benign liquidity conditions, which are eventually finding their way into riskier emerging (EMs).

Equity strategist are forecasting the market dream run to continue till the first half of 2018 but dont rule out shocks, as liquidity supply is expected to tighten in the latter part of the year.

Source: NSDL/Sebi

One other difference between 2017 and 2018 is Feds upcoming balance sheet reduction and QE unwinding programme. While in 2017 it was all talk about unwinding balance sheets, in 2018 we get to learn how that will actually impact when the actual unwinding starts, says Herald van der Linde, head of equity strategy for Asia-Pacific at HSBC.

Robert Subbaraman, managing director and head of emerging market economics, Nomura adds, We dont see any significant risk in the first quarter of 2018. But, in the second or third quarter, we could see some market shocks from Fed normalisation. We are also concerned with what happens with the ECB and BoJ. This could cause a risk-off as investors will look to reassess the credit risk in the EMs.

Strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch dont rule out a possibility of a flash crash in the first half of 2018 as global central banks continue to withdraw liquidity. The US-based bank says total central bank liquidity infusions will peak in the June 2018 quarter.

If the coordinated global asset inflation pauses, ends or reverses it will hurt Indian equity prices, says Sanjay Mookim, India Equity Strategist, Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Photo: iStock

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) inflows into Indian equities in 2017 totalled $8 billion, most of which found its way into Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).

Neelkanth Mishra, managing director and India equity strategist at Credit Suisse is more bullish on foreign flow outlook. According to him, India will continue to attract strong FPI flows as primary issuances in 2018 are expected to remain strong amid continuance of easy global liquidity conditions.

With inflation staying low globally despite the commodity price increases, the withdrawal of central bank accommodation is unlikely to be sudden. The aggregate balance sheet of developed market central banks will barely change in 2018, says Mishra.

Meanwhile, the liquidity outlook on the domestic side appears to be much more sanguine. Average monthly inflows into equity schemes in 2017 were close to Rs 12,000 crore. This momentum is expected to sustain, say most experts.

Domestic households continue to make a shift away from gold into equities  a structural trend we expect will persist in 2018, says Ridham Desai, managing director, Morgan Stanley India.

Experts believe investors have poured money into equities due to lack of alternative investment options--with global and real estate prices remaining soft. Poor returns in other asset classes will drive more investors towards equities, they add.

Another reason for sustained flows into equities has been low volatility in 2017. But, experts say a spike in volatility or frequent shocks to the market could test investors risk appetite and dwindle flows into equities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that Republic Day 2018 will be celebrated with leaders of all ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries coming to India as chief guests.

Addressing the nation in his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, the Prime Minister said that 26th January is a historic festival for the entire country and this time it will be celebrated with the arrival of great leaders of ten nations of the world.

"This is unprecedented in India's history," the Prime Minister said taking pride in this extraordinary move to strengthen political ties.

He also said that the arrival of great leaders of ten nations of the world as a unit is a matter of pride for all citizens of the country.

The ASEAN countries include Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Authorities have identified the gunman in the California law office shooting as 58-year-old John Alexander Mendoza.

Mendoza, a resident of Redondo Beach killed one man and injured another "before shooting himself," according to the Long Beach Police Department, the LA Times reported.

The police, in a press conference, said all three people involved were male adults and employees of a law firm at the location.

Mendoza killed 75-year-old Major A Langer who was shot in the torso. Another partner with the law firm, Ronald Beck, who suffered gunshot wounds to the torso and lower body, was taken to a hospital.

Beck was in stable condition and is expected to survive, according to a statement from police.

The weapon has been recovered at the scene.

The shootings occurred at a Southern California law office near Long Beach Boulevard and San Antonio Drive in the Bixby Knolls neighbourhood.

The Long Beach Police underscored it was not an active shooter situation and branded it as "workplace shooting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The New Year has officially begun, as midnight passed in New Zealand, one of the first places in the to welcome in 2018.

Multi-coloured fireworks exploded across the city skyline at midnight as thousands of cheering revellers rang in the New Year at Auckland.

Samoa was the first country in the to welcome in 2018 an hour earlier.

Australians have also started to gather around the Sydney Harbour Bridge in anticipation of one of the best firework displays in the world, with a preview already taking place earlier in the night.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Briefing the media about "extensive security measures" for New Year's Eve on December 31, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Khan has said, "People can celebrate 31st night in their homes, but not on rooftops."

The DMP commissioner announced it at a press conference on Saturday at the DMP Media Centre in Dhaka, reported the Dhaka Tribune.

"All sorts of gatherings, playing loud music, dancing, concerts and any other party-related activities in open spaces are strictly prohibited. Celebrations can be held indoors only, where not even rooftop parties are allowed on 31st night since it could disrupt peace among neighbours," Commissioner Asaduzzaman said.

However, five-star hotels, will be able to throw new year parties upon securing permission.

DMP Police chief also stated that, "Carrying any kind of bags or flammable substance is strictly prohibited."

In addition to this, no reckless driving and no use of crackers will be allowed on the night of the year end, according to the reports.

"Tough measures will be taken against anybody who disobeys these instructions," Asaduzzaman added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 11 people have been injured in an explosion in Afghanistan's Mazar-e-Sharif city of Balkh province.

The Tolo News quoted the local officials as saying that the blast occurred Saturday evening when a magnetic mine was placed in a Police Ranger and detonated.

Two military personnel were among the injured.

The injured were rushed to the hospital for medical assistance.

No group has commented on the incident so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With superstar Rajinikanth all set to make an announcement on his entry into politics today, the fans who are expected to meet the actor for a photo session said they were excited about the possible announcement.

The screens inside the Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam played clippings from various news media outlets speculating on his political entry which included reactions from various political leaders.

"I will make the announcement in Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in a while," Rajinikanth told media here.

Earlier this week, the actor, while addressing his fans in the Tamil Nadu capital, had announced that he would disclose his political plans on December end.

"I am not new to politics. I'm there since 1996. I got delayed. Entering is equal to victory. I will announce a decision on December 31," he had said.

There have been widespread speculations in Tamil Nadu that the superstar would take a plunge into politics very soon.

Rajinikanth's wife Latha had also said it was her husband's decision and would accept and respect whatever decision he takes.

Fellow actor Kamal Haasan has also hinted he was willing to work with Rajinikanth if the superstar ever decided to enter politics.

Rajinikanth, who is referred as 'Thalaivar' or 'Ultimate Boss' by his fans, enjoys almost demigod status among his followers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night, will hold meetings with the royal family on what his party described as "matters of national interest."

"Mian Sahib's visit is that of national interest as it has nothing to do with his personal interest. It will not be good to talk about the matters of sensitive nature before they take final shape," the Dawn reported, citing, a close aide to Sharif, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, as saying.

Dismissing and dubbing the reports of efforts being made to have another National Reconciliation Order (NRO) as "absurd", Rashid said, "Those claiming that an NRO is being prepared should at least know that it is signed secretly and not so openly."

On Saturday the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president flew to Saudi Arabia by a foreign airline from the Allama Iqbal International Airport of Lahore. Sharif was welcomed at Riyadh airport by Khan Hasham bin Siddique, the country's ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

This comes in the backdrop of chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province and his brother Shahbaz Sharif and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique are already present there.

Shahbaz Sharif is reportedly believed to have been preparing the premise for the visit of his elder brother.

Nawaz and Shehbaz are expected to meet the Saudi crown prince and other senior officials of the Kingdom today.

The Sharif brothers are also likely to tour London after concluding their trip to the Kingdom, according to the reports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged the nation to kick start the New Year with a positive spirit.

Addressing the nation in his 39th edition of monthly radio-address 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Modi said, "Let us enter 2018 with a spirit of positivity. During last month, I had spoken about 'Positive India'. I am happy that so many people shared their 'Positive India' moments through social media."

He added the nation should welcome the New Year with the smallest happiness and commence the journey from a 'Positive India' towards a 'Progressive India'.

The prime minister also welcomed those born in the year 2000 to the electoral system as 'they will become eligible voters' in 2018.

"I encourage these new voters to be the change they want to see," Prime Minister Modi asserted.

The prime minister also hailed his government for taking steps to facilitate Haj for the Muslim women.

"We have also made provisions so that Muslim women do not have to wait for permission to go to Haj. They can now decide for themselves and we have already received several applications," he added.
Bomb hoaxers in Russia can now face imprisonment up to 10 years after President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed an amendment in the country's Criminal Code law.

According to TASS news agency, the earlier version of the law had a maximum term of five years of rigorous imprisonment for the bomb hoaxers.

The amended law states that false phone calls that are made to "destabilize the activities of government agencies" shall be punished with a jail term for up to 6-8 years and the convicted will have to cough up more than 1 million rubles ($17,319).

Also in extreme cases, when false reports of bomb threats lead to the death of a person or other grave consequences, then the hoaxers will face from eight to 10 years of imprisonment.

These amendments come at a time when the Russian president amended its existing terrorism law to crack down on terrorist activities in the country and stringently punish those who finance terrorism or recruit terrorists.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 13 Indian fishermen have been apprehended by Sri Lankan Navy near Gulf of Mannar in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

The arrested fishermen have been taken to Mannar naval camp and their interrogation is underway.

Earlier on December 11, 27 Indian fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy with five boats near Delft Island.

Further details are awaited...

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Talentedge, an Ed-Tech firm offering 'live and interactive' learning in a digital format, announced it has registered 50 per cent year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth in 2017, and envisions global expansion in the year to come.

Along with this, another highlight of the year for the company was the launch of SLIQ 2.0, a learning platform powered by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, said Aditya Malik, MD, and CEO of Talentedge.

"Talentedge was founded with the vision to recreate physical world classrooms in the virtual world. We have been working in this direction ever since. In this journey, we have taken a step ahead of online classes and introduced the concept of Live and Interactive classrooms on a platform that is powered by AI and Machine learning. The progress we made was well received by all our partner institutes and also more than 3 lakh learners," he said.

One of the most important goals for the company in 2018, Malik said, is expanding Talentedge's reach internationally. The management also plans on closing partnerships with renowned international affiliates and making international education accessible for professionals in India. Discussions with major corporates in the country are underway to provide them with a platform that helps equip their workforce better.

Furthermore, the firm is scouting to invest in EdTech companies who have carved out a niche for themselves, with an aim to breach new frontiers with its learning platform and enhance the learning experience for students.

"A steady growth has generated a lot of Inbound Interest and enquirers from investors. As of now, we are well capitalised and not looking for any further fundraiser," stated Malik.

Talentedge endeavours to create a unified learning environment for learners and teachers alike, and empower faculty to optimise and personalise learning for individual students in the coming year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The year gone by was an exciting time with the landscape rapidly evolving and enabling businesses to leapfrog several growth cycles.

Here is a look at the Top 5 tech stories of 2017:

1. More power to Amazon

Earlier this year, Amazon India announced the launch of Amazon Saheli, a new pioneering program aimed at empowering and enabling women entrepreneurs across the country to sell their products on the Amazon.in marketplace.

Besides offering the registered women entrepreneurs an unparalleled reach to customers, Amazon Saheli was a step to help them gain world-class logistics and fulfilment facilities.

In other news, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos surpassed USD 100 billion mark in his total net worth. The achievement came on the backdrop of Black Friday sales which got Bezos' fortune swelling.

2. Crytomania

From being the second most searched item on Google in 2017 to touching nearly USD 20,000; bitcoin sure made waves this year.

The cryptocurrency constantly kept investors on their toes and there was never a dull moment as people from across the world continued to speculate about its rise and fall.

Recently, both the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Ministry of Finance took cognisance of the situation, linking cryptocurrencies to 'ponzi schemes' in the country.

The apex body clarified that these virtual currencies have no official backing by any government fiat, they are also not a legal tender, and therefore cannot be categorised as currencies.

3. Apple testing consumer loyalty

giant Apple launched its much-awaited iPhone 8 and iPhone X this year. But the billion dollar company made news for other reasons.

Geekbench developer John Poole mapped out performance for iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 over time and concluded that Apple's iOS 10.2.1 and 11.2.0 updates introduce a throttling effect for various devices.

Apple later confirmed to the news of slowing down of old iPhones and said that iPhones with older batteries will take a hit in performance.

And soon after this news flooded the internet and other social media platforms; the company issued an apology to its users, and offered USD 29-worth battery replacements for a year.

"We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologise," the letter read.

4. Thank God for Facebook and Twitter

#MeToo

2017 will be remembered as the year that celebrated an anti-harassment movement across the world.

It all started in the wake of the revelations about film mogul Harvey Weinstein in October, where several prominent stars came forward to talk about sexual misconduct.

The #MeToo hashtag took off after actor Alyssa Milano encouraged women who had experienced sexual mistreatment to come forward. In the next 48 hours, nearly a million people used it.

It was no surprise that the #MeToo movement was also named Time magazine's Person of the Year.

So, thank you Facebook and Twitter for providing a safe and secure platform to women in India to voice their concerns. Thank you for proving us a stage to air our concerns.

5. The AI powerhouse - Google

From the death of GChat to extending the services of Google Assistant, the Sundar Pichai led company proclaimed itself as an AI powerhouse this year.

In a bid to keep their user base engaged, Google came up with several updates.

Moreover, the Google Cloud platform services promise to foster an ecosystem of skilled cloud talent in India.

The company also launched revamped AdWords; 'Files Go' to help users free space on their mobiles; 'Datally App' to help users understand, control and save on their mobile data; a platform to build voice-enabled solutions for Google Assistant and brought updates to our fingertips with 'Posts'.

There was also a host of new features and updates on Pixel 2 including Google Lens, Augmented Reality Stickers, and Android Oreo 8.1.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 11 militants belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group have been killed in the drone strikes conducted by the United States forces in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

The Khaama Press quoted the 201st Silab Corps of the Afghan army as saying in a statement on Saturday that the U.S. military carried out the strikes in Deh Bala district, in which three IS terrorists were killed.

However, the provincial government media office said the airstrikes were carried out in Haska Mina district, providing the same death toll.

Meanwhile, the 201st Silab, in a separate statement, said eight ISIS militants were killed and three others were wounded in a similar airstrike on Thursday.

Earlier this week, at least 15 IS militants were killed in a drone strike by the United States forces in the province.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Election Commission of India on Sunday directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to re-evaluate Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat's immovable assets, which were declared by him in the nomination papers for the state legislative assembly elections.

The polling commission has also asked the CBDT to submit a report on the same.

The ECI ordered an investigation into the matter after a complaint was filed by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Raghunath Singh Negi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday apprehended two persons involved in circulation of fake Indian currency note (FICN) in Malda's Gulapgunj market.

The BSF recovered 325 notes in Rs 2,000 denomination with the face value of Rs 6,50,000.

A special operation was planned and carried out by the troops of BSF Malda after receiving a tip-off.

On preliminary questioning, apprehended persons revealed their identities as Ainul Haque and Renu Mondal, both residents of Malda.

Further investigation is underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has shared some throwback moments with his social media followers including one vintage picture with wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter Shweta Bachchan-Nanda and son Abhishek Bachchan.

In another picture he shared on Sunday, we can see Shweta, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan hugging him tightly.

The 'PINK' star captioned the picture on Instagram stating, "How quickly they grow up .. and innocence turns to sense .."

The 75-year-old also shared a candid picture with Jaya Bachchan with an adorable caption that read, "May the days ahead be filled with laughter and smiles of the near and dear."

On the work front, Big B has recently got back from a shoot schedule in Thailand where he was shooting for 'Thugs Of Hindostan'. The film also stars Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif and 'Dangal' fame Fatima Sana Sheikh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three vehicles crashed into each other and burst into flames on a highway in Mexico's Guerrero state, killing 10 people, including five members of a family, officials said.

The accident, involving two SUVs and a motorcycle, took place shortly before Friday midnight, on the highway linking the beach resorts of Acapulco and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, the state's Secretary of Civil protection said on Saturday, Xinhua reported.

The five tourists and the driver of their van and his assistant were also killed in the crash. Two boys, aged 18 and 8, who were traveling with the family, survived the accident and were taken to a nearby hospital.

According to the national daily Excelsior, the family was headed to the town of Atoyac de Alvarez, and were merely 15 minutes from arriving at their destination when the accident occurred.

The remaining victims included the 76-year-old driver of the second SUV and two men who were on the motorcycle. All three were from the town of Tecpan de Galeana, where the accident took place.

Officials are investigating the cause of the accident.

--IANS

pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All six occupants on board a tourist seaplane were killed on Sunday after it crashed into a bay north of Sydney in southeastern Australia.

Authorities said they had recovered three bodies from the plane, a DHC-2 Beaver owned by the Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd, believed to be submerged in the sea, the Australian Aviation Safety Network said, citing the country's national transport safety investigator, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Efe news agency reported.

"A float-equipped de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver impacted the water off Cottage Point, Jerusalem Bay, Australia and reportedly sank rapidly according to the ATSB," the ASN said in a statement. "The aircraft carried one pilot and five passengers on a return flight to Rose Bay, Sydney Harbour," the statement added.

According to media reports, the occupants included four British nationals, although authorities were yet to identify them.

Superintendent Michael Gorman said divers were working to try to recover the other three bodies and the seaplane, while the cause of the accident, that took place near Cowan city, was not known.

Sydney Seaplanes owned planes are hired by the tourists to fly over emblematic monuments such as the Opera House and the creeks in the north of the city.

Famous visitors to use the service include Pippa Middleton, younger sister of Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, and her husband James Matthews.

The service has been active for the past 80 years.

--IANS

ahm/bg

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth was on Sunday wished by actors Amitabh Bachchan and Anupam Kher a successful journey as he announced plans to float a political party that would practice "spiritual politics".

Amitabh, a close friend of Rajinkanth, tweeted: "My dear friend, my colleague and a humble considerate human Rajinkanth announces his decision to enter politics. My best wishes to him for his success."

Kabir Bedi said: "Wishing the great Rajinikanth, Tamil Nadu's greatest hope for cleaning up its political system, the greatest success."

Actor Anupam Kher noted how on the last day of 2017 came the "biggest newsmaker of the year": "Rajinikanth joins politics. Jai Ho."

Actor Riteish Deshmukh, son of late former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, was also excited.

"He gave his heart and soul to his art form and people's love made him Rajinikanth. I am sure the nobility of his intention will receive as much love as he announces his political entry. I wish you all the very best and super success Sir," he wrote.

--IANS

rb/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court stood out in 2017 for protecting and advancing the rights of citizens in more ways than one, but primarily by empowering them against any intrusion of their privacy by the State or the private sector as it elevated the right to privacy as a fundamental right.

The Supreme Court will be quoted not just for its verdict expanding the scope of the Right to Life by including within its ambit the sacrosanct Right to Privacy, but it will also be counted for its pronouncements that instant triple talaq was unconstitutional and sex with a minor wife in a child marriage amounted to rape.

The Year 2017 also saw the top court's collegium finally putting in the public domain its deliberations on the appointment, transfer and elevation of High Court and Supreme Court judges with an explanation as to why a particular name was recommended or not.

This was viewed by some as the collegium throwing down the gauntlet for the executive, which is insisting on a provision in the Memorandum of Procedure (on appointments) that it can block a recommendation on the ground of national security but without elaborating on this.

The apex court did make serious efforts in making the government act on curbing advertisements and information on sex determination techniques available on the Internet but did not succeed to the extent that was expected.

In the end, virtually nothing was achieved in the matter as, even after a decade, says senior counsel Sanjay Parikh, and despite several court directions, the offending advertisements continue to appear on the Internet in violation of PNDT Act, resulting in a skewed girlchild ratio in some northern states.

All this apart, there is hardly an area impacting the life of the common people that escaped the top court's scanner, be it clean air to breathe, making politics free of tainted politicians, baring the chilling insensitivity of the powers that be denying relief to the farmers faced with drought or not getting a just and reasonable minimum support price for their agriculture produce -- leading to suicides.

Describing the 2017 as an "eventful year" with top court "standing up to the challenge" in addressing the issues of "great promise", senior counsel C A Sundram said that Supreme Court has reaffirmed itself as the "final guardian" on any matter that affects the public at large.

"The court has also clearly established that with regards to any matter that affects the public at large they are the final guardians and have acted as a sentinel to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens," Sundram told IANS.

"The decision in right to privacy is a sterling example," said Sundram, a view also shared by activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan and senior counsel Colin Gonsalves, well-known for espousing social causes.

"I think the Supreme Court has done extraordinarily well on social issues -- but only up to a point," said Gonsalves.

The top court's pronouncements to cleanse the legislatures of tainted law makers that started nearly a decade-and-a-half ago and mandating the disclosure of the assets and criminal antecedents continued in 2017 when it proposed setting up of courts to exclusively try criminal cases against the law makers and politicians.

It approved the setting of 12 exclusive courts to fast-track the trial of 1,571 pending cases against lawmakers. "Let us not get bogged down... let them set up 12 courts... It is not an end of it. Starting something is difficult."

Recognised the world over for its role in protecting the environment, the Supreme Court acted decisively as it prohibited the registration of vehicles that do not meet BS-IV emission standards from April 1, 2017, banned the use of pet-coke and furnace oil in the National Capital Region and, above all, stopped the sale of fire crackers during Diwali celebrations -- a step which earned it both laurels -- for relatively less polluted post Diwali morning -- and brickbats, with some equating the ban on the sale of fire crackers as an assault on the Hindu religion.

The top court also came to the rescue of home buyers who have been deprived of their rightful dwellings years beyond the due date by the big real estate companies.

Besides achievements, the top court had its troubled spots too -- its tussle with the executive on one hand and with a section of bar on the other.

However, when the government sought to criticise the top court for its pro-active approach and stepping into its policy-making domain, Chief Justice Dipak Misra was more than candid saying that the "protections of the fundamental rights of every citizen was a sacrosanct duty of the judiciary conferred by the Constitution".

The apex court seemingly succeeded in taming a section of the the bar seeking an SIT probe into the allegations of graft vis-a-vis a medical college involving a retired judge of the Orissa High Court, but not without its image taking a blow as it observed that its image has been damaged as "unnecessary doubts about the integrity of the institution have been created".
Aside from the fact that a host of products like television sets, imported mobile phones and LED lamps are going to become expensive with a hike in their basic customs duty, industry stakeholders are hopeful that the government's move will wash out the unorganised players in the consumer durables goods segment.

"Rise in import duty will surely impact players who were sourcing and importing large percentage of their LED lamp requirements. This will also impact the unorganised or unbranded segment which was importing cheap LED lamps and products from China," Puneet Dhawan, Senior Vice President and Business Head, Lighting, Orient Electric, told IANS.

Dhawan claimed that his company has indigenised manufacturing of more than 95 per cent products and will have practically no impact due to the duty hike.

On November 15, the Finance Ministry increased the basic customs duty on a host of products, including electronic items like mobile phones and televisions, to curb surging imports -- making them more expensive -- and also to give a boost to the 'Make in India' programme.

According to a government notification, the customs duty on mobile phones has been hiked to 15 per cent, TV sets and microwaves to 20 per cent, video cameras to 15 per cent and LED lamps to 20 per cent.

Withdrawing the exemption of basic customs duty on LCD, LED and OLED panels, which are used in TV manufacture, the government has imposed a 7.5 per cent duty.

"Many temporary players that are there in the market will suffer a setback. It will be a kind of wash-out for them because it will be very difficult for them to survive without inputs," said Riya Kabra, General Manager Commercials, Truvison, a Europe-based consumer electronics and appliances company.

Truvison, which entered the domestic market in 2016, offers a range of consumer durables like LED TVs, music systems and home appliances like air conditioners.

Kabra predicted that the surge in prices will be temporary and will soon stabilise.

"For us, the impact will be mild and short term. We had already anticipated this hike for the 'Make in India' concept. There would be a price hike definitely but that would be short term. By second quarter the prices will stabilise," Kabra told IANS.

Manmohan Ganesh, Chief Operating Officer, BPL, said that with the support of the government for domestic production, the industry will mature with more manufacturers available for critical parts and will curb imports.

"There used to be a time when we produced everything in-house. We were actually at a disadvantage when the government policies changed and allowed free or easy imports of these products. The government also signed free-trade agreements wih some countries and products also came in cheap. It did not make sense to manufacture a lot of products (domestically)," Ganesh told IANS.

"Now with some amount of support to local manufacturers, we will also internally decide what more products we want to make locally," he added.

Ganesh further said: "We never had the scale or the opportunity because parts were not usually available. So even when we made a product, we were still dependent on international sources for certain critical components."

He expects the industry to mature further and critical parts to be manufactured in the country.

Regarding the hike of product prices, Dhawan said: "As far as hike in prices are concerned, this will surely lead to pressure on these (unorganised) players as with the current market dynamics they will find it increasingly difficult to pass the hike on to the consumers and perhaps would have to absorb most of it."

Ganesh added that unless the GST rates on televisions are brought down, there will be an impact on the prices for the entire industry, which in turn would affect sales.

"At the moment, so long as there is no reduction in the GST rate, the prices will go up and there could be some impact on sales. I do not believe it (the impact) will be large, since it will impact the entire industry," Ganesha said.

"When costs go up for a certain brand, that brand sale may come down. But if the whole industry, every manufacturer, takes the prices up, it does not mean that the customers will stop buying televisions or other appliances," he added.

(Porisma P. Gogoi can be contacted at porisma.g@ians.in)

--IANS

ppg/ag/hs/tb

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
John F. Kennedy said "One person can make a difference, and everyone should try". These words of one of America's best-known presidents probably inspired a former engineer in India to try to transform what was once a bone-dry region into a green oasis simply by motivating its inhabitants to do what they earlier thought was impossible.

Some 120 km from Bengaluru in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, the village, of which little was known previously with no signboards even indicating its location to outsiders, has now become famous through its self-sustaining model. The dozen families here grow crops organically, meet their energy needs entirely by tapping wind power, harvest rain to conserve water and supply it to their homes with a solar-powered pump.

What's more, the village boasts of a Wi-Fi facility, provides entrepreneurial opportunities to farmers and has its own syllabus for children to hone their skills rather than learning by rote.

Even as many parts of rural India still lack rudimentary amenities, the sustainable development model of this small hamlet makes it an example when it comes to water conservation, power generation, ending gender bias and even eliminating casteism.

As water depleted in the rocky soil and farming became tough in the semi-arid zone, villages in the district despaired as people deserted them and migrated to cities for livelihood.

That was when 39-year-old Kalyan Akkipeddi -- who gave up a lucrative job in the finance and marketing division at General Electric to travel around the country's villages in search of knowledge -- arrived at remote Tekulodu.

Inspired by the simple life of tribals that he had witnessed during his travels, Akkipeddi chose to "intern" with a farmer family in Tekulodu and helped them increase their income from Rs 7,000 a year to about Rs 14,000 a month by putting scientific practices to work and tapping natural resources like solar and wind power.

In 2013, he bought a 12.5-acre plot of land a few kilometres from Tekulodu, on the forest fringe near his home town Hindupur, in the same district of the Rayalaseema region. This has evolved into what he named ProtoVillage -- the prototype of an ideal village.

"I was so inspired by what I saw in the tribal communities. Their wisdom allowed them to live in synergy with their surroundings. I thought of demonstrating that kind of life based on three simple principles -- a deep respect for soil, air and water, inter-dependence and, as a result, self-reliance," Akkipeddi told IANS.

Applying scientific methods to farming and living sustainably, Akkipeddi, along with the villagers, has in four years transformed the barren piece of land into an inspiring model that is self-reliant, environmentally sustainable and socially cohesive.

"We want to be in the place where knowledge resides," said Akkipeddi.

As part of developing the village, ProtoVillage's inhabitants had initially built eight farm ponds in low-lying areas to store rain water and had networked them.

"Though rains are scarce in the region, one good spell of about 90 minutes one day filled the ponds with enough water to last for months and attracted hundreds of people from nearby villages," said Akkipeddi.

When local authorities had pushed farmers to dig ponds, they couldn't see the merit in them. But when they witnessed how we managed to conserve rain water, the number of requests to the administration to build farm ponds shot up, he noted, adding, "Such is the power of demonstration."

ProtoVillage is unique in other ways as well. Food is cooked for all the families in a community kitchen by both men and women, irrespective of caste and creed. And they live as a joint family, with even men taking care of children.

"In other villages, women are confined to their homes, cooking and rearing children. Here, I have freedom to learn and do a lot of things, as others take care of my child," Lakshmi, 28, who migrated to ProtoVillage, told IANS.

The daily chores of the dwellers include working in the fields to grow crops, vegetables, fruits and flowers. Some are involved in carpentry, soap-making, house construction and allied activities. In the evenings, apart from indulging in folk arts like music, dance or drama, "we all sit down to talk about the things we had learnt that day", Akkipeddi shared.

The sense of contentment the villagers live with is infectious. The Japanese concept of "ikigai", which means "a reason for being", is a familiar philosophy among the villagers -- right from 10-year-old resident and Akkipeddi's son Rishab. The learning centre in the village is also named Ikigai.

Everyone in the village is constantly learning -- from farming methods, to building sustainable earthbag homes (bags filled with mud are used as building blocks instead of bricks, making for stronger homes), setting up wind turbines or just sitting down to learn a new language or a principle of science.

"Earlier, adults in the village who couldn't read and write were shy to learn. But no longer, as we see them interacting with their kids. There is no age or gender bias in learning," said Akkipeddi's wife Shobhita Kedlaya, who plans the curriculum for the village.

Not to be left behind, the children have a system of learning which goes beyond the classroom. They learn to build homes, have drafted their own constitution for the learning centre, tend animals and even know to code software. And they share their knowledge with nearby villages.

The community aims at meeting nine basic needs: Food and water, shelter, clothing, healthcare, energy, connectivity, trade, education and disaster management, all in a sustainable manner.

G. Govardhan, 22, a computer applications graduate from Tekulodu, takes greater pride in farming than doing a nine-to-five job. Inspired by the work on increasing the green cover, he mobilised people in the nearby villages to grow more trees.

"This is my world, with the greenest of trees and farms. Why would I leave this and go to a crowded city for a job?" asked Govardhan.

ProtoVillage also houses a Rural Economic Zone (REZ), where farmers and others from the region can work on entrepreneurial ideas.

"Villagers grow poultry, rear goats and sheep, or do farming with no access to innovative work. The REZ helps them to become entrepreneurs by honing their trading skills," said Akkipeddi.

The village now offers fellowships to rural youths, who can study and adopt their practices back home.

"We would like to create a support system for people from across the country, who want to set up ProtoVillages in their districts," Akkipeddi added.

(The weekly feature series is part of a positive-journalism project of IANS and the Frank Islam Foundation. Bhavana Akella can be contacted at bhavana.a@ians.in)

--IANS

bha/vv/tb/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kenya's elite security forces have intensified a manhunt for Al-Shabaab militants who attacked two police camps in northeastern parts of the country on Saturday, officials said on Sunday.

North-eastern Regional Commissioner Mohamud Saleh said a contingent of security officers drawn from Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), rural border patrol unit and the regular police were in hot pursuit of the militants, reported Xinhua.

"They (militants) can run but they cannot hide. We will smoke them out of their hideout," Saleh told reporters.

He assured local residents that security agencies were "in control of the situation" and urged them to provide relevant information that will help nab the militants.

The militants, who, according to locals, were numbering 100 razed two police stations before escaping with a police Land Cruiser. They also vandalized a Safaricom mast hence cutting of communication in the area.

The Al-Shabaab fighters had earlier been spotted in Boni forest, Taqsiley and Walkon areas in Ijara sub-county, Garissa county in northeastern Kenya.

They were accused of attempting to recruit local youth through radicalization.

Last week a man who was suspected by local resident to have fled the militia group had been arrested by the area chief in Kotile and handed over to anti-terror military officers based in Gamba in Tana delta.

Two youth from Ijara had also been taken away by the militants who accused them of spying on them.

The Al-Shabaab fighters are suspected to have fled Somalia after heavy onslaught by the Somali national army and African Union forces.

--IANS

vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pavitra Singh of Punjab's Mansa is representative of farmers across the country who were infuriated as agriculture prices collapsed for the second consecutive year, but their sufferings remained unnoticed until the June police firing in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district that killed five farmers.

The episode, which led to many subsequent protests across the country, provoked the aggrieved farmers to vent their anger over the agrarian distress, mostly caused by the November 8, 2016, demonetisation that crippled the rural economy.

Farmers were unhappy over the non-fulfillment of the 2014 campaign promise by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) that they would be able to make a 50 per cent profit over their input costs -- especially as the situation got aggravated by the huge fall in prices to the extent that many couldn't even recover their input costs.

"Leave alone the big promises, we did not even receive the MSP (minimum support price) for the grain we produced. We did not have funds for the next sowing after the demonetisation struck us. We are facing huge difficulties in repaying our loans," Pavitra Singh lamented while speaking to IANS.

He said farmers in his area were forced to sell their rice at Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,250 per quintal as there were no takers for the MSP of Rs 1,510 fixed by the government.

Agricultural economist Devinder Sharma said the government's farm polices, especially those related to imports and exports, went awry to a "large extent" and led to prices in the local markets dropping.

"There are two major reasons for farm distress -- demonetisation and the crashing of the international market. The government imported pulses, wheat and coconut when the local production was, in fact, high. The volume of imports was more than the total agriculture budget," he said.

Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh witnessed a number of protests this year over the slump in prices of pulses -- mainly arhar (red gram) -- after the government stopped their procurement.

Thus, while it had been smooth sailing on the agricultural front for the BJP government at the Centre for almost three years since it came to power in 2014, the Mandsaur firing could be seen as the turning point, with the negative cascading effects, including the consolidation of farm unions and opposition parties on the issue and some prominent allies quitting the ruling alliance.

The anger can also be gauged from the fact that the BJP suffered electoral losses in Gujarat's cotton-belt in the assembly elections earlier this month.

Lok Sabha member and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetty left the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) in July after the government did not entertain the farmers' demand of a countrywide loan waiver and remunerative prices for their produce.

"I had pleaded with the government to provide financial help and assure remunerative prices for farm produce. However, the government did not act. So I had no option but to leave them to ensure justice for the farmers," Shetty told IANS.

Another big jolt was when Nana Patole, BJP MP from Maharashtra, resigned from the Lok Sabha and left the party.

While farmers across the country were mourning the death of their brethren in Mandsaur, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh had different priorities -- he chose to participate in an yoga event the very next day after the incident.

This only added to the government's image as anti-farmer, which was quite evident during farmers' agitations.

"We held protests in Delhi for over 100 days for our demands and many supported us during the difficult time. However, Radha Mohan Singh neither visited us nor invited us to discuss our issues," said P. Ayyakannu, leader of 100-odd Tamil Nadu farmers who attracted eyeballs with their strange and innovative protests.

Parts of Tamil Nadu and Southern Karnataka have been reeling under severe drought for some years owing to a shortfall in the monsoon.

Barring a few exceptions, Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav managed to bring almost all concerned organisations under one umbrella -- 184 in the recent one -- to hold nationwide protests and the government was seen struggling to cope up with them.

In the mega protest held last month, around 20,000 farmers across the country hit the capital to press their demands.

Dharmalingam, a farmer from Karnataka's Kolar district, said the government was seen in advertisement blitzes promoting new schemes for farmers, but their benefits hardly reach those for whom they are meant.

"A number of schemes have been launched so far in order to supposedly double our income. However, none of them has had any palpable impact so far," Dharmalingam told IANS.

(Saurabh Katkurwar can be reached at saurabh.k@ians.in)

--IANS

spk/vm/sac
Militants attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, leaving three troopers injured, authorities said.

"At around 2.10 a.m., the militants attacked the Lethpora camp. They initially threw grenades and then resorted to heavy gunfire to enter the camp," a police official said.

"Firing exchanges are ongoing inside the camp."

According to initial reports, at least three militants are holed up inside the camp.

--IANS

sq/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After they argued, the Lincoln man allegedly ran up behind the 19-year-old and punched him in the head, breaking his jaw and dislodging several teeth, police said.
A 100-year-old man, with his white, well-combed hair matching his crisp white dhoti, found solace in the 'sur', 'taal' and 'ragas', listening with rapt attention at the Tansen Music Festival here, signifying the long-standing love that music lovers have had for this 93-year-old gala which celebrates the legendary musician of Mughal emperor Akbar's court.

If there were such music buffs who have grown up listening to Indian classical music in this culturally-rich city of Madhya Pradesh, there were also tiny tots who were being described as "Tansens in the making".

"I have been coming for this festival for almost my whole life perhaps," the centenarian, Veerendra Singh Rajawat, told IANS here.

"Belonging to a land where a great artiste like Tansen was born, how can you not listen to music and not have knowledge about it? Almost every household has its children learning music from the grassroot level. We are very proud of it. Music runs in our blood," said the old but sprightly man.

A five-year-old boy, who sat near the stage while eminent artistes like flautist Chetan Joshi and Iranian tombak and duff player Fakhruddin Gafari played, was in training to "become someone as great as Tansen because he wanted to make his parents proud", an organiser said.

The audience here has grown up listening to the best of musicians every year, and from there comes their ear for music. And mind you, they immediately reprimand a musician on a wrong note.

Some enthusiastic listeners would reach the venue -- the mausoleum where lie the graves of Tansen and his Sufi master, Shaikh Muhammad Ghaus -- at 10 a.m., while some landed up in the evening after wrapping up their work and household chores. They come with their children and spouses and stay on as late as 2 a.m.

For some patrons, the live music experience was a chance to teach the younger lot too.

One patron was seen teaching 'teen taal' to his toddler. He said: "We have been bringing our child here for the past three years as we want her to understand our roots."

The Tansen Samaroh is held at different venues, including the Gujari Fort, Tansen's burial site, and Behat village, where Tansen was born.

The night aura of the festival was enhanced by the warmth of tea, which helped in beating the winter chill. It was like a 'chai par charcha' session at a place where foodies could enjoy 'gajjak' (a jaggery-based sweet) and get a taste of honey right from the bee's honeycomb.

"Thanks to Behat being one of the venues where the music festival has been taking place, the children learn a lot. Some of the participants include our village's children too. Around 15 boys are a part of this festival. They are all learning from a man who hails from Kolkata. He teaches them here," village head Arvind Singh told IANS.

He had a suggestion for the state government.

"The music festival should either commence from here (Behat) or end here. Having this place as an in-between venue is not fair. This is where Tansen was born, so why give it so less importance?" he questioned in reference to the lesser number of sessions at the village.

(Kishori Sud was in Gwalior at the invitation of Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Kala Academy, Madhya Pradesh. She can be contacted at kishori.s@ians.in).

--IANS

ks/rb/vm/tb/ky

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
is turning 60 in 2018 and the agency is looking forward to launching a slew of important missions in the coming year, including one to "touch" the Sun.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is scheduled for launch in 2018 to explore the Sun's outer atmosphere.

The probe will use Venus' gravity during seven flybys over nearly seven years to gradually bring its orbit closer to the Sun, according to a statement.

The spacecraft will fly through the Sun's atmosphere as close as 6.2 million kilometres to our star's surface, well within the orbit of Mercury and closer than any spacecraft has gone before.

The Parker Solar Probe will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and solar radiation.

The primary science goals for the mission are to trace how energy and heat move through the solar corona and to explore what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles.

In 2018, will also add to its existing robotic fleet at the Red Planet with the InSight Mars lander designed to study the interior and subsurface of the planet.

The US space agency's first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, is scheduled to arrive at the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in August 2018, and will return a sample for study in 2023.

Launching no later than June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will search for planets outside our solar system by monitoring 200,000 bright, nearby stars.

To continue the long-term record of how Earth's ice sheets, sea level, and underground water reserves are changing, NASA will also launch the next generation of two missions - ICESat-2 and GRACE Follow-On - in 2018.
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday said that he would float a political party that would practice "spiritual politics" and contest in all of the state's 234 constituencies in the next Assembly polls.

Announcing his decision at a meeting here, Rajinikanth said his party will not be contesting in the local body elections as the time for that was less.

His entry into is a "compulsion of time", the superstar said amid loud cheering of his fans.

As per schedule, the next Tamil Nadu Assembly polls will be held in 2021.

He said the decision to contest in the 2019 Parliamentary elections will be taken at an appropriate time.

Rajinikanth urged his fans not to talk about or comment about other parties till his party is floated.

He said the first task was to get many of his unregistered fan clubs registered with the parent body.

Rajinikanth said he was not getting into for power. He said at the age of 45 he was not interested in political power and now at the age of 68 one cannot say he was power crazy.

He said the politics in the country has gone very wrong.

"Under the guise of democracy, political parties are looting their own people," Rajinikanth remarked.

He said the existing system should be changed.

The actor said his party would resign if it was not able to fulfil the electoral promises within three years of coming into power.

The political happenings in Tamil Nadu during the past one year has made the state a laughing stock.

Rajinikanth agreed that it was not an easy task to float a political party and face the elections.

"It is like taking a pearl from the deep sea."

He said he was confident of getting people's support and represented the common man.

Rajinikanth said his party's philosophy will be Truth, Work and Growth.

He advised his fans to "think good, talk good and do good".

--IANS

vj/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday left Delhi for his two-day visit to Dehradun, during which he will celebrate the New Year with ITBP personnel at India-China border in Nelong Valley in Uttarakhand.

The Minister will spend Sunday evening with the 12th Battalion of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials at their Headquarters in Matli, at 3,400 feet on the bank of Bhagirathi river, around 195 km from Dehradun.

"Leaving for Dehradun on a two day visit to Uttarakhand. Shall spend today's (Sunday) evening with 12 Battalion of ITBP jawans at Matli in Uttarkashi district," Rajnath Singh tweeted.

The Home Minister will visit the Nelong border out post during his two-day visit, an ITBP official said.

The official said the Minister will be with Himveers on January 1 and that it is the first ever visit of any Union Home Minister to forward locations of ITPB in Nelong Valley, a border outpost of ITBP at he height of 11,700 feet where temperature dips to minus 15 degrees Celsius.

It would be the second visit of the Home Minister to India-China border since the resolution of the Doklam standoff.

Rajnath Singh is also expected to review the situation at Nelong Valley and Matli -- a regional response centre of the ITBP for countering natural and man-made disasters and which, in 2012 and 2013 when Uttarakhand suffered major tragedies, played a crucial role in relief and rescue operations and helped save thousands of lives.

Raised on October 24, 1962, the ITBP is presently deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3,488 km of India-China border.

--IANS

rak/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Upcoming star Parveen Rana has vowed to defeat Olympic double medallist Sushil Kumar and Uzbekistan star Bekzod Abdurakhmonov in the upcoming Pro Wrestling League (PWL) for his cancer-stricken mother.

Rana will represent Veer Maratha in the PWL, while Sushil and Bekzod will compete for Delhi Sultans and UP Dangal respectively.

Rana has been fired up by his loss to Sushil during the trials for the Commonwealth and Asian Games. and even more so by the ugly scuffles after the bitter bout.

"My mother is fighting against cancer right now. It's in the third stage but more that she was really hurt to hear about the way I was attacked immediately after the bout," Rana said in a statement on Sunday.

"I am going to step into the PWL with her in mind, to avenge my unfair defeat," he added.

He even claimed that he hadn't lost the bout.

"I felt that the scoring was biased, that the bout wasn't judged properly. But that is in the past. I am only concerned about beating Sushil in the ring now," Rana said.

The Haryana grappler insisted that he didn't want to think too much about the incidents after they stepped out of the mat.

"That was very unfortunate. But that is not going to stop me from preparing for the prestigious league. I want to live up to the faith instilled in me by my team and will give my best to emerge victorious. I believe that winning is all that matters and I am preparing myself to be the best in the League," he stated.

Rana said that he was absolutely fit to take on the world's best wrestlers in the PWL and will enthrall the audience in Delhi with his muscle-crunching style of wrestling.

Even in the second season of the PWL, he tore a ligament during a bout but continued fighting through the pain. He might not have won that contest, but his spirit had won hearts.

"I am feeling fitter this season and am raring to go against the best, be it a World champion or an Olympic medallist. I feel our team is perfectly balanced but it all depends on how one performs on a given day. I feel that we can surely reach the latter stages of the tournament and anything can happen then," the Qutubgarh lad, who idolises Yogeshwar Dutt, said.

--IANS

ajb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Roma was held to a 1-1 draw by Sassuolo in a Serie A 19th round match at the Olimpico stadium here.

Lorenzo Pellegrini opened the scoring for Roma 31 minutes into the match on Saturday, reports Efe.

With 12 minutes to go, Simone Missiroli netted the equaliser to give Sassuolo a 1-1 away draw.

Roma remains in the fourth position with 39 points, one point behind Inter Milan, which is set to host fifth-placed Lazio later on Saturday.

Sassuolo is in 14th place with 21 points.

Udinese won 2-1 in an away game over Bologna while Torino gained a single point in the league table after a scoreless draw against Genoa.

Udinese occupies the eighth position with 27 points, three points behind sixth-placed Sampdoria, which defeated Spal 2-0.

Also on Saturday, Atalanta suffered a 2-1 home defeat against Cagliari while Benevento beat Chievo Verona 1-0 in the same round.

--IANS

gau/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Korean authorities on Sunday said they have seized and are investigating a Panamanian ship suspected of selling oil to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions.

The Koti has been detained at the South Korean port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin since December 21 and most of its crew members are Chinese and Myanmar nationals, Efe news cited South Korean news agency Yonhap that quoted maritime authorities.

This is the second case of a ship being investigated by South Korea for supplying crude oil on the high seas to North Korea after Seoul announced on Friday that it had seized a vessel sailing under a Hong Kong flag.

The Lighthouse Winmore was detained on arrival at Yeosu port on November 24 after allegedly transferring some 600 tonnes of refined oil to a North Korean vessel on October 19.

A UN resolution unanimously approved in September following the latest and most powerful nuclear test by Pyongyang, from October 1, 2017 limited the supply of crude oil to North Korea.

Pyongyang's repeated arms tests, including the launch of ballistic missiles, led the UN to stiffen its sanctions on December 22, limiting even further its access to oil products.

After the announcement that the Hong Kong vessel had been held by Seoul, US President Donald Trump lashed out at China for alleged oil sales in violation of the UN sanctions imposed on North Korea.

"Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!" Trump tweeted.

Beijing denied involvement in any such act.

--IANS

ahm/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Top Left leaders -- CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury and CPI's D.Raja -- on Sunday welcomed Tamil superstar Rajinikanth's announcement of joining and requested him to disclose his policies and programmes.

Yechury and Raja, along with three other Left leaders from West Bengal, arrived here on Sunday to address a mammoth public election rally, organized by Tripura's ruling Left Front ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.

After the rally, Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Yechury said: "It is good that Rajinikanth joined . However, he should announce his policies, plans and programmes."

"It would be healthier if more honest and good personalities join politics," he told the media.

Communist Party of India's national Secretary D.Raja echoed Yechury's views.

"Rajinikanth is a citizen of the country. He can join . But he did not spell out his policies and programmes of his proposed party," Raja told the media separately.

The CPI leader said that Tamil Nadu is now in political turmoil.

"Political crisis is going in the state. The AIADMK government in the state entirely failed to protect the rights of Tamil people.The incumbent government in Tamil Nadu is a dummy government of BJP government at the centre and has lost all its moral rights to continue in office.

"Role of Governors is a major issue in many states in the country including the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Several Governors' roles are very controversial and undemocratic. Role of Governors must be discussed and reviewd in a new situation of the country," Raja said.

Yechury said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants that there is no opposition party in the country.

"Despite conspiracies, ethnic division by the BJP and its allies, the Left Front would return to the power once again in Tripura and would form the government for eighth term, including sixth consecutive term," he said before returning to New Delhi.

"Opposition alliance would be formed at the national level on the basis of policies and not to project or create any leader," he added.

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday said he will float a new party that will pursue "spiritual politics" and vowed to contest the next state assembly election.

--IANS

sc/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Political leaders in Tamil Nadu on Sunday welcomed actor Rajinikanth's entry into and his decision to contest the next Assembly elections.

DMK leader M.K. Stalin said Rajinikanth had finally put a full stop to the expectations of his fans but asserted that the DMK was not bothered by the actor's political plunge.

Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, whose ruling faction suffered a shock defeat in the R.K. Nagar Assembly constituency, said anyone was free to enter in a democracy.

Palaniswami's rival T.T.V. Dinakaran, who was elected from R.K. Nagar by a whopping margin, also hailed Rajinikanth's decision.

On Sunday, Rajinikanth said he would practice "spiritual politics" and contest all the 234 Assembly seats in the next elections. He said his entry into was a "compulsion of time".

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan welcomed Rajinikantha's decision and hoped he would support the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

State Congress President S. Thirunavukkarasar pointed out that the actor had not come into politics fully and his comment that the system was rotten was aimed at the ruling AIADMK.

Political analyst Jhon Arokiasamy told IANS: "Urging his fans not to comment on the political situation till the party is floated shows that Rajinikanth wants to see through safely his two upcoming movies.

"His main task now is to set up the party infrastructure across the state, reactivating many of his fan clubs and converting them into a political force."

Arokiasamy added: "What Rajinikanth's announcement will be doing is to increase the perception that the influence of two Dravidian parties - AIADMK and DMK - in Tamil Nadu is on the decline."

--IANS

vj/mr/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has said his government is on the alert for any human rights violations that could occur within the context of protests in Iran.

"Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer," said Trump on Twitter on Sunday, Efe news reported.

"The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!" he added.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in different Iranian cities since Thursday (December 28) to protest the economic policy of the Hassan Rouhani government, the cost of living and corruption.

Trump had warned on Saturday that the world "is watching" what is happening in Iran, noting that "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice."

On Friday, Trump had also blamed the protests in Iran on "Iranian citizens fed up with regime's corruption and its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad."

"Iranian government should respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves," he had tweeted.

The Iranian government on Saturday called upon its citizens not to participate in unauthorized demonstrations, which are proceeding amid heightened security and in which two people have died.

--IANS

pgh/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dear Editor:

I've just emailed Sen. Pat Toomey that in 2018, I resolve:

To pester him until the funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is assured.

To support the hundreds of thousands of DACA young people across the country who do not deserve to be ripped from their families and communities.

To lobby against anything that extends warrantless surveillance of Americans.

I'm hoping some of your readers are also sharing their New Year's resolutions with him.

Barbara Pearce

Monroe Township
China's President Xi Jinping on Sunday pledged to continue domestic economic reforms and maintain the country's international prominence in 2018.

In his annual end-of-year televised message, Xi Jinping spoke about a prosperous China, both economically and technologically, a country that is a good global citizen and one that seeks to solve problems affecting people, Efe news agency reported.

"China will strongly defend the authority and status of the United Nations and actively fulfil its responsibilities," he said.

Xi said that being a responsible global power meant China must speak clearly and defend world peace and international order.

He also said his country would keep up the fight against global climate change and that in 2018 the country would continue its process of economic reforms.

These would include China's announcement of an almost complete opening up of its financial sector for the next few years.

Xi recalled that the decisions announced in the XIX Communist Party Congress, which serve as a guideline for development in the next three decades, will begin to be applied in 2018 as well.

He added that by 2020 China will have achieved the historic accomplishment of having lifted its entire population from extreme poverty and hailed the important technological successes achieved by the country in 2017, such as the first flight of a large sized Chinese passenger plane, the launching of the first Chinese manufactured aircraft carrier and the country's first quantum computer.

However, Xi also recognized that despite these achievements, efforts to improve people's welfare have not always been satisfactory and better work is required in this regard.

--IANS

ahm/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Keeping up a strong anti-BJP rhetoric, West Bengal's indefatigable 'Didi' gunned for Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the year, lacing her speeches and social media postings with sarcasm and choice words as her government clashed with the Centre on various issues.

From mythology to ancient Indian history, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee left nothing untouched in letting loose incessant verbal volleys at Modi, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued to increase its vote-share in various by-polls and local body elections in West Bengal.

As the BJP tried to emerge as a viable alternative to the Trinamool, Banerjee in turn endeavoured to project herself as the most prominent opponent of the Hindutva brigade nationally.

The feisty leader networked with regional leaders opposed to the Sangh Parivar -- the ideological parent of the BJP as well as several right-wing outfits -- and formulated decisions and actions that could give her brownie points over the central dispensation and its propelling force.

She fired on all cylinders, targeting Modi's key policies like demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while trying to exploit burning issues like sliding economic growth, rampant intolerance, the beef ban and cow vigilantism.

However, it was her colourful and strident attacks on Modi that grabbed the spotlight.

If she likened Modi to the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist Kalidasa, it was not because of the writer's literary prowess but only a reference to an oft-told story of him "lacking intelligence as a youngster -- cutting the branch he was sitting on".

"All institutions (of the nation) are under attack. This is a dangerous game. The PM is behaving like Kalidasa, trying to cut the branch he is sitting on," Banerjee remarked.

During another aggressive speech, Banerjee drew a parallel between Modi and demon king Ravana of the Ramayana epic.

"He claims that he has broad chest and shoulders. Even Ravana had broad shoulders. And he also had 10 heads," she said, alluding to Modi's drumbeating that he has a "56-inch chest".

On another occasion, she predicted that "Barda" (elder brother) will have to bow out of office after the 2019 parliamentary polls.

Addressing a public meeting in Bankura district, Banerjee raised the pitch further, dubbing the Modi government "deaf and dumb''. But a separate barb was reserved for the Prime Minister.

"He used to call himself a 'chaiwala' (tea seller) before. Now he has become a millionaire 'Paytm-wala' (one who endorses e-wallets like Paytm)."

Demonetisation, to her, was Modi's "shameless flop show" that she dismissed on Twitter as "visionless, missionless and directionless".

Not in a mood to let go of any democratic mode of protest, she even knocked on the door of then President Pranab Mukherjee, urging him to "save the country from the mess" and sought a "national government" minus Modi. Banerjee was ready to accept another BJP leader at its helm and went to the extent of naming L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley as being acceptable.

While backing GST, Banerjee took the Modi government to task for rolling out the new regime with "disastrous hurry" on July 1. She called the step "another epic blunder" of the Centre.

The CBI probes into the multi-billion-rupee Saradha Ponzi scam, Rose Valley Ponzi scam and Narada sting footage controversy -- in which a number of Trinamool leaders were implicated -- were also bones of contention between the Trinamool and the BJP.

While Banerjee accused the central agencies of acting out of "political vendetta" on the BJP's directions, the saffron party said it was an inquiry ordered by the Supreme Court.

Going ballistic, Banerjee threatened to slap defamation cases worth crores of rupees if the CBI did not proceed impartially.

The political battles between the Trinamool regime and the Centre even stretched to observance of red letter dates like Independence Day and Teachers Day.

When the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) sent a circular to the states recommending a structured format promoting Modi's pet "Swachh Bharat Mission" during Teachers' Day celebrations in schools, the Mamata government shot off a counter-circular to schools saying the date needed to be observed with due reverence and solemnity as in "earlier years".

Ahead of Independence Day, the MHRD had issued a circular specifying "additional activities". But the state government came up with a directive asking the schools to "stop all preparations" for celebrating the day in the MHRD format.

With the Congress weakening, Banerjee kept herself busy attempting to strengthen ties throughout 2017 with prominent political leaders in the anti-BJP domain, particularly those from the regional parties.

She has been following many of them on Twitter, or exchanging pleasantries through tweets with the likes of ex-Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, senior Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, BSP chief Mayawati and DMK leader M.K. Stalin. She even met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, a BJP baiter despite being an ally, though her party's views on religion and secularism were diametrically opposed to those of the Sena.

Though Banerjee has stressed on "collective leadership" to challenge Modi, she gave enough hints at a media conclave last month that she is not averse to taking the lead in bringing together opposition parties on a single platform against the BJP in 2019.

(Sirshendu Panth can be contacted at s.panth@ians.in)

--IANS

ssp/vm/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Your editorial Welcome respite (December 29) is heartwarming. Great to learn that the two main political parties gave up their usual penchant for quibbling over petty politics and decided to get down to business. Every Indian would be glad to learn that our politicians are becoming mature and realising that the tax payers spend a huge some of money on the running of the Parliament. So, instead of bickering and mud slinging, they should be using every minute in debating crucial issues so that important legislations are not delayed unneccessarily. Efforts at bridging of the chasm between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress is a welcome sign towards healthier and meaningful Parliament sessions ahead.
There was much speculation over the weekend relating to the decision of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh to accept a request from former Chief Minister Mayawati to repair monuments and parks built when she was in power. The Bahujan Samaj Party chief had written similar letters to the earlier government led by Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, but her demand was ignored. While the BJP had earlier alleged that Rs 4,500 crore was wasted in the construction of monuments and parks in Lucknow and Noida when Mayawati ruled Uttar Pradesh, why did it change its stance? Critics point to the outcome of the recent Gujarat polls that suggest BSP and NCP candidates might have split the anti-BJP votes and helped the ruling party win at least 10 seats. The official reason, however, was all monuments would be repaired ahead of the global investors' summit in Lucknow next February, where many foreign guests are expected to be present.
A brewing crisis in the Gujarat government seems to have blown over after BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday reached out to sulking deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who had delayed taking charge over not getting portfolios of his choice in the new Cabinet.

Patel agreed to take charge today after Shah called him up this morning and assured him that he will be given a portfolio fitting his "stature" as Number Two in the government.

"BJP President Amit Shah today called up early morning and assured me that I will be given a portfolio which is fit for my stature as number two in the Cabinet and as the deputy chief minister," Patel told reporters here.

However, Patel didn't disclose whether he would be getting Finance or Urban Development departments which he held in the previous government.

"Shah asked me to take charge of my departments, so I will take the charge today. Chief minister Vijay Rupani will meet state Governor O P Kohli in afternoon and give a letter allocating a new department to me," Patel said.

Patel, who handled important departments such as finance and urban development in the previous government, was allotted road and building, health, medical education, Narmada, Kalpsar and capital projects this time.

The finance portfolio has been alloted to Saurabh Patel, while chief minister Rupani has kept the urban development department with himself.

However, Patel has maintained that the issue was not about some departments, but about "self-respect".

"I had conveyed to party high command to either give me respectable departments or relive me from Cabinet," he said today.

Patel said he had been serving the party like a "loyal and disciplined" soldier.

While announcing the portfolios two days back, Rupani had said, "It is not true that the minister, who has the finance portfolio, is the number two in the cabinet. is our senior leader and will remain the number two."



Sending feelers to the deputy CM, Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel yesterday said he would extend support to Patel and talk to the Congress to give him the respect he deserved.

"If Patel decided to quit the BJP and said 10 other MLAs were ready to quit with him, We will talk to the Congress to take in Nitin bhai and give him a post he deserves," the Patidar leader had said.

Senior Congress MLA Virji Thummar yesterday said Patel would be made the chief minister with the Congress' support if he quit the BJP.

The opposition party, however, clarified that Thummar was speaking in his personal capacity and described the row over portfolio distribution as the BJP's "internal matter".

The BJP and Congress hold 99 and 77 seats, respectively, in the 182-member House.
Anyone could enter in a democracy, but none could vanquish the AIADMK, Tamil Nadu's ruling party said after superstar Rajinikanth announced his decision to throw his hat into the political ring.

The AIADMK asserted that the people of Tamil Nadu would always vote for the party's founder, M G Ramachandran, and its late chief, J Jayalalithaa, and added that its vote bank could not be split.

"I am yet to read his (Rajinikanth's) statement. It is his decision. He has only announced to enter ...Nobody is born nor will be born in the future to vanquish the AIADMK," Chief Minister K Palaniswami said, reacting to the development.

He asserted that the AIADMK, which was created by two tall leaders (MGR and Jayalalithaa) was "alive and kicking" and that no one would be able to vanquish it.

Earlier in the day, announcing the decision to launch his own party before the next Tamil Nadu Assembly polls (in 2021), Rajinikanth had expressed anguish at some political developments over the last one year.

He had said these developments had "made every Tamilian hang his head in shame" and that the people of all other states were "laughing at us" -- an apparent reference to the internal bickering in the AIADMK after Jayalalithaa's death in December, 2016.

In his brief reaction to the superstar's decision to take the political plunge, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said every citizen of the country had a right to launch a political outfit.

While fellow filmstar Kamal Hassan and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, among others, wished Rajinikanth success in his new innings, opposition DMK greeted him for honouring the expectations of his fans.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and DMK working president M K Stalin congratulated the actor.

Asked what Rajinikanth's decision meant for his party, Stalin said the DMK would continue to march on the path of its ideology.

Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan also greeted the actor.

"I extend my greetings to brother Rajinikanth who has bravely announced his decision to enter politics," she wrote on Twitter.

Bachchan congratulated Rajinikanth for entering and wished him success.

"My dear friend, my colleague and a humble considerate human, Rajnikanth announces his decision to enter politics .. my best wishes to him for his success!! (sic)," he tweeted.

Hassan, who has also been hinting at taking the political plunge, too welcomed Rajinikanth's decision.

"I wish him all the best for social thinking and entering politics. Welcome," he tweeted.

Responding to it, Rajinikanth tweeted, "Thank you very much for your kind wishes dear Kamal."



In another tweet, he thanked his fans for wishing him and extended his new year greetings to them.

Reacting to the development, senior AIADMK leader and state minister D Jayakumar said anybody could contest elections in a democratic country.

"None, including Rajinikanth, can split the votes of the AIADMK as the votes will always be for Amma (Jayalalithaa) and Puratchi Thalaivar (MGR)," he added.

Responding to a query, Jayakumar said the actor's statement was "too general" and added that he could comment on it only after the "schemes and principles" of the party, proposed to be launched by Rajinikanth, were made known.

"Politics is like an ocean. Anybody can come. We are welcoming (the decision). There is no second thought about it. But we can comment only after we get to know about his party's principles and schemes," he said.

Newly-elected MLA and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran said he was happy that Rajinikanth was entering politics.

"I have already answered this query. In a democratic country, anyone can enter politics. (I am) Really happy. I also welcome him," he told reporters.

Expelled DMK leader and the elder brother of Stalin, M K Alagiri, too welcomed Rajinikanth's decision and wished him all the success.

"Rajini's entry into Tamil Nadu politics will bring about several political changes in the state," he said.

"I wish him success for whatever good he wants to do for the people. I will soon meet Rajinikanth," Alagiri told reporters at Madurai.
In Marathi there is a saying that a blind man prays for one eye, and God gives him two. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is out of the woods with the Bombay High Court quashing the governors permission to prosecute him in what has come to be known as the Adarsh housing scam. The timing is perfect. The opposition in Maharashtra is upbeat in the wake of the Assembly election results in neighbouring Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shahs home state, where the BJP had a narrow squeak.
Amid the political turmoil and vacuum created by J Jayalalithaa's demise and M Karunanidhi's ill-health, filmstar Rajinikanth on Sunday announced his foray into with plans to launch his own political party at an "appropriate time". The actor, who had been dilly-dallying about his political debut for several years now, added that his party would contest all the 234 seats in Tamil Nadu in the next Assembly elections in 2021.
Three members of a family, including an eight-year-old boy, were found dead at their house in southwest Delhi's Chhawla this morning, police said.

Ajay (38) was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his room. The bodies of his wife Manju (35) and son Magan were found in the bed.

In another room, his 12-year-old daughter was found lying in bed. She was rushed to a hospital and is undergoing treatment.

It appeared to be a case of killing-cum-suicide, police said.

Ajay's elder brother's family lives in the neighbourhood. The brother's children had gone to Ajay's home to ask Magan to play with them.

When they reached there, they found Ajay hanging from a fan while the other members were found unconscious. Their neighbours rushed them to separate hospitals.

The children were rushed to one hospital and their parents to another. The couple and their son were declared dead while the daughter was saved, police said.

Shibesh Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka), said the bodies had been sent for postmortem and the daughter was undergoing treatment.

A suicide note addressed to Ajay's mother and sister was found from the spot. It read that Ajay was depressed.

Ajay worked as a property dealer. Around one and a half years ago, his elder brother committed suicide and since then Ajay had been looking after his brother's family, police said.

He spiraled into depression after his brother's death and was facing financial issues in his business.

It is suspected he was reeling under the pressure of running two families and took the extreme step.

His wife, son and daughter had strangulation marks on their necks. Police are probing whether Manju was killed. It is also being probed whether the children were given some poisonous substance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Springfield Police have released the identity of a Fredericktown man shot and killed in North Springfield Friday afternoon.

According to the department's post on social media, police confirmed the victim is 41-year-old Stephen G. Dowd.

Springfield Police were dispatched at 12:49 p.m., Dec. 29 to a room at the Motel 6, located at 2655 N. Glenstone.

According to police, the 911 caller stated a male subject had been shot at the location. When officers arrived on the scene Dowd was found seriously injured with an apparent gunshot.

Officers and paramedics conducted lifesaving procedures, but the victim died on scene.

The Springfield Police Department is asking anyone who has information about the incident to contact the department at 417-864-1810 or to make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-8477.

The Daily Journal will provide more details as they become available.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Rajasthan police today arrested three police personnel on the charge of accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 Sriganganagar district, a senior official said.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rajendra Prasad said a few days back, Mukesh Kumar, who was on his way to Pallu on a two-wheeler was stopped by the accused policemen and taken to Jaitpur police post.

There, the accused allegedly got youth's photographed in an objectionable position with a woman and then demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 for not taking action against him, the police officer said.

According to the complainant, the accused had also seized his motorcycle and Rs 10,000 cash he was carrying, he said, adding, on December 24, the complainant gave the accused Rs 4,500 and was asked to pay the rest of the amount in instalments.

He then approached the ACB. After verifying the allegation, a trap was laid and the three accused were arrested while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000, the ASP said.

The accused have been identified as constable Rakesh Kumar, Jaitpur police post in-charge Shivram and constable Devilal, the police officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed when heavily armed terrorists carried out suicide attack on a camp of the paramilitary force in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, officials said.

This is first time local terrorists carried out a suicide attack, which has been claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e- Mohammed.

CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav said the two terrorists are Manzoor Ahmad Baba from Drubgam (Pulwama) and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday from Nazeempora (Tral). Khanday is the son a serving policeman.

"Five CRPF jawans have been martyred and three others are injured. The bodies of two terrorists have also been recovered. We believe another terrorist has also been killed but the body has not been retrieved," Yadav told PTI.

The paramilitary force's officials in Delhi said the two terrorists are reportedly from Jaish-e-Mohammed and their bodies have been recovered with arms and ammunition. Also, in a statement issued to news agencies here, the JeM has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Yadav said the deceased personnel are Inspector Kuldip Roy from Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh), Head Constable Taufail Ahmed of Rajouri (J&K), constables Sharief-ud-din Ganaie of Chadoora in Budgam (J&K), Rajendra Nain of Churu (Rajasthan) and P K Panda of Sundargarh (Odisha).

He said while Roy died of heart attack during the gunbattle, the four others succumbed to bullet injuries.

The injured personnel are constables Narendra Kumar, Malam Samadhan and Mala Ram, he said.

"One or two terrorists are still holed up but firing has stopped. Forces are still continuing the search operation," he said



"The heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp at about 2 AM. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," another CRPF official said, adding they fired indiscriminately injuring three personnel.

Terming the attack "unfortunate", Jammu and Kashmir's Director General of Police S P Vaid said security forces had input about an imminent militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

He said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days. They (militants) were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So, they struck last night," Vaid told reporters here.

The CRPF camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in the Kashmir Valley.

A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.
If you get a phone call or email claiming customs officers have stopped clearance of gift or parcel for want of a certain amount towards import duty, then beware, you are being duped.

The customs department has been getting a number of complaints from across the country on this latest modus operandi of fraudsters, following which a precautionary alert has been issued.

"Instances have come to the notice that number of persons are getting telephonic calls as well as e-mail and letters by post asking them to deposit money in individual bank accounts claiming that customs officer have stopped clearance/release of gift parcels/rewards unless a certain amount is deposited towards customs duties, penalties etc. and a bank account number is also given where the money is to be deposited," the Delhi customs said in a public notice.

Another common modus operandi is to send an e-mail stating that the recipient has won a prize or a parcel has been sent and money needs to be deposited, it said.

"All such calls/mail are fake with the sole intention of cheating the public. The general public is hereby notified and forewarned not to respond to such fake calls/mails as customs officers do not make telephonic calls or send such mails to deposit amounts in individual bank accounts," the recently- issued notice said.

The customs department is not responsible in any way for such fraudulent incidents and complaints, if any, in this regard may be made to the police, it suggested.

In a recent case, a daughter of a senior IPS officer has been duped of Rs 50,000, a senior custom officer said.

He said the victim was asked to deposit Rs 50,000 in a bank account of a person she befriended on the Internet.

"The accused claimed to be a native of London and chatted using a fraudulent ID. The girl said that the accused claimed to have been stopped by customs officers for want of clearance of an expensive gift brought by him for her. The girl then deposited the money in his account only to realise it later that she was duped," the officer said.

Another such case had come from Hyderabad where a woman was duped of a large amount of money following the same modus operandi, he said.

"What is happening in a majority of cases is that accused pose as a single girl/woman living abroad. After befriending victims over the Internet and at times through phone calls,the accused would then seek money in a bank account for payment of customs duty against a precious gift claimed to have been brought by her. People get in this trap and deposit money in the account only to lose it," the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A large fire broke out at a block of flats in Manchester before being contained by firefighters.

One person was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after the fire broke out on the ninth floor of a 12-storey apartment block in Manchester city centre and spread swiftly through multiple floors last night, a spokesman of fire services said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Boko Haram fighters opened fire on a group of loggers in a remote village in northeast Nigeria today, killing four people, a survivor and a militia leader said.

Gunmen on motorcycles attacked the loggers while they were loading firewood into pickup vans at Maiwa village, 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, they said.

The gunmen burned three vehicles laden with firewood heading to the volatile city.

"Four loggers were shot dead by the Boko Haram gunmen who also burnt three vehicles loaded with firewood," said Ibrahim Liman, a leader of a militia force fighting the insurgents.

He said other loggers escaped the assault.

The attackers, who rode on six motorcycles, struck at the logging site around 4:40 pm (1540 GMT), said logger Haruna Dahiru.

"Sixteen of them (Boko Haram) came on six motorcycles, riding in twos and threes, and opened fire on us without saying a word," he said.

"They killed four of our colleagues and set fire to three pickup vans we loaded with firewood to bring to Maiduguri to sell," he added.

Boko Haram's violence has killed over 20,000 people and displaced some 2.6 million since 2009, triggering a dire humanitarian crisis in the region.

Most of the displaced rely on food handouts from aid agencies while others have turned to felling trees which they sell to buy food.

The jihadists have increasingly targeted loggers, accusing them of spying and passing information to the military and the local militia fighting them.

In August Boko Haram fighters decapitated three loggers near Aisa-Wulomari village, 40 kilometres from Maiduguri while returning to the city.

In April eight loggers were killed and their bodies burnt by the insurgents at Kayamla, 10 kilometres from Maiduguri while collecting firewood in a bush.

Government troops fended off a second Boko Haram attack today on a military base in Kanamma village in neighbouring Yobe state, locals said.

The Islamists had invaded the base in eight trucks, but were repelled by soldiers in a gun battle that lasted around two hours.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today launched "Saubhagya Yojana", a programme that would provide electricity to all the 29,376 villages in the state.

Launching the "Saubhagya Yojana" here, Das said only 38 lakh households out of 68 lakh households in the state could get electricity in 67 years.

However, this government has provided electricity to 13 lakh households in just three years, an official release said quoting the chief minister.

By December 2018, the target is to provide electricity to the rest 17.64 lakh households, Das said adding people would get electricity 24x7, which would not only change the life of the people in the villages but also there would be a change in their thought, economic condition, education of their children and lift irrigation for the farmers.

Jharkhand would be made electricity hub by 2022, the chief minister said adding it would produce electricity and provide electricity to other states as well.

He said now coal is being sent to other states for electricity, but by 2022 electricity would be generated from Jharkhand and provided to other states. The state was working with a vision and mission, he said.

Das said that whichever village did not get electricity through grid has been electrified through solar energy.

There are 248 villages which are hilltops and electricity has been provided to such places, he said.

The government is also working on providing electricity from different feeders to cottage industries and agriculture, he said.

About 17.64 lakh families in villages and 1.64 lakh families in the urban areas would get electricity under this yojana, he said, adding the poor would get electricity free of cost.

APL families would get electricity connection by paying Rs 500 in 10 instalments of Rs 50 each month, he said.

This yojana, he said, would help achieve the central governments target of providing 24x7 electricity.

People could give a missed call on a toll free number 1800-200-2266 to apply for new connection under the yojana.

In villages, a mobile van would be there for applying connection, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar has asked party workers and Sewa Dal volunteers to help devotees visiting the Sangam - the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythic Saraswati - during the 'Magh Mela'.

In a statement issued here today, Babbar said Congress workers and volunteers of the party's Sewa Dal should "play an important role" by helping the visitors in Allahabad.

The Magh Mela is one of the largest annual religious affairs for Hindus. It is held on the banks of Triveni Sangam.

In accordance with the traditional Hindu calendar followed in north India, the fair is organised during the Hindu month of Magh - corresponding to the period between mid January and mid February of the Gregorian calendar.

The important dates to take the holy bath during the fair are spread over 45 days.

The Magh Mela is also called a mini Kumbh Mela.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP today charged the Congress government in Karnataka with being 'anti-Hindu' as it had not booked killers of BJP and RSS activists over the past couple of years, released PFI activists and 'divided' Lingayats, all for electoral gains.

"The Siddaramaiah government is anti Hindu. It has not brought to book killers of 20-odd BJP and RSS leaders in the past couple of years, whereas it has been in talks with SDPI for a pre-poll alliance," senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar said.

The biggest testimony for this was talks KPCC Chief G Parameshwara had with Social Demoractic Party of India (the political wing of Popular Front of India), for a pre-poll alliance between Congress and the party, he said.

The Siddramaiah government had also released about 100 leaders of PFI, "an outfit criticised by people who have been demanding a ban on it," Kumar told reporters here.

Without mentioning the burning issue of separate religious status for Lingayats, Kumar lambasted the government for 'dividing' the community for electoral gains.

These three issues proved that the Congress government was anti-hindu and their actions were for gains in the polls, he alleged.

Amid raging differences onthe issue of separate religion status to Veerashivas/Lingayats,Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said on December 25 that he was not making any attempts to divide any religion.

The demand for a separate religion tag to these faiths has surfaced amidst resentment from within over projecting the two sects as the same.

The VeerashaivaMahasabha' assertsthat Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, while the other group wantsthe separate religion tag only for Lingayats.

The latter believes that Veerashaiva is oneamong the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.

BJP and several sections of the Hindu communityhave maintained a cautious stance keeping away from the move to give Veerashaiva/Lingayat separate religion status.

On the party's assessment of the electoral ramifications of the Lingayat issue, Kumar said the question was of people s being 'fed up' with failure of law and order, farmers' plight, the economy and communal disharmony, among others.

Referring to special meeting under BJP national president Amit Shah here today, he said the party chalked out a single line agenda of registering a win in the 2018 assembly polls.

One of the most important strategies to be adopted was deployment of "page pramukhs" who would be assigned the task of issues relating to voters lists and kickstarting a door-to-door campaign to woo voters at the booth level.

However, this was not the Gujarat model because the page pramukhs have been in vogue for the past two-and-a-half years, including in Uttar Pradesh elections, where BJP registered a resounding victory, he said



By January 16, the party would prepare 'chargesheets' of various 'irregularities' by Congress leaders in respective constituencies, he said.

From February 17 to 22, BJP would distribute the 'chargesheets' to people in each constituency, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mobile data consumption in India surpassed the combined usage of the US and China in 2017, a year that saw the landscape of the telecom sector being altered with bitter competition and setting-in of the much-awaited consolidation phase.

With latent demand for data fuelling the digital economy, 2018 could be the growth year for the sector where an investment of around Rs 3 lakh crore is estimated to be made in next two years.

In what could be considered as a transformational year for the Indian telecom sector, 2017 saw telcos consolidate like never before, leaving just three major players in the market by the end of the year. It only proved that telecom sector has become a money guzzler where only those with deep pockets can survive.

While the mighty house of Tatas gifted away their telecom business to Bharti Airtel, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio Infocomm acquired spectrum, mobile-phone towers and fibre assets of his brother Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications Ltd.





ALSO READ: DoT suggests slashing GST on telecom services to 12%: Manoj Sinha

On the other hand, Vodafone India and Idea decided to merge to become the country's largest operator. Airtel bought Telenor's ailing Indian subsidiary, Telenor India, as also Tikona Digital Network.

"This year was of consolidation for the sector. Next year will be a year of growth for the sector," Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan told PTI summing up the macro scenario of the sector for 2017 and 2018.

And what a year it has been! The Indian telecom sector -- second only to China with its massive subscriber base of 1.1 billion users -- saw severe bloodletting for most part of the year as free voice calls and dirt cheap data ushered in by Reliance Jio reined in tariffs, cheering consumers.

Jio propelled India to the top position in terms of mobile data consumption with 150 crore gigabytes per month, surpassing the combined 130 crore gigabytes mobile data consumption of the US and China.





ALSO READ: Telecom a money guzzler, even Tatas had to gift it away: Anil Ambani

The competition forced market consolidation as nervous, smaller players bailed out and biggies joined hands to cement their position. Consolidation led to fewer players and fewer jobs.

"With consolidation and the poor financial health of the sector, the telcos are being forced to cut their staff strengths significantly. We expect that around a third of the four million employed directly and indirectly by the sector will be out of a job," body COAI's Director General Rajan S Mathews said.

That said, once the consolidation concludes, telcos may be better placed to invest in new technologies and recruit skilled hands, boosting job prospects.

For years, Airtel has enjoyed pole position in the market, but that pecking order will change soon as the Vodafone-Idea combine will have over 400 million subscribers by next year.

Embattled Reliance Communications (RCom) completed merger of Sistema Shyam mobile business with it but failed to proceed with the merger deal with Aircel. RCom announced closure of voice business, and Aircel is closing services in six circles.





ALSO READ: Five telecom firms understated AGR by Rs 14,800 crore: CAG



"With consolidation, the telcos will get the benefit of synergy amongst their operations and the overall cost of operations are likely to come down, leading to increased margins," Mathews said, adding that the pricing power of could return enabling longer-term sustainability.

The year 2017 saw Idea and RCom reporting their first ever consolidated loss (for the quarter ended December 2016), and Bharti Airtel sustaining steep fall in profits. The telcos blamed Jio's free offers for the hemorrhage.

Mathews says fundamental changes would be critical for the sector. The industry, he estimates, will require an investment of Rs 3 lakh crore in coming years for innovation and infrastructure expansion.

The government is finalising relief package for the sector which includes proposal to give more time to telcos to make spectrum payments.





ALSO READ: Govt may allow 100% FDI in telecom via automatic route

These measures are based on the recommendation of an inter-ministerial committee and are expected to materialise by early 2018 along with a new National Telecom Policy -- both could prove to be a lifeline for the . Or, at the very least, offer a breather to players saddled with loans.

"The is still struggling with a massive cumulative debt of around Rs 4.6 lakh crore, while revenues have fallen to under Rs 1.8 lakh crore," Mathews noted.

As it is, the telecom operators are yet to recover fully from the past upheavals (remember 2009 when new entrants triggered a voice tariff war and later the spectrum auction added to the industry's woes).

A new frontier is just about opening in the 2G case with the recent acquittals by the special court prompting some players, whose licences were cancelled in 2012, to weigh legal options.

As the financial and legal narrative unfolds in the telecom sector, some experts feel that mobile rates may actually inch up in 2018.



ALSO READ: After 2G verdict, Videocon Telecommunications slaps Rs 10,000-crore bill



"The telcos will move to innovative business models to counter the falling revenues. Converged services with voice telephony, wired and wireless broadband, and television services along with content, Internet of Things, financial payments, are likely to help in better revenue streams," Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP, Partner, Hemant Joshi said.

The year saw India leapfrogging from 135th position in broadband usage to wrest the numero uno slot as data-hungry Indians devoured newer, cheaper offers. That demand for data is likely to continue unabated next year too.

While the industry gravitated towards internet-based technology, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India cut mobile call connection charges, and announced that the rates will be made nil by 2020. The move is being seen as a step to encourage making phone calls using internet protocol.

The regulator also stood firm on its stand to keep internet open, even as the US rolled back net neutrality regulations. Other regulatory moves including tightening call quality norms and proposal to ease spectrum caps will continue to play out in the market in 2018.

Another area to watch out would access of satellite phone services for consumers, especially during air travel. India's telecom sector is also expected to make significant progress for deployment of 5G services in 2018.

With Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, drones and robots promising to fuel future demand for high-speed data, it may just be a matter of time before the industry -- with fewer players -- returns to its trademark growth.
Another one....the discussion was about REGULATIONS ...But IT wants to further his notion that we (the right) are all inflicted with Obama Derangement Syndrome(ODS), a purely invented malady, so he infers that we oppose everything about Obama so as to deflect the fact that Obama's regulations were the root cause of 8 years of stagnant economy.... Is that "Whataboutism"???



bin Laden got terminated with extreme prejudice under Obama's watch...So I will give him some credit, which means your little dig is wrong....
A dance teacher was arrested for allegedly abducting one of his minor students after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials, police said today.

According to a complaint lodged by the minor's parents, the dance teacher, Azad, had taken their 15-year-old daughter to Mumbai on December 23 after promising to get her an opportunity to act in television serials.

The police said that when the family members of the girl were unable to contact her, they lodged a complaint against Azad, and a case pertaining to abduction was registered against him.

The family members of the girl have also alleged that the girl was raped but the police is yet to confirm this.

"The girl was reportedly in Delhi since December 23. Yesterday, the girl was found in Delhi. Azad too has been arrested, and the girl has been sent for medical examination," said Circle Officer Omkar Singh.

Meanwhile, a Hindu organisation claimed that this was a case of 'love jihad'.

"This seems to be a case of love jihad, and the district administration and police must act tough in this case," said Kapil Dewana, the regional convenor of Hindu Jagran Manch.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eight people were killed today and dozens arrested as security forces in DR Congo cracked down on Catholic worshippers who gathered at churches across the country to demand President Joseph Kabila leave power, a UN source said.

Despite appeals notably from the United Nations to respect people's right to protest, troops fired tear gas into churches and bullets in the air to break up gatherings at Catholic masses, in one case arresting 12 altar boys leading a protest in Kinshasa.

Internet links were also down as church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations.

"Eight deaths -- seven in Kinshasa and one in Kananga," in central Democratic Republic of Congo, the source told AFP, adding there had been "82 arrests, including priests, in the capital and "41 in the rest of the country."



At least four dead were civilians in the vast, mineral- rich central African country, wracked by tension over delayed elections. A government statement said one policeman had also been killed.

"Two young people were killed in the parish of Saint- Alphonse de Matete," in the east of the country, while another died in the Masina area, police spokesman Colonel Pierrot- Rombaut Mwanamputu said in a televised statement.

An AFP reporter at a demonstration in the central city of Kananga saw a man shot in the chest by soldiers who opened fire on worshippers gathered for what church leaders said would be a peaceful protest.

In Kinshasa, AFP counted at least 15 people hurt and two more in the country's second-biggest city, Lubumbashi.

The protesters were seeking a promise from Kabila that he will not seek to further extend his time in power in the mostly Catholic former Belgian colony.

Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018.

The United Nations says dozens of people have been killed during anti-government protests this year.

Impatience boiled over today, with all the country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests.

One army officer threatened a team of AFP reporters covering the crackdown at St. Michael's church in Kinshasa.

"If you don't clear out of here, I'll order that you be shot at," he said.

"Press, or not, no one is allowed inside. What's more, you have a white man with you -- that's a race that causes us problems."



A journalist for French radio station RFI was briefly detained, AFP reporters saw.

A churchgoer who asked not to be named described to AFP how officers dispersed worshippers from one mass in Kinshasa.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas in the church," he said.

One parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen" -- but added the priest carried on saying mass.

At the Notre Dame cathedral in the northern Lingwala district of Kinshasa, security forces deployed tear gas as opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi arrived, AFP reporters said.

After the altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes were detained other protesters started singing for the Virgin Mary to "make Kabila go".

Catholics of Kinshasa's "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Department of Telecom (DoT) will issue notices to five telecom operators, including Tata Teleservices, Telenor and Reliance Jio, to recover Rs 2,578 crore, in the wake of the CAG red-flagging understatement of revenues by the firms.

"The DoT will raise demand of Rs 2,578 crore from the five telecom operators as was mentioned by the CAG in its report this month. The demand will be raised after reconciling the accounts," an official source told PTI.

As per the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) tabled in Parliament on December 19, Tata Teleservices, Telenor, Videocon Telecom, Qaudrant (a Videocon Group firm) and Reliance Jio have understated revenues by over Rs 14,800 crore, resulting in a shortfall of nearly Rs 2,578 crore to the exchequer.

The CAG report said the government was paid Rs 1,015.17 crore less in licence fee, Rs 511.53 crore less in spectrum usage charge, and Rs 1,052.13 crore less as interest applicable on delay in payment.

The government collection from Tata Teleservices is short by Rs 1,893.6 crore, Telenor - Rs 603.75 crore, Videocon - Rs 48.08 crore, Quadrant - Rs 26.62 crore and Jio - Rs 6.78 crore for licence fee, spectrum usage charge (SUC) and applicable interest charges.

"The notices are expected to be sent to telecom operators in January," the source added.

The CAG findings are based on the audit of Tata Teleservices and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd from 2010-11 to 2014-15; Quadrant Televentures (2006-07 to 2014- 15); Videocon Telecom (2009-10 to 2014-15); Telenor (2009-10 to 2014-15) and Reliance Jio Infocomm from 2012-13 to 2014-15.

Videocon Telecom, Telenor (Telewings) and Tata Teleservices have sold their mobile businesses to Bharti Airtel, while Quadrant has shut down its mobile services.

CAG observed that telecom operators deducted discounts offered to dealers and customers; free talktime; interest earned from investments and some asset sales from their gross revenue.

As per the auditor, these should have been part of the adjusted gross revenue (revenue earned from telecom services) for calculation of the licence fee and SUC.

CAG said these expenses are in the nature of marketing spends and cannot be deducted from revenue meant for calculating the government's share.

The auditor found that Tata Teleservices had written off bad debt that resulted in understatement of its gross revenue by Rs 1,026.01 crore.

Unitech Wireless transferred its mobile business to Telenor's Indian arm Telewing Communications at a profit of Rs 251.5 crore in 2013-14, but this profit was not included for computing revenue share with the government.

Most of the deductions considered by the CAG for computing of revenue of telecom operators are sub-judice matters.
Eight alleged drug peddlers, including three residents of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, were arrested along with heroin, cannabis and intoxicant capsules in separate overnight operations in different parts of Jammu region, a police official said today.

Mehtab and Nadeem, both residents of Uttar Pradesh, were arrested after 1033 intoxicant capsules were recovered from their possession during checking at Rahya Morh near Vijaypur in Samba district, the official said.

He said a truck driver Inderjeet Singh, a resident of Punjab, was arrested after police recovered 10 kgs of poppy straw from his vehicle during checking at Chenani in Udhampur district.

Lakhwinder Singh, who allegedly used to procure drugs and supply the same in Jammu, was apprehended along with 21 grams of heroin from Satwari area of the city, the official said.

He said three more peddlers - Pardeep Kumar and his Kashmiri associates Fayaz Ahmad Nadaf and Javed Ahmad Chechi - were arrested, and 140 grams of heroin was recovered from them near Fruit Mandi here.

Another drug peddler, Ram Chand, was arrested after 900 grams of cannabis was recovered from his possession in Gandoh area of Doda district, the official said.

All the arrested people were booked under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hundreds of fans of Tamil cinema superstar Rajinikanth today burst crackers and distributed sweets here after the actor announced his entry into politics.

Rajinikanth had today said that he would be floating his own political party ahead of the next Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.

The actor had said that the motto of his party would be "truthfulness, hard work and growth".

Hundreds of fans of the actor gathered here at the head-office of Maharashtra State Rajinikanth Welfare Association in suburban Chembur following the announcement.

"We have 150 associations of Rajini sir in Maharashtra out of which 90 are in Mumbai. These are at places like Sion, Vashi, Govandi, Vasai, Santacruz, Malad among others which have a large Tamil population. It is a huge day for us, we are very happy," Talapathy SK Aadhimoolam, president of the Maharashtra State Rajinikanth Welfare Association told PTI.

"Today he has name, fame, money, he has everything. He has entered politics for the welfare of society. For him the happiness of people matters the most. He has always said that he is thankful to his fans and everyone for whatever he has got in his life. He now wants to do good work for them (people). We are always with him and we pray for his long and successful innings in politics," Aadhimoolam said.

Aadhimoolam added that members of the actor's fan clubs have been active in social work and have also helped during times of crises and natural calamities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The former security minister in Burkina Faso's transitional government has been arrested as part of an investigation into an "attempt to destabilise" the country.

"Colonel Denise Auguste Barry was arrested this (Friday) morning in connection with an investigation into an attempt to destabilise the state," a senior gendarmerie officer told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that it was a "recent" affair.

"For now, he is still being interviewed at the gendarmerie camp," he added.

Communication minister Remis Fulgance Dandjinou confirmed his arrest, saying: "The minister of security (Simon Compaore) has informed us of the investigations that are ongoing and involving Denise Auguste Barry.

"The preliminary inquiry and the investigation continue, and in due course the government will be kept informed," he said.

According to Dandjinou, "there is an administrative part, and maybe there will be a judicial part".

Promoted to security minister in the transitional government led by Yacouba Isaac Zida, Colonel Barry was removed from office by the following President Michel Kafando a few months later.

The transitional government was installed after the fall of President Blaise Compaore, toppled on October 31, 2014 by a popular uprising after 27 years in power.

The dismissal of Colonel Barry, considered Zida's right- hand man, was widely seen as a step to appease the army, which said he was "instrumentalising" civil society organisations who demanded army reforms, particularly the dissolution of the Presidential Security Regiment (RSP).

Colonel Barry had since set up a defence and security studies centre.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Catalonia's fugitive former president has called for Spanish authorities to open negotiations regarding the restitution of what he calls his "legitimate government."



Carles Puigdemont said via social media channels from Brussels on Saturday that Spain should "recognize the election results of December 21 and start negotiating politically with the legitimate government of Catalonia."



Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy deposed Puigdemont and his cabinet after Catalonia's regional parliament voted in favor of a declaration of independence from the rest of the country in October.

But pro-secession parties, including one led by Puigdemont, won the most seats in elections last week.

Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid a judicial investigation into suspicions of rebellion by him and his government. He did not say Saturday if he plans to return to Spain.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Police said today that they have killed a hardcore criminal, who carried a reward of Rs one lakh on his head, in an encounter in Muzaffarnagar city in western Uttar Pradesh.

A policeman was injured in the encounter, carried out by a joint team of Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police.

Shamim, 30, was killed and a constable of special operations group (SOG) of the UP police was injured in the firefight last night, said P S Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell).

He and his associates were sought by the special cell in connection with a September 2016 robbery in Daryaganj area.

The Delhi Police traced the location of Shamim and one of his associates in Muzaffarnagar and informed the UP police.

"The duo were asked to surrender but they opened fire on the police team," he said, adding the police also returned fire in self-defence.

Inspector Shiv Kumar of the Special Cell was hit on his bulletproof jacket, while SOG constable Ashok Khari was seriously injured in the exchange of fire, the officer said.

He said Shamim, who was injured in the firefight, was later declared brought dead by doctors at an area hospital. His associate managed to escape.

A 9 mm pistol was recovered from Shamim.

According to the Delhi Police, Shamim had been involved in criminal activities for 14 years. He carried a reward of Rs 50,000 declared by the Delhi Police and another Rs 50,000 for his arrest was announced by the UP police.

Shamim was arrested for the first time in 2007 and was booked for theft, robbery, Arms Act, and attempt to murder.

In 2006, he and one of his associates had opened fire on an inspector of Manglor police station during an encounter.

In 2007, they had opened fire on a sub-inspector of the anti-extortion cell in Muzaffarnagar. They were also involved in two robberies in the city, the officer added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The hiring rate in the Indian automobile is likely to slow down to 2-2.5 per cent year-on-year against the historical 3 to 3.5 per cent growth due to the advent of new technologies and increased automation, according to a study.

According to 'Future of jobs in India: A 2022 perspective' by Ficci-Nasscom and EY, the emergence of new generation technologies is demanding a new set of skills from the auto workforce.

The report said employment in the automotive sector is likely to reach 14.3 million in 2022 and 60-65 per cent of the jobs would require new skill sets.

The sector provided direct employment to 12.8 million people as on FY 2017, it added.

"The automotive sector would continue to hire at a rate of 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent year-on-year against a historical growth rate of 3 per cent to 3.5 per cent to reach 14.3 million in 2022," the report said.

The auto has been one of the top robot-buying industries for years, and this trend is expected to continue, it said.

Robots have enabled almost 70 to 100 per cent automation in weld shops, press shops, cast shops and paint shops and are further penetrating into assembly operations to enable a higher degree of automation and lower costs for the manufacturer.

"With robotics being increasingly adopted in the sector, repetitive jobs roles such as painting and welding are being threatened. At the same time, job roles in robotics programming and maintenance will be more in demand," it said.

EY Partner - People and Organisation Advisory Services, Anurag Malik said, "The Indian automotive is likely to witness an increased demand for skilled labour in the coming years, as the economic environment improves and investments are made as part of the 'Make in India' initiative."



"Now, with the advent of new generation technologies, the industry needs to quickly come together and create collaborative learning ecosystems and develop workforce re-training programs across organisation levels to be future ready for the new job roles," he added.

As per the report, India's automation has made inroads in the domestic automotive industry. At the plant level, automation at most original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) remains at 30 per cent while in the body shop it is beyond 95 per cent.

"Auto are increasingly deploying smart robots with artificial intelligence capabilities that are able to adapt, communicate and interact with each other and with humans," it said.

In the next five years, due to the introduction of connected cars, big data, and cloud computing, new skill sets will be required in design, operation as well as other elements of the auto value chain, the report highlighted.

"Some of the potential new job roles in the automotive sector include automobile analytics engineer, 3D printing technician, machine learning-based vehicle cybersecurity expert and sustainability integration expert," it added.
In a relief to a class XII boy student who was suspended for hugging a girl, the management of the school here revoked the disciplinary action and allowed him to write the coming board examinations.

"It is all resolved and the boy who already wrote the internal exam will be allowed to appear for the coming examinations. There is no problem whatsoever", the school Principal Sebastian T Joseph told PTI, adding, "we are for the welfare of the children".

The girl student could also continue in the school and there was no issue on that also, he said.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had held a meeting with the representatives of the of the church-run school management and the parents of the students few days ago to find a way out to settle the matter.

The meeting arrived at a general consensus to resolve the issue.

Tharoor later tweeted that "there are still some is to be dotted & ts to be crossed but we are almost there...I applaud all involved for having approached the issue in a constructive spirit. This has to be win-win: the school must win back its reputation &the kids their academic careers," he said.

The St Thomas Central School at nearby Mukkolakkal has been in the eye of a storm after the incident which occurred on July 21 came to the media glare nearly five months later last week.

The boy had hugged the 11th standard girl student after her performance in a music competition following which the management had suspended him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the prevalence and severity of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, such as those committed or directed by persons listed in the Annex to this order, have reached such scope and gravity that they threaten the stability of international political and economic systems.



...I therefore determine that serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. Click to expand...

Trump targets human rights abusers with executive order



President Donald Trump cracked down Thursday on individuals and groups that his administration deems to be perpetrators or enablers of human rights abuses and corruption, the first action under a broad sanctions law passed a year ago.



Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency related to serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world and imposed sanctions on 13 individuals, using his authority under the 2016 Global Magnitsky Act.



The Treasury Department sanctioned an additional 39 people and entities for alleged human rights abuses and corruption, for a total of 52 targets. Among those sanctioned is the son of Russia's prosecutor general.



The executive order says the prevalence and severity of human rights abuse and corruption" outside of the United States "have reached such scope and gravity that they threaten the stability of international political and economic systems.



The people sanctioned include Yahya Jammeh, former president of Gambia; Slobodan Tesic, an arms dealer in the Balkans; Mukhtar Hamid Shah, a Pakistani surgeon specializing in kidney transplants; Guatemalan Congressman Julio Antonio Juarez Ramirez; and Artem Chaika, the son of Russias prosecutor general.



Today, the United States is taking a strong stand against human rights abuse and corruption globally by shutting these bad actors out of the U.S. financial system, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.



The State Department also submitted an annual report to Congress detailing its implementation efforts under the Global Magnitsky Act.



The Global Magnitsky Act is a broader version of the Russia-specific Magnitsky Act, passed in 2012. Both are named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died in 2009 under mysterious circumstances, as a prisoner of the Russian government after uncovering corruption.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this. The Magnitsky Act was targeted at Russia, and it royally pissed them off.Does anybody have any idea?Language from the EO:Names are named in the EO. Two are Russians. The EO is fairly short. Please read it.
Taking a jibe at the Samajwadi Party, the Uttar Pradesh state BJP unit today claimed that in 2017, the state saw not only a change of power but also a change of system.

"In 2017, not only there was a change of government, but we also started witnessing a change of vyavasthaa (system). In the beginning of 2017, SP -- the then ruling party -- was witnessing a family feud.

"But, this year, on the other hand, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be celebrating New Year with members of the Van Tangiya community (who are primarily forest dwellers)," UP BJP spokesman Rakesh Tripathi said in a statement issued here.

In 2018, the state would host an Investors' Summit in February, and UP Diwas would be celebrated on January 24, the statement quoted him as saying.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said today that government bodies must provide "space for criticism" as he sought to head off days of unrest, but warned protesters that violence was unacceptable.

"Criticism is different to violence and destroying public property," he said in a cabinet meeting, according to the state broadcaster.

"Government bodies should provide space for legal criticism and protest," Rouhani said in his first public comments since the protests began on Thursday.

He also said US President Donald Trump had "no right" to sympathise with Iranian protesters who he has previously called terrorists.

"This man who today in America wants to sympathise with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the nation of Iran terrorist," Rouhani told the cabinet meeting.

"This person whose whole being is against the nation of Iran has no right to feel pity for the people of Iran.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Bali Bhagat appealed to the National Health Mission (NHM) employees to call off their strike and assured that all genuine issues being faced by them would be addressed on priority basis.

However, the agitating staff turned down the appeal and decided to extend the strike by six more days to press for their demands including regularisation of their services.

"We are continuing with the strike till we get a written assurance from the government for fulfilment of our genuine demands especially the main demand of job regularisation," Jammu division president of All J-K NHM employees association Rohit Seth told PTI.

"We started the strike on December 20 and have been extending it by 72 hours. Now we have decided to extend the strike by six more days," he said.

Blaming the government for "forcing" them to resort to strike, Seth said, "We called off the earlier strike in March after the government set up a committee to examine our demands. But in the past nine months, they have been betrayed multiple times through hollow statements and empty promises."



Over 11,000 NHM, J&K State AIDS Control Society (JKSACS) and Revised National Tuberculosis control programme (RNTCP) employees, including doctors and paramedics, are on strike Since December 20 and holding protests at the exhibition ground here.

Services in various district and sub-district healthcare facilities and primary health centres in remote areas across the state have been affected by the strike.

In addition to the demand for job regularisation, the agitators are seeking equal pay for equal work and other benefits on par with government employees, claiming that most of them have completed about a decade of contractual service and have crossed the age limit.

To find a way of ending the state-wide strike, the state health minister yesterday met the representatives of the NHM association and appealed them to resume their duties forthwith as the health services are being hampered due to their stir.

"The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and both parties put forth their viewpoints," an official spokesperson said, adding the minister apprised the agitators that the government was aware about their problems and was making all out efforts to address these in a phased manner.

Bhagat said a strike is not the solution to any issue and they should negotiate in an open mind.

Listing some of the measures initiated by the government for the welfare of the NHM and employees of other bodies, he said accidental insurance, employees provident fund (EPF), earned leave and maternity leave have been extended to them.

The minister announced one per cent hike in the overall remuneration of all employees, the spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A pall of gloom descended on village Lohgarh Thakran Wala in Zira sub division in this district after the of Sepoy Jagsir Singh (32)'s death reached here.

Singh was killed after Pakistani troops again violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

He is survived by wife Mohinder Pal Kaur, two daughters and one son, his family said.

Singh visited his native village last week and had promised to visit again next month.

His mother Gurmit Kaur said that Singh rang up yesterday night to convey new year greetings.

"Little did we know that this will be our last conversation," an inconsolable Gurmit Kaur said.

The soldier's family said the couple got married in 2010, and were blessed with three kids, Nigamjit Kaur (7), Gurmeet Kaur (5) and Jagdeep Singh (2).

Singh's last rites will be held tomorrow, Vipin Sharma, a Tehsildar, said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor James Norton has once again said that he is not in the race to take on the role of James Bond after Daniel Craig's last outing as the beloved spy.

The "Happy Valley" actor, who is being considered as one of the top contenders for the iconic role, said he feels humbled to be considered along side Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender, reported Metro.

Talking about the opening scene of his new show "McMafia", where the actor wears a tuxedo, Norton said, "I did say to James Watkins, the director, are you just baiting me and stoking the rumour fire with scenes like that? When it's reported in the press, people assume that I've co-ordinated the scene, but I promise you I didn't. The truth is that it's total speculation."



"It's really humbling and flattering, but to have my name next to the likes of Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender is just mad. If you're thinking of putting a bet on me, keep your money in your pocket," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police today recovered two banners, suspected to be put up by the Naxals, in the Nagzira wildlife sanctuary in Gondia district of Maharashtra.

"Nagzira Bandh, Lal Salam, Dum hain toh Nagzira aao (If you dare, come to Nagzira)," the banners said.

'Lal Salam' (Red Salute) is a greeting often found on Naxal pamphlets and banners.

Special Inspector General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sharad Shelar told PTI that the banners didn't bear the name of any organisation.

Security in the popular wildlife sanctuary has been enhanced and people need not worry, Shelar said.

Gondia in eastern Maharashtra, alongwith Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts, has witnessed Naxal activities on and off. The district borders on Chhattisgarh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury today claimed that the Left Front would win the Tripura Assembly polls, due in early 2018, and the north- eastern state would be able to stop the BJP's winning streak.

"Seeing such a mammoth gathering and jubilation of people, I am certain the eighth Left Front government would be formed in Tripura after the polls," Yechury told a Left Front rally here.

Alleging that the BJP won the Gujarat polls by "dividing" people and formed the government in Manipur and Goa by "resorting to unlawful means", he hoped that Tripura would be able to stop the saffron party's election winning streak.

The BJP fought intensely with the Congress party in Gujarat, winning it for the sixth straight time. It also wrested power from the Congress in Himachal Pradesh.

In Goa and Manipur, which voted in hung assemblies, the BJP came from behind to form the government in the two states.

"If Lav and Kush in the Ramayana could stop the horse of victory of Rama, the Left Front can stop the victory trail of (Narendra) Modi in Tripura," Yechury said.

"The sun rises in Tripura before Delhi and the rays of the sun falls in Tripura first. The Left Front would form the government and show an orientation of alternative," he said.

The CPI(M) general secretary alleged that the BJP was a party which "indulges in communalism" and rules the country by "dividing people".

It was trying to forge an alliance with "communal forces" like the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) and the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura, he claimed.

Claiming that the BJP has taken the country backwards, he said it "gave us many promises, but did not implement them."



"It is a government of jumla or empty promises and people now do not believe in their promises," Yechury said.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, too, alleged that the BJP was trying to forge an alliance with the IPFT, which, he said, was a "mask" of the underground insurgents who intend to "disrupt peace and tranquillity" in the northeastern state.

"We have to resist the conspiracy of breaking peace and disrupt communal harmony in the state because peace is the first precondition for development.

"Despite many hurdles, we will try to form a government of alternative principle and alternative development model," Sarkar said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has suggested the government to make PAN compulsory on air-ticket bookings for overseas package tours to bring high value transactions into the data system.

In its pre-Budget memorandum with regards to direct taxes, the Chartered Accountants' apex body also recommended an independent audit provision which may be inserted to provide for a comprehensive audit of all TDS returns filed.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) also said the scope of filing return should be widened so as to include in its ambit the persons who are frequent international flyers.

"A person having foreign tour twice in a block of three years or thrice in a block of five years should file his/her return of income mandatorily," it said.

Other such examples include a person having huge agriculture income or is in a possession of large agriculture land; a person paying electricity expense above certain limit (say Rs 60,000 per annum), a person paying school fees above specified limit (say Rs 72,000 per annum) should also come under the scope of return of income.

Moreover, if the aggregate amount deposited in the current account exceed certain limit (say Rs 30,00,000) then provisions of filing of return should apply to that person mandatorily, while cash withdrawals from saving bank account above certain limits should also take place in the annual information return/statement of financial transaction, it said.

It further noted that PAN should be made mandatory on air-ticket bookings for foreign overseas package tours.

"Persons booking international air-tickets should be required to give their PAN while booking tickets when such foreign travel is organised as foreign package tours. This step will bring many high value transactions into the data system, which can be scrutinised for expanding the tax base," it noted.

It further noted that "the airline companies should be required to forward such declarations to their respective Assessing Officers. This information can be included as part of the return under section 285BA".

Regarding TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) returns it suggested that an independent audit provision may be inserted to provide for a comprehensive audit of all the TDS returns filed with the department.

"Appropriate forms of audit report can be prescribed to certify the correctness of the quarterly TDS returns. This will enable the department to be rest assured about the correctness of the TDS returns filed as well as the remittance of the tax deducted at source to the credit of the Central Government," it noted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The personal security officer of a Meghalaya minister was shot at and injured during a robbery on NH-62 in East Garo Hills district early today, the police said.

The incident occurred at about 2:30 am when the PSO, Dalsrang Momin, was escorting a truck full of CGI sheets for distribution by Education Minister Deborah Marak to beneficiaries in Williamnagar constituency.

The car Momin was driving while escorting the truck was stopped near Rongmil village by armed dacoits who were looting other vehicles, police said.

They ordered Momin to come out of the car and found his allotted handgun. They panicked after seeing the weapon and one of the dacoits fired at the PSO who suffered pellet injuries in the face and upper torso.

The gang then fled.

The PSO is now out of danger, district Superintendent of Police Vivekanand Singh said confirming the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Home Ministry has asked all chief ministers not tomake surprise visits to other states, saying these might pose a security risk to the visiting dignitary.

In a communication to all chief secretaries, the ministry conveyed that it has come to know that sometimes chief minister of a state travels to another state without informing the host government.

"This is not only compromises the security of the visiting chief ministers, it can lead to potential embarrassing situations where the security detail accompanying the visiting chief minister is told that it has no jurisdiction outside the home state," it said.

The Home Ministry told the chief secretaries to convey to the respective chief ministers the need to inform the host state when he or she visits another state in the interests of security.

All chief ministers are 'Z' or 'Z-plus' protectees and as per the laid down procedure, when a chief minister travels to another state, it is the duty of the host state to provide adequate security to the visiting chief minister.

"It is therefore, necessary that when the chief minister visits other states, they should intimate to the host state their detailed programme so that adequate arrangements of security as well as other arrangements such as accommodation etc. if required, can be made. Even otherwise, it is normal to inform the host," the home ministry told the chief secretaries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The RSM-56 Bulava (NATO Reporting name: SS-N-32) is a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) currently deployed on three Borei class strategic, nuclear-powered missile submarines (SSBN). The missile weighs 36.8 tons and is capable of attacking targets at 8,300 km, employing 1-6 independently targeted warheads (MIRV) each carrying a thermonuclear device of 100-150 kiloton yield.

The Russian Navy operates Bulava with three of its latest missile submarines, although the operational capabilities of those units have been questioned following repeated failures of missile tests, through its long development and first few years of operational deployment. The three submarines currently equipped with RSM-56 are all Borei class SSBN, named Yury Dolgorukiy, Alexander Nevsky, and Vladimir Monomakh. The first submarine of the class, Yury Dolgorukiy, performed most of the test launches through the development phase and initial operational deployment, of 22 Bulava tests performed by Yury Dolgorukiy  about half ended in failures.

Following its official induction into the Russian fleet Bulava missiles failed three of seven test flights, in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Two of the failed tests consisted of a salvo launch of two missiles, considered as a highly difficult task.

In 2013 a test terminated two minutes after launch. Three follow-on tests in 2014 verified the missile was back on course. But in 2015 a salvo of two missiles failed again, one of the missiles exploded on ascent while the other missed its designated target. In 2016, two missiles were launched again, one veered off its course immediately after takeoff and exploded. The second missile successfully hit its target in Kamchatka. On June 2017 the missile submarine Yuri Dolgoruky, successfully test-fired an RSM-56 Bulava Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) from a submerged position in the Barents Sea, off the northern coast of Russia. The warhead impacted the designated target at the Kura practice range in Kamchatka, 3,600 miles away.

More Reading:




In his first remarks on the issue of instant triple talaq after a bill banning it was cleared by Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said after "years of suffering", Muslim women have finally found a way out to "free" themselves from the practice.

He also said in 2018, people should work towards all- round development of the nation even as his government pushes for reforms measures to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and terrorism.

Calling for 'sabka saath, sabka vikas', Modi said the mantra for the New Year should be "reform, perform, transform."



"Without referring to the Muslim women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill passed by Lok Sabha last week, Modi said Muslim women were facing hardships due to the prevailing practice of instant triple talaq for years. "But now they have found way to free themselves (from the practice)," he said.

The PM was delivering the inaugural address for the 85th Sivagiri Pilgrimage Celebrations, at Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, Kerala via video conference.

Sivagiri is the holy abode of one of the great saints and social reformers Sree Narayan Guru.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A bill that seeks to replace the apex medical education regulator, the Medical Council of India (MCI), with a new body, has "many problematic" provisions, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said and demanded that the bill be referred to a parliamentary standing committee.

The National Medical Commission Bill 2017, which seeks to replace MCI with a new body, to ensure transparency, was introduced in the Lok Sabha recently.

The senior Congress leader has demanded that the bill be referred to a standing committee for examination in letters to both Union Health Minister J P Nadda as well as to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

Ramesh has urged the Centre not to "hurry" with the important legislation while noting that waiting another three-four months will not be "disastrous" and can improve the bill substantially.

In his letter to Nadda, Ramesh said that although he appreciates that the minister has incorporated the spirit of the Standing Committee report on Medical Council of India, but there are far too "many problematic" provisions in the bill which "go against" the committee report, making him "deeply uncomfortable".

"I still feel, you should refer the Bill to the Standing Committee and ask it to submit its report by the end of the 2018 Budget session. I humbly request you not to stand on prestige and do so," Ramesh said.

"The Bill has been selective in its borrowing from the Standing Committee report. To say that it is based on the Standing Committee report and therefore needs no further examination by the Standing Committee is simply not true," he wrote.

Congress members had in the House protested the introduction of the Bill by Nadda, demanding that it be sent to the parliamentary standing committee for thorough scrutiny.

"Please do not hurry with this very important legislation in this manner. Another three-four months will not be disastrous for you. We can improve the Bill substantially," Ramesh said in his letter to Nadda.

In his letter to the vice president, Ramesh expressed his "deep sense of anguish" that the NMC Bill will not be sent to the Standing Committee headed by Ram Gopal Yadav for detailed examination. Ramesh is also a member of this committee.

In March 2016, the Standing Committee presented its 92nd report on the MCI in which it had made a large number of recommendations.

"On the grounds that the Standing Committee had submitted this report, the Government is taking the view that the Bill need not go back to the Standing Committee. This is a fallacious argument," Ramesh said in his letter to Naidu.

"First, the Standing Committee never examined the Bill. Second, many of the provisions of the Bill go against the recommendations of the Standing Committee," he wrote.

Nadda had said in the House had that the bill incorporates suggestions made by the standing committee.

"I am not saying that the Standing Committee is the repository of all wisdom. All I am saying is that it should be given an opportunity of examining a very important and far- reaching piece of legislation," Ramesh said in the letter.

"Give it time, deadline by all means but do not stifle by preventing it fulfil its main objective -- which is the examination of Bills. I have appealed to my good friend Naddaji. I am appealing to you as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha," he wrote.

Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year "to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine", a point, reports have suggested to be as controversial.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) too has strongly opposed the bill and has appealed to the prime minister to revise it in the larger interest of the medical profession.

According to the IMA, the NMC will "cripple" the functioning of the medical profession by making it completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Housing sector witnessed 35 per cent fall in new supply during 2017 across eight major cities to about 74,000 units, but launches of low-cost homes rose by six per cent, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

Launches of new homes are estimated to have fallen to 73,956 units in 2017 from 1,13,044 units last year in eight cities -- NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Pune and Hyderabad.

All eight cities recorded decline in new home launches in the range of 8 per cent to 52 per cent, mainly on account of implementation of real estate regulatory law RERA under which all ongoing and new projects have to be registered with the authority.

"With only the affordable housing segment seeing a rise in launches in 2017, the new unit launches in residential saw a decline of 35 per cent yearonyear since 2016," Cushman & Wakefield said in a report.

Home launches fell maximum in Ahmedabad by 52 per cent at 4,680 units during 2017, followed by Hyderabad by 51 per cent to 5,837 units, Bengaluru by 47 per cent to 9,219 units and Kolkata by 45 per cent to 7,127 units.

Chennai saw a dip of 44 per cent to 3,595 units during 2017, while Pune witnessed a decline of 43 per cent to 10,730 units and Delhi-NCR by 14 per cent to 9,792 units.

Home launches fell only by 8 per cent in Mumbai at 22,976 units as Maharashtra timely established the state regulator.

Commenting on the report, C&W India Country Head and MD Anshul Jain said: "2017 is a precursor to the much-needed stability of the residential market as seen in the nature of launches".

In the residential sector, affordable housing saw a growth of 6 per cent at 31,241 units, with Mumbai leading the trend.

"Even as developers grappled with the impacts of business fundamentals like RERA and the GST over their business, the clarity brought in by government in affordable housing definition and benefits led to this growth," C&W said.

Mumbai contributed the highest to affordable category, recording over 11,000 new units. Pune with the launch of 5,700 units saw second highest numbers.

Luxury segment posted 70 per cent fall in launches to 331 units, while high-end by 57 per cent to 4,943 units and mid- range by 47 per cent to 37,441 units.

Jain said the sector has seen an eventful year with drastic statutory changes and it will continue to realign itself to end users' demands well into 2018.

"The end users' interest in the residential sector will become positive as investments will be legally protected and there would be commitment on timely delivery from developers," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It turned out to be a new year celebrations in advance for the fans of Rajinikanth as they welcomed his announcement today on political entry by bursting crackers and distributing sweets across the state.

Euphoria gripped the fans soon after the 67-year-old 'Kabali' star said he would launch his own political party ahead of the next assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, fulfilling their long-pending expectation.

The jubilant fans also offered prayers at various temples.

The fans, who gathered at the Raghavendra marriage hall where Rajinikanth made the announcement on the concluding day of his six-day photo session with them, waved the fan club flags outside the venue and raised slogans hailing his decision.

Acknowledging the rapturous response, Rajinikanth walked up to the balcony of the marriage hall and waved to his fans.

Slogans such as "thalaiva thalaiva (leader)" rent the air as the fans who gathered outside the venue and elsewhere broke into celebrations, dancing to some of the tunes from the actor's blockbuster movies.

"It is Thalaivar's New Year gift to us," Raju, a fan, said.

Hailing the move, they also distributed sweets to passengers in buses and local trains at different places.

The fan club flag featuring stripes of blue, white and red with a star in the centre embossed with the image of Rajinikanth were seen fluttering in parts of the city.

A Coimbatore report said fans, cutting across party affiliations, celebrated the occasion by performing rituals at temples and also by bursting crackers.

A group of persons performed 'Angapradakshinam' (rolling over around sanctum sanctorum) of the "Arulmigu Koniyamman Temple, the presiding deity of the city.

A fan in Salem said the occasion resembled the release of a movie of Rajinikanth which normally witnesses "jubiliation" among the fans.

"Normally, fans pour milk in his placards and distribute sweets to his fans. Today's occasion resembled that", he said.

As the of Rajinikanth's political entry spread like wild fire, social media platforms were flooded with comments both criticising and hailing the actor's decision.

"#superstar #rajinikanth announces his political entry. Good to start a new year", an user tweeted.

The was trending in Twitter since morning.

Another fan of the actor said, "Finally, 2017 is gonna end happily....#RajiniForTamilNadu #ThalaivarPoliticalEntry".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Public sector NLC India Ltd today said it has achieved financial closure for its 3x660 MW project in Uttar Pradesh with loan arrangement of Rs 11,067 crore.

The Tamil Nadu-based company is setting up new power project, totalling 1,980 MW under Joint Venture NLCIL-UPRVUNL (Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd) with share holding of 51:49 respectively.

The project is located in Ghatampur in Uttar Pradesh and project activities were on in full swing, the company said in a statement, adding that an expenditure of Rs 1,192.29 crore has been incurred so far.

The signing of documents relating to the loan arrangement took place today in Puducherry in the presence of Coal Ministry, Secretary, Susheel Kumar, NLCIL Chairman and Managing Director, Sarat Kumar Acharya, Power Finance Corporation, Chairman and Managing Director, Rajeev Sharma.

NLC India Ltd has agreed to the loan arrangment of Rs 11,067 crore with consortium led by Power Finance Corporation, including State Bank of India, Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd.

"The sanctioned project cost is Rs 17,237.80 crore and is planned to be funded with a debt equity ratio of 70:30", the statement said.

The loan arrangement for the project has been made through a transparent open tendering process, giving advantage of competitive rate and is expected to result in savings of more than Rs 700 crore in project cost, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Noted Odia playwright, jatra actor and director Ananta Ojha passed away today in Bengaluru following a prolonged illness, family sources said.

He was 59.

Ojha, who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru, breathed his last this evening.

Ojha scripted over 200 popular plays and acted and directed in many jatras.

State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death of Ojha and conveyed his deep condolences to the bereaved family.

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed profound grief over the demise of Ojha.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At a revolutionary school in Pakistan, Durkhanay Banuri dreams of becoming military chief, once a mission impossible for girls in a patriarchal country where the powerful army has a severe problem with gender equity.

Thirteen-year-old Durkhanay, a student at Pakistan's first ever Girls' Cadet College, established earlier this year in the deeply conservative northwest, brims with enthusiasm and confidence as she sketches out her life plan.

"I want to be the army chief," she tells AFP. "Why not? When a woman can be prime minister, foreign minister and governor of the State Bank, she can also be chief of the army staff ... I will make it possible and you will see."



The dreams of many women in the region were once limited to merely leaving the house.

Durkhanay and her 70 classmates in Mardan, a town in militancy-hit Khyber Pakthunkhwa (KP) province roughly 110 km from Islamabad, are aiming much higher.

Cadet colleges in Pakistan, which are run by the government with officers from the military's branch, strive to prepare bright male students for the armed forces and civil services.

Their graduates are usually given preference for selection to the army, which in Pakistan can mean their future is secured: they are likely to be granted land and will benefit from the best resources and training in the country.

As a result such colleges play an outsized role in Pakistan's system, which has been woefully underfunded for decades.

According to a 2016 government study, a staggering 24 million Pakistani children are out of school, with a larger share of girls staying home than boys -- 12.8 million compared to 11.2 million.

Hundreds of boys study at the cadet colleges across the country.

But girls are still not allowed in these elite schools, with the special college at Mardan the one exception.

"Such colleges can help girls qualify to be part of the armed forces, foreign service, civil services or become engineers and doctors," said retired Brigadier Naureen Satti, underscoring their importance in the long fight for equality by Pakistan's women.

In starched khaki uniforms and red berets Durkhanay and her classmates march the parade ground, stepping to the beat of a barking drill instructor, before racing to change into physical training and martial arts kits.

The military is widely seen as Pakistan's most powerful institution, and has ruled the country for roughly half of its 70-year history. Under the current civilian government it is believed to control defence and foreign policy.

Women, however, have largely been shut out -- par for the course in a country routinely ranked among the world's most misogynistic, and where they have fought for their rights for decades.

Previously they were only allowed to serve in administrative posts. But military dictator Pervez Musharraf opened up the combat branches of the army, navy and air force to women beginning in 2003.

The military would not disclose how many of its members, which a 2015 Credit Suisse report said number more than 700,000 active personnel, are currently women.

But a senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity that at least 4,000 are now believed to be serving in the armed forces.

He gave no further details, and it is unclear how far the women have managed to foray from their administrative past, though some have managed to become high profile role models -- including, notably, Ayesha Farooq, who in 2013 became Pakistan's first ever female fighter pilot.

The Girls' Cadet College principal, retired brigadier Javid Sarwar, vowed his students would be prepared for whatever they wanted to do, "including the armed forces".

"I want these girls to avail their brilliance and fight injustices in society, and this is possible if they get a standard education," he told AFP, adding that plans are to induct a second batch of 80 girls from all over Pakistan by March next year.

For 57,000 rupees ($540) each three-term semester, his students get room and board along with access to computers and the internet, a luxury for some Pakistani schools.

It is a "game changer" in a region where religious conservative norms see many women keep some form of purdah -- confined to women's-only quarters at home -- and "could only dream of coming out of their houses in the past", says college vice principal Shama Javed.

Durkhanay and her classmates are confident the college will give them a fighting chance in Pakistan.

Affifa Alam, who wants to follow Farooq's path and become an air force pilot, said the college represents a "big change". "This will help us (in) realising the dream of women's empowerment," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Six people were arrested for allegedly abducting cab drivers and looting them, and stealing their vehicles near Kalindi Kunj area here, police said today.

Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended gang leader Dharamvir (21), Ravi (26), Mohd Sahib, Vicky, Raju and Heera (all aged 19 years) on Friday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast district) Chinmoy Biswal said.

Three cars, a Swift Dzire running for online cab aggregator Ola, a Renault Lodgy and a WagonR, a dummy pistol, two knives and identity proofs stolen from victims were recovered from their possession, he added.

During interrogation, Dharamvir admitted to hailing cabs during late evenings at dark stretches of the city posing as a passengers and then overpowering the driver and looting him at knife point once the vehicle arrived, DCP Biswal added.

The accused would then leave the vehicle at a deserted area to be disposed of later, he said.

Three separate FIRs were lodged at police stations of Sarita Vihar and Amar Colony against the gang over alleged offences of abduction, robbery and causing hurt while committing robbery, the DCP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala today said the number of cases connected with political violence has come down in 2017, a claim disputed by opposition Congress and BJP in the state.

Quoting statistics, a statement from the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said cases connected with political clashes in 2017 was 1,463 which was 211 lesser than the previous year.

This was following effective administrative and political steps taken by the government along with peace initiatives of Chief Minister, the statement said.

Slamming the government on the issue, opposition leader in the Kerala assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the statistics put out by the government was to mislead the people. "Political clashes and murders were much more than the figures give by the government", he said.

There was a total breakdown of law and order in the state, he alleged and said "police in the state has become a mere spectator."



"The police were also not given freedom to function due to political interference," he said.

Chennithala said that a total of 20 political killings have occurred during the year.

Countering the government position, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said it was not based on statistics one should evaluate the law and order situation.

"The number of political killings was more during the year than last year. A total of 13 BJP-RSS workers were killed in the attack by CPI(M) during the year," Rajasekharan told PTI.

As per National Crime Bureau statistics, the overall crime rate in the state was higher compared to other states during the year, he said, adding, "the law and order was at its worst in the year."



"The intensity of the crime has also gone up during the year," he claimed.

Rajasekharan alleged that even after peace conference by the Chief Minister, BJP-RSS workers were targeted by ruling CPI(M) workers.

A total number of 1,463 cases of political violence were reported till December 30 this year and it was 1,674 cases in 2016, the statement from CMO said.

It said that political violence in Kannur, which has a history of repeated clashes between workers of CPI(M) and BJP-RSS has also come down.

In 2016 a total of 363 cases were registered in Kannur, while the number of cases have down to 271 this year, the statement said.

It claimed the political clashes decreased due to the administrative and political steps taken by the government.

It was also the result of peace effort initiated bythe Chief Minister, the statement said.

The BJP's state unit took out a Jana Raksha Yatra against the increase in the alleged attacks by CPI(M) workers on its cadres after the LDF government came to power in 2016.

BJP National President Amit Shah had attended the Yatra and had alleged that whenever CPI(M) came to power in the state, political attacks against BJP-RSS activists went up.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Heavily armed militants today launched a pre-dawn suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, killing three personnel of the force and injuring four others.

CRPF officials said two militants holed up in a building block in the camp were killed in the subsequent operation to neutralise the ultras.

"Two heavily armed militants stormed the camp at about 2 am. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," CRPF officials said,



CRPF Public Relations Officer (PRO) Rajesh Yadav told PTI that the militants fired indiscriminately injuring three CRPF personnel.

The injured personnel later succumbed to injuries. One of the injured personnel was identified as Saifuddin, a resident of Nowgam here, officials said.

Director General of Police S P Vaid said security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

Terming the attack as "unfortunate", Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying.They probably could not get a place and time earlier.So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters here.

The CRPF camp also serves as training centre for troops inducted for counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley.

A Jammu and Kashmir Police team is also co-located with CRPF in this camp.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Russia continues the modernization of its strategic forces, Moscow is testing the limits of compliance to arms reduction treaties it is committed to. The United States complained about two Russian weapon categories that allegedly violate the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty  the RS-26 Rubezh and 9M729 Iskander-K.

Rubezh (NATO reporting name SS-X-31) was referred by the Russians as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), a derivative of the three-stage RS-24 Yars. A shorter and lighter than the three-staged Yars, Rubezh is designed for deployment on road-mobile launchers. Rubezh carries a total payload of 800 kg which consists of a single warhead or four Multiple, Independent Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs). While officially Rubezhs range exceeds 6,000 km, four of the test flights carried out so far have demonstrated flight parameters banned by the INF treaty.

Its first successful test flight reached a distance of 5,800 km, positioning Rubezh in compliance with INF limitations but the next three flights reached only 2,000 km, demonstrating the true purpose of the weapon was to hit targets at intermediate range (such as Western Europe), rather than intercontinental. Following only four test flights Rubezh completed its development and was expected to enter service in 2017 (although such status has not been officially confirmed). The serial production of this missile could seriously change the Russian-US balance of power in nuclear forces  either with the INF or with New START disarmament treaties. That may be the cause of this missile to disappear from Russian military leaders unexpectedly stopped talking about the Rubezh. Any mention of the RS-26 has disappeared from all official statements. Some experts believe that by temporarily suspending the production and deployment of the RS-26, Moscow wants to close the question of a possible violation of the INF Treaty.

Moscow is also accused to be in violation of the INF treaty by the development of a new ground-launched cruise missile on 9K720 Iskander tactical missile system (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone). This versatile system can carry a number weapons  tactical, ballistic missiles or cruise missiles, capable of hitting targets at ranges up to 415  500 km, but, according to several sources, a new type of cruise missile designated 9M729 was tested with that system, extending its operational strike range far beyond the parameters allowed by the INF treaty. That cruise missile thought to be a derivative of the 3M14 Caliber cruise missile (widely used in its sea-launched variant in the war in Syria) with strike range between 480  and up to 5,470 km (300 to 3,400 miles).

The United States said it was taking military and economic measures against Moscow in response to this violation. Moscow claims these allegations are absolutely unfounded. The U.S. state department said their response could include a review of military concepts and options, including options for conventional, ground-launched, intermediate-range missile systems, which would enable the United States to defend itself and its allies, should the Russian Federation not return to compliance.

The treaty does not ban development work on weapon classes banned by the INF until the point that prototypes missiles are built and flight tested, therefore, the technology development would be within the limitations of the treaty. The U.S. response could also impose sanctions against Russian companies that provided the technologies for the new cruise missile. A military response could also include withdrawal from the treaty, that has been in effect for 30 years.

The Alliance has united in its appreciation that effective arms control agreements remain an essential element to strategic stability and our collective security, NATO announced, urging Russia to address these concerns in a substantial and transparent way, and actively engage in a technical dialogue with the United States.

Moscow flatly denied the existence of such land-based cruise missile and said the 9M729 refers to a different weapon whose range comply with the INF treaty. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has warned that if the US chooses to withdraw from the treaty, we will be forced to give a mirror response to that.

On its side, Moscow denied the accused violation claiming the American MK-41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) used with the new AEGIS Ashore sites in Romania, Poland, and Japan in the future, are violating the treaty, in its ability to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. President Vladimir Putin message was also clear: Russia is going to comply with its (INF) terms, providing our partners do so. If they decide to abandon it, however, our response will be instant and symmetrical. Putin said.

The U.S. denied this accusation saying the Aegis Ashore does not have an offensive ground-launched ballistic or cruise missile capability, as the AEGIS Ashore system lacks the software, fire control hardware, support equipment, and other infrastructure needed to launch offensive ballistic or cruise missiles such as the Tomahawk. Aegis Ashore has never contained, launched, or been tested for launching a missile that is prohibited by the INF Treaty. the State Department responded, The U.S. acknowledged the AEGIS Ashore uses some of the structural components as the sea-based Mk-41 VLS, it is not the same launcher and, as a result, the system is not a prohibited launcher.

Russian analysts claim the VLS launchers used by AEGIS Ashore do not show observable differences from those used on missile destroyers, as required by the INF treaty, just as the alleged Iskander-K does. The Russians also claim that Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones (such as the MQ-9 Reaper) are also in violation of the INF treaty, in their capacity to carry heavy weapon loads over long distances. These arguments are flatly denied by the US, since the treaty relates only to missiles, being one-way delivery systems, and not reusable delivery systems such as drones.

More Reading:
The New Year promises to be a good one for those hoping to visit Puri's revered Jagannath Temple, for plans are afoot to train its 'pandas' or priests by taking them on a tour of shrines across India.

A group of pandas, who perform a spate of rituals, will travel to other noted places of worship to pick up tips on cleanliness and ways to conduct themselves, a temple official said.

The temple authorities are working out an itinerary for the tour which is expected to start in next winters.

The move follows complaints about the behaviour of the pandas, many of whom are said to intimidate worshippers with demands for 'dakshina' or by forcing them to undergo rituals.

"We are planning to take around 60 sevayats to different religious places such as the Vaishno Devi temple, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Tirupati Balaji and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala. We call it an exposure trip because it will show them how others behave with devotees," a highly-placed temple official told PTI.

The Puri temple has some 120 categories of sevaks or pandas tasked with performing specific duties. The 2015 census states that there are about 8,000 sevaks, or about 1,200 families.

"Most of them them have never moved out of Puri. They are confined to the temple premises. Their behaviour and attitude towards devotees and hygiene had been very poor," said former chief administrator of the temple and ex-collector of Puri, Suresh Chandra Mohapatra.

Mahopatra, during an earlier stint as the temple's chief administrator, had started the exercise. From 2006 to 2008, pandas were taken to other shrines, with the temple administration bearing all expenses.

"We arranged this anubhav yatra because we wanted to expose them to some other big temples and gurudwaras. It was a structured programme and they were given notebooks to write their experiences down," said the IAS officer, who accompanied them to Vaishno Devi in Jammu and the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala.

In four groups of 60-65 people, the pandas visited the shrines, and Mohapatra recalled that they were "overwhelmed" when the chief jathedar of the Golden Temple received them in Amritsar.

"The yatra had a very good impact on their mindset and we saw a lot of change in their attitude after that," he said.

The teams also visited the kitchen in Tirupati and saw how priests there maintained hygiene and cleanliness, said Mohapatra, who joined the temple again in 2015 on the same post for a short period.

The official said that the temple administration plans to have regular sessions with priests on how to behave with devotees.

Some eminent people from their community will also address the pandas.

"Saints will deliver lectures on religious matters. They will also be given lectures on how to behave with pilgrims. " he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In an announcement that could dramatically alter political alignments in Tamil Nadu, superstar Rajinikanth today announced his political debut and said he will launch his own party which will contest all 234 constituencies in the next assembly polls in the state.

The announcement ends two decades of speculation over the entry of the actor, who enjoys cult status in Tamil cinema, in the political arena.

"I am joining and it is for sure," said the actor clad in a spotless white kurta and sporting a grey beard, amid thunderous applause from fans.

Batting for honesty in and good governance, he said, "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" needs to be ushered in, sans shades of any caste or religion with transparency.

"This is my motto and desire," he said and appealed to people to support him in his venture adding it was not possible to do it alone.

During the era of kings, they plundered the countries of their enemies. However, in democracy, parties were plundering their own people and such a "system" needs to be changed democratically.

Dramatically, he asked for "volunteers," not cadres to see to it that those who prevent amenities and rights reaching the people are thwarted.

Asserting that he will not tolerate nepotism or under the table dealings, he said, "I want volunteers who will keep vigil and who will not go to any officials, ministers or MPs, or MLAs for selfish needs."



Such 'volunteers' should question whoever commit mistakes, Rajinikanth said adding he needed only such people for his party.

"I am only a representative of the people to monitor such vigilantes."



He said such a force of selfless volunteers who will act as not cadres but as 'vigilantes' was needed and it should be built.

The actor said the first task would be streamlining the existing registered and unregistered fan clubs across the State.

He appealed to his fans to bring all sections of people into the club so that it could transform into a party and "till then there is no need to indulge in political talk which includes me."



" and democracy have gone pretty bad," he said and added the some political incidents in the past one year in Tamil Nadu has made every Tamilian hang his head in shame and people of all other States were "laughing at us."



The actor's remark is seen as a reference to the bitter infighting in the ruling AIADMK, allegations of rampant corruption, perceived political instability, and also the tax raids held at premises in the State including those linked to the ruling establishment, notably a Minister and his associates.

The RK Nagar Assembly bypoll in April was also cancelled following allegations of money distribution.

"If I do not take this decision now, the feeling of not having any effort to do good through democratic means to the Tamil people who gave me life will haunt me till my death," Rajinikanth said.

Stressing that he knew that launching a party, capturing power and governing was not an "ordinary thing," he said it was akin to extracting pearl from sea.

"This was possible only with the blessings of the God and full support of people," he said and expressed confidence that he will get both of it.

Quoting a shloka from Bhagawad Gita, which stresses the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the result to the Lord, he said "this is the compulsion of time."



"Engage in war, if you win you will rule the nation, if you die you will go to heaven. If you go without waging war, they will call you a coward," he said quoting the scripture amid thunderous applause.

Months after his long-time friend and fellow actor Kamal Haasan gave a clear indication of his political entry, Rajinikanth said he will launch a political party, which will contest all the 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing his fans here on the valedictory of a six day long photo-session meet, he said contesting the local body polls was not possible in view of the short time.

Entering politics was not for name or fame, he said and wondered if he would hanker for power now at the age of 68, when he did not have it at the age of 45 when he voiced his first political message against late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

"If hankering for power comes to me now am I not a fool?" he said and added it will also not suit his stature of a spiritually-oriented person.

In 1996, the actor had voiced his opposition against Jayalalithaa.

He said the party will be launched ahead of the Assembly elections at an appropriate time.

The policies of the party will be taken to the people at that time clearly outlining the policies what could be delivered and what not, he added.

He said truthfulness, hard work and growth will be the slogan of his party.

"Do good, speak and only good will happen," will be a guiding slogan, he said.

Praising his fans for their "discipline" he said anything could be achieved with it.

Asking if there has been too much of a waiting game, and speculation on if he will enter politics or not, he said with a laughter that he was not afraid of joining politics.

"I am not afraid of coming to politics, I am only afraid of the media, I am still a child, how I will feel," he said.

In a tweet in Tamil, Kamal Haasan welcomed his fellow actor's political entry.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In an announcement which may alter political equations in Tamil Nadu, superstar Rajinikanth today announced his much-speculated entry into saying he would launch a party before the next state Assembly polls, triggering jubilation among his fans.

His decision comes at a time when the state is witnessing a political churning after the death of chief minister and AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa and virtual retirement of nonagenarian DMK chief M Karunanidhi.

Amid a thunderous applause from his fans, Rajinikanth, clad in a white kurta, declared, "I am joining and it is for sure."



Espousing a new line of "spiritual politics," the 67- year-old actor, whose inimitable style and quick reflexes have won the hearts of cine-goers over the decades, said his (yet- to-be named) party would contest all the 234 seats in the next Assembly polls, due in 2021.

The party would be launched ahead of the state election at "an appropriate time", Rajinikanth said.

The cine superstar, who has a mammoth fan base, alleged that in democracy, parties were "plundering" their own people and such a system needed to be changed democratically.

In an apparent indication of keeping his options open for any possible tie-ups in the future, the actor asked his supporters to refrain from criticising or talking about everyday .

"Till such time (the launch of the party), let no one make any comment or criticise everyday politics. Those who are already in politics need to do that and we will launch our narrative once we enter the political mainstream," he told his fans here at the conclusion of a six-day-long photo-session meet.

The announcement, which ended two decades of speculation over joining of politics by the actor, who enjoys a cult status in Tamil cinema, evoked mixed reactions from different quarters.

While the ruling AIADMK and the DMK indicated that the development would not affect them, sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran and, actors Kamal Hassan and Amitabh Bachchan welcomed Rajinikanth's political debut.

Batting for honesty in politics and good governance, Rajinikanth said "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" should be ushered in with transparency sans shades of any caste or religion.

"This is my motto and desire," he said sporting a grey beard and displaying his famed "baba mudra".

Rajinikanth appealed to the people to support him in his venture, which, he said, was not possible for him to do it alone.

"During the era of kings, they plundered the countries of their enemies. However, in democracy, parties are plundering their own people and such a system needs to be changed democratically," he said.

He asked "volunteers" to see to it that attempts to prevent amenities and rights reaching the people were foiled.

Asserting that he will not tolerate nepotism or dishonest dealings, Rajinikanth said, "I want volunteers who will keep vigil and who will not go to any officials, ministers or MPs, or MLAs for selfish needs."



"I am only a representative of the people to monitor such vigilantes," the actor said, adding such a force of selfless volunteers not acting as cadres but as "vigilantes" was the need of the hour.

The first task would be streamlining the existing registered and unregistered fan clubs across the state the actor said.

The fan clubs should penetrate every nook and corner of the state, he said and appealed to them to bring all sections of people into their fold.

This would help transforming it into a party and "till then there is no need to indulge in political talk, which includes me," he said, virtually imposing a gag.

"Politics and democracy have gone pretty bad," Rajinikanth said, adding some political incidents in the state in the past one year has made "every Tamilian" hang his head in shame while people of other states were "laughing at us."



The actor's remark is seen as a reference to the bitter infighting in the ruling AIADMK after Jayalalithaa's death and charges and counter-charges of corruption.

Quoting a verse from the Bhagawad Gita, which stresses the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the result to the lord, the actor said, "This is the compulsion of time."



The superstar said contesting the local body polls, expected to be held in the coming months, was not possible in such a short time.

Entering politics was not for name or fame, he said and rhetorically asked why would he hanker for power now when he did not do so at the age of 45 when he voiced his first political message in 1996 against then chief minister Jayalalithaa.

Stressing that the public would be told about the policies and action-plan of the proposed party, Rajinikanth said if such promises "could not be fulfilled we will voluntarily resign within three years."



The superstar's announcement came after his long-time friend and fellow actor Kamal Haasan gave an indication about the latter's political entry.

Rajinikanth began his address hailing the Tamil people who gave him a "life" and ended his nearly 20-minute speech by thanking them, Tamil Nadu and capped it with a "Jai Hind."



When reporters asked him whether there had been too much of a waiting game for his political entry, he said, "I am not afraid of coming to politics, I am only afraid of the media, I am still a child, how I will feel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Security forces had an input about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days, Director General of Police S P Vaid said here today, hours after a militant attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district.

Two militants struck a CRPF training centre in Lethpora area of Pulwama in the early hours today, leaving a personnel dead and two others injured.

Terming the attack as unfortunate, Vaid said as long as Pakistan keeps sending militants, security forces and people of Kashmir will continue to go through this.

"There was an input from the last two-three days.They (militants) were trying.They probably could not get a place and time earlier.So, they struck last night, Vaid told reporters here.

The DGP was speaking at a press conference to outline the achievements of Jammu and Kashmir Police in 2017.

He said three CRPF jawans received bullet injuries in the initial firing by the militants.

"Two of them are stable and one has succumbed, he said, adding the militants will be neutralized very soon.

"In Kashmir, the challenge has always been there...As long as our neighbour keeps sending people like this, my police and security forces and people of Kashmir will have to go through this.It is unfortunate that this happened, the DGP said.

The security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an operation to neutralise them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is carrying out additional inquiries into the case against defunct Kingfisher Airlines, which was owned by defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya.

The white collar crime probe agency, which comes under the corporate affairs ministry, in a report has flagged various violations by individuals, including Mallya, and entities related to .

When asked about the status of probe into the Kingfisher matter, Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said one report has been submitted.

"One report has been submitted. Some more additional inquiries are taking place," he told PTI.

Last month, sources had said the ministry has given its approval for the SFIO to file prosecution cases against Mallya and others in the matter.

Specific details about the matter could not be immediately ascertained.

The SFIO had red-flagged a slew of violations of law by Mallya, and officials, including serious corporate governance lapses, sources had said.

Among others, the probe agency had recommended examining the role of some banks as well as bank officials in sanctioning credit facilities to the airline apart from action against promoter directors, they had said.

Mallya, who has been based in the UK for a long time, is wanted in India for Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crore and some other matters.

The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have already filed their separate charge sheets against the businessman and other accused.

The extradition trial of Mallya is going on in a UK court and the next hearing would start on January 10.

The trial will be for one of its final hearings to determine the "admissibility" of some of the evidence presented by the Indian government, when Judge Emma Arbuthnot will set a timetable for closing arguments and her ruling on whether Mallya can be extradited to India to face fraud and money laundering charges.

The trial, which opened on December 4, is aimed at laying out a prima facie case of fraud against the embattled businessman.

Mallya was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant in April this year and has been out on bail on a bond worth 6,50,000 pounds.
Three flights headed for Delhi had to be diverted to Nagpur airport due to dense fog, aviation officials said today.

Senior Airport Director Vijay Mulekar said that CZ3027- China Southern Airlines, FZ41-FlyDubai and G8421- Go Air flights destined for Delhi were diverted to Nagpur due to poor visibility in the early hours today.

The flights later took off in the next one hour to Delhi, said officials.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and various political party leaders today greeted people on the eve of new year.

"I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to the people of Tamil Nadu at the dawn of New Year 2018", Purohit said.

"On this happy occasion let us all resolve to work together in a spirit of harmony and friendship to usher in progress and development so as to create a brighter and better tomorrow", he said in a Raj Bhavan release.

"May we all direct our efforts to make our nation peaceful, strong and prosperous", he said.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami in his greetings message appealed the people to make use of the various schemes implemented by the government and said everyone should unite and work for the welfare of the state.

MDMK Chief Vaiko, PMK President S Ramadoss, CPI State Secretary R Mutharasan also extended their new year greetings on the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said on Sunday.

"Ishrat Jahan joined the BJP at our Howrah office on Saturday," Basu told PTI.

Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Saturday and inducted into the party.

Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised.

Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice.

The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22.

West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah.

Repeated calls to Ishrat for a reaction went unanswered.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today rued shoddy drafting of some bills and said that legislatures often enact laws without much debate.

Talking to reporters at the office of Swarna Bharat Trust run by his family near Gannavaram, Naidu said the drafting of bills leaves much to be desired sometimes.

"Yes, it's a matter of concern. Some bills are drafted shoddily and placed before the House. There is not much debate these days on bills," he said, when asked by a reporter about views expressed by a Supreme Court judge on the issue recently.

Speaking on the anti-defection law, the Rajya Sabha Chairman said the decision on disqualification of defectors has to be taken within two months as per the statute.

"Recently I disposed off a petition in 15 days," Naidu said, referring to the disqualification of Sharad Yadav from the Rajya Sabha on a petition filed by the JD (U).

"I can't comment on how the law is being followed in states," he said, in reference to several disqualification petitions pending for over two years before Speakers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Assemblies against the opposition MLAs, who defected to the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) or Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

The Vice President also spoke about the live telecast of Parliament proceedings, saying it was "introduced to enable people see how the Parliamentary proceedings are conducted".

"But these days there is a lot of din with some members trying to catch the camera's eye. There are some who favour live telecast so that errant members could be exposed," he said.

"There are (other) ways in which the parties can express their protest, like staging a walk-out. But I will not comment on the decision of political parties (as to how to protest)," he sadi.

To another question, Naidu said he never aspired to become the vice president.

"I didn't even wish to become the vice president. All I wished was to retire in January 2020," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the 11-day Vijayawada Book Festival in Vijayawada city tomorrow.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will also attend the event.

This is the 29th edition of Vijayawada Book Festival, which is celebrated with the advent of New Year.

It is said to be the second largest such event in the country after Kolkata Book Fair.

The Festival, being organised by the Vijayawada Book Festival Society in association with NTR Trust, will have over 200 stalls this year.

The Department of Language and Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh is also supporting the event.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In his recent strategic review, U.S. President Donald J. Trump introduced his administrations defense strategy. The majority of the review addresses the evolving threats by terrorism, non-state organizations, and economic competition with major world powers, but part of that strategy also addressed the challenges posed by ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, not only those developed and tested by North Korea and Iran, but the large Chinese and Russian nuclear arsenals being modernized, and enhanced with new capabilities that pose significant new challenges to American missile defenses.

The impressive progress of Russian nuclear forces is the topic of this article. Russia is modernizing all three legs of its nuclear triad. This modernization includes the introduction of new strategic missile submarines armed with new RSM56 Bulava missiles, restarting the production line of strategic bombers  the old-new Tupolev Tu-160M2, to be equipped with air-launched derivatives of the Kaliber naval cruise missiles. This modernization also includes a complete replacement of the Russian land-based strategic missile fleet, with the development and deployment of hundreds of new Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM). Accelerated testing of these new strategic missiles highlights the importance and fast pace of this thrust, as Moscow transforms its strategic force to better cope with the U.S. evolving missile defense capabilities.

According to the U.S. state department, Russia currently has 1,765 deployed warheads, deployed on 523 missiles, submarines and bombers, while the U.S. maintains 1,411 US warheads deployed on 673 platforms. The disparity in warheads and platforms is within the limits set by the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) treaty, which allows some limits both sides to maintain 700 platforms that carry up to 1,600 warheads, but enables the number of warheads to slightly exceed those levels due to different counting methods for each platform type. While the agreement is due to expire in 2021 the two sides havent begun negotiations an extension of this treaty and are at odds on each sides compliance with current arms control agreements.

Read post: New Weapons Initiatives Violating Arms Control Treaties

The Russian strategic arsenal is undergoing modernization that will totally replace the Russian Strategic Missile Force (RSMF), deploying new types of missiles and submarines, modernized bombers and cruise missiles to carry its nuclear weapons. While Russia is invested in all three legs of its strategic triad, the core of this modernization is the replacement of no less than four Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) types  RS-36M2 Voevoda (SS-18 Satan), UR-100 (SS-19 Stilleto), RS-12M Topol (SS-25 Sickle) and RT-2PM2 Topol-M (SS-27 Sickle) with three new ICBMs  RS-28 Sarmat (SS-X-30), RS-26 Rubezh (SS-X-31), and RS-24 Yars (SS-29) which has already been deployed. Topol will mark 30 years of service in 2018; the missile entered service in 1988 and is expected to remain in service until 2022 (see comparison table below).

For 2018 12 flight tests are scheduled, twice the number of missile tests in 2017, but less than the record year of 2016 (16). The most recent was the first ejection test of the mighty RS-28 Sarmat ICBM, the heaviest type of Russian ICBMs. This new, liquid-propelled missile will replace the RS-36M2 Satan, the heaviest Russian missile currently in service.

RS-24 Yars is the most mature Russian ICBM currently in production. It is propelled by a three-stage solid-fuel rocket system designed for launch from silos or from mobile launchers. Yars can carry up to three MIRVs, each carries a thermonuclear device with a yield of 150  200 kt to 1 megatons in a single warhead. Yars began deployment in 2009 and today, Yars and Topol-M make more than 80 percent of the Russian strategic missile force. It is expected that, by 2022, Yars will replace all Topol and SS-18 units in the RSMF. A derivative of Yars is the two-stage RS-26 Rubezh (SS-X-31), a smaller missile that carries a single warhead or four MIRVs with a total weight of 800 kg.

Read post: Toward an All-New Russian ICBM Force

As for the Rubezh  the missile is officially referred to as an ICBM (as it reached a range of 5,800 km in a flight test), although its test profile indicates it is more suitable for medium range attack, a category banned by the INF treaty.

Moscow is also accused to be in violation of that treaty by the development of a new cruise missile that can launch from the 9K720 Iskander tactical missile system (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone). This versatile system can carry a number weapons  tactical, ballistic missiles or cruise missiles, capable of hitting targets at ranges up to 415  500 km, but, according to several sources, a new type of cruise missile designated 9M729 was tested with that system, extending its operational strike range far beyond the parameters allowed by the INF treaty. That cruise missile thought to be a derivative of the 3M14 Caliber cruise missile (widely used in its sea-launched variant in the war in Syria) with strike range between 480  and up to 5,470 km (300 to 3,400 miles).

More Related Posts:
Suspecting his wife's fidelity, a watchman made a vain attempt to set her ablaze at their house near Periyanaickenpalayam on the city outskrits today.

Police said Pappusamy, a watchman at a mobile shop and a habitual drunkard, used to frequently pick up quarrels with his wife over various issues.

Unable to bear it, she had left for her house three days ago, but returned after being persuaded by her husband, they said.

Suspecting her fidelity, he doused her with kerosene from the stove in the kitchen and set her ablaze. Hearing her screams her two sons rushed in from another room, doused the flames and rushed her to the Government Hospital here, where she is being treated, police said.

A search was on for Pappusamy, who was absconding, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CPI in Kerala, which has always aired its views on contentious issues, today maintained that it would continue to "resist" any "diversion" by the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF from fundamental Left policies.

However, the party's criticisms were "issue-based" and not against the government or any individual, CPI state secretary Kannam Rajendran said.

"There are possibilities of minor diversions (from the Left policies)... but we will continue to resist this and we stand firmly on it."



The leader's remarks assume significance as the divergent stand by the CPI, second largest partner in the Left Democratic Front, against the government on some issues has triggered a war of words between the leaders of the two parties.

The issues include "encounter" death of two Maoists, registering cases under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and eviction of encroachers from government land.

The CPI has taken a national position on issues like "encounters" and UAPA and the party cannot take a different approach in Kerala on these matters, Rajendran told PTI in an interview here.

He maintained that the alleged death of two Maoists in Nilambur forests, which triggered a row in the state last year, was in a "fake encounter."



"I still believe that it was a fake encounter as per the information given by our local party workers," he said.

According to state police, the duo were killed in an "encounter" with police personnel at Edakara in Nilambur forest in northern Malappuram district on November 26, 2016.

On differences between CPI(M) and CPI over removing encroachments in high range Munnar, Rajendran said there was no need for any dispute as the LDF had taken a position that all settlers, as on January 1,1977, should be given title deeds and encroachers would be evicted.

His party was of the view that "big" encroachers should be evicted as per law in the first phase, he said.

However, due to local pressure, "some hurdles occur and we are of the opinion that it should be cleared and move forward," he said.

On the controversial decision of four CPI ministers to keep away from a cabinet meeting protesting the participation of then Transport minister Thomas Chandy, facing charges of encroachment, Rajendran said "it was a correct decision."



"We have taken a stand that there was no need to take part in the illegal meeting attended by Chandy. The party does not think that the decision to abstain from the cabinet meeting was violation of collective responsibility," he said.

The CPI ministers' decision to abstain from the weekly cabinet meeting on November 15 had snowballed into an unprecedented political row in the state, which is yet to die down.

The CPI(M) had then alleged that the CPI's move was to take the "credit" for Chandy's resignation and it was against coalition principles.

Rejecting the CPI(M) charge, Rajendran said the party did not want any credit for that. However, he cited Chandy's reported remark that it was the position taken by one of the partners in the LDF that forced him to quit.

"We are not responsible for that statement," Rajendran quipped.

About the performance of the LDF government headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the last 18 months, the CPI leader said financial crisis was a major issue worrying the government at present as there were difficulties in taking forward its development projects.

However, he said the effort was to tide over the crisis and move forward.

In this regard, he said demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax had a negative impact on the state economy. The effort now was to mobilise more non-tax revenue, he said.

The CPI leader maintained that the government had not diluted any social security measures like disbursement of welfare pension.

Stating that the Left had always opposed the concept of Goods and Services Tax, Rajendran said under GST, the tax rate was being regulated by a Council.

"With this, the role of people's representatives in fixing tax rates ceased to exist," the CPI leader said.

The LDF had co-operated in implementing GST expecting that the new tax regime would help increase the revenue of Kerala as it is a consumer state. However, the state revenue has come down drastically after GST was implemented, he said.

On the political approach towards the Congress to challenge the BJP surge in the country, Rajendran said the CPI has not thought of having any "electoral understanding" with the party.

"We will be discussing the draft political resolution of the party in this regard at the upcoming national party conference to be held in January next," he said.

The CPI leader, however, said the party wanted a broad platform of secular and progressive forces at the national level to take on the saffron party.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress said today that it will raise issues related to ex-servicemen in the current session of Parliament, as the military veterans rued the "dilution" of their post-retirement benefits.

Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev expressed concern over the "hike" in the premium of ex-servicemen's contributory health scheme.

"As the primary opposition party, it is our duty to raise the issues concerning ex-servicemen," she told reporters at a press conference here, adding that the Congress will raise the matter in Parliament.

A group of ex-servicemen, including retired Major General Satbir Singh, chairman of Indian Ex-servicemen Movement, was also present at the press conference with Dev.

The ex-servicemen said that they felt like "victims" as their post-retirement benefits had been "diluted and downgraded" in the past three years.

"We have assurances of the government on our issues but the situation has not changed for the better. We got our pensions increased but the one rank one pension issue is still unresolved," Singh said.

He said that the contributions of ex-servicemen including retired soldiers, junior commissioned officers and commissioned officers to the health scheme have been "doubled" posing problems for them.

"We recently met the defence minister but no solution has been found. We have also sought a meeting with the Prime Minister but our letter is yet to be acknowledged," Singh claimed.

Other members of the ex-servicemen community raised issues of widow pension, education of martyrs' children, ration and health services schemes, alleging that the facilities were being "diluted".

"We do not ask for extra, we want what is just and fair," Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While the roll out of GST did have an impact on consumption at retail stores, the biggest trend in the Indian retail industry in 2017 was inarguably the emergence of the omni-channel business model (where a retail brand had both an offline as well as an online presence). And, the omni-channel model was not restricted to the physical retailers alone, but the large online stores too saw merit in having a physical presence.

So, Amazon India picked up a 5% stake in Shoppers Stop for Rs 179.25 crore, and more recently, Flipkart's fashion arm, Myntra has announced that it would be launching physical stores to retail it's private brands Roadster, HRX and All About You.

While single brand online retailers such as furniture, jewellery, eye-wear and beauty brands had already moved into the physical space, this year saw the market places moving into physical retail, a trend which has already taken place in the matured markets with the likes of Amazon and Alibaba picking up stakes in large physical departmental stores. In fact Walmart's omni-channel model has been giving Amazon a serious run for its money in the US.

The fact that consumers want to touch and feel the products they buy as much as they want to shop within the comforts of their home has compelled retailers to embark upon a multi-prong retail strategy. The physical stores also serve as a distribution hub, and thereby help reducing costs. So, if a consumer wants to exchange a product, she has the option of going to the nearest store to return the product she has bought online, browse through other options at the physical store, even try it out (in case of categories such as apparel, footwear etc) and then buy a product of her choice.

Apart from online retailers bleeding profusely because of deep discounting, the practice of offering free delivery and free returns which most online retailers are practising to acquire customers has also become a huge pain point.

So, while Shoppers Stop will sell its 400-odd brands on Amazon, the latter will get space to set up experience centres at Shoppers Stop outlets to promote its fashion brands. By selling through Amazon, Shoppers Stop can now reach to far-flung areas of the country where setting up stores wouldn't have been economically viable for the country.

Retail King, Kishore Biyani's Big Bang announcement of his company's Retail 3.0 plan obviously grabbed maximum headlines this year. After making several failed attempts in online retail, Biyani now plans to set up 10,000 technology empowered EasyDay stores in the next few years. He plans to have at least 2,000 members per store to whom he will offer the whole works of retail solutions so that those members don't need to go to any other neighbourhood store to fulfil their needs. Future Retail would offer them 10% discount on all products and it will also offer them credit facilities. The EasyDay stores will be like a marketplace, which would enable the consumers to access the company's entire inventory. He hopes to become a Rs1.5-trillion company by 2022 by blending online and offline retail.

The country's most valuable retailer, D'Mart, has also set out on its omni-channel journey. It has set up small D'Mart Ready stores across Mumbai, from where customers can pick up the products they have ordered online. They can even get their ordered home delivered, but at an additional cost. Radhakrishna Damani is known for building simple, low cost businesses and there is no way he would add unnecessary costs to his P&L by offering free home delivery.

While most Indian retailers have set out on the omni-channel journey, will it work, will it be profitable? No one in the industry has answer, as all of them are still experimenting the model.
The year 2017 has been a year of significant changes for India's competition law regime, with several positive changes made both by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).

The year also saw the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal being statutorily mandated as the appellate tribunal for appeals arising from the CCI, in place of the Competition Appellate Tribunal.

This has been a year of more hits than misses for the CCI.



Merger control

Merger control continues to remain the CCI's strongest scorecard. The CCI has laid to rest industry's concerns of significant delays to the M&A regime.

The CCI's average review time for notifiable transactions has reduced from 34 working days in 2016 to 24 working days (approximately) in 2017, despite it having a skeletal headcount in the merger control division as compared to its international counterparts. In 95% of all notified transactions involving approvals from more than one regulator or schemes filed with the courts, the CCI approval has always come first, a credit to the CCI's efficiency.

The annual review of the combination regulations where the CCI continually addresses industry concerns has yielded great results. The merger control regime is "near perfect" and one key change which remains on industry's wishlist is the right of hearing, before the CCI can invalidate a merger notification - which it currently can, and does, without affording parties a right to be heard.

The MCA and the CCI should be lauded for removing the 30-day filing deadline for a notifiable transaction and bringing India's merger control regime in-line with international best practices, and recognizing the fact that merging parties are incentivized to file as soon as possible. This move also does away with unnecessary penalties for delayed filings.

To further streamline the merger regime, the new de minimis exemption by the MCA clarified that asset acquisitions would entail application of de minimis and jurisdictional thresholds only to the assets and turnover of the relevant business being acquired and not to the aggregate value of the seller's entire financials, as previously considered. While this is a welcome relief for the industry, the modalities of auditor certification for such asset acquisitions and business transfers need to be addressed by the CCI, given that a majority of businesses do not maintain separate financials for assets/ business divisions.

In a similar vein, the MCA extended the applicability of de minimis thresholds to "mergers and amalgamations" and not just to "acquisitions" - recognizing that the mode of corporate organization is irrelevant to the applicability of the thresholds.

The CCI has issued guidance on non-compete which prescribes the CCI's framework and approach for assessment of non-compete restrictions in M&A transactions. This is a welcome move as around 60% (13 cases) of all modifications voluntarily offered or imposed by the CCI (22 cases) pertained to scope and duration of non-compete clauses.

Apart from these positive amendments, the MCA has exempted transactions involving nationalized banks, regional rural banks, and Central public-sector enterprises operating in the oil and gas sectors from the CCI's merger control review. The carve-out for state-owned enterprises is not in line with other major competition jurisdictions and results in creation of an ownership-based divide, which distorts the level playing field amongst private companies and state-owned enterprises. Given that the mandate of the CCI is to ensure proper functioning of the markets and intervene if there is any appreciable adverse effect on competition, such exemptions should be carefully considered.

Leniency regime



Detection and busting of cartels continues to remain the CCI's primary focus. Competition regulators across the world continue to treat cartels as the most egregious offence under competition law, given the harmful effect on prices, choice and innovation. The CCI has been promoting its leniency programme. In 2017, the CCI issued its first order under the leniency regime in a case involving bid-rigging for tenders relating to supply of fans to Indian Railways. The CCI gave a 75% reduction of penalty to both the enterprise and the individual who availed of the leniency regime.

Shortly after this order, the CCI made amendments to its leniency regulations to strengthen and streamline the leniency regime. The amended regulations, inter alia, remove the cap on the number of applicants who may claim leniency (consistent with the US system), allow access to file by non-leniency applicants and third parties (consistent with the EU system), and allow individuals to also apply for leniency. Previously, the non-access to any information filed by the leniency applicants had resulted in several non-leniency applicants approaching High Courts through writ petitions in order to gain access to information provided by the leniency applicant.

Contentious cases

The CCI recently imposed a penalty on Monsanto for not providing information regarding the role of individuals allegedly involved in the conduct of business at the time of the alleged contravention. The CCI's penalty sends a strong signal to industry of a "zero tolerance" approach to non-co-operation during investigations, even if parties have challenged the CCI's proceedings in court.

The CCI also delivered its first substantive order in relation to resale price maintenance and held that Hyundai Motor's discount control mechanism through which it monitored maximum discounts offered by dealers and imposed sanctions for non-compliance with the stipulated discounts, was a violation of the Competition Act, 2002. The key takeaway message for industry is that minimum resale price maintenance will not be permitted, in-line with international competition jurisprudence.

Conclusion

Given that the CCI has the ability to levy India's highest economic penalties, the application of turnover remained highly contested until 2017 when the Supreme Court of India settled the issue in relation to turnover being interpreted to only mean relevant turnover thereby adopting the principle of proportionality. The clear position now is that an enterprise can only be penalised with respect to turnover pertaining to those of its businesses which violated the Competition Act, and not in relation to its entire turnover. The CCI has since followed this precedent, and enumerated aggravating and mitigating factors in relation to the penalties being levied. However, the need of the hour is for the CCI to formulate penalty guidelines which will serve as a barometer to guide industry.

Further to contribute to the ease of doing business in India, and given that a substantial majority of the CCI's matters originate in Mumbai, the time has come for the Government to set up benches of the CCI. SEBI has 19 offices in India apart from the head office in Mumbai, including offices in Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata. It is high time for the CCI, which is almost a decade old, to follow suit.

The author is Partner and National Head, Competition Law, Trilegal
File photo

Search and rescue crews are looking for a plane that is believed to have crashed in Box Elder County Friday afternoon. The Cessna 172 was carrying two occupants, the pilot 71-year-old Denny Mansell, and a passenger 74-year-old Peter Ellis.

Box Elder County Sheriffs Chief Deputy Dale Ward said the plane took off from the Ogden Hinckley Airport around 3:30 p.m. The men had told family members, they planned to fly to the Promontory area and view the trains at the Golden Spike Historical Site from the air. They were expected to return by about 4:30 p.m.

The family called 911 around 9:20 p.m. after the two men failed to return home. The missing aircraft was described as a Cessna 172 that is red and white in color. Its registration number is N4395R.

Deputies, along with search and rescue teams, searched the ground around the Promontory area Friday night and Saturday. They were assisted by a Department of Public Safety helicopter, the Civil Air Patrol and a boat patrol from the Department of Parks and Recreation checking the lake. The search is expected to continue through the weekend.

Ward said the family is asking for anyone who attended the Steam Festival at the Golden Spike Historical Site Friday afternoon, and has any evidence that the plane was there to notify searchers. The plane likely was in the area between 3 and 5:00 p.m. Anyone can submit photos or information to the email address: missingplane4395@gmail.com.

Any information can establish that the men flew to the Golden Spike Site and will help narrow the search area.

Ward said the family appreciates the publics help and respecting their privacy during this difficult time.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
A picture-perfect crescent of golden sand Quiriga Beach (Reef Point) lies just east of Maloneys Beach and west of North Head on the northern side of the Bay. It's in the Murramarang National Park and you'll know you've found it when you see the three-metre tall yellow boulder smack bang in the middle of the sandy beach. According to local Kerrie Anne Benton "both immediately north and south of here are loads of nooks and crannies to snorkel, and on some days you may even be lucky enough to spot schools of prawns."
Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper.
Doug Boysen said he could not be happier to call the mid-valley home and as of Monday, assumes a new role as president and CEO of Samaritan Health Services.

He takes over from Larry Mullins, who is taking over leadership of Samaritan Solutions Institute. The Nevada, Iowa, native brings a background as an attorney who also has a masters degree in health administration to the position. He'll guide a network of five hospitals and 5,000 employees.

One summer, while I was attending the University of Northern Iowa, I got an internship working at a local hospital and thats when I fell in love with the hospital environment, Boysen said. I really learned to appreciate the people who work in health care and the mission behind it.

Boysen was always interested in the law as well, and the University of Iowa offered him the opportunity to earn both a Juris Doctor and a master of health administration degree in four years. He graduated in 1998.

I had always thought about going to law school, Boysen said. After my internship in the hospital in college, I found a way to do both at Iowa.

Boysen said he could see health care becoming much more regulated and major changes coming, which he knew would require someone versed in both legal and health fields.

Boysen practiced law for several years at Von Briesen, Purtell & Roper, a nationally recognized health care law firm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He then spent five years as assistant general counsel at Legacy Health in Portland, but when he and his wife, Kerry, began having children, they knew they wanted to move to a smaller community.

A friend introduced him to David Triebes, who also went to college in Iowa, and heads up Samaritans Albany General Hospital.

It was perfect timing, Boysen said. Samaritan did not have in-house counsel and Larry (Mullins) was thinking about creating the position.

In 2006, Boysen joined Samaritan Health Services as vice president and general counsel. In 2012 he was promoted to vice president general counsel and human resources.

Working with Larry has been great. I have learned a lot from him and he has been a mentor to me, Boysen said. Ive learned a lot about his vision and how to look at the future, project where health care is going. Hes fun to work with and he jokes around a lot, too. He truly cares about the people with whom he works.

Boysen said he believes his major challenge will be dealing with declining reimbursements for services. He said that will mean every department will need to be focused on efficiency.

We already have a well-integrated system and we are providing a high level of care, Boysen said. If we can be extremely efficient and provide services more affordably for our communities, that will help keep us going forward in the future.

In 2014, Boysen left Samaritan Health Services and moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where he spent a year as regional counsel for UnityPoint Health, a regional health system with more than 30 hospitals and 30,000 employees.

But in 2015, Boysen learned that Mullins planned to shift gears within a couple years and the Samaritan board of directors wanted him as Mullins successor.

He returned to the system as executive vice president and chief administrative officer.

We had gone back to the Midwest in part to be closer to our families, Boysen said. What we learned is that we love the mid-valley and weve become Oregonians. We have made our home here. We appreciate the people of the communities we serve. It was a very good learning opportunity about where we belong.

Boysen has been a guest lecturer at Oregon State University, Pacific University and Western University of Health Sciences and is an adjunct faculty member at Oregon State and Pacific University.

He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Health Lawyers Association.

He volunteers with Willamette Neighborhood Housing Services, the Center for Nonprofit Stewardship, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Trout Unlimited. He also serves with the Corvallis Vision 2040 Implementation Group.
The set up for the show will begin in the morning, and will take about eight hours to make sure everything is ready to go to bring in the new year.
Confusion followed when former Nationals senator and deputy leader Fiona Nash described the Coalition's plan to decentralise the public service from the major cities and embark on a wholesale campaign to push agencies into the regions. As details emerged, the bureaucracy learnt the project would only touch its non-policy arms, but the prospect of jobs leaving Canberra remained live.
Together, we will remain actively engaged with the international community as part of the global effort to hold warming well below 2C."

 We are Still In Declaration

It became a kind of civil war between intransigent factions, with the entire planet as its disputed territory (thankfully, however, without gunfire). That was the scene when two rival U.S. contingents showed up for Novembers UN COP23 global climate conference in Bonn, Germany.

The first contingent, the official U.S. delegation to the conference, devoted its sole presentation to promoting coal as the primary energy source for fighting climate change. Consisting in part of coal and other fossil-fuel company executives, the small, token delegation was only in attendance only because, until our status expires in three years, the U.S. remains a signatory to the COP21 Paris Climate Accords.

The second contingent, representatives of the unofficial, nation-wide group We Are Still In (WASI) set up camp in a pavilion it called the U.S. Climate Action Center, immediately adjacent to the COP 23 meeting headquarters.

Representing 20 US states, more than 200 cities (including the 60 largest cities), 1,700 businesses (including almost half of the countrys largest companies), more than 150 colleges and universities, numerous tribes and NGOs and a million petition signers, WASI conveyed a very different message: The majority of Americans take the threat of climate change seriously, support the goals of the Paris Climate Accords, and are willing to take action to meet and strengthen those goals.

By action the WASI representatives meant two things: 1.) Using its keynote address (out of 40 talks given) to present official COP23 representatives with a document called Americas Pledge (Phase 1). The document bears the pledges of 2,300 U.S. organizations to reduce their emissions to the Paris Accords standards (or lower); and, 2.) reaching out to other countries to make mutual climate commitments and agreements.

The 115-page Americas Pledge document, available online, outlines steps already taken, underway or planned by non-federal actors toward decarbonization of the U.S. economy. It includes analyses of market and regulatory trends in the power, building efficiency, transportation and industry sectors; strategies to reduce hydrofluorocarbon and methane emissions; and carbon pricing and taxing initiatives. Opportunities for emissions reductions are identified in each sector, and the signatories have pledged to adopt those policies which fit their economic and emissions profiles.

For example, building codes are generally the purview of states and cities, not the federal government. Californias wildly successful building energy-efficiency standards have resulted in the reduction in energy use totaling 40 percent for dwellings and 50 percent for commercial buildings. This applies to the millions of buildings added to the states stock since the codes were first written in 1978.

Yet many states and cities that have signed onto Americas pledge do not yet have similar building energy standards. Adopting them offers one of many opportunities to reduce emissions without burdening economic growth  California real-estate values have remained extremely robust  irrespective of federal inaction. Solar incentives, vehicle emissions standards and public transportation initiatives offer more opportunities.

Internationally, Americas Pledge signatories, especially California, are exploring linking their carbon markets with those of the EU, China, Canada and Mexico.

Taken together, the Americas Pledge signatories have an economic power of about $10 trillion GDP, making them the third-largest country in the world behind the US and China. They are a force to be reckoned with as they gain international recognition and chalk up climate action credits in the U.S.

So, who won the COP23 civil war? In terms of growing the U.S. economy, enhancing our international status and fighting climate change, Americas Pledge signatories are raising the bar for voluntary sustainable initiatives. Going forward, its good to know We Are Still In at our ecological house.
With the Giulia and Stelvio, Alfa Romeo has properly revitalized its product portfolio. And its said to have a new, larger crossover in the pipeline too. But what will come after that?



According to the latest reports, the Italian automaker is looking at two new vehicles: one to succeed the Giulietta, and the other, the 4C.

In order to complete the Alfa range of products, Alfas chief technical officer Roberto Fedeli told Auto Express, we need another couple of pillars  something in the C-Segment and then obviously a sporty product, a very sporty product.

The Giulietta could use a shortened version of the Giulia sedans platform, which would ostensibly mean itd be rear-wheel drive  rare territory for C-segment hatchbacks, following similar formula to the BMW 1 Series hatch. But Alfa (and FCA) would need to ascertain whether a re-entry into that segment would be worthwhile.

The company has been moving away from unprofitable small cars, having in recent years discontinued the Dodge Dart, Chrysler 200, and Lancia Delta. its very difficult to make a profit, Fedeli said about the segment.

As for the 4C, an update is in the works  but the company is looking beyond that to the long-term future of the model. We make some small modifications but then we have to decide if we want to install different engine, or switch the architecture. As you can imagine we have some options, we are working on more than one option. However it turns out, Fedeli says it wont have a manual transmission  which is sad news for purists.

Photo Gallery
It was one of the largest police investigations the region has ever seen.

Dozens of police and two mobile command units descended on a ramshackle farm on Salmon River Road last October, where they would spend almost a month scouring the 24-acre property.

Police quickly focussed in on one section of the farm, erecting temporary fencing and large white tents.

Special forensic teams were brought in and there was speculation the search was in relation to five missing women who were last seen between Vernon and Sicamous.

The farm sits near Silver Creek, a normally quiet farming community.

Three days into the search, police announced human remains had been found on the property.

During the course of executing a search warrant at a property in the 2200 block of Salmon River Road, human remains have been located, Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said at the time.

This matter is being treated as suspicious at this time.

The news sent a shock wave through the region.

That shock turned to sorrow and anger when it was confirmed the remains belonged to one of the missing women, Traci Genereaux, 18, of Vernon.

Vickie Urich was devastated to hear the news of granddaughter.

"I don't want to believe, but have to believe, this has happened to her," Urich said. "It is a nightmare."

Urich described her granddaughter as the kind of kid who would light up a room.

Her death prompted area citizens to canvass the street community for information, flyers of all missing women were posted throughout the area with people being urged to contact police with any information they may have.

And after almost four weeks at the farm, police abruptly left.

"The RCMP Southeast District Major Crimes Unit completed its search of the Salmon River Road property, with all police personnel and equipment vacating the property," said Moskaluk.

Throughout the investigation one name was on everyones lips: Curtis Sagmoen.

While no connection has been made between Sagmoen and the death of Genereaux, the farm did belong to his parents and Sagmoen was thrust into the public eye when police charged him with allegedly threatening a sex trade worker in August, weeks before police arrived at the property.

Charges against Sagmoen include disguising face with intent to commit offence, intentionally discharging a firearm while reckless, uttering threats, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, pointing a firearm and careless use of a firearm.

Protests were held on the steps of the Vernon courthouse whenever Sagmoen was scheduled to appear.
Photo: Contributed

The six-storey, 58-unit development planned as part of a reimagining of Clement Avenue will be a purpose-built rental housing project.

The project's developers say the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation will subsidize the cost of the apartments so they can be rented below market value.

That will allow the developers to offer market-quality rental housing at 10 per cent below market rates, for ten years.

In order to make the development happen, the developers are asking the City of Kelowna for permission to consolidate six properties along Clement Avenue to make room for the apartment building.

For more on the project, check out the full story on Castanet's sister business news website, Okanagan Edge.
Photo: Twitter

UPDATE: 9:40 p.m.

Authorities say 1 deputy dead, 4 deputies and 2 civilians hurt, in suburban Denver; suspected gunman believed dead.

More coming.

ORIGINAL: 7:52 a.m.

Authorities in Colorado say a number of deputies from a sheriff's office in suburban Denver have been wounded.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said via its Twitter account that a major highway south of the city was shut down Sunday. Residents in the vicinity were asked to shelter in place, and avoid windows and exterior walls.

No other details were immediately available. The nature of the injuries to the Douglas County deputies wasn't disclosed. It also wasn't known how many deputies were involved.
Photo: The Canadian Press In this Oct. 1, 2017, file photo, police officers advise people to take cover near the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas.

Tens of thousands of revelers will ring in the new year in Las Vegas under the close eye of throngs of law enforcement officers and National Guard members assembled to keep them safe just three months after the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Tourism officials expect about 330,000 people to come to the city for festivities that are anchored by a roughly eight-minute fireworks display at the top of seven casino-hotels. Inside, acts including Bruno Mars, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Foo Fighters will keep partiers entertained before and after midnight.

With the shadow of the Oct. 1 shooting still over Las Vegas, officials are trying to reassure locals and visitors they will be safe celebrating on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown on Fremont Street.

On Saturday, two security guards were fatally shot while investigating a disturbance at Arizona Charlie's Decatur, a hotel-casino just west of the Strip. The suspect was hospitalized with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and is not expected to survive, police said. Authorities described it as an isolated incident and assured that it was not terrorism-related.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department will have every officer working Sunday, while the Nevada National Guard is activating about 350 soldiers and airmen. The federal government also is sending dozens of personnel to assist with intelligence and other efforts.

Still, authorities are asking revelers to watch their surroundings and report anything unusual.

"Nothing is too small to say something," Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said during a news conference last week. "We'll have plenty of resources available to take phone calls no matter how mundane they are or insignificant you believe to be the information."

The heightened security comes after a high-stakes gambler killed 58 and injured hundreds more after he shattered the windows of his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Strip and unleashed gunfire on a country music festival below. He then killed himself.

Strollers, backpacks, large bags, coolers and glass bottles will be banned on the Strip on New Year's Eve.

A light jacket may do it for some of those gathering on the car-free Strip or squeezed underneath the massive video canopy on Fremont Street. The National Weather Service in Las Vegas forecasts temperatures to be around 48 degrees at midnight.

The co-ordinated fireworks show is scheduled to start 10 seconds before midnight Sunday at the Stratosphere. Fireworks will then be launched from the Venetian, Treasure Island, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Aria and MGM Grand.

New Year's Eve is worth an estimated $254.3 million to Las Vegas, according to the city's Convention and Visitors Authority. More than 97 per cent of the destination's nearly 149,000 hotel and motel rooms are expected to be booked.
Photo: The Canadian Press

UDATE: 4:24 p.m.

Ten U.S. citizens and two Costa Ricans have been killed after a plane flying out of Punta Islita, Costa Rica crashed Sunday afternoon.

Costa Rica Civil Aviation director said Sunday that the Nature Air flight was captained by a very experienced pilot, and the cause of the crash is under investigation.

ORIGINAL: 12:41 p.m.

The Costa Rican government says that a plane believed to be carrying 12 people has crashed in a wooded area.

The Public Safety Ministry posted photographs of the crash site showing burning wreckage of the plane in Guanacaste, northwest Costa Rica.

Sunday's statement says the plane belongs to Nature Air and had taken off nearby.
WASHINGTON  Wisconsin's Supreme Court can soon right a flagrant wrong stemming from events set in motion in 2014 at Milwaukee's Marquette University by Cheryl Abbate. Although just a graduate student, she already had a precocious aptitude for academic nastiness.

On Oct. 28, in an undergraduate course she was teaching on ethics, when the subject of same-sex marriage arose there was no debate because, a student said, Abbate insisted that there could be no defensible opposition to this. (Marquette is a Jesuit school.) After class, the student told her that he opposed same-sex marriage and her discouraging of debate about it. She replied (he recorded their interaction) that "there are some opinions that are not appropriate that are harmful ... do you know whether anyone in the class is homosexual? ... in this class homophobic comments ... will not be tolerated." The student's appeals to Abbate's superiors were unavailing (the chairman of her philosophy department referred to the student as an "insulin [sic] little twerp") so he gave John C. McAdams his recording of Abbate rebuffing him.

McAdams, a tenured professor then in his 41st year at Marquette and a conservative who blogs about the school's news, emailed Abbate seeking her version of the episode. Without responding to him, she immediately forwarded his email to some professors. She has called McAdams "the ringleader" of "extreme white [sic] wing, hateful people," a "moron," "a flaming bigot, sexist and homophobic idiot" and a "creepy homophobic person with bad argumentation skills." This aspiring philosopher's argumentation skills can be inferred from her reliance on epithets.

Before McAdams had written a syllable, she claimed for herself the coveted status of victim, branding as "harassment" his request for her side of the story. Striking a pose of bravery, she accused him of trying "to scare me into silence." When, on Nov. 9, McAdams blogged, his post took no position on same-sex marriage but said this should be a debatable issue. The next day, Abbate drafted a letter asking that McAdams be disciplined. He was.

After this matter earned national media attention, she received some critical emails, some of them vile, and Marquette rightly branded them "hate mail." However, for these, and for the unspecified "harm" that they supposedly caused Abbate, McAdams was held to be somehow blameworthy. Marquette, however, offered no evidence that he had anything to do with the emails. After a committee drawn from the university's monochrome culture recommended suspending McAdams without pay for two semesters, Marquette's president insisted that McAdams also express in writing "deep regret" and confess that his blog post was "reckless and incompatible" with Marquette's mission and values. McAdams refused and has been unemployed ever since.

Being a private institution, Marquette had a right to be as hostile as it obviously is to the First Amendment  except for this: Its contract with tenured faculty says no one shall be disciplined for exercising "legitimate personal or academic freedoms of thought, doctrine, discourse, association, advocacy, or action" and that the threat of dismissal shall not be used to "restrain" constitutional rights. A circuit court, ignoring Marquette's ignoring of a Wisconsin contract, refused to adjudicate this dispute. Deferring to Marquette, the court essentially held that a professor's academic freedom exists only until some other professors, and university administrators, say it does not. So, the deferential court allowed Marquette an unconstrained right to settle a contract dispute in which it was an interested party.

Because there is almost no Wisconsin case law concerning academic freedom that could have guided the circuit court, McAdams is asking the state supreme court to bypass the appeals court and perform its function as the state's "law-developing court." He is also asking the court to be cognizant of the cultural context: Nationwide, colleges and universities "are under pressure"  all of it from within the institutions  "to enact or implement speech codes or otherwise restrict speech in various ways."

This episode, now in its fourth year, began because McAdams tried to assist a student who suffered unprofessional behavior by a bullying instructor. Abbate has moved on. Now at the University of Colorado, she is still a (perhaps career) graduate student, writing a doctoral dissertation on the importance of the rights of ... animals.

The wreckage she left in her wake illustrates how rights are imperiled when judicial deference becomes dereliction of judicial duty. Prospective Marquette students, and Marquette alumni, must decide whether this school, awash with the current academic hysteria and corruption, merits their confidence and support. Wisconsin's Supreme Court must lay down the law that can stop some of the rot that this case illustrates.




Garopapilles in Bordeaux Rating: 89. Rating index:

Extraordinary (96-100)

Outstanding (93-95)

Very good to Excellent (89-92)

Above average to Good (86-88)

Below Average to Average (80-85)

Avoid (below 80)

More info > Extraordinary (96-100)Outstanding (93-95)Very good to Excellent (89-92)Above average to Good (86-88)Below Average to Average (80-85)Avoid (below 80)



In 2012 Gael Morand and Tanguy Laviale opened Garopapilles, a wine boutique cum 20-seat neo-bistro in Bordeaux. Morand is in charge of the wine, Laviale of the food. Tanguy Laviale started his chef career in Paris in the early 00's, where he attended Ferrandi culinary school. After graduation he worked in the kitchens of Christian LeSquer's Ledoyen (now run by Yannick Alleno), Alain Dutournier's Carre des Feuillants and Guy Martin's second restaurant Le Sensing (now closed). Next he followed a 2-year Viticulture and Oenology course at the Lycee Agro-Viticole de Bordeaux in Blanquefort. Before opening his own restaurant, Laviale was Chef de Cuisine at Chateau Haut Bailly for a number of years.





Garopapilles is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday and for dinner on Thursday and Friday; the wine boutique is open on weekdays. At lunchtime the restaurant offers a 4-course Menu decouverte for 45, a 3-course Menu du marche for 35, or a 2-course menu (starter and main or main and dessert) for 28. I had lunch at Garopapilles in September 2017 and I had the 4-course menu.



First to arrive were some nibbles, like delicious little cauliflower beignets, deep-fried leek ravioli served with a yoghurt dip seasoned with mint and tarragon, and there were some juicy Provence olives. A enjoyable start of the meal.





First course were sardine fillets lightly marinated with a touch of soy sauce, with lovely soft flesh and pretty silvery-blue skin, and served with a wonderfully creamy and mildly smoky aubergine caviar. One of the fillets was covered with a layer of crunchy and slightly lemony, toasted crumbs. An excellent dish with pleasing flavours and textures and well-marinated fish, the soy sauce giving the the sardine a little salty kick.









The meal continued with a rich and creamy scampi soup adorned with pieces of lightly cured wild trout (from the Basque country), mushrooms, crunchy pickled onions, and croutons. The soup had a wonderful depth of flavour, with good shell flavours in the finish, and the addition of the trout delivered a lovely, unexpected contrasting flavour.





Main course was Montbeliarde beef served with grilled baby corn, gnocchi, pan-fried ceps and a simple beef jus. The Montbeliarde cow is a breed mainly used for dairy farming and cheese making in France - cheese making in particular. Its milk is most famously used for Comte and Gruyere. Unfortunately I don't know which cut was used. I did ask, but sometimes things get lost in translation. Nevertheless, a wonderful piece of beef, cooked beautifully, as were the ceps, which were deliciously buttery and nicely caramelised. Balance and lightness was delivered by the corn.





Dessert was a rich chocolate ganache with a shiny chocolate glaze, covered with a crunchy peanut biscuit, nicely paired with banana cream and banana ice cream. A moreish combination, rounding off the meal perfectly.





My meal at Garopapilles was a completely satisfying experience. Tanguy Laviale's contemporary, market-driven style of cooking makes great use of

excellent ingredients. Handsomely cooked food, that was full of flavour and the freshness of the ingredients really shone through. This was my first solo meal in a very long time, and I could not have picked a more relaxing and enjoyable place. Easy to love dishes, a great wine list, friendly service, more than reasonable prices, there's really not much more to be desired here. If only I lived in Bordeaux.











In 2012 Gael Morand and Tanguy Laviale opened Garopapilles, a wine boutique cum 20-seat neo-bistro in Bordeaux. Morand is in charge of the wine, Laviale of the food. Tanguy Laviale started his chef career in Paris in the early 00's, where he attended Ferrandi culinary school. After graduation he worked in the kitchens of Christian LeSquer's Ledoyen (now run by Yannick Alleno), Alain Dutournier's Carre des Feuillants and Guy Martin's second restaurant Le Sensing (now closed). Next he followed a 2-year Viticulture and Oenology course at the Lycee Agro-Viticole de Bordeaux in Blanquefort. Before opening his own restaurant, Laviale was Chef de Cuisine at Chateau Haut Bailly for a number of years.Garopapilles is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday and for dinner on Thursday and Friday; the wine boutique is open on weekdays. At lunchtime the restaurant offers a 4-course Menu decouverte for 45, a 3-course Menu du marche for 35, or a 2-course menu (starter and main or main and dessert) for 28. I had lunch at Garopapilles in September 2017 and I had the 4-course menu.First to arrive were some nibbles, like delicious little cauliflower beignets, deep-fried leek ravioli served with a yoghurt dip seasoned with mint and tarragon, and there were some juicy Provence olives. A enjoyable start of the meal.First course were sardine fillets lightly marinated with a touch of soy sauce, with lovely soft flesh and pretty silvery-blue skin, and served with a wonderfully creamy and mildly smoky aubergine caviar. One of the fillets was covered with a layer of crunchy and slightly lemony, toasted crumbs. An excellent dish with pleasing flavours and textures and well-marinated fish, the soy sauce giving the the sardine a little salty kick.The meal continued with a rich and creamy scampi soup adorned with pieces of lightly cured wild trout (from the Basque country), mushrooms, crunchy pickled onions, and croutons. The soup had a wonderful depth of flavour, with good shell flavours in the finish, and the addition of the trout delivered a lovely, unexpected contrasting flavour.Main course was Montbeliarde beef served with grilled baby corn, gnocchi, pan-fried ceps and a simple beef jus. The Montbeliarde cow is a breed mainly used for dairy farming and cheese making in France - cheese making in particular. Its milk is most famously used for Comte and Gruyere. Unfortunately I don't know which cut was used. I did ask, but sometimes things get lost in translation. Nevertheless, a wonderful piece of beef, cooked beautifully, as were the ceps, which were deliciously buttery and nicely caramelised. Balance and lightness was delivered by the corn.Dessert was a rich chocolate ganache with a shiny chocolate glaze, covered with a crunchy peanut biscuit, nicely paired with banana cream and banana ice cream. A moreish combination, rounding off the meal perfectly.My meal at Garopapilles was a completely satisfying experience. Tanguy Laviale's contemporary, market-driven style of cooking makes great use ofexcellent ingredients. Handsomely cooked food, that was full of flavour and the freshness of the ingredients really shone through. This was my first solo meal in a very long time, and I could not have picked a more relaxing and enjoyable place. Easy to love dishes, a great wine list, friendly service, more than reasonable prices, there's really not much more to be desired here. If only I lived in Bordeaux.

Posted 31-12-2017







Share


The ball drops to enter in the new year during New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square on Jan. 1, 2018 in New York. (Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images)

NEW YORK  The glittering crystal ball dropped with a burst of confetti and dazzling fireworks as revelers rang in 2018 in frigid Times Square  the second-coldest celebration there on record.

It was only 10 degrees Fahrenheit in the city, and the celebration was less crowded than other years. Some of the metal pens, usually packed with people, were only partially full. Bundled up in hats, gloves, face masks and numerous layers of clothing, partygoers danced and hugged and kissed as the ball dropped.

Advertisement

New Yorker Colleen Keenan was with her son Kevin Keenan and his friend Devin Wright when midnight hit.

"It is a beautiful experience. There's nothing like it, nothing at all like it," she said as the ball dropped. "Times Square is the place to be on New Year's Eve, that's for sure. Now everyone is going to get drunk and get warm."

Advertisement

Wright, of Long Beach, Calif., said she was "intoxicatingly in love with every moment of today."

"I'm freezing, but it's worth it," she said. "Every second in this miserable cold is worth it."

Mariah Carey made it through her set on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" after bungling the performance last year. She dressed in a floor-length gown and a furry white coat, performing her 1990s hits "Vision of Love" and "Hero."

Carey asked for hot tea between songs  and joked that it was "a disaster" that there wasn't any. But a year ago she stumbled through her short set, failing to sing for most of it despite a pre-recorded track of her songs playing in the background. She was visibly upset during the performance a year ago and blamed the show's production team, but they ultimately buried the hatchet.

The dazzling finale of the show was the traditional drop of a Waterford Crystal ball down a pole atop 1 Times Square.

This year, the ball was 12 feet in diameter, weighs 11,875 pounds and was covered with 2,688 triangles that change colors like a kaleidoscope, illuminated by 32,256 LED lights. When the first ball drop happened in 1907, it was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. The first celebration in the area was in 1904, the year the city's first subway line started running.

After two terrorist attacks and a rampaging SUV driver who plowed into a crowd on the very spot where the party takes place, police were taking no chances.

Security was tighter than ever before. Garages in the area were sealed off. Detectives were stationed at area hotels working with security officials to prevent sniper attacks.

Advertisement

Thousands of uniformed officers lined the streets. Concrete blocks and sanitation trucks blocked vehicles from entering the secure area where spectators gathered. Partygoers passed through one of a dozen checkpoints where they were screened and then screened again as they made their way to the main event.

At 48th Street and Seventh Avenue, Chris Garcia, his girlfriend, Zayra Velazquez, and her brother Edgar Valdez stood rigidly, having waited in the cold for almost six hours. Valdez said he felt "pretty safe" at the event.

"They checked us pretty good," he said. "Police checked what we had, and another scanned us with metal detectors."

The police department estimates that it costs $7.5 million to protect the event.

The frostiest ball drop on record was 1 degree Fahrenheit in 1907. In 1962 it was just 11 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and in 1939 and 2008 it was 18 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remle Scott and her boyfriend, Brad Whittaker, of San Diego, arrived shortly after 9 a.m., trying to keep a positive attitude as temperatures hovered in the teens. Each wore several layers of clothing.

Advertisement

"Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing," Scott said.

Some wore red scarfs that read "Happy New Year" and others donned yellow and purple hats as a pizza deliveryman sold pies to the hungry crowd.

In a prime viewing spot near 42nd Street, Alexander Ebrahim grinned as he looked around at the flashing lights of Times Square.

"I always saw it on TV, so I thought why not come out and see it in person," the Orange County, California, resident said. "It's an experience you can never forget."

Michael Waller made a snap decision on Saturday evening to drive straight from Columbus, Ohio. He made it to Times Square at 8 a.m. and waited all day in front of the ball.

"I didn't want to stay home for this, by myself," he said.

Advertisement

Tarana Burke, an activist who started a #MeToo campaign a decade ago to raise awareness about sexual violence, started the ceremonial ball drop, pushing the crystal button that officially began the 60-second countdown to the new year.

Just minutes after midnight, partygoers started to drain from the area as if a giant tub stopper has been pulled up. And the cleanup begins, led by a small army of city employees including more than 200 sanitation workers, dozens of police officers who clear the area of confetti and other garbage. Crews removed more than 44 tons of debris last year.

Associated Press writer Colleen Long and radio correspondent Julie Walker contributed to this report.

RELATED STORIES:

Ryan Seacrest says Mariah Carey is likely rehearsing for NYE gig

Mariah Carey returns to 'New Year's Rockin' Eve'

Advertisement

Mariah Carey bungles New Year's Eve show, stops singing on live TV







Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
404

Try searching for the content you're looking for, or take a look at our recently published stories
PALM COAST, Fla.  A Florida man is accused of rigging the front door of a home in an attempt to electrocute his estranged pregnant wife.

In a Facebook post Friday, Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staley called the case one of the "most bizarre domestic violence cases" he's seen.

Advertisement

Officials said 32-year-old Michael Scott Wilson was arrested Thursday in Knoxville, Tennessee, and charged with attempted aggravated battery on a pregnant woman and grand theft of a firearm. He's being held on a $150,000 bond and will be extradited to Florida. It's unclear if he has an attorney.

The woman's father called deputies after Wilson made suspicious statements about keeping children away from the door. Deputies found the front door barricaded, with burn marks. When a deputy kicked the door, a large spark was observed.
ELKO  A woman convicted of abuse and neglect of her newborn was the most widely read crime and court story of the year.

Readership was high for 10 stories that involved crimes committed this year or court cases from prior years.

Nikki Shelley, 23, was found guilty by a jury July 29 of willful abuse, neglect or endangerment of a child by placing the child in a situation wherein the child may suffer physical pain or mental suffering, a category B felony. The verdict came less than three months after Shelley gave birth to a baby girl alone in her Spring Creek home.

Jurors sat through three days of testimony in Elko District Court that revealed Shelley concealed her pregnancy from her family except her friend Whitney Ellingson. On May 18, after giving birth in her parents shower, she wrapped the baby in towels, placed her in a white kitchen trash bag and then put her in the trunk of a car.

Upon arriving at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital, Shelley told nurses she had suffered a miscarriage and had passed some gooey stuff.

The baby was found almost an hour later and flown to Primary Childrens Hospital for treatment.

Defense attorney Ben Gaumond told jurors that Shelley believed the baby was dead. The argument was refuted by District Attorney Mark Mills, who questioned Shelleys decision not to call 911 for medical assistance for the newborn.

On Nov.17, Shelley was sentenced by Judge Al Kacin to serve 38 months in prison with credit for 88 days served. She is eligible for probation after serving 15 months of her sentence. The charge carried a penalty of up to six years in prison.

During the sentencing hearing, the state recommended two years in prison for Shelley, and eligibility for parole after 19 months. The defense asked for probation. Shelley did not speak to the court.

Other top crime and court stories of 2017:

 Ristina Slack, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory sexual seduction involving a 13-year-old boy and received a suspended sentence of 10 years in prison and was ordered to serve 30 days in jail.

 We got justice for Stephanie, said Lidia Cortes after the sentencing of Eduardo Estrada-Puentes on Jan. 13, more than five years after the death of her daughter Stephanie Gonzalez. Estrada-Puentes received life in prison without the possibility of parole on the charge of first-degree murder for killing his wife in 2011.

 A man was arrested for allegedly committing bestiality on a dog in August. Thomas Copland, 32, was charged with torturing or injury to an animal, a Category D felony, and pleaded not guilty in district court on Oct. 30. A trial date has not been set.

 Deborah Urrizaga, 52, was ordered to serve a year in jail and given a suspended sentence of five years in prison for embezzling more than $34,000 from the Elko Motorcycle Jamboree. Arrested in February, the former treasurer of the Jamboree and Spring Creek Middle School teacher pleaded guilty in September in a plea agreement that reduced the charge from 20 counts down to one.

 Aaron Hughes was paroled after four years in prison. The former Elko Police Department captain resigned in 2008 after evidence came to light that led to his conviction of incest. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2013 and was denied parole two years later.

 A Spring Creek woman was charged with child neglect and endangerment after being arrested for allegedly leaving her 14-month-old in the car while she gambled at Dotties Casino in March. Jamie L. Benson, 28, pleaded guilty in Elko District Court Nov. 13 and will be sentenced in January.

 An elementary schoolteacher in Wells was arrested in June on charges of sexual relations with four male high school students. Tennille Whitaker, 40, waived her preliminary hearing in Elko Justice Court in November and has yet to enter a plea in district court.

 An 18-year-old Elko High School student was arrested Oct. 18 for allegedly possessing weapons on school property and being in possession of an alcoholic beverage. Sammual R. Munk, was discovered by a school resource officer, who said he saw smoke coming from Munks pickup truck and found alcohol and several weapons including guns and knives during a search of the vehicle. His preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 29.

 In West Wendover, a 21-year-old man was arrested Nov. 26 in connection with the shooting death of his 15-year-old brother. Ivan Lopez remains in custody at the Elko County Jail and his case is pending in Elko Justice Court.
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





A play comprising five short stories by Lao She returns to Beijing after its recent two-month nationwide tour.



Theater director Lin Zhaohua met Shu Yi, the son of novelist and playwright Lao She (1899-1966), after Lin premiered his play Hamlet, adapted from William Shakespeare's work, in October 2008.

While congratulating Lin on his take on the classic, Shu talked about commemorating his father's 110th birth anniversary.

Every year, commemorative programs, like staging plays written by Lao Shewhich includeTeahouse, Rickshaw Boy,Four Generations under One Roof andThe Peking Manare held to pay tribute to Lao She, whose original name was Shu Qingchun.

Regarded as one of the literary giants of the country, Lao She is noted for his works with a strong Beijing flavor and a vivid depiction of human nature.

However, both Lin and Shu Yi wanted to do something different.

So, they decided to produceFive Acts of Life, a play comprising five short stories by Lao She, which offers a vivid view of Chinese society from 1898, the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), to 1948.

Before that, Lao She's short stories had never been adapted for theater.

The play, directed by Lin, premiered to great success at the Hong Kong Arts Festival, with four sold-out shows, in March 2010. And it has toured the country every year since then with hundreds of performances.

Five Acts of Lifewill return to Beijing on Jan 2, after a two-month nationwide tour.








Tribute 2018, a joint exhibition hosted by the China Academy of Art (CAA) and Haute Ecole des Arts du Rhin (HEAR), was held in Strasbourg, France, on Dec 2.

Philosophers, artists and historians from around the world gathered at the French city to celebrate the cultural and historical achievements of the past - from the legacy of Chinese landscape art to the world's most revolutionary movements over the past 100 years - in order to reflect on the future outlook of the world.

The joint event was highlighted by a commemorative exhibition paying tribute to late Chinese painter Lin Fengmian, as well as a multimedia exhibition and round-table discussions under the theme of Future Media/Art Manifesto.

Lin Fengmian is well-known in China for his attempts to blend western and eastern artistic traditions. Future Media/Art Manifesto was divided into two parts:Shanshui: A CosmotechnicsandCentury: A Proposal.

Shanshui: A Cosmotechnicswas an immersive video-sound art installation consisting of 29 screens. It offered visitors ancient Chinese people's understanding of the world through the lens of modern technology, making use of sound art and moving images to deconstruct the important concept ofshanshuiin Chinese culture.





Shanshuiliterally means mountains and water in Chinese, but it contains a wider connotation: the world - an understanding that finds wide representation in ancient Chinese literature and art.
You are here: China

China's State Council has detailed rules for the enforcement of an upcoming environment protection tax law, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2018.





The regulation specifies taxation targets, the tax-setting basis, conditions for tax reduction and exemptions as well as tax collection management, according to a State Council decree signed by Premier Li Keqiang.





The rules also make clear the taxation scope of solid waste and centralized sewage treatment areas.





China has a regulation on collecting the "pollutant discharge fee." However, some local governments exploit loopholes and exempt enterprises which are otherwise big contributors to fiscal revenue. For years, regulators have suggested replacing the fee system with a law.





After the new regulation becomes effective, the regulation on "pollutant discharge fee" will be abolished.





The new regulation also offers a cooperation mechanism between tax and environmental protection authorities for sharing information.





The discharge data filed by companies will be deemed "abnormal" if the figure is much lower than its figure the previous year or the amount of its peers without appropriate explanation, the regulation said.





In this case the new law requires a review on abnormal data by environment protection authorities.





Under the new law, which targets enterprises and public institutions that discharge listed pollutants directly into the environment, companies will pay taxes for producing noise, air and water pollutants as well as solid waste.





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 earlier this month.





From January to November, China investigated over 35,600 violations of environmental protection laws and regulations, up more than 102 percent year on year.




The Supreme People's Procuratorate said that the rate of arrest and prosecution of minors in China had fallen in 2017.





In the first 11 months, prosecutors exempted 13,100 criminal suspects below the age of 18 from arrest, or 33.4 percent of all minor suspects, up 1.8 percentage points compared with the same period in 2016, the SPP said in a statement.





Meanwhile, 8,800 minors, or 18.4 percent of the total, were exempted from prosecution from January to November in 2017, an increase of 3.4 percentage points year on year.





Prosecutors nationwide have been required to show leniency to juveniles convicted of minor offences in an effort to "educate and save" them, said Zheng Xinjian, head of the minor case division of the SPP.





China has taken steps to protect the rights of adolescent suspects. The Changning District People's Procuratorate in Shanghai set up the country's first special prosecution group for minors in 1986.




Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to domestic and overseas audience via China Radio International, China National Radio, China Central Television, China Global TV Network and the Internet. Here's the speech in full:

Comrades, friends, ladies and gentlemen,

Greetings! Time flies. As we are ushering in the year of 2018, I would like to extend my New Year wishes to my countrymen and women from all ethnic groups, in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and in Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese. I also wish good luck to friends from all countries and regions across the world.

It is only natural that hard work pays off, and it brings changes for the better every day. In 2017, we held the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, embarking on a new journey towards the all-round building of a modern socialist China. Our national GDP reached a new level of 80 trillion yuan. Over 13 million new job opportunities were created in urban and rural areas. The social old-age pension schemes have covered more than 900 million people, while 1.35 billion people have gained access to basic medical insurance. Another more than 10 million rural residents have been lifted out of poverty. "If only I could get tens of thousands of mansions! I would house all the poor people who would then beam with smiles(ancient Chinese poet Du Fu)." As part of our poverty alleviation efforts, 3.4 million people have moved into new and warm homes, and the goal of upgrading 6 million housing units in run-down areas has been realized in advance. The improvement of people's well-being has been accelerated, and the ecological environment has gradually improved. The people have gained a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. We are now one big step closer to the completion of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

We have made one achievement after another in the fields of science and technology innovation as well as massive projects. The Huiyan Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope has launched into space. The C919 large passenger jet has completed its maiden flight. The quantum computer has been successfully developed. Saltwater paddies have begun trial production. The first domestically built aircraft carrier has been put into use. The Haiyi underwater glider has conducted deep-sea observations. Samples of combustible ice in sea areas have been collected successfully. The Yangshan Phase-IV Automated Port has officially opened. The main structure of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has been finished, and the Fuxing high speed trains have been operated across China  I would like to say Bravo to the great creativity demonstrated by fellow Chinese.

We held a military drill in Zhurihe training base, commemorating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Upon the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, I paid a visit to it and saw with my own eyes that Hong Kong has maintained its long-term prosperity and stability with the firm support of the motherland, and it will surely enjoy a better tomorrow. In order to remember history and call for peace, we held a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, as well as a national memorial service for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

China played host to several multilateral diplomatic events, including the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the BRICS Summit in Xiamen, as well as the CPC in Dialogue with the World's Political Parties High-level Meeting. I also participated in some of the world's important multi-lateral meetings. In the beginning of 2017, I attended the Davos World Economic Forum and delivered a speech at the UN Headquarters in Geneva. Then I participated in other events including the G20 Summit and the APEC summit. On different occasions, I exchanged views with relevant parties, and all of us agreed to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to benefit people all over the world.

In 2017, I received a lot of letters from the public, including villagers from Yumai Township of Longzi County in Tibet, members of a mounted cultural troupe in West Suned Prefecture of Inner Mongolia, professors of Xian Jiaotong University who had relocated there from eastern China decades ago, and graduates from Nankai University who had joined the army. Their stories all impressed me deeply. People have adhered to patriotism and devotion with neither complaint nor regret, which makes me feel that the common people are the greatest and happiness is generated through hard work.

Comrades, friends, ladies and gentlemen!

2018 marks the beginning of China putting into action the guiding principles of the 19th CPC National Congress, which designed a blueprint for the country's development for the next three decades. "A nine-storey tower begins with a pile of earth." To translate the blueprint into reality, we must neither rush upon fantasy nor be guided by the sound of falsehood. We shall work steadily and in a down-to-earth manner.

2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up policy. The policy is the only way for modern China to make progress in its development as well as to realize the Chinese dream. With the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up policy as a turning point, we shall cut paths through mountains and build bridges across rivers, overcome all difficulties and carry reform through to the end.

It is our solemn commitment to lift all rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty by 2020. Once made, a promise is as weighty as a thousand ounces of gold. It is only 3 years left before 2020, so the whole society shall take joint actions, strive to the best of our capabilities, and implement targeted measures for more success. If we win the battle against poverty three years later on schedule, that will mark the first entire elimination of absolute impoverishment in the Chinese nation's history which has lasted for thousands of years. Let's work together for this great achievement that is significant to both the Chinese nation and mankind.

At present, various sides have both expectations and worries about the prospect of peace and development for mankind, looking forward to China expressing its stand and attitude. The world is one big family. As a responsible major country, China has this to say: China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, conscientiously perform its due international obligations and responsibilities, keep its promises on global climate change, actively push forward the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, and always contribute to the building of world peace and global development, and the safeguarding of international order. The Chinese people are willing to work together with people of various countries in opening up a beautiful future of greater prosperity and tranquility for mankind.

Comrades, friends, ladies and gentlemen!

Our great development achievements have been made by the people, and should be shared by the people. I understand what concerns the people the most includes education, employment, income, social security, healthcare, elderly care, housing, and the environment. You have reaped the harvest from your hard work. You have also encountered quite some frustrations. There is still much room for improvement with regard to our work in relation to the people's livelihood. So we should strengthen our sense of mission and responsibility, and do practical and fruitful work for the sake of the people's welfare. The CPC committees, governments and officials at all levels shall always take into consideration the safety and necessities of the people whole-heartedly, and regard the work of benefitting the people as their top political achievement. They shall pay attention to and share the concerns of the people and create conditions for them to live a better and happier life.

Thank you all.




 Flash

Israel launched on Saturday a second strike on a Hamas post in the Gaza Strip, saying it was a response to a rocket fire from the coastal enclave a day before.

"This evening IAF (Israel Air Force) fighter jets targeted an observation post belonging to the Hamas terror organization in the southern Gaza Strip," a military spokesperson said in a statement.

The strike came a day after Gaza militants fired three rockets toward Israel. Two rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-rocket system while a third hit a building in a community in the regional council of Sha'ar Ha'negev, causing no injury.

About an hour after the rockets were fired, Israel launched the first strike, targeting two Hamas posts. Hamas said there were no injuries in the strike.

No group in Gaza has claimed responsibility for the rockets attack but similar launches were usually made by Hamas and other radical Islamist groups.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said an inspection of the rockets found the projectiles were "made by Iran."

The military said it sees the rockets attack a "severe incident" which "proves once more that Iran, through radical and rogue terror organizations, is operating to deteriorate the situation."




You are here: World

 Flash

Enhancing vocational training and private sector are effective solutions to Libya's current high unemployment, Libyan Minister of Labor Al-Mehdi Al-Amin said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"Libya's current unemployment rate is 5.5 percent. It is considered high for a small society such as Libya with a population of only six million," Al-Amin told Xinhua.

The statistics were drawn from a survey conducted from 137,000 registered citizens in the job-searching system of 55 labor offices in Libya.

Young people are the largest unemployed group in Libya, according to the minister.

"The rate of unemployed young people is 67 percent, compared with the unemployed people aged over 50," Al-Amin noted.

The minister also said the Libyan public sector suffers an overload of employees.

"The Ministry of Education has nearly 500,000 employees, which is of course very high," he said, adding that "random appointments" after the revolution in 2011 are the main reasons.

When asked about the solution, Al-Amin pinned his hopes on vocational training and the private sector.

"One of our main tasks is training. We have trained good trainers so that we have local trainers. We also cooperate with trainers from the European Union and Jordan," He said.

"There is also coordination with the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Planning of the Government of National Accord to give opportunities to young people in small and large private enterprises to reduce the large number of public sector employees," he added.

He expressed hope that the private sector will absorb a large number of employees to ease the burden on the public sector.

Meanwhile, the authorities are helping people with intellectual, auditory, visual and physical disabilities to find employment, the minister said.

Unemployed women are also the group the authorities are focusing on, Al-Amid said.

"We have plans for empowering women, for which we set up offices that aim at developing database for the whole country," he said.




You are here: World

 Flash

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Saturday declared a state of emergency in two states in western and eastern Sudan respectively, official SUNA news agency reported.

"President al-Bashir on Saturday issued a Republican Decree declaring a state of emergency in North Kordofan and Kassala states," the report said.

According to the decree, the state of emergency is to last for six months, it added.

The report did not give the reason behind declaring the state of emergency in the two states which are not witnessing any security event.




 Flash

Morocco and China have given new impetus to their bilateral ties in 2017 in line with the strategic partnership that was established a year ago between the two countries.

In May 2016, visiting King Mohammed VI of Morocco and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a joint statement on establishing a strategic partnership, offering new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in various areas.

Building on this move, the two countries signed in November a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on joint construction of the Belt and Road initiative during a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Nasser Bourita.

Partnership between Morocco and China was also cemented by joint ventures with Chinese companies this year.

In a landmark project, the Moroccan government, Morocco's BMCE Bank and Chinese Haite group signed in March a deal to invest one billion U.S. dollars to build an industrial and residential park in Morocco's northern city of Tangier under the name "Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City."

Spanning over some 2,000 hectares and planning some 100,000 jobs, the park will host hundreds of multinational and Chinese companies in numerous industries, including auto manufacturing, aerospace, aviation spare parts, electronic information, textiles and machinery manufacturing.

Few months after the inking of the park's deal, this ambitious project has already attracted a major player in auto industry, Chinese giant automaker BYD.

An agreement was signed between the government of Morocco and BYD earlier this month to build a factory to build battery-powered cars.

The plant will cover an area of 50 hectares, and is expected to employ 2,500 people.

Following in the footstep of Tangier Tech City, Morocco and the China Association for Industrial Cooperation (CAIC) have agreed in October to set up an economic zone in Fez offering a platform for various industries.

Given the growing auto-industry in Morocco, Chinese auto wheel manufacturer Citic Dicastal and automotive AC compressors Aotecar also signed deals with Morocco in December to open plants to supply automakers in the North African kingdom.

Chinese companies have been involved in a number of infrastructure projects, including some large-scale ones. After Chinese group Cover-Mbec built Africa's largest cable-stayed bridge in Rabat, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) agreed in July with Travaux Generaux de Construction de Casablanca,

Morocco's leading construction company, to 250-meter-tall tower in the Moroccan capital of Rabat, which is expected to become the tallest skyscraper in Africa.

China ranks also in the third spot on the list of top importers. In 2016, Morocco imported some 3.9 billion U.S. dollars from China compared to 3.17 billion U.S. dollars in 2015.

One year from marking the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations, the two countries are set to boost their bilateral relations and raise them to higher level.




 Flash

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered warm messages towards the European Union this week after a year of particularly strained relations between the two sides.



"I always say this, We are compelled to reduce the number of foes and increase the number of friends. We have no problems with Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium. On the contrary, those who are in the governments of these countries are my old friends," Erdogan told journalists on Thursday during a tour of African countries.

There might be official visits to France and Vatican in the coming months as there have been positive signals and easing of strained relations, he said.

His comments came after recent remarks by German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte encouraging positive relations with Turkey.

Gabriel said earlier this week that the EU should seek new ways of dealing with Turkey.

According to Gabriel, the EU needs to find "alternative" ways of creating closer cooperation and partnerships with both Turkey and Ukraine as both countries are unlikely to join the 28-member bloc in the foreseeable future.

Rutte said on Dec. 23 that the "cold relations" between the Netherlands and Turkey should be fixed.

"I think it would be good if relations with Turkey could improve. Turkey is a NATO partner," he told Dutch daily De Telegraaf in an interview.

Turkey and the EU have had an ongoing spat since 2016 after Brussels expressed strong criticism of Ankara over mass arrests in the country, connected with the failed coup attempt in July 2016.

Turkey is a candidate member to the bloc since 1999 but its accession negotiation launched in 2005 did not go far because of several member countries' direct or indirect opposition to the Muslim nation's entry to the Union.

The emergency rule and the massive crackdown imposed after the botched coup also had a very negative effect on these negotiations that have been officially halted.

Turkey-EU ties took a hard blow in November 2016, when the European Parliament suspended Turkish accession talks, following a constitutional referendum expanding powers of president in April 2017, which prompted the EU to vote to reopen the monitoring process against Turkey.

Ankara accused EU of harboring "terrorists," suspected coup plotters who took refuge or asylum in several European countries, and Erdogan, for his part, declared that Turkey had "kept waiting at Europe's door for far too long" and did not need EU membership anymore.

Recently the Jerusalem issue seem to have generated a rapprochement opportunity between Brussels and Ankara.

In this context, Erdogan noted that his last contacts with German and Dutch leaders, whose countries he accused in the past of "Nazi practices," were "quite good especially regarding the Jerusalem issue.

"We had problems, but our latest meetings have gone very well. I asked for their support on Jerusalem; we are all on the same page. I have called (German President Frank Walter) Steinmeier to thank him. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte sent some signals to improve ties with us. These are satisfactory. We, of course, hope to have good ties with the EU and EU countries," Erdogan emphasized.

The seemingly warming of relations is something that most experts are supporting in Turkey at a time when Ankara's ties with its traditional NATO ally, the United States, is also souring.

"The right choice for Turkey is definitely the EU, not the United States or Russia," the latter with whom Turkey has enjoyed close ties in the recent year, wrote Emre Gonen from Istanbul's Bilgi University in Sabah Daily.

"At a time when the 'greatest' democracy in the world, the United States, is moving away from democratic principles, it is high time for Turkey and the EU to get closer based on transparency and cooperation," argued Gonen.

Experts believe that Turkey has to deliver strong determination to return to a full democracy and European human rights standards as soon as possible.

For the relations to go back to track, "Turkey should recover its self confidence and return from an extraordinary situation to a normal one," told Xinhua EU expert Dr. Bahadir Kaleagasi.

"The next accession report of the European Commission is set to be published in April, Turkey still has time until then to lift the emergency rule," said Kaleagasi, CEO of Turkey's leading business and industry group TUSIAD.

Nevertheless, in order to do so, Turkey will have to realign with European democratic norm and regulations and convince its people of the need to return to the roots to unlock the actual situation for a visa liberation that Turks are been waiting for so long.

And this is not an easy task as roughly 69 percent of the Turkish population does not believe in Turkey's accession to the EU soon, according to a recent survey conducted by the Turkish Economic Development Foundation (IKV).

Only 31 percent of Turks believe that their country may become a full member, according to this survey.

"There is lack of trust in both camps, but we feel sure that this can be amended with increased dialogue," a senior European diplomat told Xinhua on condition of anonymity, adding that however, "the rule of law" should be fully implemented, in a reference to the lifting of the emergency rule in Turkey.

"The EU project plays an essential part in Turkey's global leadership ambitions" nourished by Erdogan, argued Kaleagasi.